Chapter 16

SOME BIRDS SING (2)

BORDER OF OAKHART FOREST

Was it a fluke? Prince Keith ―the reincarnate Homura wondered.

His thoughts were in disarray, unable to focus. The girl standing before her wielded bizarre magic and her confidence made it painfully clear that she was no ordinary mage.

She had annihilated the soldiers with unnerving ease as if it were mere child’s play.

That’s why, in that critical moment, Homura needed to make sure that his sword strike would land true.

And when Alicia attempted to dodge his strike was swift. He quickly infused his blade with divine energy, determined to end her in one decisive blow.

An attack like that should have been beyond recovery.

And yet, right in front of his eyes, Alicia healed herself almost instantly.

His strike was precise—there was no chance he could have missed. But somehow, she harnessed a form of light magic to mend her wounds almost as quickly as he had inflicted them.

Being a user of divine magic, Homura sensed a faint familiar energy radiating during her healing process. But he still could not be sure.

“What did you say your name was again? I am the first prince of Lativan Kingdom. Are you sure you want to stand against me even now?” Homura called out. Wondering if the girl would still want to back out after receiving a fatal attack like that.

After Homura knew that no ordinary magic can block divine magic. His victory was certain.

“I am Alicia, the Baroness of Oakhart. And I still insist that you stop this war.” Alicia said in a pleased tone.

It made Homura feel horrible, thinking that she was having fun despite the danger surrounding her. There was no doubt in his mind that at the end of this, he would win.

And yet, he still felt uneasy within himself.

“I think that would be hard to do. After all, you possess what should be mine.” Homura refused to comply with Alicia’s peace offer again.

There’s a handful of people in this world that would be able to use divine energy including the blessed people, people with tiles, or people like him the reincarnates.

But Homura knew every reincarnate and almost every title holder. But there was no mention of a mage so young with divine magic.

There was only one way to test it out again.

Homura believed that if Alicia tried dodging his first sword attack, it must mean she lacked any close combat ability and he still had the advantage.

He began encircling Alicia at full speed as if trying to observe her movements from all sides and find a blind spot in her defenses.

Alicia tried to spot him until she could not follow his movements in a circle anymore.

That’s when Homura broke his footsteps and dashed straight toward Alicia. This time his entire body and sword augmented with divine magic, aimed directly at her.

But just as he thought his strike would land, his sword cut through nothing but empty air. He blinked, confusion flickering in his eyes as he missed the sight of Alicia when she should have been right in front of his eyes.

Feeling a gust of pressurized wind from above. He found Alicia mid-air only at a distance of half a hand. Panic flared in his chest. If he could just act faster, he could shift the sword’s path, aim upward, and strike.

But before he could, Alicia’s hands moved before. And just like previously without chanting any spell or magic circle. A vortex of purple ball materialized in the palm of her hand.

In one fluid motion, she twisted her body and leaped away, the swirling sphere of energy hurtling toward him.

The moment it struck, a crushing gravitational force slammed into Homura, sending him crashing to the ground with a scream of agony.

“Agghhh...hhhh….”

The harder he struggled, the more it felt like the very air itself was against him. His consciousness wavered, slipping further with every breath.

And all the while, Alicia stood at a distance, her gaze cold and calculating. As if waiting for his prey to yield and accept their fate.

***

KEITH LATIVAN [REINCARNATE HOMURA – CLASS RPESIDENT]

I can’t feel my hand. My body isn’t able to move.

Just what kind of magic is she using? How many elements can she control?

If this is gravitational magic, which is an advanced fusion form of dark magic with other elements.

Then it should have been impossible for her to use healing magic. And yet I am sure that was some form of light magic she used to herself. Otherwise how anyone could explain this?

Just what is she? I grit my teeth realizing I had no choice in this situation if I had to quickly take care of this situation. I can’t let myself lose here after coming this far.

“Unique Skill: Siren’s Weave.” When I chanted those words and activated my unique skill. The restraining magic around me stopped acting and I was immediately freed from the pressure.

In a matter of seconds, an air of irresistibility quickly spread around me. The soldiers who were quietly watching the battle from far suddenly started to act impatient.

There was a longing on their face as if they all wanted to get close to me.

Once the skill was activated at its full capacity. Everyone around me would fall under a sort of mind control and I would be able to dominate their will.

And most important of all I would be able to channel divine energy directly from my goddess.

I was scared to use it before. The day when my goddess was taken away from me. I did not know where she had been taken to. How was she or was she even alive?

If I tried to use my unique skill and failed to channel divine energy through it. Then that would have meant my goddess Freya was no more in this world.

But now there is still hope I can get her back. If I only bring that mutt demi human to those devils.

I stared at the mage in the white mask, her lips pressing together in what seemed like pure astonishment.

Had my unique skill pierced through her magical defenses? It should have, as long as no unknown factors were at play—factors I still hadn't uncovered.

Then, something wholly unexpected happened. Normally, when someone falls fully under the sway of my ability, they are overwhelmed by a desperate need to approach me, to touch me, or, to please me, and to do anything just to stay in my presence.

But this time, Alicia —the mage girl stood before me, her expression beyond my comprehension. Without hesitation, she removed her mask.

The air around us seemed to still as her true face was revealed.

An angelic face of unimaginable beauty I had never seen before —her features delicate, framed by long, flowing white hair that cascaded down her back. Her white hair unfurled like the petals of a moonflower, glowing faintly under the shine of a full moon’s light.

The kind of beauty that even Goddess Freya would covet for herself.

Though this was our first meeting, something about her silhouette tugged at my memory, a sense of familiarity that sent a chill down my spine.

Pure white robes, and a strong mage with long white hairs, only painted the same picture in my mind.

“—It’s you.”

***

ALICIA ASCALON ASHBORN

I wanted to resolve this as peacefully as possible by coming here alone. Killing the prince of a neighboring kingdom could spell danger and sour relations with other kingdoms.

I can’t let Athena take the blame for sending me to live in such a wonderful place and destroy the peace at the borders. So, I will wait as long as it might take for him to accept my deal.

All the while I tried to look through his status, to understand how he could have used divine magic so freely. But everything looked hazy.

It was not that he was stronger than me in stats, but some other kind of authority masked his status and stopped me from looking into it.

At least I was sure that neither the sword was a divine weapon, nor did he carry any artifact. So, the divine energy must have come from him.

And once he lifted my spell, by expanding his divine magic similar to an aura. I recognized it immediately, and the haziness finally lifted, like a veil being pulled away from his status.

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“It’s a unique skill just like mine.” I whispered to myself.

I think I had by now forgotten all of my classmates, even their faces were blank to me now. I never made an effort to remember them to begin with. And none of them would look similar to the way we were back in my world.

Even I had changed a lot by leaps and bounds. But right now, I had this familial feeling that something might change, if we tried to know each other.

And so, I quickly removed my mask, to reveal myself. Maybe one of my classmates would remember or recognize me if it is really one of them from my world.

But the boy’s expression soured when he focused on me after a small period of daze.

“Its you. You are the one who everyone calls the White Queen. It’s all because of you. How dare you kill those pirates. They were working for me to supply the cargo to me from the demon continent. And once you killed them I was forced to go by myself to get those creatures.” The prince fumingly shouted as he hurled accuses at me.

But why would he do something so terrible? Why is he so against the demon continent and look at them with so much contempt?

No. That’s not what I wanted. I have to explain it to him. I still had hope. Maybe if we explained to each other we could come to an agreement.

“You just now used a unique skill.” Rather than asking I made sure to state it like a fact.

The prince stopped stomping and crying. “How did you know that?” He now looked at me with even more hostility.

“Because I have one too.” I said revealing my secret.

“That can’t be. Are you telling me…” As if he just had a realization then. “Isn’t this the territory of that failure goddess who couldn’t find her reincarnate anywhere? Don’t tell me that all this time she was hiding you here. So, tell me by any chance are you Sachi?” My supposed to be classmate, for a second was taken aback when he finally took interest in what I had to say.

“Yes, that’s me. I am Sachi.” I replied in an elated manner and relieved. So, he did remember me.

“Just what is your unique skill?” Instead of introducing himself, he asked me another question.

“It's nothing special. It’s a support unique skill that helps me with my magic.” I had yet to figure out the exact capabilities of my unique skill. While I believe it was the reason Al existed. Unconsciously I had my unique skill activated the entire time to assist with my magic and multiple skills; that I could no longer keep track of after they kept on piling up with my gluttony skill.

One could only use the unique skill at its full power when they channeled their goddess’s divine energy with whom they had a contract with. However, Athena did not have much divine energy compared to other gods. It never reached the threshold to activate the unique skill at its maximum potential and I failed to do so every time.

“You have changed a lot even though I don’t remember much about you.” The boy exclaimed almost looking excited as if he had just now made up his mind after this totally unexpected discovery.

“I am sorry I can’t recall but who are you?” I asked worriedly hoping he wouldn’t take offense.

“Homura.” He replied confidently.

“―Class president.” I felt relieved for betting on this chance. But at the same time uneasy, that it was someone I don’t remember being on good terms with.

“This makes things a lot easier. So, we were fighting without any reason. When we are on the same side.” Homura said with his chin up.

“Yes. There’s no need to fight.” I couldn’t agree anymore. I guess we had all put our past lives and differences behind us.

“So, why don’t you bring those demi humans you are hiding with yourself? And leave. I don’t want to do anything with a loser like you.” Homura said loudly.

“Huh… but I… no.” For some reason, I fumbled. I guess bad habits die hard when you are put in the same situation again.

“I don’t know how much you know, but we all thought you were dead a long time ago and never spared any thought about you again. Your goddess was called a failure who lost her partner even before this all started. And here you are again, looking fine without knowing anything about what shit is going down in this world and without any care.” Homura laughed looking at me, his voice laced with bitterness.

“It’s not like that. Athena is blameless. There’s a reason.” I protested but my words were feeble compared to his.

“Don’t make excuses. You were like that even before. It’s funny how you have been a letdown even for her, just like you have always been. That explains how you healed yourself from my attack or remained sane after I used my unique skill. And here I got worried for nothing.”

“What do you mean?” I asked my voice trembling slightly.

“Don’t play dumb. If not for your reincarnate status or possessing that meager divine magic you used before. You would have been licking my boots.” Homura sneered, a twisted smirk curling his lips as his eyes moved to look at me from top to bottom. “Though I’ll admit, I wouldn’t hate that either.”

What is he saying? What does he want me to do? Why is he being rude to me?

What did I do wrong to him?

Is it because he still thinks I’m weak?

It’s alright I will just vanish like before. I don’t need to continue this meaningless conversation anymore.

Suddenly an arrow shot past me and hit Homura’s face drawing blood. Homura cried and tried to hide his face with his hand. But another arrow shot pierced through his palm this time.

“Who did this? Show yourself.” Homura cried in pain as he quickly tried to pull out the arrow, all the while utilizing his divine magic. But he had already started bleeding a lot and his healing had a delayed response and healed slowly.

“Alicia, don’t listen to anything that crazy bastard says. If you’re not going to do anything, I’ll kick him myself after listening to what he said to you.” A familiar voice came from behind me as Regis leaped from above the crowd of mindless red soldiers.

Out of nowhere now Regis with a knocked magical arrow in her bow stood between Homura and me.

“Who are you? An elf. A friend of hers. Doesn’t matter right now you are standing in the range of my skill.” Homura laughed.

Suddenly Regis lowered her bow and stood quietly with her head down.

“I told you, there’s no way you can go against me.” Homura stared at me. “Are you crying again? Don’t hide your face with your hands again, it’s pretty enough this time. Guess you were only able to live an easy life until now because your goddess was taking good care of you. You should have listened to me from the start. Now bring those mutts to me or do I need to drag them here.” Homura ordered.

“That’s enough. Stop this madness. Why would you attack someone you know?” This time it was the voice of someone I never expected to be here.

Athena walked right in front after Regis’s second arrow had simultaneously cleared a path for her.

How did the two even get here and know where I was?

“Did you come here again to save your little pet? Don’t forget the last time she tried to do something it almost cost the lives of you two. It's time you learn to give up and do as I say. Otherwise, you will be making an enemy of everyone out there. Once I tell them how you told a lie and hid your partner.” Homura openly threatened Athena in front of me.

“I expected better from Freya’s chosen one.” Athena felt disgusted by how Homura looked at me.

“You don’t have any idea what I have been through. Why don’t we let your partner decide if she knows what is good for her? Look she is still trying to hide behind everyone like she always does. Using her friend and you as shields, I highly suggest you change sides.” Homura laughed like he had already triumphed.

I felt humiliated. I thought I had gotten used to it. I even considered hiding again until now.

But it does hurt differently when I look at Athena’s hurt face. I clenched my right shoulder hard with my other hand pitying myself for not taking action quickly and letting it reach this point.

It’s just the same as always like it was back then. He isn’t even making an effort to listen to what Athena or I have to say. He is assuming all the things again.

He doesn’t care what happens here, as long as everything goes according to him and he stays on top.

“Why do you speak like you have already won.” I moved my hands from my face.

“Tch. I see still playing tough. But how long will you continue like this.” Homura grumbled but he failed to notice a small change, he should have seen from a mile away. “Why don’t I order your friend to kill you? Let’s see then who was right.”

Regis began walking towards me, her bow drawn and ready. As she got closer, she suddenly turned toward Homura and fired the arrow, piercing his other hand.

“But how? How? You were under my spell. I ordered you to kill her.” Homura held his hand in agony.

“Why would I do that?” Regis gave Homura a disgusted stare, causing him to crawl back while desperately trying to heal his hands again.

Seeing Regis’s protest. Homura lost all reason as he looked around to check whether he could still control his soldiers with a confused expression.

“Kill them. kill them all.” Homura shouted ordering to mobilise all his soldiers.

The soldiers held their weapons tightly. Whether it was the front foot soldiers with swords and machetes. Or the unit readying their bows with arrows. Or the magic unit of soldiers ready to attack us with their spells.

“You see now this is my power. If you still want me to stop you can beg me. This is your last chance.”

It could have only taken a second for the soldiers to make a jump on us and overwhelm us with their numbers.

But it only took a blink of an eye for me to obliterate it all.

BOOOMMM.

[BLACK FLARE]

With a loud explosion, a torrent of black flames engulfed the soldiers around us, setting them ablaze as the fire spread like wildfire.

In that large explosion, the fire spread towards Homura as well. And once the smoke vanished Homura’s face was half burning with black flames.

“Aghhh…ghhhh…. My face. My face.” With his already wounded hand, he held his burnt face.

“Why won’t it die down? Why won’t the fire go.” Homura tried to put out the fire, but the black flames continued melting his face without showing any signs of dying down.

Homura crawls on the ground trying to use dust or light magic to heal himself. But the black flames burnt even brighter.

Finally, it was the divine magic of his unique skill that pushed away the fire.

Homura looked around as he saw his soldiers dying because of fire one by one. It was total chaos and he was at the center of it.

Homura gave a desperate look at me and Regis and Athena standing beside me.

It was then he finally noticed, something which even I was unaware of. An unmoved smile adorned by sky blue eyes.

“Just what are you? How dare you? Doesn’t matter. While you are still here I brought with me a small gift from the demon continent that should be just about reaching your village. They will destroy everything in their path and slaughter everything you love. And then I will take control of everything around you.” Homura had yet to give up.

“You should worry more about yourself than your enemy." I said in an icy tone. “Nothing will happen —I’ve already accounted for everything. You failed to take control of my friends. And my place is protected by the strongest Shieldmaster Knight in the world. I have no reason to worry.” I answered to clear up his misunderstandings.

While I had a high magical resistance and divine magic running through me to protect against the effects of his unique skill. The same goes for Athena as well.

It was that unique constitution of Regis that made it possible for her to still keep her sanity under the effect of his unique spell.

It was not that Regis was completely immune to it. In fact, every time she fell under the effect of the spell her destructive magic would break it down. It was like falling asleep and waking again repeatedly.

The black flares were spreading throughout the battlefield. And even with Homura’s skill, it had a range limit and could not cover the entire battlefield.

“Alicia. Let’s get out of here.”

“Alicia. Let’s go black. There’s no need for you to fight him.”

Regis and Athena looked at me with concerned looks, urging me to go with them.

I had no idea how they found me, but involving them in this fight was never part of my plan.

I didn’t know how I appeared to them —desperate, or determined. But one thing was certain: my mind was clearer now than it had been moments ago. I don’t know what changed in me, but it was like I just woke up from a fresh sleep.

Perhaps it was because I had finally made my decision.

Without hesitation, I summoned a thick veil from my web magic, enveloping Athena and Regis in its protective embrace before any of the remaining soldiers could get to them.

“Alicia, what are you doing?”

“No, wait—”

“You two shouldn’t have come here.”

***

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