Lilia's Tale

Chapter 81: Aftermath

I watched the building slowly be destroyed as adventurers rushed in. I thought about using the same technique I used before in order to remove the fire, creating a sort of tornado on top of the building. However, considering there were people inside, I decided against it.

I watched in horror, hoping the people inside would be safe. I was simply staring, as I saw people come out. I went directly to them to see if I could help them. I saw the adventurers that had just rushed in, as well as three other people they were helping. Of them, the mayor was here.

I tried and help them as I could, but they instead told me to get to safety as the building was about to collapse. I didn't want to follow their advice, but I did. I went back towards the centre of the plaza, only now noticing the broken fountain and the resulting geyser, as I watched the building collapse.

There were two more sets of people coming out before the building entirely collapsed as the fire raged on. I was worried about whether or not people got caught in the destruction...and remembered the town where we were.

I started feeling sick. The memories of what happened that day and the results of it struck me, as I looked back up to the sky to see Heaven's Rift. I knew the Goddess wasn't at fault. I knew it very well. Yet I couldn't stop putting the blame on her. This sickness turned into rage, as I struggled to keep myself under control.

"Lilia..." I heard.

"WHAT?"

I violently turned my head to look at whoever was talking to me as I snapped and screamed, seeing it was Souji. It took me a short moment to realise.

"...Sorry, I'm not feeling well."

"I need to talk to you."

"What do you need?"

"...What did you do to that hellhound?"

"I told it off, that's all."

"There is no way you only did that. It looked...intimidated."

"I don't know."

I tried to leave towards the academy, as if to say my night was over, but Souji grabbed my shoulder to stop me. I looked at him and simply said:

"I don't know what happened, and I don't know where it is, okay?"

He got visibly scared, and I left.

"Is something wrong, Master?" Alice said

"Just a bit depressed. Remembering what happened before and...wait."

I had just realised that I didn't know what happened to that hellhound after it fled. I turned around and started running back to the plaza. As I arrived, I looked around and ran back towards the castle, remembering it went that way.

I ran as fast as I could and quickly found it, cornered against a building, its tail still between its legs. There were quite a few knights in a fighting stance, probably expecting resistance, as the dog cowered in fear.

I stopped before reaching them and wanted to slowly walk up, as a powerful gust of wind from behind swept me and the other people away. The hellhound managed to hold itself, but everyone else ended up on the ground. I stood up as fast as I could, finding myself right in front of the creature.

I was scared for myself, as a cornered dog is at its most dangerous. However, it instead tried to tuck itself even further away from me. I was confused, but also a bit relieved. I didn't want to make it too uncomfortable, however, so I stepped back a bit and waited for everyone else to come back. I didn't know what to do with this creature, after all.