The brave Simmel wants to resign

"Really? That's very well done."

The man calmly commented, without even asking for details or the specifics of Nanako's technique.

There was genuine praise in his words, but not the overwhelming emotion of something lost and found that I had imagined.

Crackling sound.

The sound of firelight was frequent and distant, mixed with noises that made Nanako uneasy.

She rubbed her shoulders nervously and looked at Xia You.

"Xia You...where are we?"

"This one..."

Xia You's serene smile faltered, and she paused in her movements.

Then... he propped himself up on his knees.

"I should be able to recognize you."

He gently reached out his hand, looking at Natsumi, who was much taller than him, and Nanako reached out her hand without hesitation.

Warmth enveloped her small hands, and Nanako followed Natsuyu to a place far away from the fire.

However, Mingming had moved far away from the fire.

The crackling sound grew closer and louder.

The sound of structural cracking caused by the rapid vaporization and expansion of moisture and volatiles inside the substance.

Finally, even the light in front of us began to 'magnify'.

【————————】

Crackling sound —

combustion.

The village is on fire.

Looking down from above, it resembles a handful of matchboxes in a mountain valley.

Nanako understood in that instant.

This is the village she and Mimi used to live in.

The thatched roof caught fire, and flames emerged from under the eaves, licking the walls and climbing upwards, enveloping the entire house in an orange-red cocoon.

Warehouse, cowshed, timber frame...

Under the high temperature, the wooden structure had long since collapsed. It was thrown into the well while still red-hot, and with a hiss, white smoke billowed out.

Human bodies burned, without screams or cries; clusters of fireballs swayed and fell under the night sky.

In terms of pure color... it can even be described as somewhat magnificent.

Xia Youjie covered Cai Cai Zi's ears.

Even at such close range, Nanako was still able to hear Natsumi's voice clearly.

"Don't overthink it, Nanako."

“I’ve wanted to do this for a long, long time, but I felt the need to tell you.”

The wind rushed in from the mountain pass, blowing the flames even higher.

"If you're afraid of me, just shake your head."

"If you hate me, just shake your head."

"I won't hurt you or Mimiko, it's just that I wanted to do it, and I finally did it, so... I felt I had to tell someone."

Xia You's voice drifted by.

It was just an intuition.

Nanako immediately grabbed Natsumi's hand, which was trembling, but she still gripped it tightly.

"......"

"Thank you."

Thick smoke formed a slanted black column, rising into the night sky and obscuring the stars and lights.

Crackling sound.

Crackling sound.

Crackling sound—

Chapter 41 Standoff

In my memory, those two months were so dazzling.

I was happy to be with Simmel and the others, and I had gotten used to spending time with Miyoko while they went out to work.

The smile he wore while speaking made Nanako feel envious and warm.

Mimi and I once had parents who loved us just like that, but...

The somber memories were cut into strands that fell to the ground, intertwined and indistinguishable.

Simmel brought them light, but he was a hero, not a parent.

The Xia couple now have a home they cherish dearly.

Now, I can tell the difference myself.

The difference between the hero, the older brother, and the parents.

so good.

I wish I could be Shinichi and Miyoko's child.

That's what I was thinking, but I think I accidentally let it slip. Mimiko next to me stared blankly at me.

I was extremely panicked at that time, but I won't be for long.

Because Miyoko hugged us and said it was okay, we would be the Natsuyu family's children from now on.

very nice.

Let it be like this.

...

I felt a little sleepy after eating.

But for some reason, I always feel a tingling sensation all over my body, and it's a bad feeling.

I had the same feeling when I first encountered a cursed spirit.

I wasn't asleep; I was holding Mimi's hand, huddled in the living room watching TV.

Miyoko couldn't persuade us otherwise, so she stopped trying and instead sent a text message to Jie.

Is Jay coming back too?

Then Simmel will surely return.

That's definitely fine.

That's what I was thinking.

but.....

Too slow.

After Jie agreed, Miyoko, Shinichi, and I huddled on the sofa to watch TV.

But then I suddenly heard a strange sound.

The curse power is surging, my heart is beating so fast, and the red mark that appeared on the back of my hand after I summoned Simmel is now burning hot.

Miyoko and Shinichi were very concerned about me and said they were going to find the medicine box.

They got off the sofa, and for some reason, looking at their backs always made me feel scared.

until--

【——————————————————】

..............

.........

What would an explosion look like from a first-person perspective?

The world suddenly seemed to slow down, and the muffled sound in my ears grew into a long, drawn-out buzz.

The floor trembled violently, but the flames surged wildly through the crack in the kitchen door. The orange-red fireball slowly expanded like a giant beast, enveloping the area with black smoke and debris, and gradually approached.

The heatwave burned against my face, distorting the view.

It exploded?

Why was I able to react?

Nanako didn't understand the significance of that moment.

Just as humans may see cursed spirits in their dying moments, the obsession with 'life' can stimulate the talents of sorcerers.

A surge of intense negative emotions.

Let the girl in that moment——————

[Awakened the spell]

As the power of the spell surges, the brain receives excessive feedback, accelerating the thinking process.

Therefore, she understood the situation.

An explosion occurred, and he, Mimiko, and Natsuyu's parents were all engulfed in the blast radius.

Her hands were burning hot, and her intuition told her that Simmel would be here soon.