Extraordinary – Ordinary – Soap! - Chapter 7

Lucia, Using Magic Impromptu

In a time of chaos, I should start with what I can do.

What is it that I can do right now? I should take actions that would ensure my survival. For that, I should follow the instructions of the pros. At least it would be better than using my own amateur judgement.

I decided to seek the instructions of the Sir Knights and everyone in the soldier brigade, the pros when it comes to monsters. ‘Where should I escape to? Where should I be on standby so as to not be a bother? For protection, it would be much better to be clustered in one place rather than scattered around, which is why the people in town are evacuating into the castle. I’m sure that there’s definitely a thought of ‘If the civilians would do this, it’ll be very helpful’ among the knights and soldiers.

“Excuse me, where should the people who can’t fight evacuate to!? Or is there something else that we should do!?”

In the crowd of people, I called out to the soldier brigade who was leading.

“A non-combatant!? Commoners should assemble in the hall over there!”

Hearing that, it seems that they had really decided to gather everyone in one place. Personally, I’d feel a lot more relieved if I was with everyone instead of being alone.

Together with the others, I moved towards the hall.

The resplendent hall that was used to hold balls and the like, had a magnificent design, and is usually filled with beautiful music and teemed with elegantly dressed nobles.

Yet now, it is a place enveloped in fear. Instead of beautiful music, it reverberated with the cries and terrified sobs of children.

The frightened people, held no interest in the fact that they were in a VIP area that was usually restricted to them and fearfully embraced their beloved ones, waiting for the disaster to pass.

It was a good decision to open up the hall to accommodate the mass amount of people. The inner palace was where royalty resided and couldn’t be opened to us commoners and with the rain at the moment, we couldn’t be in the garden either. As for splitting us up into smaller groups and moving us into guest rooms, there were simply too many people in the capital so this was a reasonable choice.

However, originally, the hall is an entertainment venue. One can easily experience the night breeze and well trimmed gardens. There is even a large balcony installed and the outside is visible from the exits.

We could only see through the glass windows that connected the gardens and hall. The light rain streaming down the glass was as fine as thread.

Which is how we realised it so early.

“Wha-, what is that!?”
“It can’t be, a dragon!?”

Under the gloomy and overcast clouds, there were two shadows seen flapping their wings. As it slowly drew near, I wonder who it was that first noticed it.

“That is…a rukh!”

An elderly man’s shriek rose a panic that was comparable to the one back in the canteen.

The rukh is a large white birdlike monster. Although it wasn’t that large, it’s known to prey on humans, horses, cows and other animals of similar sizes.

Ogres and ogresses could be repelled with the castle doors and eliminated with weapons and bows, however, against aerial attacks, we have no resistance at all!

We sank into depression.

As if it were mocking us, one of the rukhs headed directly to our location. Although the other seemed to be heading somewhere else, its gradual advancing figure only fanned our fear.

“Uwaaah!”
“No no! I don’t want to die-!”
“Mama!”

The screaming escalated throughout the entire hall as people surged towards the hall’s exit.

I also thought that I had to escape, but my legs refused to listen to me. Although it was bad to be against the wall, I was tossed around by the waves of people and couldn’t move as I wanted to.

“Everyone! It’s dangerous so please calm down! There is a barrier surrounding the castle that was erected by the Academia. Even if it breaks, the knights will exterminate the rukh! Calm down!”

“Get lost! We have to escape!”
“I don’t want to die!”
“Ow! Move away!”

The hall became a scary place.

It’s scary. It’s definitely scary. Although I keep telling myself that it will be alright, when there is a real monster in my sight, I can’t move my body at all. My gaze was fixed outside as if it were sewn to it. I couldn’t peel my eyes away. Badump badump, my heart was pounding loudly as if it had moved closer to my ears,

Gan-!

The rukh was finally right in front of our eyes.

As the rukh noticed our forms in the middle of hall and charged, it was bounced back as if it couldn’t come near.

“…….The rukh, aahh, it’s all thanks to the Academia’s magic!”
“But, it’s scary! Can’t magic be broken!?”
“It should be fine. Definitely! It can protect us!”

As various words were exchanged, the rukh, which could be seen through the window, charged repeatedly.

Well, there was the barrier which was put up by the Academia, it should be fine……somehow right?

For me who missed the chance to join the flow of people escaping from the hall, I clung to the walls and watched the rukh scratching at the window with its talons.

Gan!
Gan!
Gan!
Gan! Pashyaaaan-!

I don’t know how many times it took, but with the continuous charging of the rukh, the sound of impact suddenly changed.

There was a strange clatter, like the cracking of thin ice on the water’s surface at the start of winter, like the sprinkling of water, like the shatter of glass.

This kind of sound was shortly confirmed, it happened.

– – Gashyaaaan-!!

The window was broken. The rukh’s sharp talons gouged the polished floor.

“……-!!”

Humans, when they’re truly frightened, are unable to scream. I understood that for the first time. Although it was the first time, it would’ve been fine if I’d never had to understand it in my entire life!

I lifelessly sagged onto the floor. I couldn’t put any strength into my legs. I couldn’t do anything but quake in fear.

The sharp talon that that had entered the hall and left gashes in the floor with crunching sounds, suddenly retracted outside, and rammed itself in once more.

This time, there was no time to think of anything.

Following the sound of the window frame breaking, the rukh’s ferocious beak rushed in!

Celes-san, Celes-san, Celes-san!

I chanted his name as if it were a protective charm. If I didn’t do that, I felt like I would stop breathing in fear.

After all, death was being thrusted right before my eyes.

I could see the soldiers who were calling out to everyone and protecting the hall from before, now trying to mow down that talon.

Screaming all the while, everyone started to scatter like spiderlings. They all flooded towards the hall’s exit, with only the thought of escape on their minds.

I have to escape too. Even though I thought that, my body was petrified.

Then, right before my eyes, the rukh’s staring eyes came into view.

Kishyaaah-!

The rukh gave a sharp cry of attack and its large talons came plunging down towards me.

“Ya-……<<Soap>>!”

Firmly shutting my eyes, the name of the only ability I possessed spilled from my mouth. Although only the appearance of soap bubbles shouldn’t do anything to affect monsters, still, that was the only thing I could do with what’s left of my strength.

~~~

TN: The author, sure is mean with all the cliffhangers eh…

Thanks for reading :’D And stay tuned for next week! Also I’ll be trying to stick to a regular update for every Wednesday, no particular timing, but yeah, please look forward to the next chapter~