"*Huff* *Huff*. ...I was late, damn it."
Once I saw I was at my destination, I steadied my breathing and clicked my tongue in frustration.
Reaching the goal ant one thing—Jue and Rina were already inside.
It had been a long shot to begin with, but now the difficulty of getting the two of them back had skyrocketed.
The holy land of Lunazert was a strange place.
It was a hollow depression located in the deadcentre of deep, rugged forest, bearing vegetation in stark difference to the forest environnt.
The forest's black soil was rich with fertile composition up until that point, and yet, the ground turned rocky and even the mont you step into the hollows, only dotted with weeds or low shrubs like so wasteland.
There was a rocky mountain in the middle of the hollow, supposedly the Holy Land Lunazert. The rocky mountain was nothing out of the ordinary, and from the edge of a hollow, I could glimpse several buildings resembling temples atop it.
The first thing that struck as unnatural was how lightly defended the place was. Despite being deep in the mountains, the only visible fortifications were simple earthen walls. It looked far too exposed to withstand monsters, yet there was no sign of large numbers of paladins standing guard either.
And then—
I frowned at the oppressive, heavy atmosphere emanating from the site… an air that felt oddly familiar.
“…It’s like the grave pond.”
I had been feeling that sensation since a while ago while climbing the hidden route. The eerie, and slightly oppressive sensation drifting in the air was... similar to the pond back at Rovenne territory, where the past ancestors were enshrined.
I tried recovering my mana that I typically perform unconsciously. And sure enough, perhaps due to the high density of mana, I recovered mana far more efficiently than any other ti.
Places like this were known as mana pools.
Normally, mana pools accelerated recovery, but they were also notorious for attracting monsters. However that grave pond drew not even animals, let alone monsters.
I had an inkling why that was the case.
It was true the better the density of mana, the less strain it put up on the body, elevating physical fitness. But that was the point. It elevates too much.
It gives an illusion of omnipotence, like a burst of dopamine relieving any dark cloud casting over your mind, breaking down any aggressive spirit. You co to dislike any altercation.
As if the mana itself were seeping into you, eroding who you were, turning you into soone else.
But I digress. The point was, this holy land likely shared that sa abnormal quality, one so unnatural that even monsters instinctively avoided it.
morizing the surrounding terrain and landmarks, I circled the site carefully, keeping out of sight of any patrols.
There were two gates into the holy land; one to the southeast, the other to the northwest.
The southeastern gate—the one connected to the official route—was lavishly decorated, its ornate design radiating authority and religious prestige.
By contrast, the gate on the northwestern side—the one connected to the hidden route—was a simple wooden construct. Its weathered, and almost sacred patina spoke of great age.
Perhaps, the hidden route had been once the formal route in the past.
The space near the earthen wall was crowded with a cluster of buildings that looked like living quarters for practicers or clergies. Beyond them, several structures resembling temples ca into view.
And at the very centre rose a ti-worn tower, looming as if it were gazing down upon the entire area. It was the sort of structure you would expect its interior to be complex like maze.
"...Now then, I need to figure it out here onward."
The obvious option was to wait for Coco and Boss to catch up, and then formulate a strategy together.
However, the longer it takes, the more leeway the other side would gain to prepare for any sort of situation.
I had co sprinting with all my strength, so chances are the culprit might still be unprepared. anwhile, if I am right, Coco should arrive sowhere after three hours. Boss, however, clearly appeared to be at his limit, so he should take nearly six hours.
It was like a now-or-never situation, eh? I frantically worked my brain, and then suddenly realised I had been thinking of sneaking alone, and shook my head in bitterness.
...It was too reckless of a plan, even if it's ant to save soone. Perhaps, this place was already getting over my head.
Even if I were to sneak in, it would be far more reasonable to wait for Coco, set at least a rough plan, and then move. Otherwise, in an attempt to shoot in the dark, I would just end up tripping the culprit's alarm, and make it hell for myself to communicate with outside.
Just as I felt I had sorted out the plan, lurking near the hidden route, I overheard the conversation between two people, seemingly the paladins.
"Hey, did you hear? The front demon gate just welcod a group earlier for their third trial. What bad luck. Why must it happen just when it's my turn for duty?"
"What, really? I think it has been, like, five years since soone challenged the Final Trial last. You hear who it is?"
"Apparently, it's Archbishop Dolittle. The prodigy His Holiness Pope Carnelius has taken an interest since childhood…”
“Oh, the prodigy who finished his second trial before forty, and rose to archbishop status. I heard he was dispatched to the Grand Cathedral of Yuglia's royal capital a few years ago, and returned this spring... Well, he sure has so guts to take on Final Trial imdiately after his return, with no one's forcing him to. He must possess an exceptionally noble spirit.”
“You bet. …He’ll probably head straight into the tower. I wish I could’ve seen the mont he entered the trial. We’ll still see him during morning prayers after today, but the tower’s main doors only open when soone begins the Final Trial, and when they erge at the end.”
I see. So the Dolittle fella arrived. From the conversation, he was visiting under the na of so revered challenge.
"...Say, what do you think about taking a peep? I an, it's not like anyone would be coming here."
Hey, there. You're going to tarnish the good na of paladins, you know what?
As I stared at Guard A in disbelief, thinking he sounded exactly like soone who ignored rules as casually as I did, Guard B—showing an exemplary attitude a revered paladin should have—stepped in to stop him.
“Hey now, don’t be ridiculous. As tempting as it is, we can’t just leave our post. If we let a monster slip through, that’d be a real problem.”
But Guard A still looked unconvinced, muttering under his breath.
“C’mon. I an, what are the odds we would live to see those doors open again and glimpse the inside of the tower? My old man still brags about how he was standing right outside when His Holiness Carnelius completed the Final Trial. Says it was the most moving mont of his life. I don’t even know how many tis I’ve heard that story.”
He clenched his teeth in frustration.
“…...Goodness, you are quite sothing. But fine, I’ll cover for you. Go on.”
“…You sure?”
Guard B nodded magnanimously.
“Yeah. Just go, take a quick look, and co straight back. If anyone shows up, I’ll say you’re in the toilet.”
“T-thanks! I owe you one!”
Just as Guard A turned to leave, Guard B shook his head and grinned slyly.
“Don’t worry about it. When you get back, I’m the one going next. Fair’s fair.”
Seeing that roguish grin, Guard A grinned back, replying back with “Yeah, yeah, got it.” And with that, he finally took off running.
"......Hey! Just don't take the whole day! You hear !"
"Believe !"
"Or I will get you!"
As Guard B repeatedly called after him, true to form, Guard A waved back confidently and disappeared.
◆
“Huff… huff… damn… Sorry to keep you waiting, Coco. Didn’t realize how out of shape I’d gotten… Where’s Ren?”
Having reunited with Coco at dawn, Lynd glanced around, noticing Ren was nowhere to be seen.
What bothered him even more was the anxious look on Coco’s face.
“He’s not here… I searched the area pretty thoroughly, but I couldn’t find him anywhere.”
“What?! ......No, don’t tell that idiot went in alone?!”
Coco bit his lip and shook his head.
“I don’t know. Even if he decided to sneak it, he should've left any clue, but... nothing. I found nothing."
“…You don’t think… he got caught?”
“…I… really don’t want to think that…”
Just then, Lynd noticed a commotion coming from the gate.
“I said I’m sorry already! It was just so moving that before I knew it, ti had—”
"You call that sorry?! Because you took forever to co back, I only got a glimpse from far away! If Archbishop Doolittle fails the Final Trial, I’ll resent you for the rest of my life!”
"Pfft! Wait, so you ca to take a peek after all! Isn't it all fine and dandy then? It's soone His Holiness values, so you should throw that concern! You could tell by his spirit he would definitely succeed!"
“T-that doesn’t make it okay at a—”
“Hey, you. What do you think you’re yapping about?!”
At that mont, another paladin, who looked to be their superior appeared and reprimanded them.
Both guards nearly jumped out of their skin before snapping to attention and saluting.
"C-Captain Arial! Our apologies!"
"Good grief. ...Soone seems to have sneaked inside holy land. Did you happen to notice any oddities around?"
"Yes? ......N, no. Not eve a fly!"
As the captain questioned them with a suspicious gaze, one of the guards denied it at once.
“D-did sothing happen, Captain?”
The other guard asked cautiously, and the captain shook his head.
“We don’t know yet… but several priests failed to wake up in ti for morning prayer. There’s a chance they were drugged.”
Just then, another holy paladin ca running over in a panic, raising his voice.
“Ergency report! A paladin assigned to periter duty near the Temple of Trial has been found collapsed with paralysis of unknown origin! It’s almost certain soone is operating covertly inside the holy grounds!”
Watching from the shade of distant trees, Coco and Lynd exchanged looks.
“…Atleast, he is still out of paladin's capture.”
“That dumbass…”
Hearing the report, the captain’s face twisted with undisguised fury.
“W-what did you say?! Curse them… It must be a heretic with no fear of God's wraith to harm a paladin sworn to protect the sanctuary. Before any harm cos to priests, we are going to capture the culprit and sacrifice them to the gods!
Arial raged at the news, and not even a mont later, another paladin ca charging over, pale as a sheet.
“Captain Arial! This is grave news!” Soone sneaked inside Temple of Starvation, and Bishop Mulan, who had been going through his 'Second Trial' was---"
"W-what about Bishop Mulan?"
The ssenger gulped nervously, and then shouted the rest at the top of his lungs.
“He has been killed by soone!"
“…W... wha... WHAAAAT?!"
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