“You were quite careless too. Did you not think about why we did not come out to the front?”
“The stra…strategist…is one thing…but a general…why…!”
“With the dogtags, a general can be in a tavern with a wench, and still give out orders. In that case, my job is to be prepared for moments like this.”
With his face half in the dirt, Keita bit into his lip.
The pain washed over him more strongly. His breathing grew rough, and he could not even speak.
Still, he managed to lean on his elbows and crawl towards the camp.
“Don’t bother. If you do that, it will all be over. Once you lose too much blood, breathing will become painful. You did well enough. Now you should rest.”
Ekbert said as he walked towards him.
Beyond his vision that contorted in pain, Keita saw the pity on his face and laughed.
“You…lowered your guard.”
He rolled onto his back. And then a red light flashed on his chest.
“What!?”
As the runes on his clothes shone, he wondered.
Where would he be when he woke up again?
At home in his bed? Or would he be in the shed with Fi.
“Legis Blazing Flames of Chaos!”
And then the flames rose around Keita’s body.
—
“How…!”
Salia was stunned as she watched the scene.
The Hero’s tent was burning, and the flames swallowed up the general, Poro and the soldiers as well.
“Why…why!”
Though she could not tear her eyes away, her heart was filled with rage.
“Why would he do that! Even if it is to win… He just made himself a disposable pawn!”
“Blame me, if that’s what you want to do.”
The Dragon God said calmly.
“Neither Sheto nor the Demon King’s army had any way of dealing with that reset ability. In order to break through, one had to put a poison blade at his throat. It had to be a situation that was like walking on a tightrope.”
“But still! Did you order him to do something so horrible!”
“No.”
The door opened, and Canila entered.
However, she stopped after a few steps and smiled sadly.
“You made him withdraw.”
“I did. Just as the final magic was activated. Though, Keita did tell me to stop.”
“Canila! Do you understand what you have done!?”
Salia ran towards her friend and grabbed her shoulders.
“Indeed, I asked you to help Sheto! But I didn’t tell you to go that far…”
“Do not mistake me. That plan. All of it was what Keita and I wanted.”
Canila stroked Salia’s cheek and smiled as if consoling a child.
“We searched for the best way to survive while beating the Seer. We agreed with the Dragon God’s plan, because it served that purpose. But we knew from the beginning that it would be a severe path.”
“Why…why…”
“Perhaps because of anger…”
The petrification started, and Canila’s body became imprisoned.
Still, her expression was bright.
“Did you hate it that much…being brought low by the Seer?!”
“Of course, there is that too. But what I was most angry at was myself. For being so pathetic.”
She slowly lowered her hands and held them in front as if in prayer. Those thin arms then turned into onyx.
“I couldn’t forgive myself. Not for clinging to you in hopes of mercy. Neither could Keita, who kept running from what he feared. So… I wanted to take a stand, even if it was just out of stubborn pride against that pathetic version of myself.”
“What…childish…pride…!”
Canila chuckled.
“And what is wrong with that? You are even more childishly stubborn than me.”
“Canila…I…!”
“Win for me, Salia. Instead of mourning us, think only of winning.”
Even though most of her body was stone now, Canila continued to smile.
She had the beauty of a young tree, without a single blemish.
“Allow me to take my leave, Seer.”
Came Canila’s final words.
“Sooner or later, you too will join the ranks of the defeated. And I shall look forward to that day…with great anticipation.”
And then her voice was gone.
Like the statue of a goddess enshrined deep within a temple, the imposing figure stood motionless.
All Salia could do was weep silently.