Chapter 3 (1/2)
*Mira’s POV*
I woke up to the scent of soup. I’m alone inside the carriage. I don’t see Gai, Swyn-san, or Panama-san. Ah, but Water Spirit and Wind Spirit are sitting on top of the carriage’s stairs.
After Wind Spirit noticed that I had woken up, he beckons me to come closer. Together with the spirits, I look at the outside scenery. The group is preparing lunch. They had built an open-air stove, and have placed a pot of soup on top of fire. The person stirring the pot is Swyn-san.
A Magician and a pot. Ppfft.[1] They really fit each other.
Panama-san is skewering the bread onto a stick to grill it. Meanwhile, Gai is on standby at the table with a spoon in his hand. UnYes, really, your specialty is eating, right? However, I’m only a 5 year old kid too.
Earth Spirit is sitting on the stove, while Fire Spirit is looking at the burning fire and is happily performing a dance. Perhaps these children are the ones who built the stove.
Guze-san and Blum-san comes out from the tree groves, carrying dead branches in their hands. As for Captain-san, he is in the carriage’s shadow and holding a map in his hand. I wonder if he is confirming the route that we have taken.
「So you have woken up, Jou-chanLittle Missy.」(Captain)
He sees that I had woken up and takes me down from the carriage by carrying me in his hand.
「How do you feel?」(Captain)
「I feel fine. I think I got better after sleeping.」(Mira)
It was all thanks to the Spirits. While I was sleeping, the Spirits would gently pat me until the sickness was gone. I think they must have cast some sort of recovery spell on me even though they didn’t receive any magic power from me. What a good children they are.
I sit beside Gai and receive a wooden bowl and a wooden spoon. I dip the slightly grilled hard bread in the soup to make it soft before eating.
「Then, let us began eating.」(Swyn)
Immediately after Swyn-san said that, Gai starts devouring. Even though the bread in front of him is hard, he eats it immediately only after soaking it for a while.
「Gai, eat slowly or you’ll burn your throat.」(Mira)
I more or less remind him, as I sip the soup.
Which reminds me, I wonder if food is unnecessary for Spirits? Do they only eat magic power that magician releases when the magician request them to help perform magic? Because they had used magic on me without me requesting them to do so, should I give them my magic power as sign of thanks?
But how can I do it? Asking Swyn-san is like hitting a hornet nest. If I use magic in light novels as my references, then the magic power is type of energyKi/Qi[2] that flows inside me.
Fuufuufu. I know breath controlQigong[3], you know. It’s something that I’ve studied for a while. However, even though I sound like I know a lot about it, I merely know it superficially. Luckily, exact knowledge is unnecessary in my case. After all, Swyn-san already said, “What's important in magic is imagination.” In the animes I’ve watch and the mangas and light novels that I’ve read, mentions many kinds of magic, so I have plenty of imagination on my disposal.
Even if my knowledge is scant, my imagination can fill in the gaps. a.s.suming that magic power is energyKi/Qi, then I had a hunch that I need to mold it inside my body before gathering them on my right index finger.
While I’m savoring the bread that I ate, I close my eyes, look down and immediately conduct a trial run.
EttoUmm, first, take a deep breath.
I imagine a ball of magic power inside of my chest, and then I circulate it inside the center of the chest.
As I do this, I feel something warm inside me. This maybe the magic power. I stop circulating the imagined ball of magic power inside me and send the ball through my right shoulder, then to my right arm, before imagining it gathering before my index finger. The warm thing inside me moves at the same time.
I opened my eyes to confirm it. My fingertip is s.h.i.+ning with a honeydew color.
It turned out well
「Mira-san?」(Swyn)
「!? Yes?」(Mira)
Suddenly Swyn-san called me and my concentration dissolved. The light disperses.
That surprised me. Was I found out? I was found out, right?
Swyn-san gently speaks to me, who was acting suspiciously, and wonders if I’m still feeling unwell.
I'm sorry, but 「I was just gathering Magic Power.」 I absolutely can't say that.
「No, I was just a bit absentminded.」(Mira)
「Are you still half asleep?」(Gai)
Nice, Gai. You can be useful sometimes.
While I stuff my mouth with bread and concentrate again, in order to present my magic power to the Spirits, I look for them. Just a moment ago they were near the stove, but now they weren’t there. I s.h.i.+ft my line of sight, and found them huddling together near the pile of firewood. I am puzzled.
Are they playing os.h.i.+kuramanju[4]?
No, they’re s.h.i.+vering. It seemed that they are afraid of something, but......
The Fire Spirit notices that I am looking at them and speak something in hurry. But, as expected, I can’t hear his voice. He then points his tiny hand in the direction of carriage. The carriage is stopped at a hill where the horses aretranquilly eating gra.s.s after being freed from the yoke. The knights’ warhorses are doing the same.
The other spirits also joined and raised their hand to make gestures.However, I don’t understand. Noticing that I had another blank look, Swyn-san calls me for the second time. Just as I began to think about how to deceive him, letters suddenly appears inside my head. 3 Katakana letters.
『KI-KE-NDanger』[5]
「Eh?」(Mira)
The Spirits turn their head towards me who unconsciously made a voice. Their faces start to sparkle. Once again, words are float inside my head. Now there are two sets of them.
『DANGER』
『ESCAPE』
Just like how a computer monitor displayed texts one after another, the floating words start to multiply steadily and start to disturb my thoughts.
『DANGER』『ESCAPE』
『ESCAPE』『LOOK OUT』
『ESCAPE』『ESCAPE』『ESCAPE』『ESCAPE』『ESCAPE!』
「Mira-san!」(Swyn)
Swyn-san put his hand on my shoulder and stares directly at my face.
「What’s wrong, Mira-san?」(Swyn)
I want to answer Swyn-san who's worried about me, but my mind is filled with warnings so I can’t think of anything. What spilled out of me is an incoherent muttering.
「......... The Spirits, are afraid.......」 (Mira)
「Are you able to see the Spirits?」(Swyn)
『DANGER』
『ESCAPE』
『IT COME!』
「What’s dangerous? What’s coming?」(Mira)
I am, once again forced, to read the words, so I close my eyes tightly and scream.
『MANA EATER!』
At the same time, an ear-deafening roar thunders. The horses’ mad whine cut through the air. Everybody turn their head towards the direction of the carriage and freeze up. However the Knights only stop moving for a while. In a moment they are ready for battle.
「Holy Spirits. Mana Eater seriously showed itself here.」(Panama)
「d.a.m.n, that is Huge!」(Guze)
「I really have to send my protest to the Guild.」(Blum)
「Good grief.」(Captain)
It lands straight on the top of the hill in the middle of the carriage wreckage. Although a little dirty, it’s black scale gave off a l.u.s.ter. A magic beast that surpa.s.ses 5 meters stands up while licking up its lips.
A gigantic body, sharp claw, and a thick tongue that is flickers from its mouth, where rows of saw-like teeth can be seen. Though the size is bigger than I had imagined, it is just like what Swyn-san had said; it’s a crocodile-shaped magic beast.
「Most likely it’s been wounded. Perhaps it desperately came to here in order to target a person with great magic power. With our current equipment, we can, perhaps, only buy you some time, so Swyn-san please take the children and escape quickly.」(Captain)
As Captain had instructed, Swyn-san pulls my and Gai’s hand.
「It won’t notice you if you move slowly. Keep your eyes on it.」(Swyn)
With a nod we start to move. I unintentionally catch glimpse of the Spirits on my edge of vision. They have their gazes fixed on the magic beast and are s.h.i.+vering. I remember that the Mana Eater will eat all kinds of magic power.
Perhaps, it also eats Spirits!?
I can’t leave these children behind! However, if I made a careless move, it may provoke the Mana Eater. That’s right. Maybe, I can also transmit a message to them using the floating letters in my head?
『Come. Come this way.』
Though I keenly broadcast it inside my head, the constantly afraid Spirits didn’t notice it. Or maybe it didn’t get transmitted?
「Mira, what are you doing? Let’s run.」(Gai)
Gai pulled my hand.
「I know. But I can’t leave those children behind.」(Mira)
「What do you mean by those children?」(Gai)
This is bad. It’s supposed to be a secret that I can see Spirits, but I had a slip of a tongue. There is no time to think of a proper follow up for this. Since I can't transmit the letters, then anything else that I do......
That’s right! Inside the carriage, Wind Spirit could hear my words in my whisper. Perhaps.....
「Please come this way.」(Mira)
I made a sigh, just like a whisper in prayer. The Wind Spirit snaps and turns his head around.
It reached her!
Sound is air vibrations. Just like I thought, Wind Spirit is sensitive to sound.
While shedding tears like a faucet, Wind Spirit grasp the other 3 Spirits’ clothes hem with all of her power and took flight. The Spirits soon arrived at my bosom are embraced with both of my hands, but at the same time, the magic beast make an earsplitting roar.
「Here it comes!」(Knight)
The Knights started to run to meet the magic beast. I’m s.n.a.t.c.hed by Swyn-san who is carrying me with his hand.
「Run!」(Swyn)
Hearing Swyn’s order, Gai immediately sprints like a fired arrow. Swyn-san also starts to run.
「Oh Wind, accept this magic stone. Grant us even more speed!」(Swyn)
A green colored magic power is released from Swyn-san bracelet. From inside my arm, Wind Spirit reaches out desperately for the magic power and eats it. Then, suddenly, our speed increases after receiving aid from the wind.
「Surround it!」(Knight)
「If you get hit, immediately withdraw! Stop its feet!」(Knight)
Angry yells fly past each other, sound of weapons and the magic beast roar’s can be heard from a distance. I look behind over Swyn-san shoulder on that faraway scene, and make a gasp.
Guze-san who wants to draw his blade to stab at the magic beast is immediately sent flying after being hit by a swing from its tail.
To not miss up this opening, from the opposing side, Captain-san and Panama-san pierces its feet with their sword. While bursting out a scream, the magic beast raises the stabbed feet high.
If their swords are s.n.a.t.c.hed away, then they don’t have means to attack. So while grasping onto their swords, both of them are being lifted high. Then they kick the magic beast’s foot that is raised up in the air, extract their swords from its feet, and came down. Then they nimbly did a roll to lessen the fall damage and avoid being trampled by the magic beast’s feet.
『Guroooooooooooon!』
The magic beast roared in irritation. I saw the eye that glared at the Knights and it immediately made me shuddering.
It’s approaching.
With a blast, it suddenly kicks the earth, ramming Blum-san and sending him flying. Ignoring the pursuing knights, it approaches while roaring.
So fast.
Its whole body is covered with small cuts and is wet with blood. Its giant jaw is opened with saliva dripping out. It eyes are bloodshot without changing its sight, it is hungry.
And it target is, me.
When I notice this, my face goes pale. After that, it raises my anger.
「Are you kidding me?」(Mira)
「Mira-san?」(Swyn)
As soon I opened my mouth and speak in low voice, Swyn-san turns his head to look at behind him. He then sees the approaching magic beast and his feet trips.
I twist myself and jump down from his arm, and stand facing the magic beast. The Spirits inside my arms also trying to make a stand despite their s.h.i.+vering.
「Mira! Swyn-san!」(Gai)
Gai noticed that we had stopped moving and yells.
「What are you doing? Quick! Escape!」(Gai)
Even while they’re wounded, Captain-san and Panama-san are pursuing the magic beast. Even with their bones broken, Guze-san and Blum-san are struggling to get up.
「Are you kidding me?」(Mira)
Yes, are you messing with me? At my previous life, I was struck by a car and died. In this life, will I get killed, get eaten by a magic beast? And not only will it be me. Gai will also, Swyn-san will, everyone will, everyone....
「I don’t want a cheat. But, since I have it then I will defeat this sc.u.m right here! Right now!」(Mira)
I spoke these words in my mouth, raise my head, and imagine what I wish for inside my mind. Was it a coincidence that I was born as a person with abnormal amount of magic power, or it was granted by someone? I don’t know which one is the true answer, but it doesn’t matter right now. Since I have a cheat then I should be able to use magic. If I’m not able to use magic, then how can it be called as a cheat?
「Consume my mana and grant my wis.h.!.+」(Mira)
「Wa-, oi! Is she imitating Swyn!?」(Captain)
Maybe because he was so surprised, Captain-san fell down.
「Eh? Mira? You can use magic!?」(Gai)
「Stop it Mira-san! The hole size that I made before is useless for it!」(Swyn)
I already understand that, if it the hole is only at that size it couldn’t even catches its feet.
I ignored the frightened yelling from Gai and Swyn-san. I knead my magic in a hurry, and release that magic power from my right hand. Before my eyes, it becomes a giant honey colored light ball. Earth Spirit, who received it, starts transforming, from a 3 heads tall midget, to a tall person whom I need to raise my head to see. His golden hair is fluttering in the wind.
I raise my right hand as high as possible to the sky, and immediately swing it down.
「Barricade!」(Mira)
BARRICADE!
The earth vibrates, together with a thunderous sound, it is produced from the ground in an instant. 3 meters in width, 8 meters in height, 7 meters in thickness at the bottom and 3 meters thick at the top. It was a wall shaped like a gently sloped breakwater[6].