Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Conditions [4]
As audible gasps could be heard from Ruby, Irene, and Alya, I continued my search, checking the trunk of the tree.
Taking my dagger out, I began carving at the tree, trying to trigger something, before shrugging my shoulders and asking.
"Any ideas?"
Turning around, I saw Lily seemingly come up with something, so I moved out of the way and watched her.
Seeing Lily manifest a gigantic bubble of water, all of us held our breath, watching with interest as the bubble kept expanding and expanding until it encircled the entire tree.
As we were all awakened, we could all hold our breaths for at least five minutes, so the four of us all allowed the bubble to consume us as well.
Looking around the rapidly expanding bubble, I was surprised that my clothes weren't drenched, but besides that, everything else was the same. MVLeMpYr-unofficial-text
After all... I could see underwater with my eyes.
For the others, the water probably distorted their surroundings, and they were most likely feeling dizzy.
Finally, as the water bubbles finished expanding, consuming the marked tree and us, Lily put down her wand.
*BOOM*
Instantly, the water bubble exploded, causing a downpour of rain and soaking all of our clothes.
Ignoring my drenched shirt and pants, I immediately looked at the tree, which was also drenched.
The leaves were all soaked in water, the brown trunk had slightly darker parts, and water was still dripping through the branches of the tree onto us.
Sitting down on the ground, which was also covered in water, I switched bodies with my crow.
My crow, which had been sitting on top of the tree, was also drenched, so after shaking the water off its feathers, I began flying.
Soaring above the forest, I spotted the flipped carriage before immediately flying straight forward at my fastest possible speed.
As I flew above the forest, the remaining water droplets dripped down from the crow's feathers and onto the forest below, making it seem like it was actually raining.
After a minute, I looked downwards and halted my flying, flapping my wings with just enough force that I was able to float in the air.
...and guess what was right below me?
A flipped carriage... with four boys surrounding it with confused and surprised expressions.
Returning to my body, I prepared myself for the hard and cold feeling of the ground on my head, but instead, I was unexpectedly met with a warm feeling...
Instead of immediately opening my eyes like I usually did when I returned to my body, I stayed still and basked in the warm sensation, allowing myself to relax.
Then... a moment later, I returned to my senses as the burden on my back reappeared.
Ten seconds had been wasted... one-third of a loop for those children back in the village.
Forcing myself to finally open my eyes, I was immediately met with the scene of Ruby's face less than a meter away from mine, our eyes meeting almost immediately.
Her eyes were sparkling a bright red, resembling a high-quality ruby gemstone, and her expression was contorted with concern as she stared at my face.
Her cheeks were flushed a bright red, and her elegant black hair was straight from being drenched with water.
Water dripped from her hair and face onto mine, connecting us despite the small distance between us.
Lost in the depths of her ruby-colored eyes, my mind went blank as I simply stared at her, not muttering a single word.
Contrary to her normal and composed appearance, her hair was messy and all over her face, covering parts of her eyes and nose.
Her eyelashes fluttered as she stared at my face, not yet realizing I was awake, and her hands trembled as she held my head, saving it from the cold, wet ground.
Above her, the orange sky, illuminated by the setting sun, combined with the water droplets from Lily's bubble to create a rainbow, forming above Ruby's head.
...this timing couldn't be any better, could it?
Wait, what was under my head, then...?
Turning my head slightly, prompting Ruby to turn her head and notice I was awake, I was immediately met with her drenched blue pants.
Basking in the scenery in front of me alongside the warm feeling under my head, I closed my eyes once again.
I had time manipulation as an ability, didn't I?
This didn't have to be one of those fleeting moments that I looked back on in a couple of days, did it?
If it was me... I could make this moment last forever.
No...I couldn't.
Unlike me... some people didn't have the choice to decide what moments they lived and didn't.
There was also a world out there that would need my help, whether they wanted it or not.
Lifting my head off Ruby's lap, I met Ruby's eyes, and before she could say anything, I scratched my and asked.
"So, what'd I miss?"
Releasing her hands from my black hair, which was also drenched and all over my face from the rain, Ruby stared at me, simply muttering.
"...you just collapsed onto the ground...we're the ones who missed something."
"That? Oh, that happens sometimes; don't worry about it.
Turning to Lily, who had shifted her gaze from the drenched tree to me, I shook my head and continued.
"Didn't work."
"And you're sure it didn't?"
"You can wait another hour and see, so what reason would I have to lie?"
Alya, who had seen the whole thing coming, made an icicle shield to stop the water from hitting her, asked.
"...why exactly did you choose to pop a bubble on it?"
Glancing at me for a second, Lily sighed before pointing to her eyes and replying.
"The tree seemed to have some sort of magic connected to it...so I tried to replicate the tree's magic spell, but instead input the magic into a water form instead of a tree."
While I considered whether I should act surprised or not at the fact that Lily revealed her ability to see and replicate magic spells with her eyes, Ruby got back up and asked.
"If no else wants to try, I think I have an idea."