It was definitely thanks to Lucius and Elia having already completed the purification that there weren’t any threats emerging as we moved forward, but…
“Gyaaaah!”
Nameless, who looked thoroughly bored, brushed the blood off his sword and opened his mouth.
“…How many have I killed already?”
“Hmm, you’ve taken down seven so far.”
…That number was far too high.
Seeing Nameless, who sighed with a tired expression, Elia forced a smile and spoke up.
“Still, if we walk a bit more, we’ll reach the center…”
With her fists clenched, Elia added, “Let’s keep our spirits up!” and skipped to catch up to Lucius, who was leading the way.
Once I confirmed that Elia had completely moved away, I tiptoed over to Nameless and whispered in his ear.
“Hey, how many times did she say that now?”
“Probably the ninth time you heard it.”
What? The ninth time?
I shot a glare at Elia, who was all too cheerful.
“That’s even more than the number of monsters you’ve killed…”
“…Indeed.”
With a wry smile, I let out a deep sigh.
I know Elia means well when she says such things to encourage us, but…
After hearing it so many times, it just drains the energy out of me.
Isn’t she just pulling a bad prank on us at this point?
And even if we reach the center, does that really mean the end?
“…”
Not at all.
The whole reason I came to this place was to find Nameless’s sheath, so just reaching the center wouldn’t mean it was over.
In fact, I knew very well that arriving here was just the beginning of the real search, and the thought alone made my head spin.
Moreover, the “end of the world” that I had seen with my own eyes was far from a romantic place. It felt strangely familiar, almost too comfortable.
How could I possibly look forward to what lay ahead?
While I was sulking in my own little world, Nameless suddenly clapped his hands as if he had remembered something.
“By the way, Master.”
“What is it…”
I answered him absently as I glanced at the six-legged creature approaching from a distance.
…Another monster? I really don’t want to see any more.
“I’ve been curious from the start—how do we find that little sheath in this vast area?”
“Uh.”
His question hit right at the core, making me frown deeply.
…Good question.
I extended my thin arm and waved my hand at the ugly monster, lightly swinging it.
-Bam!
The quaking ground seemed to be a daily occurrence for Nameless, who nonchalantly continued his questioning.
“What methods do we have?”
“Uh…”
I subtly avoided the eager glint in Nameless’s eyes, as if expecting my answer.
…There’s no way there would be any.
If there were any methods that came to mind right away, I wouldn’t have agreed to Lucius’s reckless suggestion of just heading to the center.
“…Nothing?”
Nameless looked as if he had been struck by lightning, his lips jutting out in disappointment.
How unfair is that?
I’m not looking for my own belongings; I’m going to find someone else’s. Why is the owner of the item asking me how to find it?
Though disciples rely on their masters, this is just wrong.
…but I didn’t blame Nameless entirely.
All the troubles from the start were because of Lili.
Now that I think about it, even the hint about the sheath came from Lili. If she had at least told us everything, she should have taken some responsibility rather than just dumping the information on us.
Seriously, what is that supposed to mean? Even being vague has its limits.
“Tsk.”
The more I think about it, the more irritated I get. If I see her in my dreams next time, I’ll make sure to give her a slap.
Nodding to myself, I kept walking.
…
As we walked, Lucius drove his sword into the ground to mark the area.
“This is the center.”
The landscape of ‘the end of the world’ we had entered was truly desolate.
There was no green to be found; the ground was cracked and dry, but looking up, there was a sky without sunlight, moonlight, or even the faintest star, yet it somehow glowed.
However, for some reason, the spot where Lucius had plunged his sword had grass growing.
Curious, I tilted my head, and noticing my confusion, Elia approached and spoke.
“This is also part of the purification I mentioned before.”
“Oh!”
Hearing her words, I began to understand why the Hero and the Saint were actively purifying the demon realm.
This way, they can expand areas where people can safely stay and simultaneously drive out the demon kind.
I nodded in agreement.
Elia’s explanation prompted a nod from Lucius, who cleared his throat and spoke.
“As you’ve likely noticed by now, because we’ve purified this area once, there are no threatening monsters present.”
“That’s true.”
It felt a bit strange to keep referring to the hut, but the monsters here were definitely at least two levels lower than those found there.
In simpler terms, even Elia could take down the monsters if she only invested some time.
Nodding slightly, Lucius continued.
“So, if I may boldly suggest, how about we pair up and explore the demon realm in pairs?”
What a proposal!
I had been struggling to figure out how to separate those monsters, and this solution meant I could search for Nameless’s sheath without a worry.
I couldn’t help but smile at how everything was falling into place. Just as I was about to respond to Lucius…
“Not a bad idea—”
“Sounds good.”
Nameless enthusiastically nodded, agreeing with Lucius before me.
I turned to look at him and noticed his lips practically stretching to the point of tearing.
“Wow…”
I could hear Elia’s tired voice echoing in the background.
Well, still.
It was the same positive answer I had intended to say, so I replied with an unenthusiastic nod.
“Then Nameless and I will head east while you guys go west.”
“Understood.”
Just as we flailed our arms to part ways, Lucius suddenly exclaimed.
“By the way, what item are you looking for?”
“Um, now that you mention it, I never mentioned it.”
…What should I say?
While I could simply say I was looking for a sheath, it wouldn’t exactly be a normal item that Lili introduced.
Sure, Lucius and Elia didn’t comment on the sword that Nameless used, but a sheath might be different.
It’s better to be cautious.
As my eyes darted around, I kept pondering how to respond to Lucius.
“…That’s…”
But just then, in a moment of weakness where I couldn’t think of anything to say…
“I’m looking for a sheath for my sword.”
“Uh.”
Nameless spoke up, making a rather shocking statement.
…Is it really okay to put it so bluntly?
I couldn’t help but think, but with no response coming to mind myself, I just mumbled in confusion.
Upon hearing Nameless’s words, Lucius frowned deeply.
“…A sheath?”
Elia seemed to find Nameless’s answer odd as well; she subtly moved closer to Lucius.
Seeing their reactions, Nameless simply nodded indifferently.
“Yeah.”
Lucius, raising an eyebrow suspiciously, asked in a firm voice.
“May I ask why you are looking for a sheath?”
Things were getting awkward thanks to Lucius’s inquiry.
I gulped.
…What should I say?
It always seems like Nameless causes the trouble while I’m the one solving it…
My head started to ache.
What on earth is this troublesome disciple trying to achieve by creating this tension?
Trying to carefully choose my words, I hesitated while Nameless, wearing his usual calm expression, spoke again.
“I heard a small rumor.”
“…A rumor?”
“Yeah, as you know, my master and I are traveling through the entire empire, right?”
“Yes…”
“In the meantime, I overheard a rumor.”
Nameless’s words caught Lucius’s interest as he nodded.
“Could you tell me what the rumor said?”
“It’s nothing to hide, really.”
Nameless also nodded and offered a friendly smile as he continued.
“There might be exaggerations since it’s just a rumor, but to summarize, I heard there’s a sheath said to have been used by a high-ranking demon in ‘the end of the world.’”
“…That rumor’s been circulating?”
“Yeah, and coincidentally, my master and I, while pondering about our next destination, ended up here based on the rumor we stumbled upon.”
When Nameless finished speaking, he raised the corners of his mouth.
…Did that go well?
I felt a cold sweat rolling down my back, but I didn’t let it show.
