Chapter 17: Chapter-16: A moment of relief

"Alenor"

Celine said, she stood right to her. She heaved like she had run a marathon. Her fist was clenched, and she was holding a basket in the other.She dropped it on the ground as she crouched next to her. Her white and light blue dress met dirt.

THOOMP

The sound of crashing attracted their attention. The mansion crumbled, like a sand castle. Dust rose from the rubble as it crashed. It ended as fast as it started. Alenor blinked, confused about what had happened.

"And now, this place is nothing more than a wasteland at the end of the livings."

Celine mumbled and turned to Alenor, not even looking at the Warlord. She brought up her fisted hand toward Alenor's face. and opened them, revealing Blue Cryl. 

"Swallow them. I will cast a rejuvenation spell."

Alenor’s eyes widened. She clenched her mouth shut. shook her head, denying Celine, a noble. Alenor had seen that spell; the Nobles used them all the time. They forced every arcane-aligned slave to learn it. It took the user's body part as an equivalent to the healing done on target. She refused to be part of something so horrendous. They aged faster, and the caster usually died if the target was severely injured. Alenor’s injuries were beyond what "severe" meant. Celine would die. And of course, she would do this; Alenor was right to protect her. Even if she would not accept it, her heart swelled at the thought of Celine using such a spell for her sake.

"Please, Alenor, your injuries are too many to be left alone."

Alenor did not budge. She turned her head to the other side. Celine brought her hand back, rested it on her lap. 

"Is she your lover or something?"

"What! No, I am past my age for such frivolous things, especially with a child."

"It’s been a while, Miss Warlord. How have you been, Aquilae?" 

"I have been…Bored?" 

Alenor's eyes widened as she heard the Warlord—how can she ask something like this in such a situation? From the situation, her eyes wandered back to the other side. Why were they not attacking? They all were assembling on the other side. Warlord had not once looked back after slicing Lanthrols; she did not need to, given easily she killed all of them. To Alenor, this situation still looked dire. Why was the warlord not attacking them when they were not fully organized? She did not ask; she neither could ask nor had it in her to question a Warlord.

"I can imagine. Alenor, please just listen."

"Do you have anything else to help her heal, at least her throat? That looks like a mess. Now that I look at it, how, in elder’s grace, did you speak with it?"

"I can perform basic spells, but that will not be very effective. Arcane of life is not my field."

"Just heal her throat; it must even hurt to breathe."

"Alenor, Swallow this. Otherwise, I cannot heal you like this."

"Not…..that… spell."

"I will not."

Celine put Blue Cryl in Alenor’s mouth, barely. She could not fully open her mouth. And it stayed in her mouth, her throat was too swollen to even breathe, let alone swallow a Cryl. Celine whispered a prayer or something, which Alenor did not understand. Blue Cryl in her mouth melted. Warm liquid flowed down her throat, it felt great. Blue specks of mana flowed around her. Her neck glowed blue; it felt cold, and breathing got easier. Breathing easily once again made her relieved, but only for a moment. 

Cracks on her body flared, her vision turned white, and unimaginable pain returned. Once more, a scream tore through her throat, or was going to, but someone put a hand on her mouth. Tightly shutting it and shushed. Other hand on her breast. Her cracks became depressed as her pain died. Her vision returned. She saw Aquilae's face close to hers, her dark eyes staring at her hollow ones. her bare hand on her mouth. Dreadingly, she lowered her eyes and saw where her other hand was—it was on her left breast, although above her clothes. It was surrounded by a blue-green mist. It still unsettled her. Her pain was gone; Aquilae did it so easily. Bare hands reminded her, she was not wearing her gloves. Did Celine see it? She did not show it. There was no disgust on her or Warlord's faces.

"Is your misery quiet now?"

Alenor nodded with great effort. Aquilae removed her hand but not the other one. 

"It looks like your body does not react very well to magic; that would explain your spasm when I arrived here. You do not hear any clock now, do you?"

Alenor shook her head.

"Rin said when Clock stops ticking, she would die."

"You should be able to speak. And no, she will not die anytime soon. I destroyed the clock along with the Affliction chains. Alenor, try speaking."

"How? How did you break a contract?"

"It was not a contract. I will explain later."

"Thank… you, Miss Aquilae."

"Only Aquilae; I’m not an aristocrat, and there’s no need to thank me. Your condition is far worse than my initial assessment. You won’t be able to use or be part of magic, ever."

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She nodded quickly. Her shoulder throbbed. Celine’s binding on her shoulder had expired. She suppressed it. 

"For now, do not move. That arrow is infused with Flesh binding spell."

Alenor knew that much, or she would have ripped it out by now. If she did try to pull it, every muscle group that it was connected to would be ripped out too. a rather painful prospect.

"Kill me; that would be easier. I’m a dead weight. An adventurer should never be a dead weight. Even if I’m saved, I will die at the next request. I doubt my body will ever recover enough to do mercenary work."

"We’ll discuss it later. You have earned yourself a right, right to ask me to give you a piggyback. So just relax" It was easy for her to say that she was not at the mercy of others, not even for death. Aquilae stared at her for a moment and raised her left, and a projectile sliced her arm; blood splashed on Alenor’s face. She looked at her hand; there was a cut on her arm. The blood flowed down. Aquilae turned toward her.

"Sorry, I did not expect it to be this fast."

and wiped the blood off her face. With her right hand. one of which was on her chest. No gloves; when did she remove them? This kind of physical contact repulsed her more than even the most repulsive slithering insects.

Alenor turned to the left, in the direction of the projectile. Nothing. Across the chasm, there were robes, but no one was wearing them. That meant they used their flesh as a price for using that magic. How pitiful. At least they can be proud of their achievement. 

"Did they really injure you? Just like that."

Celine asked, looking perplexed. Aquilae’s hand was again fixed on Alenor’s chest. Alenor did not feel anything like that part was made of stone. Only her eyes confirmed it was there. She felt relieved that it was numb. 

"Aunt, it may not look like it, but this is one of the most complex magic I have ever performed. Just the amount of mana it takes to even hold it for one second is more than what everyone in this place has. Combined."

To Alenor, it sounded so ominous; if she used all her mana just on her, how would she fight against that army? And they already injured her. And why were they so relaxed?

"That does sound terrifying." Celine said nonchalantly. 

"Just leave me. What point is it, to save me if you exhaust yourself, other than just making me live another hell." She tried to move away from her, just to slide an inch and stop. Her whole body lit up in flames of pain. 

Alenor’s heart pounded, She just crossed her again after being told not to move. She cursed herself in her head; talking to Celine had loosened her tongue. Aquilae did not say anything. just continuing to do whatever she was doing.

"Don't you worry... I never exhaust... Not once in last two year." Alenor whispered, too close for her comfort. 

Celine looked at her, her eyes filled with pity. Alenor could see her cheekbones tightening. Her heart stilled. Her breathing faster, Healing magic made it a very less painful and tiring process.

" Alenor– You will get enough out of this request that you won’t have to do any work for the rest of your life. Just relax and let her be."

Alenor did not say anything. 

"Let me wrap it; it will stop the blood from flowing." Celine stated as she selected a monteith from the basket. and walked around. Aquilae presented her head.

"What happened to the mansion? And how did you even arrive here? I could not even see it." Aquilae asked. 

"I relieved the entity that lived here, and now this place is just a piece of land with no greater status. And losing the title of Caretaker as well. Now, I’m just a noble. Once I left the mansion, my territorial authority was lost. Thus, the mansion crumbles to signify it."

"As for how I arrived here, you would need to wait and grow up enough to learn… some secrets are not for children," Celine said with a smile. She was almost done with bandages. 

"I’m Nineteen," Aquilae said with a flat smile. 

"Too young… Just goes to show how much I have fallen to need someone so young’s help"

"Is my help really that painful to you?" Aquilae’s voice raised slightly and she tugged back her hand from Celine’s hold as she tied the bandage.

"I… That was a joke; I did not mean to hurt your feelings, Aquilae." 

"See, that's what I said about being too young."

"But why did the bridge not fall? It too should have." Celine asked directly to Aquilae as if accusing her. 

"Then it should have… you just can’t see."

"As I would expect."