Chapter 633 The Food Chain of the Liege’s Residence (1/2)

Even before he approached the main city of Moldavia, Joshua quickly sensed a shocking fact: There was a Legendary champion who was at once familiar and unfamiliar inside the liege's residence—his or her presence was calm and stable, while Ying, Ling, Zero-Three, Black and Light were all there as well, moving around like they do every day.

—Who?

Joshua could not recall who did the rather familiar Legendary presence belonged to, but it was undoubtedly not Israel—His Imperial Majesty's presence was akin to vast, endless skies. It was not Nostradamus either, since the old mage was akin to erratic to dimensional ripples, and neither was it Igor. The pontiff's power was so great that even Joshua found it difficult to pick up his presence, just like how hard it was to single out a single strain of light from the sun's rays.

Whatever the case might be, the Legendary champion came in peace since he could at least sense that his kin within the mansion was still alive and well, while there were no problems in the city… perhaps it was someone like the Nature's Magister who came to visit him, only to find that he was away and so forced to wait there?

”That's not impossible either… wait.”

At the mention of the Nature's Magister, Joshua suddenly remembered another famous female Legendary champion on the continent—Vahina, Sage of the Eastern Oceans! He quickly ascertained the presence of that Legend in the mansion, and it was that sage without a doubt!

Vahina had not come in contact with Joshua and the others since their venture to the dimensional anomaly in Fairyland. To the warrior, the lady sage who had melded with the world and so had not much of an influence, was certainly a Legend who was at once familiar and unfamiliar. Still, apart from realizing with a start that it was her, Joshua could not help be curious: why?

It would have been explainable if it was Israel—he must have come to see how he was after his outing and what he did, and there would nothing unusual if Nostradamus was with him as well, since the pair were friends of his. There would not be too much of a surprise with Igor either, as the pope emanated the presence of a kindly old man wherever he went… It would not have been bizarre even if Barbarossa of the Skypiercing White Tower visited him, given Barnil and William's whereabouts.

And yet, why would the Eastern Sea sage… Vahina, come here?

Though it appeared that a lot had crossed his mind, Joshua had never once slowed in his flight. He had already arrived above Moldavia once he remembered that the presence was Vahina's, with his foot touching the stone plates atop the mansion when he thought about why Vahina would come.

”Joshua, you're back.”

In the air, Zero-Three's mana projection appeared without a sound, with the warrior only noticing it when it was about to materialize. He had turned toward the avian girl, ready to praise the improvement of her abilities and had certainly not slacked in deciphering Gale's legacy runes in recent days, but unwittingly changed the topic just as he was about to say those words.

”Eh? Zero-Three, your clothes…”

Before him, Zero-Three, who had always been wearing a complex doll-like gown was now donning a set of loose robes resembling priests from ancient temples… Moreover, while it was not enough to distract him, the robes were clearly too large for the petite Zero-Three, with her white shoulders and waist visible in between.

”It's His Majesty, Gale's priest robes, I've yet to adjust its size… What do you think?” Zero-Three appeared to have come at once to welcome Joshua once she had sensed his presence, which was why her expression appeared rushed and fidgety.

”Dress better, Zero-Three—that looks like it's about to drop off,” Joshua said a little painfully. ”Be cautious, and don't come out like this next time.”

”…”

Zero-Three felt troubled as if she had been given a lesson by a father, but the artificial intelligence swift processing allowed her to speak unaffectedly at the moment the atmosphere cooled. ”Right, Joshua, there was someone who came a few days ago…”

”Um. I already sensed it. The Eastern Sea Sage, right?”

Joshua had now let go of Lisa's hand in the air—the Drakonid girl had blanked out once she saw Moldavia with her own eyes, although Syndicate was no better. Of the two village hicks, one grew up in a mountain village after their world's civilization had fallen, while another hunted for food in volcanoes and toxic oceans. Some Drakonid and small demon cities notwithstanding, would they have seen such a great metropolis? And the instant Lisa felt the warrior letting go of her hand, she promptly mumbled to herself.

”Heavens… ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand… There are actually so many people!”

Using Mycroft's mathematical units not too proficiently, Lisa estimated the general population of the city at once glance, abruptly becoming bewildered—even the entire Drakonid race did not number so many!

On the other hand, the demon's thoughts were very different: if everyone in that huge city sortied with magic armor and all sorts of enchanted weapons, would a single Abyss be able to withstand their invasion… and if not a city, what about a nation?

The pair who shared the same body shuddered at once.

”Eh, that's…”

It was then that Zero-Three noticed Lisa beside Joshua. There was no helping it—the warrior's existence was like a black dot on a sheet of white people, drawing people's attention unwittingly and having them ignore the presence of others beside him. As for the Drakonid girl, she was also curiously swinging her tail as she looked up at the Avian girl before her.

”Greetings!” Lisa saluted her lovably. ”I'm a new apprentice, my name is Lisa!”

Thanks to Joshua's three weeks' worth of fine education, the Drakonid girl's manners was definitely of classical standard, with Zero-Three not quite getting used to such a formal greeting.

”Ah, right, that, I'm called Zero-Three.”

The Avian girl studied Lisa as she spoke… There were two ash-gray dragon horns on the black-haired girl's head, while the tip of her hair that reaches her waist was slightly blue and flickering with minuscule lightning. A scent very similar to Black wafted from the depths of the body, just like the one that stood at the top of the food chain…

Wait.

A scent similar to Black's?

”Zero-Three. Take Lisa for a spin around the mansion, and bring her on a visit around Moldavia tomorrow. Find any room for her to sleep in, or have her bunk with Ying if need be—I'll be taking her to Winter Fort Academy in a few days.”

Joshua spoke to Zero-Three as if it was perfectly natural, before simply walking down the stairs in the mansion. ”I'll be greeting the sage lady, and ask about her visit.”

”Alright, Joshua.”

The Avian girl naturally agreed at once in return. Nevertheless, once the warrior vanished down the stairs, she turned, her gaze turning distant as she scrutinized the immeasurably curious Lisa, who was in turn studying the environment and overlooking the entire city from the battlements at the edge of the mansion. Zero-Three did not disturb the excited girl, and merely waited until she calmed a little before she spoke.

”Lisa.”

”Yes, sister Zero-Three?”