95

Baudan.

The Runes on the platform glowed, after some seconds, two hundred people appeared. Count Seblan drained all of the Mana Stone in his treasure to transfer these two hundreds of people. 

The guards saw them but before they could move, Donovan slashed their heads. 

"Now… let's get started."

The bandits and soldiers silently ran, they were carrying gallons of fuel. They ran in each different direction. Their plan was to burn the whole City… Christopher was the one who made the plan. 

In the novel, the fire would happen because of human error, he was going to use that scenario, but he would intentionally make it. 

"Forgive me…"

He said. He knew that he would kill thousands of people. He didn't have any excuse and he would shoulder any consequence that would happen. 

His heart was calm, his Gift(?) made him numb from the guilt. He was thankful for this or else he would bawl in front of hundreds of soldiers. He decided to gamble, he would sacrifice the minority to save the majority. 

They lit the fuel… 

The fire started to consume the houses.

"Kyaaa!!!"

"Fire! Fire!"

The citizens of the Baudan came out of their houses. They realized that the fire was spreading. They tried to get water but they screamed when they found that almost all part of the City was burning!! 

"Christopher, what's the next step?"

"Follow me!"

Donovan and his three trusted men followed him. Count Seblan would stay on the platform and he would protect the kids. 

They heard the sounds of metal clanging, it seemed that the soldiers of Duke were now moving. 

Christopher ran to the northern part of the City and they would hijack the gate to get out. They must prevent the Duke to get the artifact of Stolen Soul. 

Christopher looked at the watch that Count Seblan gave to him. He still had 45 minutes before the meeting. He believed the Duke was outside waiting for the artifact and he was oblivious that his City was burning. 

"Christopher stop!"

Donovan felt a presence and pulled Christopher. A bolt of Lightning almost hit him. 

"W- What the fuck!"

Christopher cursed. 

"Get back! I will handle this! Leave it to m-"

"Hoh."

A woman was walking, her arms were encircled by lightning bolts. She was smiling but her eye was telling the opposite. She had blue hair and ferocious green eyes. 

Miranda woke up finding that Baudan was on fire! She started to feel that a strong Aura was in the City, she followed it and saw Donovan and Christopher. 

"Well, well, did anyone told you that a Valkyrie will appear when the innocent met injustice?"

Miranda was furious, she knew that a lot of civilians were dying because of the fire and the culprit was in front of her. 

As the instrument of Justice, she would punish the culprits... although the truth was she was only doing this to show that she was doing her job. Her hands crackled and lightning came. 

" Miranda stop!!"

Christopher shouted, he closed his eyes because the lightning was coming at him. However, when he opened his eyes, he found that Mirando stopped her attack. 

She was surprised that the unknown man knew her name.

 'Have we met before?' Miranda thought. 

"Who are you? How did you know my name?"

Donovan and the others were vigilantly looking at her. 

Christopher started to speak, of course, Miranda would come and Christopher ran many simulations to talk to her. 

"Miranda Franchesca, I know what you're looking for." 

His voice was calm even though he was agitated inside. He said the words that Miranda wanted to know. 

"You! What do you mean!?"

Miranda's heart was beating faster. She was skeptical but she wanted to hear his next words. 

"I know the cure for your sister."

"!!!"

Miranda was shocked and her body trembled. The lightning around her became crazy. It spins, dwindled, and intensified like a violent current. 

She extended her hands, she wanted to know who this man and how he learned about her sister. 

The lightning roared and coiled to Christopher. Donovan reacted but Christopher signaled him not to move. Donovan halted but he touched his sword, if Miranda attack Christopher, he would swing his sword to cut her. 

"Tell me… Are you a follower of Wisdom? They are the only ones who can read minds. I didn't detect any mana inside of you, this means you are not a Hypnotic Mahikero. How did you know about my sister!?"

The lightning squeezed Christopher. He felt the electricity stabbing but he could still think. Miranda was controlling the power of the lightning, if not, Christopher was now already dead. 

"Guh… I'm not from the Temple of Wisdom… I don't know anything about them……… But I know you, you chose to become the pet of the Temple to save your sister. Ack!"

"I'm not fucking kidding!!"

"Christopher!!"

"Donovan stop, trust me!"

Donovan clenched the hilt of his sword. 

Miranda was glaring at him and the lightning was getting stronger. 

"Miranda… You must find the legacy of Tatsuya… He had the answer to the cure…"

Christopher said while gasping for air. 

"Tatsuya? The Hero... I thought you know the cure. You're not deceiving me, right? "

"That, kuck, hehe, I'm just joking, I didn't know the cure but -ack! I know where you can find it. "

Christopher forced a grin.

"You… I will not let you go if you don't tell me your name. And don't ever lie, I can discern them."

The lightning started to clamp him tighter. Christopher didn't have a choice, besides, Miranda was just a side character that would appear in some volume. Christopher believed that his interference would not cause a major change to the plot. 

"Gah… My name is Christopher Mellwood."

Miranda was surprised when he heard it, she had a history with the Mellwood. 

"Mellwood? The family of Mellwood? Ah, so your father is Charles."

She easily understood who his father. 

Christopher nodded, he was gasping for air. 

Miranda believed his words and released him. She heard from the Archbishop that the Mellwood had a couple of secrets. She realized that she might found one of them.

"You, kid, you are not lying, right? Because if you are-"

"I'm not lying, Tatsuya had a wide knowledge. His legacy had the answer to the cure. "

Christopher looked at her eye to eye. 

Miranda giggled and found it funny. 

"I like your guts, young man, what do you want. I know that you won't tell this info without reason."

She could deduce that Christopher want something from her but she wasn't sure what it is.

Christopher gritted his teeth and forced to say the words. 

"… Turn blind to this… act like you didn't see this carnage.  Let the Baudan burn and don't stop the Royal Family to destroy the Baudan."

Christopher said, although, in some way, he was talking to himself.