Chapter 11 : Chapter 11
Chapter 11: She Is the Hero? (Part 1)
Countless magic particles of different colors rose from the magic circle, converging into a dazzling river of stars.
Fia felt her consciousness being pulled apart. After passing through a certain threshold, it expanded infinitely outward.
It felt as if she had soared high into the sky, looking down upon the entire world.
Mountains.
Valleys.
Plains.
And finally the vast ocean.
Unlike the brief cutscene in the game, Fia could clearly feel that the restraints of her physical body had vanished.
She was observing the world from an unimaginable perspective.
A stream of golden-yellow light wrapped around her, with a trace of crimson trailing behind.
A familiar aura similar to Lorinna’s emerged from it. It seemed that even though the fragment had been taken away, as long as they remained within the magic circle, their connection had not been completely severed.
Did this count as taking my little sister on a trip through space?
Fia suddenly wondered.
She controlled the light as naturally as moving her own limbs and wrapped that streak of red inside it.
Soft.
Like a mass of mist.
She poked it with what might have been the equivalent of a hand.
Then she quickly lost interest.
Watching the blue light representing the Pontiff fly past her toward a distant location.
That should be where he would summon the Hero.
Remembering her objective, Fia followed the guidance within the light.
The marked location…Was it directly above?
With a thought, Fia guided the light carrying her consciousness upward in a straight line.
She had originally intended to release Lorinna’s red light and let it drift away.
But after being thrown aside, the red light struggled briefly—almost like it was afraid of heights—before chasing after her and clinging tightly to her.
In the real world.
The entire summoning hall had fallen into absolute silence.
Everyone present possessed basic knowledge of magic and could tell that the ritual had reached a critical stage.
The swirling vortex of particles completely obscured the interior of the magic circle.
The overwhelming pressure instinctively swept across the surrounding area but was firmly resisted by the prearranged barriers.
Some observers cast wary glances toward one corner of the colorful vortex.
That was approximately where the Pontiff stood.
“It has already exceeded the advanced level limit.”
In a corner of the second floor, beside a middle-aged man, a figure wearing a mage robe whispered.
“The fluctuations are still increasing.”
“That old man really is…”
The middle-aged man did not finish the sentence aloud.
Instead, he glanced toward the merchant standing nearby and moved his lips silently.
“Send the message. Strike once and retreat.”
“If retreat is impossible, die cleanly.”
The figure nodded, stepped backward, and vanished into the shadows.
The chaotic colors of light faded, leaving three dominant streams of particles.
The expanding waves of energy were no longer limited to the magic circle itself.
“May ‘Valor’ burn like blazing fire.”
With the solemn oath, a wall of orange-red light rose on the first floor, successfully blocking the overflowing particles.
The scorching heat forced nearby observers to retreat.
“A Virtue Knight?!”
The spectators began searching for the caster.
But in the end, no one could find where the person was.
Returning to the interior of the magic circle.
Fia continued rising upward.
Although she had the red “dead weight” attached to her, there was no concept of gravity or resistance within this space.
So there was no risk of the two of them falling together in some ridiculous accident.
Time itself seemed blurred.
As the blue light she had stolen from the Pontiff gradually ran out, Fia felt that the energy composing both herself and Lorinna was also being consumed.
Yet above her remained only endless emptiness.
Anxiety began to rise within her.
Don’t tell me I’m actually flying to another planet?
Looking downward, the earth appeared exactly the same as it had at the beginning.
It felt as though she had not moved at all.
As if the ascent itself were merely an illusion.
“…Love… justice… the divine…”
Fragments of consciousness drifted from the red light.
Even now she was praying?
Fia smacked her nonexistent lips.
She had never possessed the mindset of a clergy member.
Anyway, her goal of interfering with the magic circle had already been achieved.
Even if nothing was summoned, she could simply find a reason later to kick out the original green-haired Hero.
Although she still had to survive the assassin first.
Thinking about the looming threats to both her dignity and her life, Fia stopped hesitating.
She estimated the rate at which the particles were being consumed and decided to return to reality as quickly as possible.
Preparation was never enough.
In the end, one’s fate was safest when held in one’s own hands.
Just as she thought this, Fia looked upward again—
And suddenly discovered a brilliant golden river flowing before her.
“From earth to heaven, falling into warm gold, calling the name of God.”
The broken fragments of language suddenly became clear.
At the same moment, the red light representing Lorinna reached its limit and completely vanished.
Only Fia remained within the space.
Wait.
Did the prayer actually work?
The sight before her had already surpassed the limits of description.
The target she sensed lay exactly here.
The sound of hooves approached from afar.
Fia looked toward it.
The yellow body of light that formed her existence trembled violently.
***
“Did it succeed?”
Lorinna opened her eyes.
An indescribable exhaustion spread throughout her body.
Within the magic circle space, she could see nothing and hear nothing.
She had only been able to drift along with the guiding force until a familiar presence enveloped her and carried her toward an unknown destination.
At one point she had nearly been abandoned.
Fortunately, she had followed her instincts and clung tightly.
Then came a long, long time.
So long that she felt as if her life itself was about to run out.
If not for the warmth surrounding her the entire time, she might have collapsed completely.
Helplessness. Confusion.
It felt just like the day she had been left at the orphanage gate by her “mother.”
So she began reciting the prayer.
The one that woman had taught her.
When you are afraid, just pray.
Returning to reality, Lorinna looked ahead.
The expected summoning position was completely empty.
This was normal.
She had already known this would happen when she gave her fragment to Fia.
But she did not mind.
No one placed expectations on a mere candidate.
Therefore no one would feel disappointed either.
The other corners of the hall were still obscured by particles.
It seemed she had emerged first.
Lorinna ignored etiquette and simply sat cross-legged on the floor.
The layers of barriers surrounding the area prevented anyone from suddenly appearing to criticize her behavior.
The more exhausted she became, the more she thought of that woman.
And on that day.
Lorinna tapped her head.
How was she doing now?
Had she summoned the Hero?
Her gaze turned toward the opposite corner.
Suddenly, the stream of particles to her left violently trembled before exploding apart.
The Pontiff emerged from within, frowning slightly.
“Your Holiness, you…?”
Lorinna immediately stood up and brushed off her skirt, preparing to bow.
But the old man ignored her.
Following his gaze, she saw someone standing beside him.
A girl wearing rough cloth garments.
Her expression was awkward and nervous.
Her green trousers had been carefully ironed.
Yet the cuffs were still stained with bits of mud.
Lorinna recognized that kind of clothing well.
Many of the farming families who traveled great distances to attend her gatherings dressed in a similar way.
“This is… the Hero?”
The old man stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Then nodded hesitantly.
“…Eh?”