A Dangerous Mistake
It was dangerous.
A feared event had occurred. Enril's mana circulation had completely twisted.
It was an incredibly basic mistake that no one chosen as a Hero should ever make.
But if the reason was the mana cultivation technique, it made sense.
Even Seria saw that method as extremely high-risk.
Oh no…!
Seria, who had been watching from afar, tried to rush her body desperately.
If people around her helped by pouring mana into her in that state, it would improve a little.
Although there would be some damage, it would be better than doing nothing.
Just as she was about to take a step, Rion stood behind Enril.
And with a very urgent face, a desperate expression.
He transferred all the mana he possessed to Enril.
Ah…
Upon thinking about it, Enril's circulating mana was different from his own.
If it had been Seria instead of Rion in that position, both Enril and herself would have sustained internal injuries.
It was a natural result because the mana level changed completely due to the cultivation technique.
In other words, only this man could help Enril.
“Grrrr!”
The will to give everything he had was felt up to this point.
This man, Rion, was sincere. He was sincerely trying to help Enril.
It was never just the posture of an instructor dealing with trainees.
And whether his efforts bore fruit, changes began to appear little by little in Enril.
As the shaken mana gradually calmed, she gained something different from before.
Finally, when everything ended, Enril succeeded in becoming even stronger.
Rion, who had helped her, lay sprawled on the floor drenched in sweat.
And Seria herself—
“…Eh?”
Why am I pointing my sword at this man right now?
I was clearly just watching the two men and women a moment ago?
Seria blankly stared at the sword in her hand and Rion placed in front of her.
It was not a simple threat. You could tell from the stream of red blood flowing there.
If she had gone in just a little more, she would have cut the blood vessels and inflicted fatal damage.
Why did she do something so unbelievable without realizing it?
Before she could even think about that fact, Seria's body suddenly twisted.
Boom! — Kuuung! —
Seria, who had been rolling roughly on the ground, barely regained her body's balance.
Why was she doing this, and in the meantime, her body moved reflexively again.
She still didn't let go of the sword and pointed its tip at Rion.
And in between, a woman revealing clear hostility took her place.
“What are you doing?!”
The Hero Enril. She was glaring at her with a terrifying expression.
*
The moment Seria's sword was pointed at Rion's neck, Rion realized.
Ah. Without me realizing, I must have done something again.
I blocked it properly, but it was bad luck that this situation happened.
I had been pushing my mana to the limit to help Enril.
It shouldn't have happened like this, but I lost my composure without realizing it.
When the mana was all exhausted, what reaction would my own body show when I sensed the crisis?
Obvious. This idiot.
The power seal remained intact. But at the moment, it might have shaken.
If a crisis occurred and I didn't react, that would be strange.
Perhaps Seria had vaguely sensed that ‘moment’...
...Was that not the case?
If she had vaguely sensed it, and harbored doubt or something similar.
Instead of just pointing the sword, she would have had eyes full of disbelief.
But there was nothing like that in Seria's pupils.
Rather, she was questioning herself, full of doubt.
Why am I pointing my sword at this man?
That means this action was not a rational decision.
It was likely an instinct that had saved her life until now.
She felt something strange momentarily, pointed the sword at that target.
But because it was too close, before her reason could check, the situation ended.
It was fortunate that the seal hadn't broken.
If I just persuade her well, she'll back off on her own.
Thinking that, Rion was pondering what to say when—
Boom! — Kuuung! —
Seria, who had blocked Enril's strike, was pushed back sliding.
The mana that had just been newly guided seemed to be moving properly.
In that heartwarming scene, Rion almost clapped without realizing it.
“What are you doing?!”
It was not simple surprise or mild anger.
It was felt. Intense hostility so strong that the skin would sting.
If she did a little more, she would slash right here.
The sword pointed at her neck and the flowing blood were a bit bothersome.
But she didn't want them to fight at all.
No. She had to stop it no matter what. Both sides would suffer!
“Um, Sister Enril. Let me explain the situation first…”
“It’s not worth listening to!”
Shouting that, Enril tried to draw her sword from her waist.
Rion was the fastest to grab her hand.
“Instructor?! Why suddenly…”
“I thought you would be surprised. Seria. Are you okay?”
With his hand grabbing Enril, his words aimed at Seria.
Enril looked at Rion in confusion.
“You would be surprised. The mana that came out was completely different from what you've seen before. To you, who has been swinging the sword every day in the jade-like battlefield, relying on instinct to fight, such an action would come out momentarily.”
By adding unnecessary words, he created a reasonable exit.
First, mix truth and falsehood appropriately.
Seria's daily activities in battles against demonic beasts were true.
The development of her senses to the extreme was also a fact.
Adding the falsehood that her power was mana with different patterns due to the cultivation technique.
In this way, Seria would wonder, “Is that so?”
If Rion had absolute certainty that she was an enemy, she couldn't show such a face.
That became the most solid evidence for Rion and the reason he could be bold.
And—
“…Is what Instructor Rion said true, Saintess?”
Enril, having slightly lowered her sharp hostility, asked out of confirmation.
“…”
In this situation, Seria's conclusion was only one.
“I’m sorry, Instructor Rion. And Sister Enril. I committed a great rudeness.”
Seria knelt with the sword she was holding lowered.
To the point where Enril was startled, as if she was about to hit her head on the ground.
The Saintess of the Church taking such a low posture.
If she said more after that, it would be even stranger.
Thanks to this, the situation that was on the verge of explosion was quickly calmed.
“I’m really sorry. If the Church protests about this incident, I will accept it. If you question the Saintess's position, I will accept it too. I will apologize in any way I can…”
“Enough. Get up quickly.”
Rion cut off Seria's words and urged her to stand up.
Even so, when Seria didn't react, he personally lifted her up.
If anyone sees this, it'll be really troublesome.
For now, by using an appropriate lie, he attributed the incident to Seria's fault.
But ultimately, the truth was that it happened because he was not human.
Here, the attention of the public should not be drawn.
If that led to the Church or others requesting more thorough investigation.
The one in trouble would be Rion himself, not Seria.
“The act I committed just now was undoubtedly a huge rudeness, but given the situation, it could have happened, so I’ll understand and move on. I’ve received an apology, and the Saintess has knelt, so I don’t want to say anything more.”
Even though the sword was pointed at her neck and she was actually cut, causing blood to flow.
Seria gave Rion a strange look at his completely unconcerned demeanor.
What kind of event across the sea made him so calm?
“…Still, if your thoughts change later…”
“It won’t change.”
Am I looking like such a narrow-minded person? Rion grumbled.
Seria thought for a moment and nodded.
“Um, then Instructor. Since the wound is mine, I’ll heal it right away…”
“No!”
Rion's voice, which had been calm until just a moment ago, suddenly rose.
Thanks to this, not only Seria but also Enril was startled and watched him.
“No, no… Hah. Just go and get treated with magic roughly, let's stop. Using the Saintess's holy power on such a small wound is a bit…”
What was wrong with using holy power on a wound.
It was a small wound, but quite a bit of blood had flowed.
Rion just waved his hand saying it was fine anyway.
Was he thinking that the holy power was precious?
But his own holy power was ultimately based on mana, so it was infinite?
While Seria was thinking she couldn't understand at all.
Rion was desperately trying to make Seria drop her intention somehow.
Knowing that if holy power touches the body, it will cause some reaction.
Rion, rolling his eyes, decided to use Enril beside him.
“Come. Enril.”
“Eh? Me?”
“While getting my treatment, let's check your body's condition too. Although I avoided injury to the mana heart, I can't say there's no internal injury at all. We have to go check.”
And without giving Enril time to say anything, he grabbed her and left the training ground.
“…”
Seria, blankly watching that scene, looked at her own hand.
Was it because of the alien mana that her instincts were mistaken?
Or had she been deceived without realizing?
No matter what, one thing was clear. Her level right now was lower than she thought.
No matter what, she had to master that mana cultivation technique.
So, she would find out whether today's incident was her own instinct's mistake or something else.