Chapter 94

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The heroes, having learned of Flamm's escape from the signal flare, headed for the rendezvous point.

Negus easily shook off Werner and the others, soaring into the sky like a bird before vanishing. The lion and wyvern-type chimeras pursued her, but it was extremely difficult to touch her, especially when she was flying alone. This was even more true for the less intelligent beasts. Even if she was slower, she outmaneuvered the chimeras. It might look like she had it easy, but if she stopped for even a moment to launch an attack, she would be overwhelmed and killed instantly. However, the more chimeras that chased Negus, the easier it became for her allies on the ground to move. She continued to fly, always keeping the destination in mind while supporting those on the ground who could only run.

Kirill, the key to the operation, ignored Bart, who tried to block her path, and arrived at the designated spot. She then began preparing to cast her magic.

Eterna was struggling against Hermann, but when it came to fleeing, the situation was different. Even with his impressive physical strength, it was impossible for Hermann, encased in his massive armor, to keep up with her. The moment she saw the signal flare, she turned and quickly distanced herself.

Gadio engaged Hugo in a one-on-one sword fight. Their skills were almost evenly matched. As the leader of the knights, Hugo seemed to possess strength comparable to Henriette. However, Gadio was not fighting at full strength because he was also protecting the civilians. When Linus, who had been supporting Flamm, returned, the tide of battle changed. Hugo, despite his strength, was no match for two-on-one. Seizing the opportunity when Hugo faltered, Gadio delivered a powerful blow, slamming him into the wall. Hugo lost consciousness, likely from hitting his head. Gadio, torn between finishing him off and the current mission, decided to leave the fight. With no time to spare, they disengaged.

Flamm, Milkit, and Sera, who had made it outside the castle, were now running through the castle square, pursued by a large number of chimeras. Without the high stats of the other heroes and with Flamm carrying Milkit, evading the wolf-type chimeras was nearly impossible.

"Hey, Sera!?"

Flamm twisted her body to avoid the barrage of magic spells flying from behind.

"What is it, sis!?"

Sera focused solely on dodging. With her magic depleted, that was all she could do.

"Is this plan really going to work!?"

Flamm didn't want to be negative, but the situation was dire. They had been delayed by the battle with Otilie, and as a result, their location was discovered, leading to a massive deployment of chimeras.

"I was planning to escape more quietly!"

"So, in other words, it's a failure!?"

"I don't know, but at this point, we just have to push through with determination!"

"I'm sorry, Master, if I were faster..."

"It's not your fault, really!"

Flamm was so focused on running that she didn't have the time to think, but if she didn't keep moving, she would trip and fall. The cobblestones felt like a threat, and they were being pushed to their limits. Initially, the chimeras were mostly wolf-type, but soon lion and wyvern types joined, attacking from both the ground and the air. The sight of the lion-type chimeras gave her goosebumps. She didn't want to see them, but as they approached the end of the square, dozens of chimeras were blocking their path.

"What... do we do now?"

Moving forward was impossible, but stopping would mean being caught by the chimeras from behind, and they were surrounded on all sides. The capital was heavily guarded by chimeras, but their forces were supposed to be spread out. It seemed as if all the chimeras were focused on capturing them.

"What do we do...?"

Sweat appeared on Sera's forehead. The situation was hopeless. Even if someone came to their aid, no one in the world had the power to get them out of this. Just as they were about to give up and stop, a loud explosion sounded from behind them.

"What was that!?"

Turning around, they saw a girl in white armor cutting through the enemy, her face and exposed skin covered in painful-looking wounds and fresh blood. Flamm's mind struggled to recall her name, but the blood was hindering her memory.

"K... Ki... Ki..."

She knew the girl's face and had been friends with her, but the name eluded her. It was frustrating, and she felt it was a form of disrespect to forget the name of someone who had been hurt for her.

"Out of the way, move it!"

She threw a lion-type chimera with her strength, sending it flying and knocking over several others. It was a display of incredible power, only possible with the use of a Brave.

"Flamm!"

The girl stopped in front of Flamm, placing her hand over Flamm's, who was still holding Milkit. The white gauntlet was cold, but her heart felt warm. It was frustrating not to remember her name. Milkit, unable to bear it, whispered,

"R..."

Flamm immediately understood. It was the last letter she had been missing.

"Thank you, Kirill."

Kirill, who had been told she had amnesia, smiled gently at Flamm calling her name. She then cast her magic.

"Return!"

The four of them, including Sera, were enveloped in light. As the chimeras' claws, fangs, and magic approached, the light cleared, and they were gone. The chimeras, having lost their target, searched the area but had no chance of finding the transferred Flamm and the others.

---

It happened in an instant. One moment, they were surrounded by white light, and the next, they were in a dark forest north of the capital. Maria had set up the transfer stone in a place where humans rarely went.

"Seraaaaaa!"

Negus, who had transferred earlier, hugged Sera from behind.

"Ah! Help, sis, it's a pervert!"

Of course, she knew it was Negus, but Sera deliberately said it this way. She would have responded to a simple greeting, but there was no need to hold back with someone who pulled such a surprise.

"Calling me a pervert is harsh. I was really worried about you, Sera."

"I know, I know. But... you finished your escape first, didn't you?"

Negus wasn't the only one there. Eterna, Gadio, Linus, and the others who had escaped earlier, including Ink, Kereina, and Harom, were also present. Even Maria, who had helped them, was there, wearing a mask.

"Wasn't the plan to gather at the central rendezvous point and then all use Return to get out?"

Milkit's question was answered by Eterna.

"We gathered at the central rendezvous point first. But Negus, who was observing from the air, told us that if we continued, Flamm and the others wouldn't make it out of the chimeras' grasp."

Negus wanted to help Sera, but even if she had gone to assist, there was no way to save the three of them. More importantly, she had been acting as a decoy, drawing a large number of chimeras away in the air until just before Kirill activated Return.

"So, Kirill suggested this. She would send the people who had already gathered here out first, and then go back to the capital to help Flamm and the others."

Eterna continued, and Gadio added,

"Flamm, we tried to come up with another plan, but Kirill was insistent that she could do it."

Linus chuckled, looking at Kirill, who was swaying on her feet, clearly exhausted.

"Let's go, Kirill."

Finally reaching her limit, Kirill collapsed into Flamm's chest.

"Ah...!"

Milkit gasped, and everyone's attention turned to her. Realizing she had made a louder noise than intended, she blushed and covered her mouth.

"This is what they call a love triangle."

"Choose your words, Eterna."

Ink quickly interjected at Eterna's dark joke.

"She must have been really tired."

"Kereina is right. The backlash from using Brave will keep her out for a while."

The transfer to the transfer room had been a brute force operation. Breaking through the chimera's encirclement, getting out of the castle, and chasing after the fleeing Flamm and the others. Even with the power of a Brave, there were limits. It was her desire to save her friends that made it possible. Sera approached Kirill, who was now snoring in Flamm's arms, and healed her wounds with a recovery spell.

"Should we... leave her like this?"

"This is the position where Kirill feels most comfortable."

"Ah, but Flamm, your memory hasn't returned, has it?"

"Yes, I'm ashamed."

Kirill's memory was starting to come back, thanks to recalling her name. The same was true for the other members. Eterna and Gadio's memories were relatively clear, but Linus still couldn't remember, and Maria's mask and blood-soaked neck were completely baffling. It was also unclear why a demon was part of their group.

"Maybe if we give it time, it will come back."

"Her mind was tampered with. Are there any lingering effects?"

"Henriette wouldn't make such a mistake."

Gadio was confident, but Negus, who didn't fully trust this, nodded skeptically.

"Well, if Flamm says she's fine, then it's probably okay. What I'm more concerned about is that masked lady."

"What's the matter, Negus?"

"Looking so ominous, yet you're so calm."

To a demon like Negus, Maria, who had used an Origin Core, was a detestable existence.

"Lady..."

Sera, who had just reunited with her, looked at her with a complex expression. She never imagined that her admired "Lady" would become a monster.

"It's been a while, Sera. I was worried when I heard you were exiled, but I'm glad to see you're doing well."

Her tone was the same as before, and if it weren't for the mask and the flesh vortex beneath it, Sera could have been happy to see her again.

"Are you doing well, Lady?"

"I've had my ups and downs, but I'm doing well now. My body is in good condition."

Though she couldn't see her face, Maria was probably smiling. Sera couldn't understand how she could smile like that. She felt a new wall between them.

"Well, I understand why Negus is cautious, but if it weren't for Maria, we wouldn't have made it out of the capital."

"That's why I want to know her motives for helping us escape."

Negus, openly hostile towards Maria, crossed her arms and glared at her. But Maria, undeterred by the sharp gaze, answered calmly.

"I wanted Linus to have a better future."

"Is that it?"

"Yes, that's all there is to it."

"..."

It was hard to believe. She had willingly used a core and even tried to use one on Jean and Kirill. Her goal was undoubtedly to unseal the Origin. Even if she was in love with Linus, if helping them escape was a stepping stone to reviving the Origin...

"I have no intention of taking you to the demon territory."

"Negus..."

"Even if Sera's face changes, I won't budge on this."

"Wait, Negus, Maria is on our side!"

Linus tried to reason with her. Maria approached him, took his hand in hers, and shook her head.

"It's fine, Linus. I knew this from the start."

"But... Satuki must know about Maria, staying here means being targeted by those chimeras!"

"I'm fine. My body may have changed, but I'm stronger now."

"If that's what she wants, then it's fine."

Negus, remaining calm, pushed Maria away.

"Then I'll stay here with Maria—"

"Linus!"

She said it loudly, shaking her head. Linus's expression darkened, and he muttered, "Why?"

"I... I want to protect Maria!"

"Don't be discouraged. She said she can handle it on her own. Believe in her."

No matter how much Linus pleaded, Maria and Negus's resolve didn't waver. They couldn't stay and talk in a place not far from the capital. Negus gathered everyone except Maria and lifted them with a wind spell.

"Maria, wait for us. I'll come back for you when the battle is over."

"Yes, I'll look forward to it."

"Lady... will we meet again?"

"Of course, Sera. Let's play together again."

Linus and Sera, reluctant to part, watched as the ascent continued, and Maria's masked figure grew smaller and eventually disappeared.

"Wow... Harom, we're flying in the sky!"

"Right, I'm surprised too."

Harom, clinging to Kereina, looked excited. While he had flown before, this was the first time he was experiencing it in a calm situation, watching the ground below. As they rose to a certain height and the wind sphere began moving towards the demon territory, Negus pulled Sera closer.

"Whoa... Negus, what's going on?"

Sera, surprised by her unusual behavior, looked up at her with concern. Negus, avoiding eye contact, said,

"I was worried. I thought Sera might be drawn into that woman's darkness and never come back."

"Are you... jealous?"

"Maybe something like that."

"Can't help it, Negus."

Sera, rolling her eyes, wrapped her arms around Negus's back. She thought it might ease her jealousy. But in reality, Negus's concern for Maria wasn't just about jealousy. She sensed something dark and festering in her heart, something that normal humans didn't have. She wanted to protect the important people from being drawn in, and she pulled Sera closer.

"To be honest, I'm confused about suddenly going to the demon territory."

Eterna and the others, who hadn't received much explanation, were left behind. Flamm and Gadio nodded in agreement. Linus, lost in thought, gazed at the passing scenery, likely feeling the same way. Milkit, Ink, Kereina, and Harom, who had been with Negus, were the only ones who had received any explanation.

"I don't even understand why Negus came to help us."

"Using chimeras, humans could potentially take over the demon territory. The demons sought our strength to counter that. I understand the logic, but I'd like to hear it from her."

Gadio directed his words at Negus, but she didn't respond.

"But it's difficult to get an explanation from her."

"Two worlds."

At Harom's words, Sera, buried in Negus's chest, responded,

"That's not what I meant!"

But it seemed her words didn't reach Negus's ears.

"But even if Eterna and the others join the demons, it won't change the situation much."

"Ink, that's a pessimistic view."

"It's not about being pessimistic..."

"Well, Ink is right. Even if we switch sides, it would only make a slight difference."

"But with more people, the chances of winning increase, right?"

Milkit argued, and Gadio added,

"We were used as popular idols. While strengthening the demons' forces, it would also lower the morale of the human side."

"Embarrassing to say, but it's true."

In fact, the capital was gradually falling into chaos. The news of the escape, the newspaper from Velcy, and Hugo's rampage all contributed to this.

"You all are such amazing people."

Flamm muttered, almost to herself.

"Flamm is the same. In terms of popularity, you should be above us."

"Me...?"

Flamm, who only remembered being a village girl, found it hard to believe. But in the fragmented memories she shared with Milkit, she saw herself fighting enemies that were clearly not human. Given that her memory had been erased, it was possible that the military saw her as a threat, though it was hard to believe.

"If you can't remember that much, you probably don't remember my name either."

"Sorry, I can only remember Milkit