The tightly packed tent houses were instantly attached to each other with flames. Even in the midst of this, those who couldn’t regain their senses from the alcohol crawled out to avoid the fire.

I ran through them with all my might. No one tried to catch me since they were busy protecting themselves and their belongings.

With this much commotion, the children must have all escaped, right?

I ran until my breath was at its limit, and the tent houses gradually shrank. And there, in the distance, I saw the entrance to the forest we had agreed to meet.

“Cecilia!”

Angela, who was already waiting for me, rushed over and hugged me in one step.

“It’s fortunate that you came back safely! We survived!”

“Angela, are you okay? What about the children? Have they all arrived?”

The bright smile that had appeared on Angela’s face stiffened again.

Not everyone came.

My heart sank.

“Two people haven’t arrived.”
There was one older child and one younger child who had decided to come the same way. I saw the village. The fire had already engulfed more than half of the village. The wildfire began to rush in the direction the children had chosen.

Caught in the wildfire. Caught by the Chingana.

I clenched my fist.

Even if it’s foolish, even if it’s not wise, I couldn’t help it. That’s the kind of person I am.

I couldn’t go on like this.

“Angela, go ahead. I’ll find the children and bring them back.”

“No! It’s too dangerous right now.”

“I know.”

I nodded. Angela seemed to sense that arguing with me was useless in the face of my firm tone. I urged her again.

“If you happen to meet Artigra on the way, tell him to protect me in my name. I’ll be back.”

With a sneer, I turned and ran back to the village.

“Cecilia!”

Angela’s voice, like a scream, faded behind me.

I jumped onto the path and looked around frantically. Fortunately, it seemed like they had all gone to put out the fire, and there was no sign of the Chingana.

“Where the hell are they? They couldn’t have been caught, could they?”

As I went inside, the flickering fire became closer. Now, the heat on my face was scorching.

That moment.

“Save me!”

A child ran towards me. It was undoubtedly one of the children tied to the pillar. The child grabbed my hand. The little face was smeared with tears.

“Anton…!”

The child pointed to the tent house where the fire was spreading.

Damn, it seems like things have gone completely wrong.

“You stay away from here.”

Without much thought, I pulled the child away and rushed inside. The inside was already pungent with smoke. I covered my mouth and nose with my sleeve. Tears streamed down my face because of the irritating smoke.

“Save me…!”

A voice, crawling with coughing, was heard. I immediately moved towards that direction.

A brown-haired child was stuck at the entrance of a wooden box. It seemed like they had hidden from people and got stuck while trying to come out.

“Hold my hand!”

The child grabbed my hand tightly to survive. I took the child’s small hand and pulled. But the child didn’t flinch, and the hand kept slipping because of the sweat.

No matter how many times I tried, it was in vain. The fire approached rapidly. Now, the air was hot enough to cook through.

Coughing violently burst out like crazy.

At that moment, a crashing sound, and one side of the tent collapsed into the fire. If it had fallen a little closer, I would have been crushed. But there was no time to be relieved.

It was only a matter of time before everything was swallowed by the fire.

This can’t go on.

I looked around and picked up a large stone that had fallen on the ground.

“Ugh!”

The heated stone felt hot as if it were supporting my hand.

But I didn’t let go. Without hesitation, I struck the wooden box.

The heat and smoke made white spots flicker in the child’s eyes. There was no time.

“A little more, uh, wake up.”
After striking the box dozens of times, the flames subsided. The surroundings were already a sea of fire. It was just before the flames attached to my clothes.

I gave the last powerful blow with the stone.

With a crashing sound, the wood fell out. Done.

I lifted the child under the armpits and held them in my arms. But my head was spinning.

Where is the entrance?

To clear my dazed mind, I struck my cheek without mercy.

Whether it had an effect or not, I could barely discern the entrance. But the entrance was already on fire.

The only choices I had were to die here under the fire or to leap into the flames and cross through.

Among them, choosing to leap out was the obvious one. I tightly covered the child’s head with my hand and then kicked with my foot.

Recalling how Idrish swiftly jumped out in one go, I self-suggested.

I am the strongest hedgehog in the world! A mere fire can’t harm me!

A bright and scorching light, almost blinding, enveloped me with an intimidating force.