Shizue drew her sword and charged at the ants.
"Elaine, leave this to me. You, Bal, and Gid need to retrieve our equipment as quickly as possible, or we won't be able to leave the Jura Great Forest."
Shizue had clearly thought further ahead than Bal and the others. They were in the Jura Great Forest, a gathering place for monsters, and not even on its outskirts. Without their equipment, Shizue might have been able to make it out alone, but with Elaine and the others, even the Blaze Dominator felt powerless.
"Why?"
The moment Gid heard Shizue tell them to retrieve their equipment, his face filled with confusion. They had thrown it away to lighten their burden, so why pick it back up and do something so thankless?
Bal, standing nearby, seemed to realize something.
"We'll go right away. Wait for us, Miss Shizue."
Bal shouted at Shizue, who was facing off against the ants.
"Bal, why are we doing something so thankless?"
Gid asked in confusion.
"Let's get moving. I'll explain on the way."
Bal looked helplessly at the dense Gid. Was this really the time to explain? What an idiot.
"Elaine, let's go."
Bal said to Elaine beside him.
"I'm not going. I want to stay with Shizue."
Elaine insisted.
"Elaine, stop messing around. What can you even do here? You'll only get in the way."
Bal tried to persuade Elaine.
"Who says I can't do anything? I can use magic."
Elaine said defiantly.
"Do you have a magic wand? How are you supposed to cast spells?"
Bal said irritably.
"Bal, I don't care. I can't leave Miss Shizue here alone. I brought her here, so I'm responsible for her."
Elaine said with a determined expression.
"Besides, I'm a mage, and I'm not exactly strong physically. You