Without You, The Beginning of Magic {Magical AU}

Chapter 10: Situation (Part 5)

Lial walked beside me and chuckled, "If you want to be my friend then I'm alright with that. Call me Lial from now on and I will call you Iris." I looked up and grinned, "Sounds good!~" I motioned for Mikeal's hand as we ascended the stairs and Rayleigh led us into his office. I drooled lightly as I saw strawberry cake and tea on the table. I dashed to the couch and pulled the cake to me and glared, "Mine! No one can have any!" Mikeal huffed a chuckle as Minori was just surprised by everything. Lial casually sat down next to Lea and Caleb. Rayleigh sat in a lounge chair to the side of the table as Mikeal and Minori sat next to me. I held out my ring and brought out two sketchbooks, her finger, a mana core, a notebook, and a piece of paper.

I grabbed the spoon and began eating, "First things first... I want the rank up... Her finger and her core. However..." I grabbed the notebook, "These are her notes... I read them along the journey... Her and the two others were working with a figure whose name is not listed, but from the description... The beasts are not attacking randomly... The beasts that appear are test subjects the hags were using to enhance them... This person the hags were working with... They're making an army and it's not a small one."

I smiled, "Thankfully the research began about four months ago and there hasn't been a lot of progress... At this pace I estimate that it would've taken a year and a half, but with one less hag, maybe two. If we go to take out another hag I say about two and a half to three years and if we take out all the hags, that person will be left with unfinished products..."

I reached over and grabbed the paper, "This paper was found on the woman who attacked me after defeating the hag. I believe she had a case of madness..." I flinched slightly as Lial asked me, "Where is she now?" I closed my eyes and looked away, "In the cart... With her squad who also had madness." I gritted my teeth as Rayleigh asked, "Can we question h-" He stiffened as my voice broke, "She's dead... The entire squad attacked us..." Mikeal rubbed my back, "... I killed her... The rest was taken care of by everyone else... I wrote a magical contract for a one on one fight with her... I was able to take care of her, but if not for the mana crystals I was given... I would've been scared..."

I looked up as I felt immense bloodlust. I got up and walked in front of Rayleigh before hugging him, "Rayleigh... Calm down..." He huffed as he leaned against me, "Iris... How many do you have left?" I huffed, "The necklace, the earrings, the watch, the pure gems, and one of Ace's gems." He shot up and yelled, "That means you died already! If you used the green gems that means you were poisoned! If you used the red gems it means you were sick, and if you used the blue ones... That means you were dying!"

I yelled back, "I'm not dead yet! Back then I had no choice! I was alone for weeks in a world unknown to me outside the castle! That's why I was given these! I have people who can protect me now as I can protect them! Rayleigh! I'm not here for a field trip! I'm not here for games! I'm here to become strong! Stronger than anyone, so I can be free from the fake world of those disgusting two faced nobles! Whether Grandpa Sen or Uncle Shanks or Aunt Makino thinks, if I stay the weak princess I'm doomed to be married off politically! I want to marry Law! I love him! I won't die because I promised him! I have Gengi and Mikeal and Minori! I have two and a half years left! I won't let anyone stop me from my ambition! If I have to run away to a different country I will!"

I teared up and yelled as my voice broke, "Is your faith in me so little? Did you not train me to the best you could?" He hugged me, so I hugged him, "You're right... I'm sorry Iri. You're like a granddaughter to me... I've been extremely worried, so have the others... You don't write to us and it was by accident that we heard you went to the frontier..." He sighed shakily and pulled away before heading to his desk, "At least being this with you..."

He handed me a large golden mana stone with stripes of red and blue. "It'll shoot and SOS and form a barrier big enough for a camp. No one can go outside of it or it'll break, but no one can come in... Stay there until I come to get you. No matter how big and grown or strong you are... People still need friends and help..." I took it and put it in my ring, "... Alright..." He sat me back down, "Now... Tell me everything since you left the capital... Everything."

I huffed softly as I leaned against Mikeal and I continued eating as they followed along the pictures I drew. The situation with Nami and the tax collector, the introduction letter from Bell-mère, leaving down the road to where I met Kia and them and my journey with them. Then them teaching me to fight, then when I destroyed a goblin camp to save them. Then when they betrayed me before I hunted my way through to the next town where I joined the guild and met Hilton, Mikeal, and Clara.

I showed them our travel together then when Mikeal and I made our bond before our betrayal again. Me running with Mikeal and Gengi to the horse and riding away. Then Mikeal and I traveling by ourselves towards the next town. Our month in the town and our carriage that I designed. Our journey to this city and my test where I met Ethan and our journey together. Then our fight with the hag and Ethan's death. My fight with her then our journey back here.

It took a few hours to explain, but after I was finished I saw Rayleigh's expression. It was heartbreak and anger. Caleb and Lea had to excuse themselves when I showed them the picture of Ethan. Lial's helmet was still on while Minori and Mikeal consoled me. Rayleigh looked down and sighed, "It seems that the guild needs to be cleaned out... However, in the meantime... Let's talk about the other hags... Let's call in the adamantine adventurers... Pull the frontline back and have all hands on deck for the platinum adventurers. I'll call for some reinforcements from the knights. Iris, Minori, Mikeal, Lial, then the other four adamantine adventurers will form a party of eight. It will be your job to find and defeat the leader and hags. There might be more than three or other helpers, so investigate their caves and bring anything back that might help."

I asked, "Shouldn't we leave two here in case the person notices and the city gets attacked? I believe that three adamantines, a platinum, two high golds, should be enough to handle the hag or help. After finding more, we should make a squad off that." Lial nodded, "I agree." Rayleigh sighed, "Alright... Let's do that then. It won't be for another month and a half or two for them to return, so don't go too deep to train and make sure to rest because once everyone's grouped up... You won't be back for a while." We nodded and got up, but Rayleigh stopped me, "... Spend some time training with me and we still have to rank you up..." I giggled, "Sure!"