BCOM 18

Chapter 18

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  Hey! Don’t struggle like that!

Agnes quickly pulled herself back. The way she gasped in panic—huffing and puffing—looked less like agility and more like she had already been utterly terrified from the start.

“Ah—what a fright. What should I do?”

The deer grew even more agitated at the sight of a person, making it nearly impossible to approach.

Without getting close, there was no way to free the poor animal. Judging from the chaos, even the winds on their own hadn’t been able to move the deer.

• Maybe that human can get it out.

• Calm down, dear. Hmm?

While Agnes stood there staring at the deer in hesitation, voices echoed in her ears. The voices seemed to be observing her, and it felt unnerving knowing they could see her when she couldn’t see them.

The winds darted about over the deer’s back, speaking to her.

“Tarin?”

“Yes, my lady!”

“Can you go and fetch Tamohan?”

“Ah… ah, yes! But until then, my lady, don’t lay a hand on it!”

Finally realizing this was beyond their own strength, Tarin quickly grasped the situation and pleaded with her. Agnes gave a small nod to reassure him. Before she could even shoo him away, Tarin spun around and sprinted off.

Watching the small figure grow distant, Agnes turned back toward the deer, which thrashed as the winds roared around it.

The voices continued, not mere wind or birdsong, but true words.

“Um… are those voices I hear the wind speaking?”

Agnes decided to risk sounding crazy and asked cautiously. To make sure she was heard, she raised her voice quite loudly.

Then, all at once, the winds froze. The gusts that had been swirling wildly stopped dead, leaving the air utterly still.

It felt like what floating in space must be like… Agnes shivered as goosebumps spread across her arms.

• Did she just… talk to us?

• What? No way…

The voices, which had until now been chattering noisily amongst themselves, lowered into hushed murmurs, as if wary of her.

“I… I can still hear you, you know.”

With nowhere else to look, Agnes kept her gaze fixed on empty air. It reminded her of noblewomen gossiping in a circle—squawking loudly until someone overheard, then huddling together in whispers.

“Why I can hear this… I don’t know. Honestly, I feel like I’m losing my mind. But shouldn’t we help that deer first?”

Her eyes softened as she looked down at the poor creature, its flanks heaving as it panted weakly.

Because it was caught between rocks, each frantic thrash only cut it further.

“If only I could talk to the deer directly…”

Then she could calm it down and simply free its legs.

As Agnes stood there with pity on her face, the “noblewomen’s” murmurs resumed.

• She can hear us, yet says talking to the deer would be better? What nonsense…

• That’s not the issue right now! First, let’s get it free!

Their chatter went back and forth. They really did sound like noble ladies… though Agnes had never actually met any in person.

“Can you help me? The poor thing is exhausted.”

If she just kept listening, this would turn into idle chatter. Even though the deer had stopped struggling as violently, it was still stuck and bleeding. Nothing was resolved.

“Maybe it’s better to just wait for Tamohan…”

If he came, they could combine their strength.

• Wait? How? Do you mean we just need to hold it still for you?

Her offhand musing seemed to spur one of the voices. Agnes blinked quickly, then nodded toward the unseen presence.

“Yes, please. My body’s weak, but I’ll use all the strength I have to pull it free.”

She didn’t know how much weight she could lift, but with their help, this was the only way.

• Fine. Since you accept, we’ll help.

The air, which had been frozen, began to move again. The winds swirled around her—then stilled once more against her skin, leaving nothing perceptible.

“Ah…”

The movement was now around the deer. The winds had wrapped tightly around its four legs.

She hesitated—would reaching inside that gale shred her hands?

Even so, she approached cautiously. The deer shrieked, but Agnes shoved her arms beneath its belly and tried to heave upward.

“Haaaah!”

She grunted, straining with all her might. The deer began to shift slightly, but her trembling arms gave out too soon.

No, I can’t drop it now…!

Then, one of the wind’s currents pushed beneath her arms, lifting with her.

So strong…! In awe of the wind’s power, Agnes gave a final pull and dragged the deer toward herself.

“Kyaaah!”

She toppled backward, still clutching its torso, and for a moment the deer’s weight pressed her to the ground.

• Oh my! You’ll get hurt!

Alarmed, the wind seized the animal’s hind legs and twisted, freeing Agnes from beneath it.

“Whew! Did… did it work?”

Her heart thundered. She watched as the deer scrambled upright. Bruised and bloodied, it staggered, then found its footing.

But the moment Agnes tried to speak, it sensed her presence and hobbled off, limping into the forest.

“Ah… will it be okay? It lost so much blood…”

Her eyes caught a dark drop staining the earth nearby.

• Now then, shall we talk about you, human?

With the deer freed, the winds’ attention shifted fully to her. Agnes too wanted answers—what exactly was happening to her?

She straightened, staring into the empty air. Immediately, though she couldn’t see them, she felt the winds’ gaze pressing down on her. The tension made her fingertips tingle.

I didn’t do wrong by hearing them… so why does it feel like they’re choking me?

Her lips tugged into an awkward smile, but the presence only crept closer, as if binding her body like they had the deer.

Surely… they wouldn’t actually hurt her?

The pressure mounted, and she instinctively stumbled back.

Maybe I should demand to know what they want—

She drew in a sharp breath—

“My lady~~!!”

Tarin’s booming voice carried from afar, cutting through the air at just the right moment.

He’d returned much faster than expected.

Agnes, caught mid-breath, choked instead and sputtered.

“Cough, cough!”

The winds’ presence instantly unraveled. By the time Tamohan’s heavy footsteps rushed closer, the unseen entities had vanished without a trace.

Agnes exhaled deeply, realizing only then that she’d been holding her breath.

“My lady! Oh heavens—are you alright?”

In her daze, she hadn’t noticed her clothes. Having fallen flat on the dirt, her dress was smeared with soil across her back and skirts.

“Where is it! Where’s the deer?”

Tamohan, fired up, looked around wildly as if ready to wrestle it himself. To an outsider, it would have seemed the deer had been the threat all along.

“I’m sorry to bring you all this way. I lifted it a little, and it dashed off right after.”

She gave an awkward laugh, explaining that the deer had freed itself and fled.

“But my lady—your dress is a mess!”

Before she could reply, Tarin was already behind her, dusting dirt from her gown by hand. Agnes quickly turned, catching her hands to stop her, and smiled.

“It only startled me when it jumped, that’s all. I didn’t get hurt. Let’s head back now, shall we?”

She hurried forward, uneasy the winds might return and menace the others too.

“My lady, are you truly unhurt?”

“If you fall ill once we return, it may be too late.”

“If I were that badly hurt, I couldn’t be walking like this.”

Their overlapping worries forced Agnes to turn around and show them she was fine.

“Look, see? I’m fine. Keep your eyes forward!”

“Still, you seem tired. Let’s walk slowly.”

It felt like she was being escorted by knights rather than servants.

As she walked, voices still buzzed faintly in her ears—but she kept her unease buried deep inside.

Though they walked slower than before, the carriage seemed to arrive more quickly. Climbing aboard, Agnes smiled quietly as Tarin continued to fuss over her the whole way back.