Alber flinched in surprise.
The barrier spell has been broken, she realized.
She sensed a powerful, unfamiliar energy responding. It wasn’t the usual pulse of an activated spell. Exhausted from keeping the writhing monster restrained, she found renewed energy in the thought of progress outside.
According to the records, such a spell is impervious to human power, she mused. Only by dismantling the magic formula or casting a counter-spell could it be broken. Both methods are time-consuming.
As expected, the king’s power is extraordinary, she said, her voice filled with awe. She imagined witnessing the moment he destroyed the formula, a spectacle that would have been both breathtaking and enlightening.
Even though it’s destroyed, the remnants of the spell must still hold considerable life force, she realized. A brilliant idea struck her, sending chills down her spine.
This is it. My final task. My duty to cleanse myself of at least a little of my guilt.
“The barrier spell has been broken,” Alber announced.
“Is that so?” Nicholas replied, impressed that Alber could perceive this from within the dark prison. If he had possessed even a modicum of magical knowledge, his surprise would have turned to shock.
“I want to preserve the place where the spell was cast as much as possible. I must go and see for myself,” Alber said.
Nicholas thought for a moment, then pulled a leather pouch from his coat. “It would be faster and more reliable to write it down here than for me to go myself. Should I instruct them not to destroy the location?”
“If the monster heads in that direction, the ground will collapse. I hope you can guide it elsewhere when dealing with it… though it might be an unreasonable request,” Alber murmured.
“Unreasonable? As king, that much should be manageable. There’s no problem,” Nicholas responded confidently, beginning to write in his notebook with a piece of graphite. Despite the widespread panic, he trusted at least one of the five kings would read it.
Alber watched Nicholas, who appeared as a blurry figure. She had heard many things about him, including his plans for using the spell to connect the kings. To think he’s planning to use that spell to connect the kings. I guess growing up in a different world gives Jin a knack for clever ideas, she mused.
***
“We’ve finally made it inside!” Riner shouted with laughter as he crossed the Holy City’s walls, his voice filled with excitement. He was about to dash straight to the palace but hesitated, glancing back over his shoulder.
The soldiers were still making their way over the wall, but their numbers were underwhelming. Having observed from outside, Riner estimated that, even with the combined forces of all the kings, the total troops within the city could only be a few thousand at best.
Meanwhile, the larks continued to flood in relentlessly. The seeds the kings had shattered were long gone, and now, these creatures were emerging from seeds that had burst on their own.
This is getting out of control, he frowned. It’s going to be a real mess.
Thankfully, the larks were still under the influence of the spell, charging forward without attacking unless provoked. Despite the temptation to hunt them down, Riner resisted the urge and focused on his mission, sprinting toward the palace.
Heather, having secured an outing permit, had left the palace to visit her family for the first time in ages. Before returning, she mentioned wanting to make one more stop, which earned a displeased frown from the knight accompanying her.
“Where do you plan to go?” the knight had asked, his tone edged with suspicion.
“To Anika Katie’s house,” Heather replied, her voice steady. “I want to deliver her regards to her family.”
Katie’s house was far off the usual route, certainly not on the way back to the Holy City. The knight’s expression betrayed his reluctance, but Heather pretended not to notice, pressing forward with her request.
“Anika Katie helped us,” she insisted, eyes narrowing with determination. “I should at least return the courtesy, don’t you think? Now, let’s go—quickly.”
Without waiting for his reply, Heather climbed into the carriage with a practiced grace. The vehicle lurched forward moments later. Growing suspicious of the knight’s attitude, she lifted the curtain just enough to check their direction, her heart pounding in her chest. They weren’t headed toward the palace. Relieved, she let the curtain fall back and leaned against the carriage wall, exhaling slowly.
Suddenly, the carriage jolted to a stop. The streets had been eerily empty lately—there shouldn’t have been any reason for a traffic jam. Yet, the sounds of hooves pounding the ground and the crack of whips echoed around her. A chill ran down Heather’s spine. Feeling a surge of unease, she rapped on the carriage wall.
“Sir, what’s happening?” she called out, her voice trembling slightly.
No response.
Heart racing, Heather pushed the door open and stepped out cautiously.
“…Sir?” she whispered, dread tightening her throat.
The carriage stood abandoned. The knight and horse had vanished without a trace. Heather’s breath caught in her throat. Her eyes darted wildly around the empty streets, and she almost screamed in terror. But instinct kicked in—she covered her mouth with trembling hands and rushed back inside the carriage.
Shaking, she pulled the curtain aside just enough to peer through the narrow slit of the window.
“What… what is that…?” she whispered to herself, eyes widening at the sight outside.
Just a few dozen paces from the carriage, a horde of monsters thundered past. Their bodies resembled beasts, yet each one towered at over twice the size of a human. Some had familiar animal-like forms, while others resembled gigantic scorpions, their hulking frames far larger than any person. What stood out the most, however, were their glowing red eyes—every one of them.
Though it was her first time seeing them up close, Heather immediately knew what they were.
Larks…
She slammed the curtain shut and collapsed onto the carriage floor, her body trembling uncontrollably as she hugged her knees to her chest.
Did the knight abandon me? The thought struck her like a blow. Did he run away and leave me here?
Outrage and betrayal swelled within her, and tears blurred her vision. This small carriage wouldn’t last a moment if even one of those monsters decided to charge. The horrifying image of herself being torn apart by the creatures flashed through her mind, and a sob caught in her throat.
But time passed, and still, nothing happened.
Heart pounding, Heather cautiously reached for the curtain again and peeked out. The larks were still stampeding, rushing past her, heading somewhere. As she tried to calm her racing thoughts, the question gnawed at her—Should I just stay here quietly? Would they ignore me if I did?
Suddenly, a realization dawned on her, so sharp it almost made her gasp.
I’m an Anika. Larks didn’t attack Anikas. She had never seen proof or heard any firsthand accounts, but that was what everyone believed.
Heather quickly scanned her surroundings. Katie’s house wasn’t too far away. I have to go.
