135. The first mountain range [More content]
135.
The earth had to be surprised in an instant by the turbulence that shook its body. It was something that would shock even the stubborn man who had been in his position for a moment. The earth wondered what the hell had caused it to startle, and began to observe the upheaval taking place.
-Doo-doo-doo…… !
A group of people were crossing the wilderness. It is a sight to see streethands often moving from city to city, but most of them were merchants who went to make money. And merchants usually needed carts and wagons to carry their goods. Therefore, the scene where a group of people on horseback galloped at high speed without such things could be said to be quite miraculous.
-Charleurreuk…… !
And mysterious scenes always arouse great interest from those who are curious. Toward the galloping group, dirt began to rise from all four directions. The horses blinked as they saw it, but nothing came into their sight except the rising dirt.
The frightened horses began to slow down little by little. But it didn’t stop. It was because the people on top of him kept beckoning him to move forward.
-Koo-goo-gu-gu – !
“Kiaaaaak – !”
Soon, a group of curious people showed up. It didn’t seem difficult to guess where their curiosity came from. Because saliva was dripping from their mouths. Four worms, each six cubits tall, clashed their scales and flicked their tongues. It was difficult for the horses to hear those who rode on them now. It wasn’t just because the fear reached its peak.
“Kreurreuk… ….”
In the foreground, a fifth worm measuring eight cubits was showing off its coiled body. It seemed clear to me that I would not be able to go any further. However, those on top did not stop signaling to advance. Rather, it even sent a signal to increase the speed.
The horses closed their eyes tightly. Running at high speed and not looking ahead wasn’t a very wise choice, but it was hard to choose anything other than that. The horses thought of the belly of the worm, which would be their final destination.
-Keying…… !
But the hot saliva, sharp teeth, and growls of satisfaction were not heard. The horse in the lead opened his eyes. And I had to cry out loud once at the sight I saw.
In front of the horse was the corpse of Worm, cut in half. It wasn’t just the worm in front. The worms that attacked from the four sides were all spread out. Although, unlike the large worm in front of it, it was not broken in two, and it was lying on the ground with a stab wound to the chest or abdomen.
With a blow to the worm in front of Benza, the large Claymore he was holding in both hands was mounted on his back. Said the person next to him who was watching him hang the claymore on his back.
“Captain of I-event, do you really think the saintess passed by here?”
“Of course, Sir Erbot.”
Erbot looked at Aevent with a strange look. In those eyes, there was a polite doubt in the meaning of ‘I have a hard time guessing the captain’s intentions, so would you like to hear your opinion?’ Aevent, who received a glance, looked around. It was not unreasonable for Renderop to have doubts. They were in the interior of the western continent, in the dry wilderness.
“There are three port cities in the southern part of the western continent. However, no reports of seeing a saint or a person similar to a saint came from the city’s cathedral. It must have somehow escaped the snow and headed inland.”
“But… ….”
The next word Erbot omitted was, “Isn’t the premise itself wrong that we have already entered the western continent?” It was hard for Erbot to think why the saintess had come to a wilderness teeming with dangerous creatures such as wyverns and worms. Oh event opened her mouth as she read his thoughts.
“Sir Erbot, how many times have we been here and encountered dangerous creatures?”
“Yes? That’s it…… That’s four times in total. If you include the raid just now.”
“I ask again, what time did we enter the interior wilderness?”
“Because I entered from a little past 7:00 am…… It’s been over five hours…… ?”
As he was answering Aevent’s question, Erbot tilted his head. Rather, the question only amplified Erbot’s curiosity. Seeing Erbut’s expression, Ah Event nodded her head.
“That’s roughly one encounter every hour.”
After saying that, Aevent shifted his gaze to a place other than Erbot. Erbott also looked in the direction the captain was facing. There, a ridge of rock straddled the horizon.
But Erbot knew that it wasn’t the rocky ridge that the leader of Aevent was looking at. On the ridge, there were several worms basking in the sun. But they bared their teeth and flicked their tongues, but did not attack.
“Why don’t you seem to come running?”
“You are wary of us.”
“Right. Why do you think so?”
“You may have just seen us fighting another group, and there may be many other things, but the biggest one is…… It must be because there are many of us.”
“That is correct.”
I Event nodded firmly, this time looking at the ridge on the other side. There, too, there was a ridge of rocks, just like the one I had just seen. But the creature resting there was a wyvern. The Wyverns, too, only exposed their teeth or spread their wings once, and did not attack the Holy Knights of Purity.
“Once an hour. In a place full of these dangerous creatures, it’s not enough to say that there are too many of them, and the frequency of raids is too high to say that there are too few…….”
Erbot realized what his leader wanted to say. ‘The reason the raids haven’t increased is because there are a lot of us.’ And this fact became another starting point for doubts.
Then what about the saint?
The saintess is currently on the run. It’s hard to think of her moving in a conspicuous group. If so, it would be good to say that the frequency of raids is higher than that of their Holy Knights.
That was when Erbot came to that conclusion.
“Kahaaaaak – !”
“Kreurreuk…… !”
A sharp cry was heard from both sides. With that cry at the head, Worm and Wyvern started to move. Ordinarily, he would not have paid much attention to that fact. But there was something remarkable about it. Both were moving in the same direction.
“It’s started.”
“Yes? What do you mean?” That question could not be asked by Erbot. It was because the order of the child event followed immediately.
“Follow me.”
–
“…… Were you predicting this?”
Erbut looked back at him while asking a question that was a continuation of the previous one. Most of them had expressions similar to his own. If he had at least predicted this scene, he might have been able to say something to his colleagues and subordinate knights.
But he had to be patient and wait for the captain’s words just like the other knights, as his comrades and himself didn’t do that. Aevent didn’t say anything, just crossed his arms and stared at the scene.
What he was staring at were the corpses of the Wyverns. Other wyverns and worms were eating the corpses of the wyverns scattered randomly.
“Look around, there are more corpses like this one.”
The Paladins who received the order quickly scattered. After a while, a paladin returned from a place with a horse.
“About 1,200 cubits away are the corpses of wurms. The form of death is similar to those of the wyvern you see now.”
“Which way was it leading?”
“North.”
“North…… Is it the direction of Eindelph Peak? Move.”
There was no answer. The paladins all responded with the sound of their hooves. Erbot, who was running alongside the leader, finally heard the answer.
“Yes, I was predicting.”
“Yes?”
“I thought that if it was a saintess who ran with a small number of people much smaller than us, she would be attacked more frequently. The first few times you’ll be able to clear the tracks, but it’s very difficult to hide so many bodies in a wilderness like this. And when there’s a corpse, there’s bound to be something that devours it. If you trace that direction, you can roughly know where the saintess is heading.”
Erbut nodded his head seriously, but Ah Event did not notice the cautious attitude of his subordinate. His eyes were on the mountains surrounding Eindelph Peak.
‘Why did you avoid it?’
The reason Aevent was looking at the peak of Eindelf was also for that reason. He couldn’t understand why the saintess’ helper on board avoided the holy relic.
Originally, a holy relic is an item that emits divine power in itself. And just as the basic nature of holy spirits is life, the holy relic that contains that power also has the ability to heal.
Therefore, there is no reason for ordinary people to avoid holy relics. Rather, it is natural to run at it while emitting light.
Yes. If you are an ordinary person.
The leader of the Knights of Innocence pondered over that fact.
–
“Finished… Are you… ?”
As the partisan was extracted from the wyvern’s corpse, Zer Pied nodded to Esilia’s question. The saintess who was holding onto the cloak from behind the Death Knight’s back finally poked out her head.
Her
She raised her head and was greeted by the corpse of a wyvern with her mouth wide open. The saintess was startled and had to turn her head away while tightening her hand that held her cloak. Fortunately, the place she turned made me forget the fear of wyverns.
“This is… The first barrier of Eindelph Peak… It’s the Cassell Prime Mountains…….”
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The saintess thought that there was no such thing as a strange joke. It was more like a series of cliffs than a mountain range.
That too,
A vertical cliff well over 1,000 cubits.