By Zephyria 
Ivan and I diligently searched for ingredients.
If it had been Jenny or Marianne, they would have quickly identified things from afar, saying “this is that, that is this,” but Ivan lacked the knack for comparing knowledge memorized from a book with actual blooming leaves.
Still, he was somewhat better than me, and because he was so steady and patient, he could climb high rocks and cross shallow valleys with just a little help pulling his hand, making him not a bad companion.
After about two hours of this and that, we succeeded in finding moss and branches. A sense of accomplishment filled me as I packed the harvested items into the box.
We decided to hurry back to the children before it got dark to show them our findings and then descend the mountain. We were on our way back when it happened.
Fweee, a distant sound accompanied by a streak of fire across the sky.
For a moment, Ivan and I exchanged surprised glances.
Fweee, fweee. Two more streaks of fire ascended. There was no more room for hesitation. I slung Ivan, who stood beside me, over my shoulder and ran.
With my left hand, I firmly gripped his thigh, and with my right, I swung my sword, cleaving through the branches blocking our path.
In my haste, aura infused my sword. The trees struck by my swing crashed down with a rumble, getting tangled with other trees, but I didn’t look back.
The sound of barking dogs, amplified by my internal energy, was loud in my ears.
Though it took a long time to navigate because I was surveying my surroundings, I sped through by cutting down all obstacles. The sounds of emergency flares from all directions gnawed at my nerves.
I should not have left the children.
Even though I knew the reason for placing a martial artist in each group, the anxiety of leaving the children for my own convenience tightened my chest.
I was scared.
It was only after running without rest for a significant time that I found a flat area where we had left our supplies.
Dozens of beasts, whether wild dogs or wolves, were there.
Without setting Ivan down, I drew my sword from bottom to top. Half of the beast’s large body was cleaved.
It had been a long time since I had seen blood, but there was no time for contemplation.
I looked around. Two wolves with frozen muzzles were pawing at their faces, whimpering.
But their numbers were still too great.
Marianne, her left hand held steady in the air as she repeatedly drew spell formulas with her right, didn’t look my way.
Before her stood Damian, wielding a flaming staff.
Jenny, who had been sitting there trembling behind the beasts, saw me. Her face, drenched in tears, moved her lips without making a sound, “Michael.”
I still hadn’t put Ivan down. I feared he would be harmed if I left him alone.
I raised my sword high. With a single downward strike, I severed the neck of one wolf.
Perhaps my strength wasn’t properly applied in my haste, as I heard the sound of my blade grinding against the beast’s cervical vertebrae. I pulled it free and slashed horizontally to the right. Another beast that lunged at me retreated, blood flowing from its muzzle.
The largest of the wolves let out a long howl.
Awooo. Hearing the long howl, the wolves slowly began to back away.
I could have killed them all, but rescuing the children was the priority. Knowing they were retreating, I didn’t pursue them. I scanned the retreating wolf pack with my gaze, projecting my murderous intent.
Just then, one wolf lunged and bit Damian’s leg fiercely.
I saw the child being dragged away without even a cry.
My eyes blazed. I dashed forward and severed its neck. From top to bottom, blood spurted from the wolf’s severed neck, drenching the child.
Even though the day wasn’t cold, steam rose hotly.
Awooo. Another long howl echoed. I stood with my back to the children. Only then did Ivan, who had been lowered from my shoulder, let out a gagging sound, which I ignored.
A sense of impatience washed over me. I glared at the retreating wolves’ tails.
Would Shayden be alright?
Only after the wolves had moved a considerable distance did Damian collapse.
I looked down at the child, trembling like an aspen leaf. Suppressing my complex feelings, I pried open the jaws of the wolf’s headless body with both hands.
I couldn’t distinguish whether the bright red blood was the child’s or the wolf’s.
“Heeu, huck… Eueueu…”
Demian sobbed and cried out in pain.
Marianne, hiccuping and swallowing her sobs, repeatedly drew spell formulas in the air, conjuring water, but they flickered and scattered into light. She had reached the limit of her Circle and could no longer generate magic.
Jenny brought water and poured it onto Damian’s leg.
I couldn’t bring myself to ask if he was okay.
Fweee. The sound of an emergency flare cutting through the sky was heard once more.
We needed to provide treatment. It was said that such external wounds, if treated within four hours, would leave no significant aftereffects. However, Damian’s already pale face due to significant blood loss worried me.
“…Let’s go down.”
“Yes, yes. Heuu, ugh, let’s go. Let’s go…”
“Let’s go to a place with clear visibility and start a fire.”
I couldn’t tell if Jenny or Marianne had answered. Both were crying, their voices different from usual. Ivan spoke with an effort to sound calm.
We didn’t take our supplies. I picked up the injured Damian and held him in front. I was afraid that carrying the child, whose injured leg couldn’t bend properly, might cause further harm.
I felt impatient, worried, resentful, and distressed.
If only I hadn’t left the children’s side, this wouldn’t have happened.
My heart raced, but descending the mountain with the exhausted children, I couldn’t use Light Footwork. As we retraced our steps, Ivan caught Jenny a few times when she slipped.
We finally found the hiking trail and descended the mountain.
Cries could be heard from various places. One group that had arrived earlier was tending a fire and wiping their faces. I placed Damian, shivering with a chill, by the campfire and looked for Cedric, but she was not there.
The children, seeing us, rushed over in shock. From what they told us, they were the ones who had fired the first signal flare.
Cedric had rescued the children, left them here, and then rushed back into the forest, so I prepared myself as well.
“Michael! Where, where are you going?”
“Cedric is only one person, and there are still several groups who haven’t returned.”
“You’ll run out of signal flares soon! What if you get lost?”
“I can take care of myself.”
The children who tried to stop me looked back and forth between Damian and me. They all knew that if another child had suffered such an injury, it would be right for me to save them.
My vision was clouded with worry for Shayden, leaving me no room to look elsewhere.
I had taken three steps onto the forest path when I heard murmuring and stopped abruptly.
Cedric was leading the children down the forest path. Spotting a familiar face among them, I felt the tension drain from my shoulders.
“Mika! Are you okay?”
“I am.”
Seeing Shayden pull out a handkerchief the moment he saw me, I realized my hands were covered in blood. Pushing him away, I found Cedric and informed him of Damian’s injury.
Cedric, his face pale, lined up the injured children and took out a Healing Artifact.
The other groups had managed to hold on until Cedric arrived through the cooperation of knights and wizards.
Shayden, in particular, found it easy to cooperate with the wolf pack because they had encountered them during a dispute with a neighboring group over how much moss to take.
Among them, Damian’s injury was the most severe.
I watched as new flesh grew on the child’s leg.
Cedric treated Damian and then used magic I didn’t recognize to meticulously check the completeness of the healing.
Only then did I notice the fingernail marks etched into Damian’s palm. It was clear evidence of how much the child had endured to suppress the pain while descending the mountain.
After treating even minor wounds with an artifact, Cedric cautioned the child.
“…Because your calf bone was completely shattered, you will still feel some pain even after using the artifact. The bone and muscles have reattached properly, and the torn flesh has healed… but magic cannot erase the time you were injured.”
“…Yes.”
“Phantom pain lasts for at most three months, so let’s avoid any strenuous activity with your leg during that time. You endured well. Good job.”
Demian gave a bitter smile. Cedric stood up to tend to the other children’s wounds. Some had twisted ankles, and others had various scratches from falling.
After tending to even the smallest wounds with artifacts, Cedric used a Communication Artifact to recall the carriages that were scheduled to arrive the next day.
While waiting for the carriages, everyone sat in a circle and listened to Cedric’s explanation.
She tried to maintain a calm voice.
“…There were originally no wolves on Mount Eldos. We are investigating why this happened with the Magic Tower and the Imperial Knight Order, and I will inform you all next time. It is my fault for not removing the potential dangers beforehand.”
“…”
Hiccups, small sobs could still be heard here and there. No one scolded them for crying as their tension released.
Cedric paused, looking at the crying children, then continued.
“When the carriages arrive, we will board them by group. The camping trip for next month is canceled and will be replaced with other classes, so please be aware of that… If anyone has lingering effects or is still distressed, please visit the infirmary immediately upon arrival at the Academy. I will inform them in advance.”
“Yes…”
Small replies came from various places.
We boarded the carriage. I piled up sleeping bags to create a support for Damian, who sat with a weary expression, so he could extend his leg straight.
The journey to the campsite had been boisterous, but the return trip was quiet. Everyone’s spirits were low, their eyes blinking blankly.
“…I apologize, Demian.”
Unable to bear the heavy atmosphere, I spoke first. No matter how I thought about it, it felt like Damian’s injury was my fault. Demian turned his gaze to me.