The escape plan of Toa that had the new Illusion Skills of hers as its core.
Putting it roughly, after taking away her vision, hiding her comrades, making a surprise attack, and dealing suitable damage, she would escape before she could recover.
In reality, failure was in sight with that cheat-like ability of her lightning element that locks onto her targets, but thanks to the existence of a third party, the future changed.
Alpine really does have luck in their side.
“Y-You saved us. Thanks.” (Ranina)
“If it hadn’t been the Goddess’s Apostle, you wouldn’t have needed my help though. That was close.”
Ranina, who was breathing roughly, was spoken to in a calm tone.
They weren’t familiar with the woman, but her clothes that would normally be worn by priests would mean that she is affiliated with the Goddess or the Spirit Church.
(? In that case, is she really a helping hand? Our actions this time around are clearly…)
“I don’t really serve the Goddess or the Spirits, so don’t worry. Well, I will definitely borrow the name of the Goddess or a Spirit if necessary though.”
“Is it okay to assume that you have helped us in our escape?” (Hazal)
Hazal seems to also be unable to get a grasp of the woman’s identity, and tries to get information from her.
Louisa is currently confirming the surroundings with suspicion.
“It is okay. Good grief, I am being used real well by that merchant called Rembrandt.”
“An adventurer that received a request from Tsige? I don’t remember you though… Do you know what happened to our leader?” (Louisa)
The woman responded with slight bitterness at the question of Hazal.
The next one was Louisa.
She was concerned about Toa who is the one that protects the rearguard.
The Skill of Toa nailed perfectly, and just at the same moment the blizzard was erased, the party was also erased from the sight of Alte, and the surprise attack went as planned.
But they don’t know if what happened later went well.
Alpine dispersed with escape in mind, and they now stand here due to the voice that resonated in their minds and guided them here.
“Toa, right? She will eventually come. Following your presences… Ah, here she is.”
“Oof, she was strong.” (Toa)
““!””
Toa suddenly appeared in front of the three. That missing arm of hers gave such a big impact that her comrades were at a loss of words for a moment.
“Toa, you…” (Ranina)
“Is this the time to be talking all calmly?! Hazal!” (Louisa)
“I know! I will finish the emergency treatment at once, so come here, quick!” (Hazal)
Hazal opened all the pouches he had on him, and then, he lined up every kind of potion.
Louisa and Ranina run to where Toa is and check for any other injury aside from her arm.
The silver haired woman watched that state of theirs and placed a palm on her head while looking up at the sky.
She seemed truly amazed.
“Toa, was there any need to step in there? You have such a cute little sister, so I don’t really appreciate hurrying to your death.”
“? Eh?! G-Ginebia?!” (Toa)
“I don’t remember allowing you to call me without any honorifics, but that’s right, I am that Ginebia. Nice to meet you.”
“Just meeting Aznoval and Rokuya was already unbelievable! Uwa, the real deal! The Silver Devil Ginebia!” (Toa)
“Wait wait, what’s this Silver Devil thing?! I don’t know anything about that! I am a priest!” (Bia)
“Ahaha.” (Toa)
“Don’t laugh!” (Bia)
“G-Ginebia-dono, as you can see, Toa is gravely injured. I am sorry, but please allow us to heal her first.” (Louisa)
“Louisa, right? If that really were the case, Toa wouldn’t be this carefree here.” (Bia)
“…? Ah, that’s true. For someone who has lost an arm…” (Louisa)
Toa is way too energetic.
It doesn’t look like she is pushing herself here.
It really is strange.
“Well, there’s no doubt she is seriously injured. The problem is Toa doesn’t notice. Ninjutsu…the technique of ninjas, huh. It is not like I don’t get it, but…it is a double-edged sword.” (Bia)
“Toa! Is your arm okay?!” (Ranina)
Ranina must have reached some degree of understanding from the words of Ginebia and asks Toa.
“Heeh, as expected, you could see through it, Ginebia. This is one of the Genjutsu Skills. Scaring you guys too much will make me feel bad, so I am going to undo it.” (Toa)
Ginebia lets out a heavy sigh, and Toa said this like there really is nothing wrong.
And then…she undid her Skill.
“…Eh?”
““Gyaaaaaaah!!””
The one armed Toa that doesn’t have blood flowing out anymore.
After the illusion was undone, the true appearance of her was…a completely charred arm that was barely hanging by two threads of muscle and feels like it would be about to fall at any moment.
Toa went ‘eh?’ at her own tragic state.
She let out a dumbfounded voice.
And her comrades, seeing the completely changed state of Toa’s arm that was screaming in protest even from its smell, made everyone scream as well as the same time.
“Ah, eh? M-My arm…aaah…” (Toa)
“This is bad!!” (Bia)
“Guh!” (Toa)
Toa was computing the reality and was on the verge of a panic attack.
Ginebia hit the chin and back of Toa’s neck.
Both of her hands were fast like lightning with technique that would make 100 out of 100 grapplers nod about her expertise.
Leaving aside the effects of it, Toa fell in place without making a ruckus.
“A Skill that deceives even the senses of the user themselves. Tobikato, what a fearsome Job. However, if you don’t use it correctly, it is incredibly dangerous. She must be told not to abuse it until she has a good grasp of it.” (Bia)
“U-Uhm, Ginebia-san?” (Hazal)
“Hazal, right? You have good tools and medicines. That’s admirable. Well then, let’s begin the emergency treatment of Toa. Right right, just as Toa already said, my name is Ginebia. I am a Lorel adventurer that has lived a little bit long.” (Bia)
While giving out precise instructions to Hazal, she activated several spells, and performed the treatment on Toa.
“…You have received a request from the Rembrandt Company, so is it okay to assume that you will follow up for us in the return to Tsige, Ginebia-dono?” (Ranina)
Ginebia stopped her movements for a bit at the confirmation of Ranina…and she shook her head to the sides.
“No. I am sorry, but there’s none of that. We can’t have Alpine return to Tsige until the war is over.” (Bia)
““?!””
“I will have you continue your journey back to your homelands.” (Bia)
“No, that’s troubling. We have to report about the information we got of Alte Barrette that we painstakingly took the risks to obtain.” (Louisa)
“It would be troubling if you report it, Louisa.” (Bia)
“…I don’t understand what you mean, Ginebia-dono. It sounds like you are saying you don’t want to bring that information back to Tsige.” (Ranina)
“That’s right.” (Bia)
“! Could you possibly be in Aion’s side?!” (Ranina)
“That’s wrong. If you were to bring back the information of the woman called Alte, it will most likely reach the Kuzunoha Company. That…would be too disadvantageous for the Goddess’s Apostle. If the adventurers that I saved were the ones who brought the information about the special trait of the lightning element…we would be leaning too much on one side.” (Bia)
The three of Alpine didn’t understand what she was talking about.
Even in that span of time, at least for the time when Hazal was watching, Ginebia was showing exquisite and accurate healing technique and use of potions to recover Toa.
It is impossible to connect her arm in this place, but Hazal could assure that Ginebia was doing her all.
“…Toa knows about us, but we are people of a time far in the past. We didn’t come out to the front stage, and we decided to not get involved with the balance of the world and its hegemony. We have also promised an old friend. I was told a variety of things, and was convinced into saving you guys, and that’s already in the gray zone area.” (Bia)
“…Could it be that your appearance doesn’t correlate to your age? You clearly look hyuman though… But this place, and this space…I don’t feel the presence of Alte anywhere, and not only that, I can’t even tell where the Golden Highway is. It seems as if there’s the power of the Spirits overflowing here…but I don’t feel their will at all. Just who in the world are you…?” (Louisa)
“Not only did you touch about my age, but you even address me without manners…at the very least, towards me who is treating Toa right at this moment.” (Bia)
“I may look like this, but I have lived several generations that of a hyuman.” (Louisa)
“My life is history itself… From my memory, I have never met an elf that’s older than me.” (Bia)
“?” (Louisa)
“Now then, this is my limit to how much treatment I can give while opening a path. The rest…will be done once we arrive at your homeland, Louisa.” (Bia)
“?! Why do you know the location of my village?!” (Louisa)
“I was shown all your profiles from Rembrandt.” (Bia)
Ginebia says as if it were nothing.
“T-That merchant…! Since when did he make something like that?!” (Louisa)
“There’s no past that’s troubling to know about, so there should be no problems.” (Bia)
“They know everything…?!” (Louisa)
“I am already tired of being used to transport goods, and there’s the chance that my pace will be messed up if I were to tag along with the outrageousness of that merchant. I am thinking about staying with you guys to get back at him for a bit, so looking forward to your company, Alpine.” (Bia)
Ginebia doesn’t seem to like Rembrandt much.
She seemed to have accumulated stress.
“Together…?! No, that’s troubling! That would be really troubling, Ginebia-dono! Returning to my village right now would be incre~dily troubling! I have some circumstances with my family. I think that we should go to Ranina’s homeland first!” (Louisa)
“…About the baby petition because of the low birth rates? I don’t really mind going to the homeland of Ranina, but if I want to concentrate on the treatment, a forest is more suitable for me.” (Bia)
“! …That’s not just you making it up?” (Louisa)
“I was hit by the heat of the city from Tsige after all. I want to relax, and in the forest there’s a lot of fairies and Spirits, right? As you can see, Toa is heavily injured. I won’t really hide the process to bring her back to normal, so I think it would be a plus for you people, in a lot of fronts.” (Bia)
It slightly feels like an excuse, but it also sounds as if it is actually necessary.
However, Louisa looked at Toa who received a physical anesthetic, and after making a face on the verge of tears for a second…she yielded.
“Understood. But what do we do about the guiding?” (Louisa)
“No need. If we walk over there, we will arrive in around 15 minutes. Now then, let’s go.” (Bia)
“? Over there…wait, what’s with that incomprehensible Skill! Right, this place! We still haven’t gotten an explanation for this weird space!” (Louisa)
“It is a history mystery.” (Bia)
“Uhm, Ginebia-san, grabbing hold of Toa’s head while walking is a bit…I can make an impromptu stretcher! Stay there! Please stay there for a bit! Ranina, help!” (Hazal)
“Alright!” (Ranina)
“…Fumu…supportive airheaded harem protagonist, maybe? I don’t really get modern people.” (Bia)
Ginebia tilted her head.
And then, not long after, a notice of the disappearance of Alpine reached Tsige.
This was a bit of payback against Rembrandt, but Rembrandt himself was truly calm when hearing this report, and said.
“I will send letters to the families of Louisa, Ranina, and Hazal. The contents will be about defending their homes and Toa’s little sister to the last. The Rembrandt Company will defend them to the bitter end, so to not worry.” (Rembrandt)
Living for a long time doesn’t mean that she can read the young people of the generation accurately.
Just like the other members, Ginebia is one of the Adventurers of Origins who doesn’t know about the many nicknames she has.
Her real self is unexpectedly a person that breaks through any plans with her fists, and a person that’s unexpectedly easily seen through by the general public.
For example; her nickname of Silver Devil.