**Chapter 102: Isis Carbelt and the Silver Flash**
“Hah… Hah…!”
“Damn it… How did it come to this…?”
“I-I don’t want to die…”
With ragged breaths and pitiful cries, a group of people sprinted across the Subnock Plains. Their destination was the entrance of the plains—their only escape from this hell.
“Move faster! Don’t stop!”
“B-but… Senpai…”
“If you stop, you’ll die! Do you want to become monster fodder? Keep running!”
Leading the charge was a woman disguised in a boy’s uniform, rallying her companions. They had enhanced their physical abilities with magic, yet the fatigue was overwhelming, and they struggled to keep their legs moving. This group of about ten was composed entirely of students from the Royal Academy. They were fleeing with all their might from the depths of the Subnock Plains toward the entrance.
(Why… why did monsters suddenly appear…!)
The woman at the front grimaced. Despite being a girl, she wore a boy’s uniform. Her name was Isis Carbelt, a third-year student and the leader of the Student Council Executive Committee. As a member of the rescue team, she had been caught off guard by a sudden onslaught of monsters emerging from the depths of the plains, forcing her to lead her fellow students in a desperate escape.
The cause was unknown. From the depths of the forbidden area of the plains—territory of the powerful monster species known as Subnocks—monsters had suddenly surged forth. Not just one or two, but dozens, even hundreds.
While Isis had anticipated various accidents as part of her duties on the rescue team, this was an unforeseen calamity.
Isis had managed to escape with as many students as possible from the depths of the plains. However, several students had been left behind, as well as some members of the rescue team who stayed back to hold off the monsters. Still, Isis had made the difficult choice to abandon them, focusing on saving those she could.
(I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… If only I had more power…!)
Isis was a top-tier magic user in her third year of the Magic Department. She was already on the path to becoming a Court Magician, a promising young talent destined for greatness. Yet, even with her abilities, all she could do in this situation was run. She pressed on, protecting the ten or so students she had managed to rescue as they made their way back toward the entrance.
“Get out of my way!”
“Gah!?”
“Faster! Move it!”
Using magic to strike down the monsters that appeared ahead, she urged the other students to keep going. The expressions of the fleeing students were filled with exhaustion; they were in no condition to fight. Without Isis to protect them, they would never make it through the plains.
“Kishaaaaaaah!”
“Wha…!”
At that moment, a shrill cry echoed from above, reminiscent of a monstrous bird. A massive serpent with wings descended from the depths of the plains, ready to attack.
“Oh no…”
Just then, a female student running behind Isis stumbled and fell. She was a second-year student from the Magic Department, one of Isis’s acquaintances.
“Yulia!”
In that instant, Isis made a grave mistake. To shield the fallen student, she halted and turned back.
(What am I doing…!)
Logically, she should have left her behind. Isis had a responsibility to lead the students to safety. She shouldn’t risk the lives of everyone for just one person.
“Damn it…!”
“Senpai…!”
“Shaaaaaah!”
As she helped Yulia to her feet, the younger girl clung to her. With one arm around Yulia, Isis prepared to confront the massive serpent.
“Wha…!?”
But just then, a silver flash streaked through the air. An arrow of light shot from somewhere, piercing the serpent’s face.
“What the…!?”
Isis recognized it immediately. That was a magical attack. She turned her gaze toward the source of the light, spotting a tiny figure far in the distance.
(No way… Did they just snipe from that distance!?)
Even with her enhanced magical vision, she couldn’t discern who it was. All she knew was that this person was a magician—no, a sorcerer—far beyond her own level.
“Shaaaah…!”
The serpent was still alive. However, two or three more silver flashes struck its wings, sending them crashing to the ground.
“Let’s go! Hurry!”
“Y-yes…!”
Isis grasped Yulia’s hand and took off, chasing after the backs of those who had escaped ahead of them.
(I’m sorry… No, thank you… I will repay this debt with all my strength someday…!)
Isis directed her heartfelt gratitude toward the unseen savior. Perhaps the fear and panic had been blown away by the recent silver flash, for her heart felt lighter.
“Senpai… Are you okay?”
“I-I’m fine…”
Instead, Isis’s heart raced for reasons beyond mere fatigue. It would be some time before she realized the true nature of that emotion.