Chapter 20: Traces of Devastation

Several hours later…

A team of humans, clad in light armor and armed with various weapons, arrived at the lake’s edge.

Odur, the leader of the militia, spearheaded the group of over a dozen individuals. Among them were the militia’s elite, including Agnes and Gusede.

The militia had received reports from villagers of a tremendous noise emanating from this area, prompting their patrol.

“What… what in the world happened here?!”

Even the seasoned members of the militia, accustomed to confronting various magical beasts, couldn’t help but stare in astonishment at the scene before them.

The scorched earth still seemed to radiate a faint warmth, and the once-full lake had receded by nearly a meter.

Odur stroked his chin thoughtfully, his voice heavy with concern. “Judging by the marks on the ground, it appears two colossal magical beasts clashed here.”

“But what about these scorched traces, as if seared by a massive fire? Are these also left by magical beasts? Since when have creatures of this caliber appeared around our town?”

“No… not magical beasts…” Agnes’s faint voice drifted over.

As everyone turned to look at her, she instinctively tugged at the brim of her hood.

Gusede stepped forward, demanding, “Not magical beasts?! Then what could possibly cause such immense devastation?!”

Agnes explained with a hint of uncertainty, “It should be… a spell from a Magus…”

“It’s a bit… a bit like the Crimson Lotus spell… but I’ve only ever seen this kind of spell in books… I’ve never… never seen anyone use it.”

“A Magus’s spell…?” Odur fell into deep thought. He recalled the earlier report; the only person who might have been in the vicinity was a young girl.

“A Magus?! Can you be certain?” Gusede pressed again. “Are you sure these marks were made by a human? This burnt forest, this lowered lake surface—it’s practically a natural disaster!”

“The Crimson Lotus spell… is a very powerful spell… but typically, only intermediate-level Magi or higher can use it.” Agnes nervously glanced at the group. “So… I’m not entirely sure if this is the Crimson Lotus spell. However, the Crimson Lotus spell *can* cause effects like these.”

“An intermediate-level Magus?” Odur shook his head, dismissing his earlier assumptions.

“Report!” A militia member, who had been investigating the battlefield nearby, ran over, holding something that shimmered crystallinely in the sunlight. “I found this in the open ground about a hundred meters away.”

Odur took the object from the militia member’s hand. “What is this? A piece of glass?”

“This… this is it!” Agnes exclaimed in surprise upon seeing what Odur held. “This is a fragment of a crystal scroll, a consumable item used by Magi.”

“It really was a Magus?!” Gusede’s face was etched with disbelief.

Odur’s expression remained neutral as he asked Agnes, “So, where can one acquire something like this?”

“Hmm…” Agnes pondered. “You can buy them in many places outside; any alchemy workshop would have them. In Doremi, only Mulee Hua has them.”

“Moreover… buying something like this outside is very expensive!” Agnes emphasized, quite seriously.

Odur mused, then continued his inquiry. “Any other discoveries?”

“Report, from here to the village in the northeast corner, there are broken branches along the entire path. They appear to be traces left by magical beasts.”

“The eastern village?” For some reason, Gusede thought of a certain black cat. The morning’s monster had been lured away by that particular black cat.

Noticing Gusede seemed to have made a connection, Odur couldn’t help but ask, “What? Do you have a lead?”

“Ah? No, none,” Gusede replied.

“Lately, things have become increasingly unsettled.” Odur gazed at the scorched battlefield. “Frenzied wolf packs, unknown magical beasts, and a Magus of unknown identity… Is something truly about to happen to our town?”

Ultimately, the group found no trace of the monster’s corpse, which had been burned to ashes and then torn apart by a certain wicked dog.