Chapter 379 (Self Edited) – Sensing Something Strange

Chapter 379 (Self Edited) – Sensing Something Strange

(Thank you for reading at )
It was about a month after leaving the royal capital of Veritas that Soma and his party arrived at the scene. There wasn’t anything visible to the eye. What lay before them was nothing but desolate ground, but it was undoubtedly a familiar place. They had reached the border between Veritas and the Empire.
“How can I put it… it feels like it’s finally happening.” (Aina)
“…Hmm, that took longer than I thought.” (Sheila)
While saying this, Aina and Sheila also looked around. Their faces showing a mixture of exhaustion and relief. The reason was exactly what they had just said, namely why it took them a whole month to get here. To put it simply, they had been delayed in every town and village they passed through. Although they needed to leave Veritas quickly, every place they went was in some kind of turmoil or confusion, and they couldn’t just ignore these situations.
They helped where they could, and they sometimes took the lead in solving problems. However, whenever they resolved one issue, there was another one waiting at the next place. In a way, they couldn’t just turn a blind eye to it since they felt partially responsible for some of the problems. This added mental fatigue on top of their physical exhaustion, but they had finally made it here.
They didn’t regret their actions, and there was some sense of achievement in what they had accomplished. With all the fatigue that has built up so far, it’s not surprising to think that you can finally rest. In fact, Soma couldn’t deny feeling the same way. Moreover, they had only passed through a small part of Veritas. Considering what was to come for Veritas, it seemed like it would be much harder than they had imagined… but all Soma and the others could do was wish him the best of luck. They were willing to respond if called upon for help, but for the time being, they needed to return to the imperial capital. There was much to discuss.
“Well, shall we head to the imperial capital then? Or do either of you have somewhere else you want to go first?” (Soma)
“Don’t ask if you already know the answer.” (Aina)
“…I just want to rest for a bit. Though, I’m not sure if I really can.” (Sheila)
“I think you will be able to. But are you sure it was okay to leave Veritas like this, Sheila?” (Soma)
Sheila had been in Veritas for an investigation. Despite this, she had left without reporting her findings.
It was natural to be concerned, but Sheila shook her head.
“…Hmm, it’s going according to plan so there’s no problem. There’s no need to contact me.” (Sheila)
“Well, what happened in Veritas will quickly reach Radeus and others. They’ll soon figure out Soma was involved.” (Aina)
“Hmm? Really? I think they’d avoid mentioning us directly. They might guess there’s a collaborator, but I doubt they’d think it’s us.” (Soma)
“Who else could have defeated the Second Prince, who was supposed to have won the civil war, with the Third Prince, now known as the First Princess, who had absolutely no backing whatsoever?” (Aina)
“…Yeah, it’d be a problem if there were anyone else like that.” (Sheila)
Soma didn’t think that was the case, but there was no point in arguing here. They still had a distance to cover to the imperial capital anyway. Thinking that it would be a good idea to talk to her to kill time until then, he took a step forward. And so, they crossed the border into the Empire. At that exact moment, the three of them turned their heads in the same direction.
“Hmm?” (Soma)
“…!?” (Aina)
“…!” (Sheila)
What he sensed from beyond was something he didn’t quite understand, but it was clearly an immense power. And he vaguely remembered it. If it wasn’t his imagination, it was similar to what he felt from Veritas――
“Hmm… I’ve felt a similar power several times before. What do you think?” (Soma)
“…I’ve only felt it once, but it’s similar to what we felt from Veritas.” (Sheila)
“I’m not really good at sensing these things, but there’s only a few beings who could wield such immense power so casually.” (Aina)
In other words, it seemed that neither of them had any objections. What he felt was most likely the power of the Devil. To be honest, it felt like this was happening again, but at the moment, it wasn’t the time to be saying that. Besides, if the Devil was planning to do something again, then, he couldn’t just leave it alone… but there was something else that bothered him more than that.
(Thank you for reading at )
“By the way, the direction we felt the power from…” (Soma)
“…Yeah, even I, who isn’t good at sensing these things, can easily tell. There aren’t many other possibilities…” (Aina)
“…Probably the Holy City.” (Sheila)
“Right.” (Soma)
Yes, the direction of the suspected devilish power was from the direction of the Holy City. The Holy City wasn’t the only thing in that direction, so as Aina said, there were other possibilities… but well, it was probably almost certain.
“Hmm… shall we change our plans?” (Soma)
“Of course. There’s no way we can just ignore this. I never want to see such devastation again.” (Aina)
“…Yeah, I agree. I’ve never been to the Holy City, but it doesn’t matter where it is.” (Sheila)
The two of them were no doubt recalling in their minds the chaos and turmoil that had unfolded in the towns and villages they had visited over the past month. Or maybe they were remembering what they saw on their way to the royal capital of Veritas. Soma shared the sentiment that such events must not be repeated. However, to be honest, he wasn’t too worried about that happening again. He had a strong feeling that things wouldn’t escalate to that point. That said, he wasn’t entirely free of concern.
“Hmm… I wonder what exactly happened. If it’s as planned, there’s no problem. But if something unexpected occurred, that could be troublesome.” (Soma)
“…Soma?” (Sheila)
“No, I was just thinking about something. But now is the time to act before thinking.” (Aina)
“…Let’s hurry.” (Sheila)
“Hmm, but Aina, do you know the exact way to the Holy City?” (Soma)
“I came here with you. How could I not know?” (Aina)
“Well, that’s true…” (Soma)
Soma and his group didn’t arrive in the capital through official means. They had been brought there forcibly and didn’t know the exact route to the Holy City, even though they knew the general direction. Soma glanced at Sheila, hoping for some guidance, but she shook her head silently. They would have to figure it out as they went.
“We might have to return to the capital to get directions. It could be quicker.” (Soma)
“But that would take several days. We should try asking in a village or town along the way.” (Aina)
“…Villages might not be reliable. A reasonably sized town would be better.” (Sheila)
“Hmm… I should have at least asked about the location of the larger towns.” (Soma)
It was too late for regrets. There was no point in dwelling on it.
“Hmm… Well, I guess we should head to the Holy City. If push comes to shove, we might have to make a forced march though…” (Soma)
“I can manage for a bit longer. Just don’t expect much from me once we get there.” (Aina)
“…I’ll do my best.” (Sheila)
In worst case scenario, Soma could go there alone if needed, but it seemed the others weren’t thinking that way. Suggesting it now would be inappropriate. There was no way they both weren’t aware of it.
“Well then, I’ll do my best for the two of you.” (Soma)
“Yeah, we’re counting on you.” (Aina)
“… Knowing Soma, it was likely to end up that way.” (Sheila)
“Oh, that’s certainly true.” (Soma)
With these light-hearted exchanges, Soma and his group turned towards the direction of the Holy City. They steeled themselves and quickly set off.
(Please consider supporting at https://www.patreon.com/)
Previous Chapter | Table of Content | Next Chapter