Rashiok came running over to me immediately. Then, I wondered if there was something wrong with my eyesight.
Behind him, the pure white draconis was gliding beautifully as it descended. The light of intelligence was shining from its eyes, and she sat down next to Rashiok, as she stared at me. It seemed like she was awaiting my orders.
I thought that a wild draconis would be unused to human beings. While I was confused, as if to reassure me, Rashiok made a gentle bark that sounded like he was saying it was alright.
Could it be that, the white female draconis treated me as the draconis leader? Even though I was confused, I nodded, and gave orders to both of them.
"Rashiok, first take me to Ratoka immediately. And…… um, you, I would like for you to watch whether children are coming out around the fortress, could you do that for me?"
Even though I know that draconis are highly intelligent, will a wild draconis understand my words, I wonder. Just as I was thinking so, it seemed that she indeed didn't understand what I meant. However, Rashiok made some snorting sounds through his nose, in some type of communication with her, and she made a bark that sounded like an acknowledgment before flying up into the air.
"……You've obtained quite a nice girlfriend."
Watching this scene in stunned amazement, I couldn't help but make that comment to Rashiok. He made a head movement that seemed like he was saying "I know, right?"
"Ratoka!"
"……Eliza?"
Ratoka was on the path beside the underground dungeon. Rather than saying on the path, maybe I should say instead that he was buried in the stone rubble, from the collapsed walls.
While each individual stone probably wasn't all that heavy, it seemed his clothes were being restrained by so many rocks, that he wasn't able to move and climb out.
"Are you alright!?"
"Ahh, luckily my head wasn't injured at all."
I jumped down from Rashiok, and randomly started clearing the stones off and freed him from the debris. I could see bruises on his wrists. While he said that his head wasn't injured, it's highly likely that his body is black and blue from the impact.
"What happened?"
As I asked him, Ratoka shook his head in response.
"I don't really know what happened. Just as usual, I was about to go check on the state of the prisoners and was heading to the dungeon, when suddenly there was a huge boom and the ground started shaking, so I reflexively crouched down on the floor and that's when the walls collapsed. However, I heard the sound of the children. They escaped from the dungeon.
It seems that they're being threatened by someone, so they took action."
A prison escape. ……What's more, he says they're being threatened. I knew full well that I was currently furrowing my eyebrows deeply. Even though I finally managed to resolve the problem with Eric, now I have something even bigger to worry about.
"By someone threatening them, are you talking about an invader?"
"No…… It was probably one of the children. If my guess is correct…… it was probably the short-haired, petite girl."
"……It couldn't be. Wasn't that girl the youngest of all the children captured?"
"Indeed. But, from talking with her, and watching her, I felt like she was older than she appeared. She's probably about eleven years old. Even you were already wielding a spear on the battlefield when you were six, right?"
In my case though, I had the assistance of memories from my previous life…… although this is something I won't say even to Ratoka, so I just shrugged. Anyways, Ratoka has been observing the prisoners for quite some time now. Let's trust his judgment, and act on the belief that the short-haired petite girl was the cause of this commotion.
"Ratoka, go to Ergnade and tell him about this situation. I'll chase down the children. If you see Kaldia soldiers on your way, join up with them, and we'll all meet up later."
"Understood."
"Rashiok, can I leave it up to you to track the escaped children? …………It doesn't seem to be a problem? Let's go then."
I split up from Ratoka again, as I returned onto Rashiok's back.
While holding on to Rashiok's neck, I touched the sword buckled to my waist. Instead of a practical military sword, I was armed with only a ceremonial rapier and a dagger.
Fort Jugfena is a military base currently in the back of the frontlines. Although I'm technically something like Eric's escort, considering that this location was still quite far from the battlefield, I was only minimally armed, it seems that this was a huge mistake on my part. With such a big incident happening right now, I could only curse my carelessness.
The rapier is a weapon that's designed for piercing, cutting and slicing isn't its specialty. In fact, my weapon's blade was terribly dull and blunt.
……With this weapon, even if I don't intend to, I may end up having to kill. And, my own personal safety will be at risk.
Piercing is an attack pattern that leaves you wide open to attacks yourself. Unlike a spear that has a much longer reach, the rapier has only an average length.
Also, – I was concerned about the fact that the walls had collapsed.
That booming and ground shaking impact was clearly the sound of something explosive. And, none of the captured children could possibly have hidden something capable of causing an explosion.
Exactly how did they do it? Several days have passed by since they became prisoners. It's hard to imagine that it was in their stomachs.
Then, just how did they create such a huge explosion?
Somehow, I had a terrible premonition, one that caused chills to run down my body.
In my mind, I recalled the figure of the woman who made the impossible, possible – that tan-skinned woman who had the ability to manipulate magical beasts.