MTM 116

Damn it! There’s no end in sight!”

The underground sanctuary in the west. It was already a hellish space. Flocks of crows filled the sanctuary. Hundreds of crows swarmed Isadora and Allen, who were holding their weapons and barely holding the line, as if they were about to swallow them whole.

“Caw!”

Slash!

Isadora’s sword sliced through the air. As she struck down a single crow in one swift blow, crimson blood spurted like a fountain. From the split surface of the halved crow, another crow burst forth.

“Caw-aah!!”

“Caw!”

The more they cut, the more they killed, the more the crows multiplied exponentially. There was no end to the fight in sight. Bernak, the illusionist summoning these undead-like crows, watched the carnage as if it were mere entertainment, calm and detached.

“Allen, left!”

Allen reflexively twisted his body at Isadora’s urgent shout. A crow, its beak split open as it gaped grotesquely, burst forth from its shell and charged again.

“Dodge!”

Leon shouted, casting a magical barrier. The crows’ beaks clattered loudly against the blue-hued barrier. They attacked relentlessly, giving no pause. Though his mind knew this was all an illusion, the sensation of the crows’ beaks and claws tearing into his flesh felt real enough that he had no choice but to fight back.

“Leon! Stop these things, even if just for a moment! I’m suffocating!”

Allen shouted as he flicked the thick blood from his sword.

“That…”

Leon was flustered. He could buy a moment using ice or fire magic, as Allen demanded. But what would that accomplish? Thinking of the sudden wave of crows that would follow afterward, he didn’t feel confident he could handle it.

“Is there no other way? A way to strike at the root of this illusion…”

Just as his mind was burning with anxiety, a voice flashed through his thoughts.

“I was thinking about what might catch a crow’s attention.”

It was a line Zed had once said at the Western Branch of the Royal Knights. Catch their attention? But right now, they were already paying far too much attention.

“…Ah. I just need to think the opposite!”

Leon’s thoughts twisted instantly. If those creatures were drawn to anything shiny, he could exploit their greed. The moment he found the solution, he quickly devised a way to distract the crow.

“You two, protect me for a moment!”

Leon shouted loudly to Isadora and Allen, rummaged in his pocket, and pulled out a wrapped lollipop. It was the very lollipop that had served as a lantern for Harto and Zed at Belnok’s <White Witch’s Candy Shop>. Leon instantly pulverized it with magic.

Once it became fine, colorful candy powder, he carefully piled it onto his palm and chanted a spell to keep it from scattering. Transparent water droplets formed around his hand holding the powder. Leon slowly withdrew his hand from the droplets and held it high.

“Caw!”

As the water droplet filled with candy powder slowly rose into the air, the crows aimed to burst it, but Isadora and Allen slashed them again and again with their swords.

“Leon! What on earth did you make! A soap bubble? What do you expect to accomplish with something like that…!”

Allen shouted, breathing heavily. Even so, he swung his sword relentlessly to prevent the swarming crows from touching the droplet. Thanks to him, the droplet rose as high as it could, barely avoiding disaster.

…Pop!

The droplet burst in midair, scattering the sugar powder inside like mist, engulfing the flock of crows. Most of the crows were now completely covered in the powder. Leon didn’t miss that instant; he flick his finger.

Immediately after, the powder on the crows’ bodies began to glow brilliantly, like jewels.

Flap! Flap!

Then, something astonishing happened.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Blinded by the bright light, the crows began attacking the sugar dust on each other’s bodies. The sharp beaks and claws that had been aimed at enemies now pierced and clawed at their own kind’s eyes. Others lost their balance and simply plopped to the ground.

“Those… stupid fools.”

“Ha… Now we have a chance to catch our breath.”

Allen kicked the falling crows, now devoid of combat ability, while Isadora used her bare hands to break their wings, clearing a path. Once the view cleared somewhat, Bernak’s figure, watching from beyond the crows, came into view.

Isadora seized the opening, charging forward and thrusting her sword through his chest. But the tip met only black smoke. An illusion.

“…Quite clever.”

Above, on the high window frame of the sanctuary, Bernak reappeared. His gaze, looking down, seemed to revel in the situation. Isadora gripped her weapon tighter and glared at him. Once again, she had no way to confirm if the presence before her was the real body or another clone, but one thing was certain.

‘If this one is here… Magnus must be in the northern tower.’

Isadora gave a brief nod to Allen beside her. Allen, seemingly sharing the same thought, shrugged his shoulder dramatically and laughed, “Ha!”

“Looks like the crow brat’s the one doing the real thinking, huh? Ugh, that took a lot of energy. Hey, stop standing there and come down! We gotta finish this quickly and go catch that Crown Prince wannabe!”

Bernak’s mouth tightened at Allen’s unrestrained provocation. Soon, black smoke began to rise around him.

“How dare you… speak his name with that filthy mouth. Make no mistake. You won’t be leaving this place, not even a single step.”

Boom!

The moment Bernak finished speaking, a massive tremor shook heaven and earth, and the only entrance to the underground sanctuary was sealed off by a gigantic stone slab. The three of them were trapped in a completely sealed chamber with their retreat cut off.

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“…Harto?”

It was as Zed stepped onto the first stair leading to the tower’s uppermost level. He sensed something was gravely wrong with Harto’s condition. He hurriedly shifted Harto onto his palm and found the little one curled up, trembling.

“Harto? Snap out of it! Where does it hurt? What’s wrong?”

Zed’s voice cracked. Harto’s condition was far from normal. It wasn’t just trembling. Harto’s small body was convulsing as if in agony.

“Ze-Zed… I suddenly… Ugh, my heart… feels like it’s tearing apart… ugh, my chest… feels tight…”

Harto spoke, struggling to endure the pain. His heartbeat was steep and loud, thumping so hard it seemed to echo. His breathing quickened, and his chest ached with a tightening pain. As Harto gasped for air, as if he might suffocate at any moment, Zed swiftly tore open Harto’s chest.

“This is…!”

Zed’s eyes widened when he saw the spirit stone buried near Harto’s chest. The stone, which should have emitted a clear light, was flickering like a dying candle.

“It seems to be because of the spirit stone. We have to remove it immediately.”

“Wh-…? But, Zed… right now, ha, if we pull this out… pull it out….”

Harto’s protest—that he wouldn’t be able to use his power properly—fell on deaf ears. Zed didn’t hesitate, plunging his hand deep into Harto’s body and snatching out the embedded spirit stone.

Swoosh-!

The moment the spirit stone was pulled from Harto’s body, it instantly lost its light and crumbled to dust.

“Harto? Are you feeling better now?”

“Ugh… yes…”

Strangely, the moment the spirit stone vanished, the crushing pressure on his chest disappeared. But the pounding in his chest that had started earlier lingered like residue.

“You’ll be fine once you calm down…”

Zed whispered, carefully wrapping both arms around Harto.

“I’m sorry. I should have noticed sooner…” ”

Zed looked upset, regretting he hadn’t noticed Harto’s condition sooner. Harto wanted to say he was fine, that he was the one who should be sorry, but it felt like all the strength had drained from his body, making even speaking difficult.

As if he understood without needing words, Zed gave a small smile.

“Harto, remember?”

“……?”

“I told you I’d be the first to notice if you were hurt. So there’s nothing for you to feel sorry about. It’s only natural.”

Zed spoke and gently stroked Harto’s head with his fingertips. The touch was so warm that Harto’s eyes instantly grew hot. Though they were surrounded by webs and enemies could appear at any moment, in this very moment, Harto felt truly fortunate to be with Zed.

Blink, blink….

Perhaps it was the wave of relief. Sleep poured over him like a flood. It felt as if the strength he’d been sustaining with the power of the spirit stone had completely drained away.

“You can sleep.”

“But… but…”

“I’ll handle it from here on my own. Harto.”

Zed gently touched the corner of his eye with his fingertip, insisting he was fine. Harto tried to resist, thinking he couldn’t just leave Zed alone in a place like this, but soon he fell into a deep sleep.

Zed looked down at Harto, fast asleep in the palm of his hand, his expression bitter.

‘Harto, bringing you this far… might have been my selfishness.’

He regretted it, maybe he should have left Harto at the Grenhardt mansion and come alone. But he shook his head immediately. Even if it was safe there, the moment Harto vanished from his sight, he could never truly relax.

The memory of losing Harto right before his eyes once before, that hellish experience, came back like a specter. The agonizing sensation was still eerily vivid.

Zed carefully placed the sleeping Harto into the pocket on the chest of his shirt. The faint warmth of Harto’s small body, separated only by a thin layer of fabric, warmed the area near Zed’s heart, and a smile spread across Zed’s lips.

The only refuge that could instantly quell the strange anxiety he himself could not control was Harto. Zed acutely felt this truth as he made his way to the topmost floor of the tower.