Chapter 22: Rapid
A day had passed since the village was attacked, and the imperial knights burned it down together with the people they had killed when they were attacking it earlier. Only smoke and ashes were left. And the imperial knights were gone by then.
The people at the training ground were still there, waiting for Reiko to tell them what to do next. Her barrier was still up and keeping the commotion outside it a secret. But fear had clouded some of them completely, so that they were just sitting down and observing the pits of hell.
"My husband... he still hasn’t returned from the village."
Reiko observed closely and did not know what to do next. Everyone’s fate was in her hands. Her eyes looked dead, and her left hand flinched due to the heat of the momentum.
"Why is Papa not with us?"
A child so young, about the age of six, asked.
Everyone stayed quiet and just glanced at Reiko. Welt was busy just running around Rica, who sat on a rock due to boredom. The site of the people in fear didn’t bother her.
"... I," Reiko uttered.
Everyone’s attention was drawn towards her. The whole grounds stayed quiet in expectation of some words of wisdom from her.
"I..."
The barrier around them started to fall apart. It was like it was dissolving and blending with the sky. Rica looked up at it. But everyone’s eyes were still on Reiko.