"Evacuate everyone around here, now!"
"Yes, Count!"
"And stem the streams flowing toward the mine from upstream!"
Cutting off the valley water would minimize the flow of toxins into the river.
'But will that work? It's not enough.'
Raymond gritted his teeth.
'It's such a horrible toxic substance that even trace amounts can cause such a toxic reaction. If it were to spill in large quantities, we don't know what kind of disaster it would cause.'
In the end, there was only one solution.
The mana runaway must be stopped.
"Mages, is there no way?"
Raymond was not alone.
There were mages in Rafalde, of course.
He had brought them with him.
"This, this..."
"It's too much for us."
Kracker, the leader of the mages, shook his head.
Even as a Wizard-class mage, he expressed reluctance.
"This is beyond our capacity. Even the arrival of the Chief Mage of the Kingdom of Houston, Prefect Shameron, can't resolve it. Evacuating the area as much as possible appears to be the only viable solution."
Raymond's complexion turned pale.
But he was a healer.
There was little a Wizard-class mage could accomplish with hands tied.
'Maybe if I were a mage.'
He bit his lip hard.
A singular thought flickered through his mind.
'...I can use magic.'
Upon reflection, he did possess the ability to use magic.
'There are quest bonus perks, too, so maybe I could temporarily raise one skill to Grade A?'
But Raymond quickly shook his head.
His magic skills included Lightning, Wind, Flame, Shield, and Eagle's Eye.
Even if elevated to Grade A, none would be of assistance in this situation.
'What should I do?'
That's when he heard an unfamiliar voice!
"What's all the fuss about? A mana surge?"
It was a gentle, beautiful voice.
He turned his head in surprise and saw an unfamiliar lady standing there.
It was hard to determine her exact age.
Her fair face was concealed by an ornate fan.
She was adorned in a resplendent rosy gown, reminiscent of attire from a capital city banquet.
'Who is she?'
Raymond looked puzzled at the sudden appearance of the figure.
He didn't recognize her, and she seemed inappropriately dressed for the occasion.
Others, however, had a different reaction, especially the knights and mages of the tower, who exclaimed in horror.
"T-the Red-Blooded Lady Laina!"
"......!"
Raymond was stunned.
The Red-Blooded Lady, he had heard of her before.
'Isn't she an Arch Mage of the First Sage level of the Magic Tower, active in the Empire of the Cross Federation?'
An Arch Mage, a supreme mage comparable to a Sword Master, had appeared in front of him!
'Why suddenly?'
Just as he was pondering this question, the noble lady smiled brightly at Raymond.
"I see you are a man of great reputation, Count... No, no, you'll be a feudal lord now, so Your Excellency, but I've come to see you anyway."
"Me?"
Raymond appeared dumbfounded.
Laina responded with a smile, one that was gentle yet carried an unsettling undertone.
"You billed our Magic Tower an astounding 3.27 million pena. When I caught wind of this news, I hastened to your presence. I happened to be in the vicinity of Rafalde on personal matters."
Laina gracefully unfurled her fan.
"Originally, my intent was to engage in an amicable discussion with Your Excellency regarding the seemingly exorbitant demands."
She accentuated the word 'amicable.'
"However, it appears that even a compensation of 3.27 million pena is inadequate for such a catastrophic occurrence."
Her gaze fixated on the white crystal emanating uncontrolled mana, her tone turning cold.
"I cannot fathom how such negligence was allowed. What kind of scrutiny were they conducting?"
"..."
"I will expel the one responsible for inspecting this magic stone from the tower. Furthermore, I am prepared to remit the requested 3.27 million pena and offer after-sales service."
"After-sales service?"
"It means that I will take charge and control the mana runaway."
Raymond's eyes widened.
'She's an Arch Mage, so she can control this mana runaway!'
He was overwhelmed, thank God!
However, the atmosphere around him grew peculiar.
Mages voiced their concerns with quivering tones.
"But Lady Laina, if you intervene like that...!"
"I'll die."
Laina responded with composure.
"But what alternatives do we have now? If our Magic Tower had conducted a thorough inspection initially, none of this would have transpired."
Laina directed her gaze to the mana within the white crystal.
"The mana within has somehow turned stagnant and lifeless, like dark mana. Each harvest resulted in the production of a toxic byproduct, eventually upsetting the balance and causing this eruption."
Her words cut through the air.
"If we had detected the irregularity in that mana during the screening process, this disaster could have been averted. In essence, it is our responsibility, and we must bear the consequences."
She pressed on.
Raymond felt a knot in his stomach.
The mages shook their heads in acknowledgment.
Raymond's face was heavy.
'Someone like this exists within the Magic Tower?'
In truth, Raymond had limited knowledge about her; she wasn't an Arch Mage affiliated with the Kingdom of Houston.
He only knew of her existence.
'What should I do?'
Had he met a mage who didn't seem like a character?
'Is there any way I can help her?'
Raymond pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
'I'm not an Arch Mage. There's no conceivable way I can help her.'
Unfortunately, this was not a problem in his realm.
"Then why does the Arch Mage have to risk death?"
"At this moment, Lady Laina is attempting to neutralize the rampant mana and eliminate it. However, in doing so, her Mana Heart will undergo a severe counteraction. Eventually, the mana within her body will spiral out of control, causing her heart to beat irregularly and resulting in her demise."
Mana Heart!
The term denoting a mage's reservoir of mana, the core of their magical essence.
"What does it mean for the heart to beat irregularly?"
"Quite literally. Your mana heart resides within your physical heart, so if your mana goes awry, your heart will fail, leading to death."
It was a horrifying story.
"What if someone controlled your mana from the outside?"
"Then you might be able to finish the job safely, although that would be impossible."
The mages bit their lips.
"Controlling the mana heart from the outside would require an Arch Mage, or the highest magical skill possible. It's impossible for us."
A hush fell over the place once more.
The mages all blamed their incompetence.
But when Raymond heard their words, he bit his lip.
'Isn't there something I can do?'
He ran through his skills, and one in particular caught his eye.
'What if it's this?'
[Mana Compatibility]
[Classification: Attribute Skill
Rank: Legendary
Proficiency : D]
[Mana in the veins can be transferred to the top (Mana Channel), middle (Mana Heart), and bottom (Mana Hole)!
This was a Legendary skill that he had!
He could use it for the top, middle, and bottom lanes.
'If I raise this skill to Grade A, I might be able to gain mana control?'
He immediately tried it.
But.
[This skill is not a skill that can be mastered!]
'Oh no.'
Just as he was getting discouraged, he got an unexpected message.
[In order to increase your mastery, you must evolve the skill to a 'Healer's Mana Usage' kill!]
'Healer's Mana Usage?'
The explanation popped into his head.
[Healer's Mana Usage]
[Classification: Attribute Skill
Rank: Legendary
Proficiency : D]
[Mana-compatible evolutionary skill. Allows you to use the mana in your veins more efficiently for your patients!]
Raymond's eyes widened.
In his experience, being a healer often required the use of mana.
Whether it's using a heal in a top-down fight, or using magic to heal a patient, it's all about mana.
This skill seems to allow him to do that better.
'What exactly does it do?'
[D: You can freely use the top lane, middle lane, and bottom lane.]
[C: Increases the efficiency of mana transfers for the patient.]
[B : Controls external mana for the patient.]
[A: Allows the user to absorb highly concentrated mana stored externally, such as magic stones, very inefficiently.]
Grade D was the same as Mana Compatibility.
However, from Grade C onwards, the words "for the patient" were added, and various effects were added.
Raymond's attention was drawn to the B-grade effect.
'What exactly does that mean?'
The answer came to him.
[Your veins will be strengthened and you'll gain powerful mana control. You'll be able to control the mana in and around your body!]
[This is an ability that will be especially useful when treating people with mana reflux!]
'This is it!'
Raymond watched the mana surge within the white crystal.
He had finally found the answer.
He can use this skill to help that Arch Mage!
But then Raymond remembered a fatal obstacle.
'I-isn't it dangerous?'
It was ominous.
Just looking at it made his hair stand on end.
'...What if I get caught in it, I'll die?'
He swallowed hard again, nervous.
As he would say, his creed was safety first.
As much as he wanted to help that gorgeous Arch Mage lady, his own safety came first.
But then, Arch Mage Laina said something that struck a chord.
"The chances of success are about 20%, but if someone can control my Mana Heart's mana, I should be able to succeed without any problems."
"...What?"
"Oh, Your Excellency, I was merely thinking aloud."
Raina offered a reassuring smile.
"Though the situation appears grim, fret not."
She clutched her fan with determination.
"They say miracles occur when earnestly sought, and I solemnly pledge on this red-blooded fan that I will prevail, even if it demands sacrificing my life."
'It makes me more anxious when you talk like that!'
Raymond silently screamed within.
Her posture, fan in hand, exuded will.
Resembling a knight readying for battle.
It was like a death flag in an adventure novel.
'What am I going to do? Damn it. Why does this always have to happen to me?'
As Raymond mulled over his thoughts, a sudden idea flashed across his mind.