I don’t know how Helisia’s magic works.
I can’t tell if it only detects living beings or if it detects everything unnatural within its range.
However, if my guesses are correct, the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of the latter.
Instead of targeting only living beings, a detection system that can defend against everything approaching itself would be more efficient.
Moreover, unlike Charlotte, Helisia seems to be… focused on efficiency.
To verify this, I rolled all the bottles of alcohol that I estimated to be outside the detection range.
As soon as the bottles reached a specific area, a signal came.
As Helisia turned her head, she simultaneously dropped another bottle from outside the range in another location.
Naturally, I couldn’t waste a bottle filled with alcohol, so the liquids had already gone down my throat.
“Haa.”
[Current Intoxication: 10%]
Two bottles of alcohol consumed in a short time.
Since they’re sold within the academy, the alcohol content isn’t high, so reaching only 10% is the limit, but that’s enough.
With my accelerated legs, I aimed for one person.
An explosion in the distance sends smoke and sparks flying as it melts rebar.
If it hits, I’m sure it won’t end with just serious injuries.
If the opponent intended to inflict moderate damage, that would be one thing, but for someone weak like me, it’s a death wish.
Kagagak!
I advance, stepping on the ground, and grab the nape of a girl who is fainting like a pitiful corpse.
It’s ridiculous that she’s much bigger than me, but I hurriedly tied her hands and arms around my body.
Her legs were dragging on the ground, so I was concerned I might lose my grip.
The moment I quickly bound her body, countless magic circles unfolded in the sky.
I temporarily escaped her detection range, but like it didn’t matter, the countless fireballs descending from the sky consumed my vision.
“Pull yourself together.”
There is an exit.
Helisia still hasn’t completely realized my location.
One can deduce to some extent that she is attacking other places outside where I am.
If so, I will escape from here completely before she identifies my position.
It might be a bit difficult to return unscathed, but… it’s possible.
“Huh!”
I focus, tightening my abdomen and pouring all my strength into my legs.
Taaah!!
As if a marathon runner is preparing to run, but even faster.
I begin to escape the area, leaping over structures at my maximum speed.
I dodge the concrete rebar blocking my path by spinning and slide over it, jumping over the debris of collapsing buildings.
Unfortunately, a falling fireball struck me, but…
If it’s just one, I can still react.
Puhong!!
Honestly, I don’t know how I did it, but by kicking the fireball with my leg, I sent it flying through the wall.
It was extremely hot and painful, but it wasn’t unbearable.
“Ugh…!”
However, the crisis isn’t over yet.
I don’t know if it was intentional, but the path ahead was cut off.
But, all I have to do is break through.
[Power Release]
I rotate my body and channel strength into my legs.
Then, that action and power naturally converge at the tips of my toes, bursting through the building’s outer wall.
Kwahhh!!!
I have definitely become stronger.
Not that I could have imagined even a few months ago.
However, I still cannot compare to the main characters.
They are geniuses who work hard.
No matter how much a commoner tries, they can’t keep up with their speed.
Since every living being is given the same amount of time, a commoner cannot surpass them.
That example is now appearing.
“…Tch.”
I thought I had run away quite quickly, but every sensation surging through my body and the palpable tension tell me she has found me.
I don’t know how she knows, but my instincts scream.
If I get caught… I won’t be able to retire so simply.
Despite fleeing with all my strength, she manages to expand her range and capture me just by standing still. Isn’t that too unfair?
“…”
The exit is still far away.
No, as long as she’s persistent… there’s a possibility she won’t lose me even outside this tournament venue.
Therefore, the only possibility is…
“Hmm…”
This woman who is making noise behind me.
“Ah, you’re awake?”
“Who…?”
“I’m the one who rescued you from Yoon Si-woo’s party!”
“…?”
She still has a look of confusion.
At the same time, she immediately released her hands from my back and got down.
However, this is not a situation where understanding is needed.
I just have to accept it.
“Please hold off on the questions and help me out?”
“Why should I…?”
Without saying more, I pointed to the sky.
“Ah…?”
Numerous fireballs are falling exactly toward me, or rather… toward our location.
“As you can see, we… are in a very dangerous situation. We got caught by Helisia while trying to save you.”
“We’re fleeing from her right now… No, this isn’t a situation for talking!!”
The color drains from her face as she’s about to be engulfed by the fireballs.
[Power Release]
Kwahhh!!!!
I used the Power Release, which takes time to cool down from my drinking, to deal with all the attacks at once.
However, I can’t withstand anymore after this.
I can only deal with one artificially created Power Release; I can’t handle dozens of attacks.
“Then… will you help?”
“Uh… okay.”
I received permission for help, whether because of the serious situation or because she couldn’t spit at a smiling face.
“But it will take a bit of time, is that okay?”
“It’s okay to use it while moving, right?”
“That much is… possible.”
“Then get on again!”
“What? You want me to ride you?”
When I turned my back again and suggested she climb on, she replied, as if it was a bit much.
I know, riding on a girl who might be only about 150 cm is embarrassing.
But… isn’t this not the time to be concerned about that?
“I’m stronger than you anyway!”
“Uh… right, I got it.”
With that, I started running again, holding onto her tightly.
I searched for the safest place to escape while dodging the falling fireballs.
But this act was also nearing its end.
“Ooh.”
A giant magic circle unfolded in the sky.
No, I could see several layers of various circles deployed above it, and they were all of enormous size as well.
“We’re doomed, aren’t we?”
“J-Just a moment, we’re almost there!”
Even if I run straight ahead with all my strength from now on, I won’t be able to escape the range of that magic circle.
The time left feels like only about 10 seconds.
No matter how much my physical abilities are maximized by the effects of the alcohol and mask, crossing hundreds of meters carrying another person within 10 seconds is…
“Catch me!”
“Uh… huh?”
Naturally, that’s impossible.
I know it’s impossible.
But isn’t it possible to at least try it and give up?
[Current Intoxication: 13%]
An embarrassingly ambiguous level of intoxication.
Yet, I stomp through all the obstacles around, pushing forward.
In an instant, time feels as if it slows down, and my body accelerates.
It feels as if everything else shrinks and distorts.
I ran on, forgetting even to breathe.
“…”
Unfortunately, I was just a bit short.
My vision turns to light.
And in an instant, before the overwhelming sensation rushing through the air reaches my body…
“Got it…!!”
Just a tiny bit earlier, the woman’s mystique shone.
Click.
The sound of a fusion resonates through the air.
Simultaneously, a change occurs in the very small space where she and I are.
A canvas without anything drawn on it.
A margin denied even white paint.
The mystique that I had only seen in a game radiates light.
“Whoa… that was close.”
“That was a close call….”
Everything around seems to be squished by something invisible, tilting or distorting downward, but the space where she and I are seems to be unaffected.
“What the hell is this…?”
“Well, isn’t it good that it worked out!”
“Ah! Don’t get up! The space is small… No… you can get up.”
“…”
“Sorry. …Anyway, seeing that you brought me here, I think you know my name, but mine is Dalia.”
“I’m Aesha!”
Mystique has a peculiarity that cannot be defined by general characteristics.
Mystique is simply [Mystique].
Thus, various similar types of mystiques also exist.
The type of mystique she possesses is none other than ‘Art.’
This place is her unique space, the Flower Garden.
Generally, this mystique deceives others’ senses or, in stronger cases, affects reality as well.
Among them, Dalia’s mystique is particularly strong, so while still weak, by severely reducing the range like this, it also creates a space that blocks access from other magic or abilities.
Unfortunately, it can’t block physically present entities.
If it could, it would become too unfair, so it was an unavoidable decision by the game developers.
“First, let’s escape this place and head toward our base!”
“Ah, okay.”
And finally, the moment we arrived at the base and Charlotte and Dalia’s eyes met.
“Hyek.”
An undesirable response came out.
And Charlotte took me with her fragile hand and hid behind me.
“I was supposed to bring this one…”
“Ah… I know…”
“…?”
You already knew?
This is… something I hadn’t anticipated.