Danger to Life

~ The next day ~

*tap tap tap* *Smear~*

"Awa~..."

Miss Mocca is applying ointment and bandages on my body.

"Does it still hurt? I beg you to please say something if there's a place I've missed." Miss Mocca frets.

"I'm okay! The bruises only hurt a little thanks to the healing paste, and I feel perfectly fine!"

"..."
*Tap*

Miss Mocca places her palm on my cheek, while staring at me with a worried face. Then a bright green light glows on her palm.

"Ehehe~, your healing magic feels nice!"

She whispers in a soft voice. "... But I'm not powerful enough to heal deep wounds... I'm sorry." She laments while looking down, disappointed with herself.
(I've neglected to learn healing magic since I could've blown everything away, so I rarely got hurt. To think that choice would lead me to feel so hopeless now, I'm a failure after all...)

"...I said I'm okay, Miss. You don't need to worry much about me. You can keep letting me do deliveries, I'll be extra careful moving forward!"

"... No, I've changed my mind. You can't go outside without someone to look after you."

"Eh~? Not even to a food stall?"

"... I'll accompany you from now on."

(Miss Mocca is too worried about me now, all from a blunder of mine to walk into an empty alley during a parade.)

I get up from my seat, then places both of my hands on her shoulders.

*Thud!*

"Miss Mocca! I'm really fine, okay? Please don't worry too much about me. I'm the one intruding your space, I should be the one apologizing for making you worry at all!"

"B─but..."

*DING~! DING~! DING~!*

A sound from a very loud bell is heard throughout the city, interrupting our conversation.

"─!!"

"Ahh~! What's that?!" I cover my ears from the loud ringing sound.

"... It's the emergency bell."

"Everyone! There's an emergency on the east gate, a large monster have been spotted and is heading this way! I repeat─"

Miss Mocca scrambles around, quickly grabbing her cloak, glasses and a witch hat.

"You! Stay here! Don't come outside until they say it's fine to!"

*Step step step!* She quickly bolts out of the door, leaving me alone in the shop.

"Miss Mocca..."

*Chatter Chatter*

"─!" Then, I hear a conversation from outside the window of pedestrians talking about the monster.

"T─that monster has eaten my friend! I have to go back there!"

"No! We have to wait for the others, or you'll also be killed!"

"Wait, didn't Himari said that she's going to go forage some herbs in the east forest?"

"H─Himari? Oh no! She might be in trouble!"

"Then let go of me! All the more reason I need to go there!"

"But... But!!"

The civilians appear to be adventurers, clad in leather armor and armed with daggers and magic wands. It sounds like there is someone in the area where the monster was spotted.

I can help them, but I'm still injured from the beating yesterday. Maybe if I─

*Thud!*

"Ack─!"

I trip over the chair. The pain from my wounds and bruises begins to sting. Tears well up in my eyes as my hands start to tremble.
(...But...)

*SLAM!*

 (I have to get up...!)

Phoenixes are known for their kindness. Hearing someone in trouble, they'd rush into the scene in hopes of helping them even if it cost them their lives. 

(... I'm sorry Miss Mocca, I can't stay here!)

*Thud!* 
I forced my trembling arms to get me up, the bandages that was on my arm falls as it wasn't properly secured.
(Miss Mocca isn't an expert medic, I guess she also has her flaws.)

I fight through the pain and walk towards the front door...

*Rattle rattle*

"─!!, She locked the door!"

I look around the room, most of the windows in the first floor are either locked or too small for me to fit.

"Then, the second floor!"

I quickly run up to the second floor, the study room has a window large enough for me to fit, it's locked but the bolts are all rusty.

(I'm sorry, Miss Mocca! But emergency calls!)

*Crash!*

I kicked the window down, the rusty lock flew out and fall out of the window. I look down the window, the height seems to be manageable, but not for me who's completely injured.

(Damn it... Whatever!)

I quickly grab my bow and my arrows, and─

"Hyup!"

Without hesitation, I jump off the second floor. I didn't transform into a bird as I remembered the no-fly zone law within the city.

*Thud!* "Ack─!"

I slam into the ground, the wounds that has just healed have started bleeding again. Excruciating pain flows all over my body, and my head feels light with every movement I do.

I ignore all of it, and quickly run toward the civilians in distress.

"H─hey! I'm here to help!"

"Help's here?! What the─, You're a child? And you're injured! Get back inside! don't go outside right now, it's dangerous!"

"N─no! I'm fine, this is..."
(I have to think of something convincing!)

"It's uhh, tomato soup?... The bell shocked me so much I flipped my bowl, and now I'm mad!"

"..."

The Civilians stand stiffly as I spout nonsense.

"...Bah!! This couldn't get any worse, I really need to hurry and help Himari! But I know it's just going to be a suicide mission if I go there alone..."

I didn't manage to convince them, but seeing them still in distress, I insist on trying to help.

"T─then, can you tell me how she looked like? Maybe I saw her this morning instead."

"Ha?"

They look at me with a bewildered expressions.

"M... maybe? Ahahaha~..." I nervously laugh seeing that none of my lie went through.
(What can I say, I'm an honest person! I never lie even to my mom!)

"... W─well, in the off-chance she might still be in town... Kid! Have you seen a woman with a brown hair and─" One of them who seems to be a wizard tells me the description of the person they're worried about.

"Ah, ohh~ I think I did see someone like that? Probably?"

"..."
(Okay, this awkwardness hurt more than my bruises.)

"A─anyway, gotta go now~! Bye~."

I frantically run away from our awkward interraction towards the eastern gate.

*Drip* *drip* Blood trails behind me as I run. Nearby pedestrians notice me and begin gossiping about what happened to me.
(But I don't care! There's someone in need, so I will help them!)

...

 East City Gate 

*Huff* *Huff* I feel as though I'm on the verge of passing out. I've lost quite a bit of blood from running through the entire city just to reach the eastern gate.

But! I have arrived. Many adventurers and guards are standing by the gate, awaiting orders.

"Hmm? A kid? You're Injured! Did the monster do this to you?! Quickly go to the medics over there!" A guard spots me, who's covered in blood.

"W─wait! No! I'm fine. Tell me, where's the monster right now?"

"Why would you want to know that? It's dangerous out there, and also─"

*ROOOOAAARR~!*

"H─here it comes!!" The guard on the lookout warns everyone about the incoming threat.

*ROOOOAAR!*

A four-legged gigantic beast the size roughly similar to an adult wyvern, clad in hard scales roars and dashes towards the gate. Its jaws could easily swallow a full-grown person in a single bite.

(Wha... What is that monster?!? It's huge!!)

*Brr~!* *Brr~!* *Brr~!*

My feet trembles from the sight of the beast that's so massive that every step sends a tremor through the ground beneath my feet.

"Wait, Everyone! Look over there! It's chasing someone!" One the guards point towards the beast.

I look over the direction.

"T─Thats!!!"

...