Published at 18th of November 2020 07:18:06 PM
Chapter 67
Author’s Note:
Warning: there will be some grotesque imagery in this chapter .
Also, thank you once again for continuing to read this story! I’m so happy that you’ve stuck with me all the way up until now .
As expected, there are lots of people lying on the ground in the plaza . I walk around them quietly so as not to wake anyone up as I make my way over to the fountain .
… . The water is disgusting . I can’t use this… . But I’ll for sure end up drawing attention if I use magic to purify it .
What should I do… . . ? Is there some other way I can help her?
“It……hu… . . rts–“
I don’t have time to be hesitating like this . Alicia, get ahold of yourself . If you fail to save this woman, then you’ll be disqualified from being a villainess .
The strong must help the weak .
As gently as I can, I lay the woman down next to the fountain . And without worrying about the consequences, I snap my fingers, the sound reverberating like a gunshot in the quiet plaza . In moments, the water is engulfed in a glittering aura and begins to purify with tremendous speed .
From around me, I notice that the people sleeping on the ground have started to wake up .
I take off my cloak and dip it into the now crystal clear water .
“Alicia!?” I hear Gilles call from nearby . “What are you doing?” he asks while rushing over to my side .
Glancing his way, I see that Grandpa Will is not far behind him .
“You’d better get out of here! Quick! They’re waking up!” Gilles cries loudly .
But I have no intention of abandoning this woman now .
“What are you trying to do?” Grandpa Will asks, finally making it over to me after weaving around all the people on the ground .
“I’m going to save this woman,” I say looking directly at him and Gilles . No matter how much they might be opposed, I won’t yield on this .
“Then save her . ”
“Huh?”
“Gramps!? What the hell are you saying?”
“Hurry up and save her,” Grandpa Will says again, looking right at me, sightlessly .
I’d expect nothing less from Grandpa Will . It seems that after spending all these years together, he’s come to understand my personality quite well .
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I wring out my now sopping wet cloak, gripping it hard and admiring the way the water streams from the fabric .
My arm muscles really are amazing .
“The water’s clean……” someone murmurs as the people who were sleeping start to groggily drag themselves up off the ground and towards the fountain .
It will become a problem if they get in my way .
With magic I enact a barrier around the fountain . The spell creates a transparent wall with dark, geometrical patterns interlocking on its surface .
I read about this in a book before, but it seems that the type of barrier that you can make depends on which element of magic you use . Incidentally, a wall of fog like the one that surrounds this village is how water magic manifests when a barrier spell is cast .
I check to make sure that my spell is successfully keeping the surrounding people out, and then I return to my task . I start by wiping the woman down with my damp cloak .
In almost no time at all my already dark cloak starts to become black with grime . But even as I continue to gently scrub, the clumps of dirt don’t seem to want to come off .
……No, wait . That’s not dirt… . It’s her skin! It’s black and festering .
In shock, my hands freeze .
“Alicia, are you okay?” Gilles asks, carefully examining my expression . “This is normal here, you know . And she’s not even that bad . There are lots of people who are in worse condition than her,” he continues with a straight face while looking over at the woman .
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“She’s likely a victim of arson . She was probably left behind after her house was burned down,” Grandpa Will adds with a somber expression .
I…… I can’t save her . Darkness magic isn’t capable of healing wounds . All of its spells are so useless .
Not knowing what else to do, I slowly start to wipe down her body again . I gently rub the skin on her face, neck, and arms . And then I move to the exposed skin on her legs for a moment before I freeze in horror .
… . . The area below her right knee is completely necrotized . It was probably burned too severely in the fire; it’s completely dead .
To be honest, just looking at the blackened flesh is making me feel woozy . This is the first time I’ve ever seen something like this . What can I even do to help her?
I know that I need to calm down, but I can’t . I’m panicking and I can’t think straight .
I thought I could help her…… I’m such a fool . I’ve been thinking too highly of myself .
“Ali, are you okay? Is there anything that I can do?” Gilles asks looking at me in concern .
I can’t think . I can’t think! I know I’m breathing too fast, but I can’t to stop it .
“Alicia, calm down . Everything is fine . Just focus on your breathing for a second . Take in a slow, deep breath . ”
I do as I’m told and very consciously take in a huge, deep breath . As I do this, Grandpa Will pats me on the back .
I continue to just focus on my breathing for a few minutes, slowly getting myself back under control .
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“Magic will be able to help . No matter how meaningless a spell seems, it can be incredibly useful under the right circumstances . ”
“I don’t know about that,” I say a bit huffily .
“Alicia, you’re extremely intelligent . I know you’ll be able to help this woman . ”
“Don’t say that! You have no way of knowing that!! Saving a life is too much for me . It’s impossible!” I shriek . I know I should be happy, hearing such encouraging words, but I can’t help it . His words grate on me, shoving my powerlessness back in my face .
I’ve never encountered anything like this before .
I have no idea what to do . What I even can do . My mind is blank . I’ve read so many books, learned so many things, and yet when I need that information most I can’t remember a single thing .
I have no ideas .
As I stand there, tears start to leak involuntarily from my eyes .
“Alicia… . . ” Gilles stares at me intently .
The tears continue to flow incessantly and I don’t have the willpower to stop them . They stream down my cheeks faster and faster .
“Don’t you dare give up . ”
Grandpa Will’s words resound throughout my head .