Volume 3 Chapter 24 Ice's Determination
"Mom, put me down,"
When she was told that, Ice was so exhausted that she could hardly breathe.
"Haa, haa, haa... Haaah, hnnk, haaah"
While holding Moruru, she sprinted with all her might for a few kilometers.
It was the limit she could run in the time Clay and Toxy had earned for her, despite being trained as an adventurer, the distance was tough for Ice as a rearguard.
"Mama, put me down. Moruru is faster now."
"Haaah, haaah"
With trembling hands, she put Moruru down. Then, Moruru took Ice's hand and ran while pulling her.
Even such a reliable sight made Ice feel like crying when she thought about how much Moruru had grown in just one month.
"Sorry...! Mama is... out of... strength...!"
"It's okay. From here on, Moruru will lead the way."
"Eh, really?"
In the blink of an eye, Moruru lifted Ice and started running as if giving her a piggyback ride.
"Eh, wha-what, whaaat?"
"Hehe! Amazing, right?! Moruru is the strongest, even Papa admits it!"
Proudly boasting, Moruru continued at full speed without spilling the Ice.
At this speed, Ice thought, maybe they can hold out until Wade returns. Clay, Toxy, and Sandra have all fallen. They have little ability to fight face-to-face with Ice. Even so...
"If you're a fugitive, it's better not to make too much noise."
"Eh?"
Moruru, taken aback, tripped over Windy's foot and fell flat on the ground. The impact from the high speed was quite something. Ice couldn't forgive that.
"――――!"
Gritting her teeth, Ice embraced Moruru and rolled on the ground. Despite hitting her back and head on the ground and rocks multiple times, she didn't mind. As long as she could protect this child, everything would be fine.
After rolling for a while, Ice slammed her back hard against a tree. "Ggha...!" she gasped. Her whole body went numb, rendering her unable to move.
"Mama! Mama!?"
Moruru seemed to be unharmed, expressing concern for Ice in a lively voice. Ice, trying to respond with her numb body, was taken aback. In the distance, someone was approaching.
"Mama...? So you were playing house. I see, now I understand the cause of your fierce resistance. It seems like playing house for about a month was quite enjoyable."
Chuckling, Windy walked over. Ice gathered her strength and stood up.
"Oh, you think you can still fight with those wounds. Hehe, your eyes shine with madness deeper than anyone else's. They're sparkling and beautiful."
"I won't give Moruru to you...!"
With trembling hands, Ice draws a rapier and a short mace. It's been a while since the last direct confrontation, but the training has made the weapons feel familiar in her hands.
"Ice Blow..."
Ice rapidly lowers the temperature of the rapier. Using the thumb of the hand holding the mace, she traces a rune. It's the 'recovery' rune. Breathing becomes slightly easier.
"Hmm, how did you recover just now? There shouldn't be any ice magic with recovery effects. It's puzzling."
"I won't reveal my secrets to the enemy."
"That's true. Well, fair enough."
Windy readies a knife. Despite their calm appearance, a fierce smile appears on their face.
"An ice magician who doesn't team up with a water magician. Your timing in using magic has caused me trouble multiple times. You're good at choosing when to use your magic, aren't you?"
Windy coughed. It must be because of Toxy's influence. Compared to the initial movements, it now feels like lacking brilliance. Is Clay's 'weakening' rune taking effect?
"...Everyone, leaving claw marks behind."
Ice let out a long breath. Sensing the breath of all members from Windy's condition. Clay and Toxy too. And without Sandra, they would have been wiped out at the beginning.
And all members are bravely facing the challenge, relying on Wade as their last trump card.
"...I can't show my embarrassing parts to Wade-kun."
"Right?" She said to Moruru. Moruru looked up at Ice with a worried expression, but strongly nodded with eyes that seemed about to cry, "Yes!"
"Hehe. Full of energy."
Ice smiled, embraced with the hand of Mace, and raised the rapier.
"...I won't lose."
"Can someone like you, who is more suited for a rearguard role, do that?
A knife is released. Three of them. Among them, only one barely deflects. Of the remaining two, one pierces her shoulder. The other one misses.
"Ugh...!"
"Mama!"
She groaned. She endured. But that wasn't the end.
The knife that was supposed to be avoided flips in mid-air and slashes Ice's side.
"Ugh, ah...!?"
Ice is almost falling. She is enduring. While enduring, she is thinking. Why? Why did the knife come back?
"A knife imbued with [Following Wind] magic will return until it hits the enemy. And..."
The knife is roughly pulled out. Ice screamed involuntarily. Feeling a burning pain, her legs give way.
"Mama!?"
"I-I'm okay...!"
Barely, Ice endured. Enduring the intense pain, standing in front of Moruru.
"In this way, even a stabbed knife can be retrieved with wind magic. Convenient, right? Wind magic is really handy."
With a sadistic smile, Windy quickly caught the returned knife using Wind magic. Ice glared sharply at Windy.
Then, Windy spoke.
"However, it's not good to unilaterally bully younger girls, you know."
"...?"
"It's about dignity. Even though I am a noble-exclusive adventurer, the Silver Stealth Weapon Adventurer."
Windy spoke with a smile. Ice listened cautiously without letting her guard down.
"It's nothing. This situation is just about bad taste. Miss Ridge might get angry if she finds out. Such methods lack dignity."
"..."
"So, I'll change my approach. After all, my goal is not to defeat Ice-sama."
Windy pointed at Moruru.
"It's all about capturing the Metamorph Dragon. The Metamorph Dragon is a monster that looks like a human. ―――Just stabbing it a bit won't kill it."
"! Moruru!"
"Following Wind"
A knife is released. Ice doesn't have the ability to deflect it. It's a fact that was just presented. But still, Ice has to protect Moruru.
When thinking about it, Ice had only one option left.
"――――!"
"Mama...!? No, no way!"
Ice embraces Moruru, taking all the stabs from the knife. The knives stuck in the back give Ice a strange mix of heat and cold discomfort.
"...I'm surprised. Going that far in a family game."
"It's not a game...!"
"That's not true. You guys not related by blood or adoption. It's just a game."
"Ah!"
The knife is pulled out. With the knife returned to Windy's hand, the snowman that Ice had secretly sent is shattered.
"I can't let my guard down. Hmm, what should I do? It has turned into a rather undignified development. This is not good."
Windy ponders. After a few seconds, they reach a conclusion.
"Well, let's forget about dignity this time. Let's do better next time. ――――Following Wind"
The knife is released. It pierces Ice once again.
"Ugh...!"
"Mama...!"
In Ice's arms, Moruru is crying. She didn't want Moruru to see this face. Ice keenly feels her own lack of strength.
Ice is the only one who can't fight this far alone. It may sound good to say she excels with assistance, but that's all. Without someone else to openly fight alongside her, Ice is powerless to this extent.
At this rate, Ice will die, and Moruru will be taken away. Ice is already on the brink of death.
Ice grits her teeth. Can she forgive such a thing? There's no way she can forgive. There's no way she can forgive it.
"I can't die leaving Moruru behind..."
The knife is pulled out. There's no longer a sense of pain, just a burning sensation.
"I can't die in such a pathetic way..."
Everyone left marks on Windy. Ice only protected Moruru. How weak of her. While thinking that, her back is slashed by a knife.
"I haven't made Wade-kun happy yet...!"
Tears spill out of frustration. A dark, swirling emotion wells up at the center of her mind.
And then Ice realizes a vivid coldness running through her right hand.
"..."
Ice thinks.
Surely, emotions are necessary for her own growth.
"―――Cold Armor."
"You're persistent, how many more times do I have to stab you...?"
The knife that was stuck in the ice shattered and didn't come back, causing Windy to open their mouth in surprise. After blinking a few times, they asked,
"What did you just do?"
"...Try it again, if you dare."
"Alright, I will."
Windy threw another knife. It reached right in front of Ice, then stopped abruptly. It shattered as it fell, dissipating into the air.
"What was that?"
"It's a new kind of magic."
"It's common for magicians to awaken to magic in dire situations, but I've never heard of such magic before."
"You're invincible, aren't you?" Windy said. Ice just glared back, holding Moruru tightly.
But it was already too late.
"Mama...?"
"Sorry, Moruru. If only I had awakened a little sooner, I could have defeated that person."
Ice's strength finally gave out, and she collapsed to the ground.
Someone caught her as she fell.
"...You did well."
"...Wade, kun...?"
Looking at him, Wade was crying. He was gritting his teeth, holding onto her and Moruru tightly, tears streaming down his face.
"Don't worry anymore. Sandra is on her way, picking up Toxy. Go home first and get treated."
"I'm here."
"You're amazing, Sandra. Take care of Ice and Moruru."
"Got it."
Ice and Moruru were handed over to Sandra. Then, Wade stood up.
"I'm late."
Wade said with a hint of regret.
"I'm too late. I had a bad feeling. That's why I decided to return quickly. But even then, I was still late. Everyone was in bad shape. Ice was almost dying. I can't forgive myself."
Sandra traced the rune, starting to heal Ice even just a little bit right here. Otherwise, she must have deemed it too difficult to move. Ice's body felt slightly better.
"But more than that, I can't forgive you. ...Windy, right?"
"Yes. This is our third meeting, Wade-sama. ...You have a terrifying expression. Like a demon."
In response to Windy's teasing, Wade said,
"You know, I originally intended to enjoy battling you. But not this time. ...You, unilaterally, hurt, crush, and destroy."
In Wade's eyes, there was a color that made Moruru, Sandra, and even Ice tremble.
"There won't be a battle. I won't do it. I won't have fun with you. I'll hit you, crush you, trample you, and laugh at you."
"...You're quite confident. I'll enjoy this. How far will the promising rookie go with Slow Magic?"
Windy gets ready. Wade drops his lump iron sword on the ground. Sandra says, "We'll die if we get caught up. Let's run away," and quickly escapes with Ice and Moruru in tow.
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