The Water Spirit King and the Knight of Fire
Side: Merdi
「Merdi-san, are you okay?」
「Hah, hah, I’m already at my limit nyah!」
We were running away from the oncoming flames as hard as we could. Our stamina wasn’t very high among the cat-type beastman race.
Normally, we don’t like being called catty, so we try not to put “nyah” at the end of our words, but when there’s an emergency, we do it out of old habits.
「I’ll hold the flames at bay. Please run away, Merdi-san!」
Suddenly, Rifa stopped and faced the flames.
「Rifa, I can’t do it! Run!」
I try to pull Rifa’s arm to take her with me, but she won’t move at all. Rifa started to build up her magic.
「Windwall!」
We created a defensive wall of wind and held off the flames that were closing in on us. The flames stopped approaching, but the flames clearly had their momentum and intensity heightened because of the wind.
「Ah! What the hell are you doing? Rifa’s magic won’t put out the fire!」
「 know, I know! While you’re at it, Merdi-san, please run away.」
「What about you?」
「I’ll hold the flames here. I’ve whistled to Tina-sensei and she’ll be here soon.」
「There’s no way you can keep these flames at bay all the time!」
「It’s my fault that this is happening. I have to protect Merdi-san at all costs!」
「Then we’ll run away together!」
「Merdi-san, you can’t run anymore, can you? So get going!」
I don’t think this guy is going to break.
「Ah! I’m sorry!」
「What? What are you…」
I dropped my sword on the back of Rifa’s neck, knocking her out. Holding Rifa, who falls to the ground, by her side, I ran at full speed.
「After this, I’m definitely going to take you to an all-you-can-eat cake later!」
I’m already beyond the limits of my physical body.
I use magic to force myself to move my body.
I didn’t want to use it because I wouldn’t be able to move for a couple of days after doing this, but now I can’t even say four or five!
I continued to run as fast as I could from the flames that had gained momentum due to Rifa’s magic.
──＊＊＊──
After running for a while, I saw someone ahead of me.
「Eh, Merdi-san?」
It was Mai and Mei.
「Run you two! The flames are coming!」
「Oh… the forest is on fire.」
「Oh my God, can you control the fire!?」
「I can’t! Maybe it’s the Flame Knight from earlier, but it doesn’t listen to me at all! Can’t you do something with water magic, Mei?」
「It’s impossible! The forest is burning, okay? With that kind of fire, we would be unable to put it out without being a Leviathan class!」
「Then-」
「Yes-」
「Let’s run!」
「Waaaaaaaah!」
Mai and Mei took the lead and continued to run away with us in pursuit.
Then they kept running for a few minutes.
I’m really running out of steam.
My magical power was also running out.
This is as far as I can go.
Just when I thought it was over──
「Merdi, Mai and Mey. And Rifa… what’s going on? Is Rifa okay?」
Haruto was there with Yoko in tow.
「Ha, ha, well, we were attacked by a demon, and when Rifa tried to counter the fire with magic, the demon exploded and the forest started burning!」
「Is Rifa unconscious because of the demon?」
「Oh, no but when Rifa said she wouldn’t run away, I hit her and knocked her out nya.」
「I see. Wait, Merdi, you have a very catty windup.」
Then Haruto laughed with a huff.
「Ah! Forget it, let’s just get the hell out of here!」
「That’s right. Let’s get out of here!
The flames were closing in there.
「But we’re all tired after running so far, aren’t we? I’ll put out the flames and you all get some rest.」
──Eh?
What are you talking about?
The forest is burning, isn’t it?
How can one person’s magic make it disappear?
Haruto thrust his hand forward and began to release his magic power. That magic power then formed a magic circle.
High-level magic, huh?
Is it possible to extinguish the flame with high-level water magic?
「Aqua Lance!」
Contrary to my prediction, Hurt performed a beginner level water magic chant.
「There’s no way that kind of fire can be extinguished by beginner magic!」
I tried to rush into it, but something was wrong. It’s not necessary to have a magic circle for elementary magic to begin with. That magic circle also had a strange shape.
It’s as if it was used for summoning magic──
Suddenly, a large amount of water flooded out of Hurt’s magic circle. Out of that water, a beautiful woman with a trident spear in her hand appeared.
「Haruto? It’s been a while.」
「Yeah, good to see you. How have you been?」
「Well, I’ve been lonely lately because you didn’t call me.」
「Sorry, sorry.」
Haruto and the beautiful woman are chatting.
In the meantime, the group and I were surrounded by flames, but the water from the magic circle formed a dome around us, preventing the flames from coming closer.
「Ah, is that Undine, one of the four Spirit Kings?」
Mai spoke to the beautiful woman.
「Oh, aren’t you Mai and Mei? How are you two? How’s the human world? Have you both found a potential contractor?」
It seems that Mai and the beautiful woman Haruto summoned knew each other.
「No, not yet. Um, do you have a contract with Haruto-san?」
「That’s right. Yes! If you haven’t decided on a contractor yet, how about Haruto?」
「Eh?」
「This guy is strong. After all, he had a good match with the sea god.」
「With Poseidon-san!?」
「Yes. I was so pleased with him that I offered him a contract.」
「Eh?」
「If you haven’t chosen a contractor yet, you can choose Haruto. I recommend him. I’m sure your father will be pleased with him.」
「Well, I’ll consider it.」
I didn’t really know what it was about, but I understood that Haruto was amazing.
In the meantime, the water that overflowed from the magic circle spread out of the dome into the forest on its own, extinguishing the flames in the trees.
Haruto had healed both Rifa and I’s fatigue as well.
「Rifa, I’m sorry about earlier」
「No, I wasn’t very calm earlier as well. Thank you for bringing me here.」
「I’m glad you’re both safe. By the way, what kind of demon did the two of you encounter that caused the forest to burn?」
As we settled in, Haruto asked.
「Maybe it’s that guy?」
Undine-sama brought in the mass of fire that she had locked in the water prison.
「Ah! That’s him!」
The mass of fire that Rifa pointed to had the shape of a knight.