𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 | ᵇˡᵃᶜᵏ ᶜˡᵒᵛᵉʳ

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

YOSHIKO STARED blankly at the village. Ryuko sighed next to her.

"He really outdid it..."

"So this is Kiten..." Asta said.

Then, he, Charmy and Finral all freaked out when they saw the massive willow tree in the middle.

"I mean, dwaaaa!!" Asta shouted. "What's up with the monster tree?! Stuff like that grows here, huh?!"

"Do you think there's a giant fruit up there?" Charmy asked wiping drool from her mouth.

"Okay, idiots, that's enough," Yami said karate chopping their heads.

"This magic..." Ranulf muttered.

"It's William's," Ryuko said.

"Say what?! That's a spell?!" Asta asked.

"Yup. Taking other people's mana and using it as his own. Something my mother did back when she was alive," Ryuko said.

"They actually may not need us here," Yami said.

"W-Well then, let's go back now, okay?!" Finral said.

Finral was about to go back into his portal but Yoshiko grabbed him from the shirt and not looking back at him. Being stronger, Finral couldn't really get out of her grip.

Yami and Ryuko looked at each other before jumping towards the tree.

"Nah. We'll go up there and see how the war's doing. The captain's probaby up there too," Yami said. "Be right back. Help the townspeople out while the brat heals the injured. Just help so much that you die,"

"M-Mister Yamiiiii!!!" Finral cried out.

"Yes sir!" Asta shouted.

"Mh!" Yoshiko nodded.

Ranulf placed a hand on Yoshiko's shoulder.

"Come on, Yoshiko. Let's go to the injured. Your brother asked me to look after you so I'll come with," Ranulf said.

"Eh?! You know Yoshiko's Ryuko-nii's brother?!" Asta asked.

"You don't know?" Ranulf asked. "I'm the vice-captain of the Azure Deer since Captain Ryuko became a captain,"

"Really?" Asta asked.

Ranulf nodded. "I joined the Magic Knights a year after the captain and managed to prove my worth despite being a commoner. When Captain Ryuko became captain, he made me his vice-captain. And ever since then, I've always been the vice-captain. Though, I was a stand-in captain for a year until Captain Rill came along..."

"Whoa! You're a commoner?!" Asta asked.

"Vice-captain Ranulf is the first commoner to become a vice-captain actually. A lot of nobles were sceptical but the vice-captain proved worthy in the end," Finral said.

"That's right," Ranulf said. Then he looked at the village. "Anyway, we should probably get going. The more we wait, the more injured and trapped villagers will appear,"

"Right! Let's go!" Asta said.

-&-

Seishiro stared at the tree.

"Wow,"

"That's your only comment?" Hiruko asked.

"Hey, at least I had a comment," Seishiro retorted.

"You're impossible,"

"Says you,"

Seishiro pushed up his glasses and looked around.