As the relentless storm raged outside their camp, Siena gazed out at the tumultuous scene, her expression betraying a hint of frustration. The towering trees surrounding them provided some measure of shelter, but the howling winds and swirling snow seemed endless.


    Princess Christine, considering their dwindling resources and the unyielding fury of the storm, voiced her concerns. "Should we consider returning home, Lady Siena?" she inquired, her gaze drifting to the sky where ominous clouds loomed overhead.


    Their mana generators and reserves could sustain their protective barrier for only a limited time, and with the storm showing no signs of abating after four days, the prospect of continuing their mission seemed increasingly futile.


    Siena, however, remained resolute in her determination to fulfill their duty. "Nah," she replied dismissively. "The Emperor made it clear that the hero''s actions are imminent. We must do our part." Though she acknowledged the option for Princess Christine to return home, she hinted at the urgency of their mission, emphasizing the importance of their roles in the impending events.


    Well in actuality Siena just wanted her nephew''s journey to be more stable, but she can''t exactly tell the princess that.


    Christine sighed, recalling her father''s warnings and the gravity of the situation they faced. Despite her concerns for her own safety, she understood the necessity of their mission and the expectations ced upon them.


    With a sense of resignation, she nodded in acknowledgment of Siena''s words, silently epting her role in the unfolding events.


    Inside the protective domes, the inhabitants braced themselves for yet another onught from the relentless storm. With each activation of their mana generators, their time within the safety of their barriers grew shorter. Despite possessing teleportation scrolls that could whisk them away to safety, they chose to remain, driven by their loyalty to Princess Christine.


    -GUWAGHHH!!!


    Their brief respite was shattered by a deafening roar that echoed through the forest, sending tremors through the earth and intensifying the already ferocious winds. Panic rippled through the group as they scrambled to arm themselves, knowing that another wave of monsters was imminent.


    "Prepare yourselves!


    "Protect the princess!"


    "Ready your weapons!"


    Shouted voices amid the chaos, their urgency punctuated by the cacophony of screams and the rustling of armor.


    For three consecutive days, they had faced relentless attacks from the horde of monsters that besieged their camp.


    However, the sheer magnitude of the demonic boar leading the charge this time sent a shiver of fear through their ranks. Its massive size and ferocious demeanor signaled a formidable adversary, one that posed a grave threat to their safety.


    As tension mounted between the two groups, time seemed to stretch into eternity, each passing momentden with anticipation and dread.


    Then, with a suddenness that left no room for hesitation, the boar charged forward, its monstrous followers in tow, plunging the forest into chaos and heralding the onset of yet another harrowing battle for survival.


    ….


    "So, we''re really starting our journey now, huh? I''m excited!" Darius eximed, his gaze fixed upon the azure sky above.


    Beside him, Buka nodded eagerly, his fists clenched with determination. The camaraderie between the two had grown remarkably in the short span of time they''d spent together. Their newfound bond was evident in the way they stood side by side, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead.


    His enthusiasm was infectious, and I couldn''t help but share in their excitement. Over the past few days, we had worked tirelessly to refine our team strategies and improve our teamwork.


    Through diligent practice and determination, we had identified and addressed our weaknesses, forging a stronger and more cohesive unit in the process.


    Now, with the Pope''s blessing bestowed upon us, we stood at the threshold of the holy nation''s borders, having traversed vast distances in the blink of an eye through the magic of teleportation.


    The sight of colors other than the stark white that dominated thendscapes of the holy nation was a wee change, a reminder of the vibrant world beyond its borders.


    As our gaze fell upon the two unassuming carriages ahead of us, a sense of surprise washed over me. They appeared remarkably ordinary, little more than crude assemblies of wood hastily thrown together.


    Yet, in their simplicityy an unexpected advantage—they would serve as inconspicuous vessels, allowing us to conceal our true identities and intentions as we embarked on our journey.


    As we embarked on our journey, the decision to rely on conventional travel rather than constant teleportation seemed like the most prudent choice.


    While teleportation magic offered unparalleled speed, its frequent use could potentially attract unwanted attention from the demonic forces we sought to evade.


    Be, with her mastery of celestial magic, possessed the ability to teleport our group over short distances in emergencies.


    However, continuous long-distance teleportation would quickly drain her mana reserves, rendering the strategy unsustainable in the long run.


    Leaving Analise behind stirred a twinge of sadness within me. Although she assured us that returning to the Duke''s mansion was the safest course of action for her, I couldn''t shake the worry gnawing at my thoughts.


    Yet, with Liliana''s capable assistance and protection, I hoped she would find sce and safety in familiar surroundings.


    Still, the nagging concern lingered, Afterall that shitty duke is there….


    As we settled into the carriages, the groups naturally divided as anticipated. One carriage housed myself, Aria, Elena, and Louise—a blend ofpanions whosepany brought bothfort and reassurance amidst the uncertainties of our quest.


    Meanwhile, Isabe, Alex, Buka, and Darius upied the other carriage, forming a formidable team poised to face whatever challengesy ahead.


    As our journey progressed towards the rural vige nestled beneath the borders of the holy kingdom, reports surfaced of a riot instigated by a group of extremists who had seized control of the vige.


    Althoughbeled as extremists, they were essentially bandits at their core. It was ironic that our first mission involved eliminating human threats rather than the monstrous adversaries I had anticipated.


    ''Ian…''


    ''Sis?''


    The unexpected sound of my sister''s voice echoing in my mind startled me. It had been a while since Ist heard her telepathic messages, which always served as aforting presence during moments of solitude.


    ''Is mom finished with her business?'' I asked, Aunt did mention taking sis when I visited the forest.


    ''Well, about that mom was very… you know what, never mind. Anyways, is the n proceeding smoothly?"


    ''Yeah… everything is proceeding ording to your instructions,''


    ''Then should I release him?''


    ''No, that can wait until we reach the north. For now, keep him restrained''


    ''Understood''


    "By the way, Ian, I noticed that Aria has officially be part of our family now. Since she knows basically everything, can I talk to her?" sis asked.


    I paused, considering whether it was alright for Aria to converse with sis. Despite sis''s lower rank, she was still an otherworldly being, a cosmic entity that Aria might still be apprehensive about.


    However, as I recollected what happened back at the castle, I dispelled such pessimistic thoughts.


    This was Aria we were talking about; she would likely be thrilled at the prospect of speaking with sis, or at least I hoped she would.


    "Sure, just make sure you don''t put any strain on her… I would hate you for life if you hurt her," I replied sternly.


    "Mhm, don''t worry, I won''t," sis assured, and with that, her presence faded from my mind.


    "Adrian?" Suddenly, Aria''s call got my attention.


    "What?" I replied.


    "Is something wrong? You looked out of it for a moment there… you weren''t even replying" Aria said with concern, echoed by the other girls nodding in response.


    "Ah, no, I''m fine. I just had a thought about something," I reassured them.


    "Is that so?" Aria said, still with a hint of worry. I chuckled in response, causing their cheeks to puff up in annoyance.


    They all looked so cute.


    Leaning a bit closer to Aria, she stumbled back in surprise.


    Sitting right next to each other, she might have thought I was leaning in for a kiss, judging by her deep blush.


    "W-what?" she asked, embarrassed. As much as I wanted to kiss her right then, it wasn''t exactly the right moment to do so.


    So, I leaned closer to her ear, my breath reaching her warm skin as she closed her eyes, perhaps expecting something else. "Sis wants to talk to you," I whispered softly.


    She opened her eyes wide in surprise, a myriad of emotions evident on her face.


    "L-like right now?" Aria stammered.


    "Yeah," I confirmed.


    She looked like someone who had seen a ghost, closing her eyes as if preparing herself for something.


    "What are you two doing?" Elena asked, annoyancecing her tone.


    "Do you two really need to whisper to each other?" Louise chimed in; her cheeks puffed up in irritation. At first, these girls reminded me of cats, but now they looked more like hamsters.


    Chuckling aloud once more, I nced at them, noticing their increasingly annoyed expressions.


    …


    In the vige of Agbad, just a few kilometers away from the official borders of the Holy Kingdom, a group of ruthless men, with no brows nor hair, were wreaking havoc without restraint.


    For over two weeks, they had held dominion over this small settlement, subjecting its inhabitants to unspeakable horrors.


    Men were ughtered or enved at their whim, women were vited against their will, used as mere objects for their amusement, and even the children were not spared from their cruelty.


    "Kekeke. Boss, look at this fool," a man d in brown leather clothing, brandishing arge sword, said with a twisted grin as he presented a frail-looking old man to their leader.


    "P-please don''t, please forgive me, please…" the old man pleaded, tears streaming down his face. It was hard to fathom that this feeble figure was once the vige chief, now reduced to a pitiful state before the despotic Ransolph.


    Ransolph regarded the old man with contempt as he casually sipped his coffee. It had been a fortnight since he and his band of marauders had descended upon this settlement, yet the resilience of its people continued to infuriate him.


    "This sucker was actually hiding another abundant supply of wheat underneath the secret basement of his house. Kekeke. Boss, don''t you think this requires some punishment? Hahaha," the man who had brought forth the old man remarked, his eyes gleaming with sadistic delight as he toyed with his sword.


    Ransolph''s lips curled into a malevolent smile as he considered the suggestion. Punishment was not only a means of exerting control but also a source of amusement for him and his band of thugs.


    The old man''s fate was sealed, another victim of their merciless reign over Agbad.


    "Make do as you please, Ruve, but make sure to do it in the vige square. Go remind the people what happens when they lie to me!" Ransolph''smand echoed through the air,ced with a sinister edge that sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it.


    The moment Ruve heard Ransolph''s words, a sinister smile crept across his face as he cast a chilling gaze upon the old man.


    "Let''s see how your people will react once I gouge out those grey eyes of yours. KEKEKE," he jeered, reveling in the terror he would soon inflict.


    As Ruve set off to carry out his leader''s orders, Ransolph watched with satisfaction.


    Though they had been reigning terror upon this vige for nearly three weeks, he knew their time here was limited.


    Tomorrow would mark the beginning of their retreat, as they needed to cover their tracks before the Holy Kingdom''s pdinsunched their inevitable counterattack.


    A group of bandits like them could ill afford to face the wrath of the kingdom''s righteous warriors.


    "And I was just starting to like this ce," Ransolph grumbled in annoyance,menting the premature end to their piging spree.


    However, amidst his frustration, he found sce in the spoils of their conquest.


    This vige had yielded more than just riches; it had introduced him to newfound pleasures he had never imagined.


    "Isn''t that right, bitch?" Ransolph chuckled sadistically as he nced at the beast woman chained in his room, a trophy of their conquest.


    The beast woman looked at him with pure disgust and disdain.