NOVEL NEXT Chapter 147
“There are many lines leading to the Holy Kingdom.”
“Well, if you want to eat harpy, you need to slaughter it, but there’s no safe place to do that, right? Of course, if you had strong mercenaries or dug a tunnel underground, it wouldn’t matter, but it seems unlikely you’d hire strong mercenaries just to sell harpy skewers. So for now, I’ve focused on safe routes.”
Indeed, there were traces of careful consideration for routes to safely procure supplies, just as Stella mentioned.
But… I never expected it to be this obvious that it came from the Holy Kingdom.
Were they hoping to be found?
No… that can’t be it.
Harpy skewers. If you eat such well-seasoned harpy meat, it’s hard to distinguish from chicken.
Well, I knew because I had eaten harpy meat repeatedly in my past life, but for others, distinguishing it wouldn’t be easy.
They’d probably just think it was delicious chicken skewers.
The reason I got caught is a result of Adelia’s advice coinciding with my past experiences.
The cartel or whoever; surely, they didn’t expect this kind of outcome.
“But isn’t it nearly impossible for the Holy Kingdom?”
“Why?”
“Because of the anti-magic barrier.”
The anti-magic barrier.
When things related to magic try to enter, miraculous interventions intercept monsters up to mid-level.
For high-level monsters, the defensive aspect of the barrier is reinforced until the Blood Heaven Knight Order arrives, protecting the Holy Kingdom’s faithful.
Because of that anti-magic barrier, harpies cannot exist in the Holy Kingdom. So, I thought they would at least be around the outskirts of the Holy Kingdom.
But these guys drew lines without caring about the anti-magic barrier.
“Monsters can’t enter the Holy Kingdom.”
Stella blinked her eyes. Following her, Yurasia and Ophelia tilted their heads and looked at me.
Pina was drooling in her sleep.
Looks like she’s having a delicious dream.
“Anti-magic barrier? Isn’t that the kind of barrier that only appears in fairy tales?”
“…No, it appears in fairy tales and novels, and it actually exists—”
While I was talking,
Pffft, Ophelia laughed.
“Why are you laughing, senior?”
“Junior, it doesn’t seem like it, but you’ve got a surprisingly naive side, huh?”
“What? Naive? Me?”
“Yep. Naive. AhaHaha! An anti-magic barrier surrounding the entire Holy Kingdom? That can’t possibly exist!”
Soon, starting with Ophelia who began to cackle, Stella also broke into a warm smile.
“Eliaernes. You might not know because you haven’t learned magic, but spreading a barrier covering half of a system is something no one can do.”
“…What nonsense are you talking about?”
No, it definitely exists.
How would I know that? Because it was a barrier set by Luna.
The four of us invaded the Holy Kingdom to rescue Luna, and because we left the Blood Heaven Knight Order half-crippled, Luna cast the anti-magic barrier.
Even if it’s a useless country, it isn’t one that could be destroyed by mere monsters, and Luna completed that barrier in half a day and handed over control to the Archbishop.
Yet they’re so sure it doesn’t exist?
Yeah… modern folks probably haven’t seen or felt Luna’s miracles or Kaloso’s magic, so I can understand that.
But still, there’s even mention of such barriers allowing the Holy Kingdom to remain intact in fairy tales and novels, right?
In reality, that’s true. The Holy Kingdom is in a location that’s downright horrible. It’s surrounded by areas inhabited by at least mid-level monsters, with high-level monsters popping up two or three times a month.
Of course, the Blood Heaven Knight Order, boasting to be the strongest, is there, but it’s still insufficient to protect everyone from monsters that appear without warning.
It’s a fact that the Holy Kingdom has stayed in the same spot for 400 years. That means the anti-magic barrier is still functioning.
“Hm… Am I ruining your childhood innocence? Still… don’t be too disappointed. You would’ve found out eventually anyway.”
Stella gave me a displeased smile and patted my shoulder. Ophelia was still cackling, and even Yurasia was smiling as if she were in trouble!
Yurasia! You’re supposed to be on my side!
“Anyway, there’s no such thing as an anti-magic barrier in this world. It can’t exist. Not even my master could possibly cast such a barrier.”
Not the Flame Sovereign, not my master.
The fact that you’re boasting about that makes me laugh, and concluding that an anti-magic barrier absolutely doesn’t exist is even funnier.
But in the end… what could I do?
I’m the two-eyed person in a one-eyed village.
And I don’t want to persuade these ignorant folks. When you eventually meet Luna, you’ll figure it out then. Just wait and see how much I tease you.
“…Okay. Just think however you like.”
“Hm? Are you sulking, junior?”
“If you want to keep being treated like a senior, shut your mouth and lower your eyes, senior.”
“I’ll close my mouth and lower my eyes, I’m sorry.”
“Eeep…?”
In the noisy atmosphere, Pina opened her eyes.
Soon, our gazes met, and she immediately trembled and hugged Yurasia.
“Why are you shaking as soon as you see me? Aang?”
“Eeep…! Eek. Hi…”
“What’s wrong? You’re sulking, aren’t you? Pina, you don’t need to listen to someone like that. If something happens, I’ll protect you. I’m a 5th Circle now! Huhuhu!”
Blocking Pina who was trembling, Stella puffed out her flat chest. And her confident huff… why is that so irritating?
“Do you want to get hit too? Want to have a sparring match?”
“No way. I’m never sparring with you again. You’re too violent! And you, stop hitting Yurasia!”
“When have I ever hit Yurasia?”
“You hit her every time we spar! You even hit her barehanded, so it feels like simple violence! It’s so blatant!”
“Well, what? Should I just sit still and take it? We’re both trying to hit each other in sparring, so what do you mean ‘don’t hit’? This is why those magic nerds stuck in their rooms doing research don’t get it.”
“What?! Ma… magic nerd?! Ha! You’re the one who’s a chimpanzee! A magic nerd is way better!”
“Yep. A pee-pee nerd.”
“Yuck! Aah!! No! Don’t! I said don’t!”
I retorted childishly, and when I did, she even covered my mouth with her hand.
From that hand, the scent of strawberry macarons wafted.
She must have eaten the macarons I gave her this morning.
I brushed Stella’s sticky hand away and looked back at the map.
“Wipe off that stickiness on your hand, you brat. Anyway, you’ve finished writing the report, right?”
“Ah, yes. That’s done. I’ve got a bit left, but I think it will be finished within an hour.”
Yurasia, who had been comforting Pina, answered.
“Miss, you should take a rest! I’ll finish it up quickly!”
“Sure. It’s definitely faster with three of us.”
“Three of us?”
Yurasia repeated back, and I turned my eyes to look at Stella, Yurasia, and Ophelia.
Then, giggling, Yurasia pointed at Pina, who was curled up in her arms.
“We three only pulled out the sauce, and most of the report was organized by Pina.”
“…Huh? Pina? Really, you did it?”
Nodding—
“Oh… so you know how to do things when you put your mind to it.”
Nodding—
“Surely you’re my friend.”
Nod, nod, nod, nod—
Pina’s bright brown eyes filled with tears as they glimmered sweetly.
“Come here. Friends get closer by exchanging insults and having fights like this.”
“…Eeep?”
“Ah, of course, that doesn’t mean I’m going to hit you, so come over quickly.”
Pina, who was looking back and forth between Yurasia and me, cautiously approached me when Yurasia lowered her arm. Then gently, she placed her tail on my hand.
“Good job. Here, snack.”
Handing a macaron to Pina, I savored her tail. I couldn’t touch it before, but these days, we’ve gotten closer, so it’s possible.
Fluffy, fuzzy, and soft.
“Hey… what’s this? You don’t think of Pina as a pet, do you?”
“Of course not. We’re such close friends, right, Pina?”
Nod, nod, nod—
Pina, who offered her tail, also looked happy eating the macaron, so we really are close friends.
“Pina says so too, so you guys should hurry up and do your tasks. Let’s finish up and go back.”
“…As much as it is shameless to say, I can’t say anything since I’m enjoying the stuff you bought.”
“I bought them to be enjoyed.”
Thinking I might try to touch Pina’s ears when we get closer, I glanced back at the map.
The Great Cathedral of the Holy Kingdom.
A place Luna both hated and loved.
No matter how much time has passed, I hope that place hasn’t been tarnished by human greed.
I closed my eyes.
My hands felt fluffy, and I could hear pleasant sounds of rustling and papers flipping around my ears.
The breeze was cool, and the club room smelled nice.
Feeling the peace that enveloped everything, I began to organize my plans for the future.