"Shit!"
Benedict rushed back into Rafaela’s shop. His eyes quickly darted to the two won inside, both trembling violently, clearly terrified.
"Stay inside! Don’t co out for any reason!" he barked.
The Dragon wasn’t exactly nearby, but it was still close enough to be a threat.
He turned to Rafaela’s mother.
"Ma’am! Please protect Rafaela!" he said firmly. His mind was racing, he had to think fast.
He knew Rafaela’s mother used to be an Ascendant. Even though she’d weakened with age, she could at least defend her daughter if things went south.
"What’s going on out there, Benedict?!" Rafaela shouted.
The tremors had grown so intense she had to grip the corner of the cashier’s table just to stay on her feet.
Her mother struggled too, nearly falling. anwhile, Benedict only staggered slightly.
Outside, the screams had reached a fever pitch. Chaos. Panic. People were running for their lives.
"Don’t worry! Just a wild monster that slipped into the capital!" Benedict said, trying not to let them panic any more than necessary.
"Just rember, stay inside. Don’t look out the windows, no matter what!" he added, gripping the shop’s door handle.
He opened it and stepped out.
To his left, the Dragon was torching buildings with a stream of fire.
But the beast wasn’t unopposed, he could see the royal guards engaging it from the skies.
Benedict narrowed his eyes.
Soone was up there, flying.
Red hair. Ice spear.
"Alice?!" he gasped.
So she was already in action. Good. She moved fast to protect the kingdom.
From where Benedict stood, he could see Alice clashing with the Dragon mid-air.
She wielded sothing that looked like a Gungnir, except it was forged entirely from ice.
It fired off sharp shards toward the Dragon, piercing its thick hide again and again.
The sky lit up like a storm, fire and ice clashing violently. The Dragon breathed flas. Alice answered with shimring ice barriers.
Benedict broke into a cold sweat. He didn’t know what to do.
He couldn’t help them. Not in his current state. He’d only get in the way.
Instead, his mind shifted. Who summoned this thing? A Wraith-tier Dragon didn’t just appear out of nowhere. Whoever called it forth... had to be soone terrifying.
But with the crowd in full panic mode, spotting soone suspicious was nearly impossible.
He started moving against the flow, scanning faces. A black-haired man. No. A green-haired woman with pitch-black eyes. Also no.
Soone powerful would stand out.
Ring-ring!
The sound of a bicycle bell rang beside him. Benedict instinctively turned his head.
A man with brown hair and black eyes rode up on a bike, looking straight at him.
The stranger gestured with his head.
"Hey! Get on! We need to get out of here. Now!" the man shouted.
He looked to be in his twenties. Decent build. Dressed in plain clothes, like any commoner.
Benedict hesitated. Was this guy offering him a ride... to gain favor with a noble?
In the distance, the Dragon—knocked aside by Alice’s ice spear—was now hurtling through the air straight toward them.
"Hurry!" the man urged.
Benedict clenched his teeth.
Forget the summoner for now. First, survive.
He sprinted toward the bike and jumped onto the back seat.
The man imdiately pedaled like his life depended on it, his speed was insane. For a mont, Benedict wondered if this guy was actually an Ascendant.
Benedict looked back. The Dragon had crashed into buildings but was already airborne again, lunging back toward Alice.
"What kind of insane battle is that...?" Benedict muttered, eyes narrowed.
"Crazy, right! A Dragon showing up in the capital square out of nowhere!" the man shouted.
Benedict nodded grimly. A midday Dragon raid, what were the odds?
"Where are you taking ?!" he called over the roar of the chaos.
"We’re heading past Solas Bridge! It’s safe there, you know that’s where the nobles live!" the man replied, calm and composed.
Almost too calm.
It made Benedict suspicious. This guy wasn’t panicking. He was focused, like soone experienced.
Then it clicked. That was the reason.
He’s using as a ticket. If I’m with him, the guards at Solas Bridge won’t question it. He can enter the noble district and stay safe.
"Hey! Who are you?!" Benedict yelled, trying to be heard over the screaming crowd.
"I’m nobody!" the man said, flashing a wide grin Benedict could see from the side.
That smile made Benedict uneasy.
"Why save ?! Just because I’m a noble?!" Benedict shouted again.
The man laughed. Laughed, while the world was falling apart around them.
People were dying. Buildings collapsing. Fire everywhere.
But this guy was laughing like it was just a ga.
"Exactly! Because you’re a noble! Now shut up. I’m getting you to safety!" the man said, pedaling even faster.
Benedict scowled slightly, glancing over his shoulder.
The Dragon was still far from Rafaela’s shop.
He wasn’t worried about her. She was one of this world’s Heroines, there was no way she’d die here. If she did, what would happen to the Main Quest to ta the five Heroines?
Benedict turned his gaze forward again.
Solas Bridge was in sight.
They just had to get past it, and they’d be safe.
At the far end of the bridge, Benedict could already see a small battalion of royal guards stationed at the checkpoint.
What a joke.
Instead of sending all troops to fight the Dragon, they stationed guards to protect the noble zone.
anwhile, countless civilians were dying.
This was why Benedict despised the caste system of this world.
Horse-drawn carriages bearing noble family emblems passed by on either side.
One carriage had a familiar crest.
The Aurelia family.
Through its window, Benedict briefly caught a glimpse of Marisol herself, eyes wide in disbelief.
Yeah... guess she didn’t expect to see riding a bicycle with a commoner.
Not exactly the picture of noble elegance.
But Benedict couldn’t care less. He just needed to survive.
"Solas Bridge is falling down~
Falling down~
Falling down~
Solas Bridge is falling down~
My. Fair. Lady~~"
Benedict’s face twisted in irritation.
Seriously?
This guy was singing, at a ti like this?
The mont they crossed the bridge, Benedict made up his mind.
He was ditching this strange man.
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