ITYVA 17

Chapter 17

A child might have been suffering unimaginable pain—every second counted.

There was no time to hesitate.

Of course, I had something I was relying on as well.

Rustle, rustle.
In the silent forest, only the sound of my footsteps echoed faintly.

I kept pushing forward, parting the tall, overgrown thickets.

Sharp grass and branches cut and scratched my arms and legs countless times, but I couldn’t stop, not even for a moment.

How long had I gone on like that?

The moment I brushed aside the last of the thick undergrowth in the dark forest—

“……!”

Without a second thought, I drew up the power of water and hurled it at my target.

The water, shaped by my will into a blunt rock, smashed into the assassin who was pinning As down with a sword to his throat.

Thud!

With a dull crash, the assassin’s body slammed into a tree behind him.

As, who had been trembling violently, opened his eyes wide the moment the oppressive force vanished.

“As—!”

I shouted at the top of my lungs, rushing toward him.

The sorcery that suppressed spirit power burned me from the inside like melting flesh, but that didn’t matter right now.

“As, are you okay?!”

Hearing my voice, As stirred, sat up, and when he saw me, his eyes welled up.

“Einra…!”

Covered in wounds, the boy gathered all his strength and ran into my arms.

Thank goodness.

He wasn’t too badly hurt.

Relieved, I spread my arms wide to receive him—when I suddenly sensed something glinting behind him.

‘Metal? Something sharp at the tip…’

The thought struck me—and then the realization.

A sword.

‘He has to dodge—!’

But I was already too late.

Even as I hurriedly called up water again, the dagger—launched like a lightning bolt—struck As squarely in the back as he ran toward me.

Thud.

“……!”

In that moment, time seemed to slow to a crawl.

The light vanished from the child’s crimson eyes.

At the same time, the water power I had summoned scattered into the air in a shimmer of fading light.

It was too late to do anything with it now.

As’s body staggered violently.

I dropped to my knees and caught him as he collapsed toward me.

“As…?”

My mind burned hot, then cold, over and over.

The dagger had been thrown with such force that it was buried deep in the small child’s body.

I yanked it out and hurled it away, then instinctively poured healing magic into him, desperately, recklessly.

“As, no… As….”

The pain in my stomach twisted and churned again.

My vision blurred into a haze.

Blood welled up and spilled down the corner of my lips, but I didn’t stop.

I had to save him.

That single thought lodged itself in my head like an obsession.

What snapped me back to myself was the sound of the assassin’s footsteps against the dirt.

My senses, sharpened by desperation to keep As alive, didn’t miss even the faintest sound of threat.

I immediately gathered water into a massive boulder-like weight and crushed the last assassin beneath it.

“Guhhk—.”

The assassin’s skull cracked against the ground as he fell, lifeless.

The cost of overusing my strength burst from my throat as blood.

My head swam, but I didn’t even think of wiping my mouth. I just clutched As tightly.

“Don’t die…”

“……”

“You can’t… You mustn’t die…”

Still pouring healing magic into him, I muttered over and over like someone deranged.

I didn’t know why I felt so desperate.

It hadn’t even been a week since I met this child.

We had no ties.

I had only taken him in because I couldn’t stand to leave him to die.

I had only kept him nearby thinking he might help me get closer to Aches.

But the thought of him dying now… it made my mind unravel.

My chest ached unbearably.

Why was I trying to save him at the cost of my own body…?

“I knew this would happen.”

A quiet sigh echoed—and then dazzling light enveloped the area.

At the same time, the suppressive spell weighing down the spirits shattered.

Startled, I slowly lifted my head toward the figure that had approached.

“Even with such a powerful suppression spell in place—strong enough to prevent summoning even a high spirit—you still used your power so recklessly.”

Hair like woven strands of a clear blue sea, eyes the same color.

Features so beautiful they could never be forgotten, but now furrowed in displeasure as he looked down at me.

“Should I say it’s impressive you endured this long, or just plain stupid that you wasted your strength without a thought for your own state?”

Clicking his tongue softly, Eliaie reached out and placed his hand against my forehead.

Cool relief spread, and the searing pain—like my organs had been melting away—vanished instantly.

“I wondered why you were pouring out healing like a madman. Now I see this mess.”

Grumbling, Eliaie scooped me up into his arms with ease.

I gave a weak smile and rested my head on his shoulder.

“…Thank you, Eliaie. Thanks to you, I don’t hurt at all now.”

“Don’t think it’s thanks to me. Learn to take care of your own body.”

With a stern voice, Eliaie waved a hand.

Brilliant light swallowed my vision, and in the next moment, we were in my house, on the second floor.

“Wow, home. I’m home.”

It hadn’t even been thirty minutes since I’d left, but after everything I had just been through, this small, peaceful home felt so precious.

Eliaie sighed and set me gently down as I grinned sheepishly.

“I heard the gist from Quiel. You picked up a child?”

Arms crossed, he glanced at As, still nestled in my embrace.

All his wounds healed, As was breathing softly in peaceful sleep.

I brushed aside the boy’s fallen hair and nodded.

“Yes. I think he’s from a noble family. He was collapsed in front of my house, covered in wounds, so I brought him in.”

“And you know who the child is?”

Eliaie tilted his head.

I spoke with what little I knew.

“His name is As. He’s a noble.”

“…As. Hmph. If you don’t know, fine.”

Eliaie turned his head away with a grimace.

Puzzled by his displeasure, I blinked. He cast another glance at As.

“Isn’t it tiring to keep holding him like that?”

“Huh? Oh—! I didn’t even realize I was still holding him. I’ll put him in his bed right away!”

I hurried off to As’s room.

The boy, exhausted, was still fast asleep.

I laid him gently on the bed and carefully closed the door behind me.

“Eliaie?”

When I stepped out, Eliaie was still standing with his arms crossed, staring at the door to As’s room.

At my call, he turned his eyes to me, watching silently before speaking.

“You… are you still afraid of facing the Grand Duke?”

“…Wh—what?!”

His blunt question hit me like a lightning strike, making me jolt as if shocked.

No one had dared mention Aches directly to me for years—that was probably why it startled me even more.

“Uh, w-well… let’s go down to the kitchen and talk. Ha, ha… running around since morning made me hungry.”

I forced a laugh, shuffling awkwardly toward the stairs.

From behind, Eliaie sighed heavily.

“No need. Your reaction says it all.”

“Ha… ha ha… ha…”

Inside, tears streamed like rain.

I could feel how pathetic he must see me.
I could feel how pathetic I saw myself.
But I couldn’t help it.

I hate being like this!

But what can I do, when I was born timid from the start?!

My shoulders slumped.

Weighed down by sudden gloom, I stopped on the stairs and crouched miserably.

‘I’m scared…’

I still wasn’t ready.
Not ready to face Aches—the one who scorned me.

Eliaie looked down at me for a moment, then chuckled softly.

“Well… finding out little by little isn’t such a bad thing.”