"Rem…"
Though this concerned Roswaal and Emilia, Ram's focus was on Rem. She knew that once her sister went Oni, she would lose her reason. And the corpses everywhere, the bodies crushed by that iron ball—that could only have been Rem's work.
What on earth happened?
"Ram, it's dangerous over there. Come to me," Shichen waved her over.
"I don't think you're any safer… and I can't get across."
"Leave it to me. Relax your body," Shichen said, snapping his fingers.
"Eh?"
Ram suddenly found she couldn't control her body. She began to float and drift toward Shichen, arched like she was being plucked up, hips tipped up. She skimmed over the pack of beasts and landed by Shichen's side, where he caught her by the back of the collar and set her on her feet.
"…What did you do?" Ram recovered and glared at him, annoyed.
"Brought you over," Shichen smiled.
"How? I didn't feel any wind magic…"
"I did it because I wanted to. I am very strong."
"Are you? And yet you let Rem end up like that," Ram said, a note of blame in her voice.
"Relax. I've been watching her—I won't let her get hurt… Even if she's lost her reason, at least she's purged a lot of pressure," Shichen said.
"Purge pressure?"
"You're her sister. You should know what's going on in Rem's heart."
"I've guessed a little… Rem won't tell me, but she's cared too much about me for so long," Ram said, looking at Rem's crazed grin with an unreadable, conflicted expression.
"You're her big sister."
"That doesn't mean it should be like this," Ram shook her head.
"Don't worry—I'll set her free. I care about her even more than you do," Shichen said, eyes soft with pity as he watched Rem.
"More than I do, huh…"
"You have someone else to care about now, don't you?" Shichen said plainly.
"You're not wrong," Ram admitted—the one she cared for now was, of course, Roswaal.
"No wonder Roswaal-sama said not to offend you. You know so much," Ram said helplessly.
"Oh? So he understands me a little. Doesn't matter—so long as he doesn't get in my way, I'll help him fulfill his wish."
"Understood… I'll tell Roswaal-sama," Ram nodded.
"Mhm."
Shichen fell silent and looked back at Rem. The beasts were all swarming her. Whether because she'd slaughtered so many and drawn their hate, or because the little caster saw her as the greater threat, they were intent on finishing her first. It didn't matter—the caster's magic bounced off Shichen's barrier, and the pack couldn't so much as touch Rem. She wasn't even tiring. Oni form was strong; she just couldn't fully control it—or she'd be stronger still.
…Wait—if she can control it, does that count as "washed clean"? Would that make her weaker?
Forget it—unimportant.
"Shichen, can you bring Rem back to her senses?" Ram asked suddenly.
"I could. But how?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
"Just strike her horn."
"Her horn… Alright. We're about there anyway. Let's clear out the rest first," Shichen said casually.
"So many beasts… how?" Ram frowned at the still-massive pack.
"I told you—I'm very strong," Shichen said, raising his hand. The wind began to move.
Ram felt it—wind magic—growing and swelling. A roar rose; leaves whipped; sand and soil took flight; then wet blood and chunks of mabeast; then the pack itself. They rose as light as feathers, flailing and howling, useless—swept up, carried skyward, and—pop—mist of blood.
In an instant, the countless beasts were gone. Only the little leader remained.
Rem, mid-swing, froze, tilted her head and stared blankly at the empty sky.
Kind of adorably dumbstruck.
"Just you left," Shichen said to the small mabeast, smiling kindly as he tossed a knot of golden flame toward it.
"Grr—"
Instinctively afraid, it tried to flee. But the flame followed like it had a will of its own—closing, closing—wrapping it up. It didn't even have time to scream before it was ash.
"You…?" Ram stared wide-eyed at Shichen. That many beasts, wiped out in a blink. That wind magic, far stronger than her own—on par with Roswaal-sama's at least. No—given Roswaal's warning, surely stronger. And that gold fire that made the heart quail… what was he?
No wonder Roswaal had asked for his help.
Shichen didn't answer her. He handed the little girl to Ram and walked slowly toward Rem. She was still spaced out, staring at the empty sky.
"Rem." He came to stand before her and called softly.
Rem still reacted to her name. She lowered her head to look at him, eyes crazed but puzzled.
"You little fool."
Smiling at the sight of her, Shichen reached up and flicked her white jade horn.
Clink—
Like jade tapping jade, white light flared; the horn seemed to retreat shyly into her forehead.
"Mm…"
Rem went limp and pitched into Shichen's arms. He caught her gently and began to heal her.
"Don't worry. Rem's fine," Ram said, approaching with the child in her arms.
"I do worry," Shichen muttered, pouring mana into Rem to restore her stamina and life until she blinked her eyes open.
"Sh—Shichen…?"
"It's me," he said, smiling.
"What… and Sister's here too?" Rem noticed Ram.
"Are you alright?" Ram asked, worried.
"I… I actually feel surprisingly good," Rem said, blinking as she checked herself.
"Of course. With me here, you're not going to 'not be,'" Shichen said, letting her stand on her own.
"Is that so… Shichen, you saved me. What did I…" Rem clearly remembered nothing of the last few minutes.
"You Oni'd out," Ram said bluntly.
"Oni form? I see…"
Rem's eyes dimmed. "I really am useless—I can't even control—"
"What are you talking about?" Shichen cut her off. "You were amazing. Super strong. You wiped out that many beasts in a heartbeat—so strong!"
He gave her a big thumbs up.
"I… I was amazing?" Rem froze.
"Yep. Too amazing. Remember what I said before? I like you even more now."
"I… no, I'm not amazing. Sister is," Rem said, shaking her head.
"…"
Shichen stared at her. "You just did all that—what does your sister have to do with it?"
"Anything I can do, Sister can do too."
"No—I can't do what you just did. You're far stronger than me," Ram said earnestly.
"How could that be? If Sister had what I…" Rem bit back the rest.
"I don't. I'm a hornless one. I can't even replenish my mana—how would it be the same?"
"That's because…"
"Wait—'hornless'?" Shichen cut in, feigning ignorance and looking to Ram.
"Exactly what it sounds like. I have no horn," Ram said evenly.
"I see… I think I asked something I shouldn't."
"Why?" Ram looked puzzled.
"You and Rem are oni, right? Horns should be important. If you don't have one… there must be a story," Shichen said carefully.
"Don't worry. I got over it long ago," Ram said calmly.
"You're stronger than you look—not like Rem, who still pines over your horn. No wonder she keeps saying she can't measure up," Shichen said, jabbing straight at Rem's heart.
"I…" Rem couldn't refute it—her head dipped.
"Now's not the time to dwell on that. Let's head back—this late, Emilia will be worried. I'll give you a proper lecture once we're home," Shichen said, ruffling Rem's hair in comfort.
"No need—Emilia-sama followed us. She's in the village," Ram said.
"What? Then let's get moving," Shichen said, taking Rem's hand and hurrying toward the exit.
~~~
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