PAGE 1

Christan said when he arrived a short while later. He and the other Right Feet had not participated in the fight.

 

I had checked the area as well and saw no signs of any of the enemy escaping.

And it didn’t seem like we were being monitored by anyone either.

 

Aside from Christan, there were three other Right Feet, but they were still scattered in the area.

 

“You killed so many.”

“We took them by surprise. Besides, they really weren’t that strong.”

 

The last one had been highly skilled, but the others, I could easily deal with if it was one on one.

When I said this, Christan looked at me strangely.

 

“The last one you fought was ‘Black Mist,’ the 7th Step.”

 

“Aren’t the Thirteen Steps considered to be Makoku’s elite magicians?”

 

“To be precise, they are experts who protect the Makoku king against human enemies. They protect him with their unique magic. That one lying over there is Ice Jet. Unless someone succeeded him, he should be the 8th Step.”

 

“So the 7th and 8th were here. …Uh, so I guess this was pretty dangerous?”

“Had information not been leaked, we’d all be dead. That’s for sure.”

 

“The others were pretty weak, though.”

 

“Black Mist alone would have done a lot of damage. It is said that once that mist takes you, it is impossible to escape. The more you move and struggle, the stickier it becomes. Then it starts to harden. Besides, it becomes difficult to remain calm and make decisions when you cannot see at all.”

 

That was true. So struggling in it was like wringing your own neck.

 

“But what happens if you don’t move?”

“There are spiders that lurk in the mist. If you do not move, they will kill you. To be honest, I felt a strong chill when I saw you get swallowed up by it.”

 

“I was able to get out by diving into the shadows.”

“I saw you do it. Your magic is very unconventional.”

 

I guess.

But it wasn’t that my Shadow Crossing was amazing. It was that the mist only affected the area above the surface.

 

“Regardless, we need to make a report of the results.”

“Report? To who?”

 

“Her Majesty, of course. I’ve secured a Dragon Master for contact purposes.”

 

What a luxury.

Well, we had been attacked, so I suppose it was the obvious thing to do.

 

“So, you’re going to tell her that we defeated them?”

“No, I’m going to tell her that ‘Stone Eyes’ wasn’t here.”

“Stone Eyes…?”

 

I tilted my head.

Next Chapter

---