1.5.4

As Felt sped like the wind through the entryway to the loot cellar, she felt as though she had been released from despair.

Behind her, Felt could hear the freezing of the air, and the sound of metal clanging on ice. She also heard the sound of a blunt object swinging through the air, along with "Hii!" and "Wahhh!" and other stupid-sounding utterances from someone dodging attacks.

The battle still raged on behind her.

As Felt's legs started to shake as she ran, she shook her head to try to deny the mess of thoughts running through it.

It was clear that if she had stayed behind, she would have been killed.

Against an opponent who could knock Rom out with a single blow, Felt didn't have a chance. The same went for that silver-haired half-elf. Without support from her spirit, there was no way that she could win against that woman, either.

Subaru was even worse off. It was clear that he had little experience fighting, and didn't seem used to it at all. His clean hands and fingers were proof that he had never even tried to hold a weapon before, and his clean hair and skin was proof that he had never been wounded before.

In other words, Subaru had lived a sheltered life, one in which it was not necessary to consider fighting. Given that he had such an expensive metia on him, it all made sense.

Felt should just accept that it served him right. Despite not knowing anything about the world, Subaru had let a notion of chivalry get the best of him and try something far beyond his means. Felt should simply laugh at his idiocy. Subaru went and tried to act cool and let her get away, so he would probably be happy to see her keep running. But…still…

"Someone! Anyone!"

Though Felt knew in her mind that she should be winding down alleys, she had run straight toward the main street. Out of breath and with an expression of panic on her face, Felt looked this way and that.

This was strange. Felt reached up and frantically rubbed her teary eyes. Even if she had reason to be sad about Rom, Subaru was someone that she'd just met. Why should she care if he died?

But Subaru had gotten mad at Elsa for Felt's sake, and he had just about thrown his life away so she could get away alive.

Felt didn't understand what she was feeling, but because those feelings were there in her heart, she kept running about. She had felt something in response to Subaru's actions. Because of those feelings, her feverishness did not subside, and while she felt like she wanted to scream, Felt kept running.

Then, finally after running down a few streets…

"Please…help me."

"Understood. I'll help you."

…she found a young man like red fire, and changed the fate of the world.