Chapter 163: Border(3)
Chapter 163: Border(3)
Victoria panted on the bed, her chest heaving with every breath.
White semen dripped from her cunt.
The look of pure lust etched onto her bright red face was a masterpiece.
At least, that’s how it was until dawn.
But once morning came and it was time for breakfast, she was back to her usual self as if nothing had happened.
Victoria dipped her bread into her soup with aristocratic elegance.
She’s completely different from the lewd woman she was just a few hours ago.
Noticing Kerry’s gaze, Victoria flashed a smirk.
Natasha also joined the party for breakfast. Her berserk state had subsided.
She ate as she normally did, but for some reason, she twisted her legs together under the table as an ache throbbed in her cunt.
Her cunt always ached after her berserk episodes. Of course, that was because of Kerry.
Lina and the party changed into the Astrian clothes they had prepared beforehand.
They were commoners’ clothes, so there wasn't a huge difference, just minor stylistic details.
The party looks pretty in Astrian clothes, too.
The currency used to pay the inn was also different. But Lina had prepared everything, so it wasn't an issue.
Lina seemed satisfied, as if she was enjoying the food from her homeland after a long time.
The way she nibbled on her bread with her small mouth was cute.
Like the Empire, Astria’s staple foods were bread and soup. The only difference was a slight variation in the spices used.
It wasn't so different that one couldn't get used to it.
Besides, the Empire and Astria were neighbors, so there weren't any drastic cultural differences between them.
She said Astria is her homeland. Finding our way around shouldn't be a problem.
A certain thought always came to mind whenever he remembered that Lina was from Astria.
How did Lina, an Astrian, become the hero of the hostile Empire?
Was there some kind of story behind it?
As Kerry was pondering this, Natasha, sitting beside him, asked with concern.
"Husband. Does the food not suit your taste?"
"No, it's fine. It suits me, Natasha. Don't worry."
At Natasha's words, Lina, who had also been watching with concern, finally nodded in relief.
Kerry tried to avoid prying into Lina's circumstances as much as possible.
If he started digging into the regressor’s past, he might one day ask a question she would find difficult to answer.
Besides, since he knew nothing of her past life, it was easier to just trust her character.
But Kerry was slowly growing more and more curious about Lina's story.
The party prepared to leave early in the morning.
Lina placated the others, who were packing with sleepy eyes.
"Once they realize the dungeon has been cleared, the Astrian soldiers will likely begin a pursuit. It's better to move quickly before things get annoying."
The party understood this logically, but they couldn't help feeling tired.
Natasha, in particular, spoke in a daze.
"Haaam... Still, I'm so sleepy. I went to bed early last night, so why am I like this? It feels like I was up all night running around."
A pang of guilt hit him.
They had done something similar to running around all night. Not that Natasha would remember.
Feeling unnecessarily sorry, Kerry helped Natasha pack her things.
"Hehe. Thank you, Husband."
The party packed their belongings and found a carriage. Lina seemed to know the geography of this town quite well.
Perhaps she had lived here before.
"It's been a while since we've ridden in a carriage. Phew. Thank goodness."
The Saintess let out a sigh of relief.
For the Saintess, who also served as a porter, the carriage must have been a most welcome sight.
More importantly, I want to taste that 100-divine-power breast milk soon.
Kerry licked his lips as he looked at the Saintess. She flinched and quickly fled into the carriage. What a scaredy-cat.
The party set off in the carriage. Since it was early morning, many of them closed their eyes to get some sleep.
Natasha, of course, and even Victoria leaned against Kerry and dozed off.
Well, after how much fun they’d had last night, it was understandable.
Lina, as expected, stared out the window with wide-awake eyes.
The sight of her sitting with her back perfectly straight, gazing gracefully outside, was as beautiful as a painting.
It seemed that even crossing the border didn't change that habit of hers.
Should I ask her now?
About the story behind why she left Astria to become the Empire's hero.
He had been hesitant to ask until now. It was because he knew she was a regressor.
He didn't know anything about her past life, and he worried that asking the wrong thing might trigger a bad memory for her.
The scenes of the Great War I saw in Lina's dream were that horrific...
The rest of the party probably found Lina's origins strange as well, but they likely didn't ask because they trusted her.
But now, it felt like it would be okay to ask.
Kerry stared intently at Lina, trying to find the right moment to ask his question.
Just then, Lina, who had been looking outside, must have felt his gaze and turned her head.
Lina and Kerry's eyes met.
Alright. I'll bring it up now.
Just as Kerry was about to open his mouth, Lina's face suddenly turned red, perhaps from making eye contact, and she quickly turned her head back to the window.
The sight of her like that made his heart flutter. But doing that makes it harder for me to talk to you again!
Kerry cleared his throat to reset the mood.
"Lina."
Lina, who was pretending to look out the window, answered, her face still slightly flushed.
"Yes, Kerry."
"There's something I'd like to ask."
"Please, go ahead."
"I heard before that your homeland is Astria."
This was something Lina had already revealed to the other companions. It wasn't a secret.
"Astria is hostile toward the Empire, is it not? So how did you become the Empire's hero?"
"..."
Perhaps it would have been better to ask this question when he and Lina were alone.
But Kerry deliberately asked while the others were present.
I, and the rest of the party, have earned the right to hear this much by now.
Kerry was essentially telling Lina, 'Tell us as much of the story as you're comfortable sharing.'
Lina seemed quite surprised, as if she hadn't expected such a serious topic to come up so suddenly.
But she also knew that she would have to answer this question someday.
Sensing the serious atmosphere, the dozing party members began to open their eyes one by one.
Everyone looked at Lina.
"To tell that story, there is something else I must talk about first."
"We have plenty of time before we arrive. You can take your time."
Lina looked at the party as if to organize her thoughts. Natasha and Victoria. The old woman. And Kerry.
Even Arwen, who had joined recently. They were all trustworthy people.
Though her gaze turned slightly worried when it landed on the Saintess.
Noticing that Lina didn't trust the Saintess, Kerry quickly spoke up.
"I will take responsibility for the Saintess. You can trust her."
"..."
Only then did Lina nod.
"I'm sure you are all well aware of the relationship between the Empire and Astria. It has only been a few decades since the two nations fought a war, and they are still in a state of ceasefire."
Even Kerry, with his two years of experience in this world, knew that much.
"But as you've seen for yourselves, relations between the two countries are rapidly deteriorating once again."
Victoria, being a noble and thus more knowledgeable on the subject, spoke up.
"Yes. That's why I was even more curious. The reason the two nations don't get along is because their respective goddesses don't get along, is it not?"
Though he didn't know the details, Kerry at least knew the goddesses' names.
The Empire's primary religion was the worship of Elena, the Goddess of Love.
Astria's was the worship of Elpis, the Goddess of Hope.
The thing that surprised me most when I came to this world was that Elena was the Goddess of Love...
As Kerry clicked his tongue internally, Victoria continued.
"And yet, Lina... you are from Astria, but you were chosen by Elena, not Elpis. I found that a bit unnatural. Of course, I never said anything because I trust you."
"I thank you for your precious trust, Victoria."
The other party members seemed to share Victoria's thoughts.
As expected, Kerry wasn't the only one who had questions about Lina's origins.
Lina herself must have known they would.
The fact that she still revealed she was from Astria must be due to that upright personality of hers.
"Everything you said is correct, Victoria. It is unnatural for me to be the hero chosen by Elena. Especially since I don't even worship Elena."
Right. He'd heard that a few times. Lina doesn't worship Elena. But if that's the case, why did Elena choose her?
"The truth is..."
It was then.
Suddenly, a loud noise began to sound from behind them. It was the sound of countless horses' hooves.
The party turned around in unison.
"The pursuers have already caught up. We'll have to postpone this conversation for a bit."
Damn it. What shitty timing.
"Oh my, sirs! What did you do? Why are the soldiers suddenly after the carriage..."
Kerry spoke to the coachman.
"Mister, I'll pay you double. Let's just drive fast."
"Is money what's important right now? We could die!"
"Don't worry, just drive. You'll be the one in trouble if we get caught."
"Wh-Why me?"
"Because we're actually from the Empire."
"Gasp! Don't tell me you're spies?"
"Who's a spy? We're just illegal immigrants."
"What kind of illegal immigrants get chased by a whole troop of soldiers?"
"Anyway, just drive. Unless you want those knights to accuse you of being a spy and chop your head off."
The carriage sped up faster than ever before. But as expected, the cavalry was much faster than the carriage.
Victoria said as she readied her equipment.
"Kerry, what should we do? Should I go out and wipe them all out?"
Lina would never allow that.
"No meaningless killing, Victoria."
See?
"Can't I just knock them out?"
Lina looked at the cavalrymen still approaching from a distance.
"There are skilled knights mixed in with the soldiers. It won't be easy to knock out those heavily armed men."
"Hmph. I don't care who those bastards are. If they point a sword at my husband, I won't let them live."
Natasha, now fully awake, growled.
Arwen looked a little frightened, as if this was her first time in such a situation. Still, Arwen was someone who got the job done when it mattered.
"Lina, what is your plan? They will not give up and will continue to chase us."
"..."
Lina seemed to be contemplating.
In that time, the cavalry behind them drew closer.
The heavy presence of the armored cavalrymen could be felt through the ground.
There were about twenty of them.
If they fought, it would be no contest for the hero's party, but there was no way Lina would permit it.
"Once we reach the town, I have a way."
"Are you certain?"
"I am."
The objective was set. They had to reach the town they were originally headed for without being caught by the cavalry.
But that was impossible in a carriage.
Before long, the knights were surrounding the carriage on their horses.
Kerry continued to soothe the terrified coachman.
"Halt! You spies from the Empire!"
Natasha, taking offense at being called a spy, shouted back.
"Who are you calling a spy!"
"If you stop the carriage peacefully, I promise you an honorable death!"
Death is death, so why are they so obsessed with honor? Knights truly are an incomprehensible bunch.
When the carriage didn't stop, a knight on horseback approached. Just as he was about to swing his sword at the carriage, Kerry snapped his fingers.
Simultaneously, a defensive barrier enveloped the carriage. The knight's sword struck the barrier, letting out a metallic ring.
Screeeech—Klang!
"!"
The knight's sword was blocked by the barrier with absurd ease. After that, the knights continued to swing their swords from horseback, but the barrier didn't budge.
Kerry had fully digested the white pill and was steadily digesting the Doll Ginseng as well.
A barrier created with such a vast amount of mana was not something that could be easily broken.
"Husband is the best, as always!"
"At this rate, we'll have no problem reaching the town."
"As expected of Kerry..."
Lina said nothing, simply sending him a look full of trust. That look was the most burdensome of all.
As the party had hoped, the carriage remained safe within the barrier until it reached the town.
The knights were astonished by the sight.
At least an intermediate-level... no. Perhaps an advanced-level mage is with them. As expected, these guys are no ordinary foes.
Before long, the town entrance came into view.
The town guards were horrified to see a carriage charging toward them like a runaway locomotive.
"Sirs! What do we do now?"
Lina stuck her head out toward the driver's seat.
"Just follow the path I tell you to take!"
The party entered the town entrance with a powerful burst of speed.
Pedestrians on the road cried out in surprise and scrambled to the side.
"Those guys are really persistent."
The cavalry followed them into the town. Lina skillfully gave the coachman directions.
She seemed to know this town well.
The carriage raced through the town, drawing a great deal of attention.
Screams of startled people could be heard everywhere they passed.
"You spies! What are you scheming!"
"We're not spies, you idiot!"
"Wh-What? Idiot? How dare you insult me!"
"How is it an insult to call an idiot an idiot!"
Natasha started a shouting match with a knight through the barrier. Kerry couldn't care less.
He was relieved since Lina said she had a plan.
"It's over there. Please stop there."
"Stop the carriage? Sir?"
"Yes!"
The terrified coachman was afraid to stop the carriage, but they managed to make him do it.
The carriage carrying Lina's party came to a halt.
Knights on horseback surrounded the stopped carriage, their swords pointed at it.
"So you've finally stopped. I see your escape is over."
The knights chattered noisily outside.
Kerry calmly surveyed their surroundings. It was an unfamiliar place, but one thing was certain.
This was the front of a temple.
He could see townspeople gathering, drawn by curiosity.
The sight of splendid knights pointing their swords at a carriage that had been rampaging through the streets drew even more attention.
Inside the carriage, Lina looked at the party and spoke.
"...I suppose I should finish the story I was telling earlier."
"..."
"Victoria was right. For someone from Astria to be Elena's hero... it is indeed strange."
"Spies of the Empire inside the carriage, come out and surrender!"
A knight shouted from outside. But Lina paid him no mind and continued.
"Due to certain circumstances, I could not be honest with you all until now. I apologize."
"It's alright, Lina."
"The truth is... I am not the hero of the Goddess Elena. I merely borrowed her name, with her permission, to operate within the Empire."
Lina opened the carriage door as she spoke.
"Allow me to introduce myself to you all again. I am the hero of Elpis, the Goddess of Hope. Lina Knightley."
The moment the carriage door opened, the voice of a woman who appeared to be a priestess could be heard shouting, "Lady Hero!"
