Chapter 75: A brief respite

The snow-covered streets of the city were aglow with the soft light of luminescent lanterns, casting a warm, golden glow over the festive atmosphere. The air was crisp and cold, but the magical charms woven into the fabric of the city's architecture defied the harsh winter weather, keeping the revelers warm and cozy.

At the center of the city square, a grand celebration was underway. The sound of laughter, music, and merriment filled the air as the citizens of the city gathered to celebrate the defeat of the dragon that had terrorized their lands for so long. At the heart of the festivities was Lucinda, known as the brave girl who had slain the dragon, her smile shining like a beacon amidst the sea of joy.

Isabella stood beside her dearest friend. She was dressed in a vibrant red gown, her skirts fluttering as she moved. Her face was flushed with happiness, and her eyes sparkled as she gazed around at the festivities.

"Lucinda, dear Lucinda!" Isabella exclaimed, flinging herself at the spawn of Octavia's waist. "You never fail to impress! Dispelling of a dragon on your visit here, how like you!" Lucinda laughed and hugged Isabella back, pleased by the girl's enthusiasm. The comfort of a friend was much needed and appreciated, seeing as what she had witnessed.

As they chatted, Agatha strolled over. Her eyes were narrowed, her expression unsmiling. She was dressed in her uniform still, her entire demeanor radiating a sense of annoyance; she most likely did not want to go through the effort of dressing up.

"Congratulations on your victory," Agatha said gruffly, her voice devoid of warmth. "I suppose it's fitting that you're being celebrated." Lucinda smiled politely, but Isabella's eyes grew wide with dismay.

"Oh, Agatha, you're not being very festive!" Isabella protested. "It's a night to celebrate! We should be having fun and dancing and making merry!" Agatha snorted.

"Fun? You think this is about having fun? I'd rather just be reading or sleeping." Lucinda intervened with a smile.

"Agatha, it might be due for some rest, no? The cultists have been warded off and the dragons are no more." Agatha's expression remained unyielding, but she nodded curtly.

A click of the tongue was heard as Mirabella made her way to the group; it seems she was going to where the familiar faces were.

"What a pain!" Mirabella bellowed, drawing the attention of some to herself. "I'd rather be kicking ass."

"Uncouth once again," Agatha commented.

"No one asked your opinion, blondie!" The princess shot back.

"Whoa, the two of you are like sisters with how much you argue," Isabella noted with a chuckle.

"Not a chance/ Like hell!"

Lucinda watched as they bickered and smiled. But a constant thought plagued her.

("I wonder if it's okay to be lax like this.") Sure, the knights had taken care of most of the cultists and the dragons were dealt with, but still. She withheld a sigh as she bid the small group farewell; she needed to get her bearings.

As she made her way through the crowd, Lucinda's gaze scanned the faces around her, searching for other familiar ones. Her eyes landed on a figure sitting alone at the edge of the celebration, his dark hair standing out in stark contrast to the bright colors and warm atmosphere. It was Mikoto.

Lucinda's feet carried her towards Mikoto without conscious thought, as if drawn in. She reached his side and gently sat down beside him, her eyes locking onto his masked face.

"Mikoto, I wanted to thank you once more," Lucinda said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know I've been feeling pretty down, but your words, harsh they were, made me feel a little better."

Mikoto's expression beneath his mask didn't change, his eyes remaining as serious as ever. He nodded slightly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't mention it," he said. "Like I said, just focus on saving who you can."

Lucinda smiled softly.

"Thank you," she said again. "You seemed so mysterious and odd back at detention, but you're actually a nice guy." She chuckled a bit. "You just seemed so out of this world."

"What can I say? I'm just that special," Mikoto said with a snort. "But I expected you to be more pompous the first time I heard of you."

"Really?" She blurted out. "How come?"

"Being the 'only' spawn of Octavia would get to most people's heads," he reasoned. "You're surprisingly grounded." The girl smiled once more.

"I'm glad you think that." Mikoto was surprisingly nice to talk to, as were most of this little group of hers. It felt nice being just normal.

The two sat in silence for a moment, enjoying each other's company. The music and laughter of the celebration continued around them, but they were lost in their own respective little world.

Just as Lucinda was about to speak again, a loud commotion erupted from the edge of the celebration. A knight burst into view, his armor gleaming in the torchlight as he shouted something in a voice that echoed across the street.

"Demons and Vel'ryr soldiers are attacking! They come in all forms! Please retreat to the inner gate!"

The crowd around Lucinda gasped in shock as they turned to stare at the knight, but luckily they all seemed to react quickly enough. All who enjoyed the brief celebration moments ago shuffled on their feet and ran in a panic, Agatha, Mirabella, and Isabella meanwhile made their way towards the two.

"What the hell are these bastards doing!" Mirabella exclaimed. "They don't actually mean to attack this city, right?" Something akin to an earthquake shook the foundations of the city.

"There's your answer, I propose we cut short on talking and get rid of as many demons and soldiers as we can." Agatha let her words hang in the air for a moment before bolting off in the direction with the most commotion, Mirabella cursed to herself before following after the blonde.

"Wait!" Isabella yelled out to no avail.

"They're right; we cannot risk any casualties." Lucinda took a deep breath before clasping both her hands together. "Seraphic Chorus." Mikoto watched in interest as shadows expanded from her position and morphed into what looked like armored soldiers; their armor was black, and their weapons varied. There were about a dozen of them, and with a mental command, the soldiers split off in a blur of speed. "Mikoto, please look after Isabella." Leaving no room for protest, the girl herself vanished in a bout of speed.

"That girl." Isabella heaved a deep sigh. "She always goes straight to the source of the problem." She heaved another sigh for good measure before turning to Mikoto with a smile despite the situation. "Oh, this is our first time meeting, though I wish it was under better circumstances. My name is Isabella, and I have a passion for acting and singing."

"Mikoto, nice to meet you," Mikoto murmured before clasping his hands together. "Technique Development: Creation Magic." He murmured lowly.

All around the two, brilliant sparks of light further illuminated the night sky. The light particles began to take form, morphing into two dozen human figures. Armor began to take shape and various weapons; once the light died down, Verdantis knights surrounded them. Isabella looked on in wonder as Mikoto gave a mental command, and the knights spread out and ran into different directions.

("Creation Magic is complex; the most I could manage in such short notice was empty armor sets, though reinforcing them with mana makes them durable enough.")

"Whoa! Amazing!" He heard the Isabella girl exclaim. "It was almost like Lucinda's Familial Arts, but not quite."

"It's just a bit of conjuring," he brushed it off. "Anyway, you should probably retreat; demons and the animal soldiers aren't the merciful type." She just shook her head defiantly.

"No, no. I have an obligation to help here, and I won't run away," she stated with what he registered as a hero complex.

"Hmm, fine then." Mikoto turned on his heel and walked. "Do what you want."

"Hold on, you're leaving me alone?" She questioned a bit befuddled.

"You're weak; you'll just get in the way," Mikoto stated. "And besides, the amount of animals crawling around is nauseating."

"W-weak!?" She pouted. "That is not a nice thing to say!" Her words were not heard as the boy vanished in plain sight. "What a meanie!"

Meanwhile, Mikoto appeared atop a church; he overlooked the city. Some sections were burning and filled with soldiers battling demons and Vel'ryr troops. In such a short time, the animals had caused so much destruction. They were most likely here to gather some souls; seeing as the dragon was killed, they had to start from scratch. This situation, though, felt odd as a whole, but the archbishop and Dante were no longer here. He had heard that Dante was the strongest among the Inheritors, so this must have been planned.

"What a pain."