These happen at the same time as Chapter 10
...
As I continued to concentrate, the image of the flickering light grew brighter, its glow expanding like a flame that could no longer be contained. It generates a warmth unlike anything I've ever known, intense, almost overwhelming, yet strangely comforting, like it's embracing me from within.
Was it desperation that brought me here? I don't know. It's hard to say. But for the first time, I've felt this kind of connection, deep, undeniable, certainly different than the first time I did it. The light seems to pulse with purpose as if it's guiding me, pushing me toward something. I don't yet understand what that is, but the pull is undeniable.
That light is my source. It's my origin, my very soul, though, in the back of my mind, a whisper of doubt nags at me. Something about it feels… off. Like a part of me is being drawn into something... something that is not me.
But I can't afford to dwell on that now. My mission is clear, there is something they entrusted to me, something that must be done. It is a responsibility I can't ignore, no matter how strange this feeling is. The rest of the questions, the doubts, they can wait. For now, the mission is all that matters.
...
"Ran!!!" Katherine shouted, shaking the man lying beside her. Blood was pouring from a gash on her head, and her shoulder was dislocated. Injuries littered her body, but it wasn't just Katherine who was hurt, everyone else was, too. Some were even unconscious, including Ran.
"Katherine, we need to get out of this room before it collapses completely," said Frank leader of the team sent to the artifact room, and the only other person still conscious along with her.
"Understood," Katherine replied, gritting her teeth against the pain. She began pulling everyone out of the wrecked room, one by one.
"Hrrrk!" Katherine coughed up blood as she dragged Pruscha out of the wreckage. She stopped for a moment, tearing off part of her torn dress to inspect her chest. The sight made her stomach churn, her skin was dark red with bruising, and clear signs of internal bleeding.
"Stop moving! We need to wake Pruscha up, she can use healing magic, right?" Frank asked, his voice tight with worry as he looked at Katherine and the others.
Healing magic in this world could mend wounds and even heal broken bones, but it wasn't absolute. It couldn't replenish lost blood or ease the pain. Moreover, internal injuries were especially difficult to heal, often complicated, and unpredictable. For these, it was most common to seek a doctor who could perform surgery to properly treat such wounds, ensuring no long-term consequences.
But with the invasion, seeing a doctor was out of the question. They would have to rely on healing magic.
"Pruscha! Pruscha!" Frank continued shaking her, desperate to wake her up. She was injured, likely to the same extent as the others, but they needed her now.
"Arghhh!" Pruscha's eyes shot wide open.
"What happened?" Her voice came out ragged, and weak. The pain is evident in her voice. She blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of her surroundings, her wounds still fresh and throbbing.
"Sorry, I know you're confused and in pain, but we need your help," Frank said urgently, pointing out the situation to her as quickly as he could. "He overloaded the artifact... it exploded," he explained as he lay Katherine down on the floor.
Pruscha's gaze flickered across the room, taking in the current situation, her own injuries seeming to momentarily fade into the background. Despite the pain that wracked her body, she gritted her teeth and pushed herself up, her strength waning but her resolve unwavering. With a deep breath, she raised a trembling hand and, despite her exhaustion, began to focus on the others.
The magic didn't come easily, her body was spent, her energy almost depleted, but she gritted her teeth, and with each pulse of light from her fingers, she healed their wounds, one by one. The burning pain of overexertion was almost unbearable, but she pushed through, knowing that without her, they wouldn't make it.
...
"Everyone, hurry up!" a young maid shouted as she guided the residents down the underground passageway. Their destination: the Cerulean Forest, north of Agatha.
"Princess Ceanne, we too must move," two other maids appeared, their voices urgent.
"No!" Ceanne replied firmly, her gaze sweeping over the hurried group. "I need to make sure everyone is safe."
"But, Princess, we..." one of the maids began, but Ceanne cut her off before she could finish.
"My sister isn't here right now," Ceanne said, her voice steady and firm. "I need to be the one to make sure everyone is safe. Unlike them, I can't fight. This is the only thing I can do to help. I won't leave until everyone else is out."
She was still just a young girl, but her convictions were those of an adult, unyielding and unwavering, despite her small, fragile frame.
Clank.
The sound of something falling echoed down the passage.
"Hurry up morons, you're blocking the way!" a man snapped angrily as he shoved past the woman he had just bumped into, sending her crashing to the ground.
"OI!" another man shouted, grabbing the angry man by the arm as he tried to walk away.
"Tsk... Pachi get your dirty hands off me, you fucking mutt!" the man growled, struggling to break free. His hand shot out, shoving Pachi in the chest.
"You bastard!" Pachi lunged forward, throwing a punch at the man's jaw. The punch landed with a sickening crack, but the angry man didn't falter. He swung back, a wild, desperate blow that narrowly missed Pachi's head.
"You're fucking dead!" the angry man roared, he took a small knife from his waist before launching himself against Pachi. The two men collided with a thud, grappling in the tight, dimly lit passage.
Pachi managed to land a solid elbow to the man's ribs, making him gasp. But the angry man retaliated with a knee to Pachi's gut, pushing him back. The angry man launched himself again, his knife aimed at Pachi.
The woman, who had been knocked down, scrambled to her feet and backed away, her eyes wide with panic. Meanwhile, everyone else stops moving, watching as they don't know what to do.
"Stop it!" someone shouted, but the men were too far gone in their rage to listen. They were locked in a violent struggle, pushing and pulling, neither willing to back down.
"I said stop it!" the maid said coldly, a sword pulled out, its tip pressed against the angry man's neck.
"Ma'am, are you okay?" Ceanne asked, kneeling beside the woman, her legs bleeding and pain visible on her face. "I'll heal it now."
Ceanne raised her hands and spoke with quiet determination, "By the blessing of Light, restore. White Healing." The soft glow of light surrounded her hands as the wound slowly closed, leaving no trace of the injury.
"I'm sorry, I can't do anything about the pain," Ceanne said, her voice filled with regret as she looked at the woman.
The woman gave a shaky smile, her relief mixed with uncertainty. "No, it's fine. Thank you," she replied, unsure of what to say.
Hearing the woman's response, she simply smiles and nods at her.
"Everyone!" Ceanne called, her voice cutting through the tension. "I know you're afraid, so am I. But there are people out there right now, fighting. They are risking their lives for us..." She paused, scanning the crowd, making sure everyone was listening. "This is the time we must show nothing but unity."
Ceanne walked toward the angry man, her steps measured. "What is your name?" she asked calmly.
"Why does that matter, you fucking brat?" he snarled, his words sharp with disdain.
"You bastard!" Pachi shouted, his fist clenched as he lunged toward the man again.
"Stop!" Ceanne ordered sharply, stepping between them. "Thank you, but I'll handle this." She offered a calm smile, though the tension in the air was thick.
Before she could say anything more, the ground suddenly shook.
BOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!
A deafening explosion tore through the air, shaking the very ground beneath them. The earth trembled violently, and small chunks of debris rained down from the ceiling. The shock sent everyone to the ground, instinctively shielding themselves. Children cried out, their fear palpable, while adults rushed to comfort them.
"Princess!" one of the maids shouted, rushing forward to protect Ceanne. Her words drew the attention of everyone nearby, their eyes snapping toward their direction.
"We need to move, and fast," the maid urged, huddling close to Ceanne to shield her from the falling debris.
"Everyone, we need to hurry!" Ceanne shouted, her voice sharp and commanding.
Those who heard immediately sprang to their feet, moving quickly. Their footsteps echoed faintly in the tense silence that followed.
But before they could get far, another explosion rocked the ground, shaking the passage once again.
...
"So this is the famous Agatha Mansion... quite fascinating, indeed."
Outside the towering estate, a lone figure stood in the shadows, his gaze fixed on the imposing structure. The mansion, with its grand façade and intricate architecture, seemed almost out of place in the darkened night.
The man's purpose was unclear, but one thing was certain: the armor he wore marked him as a soldier of the invading Caldris Army. Its dark, jagged edges and the ominous insignia on his chest spoke volumes about the force he represented. As he stood there, unmoving, it was impossible to tell if he was contemplating the mansion's history, or if he was simply waiting. Waiting for something, or perhaps someone.