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Over the white snowfield, Theon's hot red blood spread out.
"…Why did you do something so pointless?"
Checking Theon's wound, Sion muttered with a stiff face.
He tried not to show emotion, but his tone carried the weight of his restrained anger.
Theon glanced down at his side, where there was practically a hole, and swallowed what had to be immense pain before giving a faint grin.
"Well, I couldn't just sit back and watch my precious little brother get hurt."
"……"
He said it like a joke, but there was no strength behind his smile.
Sion clicked his tongue and pressed down firmly on Theon's wound with one hand.
"Ugh, a little gentler, maybe…"
"Endure it. Unless you'd rather die from excessive bleeding."
After a short pause, Sion tightly pressed his lips together and began performing emergency first aid with practiced hands.
Just as Diene had once done, Sion, now a full-fledged knight, also carried a small supply of bandages for emergencies.
As he wrapped the bandage around Theon's waist, focusing on the wound, Theon kept hunching his shoulders.
It must have hurt quite a bit.
I perched on Sion's shoulder, watching anxiously.
'Uh… isn't that way too much blood?'
Honestly, I was starting to panic.
First there was a sudden fight, then I nearly lost my life, then Sion almost died trying to save me, and now Theon got injured saving him.
Thankfully, so far, no one had actually died, but judging by how things were going, I couldn't be sure of Theon's fate.
If things went wrong, it felt like the main male lead might make an early exit. I nervously shook my legs, feeling uneasy.
'No way… he's not actually going to die here, right?'
Even though I'd held a grudge and always found him annoying, I never wanted to see Theon Luxior die.
For one, he was Sion's only remaining family. And the fact that he threw himself into danger to save Sion deserved recognition.
But beyond all that, the most important reason was simple, if Theon died, there would be no one left to lead and fight in the upcoming battle at the border. No one to protect peace in the North.
'If Theon Luxior dies, then who will defend the North? There's no way the heroine, Genevia, can handle it alone. And I definitely can't let Sion get dragged into battle to fill Theon's place. Absolutely not!'
In short, for Sion's happy ending to exist, Theon Luxior had to live.
Just then, after finishing the bandaging, Sion helped Theon to his feet.
"Get up. We'll head back to the fortress slowly."
"…Ugh, got it."
Theon nodded weakly.
He had already lost so much blood that his face was deathly pale.
"S-Sion, will he really be all right like this?"
I asked anxiously, fluttering beside them. Sion's expression hardened as he replied.
"Since we didn't return last night, the fortress must've sent out a search party by now. If we meet them halfway… it might not be too late."
"Haha… I can hold out until the fortress. Just don't push yourself too hard."
Theon said with forced composure.
But as soon as Sion took his first step, Theon's face twisted in pain. Seeing that, Sion sighed softly, something unusual for him, and spoke with emotion in his voice.
"Because of your reckless behavior that doesn't even suit you, all you've done is make yourself a casualty."
Anyone could hear both worry and reproach in his tone.
Theon chuckled faintly, seemingly pleased by that mix, but soon burst into a painful coughing fit.
"Cough, cough, hah… yeah, you're right. To think I'd end up being the burden."
"……"
Sion didn't respond.
He simply bore Theon's weight in silence and began walking again.
I carefully landed on Sion's shoulder, then took off once more, a small gesture, hoping to ease his burden even slightly.
Watching the two move forward slowly through the snow, I clicked my tongue.
'Hmm… maybe I should do something useful too.'
Flying around freely while they struggled made me feel guilty.
But realistically, what could a creature barely the size of a hand do?
Just then, a thought struck me, the "humanization skill."
But being a realist, I quickly dismissed it.
'Without wings, I'd just be dragging this heavy human body through a blizzard. Ugh… I'd slow them down instead of helping.'
At this rate, I'd probably fall behind Sion and Theon, who were moving slowly but steadily.
'Hmm… there has to be a way.'
What did the protagonists usually do when stranded in snowstorms like this…?
And then, a flash of inspiration hit me, from a scene in a disaster movie I once watched in the real world.
"…! That's it!"
In the avalanche movie, the main character had used a flare to signal the rescue team. Of course, I didn't have a flare, but that didn't matter.
'I can become the flare!'
My eyes gleamed with determination. I quickly flew up to Sion and Theon.
"Sion! Theon! I've got a great idea!"
"…?"
Both of them turned their eyes toward me.
"So that the search team can find us faster, I'll fly up high and use light to signal them!"
"Light…?"
"Yeah! If I use my fairy power, I can make a really bright light!"
I declared confidently to the two of them.
"I'll follow above your heads, so just keep moving toward the fortress!"
"All right, got it."
I turned toward the blizzard-filled sky and slowly ascended.
Looking down, I saw Sion and Theon growing smaller beneath my feet.
Then I stretched both hands toward the direction of the fortress and shouted.
"<Devotion That Shines Anywhere, Anytime>!"
Flash-!
A burst of light exploded from my fingertips, so strong that it pierced through even the thick curtain of snow.
I kept releasing the light, pouring all my remaining strength into it, while flying right above Sion and Theon.
'Please, someone, see this!'
I didn't know how long it took, but then, through the blizzard, a distant shout echoed.
"Young Lord!!!"
"Your Grace, where are you!!!"
It was the voices of Garen, Diene, and Deputy Commander Ulrich Thurman.
I quickly descended toward Sion and Theon.
"I can hear Garen's voice! They must've come looking for us!"
Then, with all the strength I had left, I shouted.
"Garen! Diene! Over here!!!"
A moment later, a group of riders heavily clad in leather and fur came galloping toward us through the snow.
At the front, Ulrich Thurman jumped off his horse almost in a roll and rushed to check on Theon's condition.
With an uncharacteristically grave expression, he spoke.
"The bleeding is severe."
"I've done what I could for first aid, but the bleeding hasn't completely stopped. We need to get him back to the fortress and to a healing priest, quickly-!"
At that moment, Genevia approached.
"I came just in case something happened, thank goodness you're safe!"
"Genevia!"
"…!"
I flew straight to Genevia and hugged her tightly.
"Hurry! Heal Theon right now!"
"Yes, I understand!"
Genevia immediately went over to Theon and examined his wound.
"There's no time to waste. I'll begin healing him as he is."
"…I'll leave it to you, Miss Genevia."
Theon said with a faint, weak smile.
Moments later, a warm golden light flowed from Genevia's fingertips.
Then, after a short while, Theon suddenly collapsed as if all strength had left him.
"…!"
Sion instinctively caught him and looked up at Genevia in alarm, but Genevia quickly reassured him.
"He's fainted because his body's reacting to the healing. It's just temporary exhaustion. Don't worry, young lord."
"…And the wound?"
"It's been completely healed. But since he's lost a lot of blood, it may take some time before His Grace regains consciousness."
At her words, everyone let out a breath of relief.
Ulrich Thurman looked toward Sion, and at me, sitting on his shoulder, and asked.
"Young Lord, and that… tiny companion of yours, are you both uninjured?"
"I'm fine. Lin?"
"I'm perfectly fi-, not! Totally not fine!"
I flopped face-first onto Sion's shoulder. I'd drained most of my energy keeping that light shining all the way here, and my whole body was trembling from the cold and snow.
Realizing my condition, Sion quickly tucked me into the inner fold of his cloak, sharing his body warmth with me.
Half-conscious inside the comforting heat, I murmured weakly.
"Let's go home already… I just want to sleep…"
"…Yeah. Let's go back."
Sion replied quietly.
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