Chapter 27

Episode 27: The Hero’s Will

The cafeteria inside Crawford Magic Academy.

At noon, the place was bustling with many students, but now it was completely transformed. The walls, floor, and ceiling bore the marks of brutal destruction, and the long tables and chairs, once neatly arranged, were scattered like debris after a massive storm.

Ted Evans, a second-year Class A student at Crawford Magic Academy, was on the verge of being burned to death by the Black Annihilation Dragon, the culprit who had left the cafeteria in ruins.

However, he was saved by the person he despised the most in the academy—Alphonse Fried.

“Why… would you save me…?!”

“Alphonse…!!!!”

Ted’s voice trembled with shock and anger at the unexpected appearance of Alphonse.

But Alphonse didn’t respond. Instead, he staggered toward Ted, barely able to stand, and knelt beside him.

“…Haa… haa… Healing… magic…”

“…!”

Without answering Ted’s question, Alphonse, battered and barely breathing, began casting healing magic. Ted was left speechless.

Behind them, the dragon, engulfed in Alphonse’s spiral of hellfire, showed no signs of moving.

Gradually, the healing magic mended Ted’s bruises and bone injuries, and he felt the pain subsiding.

However, Alphonse’s exhaustion grew, his breathing became more labored, and his sweat poured down. The quality of his healing magic began to wane.

“…! That’s enough…!!”

Unable to bear it any longer, Ted shouted again.

“Forget about me! Just go on your own!!”

Alphonse weakly shook his head.

“No… I won’t abandon you… I’ll definitely save you…”

“…!! Why?! You don’t owe me anything!! I don’t deserve to be saved by you…!!”

Ted gritted his teeth, his face twisted in frustration. Alphonse replied,

“You have dreams, don’t you…?”

“Huh…?”

Ted was bewildered by Alphonse’s unexpected response.

“You must have a future you want to live for, dreams you want to achieve… That’s why I’m saving you…”

“That’s none of your business—!”

“—My dream is…”

“!”

Alphonse cut off Ted’s protest.

“My dream… is to become strong… to fight to protect everyone’s future, to save someone…”

“That’s why,” Alphonse continued, “—I will absolutely save you.”

“…”

Ted was momentarily speechless at the strength in Alphonse’s words, despite his exhaustion.

“You… Why go this far…?”

“Even if I’m a pitiful descendant, even if I’m looked down upon by everyone… Being the descendant of the hero who saved the world, who protected everyone’s future… the name ‘Fried’…”

With a faint, proud smile, Alphonse continued, “—is my one and only pride…”

“…Alphonse…”

Ted tried to say something to Alphonse, but before he could, Alphonse spoke up.

“Alright… I think you can move now… Come on, stand up…”

“—Alphonse!!”

“!”

As Alphonse reached out to Ted, Ted’s eyes widened, and he shouted, looking behind Alphonse.

Reacting instantly, Alphonse turned around to see the dragon, now free from the hellfire, launching a fireball toward them.

“Enchantment Magic!!”

Alphonse instantly infused his replica sword with magic and sliced the fireball in two. The split flames exploded behind them with a deafening roar.

“‘I thought I’d ruin your desperate healing, but alas.'”

“Stand up!!”

“Y-yeah…!”

Alphonse turned to Ted, his expression fierce, urging him to move. Though his fatal injuries were healed, Ted still felt a dull pain throughout his body as he stood and ran toward the hole in the cafeteria wall created by the dragon.

“…!!”

But when he didn’t hear footsteps following, Ted turned back to see Alphonse still facing the dragon.

“…Hey! Alphonse, what are you doing?! Hurry up and come with me!!”

“…I can’t go with you.”

“…What?! What are you talking about…?!”

Alphonse glanced slightly behind him.

“There’s a student by the exit… probably injured his leg.”

Ted looked toward the exit and saw the lone student left in the cafeteria.

“The Black Annihilation Dragon won’t let the three of us escape… I’ll hold it off. While I do, take him and run.”

“W-what about you?!”

“Once you’re safe, I’ll find a chance to escape.”

“Are you trying to die?! Just hurry up and—!”

“—If we stay like this!!”

Alphonse raised his voice, cutting off Ted’s attempt to persuade him.

“If we stay like this, all three of us will die.”

“…!!”

Ted couldn’t argue with Alphonse’s words.

The dragon, now just watching them with a sinister grin, could attack at any moment.

Escaping with an injured person while facing the dragon was nearly impossible.

Even if Ted tried to help Alphonse, he would only be a burden.

In this situation, no matter how much Ted tried to persuade him, Alphonse would stay behind alone.

The best chance for everyone to survive was for Ted and the injured student to leave as quickly as possible, allowing Alphonse to find an opening to escape.

Understanding this, Ted reached a conclusion.

Clenching his fists so tightly they bled, Ted lowered his head slightly before looking up and saying, “…Alright.”

“Sorry, Alphonse. I’m leaving you here and running away.”

“…Thank you. Take care of him.”

Alphonse’s tense expression softened slightly as he thanked Ted for his decision, then turned back to face the dragon.

“…”

With blurred vision, Ted watched Alphonse for a moment before turning toward the exit and running toward the injured student.

“‘You won’t escape.'”

“‘Like hell I’ll let you!!'”

Alphonse sliced through the fireball the dragon launched at Ted’s retreating back.

“‘Interesting. That man’s fake… Struggle all you want.'”

The dragon, grinning grotesquely, launched fireball after fireball at the fleeing Ted.

Alphonse, despite his injuries and exhaustion, focused solely on cutting down the fireballs before they could hit Ted.

The power of the enchantment magic on his replica sword weakened, and his precision in slicing the fireballs declined. Fireballs began to hit Alphonse, but he continued to swing his sword relentlessly.

…And then.

“…Alphonse!!”

Ted’s voice echoed from far behind.

“I have so much I want to say to you!!”

“So, so…!!” Ted continued, “—Don’t you dare die!!”

“…!”

In response, Alphonse thought to himself,

“(…Yes!!)”

and tightened his grip on the sword.

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