"Lord Hendrick! Rina!"
Esther screamed, immediately watching them rush toward death.
Her voice broke as she reached out toward them.
Tears spilled down her cheeks again, and she tried to run forward, but Airam caught her around the waist and pulled her back.
"No," Airam said.
Esther struggled against her.
"E—Eldest sister! T—They are going to die!"
"You cannot go there!"
"He helped us!"
"I know."
Esther collapsed against Airam's arms, crying hard enough that her whole body shook.
Across the clearing, Hendrick met the first Valmorian knight.
Their swords clashed.
The impact made Hendrick's arms jerk downward. His reinforcement spell was gone. He had spent too much mana maintaining it during the earlier fight, and he no longer had time to rebuild the formation.
The Valmorian soldier still carried the strength of the serum.
He struck again.
Hendrick blocked.
