(Ryuta POV)
Just as Orsted instructed, I headed out to the city of Rosenburg in search of the archer Sara, hoping she had not yet left for her predicted death mission.
Frederic might get upset about me leaving just when special student newcomers were making a fuss, but my promise to serve Orsted has a priority.
My other hope is that Nanahoshi will be modest about using her newly acquired precious soy sauce. Even if it's a fundamental condiment for our homeland's cuisines, too much of it can be unhealthy.
While I was running through these rigid lands, I once again realized just how much this body could handle a full day of running if I helped a little with various Magic, like Gravity and Wind.
In the span of three days, despite my exhaustion, I arrived at Rosenburg.
It seemed less occupied than Sharia within the city's premises, but kept a rustic charm. The buildings were older, a mix of stone and wood, giving them a more lived-in feeling. I could smell the faint scent of pine and earth in the air—probably from the surrounding forests—and the streets, while quieter, held the occasional chatter of merchants and travelers.
My odd eyes and white patch of hair stuck out a lot, as usual, and passersby started staring. I did think about getting a mask like Nanahoshi, but I felt like that would draw in even more attention, especially because of the masked man's actions in this world.
It's not like I'm the only person in the world who has mismatched eyes since there are those who were born with Demon Eyes, special eyes that have their own abilities, but mine have the additional silver slits. Nanahoshi even said with my eyes and getup, I looked like an extreme cosplayer, which hopefully was meant as a comment.
I subtly asked around, hitting taverns and bulletin boards, trying to pick up any rumors of an archer named Sara. Most people shook their heads or gave vague answers—until the name [Counter Arrow] came up, the B-rank party Sara belonged to.
A few people whispered about a small adventuring party that returned missing a part of their group.
This isn't good. It means that time was already running out.
Immediately, I left the city, heading for the Trier Forest, the place of Sara's demise at the hands of the Icefall Treants.
Treants are the most common type of monster, appearing nearly everywhere in this world. But even the most common monster can be dangerous if left unchecked, especially if said monster grows stronger the older it gets.
The air in Trier Forest was thick and cold. Snow blanketed the ground, and every step made a crunching noise as I moved swiftly between the trees. My eyes darted from shadow to shadow, and my senses were sharpened by a touch of detection. Somewhere in this forest, Sara was either fighting for her life or already captured.
I searched for footprints, signs of combat, anything that might guide me to her.
The wind carried faint traces of mana residue, recent… battle magic. I was close.
But then the ground rumbled lightly.
A soft grunt echoed through the trees.
Snow Buffaloes—five, no, seven of them—lumbered into view, their heavy steps crushing the underbrush—massive, white-furred bovines, known for their aggressiveness when traversing into their territory.
This meant that the Icefall Treant must be around somewhere.
"Sorry, but I have no time to play," I muttered.
I raised my hand and slammed my palm into the snow-dusted ground.
[Earth Hedgehog].
A forest of spikes erupted from beneath the herd. In a single instant, jagged stone skewered the beasts like a trap triggered all at once. Blood splashed into the snow, steaming against the cold.
I stood there in silence, watching the creatures' lives drain as the echo of their death cries faded.
"…Was that overkill?" I muttered to myself. Probably. But time was something I couldn't waste conserving mana over.
Hoping there is a job in the Adventurer Guild involving their extermination, I left the carcasses as they were and continued deeper into the forest.
The snowfall thickened. Visibility was dropping, and the silence in the woods became unnerving.
Then, it came.
A gentle whuff—a cloud of snow dumped on me from above.
Snowfall Treants. They are the lesser version of an Icefall Treant, letting down snow on careless prey to bury them under it. A low-ranking monster, according to the monster encyclopedia I've read.
The Treants creaked as they moved, limbs groaning like ancient doors. They weren't much of a threat, just annoying. Still, I wasn't in the mood.
I raised my arm and swept it sideways.
[Wind Slice].
The blade of wind howled as it cut through the air, severing trunks and limbs cleanly.
The Treants dropped like felled trees, their torsos snapping in two with a satisfying crack.
Since that Treant was nothing but firewood, I felt less bad for leaving it here once I pressed on for my mission.
As I pushed through a dense thicket, my senses suddenly flared—multiple presences clustered in one spot. Something larger was holding the other signs.
My eyes narrowed.
A Treant—and not just any. This one was massive, its bark blackened with age and power. Twisted branches held something within their trunk, like a prize wrapped in roots.
My stomach sank.
I didn't hesitate and conjured up a [Stone Canon]. A condensed boulder tore through the air, slamming into the creature with bone-rattling force. The Icefall Treant tried to block it, its body encased in a crystalline armor of ice, but the impact shattered the protection, splinters flying everywhere as the smell of charred wood wafted.
The monster shrieked, vines lashing out toward me like whips.
I deflected them with [Wind Slice], cutting away at any that got too close. Another branch came flying for my head, and with a step forward, I twisted and brought my hand out in a blade-like motion, shooting out a more concentrated [Wind Slice], slicing clean through the Treant's top. The upper portion fell, severed, crashing into the snow in a thunderous crash.
Silence returned. But still, I waited. Treants sometimes faked their deaths to lure in prey into a last-second trap.
After a tense moment with no movement, I approached cautiously and focused my attention on the entangled body held within the remaining roots.
I sliced through them gently. And then, there she was— A young girl with short blond hair and facial features from Asura. This must be her. Sara the archer.
I pulled her out and quickly retreated from the scene to safer ground.
Orsted never specified killing the Icefall Treant, but I probably killed it already by cutting it in half.
Once I got her far enough, I carefully laid her on the overgrown root of a tree, brushing away the frost on her face.
Then, carefully, I checked her pulse by pushing my index and middle finger at the artery near her throat.
…Nothing.
I leaned closer and kept my ear near her nose. No breath, and no movement from her chest. Her skin was ice cold already, but...
"No… no, no, no…"
I poured every bit of Healing Magic I could muster on her, even though I knew it wouldn't work if her heart wasn't beating. I still tried. Again and again.
I started chest compressions. My form was clumsy—CPR was hazy in my memory, just a fragment of my past life—but I did what I could. I tried breathing into her mouth, tried more compressions—still nothing.
I froze, hands trembling over her unmoving chest, realizing that there was no point in this.
"I was… too late?"
The forest was quiet again. Not a single sound. Orsted was right. This incident was a gamble with her life.
And despite everything— Even with all my power— I failed.
I sat there beside her lifeless body, the cold biting against my skin, but I barely felt it.
My hands were still trembling, hovering just inches above her chest, where a heartbeat should've been.
My magic failed. My knowledge failed. I had failed.
This was a first for me. The other jobs I did for Orsted had complications, but I managed to find solutions.
"This wasn't supposed to happen…"
My voice cracked. The mission was simple. Get to her before the Icefall Treant does. That was it. But I was too late.
I looked at her peaceful, pale face, eyes shut like she had only gone to sleep. That calm expression made it even worse, like she had accepted her fate long before I got there.
"…Her party… what are they going to say?" I whispered, the thought twisting my gut.
As I gritted my teeth, I felt something wet roll down my cheek.
Wait, tears? Huh? Why? I didn't know her. Not truly. I had only heard about her a few days ago. I never spoke to her, never shared a memory or a bond.
Another tear dropped onto my lap, and my chest started to throb unpleasantly.
Before I could think any further, something shifted in the corner of my vision.
My head jerked up.
She was sitting upright. Sara. Her blue eyes gazed directly into mine—gentle, warm, almost knowing. She leaned forward slowly and placed both hands on either side of my face.
I froze.
Her touch was soft and comforting, like she wanted to ease the pain in my chest. My body responded instinctively—I wanted to lean into her, savor the warmth, and believe it was real.
But—
"This… this isn't right."
Once I snapped out of it, the illusion shattered.
My breath hitched as I blinked, and suddenly, she was back on the roots, cold and unmoving. The scene before me was unchanged, lifeless.
I stumbled back, nearly slipping on the snow.
"What the hell… What's happening to-"
My head exploded with pain. A splitting sensation tore through my skull, and I collapsed onto my back, clutching my temples.
Static. White noise. A high-pitched, rustling buzz scraped against my hearing.
"Ngh—!"
My chest tightened once more. It felt like someone had punched through my ribcage and started squeezing my heart from the inside.
Tears surged forth again, but this time not from the pain—these were emotional. Deep, guttural sobs bubbled up from my throat. I wept, shaking, broken.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Sara… I'm sorry... forgive me..."
And then, images started popping up.
I saw her standing in a sunlit clearing, bow in hand, showing me how to line up a shot properly as she pulled back a string from the bow in her other hand, her voice clear to me as if I'd heard it regularly before.
Then, the scene changed. I was sitting down, looking up at her. Her lap is under my head. She was smiling down at me, brushing hair away from my forehead.
Another scene. She's laughing at some dumb joke I'd made.
None of this ever happened. But they felt real. They hurt like memories—like stolen pieces of a life I never lived.
I curled tighter on the forest floor, breath ragged and uneven. Minutes passed. Maybe more.
When I could finally think clearly again, I sat up, groaning as I wiped my face. Her body still lay there, untouched.
None of this makes sense. Why am I weeping as if I've lost a loved one?!
Just as I sat there, struggling to gather my breath, something shattered the silence.
Hhkk—kff—
A faint cough.
My head snapped up again.
Sara's body twitched—barely, subtly—but undeniably moved. Her lips parted just slightly as a sharp, shallow wheeze escaped her throat.
"...No way."
I blinked rapidly, wiping away my tears, unsure if it was another cruel vision pulled from the depths of my mind. I rubbed my eyes hard, my fingers trembling against my eyelids.
But she coughed again.
This time louder. Her chest rose just a bit—ragged, but real.
I scrambled forward, slipping in the snow, and knelt beside her. My hands hovered over her again, too afraid to touch. What if it was just in my head? Another sick twist?
No. I had to be sure.
I pressed my fingers against her neck. Cold skin met my touch, but underneath… a pulse. Weak. Faint. But steady.
My breath caught in my throat.
"She's… she's alive."
I could barely say the words. It felt like speaking them would shatter the miracle.
I leaned close, my ear near her mouth. She was breathing. Shallow, like someone hovering just on the edge—but alive. Her body was freezing to the touch, skin pale and lips tinted blue, but she was clinging to life by the thinnest thread.
A laugh escaped me—sharp, disbelieving, broken. Tears welled up again, but this time from something else.
Hope.
I didn't waste another second. I slipped my arms under her and lifted her carefully, trying to warm her against my chest as I rose to my feet. Her head lolled slightly, her breath hitching as she shifted in my grasp. It was all I needed to know that this wasn't a trick. She was really still here.
The snow around us had begun to thicken again, wind picking up and stinging against my cheeks. I couldn't keep her out in this cold. Surviving the Treant would've meant nothing if I didn't find shelter soon.
I scanned the treeline, heart pounding, and spotted a narrow cliffside ahead—one I'd passed earlier. I remembered seeing a faint shadow carved into the stone. A cave.
I made my way through the snow as quickly and gently as I could. My mana flared as I kept small bursts of [Heat Island] around us, just enough to preserve warmth without draining me too fast.
Minutes later, I reached the cliffside and ducked into the cave's mouth. It was shallow, but enough to block the wind.
After I set her down on the floor, I pulled out a coat with runes to warm the wearer and wrapped it around her shivering form.
Her clothes were tattered and ripped, but I decided against the idea of unclothing her while she was unconscious. I may be lustful, but even I know when it's not time to crave a woman's body.
Her breathing grew steadier.
I sank down beside her, finally allowing my nerves to ease just a bit.
I watched her face, now flushed slightly from the warmth. She was still unconscious, but it didn't matter.
She was alive.
And this time… I wouldn't let her slip away.
***
Time passed in uneasy silence, broken only by the occasional crackle of the fire I made and the low howling wind outside the cave. I remained near her, watching every rise and fall of her chest as if it might stop again the moment I looked away.
But then—her brow twitched.
A low groan escaped her lips as her fingers flexed slightly beneath my cloak. Her eyes fluttered open, just a sliver at first, then wider, vivid blue, the same I saw in my illusion, meeting mine, hazy but alert.
She blinked several times, confusion washing over her face as she took in her surroundings.
"...Where...?"
"You don't need to panic. You're safe now," I said softly, inching forward. "You're in a cave near the edge of the Trier Forest."
Her gaze flicked to me, pupils sharpening slightly as she focused. Then came the expected question:
"...Who... are you?"
"My name is Ryuta," I answered, keeping my tone calm and casual.
She blinked again, as if trying to process the name. Then she struggled to sit up, a weak grimace spreading across her face as fatigue pushed against her. I may have used Healing Magic on her, but it cannot restore stamina. Her time in the grasp of the Treant may have also left her deprived of nutrients in her body.
"Careful," I said, supporting her back with one arm. "You were nearly frozen solid when I found you."
That brought her to a pause.
"The... Snow Buffalo herd," she murmured, and the fear flickered back into her expression. "It ambushed us—my team—did the others...?"
I hesitated.
"I don't know," I said honestly. "I only found you. You were entangled in the roots of an Icefall Treant. I arrived just in time before the worst happened."
I totally lied. I didn't get her on coincidence, and the worst did happen. But at the same time, I can't let her know that she was dead for a moment.
She searched my face for a moment, then looked away.
"We were overwhelmed... I should've seen it coming. I—I thought we had it under control..."
Her voice cracked, and I could feel the guilt in every word.
"You're alive. That's what matters right now."
Silence settled between us for a moment. The fire cast dancing shadows across the cave walls. Sara's eyes lowered to the cloak wrapped around her, and then to my somewhat scorched, blood-flecked gear.
Then she asked, "What were you doing out here? Trier Forest isn't exactly a place people stroll through for fun."
A pause.
So I gave her the easiest version of the truth.
"I'm a student of Ranoa's Magic Academy. I was out looking for some monster parts for my next project—specifically the branches of a Treant, since they have a high mana conductivity traditionally used for staffs," I said smoothly. "Though I didn't expect to run into someone while I was out hunting."
Her eyebrows lifted slightly, skeptical. "You were just passing through and happened to find me in the middle of being devoured by a Treant? And you all the way from another country just for branches?"
I shrugged, forcing a wry smile. "Right place, right time, I guess. If I didn't know any better, it was sheer luck before the worst could have happened. Also, I prefer not to get tricked by some merchant, so I mostly gather materials myself."
She frowned but said nothing. Her expression was unreadable—like she didn't quite believe me, but didn't have the strength to argue.
She looked away, her voice quieter this time.
"Well… thanks. For saving me. I guess I owe you my life."
I looked at her for a moment longer, then shook my head.
"You don't owe me anything. Anyone with enough heart would have attempted the same."
She didn't respond. She just stared into the fire, her thoughts clearly swirling, exhaustion creeping back in.
"Try to rest," I said, securely adjusting the cloak around her. "We'll move at sunrise. I'm guessing you came from Rosenburg?"
"Y-Yeah..." She shyly replies, looking away and staring into the fire.
Going to the opposite side of the cave's walls, I leaned back myself to allow myself a little more rest before the morning, but kept my watchful eyes on Sara.
She soon closed her eyes again, but this time peacefully.
The flickering light from the fire made me scared to see another illusion again, one with those intense emotions.
Was I grieving over the loss that much? I didn't even grieve over my parents' deaths. And for a stranger? It doesn't make sense.
Then again, how did I know she had blue eyes? Orsted didn't tell me that. Does that mean I was having a vision of some sort?
Argh! Wracking my brain about it felt exhausting as it is.
But for now, she'd live, and Orsted's plan was secure. And that was enough for me to gain a little bit of rest for now.
///