Chapter 8 The Second Prey… Mage Girl Sara Appears！？
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
—Thud!
Kanata’s body shot through the air.
—Crash!
He slammed into the packed dirt and the breath tore out of him in a single sharp gasp.
”C’mon! Say something, damn it!”
A massive hand seized his collar, yanking him upright as if he weighed nothing. The man’s shadow swallowed the sunlight, his teeth bared in a snarl. When Kanata stayed silent, the man’s patience snapped, and his fist crashed across Kanata’s face in a dull crack of pain.
…Tch. This is bad.
”Ghh… I told you… I found it,” Kanata wheezed through clenched teeth.
”Liar!”
The man’s boot blurred toward him—but Kanata rolled, the blow whistling past where his ribs had been a moment ago. The man’s eyes widened in disbelief. Snarling, his hand dropped to the sword at his hip.
…Alright, that’s enough of this.
Kanata started to call on his ace, mana coiling at his fingertips—when a sharp voice cut through the air like a whip.
”Hey! Rick, that’s enough!”
A girl sprinted from the side, throwing herself between them before the man could draw. Her silver hair flashed in the light as she skidded to a halt, hands planted against Rick’s chest.
”But Sara, he’s got Syl’s gathering basket! I’m telling you, it’s hers!”
”That doesn’t mean you get to just start punching people! You barbarian! …Are you okay?”
Kanata blinked as the girl—Sara—hurried to his side. She knelt, skirts pooling on the ground, and fished a small glass vial from her pouch. With quick, sure fingers, she uncorked it and drizzled its glowing contents over the cut on his cheek. It stung like alcohol, then cooled; the pain ebbed away as the skin knitted itself smooth again.
It was definitely a potion.
”Tch. Using something that rare on him…” Rick muttered.
”Because of you!” Sara snapped back without even looking at him. Then, softer, “Can you stand?”
”Yeah.”
Kanata caught her offered hand and let her pull him up. His legs held. The ache in his muscles had faded to a dull memory. He brushed the dust from his cloak and finally got a proper look at her.
Her hair was silver—not dull or gray, but soft, shimmering, curling lightly at her shoulders like waves catching the wind. The sunlight caught on it in fleeting sparks as she moved. Her face still carried the faint roundness of youth, the kind that made her seem soft and untouchable, but her eyes… those stopped him cold. Emerald green, clear and cutting, locked onto him without flinching, and for a strange second something rippled through his chest like a shiver of static.
There was power under that softness. Quiet resolve humming like distant magic bells whenever the hem of her robe stirred. She wasn’t just some girl.
…He’d been staring too long. Her gaze flicked his way again, and heat jumped to his face before he could stop it. He tore his eyes aside on instinct.
”What is it?” Sara asked, tilting her head, confusion knitting her brows.
—Crap. Did she notice?
Kanata forced a smirk and jabbed a thumb toward the man still scowling behind her. “So, that guy who went all out on me… your boyfriend?”
Sara froze.
”Wh—wha—eh!? N-no! No no no no no! He’s not, I mean, it’s not like that, it’s not like that at all!!”
Her entire face went crimson in an instant, like someone had lit a torch under her skin. She flailed both hands like she was trying to beat the accusation out of the air itself. Her voice squeaked and cracked and tangled on itself, words tumbling out in frantic, broken pieces, her staff hand twitching dangerously like she might accidentally fire off a spell if her panic climbed any higher. She practically launched herself sideways to put space between them, still babbling.
”R-Rick is just—he’s just—he’s a teammate, that’s all, just a teammate, so stop, it’s not—no, I said it’s not like that, okay!?”
The harder she denied it, the clearer it became. Her eyes wouldn’t even flick toward Rick; they darted everywhere else, wild and desperate, while her voice wobbled.
Kanata smiled inwardly, sharp and sly.
Yeah. Nailed it.
Sara finally slapped both hands to her chest, sucked in a huge breath, and let it out in one long rush. The color in her face dulled to pink. When she spoke again, her voice had steadied just enough to sound like actual words.
”Anyway. Um. We were looking for the owner of that basket you’re carrying.”
Kanata shrugged, letting his tone slide into something airy and unconcerned. “Found it. Just a bit up ahead. Didn’t look dumped—more like left there on purpose.”
He patted the wicker basket hooked at his hip. Sara’s eyes followed the motion; Rick’s did too, narrower, colder, skeptical. Kanata let the weight of that stare roll right off him like rain.
”Wanna see the spot?”
Sara and Rick traded a look. Sara gave a tiny nod. Rick hesitated, jaw tight, then exhaled and dipped his head just slightly.
”…We’d appreciate it. Please lead the way.”
”Th-thank you!”
Her voice was bright again, grateful—and almost relieved. Kanata’s smile softened just enough to pass for honest.
(Heh. Perfect. Just have to walk them right into the Dungeon. Easy.)
He turned, boots crunching on the mossy ground, the faint grin clinging to his face. This little accident might’ve been a gift. He’d been planning to scout the village for new prey, but El had stopped him—Dungeon Masters couldn’t stray too far. Not without… disintegrating, apparently. The moment you stepped past the edge of your Dungeon’s territory, your body began to unravel into dust. You could recover if you made it back while more than half of your body remained, but—yeah. Not ideal.
The Dungeon’s territory would stretch wider as it leveled, and you could even burn DP to push it outward, but right now it only reached the edge of the forest. The village wasn’t inside it yet. Kanata had been testing the border himself when these two showed up, and the sight of Syl’s basket at his hip had sent Rick straight into berserker mode.
(Unexpected… but maybe useful.)
He let his eyes slide back to Sara. Slight frame, sure, but there were definitely curves beneath the robe. Still green, probably untouched—and easy to sway, especially with Rick’s feelings to use against her. And Rick… well. Rick would be fun to get lost in the Dungeon halls.
Kanata looked away again, mouth tugging faintly upward.
”Alright. Watch your step. Ground’s a bit rough.”
No one caught the flicker of shadow behind his smile as he led them on.
* * *
”Here. It was lying right there.”
Kanata pointed to a narrow crack at the base of a jagged rock wall. In the dim under-canopy gloom, the opening gaped like the maw of something waiting to swallow them whole.
”This is… a Dungeon, isn’t it,” Rick breathed.
”Maybe. Don’t care.” Kanata’s voice was flat, dismissive.
”…If it is a Dungeon,” Sara murmured, eyes darting around the silent trees, “maybe we should… go back first…”
Her emerald eyes wavered with unease. Her hands clenched at her robe’s hem until the knuckles went white.
”Haah? What are you even saying?” Rick stared at her like she’d grown a second head. “If it’s new, it’s barely got any monsters. Probably hasn’t even finished nesting yet. This is the best time to explore it.”
Kanata’s gaze narrowed just a hair. Rick’s eyes gleamed with hungry light, already digging through invisible treasure piles. Reckless. Blinded by greed.
”But… if you got hurt… if something happened to you, Rick… I… I don’t want that…!”
Her voice shook. Rick sighed, and his shoulders eased.
”I’ll be fine. And hey—Syl and Alma might be inside. And we’ve got him to guide us.”
Sara bit her lip. Her hands trembled where they gripped her sleeves. The darkness yawned ahead, deep and silent.
And Kanata smiled.
Rick tossed Kanata a careless glance, like he was eyeing a tool on a shelf rather than a person. He hadn’t said anything like that out loud, but it was written all over his face.
Kanata caught that look head-on, and his eyes narrowed as he bit back a grin.
(Yeah… perfect. That arrogance. Makes you easy to hook, really.)
”…Alright. But… promise me you won’t push yourself,” Sara said at last, her voice tight like it had been wrung from her chest.
She wanted to stop him—Kanata could tell. But the moment Rick had mentioned Syl and Alma possibly being trapped inside, that hope had cut through her hesitation like a blade. She couldn’t say no to that.
”Got it,” Rick replied simply, lifting a hand.
Watching them from behind, Kanata exhaled quietly through his nose, holding back a laugh. He let his breath pause for a second just to steady himself.
(Hah. Just as planned. A little nudge and he takes the bait… way too simple.)
His lips curled faintly at the edge, but he turned his back before they could notice. All that was left now was to lead Sara deep into the inner chamber. Rick could spend some quality time wandering the first floor.
Kanata stepped into the Dungeon’s jagged mouth. He could feel their footsteps following close behind as he whispered silently inside his mind:
(Alright, you two. Welcome to the first street of hell.)
The dim crack swallowed their shadows whole.
* * *
”…Dark in here,” Rick muttered.
His low voice echoed off the damp stone walls, enough to shatter the heavy quiet. He lit the lantern he’d pulled from his pack, and a soft halo of light pushed back the gloom.
”Want me to carry your packs for you?” Kanata asked gently from behind, and they both turned, startled.
”I mean, I can’t fight anyway. And there are monsters in dungeons, right? Might as well carry the heavy stuff at least…”
His smile stayed soft and calm, no hint of malice or scheming. Rick hesitated, then shrugged. “Fine. Take it.”
Combat with that weight would just slow them down. It was common enough—adventuring parties usually had a porter. This guy could handle that much. Sara hesitated longer, but when Rick passed his pack without a second thought, she followed suit with a reluctant frown.
”Thank you. Alright—this way.”
Kanata turned back toward the wall and pointed. A rotted wooden door lay half-melded into the stone, lanternlight sliding over its cracked surface. It looked like no one had touched it in years.
”Past here, the tunnel goes deeper. I’ve never been further myself, but there should be stairs down somewhere.”
Rick grinned, eyes glinting. No monsters so far—maybe they’d gotten lucky.
”Alright. Let’s go.”
He wrapped his fingers around the knob without hesitation. The rusted metal squealed as it twisted, and the door groaned open with a heavy thud. A thin breath of cold air slid out.
”…!”
Sara leaned closer to peer into the dark—
”…Sorry about this.”
Kanata’s whisper brushed her ear.
His hand snapped around her arm. Before she could even gasp, light flared around her, swallowing her body whole.
”Eh—!?”
In the blink of an eye, she was gone.
”Sara?”
Rick jerked around from the doorway. But the lantern beam found only empty stone. No Sara. No Kanata. Just the trembling light casting lonely shadows on the wall.
Somewhere in the damp silence, Kanata’s laughter echoed faintly.
* * *
The brilliance faded—and with it, the warmth under Sara’s feet.
”…Huh?”
She blinked. Rick was gone. The lanternlight was gone. Everything had been eaten by the dark. She couldn’t see her own fingers when she held them up. Only the faint dripping of water told her she was still underground at all.
But this wasn’t where she had been.
”Rick…?”
Her voice wavered into the void. Only the drip-drip and a soft stir of air answered. Her heart kicked hard against her ribs, loud enough to drown her breath. Panic clawed up her chest, and she clutched at her collar. Her knees started trembling.
”It’s okay. I’m here.”
The calm voice came from right beside her.
”K…Kanata…?”
In the blackness, there was the fragile but certain sense of someone. She reached toward it on instinct, desperate, and her hand touched cloth—warmth beneath her fingers.
”Ah… thank goodness… you’re safe…”
Sara clung to his arm, shoulders shivering as the fear drained away, replaced by the quiet anchor of his presence. With her sight stolen, he was all she had to trust.
”Rick will find us soon. Let’s keep going. I’ll protect you.”
”Y…yeah. Thank you. Really… I’m so glad you’re here, Kanata…”
His calm tone and steady warmth smoothed her panic bit by bit. The darkness stayed absolute, but his voice and the touch of his hand kept her tethered. She held his hand tightly as they walked, terrified of letting go. It was the only thing grounding her now.
She didn’t see the grin twisting Kanata’s face as they moved deeper.
The path narrowed, damp walls brushing their shoulders. The silence felt thick, like time itself had been locked away here. Only the faint splash of distant water stirred.
”Kanata…”
”Yes.”
”That light… it was Teleportation, wasn’t it? Why…?”
Her voice carried the thinnest edge of doubt, but it never rose. Right now, he was her only certainty. Doubt dissolved before trust could even bloom.
His reply came with a soft smile she couldn’t see. “Yeah. Probably a Teleportation trap. Old Dungeons have those. They split parties up to pick them off.”
”…I see… I hope Rick’s okay…”
Her words clouded in the cold air. Kanata didn’t answer, only tightened his hold on her fingers.
”Sara-san… are you scared?”
She shook her head. “I’m scared… but you’re here. So I’m okay.”
Inside, Kanata laughed. She still believed he was an ally. Perfect. He’d just pull her closer, inch by inch, until trust became the rope that hung her.
Their footsteps echoed softly, the only sound in the dead air, as if they’d slipped into another world. Finally, Kanata slowed and turned back to her, his voice tender.
”…Let’s rest. We’ve walked far. You must be tired.”
”Eh… y-yeah… thanks, Kanata…”
Sara sank to the cold stone beside him, legs trembling. Damp chill seeped through her clothes, but having him there made it bearable somehow.
Kanata drew a flask from his pack, checked its contents, and held it out carefully. “Not much left, but… here. For you.”
”…What about you?”
”I’m fine. I don’t fight, so I don’t burn much energy.”
Her lips trembled slightly as she accepted it. “…Thanks. Really… you’re so kind, Kanata.”
She took a sip, eyes down, her voice quiet as if slipping past her lips on its own.
”Rick and I… we’ve been together since we were kids. He’s strong and dependable… but sometimes he’s so selfish. Even today, I… I really wanted to turn back…”
Kanata just nodded quietly, watching her profile in the dim glow that barely existed here.
”I was scared… when we got separated, I didn’t know what would happen… but… having you here, Kanata… I’m really glad…”
Sara’s eyes stayed down as a small smile trembled across her lips. It wavered like it might break at the slightest touch, holding both fear and relief in the same thin breath.
”Hey… Kanata… I’m really weak. I can use magic, sure, but… that’s all. If no one’s with me, I can’t do anything. If no one’s holding me up… I just get scared right away.”
Kanata shifted closer until his shoulder brushed hers, his voice dropping to a soft hush.
”…Everyone’s like that. That’s why… I’ll stay by your side. I’ll support you, Sara-san. Always.”
Her eyes flickered in the dark. It might’ve been tears, or just a trick of the shadows.
”…Thank you, Kanata… I really am glad you’re here…”
He caught her words gently, and let them sink into him. And deep in the quiet, where she couldn’t see, Kanata smiled.
—Almost there. She won’t be able to let go of me anymore.
In that stillness, it felt like the world had shrunk to just the two of them. A tiny space where trust gleamed bright and certain… laced with the soft sweetness of poison.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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