I take Snow further north, go through a volcanic area, and reach the valley where Miss Sheryl lives.
But…
“Oh? Why another darkness prison?”
It hasn’t been activated since that time I blew it away, but it’s back for some reason.
“Daddy, are they doing something?”
“Right?”
Snow is looking down just like me, and we both sound puzzled.
But that’s a problem.
“At this rate, I’m going to have to blow it away again after going down…”
‘And then I’ll blow you away.’
“Eh?”
“Grandma’s voice!”
Snow reacts to the voice, and the next moment, my vision distorts for a second, and we’re inside Miss Sheryl’s temple.
It’s the place that looks like an ancient colosseum, where she was keeping Mister Guen and Mister Giarth.
I was forcibly thrown in there too, so I don’t have fond memories of this place.
“Good grief, what nonsense were you thinking.”
“Ah, hello Miss Sheryl.”
“Grandma!”
“Welcome Snow.”
It makes me a bit sad how she naturally ignores my greeting, so I wish she’d stop.
And the way Snow runs to hug her after not seeing her for a while makes daddy feel lonely too.
Miss Sheryl’s normally cold eyes are filled with tenderness when she holds snow.
If she was always like this we… Mostly me, Mister Guen, and Mister Giarth, wouldn’t have to be scared.
“You people just screw around too much.”
“Ah, yes…”
I can’t argue with that.
“Hahaha! Daddy’s in trouble!”
“That makes me sad though. Don’t point and laugh.”
Well, Snow doesn’t think Miss Sheryl is actually mad.
It probably doesn’t look that different to her than when I’m talking to Reina at home.
“Anyway, I heard you’ve been up to something strange.”
“Strange… It’s really not a big deal.”
She says while turning her eyes to the darkness prison.
From my point of view, using magic is already a big deal…
“I just caught strange intruders.”
“…Intruders?”
“Yes, who used somewhat troublesome magic. I didn’t kill them, but I locked them in the darkness prison to stop annoying me.”
“…”
I slowly turn to the black orb hovering in the colosseum.
I’ve been there before, so I know that place where you don’t know what’s up or down or left or right is a tough place for regular humans.
“Hum, it might be people a friend of mine knows.”
“So, complete strangers?”
“I guess… Can you let them go?”
“Let go…”
She starts thinking about it.
I don’t know who was caught, but who could have troubled one of the strongest people on this island?
“If this temple gets damaged, I’m holding you accountable. Are you sure?”
“…”
“Answer me.”
“No, I’m scared of what your punishment could be…”
But we’re getting nowhere like this, so I accept the conditions, and get them out of the darkness prison.
“By the way, what are these intruders like?”
“Two human girls.”
The two of the seven great mages who are missing are a man and a woman, and so are Ceres’ friends.
“I have a feeling this is going to be trouble again.”
“Solve it then. Go on.”
“Ah…”
As before, I’m suddenly above the darkness prison.
She’s just going to use gravity magic if I fly, so I don’t resist, and enter it.
◇ ◇ ◇
This really is a strange place.
It’s like sinking into a deep sea. It’s a strange feeling.
I can see nothing, probably because it stretches out infinitely, even though my vision is clear despite supposedly there being no light.
It was easy to find the two great spirits before, because their fight was sending so much magic energy flying, but…
“Ah…”
I can’t see anything, but I feel a small presence far away.
It’s probably the intruders, so I head that way.
After a while, I see two people in the distance.
One is wearing a red habit I’ve never seen before. She matches the description of Cara Marguerite I heard from Reina and the others.
The other person has black hair tied in two twintails by red ribbons, and she’s dressed like a sorcerer.
She looks familiar.
“Hey!”
They seem to be arguing, but hold their weapons towards me when they hear me.
It looks like they think I’m an enemy, so I wave my hands to show I mean no harm.
““…””
I feel like they’ll attack if I get close, so I stop. They look at each other, and then lower their weapons.
I guess they can see I’m not an enemy.
“A-Arata!?”
I walk slowly, trying not to alarm them, and the girl with the twintails, Erie, lets out a surprised voice.
“Do you know him, Erie?”
“…”
“Hello.”
She’s glaring at me with a puzzled expression, and still appears to be cautious.
Next to her, Cara has figured out I’m not an enemy, so she just looks confused.
“Yes… Only you could use magic so strong even my power of destruction can’t break it!”
“Hum, I think you’re misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding? It’s a bit late for that after you sealed us in this powerful space…!?”
“Hey, I don’t know what’s going on, but let’s calm down first.”
“…!?”
Cara suddenly closes Erie’s mouth from behind.
I start thinking I’ll have a better chance talking to her, but when I turn to her, she turns away like she’s scared.
That hurts…
“A-anyway, I didn’t create this space, and I’m here to save you.”
Their expressions change when I say that, and they fall to the ground like they loosened up.
“R-really, to save us?”
“Yes. Ceres is worried.”
“Ceres is safe!? Great…”
It looks like Erie was very worried.
“I-is anyone worried about me?”
“Eh?”
“Eh?”
Reina wasn’t.
Edinburgh doesn’t remember her, and Xellos and Zephir didn’t seem too bothered either.
“Hum…”
“…”
Cara’s face looks more and more worried, when I suddenly remember something.
“Ah, Merlin was a little worried.”
“I see, Merlin… Just Merlin?”
“…”
All I can do is turn away.
From what I heard from the others, this girl called Cara is the most unfortunate person out of the seven great mages, so I guess she’s not very popular…
“F-fufufu… So no one cares about me…”
“Ah, but we haven’t found everyone yet. Like that Seti.”
“…Who else?”
“…”
I turn away again.
Everyone else is accounted for, but only Merlin showed any sign of concern.
Cara looks pretty shocked, but it’s not my fault.
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