Chapter 77
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Desert Kingdom
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Rattle—
Rattle—
Vrooom—
“……”
Lua stared blankly out the window from inside the moving hunk of metal.
“Is this your first time riding a train?”
“...Yes, sir. It’s my first time.”
Lua had never ventured out into the wider world her entire life.
Born into an ordinary household in the Holy Kingdom, she had grown up normally before being selected as a saintess. From then on, she had devoted her entire life to the Holy Kingdom, remaining solely within the Papal Palace.
So to her, this moment right now was nothing short of true liberation.
“...It’s truly beautiful.”
Everything was beautiful.
The Empire’s dynamically moving people and advanced civilization. The massive cities and skyscrapers rising everywhere.
“It’s completely different from the Holy Kingdom’s static atmosphere.”
The boundary between the city and nature visible as the train pulled away stirred indescribable emotions.
“This train, and the automobile from last time... the Empire really feels like another world.”
“...Does it?”
She exuded both regret and joy at the same time.
Yujin gazed steadily at Lua’s profile.
“You’ll get to experience a lot from now on.”
Truly a wide variety of things.
Like this trip to the desert—someday they might head to the snowfields, or even cross to the opposite side of the continent.
Or perhaps venture to the southern continent to admire emerald seas.
This world was filled with all sorts of wonders, after all.
“From now on, together... we can just do all the things you haven’t tried yet.”
Lua’s face flushed red.
“...Will you stay with me?”
“Of course.”
Yujin’s straightforward answer made Lua’s heart pound.
‘With the Hero from now on...’
“...As expected, the Hero is so kind.”
She murmured softly.
Thud—
At that moment, Lucia’s head, which had been resting beside Yujin, dropped onto his shoulder.
She was asleep. Irene was dozing off across from them as well.
Their chests rose and fell rhythmically.
“...Everyone’s sleeping soundly.”
Lua felt a twinge of envy toward the two who seemed so accustomed to the train. Unlike her, they hadn’t lived lives bound by duty, missing out on such experiences.
But that envy soon faded.
After all, from now on, she could just live happily alongside Yujin.
A small smile played on her lips.
“Instead of this, why don’t you get some sleep too, Lua.”
It took about half a day by train to reach the border with the Kara Kingdom.
After disembarking, they still had to cross the desert, so it was better to rest now.
Besides, the Kara Kingdom’s roads were incomparably rough compared to the Empire’s—traveling while sleeping soundly might be their last chance.
“...I’m fine. I want to see more of this scenery right now.”
“Is that so.”
And so the two quietly admired the scenery flashing by outside the window in the now-silent train car.
They shared that silence until Lucia and Irene awoke and they reached their destination.
“Yawn...”
“Sleep well?”
“Yeah...”
“Ugh...”
Lucia and Irene stepped outside and stretched.
Yujin’s group had finally arrived at the border with the Kara Kingdom.
“That over there is the Kara Kingdom. You can already see a lot of sand.”
Lua bent down and scooped up a handful of sand. But it quickly slipped through her fingers.
“It’s quite a ticklish sensation...”
The feeling of the sand draining from her hand was ticklish, yet somehow addictive.
Captivated by the novel sensation, Lua scooped up sand several more times.
Of course, to those watching, it was simply adorable.
“Cute.”
Lua’s ears turned red at the quiet mutter.
“Ahem.”
Clearing her throat lightly, she quickly moved to stand beside Yujin as if nothing had happened.
...Though the sand still clung to one of her hands.
Yujin murmured cute to himself inwardly.
Who would ever guess that was the Pope who had lived over 200 years?
‘...Lua as an ordinary human, without being Pope or saintess, might actually be much brighter and cuter.’
If she hadn’t been either, she’d probably just be a simple country girl.
“Didn’t you and Lua sleep, Yujin?”
“Hm? No.”
“Hmm. I wonder what you two talked about while Lucia and I were asleep...”
Irene flashed a mischievous smile and poked Yujin’s cheeks, demanding honesty.
“You didn’t do anything naughty with Lua while Lucia and I were out, right?”
“W-what...!”
Lua flailed about, her face beet red.
“N-no...! How could I while you all were sleeping...!”
“Hmm? So that means if Lucia and I weren’t here, you would have...?”
“Oh my. I didn’t peg you for having such a sneaky lewd side, Lua.”
Lucia covered her mouth and laughed.
“T-that’s not it!”
“Yes, yes.”
“We know.”
Despite having met so recently, the three showed a remarkably close bond.
What could it be called... They seemed less like formal acquaintances and more like casual friends.
‘Well, the closer they get, the better.’
It was actually a relief they weren’t stiff with each other.
In the meantime, the knights approached Yujin.
“The carriages bound for the Kara Kingdom are prepared, Your Excellency.”
“Mm. Let’s depart.”
And so Yujin’s group officially crossed the border and set off toward the Kara Kingdom.
The Kara Kingdom was indeed filled with desert everywhere. Of course, it wasn’t a sea of pure sand—there were patches of vegetation, soil, and rocks as well.
‘Feels like the American West.’
Exactly that vibe.
Somewhere between Egypt and the US West.
“...This isn’t the desert I imagined.”
“Yeah. I didn’t know deserts were like this either.”
Lua and Irene both looked slightly puzzled, having envisioned endless dunes.
Lucia laughed and said,
“The deserts featured in newspapers and magazines are deeper inside. Hehe.”
“Deeper inside meaning... beyond the capital, past the opposite border?”
“Yes, hehe.”
The Sahara-like deserts lay a bit further into the Kara Kingdom, known across the continent as the Eternal Desert.
Said to have existed there eternally since the continent’s birth, no human could survive within.
A place utterly lacking edible food, water—everything essential.
“Hm? Look over there, Yujin. The Kara Kingdom’s army is coming.”
Looking where Irene pointed, they saw the Kara Kingdom’s forces approaching. Soon after, a man walked forward from the halted group, maintaining a set distance.
“Welcome, Duke of the Empire. I am Lucas, Captain of the Royal Guard, tasked with escorting you to the capital.”
“Mm. Pleased to meet you.”
The man who called himself Lucas grinned heartily and extended a hand to Yujin.
“And the ladies beside you... are they Your Excellency’s wives?”
“That’s right.”
“You have a good eye.”
“……”
While Lucia and Irene smiled pleasantly, Lua alone blushed.
‘M-me, the Hero’s wife...’
A corner of her heart tickled.
Regardless, Yujin’s group merged with the Kara Royal Guard and proceeded toward the capital.
“I hope the journey here was comfortable.”
“No issues.”
The carriage carrying Yujin’s group was magically modified—spacious and comfortable inside compared to its exterior.
Lucia smiled and said,
“The scenery was so beautiful it made for a pleasant trip.”
“Haha! Glad to hear it. Our Kara Kingdom isn’t a bad choice for a travel destination.”
The Kara Kingdom’s unique natural landscape, blending desert and plains, had a charm unlike anywhere else on the continent.
Thanks to that, it was famous as a tourist spot—especially popular with wandering martial artists seeking personal growth, adventurers, or mercenaries.
“Of course, tourism has dropped lately due to circumstances... but with the Empire coming like this, we should resolve things quickly.”
Lucas glanced toward Yujin’s group carriage.
More precisely, the numerous massive supply wagons behind it.
“Mm.”
Those wagons carried aid supplies for the Kara Kingdom. Not enough to fix everything instantly, but the gesture mattered.
‘In exchange for the Empire’s support, the Kara Kingdom aligns pro-Empire from now on.’
Even forging an alliance.
These desert warriors were renowned across the continent for their toughness—better as allies than enemies in times of crisis.
“His Majesty the King will personally brief you on the kingdom’s situation once we arrive at the capital—”
Thud—
Thud—
Thud—
Vibrations rumbled from the ground.
Sure enough, an enormous sandstorm billowed toward Yujin’s group from afar.
More precisely...
“Monster attack! Everyone, prepare!”
It was the recent monster raids plaguing the area. Lucas shouted urgently.
“Your Excellency, please stay in the carriage with your group. Leave this to the Royal Guard—”
“No.”
He drew his sword while eyeing the horde of monsters swarming in.
“My body was getting stiff. Perfect timing.”
Before Lucas could respond, he leaped to the front of the Royal Guard where the monsters surged.
“Gasp!”
“W-who!”
Ignoring the flustered guards, Yujin faced the desert monsters.
‘Definitely Pandemonium’s doing.’
It was exactly the same.
No different from that day at the hunt festival when demonic energy-enhanced monsters rampaged.
‘And this is happening across every kingdom...’
More precisely, they were pouring out from the Eternal Desert beyond the capital, across the opposite border.
Yujin lightly drew his sword horizontally.
Then,
Shlick————!!!!!!!!!
The world split in half and twisted.
Like shattering glass, all the monsters burst apart.
Splatter————!!!!!!!!!!!!