Episode 97

The first time I ever revealed my ability in front of others was at my Awakening Celebration.

Back then, it was nothing more than a performance to elevate the prestige of the Drenihan family.

Using the water from Aicil Lake, which could momentarily amplify abilities, I was able to display power several times stronger than usual.

If not for the lake’s power, that awe-inspiring spectacle wouldn’t have been possible.

But now…

“Is that… truly Lady Drenihan’s ability?”

“I can hardly believe it, even after seeing it with my own eyes….”

Amidst the murmuring crowd, I, too, stood in disbelief as I gazed up at the sky.

Glowing blue crystals shimmered in the air, and heavy raindrops poured down between them.

It was undoubtedly my ability at work.

Without the lake’s power—using only my own strength.

The brilliant blue light in the sky was dazzlingly beautiful, capturing everyone’s attention.

The flames that had raged uncontrollably were quickly extinguished by the downpour.

Amidst the ruins, several knights who had been trapped by the fire barely managed to escape with their lives.

‘Did I really do this?’

I slowly lowered my outstretched hand, stopping my ability.

And as I turned to meet the many gazes fixed on me, I gave a dazed smile and spoke.

“At least we managed to put out the fire.”

That was the cue that snapped the people out of their stunned silence.

“T-Thank you! You saved us!”

“As expected of Lord Thergon Drenihan’s granddaughter. To witness the miracle I had only heard about…!”

A patrol officer removed his feathered hat and bowed deeply before me.

“Thank you for your great help.”

“O-Oh, no, I just did what I could….”

Honestly, I hadn’t expected this at all.

“As you can see, the streets are still covered in ash. If we had to wait for more water to be brought in, the fire would have grown beyond control. The trapped knights would have perished.”

The knights, who had barely escaped in tattered states, received treatment while offering me grateful nods from a distance.

“Thank you, truly.”

“Haha….”

As I awkwardly received thanks from all around me, a familiar touch gently grasped my hand.

“Sierra, are you alright?”

It was Ludwig.

He wiped the sweat from my forehead with a handkerchief and spoke.

“I’m fine. I’m just glad things turned out well.”

In truth, using my ability drained my stamina, and I wasn’t in great condition.

For some reason, I had exerted far more power than usual, leaving my body completely exhausted.

Ludwig was someone who knew all too well that I had a habit of saying I was fine, even when I wasn’t.

He let out a small, knowing smile and said,

“Drink this—it should help.”

What he handed me was an elixir.

It was exactly what I had been craving ever since that scorching thirst began to rise.

“But… isn’t this part of the relief supplies? There must be people who need it more than me.”

“We’ve already distributed one bottle per person. There’s no need to worry.”

Looking around, I saw that everyone indeed had their own bottle, just as Ludwig said.

“In that case….”

I took the elixir he offered and drank it.

‘I feel like I can breathe again.’

The moment I emptied the bottle, my thirst and dizziness vanished in an instant.

As a natural smile formed on my lips, Ludwig, too, curled his lips into a grin.

“What just happened? Even after seeing it with my own eyes, I still can’t believe it.”

“I feel the same. I have no idea what’s going on.”

“It’s strange. A supernatural ability doesn’t improve so dramatically after the initial awakening.”

Ludwig was right.

Though abilities could gradually strengthen through rigorous training or years of experience, such a drastic transformation was unheard of.

Normally, the power was almost set from the moment of awakening.

I clenched and unclenched my hand, recalling the overwhelming energy I had felt for the first time.

‘What was that?’

There was one thing that nagged at me—when I used my ability, I faintly heard a strange voice.

I was sure of it.

[Do you want my help?]

Yes, that voice.

“…Hah.”

As I heard the whisper again, I instinctively looked around in alarm.

Ludwig, who had been standing beside me, looked at me in confusion when I suddenly flinched.

“What’s wrong?”

“D-Didn’t you hear that strange voice just now?”

Ludwig shook his head, clearly having heard nothing.

‘Could it be… that I’m the only one who can hear it?’

[Yes, that’s right.]

Wait. This voice… it’s familiar.

A strangely androgynous voice—at times, it sounded like an old woman, at others, like a child.

If I had to describe it simply, it didn’t sound human.

‘Are you… a spirit?’

[You figured it out quickly. It hasn’t even been that long, has it?]

‘It’s been over a month, you know?’

[A mere instant in the span of eternity.]

Well, for a spirit, it probably felt like only a few minutes had passed. But more importantly…

‘Did you… help me just now?’

[Yes. You were desperately wishing for it.]

Was I really that desperate? I didn’t quite remember.

All I recalled was that when the agonized screams erupted around me, my body had moved before I could think.

[Let’s talk about this later. For now, focus on the situation in front of you. That man—he’s a descendant of that lizard creature, isn’t he?]

At the spirit’s words, I turned to Ludwig, who had been watching me with concern ever since I had zoned out.

[A human, yet he holds a transcendent power.]

‘Transcendent power?’

[At the very least, he’s not normal. And neither are you, the one holding that monstrous man’s leash.]

The spirit spoke in riddles. Meanwhile, Ludwig reached out, his expression dark with worry.

“Are you alright? Did you overuse your ability?”

“N-No, I’m completely fine.”

I forced a smile and waved my hands dismissively.

‘If I tell them I’m hearing voices and talking to an invisible being, they’ll definitely send me straight to a physician.’

[Hmph. Calling it “hearing voices”—how rude. This is an honor granted only to the chosen ones. But fine, we’ll continue this conversation another time.]

The spirit’s voice gradually faded away.

Just like before, it came and went as it pleased.

All I could do was wait for our next encounter—whenever that might be.

[Don’t worry. This time, I’ll return soon.]

The final words were unexpectedly gentle.

As the voice vanished, I felt an odd sense of emptiness.

Shaking off the lingering sensation, I refocused on the investigation alongside Ludwig.

The patrol officer led the way, showing us the collected evidence.

“We found explosion magic circles engraved at regular intervals throughout the alleyways. Here, you can see the remnants of one.”

He pointed to a scorched mark on the ground.

Walking further, I saw similar traces appearing at precise intervals.

“There’s no way someone could have inscribed this many magic circles without being seen.”

The officer spoke with conviction.

Then, he suddenly stopped in front of a particular spot.

“This place is a little strange.”

Unlike the other walls that had completely collapsed, one stood perfectly intact.

“Based on the pattern of destruction, this wall should have been blown up along with the rest. And yet, it remains untouched.”

The officer stroked his beard with a puzzled expression.

“Well, the culprit is only human. Maybe they made a mistake.”

I examined the wall carefully.

That’s when I noticed something—unlike the other damaged walls, the bricks here looked unusually new.

As if they had been replaced recently.

With the entire alley reduced to rubble, it was hard to tell exactly where we were.

But I was certain—this was near the spot where I had been caught in the explosion.

‘The magic had already been activated back then, and the wall had been destroyed. It must have been rebuilt afterward.’

That explained why this particular wall had not been destroyed.

And with that, it was clear—the culprit behind the previous explosion and this one was the same person.

By the time we finished our investigation, I caught sight of the victims receiving treatment for their severe injuries.

‘Just a short while ago, they were smiling so brightly….’

“Has no one reported seeing a suspicious person in the area?”

A knight collecting testimonies scratched his head in frustration.

“Sigh. We’re not making any progress.”

“U-Um…”

At that moment, a young girl hesitantly raised her trembling hand.

“I… I think I saw the culprit.”

 

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