“Something is definitely wrong. First Orun-san, and now even Big Sis Ruu has rushed off on some ‘urgent matter.’ What do you think, Log?”
Sophie, who was riding in the carriage with me, voiced her doubts.
The current situation was indeed incomprehensible. If it had only been Master who had urgent business, I could have accepted it. If trouble had broken out within the territory, it wouldn't be surprising for the local authorities to request help from a man as capable as my Master.
However, Big Sis Ruu leaving as well was unnatural. Up until a few minutes ago, she had been insisting on traveling to the Royal Capital with us. For her to suddenly abandon the carriage was clearly bizarre.
Was something terrible happening behind the scenes—something we weren't being told?
“Well, she did say she’d catch up to the carriage soon. Let's just trust her. She is your comrade, isn't she?”
Before I could speak, Master Abel answered Sophie’s question.
It was true that Big Sis Ruu had said that, but I wondered how she intended to catch up. Could she move faster than a horse-drawn carriage by borrowing the power of fairies or spirits?
“Exactly! Big Sis Ruu said she’d be right back, so we should just wait for her!”
Carol chimed in, agreeing with Master Abel.
It was a confusing situation, but there was nothing we could do about it now. As Carol said, our only option was to wait for her return. Sophie seemed to reach the same conclusion; though she still looked dissatisfied, she didn't press the matter any further.
The four of us spent the next while engaged in idle chatter. Since Master Abel was the son of Count Eddington, I had been a nervous wreck when we first met. However, over the past few months, I’d realized he was actually quite easy to talk to, and my anxiety had mostly faded. I used to think all nobles were terrifying, so the kindness the Eddington House showed us was a constant source of surprise.
As we were talking, a short, sharp sound—like a muffled scream—pierced the air from outside. At that exact moment, the carriage lurched violently before grinding to a halt.
“Hm? What’s going on?”
Carol casually pulled back the curtain to peer outside. On the ground lay the soldiers who had left Roils to serve as Master Abel’s guards.
(Wait… what are those red puddles around the soldiers?)
As the thought crossed my mind, Master Abel’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding.
“Everyone, stay still!”
He instantly activated the ring-type magic tool on his right hand, and a shimmering dome, much like a magic barrier, enveloped us.
An instant later, an explosion ripped through the interior of the carriage. Though the wall of mana shielded our bodies, the sheer force of the blast reduced the carriage to splinters. We were hurled out onto the road.
Thanks to Master’s rigorous training, I managed to perform a defensive roll and land safely despite the chaos. As I looked around, I saw more of those red puddles. I heard the sound of someone collapsing nearby and spun around to see Master Abel lying on the ground, his body covered in severe burns.
“—! Master Abel!”
The reality of the situation finally crashed down on me. I rushed to his side and began casting recovery magic alongside Sophie. We managed to stabilize him, but his consciousness remained hazy.
“No… he did this to protect us…”
“Fred, what are you doing? No one’s even dead.”
“Aww, that’s weird. I thought that was a perfect surprise attack. Maybe trying not to stand out too much backfired on me~?”
As we treated Master Abel, the voices of a boy and a girl drifted over from a short distance away. They sounded young—perhaps of our own generation. I turned my head toward the source.
There stood two children dressed in vibrant red outfits. Just as I’d suspected, they looked to be about our age.
“……Wh… Why…?”
A voice leaked from Carol beside me—a sound of pure bewilderment, deeper than anything I’d ever heard from her. I looked at her and saw that her face had gone deathly pale. She was shaking uncontrollably.
“What is the meaning of this…?”
Sophie followed her gaze, her expression one of utter disbelief, as if she were looking at a ghost.
I looked back at the pair of attackers. This time, I focused on their faces. They were identical—twins, most likely. That alone shouldn't have been enough to shock Sophie this much. But as I took a closer look, I felt the same paralyzing confusion.
Though their builds and hairstyles were different, their faces were the spitting image of Carol’s.
“I’ll make sure to finish everyone off this time~,” the boy said, leveling his staff at us.
“…All three of you… run…” Master Abel wheezed, his voice weak.
His plea snapped me out of my daze, but Carol remained frozen, her body racking with tremors. She didn't seem to hear him at all.
“Sophie! Carol! We have to protect Master Abel!”
“Right!”
Sophie responded instantly, but Carol didn't move.
“…Hm? Is that you, Caroline?”
“—! Hiek!”
The girl, who had been looking on with a bored expression, noticed Carol and spoke. Carol, who hadn't reacted to my voice, let out a tiny, pathetic shriek.
“Big Sis, what are you saying~? Caroline was disposed of a long time ago—oh! It really is Caroline! Why, why~? Why are you in a place like this~?”
The boy spoke with a drawling, sing-song cadence. He started to dismiss the girl’s comment but then turned to Carol with a look of innocent, twisted glee.
“Ah… u-uhm… I…”
In stark contrast, Carol was drenched in a cold sweat, looking more flustered and terrified than I had ever imagined possible.
“…Whatever. There’s a rumor that the ‘White Demon’ might be nearby, so you’re going to be our shield. Even an uneducated failure who never received combat education should be able to manage that much, right? You’re an undying meat shield, after all.”
“…………If… If I do that… will you… let the others go…?” Carol asked in a trembling, fragile voice.
“…Caroline, since when did you become important enough to talk back to me?”
“…Ah, I-I’m sorry. I’ll listen…! I’ll do it! Just please, let everyone else go… I’m begging you…!”
“‘Begging’? Caroline~, did you forget~? Did we ever say you were allowed to use that tone with us~? I could turn everyone here into mincemeat right now, you know~?”
“—!? I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I won’t be disrespectful ever again! I’ll do whatever you say! So please, I’m begging you…!”
Carol began bowing her head frantically, nearly slamming it into the ground with every plea.
“What are you saying, Carol?! I don't know who these people are to you, but you don't have to listen to monsters who say such horrible things!”
I couldn't take it anymore. I screamed at them, my blood boiling. Who did these kids think they were?!
“He’s right! To push Carol this far… I’ll never forgive you!” Sophie added, her face flushed with rage.
“Shut up! Just be quiet!!”
As Sophie and I took our combat stances, Carol’s sudden scream left us stunned.
“…Carol?”
“You only say that because you don't know how terrifying they are! We can't possibly win against them without Master or Big Sis Ruu here! So don't do anything! If I just do what they say, they might let you go! I don't want you two to get hurt…!”
“—! That’s our line—!”
“Hey~, how long is this farce going to go on? I’m bored now~. Let’s just kill them all.”
The boy’s tone shifted, and he began radiating a chilling bloodlust. He was my age—how could he possibly give off such a murderous aura?
“S-Stop! Please! I’ll do anything Luella-oneesama and Fred-oniisama say! Anything!”
I flinched for a split second under the pressure of that bloodlust. In that moment, Carol began walking toward the twins, her legs shaking.
“I told you to stop!” I barked, grabbing her arm.
“Let go! If I don't go, you’re both going to die! I’ll be fine, just let go!”
Carol was bordering on hysterical. I had never seen her this broken.
“If you aren't over here in five seconds, I’m killing everyone~. Five~, four~.”
“I’m coming! I’m coming now! So please, just don't kill them!”
Carol tried to wrench her arm out of my grip. I activated [Strength Up] on myself, refusing to let go.
I might have been the weakest member of our group, but I was still the party leader. A leader has a duty to protect his comrades. No—even without a duty, I simply didn't want to see Carol making a face like that! She deserved to be smiling, even if she was being airheaded and annoying. That was who she was! If I had to fight these monsters to get that smile back, then that’s exactly what I’d do!
“Three~, two~, o—n—”
Just as the boy’s countdown reached “one,” he suddenly went silent. I didn't know much about these two, but I could tell they were the type who wouldn't hesitate to kill. I braced myself, wondering if they were just toying with us, and looked their way.
The two of them were frozen solid inside a massive block of ice.
“What… is this…?”
The seasons were changing, but it was still far from freezing weather. And yet, without any warning, a jagged mountain of ice had manifested, completely entomming them. I knew it was magic, but who…?
While we stood there in stunned silence, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind the ice.
“Mm. They’ve been properly neutralized.”
A woman’s voice, clear and cold, drifted from the direction of the footsteps. Upon hearing it, I couldn't stop my body from shivering.
“…Why are you here…?” I whispered almost unconsciously.
As the words left my lips, four figures emerged from behind the ice. At their center stood a woman with flowing silver hair. She turned her gaze toward us.
“Hm? You are… Orun’s disciples, if I recall.”
She was a member of Amunzaas, the group that had attacked us on the 30th floor of the Great Labyrinth of the South six months ago. She was the one Master always referred to as the “Woman in the Robe.”