A Fairytale for Wizards

Azriel could not recognize Rhema who suddenly appeared. She saw stars moving and cutting the knight, who was about to cut her finger off, into pieces. Covered by the blood that was poured on her, she remembered that something similar had happened on the day she first met Rhema. The blood of the crushed soldier that covered her.

“Ah, ah—”

Groaning, she falteringly stepped back. Charles dropped the dagger he was holding. Marquis Ederick’s eyes were widened.

“What? It’s ridiculous—!”

“Azriel.”

At the same time that Rhema, who appeared out of nowhere called her, the time around her stopped. Not caring about the surroundings where it became a bloodbath, he approached her, who was trembling and took her in his arms right away.

“I was worried about you. I’m glad you are not hurt.”

His white robe was dyed red by the blood that she was covered with. Rhema looked at the things that tied her, “Who tied you down?’

When he touched, the gag and cuffs were broken and fell off. Azriel’s body was freed. She rambled as she clung to him.

“Rh, Rhema, Rhema— I, I just— What on earth did I just do?”

“You instinctively used magic with the dragon eye. You touched mana. Who drove you to the wall that much?” wiping the tears around her eyes, he gently spoke to her.

“Did I touch mana? Are you saying that this happened because I touched mana? Did I… break the promise?” Azriel turned pale blue. Following the impact, a forgotten memory rose like a swamp and strangled her throat. The snowing sky and the dismembered soldier. She murmured like a moan, “I, I’ve done this before. Right?”

Rhema lowered his chin without saying anything. The silver hair drooped down lightly. Azriel saw herself reflected in his clear eyes, soaked in blood. Silence was an affirmation. Her body began to shiver.

“I’ve forgotten about it. I—”

“It must’ve been a shocking memory. That can happen.”

“What am I? Rhema. What am I?” She grasped herself. She felt like a monster.

“You are a wizard,” Rhema answered her without hesitation. “You are a wizard who can see mana. And”

He did not finish his sentence. Azriel was breathing with difficulty to the point that her shoulders heaved. Tears dropped from her eyes without a sound. Instead of explaining, Rhema pulled her in a slow and careful manner, not to surprise her. Then he comforted her unskillfully.

Azriel slowly calmed down at the unskillful comfort. She could feel him trying to comfort her.

“I will take care of you till the end. Even if you do something wrong, I won’t leave you,” she remembered what he said before.

“Are you surprised?”

Rhema’s question was gentle. Azriel nodded as she swallowed her tears.

“Are you not angry, Rhema?”

“Why would I get angry at you?”

“Someone— I killed— I killed—”

The knight being split before her eyes was vivid. She also remembered the soldier being crushed. She was appalled. Not being able to continue, Azriel buried herself into his arms.

“There’s no way I’ll be angry at you just because you kill a few people, Azriel.”

His huge hand stroked her hair, “Not to mention, he was someone who tried to harm you. It’s reasonable to kill such a person.”

He was not upset. At this moment, Azriel was so relieved by that. She was too young and scared to think that Rhema’s reaction was not normal. These arms would never leave me. Whatever happens, they will be on her side. Then her trembling was gradually subdued. Grabbing his skirt, Azriel said.

“The promise, I broke it… I’m sorry, Rhema.”

“You didn’t break it on purpose. Don’t worry about such things.”

“Home… I want to… go home.”

She was too tired. She wanted to rest, not thinking about anything. Rhema, who was going to reply to her, discovered a wound, that was about halfway cut, on the girl’s pinky that grabbed his clothes.

“…”

His eyes froze cold. Gently caressing and healing it, he asked.  

“Azriel, who hurt you?”

Azriel unconsciously turned her eyes to the Marquis.

“I see.”

As soon as Rhema said that, the time that had been paused started flowing again. Marquis Ederick, who was stiffened, blinked his eyes. Azriel only then realized that time had been paused all along just a moment ago. The Marquis was about to scream after finding a wizard in a white robe who suddenly appeared.

“Who are— Urgh!”

As soon as Rhema looked back at him, the Marquis’ body began crushing, slowly from the tip of his hands and feet. The Marquis let out stuffed screams and soon died, not being able to endure much longer.

Azriel was stiffened at the horrific sight. Covering her eyes with the full train of his robe, Rhema said in a smooth tone.

“I will take care of it soon. Wait for a minute.”

“T, take care of it? Rhema?”

The grey eyes like a piece of iron turned toward other people in the room. There were knights who were frozen at the shocking scene and Charles who was seized with terror. Rhema unfolded his hand toward a knight among them. He was involuntarily dragged and seized by Rhema’s hand.

“What happened?”

It was a question to read his memory. He, soon, learned what Azriel had to go through meanwhile. Rage oozed through the cracked egg. Since it was suppressed, it was only a rage like the small embers. However, the embers caught on his dry mind immediately turned huge like a wildfire.

“Aaaaghh!”

“Aaaarrrgghh!”

Knights were crushed one by one, screaming. The blood flowed from their wringed bodies dyed the carpet. The blood of the knight who was held in Rhema’s hand splashed on him. He would have taken care of it more neatly in a usual circumstance, but Rhema was intentionally being more brutal now. It was to vent his anger somehow.

Even doing so, his anger was still not subdued as he felt the girl in his arms trembling. The reason why Azriel was trembling was partly because he was killing people in a horrific way, but he, who was enraged, could not think so far.