Chapter 88. Strange Bedfellows (3) (2/2)

Those words managed to sink the mood in the cave pretty quickly. Indeed, their reality hadn't changed at all.

“So.”

The Fallen Angel's voice became lower in octave.

“Let's stop with the side-talk and begin discussing more constructive things.”

“I agree. Constructive things.”

Teresa nodded her head.

“Seeing you guys hole up here in the mountain range, that means….”

“There is no way out.”

“Yup, that's what I thought.”

Teresa's shoulders sagged visibly.

“It was the same story for us. We tried to go through the valley first but changed our direction to here….”

“We made rounds along the entirety of the border region but still couldn't spot any openings. Sure, we knew that they had deployed their forces in strategic points, but…. This, it feels like their net has become even longer and heavier than before.”

“Does that mean the Parasite Queen is really pissed off about the bombing of the laboratory?”

“We should assume that's the case.”

“Ehew.”

Teresa Hussey smacked her lips before carrying on with a dispirited voice.

“This is seriously annoying. With us, sure, we only have our legs, but for you to find it difficult to escape….”

She was referring to their wings, of course.

“Their anti-air defense network is perfect.”

The Fallen Angel replied with a forlorn voice.

“On top of flight-capable lifeforms, they have hundreds of snipers.”

“…Snipers?”

“The creature that wounded this human's shoulder.”

Seol Jihu reflexively took a look at his left shoulder and his eyes grew wide. He was wondering why his body felt a bit better than before, and now he could see clean bandages tightly wrapped around there.

“Uh, huh?”

Furthermore, his arm moved according to his thoughts. Although it still hurt, it was much more tolerable than before.

'They even healed me.'

While he was being deeply moved by their generous gesture, the Fallen Angel continued on.

“It is impossible to break through their arc of firing and escape. We might be able to go through it once somehow, but we definitely wouldn't be able to deal with their pursuing force. We’ll be shot down before we can escape the Forest of Denial.”

It was at this point that Seol Jihu's eyes opened slightly wider.

“That's why, we wanted to make an offer to you.”

“We'll decide after hearing you out.”

“Why don't you help us with causing a diversion?”

Teresa's expression crumpled.

“You want us to become bait?”

“Technically speaking, yes. Everyone here will become baits.”

What the Fallen Angel suggested was this.

Firstly, four out of six Federation members present would pair up into two groups and try their luck piercing the left and right sides of the enemy's manhunt. In case they were discovered, they would lead the pursuers away, creating a slight opening. Next, both Seol Jihu and Teresa would try their luck. The Fallen Angel and the remaining member would observe the situation and decide what to do.

One could say that this plan was devised for the sake of this remaining member, the one that the Fallen Angel was to accompany. However….

“This plan may not prove to be such a bad one for both of you.”

She wasn't saying that the two humans should sacrifice themselves for their cause. Right now, the story was roughly the same regardless of which part of the border region they got to. If they couldn't find any other way, the situation called for them to attempt a forceful breakthrough anyway. So, doing it this way might give them a better chance. In theory, the percentage of their survival would increase, even if that increase was smaller than a teardrop of a newborn chick.

“Judging by your plan, I guess you two hold important positions within the Federation that require you to go back no matter what, correct?”

“We don't have a reason to let you in on that. In any case. What will you do? It's fine if you don't agree. We shall leave the decision to you.”

“Mm….”

“If not…”

The Fallen Angel looked at Teresa deliberating seriously and added something else.

“If you can think of something better, please tell me. I'm all ears.”

Teresa shifted her gaze over to her companion; the young man in question seemed to be thinking about something quite deeply.

“Seol?”

“….”

“Darling~?”

“?”

Seol Jihu blinked his eyes.

“D-Did you say something, Your Highness?”

“If you didn't hear it, it's fine. What will you do?”

“Uhm… It doesn't sound good.”

“How come?”

“It's a plan based on sacrificing someone.”

“But, there's no other way.”

The Fallen Angel replied.

“Without someone sacrificing themselves, it will be difficult for even one person to escape. Of course, I'm aware of how humans think. However, our current situation dictates that we have to think realistically and act accordingly.”

“I understand what you're saying.”

“You know, yet you say that?”

“Yes.”

“Hoh-oh. Does that mean…”

“I think I have a better plan.”

Seol Jihu replied before shifting his gaze over to his side.

“Princess.”

“Yes?”

“Is this the mountain range where the Lioners used to live?”

“Well, that was the case, but… according to Ian's report, they seemed to have moved their nests to somewhere within the Forest of Denial.”

He knew that already. After all, he witnessed that with his own eyes.

“That means this mountain range is connected to the Forest of Denial.”

“Yes, it is.”

Teresa affirmed it.

“In that case, do you know where the Napal Hill is in relation to our current position?”

“The Napal Hill? I do know where it is, but….?”

Why was he suddenly asking her about the Forest of Denial and the Napal Hill?

Teresa dazedly stared at him. He looked to be slowly withering away not too long ago, but there was a hint of life returning to his eyes now. Those were the eyes of someone who found hope. She wasn't sure what he was thinking of, but…

“Please, hear him out.”

She suppressed her fluttering heart and glanced at the Fallen Angel.

“The defense of the Arden Fortress and the infiltration of the laboratory – he was responsible for making them happen. I promise you, you won't be disappointed by hearing him out.”

“Well, if it's only listening to him…. No, wait.”

Before anything else could be said, the Fallen Angel asked him first.

“Before you speak, I want to ask you a couple of things.”

Seol Jihu nodded his head.

“First of all, this plan you're about to put forward – will there be no sacrifices?”

“I can't guarantee that.”

“Is there a higher chance of success then causing a distraction?”

“Individually speaking, yes.”

“Fine. Lastly…”

The Fallen Angel took her time before slowly throwing her question out.

“Your plan. Is it a plan for not just the two of you, but everyone present here?”

“Of course.”

Seol Jihu replied without hesitation as if to imply 'Why ask something so obvious?' The Fallen Angel took a look behind her again. The hooded figure with the beautiful voice opened her lips.

“All truth. I couldn't sense a single shred of falsehood in him.”

“So that's how it is.”

The Fallen Angel crossed her arms. Her black wings softly fluttered a little, perhaps to signal that her interest had been piqued.

“Fine.”

She grasped the bluish stone tightly and spoke.

“Let's hear it.”

*

Around the time when the sun hit the middle of the sky.

All eight of them stepped outside the cave. They walked for a while before stopping at a certain point in the mountain range.

“It's not in a straight line, but this should be the general vicinity where you can see the Napal Hill.”

“That's fine. We don't need to be too precise with the location.”

Teresa Hussey spoke first and Seol Jihu replied back to her.

They didn't need to speak at length. They had finished discussing everything back inside the cave, so they simply got right into preparing themselves.

The Fallen Angel unfurled her wings wide. The other five also unfurled theirs, but unlike their leader, their wings were like a butterflies’.

The Fallen Angel embraced Teresa, and Seol Jihu was embraced by the one among the five that possessed a particularly beautiful pair of white wings. She was none other than the one who assessed whether he was lying or not earlier. With those two in the center, the remaining four positioned themselves to guard them.

When the Fallen Angel gave out her order, all five of them began murmuring something out. They cast magic using chants that were distinctly different from human Magicians, something no human ears could ever understand.

Swiiiish, whooosh!!

Out of nowhere, powerful gusts of wind showed up. The unseen winds wrapped their entire bodies, and they suddenly became as light as a feather.

They said that this was 'Spirit Summoning'. This also meant the one holding him was a Sky Fairy.

Seol Jihu dazedly studied this never-before-seen spectacle. Then, his ears caught the sounds of wings flapping softly.

“Wow….”

His body began floating up. Slowly, slowly….

“Oh… oh….”

The unfamiliar sensation of weightlessness caused his hugging arms to strengthen their grip. It was then, he heard a soft h-hmm from above.

“P-Please, don't hold so tightly….”

“S-Sorry…”

He quickly apologized while sounding a bit embarrassed.

Soon, they were all airborne. They stuck to the lowest possible flying altitude and flew behind the mountain range. In order to get to the highest speed attainable, they needed a considerable distance first.

After flying at an adequate-enough speed….

“This far should be enough.”

Everyone did a U-turn-like circling after the Fallen Angel raised her voice. In the blink of an eye, they increased their altitude. Seol Jihu swallowed nervously as he watched the mountain range grow smaller.

A short while later.

“This is it.”

Finally, the time had come. He felt his body tilt at an angle now. The Sky Fairy's head pointed straight to the front while her legs pointed to the back.

And so, after she became a straight line in the air…

“Begin!”

The moment the Fallen Angel's words hit their eardrums, every single Sky Fairy present shouted out.

“El Jinn Acceleratio!”