Volume 1 - CH 34

(……this place is eerie, isn’t this?)

Meanwhile, Emilia and her party continued their search far away from Julis and his party.

The area was unusually quiet, and there was no sign of any monsters. So, Emilia was eerie about this.

“I’ve never been on an adventure like this before, so I’m a little tense……!”

Behind Emilia was a shrinking Cecilia.

Although she was trying her best, her body was trembling, and Emilia felt that this is due to the absence of her usual support.

“Everything will be okay. I will protect Cecilia-sama.”

“That’s right, Saintess-sama! We are with you!”

“Th, thank you…….! I am so relieved to hear that!”

Besides being Emilia, the S-class boys were also carrying swords and encouraging Cecilia with their chests out.

Cecilia was a little relieved to see that. Really, she might be worried without him.

(Cecilia-sama is the only one I have to protect somehow…….)

Even if it meant putting yourself in danger.

If that person’s loved ones were hurt, that person would also be hurt.

Of course, she knew that her own life was the top priority, but she still felt that she must protect her.

Even without that, Cecilia was a saintess whom the kingdom asked to be admitted to the academy.

If anything were to happen to her, the kingdom’s position would be in jeopardy.

Therefore, Emilia must put Cecilia’s safety first, both for the kingdom and for Julis.

(Besides, if I am in danger, Julis-sama will surely come to me…….)

Emilia gripped the crystal in her pocket to erase her anxiety.

It was ready to be shattered at any moment, at any time.

(Then again…… It’s really eerie.)

The quietness of the area was one thing, but it was not the main reason.

“…… Gaa……a.”

It was a blond boy who walked in the lead of Emilia and her party.

Although he was just quiet before entering the forest, he was now making strange roaring noises.

It was hard to tell what was going on in his expression.

(…… Furthermore, I sense something intentional in this party formation as well.)

Although it was said that it was Caesar’s arrangement, Emilia feels uncomfortable with this formation.

For better or worse, Emilia also thought that Caesar was a lecturer who sees students equally and who does not bring personal feelings into it.

And yet, how about this?

Byrne, who harbored ill feelings toward them, and Cecilia. No matter how she looked at it, it seemed as if they were intentionally separated from Julis and the others.

At such a time────

“Ughaa…… Gaa…… Raghh……!”

Byrne, walking in front of her, suddenly began to struggle.

He was in pain, clawing at his neck and desperately screaming inaudibly.

“What’s the matter, Byrne-sama……?”

Emilia reflexively shielded Cecilia behind her and pointed her favorite rod at Byrne.

But the boys, unable to grasp the current situation, approached him timidly, looking worried.

And then────

“Grrughaaa……!!!!”

Byrne turned himself around.

His blackened eyes were bloodshot and drooling as he came fleshing out toward Emilia vigorously.

“Wha!”

Emilia was surprised by Byrne’s drastic change and that he was coming at her.

But she couldn’t stay that way forever.

Sensing that he was not joking, Emilia thrusted her favorite rod into the ground.

“O wall!”

A large wall of ice appeared in the path of Byrne’s approach.

Unlike Byrne, Emilia is a Single, and her specialty is ice magic, which is outstanding.

The amount of mana she contains is the highest in the school year, her magic manipulation skills are on par with Mirabelle, a race of elves who excel at magic, and her ability to respond flexibly is on par with that of an adult────in other words, she is a genius.

Byrne rushed at the ice wall, which was made almost chantless, without a care in the world.

And then────

“Grrraagh!!!”

The wall was shattered with a tremendous impact sound.

Byrne was supposed to be specialized in long-range battles, taking advantage of his double attribute rather than hand-to-hand combat. Therefore, he should not have been able to break a wall like that with a single blow.

(…… This is bad, right?)

Emilia faced the approaching Byrne without changing her expression.

This was because she firmly understood that she couldn’t change the current situation if she is in a hurry.

“Emilia-sama!”

A male student, sensing that Emilia was in danger, intervened between her and Byrne.

He was a little cowed by Byrne, who showed an unusual appearance, but still pointed the tip of his sword at him to confront him.

But────

“Please stop!”

Emilia exclaimed.

She knew what he was capable ofーーーーso he shouldn’t confront Byrne now.

“Grrr……aaaAAAAGGHHHHH!”

“GAAHH!”

The male student was blown away by Byrne’s side-blow.

Seeing him hit the tree and blood flowing from his mouth, she understood that the current Byrne had no mercy and was not the Byrne she had seen before.

(Did he turn into something that he is not……!?)

There was no way that a student who was normal until the other day could suddenly gain that much strength.

Even his current fists could reach S-class Caesar if he were careless.

(For now, Cecilia-sama’s safety is the top priority……!)

So Emilia gently called out to Cecilia, whose body trembled behind her.

“Cecilia-sama.”

“Y, yes!”

“…… he has several of his ribs probably broken. Plus, his organs may be damaged because of it.”

Emilia calmly turned around and gave a gentle smile to Cecilia, not wanting to cause any more fear in Cecilia.

“I, if so, I must heal him now!”

“Eee…… please do. I’llーーーーtake care of this one then.”

“Eh?”

Cecilia was surprised by Emilia’s words.

However, Emilia looked at Byrne without worrying about that.

(He seems to have no ego at all……, but his eyes are fixed on me all the time for some reason.)

If so, there was only one thing for her to do.

Get away from here, attract Byrne to keep Cecilia out of harm’s way, and head to where she can get to him.

Fortunately, the target seemed to be Emilia. It’d be much easier to draw him away.

“Then, I’ll be taking care of you!”

Emilia then exercised her body enhancement magic and run with her back to Byrne.

“GrrraaAAA…..!!!!”

Then, as expected, Byrne also chased after Emilia.

Emilia was relieved when she saw with a sideways glance that Byrne had moved away from Cecilia.

“It’s an endurance battle from here……!”

She was sure that Cecilia would launch the magic flare.

In the meantime, she would keep Byrne as far away from her as possible to ensure everyone’s safety.

If, I am in danger────

“I’ll be counting on you…….”

Emilia thought of him as she took out the crystal in her pocket.

♦️♦️♦️

After Emilia had left with Byrne.

Cecilia rushed to the boy who, as Emilia had said, had protected them and cast a healing spell on him.

“I, the beneficiary of the main goddess Arshna, beseech. Grant his person peace and healing…….”

Cecilia chanted, and a pale light emerged from her palm.

The light healed the side of his stomach and, although invisible to the eye, instantly healed his broken ribs.

The wounded internal organs also healed in the process, and his severe injuries began to disappear.

“……”

The boy was unconscious, whether from the impact of the beating or from the impact of hitting the tree.

So she did not even know if he was healed, but somehow Cecilia was sure of it. It was probably her intuition because she was a Saintess and had healed many people in her life.

“For now, we need to launch the magic flare!”

This situation has gone beyond mere practical training.

Although Emilia was dragging him away, Byrne’s condition was unusual. Even Cecilia, who was helpless in battle, could see that.

So Cecilia took out the stick-shaped magical tool she had been provided and began to pour her own magical power into the stick.

Then, the tip of the magical tool began to glow, and a great cloud of light rose into the sky.

(With this, everything will be okay…….)

The rest would come from Caesar and the others who noticed this.

The only thing she could do now was to watch over the boys, but she had done the least she could do.

(If only Julis were here at a time like this……)

Cecilia thought of her loved one.

It was probably because Cecilia trusted and relied on him the most that his name was mentioned in this situation.

However, who she should concern about now was….

“Please be safe and sound…… Emilia-san……”

“Oopsie! How could you be more concerned about the princess than you are about yourself! You’re a Saintess, after all!”

“……eh?”

Suddenly, a voice was heard.

From the shadows of the bushes, it was not the voice of the monster, neither of the classmates, neither of the lecturer.

The person was wearing a tattered robe and had a large, hideous dragon emblem tattoed on his arm.

“All for the sake of the resurrection of the evil dragooooOOOONNN!”

A new evil hand attacked Cecilia.