#56
“Ugh…!”
I groaned as I lay fallen on the floor, lifting my head to assess the situation. That’s when I saw cracks forming in the ceiling above Persis. He was leaning against the podium to maintain his balance.
Once started, the cracks spread rapidly and the ceiling began to collapse downward. The moment I saw this, my legs were already moving.
I know. I know that my going there would be of no use. If Persis were in danger, Rikin would quickly step in, or perhaps Iria might do something. Maybe this incident would even bring Persis and Iria closer together.
If not for Iria and Rikin, Persis could destroy the falling ceiling himself. He had that much power.
Despite knowing all this, I couldn’t stop my body from lunging forward. Before I knew it, I was right in front of Persis. His eyes widened at my sudden approach. There was no time to check his expression further. I spread my hands toward the ceiling that was about to fall on us.
Kara might scold me if she saw me from her seat, but I had no choice.
A barrier, a round barrier. I needed a sturdy shield that could protect both Persis and me.
“Please.”
I whispered this small wish. It occurred to me that this might be my first activation word. At that moment, a red, transparent barrier spread outward from my hands.
Stones from the ceiling fell onto the thin barrier. Each time the falling stones pounded against the defensive barrier as if they would break through it, my body shook. I regretted that my magical ability was limited to something so feeble. Then Persis, who was behind me, suddenly embraced me tightly. He overlapped his hands on top of mine that were maintaining the protective magic.
“Block. Protect. Be performed through my hands.”
As soon as he quickly uttered the activation words, a transparent and solid sphere formed inside the red barrier I had created.
“Ana, cancel yours.”
“Nngh.”
I knew that Persis’s magic was stronger than mine. But with lingering uncertainty, I couldn’t cancel the magic I had already activated. In a situation where we couldn’t determine who had caused this incident, removing one means of bodily defense was risky.
“Ana!”
I heard Persis shouting as if impatient. I wanted to answer him, but I feared losing concentration if I did. So instead, I leaned my body against his chest.
I’m fine. With you supporting me from behind, I can do anything.
The moment I had that thought, strength entered my fingertips. I felt something that had been dormant inside my body begin to stir. Once initiated, the wave spread throughout my body, and the heat that started at my core burned intensely as if to consume my entire body.
My deeply exhaled breath was hot. The area around us was already filled with stones that had fallen from the ceiling. More stones fell on top of the large ones, sending shocks through the protective barrier. It almost seemed as if someone was deliberately throwing stones at us.
My huddled body gradually straightened. Blocking the overwhelming stones wasn’t as difficult as I had thought. It seemed like we could withstand even more falls. The small protective barrier slowly began to expand. The red barrier that had been enveloping both of us and Persis’s shield gradually extended its range.
If I did well enough, I might be able to push away the stones surrounding us. I took a deep breath and drew upon that power that had just expanded its influence within my body.
“Ana, stop.”
Just then, Persis firmly grasped my hand that I had placed near the barrier, stopping me. At that moment, my well-maintained concentration broke, and I nearly stumbled and fell to the floor. Simultaneously, the protective magic that had been gradually expanding shattered with a crashing sound. But Persis’s magic remained solid, preventing fragments from showering down on our heads.
Along with the magical fragments falling in pieces, the stones that had been pushed aside fell off the platform. Persis effortlessly blocked the threatening stones and moved me behind him.
The thought that I had done something unnecessary came quite naturally. But if a similar situation occurred again, I wouldn’t be able to restrain myself from running toward Persis.
The stones falling above us were gradually decreasing. As the sound of the collapsing ceiling subsided, I began to hear the voices of people murmuring and shouting. Someone was calling for the stones to be cleared away, using magic to remove the large stones around us.
I couldn’t suppress the sigh of relief that naturally escaped. As I was struggling to stand still, Persis supported me with his other hand that wasn’t using magic.
“Are you alright?”
He asked me with a face full of things he wanted to say. He looked like he wanted to immediately demand why I had come here, but being the kind Persis, he didn’t voice those words aloud. I looked at him cautiously, checking if he was injured anywhere.
“I asked if you’re alright.”
When I didn’t answer, Persis asked again, as if urging me.
I silently nodded vigorously. I was just a bit dizzy, but I could handle this much.
I was about to tell Persis, whose expression remained tense, that I was fine. Just then, all the stones that had fallen around us were cleared away. As the bright light poured in, Persis withdrew the defensive magic he had been maintaining.
Straightening my body that had been leaning against Persis, I looked around. It seemed that our location wasn’t the only place where the ceiling had collapsed. I hadn’t noticed while blocking the falling ceiling, but stones appeared to have flown in from somewhere. The seats were already in shambles, and most of the people who had been sitting there seemed to have evacuated, as there were fewer people than before.
The guards who had been on standby rushed toward us. It was clear they were trying to evacuate Persis first, as he was royalty. Rikin seemed busy helping evacuate others and clearing debris. Iria was among them too. She wasn’t the type to remain idle in such situations.
Persis seemed to want me to take shelter with him, but there was someone I needed to reassure first.
“Young Master!”
I saw Kara’s face as she approached, calling for me. It was the same cold face as usual, but I could feel the urgency contained within it. Quickly approaching, Kara pretended to straighten my clothes while checking if I was injured anywhere. I could see her fingertips trembling slightly as she adjusted my collar.
I had wanted to show only my best side since we were meeting after a long time, but I felt sorry for causing her worry unnecessarily.
“I’m fine. I’m not hurt anywhere.”
Kara’s eyes widened as she was smoothing my hair. She seemed to be saying with her eyes that she would not let it slide if I were injured.
“I’m relieved to hear you’re not hurt. Is His Highness alright as well?”
Only after confirming my condition did Kara inquire about Persis’s well-being.
“I’m fine.”
Persis, who was about to move with the guards, answered that he was alright and looked alternately between me and Kara. After hesitating for a moment, Persis only took his leave after exchanging glances with Kara.
The sight of Persis’s retreating back kept lingering in my mind. As I stared blankly, Kara lightly smacked the back of my hand, though not hard enough to hurt.
“Ouch.”
“Didn’t I tell you to avoid using magic as much as possible?”
Kara whispered to me in a low voice. I simply couldn’t tell her that I had already used magic in several places.
How frustrated she must be, with me causing trouble despite my poor skills. I knew better than anyone how insignificant the magic I had just used was. Just before withdrawing the magic, the barrier seemed to have become a bit stronger, but I wondered if that happened because I sensed danger and put in every ounce of strength I had.
By the way, I didn’t see Yutis, who was supposed to be with Kara.
“Where’s Yutis?”
There was no way he would be physically hurt by something like this, but having encountered the situation without any preparation, he might have been in danger.
“He went to find out something. For now, let’s move elsewhere. It’s dangerous here.”
I nodded at Kara’s words. From a distance, my eyes met Iria’s, who was helping others. After confirming that I was alright, Iria exhaled a sigh of relief. I felt like I had given her something to worry about unnecessarily. I instinctively lowered my head, feeling like I was causing trouble everywhere.
I had acted with my own reasons, but it all felt like wasted effort. Just then, I felt Kara’s hand touch my head and then fall away.
“You did well. Moving to save others deserves praise. Though I wish you would take care of yourself next time as well.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
After saying that, Kara walked ahead, taking me along.
Considering my past life, I was much older than Kara. But if someone asked whether I could speak like Kara in the same situation, I would say absolutely not. That’s how wise, calm, and observant she was.
Having someone like her by my side was truly a blessing that I wouldn’t trade for anything, I thought as I followed her.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
