Extra in a Romance Fantasy

28 – End of the Festival (5)

I felt my breath rising to the tip of my chin after a long time.

However, there was no time to catch my breath.

Ignoring the man staring at me, I immediately turned around.

With a crackle—

The flames burned fiercely, and faintly within its center, Estelle could be seen.

No immediate major injuries were apparent.

It felt worthwhile to have run with all one’s might.

It seemed like they had arrived just before things became irreparable.

It was fortunate not to ignore the inexplicable sense of unease.

Slightly relieved, I recalled the events from a little while ago.

***

I must find Estelle.

In the thick unease welling up within my chest, I made that decision.

There was no evidence that something had happened. Perhaps, nothing had happened at all.

Nevertheless, I decided to search for Estelle.

If nothing happened, I could just laugh it off.

However, despite making the decision, there was a problem.

How would I find Estelle, whose whereabouts were unknown, in this vast and boundless academy?

If something had really happened, moving without a plan would be too late.

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So I had to find her in the most efficient way possible.

But how?

“…”

Anxiety accelerated.

What if something happened to Estelle at this very moment?

What if she ended up walking the path of the original story?

It was a moment when anxiety and restlessness filled my mind.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Jack spoke up.

“Said he’s going to buy food. No time now?”

As Jack looked at me with eyes filled with annoyance, a single thought flashed in my mind.

“What happened? Or is it another worry—”

“Jack.”

“—that you’ve go— Huh? Why? What’s going on?”

“Tracking magic, can you use it?”

“… Out of the blue. What’s this all of a sudden?”

“Can you use it or not?”

With an uneasy gaze, Jack replied, “I can use it, but…”

“Then…! …Phew. I want to find someone.”

“….”

Jack stared at me for a moment, then sighed softly.

“Alright. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll hear the details later. For now, to cut to the chase, using tracking magic is possible.”

Although my face turned pale at Jack’s response, he continued as if it was too early to say, “However,” and added,

“You can’t track without anything. You need at least something related to that person. The best would be a part of the body, like hair. If that’s not available, something the person owns could work, but the effectiveness will be compromised.”

I involuntarily frowned at Jack’s words.

I certainly wouldn’t have something like hair.

And there was no related item at the moment—

“….”

No, there was.

I hastily reached into my pocket.

Inside, I felt a solid texture.

I took out the item, holding it out towards Jack.

The identity of that item.

“What is it, a ring?”

Yes, it was a ring.

As a reciprocation for the ring I gave to Estelle, the one she gave me.

I accepted it at the time, but since it was too conspicuous to wear and walk around, I just put it in my pocket for now, thinking I would decide on its fate later.

It was merely awkward to receive it at the time, but the situation was different now.

“Put a tracking spell on this.”

“…I really don’t know what’s what. Anyway, fine.”

If it were Jack, he would recognize that the ring was out of the ordinary at a glance, and he must have known it wasn’t something I would typically have.

However, without expressing any doubts, Jack accepted the ring from me.

After that, he closed his eyes and began to draw in magic.

Gradually, the magic flowing from Jack seeped into the ring.

It continued for several minutes.

Jack opened his eyes.

And then, he extended the ring toward me.

I accepted it immediately.

The ring was vibrating faintly.

I sensed it. The ring was being drawn somewhere.

“My tracking magic proficiency isn’t very high, so the accuracy might be a bit lacking.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

I greeted him and was about to turn away, but Jack, strangely serious, asked.

“…Do you need help?”

“Nah, I’m fine.”

Right now, I’m moving based on intuition without concrete evidence.

So, it’s a situation where I can’t afford to complicate things unnecessarily, and thus, I have to move alone.

And once I decided to move, it’s fastest to move alone.

I appreciated Jack’s concern, but I didn’t have the luxury to accompany him right now.

“Yeah, go on.”

Smiling at Jack who nodded his head, I apologized.

“Sorry. For making you watch the fireworks alone.”

“Better watching alone than with a guy. Hurry up and go.”

After shaking hands with Jack, who was as carefree as usual, I started running straight away.

Following the tremor of the ring.

***

Since then, I ran with all my might.

The uneasiness I felt when I realized that the direction the ring pointed to was the forest turned into disgust, and when I entered the forest and faced the barrier, I gained confidence.

Fortunately, dismantling a part of the concealment and escaping-oriented strong barrier wasn’t difficult.

And now, it led me here.

Thinking that I should repay Jack separately later, I cleared my conscience.

It wasn’t too late. However, the situation wasn’t exactly favorable.

Fortunately, Estelle remained unharmed, but her condition was far from normal, evident to anyone who looked at her.

Estelle, always confident, was now sitting with unfocused eyes, lost in thought, engulfed by a fierce blaze.

“Magic… no, it can’t be.”

Reinberg’s vision magic was renowned for its control over fire.

At first glance, when seeing that blaze, I thought it was Reinberg’s vision magic.

Estelle’s expertise in vision magic was a well-known fact.

However, upon closer inspection, I understood.

That wasn’t magic.

So, what was its true nature?

There was a hint of speculation.

Not something accumulated like magic or martial arts, but a power that seemingly fell from the sky.

Known as a blessing but also as a curse.

“Gift.”

It seemed Estelle had awakened to that power.

No one knew the origin of the gift or how it came into being.

It simply started appearing at some point.

Gifts inherently came in various forms.

Some granted superhuman strength, while others turned the skin as hard as stone.

And, as it appeared before my eyes, there were certainly gifts for manipulating fire.

“Estelle must be the owner of a gift.”

While the original work did depict her wielding fire, it lacked detailed descriptions.

Therefore, I had assumed it was Reinberg’s vision magic.

But, it seems that wasn’t the case.

Had she possessed the gift from the beginning?

Or had she just awakened to it?

I hadn’t witnessed the entire event, but I leaned towards the latter possibility.

If someone of her stature had possessed the gift from the start, rumors would have circulated long ago.

So, it’s probably more accurate to view this as her recently awakening to the gift.

It could be a brush with death, or perhaps some other cause.

Maybe both.

In any case, something seemed undeniably unusual had occurred.

Estelle wouldn’t be in such a state for trivial reasons.

And, most likely, it had something to do with René writhing in pain down there on the ground.

“….”

A rough outline is drawn.

There’s no certainty, but that’s the speculation.

If that guess is true, then it’s understandable why Estelle lost her mind like that.

“…Phew.”

Bitterness filled the mouth but was quickly swallowed.

Anyway, what happened now is not important.

Estelle’s condition is what matters.

Thanks to the Gift, Estelle has managed to survive so far, but she is still in a perilous state.

Ironically, it’s because of the Gift that has protected her life so far.

If one were to swing a sharp blade carelessly, the owner might get cut.

Estelle’s Gift is going out of control now.

If left unchecked, those flames might even try to engulf the owner.

Of course, they had no intention of letting that happen.

I gripped the sword tightly.

And, I poured my magic power into it with all my might.

Woong—

The sword emitted a low hum, and magical power began to surge around it.

I swung the sword directly towards Estelle.

Woosh!

The sword cut through the air.

It even split the flames.

“…!!”

The sound of gasps echoed around me.

But I didn’t spare them a glance.

It was too much time to waste on them.

I pushed my body through the opening created by the split flames.

That’s how far I advanced, right up to Estelle.

However, flames continued to erupt ceaselessly around Estelle’s body.

There’s no way to deal with this with a sword.

No matter how much I strike, the fire will keep surging.

There’s only one way to resolve this situation in the way I desire.

That is to return Estelle to her original state.

But it won’t be as easy as it sounds.

Estelle’s condition seemed more severe than I had anticipated.

Despite the chaos around, and the unusual heat already emanating from the surrounding flames, there was no reaction from her.

Even if I scream until my throat bursts, waking her seems impossible.

So, I plunged my left arm, the one not holding the sword, into the flames.

Sizzle—

“Ugh….”

The clothes turned instantly into ashes, and the flames began to consume my flesh.

Despite preparing with plenty of magical power, the pain radiating from my arm pierces my consciousness.

Stop immediately, a command tells me.

However, I don’t stop.

Until the end, I push my arm in.

It doesn’t matter.

I can endure this level of pain.

More than watching Estelle burn.

More than her walking the path of no return with wounds she can’t mend.

I’d rather have one of my arms on fire.

Whoosh!

The flames resisted.

Typically, one wouldn’t feel the opposing force of flames, but it struggled to push my arm away.

However, it could never succeed.

“Ugh…!”

The pain from my arm intensified gradually.

And at the same time, the sensation in my arm gradually fades.

Still, I don’t stop.

How long have I been grappling with the flames?

Thud.

My fingertips encounter something hard.

I immediately sense that it’s some kind of magical barrier.

Estelle in that condition wouldn’t be able to use magic, so this must be the activation of an artifact or magical device.

Perhaps this barrier has been protecting Estelle from direct heat all this time.

Breaking the barrier with a sword would be simple.

However, that would expose Estelle directly to the heat of the flames.

That’s not an option.

So, what then?

“Not breaking it, but piercing through.”

I concentrate my magic at my fingertips.

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Under normal circumstances, poking a hole with a sword wouldn’t be impossible.

But considering the precision needed and the counterforce of the flames, it’s difficult.

In a situation where a small mistake could lead to a disaster, using a sword isn’t the best choice.

Therefore, I decide to use my hands.

I delicately control the magic concentrated at my fingertips, gradually wearing away the barrier.

Even with magic reinforcement, it’s not an easy task to pierce through such a barrier with bare hands.

To be precise, it’s close to impossible.

However, given that the barrier is weakened by the flames now.

It’s possible.

Woodeuk─

A strange sound echoes from my fingertips.

The faded sensation revives, and a scream erupts.

Yet, I don’t stop.

I continue pushing.

How much time has passed?

Squelch─

Finally, a hole appeared in the defense barrier.

I slipped my hand through that gap—

Thud.

At last, my fingertips touched Estelle.

***

“Estelle, what’s wrong?”

At the sound of the voice, Estelle lifted her head.

What she saw was a familiar face.

The face of her father, whom she loved and respected so much.

“Uh, it’s nothing!”

Estelle replied confidently, smiling.

She knew she had been doing something.

It was clear that she had been occupied with something, but she couldn’t quite remember.

However, it felt like she had just had a bad dream.

A dream that was incredibly futile and sad.

“Really? If there’s anything, you must tell me right away.”

“Yes!”

But a dream is just a dream.

So, there’s no need to worry about it.

After all, reality is so happy.

“Your Majesty, please don’t spoil Estelle too much.”

At that moment, a gentle voice interjected between the couple.

“Oh, what nonsense are you talking about, my lady? I maintain my boundaries.”

“Perhaps only Your Majesty thinks that way.”

Saying so, Mother glanced at Father.

It was a sight she was accustomed to.

A father who never said a harsh word and a mother expressing concern about such an attitude.

Although Mother sometimes scolded, Estelle knew that it came from her caring heart.

That’s why Estelle loved both her mother and father more than anyone else.

See, reality is this happy.

So, there’s nothing to worry about.

As long as Mother and Father are here, there won’t be any unhappiness.

Estelle repeated this to herself.

She believed without a doubt that these happy days would continue.

However.

“Yeah?”

Suddenly, it felt like the surroundings were getting warmer.

There was a sense of heat.

As if there was a hot fire nearby.

But no matter how much she looked around, there was no fire to be seen.

“Estelle? Why are you like that?”

Her mother and father looked at her with a worried expression at Estelle’s behavior.

“It’s nothing!”

Estelle smiled brightly once again.

She didn’t want to cause them any worry.

It must be just a misunderstanding.

If she stayed still, it would soon fade away.

That’s what she thought.

However, contrary to her thoughts, the heat not only didn’t disappear but started to intensify.

Soon, it went beyond being warm and became hot.

It was clearly a strange situation, but Estelle decided not to pay attention to the heat anymore.

She chose to ignore it.

“Father, Mother! Let’s go for a walk!”

“Oh, yes. It’s a perfect day for a stroll.”

A happy everyday life.

A forever continuing, happy everyday life.

Just like this, happily with her beloved father and mother─

“─ha.”

“Yeah?”

Estelle once again looked around anxiously.

It seemed like a voice could be heard.

“Estelle?”

Mother’s puzzled voice echoed.

Thinking that Estelle might have misheard, she followed her father and mother.

However.

“─ Ha.”

The voice echoed once again.

This time, it felt a bit clearer.

A voice from an unknown origin.

It could have been unsettling, but for some reason, Estelle did not feel that way.

On the contrary.

It felt familiar and comforting.

“─ Ha.”

The voice became clearer and louder.

Eventually, Estelle inclined her ear to the voice, stopping in her tracks.

“Estelle? Are you okay?”

A concerned voice reached her.

Now, she must go.

Her parents are worried.

The voice of unknown identity must now be ignored.

With that thought, just as Estelle was about to take another step forward.

“Convey.”

Her outstretched foot couldn’t move forward.

The voice, which couldn’t be located a moment ago, now came from behind, very distinctly.

And clear it was.

No, don’t turn your head.

Something in her chest screamed.

It was a voice that seemed to be crying.

Desperation could be felt.

However, ignoring the shout, Estelle turned her head.

And she saw.

“Your Highness.”

There was ‘something’ standing there.

I called it ‘something’ because I couldn’t discern its identity.

It looked like a person… or rather, a being resembling a human.

The form itself clearly resembled a person.

However, its face was not clearly visible.

Like a canvas clumsily painted by a child, the facial area was painted black.

Only the mouth was barely visible, and the upper part was hardly visible.

It had a strange appearance.

However, strangely enough, Estelle did not feel fear.

“Estelle? What are you doing there?”

“Estelle? If you stay like that, the sun will set.”

Worried voices of concerned parents came from behind.

I have to go, I shouldn’t cause them worry.

While thinking that, Estelle could not take her eyes off the ‘something’.

An unfamiliar familiarity could be felt from it.

Standing in place, the ‘something’ that had been staring at her slowly approached Estelle.

And then, it placed its hand on her shoulder.

Through that hand, she felt something flowing in.

It was unfamiliar, but incredibly warm.

The ‘something’ lowered itself.

And then, it met Estelle’s gaze.

Slowly, the ‘something’s’ mouth opened.

“Just stop, Your Highness.”

And then, the dream ended.