"Ha… Ha…" Evelyn panted a few times, her face turning ghastly pale. Not only was she exhausted, but she also suffered severe internal damage.
Among the students, there were two people that she decided to teleport in a pair.
One was Melissa, and the other was her. Because of Melissa's condition, she sent Vivian, hoping it would be fine.
Although she wanted to teleport all of them here, the enemy would most likely track them, and, as someone who teleported all of them away, she would be the main target.
That was why she decided to not take Melissa and Vivian with her. Instead, the only one who could accompany her at this point would be her oldest friend.
"Evelyn. Are you alright?" Bella was concerned. Looking at Evelyn's hair, she knew Evelyn must have done something with Ilya.
Evelyn only said, "I've teleported us a bit further away from other students. I believe they'll hold a grudge against me and chase after me. That's why I believe in you, Bella. I'll entrust my life to you."
There was no more word that she could say as the blood flooded out of her body.
"Gueeh…" She spat a mouthful of blood. Some even leaked out of her nose and eyes as Evelyn dropped to the ground, falling unconscious.
"!!!" Bella was dumbstruck. "Evelyn. Evelyn!"
Bella channeled her ena into Evelyn's body to check her condition, but what she found surprised her.
"She… actually fought in this condition the whole time? That Space Element… don't tell me, it's because she formed another lifebound contract with her familiar…" Bella's face turned pale.
There were a lot of things to say, but Bella gritted her teeth as if not letting another word escape from her mouth. She shook her head and focused her attention on the task Evelyn had left behind.
They were the bait. There was no need to say sorry, because Evelyn's intention was to survive. She knew if they were going to run, Bella would be able to escape.
That was why they had to get away first.
Bella carried Evelyn on her back and started running.
She didn't know her exact location, but the forest area was perfect for camouflage.
That was why Bella couldn't help but think, 'Should I stop here and use my illusion to hide us? Should I continue?
'If I continue, Evelyn's life will be in danger as well. Maybe I should get some time to at least calm down the flow of her ena. At this rate, she will end up dying with her entire ena vein collapsing.
'Still, even if I manage to escape, where should I go? Will they wait in front of a city to ambush us? We don't know their motives, but the fact that they're aiming for the Rising Star Banquet means they're ready to provoke all the academies, including the backers behind each student.
'They're either shrouded in mystery or stronger beyond everyone's imagination. If that's the case, I can't be careless.
'I should go to the city, but not the ones around us. It will take a while, but we should use the teleportation of two or three cities away from here to make sure.
'Should I go to the Holy Kingdom, asking for their protection and healing ability? They should be able to fix Evelyn. Or will that implicate the Holy Kingdom? Maybe I should go to our parents? They will spare no effort in helping her, including inviting an archbishop. They surely won't care if they end up getting implicated, right?'
She weighed the pros and cons between running away or staying. Although it would be more dangerous to stay, she decided to hide inside the forest. By utilizing her illusion, they should be able to trick anyone close.
"Alright. This should be enough." Bella took a deep breath and channeled her ena into her body again. She poured her own ena into her body, guiding Evelyn's ena and gradually calming it down.
"What kind of price did she pay for this second lifebound contract? The fact that she can do it alone is already a blessing. No. If it were anyone else, they would have died without a doubt."
Bella had heard all the risks involved in creating the second lifebound contract. If Evelyn survived, she might be able to turn the misfortune into a blessing.
No one knew when they would be found out. Hence, Bella chose to wait as long as possible while ensuring Evelyn's survival.
In the end, no one actually came for them.
Bella stayed quiet for at least two days just to make sure. After confirming that there were no pursuers, Bella carried Evelyn according to the original plan.
Little did she know, her fear was misplaced. Evelyn said they would be targeted, but as Bella thought, they didn't know the target of those people.
There were even three people that got engulfed in the teleportation.
Out of the people who managed to survive, some of them died on the way because of either the pursuers or their wounds.
On the other hand, Vivian's tears had dried up. She was teleported next to Melissa, knowing that her suffering would probably be the biggest. In the end, even though they were competing all the time, the second closest person to Melissa was Vivian.
While still filled with grief, Vivian just carried her back to the nearest town.
The Rising Star Banquet, which was supposed to be the place to showcase their talent, had become one of the darkest moments of the continent.
There were numerous world class summoner candidates, yet only a few survived.
The academies were in shambles as they searched for survivors, telling the same thing. Evelyn saved them.
Everyone thought Evelyn would be alright, but the person in question was still being carried in the back by her childhood friend.
Bella was already approaching the city after running for several days. She was utterly exhausted, physically and mentally. The warning Evelyn gave her before passing out also kept her awake.
Fortunately for her, that stress disappeared when Evelyn opened her eyes after 5 days.
Yet both of them didn't realize at that time their suffering had just begun.