Chapter 257.1 - Movements Throughout Town (1/2)

Chapter 257: Movements Throughout Town (1/2)

Volume 3 Chapter 256: The Start of a Big Commotion (2/2)

“Of all the places, I can’t believe the lumber yard is the source of the fire!　What the heck is the manager doing!?” [Townsman 1]

“The fire is too strong!　This place is done for!” [Townsman 2]

“Don’t give up!　At the very least, we need to keep the fire from spreading!” [Townsman 3]

“Damn it, I can’t get good footing because of the snow.” [Townsman 4]

Ryouma used a spell and ran through the town to extinguish the fires, but the number of fires throughout the city kept increasing.

No matter how many nonstandard spells that took advantage of slime characteristics Ryouma might have, there was simply no way for him to deal with so many fires in such a wide area all by himself.

Yet it was a place like this that a carriage was heading for.

“We’ll help too!” [Asagi]

“Oh!　You adventurers!?” [Townsman 1]

“Water!　Is there anyone that can cast a water spell!?” [Townsman 2]

“Everyone!　There is no need to worry!　Raypin!” [Asagi]

“You don’t need to tell me. It’s time for the wind mage squad’s Plan B, de aru!” [Raypin]

When the person beside the driver, Asagi, an A-Rank Adventurer spoke up, 8 mages including Raypin jumped down. They spread themselves around the burning building and – in order – began to chant.

“Hey!　Did you just say ‘wind mage’!?　Are you messing around!?　If you use a wind spell now, the fire will spread―!” [Townsman 1]

“Your argument makes sense, but I’m going to have to ask you to just keep quiet and watch, de gozaru. They’re not going to do anything bad.” [Asagi]

When the man tried to approach Raypin, Asagi quickly moved to stop him, buying enough time for the mages to finish their work.

『Be a wall that partitions the air.』

『Be a shield that blocks the flames.』

Two layers of barrier magic were deployed around the fire. These barriers cut off the circulation of the air, and severed the oxygen needed for fire to burn, stopping the billowing flames and smoke and the sparks flitting about from spreading the fire.

“As if I could just watch!　This isn’t the time to be playing around— Huh?” [Townsman 1]

The man Asagi stopped was about to raise an even bigger commotion, but his voice gradually grew weaker.

Because the reason for him to act, the burning fire, was gradually dying out from right in front of him.

That was apparent to all the people gathered, and they watched on, dumbfounded, as the fire gradually died.

“W-Why were you able to kill the fire so quickly? It was so big, and yet it’s disappearing just like that.”

“I don’t understand the details all that well myself either, but apparently, using the barrier magic in this way could bring about this effect.” [Asagi]

Asagi directly told him that it was because of a spell they used.

When people heard that, and word of it spread, the people cheered.

“Wow! You guys are amazing!” [Townsman 1]

“Thank you!” [Townsman 2]

“The fire may have weakened, but it’s not gone just yet!　There are other places burning too!　Save your thanks for later, de gozaru!” [Asagi]

“Exactly!　So please leave this place to us, and you guys take care of the other areas!　We’ll go as soon as this fire has been completely settled, de aru!” [Raypin]

“Alright!　Let’s do this!” [Townsman 1]

“We’ll go too!” [Townsman 2]

“We’re counting on you, de aru!　Also, this isn’t much, but… ‘Heat Conduction’!” [Raypin]

After the people renewed their morale, Raypin cast a spell on them.

Suddenly, the snow that had piled up under their feet melted, revealing the stone path beneath.

“This should make it a little easier for you to walk.” [Raypin]

“Woah!?　A-Alright, let’s go!”

Like that, the people with renewed morale were able to run off in small groups.

Now, only Raypin’s group was left.

“…That last spell wasn’t necessary, right?”

“So long as there are people lurking around, trying to incite fear and spread confusion, I believe it’s best to give people something that might lift their spirits no matter how small, de aru.” [Raypin]

“I can’t deny that, but you have only so much mana.” [Asagi]

“No need to worry about that. Because somehow someway, Ryouma managed to get a lot of these, de aru.” [Raypin]

Raypin opened his thick coat to reveal five test-tube-like containers fixed to the lining of his coat.

“Mana potions.” [Asagi]

“The kind that uses expensive Running Mash too. They’re exceedingly effective, but so is the price. Yet he told me to use them without reserve should the need arise. Moreover, research might be my focus, but I am still an A-Rank adventurer. I know how to use my mana.

That spell just now didn’t generate heat. Rather, I merely directed the heat from the scene of the fire to the road through mana. In other words, I was merely taking advantage of the fire’s heat, and I barely used any mana at all. If anything, it should have contributed to weakening the fire, de aru.” [Raypin]

“Is that from Ryouma too?” [Assagi]

“Exactly. In return for our cooperation, Ryouma has generously offered his ‘scientific knowledge’ regarding fires – that thing which we refer to as logictruth or a fragment of the essence of magic.

As a mage that deals with fire, I do have knowledge from my own from experience, but the different perspective offered by theory is a valuable thing indeed. And indeed even a hastily prepared barrier spell was able to do so much. Since he’s willing to pay so generously, it’s only right that I do everything within my power, de aru.” [Raypin]

“Looks like Ryouma is serious about protecting the city. At any rate, I’m fine with anything you do as long as it doesn’t interfere with our main objective of dealing with the fire.” [Asagi]

“To that end, I’ll be counting on you to guard us too, de aru.” [Raypin]

While they were talking like that, a new carriage arrived.