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“Regulus…? Master, what do you mean? What happened!?”
“Sorry, I don’t have time to explain. Apologize to the academy for me. I’m taking Daigorou.”
**“Wo-woof?”**
“W-wait, Master!”

Master leapt onto Daigorou’s back—who looked troubled—and without another word, flew out through the shattered window.

I probably could have chased after her right away… but my legs wouldn’t move. Master had been so furious… it was enough to make me freeze in place.

“…Mr. Zaif.”

In the now quiet room, with even Daigorou gone, I gently touched Mr. Zaif’s hand. It was still warm—he had been alive just moments ago. The cause of death appeared to be a large slash wound running from his shoulder down to his abdomen.

I had only spoken with Mr. Zaif a few times. But seeing him again like this, in such a state, made something tighten coldly deep in my chest. Thinking of Mr. Arnitta too, I had no idea what words to even say.

“Who… would do something like this…?”
“…There you are! You—does that person still live!?”

The ones who burst into the room, drenched in sweat, were from the same church as Ms. Roche. But now was not the time for mourning Mr. Zaif. Treating the living had to come first. There was nothing for them to do in this room.

“No, he’s already…”
“Wait! Let me see! …Still warm! Lady Saint!! We have a *saveable dead man*!!”
“…Huh?”
“――Where’s the patient!?”

The church worker shouted down the hall, and in less than three seconds, Ms. Roche burst into the room with the most serious expression I’d ever seen on her face. The moment she spotted us, she ran straight over and smacked her palm down hard onto Mr. Zaif’s forehead.

“M-Ms. Roche!?”
“*O Lord, grant my hands but a single drop of miracle—!*”

With a short prayer to the heavens, Mr. Zaif’s body was wrapped in a warm, glowing light. It was the same light that appeared when Ms. Roche used healing magic—but Mr. Zaif was already dead…

“—Gah!! Cough—gh, ghhhh…!”
“He—he’s alive again!?!?”

As the warm light faded, Mr. Zaif’s body suddenly jolted, and he coughed up a mass of blood. Just a moment ago, he hadn’t been breathing. But color had returned to his face, which had started to pale, and there was now a detectable pulse at his wrist.

“Th-there was still a spark of life left in his body… We made it, just barely…”
“Ms. Roche! Are you alright? You’re drenched in sweat…!”
“She performed a miracle that borders on resurrection. The toll on her must be immense. Thank you, Lady Saint. We’ll take it from here.”
“I’m… fine… There might still be other survivors…”
“I—I’ll help too! Lean on my shoulder!”
“Thank you… Ms. Momo…”

Now I understood what Master meant by “see you later.”
I couldn’t just walk away from this situation.

Helping Ms. Roche, rescuing the survivors, dealing with any mini-dinosaurs that might still be around—I couldn’t ignore any of it. I’d think about Master later. First, I had to do what I could with the people right in front of me.

“That young man is still in critical condition. Continue applying healing magic and keep his body temperature stable… Also, we’re short on blood…”
“You—watch over the Saint! She’ll push herself until she collapses, so keep her reined in!”
“Leave it to me! I’m great at managing stubborn people!!”
“Ah… I think I finally understand a little of how Ms. Laika feels…”

✦✧✦✧✦

“…What… is this?”
“Ah—Mr. Arnitta…”

By the time we noticed, evening had fallen over the workshop, and Mr. Arnitta had returned. Gone was the youthful energy I’d seen from him at the academy. His expression was hollow, drained of spirit, as he stared in stunned silence at the sight laid out before him.

Countless bodies lined up outside the workshop.

“L-Lady Momose! What in the world happened here?”
“So Mr. Mintark came with you… Actually—”
“Allow me to explain from here. You must be the one responsible for this workshop?”
“Y-yeah…”

Mr. Arnitta answered the question in a daze, looking like he’d aged ten years in a moment. Even Mr. Mintark, who usually didn’t get along with him, looked genuinely concerned this time.

“I’m afraid I have grave news—please steel yourself. To summarize: this workshop was attacked by a pack of raptors. There are three confirmed survivors.”
“T-Three—!?”
“Here is the list of the deceased, as identified and verified by us. Many bodies were heavily damaged, so some names are currently listed as missing.”

Mr. Arnitta took the list with trembling hands, running his fingers down the names one by one. With each name he confirmed, his face grew paler and paler, until tears spilled down his cheeks and he collapsed to his knees.

“Mr. Arnitta!”
“Arnitta! Get a grip! Your grandson’s name isn’t here—he’s safe!!”
“And I’m supposed to rejoice over that, Mintark!?”
“That’s not it! Now isn’t the time to mourn the dead—we have a duty to the living! As someone who leads others, you have to stand tall!”
“Gh… Ugh… UWAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”

Encouraged by Mr. Mintark’s fierce words, Mr. Arnitta mustered the strength to rise to his feet once more. His clenched fists were stained with blood. The loss of those who had worked in the workshop must have hurt him far more than if his own body had been torn apart.

“Raptors, you say!? Are you telling me those things just happened to wander into the workshop and devour all my people by chance!?”
“We also believe this incident to be the result of human intervention. Forgive the bluntness of the question, but—is there anyone who might bear a grudge against you?”
“There were tensions between me and Mintark’s lot, that much is true! But I can’t imagine anyone stooping to such a monstrous act!!”

“O Saint of Ascles—tell me, how were the raptors brought into the workshop in the first place? Has the culprit’s method been identified?”
“Unfortunately, not yet. We’re hoping to hear from the survivors, but they’re all still in intensive care.”
“…I see. Lady Momose, may I ask—where is Lady Laika now?”
“Ah, right! Master said she found some kind of lead here in the workshop, and then she headed for a city called Regulus? Something like that!”
“ “ “Regulus…” ” ”

The moment I said the town’s name, the three of them all echoed it in perfect unison. Judging by their expressions—like students getting back their math test scores—it didn’t seem to hold any pleasant associations.

…Just what kind of awful place had Master gone off to in pursuit of the culprit?