“Elsa, watch out! Dirk, can we attack from here?!”
“I can. But I can’t hold back against something that size. If I misfire, I might hit the casualty she’s carrying. And isn’t that Princess Yana’s little brother?”
“What?”
I squinted at Elsa’s silver, furry back. She was much smaller now in her Cath Palug form, just barely dodging the wyrm’s strikes. And then my blood ran cold at what I saw.
A young, slender boy with a familiar hair color. His eyes, which I knew were the same shade as Yana’s, were shut tightly. Blood from his head soaked Elsa’s silver fur. His body was limp. He needed healing right away.
But even as Dirk tried to distract the wyrm, it kept its attention fixed on the boy.
“Tch, if I hold back, my blade won’t pierce its skin. Elsa, can’t you get any farther away?”
“I’m trying, but this thing just won’t let up!”
She was being careful not to jostle Alfred. That was probably slowing her down, but even so, this wyrm’s obsession felt unnatural.
I narrowed my eyes and saw shallow cuts all over its body.
The boy had said he snuck into the coliseum near the back of the bazaar because he idolized Lucas so much. He must’ve encountered the wyrm there and tried to fight it.
That’s why it followed him all the way here!
It wouldn’t be satisfied until it ate him. But since he was too injured to run, fighting it off might already be impossible.
He might be on the verge of death!
Without a moment to spare, the first face that came to mind was Lucas’s.
I kissed the ring on my left hand, pressed my hands together, and locked my gaze on the wyrm.
“Open the barrier! I’m going to heal him!”
“What?! Are you trying to get me killed, little sister? What kind of insane plan is this?!” Dirk spun around, visibly shaken, and I understood why.
Lucas would burn this entire kingdom to the ground if something happened to me.
But still…
“I’ll be safe because Lukie promised he’d protect me, no matter what!”
All I had to do was trust him.
“He’ll protect me with this ring. So please, brother-in-law, open that barrier!”
I pressed my hands against the dome and called out to Dirk on the other side.
I even played my trump card, loud and clear, and just like that, he bounced right back. “She called me brother-in-law for the first time! Yes! I love it! I’m so happy! Elsa, get over here!”
Okay, I’m already regretting saying it. That’s definitely a limited-use move. I need to save my trump card for actual emergencies.
Meanwhile, I heard Elsa cry behind me, and Anna and Kate immediately kicked into their own strangely competitive modes.
“Huh? Why are you freaking out about having your name called once? I’ve been on a first-name basis with her since forever!”
“She actually started speaking casually to me first. And I’ll be the one to clear Princess Cecilia’s path. Die, disgusting wyrms!”
“I’m the second one she ever called directly, and how dare you show your nasty little face to the Rainbow Maiden? Bow your head, you filthy wyrm! You don’t deserve to gaze upon our goddess!”
“Fine, I’m third, but she’s worried about me. So I still win!”
They’re still going on about this?
It was all technically true, and honestly, it felt a little dangerous to correct them. But most of all, Anna and Kate were fully pumped up, shredding wyrms with such ferocity, I wasn’t even sure it was safe for me to run through the chaos.
Have they actually gotten stronger than Dirk lately? I know they’ve been training, but still… Are they really just maids?
Well, I guess dedication is a good thing. I quickly looked away from my murderous black-clad maids as they rampaged across the battlefield.
They’ve always been a huge help, but now’s not the time to worry about that!
“Princess Cecilia! Now’s your chance!” Anna’s slashes sent smaller wyrms flying.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t hold the barrier much longer!” Kate said, opening a passage with her shield magic.
“Dirk!” I screamed.
“Not ‘brother-in-law’ anymore, huh? Fine, I’ll just have to wait until next time.”
As Dirk replied, the section of the barrier I had my hands on vanished, opening a gap just wide enough for me.
Dust swirled across the battlefield, but I ran straight toward Elsa, who was ten or so meters ahead. The shoes Lucas chose for me made walking on the desert sands a breeze, and even sharp debris didn’t hurt my feet.
I bit my lip, dodging the smaller wyrms hurtling toward the barrier. I kept running straight toward the shadow of the massive one, looming like a snake with its head raised, ready to swallow Elsa and the boy whole.
I felt the wind on my cheeks, just like when I was little and loved running. The huge wyrm’s body twisted, and I kicked off the ground.
I threw myself over the boy and covered him with my own body.
“Princess Cecilia!”
I didn’t know who was screaming. The wyrm’s mouth filled my vision, its nightmarish mouth bearing down on me.
I squeezed my eyes shut and whispered the only name that could calm my heart.
“Lukie…”
Please protect us!
And as if answering my prayer, the ring on my finger grew warm and suddenly flashed with light. A beautiful, golden web of defensive magic enveloped us, and from its golden threads shot needle-like projectiles that pierced the wyrm.
The moment the monster stopped moving, something like a shooting star streaked across the sky and slammed into it. A dull, heavy thud resounded, and the wyrm staggered, toppling onto the rubble.
I watched through the haze of dust as that shooting star twisted in midair, like a wild animal recoiling from its own momentum, then landed lightly on the roof of a crumbling building.