Seeing that the forest was very dangerous, and still reeling from the attack from the Silver level (level, tier- it's all the same thing) Trork, Natsuki, Duval, Mikano and Vylara all decided to help and join with the wounded woman and her guard, making sure that they were escorted safely back to the city of Folktul. Throughout the journey, they (and by they, I mean Vylara and Natsuki) managed to strike a simple yet fulfilling conversation with the veiled woman, and much to their surprise, she was, quite considerably, very fun to talk with. Even Vylara, the moody one of the group, got along well with her.
Unlike the other two, however, Mikano and Duval, quite mysteriously, did not talk to her, even going so far as looking at their feet instead of her face. Though confused, Natsuki chalked it up to them being scared of offending nobles. I mean, don't every noble act as unscrupulous jerks in every isekai story?
As they got closer to the city walls, Mikano finally looked up from the ground, expression serene. Though if you looked closely, you could see that, deep within her eyes, a deep sense of reverence was present, pointed at the newcomers. Though at the man or woman, nobody knew...
"Hey Natsuki, why don't we split our ways here, huh? Why don't you and Miss Vylara head back to the inn, and Duval and I help our young guests go back to their home..."
"Huh, we will– OUCH!"
"Yes. We. Will."
Though confused, Natsuki just chalked it up to young couples bickering (to be fair, the only love advice he had gotten was from the numerous shoujo mangas he read long ago, and most of them were cheesy to boot...). "Uh, look, it wasn't my idea to–"
"Brother, just shut up!"
Hands up in a hold-up sign, Natsuki realised that he had nearly let the cat out of the bag. Ignoring the scathing gaze of Mikano and Vylara, Natsuki sheepishly rubbed his head before quickly skedaddling his way into the city, followed by a fuming Vylara...
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Once the duo from another land 'far, far away,' had left their sight, the veiled woman dropped all sense of warmth and comfort, revealing a cold, frigid edge. " I should give my thanks for not revealing who I am..."
"W-well thank you, your holiness-"
"So, Mr. Duval and Miss Mikano, I presume that you know who those fellow men and women were? If so, could you please... elaborate on who they are, where they come from, and what their purpose here is..."
Indignant at the thought of selling his brother, Duval attempted to prevent selling out his brother, but fate had other plans...
"Their names are Natsuki and Vylara- Vylara is the crazy witch-looking girl, Natsuki the lame one. They came from who knows where, but they have remarkable powers, especially the two other men who came with them. We don't know why they came, except that they had all these weird artifacts on them that made all these 'whooshing' and 'swishing' noises..."
As Duval attempted to shut the traitorous little rat's mouth, he failed to notice the gleam coming from Celestina's eyes...
Yes, for she is none other than Grand Saintess Celestina of the High Church of Erudia, also known as the Church of Light, the last remaining church in all of Aesold
Oh hero, you have finally arrived...
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Amidst the bustling streets, a lone sword is seen sitting on top of a solitary stone pedestal, high above a decrepit fountain. Though the fountain had stopped functioning ages ago, filled with moss and all sorts of debris, nobody said anything about demolishing it...
For it was none other than Durandaliber, the famed sword that had vanquished the Shadow Monarch a thousand years ago
And today, for the first time in millennia, it moved.