TSMMT Ch 149

Rescue

In a cave devoid of light, only the subtle glow of the luminous night pearl shone.

At any rate, this means air is entering from somewhere.

Discovering that air was present, Dianna explored the cave. It was shallow, and fortunately enough, water dripped down in rhythmic drops.

When she inquired if anyone possessed food, several individuals produced snacks, stale bread, cookies, and biscuits. That comprised their entire food supply.

The situation was dire. Dianna reassured the others.

[Dianna] "It is all right. Everyone will rescue us."

[Lady] "Your Majesty..."

[Dianna] "The knights would hardly leave us like this."

[Lady] "..."

[Dianna] "It will be alright."

In truth, whether those outside had survived remained unknown. Had even the knights been wiped out, no one would know they were trapped here, leaving them with no choice but to perish in this place.

Yet if she lost her composure, everyone would plunge into despair.

[Maid] "We must start a fire first, Your Majesty. Though the night pearl provides sufficient light, without fire, everyone will succumb to hypothermia."

Dianna instructed the maid previously responsible for the fireplaces to kindle a flame. In the chilly air, everyone shivered uncontrollably. The night pearl's glow was faint and would diminish over time. Maids gradually gathered tree roots buried in the soil and swept into the cave.

[Maid] "There are few roots for firewood."

Dianna knew as much; they had fled in haste. Fortunately, one fireplace maid habitually carried her flint, and a flame caught.

Everyone gathered around the fire. Bathed in the orange glow, their gloomy expressions were visible, all losing hope.

[Maid] "Firewood is..."

[L. Eirick] "I have some."

Lady Eirick retrieved an item from her pocket, a small book. Tearing pages one by one to feed the flame, the fire brightened.

Sitting quietly, Lady Kragel reached into her garments, retrieved an object, and broke it into pieces.

[Dianna] "What is that?"

[Leonie] "A gift crafted by a deceased friend."

[Dianna] "Pardon?!"

[Leonie] "I have no desire to reunite with that friend just yet, so into the fire it goes."

Several maids produced items as well. Wooden hairbands, wooden ornaments purchased as souvenirs in the Holy See... a varied collection.

[L. Eirick] "Even amidst this crisis, everyone carried so many items..."

Lady Eirick offered a faint chuckle. At any rate, watching everyone freely offer their possessions brought a comforting warmth, and light laughter rippled through the group. Here, commoners and nobles alike shared the sole desire to survive.

Gazing at the fire, Dianna reached out her hand with quiet resolve.

[Leonie] "Wait, Your Majesty! Your hand is far too close to the flame."

If trapped by a landslide, rescue would take time. Something... something was needed. Sylph alone couldn't overcome this plight.

Dianna had only one course of action. Summoning spirits.

Conventionally, summoning high-tier spirits was deemed impossible. In that case, she needed to summon spirits of different elements.

Sylph had been easy to summon due to familiarity gained through Sasha. Perceiving and acclimating to a spirit's essence enabled summoning. Summoning a water spirit required submerging into deep waters, while summoning a fire spirit meant plunging a hand into flames.

Fire was the immediate priority. Thus, taking the instruction literally, Dianna thrust her hand into the flame.

[Dianna] "Ugh!"

Intense agony seared her skin. Feeling raw flesh burn was excruciating. Amidst the pain, Dianna strained to recall the sensation of connecting with Sylph.

Please, recall it. Recall it...

[Taras] "When thou speakest, spirits grant thy requests with minimal mana."

He had spoken those words.

[Leonie] "Y-Your Majesty!"

[L. Eirick] "Her Majesty has lost her mind!"

[Maid] "A-Ah, what do we do?!"

Help me, please. Help me.

Perhaps her desperate plea reached it. With a soft rustle, a lizard crawled forth from the flames.

Dianna stared blankly at the fire lizard. Fire spirits were reputed to be the most difficult to summon, yet she had just produced one.

Hope filled her face.

---

Summoning an earth spirit proved even simpler. They were inside a subterranean cave where earth essence ran strongest.

Spotting a tiny spirit wearing a mushroom-like cap, Dianna felt an urge to leap for joy, forgetting their grim situation.

Why hadn't she thought of this sooner?

Having summoned a low-tier Sylph, she had focused solely on summoning intermediate spirits, never considering other elemental attributes. She had assumed the wind attribute suited her best.

[Leonie] "Your Majesty..."

In her excitement, Dianna failed to realize how strangely the onlookers viewed her. Suddenly thrusting a hand into fire and muttering incomprehensibly would terrify anyone.

[L. Eirick] "Your Majesty, are you alright? Why are you doing this...?"

Anxiety and fragile panic spread through the cavern.

Looking at her stinging, burned hand and soil-stained appearance, Dianna cleared her throat. Since a single wrong move could spark mass hysteria, she explained her actions.

[Dianna] "I am a spirit summoner. I can only handle low-tier spirits, but I am one nonetheless."

[Maid] "Good heavens, Her Majesty is a spirit summoner!"

The maids began marveling aloud. Watching the fire lizard crawl around, they gaped in admiration.

Unlike Sylph, Salamander—the low-tier fire spirit—was silent. Consuming fuel provided by the group, it brightened the flame.

Gnome remained equally quiet. When requested to dig an exit tunnel, the earth spirits nodded silently.

[Dianna] "My spirits' power is not strong, so excavating an exit will take time. Can everyone endure until then?"

Rejoicing at the presence of hope, everyone nodded. Thus, their struggle for survival began.

Tarascus had been correct that low-tier spirits were useful. When confined beneath the Brienne estate without aid in her past life, Dianna had secretly assumed these spirits offered little practical use.

When Gnome surfaced and fed specific stones to Salamander, the fire spirit burned brighter. Sylph maintained airflow to prevent smoke inhalation, and the periodic drafts of fresh air restored serenity to the group.

When hunger complaints arose, Dianna asked Gnome to search for edible items, prompting the earth spirits to quietly present various objects. Most were inedible roots or rocks, yet useful items emerged.

[Leonie] "Oh? Is this... a potato?"

[Dianna] "Potatoes are roots after all..."

[L. Eirick] "Good heavens, we are saved."

As Gnome excitedly retrieved more potatoes, the group roasted them over the fire. Consuming the golden-roasted potatoes satisfied their hunger.

[Dianna] "Thank you!"

At her gratitude, Gnome pulled its mushroom cap down and twisted its feet shyly. Despite resembling a dwarf, the gesture was charming.

Water dripping in the cave proved drinkable once boiled. A kitchen maid had fled carrying a small pack containing a pot, allowing them to boil water. Though supplies were scarce, survival was secured.

Operating the spirits over several days consumed negligible energy. Dianna recognized the true nature of her gift.

Endure. She needed only to hold out. Escape was certain. How many days had passed remained unclear. Distinguishing morning from evening was impossible.

Rosalia cried occasionally, while others maintained encouraging words. Yet everyone noticed the quiet, suppressed sobbing that surfaced periodically.

After several days, heavy thuds vibrated through the earth. Sleeping individuals awoke instantly.

Thump, thump!

At the reverberating thuds, everyone exchanged anxious glances.

[Leonie] "What is that?"

[L. Eirick] "Another landslide?"

[Lady] "Good heavens!"

Dianna's face hardened as well.

A landslide? When we've come this far?

Boom! Crash!

The ominous roar recalled the nightmare of the initial collapse.

[Lady] "Aaaagh!"

[Lady] "We are doomed!"

[Rosalia] "We will live here forever, Mother!"

[Lady] "Aaaagh!"

Someone collapsed, and screams echoed against the thundering noise.

No. This sound is different.

[Dianna] "No... I hear voices."

Heavy thuds sounded again. Dianna recognized the noise. It was stone being crushed.

[Dianna] "Listen closely, voices are echoing!"

Desperate onlookers approached the cave entrance. Unlike their initial cries, outside sounds filtered through, indicating the stone wall sealing the cave had thinned.

[Leonie] "It's true! I hear voices!"

Hope spread gradually. Boulders were being cleared. Heavy thuds echoed alongside crushing stone, accompanied by the low rumble of human voices.

[L. Eirick] "In here! We are in here!"

The women shouted frantically. Another day, or half a day, passed. Just as exhaustion set in once more…..

[Knight] "Heave-ho!"

Light poured into the cave. Dianna, the ducal ladies, and the maids winced against the brightness, tears welling in their eyes.

They were rescued.

Dianna sent Rosalia out first, followed by the maids and ducal ladies in succession.

[Logaple] "Your Majesty!"

At the voice calling her name, Dianna looked toward the sunlit entrance.

Someone approached and took her hand. A warm, steady touch.

Grasping the hand, she stepped carefully outside. The morning air felt strikingly crisp beneath a blue sky tinged with dawn's damp freshness.

Dazzled by the bright light, Dianna struggled to open her eyes.

[Guiscard] "Are you unharmed?!"

Dianna recognized Logaple's voice.

Wait, Logaple? Shouldn't he be in the capital?

As confusion washed over her, the person holding her hand wrapped their arms around her.

The embrace was breathless, yet filled with deep warmth. No words were spoken. Only heavy, overwhelmed breathing. Instinctively, Dianna realized who was holding her.

Lifting her eyes slowly, she saw a tall man standing before her.

Bangs grown long enough to obscure his eyebrows and an unkempt appearance greeted her. Yet those vivid violet eyes remained unchanged, and the unforgettable man stood there as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

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