Panic In Town
"What is happening in that forest? Or perhaps it's in Reina's mansion?"
"Guild master, what do we do?"
Shugal covered his mouth and thought. This was his signature thinking pose.
But before he could demonstrate his thinking power, a guild receptionist in the same uniform as Kierra walked in, panting and sweating.
She looked much younger than Kierra or Shugal.
"Guild master,.. We need you downstairs!"
"..."
Both Kierra and Shugal stared at the girl. Shugal had no choice but to cease his pondering and head downstairs. The development downstairs might help him get a better understanding of the situation.
He stepped away from the window and headed for the door.
Kierra and the girl followed him.
Downstairs in the guild hall, there was mass panic among adventurers, much like in town.
Some were seated, some standing, and some were passed out.
Those still in working shape were screaming and shouting, demanding answers from the receptionists present at the table. Everyone had lost their cool.
"Tell us what is going on!"
"Yeah! You can't keep us in the dark like that. Tell us!"
They all hovered around the receptionists like moths to a flame.
All the receptionists were girls and non-combatants. "It is inappropriate for the face of the guild to be skilled in fighting," as Shugal once said.
He probably wanted dolls to make the adventurers feel welcomed. It is a good practice for attracting people, but now they are in danger of being hurt.
They didn't know what was going on either, but it's their job to find out and inform the people, especially the adventurers.
"Please, everyone, calm down... We'll inform you of the situation. Just remain calm."
They tried their best to use their well-trained vocal cords to ease the adventurer's anger and anxiety.
"Don't give us that crap!"
A man in leather armor, specialized for fast movement, shouted at one of the receptionists.
He looked rowdy and was forcefully demanding answers.
His hair was messy, and his face matched his rowdy nature.
"You'd better step back!"
An intimidating voice came from above, and everyone was silent after hearing it, especially since they recognized the voice.
"What did you say?!"
Except for the rowdy adventurer.
When they looked in the direction of the voice, Shugal was walking down the stairs along with Kierra and the other girl.
"Oh! Guild Master Shugal," Said the rowdy adventurer. He was squirming, and even his gaze was no longer sharp like before.
"Stop harassing my receptionists... They are clueless like you."
"I'm sorry, sir... but..."
His tune changed almost instantly upon seeing Shugal.
Now he was more obedient and behaved like a puppy dog.
He might have been feared by the receptionists and some of the adventurers because of his rowdy nature and status in the guild; however, there will always be someone strong out there to put you in your place.
Shugal was that person.
"Listen up!"
Shugal said in a loud voice that rang throughout the guild hall. Everyone paid attention.
"We know that you are worried about what just happened, but don't harass my staff members over it. We are also in the dark on the matter!"
He spoke in a firm and unwavering voice. But he did not assure the masses.
The fact that even the guild didn't know what was happening only made them worry more.
"...Although we don't know what just happened, we do have a lead on where we can find out the answers."
Those words from the guild master immediately snuffed out the anxiety that was about to take over the entire guild hall.
They were understanding of the situation, but their anxiety and fear overshadowed their rationality. So when the guild master presented them with a lead on the situation, it became easy for them to calm down.
Their faces showed relief, and everyone relaxed.
"For now, healers tend to those who were affected, and then once everyone has calmed down, we'll let you know on the way forward... Kierra, let's go."
"Right."
Shugal finished addressing the adventurers and took Kierra back to the office upstairs, where they had been during the incident.
Every healer present received the order and acted instantly.
Even the rowdy adventurer was helping. It's true when they say don't judge a book by its cover, because now he was being kinder than his face would suggest, although his face remained rowdy as ever.
"Attend to the healers affected first so they can help out."
One of the healers shouted to the others.
It is a clever thought, and logical too.
The more numbers they have to do the job, the faster and more efficient they will be.
☆☆☆
Back at Reina's mansion, Krai had collapsed.
There was a loud beating of the heart, followed by a thud.
His body plummeted to the ground when he reached the limit of his mana and broke through the ceiling of his capacity.
He was so eager to try using magic of any kind that he failed to realize that knowledge of magic doesn't mean you will have control of it on the first try. In fact, he didn't have the proper information about the magic, just the types of magic and their application.
But the problem was deeper than that; he was not supposed to use magic.
He had studied the world's many languages, cultures, history, and, most of all, its magic since arriving six months ago. He understood why most of the demihuman servants were indebted to Reina when all she was doing was treating them like any normal person. Their lives are significantly better than other demihumans out there.
He sees them use magic every day, and maybe that's what clouded his judgment and made him attempt to use enhancement magic out of envy.
The noises faded into the background.
It was only the three of them and Krai. Nothing would disrupt their focus. It was as if everything had become meaningless at that time.
They watched on as his body slowly fell to the ground, and they carried their feet forward at breakneck speed.
Mary's hands wavered for a moment.
**Crack!**
Like the breaking of glass or the shattering of an egg, there was a loud, cracking sound. It was the sound of the barrier breaking. But nobody cared about that.
Mary could not even move.
Her wavering was enough for the barrier to become weak and break. Clearly, it required much focus.
She stood there staring at Krai on the ground. He was not moving an inch, and he was bleeding out.
From the moment he stopped moving to the moment he fell to the ground bleeding, Mary didn't even blink.
She stared on, afraid to realize her greatest fear, Krai's death at the hands of his curse, before they find a solution for it.
In such a short time, they had built a deep connection together, as two people without a home, and facing hostility from others.
"God! He lost a lot of blood," Said Reina. "Call Veda!"
Unlike Mary, who lost her cool and froze, Reina was calm and acted quickly.
But the thought of him dying from doing something so stupid also kept eating away at her.
She tried to stop the bleeding with some cloths, but it was all in vain. The blood just kept coming out.
Now, a new girl was present with her hands hovering above Krai's body.
She was one of the few humans under Reina's employment
It was Veda, and she must be a healer because as soon as she arrived, she said a prayer, and a green light came from her hands and enveloped him.
"Sorry, ma'am... But these wounds are severe. So they'll take time to heal at my level."
The girl said with her voice struggling.
She looked like she was struggling to keep the magic constant.
"Just keep going."
Those words assured the girl that she shouldn't worry - She can do it.
She even increased the output of mana to amplify the magic healing effects.
She wanted to impress her master, Reina, the head of the household, to whom she devoted herself.
But...
"What is happening?" The girl asked.
"..."
Reina and Marcus stared carefully at the healing effects of the girl.
What they saw was an unsettling sight, something that is not normal when healing someone was happening.
"Stop!" Reina instructed her. "Damn it! His wounds are not healing."
"Healing? Reina, these wounds are getting worse!"
"I have eyes, old man!.. And it's Lady Reina to you."
Reina was gritting her teeth, and her face looked sweaty.
She did not take kindly to what Marcus said, and she even saw it fit to add a reprimand about credentials in her remark.
"Stop stating the obvious and give me a solution."
The healer girl stepped back, disappointed in herself and afraid. Her Healing magic had no effect and was making things worse.
Reina and Marcus tried by all means to stop the bleeding.
They both crouched around Krai, trying to seal his wounds manually with cloths and hands.
But unfortunately, the wounds, or rather the many cuts that were caused by Krai's mana burst from overloading, were just too many to handle.
"Move your fingers, old man. He's bleeding out."
"..."
The dignified old man and the cheerful head of the mansion were not their usual selves.
The sight of Krai bleeding left them in a state of disarray.
They tried by all means to stop the bleeding, but it was of no use. It was like the mana was pushing out the blood to make room for itself.
What do I do? There's so much blood, and I cannot do anything about it. I have no healing powers, and healing magic is not effective on him.
So what can I do?!
Mary was in her head, trying to find a solution to this situation.
She looked on at the crowd and listened to everything they said.
She couldn't accept it. She didn't want to accept it.
Though she was devastated and could not move out of despair, it had caused her to fight tooth and nail in her head to try to find a solution.
The magic medicine that would solve everything.
"There's nothing," She mumbled to herself.
As she was about to plunge deeper into despair because of her inability to help, a memory appeared to her.
It was a memory from when Reina rescued her.
(Mary... Promise me you will never use that ability again.)
☆
"Master, there's a way."
The frightened Mary, who couldn't move, was now composed. More composed than anyone present.
"What is it?"
Mary crouched before Krai, her knees dipped in his pool of blood, soaking her maid's dress.
Her expression was determined; like whatever was happening, she could fix it, no sweat.
"I can seal his wounds, but you have to help me with that."
"Help you?"
Reina stared at Mary, confusion evident in her eyes.
Mary didn't have any healing capabilities, nor was she knowledgeable about medical aid, so what could she be referring to?
How can she heal him?
Then, like a seat belt, it clicked. The dots connected.
Reina's eyes widened in disbelief and horror.
"No way, Mary. That is not happening."
"But master. It is the only way. I need to do it. I want to do it."
"I said no, Mariada..."
The sound of her full name coming from Reina's lips was evidence of her unchanging answer.
"Do you know what you're asking of me? The kind of consequences does it entail?
It's not happening, so drop it."
Mary stared deep into Reina's soul.
Her cat ears stood straight, and her tail did not move an inch.
Cute cat eyes wouldn't do a thing to sway her. Only a strong will might.
So she opted for that.
"Master Reina..."
She looked Reina in the eye, and Reina stared back at her, trying to stare each other down until one relented.
"...If you don't unseal my powers, and Krai dies because of his injuries... I will hate you for the rest of my life."
Everybody became quiet.
Marcus and the healer girl, Veda, were surprised by Mary's words.
Never in her life or the life she spent with Reina had she ever defied her in such a manner.
Veda stared at the two fighting and then glanced at Marcus, hoping he would appease them.
"...Uhm!.. You don't mean that... Do you miss Mary?"
The girl spoke, trying to mediate the situation.
She was out of her league with the three of them present, so her words were forced.
That's why she stuttered in the process of speaking.
"I do."
She answered her without switching eyes, still locked onto Reina.
"Stop this madness, Mariada!" Marcus chimed in.
As the oldest of the three, or rather as the only one who looked old, he should have the calmest state and mediation skills.
"..."
Marcus was ignored.
Reina finally broke her silence.
"Mariada... If I break the seal and you die from healing him... I won't be able to forgive myself."
"..."
Mary just opened her maid uniform to reveal a magic seal on her chest. The circle was like part of her skin, meaning the color of the circle was as if her skin itself, but it was still distinguishable.
"I'm ready, master Reina."
"...Huh! Okay, fine, Mary. Let's do this."
"No, Reina! Don't!"
"Quiet, old man..." Reina said while nicking her finger.
Marcus was shut down again. In this situation, he was like an insignificant child whose opinion didn't matter at all. But that's not how they saw him; it was just how the situation had made them become.
Reina nicked her finger with her teeth. Blood flowed out of the wound, and a few drops dripped to the ground.
She stared at Mary one last time before they proceeded, searching for maybe a change of heart.
But...
"Are you Ready?"
"Yes."
A slight wave of uncertainty rushed through Reina's neural system.
She looked at Mary, as if searching for a third confirmation, and all Mary did was direct her eyes to Krai.
Reina understood that there was no turning from this. The plan is a go regardless of her feelings on the matter.
She was another insignificant child. Another Marcus.
