197. Catacombs

"...Do we really have to walk there?"

"You don't need to worry too much. Even at our pace, it's half a day at most."

"Y-you're crazy. You say not to worry, but half a day at most? Won't the soles of my feet catch fire?"

"I've never seen anyone's feet catch fire from walking half a day. And if it gets hard, just wrap Mana around your feet."

Even as I said it, I was a little worried inside.

Stella and Pina are Wizards. Wizards basically have rock-bottom physical ability.

On top of that, they're young and don't have much experience with this sort of thing, so the soles of their feet are bound to be soft.

Of course, mine are soft too, but I can handle Mana skillfully, so it's not a problem.

That's not to say they can't handle Mana either, but maintaining it for half a day would clearly be too much.

Of course, outside the catacombs, five escorts including Sara are waiting, but since they have to stay completely hidden, we can't just lean on them.

In other words, that... means there's no option of being carried on someone's back or in someone's arms.

"Tch... Still, if it gets really hard midway, I'll carry you two on my back, taking turns. In a way, this happened because of me."

"...Carry us? You?"

"Yeah. Why, don't want me to?"

"N-no... it's not that I don't."

Stella, trailing off, moved her lips for a moment before slowly opening her mouth.

"But I... want to go on my own feet. Dismissing it as something that happened because of you is a little... this matter is, um, I mean... for the world's, peace? The greater good? Well... there's that kind of thing too... yeah."

"Oh-ho? Now you can think like that?"

I giggled and flicked Stella on the forehead.

"Don't make useless resolutions like that. Just think ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠about how you're going to write the club report. Don't strain yourself, trip, and get hurt."

"S-someone's offering to help, so why do you talk like that?!"

"Because this time, I can't make a promise."

"...Huh? A promise? All of a sudden?"

"I can't promise that I'll definitely protect you."

It's not empty words. It's not an exaggeration either.

I don't know how this will turn out.

But if the worst-case scenario I have in mind unfolds, there's no guarantee I can definitely protect Pina and Stella.

Even so, the reason I had no choice but to bring them along was the power of spirits.

Because Sparkle's help was absolutely essential.

That's why Pina, who handles spirits, absolutely had to come.

But bringing only Pina could pose unknown dangers, so I brought Stella along as well, since she can protect Pina.

Pina alone would be impossible, but with Stella, who has reached the 5th Circle, they could at least flee with all their limbs intact.

Of course, if we wait a little, Leona is there too, and in the catacombs right next to the Holy Kingdom, the Flame Emperor is also there.

Right behind us, there are five escorts including Sara.

I've taken out various other insurance policies as well, but I can't help feeling uneasy in a corner of my heart.

As I told Stella, it could be said that this situation happened because of me alone.

Well... as Stella said, there's that ridiculous reason about world peace and whatever, but in the end, the thought that it's because of me doesn't go away.

Seeing that I'm even having these thoughts, I can feel that I've changed enormously compared to my Past Life.

Enough to give myself goosebumps.

"So conserve your stamina as much as possible. So you can go all out at any time."

"...W-why are you saying something so unsettling?"

"I'm telling you to stay alert instead of just feeling anxious, you brat."

"Aack! That hurts!"

After the forehead flick, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I pinched her pert nose as hard as I could and got up from my seat.

Then Pina scurried over beside me with a very grave expression.

[I will also walk on my own feet!]

I thought Stella might somehow manage, but Pina...

"Hmm..."

[Please trust me! I can do it!]

"Hmm..."

"Hee...?"

[Do you not find me trustworthy...?]

"No, well..."

Pina's mouth corners gradually drooped.

Before they fell completely, I popped a meringue cookie into her mouth.

Crunch crunch— Pina's mouth corners rose.

"If you overdo it today and can't walk tomorrow, it's over. So think carefully and move. Got it?"

"Hee!"

I stuffed the remaining meringue cookies into Pina's hands as she nodded eagerly, then turned away.

"Are we departing now?"

"Yes. We have to go now if we want to arrive before sunrise."

It would be easier to move when the sun is up, but since we have to walk, we need to move now.

Once we leave the catacombs, we have to walk across a barren wilderness for a long while. If we run into anyone there, we'll inevitably draw suspicion.

If we had a carriage, we could hide ourselves and pass as ordinary travelers, but the three of us, including me, are tiny as mouse droppings... nothing to be done.

"That is true. I, the Flame Emperor, would like to help, but..."

"I'll accept the thought. There's nothing good about standing out."

That the Flame Emperor is in the catacombs has become an open secret. So it wouldn't be strange for the Flame Emperor's Mana to exist here.

But if that Flame Emperor's Mana extended toward the Holy Kingdom, then from that point on, people would inevitably find it strange.

We showed the Eustetia family head, my father, heading to the Imperial Palace, and publicized that a great number of knight orders accompanied the procession. If we borrowed the Flame Emperor's power here, all of that could go to waste.

"Hmm... Still, I cannot help but feel uneasy."

"Hey, you gave us an Artifact. This is enough."

"I, the Flame Emperor, did personally repair it since it seemed you would need it... but I do not know whether it will prove useful."

"Communication will definitely prove useful... Oh, look at this. It's already working ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠well."

Bzzt— bzzt— Along with a small noise.

[Ah, can you hear me? My face? Can you see it well?]

In the small hand mirror the Flame Emperor had given me, Stella's thoroughly excited face appeared.

A long-distance communication Artifact.

Apparently, it won't work over very long distances, but as long as we're within the same Holy Kingdom capital, it works without any problem.

When I turned around, Stella, who had called, was far off in the distance.

She must have run hard just to try this out.

"I can even see your booger."

[Wha, wha-wha-wha, what did you say?! D-don't lie! I... I don't have any boogers!]

Stella, who had screamed at the top of her lungs, immediately ended the call and came dashing toward me—then suddenly brought both hands to her face and turned her back.

"...My disciple is truly pure."

"Isn't it airheaded rather than pure?"

"You must not say bad things to a friend..."

"Close friends can."

The Flame Emperor, who had turned her head, blinked.

"Hmm...! Indeed, in the past that I witnessed, the Heroes also seemed to argue often."

"Well, isn't it a similar feeling?"

"I see... It was possible because they had faith that no matter what was said, it would not change anything."

"...Was it like that?"

Back then, I think I just got pissed off and acted out without any such thought.

No, in the first place, that bastard Paulo didn't just curse at me—he even stuck a knife in me...

While the Flame Emperor, blinded by rose-tinted glasses, understood it in a strange direction, Stella, her face flushed bright red, strode over.

"D-did you really see it...? It's a lie, right? Huh?"

"Looks like digging around really turned one up."

"Wha, what... what are you saying! A beautiful girl doesn't have those!"

"Aren't you embarrassed to call yourself a beautiful girl with your own mouth?"

Stella, who had been moving her lips, was about to scream at the top of her lungs, then tilted her head.

"...Huh? You're not denying it? Are you saying I'm pretty?"

"What kind of bullsh—"

"Hehe. So even in your eyes, I'm pretty? Hmph... That's right. It can't be helped. Hehe..."

"...You hear whatever you want to hear."

I subtly turned my gaze to look at the Flame Emperor.

How can a master and disciple be so alike?

I quietly swallowed the rest of that thought.

I'd just called Stella airheaded, and if I said she was just like the Flame Emperor, that would be calling the Flame Emperor airheaded too...

Of course, the Flame Emperor is airheaded too, but I can't say that to her face...

"Hmm? Do you have something to say to me?"

"No, nothing in particular. I've finished packing, so I'll be going now."

"Mm, understood. The longer the meeting, the better; the shorter the parting, the better."

The Flame Emperor smiled softly, stroked my and Stella's heads, and let a faint Magic Power flow out.

"This Mana will block at least one fatal attack. Of course, you need not worry about being discovered. At this level, my Mana cannot be sensed. However, when the effect activates, it will be felt as my Mana. But if that happens, it is a situation ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠where I must step in regardless. So you need not worry about being discovered."

"Ah... Thank you!"

"Thank you."

"Heh heh, yes. Pina, come here too."

"Hee!"

*****

"If it weren't for these cloaks, we might have actually died."

The road from the catacombs to the Holy Kingdom begins with wilderness and ends with hills.

There is practically no shade at all to block the hot midsummer sunlight.

Still, it's not a big problem.

Right now it's night, with no sun up, and the cloaks we're wearing have not only perception inhibition but also body-temperature maintenance, cooling, and warming magic on them.

On top of that, they're rechargeable. As long as the magic circuits aren't torn, 1 Mana can produce the efficiency of 10.

We charged them up fully last night, so today should be easy enough.

"So which way do we go now? That way?"

"Hee!"

[Looking at the moon's position, it's to the left!]

"Huh? To the left?"

"The direction Pina pointed is right."

"Ooh, Pina. You've studied a bit, huh?"

"Hee hee!"

[I wanted to be helpful!]

"Good girl, good girl."

While Stella ruffled Pina's hair, I scanned the surroundings in detail.

No eyes following us. And it doesn't seem like there's anyone we'd run into along the way, for now.

And behind us, behind us were Sara's escorts.

"What the?"

They were there, but.

"Why are you so good at your job."

I smiled bitterly and took off my cloak.

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"Hee?"

Then Stella and Pina clung to me and raised their alertness.

But only for a moment.

Clop— clop— clop—

"Huh? Huhh??"

"Hee!"

Along with the familiar sound, the two's expressions brightened.

"No way, is that our carriage?!"

[Did Sara arrange this for us?]

"I had some time to spare, so I made a quick trip to the neighboring village. I paid extra, so the seller won't be disappointed either."

"...Those clothes too?"

"Yes. The top seems a little small, but how does it look to you, my lady? Does it suit me?"

"It... does suit you, but I think Sara looks better in the activewear she usually wears."

"Of course. I am a servant of House Eustetia."

Sara, wearing very shabby coachman's clothes stretched taut over her enormous chest as if the buttons were about to burst, laughed quietly.