Chapter 108 (1/2)

Chapter 108 – The Demon’s Base

After we arrived at the capital, we made our way outside the city.

We left Mulg after dinner. Of course, the sun was down. Even so, Cruz and the rest of the party easily got out of the city.

As we left the city, I again asked Vallimie,

「You said the place was close to the capital…which way?」

Of course, I had only asked a few things about it before. I never asked exactly where the place was.

The time for directions was at hand.

「It’s this way…follow me.」

Vallimie rode Rai…we left the high road and ventured into the forest.

Also, Vi-Vi and Yureena rode Moofy, while I rode Femm.

Cruz ran alongside, and said,

「Hey, I was here before!」

「Why?」

「Killing those unicorns! There was a group of them.」

Maybe the reason for the unicorn coming so close to the city was that the demon and his base was chasing them away.

It kind of made me feel sad for the unicorns.

Wait…no I didn’t. Those unicorns were a little TOO lost. There’s nothing we can do but kill them if they’re close to the city.

As we went along, the forest became denser and denser.

Only Femm really could run without problems.

「This isn’t just dense…there’s more tree than air!」

「It’s not natural for there to be THIS many trees.」

Vi-Vi said with a worried look.

「Really?」

「Well, the sun can’t reach down to the ground, right? Then, any new sapling couldn’t grow. Even so, this forest has grown out of control without that effect.」

「You really are smart to notice that Vi-Vi. It is unnatural. Good job.」

「Eheh.」

Vallimie complimented Vi-Vi, and Vi-Vi blushed.

Then Vallimie said to all of us,

「Just as Vi-Vi said, this place is not a natural forest. It’s been overgrown like this to hide the place the demon lives.」

「Just like Lindobal Forest?」

Cruz said, innocently.

Lindobal Forest was grown out out of a wasteland.

Vallimie reacted a bit angrily.

「Not the same at all! I made the forest so that it would thrive naturally for eternity.」

「Is that so? Sorry…」

「N…no need to worry…」

Cruz apologized directly, and Vallimie also did a bit.

It might have surprised her that such a famous hero would apologize so quickly.

As we went farther, I could clearly feel magical power. It might have been magic to identify intruders.

I told everyone just in case,

「I think we might have been detected. Let’s hurry.」

「Okay!」

「I didn’t feel anything.」

「Me either…」

Cruz quickly sped up. Vi-Vi and Vallimie didn’t notice, and were a bit worried.

As we sped up, we saw a large building…no, a cliff, no a castle!

It was a huge rectangular building. No features in the building, no windows. Just a massive gate made of mithril.

Even if a whole army were to attack, it would be a difficult battle just to get in.

Vallimie shouted,

「This is the castle I was talking about!」

「There’s defensive magic on the stone and the gate. This is going to be rough!」

Vi-Vi looked it over and said.

Cruz looked at the castle, ready for anything.

「Al, what do we do?」

「We’ll figure something out. Well, there might only be one way…」

We had already set off something that detected us.

No time to take this easy…so, I started chanting,

「King of gods controlling the heavens. Goddess over the underworld,

Holder of ancient scepter, opener of space and time.