Concern

Cole holds out his hand between her and them, motioning defense against the unknown lady from nearing. Having encountered Narc and his subordinate earlier, he couldn't help but be wary of her, despite her upholding for Emi, to them she was still suspicious enough to be considered a threat. The lady turns to him.

"So that's how you'll treat me?" Her sharp gaze met with Cole's eyes. He felt intimidated, but he must not be swayed, he needs to protect them from any harm.

"No offense but we're currently not in a good situation to trust anybody." Cole clarified. Lucius who was standing still this whole time, turned his body to walk away from the crowd's attention.

"Wait." The young lady said, and stood in front of him, blocking his path.

"Move." Lucius said intimidatingly, threatening her with his eyes widened from suppressed wrath.

"Get out of our way." Cole ordered her while standing beside Lucius. They shouldn't be wasting time here. Emi... She was still suffering because of these ungrateful, wretched dastards.

"Ughh." Daniel slowly opens his eyes upon hearing the commotion. He pulled his weak body up and sat there. After his mind finally cleared from the fogginess, he was bewildered when he noticed the town's people surrounding them.

"Huh? What happens?" He asked. Cole quickly went beside him and help him to stand up.

"Are you okay, Daniel?" Cole asked him while checking his body. For sure, the plague curse's seal was nowhere on his body anymore. Emi really absorbed all the curses to herself. Daniel looked around, but the person he searched for wasn't there with them.

"Where is Miss Angel?" Daniel asked Cole to which he sighs.

"She's there." Cole said and pointed at Lucius's hand. Daniel rushed and there he saw Emi's small figure laying sickly.

"What?! Why is she so tiny? Is she alright?" Daniel panicked as he saw her appearance was worsening.

"She used too much magic, that's why she become so small. Don't worry, she will be fine." Cole put his hand on Daniel's shoulder and taps them for assurance. Although her actual condition was far from the truth. Because this time, it might risk her life.

Cole couldn't instill worry in the young boy's mind thus he refrained to tell Daniel about her true condition, however, his words do bear wishes; wishes for her to be fine.

"Can't she turn back?" Daniel asked with naivety, innocently. Cole turns silent, he doesn't know if she was able to do it, but then again, she is still a mystery to him.

"Daniel?" A small voice caught their attention. They turned to see Emi was awake.

"Emi!" Cole and Lucius called to her.

"Miss Angel, you're awake!" Daniel had a bright smile on his face.

"You're fine. Thank goodness." She smiles weakly.

"Are you okay?" Daniel asked, concerned of her.

"I'm fine. Don't worry." She comforted him from worrying too much.

"I was so surprised to see you so small." Daniel said as he chuckles in amusement.

"It's normal for me to become like this when I used too much magic. My mana depleted largely." She tries to explain.

"Now you're not Miss Angel anymore, but Miss Tiny!" He exclaimed cheerfully while laughing. Emi was delighted to see him smile, she felt a huge sense of relief.

Another one of the smiles she managed to save, she was grateful that they were called to come to that town. If she didn't, she couldn't have saved all of them. After absorbing the plague of curses, she finally understands how painful it was to them, and how much they have suffered.

"Can't you turn back?" He asked again.

"No... I can't... Not yet... Need to recover..." Emi said slowly as she falls to sleep.

"She's exhausted. We need to hurry." Cole said nervously to Lucius, her current state was making them feel agitated. They need to find a mage to heal her, they need to rush for Vermillion Empyrean's capital city.

"Are you going now?" Daniel asked, his voice has a hint of sadness. Cole nodded his head to Daniel, regretfully to inform him.

"We need to go." Lucius asserted.

"Daniel! Daniel!" A man called out. Pushing through the crowd with several other people.

"Father! Mother! Big bro! Lala! You're fine!" Daniel ran towards them. They hugged each other tightly. Barely missing death made them realize how their family means so much.

"Yes. Everyone was suddenly healed." Daniel's father notified as they loosen the hug.

"It's because of her. She's the rumored Dragon Princess!" An old lady exclaimed.

"Dragon Princess?!" They were shocked. However, most of the crowd still have their own doubts about the young lady.

"So she is the real Dragon Princess. Has she really returned?" Whispers passing. Suddenly they felt an enormous force.

"Get out of our way, if you have the strength to be chatty." Lucius threatens them with a forceful tone. His eyes were piercing toward them.

"Yeah. You even accused her, instead of thanking her for helping. Now she's the one to suffer." Cole point out, he was annoyed too.

They walk past the crowds and began heading towards the Vermillion Empyrean's capital city, with both Emi on Lucius's palm and Death still warping around his arm. Daniel hastily rushed to them before they left.

"Will little miss wake up?" Daniel asked.

"Don't worry, we'll find someone to cure her. When she's fine, we'll bring her to see you again." Cole promised him with a big smile.

"Really?!" Daniel was so happy to hear it.

"Of course." Cole confirmed.

"Get well soon, little miss. I hope we can meet again." Daniel said to Emi who was still sleeping.

"Daniel come now!" Daniel's father called out for him from afar, so he ran back to his now healthy family, thanks to the Dragon Princess.

"Goodbye, good sirs! Please save the little miss! I'll be waiting for all of you!" Daniel waves at them, and Cole waves back as they walk farther and farther from the small town.

=================================

Cole sighs again, he already forgets how many times he had done it.

"Are seriously just going continue to stare at her like that?" He asked Lucius again as he pour the soup he had made into the medium-sized bowl in his hand, it was for Lucius. Lucius didn't say anything, although it was usual of him not to be that chatty, but in that situation his silence made Cole feel uneasy.

Cole already pour another portion of the soup for himself and sat beside the bonfire, the problem was Emi. She hasn't eaten yet since morning, it might also be the reason why Lucius didn't want to eat too, he probably didn't want her to starve by herself. It's not like they didn't try to feed her but they didn't know how, especially with her in that size.

Death was nowhere to be seen. He already entered Emi's shadow once again. It was rather odd behavior of him not to attend his master when she is that sick. He didn't even once come out from hiding. Was he being controlled by Emi? With her unconscious, did he becomes passive too?

"I'm sure she'll wake up soon. Eat your food, already." Cole insisted but Lucius didn't respond to him, and Cole was left in silence.

Only the sound of the small crackles and snaps from the burning woods, followed by Cole's wooden spoon scraping softly against his soup-filled bowl.

Grayish-black smoke rose up to the night sky, it was cloudless but they couldn't see the starry sky due to the light emitted by the fire.

Soft blows of chilly air made them feel slight coldness, to which Lucius pulled the handkerchief on Emi's small body covering her more securely with warmth.

"She didn't even wake up nor she returned to her human form." Lucius uttered out of nowhere, and Cole was surprised by it; he paused for a moment before responding.

"Wasn't she sleeping this whole time while she was sealed? This time, it won't be as long as that, I hope." Cole tries to assure him, although it seems like he was trying to comfort himself.

All this time, he kept himself busy from worrying too much about Emi. They cannot be distracted, not when he knew people intentionally harm the small town just to target her. Cole still hasn't managed to tell them about the mysterious beings. She needed to know too, so he will wait until she was awake.

"I can't have her sleeping again like that… She finally wakes up… And I finally got to see her…" Lucius said whispering, which Cole wasn't able to hear.

"Don't worry too much. She did say that she needed to heal and regain her mana first. So have trust in her, she is strong. After all, she is the Dragon Princess." Cole reminded him with a smirk on his face.

Cole's eyes flash to the bushes nearby. He sensed something or someone. It alerted Lucius too. They heard footsteps coming towards them and from the darkness came to light, were figures, cloaked.

"Who's there?! Show yourself!" Cole shouted. Both of them were already in a stance, preparing for what to emerge. They need to protect her, for sure, this time they are in a crucial moment.