“From here to the Scarborough Ruins, there’s only one road.”
Anna’s finger traced over the map, a web of contour lines passing from her fingertip into her mind, and from her lips, they turned into landscapes made real.
Ophelia wasn’t listening to Anna’s rambling; her gaze rested on Anna’s profile.
Anna looked utterly serious as she read the map. Her red eyes closely followed the movement of her finger, and now and then, she unconsciously brushed aside her bangs, exposing a hint of her dainty ear.
Suddenly, Ophelia had the urge to lean in and kiss her right then.
“The bridge. The one called ‘Ascension Bridge’—it’s the only way into Scarborough.”
It was also the only path for them.
Anna’s brow furrowed, the worry gathered in her eyes growing ever more intense.
Since it was the only route, if the demons were occupying it…
A battle was inevitable.
This was beyond the scope of their commission, and Anna didn’t want to get too involved.
“Sis.” Lydia tugged at Anna’s sleeve from the side. “What if someone blocks the bridge?”
Block the bridge? Anna was startled.
Then she quickly realized what Lydia meant: if the demons occupied Ascension Bridge, all Adventuring Parties wishing to enter Scarborough would be stopped dead in their tracks.
The only solution was to defeat the demons blocking the bridge.
Anna looked up, her gaze passing through the gaps in the canopy, her anxiety almost taking tangible form.
The moment she saw the distant smoke signals, her eyes narrowed.
First, a straight, spiraling column of black smoke rose, quickly spreading out. Flames leapt skyward on the other side of the ravine. There was no doubt—an extremely fierce battle had erupted at Ascension Bridge.
Anna watched as a streak of red light slashed across the sky, trailing a shrill whistle, and plunged toward the ground like a javelin.
Boom. An explosion—undoubtedly, that was some kind of explosive magic.
Anna instinctively looked at Ophelia.
She was a genius with explosive magic, but when Anna glanced her way, she saw Ophelia frowning deeply.
She bit her nail unconsciously, head lowered, and when she sensed Anna’s gaze, she scratched her head awkwardly.
“Don’t look at me… I’ve never actually seen this type of explosive magic before either.”
She pressed her lips together, hands clenching the hem of her dress unconsciously.
“Never actually seen it… Ophelia, then have you read about it in books?”
Lydia squeezed in, wedging herself between Anna and Ophelia.
“Maybe… I suppose.”
Ophelia nudged Lydia, trying to get closer to Anna, but Lydia stood as a stubborn barrier between the two.
“To be honest, I’m not sure what this kind of explosive magic that flies through the sky is… I’ve only read about it, that the Demon King’s army has an officer skilled in explosive magic, who mastered a spell called the ‘Homing Missile.'”
Homing Missile? Anna was sure she’d heard of such magic somewhere.
Demon King’s officer… explosive magic… bridge…
Suddenly, a terrible sense of foreboding surged in Anna’s heart.
She remembered an officer who once guarded the broken bridge outside the Demon King’s castle.
That was a human mage who had defected to the Demon King’s army.
Long before joining the Demon King, he was already renowned for his fire and explosive magic.
It was said that he often appeared on bridges, using explosive spells indiscriminately on any innocent soul trying to pass.
And every time, after committing such atrocities, he would leave behind a Family Portrait of unknown ownership… It was rumored he did so to mourn his parents who died young.
His real name was lost to time. After joining the Demon King’s army, he called himself Wululu the Great.
Surely, it couldn’t be that troublesome fellow.
Anna definitely didn’t want him blocking their way.
Whoosh.
From above the trees came the sound of something ripping through the air.
A red, javelin-like explosion magic was racing toward the three of them.
“Dodge!”
Anna shoved Lydia aside and, wrapping an arm around Ophelia’s waist, dove clumsily down a low earthen slope.
Boom. The explosion magic burst right where the three of them had just been standing, the scorching blast knocking Anna and Ophelia to the ground.
Anna hugged Ophelia tightly, her slender shoulders protecting Ophelia securely.
As they hit the ground, a thick wall of ice shot up. Anna kicked off it, still holding Ophelia, landing steadily on the ground.
Lydia, however, was not so lucky. Flung to the ground by the blast, her already-tattered dress was shredded even further by branches and the blast’s force.
She got to her feet, gasping for air, and wiped dust from her face with a numb hand—unaware that her skirt had snagged in the treetop.
With a smack, she tripped over her own skirt and fell to the ground.
Her well-trained, pale legs were laid bare before Anna.
Anna hadn’t even had time to avert her eyes before Ophelia’s hand covered them.
“Don’t look.”
Ophelia snapped.
“Stop it, Ophelia.”
Anna gently grabbed Ophelia’s hand and, like picking a leaf, softly set it aside.
Still, Anna turned her head obediently and reached out her hand for Lydia to grab, helping her up.
“You saw, didn’t you.”
Ophelia whispered in Anna’s ear.
“I did not. I’m not interested.”
Anna gently pushed her face away.
“Then what pattern was on Miss Lydia’s Pumpkin Pants?”
“Blueberry…”
The answer slipped out before Anna could stop herself. When she covered her mouth, it was already too late.
“Anna.”
Ophelia seized Anna’s ear.
In that instant, fire poured down like rain.
Dry autumn branches and leaves were the perfect tinder, and in just moments, the flames threatened to swallow the entire forest.
Anna retreated two steps, trying to avoid the leaping tongues of fire, but bumped back-to-back into Lydia.
“Ophelia!”
“I know!”
Countless ice-blue magic runes converged in Ophelia’s palm, ice and snow surging out from her, colliding with the spreading blaze. The two forces wrestled like rival armies.
Clumps of bright blue Ice Crystal burst from grass and branches, instantly melting under the flames’ assault.
Sweat beaded on Ophelia’s temples. She gritted her teeth, the light in her palm growing brighter, the Ice Crystal clusters springing up even faster, and gradually gaining the upper hand over the fire.
“Tch.”
Ophelia gritted her teeth.
“Ophelia, don’t worry.”
Anna took her hand, enclosing it with both of hers as if cradling a precious treasure.
Her silence seemed to say: I’m here.
Suddenly, Ophelia felt strength surge through her again.
Ophelia took a deep breath, resolve and sharpness glinting anew in her eyes.
The Ice Flower blossomed recklessly amid the blaze, and countless snowflakes began to fall.
Ice Crystals and snowflakes danced wildly in the fiery heat, and, centered on Ophelia, a vast Ice Ring surged outward like a shockwave.
Ice and fire collided again, but this time, the bitter cold had the absolute advantage. The flames were forcibly smothered, and the burning trees were instantly coated in thick frost.
Steam billowed everywhere, a white fog enveloping the scorched ravine.
Anna stared coldly in the direction of the bridge, her teeth nearly grinding to dust.