Even while running at top speed, Kazius could not stop Alice from hitting the floor. She was panting, eyes beginning to well up with hot tears. Her face was red, almost like someone with a terrible fever. She coughed hard, gasping desperately for breath. By the time Kazius reached her, she was struggling to support her weight with one hand while the other held her neck. It was almost as if she was drowning. The sensation causing her to desperately scratch at her throat.

“Alice!” Kazius exclaimed in concern, attempting to support her. Still, she did not seem to get any better.

“That is definitely strange… I was wondering what happened to the Mana in the air… But it is only in Ratier that it is weird… Mortals have truly gotten fragile. I can’t believe she would get like this just because Mana levels are normal here.” Azanor commented with a bit of a smirk only to study the desperation in their faces. He frowned, looking torn about something.

“How do we help her?!” Kazius exclaimed, feeling panic set in. He had just felt content to not be alone… Was he already going to lose a friend? That fast? He felt incredibly helpless, the feeling leaving a cold chill deep within him.

Azanor frowned, sighing. He was silent for a bit, thinking. He let out a final displeased tsk.

“You are lucky I am the generous type… Mortals are so fragile… Help her regulate her breathing and slow it down or she will die. The rest is all on her. If she is too weak, she won’t make it anyway.” Azanor grumbled out begrudgingly. Sometimes he was so eager to help, while now it seemed he was hesitant to.

Then again, considering Alice’s lineage… Maybe he was particularly reluctant to help her… But he did so anyway… Only solidifying Kazius’ thoughts on perhaps Azanor really was genuine about his honesty.

“Thank you…” Kazius stated, trying to calm down. He did not freak out in battle, so he couldn’t do so now.

Alice seemed to struggle to even hear Azanor’s words considering the state she was in.

Kazius would hold her, supporting her as he tried to get her to look at him.

“Look at me… It will be okay, breathe. Slow down. It is still air; you just need to breathe it in slowly.” He tried to explain, taking deep and slow breaths. He felt helpless and nervous, but did his best to show her how to slow down her breathing. It was all he could do. If she was too far gone to even hear him, he wasn’t sure he could help her.

Thankfully, it seemed Alice did hear him. She tried to slow her breathing to match his, her breaths coming out jagged, but slowly they were improving.

“That’s it… Breathe, slowly.” Kazius assured.

“Don’t die. Dying is bad.” Eve encouraged, in her own way.

“Keep it slow. You need to get your body to incorporate the Mana slowly. You will drown if you try to breathe quickly. Once your body matches the Mana level in the air… You should be fine… If there is any Human that can survive this, it is someone from your troublesome family.” Azanor spoke up begrudgingly with a sigh. He seemed so upset at the fact he was helping her, yet he did so anyway. He clearly met Ratier or someone associated with him before he got sealed away… So, his grudge was understandable… Due to it, it was even surprising he was helping her at all.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Thanks to their coaching, Alice after a few minutes managed to begin breathing normally, color returning to her face. Between the shock from the barrier and this though… She looked exhausted.

As awareness of her surroundings seemed to return to her, her expression held more and more shame. It was almost as if she was embarrassed at the fact she had ran off ahead and ended up in this state while everyone else was fine.

“You did great…Can you get up?” Kazius questioned. After all, they stopped, but they really did need to hurry. Who knew when someone would come for them.

“No.” Alice admitted, looking pained to admit such a thing.

Of course, Kazius did not blame her for any of this. She had taken a risk to save him in the past. Just like how he couldn’t help the fact he was not Human, she could not help the fact she was one.

This did confuse him a bit though.

Azanor spoke of this being an issue for Mortals. Yet Eve was fine… Maybe Elves had such a high magic aptitude that it was fine? Or maybe it was due to her contract… He had no clue.

“It’s okay… Come on… I will help you.” Kazius offered as he crouched down. He got into a position to grab her in a piggyback ride. It was a bit embarrassing, but they had to keep moving, so there was no choice. It was a bit pushy for him to offer like this, but at the same time Alice seemed like the type that would not ask for help even if she needed it… Not like Kazius could judge her for it, he was the same way.

Perhaps it was a habit that developed from being only able to rely on yourself in an environment like Ratier.

“H-Hold on… I-I don’t need…” Alice began before she would look around, flustered.

She would then spot Azanor. He was not helping at all, snickering at her. His expression being quite the mocking one. This would earn him quite the glare before she would stare at Kazius for a bit, eventually making up her mind. She would get on, ending up accepting being carried in a piggyback ride.

“Thank you…” She would whisper quietly once Kazius was moving again.

“Of course.” Kazius assured sheepishly.

“Come on, let’s keep moving.” He would add.

“I am glad you survived.” Eve stated happily before she would join in, walking into the tree line.

Alice smiled slightly at Eve only to frown a little. She looked deep in thought, her face full of confusion about something.

“I… Thank you, Azanor… I know you wouldn’t want to save someone from my family… So thank you… I… I think… Maybe… I guess… I don’t think you are a bad person… So, I am sorry for always being hostile towards you… I will try and change that a little.” Alice admitted in shame. She clearly wasn’t sure what to make out of the fact Azanor had saved them multiple times now.

Azanor seemed to look genuinely surprised at her words. Once the shock faded, his expression grew into a teasing smirk.

“Oh? You know how to show gratitude?” Azanor began in a mocking tone before smiling a little in a more genuine way.

“Well, I suppose you are one of the few people in your family with manners… You remind me of someone else I knew…” Azanor admitted with a sigh before looking a bit uncertain.

“Ratier?” Alice decided to ask, able to guess he must have known him.

Azanor seemed to almost look like someone had punched him in the stomach when she mentioned him.

“No… I hope not. Someone else. Maybe if you’re good I will tell you some day, but not today.” Azanor responded, his tone a little bitter.

“Not for free?” Alice would finish the sentence for him.

Azanor smirked at that.

“You know me well.”