Chapter 80
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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Chapter 80
At Claude's words, I pressed my lips together.
If I'd fallen while exploring the Forest... I would have either died from the impact or become a monster's meal.
"I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for, Miss Rilprey. I simply became agitated at the thought that you might be hurt, and I... ah."
Claude exhaled deeply. His breath, pouring down over my head, was heavy and warm.
"This is entirely our fault. Since your life was at stake, we should have been even more cautious and careful."
"I'll investigate further why the magic suddenly cut off and why it felt like my magical energy was tangled. Until then, you should refrain from flying, Lucella. There's no harm in being cautious."
"Understood."
I nodded in agreement.
"Then let's return to the Military Camp now."
Claude sent Ahin and Melissa back to the Military Camp.
"Um, Duke."
"Yes?"
"You can put me down now."
I dangled my legs while cradled in Claude's arms.
"As you can see, I'm perfectly fine."
I meant that I didn't have a single injury.
Yet Claude's furrowed brow showed no sign of relaxing.
"One cannot be too careful."
"About what?"
"There may be wounds you yourself are not aware of."
"But you caught me before I could get hurt."
"I may have caused injuries in the process of catching you."
Claude's voice was resolute as he shook his head.
"Even if you weren't injured, you've experienced such a dangerous situation—you must surely be shaken. You need to be examined by the Physician and rest."
"No, there's really no need for that..."
I insisted I was fine the entire time, but Claude wouldn't hear it. He deliberately carried me like a princess toward the Physician's quarters.
"What's this?"
"Why is he holding her so close?"
The soldiers who saw me cradled in Claude's arms began to whisper.
"Well, well! A celebration must be coming soon!"
Xenon even laughed wickedly at the sight of us.
'How embarrassing.'
Mortified, I hung my head low.
I could certainly hear the gossip, yet Claude showed no reaction. Rather than quieting his subordinates, he simply continued walking while holding me.
Claude only set me down after we arrived at the Physician's quarters.
"...Given what happened, I'll need to examine you thoroughly. You must have been quite frightened, so if there's any calming tea available, please prepare a cup for her."
"Understood."
After setting me down on a soft blanket, he gave the Physician several stern instructions before finally taking his leave.
"Miss Rilprey, I apologize, but I have a meeting to attend. I'm afraid I must take my leave."
At the prospect of finally escaping this mortifying situation, I brightened considerably.
"Of course! You mustn't be late. Please, go ahead!"
"Is my departure truly such a relief to you...?"
Claude asked with a wounded expression on his face.
"Ah, well, if we keep clinging to each other like this, it does look rather odd, doesn't it? People have been whispering about it."
"Miss Rilprey..."
"Stop saying strange things and just go!"
I pushed Claude toward the door.
Claude gazed at me with a wistful expression before reluctantly leaving the Military Camp.
'There's no such thing as excessive protection, is there.'
Only after Claude departed did I release the breath I'd been holding.
While nestled in his embrace, I had been so tense I could barely breathe properly.
'Wait, now that I think about it, hasn't it been a while since I've bathed?'
Clean water was scarce, and circumstances had been unfavorable, so it had been quite some time since I'd properly washed. All I'd managed was to rinse my face and mouth with a single cup of water.
'I hope my hair doesn't smell...'
I found myself rubbing my scalp self-consciously.
Just as I had caught his scent, surely he must have noticed mine as well.
"Fortunately, there appear to be no injuries. You need not worry."
The Physician, having completed his examination, spoke to me.
"You must have been quite startled. I'll prepare some calming tea for you—a blend of chamomile and various medicinal herbs that should be quite effective."
"Am I really permitted to drink something so precious?"
To indulge in such luxury as tea in a place where clean water itself was scarce.
"A single cup of tea requires only a modest amount of water. Besides, the Commander specifically instructed me to do so."
The Physician, chuckling softly behind his hand, placed a metal kettle atop the brazier.
Before long, a steaming cup of tea was placed in my hands, wisps of fragrant steam rising from it.
Though the tea was served in a crude cup rather than fine porcelain, the mere fact that I could enjoy tea in this chaotic place felt miraculous.
"Be careful, it's quite hot."
"Thank you."
I sipped the tea, savoring its delicate aroma. The warmth seemed to gradually calm my startled heart.
"Lucella, are you in there?"
A familiar voice called from outside the Military Camp. It was Melissa.
"Yes, come in."
With permission granted, Melissa entered the Military Camp.
"Are you injured?"
"Fortunately, I'm perfectly fine."
"I'm truly sorry, Lucella. I came along boasting of being the Empire's greatest mage, and yet... I have no excuse."
"Don't worry about it. Please, don't blame yourself."
Despite my assurance that I was unharmed, Melissa's expression remained clouded with remorse.
"I'm not making excuses, but I came to explain why my magic suddenly cut off. I thought it would be good for you to understand the cause as well."
"What do you mean?"
I set down the cup I'd been holding and asked.
"You're aware that stronger magical beasts inhabit the deeper parts of the Forest, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Magical beasts don't merely possess magical energy—those with mana exist as well. The stronger and more advanced the beast, the greater the mana it carries."
I see. I nodded in understanding.
"The ground in this region was formed by such beasts dying and decaying."
"So the earth itself has become saturated with both magical energy and mana."
"Precisely."
Melissa snapped her fingers with a sharp click.
"The incident moments ago occurred because our mana and the mana contained in this land collided with one another. Just as two rapidly moving objects bounce away upon impact, when two powerful sources of mana collide, they create an anomalous phenomenon where magic momentarily vanishes."
In other words, it was a side effect caused by the sheer intensity of mana each of us was projecting.
"As we venture deeper, the mana will grow stronger, and consequently, these disruptions to magic will become more severe."
"Does that mean I won't be able to sense magical energy from the air anymore?"
That would be rather problematic.
"No. I believe that issue can be resolved by regulating our mana. It's a concept difficult to explain to non-mages, so I'll spare the details, but simply put—with two skilled mages present, there's no need to worry excessively."
"That's a relief."
Only after hearing Melissa's answer did I release a breath of relief.
Our plans would proceed without hindrance. Truly fortunate.
"However, I'd prefer if you refrained from flying while we stabilize our mana. Attempting flight in unstable conditions is something Lucella wouldn't want either, wouldn't you?"
"Of course not."
I had no desire to experience such a harrowing ordeal a second time.
"We'll also proceed with utmost caution and avoid overconfidence."
It was then that Melissa smiled warmly at me.
"Have you two finished your conversation?"
Ahin poked his head through the gap in the Military Camp entrance.
"Yes. Why?"
"The Commander says it's time to eat."
"Eat?"
I stared at the clock affixed to the Military Camp ceiling.
"It's still quite early for a meal, isn't it?"
"Well, the Commander caught some game."
"Game?"
Both Melissa's and my eyes widened simultaneously.
"He hunted a deer to nourish Lucella's body."
"What?"
"A deer?"
Melissa and I bolted from the Military Camp.
The first thing that caught my eye was the knights dressing the deer.
"If we skewer it like this, will it work?"
"Cut it into smaller pieces. The smaller the chunks, the faster they'll cook."
"But meat tastes best when you tear into it with your teeth...."
The knights gathered around the venison each offered their own commentary, their hands moving busily in tandem with their words.
"What is all this?"
I approached the meat with a bewildered expression.
"Ah, Miss Rilprey. Are you feeling better?"
Xenon, who had been tending the firewood for roasting the meat, greeted me.
"Where did this deer come from all of a sudden? And what do you mean about recuperating?"
"For the past few days, Lucian has been singing about wanting to eat meat. And the injured soldiers will recover faster if they have proper nourishment."
Xenon gestured toward the soldiers gazing at the meat with reverent eyes.
"So the Commander went all the way out there and brought back a deer. It's only been a short time since the purification, yet animals are already returning to that once-tainted land. Of course...."
Xenon glanced around before leaning close to whisper in my ear.
"The primary reason is for your sake, Miss Rilprey."
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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