WNAIY 09

Chapter – 09

Distraction

Three days since the landslide. No progress on Cecilio or the (suspected) spy.

Cecilio—I tell myself that I simply can’t get in touch with him until the wedding is over. Today is finally the ceremony. Once this is done, there should be some word from him.

But what about Spy-kun?

I thought he would make his move before the wedding. Instead, he was captured easily, and he’s still being detained.

Yes, it was too easy. Are we missing something?

What we found at the time: the carriage has been searched. The landslide has already been cleared, and nothing else has been discovered.

What remains is the sick woman and the boy.

The boy we suspected as the spy didn’t have much information. We’ve investigated this far. He really must have been just a disposable pawn.

What’s left is the woman, who looks like she could die at any moment…

Wait. …Sickness, life—I feel like I’ve seen something about this. A magic like that. I’m sure I read it before… Think, think…

That’s it—**a Life Contract!**

—

“Lord Ricardo!”

“Without even knocking, what—” “It’s a contract spell!”

Sorry I forgot to knock, but this is no time for that!

“It’s not the boy! The woman’s illness is a Life Contract. It’s a destructive magic that activates the moment that life ends!”

A Life Contract. A magical contract that uses one’s own life as payment, just as the name implies. I remember reading about such a terrifying magic in the Ortis family archives.

It’s like a curse where one offers up their own life. That illness is it. It eats away at the body, accumulating life energy, and at the moment of death, it triggers a massive explosion.

In the old days, they apparently experimented using slaves and such, but it was never put to practical use because it was inhumane—that’s what the records said!

“I can’t say for certain. I’ve only read about it in the archives. But that woman is just too unnatural no matter how you look at it!

Please! Let me investigate her again!”

That boy was probably a decoy. A smokescreen to buy time until her life runs out.

“…How much longer does the woman have?”

“She’s in very bad shape. It wouldn’t be surprising if she died any moment… I’m sorry for noticing so late!”

“No, probably very few people even know of such magic. Thank you for realizing it.

Do you know how to cancel it? Actually, never mind—for now, I’ll send a bird to summon someone who can use barrier and dispel magic. We need to hurry too.”

“Yes!”

—

Probably, the enemy’s aim is to cause an explosion inside the fort. They’ll use the damage and chaos to launch an attack.

“Can we use this to our advantage?”

“What do you mean?”

“Light and sound, and maybe smoke. Or better yet, illusion magic. We make it look like an explosion happened and lure the enemy in.”

“…I see. It depends on her condition, though. And whether we have the time to pull that off.”

That’s the thing. If we lure them in and then the explosion actually happens, that would be a disaster. For now, just run, me!

“Sorry, I’m carrying you.”

“Kyaa! W-wait, I’m heavy, stop—!”

“It’s fine. You’re no different from Rafa.”

Liar~! But wait—is this physical enhancement?

“Enhancement magic?”

“Exactly. Don’t bite your tongue!”

Ugh~~ this is so embarrassing! So bouncy!!

—

The woman’s life is flickering like a candle in the wind. We carefully decipher the illness. A dual-layered magic hidden within the sickness. Just as I thought—no mistake.

“No doubt about it. I can see the contract mark.”

“Can you cancel it?”

“If possible, I’d like to get the documents from my family home. Garan, can you go?”

Garan is a master of dispel magic. He looks rugged, but he unravels magic with meticulous, delicate technique.

“…This is the first time I’ve seen one like this. Good eye noticing this. It’ll take some time—say, about a day.”

“That’s impossible. She won’t last that long. Please manage it in half a day. We’re really in a pinch here.”

“Got it. Espino, assist me.”

The woman’s condition is critical. One wrong move and she might lose her life.

“I’m sorry, but to slow the progression of the illness as much as possible, I’m going to lower her overall bodily functions. Will that interfere with the dispel?”

“Hey, hey—you plan on keeping that up for hours?”

“It’s tough, but her condition is that severe.”

“Understood. It won’t get in the way.”

“Roger. I’ll begin.”

I weave the spell formula. Slowly, I envelop her body. Stay calm. Don’t panic. Her time—slow it down. Manage everything. Slowly. Yes… this is the absolute limit.

“You’re really good at mana control.”

“Thanks~”

“Sorry, this is outside my expertise. What exactly are you doing, Lucia?”

Oh—I didn’t explain it to Lord Ricardo.

“Ah, well—basically, it’s like hibernation… or a suspended animation state. That’s how I’m buying her more time.”

That was a rough explanation. But accurate.

Alright—this is a battle of endurance.