A massive black sphere appeared in the sky above the city, blocking out the sun.
It looked dangerous at a glance, prompting the city’s heroes to urgently rush to the spot beneath the floating sphere.
And there, in the shadow cast by the colossal sphere…
“Hello, I’ve been waiting, and you finally made it,” a woman stood.
As usual, she wore her hooded cloak, and even from beneath it, her golden eyes shone vividly as she gazed at them.
Yoon Si-woo, who had encountered this woman not long ago, inwardly half-confirmed his suspicion and asked her for verification.
“…Is that thing floating in the sky your doing?”
“Oh, that? Yes, it’s my work,” she replied with a bright smile, pointing at the sphere.
Yoon Si-woo bit down hard at his response; he didn’t know what it was, but the woman before him was a witch.
Moreover, based on the deeds she had committed so far, it was clear she was not at all an ally to humanity, so he asked her with hostility.
“I don’t know what that is, but it would be best to get rid of it immediately. Unless you want to die.”
“Oh dear, how scary it is to be threatened to eliminate something without knowing what it is. Don’t you think you should know what it is first?”
The woman chuckled, clapping her hands.
In that moment, the black sphere floating in the sky began to fade away as if its outer shell was being peeled off, revealing the contents within.
“…W-What is that!!”
“Could all of that be magic?!”
As the black sphere disappeared, another black sphere emerged.
However, the contents inside exuded an even more ominous aura.
That floating, swaying thing was magic the heroes were all too familiar with.
“How is it? It’s magic born from the hearts of two witches, amplified using the sacred relics. No living creature could survive within that.”
Yet, what wasn’t familiar was the sheer quantity.
The amount of magic was so immense, it could cause even seasoned heroes to freeze in terror.
“What will happen to this city if that falls?”
The woman who casually spoke of dropping it smiled as if it were no big deal.
In response, Yoon Si-woo gritted his teeth and questioned her.
“…Who are you really? What is your purpose in doing this?”
Despite the tension in Yoon Si-woo’s voice,
“I am Auria. You humans refer to me as the Witch of Greed.”
Auria answered all his questions plainly.
“My purpose? It’s ‘world domination.’”
Yoon Si-woo couldn’t fathom Auria’s intent to ultimately kill everyone while talking about conquest.
However, facing her brilliantly shining golden eyes beneath the hood, he realized he didn’t need to understand her, nor did he want to.
And Auria too, did not seek the understanding of anyone.
Thus, Yoon Si-woo drew his sword toward Auria and said,
“I may not know much, but as long as I’m here, things won’t go your way.”
To protect the people, and especially the girl who would be left alone in the room.
*
Suddenly, everyone in my room left, and after briefly waiting inside, believing Yoon Si-woo’s words that it was nothing at all, I soon came to realize that something serious was happening.
“This…!!!”
From a distance, I sensed a tremendous wave of magic that sent chills down my spine.
It was way too deadly to be something that Yoon Si-woo claimed was nothing before leaving; I realized he had lied to me.
“That Yoon Si-woo, who dislikes others lying to him…”
I muttered quietly, not bearing any real resentment against Yoon Si-woo for his lies.
After all, I knew why he had said such a thing to me.
“It’s nothing, just stay still.”
Yoon Si-woo’s handwritten note was trembling slightly.
Anxiety over what might have happened, worry for the others.
And above all, a compulsive impatience creeping in, wondering if it was really okay to just stay still while everyone was in danger…
Yes, that was who I was.
Even without being able to see or hear, I found it hard to stay idle.
Nevertheless, I pondered if there was something I could do for the people.
Yoon Si-woo knew too well the kind of person I was, and so he probably hated having to lie to me that way.
He wanted to ensure my safety, saying please stay still this time.
“I understand, I’ll stay still…”
Hearing Yoon Si-woo’s voice filled with worry, I responded and relaxed my body.
After all, my condition was so poor that trying to help on my own would be ridiculous at this point.
So this time, I trusted the others to resolve the situation, intending to wait as Yoon Si-woo suggested.
But as time passed,
“…Is it really okay?”
The anxiety and worry began to fill my heart more and more.
The aura of magic I had felt was too unsettling.
Could that really be resolved just with the help of others?
It seemed utterly impossible with ordinary methods.
Yet, Yoon Si-woo had told me to stay still here.
But what if something happened to my precious friends while I stayed idle like this…
When those thoughts crossed my mind, I realized.
“…Indeed, it is impossible.”
I couldn’t just sit still in such a situation.
“…I’m sorry, Yoon Si-woo.”
I quietly apologized as I made this decision, knowing full well Yoon Si-woo would surely be angry upon discovering it. I reached out beside my bed.
Where I reached out was the wheelchair that Sylvia had prepared for me.
She often took me out to the garden for walks, saying I would feel gloomy just staying in the room; however, I never imagined I would need to use it on my own like this.
I had exhausted my strength in the fight against the Witch of Gluttony, leaving me in this condition, but I still had something left to burn.
If magic was the issue, my abilities would certainly help.
But to use my powers, I had to get to where the problem was occurring.
I knew where that place was, even without being able to see.
I just needed to head towards where I felt the magic.
Thus, I thought that all I had to do was use the wheelchair to reach the area where the issue was arising.
With that thought, I managed to transfer myself from the bed into the wheelchair.
To be precise, I tried to.
“…Ouch.”
The collision shocked my body.
I had toppled over with the wheelchair in my attempts to sit down.
…I usually didn’t realize it since someone else carried me, but it was quite difficult to manage on my own.
I might stumble and hit things countless times on the way too.
Yet, staying still while letting my beloved friends get hurt would undoubtedly be worse to endure.
Thinking this, I struggled to right the wheelchair that had fallen over.
Then it happened.
Something round rolled across the floor and nudged against my hand.
“…Huh, Ari?!”
Because it felt so familiar from always being hugged, I immediately recognized what it was.
How could this be? I had left it on the bed before I tried to get into the wheelchair.
“Could it have fallen off the bed due to the impact just now? I’m so sorry! You’re not broken, right?!”
Regardless, since I knew Ari was still here, I quickly held Ari in my arms and checked her condition.
While I was anxiously apologizing, Ari flinched.
And that was when,
“Isn’t it okay? I didn’t fall because of that, you know?”
It was a reassuring response.
It felt strange.
Usually, when Ari would stir, I would have no clue what was wrong. Yet today, it felt as if Ari’s intentions were directly flowing into my mind.
As I stood there, a little dazed by the mysterious sensation, Ari tilted her head and asked me,
“…Is it really that necessary for you to go, even if you have to fall?”
It felt like a reproachful question, yet I could sense Ari’s concern and dismay.
Ari didn’t want me to go.
More precisely, she didn’t wish for me to struggle so much for the sake of others.
Yet even knowing that, I could only respond to Ari in this way.
“…Yeah, I have to go. No, I want to go. No matter what.”
At my reply, Ari quivered slightly.
It felt like a sigh steeped in resignation.
And soon after,
“…Huh?!”
A crack appeared in the egg surrounding Ari.
For a moment, I was startled, but then the flames that spilled from the broken shell warmly embraced my body.
It was then that I finally realized.
It was the hatching and revival of Ari, something I had been waiting for so long.
With the feeling of my body slowly lifting into the air, Ari’s voice echoed in my mind.
[…Then at least I will take you there. So you won’t get hurt.]
“…Yeah, thank you, Ari.”
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