While running down the hallway, Serena found a group of people gathered who resembled the stranger she had just knocked down.
And at their feet, there were people who had collapsed.
Among them, there were faces Serena recognized.
The mansion’s servants.
Some were groaning, clutching their wounds, while others lay motionless.
The injuries were deep, and there was no movement, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume they were dead, but Serena hoped that wasn’t the case.
“Serena, Miss!”
“Huh? A snack? It’s not time yet…”
Moments that didn’t even need to be remembered, insignificant.
Yet, in the midst of that time, the horrific sight of these people, with whom she had clearly shared moments, made her clenched fists tremble.
“I won’t forgive them…”
Those who hurt her home, the mansion, and everyone precious to her.
With anger directed at them, Serena immediately cast magic.
“Ahhh!”
“What, what’s up with that kid!”
Those hit by the magical bullets shooting from her hands had no way of defending themselves.
Among them, about half of them lost their sanity and charged at her, but against the unfolding magic, it was just reckless bravado.
She could do this.
She could save everyone with her own hands.
In the fleeting moment when she thought she could end this horrific massacre, her lips curled slightly with hope.
“Ugh?!”
A sharp pain shot through her chest, and she swallowed hard.
For a single moment, just a split second, it was enough to make her legs wobble and her breath become shallow.
‘This isn’t something that heals your heart.
It only helps you use magic to some extent.
So, never force yourself to use magic.’
The advice Ershi had given her on the day she first taught her magic flashed through her mind.
The side effects of casting magic repeatedly.
The memory of almost dying came to mind, and fear made her body tremble, but even so, she couldn’t stop.
She had to protect the mansion and everyone in it.
Determined to endure the pain, Serena first treated those who had fallen.
“Th-thank you!”
“Ugh… Huh? The wound?”
Some had fully healed, but their eyes remained closed, though thankfully, they were still breathing faintly.
But her moment of relief was brief, as dizziness suddenly overcame her.
Along with it, nausea surged, and everything she had eaten that day rose to her throat.
“Heh, heh…”
“Miss…”
Though she barely held it in, the servants watched her, worried, as she struggled to catch her breath in pain.
Not only had they been helped by a child, but they were also making her suffer.
Their own helplessness and incompetence made them feel pathetic.
“…Where’s Ord?”
“The butler is at the central hall, stopping the other ones. We should also…”
“No. I’ll go alone. I’m fine.”
“Excuse me? M-Miss!”
Whether she knew it or not, Serena began to run toward the central hall, just as she had been taught.
“Ah…! Let’s follow the young lady!”
Originally, they had planned to run away, but they couldn’t just let Serena head to the danger zone alone.
Scattered objects around them.
They picked up anything that could serve as a weapon and followed her without hesitation.
*
“Ord!”
“Se, Serena?!?”
When the girl they should have let escape showed up in the central hall, Ord’s face, which had been trying to remain calm, finally collapsed.
Seeing his reaction and Serena’s clothes, Zelpine concluded that she wasn’t just any ordinary girl.
“Catch that kid! Now!”
At his command, his subordinates rushed in all at once.
She was only a little over ten years old.
Everyone had been careless, but soon their faces turned pale.
“Get away from Ord!”
“W-What?!”
A huge fireball erupted from her hand and shot out in the shape of a sphere.
Zelpine, startled by this, quickly chanted a spell to create a barrier of wind.
The explosion that followed when the two mid-level spells collided.
Both fire and wind disappeared, and silence filled the air for a moment.
‘That person too?’
Serena was surprised to realize there was another magician.
‘How is she using mid-level magic at this age…?!’
Zelpine was utterly shocked.
Even he, who was considered talented, had only learned mid-level magic when he was in his mid-twenties.
Yet, Serena, who wasn’t even half his age, was already capable of such magic.
It was no surprise that she could be called a genius, and the inferiority he felt was unbearable.
He clenched his teeth.
“Deal with the old man! I’ll take care of this kid.”
“B-but that person too…!”
“Shut up and do it!”
Although Ord wasn’t an easy opponent, Zelpine instinctively knew that Serena was the bigger problem.
Reluctantly, his subordinates lunged at Ord.
Zelpine then stepped in front of Serena and casually waved his hand.
“Pretty good for your age. Are you the hidden daughter of that monstrous woman?”
“Move, you boar.”
“…I guess you didn’t get much proper education at home!”
Mocking her with his tone and gaze, Zelpine conjured black smoke around his hand.
“No matter what, I won’t be able to counter dark magic!”
The caster had to endure the side effects later in order to use this kind of magic.
For that reason, most mages avoid using dark magic, but it’s known for its deadly power, making it superior in terms of lethality compared to other magic.
It hurt his pride to use such force against a child, but the desire to make that arrogant look turn to regret made him throw his pride aside.
“Die! [Deep Hard Wake]!”
As soon as the spell left his lips, black smoke took the shape of a snake and rushed toward Serena in the blink of an eye.
Upon contact, the magic would inflict intense pain and cause mental confusion.
To block it, one would need magic of a similar level or a high-level white magic, but he thought it wouldn’t be that difficult.
He had underestimated her.
That is, until Serena conjured a pure, opaque light shield from her hand.
“Li-Light Shield?!”
Zelpine’s eyes widened in disbelief, never expecting her to use white magic.
The black smoke that touched the shield turned to dust and vanished into the air.
Seeing that the attack was completely blocked, Serena immediately released a massive stream of water from her hands.
“Fast!”
Judging that it was too late to counter with magic, Zelpine hurriedly leaped to dodge, but the water stream grazed his right shoulder, tearing off a chunk of flesh.
The pain from the searing wound almost broke his focus, but he had no time to dwell on it.
Serena was already preparing her next spell.
“Dammit, why has this monster been hidden until now?!”
He had to respond, but Serena’s next spell would likely hit him first.
The brief moment when she drew mana reminded Zelpine of his past, and he wished he could grab the collar of his past self, who had accepted this situation.
He had never expected anyone to replace Ershi, let alone someone like her.
No, perhaps even ‘he’ who ordered this never expected this.
But now, what good was thinking about it?
His life was on the line.
In the end, Zelpine closed his eyes, giving up.
Just before Serena cast her magic, she clenched her teeth.
Her anger toward those who had tried to kill Mary, Lynn, Eddie, and everyone else.
Her resolve to wipe them all out consumed her, and she kept gathering mana.
She had even forgotten that she shouldn’t do this.
“Don’t forget. Never, ever force yourself.”
“…Ah.”
Why did Ershi’s warning come to mind now?
She realized the reason too late, but it was already too late.
A heavy pain, as if nailed to a post, pierced her chest.
The shock made Serena cough up blood, and her vision blurred as she struggled to breathe.
She had to endure.
But even that small will flickered out like a candle in the wind, and she collapsed, as though she fell asleep.
“…?”
As Serena collapsed and her mana scattered, Zelpine, still stunned and unable to comprehend the situation, was snapped back to reality by Ord’s shout.
“Serena!”
Finally regaining his senses, Zelpine assessed the situation.
For some unknown reason, Serena had collapsed on her own.
This was his chance to kill her.
But…
“Get out of the way! You trash!”
Ord, whose sanity had broken due to Serena’s fall, shouted at his subordinates.
“Miss! Are you okay?!”
“Wait! You… you collapsed?!”
“What the hell did these bastards do?!”
Unlike when they had fled before, the servants were now approaching, filled with killing intent.
Leaving Serena alive would definitely lead to regret.
Knowing this, but still focused on survival, Zelpine shouted to his remaining subordinates.
“Get out of here before that monster wakes up! Anyone who’s too slow will be left behind!”
“Wait, boss?!”
Without waiting for a response, he gathered all the mana in his body and used it to escape.
His subordinates, belatedly following, tried to flee the mansion, but most were either struck by Ord’s sword or captured by the servants.
“Serena! Please, wake up!”
“Miss…!”
The intruders were all driven out, and only a few people were hurt, thanks to Serena.
However, since Serena’s breathing remained faint, the entire mansion couldn’t relax just yet.