It didn't take me long to decide, because my cowardice would cost not one or two but thirty lives, there was indeed a choice here and that choice was that I could save these people or let them die.
I stared down at the shackles that were holding my limbs trying to summon my mana but strangely enough, I couldn't feel mana at all. How was that possible?
The system cleared my confusion.
[Mana cancelling chains detected.]
[Description: Mana cancelling metal is used against the mana users, it hinders the connection of the mana users and mana. If a mana user is bound by the mana-cancelling chains it is impossible to use mana.]
Impossible, huh?
But I still had a few acquired skills from the time when I was pulling out the First King's sword from the Dragon's body.
"I can use my acquired skills, right?"
[Yes.]
I activated Supreme Strength and tensed my wrists. The mana cancelling chains cracked and crumbled off of my wrists after I applied only a little pressure and I was free.
I felt the mana's presence again and closed my eyes, I activated Mana Sense and Mana Eyes together and let my mana surge out of me.
The world around me turned into a huge three-dimensional canvas of monochrome with only the living beings having a different colour.
I had already unlocked Mana Control so, I could make use of the mana instead of going out and getting engaged in unnecessary trouble.
I looked past them and felt my head and eyes throbbing as I kept looking and looking until I found a safe route to get the kids out.
I glanced at the kids who were in the same cell looking at me as I stood up after I had made a plan.
"You all," I spoke up making them flinch.
"Do you want to get out of here?"
The kids seemed confused as I asked that. There were fifteen or so kids who were with me in the cell.
"I-Is that possible?" One of the kids asked.
"You just saw me break through those shackles." I said pointing at the crumbled metal.
"It's your choice if you want to be free or would you want to be sold off as objects." I said as I walked over and looked outside.
There was one guard who was just a few feet away, he was guarding another cell.
"Ho-How will we get out...?" One of the kids spoke up.
"But what's the guarantee that she will really get us out?"
"Just because she broke the shackles doesn't mean she can save us."
"There are a lot of guards outside who have weapons. Even if we run away they would catch us and throw us back here or kill us."
Their words were true but I had no time.
"There is a route from where I can safely get you all out. If you can gather only a little courage to fight this one time then, you could be free."
"But, we don't have anything left for us." One of the kids said, "You are the noble's child so, you will go back home but we don't have any place to return to."
Their words were annoying but I could see myself in them. Was this what the Defender of Divine Glory meant? That I was annoying.
Well, we couldn't change the fact that I was like that. But for these kids, I didn't have time.
"What the-" I turned around to see the guard who was supposed to be guarding the other cell standing in front of our cell.
"How the hell did you get free?" He demanded and I lifted my hand at him and let my Frost magic shoot out.
The man's body froze in place making the kids gasp and I turned to them again staring coldly at the kids.
"Fine, live with your misery. I'll take those who want to be free out of here and give them a home."
They perked up at that.
"But if you don't want to get out of here then stay here." I announced as I walked over and gripped the iron bars that confined us, with a little bit of force the bars were out of the way.
Before I could step out I felt a tug on my dress from behind and I turned around to see a small girl clinging to me.
"Ta-Take me with you." She spoke with pleading eyes.
I crouched over and gripped her shackles shattering them with a little pressure and she stared at her wrists and ankles before she looked at me.
"Let's go." I reached my hand out to her and she held my hand.
"Ta-Take us too!" The other kids started reaching out too.
Within the next few minutes, I along with the other kids walked out, I kept my Mana Eyes activated as I led the group towards the next cell which had the rest of the people.
The next cell had the older people who perked up as they saw us.
"Ki-Kids?"
"What are you all doing out here?"
"Hurry and run away before they see you!"
I could feel the worry and fear in their voices and suddenly two guards appeared from the other side.
They got alerted as soon as they saw us all out and all the kids gathered behind me.
"Kids, run!" One of the adults shouted from inside the cell but I didn't have time.
I lifted my hand as the two ran towards me with their clubs raised and I let my Frost Magic do its work.
The two henchmen stood frozen in their spots and the adults from inside the cell stared at the two statues before they looked at me.
"Don't worry, Pa. This is our saviour." The girl who had reached out to me first said to the man.
"Let's get out of this place, Pa."
"Yes, let's get out of here together!"
The kids spoke to the adults and I reached out holding the iron bar making them flinch.
"Decide quickly, there's not much time." I spoke up.
The adults agreed hesitantly and I broke the iron bars and then gripped their shackles.
"Wait, you can't possibly break them like this. They are Magic Restraining-"
The man whose shackles I had gripped said, but his words froze as soon as I shattered those chains and he stared at me along with the others.
I released everyone making them grow quiet and follow me.
We walked down the corridor with me still using Mana Eyes, it was putting a great strain on my head and eyes. My eyes felt as if they were being poked by needles from inside and my head felt like it was going to explode.
I was freezing the hostile people left and right as I made my way towards the exit feeling the pain in my head and eyes intensifying.
"There they are!" I heard the shouts of people from behind us and the ones who were following me panicked quickly parting away and letting me see the ones who were running towards us.
The exit was close and somehow I couldn't help but feel drained. It was as if my body was at its limit, I pushed past the people and stood in front of the attackers.
I couldn't release more mana so I created Ice lances and shot it at the attackers. A few got stabbed but the rest hid to protect themselves. My chest felt tight and I wasn't able to breathe properly, my eyes and ears were starting to bleed.
"Hurry and run!" I shouted pointing at the door that was at the end of the hallway.
"But-" A few people were lingering making things hard.
"Get out and go straight to Duke Aurelius tell them Reina sent you. He'll arrange things for you!" I hissed at them and a few people started running the rest followed soon after and I faced the guards.
"Hey, stop them!" The guards shouted and I looked at Count Stanson who had now appeared with his henchmen.
"What are you waiting for? Kill that bitch and stop those slaves!" Count Stanson shouted and I shot a lance in his direction making the person beside him swing his sword before the lance could stab the Count.
"Wh-What the hell!" Count shouted making me smirk.
I felt the metallic taste inside my mouth feeling my mana at its limits I gritted my teeth to hang on to the last bit of it. If I was going to die, I might as well take these scums with me.
"Young Lady of Aurelius!" The henchmen who had protected the Count called me.
"Are you trying to fulfil your duty as a noble by helping those slaves escape?"
I didn't say anything.
"These people are not worth it." He said, "They are not meant to live amongst us. You are sacrificing your life in vain by trying to save these people who would once again get caught by us."
He laughed.
"Your sacrifice is worthless."
I smirked at that making the man frown, "Why do you smile like that, Princess?"
"Sacrifice?" I asked.
"Is it not?"
I chuckled feeling the blood starting to flow from my nostrils making his eyebrows furrow even deeper.
"I did it so that I could die in peace." I announced.
"But, at what cost? These people would be caught again, didn't you hear me?"
Now, it was my turn to laugh.
"That will happen only if you are alive."
The henchmen against me were around twenty now including Count Stanson. Suddenly another few ran up to the already gathered group.
"Count, there's a big problem!" One of them shouted, "I-It's Duke Aurelius and his knights, they are wrecking the place!"
I chuckled as Count Stanson looked like he would blow his top.
"These damn father-daughter are a pain!" He shouted before looking at me.
"Grab that girl and kill her!" He ordered and a few of his men started running towards me.
I gathered the rest of the mana and gritted my teeth releasing it all at once as a Frost explosion. It would freeze every object it touches within the twenty-meter area. So, I was easily taking the Count and a good number of his minions.
The world of white covered my vision before I saw the fleeting sight of the notification that flashed before my eyes.
[Quest completed.]
And the darkness swallowed me.