The Manticore.
A creature that had been a threat to humanity since ancient tis, with the body of a lion, the head of a human, and the tail of a serpent.
Unlike typical demons, the Manticore possessed intelligence and wielded magic, making it a cunning adversary that could outwit humans. Its resistance to magic and aura made it an incredibly formidable opponent, adding to the difficulty of dealing with it.
So even speculated that the Manticore might have demonic origins, given its striking resemblance to malevolent beings from other realms.
Philip prided himself on knowing the Manticore’s combat capabilities quite well.
‘As long as you’re careful of its cursed magic and venomous tail, it’s not as challenging to handle as it may seem.’
His words were akin to saying that with the right precautions, one could defeat a soldier even if ard with a gun.
“But Felicia won’t be in danger, right?”
Suddenly, Philip beca uneasy and muttered under his breath.
Neria responded.
‘Oh, I don’t think so. Your sister appeared quite strong. Besides, facing death might be a better outco than losing to the Manticore. Neria’s fourth owner’s friend challenged the Manticore and… well, let’s just say it didn’t end well for him.’
“The Manticore is a cruel and cunning creature. I’m not sure whom you trust, but whoever that person is, they will have a hard ti coming out of this unscathed. If it’s a woman, she might suffer a terrible fate.”
As Geo Lomartran clung to Philip and spoke, he delivered a swift blow to his head.
“Shut your mouth! Aren’t you ashad of yourself? Were you trying to summon demons and use them to attack innocent children from behind? I can’t fathom the kind of life you lead.”
Geo was undeserving of being treated as a person. Philip wished for him to suffer in the magical prison operated by the Martan family for the rest of his life, a fate even worse than death.
The torturers in that prison had a talent for making people regret their very existence.
Geo had attempted to study fairies and had made deals with demons, knowing that he would never see the sunlight until his last breath.
Geo probably believed that dying at the hands of fairies would be a preferable fate for him.
“I have to take the necessary asures first.”
Philip stomped on Geo’s staff with fury. To ensure he couldn’t cast any spells, Philip broke Geo’s index and middle fingers on both hands.
“Aaaah! Stop! What are you doing!”
Geo shimred and convulsed with anger.
“What do you want?”
While there were certainly mages capable of casting threatening magic with just a command, Geo Lomartan wasn’t that skilled.
Sure, he might be able to use so basic elental magic, but the mont Philip sensed even a hint of it, he considered cutting off Geo’s tongue.
“Dragging you along would be a bother, so it’s better to stuff you in a sack and carry you like that.”
Philip pointed at one of the grain sacks in the cabin after emptying its contents.
“Get in.”
“What did you say?”
“I said get in, you bastard. I could do it for you, but I don’t think your arms and legs will be intact by the ti you co out.”
In a fit of rage, Geo Lomartan shouted, montarily forgetting the pain of his broken finger. “Damn it! Sure, I made a mistake, but that doesn’t give you the right to treat like a slave, does it?”
“… Oh.”
Philip couldn’t help but admire Geo’s delusional attitude.
“Right. There’s no reason to treat you like this. That’s true.”
Philip tightened his fist.
“You’re whining like this because you’re getting beaten less. You don’t truly grasp the situation. From now on, you’ll realize the extent of your cri with your own body. Just wait a mont.”
——-
After a while, Philip swung one of the blood-stained sacks and left the cabin, heading straight for the fairy.
‘… I never knew you had this side to you, Master. You’re quite fiery.’
Neria cautiously comnted, and Philip let out a bitter laugh.
“It’s exasperating. If everything had gone according to that bastard’s plan, how many people would suffer because of one loser like him? The people in nearby villages, the soldiers who would be mobilized if the fairies go on a rampage, the rcenaries, the hunters who guide the way…”
It was an event that could completely upend the lives of thousands of people.
“… If he was willing to sacrifice children for his research, he should have discarded any pretense of humane treatnt. It’s just despicable.”
‘Listening to you, it seems so.’
Neria agreed with Philip’s words.
Philip moved swiftly and soon reached the lake, where he found Stephen patrolling the area.
“Instructor!”
Stephen was overjoyed to see Philip, as if he had stumbled upon an oasis in the desert.
“What’s happening?”
Philip released the silence spell and inquired urgently. Stephen explained with a sense of urgency.
“Janice and Lua are in danger. A Manticore appeared at the lake. Cheryl went to call the professor, and I was about to go help Janice!”
“Calm down for now. So, which way?”
“That way.”
Stephen pointed to the west. The thick mist hovering over the water made it challenging for Philip to fully assess the situation with his vision.
“I’ll use long-range magic to share the vision.”
Philip knew from previous experience that Stephen was quick-witted. Through the long-range magic spell, Philip could now observe Janice and Lua’s situation.
“It seems like Felicia rushed over.”
Felicia battled the Manticore with her bright blonde hair dancing in the wind. Janice wielded a staff, providing support, while Lua stood guard with her sword, protecting Janice.
The combination of two skilled swordsn and a mage proved to be remarkably effective.
Despite the Manticore’s ability to glide effortlessly through the air without wings, it couldn’t overpower Felicia, who skillfully dispatched it from a distance, and Janice, who displayed so resistance to curse magic.
‘Where is the fairy? A demon appeared in her territory, and yet she’s nowhere to be found. Why won’t she co to help?’ Neria voiced her perplexity, and Philip shared her concerns.
“Stephen, leave this to . Join Cheryl at the camp,” Philip directed.
Stephen gritted his teeth and nodded reluctantly. “But I can be of assistance.”
“I know you’re eager to help, but you also know it’s best to follow my lead, don’t you? You’re a wise student, and I trust you’ll heed my advice.”
As a senior instructor, Philip stressed the importance of obedience, leaving Stephen little room for stubbornness. With an understanding nod, Stephen retraced his steps and headed back to the camp.
As Stephen moved away, Philip called out across the lake.
“Oh, Lake Fairy!”
In response, a mist began to gather a short distance from Philip, and a woman with glistening water-colored hair erged.
She directed her inquisitive gaze toward Philip. “Why have you summoned ? As if summoning demons into my lake wasn’t enough, now you want to disturb my peace?”
Philip cast aside the bag he was carrying.
“Grrr!”
Shaken by the impact, Geo Lomatran, who was inside the bag, let out a scream.
Philip lifted Neria and cut open the bag, allowing light to stream in. Geo wriggled his arms and finally escaped from the bag.
“First and foremost, it wasn’t us who summoned the Manticore. It was his doing. He was conducting research on you from a nearby hut, and when his experint went awry, he summoned the Manticore to provoke you.”
Philip hoped his explanation would help the fairy understand. Knowing her mischievous but not malevolent nature, he believed she wouldn’t direct her wrath toward innocent bystanders.
“Does that even matter?” The fairy’s reaction was a mixture of annoyance and gloominess. She twirled her water-colored hair while narrowing her gaze.
“Geo, did you do this?” She looked toward Geo Lomartan, who promptly shook his battered face.
“Absolutely not! Am I not your friend? Why on earth would I do such a thing? This scoundrel is trying to fra , fairy.”
“… But that’s what you did. Why are you lying to ? I trusted you enough to call you my friend.”
The Lake Fairy spoke, her finger pointing accusingly at Geo. As she did, water began to gather around his head, forming a large water bubble that completely encased him.
“Gurgle…!”
Struggling for breath, Geo frantically tried to push the water bubble away with his hands, but it was futile. His lungs were already filled with water instead of air.
“Wait, please don’t kill him.”
Philip interjected, trying to reason with the Lake Fairy. She raised an eyebrow in response.
“Why should I listen to you? Aren’t we supposed to be on the sa side?”
“I assure you there’s no reason for that. He doesn’t deserve to die so easily. Look at him, desperately struggling to live. He wanted to deceive you into killing an innocent human; he deserves to suffer until soone else wishes for his death.”
The Lake Fairy’s expression softened as she considered Philip’s words.
“I’m not entirely sure. Besides, aren’t you a human too? Can you really claim complete innocence?”
“I and my companions ca here simply for leisure. We have nothing to do with Geo.”
“And how can I trust that?”
“Then why would I want you dead? You must know I’m not lying right now.”
Philip pleaded, hoping to persuade her. If the Lake Fairy turned her back on humans, it would trigger an unimaginable disaster through the butterfly effect.
“That may be true, but I can’t always tell if soone is lying or not. I can only read their thoughts to so extent by looking into their eyes. That traitor used to do the sa. I was just happy that he ca to talk to often. I never expected him to betray like this.”
The Lake Fairy said, her expression tinged with sadness.
“I just enjoyed his company; I never thought he’d betray like this.”
Philip felt a pang of sympathy. It wasn’t anger that washed over her; rather, it was a deep affection for the human race.
“So, what do you want from ?”
The Lake Fairy asked, and Philip bit on his lip, pondering his response. It seed that anything he said wouldn’t make much of a difference.
‘Perhaps I should just give up?’
His mission was to try and change the future for the better, even if only slightly. He didn’t know if the results were irreversible, but he wasn’t ready to accept that possibility yet.
As Philip was deep in thought, a certain scene suddenly flashed before his eyes.
‘Could this work?’
He wondered, but he had to try. Philip fixed his gaze on the Lake Fairy and spoke earnestly.
“All I want from you is to make the right choice. There is a student who faced a Manticore, and I can give you their na.”
The Lake Fairy visibly flinched, her glare intensifying as she stared at Philip.
“Do you know what it ans for a fairy to receive a na? It’s not a matter to be taken lightly or dismissed as a joke or lie. If your words turn out to be false, I swear by the lake, I will not hesitate to end you.”
Philip nodded resolutely.
“I understand. A fairy with a na gains the opportunity to transcend to a higher plane of existence. And the one who can give a na to a fairy is exceedingly rare, perhaps only once in centuries. If my words are proven false, I am prepared to face any consequences.”
As Philip’s determination beca evident, the Lake Fairy moved her finger, causing the nearly fatal water bubble around Geo to dissipate.
“Gurgle! Cough, ugh!”
Geo expelled every last bit of water that had entered his respiratory system, determined not to leave any trace of it, knowing that the air would never taste the sa again. Gasping for breath, he gulped down the air as if he had gone mad.
“… If you have lied, any human who dares to enter this lake will be forever trapped, unable to return. Do you agree with this?”
“I do not possess the authority to decide another person’s fate. However, since I spoke the truth, I suppose agreeing to it makes no difference.”
Phillip’s air of confidence appeared to touch the Lake Fairy’s heart ever so slightly.
“Very well, let’s deal with the Manticore first and then contemplate further. How does that sound?”
The Lake Fairy nodded approvingly.
“That sounds like a wise plan.”
———-
Happy reading! And sorry for the delay.
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