IPSC 15

Chapter 15

A chill far worse than when I’d seen the basilisk ran down my spine.

“Kyaaah!”

I bolted with every ounce of strength I had. I didn’t even dare look back.

I ran mindlessly, driven by a single desperate thought—I want to live.

Then—

“Ugh!”

My foot caught on a tree root and my body pitched forward. The mountain slope was steep, and once I lost my balance, I started tumbling downhill.

The world spun. Trees and sky alternated in my vision, and clouds of dirt filled my face.

Only after rolling for quite a while did I finally come to a stop. I lifted my head and scanned my surroundings.

The centipede was gone. Thankfully, it didn’t seem to have followed me this far.

But I had another problem now.

“…Where am I?”

I was lost.

If anything, the situation felt even more hopeless.

I’ll put finding the cave on hold for now…

I needed to get back to where the Imperial Knights were. At this rate, getting stranded was only a matter of time.

Just as I brushed the dirt off myself and tried to stand, a sharp pain shot through my leg like lightning.

“Ugh…”

The pain forced me back down. I couldn’t put any weight on it.

My ankle felt slightly swollen—and warm. If I left it like this, it would probably get worse.

“Haah, this is insane…”

Lost and injured. At least there didn’t seem to be any monsters nearby—that was something.

But how was I supposed to reach the Imperial Knights in this condition?

Just as I felt like crying—

“What are you doing down there?”

A familiar voice came from above.

I looked up and saw Theodor standing on a rocky ledge, sunlight pouring over him.

His red hair glowed softly in the light, as if dyed by the sun itself, and his vivid green eyes—full of life—were fixed on me, clear and deep.

In that moment, Theodor looked like a savior.

“You’re Cyprian’s apprentice, right? Why are you here?”

Feeling awkward, I avoided his gaze as I answered.

“…I got stranded.”

Theodor let out a small chuckle.

“Is getting rescued some kind of tradition in the Imperial Palace?”

He said that with a bright smile—was he teasing me?

I wanted to flick his forehead, but my arms didn’t reach.

Theodor nimbly slid down the slope. Despite his large frame, his movements were surprisingly light.

He walked straight over and examined my ankle.

“Looks like a fracture. Let me see.”

He gently wrapped his hand around my ankle.

My slender ankle fit easily into his large hand.

As I frowned at the pain, Theodor closed his eyes and murmured softly.

“Sanare Lux.”

Warm, golden light spread from his palm. The redness and swelling gradually subsided, and the pain faded away.

“Try moving it now.”

I did as he said. Amazingly, there was no pain at all. Walking shouldn’t be a problem anymore.

“How is it?”

“Oh… it doesn’t hurt at all!”

That easy?

So this was a holy knight’s healing ability.

Doctors in this world were going to starve to death.

As I stared in amazement and poked at my healed ankle, Theodor spoke again.

“Have we met before?”

He looked at me seriously, without a trace of teasing.

What kind of pickup line is this—straight out of ancient history?

Was it really okay for a holy knight to flirt with random women?

Did he want to get burned at the stake?

For the sake of Theodor’s continued survival, I pretended not to notice his advances.

“No. This is the first time we’ve met.”

“Your name?”

“Aisha Ambervia.”

Theodor just stared at me silently. Then he stood up and muttered,

“Yeah… figures.”

“What was that?”

He pulled one corner of his mouth up into a crooked smile.

“You like that spot? If you’re planning to stay there, want me to start a campfire for you?”

“….”

I glared at him for a moment, then tried to stand.

Tried to.

The instant I did, I collapsed back down. Theodor looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Well… my legs kind of gave out…”

“….”

Could you not look at me like I’m pathetic?

Anyone would be exhausted after running from a giant centipede!

Whether he understood my feelings or not, Theodor planted his hands on his hips and began lecturing.

“Aren’t you neglecting your stamina too much just because you’re a mage? A healthy mind resides in a healthy body.”

What do you expect from someone with stamina level 1? All I have going for me is my charm.

And even then, his nagging continued.

“When we get back, do some exercise. You’re so skinny—no wonder you have no strength.”

He held out his hand for me to take.

I grabbed it and stood up. His hand, hardened with training calluses, radiated warmth.

I took one step forward—

My weakened legs wobbled, failing to support my weight.

Just as I lost my balance and fell toward Theodor—

He mercilessly twisted his body aside and dodged me.

As a result, I crashed face-first into the ground with a scream.

“Aaagh!”

That hurt so much!

My knee slammed directly into the dirt. Clutching it, I glared up at Theodor.

“Wasn’t that a bit much?! You could’ve caught me!”

I’m not a bug—did he really have to dodge like that?

Even my nonexistent sense of injustice welled up.

At my resentful outburst, Theodor shrugged.

“I’m a holy knight. Who knows what kind of rumors would start if I did that in a temple that forbids romantic involvement.”

Well… when he put it like that, I didn’t really have a comeback.

Still, catching someone once wouldn’t kill him.

Theodor walked over and knelt on one knee in front of me. Just like before, he closed his eyes and murmured a spell, and my injury healed as if it had never existed.

He held out his hand with a refreshingly bright smile.

“If you fall again, just say the word. I’ll heal you.”

So smiling sweetly makes everything okay now?

I grabbed his hand and stood up, glaring at his annoyingly cheerful face.

“Judging by how freely you use healing magic, you must have divine power to spare.”

“Well, I didn’t become the youngest holy knight commander for nothing.”

With an easy smile, Theodor helped me up.

Then he picked up a thick, long branch nearby, pulled out a knife, trimmed off the smaller twigs, and handed it to me.

“Use this as a walking stick. The bottom’s rough, so don’t touch that part.”

I took it.

A makeshift trekking pole?

It did seem like walking would be much easier with this.

Giving trouble, then giving help—how nice of him.

“Come on. I’ll take you back to the Imperial Knights.”

Theodor led the way. As I followed, boredom got the better of me and I suddenly asked,

“So what are the holy knights doing out here anyway?”

“Same reason as you, more or less. You know monsters have been increasing across the Empire lately, right? Civilian damage has gone up too.”

Even though he didn’t have eyes in the back of his head, I nodded out of habit.

“As holy knights entrusted with divine authority, it’s our duty to eliminate monsters and protect the people of the Empire. Finding and sealing the cause behind the increase is part of our mission.”

“For a so-called ‘bad believer,’ you sound pretty devout.”

“It’s not about that. There’s something I promised myself.”

Theodor pushed aside a thicket and continued in a steady voice.

“That when the moment comes where someone needs help, I’ll always lend a hand.”

He bent aside thick branches and cleared the path ahead, making it easier for me to follow.

“Great power should be used to protect the weak. And to protect the weak, you sometimes need great power.”

There was weight in his words. His back as he walked ahead looked strangely broad and solid.

Well… he might talk annoyingly, but he’s a good guy.

We walked for a while when a cool, damp breeze brushed past us. I stopped when I heard the steady sound of flowing water.

“Don’t you hear water?”

“There should be a valley nearby. Are you thirsty?”

Instead of answering, I turned toward the sound.

“Hey—where are you going? That’s not the way!”

It is the way. The sound’s coming from here.

And besides—

I had a feeling.

Ignoring Theodor, I moved forward.

Not far ahead, a waterfall appeared.

It wasn’t massive, but nestled among deep green forest and moss-covered rocks, it felt like an ancient legend quietly breathing.

I lifted the hem of my skirt and stepped into the falling water.

Theodor, who had followed me, shouted urgently,

“Wait! Where are you going?!”

The pounding water obscured my vision as it struck my shoulders. Holding my breath, I took a few more steps—

And a hidden space behind the waterfall revealed itself.

Theodor shook the water from his soaked hair and followed me in.

“Are you possessed or something? What’s even h—”

A dark, damp space.

And covering one wall, a massive magic circle. Faintly glowing lines were carved into the stone.

Intricate circles overlapped with ancient script, and a gentle pulse spread from it, as if it were breathing.

Seeing it, Theodor stared, mouth agape.

“…What in the world is this?”

A hidden space behind the waterfall.

The place I had been searching for all along.