My Ruin to You - Chapter 212

Valen looked back at Sirga, who was standing by the tent entrance. Perhaps because Sirga, too, had been struck at his weak point, he couldn’t move readily and just blinked. Only after irritation pooled in Valen’s brow, who couldn’t afford to waste a single moment, did Sirga quickly step outside and order a guard to prepare the armor.

“Go to the front and relay this. Sort out the troops and scour the area near the forest thoroughly. Given the high likelihood they transformed into inconspicuous small animals, pay close attention if you see any small beasts moving in groups.”

“Yes, Your Grace! I will obey your command.”

“And inform them that if they continue with this foolishness, I will burn them all alive.”

“…Yes, Your Grace.”

“Go without rest. If you arrive later than I do, I’ll start by burning you.”

Screech. Valen pushed the chair back and rose. The messenger, swallowing hard at the severe warning, finally left the tent after bowing in silent obedience. Soon after, a soldier entered the tent carrying his armor.

“Prepare the mana detectors and select two thousand soldiers to have them stand by.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

As Valen gestured toward the soldier, Sirga exited the tent. The soldier carefully approached, holding the gleaming breastplate respectfully with both hands.

Despite his noble status, Valen wasn’t one to welcome others’ touch and usually donned his armor without assistance, but today was an exception. He allowed the soldier to assist him and quickly put on the armor. As the heavy plate metal pressed against his chest, the pulse that had been raging wildly with the possibility of Roseline’s survival gradually settled. No, he forced it to settle.

No matter how fierce the flames, it was impossible for a body to be completely incinerated without a single bone fragment remaining, so he believed she had cast a form-shifting spell and escaped safely. But this, too, was merely conjecture; he couldn’t be at ease until he saw it with his own eyes.

He had to consider the worst-case scenario. If, by some one-in-a-thousand, one-in-ten-thousand chance, it was confirmed that Roseline had once again left him behind, then he would just have to turn the entire Empire upside down to find the Messenger of the Goddess. Yes, that would suffice. If he failed to meet the Messenger until the moment this life ended, then it wouldn’t be too late to follow her then.

Though he doubted the Goddess’s mercy would reach him a second time.

◇◇◇

Meanwhile, the situation for Roseline and the knights was unfavorable in many ways. Suddenly finding themselves in the form of beasts, wandering through the undergrowth—how could that be good?

Choosing the forest path had been a misstep. They had judged the forest path to be better than the open plains, which offered clear visibility in all directions, but not long after entering the forest, they were surrounded by the enemy.

‘I will handle this. Please go.’

‘I will stay too.’

Merrick and Edan stepped forward. Their words about holding off the enemies swarming from all sides by themselves meant they intended to die here. Preposterous nonsense.

‘Fire! Set a fire, please, quickly!’

As Roseline shouted urgently, the knights used their mana to set fires in various spots.

While fierce flames spread in one direction, a fierce close-quarters battle erupted elsewhere. Spears and mana, axes and swords became entangled as screams and clashes echoed. Soon, the flames encircled them, roaring fiercely as they surged upward. The Carnoc tribe, cackling outside the ring of fire, mocked them as if watching prey being roasted. Someone threw a stone, while another waved his axe in the fire and laughed a horrifying laugh.

Two Taras and ten knights.

Roseline had to choose. Should she combine her strength with the other Tara to e***t a large-scale barrier, or should she cast a large-scale transmutation? The former was stable but wouldn’t hold long; the latter carried risk but offered a higher chance of survival.

‘It seems this is the only way for all of us to return alive.’

‘What…?’

‘You, from behind, please channel recovery mana into me.’

Roseline’s choice was the latter. The knights, who had been pondering how to overcome this crisis, tilted their heads in confusion. There was no time for a careful explanation. Roseline pulled the other Tara, Armenia, behind her and cast a form-transformation spell on the knights before them.

A bright light flashed from Roseline’s palm. As if swept away by a wave, the knights’ forms instantly crumbled, and from the pile of clattering armor, plump, ashen-gray screamer mice tumbled out one after another.

Before they could even complain about their new forms, Armenia, who had quickly assessed the situation, swiftly channeled recovery mana. Thanks to this, Roseline, who had completed the task without so much as a nosebled, cast protective shields on the ten screamer mice before transmuting both Armenia and herself.

Armenia cast protective shields on herself and on Roseline, who had also become a screamer mouse. Thus, the twelve screamer mice leisurely made their way out through the flames.

Fortunately, their small size was advantageous for hiding, and after a strenuous escape, they managed to get away from the barbarians. Those familiar with the cry of the screamer mice kept their mouths shut as if sealed. They just stared intently at the plump rear ends of the mice leading the way, diligently scurrying their short legs, running and running.