Chapter 87
With mana cloaking my feet, I sprinted at full speed, so our arrival was swift. The repulsive aura of the magic beast spreading in all directions, intensified by the stench of black magic. I choked down the nausea twisting my gut and quickened my pace. The closer we got to our destination, the more desolate the surroundings became. Trees withered and twisted as if struck by sudden drought. Scorched grass. Shattered stones. Unidentified mucus splattered everywhere. Snakes fleeing amid the broken boulders. Deep gouges in the earth, like a massive serpent had slithered through.
Damn.
As someone who knew the original story, I'd anticipated what magic beast we'd face, but confirming its traces with my own eyes left me uneasy all the same. My heart raced with tension, and I fought to suppress the mad thrill of my instincts, excited by the brush with death. I unleashed even more mana.
Keyeeek!
The bone-chilling screech grew closer, a sound that threatened to rupture eardrums. Rainer rubbed his ears, face scrunched in disgust, then suddenly froze, eyes widening at one spot.
"Kashmir, this is...!"
"Yeah. It's the snake's body."
At the bend where the screech intensified, we spotted it: a sleek, grayish body coated in scales, thick as two burly men stacked end to end. Reeking of foul magic, it writhed endlessly. We used it as our guide, racing even faster.
Kyaaaak!
I held my breath against the magic beast's signature rot-stink of corpses. Trees lay snapped all around, turning the forest clearing into a barren windswept field. The ground quaked violently. A gust of dust cleared, revealing...
Keyeee...
A body easily eighty meters long. Fangs dripping with deadly venom visible between gaping jaws. Vertically slit pupils glowing an eerie crimson. A breath that withered trees, shattered stone, and scorched grass—the embodiment of terror. One of the Great Calamities, rivaling dragons alongside Harabana.
"...That's a magic beast Basilisk."
The king of snakes, a Basilisk.
In a flash, Rainer yanked me into his arms upon hearing my words, flinching hard. Caught off guard as he drew his sword, I shot him a questioning look.
"What... what are you doing?"
"Doesn't meeting a Basilisk's eyes turn you to stone?!"
He blocked my view against his chest, gripping the back of my head tight. Nearly suffocating, I shoved him off lightly.
It's because of that rumor.
Among the thousands of varied magic beasts, five were called Great Calamities. While Harabana had scant public knowledge, the Basilisk's "facts" were all baseless myths.
I'd only fought one once myself... but that was enough to see how absurd the rumors were.
It's actually kinda cute.
I glanced up at fidgeting Rainer and stifled a laugh behind my hand. The petrification myth was so infamous his reaction was understandable. Thinking of him desperately shielding me nearly cracked me up, but I schooled my face into seriousness.
"Meeting a Basilisk's eyes doesn't petrify you. It's a myth. The real danger is its breath—coated in deadly venom."
"...Really?"
"Of course. If eye contact alone did it, I'd have turned to stone ages ago."
Only after my firm declaration did Rainer release me. I caught a glimpse of his flushed neck. Swallowing another laugh, I ducked behind a leafless tree to scout.
Keyeeek!
The Basilisk screeched again, deafening me. The fight had just begun; neither it nor the humans showed exhaustion yet. Aside from minor scratches, the Basilisk looked unscathed.
"You scale-covered worm, shut your trap..."
A man with a remarkably calm face for someone facing a Great Calamity muttered irritably, raising his sword. Short, light brown hair fluttered in the wind. His eyes gleamed dangerous fluorescent lime in the blade's reflection.
Shwick.
The sword sliced air under his large, firm hand. A ferocious fluorescent lime aura hurtled forth, slashing the Basilisk's torso.
Kyaaaak!
The Basilisk shrieked again. The still-unstable Sword Expert aura couldn't pierce its thick flesh fatally but drew black blood aplenty.
As expected.
Just as I'd predicted, one of the two men here was Alessandro Atara, Leo.
He's the target.
Though both men stood there, the Basilisk fixated unnaturally on Leo alone, ignoring the other. Leo, hard-pressed defending against the relentless assaults, hadn't noticed us approaching.
And that other guy... I never imagined he'd be here.
I swallowed hard, staring at the figure beside Leo. This deviated from the original.
"Why the hell is this monster only after Your Majesty?!"
"Fuck if I know!"
Leo's icy glare toward his target felt off. The one bickering with him was none other than the second prince, Serenon Solatine.
So Serenon knew Leo was the king.
As second prince, it'd be weirder if he didn't. Seeing Serenon use the deferential "Your Majesty" drove home Leo's role as a ruler.
"Prince, stop standing there—pin down that reptile's movements!"
"How the hell am I supposed to do that?! I can barely breathe! Just standing is exhausting!"
"Damn it... What have you been doing without building poison resistance?!"
"You're a Sword Expert, but I'm nothing!"
Serenon and Leo dodged the Basilisk's strikes while arguing. Its venomous breath made it grueling even for low-swordsmanship Serenon just to breathe.
I've got to evacuate Serenon first.
Just standing exposed him to poison, risking crisis.
And... I don't want to reveal I'm Mir to him yet.
Unlike Rainer and Leo, Serenon didn't know I was Mir. Unsure of his true character, I hesitated to expose my aura.
"Your Majesty! Dodge!"
Serenon gasped out, pale as death. The Basilisk's maw closed in on Leo, who was searing its scales with rampaging fluorescent lime aura.
"Rainer!"
"Yes!"
Just calling his name had Rainer draw his sword, golden aura blazing.
Shyeeek!
Keyeeek!
A crescent of golden aura cleaved air, smashing the Basilisk's eye. It squeezed shut in agony, shrieking.
Exposed Leo and ashen Serenon whipped toward us and Rainer.
"...Sir Ainheart? Lady Crisis?"
Both looked dazed. Unlike wide-eyed Serenon gaping between us, Leo's gaze locked solely on me.
"No time for explanations!"
Gripping my sword hilt, I beckoned them.
"Over here!"
"Hurry! Run!"
At my sharp command, confused Leo and Serenon poured mana and bolted. While the Basilisk reeled in pain, we four slipped into the trees at the clearing's edge.
"How the hell did you two get here...?"
"No time for that!"
I snapped at bewildered Serenon, scanning them with piercing eyes. Startled, Leo and Serenon fell obediently silent.
"Listen up. I'm giving you one path."
"No alternatives. No veto. Do exactly as I say, or we all die."
No one's here stronger than me, or who knows Basilisks better.
I'd lived my whole life in situations like this. Frankly, this felt far more natural than elegant tea in finery. Rainer and Leo nodded grimly at my commanding assertion.
"How can the lady be so sure?"
But clueless Serenon eyed their easy compliance, muttering with a complicated frown.
He thinks I'm just some noble lady, so he can't grasp my confidence.
I understood, but no time to explain. I fixed Serenon with an icy, intimidating stare.
"No long speeches. I have a way to save everyone..."
I spat the words most familiar to me, then paused. Last night's conversation flashed back.
I sidelong-glanced the steadfast man guarding my side. Rainer, his ever-steady golden eyes fixed only on me.
Taking a shallow breath, I continued slowly.
"...A way to save everyone, the safest method."
I chose "safest" over "best." Because someone who wanted my safety stood beside me.
I caught the faint smile tugging Rainer's lips, then turned to Serenon. He flinched under my sunken gaze.
His eyes were purpling from the Basilisk's breath.
"Forgive me, Your Highness, but if you won't comply, I'll make you."
Time was short. Serenon's breaths grew ragged; the Basilisk, shaking off pain, hunted us with murderous intent.
I can't let Serenon die.
If it found us, he'd drop first. Unlike poison-resistant me, Rainer, and Leo, he struggled with mere exposure.
No matter who he is, I won't let anyone die before my eyes.
That was all. Prepared for consequences after escape, I commanded Serenon harshly, staring into his misty, clouded-blue eyes.
Poison-dulled, they wandered before focusing on me.
...Ah.
I read the deep fear in them. His body trembled obviously now, shockingly for someone like him.
Unlike me, who'd rolled in beast-filled forests lifelong, he was born blessed in the imperial house. This was alien to him. He seemed composed, but fear and chaos surely raged inside.
"...Your Highness."
Murmuring low, I gripped his shoulder. It twitched under my hand. Staring straight into his stormy, overcast eyes, I declared.
"Not today. Today, no one dies. I'll see to it. So follow my lead."
Not today. At least not before my eyes. No one dies.