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Chapter 213

The fact that the horses had transformed into monsters was a blessing in disguise. They continued to walk unaffected, even when exposed to the dark green fog or spores.

"Good thing we oiled the carriage thoroughly. Otherwise, it would have rotted by now. Though we can’t be completely at ease," Philip remarked.

The group continued their journey without much trouble, clinging to Della Lu’s Grace around their necks or receiving Philip’s help to soak in divine energy. They didn’t need to get off the carriage or step into the forest, thanks to Philip’s foresight.

Mold-infested kobolds, trolls, and occasionally giant dragonflies, moths, or centipedes flew or lurked around but didn’t attack the carriage. They merely floated by, scattering bluish spores.

"... Camping here seems impossible. Luckily, the horses don’t need rest, so let’s take turns keeping watch in pairs," Philip suggested after half a day had passed.

He looked at Mev and Ian in turn and added, "I’ll take the remaining empty slot."

"No. I’ll take two shifts," Charlotte said, poking her head out of the carriage door. "I can go three days without sleep with just a brief nap. Unlike you weak humans," she added.

"But..."

"Let Charlotte take it," Ian interjected, meeting Philip’s gaze and nodding.

"To handle the holy power of the relics precisely, you need to stay focused. You’re the only one who can manage the divine power of Lu Solar. Conserve your strength."

"If necessary, couldn’t you use it, my lord?" Philip asked.

"Do you think you could withstand being here without that ring?" Ian replied.

"...Ah," Philip sighed deeply.

Ian, with his monstrous resistance and recovery, Charlotte, with her innate resilience, Mev, who carried the essence of divine power in her soul, and Thesaya, an elder elf one with the lifeblood, could all endure with just the resistance granted by Della Lu’s Grace. But for a mere human like Philip, it was different. He owed his survival so far to having two holy relics.

"Understood. Let’s do that."

"Go inside. Take the last shift," Charlotte said, stepping out.

Philip obediently swapped places and entered the carriage.

Mev joined in the conversation. "I’ll take the middle shift, Ian."

Of course, she’s choosing the most tiring shift, Ian thought with a wry smile. He stood up readily, knowing Mev wouldn’t back down on this.

"No one asks me? Do I not get a say?" Thesaya interjected.

The group paused and turned to look at her.

Thesaya grinned, "Just joking. I was curious to see your reactions."

Whatever she had expected, Thesaya seemed satisfied with the group’s response.

Mev, now more accustomed to the situation, sighed softly and lay down on the roof of the carriage.

"See you later," Philip said, closing the carriage door.

There was no sound of conversation from within, suggesting they were trying to rest immediately. The environment was mentally exhausting, even without battles. Ian, on his horse, and Charlotte, in the driver’s seat, continued in silence.

Only when everyone else’s breathing had settled did Charlotte speak. "If this corrosion was inevitable somewhere, it’s fortunate it happened in the West."

"Why?" Ian asked, looking at her.

Charlotte scanned the forest with widened eyes and continued. "This place reminds me of the southern jungles. The moss and mold must have made the perfect environment to thrive. In its original dry climate, it wouldn’t have survived. But if this had happened in the South... it would have spread everywhere quickly."

"... That’s quite a plausible theory," Ian nodded. He had never thought about the reason the weather had become muggy and the air had turned damp.

Silence lingered for a moment. Then Charlotte let out a low, growling breath. Turning to look at her, Ian was surprised to realize that this beast warrior was filled with nostalgia. The longing and worry for her homeland were evident in her orange eyes.

Thinking of home while seeing this bizarre landscape... What kind of place is the South?

Ian wondered with a chuckle.

He finally spoke up again. "Just so you know..."

"...?"

"When I’m done here, I’m heading to Racliffe."

"I know. Corrupters are hiding there too. It might be in a similar state to this place," Charlotte replied.

"Right. Your journey ends there, along with Thesa’s," Ian added.

"...!" Charlotte’s eyes widened.

Ian turned to face her, continuing, "Even if Sir Riurel’s vengeance isn’t complete, that’s where it ends. I won’t take no for an answer this time."

"But—"

"Racliffe is a crucial point connecting the Black Sea to the Inner Sea. No matter how chaotic the city is, there should be at least one ship heading South across the Inner Sea."

Charlotte furrowed her brow and shifted her gaze, clearly wrestling with how to argue.

She had initially been eager to leave, but now...

Ian smirked and said, "It’s been a long time since we heard from Findrel, that elf. Your tribe’s time is running out. Put aside your burdens for now."

Facing her directly, Ian added dryly, "And keep your head straight. You don’t want to die right before you return home. Focus on surviving, and don’t go berserk like a mad warrior. This isn’t a request; it’s an order."

"... Understood," Charlotte replied, reluctantly looking away. "When you talk for that long, it leaves no room for escape," she muttered.

That’s the point, Ian thought, snorting as he turned his gaze away.

He let out a silent sigh. He hadn’t told the group, but the resonance from the fragment of chaos hadn’t subsided. If anything, it grew stronger and clearer the deeper they ventured into the mountains.

is it because I had absorbed the chaos power from the token of the ritual?

Ian speculated, clicking his tongue. It was quite possible. After all, the ritual of Drenorov was linked to this place. It wouldn’t be surprising if the fragment of chaos, having absorbed part of it, resonated with the center of the corruption.

Alright, I understand. But can’t you tone it down?

He mentally grumbled. The resonance, however, did not diminish. Not even through the night.

***

"Um, excuse me, my lord, but I think you should wake up," Philip whispered through the small window of the driver’s seat.

Ian, who had been crumpled in his chair, immediately opened his eyes. He hadn’t been sleeping. The resonance from the fragment had kept him awake, leaving meditation as his only respite.

Gauging the angle of the carriage, he spoke, "Have we descended the mountain?"

"Yes. The city is visible in the distance. And..." Philip trailed off as Ian exchanged a glance with Mev, who was also waking.

Without waiting for more, Ian opened the carriage door. As he leaned out, a reddish sky and vines stretching everywhere came into view.

"... A vineyard," he stated, instantly recognizing the place due to the clusters of grapes glowing bluish. Each grape was massive, far larger than a typical muscat, and flickered with an internal blue light like an old light bulb.

Squish—

Nearby, one of the grapes split open, spilling its contents. Unlike the mystical blue glow, the flesh was far from enchanting. It looked like a yellowish lump of phlegm. The ground was already covered in other squashed grapes, emitting a yellowish fog. It resembled the color of Disease Clusters in the game.

"We didn\'t call you because of these things, Ian," Thesaya said from her horse.

"There’s a person."

"A person?"

"Something that looks like one," Thesaya clarified.

Raising an eyebrow, Ian soon spotted the figure Thesaya mentioned. It was someone in a tattered robe, hunched over. Their arm, oozing with pus and sores, reached out to squeeze and burst the ripe grapes one by one.

Clip-clop—

As the carriage passed, the figure stopped their actions and turned toward them. Under a deeply pulled hood, yellow eyes gleamed with an eerie calm. Instead of displaying hostility or acting strangely, the figure lightly bowed toward the carriage.

That was even more unsettling.

"... It wasn’t the first one. We’ve passed several, and they all greeted us the same way. Welcoming," Philip muttered with a frown.

From the roof, Charlotte’s low voice followed. "Should I go cut one in half? See if they’re still that polite?"

"... No, let them be," Ian replied indifferently, climbing onto the carriage roof. "No need to step inside and provoke them. If it’s urgent, they’ll come to us."

Ian then glanced down at the scowling Philip. "Can you still feel the touch of the Goddess?"

"I’ll check," Philip replied, clasping his hands in front of his chest and closing his eyes.

Ian finally took a moment to survey their surroundings. Beyond the gentle slope, the city of Tessen was visible. It was much smaller than Drenorov, resembling a frontier town. It had likely been a small city where people lived quietly, making wine and mingling with monks. However, its current appearance was anything but reassuring. The castle walls looked abandoned for decades, covered in moss and mold. There wasn’t a single person in sight. The reason for this absence, of course, required no imagination.

Thump.

More than anything, what was immediately bothering Ian was the fragment of chaos.

The moment he laid eyes on the castle, it pulsed more intensely. It was clear it wanted something, but he couldn\'t figure out what it was.

If you’re going to act up, at least tell me why, you fucker. Are you rebelling?

Ian pressed a hand to his abdomen, furrowing his brow. This could be a simple result of the fragment getting larger. Originally smaller than an egg, it had now reached the size of a small plum. Though it didn’t have a physical form, the impression conveyed through his mind was of its increasing size. The more chaos power it contained, the greater its influence on him grew.

Indeed, I need a corrupted one to provide information. Not these creatures, though.

Taking a deep breath, Ian adjusted his gear. Clanking sounds came from inside the carriage as Mev prepared for battle.

Philip, having finished his check, opened his eyes and spoke. "Fortunately, I can still feel the Goddess’s touch. It seems even beings of the void have limits."

"Since it has manifested in the material realm, it can’t wield its full power," Ian replied.

"... You sound like a mage. It’s been a while," Philip remarked, half-jokingly.

It\'s been a while since I\'ve come across a familiar setting.

Philip continued, "Both of you should conserve your strength until we reach the monastery. Especially you, lord Ian. If we encounter any battles beforehand, the three of us will handle it."

"It looks like we’re a permanent team," Thesaya added, twirling her longbow. "Maybe we should swear brotherhood."

"An odd trio—a beastfolk, an elf, and a human. Throw in a dwarf and an orc, and we’ll have all the races covered," Charlotte snorted sarcastically.

Thesaya’s eyes gleamed. "Not a bad idea. There are plenty of dwarves in the North, and orcs live in the desert, right? We should pick one up if we get the chance."

"You’ve inhaled too many spores, pointy ears. Speak sense."

"Why not? Look at us, we’re proof it can work—" said Thesaya but was cut short as the city, surrounded by vineyards, grew closer.

"We’ll take a detour. I’d rather not pass through there," Philip said, steering the horses.

The carriage entered a road running alongside the ancient-looking castle wall. The walls, which could have been a few hundred years old, loomed beside them.

Beyond the wall, everything was silent. The yellow fog in the opposite vineyard thickened quietly.

"They’re not completely ignoring us," Thesaya said.

"... I suppose so. Stay on your guard," Ian replied tersely, falling silent once more. He had no time to pay attention to their surroundings. He had to control the relentless pulsing of the fragment of chaos.

I hope it doesn\'t stay like this until the boss fight.

Ian clicked his tongue, half-closing his eyes to calm his breathing as the carriage passed the castle wall and entered the main road. The monastery of Tessen stood beyond, rising above the gentle slope behind the city.

Twisted vineyards flanked the road, resembling the claws of a monster. According to Philip’s map, it was supposed to be a half-day’s journey, but in reality, it was only about a ten-minute walk. Whether this was its original state or a result of the area\'s distortion was unclear.

In any case, the monastery was the size of a small village, with high walls and a foreboding gate.

"That nauseating fog is creeping onto the main road. We should hurry," Philip remarked, glancing at the vineyards on either side.

Mev, raising her visor, opened the carriage door and looked back. "We really should, Philip."

"...?" Philip, puzzled, stood up and looked back at Tessen. His expression quickly twisted in dismay. "By Lu Solar..."

The yellow fog from the vineyards had now enveloped the city and was spilling onto the main road. Their retreat was entirely cut off. At Mev’s signal, Thesaya moved the horse beside the carriage and leaped onto the roof. Mev skillfully mounted the horse. She briefly glanced at Ian, who appeared to be meditating, then turned her attention to Charlotte, who was gazing behind them.

"Do you sense anything?" Mev asked.

"My senses are being disrupted. Here, I’m no different from an ordinary human," Charlotte replied quietly.

Philip clicked his tongue. "An ordinary human would fare worse. My ears are ringing, my nose is numb from the stench, and my throat is scratchy," he complained.

"So, I guess that makes me the most capable right now," Thesaya declared with a smug voice.

"...Huh?" Philip blinked at her.

Standing straight, Thesaya smiled. The veins around her eyes bulged like worms. "The only one who can see through this is an elder fairy like me, right?"

Her gaze swept from the side to the back, then to the opposite side, and finally rested on the monastery ahead. "... Or so I thought. But maybe not?"

"What do you mean?" Philip asked.

"I can sense presence all around us. We’re surrounded. And...".

Philip’s face hardened as Thesaya blinked and added, "They’re starting to move. Almost as if they can feel my gaze."