Chapter 229: Where are the ring leaders?


    We, who had escaped the Imperial Capital, went straight back to Volton in Valkyra Kingdom by way of Lomaria Kingdom.


    Pope Wavaal who disappeared, Akira who was the other hero we didn’t see, and the first Imperial Princess Elizabeth. Their whereabouts remain unknown.


    Then we learned of their whereabouts from the Great Spirits.


    「The Southern Continent?」


    「Yes, the continent poprly named 『Devil Continent』, where the Mazoku and Beastkin tribes primarily reside.」


    We bid farewell to Heath-san and the Lion’s Fang in Volton, then went back to the Sanctuary to talk about the Divine Empire Sydnia dungeon capture.


    「Even though it’s called a continent, it’s 1/3 of the size this continent, and I sense many small city-states there.」


    The southern continent apparently had multiple fortress city states with poptions ranging from 5,000 – 20,000 in quasi-monster nest regions all over thend.


    「But, how could they have crossed to the Southern Continent, I wonder?」


    Yes, they couldn’t possibly have a ship that wouldn’t be beaten by gigantic monsters of the ocean like ours. It’s unimaginable that Pope Warvaal and the Imperial Princess were the only ones that crossed.


    「I dare say they crossed with a ship, however, the Evil Spirit likely did not allow the monsters to approach. Even we would be able to do it.」


    「Even so, I don’t think it’s that many people.」


    I learned from Undine and Sylph’s conversation that the Pope of Divine Empire Sydnia had abandoned his country and ran away.


    「……there’s also Triaria Kingdom’s issue, but Sydnia as a country needs to move quickly, refugees would surge to neighboring countries.」


    「It might be best to consult with Margrave Volton.」


    At present, Valkyra Kingdom, Lomaria Kingdom, and Yggurle Kingdom of the Trination are advancing their invasion towards Triaria Kingdom. This is retorsion for the invasion of the Sanctuary just recently, but now that Sydnia had lost its form as a country, it should eye the possibility of being suppressed by its neighboring countries as well.


    「Triaria and Sydnia’s matters can only be entrusted to the Trination. More importantly, will you go to the Southern Continent? Or will you leave them be?」


    「No, we can’t leave them be. Akane still has one more ssmate, I have a feeling that it would be dangerous if that Pope is left atrge.」


    Akane and the two young boys weren’t especially close. However, Yamato-kun’s end in that dungeon seemed to have taken a substantial toll on Akane.


    「I don’t know if I can save Akane’s other ssmate, but giving up without trying is not an option.」


    「That’s right. ……we’re people who had been forcefully taken and summoned after all.」


    Akane was immediately suspicious of the Divine Empire Sydnia’s Pope and Imperial Princess after they were summoned. And at that moment, she was blessed with the 『Divine Oracle』 Skill from Goddess Norn-sama, and escaped as a result. Even now, Akane regrets not being able to escape together with Akira and Yamato. In reality, Akira and Yamato at that time were drunk on their positions known as heroes, and because they were waited upon by women provided by Sydnia and had kept their distance from Akane who warned them at every opportunity, there wasn’t really anything that Akane could have done.


    「So, are you going to the South Continent using the ship as before?」


    「Yes, of course that’s the n.」


    I was perplexed for a second, not understanding the meaning of Undine’s question, but I answered that this was the n.


    「I suppose it would be fine until you reach the Southern Continent. But travelling by carriage within the continent might be difficult.」


    「What do you mean?」


    「Cause, the Southern Continent is said to be a quasi-monster nest, is it not? Roads and the like wouldn’t exist in such a ce, so trade between cities are few and far in between.」


    Learning the harsh circumstance of the Southern Continent from Undine made me groan unintentionally.


    The carriage I use could basically ignore bad roads. However, if even roads do not exist, then I have to think of another manner of travel. Moreover, we’re going to a quasi-monster nest where we don’t know where and when monsters would attack.


    「I see…… certainly, even the carriage I made might not be able to gain that much speed there.」


    「Mm, your carriage is excellent outside the norm, but the environment there is far too harsh.」


    The Great Wind Spirit Sylph knew the detailed circumstances of the far off Southern Continent. The wind freely circtes the world, after all.


    「……okay! Let’s make a method of travel!」


    「You mean, a way to move onnd?」


    「That will also be taken into consideration.」


    Though the Southern Continent is small, it is still too vast for searching for Sydnia’s ringleaders. Travelling dtorily there while doing a search was realistically difficult.


    「Those guys, could they be hiding in some country?」


    「Hmm, I wonder. As you may expect, they wouldn’t usurp a city-state all of a sudden. It would be too conspicuous if they do. They may have even made a hideout within a monster nest. The Evil Spirit is there as well, as such, it would not be impossible.」


    「That makes sense. They did make a dungeon too.」


    If I think about it now, that dungeon may have been something they made to keep us confined as they made their escape. Their use of a young Japanese boy as a sacrificial pawn is something I can’t forgive……


    ***