“Right now, I’m receiving the effects of <Hero Battalion Asura> from the students on the ground, and am converting their feelings into magic power using <Sanctuary Aske>.” (Ledriano)
If they didn’t do something about that dragon variant, everybody would die.
Thanks to all of them sharing that same sentiment, Ledriano’s magic power increased, allowing him to create a barrier that could barely resist the dragon’s attack.
“Once I transfer these emotions to you, please cast the <Sanctuary Aske> spell. If all goes well, you will be able to successfully perform <Dragon Binding Barrier De Jerias>.” (Ledraino)
Ledraino could only hold off the dragon fang for a few seconds without the power of <Sanctuary Aske>.
Even if Emilia knew the spell formula for <Dragon Binding Barrier De Jerias>, she had never succeeded in casting it.
But either way, this was a race against time.
They had no choice but to bet everything on the next few seconds.
“…I… and the Hero Academy students…” (Emilia)
Uniting your emotions with others.
It was easier said than done.
“…Don’t worry. It may be a strange thing to say, but know that we’re as afraid as you are.” (Ledriano)
Ledriano smiled a bit.
“…Even though we were called Heroes, we didn’t even have the slightest bit of courage to back it up. New teachers would keep coming and going one after another. We never even bothered to listen to you from the beginning, thinking that you would also leave us soon anyway…” (Ledriano)
Ledriano removed one hand from his holy sword and extended it towards Emilia.
“…But you actually risked yourself to save us, so we would like to trust you just this once. If phonies like us hold even a tiny bit of courage as well, then… we have to muster it up…” (Ledriano)
Emilia looked at his hand with fear in her eyes.
Right before she was about to make up her mind, both of Heine’s holy swords snapped with a dull cracking sound.
“HURRY UP…!!! There’s no other choice, right?! If we survive this, we’ll take all your classes and everything else seriously!” (Heine)
Emilia grabbed Ledriano’s hand and shouted as loud as she could.
It was directed at them, and all the Hero Academy students who were connected to them…
“―Please! Please give me another chance to be your teacher! I will prove to everybody that none of you is trash!!!” (Emilia)
The Bell of Thoughts that Emilia had around her neck was shining brightly.
It was a magic tool that amplified the power of feelings.
At that moment, the feelings of all the students were gathered to Emilia’s <Sanctuary Aske> via Ledriano, and were further amplified by the Bell of Thoughts.
She immediately drew the magic circle for <Dragon Binding Barrier De Jerias>. Emilia showed her determination on her face, put all her strength into her legs, and jumped into the dragon’s throat with great momentum.
<Dragon Binding Barrier De Jerias> was a barrier of sound. She probably deduced that the sound would be more resonant and more effective inside the dragon’s body.
That was a fact. However, dragons devoured their prey down to their source.
Even with her curse, she couldn’t be reincarnated if she was digested by the dragon’s stomach.
Would she disappear first, or would the dragon be sealed?
Her life and death depended on her and their feelings.
―I thought I had finally found it.―
―Because I kept running away, because I kept making mistakes…―
―I thought I might be able to understand their feelings better than anyone else.―
―I’m shallow, foolish, and worthless. But…―
―That’s why I understand their pain so well.―
―Their suffering. Their sadness.―
―Their pride.―
―I’m painfully aware of it all.―
―I can’t do something as ambitious as leading them, but…―
―I still hope I can walk alongside them.―
―Carrying this great sin on my shoulders… with a pinch of courage… step by step…—
—Straight ahead…—
—So please…—
“<Dragon Binding Barrier De Jerias>!” (Emilia)
A magic thread emerged from the magic circle Emilia had drawn.
It split into countless threads, and bound the dragon variant’s organs.
Every time it tried to move its body, and every time its organs reacted, a loud sound rang out from the magic thread, sealing the dragon’s magic power from within.
Emilia felt a tremor inside the dragon’s body.
Having lost its ability to fly, the monster fell to the ground.
Feeling the fall’s acceleration throughout her body, she kept her eyes tightly closed.
Even though she was inside the dragon’s body, she still felt the impact of the fall throughout her body, accompanied with a roaring noise.
“Gahaah…!” (Emilia)
The pain she felt was indescribably intense, and she coughed up blood.
But she was alive.
The light of <Sanctuary Aske> was gently enveloping her to protect her.
Emilia remained still.
She saw no sign of the dragon moving.
Its stomach, which was supposed to digest her source, had fallen utterly silent due to the <Dragon Binding Barrier De Jerias> threads stretched inside its body.
Emilia lifted herself up and rose up from the dragon’s body using the <Flight Fless> spell.
However, she reached a dead end. The dragon’s mouth was tightly shut. No matter how hard she tried to pry it open, it showed no sign of opening up.
At that moment, she heard a pounding sound, like someone was hitting the dragon from the outside.
“Fuck…! Dammit…! Open up…! Open your mouth…! You lousy little…!” (Raos)
“What the hell…?! That…! Show-off…! She better not…! Die on us…! I’d never be able to sleep again…!” (Heine)
“Hey, Ledriano! She’s still alive, right?! She’s not dead yet, right?!!” (Raos)
“…No, of course not! The dragon’s body functions have stopped! We can definitely save her! Definitely!” (Ledriano)
A broken holy sword slightly entered the closed mouth.
“Hey! Lend us a hand too! We’re gonna pry it open, together!” (Raos)
Using that small gap as a handhold, the students all pried open the dragon’s mouth.
Seh saw a light. A slight glimpse of the outside scenery was reflected in Emilia’s eyes.
Then, when there was a gap just wide enough for a person to enter, she saw the faces of the three heroes.
“Emilia…!” (The trio)
Their uniforms were in tatters, and their eyes were filled with tears.
Emilia slowly stepped out through the gap.
“…What the hell, you had us worried for nothing…” (Raos)
“Honestly… Talk about a false alarm…” (Heine)
As Heine and Raos kept talking in mockery while furiously wiping away their tears, Emilia reached out to them and hugged them.
“H-Hey…! The heck…?!” (Raos)
“You don’t have to…” (Heine)
They tried to shake her off, but when they saw the tears streaming down her face, they gave up and let her hug them.
“…You’re all so silly… There’s no way I would die and leave my helpless students behind…” (Emilia)
Ledriano readjusted his broken glasses.
Heine and Raos smiled a bit, and the other Hero Academy students cheered and rushed their way.
