Volume 2, Chapter 4 – The Fallen

“By the way, Camilla, do you know how to train monsters?”

“No, but I can learn taming methods from monster handlers. Running a tavern is a long-term process, so I can take my time studying during my free moments.”

Watching Camilla cradle the wolf pup in her arms, Yisi casually sat on the unoccupied shaft of a nearby wagon. Both of them were dressed in commoner’s clothing now, so they didn’t have to worry about staining or tearing their clothes.

“Asking Camilla for help again, huh… I might as well learn with you—Oh, come to think of it, does this world have something like schools?”

“Are you referring to magic academies, Onee-sama? Those are facilities only found in large cities, and usually, only noble children have the means to attend.”

“I see.”

What she had actually wanted to say was that she wished to send Camilla to an academy to experience student life. But given Camilla’s personality, she’d likely struggle to fit in. Yisi swallowed her words.

Camilla sat down beside Yisi, her gaze drifting toward the nearby workers packing up goods. Perhaps because their appearances were too striking, every time a merchant guard passed by the two sitting on the wagon shaft, they couldn’t help but sneak a few extra glances.

“Does Onee-sama want to attend an academy?”

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“That’s no longer a place for me. I don’t want to study alongside a bunch of kids in their teens. Besides, when it comes to magic, what I have now is enough. Life magic can be left to Camilla to handle.”

Though the idea of academy life was appealing, she had already outgrown that stage. Even if she returned to school, she’d only feel out of place.

Yisi couldn’t help but recall the time she passed by her alma mater years after graduation. Though the vibrant school and its students remained unchanged, she was left with nothing but a sense of unfamiliarity—as if an invisible chasm had widened the distance between them. In that moment, she felt keenly aware of her own maturity.

“That’s true. If Onee-sama mastered life magic, I’d be useless.”

“Don’t put it so harshly. I’m perfectly capable of being lazy—no, I should say I’m lazy by nature.”

The only time she ever felt passionate was when collecting blood.

After chatting a while longer, Nix finally finished assessing the merchant group’s losses. By now, the sun had sunk low in the west, and stars gradually emerged over the wilderness. The caravan began setting up camp where they stood. Those who had lost companions sat slumped on the ground, silently chewing on dry rations.

“Miss Savior, may I ask how I should address you? My name is Nix, a merchant traveling between the Kingdom of Hels and the Niru Diocese.” The roughly forty-year-old man, his clothes covered in dust, approached the two with a water flask and a cloth bag in hand. “Lighting a fire out here would attract monsters, so all we have are these meager provisions. Once we reach town, I’ll be sure to treat you both properly.”

Yisi hopped down from the wagon shaft and took the rations the merchant offered.

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“Call me Yisi. You already know Camilla, so no need for introductions, right? I’m technically the daughter of a wealthy merchant. This trip is to find some way to make a living.”

“A way to make a living? But surely you aren’t lacking—No, if you don’t mind, I could find you a clerical job in town. The city guard is always recruiting literate people. The pay is decent, and it’s safe.”

“Unnecessary. Onee-sama has her own plans.”

Camilla sternly refused on Yisi’s behalf.

A bitter smile surfaced on Nix’s shrewd face. Camilla and Yisi had once saved his daughter, and he had known Camilla since their time in Niru city. Naturally, he wouldn’t take offense at her bluntness. In fact, if Camilla were to use polite language, Nix would probably be flustered.

“My apologies for overstepping.”

“My affairs aren’t important. Nix, why were you targeted by Frostwolves?”

“That… goes back to when we passed through the last village.” A shadow crossed Nix’s face. “Originally, we only planned to rest there for a night, but we happened to run into kingdom soldiers investigating Fallen. In the past, a bribe would’ve kept them from causing trouble, but this time, something went wrong. The village was hiding a group of The Fallen. A clash broke out between the two sides, and the fighting soon spread to where we were camped. To avoid getting caught up in it, we had no choice but to flee the village overnight.”

“Then you got lost in the dark and ran into a Frostwolf pack lurking in the wilderness?”

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Camilla added from the side.

Nix’s expression grew even more painful.

“Yes, just as Miss Camilla said. We encountered the Frostwolves just before dawn and were chased all the way here. Along the way, we abandoned a lot of cargo to lighten the load, but even so, half the caravan was killed in battle, and another tenth went missing… Most likely, they became food for the Frostwolves. Total losses exceed eighty percent. Damn those beasts.”

At this point, Nix glanced at the Frostwolf pup in Camilla’s arms. His eyes held both anger and restraint—likely wanting to vent his fury on the pup but holding back because Camilla was holding it.

Yisi quickly changed the subject.

“The Fallen? What are those?”

“Miss Yisi doesn’t know? Even children are aware of these demon-like beings.”

“Are you implying Onee-sama is less knowledgeable than a child?”

“N-No! I would never mean that!” Nix wiped sweat from his brow. The ominous aura Camilla had exuded just now had genuinely frightened him, so he hurriedly steered the conversation back on track. “The Fallen are a group of people with special abilities. They don’t chant spells or learn incantations, yet they can use specific magics.”

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“That doesn’t sound like a problem at all?”

“Indeed, if that were all, they’d be treated as powerful talents to be nurtured. But the Fallen pay a price for their power. Every time they use magic, dark red, web-like patterns spread across their bodies. When these patterns cover their entire form, the Fallen lose their minds, their power amplifying to its limit as they attack everyone indiscriminately. That’s why they’re seen as omens of misfortune.”

Yisi frowned slightly.

“Then couldn’t the Fallen just stop using their abilities before they lose control?”

“True, some have suggested that in the past. But not all Fallen comply. For immediate gain, they’re willing to take the risk. For example, if a noble promised a poor child’s family a large sum of gold in exchange for triggering their ability in a specific location, some Fallen would break the rules.”

“Ugh…”

Yisi’s quiet sound of discomfort didn’t stop Nix’s explanation.

“And that’s not even the most terrifying part. When ordinary people stay near Fallen, they too can become infected. Some Fallen can’t control their magic even if they want to—like those with an innate ability to raise the surrounding temperature. As long as they live, the air around them grows hotter, causing their marks to spread until they cover their entire body, leading to the day they finally lose control.”

“You understand, this is practically an incurable disease. That’s why everyone despises the Fallen and refuses to let them near.”