Vol 8 Chapter 3.2 (2/2)

Rundelhous moved nonchalantly to Tohya’s side.

He took a pose with his cloak like a young n.o.ble, but from his positioning, Minori knew he was protecting Isuzu and Serara behind him.

The party walked unhurriedly, at a constant pace.

Being high level, they should also have high level mount riding but there wasn’t a single one of them on a mount. The fourteen approached the mountain in nearly double file.

This was a wide s.p.a.ce, so it wasn’t like the narrow paths where they couldn’t pa.s.s. They could just watch them go. It might be thought of as cowardly, but Minori was relieved.

The central four in the group were supporting a large object.

It looked like one of the portable shrines that were dedicated to shrines and used in festivals. It was decorated in a very western fas.h.i.+on but was surrounded by thick poles that crossed wells, one person in each direction held them as they carried it.

“It’s the Mobile Shrine of Boreas.”

Dariella murmured.

Amongst them, the only one who didn’t show a sign of unease was Roe2, and she asked in an unconcerned tone of voice.

“What’s that?”

“I’ve not seen it much. The Odyssea Knights carry it everywhere. I heard it’s used as a sacred tool of the adventurers.”

“Hmm.”

Isuzu and Serara had puzzled expressions on hearing that.

Minori hadn’t heard of it.

The words ‘Odyssea Knights’ were the same. Just by hearing them, a chill ran down their spines. When Minori had just checked them, their guild was Plant Hwayden.

So the Odyssea Knights weren’t a guild.

Minori didn’t know what to think.

She’d heard the word ‘Odyssea’ before.

An organisation with the supreme goal of returning to the original word. Hearing just that would be fine, in some meanings they were a group acting by proxy for all Adventurers’ feelings. But whilst working in Akiba’s guild hall, helping the 8th Shopping District, she’d heard rumours they were all clad in the hue of gloom.

The group approached, they could already distinguish equipment and their individual faces. All of their equipment was clean and in order. Rather it appeared systematic to Minori. Without idle chatter, they moved forward at a constant pace. Adventurers had inexhaustible stamina, and they were level 90, so that shouldn’t have been anything, but they gave of the impression of an exhausted group of corpses.

“The Mobile Shrine of Boreas revives adventurers.”

Dariella probably didn’t understand, being a person of the land.

Her words were distant, sounding like it was someone else’s problem.

“And, I don’t know if it’s a side effect, but it’s said it disturbs the voices of their heart. It seems important to the adventurers.”

Minori and Serara exchanged glances.

Despite her words, this was the first time they’d heard of such an item. Troubled by the response, they didn’t understand Dariella’s words completely. Within Minori, she had the feeling of refusing an understanding of something.

If it was as she said, that ‘mobile shrine’ would act in place of a shrine and revive adventurers that lost their lives nearby. It was like a subst.i.tution for a revival point, no, it sounded like it itself was a revival point.

It could be thought of as a blessing which enhanced the adventurers immortality but on the other hand, it still seemed horrendously ominous.

Minori quietly murmured her brother’s name in unease.

Tohya was furthest forward out of them all, watching the Odyssea Knights with a daunting pose, so Minori could only see his back.

Tohya didn’t reply.

However, his twin Minori knew the air of tension dwelled within him, just as if they were fighting.

The group approached the side of the plateau, and with no regard to Minori and the others, continued their constant walk, as if they were searching for something, or being lead.

It felt like a long time pa.s.sed, but if they were thinking calmly, it was only around ten minutes.

They just pa.s.sed through, with no trouble.

However, Minori couldn’t erase the growing feeling of unease in her chest.

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