Chapter 25: Yuri the Fortune-Teller’s Directive—Rescue the Blue-Haired Girl!

A vast forest stretches across the southwestern reaches of Youin.

Commonly known as the “Forest of Mana,” this place teems with dangerously aggressive monsters unlike anything else in the region, earning it a reputation as a modern-day magical hellscape.

“It seems this forest contains ley lines rich in mana.”

“Huh? Mana comes outta the ground or something?”

“Mana exists everywhere, like the air we breathe. However, it’s said that only magicians can manipulate it.”

The town of Youin itself originated from this forest.

A naturally magical woodland brimming with mana-rich stones and enchanted trees.

Why does this forest alone have such an unusually high concentration of mana? Over a hundred years ago, a scholar seeking to solve that mystery built a research lab near the forest. That was the beginning of everything.

Merchants, drawn by the abundant mana resources, built outposts near the lab, forming a small settlement. The advanced research coming out of that settlement caught the attention of nobles and scholars, who began to move in.

One thing led to another, and before anyone realized it, Youin had grown from a modest research outpost into a full-fledged city.

“All that happened in just a hundred years?”

“With enough building material, a single earth mage can raise a whole city. And the kind of earth mages who’d come to Youin? Top-class. No sweat for them.”

“Right… magic.”

Even after a century of effort, the Forest of Mana remains largely uncharted. But it’s also one of the rare places where high-purity magical materials can be harvested without end.

“The monsters here grow up feeding on prey saturated with mana from the forest. That’s why they say the monsters around Youin are especially strong.”

“Makes sense. No wonder we’ve been running into such tough ones.”

“…Good thing we’ve got Karl.”

Anyone entering this forest needs serious skill. Your average adventurer wouldn’t last half a day before winding up in a monster’s belly.

Which is why only experienced adventurers even consider exploring it.

Despite a hundred years of careful expeditions by elite teams, the forest’s inner regions are still considered uncharted territory.

“We’re making better time than I thought.”

“Maika’s scouting speed is no joke. Always appreciate it.”

“Well, tracking is kind of my thing.”

We were lucky enough to have a party with a “master of detection” and a “specialist in anti-monster combat.”

Our leader, especially, was unmatched when it came to taking down beasts larger than himself. The trail behind us was littered with monster corpses.

“I heard there’s a grove up ahead full of Youin oaks—perfect for crafting magic staves. Just a bit further.”

“Got it. Leave it to me.”

We were still in the outer forest, but so far, everything was going smoothly.

Protected by Karl’s towering presence, we pressed on into the perilous woods.

“Alright, everyone—stay alert.”

…Though behind that calm expression, there was a shadow of unease.

---

Despite how smoothly things were going, no one looked particularly cheerful.

The reason? Yuri’s fortune-telling that morning.

“A worst-case scenario?”

“…Yeah. Honestly, I’d really like this one to be wrong.”

“What did she see?”

This morning, Yuri had spoken with a face more grim than we’d ever seen before.

“A child. She’s dead.”

“…What!?”

“In the forest. A little girl, face full of despair, being devoured by a monster. She’s already gone. A kid—barely old enough to walk.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Near her, I can see all of you… pale, horrified. Karl rushes in and cuts down the monster, trying to save her. But it’s already too late—her lower half is gone. She’s unmistakably dead.”

“…”

It was a vision too cruel, too tragic to even process.

“…I’ve been in a bad mood since morning. Please—do whatever you can to change this. In theory, my divination spell this time should be perfectly accurate… but there might be a loophole somewhere.”

“O-Okay. We’ll do everything we can.”

“She’s got short, blue hair. If you see her, protect her. I’m counting on you.”

Yuri has devoted her entire life to the pursuit of divination magic that guarantees accuracy.

By learning small, fixed parts of the future, she believes it’s possible to prepare in advance.

If a fire is predicted, you store water.

If a famine is foreseen, you conserve food.

—But, she says, there’s no way to stop the fire or famine themselves from happening.

“…”

The place where the “child dies,” as Yuri saw it, was the forest. Karl tried to save her, but couldn’t make it in time.

Even if we had chosen not to enter the forest to avoid the vision, that girl’s fate wouldn’t have changed.

If we were going to save her, we had to find and protect her before the events of the vision took place.

“We’re heading out. Now.”

“Understood.”

Time was not on our side.

So we wolfed down the meal the Master had prepared for us, and at first light, we set off into the Forest of Mana.

---

“We’re almost there.”

“Looks like we’ll be able to get that Yowin oak we came for.”

It was still early, the sun not yet fully risen. Thanks to Karl slicing through the enemies with ease, we made it to the Yowin oak grove faster than expected.

“We originally came here to collect Yowin oak. And according to that fortune reading, somewhere along the path we just took, a girl is supposed to be killed.”

“Well, assuming a girl did wander in, she’d have had to use the same path. There was only one trail people could walk through.”

Normally, it’s adventurers from town or wand craftsmen who come out here to harvest Yowin oak.

The grove itself sits fairly close to the forest’s edge, and the trail leading to it had long been cleared by earlier adventurers. There were markings along the way to prevent people from getting lost.

There weren’t any forks in the road either. Yuri had said it herself—“There’s only one path, so there’s no way to get lost.”

“We didn’t see any girls on the way here…”

“…Yeah. So, what now? Should we scout around a bit?”

“Are you an idiot? There’s no need to waste time in a dangerous place like this. We’re heading back.”

“Huh?”

That came from Sakura.

She was glaring daggers at Karl, clearly not pleased.

“Come on, Sakura. We haven’t found the girl yet.”

“That’s exactly why. You really think we’re gonna find her by blindly poking around the forest? If that’s how it is, then it makes way more sense to turn back now.”

“She’s right,” Maika chimed in. “If we’ve got the materials, we should head back, Karl.”

Maika nodded in agreement. Karl still looked like he hadn’t quite wrapped his head around it.

…Hmm. Actually, now that I think about it, they’ve got a point.

“If the girl’s somewhere along the route we were originally meant to take, and we didn’t run into her on the way in, then logically we have to run into her on the way back.”

“…Oh. Yeah.”

“And if her death is caused by us not getting there in time, then the smart thing to do is rush back as quickly as possible. That’s what you meant, right, Sakura?”

“More or less. I don’t like the idea of abandoning a child either. So at the very least, I intend to do what I can.”

“Got it. Then we really do have to hurry back.”

Exactly. We’d set out earlier than originally planned—might as well use that head start. If it means we can reach the girl even a second faster, we need to move now.

Still, I’ve been thinking this for a while, but… Sakura’s actually pretty sharp, huh?

Back during that demon skirmish, she managed to trap one and freeze its movement too. I really don’t get what Master sees when he calls her a screw-up.

“Alright, let’s gather up some good branches and get going. But don’t cut branches off a living mana tree. They say it curses you and shortens your life.”

“So we can only pick up ones that have already fallen. Got it.”

“Yikes… Good thing I asked.”

“Karl… Were you planning to cut one?”

Karl had already started drawing his sword, so I stepped in before he could do anything stupid.

Mana trees have a will of their own. If you harm them, they’ll curse you. It’s also terrible for the forest, so we’re not allowed to injure living trees.

We’re just here to accept the forest’s leftovers. Nothing more.

---

We spent about ten minutes gathering within sight of each other.

I was checking the sturdiness of a dried Yowin branch, maybe 40 or 50 centimeters long, when—

“…?”

Suddenly, I felt eyes on me.

Someone… was staring. Close by.

“Irine, something wrong?”

“N-No…”

I glanced around, but only saw my party members nearby.

No monsters. No sign of a girl.

…Was I imagining it?

“……”

No. I still felt it. A gaze. Someone was watching me from somewhere.

“Maika, is there anything out there? I think I’m sensing something…”

“Eh? …Sorry, I didn’t notice anything. Let me check it out—everyone, hold up.”

“Okay.”

It’d be embarrassing if it turned out to be nothing, but just in case, I asked Maika to scout ahead.

If that girl really was nearby, we had to find her. Fast.

“…I don’t feel anything. Nothing I can pick up on…”

“I’m sorry, it might be nothing… But I feel like someone’s watching me…”

“If it is nothing, then all the better.”

Seems like I’m the only one in the party who senses it.

Which means it could all be in my head. And yet… I still feel that gaze.

…Where is it coming from?

“Hmmm… Irine, there’s no one around.”

“I see… I apologize, Maika. It must’ve been my imagination.”

“It’s fine. In dangerous places, it’s better to be overly cautious.”

Maika circled back to us after checking the area. Nothing unusual, apparently.

“……”

“Alright then, let’s get back to collecting.”

And yet… this feeling. This strange sense that something is—

…right behind you, to the right.

I could’ve sworn I heard it. A voice, faint, but real.

And so, I turned. Right. Behind me.

…Straight ahead.

Something’s there.

I know it. Something’s definitely there.

"Is anyone there?"

No response came, even after calling out. But there was definitely something there.

"...Irine?"

"Something is there after all."

Calmly surveying the surroundings, I noticed it.

When I turned to look behind me—just right of my rear—there was a presence atop a fallen oak stump.

So it was that. That was what had been giving off that presence all along.

...Come here.

What is this thing? A monster of some kind, invisible to the eye?

...But I have reliable companions with me. If anything happens here, they’ll be able to help.

There’s no need to be afraid. I decided to follow the voice—whatever it was—and head toward the stump.

"Karl, I’m sensing something over there. Please keep an eye on me for a moment."

"H-Hey, hang on. 'Over there' where?"

Leaving Karl with those words, I began to walk slowly.

Atop the stump—if I looked closely, I could make out a faint, shimmering silhouette, like a mirage. And I felt it—a definite surge of magical energy.

"It’s here—"

I reached out to it, cautiously—

"—?!"

A pure white light engulfed me.

Immediately after, an intense, searing warmth flared the moment I touched the stump, lighting up the entire forest.

"Kyah!?"

"What happened, Irine!?"

"My eyes... my eyes—!"

My eyeballs were burning. What the hell—was that a stun grenade or something?

There was no sound, but with that level of brightness, it had to be some kind of attack. I seriously thought I’d gone blind.

"What the hell just happened?"

"Karl, um... my eyes were hit. That mysterious flash just now—"

"Flash?"

My vision slowly started to return. Karl’s worried face came into focus as he leaned in close.

"A flash? What flash?"

"The one just now—"

"...? Sorry, but I didn’t see anything flash."

Karl’s response didn’t add up.

He didn’t see that blinding, eye-melting flash?

"Maika, did you see anything?"

"Nope, I didn’t notice anything either. Irine, are you sure you’re okay?"

"...Huh? Huh?"

Wait—none of them saw it? That light that felt hot enough to set the whole forest ablaze...

...Can you see now?

That voice echoed in my head.

It had a gentle tone, tinged with childlike innocence.

"...Eh?"

"Irine, seriously—are you okay? You’re not secretly dealing with some condition or anything, right?"

Sakura ran over in concern, but I couldn’t even focus on her.

Even after my eyes adjusted and the world regained its color... I still saw it—swirling, colorful waves, rippling all around me.

"Are my eyes broken...? Everything’s, um... flickering quite a bit."

"Hmm. Irine, do you feel any pain in your head? Nausea?"

"No, not like that. It’s just... how should I even describe this..."

Sakura gently held me, trying to comfort me.

And beside her—

...We finally made eye contact.

I perceived it—an existence made of light, like a tiny person.

"Irine, it’s okay. Just tell me what you’re feeling in a way we can understand."

"...Actually, I can see a fairy. And just now, she spoke to me..."

"...Okay. Yeah, we might’ve lost her."

What is this.