C469. Fragment (8)
The day after the mercenary festival that took place in Shu.
Alon set off again towards the Empire.
—Ah, here we go again…
Evan observed the forest calmly while he spoke.
—So it seems.
Penia did not ask what had happened yesterday between him and Seolrang.
—Wow! Master! Look at that! That tree has a weird shape!
Seolrang was also acting as if she had completely forgotten what happened the night before.
—I see.
—Right?
Seeing Seolrang smile at him with a gesture as clear as an autumn sky, Alon felt a strange sensation, but even so, he looked up at the sky together with her.
…The autumn sky was painfully blue.
—About two more months of travel?
While Alon looked at the sky without thinking, Evan asked him.
Alon nodded.
—I suppose so.
—Ugh, it's going to be exhausting.
—You're still not used to it?
Evan made a thoughtful sound at Alon's question.
—I am used to it… but still… don't you think something is up?
—What?
—Well, at the end of the day, we travel more days in a carriage than not. It's starting to get tiring, you know?
Alon couldn't help but agree.
It was just as Evan said.
Lately, they spent many more days riding in the carriage than walking on their own.
Ever since they started going back and forth from the Empire, even more so.
That is why…
—…Maybe I should consider a new means of transport.
Alon stroked his chin.
Although he was already used to carriages and sleeping outdoors, it was true that they wasted a lot of time moving.
—A new means of transport?
—Yes. We have started to lose too much time just on travel.
—Hmmm… Well, it was like that before too, but… undoubtedly since we’ve been going to the Empire it’s worse.
Penia nodded and continued:
—If we are talking about something truly faster than this, the only option would be an airship.
—…Airship? You mean the one Radan uses?
—Radan?
Penia seemed confused for a second, then exclaimed:
—Ah, no, it's nothing that impressive. Of course, if you wished it, you could manufacture one, but… in the first place, one needs to have an absurd excess of mana to be able to use it regularly.
—Because it consumes too much?
—Yes. Even though more than thirty years have passed since the invention of airships, there is no place that actually uses them.
And it was true.
Even when he played Psychedelia, he had never seen an airship actually being used.
—If a container capable of storing almost infinite mana existed one day, maybe it would be different.
—In that case, it would be viable. Even if it consumed too much, as long as you use Reverse Heaven to recharge, we would have enough to travel.
Penia added that the efficiency would have to be adjusted anyway.
Alon, looking at her, suddenly remembered something.
What he had seen in Calipsophobia.
‘Now that I think about it… shouldn't it exist by now…?’
A fragment of ancient information, heard only in communities and never proven, crossed his mind as he pieced things together.
But only for a moment.
—Alon, what are you thinking about?
—Nothing important.
‘Well, if I know the place, all that remains is to go.’
He waved his hand dismissing Penia's doubt.
Then he suddenly remembered something else.
‘…Wait a moment. Where is the protagonist of Calipsophobia?’
He had forgotten about it because of all the madness of the Divine Bloods falling from the sky and the sudden destruction of the Empire, but according to the events of the game, the protagonist of Calipsophobia should be in the Empire.
And he was supposed to be an even greater monster than Eliban.
But until now, in everything they had heard, not even a mention of him had appeared.
His suspicion grew.
—Evan.
—Yes?
—When we reach the next town, look for rumors about a person.
—…Rumors about someone?
—Yes.
—……Is that okay? Well, understood.
Alon decided to start pulling at that thread.
Another month passed.
Alon and the others crossed deserted border zones and approached the edge of the Empire governed by Serdea Polanticia.
The most comfortable route would have been to enter from the north, but that would have taken too much time.
When they finally reached the border…
—What do we do?
—Hmm…
Alon hesitated.
‘Will we be able to enter without a problem?’
He remembered the time Serdea Polanticia showed up to see him.
‘I suppose we could enter without problems.’
They couldn't talk in depth because of Irene Polanticia, but Serdea clearly had gone with the intention of making some kind of peaceful approach.
—Let's go.
—Yes.
Alon decided that and moved forward.
At that instant…
BOOM! RUUUUUMBLE!
The gates opened and—
—Welcome!
Commander Falkindas, whom he had seen last time, received him.
And with a huge smile.
And then:
—In the name of Falkindas, I grant immediate permission to cross the border!
Without speaking at all with Alon, he proclaimed it in an instant.
The group was stunned.
Especially Alon.
He didn't expect this.
‘I thought I wouldn't be treated like before… but this far exceeds the last time.’
While everyone was bewildered…
Falkindas bowed deeply, without explanations.
—Please remember the name of Falkindas!
Like someone trying to score points in advance, he laughed sincerely.
Alon wanted to ask him something, but held back.
Whatever was happening, it was a fact that Falkindas had great goodwill toward him.
And thanks to that they were able to cross without a problem.
Although that didn't eliminate the doubt they felt.
Suppressing their curiosity, they passed through and continued.
—Evan.
—Yes.
—…Just in case… is there a possibility that he hasn't heard the rumors?
—Hmm… I doubt it. We were already rejected once, remember?
—…So the previous misunderstanding is behind us, isn't it?
—Logically, yes.
Just as they were speaking…
—What if it's due to new rumors?
Penia raised another possibility.
Evan thought about it looking at the border where Falkindas was and said:
—If he is trying to approach this shamelessly, then what he heard wasn't something like “Alon is already engaged to that princess!”. No… it must have been something bigger.
—Well… looking at it that way, it's true. But I don't think such absurd madness has spread.
Although her tone tensed a little, Penia kept her calm.
Seolrang looked at them as if she didn't understand what they were talking about, but also surprised by the sudden change in Penia.
And it was logical.
Everything had already been cleared up. It didn't make sense for new rumors to arise.
That is why:
—Evan, can you find out?
—Yes. When we reach the next town I will confirm it. The Information Guild is already establishing branches in the Empire, so it will be quick.
Alon closed that matter with an order.
Three days later, traveling toward the imperial east…
—Alon.
—What is it?
—Remember you asked me to look for that rumor?
—Did you find information?
—Yes, and… it is something surprising.
—What is it?
—What we suspected was true.
—…True?
Alon heard the truth of the rumor.
—Yes. The idea that you and Serdea Polanticia are about to get married has spread among the nobles.
Alon remained expressionless, doubting what he was hearing.
—Ha…??
Penia frowned as if it were a monumental stupidity.
But there was more.
—And there is another important point.
—Which one?
—They say that Yutia Bloodia is in the Empire.
—…Yutia…?
—Yes. It is rumored that she came to see Serdea for something related to the goddess Sironia.
At those words, Penia's rigid expression lit up as if a light had been turned on.
—Really?
—Hmm? What?
—That Lady Yutia came to see her.
—According to the Information Guild, yes.
Evan shrugged.
With that absolute confirmation, Penia smiled, even hummed a brief tune, and…
—I see.
She leaned back satisfied, showing absolute peace.
—Master, is she okay?
Seolrang pointed at Penia, who alternated between rigidity and smiles, while Alon remained in an uncomfortable silence.
While Alon crossed the border and advanced toward the expedition he would soon initiate…
In the palace where Serdea Polanticia was located—
—Hmm… so you are the one who asked for permission to build a temple here.
—Exactly, yes?
—Do you really think I would allow that?
Serdea Polanticia was speaking with Yutia Bloodia, the girl who, she had heard, was a cardinal of the goddess Sironia.
—Oh, is it impossible?
Yutia asked with feigned innocence, and Serdea made an incredulous face.
She hadn't noticed it at first when they met, but the girl already knew her.
And not on good terms, but on bad ones.
Serdea opened her mouth to respond, but—
—Well, it doesn't matter.
Yutia spoke before hearing a response.
Serdea was confused.
—Actually, I didn't come to ask for temples or anything like that.
In the instant Yutia said that…
She saw it.
—Hey, princess.
In the sunny sky, a Red Moon appeared out of nowhere.
And before Serdea could even react—
—…Do you want to die?
Yutia's icy voice pierced Serdea's ears.
