Chapter 10

"Eh, so it's been since that night...?"

"Uh-huh, that's right..."

As the battle had subsided, Kanata walked to join the mercenary group and explained the events to Roa. She told her about how the words suddenly appeared in her mind while she was tracing the patterns in the magical residue, and how Guriare had noticed and taught her how to control her magic.

Roa carefully examined the stone with the pattern that Kanata had shown her, the one she had copied with charcoal the night she burned the sleeping bag.

"Is this the pattern in the magical residue...? Is it a picture? Or text?"

"It's part of it, but when I combined various patterns from different residues, it became this... I think it's text, but I can't read it."

"Can you understand the name of the magic even if you can't read the text...?"

"Yeah, don't you get any words in your head...?"

Roa looked at the stone from various angles but could only tell that it was a half-circle and incomplete. Naturally, no words appeared in her head like they did in Kanata's, and she shook her head.

"I see..."

"Oh, that's why you asked the captain in town about magic...?"

"Right, I thought a magic swordsman might give me some hints."

"I thought it was unlike you... Have you told the captain about this?"

"No, apparently the captain hates mages... Guriare told me to keep it quiet."

"Really?"

Around them were still burning trees, shattered walls of houses, and fallen bodies that they had to avoid as they walked slowly. Searching for valuables on a battlefield was a daily routine for battlefield scavengers, but whether it was safe was another matter. Roa felt sick, and the two of them stopped to rest.

"Do you want to use a handkerchief? I picked it up."

"No, that's the one you picked up... I'm fine, I'll be able to walk properly after a short rest... Here, I'll return this to you..."

While the handkerchief was refused, Roa returned the stone with the pattern copied on it. Kanata had thought that showing this to others would make them recall words like the night she burned the sleeping bag, but it seemed different, and the reason why only she could do this remained a mystery.

"The captain hates mages, so you're hiding it... But is the current Kanata a mage...?"

"Eh, I don't know... Honestly, I don't understand it well. I haven't used it since Guriare, the deputy captain, said it was dangerous..."

"Hmm..."

Roa, looking exhausted, stared at Kanata. Her dull red hair, which had been dirtied from rolling and running around due to the magical aftereffects, was now blackened.

"Would copying patterns from other magical residues allow you to use more magic?"

"Eh, I don't know... This is the first time it's happened, so I don't really understand it. I've peeked into various types of magical residues before, but nothing came to mind... Maybe it's because I connected the patterns?"

Kanata had started collecting magical residues when she first became a battlefield scavenger two years ago. The only thing that piqued her interest in her apathetic state was magical residue. Over these two years, she had played by copying the patterns inside the residues, but nothing like this had ever happened. She would look at the residues until they disappeared, copy them, and regret their fading, repeating this cycle.

"But if that happens, it would be fun, I think. When the fire suddenly appeared, I was so surprised I couldn't even speak... But if I can do it, I'd like to try, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, that's true."

When Kanata showed a full smile, Roa smiled back, but there was a hint of sadness in her smile.

"...If that happens, Kanata, you'll be fine even without me, won't you?"

"Eh, will I?"

"Yes, even in town just now... You didn't seem like the Kanata I know."

"Hehe... Is that so..."

"I thought I had to take care of you..."

Roa bit her lip slightly and stood up before Kanata could say anything.

"Come on! Let's join the captain! Do you have all your stuff?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Roa, um..."

"Let's keep this a secret, okay? Don't worry, I'll keep it quiet."

While Kanata was putting on her backpack, Roa started walking ahead. Their destination was the direction of the river, where the main battlefield had been. The Darnless army, with the support of the Carjas mercenary group, had won a glorious victory and reclaimed the land.

As the sound of the river and voices became audible, Kanata and Roa quickened their pace. The river they could see was not very wide, but it would be troublesome to navigate while fending off enemy attacks. The victorious Darnless army had already set up camp, and the Carjas mercenary group had pitched their tents a little further away. As they walked toward the tents set up a bit away from the main camp, familiar faces of the mercenaries appeared, and Kanata and Roa finally felt relieved.

"Huh, it's Kanata and Roa."

The first to notice the two running over was Deputy Captain Guriare. When he saw Kanata and Roa, he beckoned them over. Normally, they would be directed to the captain's tent to hand over their quota, but it seemed different today. Other mercenaries had also come out of their tents and were waving at them along with the battlefield scavenger children. Kanata and Roa exchanged glances, wondering what was going on.

"Don't mess around, you hear?!"

Suddenly, a roar came from inside the captain's tent, and Kanata and Roa, startled, stopped in their tracks.