Chương 51: NEW COMPANIONS: PART V

***

From the distance, Lirius could smell the blood. He worried that something must have happened to the girl. "Hurry up!"

Along with Serfred and Arthur, the three of them race to the girl's location.

When they were closing in, they could hear the scream of men which panicked them. But, when they soon came much closer, everything was calm.

"My Lady."

"Tina."

They were welcome by the girl's bright smile. As she stood in front of all of them.

It dumbfounded them as to what happened, but when they saw the dead body all lying around and the fact Fuji was covered in blood. Answered all the questions they wished to ask the girl.

Serfred didn't bother to ask what happened, for his only concern was whether the girl was fine, "My Lady, are you alright?"

"Hmm, not even a single strain of my hair was harmed." She answered, ensuring nothing happened to her, since it was Fuji who did all the killing.

Lirius only glanced at the girl as he stepped closer to where the body was and started burning them.

"Can you please bring them home?" Athena asked Serfred.

Arthur went over as well, as he handed his coat to cover the old man. As he watched curiously as to what's about to happen.

"Where are you going?" Serfred annoyedly asked as he watched the girl walking away.

"I need to fix what they've destroyed."

When they all turned to the direction the girl was looking at. They could see a wildfire spreading as it slowly burned down the field. The sky soon turned amber as it lit the night sky.

"Take them back, I'll handle everything." Lirius followed the girl as he continued to burn down the body he was seeing on the ground.

"Fine," Serfred obediently followed as he and Arthur accompanied everyone back to the manor. "Let's go."

The old man continued to watch from a distance, but he was wondering what the girl meant by: "fixing what they've destroyed". 'Wasn't she a healer?'

As Athena continued on to where the fire was, she noticed that a dark cloud was forming from above. She smiled as she knew who was the cause of it. Next to her was Fuji who was still covered in blood.

"Time for a bath." She said as he looked at the pup who was not pleased by what she said.

As she stepped on the ground, which was destroyed by the fire, Lirius stepped in and handed her something.

"Drink this first."

Athena gladly took the potion and drank it. She had just healed them, which means her mana must be badly drained. The fact she has not mastered how to control her mana drainage every time she uses healing magic.

As soon as she was done, she handed back the bottle to Lirius.

"You better hurry up, before that idiot starts running back here."

"Ha-ha, I know."

As usual, she started chanting the incantation just like the wind carried. Spreading through everywhere...

Meanwhile, Serfred and the others arrived at the village when it suddenly rained.

"That idiot!" He cursed as he was now wet, "He couldn't wait for us to get home."

The four of them were left wondering as to what the man was mumbling about.

Arthur noticed the curiosity in their face and said, "Master Lirius."

"Amazing, he must be an Arch Mage." The old man declared as such a spell can only be cast by those in higher ranks.

But Arthur did not answer, for he was not aware of the man's rank. For them, he was just a mysterious house owner who was somehow very attached to the girl.

"Father, who do you think they are?" Lance whispered as he found them quite intriguing.

"As from what I've seen so far, the young lady earlier is a noble. Since the boy just called the man who accompanied the girl "master" he must be a noble as well."

"Then, what will happen to us?"

"Since she has bestowed such kindness and healed us. I'm sure she isn't a terrible person, we can hope for the best."

Even though the old man was not sure of their identity, he can somehow presume that they are in good hands.

It surprised them when they saw how small the village was. Despite its size, it was well built and the old man can faintly sense magic in all of them.

... Amazing, are all the houses enhanced with magic. I wonder who did it? It must be the man, but, isn't he a Mage. Could he be an Alchemist then?

"Father, what's wrong?"

"To think such a place exists."

"What you mean, it's just a small village."

"Ha-ha, boy, you are still a long way away from seeing what I'm seeing. This place is not an ordinary village. Someday, I hope you get to see what I am seeing."

Lance didn't find his father's words offensive at all, instead, it motivated him in his training. "With father's guidance, I hope to see it someday."

"I'm sure you will, since you'll be having a better teacher soon." He stated as he can sense the strong mana in the two men escorting them.

"Do you mean?" Lance turned to watch the two ahead of them. He didn't expect them to be powerful magic fighters just like his father.

"Can you hear that?" Esme suddenly spoke as she started hearing a pleasing melody in the air.

"Ah, she should be back soon." Serfred paused as he turned to the direction of the fields as he heard the melody as well.

Lance: "Father, what's that sound?"

Esme: "You can hear it as well."

"I don't know." The old man was unaware of the cause of such pleasing sound. However, hearing what the man said, the girl must be the cause of it, he thought. 'Could she be an Elementalist?'

Walking through the forest to reach the manor, brought such an eerie feeling to them.

"Lance?"

"Father?"

"Don't worry, nothing bad will happen to you." Serfred assured them as the forest may have such feeling, there may be creatures leaving and beasts around, but none of them will dare step forwards as Lirius was placing spells around preventing such things to happen.

As they reached the house, again, it entranced the old man. "What is this?"

"The house." Serfred answered him, not making sense of what caused the old man's enthusiasm.

"He must, he must indeed be an Arch Mage. The entire house is covered in all sorts of enchantment. I can feel them."

"Oh, you mean that." Serfred replied emotionless, as he was already aware of it and the fact he disliked the man. He couldn't be fascinated by his great talent. "Yeah, the whole house is covered in them. So be careful." He warned them as he recalled Fuji triggering one of them almost burning the entire house.

… This house, this house is even better than any manor I've served. To think, such a young man was able to maintain such strong spells. I wonder who he is? To think such a person live in such an area.

As he continued to contemplate on things, a question suddenly popped into mind. 'Why are they here? Such talent should be…'

Indeed, why are such talents being wasted in the Northern Region. The region which has many nicknames: wasteland, the land of the dead, no man's hope.