CH 98

The method of extinguishing fire with fire.

If the other side were to be burnt by the fire completely, then the other fire that’s headed in that direction would not catch on anything and instead would be eaten by the fire that’s waiting there.

Of course, this was no easy feat to achieve. The wind was an important factor to consider in this, and at the same time, the second fire would need to be big enough to swallow the first one successfully.

Above all, it would be imperative to evacuate everyone first since making a second fire to counter the first while there’s still people here would just ensure that everyone would burn together.

However, those factors did not matter to Alei at all.

He was someone who could effortlessly call a storm to flood every corner of this temple.

‘I’m not in the right condition to do that right now though, but…’

It’s not to say that the situation he’s faced with right now was impossible to handle.

Alei made a motion with his fingers a few times, then teleported the three of them from one place to another. They still weren’t completely free from the fire as it could still be seen in their vicinity.

Beside Alei, Yennit frowned when she saw how close the fire was.

“The fire is small, but it’s spread this much.”

“If a fire breaks out in a place like this, of course.”

The mountainside where the temporary temple was located was also right next to the turquoise forest.

To be more exact, the forest was dense around the wide slope that led to the cliff, and the cliff’s terrain itself had a paved path leading to the shore.

Moreover, the temporary temple was located on the side of the cliff’s road. In other words, if you were inside the temple and you turned your eyes a little bit to the side, then the turquoise forest would be in plain view.

Because of that, the fire that had broken out in the temple had already spread to the forest.

Alei and Yennit’s location right now was just nearby—they were currently hovering just above the trees.

As the turquoise forest was ravaged by the uncanny bright green light of the flames, from the distance, it looked like the ocean as it’s being lit up by many luminous jellyfish.

But there was no time to be distracted by this. Before long, Yennit recovered considerably and so she tried to stop the fire with her telekinesis. She spoke.

“I knew it, magic won’t be able to stop this. The fire’s just eating up all my mana.”

“That fire is also used as a weapon against mages, so it’s only natural.”

“How very incompatible. Will this be alright? It looks like the entire forest is going to be burnt to a crisp, Lord Alejandro.”

“You worry too much, Yennit.”

I don’t remember ever showing you anything to be worried about when it comes to my own spells.

Just as Alei finished saying this, a small lightning-like sound could be heard as sparks manifested themselves on his fingertips. Then soon, a red flame flared up from his hand.

Alei drew his hand diagonally. Along with this trajectory, a long streak of fire began to devour the forest. Alei continued to conjure fire by tracing over the forest a few times.

Unlike telekinesis, which was achieved through preserved mana, pyrokinesis could only be sustained with from the same mana source that had ignited it. And as the mage’s mana would turn into firewood, from then on, it would be out of their control.

Just as that green fire had consumed Yennit’s telekinesis, there was no need to devour this fire.

Even so, if it went on like this, it’s evident that the raging fires would end only after the entire would be burned down, just as Yennit mentioned earlier.

Alei spoke quietly.

“Why don’t you open your eyes now, Siren.”

“……”

“I’m aware that it’s already been quite some time since you’ve recovered. Stop acting.”

“…Cough, cough!”

From Yennit’s robe, the bird’s beak let out a forced cough. Yennit snickered.

Then, she grabbed the end of the robe and shook it in the air, without a care to whether the bird in there would fall out or not.

As the robe fluttered in the wind, the sound of flapping could be heard rising up.

“Are you insane?!”

Infuriated, Asello turned into his half-human form with his wings flapping behind him.

“My feathers almost caught fire!”

“Then you should have ‘woken up’ on time. Then you wouldn’t have burned anything.”

At Yennit’s rebuttal, Asello huffed out.

“I was cozy and snug in there! And I hate that fire!”

“We’re trying to get rid of it, so just cooperate with us here.”

Cutting Asello off, Alei spoke with a tone that expressed how he had no intention of listening to the siren’s complaining any longer. He raised one finger.

“Bring a gust of wind in this direction so that the fire won’t spread anymore.”

He would have done this himself if this was another time, but unfortunately, Alei was wounded right now. He also had to think of his internal injuries.

Since there was someone right here who’s from a flock specializing in creating winds, there was no reason for him to risk worsening his condition.

However as Asello didn’t know the reason behind it, he was already firmly against it.

“Don’t wanna! Why should I! I only need to do what Ophelia told me to do!”

“Don’t you like figs? I heard that the figs that can be picked from this forest can fill five whole warehouses when it’s the season for it.”

“……!”

“At this rate, all the figs will just get burnt up and you won’t see even one left. There’s no helping it then.”

“T-That can’t happen!”

Taken aback by Alei’s words, Asello hurriedly spread his wings.

“Huup!”

Asello let out a shout of concentration. At the same time, his wings, which were barely big enough to cover his body, began to grow larger. His chest swelled as he took in a deep inhale at the same time his wings expanded through his mana.

Then when the pair of wings finally grew to a point that they were as big as an entire building, Asello powerfully swung down his wings.

OOONG— The huge gust of wind split the sky. Some parts of the fire couldn’t endure this and were extinguished, but more of the others just lessened to smaller flames before they flickered and burned once more.

Still, the most important thing was that the flow of the wind had changed because of Asello’s demonstration just now.

“…Ho.”

There was a smirk on Yennit’s lips.

The wind that had been blowing towards the was now headed for the temple instead. And, as Alei had promised, the green fire couldn’t spread any longer and soon began to falter.

So her master really was capable of controlling such a huge fire.

‘As expected.’

Lord Alejandro wasn’t rusty at all. Yennit chuckled under her breath.

Truthfully, she wasn’t all that against Alei in the past even though she acted like it. To be more precise, she was only half suspicious of him.

Yennit of course knew that controlling a fire, even if it’s this big, was like nothing with Alei’s skills, but she wasn’t sure about how the current him would measure.

‘Ever since we met again, I didn’t get to see it properly.’

He did still use magic, but he didn’t do as many spells and he pretended to be a mage that couldn’t compare to Yennit. Thanks to this, Yennit secretly thought that Alei really lost his touch.

‘I didn’t have to worry.’

The Alei she knew and remembered was still alive and well. Who else could do something like this if not him?

Alei shot out streaks of fire into the green flames a few more times, but as this did nothing much, he clicked his tongue.

“I believe we’ve done everything that we could from here.”

“Are we going back down?” Yennit asked Alei.

“I guess we should. Siren, you stay back and keep controlling the wind. Don’t let the fire spread any more than this. That way, the fig trees will survive.”

“Leave it to me!”

“And Yennit, you go back to the temple. The fire is still raging, so transport people out of there so there aren’t any casualties.”

“I really don’t want to do it, but I understand.”

Yennit grimaced.

She was hesitant not because of the smoke that affected her mana earlier—after all, she could use her magic to some extent again now, and as long as she avoided inhaling the smoke, she’d be able to continue doing so. No, she was frowning because nine out of ten people inside that temple were priests.

She was now about to save those same priests who imprisoned her, huh? Yennit was not such a generous squire, but she had no choice but to follow Alei’s orders and be obedient.

Putting on a mask made out of magic so as not to inhale the smoke, Yennit suddenly asked as she realized this.

“Lord Alejandro, are you going into the temple with me?”

Because Alei was wearing the same mask as her and continued to stay by her side.

“Then with your help, it wouldn’t be difficult at all to move those people.”

“I’m afraid there’s something else I must do. I won’t be able to give you a hand.”

“Something you must do?”

“Yes. Because Ophelia’s in there, too.”

He had to hurry and find her.