Chapter 60

'''Slow and sure. II' (TBA, TBA) is the 60th chapter of The Ancient Magus' Bride'' manga written by Kore Yamazaki.

Synopsis
The class embarks on their first bushcraft survival trip in Scotland and it does not go as planned. Elias figures out a way to accompany Chise while also remain a professor at the College. Lucy is attacked and Chise runs into a big obstacle when rescuing her.

Summary
Ashen Eye intercepts a letter to Stella from Chise, which informs that she is going on a camping trip in Scotland. Stella appears to be comfortable around Ashen Eye, leaning on his head and chatting casually with him.

The bushcraft class begins in Scotland Highlands where they are in a man made forest that is maintained by the college for the purpose of this exercise. The class is split into groups of 2-3 students. Chise and Lucy are in a group and will be staying in the same tent together. Their first priorities are to set up the tent, make a fire, and locate drinking water. As Chise is gathering twigs and branches to start the fire, a small form of Elias asks if it is safe to appear.

Flashback to the Ainsworth residence where Elias and Chise have a discussion about whether or not Elias should accompany her on this camping trip. As a compromise, Elias splits himself in half so one half can be home and the other half can be with Chise without the ability to perform magic. This new form is similar to his quadruped form form when he was running away after being jealous of Stella, except with an extra pair of hoofed legs in the middle, for a total of 6 legs with a fish tail and half a head. The two halves do not share thoughts or feelings until they come back together. Chise has worries that Elias will be jealous of her classmates as he was jealous of Stella.

Chise notices the fae in this place feels different than Japan or Britain and how scared and nervous it makes her feel.

Lucy attempts to teach Chise how to start a fire using flint and steel but ends up doing it herself. While Lucy tends to the fire, Chise goes to gather fresh water. While by the river, she meets an Each-Usige, a fae that has the shape of a horse and lures people to ride on its back so it can take them under water and feast on the drowning victim. Chise is careful to be polite and vague to the creature before heading back to camp with the water. Lucy notices something inhuman about Chise's eyes and wonders if all mages are like that.

That evening, Chise initially has trouble falling asleep. Elias and Ruth comfort her in her sleeping bag. The next morning, Chise wakes early to go wash in the nearby river where she runs into Philomela, who after a few words gets up and leaves. The scent of lavender and orange are still on her, letting Chise know that she still carries around the potpourri bag that she gifted Philomela. Lucy approaches the river while expressing her displeasure for sorcerers/wizards, questioning why Chise would ever want to speak with Philomela.

Back at the camp, the class is playing and having a good time while Chise takes a nap with small Elias resting on her chest. Later that evening, Chise and Lucy have a small talk in their tent about getting back to studying and how Chise has "one thing I need to do" but never explains what that is. After Chise falls asleep, Lucy leaves the tent to use the rest room. A flash of the Testament of Carnamagos (the book Elias used to learn the sacrificial spell that was to be used on Stella) appears which awakens Chise. She notices Lucy is gone and according to her cold sleeping bag, she has been gone for a long time. In the woods far from the camp, Chise stumbles upon Lucy's collapsed body and picks her up to carry her back to camp. Elias explains that her life force has been drained to an inch of her life, and just being near Chise's overly magic producing body will be enough to keep her alive.

The last panel shows a huge creature that looks ready to chase after the group.

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Capítulo 60