Almark – Northern Sword, Southern Wand

I felt the whole forest was swaying and shaking.

However, it hardly makes any noise.

There is no sound of birds that you should normally hear, and no sound of beasts.

It's just that the sound of the leaves rubbing in the trees can be heard only slightly.

There was a disturbing air surrounding her, as if she was pregnant with an unfathomable danger.

The forest, which was supposed to be familiar, was now as if it were a strange world.

Which way was it?

Seda let out a crying voice.

"I don't know anymore."

That miserable voice irritated Kuko.

"I didn't say you were this way."

Kuko said that and stared at Seda.

"What, I don't know anymore?"

"I just felt like I was here..."

Seda's voice withered.

But somehow, I feel like I don't recognize this place anymore.

"We didn't go that far, we..."

Kuko looked up at the trees surrounding the two of us.

"It's a road I've traveled many times."

However, while saying that, Kuko's gaze also wandered over the trees.

I think I know. But I feel like I don't know.

"That's not possible."

Kuko told him to tell himself.

"This is the usual forest."

The afternoon of the final day of the graduation examination.

When Kuko entered the forest for the final exam, the second year of elementary school suddenly came unexpectedly.

A monster appeared in the forest.

The pair of Kuko and Seda girls who were walking in pairs first learned about it with a warning from the teacher to put them in the wind.

A monster has appeared in the forest. I am rescuing it from the first grade, so the second grade students who are close to the exit should leave the forest on their own. Second-year students who are far from the exit should stay put and wait for the help of the teacher.

That's what it was about.

The places where Kuko and the others were located were far away from the exit, so I just had to calm down and wait for the teacher there.

However, when she heard that a monster had appeared, Seda, who was completely frightened and upset, ran out with a big scream at the beat of the bushes.

So, Kuko was surprised and rushed after Seda.

In my opinion, it was the sound of a hard tree nut falling or something. But Seda's screams prevented me from making a calm decision.

As they ran out, they felt like they were being chased from behind by some kind of monster, and without the courage to stop their feet, they ran into the dark clouds and into the forest.

So when I noticed, I was in a place like this.

Halfway there, like you've seen it before.

The dense trees make it impossible to find the rocks and giant trees that make up the landmarks.

I walked out, saying that I knew this road, because I felt responsible for the first Seda that ran screaming.

So, Kuko also followed her, but after a long walk, Seda looked back and said with a crying face.

I don't know anymore.

Ah, no more.

Kuko sighed heavily and sat down on a nearby stone.

"Enough. We'll wait for the teachers to arrive here."

Um, yeah.

Seda nodded and sat down next to Kuko.

Kuko opened his own water bottle and drank the water without even looking at you.

Your face naturally faces up as you pour water into your throat.

So, the blue sky peeking through the trees entered my eyes.

Still, the days are not that expensive.

It's all right. Even though it's so bright, there's no way the monsters are moving so vigorously.

Kuko told himself.

It's gonna be all right. The teacher will come soon.

Speaking of which...

Seda said reluctantly.

"About summer, a first-grade boy was stolen by a monster in the forest." That was about the same amount of time, wasn't it? "

What's the matter, kid?

Kuko looked at Seda with an unbelievable eye.

Why are you saying this now?

Even more so, in a situation like this, in a place like this.

Just because I said that now, what will happen?

Kuko, of course, had heard the story. Because of this, the forest has been off-limits for a while. I can't forget.

Indeed, I heard that two boys in the third grade chased after the monster and helped the first grade.

Kuko was dumbfounded by his chaotic behavior.

Don't do that. I should have told the teacher right away.

"I'm scared. What if there's a monster?"

Said Seda.

"Kuko. Aren't you scared?"

I'm scared.

"I'm not scared."

Kuko said spicily.

"It's so bright. Are you scared or something?"

Having been told that, Seda looked like she was going to cry again, rather than reassure herself.

Kuko has stopped looking at you.

Will the teacher come soon? It doesn't matter if you're a third-grade boy or two at this time.

Anyway, if someone comes to help me. Kuko decided to think about it alone.

The bushes suddenly moved.

Kuko looked at you with his eyes alone, but there was no sign of anything jumping out of the bushes.

I don't see anything. I can't hear you.

"... hey..."

Said Seda in a trembling voice.

You just rocked that bush over there, didn't you?

"It's not shaking."

No kidding.

Seda shakes her head.

"I'm shaking."

Even though I was weak, I was stubborn in a strange place.

Troublesome girl.

"It's shaking, what do you say?"

Kuko said.

If it bothers you, you can look at it.

No, no, no, no.

Seda shakes her head.

Because if it were a monster...

If it were a monster, it would be sitting here relaxedly.

You're going to get eaten. We need to get out of here. I tried to say that, but the bushes shook again.

This time, it was an unpleasant way to sway.

Kuko understood that too.

Let's go.

Having said that, Kuko stood up.

Without waiting for Seda's reply, I walked in the opposite direction to the swaying bushes.

"Ah, wait, Kuko."

Seda, in a hurry to chase, stumbled over the tree's roots and fell.

"Oh, my God."

It's over.

Whatever you're doing, Kuko's hardened.

The bushes behind Seda.

From there, a monocular brat peeked at his ugly face.

"Heehee"

Seda, sensing the situation, looked back at Kuko's breathtaking expression, and then screamed loudly.

The scream was only a signal to the little brat that he had a good prey.

The mouth of his fangs twisted, and the demon slowly walked up. The long nails were strange.

Ah, ahh

Seda crawls to the ground and tries to escape, but her body is trembling and she can't move well.

"What are you doing, hurry up?"

Kuko said that in a shivering voice, but Seda couldn't stand up.

The little brat was approaching.

Seda!

Kuko shouted.

"Help me. Help me, Kuko."

Seda screamed desperately, but Kuko's body didn't move either. All I could do was watch the impending demon behind Seda.

"Stand up."

Kuko shouted.

"Seda, come on."

"Help me."

Seda shouted without even being able to stand up.

It was then.

Something flew from behind Kuko.

It was a crushing stone.

The powerful stone struck the demon's monocle.

"Guga"

The little devil was squeezing his eyes and twitching.

You hit me very well.

While saying that, someone ran across Kuko's side.

"Come on, let's get out of here."

With that said, it was the boy in the same robe as Kuko and the others who helped Seda up and slapped her on the back.

"Come on, stand up for yourself."

That's what the boy said, and when he stood up Seda, he looked at Kuko.

"You're getting away, too. This way."

He looked familiar.

Same sophomore.

Kuko nodded, and the boy pulled Seda's hand and ran out.

It was cash, and when the boy pulled his hand, Seda ran cheerfully.

After running for a while, the boy suddenly changed direction.

"We can't do this. I'll go from there."

As if he knew where the monster was, the boy took Kuko and Seda and ran through the woods.

When they noticed, the three of them were on the road near the forest exit that they had somehow recognised.

"I already know where you are."

Seda exclaimed happily.

You

Kuko finally loosened his legs and said to the boy who let go of Seda's hand as he burst into breath.

"Radmar. Radmar Treyholm."

Yeah.

The boy nods bluntly.

"You know my name very well."

Yeah.

Kuko knew the boy's name for no good reason.

A royal boy from a small country in Nakahara.

He's got a lot of temper, and he's not as powerful as he should be.

Even though you're acting mighty, you can't do all the magic, study, and exercise.

That's what all the rumors about the boy Kuko had heard were like.

In fact, his dance on the first day of the sorcery festival was terrible.

However, the ungrateful boy in front of me was strangely calm in the forest where monsters roamed.

"Why are you so calm?"

When Kuko asked, Radmar looked a little uncomfortable.

"Because it's not the first time."

That's what Radmar replied.

“I've had experiences close to this.”

Kuko suddenly questioned Radmar, who was not going to say anything more.

"Speaking of which, you're alone." What about your pair? "

"The pair left the forest first." I felt your magical powers go in a strange direction away, so I followed them. "

"Our magic power?"

Kuko looks out.

It seemed very unlikely that such a high level of chasing with such distant magic could be done by a boy who was still in the second grade and was on the verge of falling.

"Just because a monster has appeared, it's not like you're going to be distracted." If you are also the end of the magician, you should see it as it is and act calmly. "

That's what Radmar said, and, uh, snorted.

When Kuko tried to say something, Seda let out a shivering voice.

"Oh, the forest exit." Look, everyone's here. "

Suddenly, dumbfounded on Seda's back, Kuko recovered and looked at the red-haired boy next to him.

"Thank you for your help, Radmar. I'm Kuko."

“I know”

Radmar nods.

Kuko Kasaranan, I'm from Nakahara too.

"Oh, yes."

Kuko peered into Radmar's unpleasant face.

"The rumors I've heard are quite different from your image." Next time, let's talk about it after school. ”

"Unless there's a tutorial."

Radmar replied.

Remediation? Are you taking a Remediation?

Kuko, who said strangely, said nothing to Radmar. Kuko, tilting his neck, thanked Radmar again and chased after Seda.

"Seda! Wait a minute!"

Seeing it off, Radmar glanced back at the forest.

"The path was remembered by the body."

Without telling anyone, Radmar mutters.

I'm sorry, but Almark was right. The body, not the head, remembered the way with the sensation of the skin.

Maybe it's proof that you risked your life.

Even though Celia-sensei said that the darkness was no longer in her body.

Radmar was perplexed by his senses.

I didn't think I'd know where the monster was yet.

Medicine hunting day at night. Radmar temporarily gained the power to sense darkness in exchange for bringing it into his body.

However, I thought that after the painful treatment with the darkened medicine bath, its power had disappeared.

For some reason, the power that remained was now felt from the direction of the auditorium by the terrible and terrible power of darkness.

That's where Almark and the other sophomores are gathering.

Radmar knew what that meant.

"It's about him. Anyway, I guess we'll do something about it."

Radmar muttered.

"Don't lose here, Almark."