When we returned to the city, I was at a loss for words.
Lyra had a similar reaction, her face turning pale.
Aisha trembled, clutching Snow to her chest as if seeking comfort.
"This is..."
We had only been away from the city for about thirty minutes to help Lyra.
Yet, in that short time, the situation had worsened even further.
The number of rioters had more than doubled.
Despite the adventurers and knights desperately trying to suppress them, there were simply too many.
They couldn't keep the rioters under control and were instead being pushed back.
At this rate, we might actually lose.
And if that happened... what would become of the city?
Right now, the adventurers and knights were barely holding the line, keeping the damage to a minimum.
But if that barrier were to collapse...
Just imagining it sent a chill down my spine.
"Damn it!"
We had no choice but to reduce their numbers.
I struck down a nearby thug.
"Licorice, Miracle Thunder!"
Licorice joined in, using magic to repel the rioters.
But just like ants, more and more kept appearing...
Just how many of them were there!?
How many cursed swords had been distributed!?
This was no longer just a riot—it was practically a war.
The city couldn't handle this on its own.
We had to request reinforcements from the royal capital's knights...
"...No. With all this chaos, they must have already sent for help."
The royal knights had both superior numbers and unmatched skill.
No matter how many cursed swords were out there, they would be able to bring the situation under control.
The problem was time.
The capital wasn't right next door—it would take time for them to get here.
A few days... maybe even a whole week.
That was impossible.
There was no way we could hold out for that long.
I wanted to believe that Sofia would catch Lena in time…
But I couldn’t just rely on her.
I had to do what I could, too.
"We have no choice. We have to take them down one by one!"
If we kept taking small steps forward, we would eventually reach our goal.
Believing that, I swung my sword.
"Fate, you're way too motivated. Normally, people would just give up or run away at this point."
"I can’t. Not when Sofia is still fighting. I can’t be the only one to back down."
"Hmph, I guess I have no choice. Licorice will help you out."
"Thanks."
Licorice was incredibly reliable.
With her by my side, we might actually have a chance.
…However, the situation suddenly took a turn for the worse from an unexpected direction.
"Snow?"
I heard Aisha's worried voice.
After cutting down two more rioters and securing a safe area, I rushed back to her side.
"Aisha, what's wrong?"
"Dad… Snow… Something’s wrong with Snow!"
"Uuuhh…"
I turned to look and saw Snow trembling slightly.
It was as if she were standing in the middle of a freezing wasteland—her body language showed clear signs of distress.
"When did Snow start acting like this?"
She had been fine when we were at Lyra’s house…
"I'm not sure, but… I think it started when we returned to the city."
"Why would that be…?"
Was she affected by the city's atmosphere?
I’d heard that dogs are highly sensitive creatures, so maybe that was possible.
But no matter how I looked at it, Snow’s condition had deteriorated too rapidly.
She was clearly suffering—it wasn’t just a reaction to the surroundings.
"Lyra, do you know anything about what might be causing this?"
"Hmm… I'm an expert in beastkin, not a veterinarian, but… let me take a look."
Despite her concerned expression, Lyra bent down to examine Snow.
For all her gruffness, she was a kind person.
"Some kind of strange illness? No, that’s too fast for an infection to take hold… Then is it a psychological reaction from fear? But even so, this is way too extreme. Hmm… Hmm…"
It seemed like even Lyra couldn’t figure it out.
"Uuuh… Grrr…!"
Snow groaned in pain.
What was happening to her?
I wanted to help, but I had no idea what to do.
If this were an enemy, I could simply strike them down…
But if it was an illness or an injury, how was I supposed to treat it?
"Ah… Licorice!"
"W-Why are you calling me all of a sudden?"
"Can you use healing magic?"
"I can, but only basic spells—they’re just for minor injuries. Snow doesn’t seem to be hurt, though…"
She trailed off mid-sentence, tilting her head in confusion.
"Wait a second… This looks familiar somehow…?"
"Really!? What’s happening to Snow?"
"H-Hey, don’t get so worked up! I only feel like I’ve seen this before, but I don’t know for sure… And honestly, I have a really bad feeling about this."
"A bad feeling?"
"I can’t explain it well, but… if we don’t do something, I think something terrible is going to happen… Or rather, it might already be too late…"
I had no idea what she meant.
But whatever it was, it wasn’t good.
…And almost as if confirming Licorice’s ominous words, the worst possible scenario unfolded.
"Grrr—!"
"Snow!?"
Suddenly, Snow let out a sharp bark and tore herself free from Aisha’s arms.
A fierce pressure radiated from her, something I had never felt before.
Her eyes were bloodshot—she had lost all sense of reason.
And then…
From seemingly nowhere, a black mist appeared and was drawn into Snow’s body.
Her beautiful silver fur darkened, turning completely black.
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