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Even in small territories with less than a hundred standby troops, outsiders must go through procedures when entering.

What about places known as the capital of a country?

More meticulous and stringent procedures than ever should be in place.

The guards of Gaul, visible through the window at an angle.

Even as a mercenary who had traveled through many cities, Schurz couldn’t help but feel awestruck.

Is it because it’s not just the capital of a country, but also the symbolic birthplace of magic?

He thought there would be unfamiliar and complex procedures, but…

“……?”

The carriage they were riding passed through the castle gate without any procedures.

No procedures were in place, not even guards stopping them.

While Schurz was quite flustered, Luna remained calm as if it was a common occurrence.

“Don’t be surprised. I just let them know beforehand with my energy.”

“Y-your energy?”

“Yes. Before reaching the gate, I mentally communicated with some of the knights to let them know I was coming.”

“Why bother with that…?”

“Because it’s bothersome.”

Schurz immediately understood the simple yet clear answer.

“Have you always done that?”

“Yes. If there seemed to be any issues, I would have disembarked first to check. Most of the time, they are minor issues like the condition of the walls or if any guards are absent, just trivial matters.”

Schurz subtly raised his head and looked out the window.

In the eyes of the knights staring at the carriage with rigid faces, there was a clear desire for it to pass quickly.

“I thought it was just a small consideration on my part, but for some reason, all the knights seemed terrified. It’s not like I’m making a big deal out of it…”

Before the question of whether he truly didn’t know the reason could reach his lips, Schurz quickly suppressed it.

“But today…”

“……?”

“There seems to be a serious problem.”

The woman who had been sitting quietly with her arms crossed suddenly leaped out of the carriage.

“L-Luna?”

Schurz, as well as the members of the association following the carriage, were equally surprised.

She stopped her urgent steps in front of the guards lined up outside the gate.

“On duty, attention! We greet Lady Luna Rainriver!”

The knights, taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, saluted her with faces tense with anticipation.

With a gesture that acknowledged their salute, Luna casually directed her gaze towards somewhere unknown.

“What about the people who entered today?”

“A group of merchants from the Kingdom of Spania, four of them, and several hundred individuals who came for personal matters…”

The knight began reading dozens of entry records as if he were reading them all.

“What about entities that aren’t human?”

“Yes! Non-human entities… Yes?”

For a moment, the knight, who had been reporting with a stiff face, became puzzled,

struggling to answer the cryptic question.

“I don’t particularly like this situation. It seems something suspicious was happening in a place we didn’t know about…”

Discomfort unintentionally spread across Luna’s furrowed brow.

* * *

-Thunk

The falling sword crashed against the transparent ice shield and rolled helplessly to the ground.

Garnian, who had lifted the shield, quietly looked up and gazed ahead.

Hastia was nowhere to be seen.

She had escaped through the vast spatial transition cast by Roel.

Roel, completely drained of mana, could do nothing but slump to the ground, gasping for breath.

Though Garnian might not care much, his gaze was not directed towards the clan members who had helped Hastia escape but towards the white-armored group ahead.

“Don’t misunderstand, Garnian. I was only trying to prevent the key from fleeing…”

The middle-aged knight at the head of the group conveyed his words with indifferent eyes.

“Just saying not to misunderstand might not be enough?”

“I swear by the name of Sir Mihan Hasellus, a senior knight of the Order of the Knights of Light. But if that’s not enough, well, then I’ll swear to God Lumendel in your presence.”

Mihan responded to Garnian’s displeasure with an unpleasant tone.

“Haven’t you heard? She’s someone to be handled with care, without even a scratch. You need to explain a proper reason, not just an excuse about trying to prevent escape. Otherwise…”

A fierce chill emanated from Garnian’s clenched fists.

“I, too, will find a way to make you speak in my own way…”

Despite the threatening warning, Mihan retorted with a scoff.

“Don’t be mistaken, Garnian. This isn’t the territory of the White Elves. It’s our human territory. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean you can freely exert your power.”

“…”

“Even so, it’s not a land where we can freely exert our power either. Before the kingdom’s forces come knocking, wouldn’t it be better to stop interfering with our affairs?”

With a bold attitude that didn’t bat an eye, Garnian was momentarily at a loss for words.

In the tense standoff, just as it seemed it could erupt at any moment, a knight approached Mihan and whispered something.

At this, Mihan’s lips subtly moved.

“It seems the Saintess has personally secured the key.”

“……!”

“She veered off course slightly from the original plan, but so what? As long as the destination is the same.”

Garnian’s unwavering gaze, like a guardian of the forest, finally wavered slightly.

“Follow me, Garnian. the Saintess also wishes for your presence…”

With that, Mihan turned on his heel.

The clan members who had not easily lifted their feet to follow Garnian gathered around him.

“What do you intend to do, Garnian? We’ll make sure some of us stick by your side, just in case.”

“There’s no need. You all stay here and watch over Roel and the other clan members.”

With determination, Garnian stepped forward again and soon disappeared beyond the path with the knights.

Left behind were Roel’s companions, surrounded by clan members following Garnian.

“Speak up! Surely you can tell us what happened with Garnian?!”

The clan members only exchanged glances, none of them daring to speak up.

“We’re just following Garnian’s will. It’s all for the greater good…”

“That’s nonsense! Did the one we were supposed to protect suddenly change to Garnian? If you have a mouth, at least try to explain!”

Despite Alphonse’s agitation and outcry, the clan members remained silent, only avoiding eye contact.

“For now, come with us. If you wait quietly, everything will be over soon. Lady Hastia will return safely, and we will proudly pay for all my sins when we return to Pruina…”

As the conversation took a turn for the worse, the Knights of Light who had not yet returned approached.

“Do not interfere with them! We’ll take care of them ourselves!”

Although they attempted to resist their approach, the knights didn’t even respond.

A sense of unease permeated the air with their inexplicable silence, and in that strange atmosphere, a clan member stepped forward, blocking the knights.

“Come to think of it, I’ve been wanting to ask. Why did you drag us into the territory of another country, not the Empire’s? Why did you kidnap Hastia without reason, and who exactly is this supposed saint…”

-Thud

Before the tangled questions and suspicions could be unraveled, the gruesome sound of a blade piercing flesh silenced them abruptly.

The clan member’s eyes, filled with anxiety, slowly lowered, and within their sight, a chilling blade stained with crimson blood was cruelly displayed.

“W-what is this…?”

-Swish!

The knight answered the question by mercilessly drawing their sword.

The clan member’s eyes widened without a scream, their pupils dilating as they collapsed backward.

“Leo!!”

Other clan members watching rushed to his aid.

Leo, with half-closed eyelids, barely maintained his breath.

The clan members immediately cast healing and hemostasis spells to stop the bleeding and stabilize him.

The knights looked down at them with indifferent eyes, despite their desperate actions.

“What you say is correct. This is for everyone’s sake.”

“……!?”

“But everyone does not include you.”

The knights, drawing their swords in unison, aimed the pure white blades imbued with light magic at the White Elves.

“If you think you’ve been betrayed, just surrender. This was planned from the moment you and we joined hands. It’s also her will…”

The clan members couldn’t muster any rebuttal.

They only glared at the knights with eyes filled with anger and despair.

The knights, without hesitation or doubt, slowly raised their swords to deal with them.

At that moment,

“May the holy light protect you…”

With a faint chant, a white barrier enveloped the White Elves.

“……!”

Both the Elves and the knights holding their swords were taken aback.

“Should I call it boldness? Or would recklessness be more fitting? Who would think this is not the Ushif Empire?”

An underlying anger was evident in the indifferent voice.

As if they had heard the cries of a demonic beast from the Lemea Gorge, the knights felt a shiver run down their spines.

The unfamiliar aura of foreign magic added to their unease.

The knights quickly turned their gaze following the voice.

“You’re members of the Order of the Knights of Light, aren’t you?”

A confident stance and a disdainful gaze met the sky-blue haired woman before them.

It was Luna.

* * *

Above, even when looked up, the end of the pristine pillar and the elongated corridor between them couldn’t be seen.

Without any conversation or idle talk, the two casually walked along the illuminated corridor.

“By the way, Garnian. I heard you’ve guarded the Key of the Gods for 300 years.”

“Please be careful with your words. The term ‘key’ is quite unpleasant.”

“Heh, no need to misunderstand. It was purely a statement born out of my admiration.”

Mihan smoothly continued speaking with a playful smile.

“Is it a matter of racial difference? Just looking at your case makes us humans realize how frail a race we are compared to the elves. To think that for 300 years you’ve faithfully protected the tribe with an unwavering heart, even amidst the wavering beliefs of the knights who’ve preserved their beliefs for decades… Truly, you must be an undeniably reliable guardian.”

Mihan even applauded while praising his steadfast spirit.

Garnian, on the other hand, seemed rather displeased, furrowing his brow instead.

“The desire to protect the home one lives in is a nature shared by all races, be it humans or elves. But sometimes, those natures overlap. And when they do, it often leads to territorial disputes.”

The two men stopped as they reached a massive iron door at the end of the corridor.

Behind the iron door, the radiant magic emitted by the owner of this space was distinctly felt.

“Please, enter. The Lady awaits.”

Mihan stepped aside slightly, gesturing for Garnian to go in.

Without hesitation, Garnian opened the door and entered.

*Creak*

As if a divine revelation descended, a beam of light from the ceiling illuminated the center of the space.

Atop the slightly raised altar, Hastia was peacefully sleeping, while in front of her, the owner of this space sat in a reverent posture, offering prayers.

“Welcome, Garnian.”