When Astina's flames vanished, the two figures appeared before us, their bodies charred and scorched.

"Are... Are they dead?" Luna asked, her face filled with shock.

Astina responded with a smirk, "They'll probably be fine. They've fortified their bodies."

Upon closer examination, it became clear that they were merely unconscious, still breathing.

Deciding that the two were no longer capable of combat, I turned to Astina.

"I have somewhere to go, so I'll be leaving first."

"Somewhere to go?"

Luna frowned at me.

"I have something to confirm."

"Something to confirm?"

BOOM!!

Astina seemed puzzled, but the distant explosion provided the explanation on my behalf.

"What was that?"

Could it be Serina?

A feeling of unease surged within me.

"I'll go and check it out."

BOOOM!

Another explosion reverberated.

Thud...

Then came the sound of rocks tumbling onto the roof of the training ground.

Rocks falling on the roof.

Which meant...

Astina also realized this and opened her mouth.

"No need to go."

CRASH!!!!!!!!!!

Someone crashed through the roof of the training ground where we stood and descended.

The figure of a person appeared, riding on the shoulder of Clay, an intermediate earth elemental.

It was Serina.

Following her descent, a green hawk pursued her.

Sylph, the intermediate wind elemental.

The hawk clutched a black bag in its beak.

From its size, it seemed perfectly suited for carrying a sword.

She had successfully stolen Priscilla.

I thought that the two of them might have run into each other before arriving at the training ground.

But it seemed that wasn't the case.

The story had changed due to these two who came to kill Astina.

These two had taken control of the training ground, preventing Evan from reaching Serina.

And with no one to stop Serina from stealing the sword, she ended up with it.

"Haah...."

I sighed.

The silver lining was that she hadn't formed a contract with Priscilla yet.

There was still hope.

"What are you doing?" Astina asked as she approached Serina.

"Last time... I saw you all."

Serina glanced at us as she spoke.

"I don't want to harm you."

"Ser... Serina."

Luna looked surprised, her gaze shifting between us.

I placed a hand on Luna's shoulder and offered her a reassuring smile.

"Luna, it's alright."

I stepped forward and faced Serina.

"Just return Priscilla. You're not ready to use it yet."

"...You know about Priscilla?"

Serina's eyes widened at my words.

"Yes. If you give us the sword now, we can resolve this without any trouble."

I tried to persuade her slowly.

I thought we could solve this through conversation.

"You'll have the chance to meet Priscilla in due time. But if you run away with the sword now, everything will be ruined. Both for you and Priscilla."

"What are you talking about...? Why would I be ruined by taking the sword?"

Serina tilted her head, questioning.

"Because you can't handle Priscilla. So, take it slowly, grow stronger, and make a proper contract. It will be better for both of you."

Astina approached me and whispered, "What do you know?"

I didn't answer her question, simply gazing ahead.

"Serina, if you listen to me now, we can make it as if you never stole the sword or attacked the guards."

We could shift all the blame onto the two unconscious individuals.

Serina stared at me.

I didn't know what she was thinking behind her stoic expression, but the fact that she hadn't attacked us yet was a positive sign.

"Hand over the sword."

I reached out towards Serina.

She hesitated for a moment before responding, "No, I won't make the same mistake again."

Serina reached out towards us.

"I won't... lose my family again."

"Astina! Luna!"

At that moment, Sylph, who stood beside Serina, released a blade of wind, while Clay struck the ground.

"I know."

Astina moved her mana in response to the sudden attacks.

"Psychic Barrier."

A white shield materialized around us.

The shield began repelling the wind blades launched by Sylph.

However, it couldn't fend off every attack.

A large boulder emerged from the ground, shattering the floor beneath us.

"Ugh!"

"Aaargh!"

"Luna!"

Luna stumbled, struggling to maintain her balance.

I hurried over and caught hold of Luna's hand.

Then, I pulled her into my arms.

"Luna, are you alright?"

"Ah, ah, ah! I'm okay... but Astina senior!"

Looking at Astina; she had sustained injuries from Sylph's attack.

She had lost her balance when the ground shifted and couldn't maintain her magic.

I firmly gripped Luna's shoulder and spoke up.

"Luna, go and call for help. Astina senior and I will hold our ground here."

"But..."

I extended my hand towards the wall.

"Finger of the Demon."

Bang!

As I incanted the spell, a black pillar shot forth, breaking through the outer wall of the training ground.

Releasing my mana, the black pillar vanished, leaving an opening in the wall.

"There's no time to hesitate... I'm counting on you."

"......Okay. I'll bring help as soon as possible. Please stay safe."

I smiled at Luna's words and replied.

"Got it."

As soon as Luna began to run, Serina noticed her and Sylph unleashed blades of wind in her direction.

However, Astina expanded the size of her barrier, successfully repelling all the wind blades aimed at Luna.

I turned my attention to Serina.

"Wind Blaster!"

"Clay!"

In response, Clay dragged a large rock from the ground, obstructing Serina's path.

Although the rock managed to deflect most of my magic, some of it broke through.

"Damn!"

The magic shattered the rock, and its fragments flew toward Serina, causing minor injuries.

I unleashed a barrage of spells.

Serina, however, did not passively endure the onslaught; she used her elementals to fend off the attack.

We fought, the two of us dividing our roles into offense and defense.

Yet, Serina, single-handedly managing both roles, held her ground without faltering.

Under normal circumstances, we should have been gaining the upper hand.

Looking at Astina's expression, I thought I understand why.

"Can you keep using telekinetic magic?"

"...Honestly, it's difficult. I can sustain the telekinetic magic, but it's hard to use other spells at the same time."

The lingering effects of Harpel's scroll were still affecting her.

Even so, we couldn't afford to retreat.

If we were to escape, it would give Serina a chance to run away.

"Then, let's just hold on until help arrives."

"......Understood. Haaah... once this fight is over, I need to learn other intermediate magic."

Her strength lay in her adept utilization of telekinetic magic, renowned for its versatility.

However, she couldn't use other intermediate-level spells effectively enough for practical use.

Her outstanding proficiency with telekinetic magic had led her to be complacent.

While she excelled in basic magic as well, such spells had limitations.

It was impossible to counter all of Serina's attacks with just basic magic.

As our standoff continued, Serina furrowed her brow.

If help joined in, it would result in her loss.

Her gaze then fixated on Priscilla.

After contemplating for a moment, Serina seemed to reach a decision.

"Ah..."

Sylph passed the sword over to Serina.

A sword radiating a blue glow.

It was an exact match to the Priscilla I had seen in the game.

"Astina senior! We must stop her!"

"What?"

Serina is planning to form a contract right here.

She's using it to bring an end to this stalemate.

"Finger of the Demon!!"

"Ack!"

A black pillar jutted up from Serina's position.

Seizing the opportunity, I dashed forward.

"Astina senior! Pull that sword towards me!"

"Sylph!!"

As I shouted, Sylph redirected its focus toward me.

"Rudy!!"

A multitude of wind blades hurtled towards me.

"Wind Blaster!"

As I ran, I used magic to deflect as many attacks as possible, but it wasn't enough to intercept them all.

The blades inflicted cuts on my arms and body, but I didn't stop running and continued towards Serina.

"Clay!"

Serina tried to impede my progress with Clay, but Astina was not just standing by and watching.

"Gravity!"

Astina employed gravity to suppress Clay's movements.

"Grasp."

Without delay, Astina cast another spell.

In an instant, Priscilla was wrenched from Serina's grasp.

The sword soared towards me, and I reached out to claim it.

"I've got it......"

As the sword made contact with my hand, a sensation coursed not through my hand, but my abdomen.

"Ah......"

A wind-formed spear had impaled my stomach.

In the brief moment I had stopped moving, Sylph had launched a powerful attack.

"Cough......"

I felt intense pain, but I kept my focus and clung to the sword.

I crumpled to the ground, sword still in hand.

"Rudy Astria!!!"

Astina cried out, her expression one of astonishment.

And she began to run towards me.

"Sylph, Clay."

Serina took advantage of Astina's confusion and issued commands to her two elementals.

Astina also tried to respond by using magic.

"Psychic Barrier......"

Zap!

"Ah......?"

Astina abruptly stopped in her tracks.

"The magic didn't activate......?"

Could it be......

Was it Ian's magic?

Astina looked at the incoming attack, her expression filled with surprise.

Unable to use any magic.

"At a time like this......"

I tried to use magic, but it was too late.

By the time I get up, the attack would've already landed.

It was my mistake.

I failed to understand Ian's magic.

I placed too much trust in Evan.

I created too many variables and didn't account for them.

Even after altering the storyline, I grew complacent.

It was all my fault.

"Ah......"

The attacks flying toward Astina seemed to be moving in slow motion.

As if time was moving slowly.

I had heard that during a crisis, time could appear this way.

It's even more traumatic as a result.

The sight of someone getting hurt because of my mistake.

It was a desperate situation.

But, I felt something strange.

The elementals' attacks were slowing down, and stopping near Astina.

I stared blankly, unable to understand what was happening.

"Hey, kiddo?"

Then, I heard a somewhat androgynous voice.

"Hey, kiddo~~."

The voice carried a playful tone.

I tried to turn my head to find the owner of the voice, but I couldn't move.

I was Immobilized, I couldn't make the slightest movement.

And then the voice echoed again.

"Kiddo, don't you want to save that lady?"

Yet, I couldn't respond.

My mouth refused move.

"You don't have to voice it. Say it in your head."

Immediately I thought the words.

I want to save her.

Please, I want to save her.

"Is that so? Then let's make a contract."

Ah......

When I heard those words, I knew who the owner of the voice was.

The sword I held.

"If you make a contract with me, I'll save that lady."

It was Priscilla.