Chapter 735: Hubertian's Good Sister, Sigrid
Chapter 735: Hubertian's Good Sister, Sigrid
The streets of Granwilfly were deserted, with shops shuttered and windows boarded up. Magic-powered vehicles rumbled over the gravel and sandy road, their dull sounds disappearing instantly in the empty streets.
Even within the confines of the car, one could sense the tense atmosphere at the imperial border.
"The spy we're going to contact is Miss Unity, a trusted agent of the Western Hub Zone's parliament. It's because of their faith in Florence that they're allowing us to liaise directly with the elite Allied forces in Brillerda," the Ice Snow Witch explained to Hubertian as she lowered her newspaper.
The scenery flashing by the car windows seemed to have lost its luster, casting a gloomy pall over the buildings on either side.
Soldiers were stationed throughout Granwilfly, with checkpoints set up on every street corner, ready for any eventuality.
With the shielding barrier in place, this was their last opportunity to speak freely before boarding the magic rail train at the city station.
In a sense, they also had to protect Miss Unity upon their arrival in the capital, Brillerda. As a spy who could access vital intelligence on magic fission for the Allies, she was irreplaceable.
However, given the highly efficient intelligence-gathering capabilities of the Empire's Special Operations, they would undoubtedly be pursuing the source of the leak vigorously. Miss Unity sometimes struggled to manage everything on her own, and she needed reliable and powerful support.
"Thankfully, with Miss Florence's help in guarding Ikeli, we can leave with peace of mind," Hubertian replied from the back seat.
Normally, a powerhouse at the level of a Guardian of the Nation would be required to protect a place as important as Ikeli.
It was a fortunate turn of events that, following Loren's death, both the Ice Snow Witch and Florence, high-ranking members of the Fate Goddess Church and near-bishop-level figures, happened to be stranded in the Kingdom of Herton due to the war.
Without Florence's presence, the Ice Snow Witch would not have been able to leave Ikeli so freely.
"She was supposed to be on the front lines of the Western Hub Zone, fighting alongside the Western Speaker. Now that she's in the relatively safer rear areas, she feels guilty all the time. Perhaps the battlefield is where she truly belongs," the Ice Snow Witch sighed helplessly.
After all, anyone sane knew that the front lines were brutal and made the comfortable rear areas seem like a distant luxury.
In the Western Hub Zone...
The Third Military God, Garet, holder of the Entangled Agate Seat, had arrived on the western battlefield. The Western Speaker, who was already slightly weaker than the Second Military God, the Black Obsidian Seat, now had to consider the Third Military God's involvement, which likely increased the pressure on him exponentially. He desperately needed an Eighth-Rank ally from the Allies to help restrain the Third Military God.
"I hope the war will take a turn for the better soon. Every day, the people of the Southern Continent live in dire straits under the invasion," Hubertian said, recalling her earlier promise to Miss Florence.
She had promised to help Miss Florence with her relationship with her close friend, Loren, the next time they wanted to spend time together. Hubertian had offered to guide Miss Florence in real-time on how to interact with her male friend.
Now, before that promised day could arrive, war had engulfed the Southern Continent, making that promise impossible to keep.
Even the prospect of restoring peace seemed remote.
Miss Florence was finally feeling the weight of regret.
Despite her complex family background, which made her believe that a genuine relationship with Loren was unlikely, the moment she heard the news of his death, her heart was filled with endless remorse.
Hubertian didn't know how to comfort Miss Florence.
Before their departure, she had visited the Fate Goddess Church's temple in Ikeli and seen Miss Florence, now with her reddish-brown hair cut short, still diligently working for Loren as the Saint Knight Captain. Hubertian found herself at a loss for words.
She couldn't console Miss Florence.
If Lanchi were to disappear one day, she thought she might understand the depth of Miss Florence's pain.
The more she thought about it, the more she felt she couldn't afford to miss this opportunity.
"I used to think it was inappropriate for Florence to live in Loren's house, but now... It's good to have someone take care of his home. It is said that powerful beings with deep attachments may turn into undead after death, even without their memories, drifting back to what they consider their home, waiting foolishly. It's good to have a place to return to," the Ice Snow Witch mused, a hint of sadness creeping into her silver eyes.
The time she spent with Loren was but a drop in the ocean compared to her long life.
She knew her temper wasn't the best, and she had never let down her guard around Loren, rarely treating him with kindness.
"Even though I knew human life is short, why didn't I ever think of getting to know him better..." Her voice trailed off, thick with emotion.
"Look on the bright side, Almis. The fact that the Eleventh Military God, Simon Luo, holder of the Emerald Seat, hasn't used the Wind Stone Slab is the strongest clue that Loren might still be alive.
"Antanas tried to comfort her.
Among the Twelve Military Gods, only the eleventh Military God, Simon Luo, the holder of the Emerald Seat, is best suited for the [Primal Stone Slab-Wind]. Logically, the Empire should hand over the spoils of war to Simon Luo to enhance his combat power.
Although this is merely a fortunate hope from a logical standpoint, the Krexi Empire may have many considerations and may not want to equip the near-bishop-level Eleventh Military God, Simon Luo, with the epic artifact, the [Primal Stone Slab-Wind], for the time being. Nonetheless, a glimmer of hope can be discerned from this situation.
"What if everything is according to the Grand Priest's plan?"
Antanas eagerly grabbed the back of the front seat with both hands and leaned towards the Ice Snow Witch's ear.
"..."
The Ice Snow Witch was at a loss for words, and her eyes began to glaze over.
It seemed that Antanas' words had brought to mind some terrifying possibilities.
What would she do if the enemy wore the face of a departed loved one?
"Did I say something wrong?" Antanas scratched his head, unsure why his attempt at comfort had caused the Ice Snow Witch to shudder. His words should have elicited the opposite reaction.
"Pipe down, Antanas..." Pranai glanced back at Antanas and warned.
The stronger one's obsession, the more extreme they would become once it shatters, and not everyone could emulate Talia's ability to let go after holding on for over a century. Her dream of restoring her country had faded as she settled into life in Ikeli.
The Ice Snow Witch was clearly a very persistent woman.
With Loren's death, her heart, like an iceberg, began to melt.
But if she were to see Loren resurrected, it was possible that not only would her heart freeze once more, but that icy mountain might never thaw again.
Of course, there was also the possibility that she would descend into evil if she felt utterly incapable of opposing Loren.
After a long while, the vehicle slowly crossed a low-lying stone arch bridge. The autumn river below remained clear, but it lacked the cheerful laughter of citizens enjoying their leisure time.
Passing through the streets guarded by the Krexi Empire's soldiers, Pranay slowed down according to the signs held by the soldiers, and they could gradually make out the outline of the station located on the other side of the city.
The Granwilfly Border Station was surrounded by Krexi Empire soldiers with loaded guns, and temporary bulletproof walls and magic barriers had been set up at the entrance, with soldiers directing traffic.
"By the way, in the Krexi Empire, is there a chance... is there a chance that I'll be able to see my mother?" Hubertian asked timidly, breaking the silence in the car.
They wouldn't be able to talk once they got off the car.
Earlier, during the communication with the Kingdom of Posen, she had learned from Tata that Miss Aetio had mentioned that Yfatia had most likely gone to the ancient ruins of the Krexi Empire in search of an ancient potential panacea, which was why she had disappeared for so many years.
So, if this was true, would Yfatia be in their destination, the Krexi Empire?
This wish seemed too unrealistic to her.
For over a decade, every night and every day, she had imagined what kind of demon her mother, Yfatia, was like, how her mother would treat her when they met, and now that there was a faint hope of meeting Yfatia, she began to fear that she wasn't good enough, that her mother would be cold to her, and even more so, that she might never see her mother.
"Absolutely! I can't wait to see Miss Yi myself!" Antanas exclaimed, pumping his fist.
He felt that he might have said something wrong earlier, making the atmosphere in the car a bit strange, so he decided to liven things up again.
As a member of the gossip club, Antanas always felt that something was missing in the lively Ikeli group.
Pranay was too steady, Shinola was too quiet and not very enthusiastic about gossip, and the Ice Snow Witch was as stiff as a block of ice, rarely even cracking a smile.
But Yfatia was different. She hated studying, but she loved to play, and when you called her to go out, she would be wide awake in an instant!
"Hey, if Lanchi also took Talia into the Krexi Empire, then with the four of us and Yfatia, wouldn't the old magic class almost be complete?" Shinola murmured in surprise next to her.
According to her brother's guess, it was possible that Lanchi was indeed in the Krexi Empire.
And Talia, as her bodyguard, would definitely go to the Krexi Empire as well.
"Indeed," the Ice Snow Witch nodded in agreement from the front seat.
She had composed herself.
Although the affection between demons was not necessarily that loving, it had been many years, and she couldn't help but feel a bit emotional.
"I have a feeling that Apo is also there, if he's still alive," Pranay said, frowning as he gripped the steering wheel.
"Apo?"
Hubertian interjected in confusion.
"You mean that surviving Demon General? The one whose name kept changing. Since he worked in intelligence, no one knew his true name, but we all called him Apo."
Shinola patiently explained to Hubertian from the side.
Back then, the Ice Snow Witch belonged to the anti-war faction, the two princesses were the refusers, the three in the Empire's prison were the conservatives, and there was also a surrender faction.
Of the group in the car, Hubertian was the only one who didn't recognize this last remaining Demon General.
"Apo was so much fun. His hobby was defeating those seemingly invincible and powerful guys, then enjoying the look on their faces when they realized they'd been outplayed," Antanas said happily, leaning back in his chair and clapping his hands, as if reminiscing about the old days in the Demon City.
"Umm... isn't that just malicious bullying?" Hubertian said after a moment of silence.
Pretending to be weak and luring your opponent into a false sense of security, only to turn the tables on them—while this might be understandable if it was unintentional or a matter of circumstance, Hubertian couldn't bring herself to condone it if it was deliberate.
Hearing the word "bullying," Shinola's heart skipped a beat.
In truth, she was the bully among the demons.
Unknowingly, Hubertian had struck a nerve.
"No, he doesn't bully the weak. He doesn't care about the strength of his opponents," Antanas said, raising his index finger and looking at Hubertian earnestly.
"... "
Once again, Hubertian was left speechless.
She felt that General Apo was most likely no longer alive.
True strength came from those who dared to challenge even stronger foes.
And General Apo was indeed courageous in this regard.
"If Apo is still alive, then out of camaraderie, he might be willing to help us. He's the strongest among the surviving high-ranking demons," the Ice Snow Witch said from the front seat.
In the current situation, where eight-rank powerhouses were scarce, Apo, as a bishop-level auxiliary powerhouse, would be considered one of the strongest allies.
Unfortunately, Apo might not even be on the Southern Continent; he could still be somewhere in the Northern Continent, enjoying himself in unknown lands.
"Don't worry, I've arranged with Lanchi to enter a final vampire historical Shadow World together. With all of us going in, we should be able to help you gain a small boost in power as well," Hubertian said, patting the shoulders of her teachers in the front seat.
Although the boost from Shadow Worlds was already quite minimal for eight-rank powerhouses like them, it was still a high-level enhancement, and even a single level made a significant difference.
"Are you going to take us into the Shadow World with you?" Antanas asked in surprise.
As long-lived beings, they were generally reluctant to rely on Shadow Worlds for improvement. For demons with long lifespans, peaceful cultivation was a much better option than risking their lives in Shadow Worlds, unless they were in a hurry to rapidly increase their strength.
Of course, exceptions like Lanchi, who could enter Shadow Worlds for free, would gladly take advantage of the opportunity.
"Yes, let's go together and visit the old Demon World," Hubertian nodded.
The once-in-over-a-century ninth-rank Shadow World had already descended, and it would be another century or two before the next one appeared. The remaining Shadow Worlds would only be locked to the eight-rank cap.
If she took these few high-ranking demons with her, the demon generals in the original Shadow World projections would likely be replaced by Antanas and his companions.
"Hooray! Long live Hubertian!"
Antanas cheered.
He had no fear of entering a Shadow World with Lanchi; he knew they could just wing it!
"I'll take you to meet my Sigrid; she's absolutely adorable," Hubertian whispered to Antanas and Shinola.
That feeling of joy that couldn't be shared with others—Hubertian had experienced it firsthand in the previous Shadow World.
But this time would be different; her close friends would be joining her in the Shadow World.
The backseat of the carriage suddenly became lively as they chatted excitedly, and the vehicle drew closer and closer to the Granwilfly city station.
After a few days of traveling by train, they would arrive at the imperial capital, Brillerda, in the Botswana Province. In the Empire, gates to the Shadow Worlds could be found in most city-states.
"... "
Pranai's scalp was already starting to tingle, but he maintained his composure and focused on driving.
He had heard from Lanchi about the Shadow World they had entered—the Darkest Day Eclipse Demon Realm—and how Lanchi and Hubertian had encountered a historical projection named Sigrid there.
No matter how Pranai heard the story of Sigrid, it always reminded him of the Church of the Fate Goddess in its early days, and there seemed to be a complex connection between Lanchi and this projection.
In the ancient demon tomes he had read in his youth in the Demon World, there were indeed legends of beings who could weave dreams into reality, and the Goddess of Fate was said to possess such power.
The next Shadow World would likely be extremely dangerous, and not in the conventional sense.
May they overcome their trials and emerge as friends, laughing off their past enmity.
(End of Chapter)
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