I'm in Otome World, Really?

Chapter 23 - A Secluded Village (part 7)

My eyes widened as I soon looked at the back of a familiar person in front of me. Blinking my eyes repeatedly, I twisted my neck back and looked up to see the one who hugged my body from behind, keeping me safe from the danger.

"Why are you..."

I stopped talking when the person pulled me further from the other guy who was still standing straight between me and a bunch of wizards he had to fight.

"Hide with me!"

Before I managed to reply, the person and I had already hidden behind some bushes, not too far or not too close, but enough for us to watch them fight.

I looked curiously at the one who was crouching down beside me while she was observing them seriously, unlike her usual self.

Once again, I decided to ask, "Why are you here, Kayla?"

Yes, this person beside me was Kayla. And the other guy who was now preparing himself to face the wizards was none other than Kei, her only son.

And they were supposed to be in 'my house'.

"I'll explain later." She glanced at me with a wry smile. "I have to watch Kei so he won't do something dangerous."

I kneeled down to hide my body more from the group's sight but my gaze still glued onto her. "What do you mean...?"

Kayla didn't answer until suddenly I heard Kei's voice, making my head turn to look at him and the group in a snap.

"Why are you chasing her?"

The leader of the suspicious group stepped up and asked him back clearly in annoyed tone, "Who are you?"

It seemed like the leader didn't want to answer his question, because she obviously diverted his question with another question.

Kei glared at her for a while, then taking a peek at some wizards behind her. He let out a sigh, and then as if it appeared from out of nowhere, a magic staff was suddenly in his hand. Oh, but it seemed that I just didn't notice it was there until now.

Perhaps the leader also had just noticed that, so she hurriedly raised her right hand and released her magic. Way too many of big and small roots sticking out of the ground from everywhere and were about to attack him. Since Kei was surrounded by trees around him, I thought it was currently his disadvantage.

"Kei!", I unconsciously shouted, trying to warn him.

Kei annoyedly clicked his tongue and directed his staff toward the leader. Unexpectedly, huge dark smoke came out of the wand, decomposing the roots that almost touched him. The smoke then spread and covered the area where only the leader and the other wizards stood, as if surrounded them in a spiral, like a tornado with a center in the middle.

"His element is dark?!"

"I can't see anything!"

"This---He must have an enormous amount of mana!"

I was in awe as I stared at Kei who was gripping his staff so tightly to the point his hand became redder than usual. Sweats ran down his spine as he continued to concentrate of controlling his magic he had let out.

Seeing that he had managed to blind them all for temporary, he quickly ran toward us, stopped when he stood in front of me, then raised his hand up to the sky.

"Cover your ears!"

Kayla and I did what he told immediately.

A moment later after he warned us, I witnessed a surprising event in shock. I almost couldn't believe what I was looking as the light almost blinded me, though I was still sure I could see what was happening with narrowed eyes.