II

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Arc II Chapter 20

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Aurora wildly gesticulated. “The evil wolfie appeared from the big hole in the ground and attacked. No manners. No greeting. Immediately attacking me.”

Rudolf listened. Her fairy tale stretched the very limits of his imagination. “You have a vivid imagination. Don't you agree, Iris ...

Iris ... ?”

Rudolf clicked his tongue. His mood soured. “Iris, are you listening?”

His action awakened her from her stupor. Iris snapped to attention. Her eyes refocused.

Rudolf scoffed. This was not the first time Iris displayed a deplorable lack of military discipline. A lack of focus on the battlefield was deadly. “You spaced out, Iris. Again.”

Iris regained her composure and laughed. “Sorry, it happens from time to time. It can't be helped.”

Rudolf disapproved.

Iris deflected with a smile. Her smile always worked on Rudolf. Life was long, and his grudges tended to be short-lived.

Her gaze lingered on the girl and the swirling aether surrounding her. The currents converged around her, and traces of shimmered from beyond the veil. This was abnormal behaviour.

Rudolf returned his attention to the girl. “Continue. Where did we stop?”

“The wolfie attacked with this beamy lightningy thingy. He was like whoosh, and whaash, and whuush, and whiish. So I jumped. “

Rudolf pinched the bridge of his nose. An exasperated sigh escaped his lips. “You have the spirit's own luck. Unbelievable.”

The girl had luck in spades. It was true, the spirits watched over the drunken, idiots, and little girls.

Aurora tilted her head. “What did you say, uncle Rudolf?”

“Nothing.” Rudolf dismissed her question. “What happened then?”

Aurora contemplated. Her little headsie worked tirelessly, thinking lots and lots.

“I don't remember ...”

Iris raised her eyebrow. “You don't remember?”

Aurora lowered her eyes. So did her doll.”I don't. The wolfie charged another beamie attackie, and then there was a big boom. Everything went whoosh.

I woke up among the rubble. Everything was destroyed and the wolfie dead.”

Rudolf listened. Her explanation didn't convince him. Her little fairy tale was pure fantasy. “Iris, is she telling the truth?”

Aurora protested, puffing out her cheeks. “I am telling the truth! Your nonsensical allegations hurt me.”

Rudolf declined to comment. The girl wasn't the first pouting girl he ignored, nor would she be the last one.

Iris shrugged her shoulders. “Who knows, her version appears plausible.”

“Really? So you believe her? The dread wolf exploded himself? How?”

Iris pointed at the crater. Her schooled gaze identified the remains of crystals.

“Crystals. I suspect an aetherochemical explosion.”

Circumstantial evidence pointed in this direction. The unnaturally high concentration of aether. The enormous blast. The blast radius. The presence of a mineral deposit.

Rudolf raised an eyebrow. “An aetherchemi what? Sounds like some mage stuff.”

Aurora eavesdropped with great interest.

Iris was still brooding. “I read about it during my studies. The manuals in the library mentioned them.

Livonian alchemists discovered centuries ago the unstable nature of dark-attributed crystals. Fire; ice, lightning crystals are highly reactive when refined, when ground to powder. Easily inflammable and explosive.

Their dark nature makes them inherently unstable. If to subjected to mana, they will react and explode. It sometimes happens in crystal mines. Set off by fire.”

Iris gulped. “I never expected that they are capable of this degree of destruction. The dread wolf must have caused a chain reaction.”

“So you are saying she is telling the truth? The dread wolf killed himself?”

Iris didn't disagree. “Pretty much.”

Aurora crossed her arms, hugging her doll. “Told you so. I am not lying, but evil uncle Rudolf not believing me.”

“...” Rudolf let her insult slide. This girl. More luck than brains.

“Time to return. We have nothing to see here, but this time, you will stay with me.” His stare locked on the girl.

“This time you won't run. I will keep my eyes on you. So don't get any funny ideas.”

Aurora looked dejected. Her eyes welled up.”But ... But ... But ... That's unfair. I didn't do anything wrong.”

Rudolf narrowed his eyes. “Don't even try. Your puppy eyes don't work on me.”

Aurora accepted her defeat. “...”

“We are almost there!”

“Slow down, Lambert! I ... am... exhausted ...”

“Stop bitching, Michael! Your endurance is laughable! You are ten years younger than me! Where is your fire?”

Lambert arrived at the scene, sprinting at full speed. He panted. All the running exhausted him to the point of complete physical destruction. “... First.”

Michael followed and collapsed. His lips kissed the hard ground in a state of mortal agony. “...”

Michael raised his arm despite being on the brink of death. “Second.”

...

...

...

Everyone stared. Rudolf stared. Iris stared. Aurora stared. Her doll stared. The will-o-wisps stared.

Aurora murmured, “They are strange.”

Aurora doll nodded, which made Aurora happy. She wasn't alone with her assessment.

Lambert panted. “What ... happened? We came ... as fast ... as possible.”

Rudolf crossed his arms. “That's a long story.”

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