Chapter 281 (1/2)

Heading to Fibris Castle, which was at the center of Elarc, Kain’s group started walking.

There were broken remains here and there around the town, but there were many people that were coming and going, and they were even overflowing with smiles.

They had thought this earlier when they were at the diner, but it seemed that the circulation of money hadn’t stagnated.

The circulation of goods was something that could easily stop when in the middle of a civil war, but were they able to properly maintain that line? At the very least, it didn’t look like they were inconvenienced by something.

「Erm……Boralio, -san?」

「What could it be, Kain-dono.」

Kain, who was surveying the area, spoke out that doubt.

「How should I put it, um……The town is lively, isn’t it.」

「Yes. It ought to be.」

「Th, that’s true.」

Sensing that Boralio had no intention of answering him, Kain made a vague nod and sank into silence.

Well, although they were guests, it probably wasn’t something to talk about to outsiders.

However, hearing the conversation between the two, Ein didn’t let it end with just that.

She didn’t dare to ask about it, but she attentively observed the area.

What was lined up at a nearby shop were foodstuffs and livingware. It wasn’t just nothing but preserved foods, there was even a large variety of perishable foods.

It seemed that there weren’t many ornaments, but it could be said that there was an ample amount of goods necessary for living.

In other words, there was definitely a location for the sake of provisions somewhere.

If she were to go even further, the fact that smiles didn’t vanish from the people despite having turned into a situation where the main gate was broken meant that there was something that could only dispel their worries in this town of Elarc.

Maybe a magic that could reverse the progress of battle with a single attack, or a powerful barrier……Or maybe a hero that grasped the human spirit.

Come to think of it, this Canal Kingdom was the Great Sage Teria’s birthplace, and should have a place called the Grand Temple of Light. By some chance, they might be supported by a strong belief in the God of Light.

「……」

「Ein? Is something wrong?」

Being called out to, Ein waved her hand at Kain, who turned around to face her, to indicate that he should 「face forward」.

If possible, she wanted to investigate things about this suspicion, but taking unnecessary action and causing others to be on alert couldn’t be said to be a good plan. Since the other party is guiding them to the center, would feeling around from there first be the best method?

In front of the opened castle gates of the Fibris Castle that could be seen right before their eyes, there were two knights clad in golden armor that were standing in wait.

The both of them seemed to have average abilities as knights, but the fact that they were filled with motivation could be fully understood from their standing figures.

When one of them found Boralio’s figure as he walked at the head of their group, the two knights took a saluting posture.

「Why if it isn’t Boralio-dono! Is that Kain-dono……and his company?」

「Yeah, that’s right. I will be bringing them to Celis-sama now.」

「Understood!」

When the two knights in front of the door touched their hands on the gate, something that looked like light spread out.

At the same time that happened, *gachin……*, the sound of something disconnecting was heard, and the knights pushed the doors in just like that and opened them.

「What was that just now……?」

「……This is just a guess, but I guess they released a lock with magic.」

Hearing Kain’s answer, Ein opened her eyes wide in surprise.

To place a lock with magic, she had never heard of such a thing. Let alone the Dark Continent, there wasn’t any magic that could place a lock in any of the other countries of mankind’s territory either.

「That sort of magic exists……?」

「I think it’s probably an application of Attack Guard. Even I’ve thought of that sort of thing, if we just keep it to thinking of it.」