[Side Story] Chasing a Butterfly (12)
– ‘Lucy’
– ‘If you want to leave the mansion, you can be honest.’
The profile of the man sitting on the roof of the mansion and looking up at the starry sky comes to mind.
That was the day when the man came to visit Lucy, who had run away from the maids and was lying on the roof, sighing.
It’s mischievous timing.
Why does that time come to mind at a time like this? Lucy felt strange.
The moment Lucy rushed towards her with her hands full of the magical energy she had drawn, Yenika quickly grabbed her staff and increased her sensitivity.
Lucy and Yenika understood each other’s fighting styles very well.
You should never engage in a war of attrition against Yenika. This is especially true if there is a limit to the amount of magical power that Lucy can use like now.
The army of spirits that are spewing out is specialized in such simple quantity warfare, and they have even taken possession of Velbroke’s heart. In the end, it is meaningless unless you subdue the main body of Yenica, which summons the spirits.
Lucy understands that well.
And Yenika also sees through the fact that Lucy understands that fact.
– ‘I think like that sometimes.’
– ‘I’m wondering if I’m tying you up in this mansion too much in the name of protecting you because you’ve lost your magic power.’
– ‘If you think about it carefully, you were a guy who wandered around using the sky as a roof rather than being tied down in one place.’
The high-level explosive magic ‘Destruction’ erupts from Lucy’s hand and spreads around Yenika.
The sound of an explosion fills the surrounding area and smoke rises. However, Yenika sweeps away all the smoke with just a flick of the staff she is holding.
Ludex, the lieutenant wind spirit twisted into a bizarre shape, spreads his wings. Yenika, standing straight on top of a giant pterodactyl-shaped spirit, looked like a noble queen.
Ed’s staff, just like Yenika’s, was made using a thousand-year-old tree staff that had been struck by lightning.
However, the minor modifications and types of spirit ceremonies given are completely different. This is because Ed’s elemental magic and Yenika’s elemental magic are very different.
However, any power within the category of elemental magic is in the hands of Yenika.
A natural elementalist does not discriminate between types of power when it comes to elemental magic.
Even if it is a staff specialized for Ed’s elemental magic, it is not very difficult to handle.
The moment Lucy raised her power for the next spell, a pile of reddish magic rose above Yenika’s head and another pair of wings unfolded.
These are the large wings of a bat. Those bat wings that were burning brightly… were rotten and rotted here and there to the point where it was horrible to look at.
Spirit ceremony – explosion.
It was a magic that caused a single explosion centered on a pre-imprinted spirit formula.
The problem was its power. The explosion that went through Yenika’s power was almost as powerful as high-level explosive magic.
The starting point of the explosion was at Lucy’s feet.
Lucy’s tiny body was thrown away by the rising heat and the subsequent roar.
– ‘I was just wondering if I’ve been a little too self-centered these days.’
– ‘Once in a while, I thought about the past. I’m not sure if you were aware of it, but Lucy you just… didn’t feel tied down to life at all.’
– ‘I just thought it wouldn’t be that strange if he disappeared one day.’
Although we succeeded in implementing defensive magic, we had to invest too much magical power.
If you use more magic power than necessary, you will not have enough magic power to return to the original world.
The pressure continues to weigh on Lucy’s chest, but Yenika’s offensive has no intention of stopping.
The moment she stood leaning against the outer wall of the altar, another sense of discomfort attacked Lucy’s mind.
There is water.
Locked up to the ankles. Even though this place is the summit of a mountain.
At that moment, new magic blooms behind Lucy’s back.
Spirit ceremony – Suwon manifestation. And then, the middle water spirit Lacia jumps out from the water and opens its mouth to bite off Lucy’s right arm.
Lucy reacted quickly and drove three or four ice spears into Lacia’s face.
Then, after widening the distance with wind magic, he used the high-level light magic ‘Bright Sword Handle’ to pierce Lacia’s arms and legs, completely subduing her.
It was a brief moment of no more than a few seconds.
However, buying those few seconds was itself Yenika’s goal.
In the sky, a huge whale is floating in the sky, blocking the sky above Aken Island.
During the time earned by the mid-ranking spirits, the huge whale completely turns towards the mountain.
Friede, the highest-ranking water spirit. The beating sound rings out once, and the view turns to the top of the mountain.
– Woe!
The ceremonial dagger that was the epicenter of the explosion flew through the air and was held in Yenika’s hand.
A staff in one hand and a dagger held in reverse in the other.
Like a pilgrim, he is wearing an old robe and looking down at the world.
After that… a gigantic whale was glaring at Lucy as if it were going to swallow the world.
It makes no sense to save all of your magical energy to deal with the highest-ranking spirit.
No matter how Lucy is, she has no choice but to become serious when dealing with an enemy of that scale.
If that happens… you won’t be able to return to your original world for at least a few years.
In this hellish world without Ed, I will have to ponder my loneliness again and again for years and years, trying to find a way to return.
Are you confident that you will not regret this choice? Lucy couldn’t be sure.
But then Ed said to Lucy:
– ‘There will be many reasons to live even if it is not for me. ‘It’s always like that in life.’
– ‘So, if you’re having a hard time, tell me. ‘I will do my best to be of strength to you just like you were of strength to me.’
Lucy gritted her teeth.
And the magic power that enveloped his entire body was fully expressed, even the power he had been nursing.
Even if it’s a few years late, that man will continue to search for Lucy. With that confidence, he continues to demonstrate his power.
The amount of Lucy’s magical power that covered the sky was comparable to her power in her prime.
It was Lucy’s vast magical power that once commanded the world and made even the academy’s professors nod their heads.
Except for the legendary Great Sage Sylvania, there is no one who can crush Lucy with pure magical power.
-Woe!
The highest explosive magic, ‘the moment of creation’,
is the primordial explosion that made even the evil god Mebula retreat.
Even a person unfamiliar with magic can see that the size of the magic circle that embroiders the sky is unrealistic.
Yenika, who was looking up at the sky above the spirit’s head, closed her eyes.
It seemed as if Lucy’s resolve had been confirmed.
“You… are very different from the Lucy Mayril I knew.”
Words that are uttered with difficulty, with lips pursed, as if enduring pain.
“I guess we exchanged a lot of influence in various ways. huh.”
With those words, the world was covered in a huge flash of light.
*
– Quang! Quaaaaaaaaaaa!
– Hwaaaaaaaaa!
The huge explosion that covered the sky above Aken Island succeeded in temporarily incapacitating Friede.
No matter how high-ranking the spirit is, if Lucy attacks with sincerity, she is bound to be seriously hurt.
Nevertheless, even while he was wounded, Friede covered the entire area of Aken Island with magic.
Dozens of whirlpools rose from the surrounding territorial waters and covered the sky above Aken Island…
Thousands of spirits guarding Friede took over the area like an army.
Nevertheless, it cannot handle the magical power that Lucy emits.
Over and over again, it sweeps away the spirits and rushes towards Yenika floating in the sky.
Yenika, riding on top of the spirit, continues to increase the distance from Lucy.
The most efficient way to subdue a spiritist is to attack its body. That premise will never be broken.
To avoid getting within Lucy’s range, Yenika constantly widened the distance and induced a war of attrition.
By the time the number of spirits that Lucy was wiping out exceeded several thousand, the battlefield had already moved from the top of Mt. Right… to the eastern island where the Sylvania Academy building was located.
In the midst of swirling magical power, Lucy continues to advance to reach Yenika.
The aftermath of that battle… was clearly visible everywhere on Aken Island.
The same goes for Clevius, who is lying covered in blood in the middle of the forest, and Elvira, who is lying exhausted on the edge of a cliff.
Lortel, who was looking up at the sky at the entrance to the Soul Library… closed his eyes and went inside, and the group of survivors also put their hands together and prayed towards the sky.
I hope you can survive.
That consistent wind was what made Lucy move.
– Quang! Hwaaaaaaa!
Lucy finally reaches the spirit that Yenika is riding on… and plunges the ice spear into it.
The spirit flies through the night sky, staggering, and falls toward the ruined living quarters of Sylvania Academy.
– Boom! Kwagagagak! Kagagak!
Yenika quickly succeeded in landing using magic power, but had to roll several times on the dirt floor.
The living area plaza is filled with only the remains of broken buildings and moss-covered marble floors.
The huge fountain in the center was broken and dilapidated here and there, emphasizing the gloomy atmosphere.
The moment Yenika, who had barely adjusted her posture in front of him, was about to quickly pick up her wand again, Lucy’s aspect magic ‘Space Leap’ was activated.
Lucy, who appeared right in front of her, kicked Yenika’s staff and sent it flying far away. Then, taking a deep breath, he stretched out his hand towards Yenika and gathered his magic power.
“…”
Yenica sat down on the floor and looked up at Lucy.
Lucy, who was already exhausted, seemed to be having a hard time holding herself up.
Yenica’s counterattacks had been allowed several times. Nevertheless… Lucy was somehow moving with the sole intention of stopping Yenika.
“Why don’t you finish it?”
Yenika lowered her head for a moment and asked Lucy.
Lucy was in a state of complete disrepair… but she couldn’t bring herself to finish off Yenika.
This is because I understood Yenika’s feelings.
But is there any point in persuading them?
What could Lucy Mayril, who didn’t lose Ed, say to Jenica Palover, who lost everything, touch her heart?
You have to be able to spit out clichés. They say that the dead man wouldn’t want this and that there’s no point in going on a rampage like this.
It’s possible to make such a positive statement, but… what on earth does that mean?
Didn’t Lucy Mayril go on a rampage at the Bachelor when she thought Ed was dead?
Can’t you fully understand that pain and sadness?
Doesn’t Yenika also know her own position well?
How could such Lucy Mayril persuade Yenica Palover?
In the end, the only way to stop Yenica Palover is to subdue it with force.
However, Lucy cannot finish off Yenika.
“…I can still fight more.”
As if understanding Lucy’s feelings, Yenika spoke quietly.
“Belbroke’s heart emits magical power endlessly, to the point where you wonder if it is truly infinite. “If I succeed in responding once, I can summon the Supreme Spirit as many times as I can, as long as my body can endure damage.”
“…”
“Now that the wand is gone from my hand, this is your last chance. “There’s almost no magical energy left, right?”
Why did you tell Lucy that?
I had such an obvious question, but the moment I made eye contact with Yenika, I understood its meaning.
Tears were flowing down Yenika’s cheeks.
For Jenica now, every moment of confirming Lucy’s existence was a series of pain.
“Ugh.. Ugh.. I miss Ed…”
I am speechless.
Even if the grief and madness stopped here, Jenica would have no will left to do anything more.
If I tell her to stop because this is all meaningless… what else is left for her?
In the end, if anyone wants to stop this race that is running without knowing its limits, the only way to do so is to use force to push it down.
Even if it meant Yenika’s own death.
Lucy bit her lower lip.
And with his eyes closed, he raised his star power.
“Still…”
Lucy couldn’t bring herself to speak, but she still forced herself to speak.
“But we still have to live.”
To somehow continue living even if it seems meaningless and worthless. That was the belief Lucy received from the boy.
Lucy’s magic power slowly enveloped Yenika. Yenika looked at the sky with her eyes tightly closed.
Aspect Magic ‘Time Prison’
In some ways, it may be nothing more than postponing death… but
for Lucy, it was the best option she could choose.
Watching Yenika’s time slowly stop, Lucy poured out all of her remaining magical energy.
So that we can postpone the girl’s death for as long as possible. So that I can give her some time of rest for at least a few years.
Just like that… Yenika quietly closed her eyes.
–
Lucy collapsed on the floor, exhausted.
A square in the living area filled with quiet silence. He looked up at the moon floating sadly in the sky and made a sad face in front of Jenika, who had fallen into a long sleep.
“When you open your eyes…”
Lucy said to Yenika in a whisper.
“…I hope there will be a world where there is at least some reason to live.”
I stood up, aiming at my battered body, leaving only the fleeting wind behind.
Running out of horsepower. A world turned gray.
From now on, all that was left for Lucy was a long wait.
Someday… Until the Phoenix Ring’s rebound ends and all magical power is restored and I can once again send a rescue request to Ed… I hope that
Ed, who is on the other side of the distant world, will not give up and wander around looking for Lucy… Praying like that
was all Lucy could do.
It was that time.
Another flow of magical power slowly spread across the floor of the square.
Ruins bathed in moonlight. Above the moss-filled fountain in the living area plaza… small human figures overlap.
The image of a girl can be seen standing on top of the fountain with agile movements, like a nimble cat.
As if she was waiting for Yenika to be subdued… The girl who slowly appeared was very familiar.
Lucy’s eyes widen as she looks up at the top of the fountain in the square.
The hem of the girl’s skirt flutters in the gently blowing night wind.
The girl, who was wearing a huge witch’s hat tightly against her small body, turned around and looked up at the moon.
The girl, who was quietly looking at the starry sky as if contemplating the scenery she missed again… slowly turns her head and looks down at Lucy.
That look is bound to look familiar.
Frayed school uniform. A big witch hat. White hair shining softly in the starlight. Bluish eyes.
Those blank eyes are so similar to mine.
Lucy… was speechless.
– ‘Magic power is based on interaction. Even if you manifest magic power in this world, if there is no medium to receive that magic power in the other world, it is only one-way communication.’
That’s what Zelan said.
It was said that it was theoretically impossible to jump between disconnected worlds. This is because interaction is fundamental to magical power.
So in the end, in order to jump between worlds, someone from the other world must observe this side and manifest magical power.
To do so, you must have a sufficient amount of magical power as well as a fundamental understanding of aspect magic.
Because I know that there are not many people like that in the world.
It was already clear who had dragged Lucy into this world.
The girl who turns around in the moonlight above the fountain opens her mouth.
“It’s all over.”
Naturally, it was a very familiar voice.
*
I can’t judge anything.
What was Lucy of this world thinking and why did she summon her to a place like this?
How will things play out in the end? I couldn’t judge a single thing…
It’s just… Lucy now has run out of magical power and her body is in ruins, so she can’t do anything. No matter what the opponent does… there is nothing to resist.
In any case, the other person is yourself.
If so, you can roughly predict what the other person will think and what moves they will make. All you have to do is think about how you would act.
But no matter how hard I try, I can’t imagine it.
The presence of a man named Ed is already an essential element in Lucy’s life. I have never imagined life without him.
What was he doing on Aken Island, hiding the fact that he was still alive after losing Ed? Why did he have to hide his death?
Why did you try to summon yourself from a distant world all the way here?
What they were trying to achieve by doing so… I can’t imagine anything.
– Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh
Lucy continued to roll her head as she looked at the other person who had jumped from the fountain and landed.
I can’t even decide whether I should be on guard or not.
But… what does it mean?
I don’t even have the means to resist. In the end, there is nothing you can do except watch whatever the other person does.
Lucy slowly lowered her gaze as she looked at the person trudging towards her.
“…”
The girl in front of him was looking at him expressionlessly for a long time.
I looked at it for a while, to the point where I wanted him to say something.
Even though they were the same Lucy… their appearances were very different.
Lucy, who did not lose Ed… even though her entire body was ruined and she lost all her magic… she still had the will to live.
I wonder if the vitality contained in those eyes can be clearly felt even when viewed from another world…
Eventually, a girl who resembled Lucy herself opened her mouth.
“okay. I see.”
It wasn’t until she made eye contact once more that Lucy realized.
This is because Lucy’s eyes in this world seemed to have been seen somewhere.
Before coming to this world, I have seen those empty, empty eyes in other people.
A wizard who wanted to observe a world line where he did not massacre the demi-humans. Zelan the cutter.
Even if it is an illusory thing that cannot be reached… like a butterfly flying in the sky.
Even if it is a future that cannot be reached no matter how hard one tries…
such a world could exist. He said that just confirming that possibility can make you feel saved.
Just the possibility that that could have been the case… Just seeing the possibility that somewhere in the flow of the world there could be someone smiling… The
eyes of the wizard trying to survive the current reality with a ray of comfort… overlapped. Rolled up…
Lucy was left speechless.
Lucy from this world… didn’t say another word.
Just seeing Lucy overflowing with will to live made me feel like no further explanation was needed… I
slowly came into Lucy’s arms.
And… the girl slowly sobbed.
I cried out loud as if to prove the loneliness of my life and the trials I had gone through.
There was nothing more Lucy could do other than hug the girl’s back.
