Ch.269Chapter 269 – To the Kingdom of Firenza

The rest that felt both long and short had come to an end.

After getting up from bed with Eve and packing our belongings, we headed outside the inn where a familiar cry greeted us.

“Moo-“

“It’s been a while, Moo.”

Eve immediately approached Moo and stroked his head, causing him to nuzzle against her affectionately.

Despite being separated for quite some time, this loyal beast hadn’t forgotten his master and was welcoming her warmly.

“It looks so soft…”

“It really is soft. Would you like to touch it, Kara?”

Chris approached Kara, who had been observing Moo’s large, soft fur from a distance.

Soon, the two women held hands and began approaching Moo together.

Before long, Beatrice joined them, and all three started stroking Moo.

“You’re quite popular, Moo.”

“Indeed.”

As Eve moved away from me for a moment, Sera quickly came to my side.

Seeing her approach, I cleared my throat lightly.

“What is it?”

“No, it’s just… I remembered something I couldn’t say earlier because of the mood.”

“What is it?”

Sera tilted her head slightly as she asked.

After briefly glancing around at the others, I gently rubbed my stomach and asked.

“…Are you okay? I mean, considering…”

“Ah, I see.”

Fortunately, Sera seemed to immediately understand what I meant.

She smiled and pulled out a bottle containing a pink liquid from her belongings.

“I’ll be fine if I drink this.”

I quietly searched my memory as I looked at the medicine Sera had taken out.

It was definitely the medicine she had drunk before sleeping with me.

“What does that medicine do?”

“Contraception.”

Sera said with a smile.

“It’s difficult to explain the principle in detail… but, Kay, there’s a type of magic called contraceptive magic.”

Sera tapped the bottle as she spoke.

“This potion produces the same effect as that contraceptive magic in the body.”

So that’s why Sera had drunk it.

From the way she spoke, it seemed Eve had also taken it beforehand.

I looked at Sera quietly and said.

“It’s impressive that they managed to create something like that.”

“You think it was difficult? Well, I don’t know the details about magic, so I did seek some advice.”

“Advice from…?”

I glanced gently at Beatrice, and then at Asam who had already joined her in hugging Moo, and asked.

Sera nodded and said.

“Yes, those two.”

“…I wonder if that was okay.”

“I think it was fine? They both smiled and explained in detail that it was basic magic.”

Sera said that, but they probably only smiled in front of her.

Honestly, I’m curious about what those two might have discussed behind her back.

“And Eve said this would sell well.”

“Really?”

“Yes. She said there would be enormous demand.”

If Eve could smell money in it, it seems that while the magic itself might be known, potions that cast the spell aren’t widely available.

Anyway, deciding there was no need to delve deeper into this topic, I turned my attention back to Moo, where I saw the women who had been enjoying his soft fur now coming our way.

“Well, it’s time for us to part ways.”

“Indeed.”

Eve spoke, and Sia responded.

Then she looked around and said.

“So, what were you doing up in that tree?”

“I was watching all of you having a good time.”

Lorona landed from the sky in response to Sia’s question.

“I even used invisibility magic, yet you saw through it.”

“In front of me, that’s practically like advertising your presence.”

Sia laughed pleasantly at Lorona’s words.

Soon Lorona shook her head and approached Sia.

“First, this. It’s said to be payment for this job.”

What Lorona handed to Sia was a necklace.

When Sia’s expression darkened, Lorona quietly continued.

“There’s also a message from my master inside. He said you should keep it until all the seals are released, at which point liberation will be possible.”

“I see.”

Sia accepted the necklace without further comment and put it around her neck.

Then Lorona looked at us and said.

“Now I’ll send each of you to your destinations through warp magic… but first, I should let you know there’s one more person.”

“One more?”

“Please come out.”

As Lorona finished speaking, a clanking sound was heard from somewhere hidden.

Then Chris opened her eyes wide and exclaimed.

“Lord Dvel?”

[Hmm.]

Seemingly pleased by Chris’s reaction, Dvel raised his hand and spoke.

“Why are you here?”

[Why? I have business in the Kingdom of Mikea, that’s why.]

Dvel grumbled.

Then he looked at us and said.

[The seal was successfully released… and honestly, I had no reason to keep hanging around Rubrum’s lair. But Rubrum said something to me.]

“What was it?”

[Nothing special… just that there’s something there that needs my help. And he taunted me, saying my old comrades are still out there working hard while I’m just sitting around.]

So Dvel said he had deliberately responded to the provocation.

[As for what I’m supposed to help with in the Kingdom of Mikea… I was told I’d know when I see it.]

“Is that so?”

[Yes. So I’ll be imposing on you all for a while.]

Dvel said this while looking at Peri and Lara.

While the two welcomed Dvel with smiles, Eina approached me.

“Well, we’ll be going now.”

“Alright.”

“Please don’t worry about our comrades. Just as you helped us, I’ll take responsibility for caring for them until they wake up and recover from their confusion.”

The comrades Eina referred to were the experimental subjects who had been in the Red Holy Knight Order.

Though she would receive help from the Magic Tower, it would still be a lot of people for one person to handle, yet she calmly claimed it as her duty.

“I should be helping too.”

“You’ve already helped me. And you have many things to do. Many issues to resolve. So I should be the one taking care of our comrades.”

Eina said calmly.

Then she smiled and said.

“Don’t worry. I’m used to it now… and if it gets too difficult, I’ll ask others for help.”

“Alright.”

Eina bowed to me as she said this.

Then she looked at Eve and Sera, who were somewhat wary of her, smiled once, and quietly said.

“About your lifespan issue. I’ll pray that you find a solution.”

“Thank you.”

Eina’s farewell was complete.

In the distance, I could see Asam and Beatrice exchanging light goodbyes.

Finally, I saw Kara and Chris holding hands.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright, Kara?”

“Mm.”

“I know you’ll have people to help you, but honestly, I’m worried.”

Kara smiled at Chris’s concern.

“I can’t follow you and burden you.”

Kara said as she released Chris’s hand.

“What I need first is to find myself. And that’s something I must do on my own, not with Chris’s help.”

“Kara.”

“It’s fine. I’ll be receiving financial support and I have people I can rely on.”

Kara said this while looking at Asam.

Soon Asam sighed deeply and said.

“People might think the Magic Tower is a place for those with nowhere else to go.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine… We agreed that you’d help if there are any problems related to the Red Holy Knight Order.”

Asam smiled as she responded to Kara’s apology.

She probably had no ill intentions, and besides, it wasn’t without benefit to her.

I quietly asked Kara.

“You remember what I told you?”

“Of course.”

Kara nodded in response to my question.

“I will definitely find Diana, so don’t worry.”

“Good.”

I thought that Diana, who had left the Emiris Order, would likely protect Kara well, who had essentially been expelled from the Emiris Order.

Once she and Kara joined forces, Kara’s safety would be secured.

“…Now it’s really time to say goodbye.”

“Yes.”

We had run out of things to say to each other.

Soon Lorona waved her arm and a space glowing blue appeared.

“Well, safe travels!”

“Make sure you come back!”

“See you again!!”

Peri, Eina, and Lara each said a farewell.

Then Kara, Dvel, and Asam smiled and said.

“May blessings be upon your journey.”

[May the will of iron protect you.]

“Bea, I’m taking your cigarettes as rent payment!”

“Hey, when did you…!”

Finally, as Asam held up what appeared to be Beatrice’s precious cigarettes, the glowing space disappeared.

The people who had just been smiling and saying goodbye vanished, leaving silence around us.

“Chris?”

“…I got dust in my eye.”

Though it wasn’t as if we would never see them again.

I looked down warmly at Chris, who had bowed her head.

Soon Sera began comforting her, and I quietly approached Lorona.

“Now it’s our turn.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Lorona was about to activate her magic.

Then, as if remembering something, she paused the spell.

“What is it?”

“A message from my master. There was something he said to tell only to you.”

“What is it?”

While I was puzzled by the mention of Rubrum’s message, Lorona looked up at me.

And quietly said.

[After releasing all the seals, find the Dragon Lord. You know the method.]

[And remember these words.]

[A god is close to omnipotent, but not omnipotent.]

Rubrum’s message ended.

I quietly looked at Lorona and asked.

“What does the last part mean?”

“He said if you don’t understand, just engrave it in your mind.”

Lorona said that and then waved her hand.

“Now it’s really time to say goodbye.”

“What will you do from now on?”

“We act according to our master’s orders. I haven’t heard what comes next.”

Lorona said with a smile.

“On the other hand, are you all really sure about this?”

“About what?”

“About Firenche Kingdom, I mean.”

Lorona quietly asked.

“…I heard it’s dangerous, are you really heading there?”

“That’s what we decided.”

I answered Lorona’s question while looking at Beatrice.

Beatrice, who had been dejected after having her cigarettes taken, changed her expression and said.

“…I couldn’t just sit still when I heard what happened to my homeland.”

Beatrice said quietly.

After hearing Kara’s information yesterday, this morning.

When we all gathered to discuss our destination, Beatrice had most strongly advocated for going to the Kingdom of Firenche.

“I was prepared to go alone if necessary…”

“Well, we’re all in the same boat. It’s better to go together.”

Sia said this while pointing at Chris.

“For some reason, our little goddess also insisted that we should go there first.”

“It was just a feeling, but…”

Chris, who had just composed herself after crying, bowed her head at Sia’s words.

“With the goddess’s guidance, something good will happen.”

“You’re quite optimistic.”

Lorona sighed deeply at Sia’s words.

Then Lorona looked at me and asked.

“So, are you really okay with this?”

“Honestly, I’m quite worried, but we all decided together.”

The majority of our group had decided on going to Firenche.

“Once we’ve decided, all that’s left is to work together to solve whatever comes our way.”

“I see.”

From my response, Lorona seemed to have no intention of questioning our decision to go to Firenche any further.

Soon she activated her magic again and the blue space reappeared.

“I don’t know what will happen from here on.”

Lorona said with a serious expression.

“But I believe that you all, who have received my master’s acknowledgment, will navigate it well.”

“Yes.”

“Please go safely. And…”

Lorona smiled and said.

“May the dragon’s blessing be with you all.”

With Lorona’s words, we all said our goodbyes to her.

Soon everyone boarded the carriage, and I climbed onto the driver’s seat with Eve.

“Shall we depart?”

“Yes.”

As I took the reins, Moo began walking forward.

Slowly the carriage moved toward the blue space.

And soon, passing through it, disappeared to our intended destination.

+

[Have they gone?]

Rubrum, who had been curled up in his lair, quietly raised his head.

And Lirina, the eldest of the hatchlings kneeling before him, quietly looked up.

“Master?”

Rubrum did not respond to Lirina’s words.

And soon he quietly began to speak.

[I have done all the preparations I can.]

[All that remains is to wait and see what harvest it will bring.]

Rubrum’s soliloquy quietly ended.

[Listen.]

Rubrum looked down at the hatchlings and said.

[From now on, I will fall into a deep sleep.]

[To conserve my strength for the day that will surely come.]

[You are to seal the lair and conserve your strength.]

[Save your strength for the day you will need to burn your lives.]

The hatchlings bowed their heads in reverence to their commanding master.

And Rubrum left his final words.

[Everything is for that promised day.]

With those words.

Rubrum disappeared into the lava.