Chapter 671

Chapter 56: The Journey to the Eastern Continent – Part II

“They seemed to have vanished overnight; those we occasionally caught were all peripheral believers, ignorant of everything. Their power was so weak that it felt like a joke, not even qualifying them for the muster call…”

“After nearly three months of wandering and investigation, the four of us scattered across many towns, but found nothing. No one knew where that small town was, nor could they even hear its name. The progress had come to a complete standstill. It was during that time that I… received the second message from the Western Continent.”

The man seemed to be lost in some intense emotion again. He turned his head away, gazing at the howling window, no longer letting me see his eyes.

“You already know the content of the message…”

“I…”

He seemed to have more to say, but after a moment’s silence and several movements of his Adam’s apple, whatever feelings he swallowed, the words at his lips ultimately jumped over.

“Actually, at that time, it was more about not being able to believe it.”

“What is the source of the heretical and violent power? What is the powerful demon sealed by the ancient gods during the Age of the Divine Presence? Why would such a thing appear in the Western Continent, deep within Woodward Forest… How did you get involved with something like that, and what exactly does everything I did here amount to…”

“There were a few days when I was confused… I couldn’t understand these things…”

“Isn’t reclaiming the seed enough to completely end the root cause of the heretics’ evil deeds… What is a powerful demon comparable to the gods? I’ve never heard of such a thing existing… I was confused, we were all somewhat confused, unable to figure out what was really going on. With no heart left to continue searching, we all went to our teacher, intending to sit down and talk, to sort things out.”

“But…”

He turned his face toward me and said, “But our teacher only told us one sentence.”

“He said that things may not be as bad as imagined. You might have heard it, but not seen it. If this makes you feel lost, the best way is not to stop, not to be lost without knowing it. You must keep moving forward. Perhaps, the matters that confuse you will be resolved then.”

“…I thought about it and realized that the teacher was right.”

“Instead of being mired in confusion, thinking about meaningless things, it’s better to do your job wholeheartedly. We are pursuing the stolen seed. Regardless of whether the demons in the Western Continent exist or what happened there, this is something that must be done. If the war is won and the heretics are thoroughly defeated, but we falter here, perhaps… it would be a sin that can never be repaid.”

I adjusted my mindset, trying to temporarily forget those… In fact, it was mostly disbelief. I always had a feeling that you wouldn’t die so easily. After all… Huh. I didn’t believe what they said; I never trusted the reports, at least not fully. There might still be a turning point, and that turning point might come when we find the seed and uncover the truth…”

In the flickering light, Carlos rubbed his slightly weary face.

He looked at me, paused for a long time, and then smiled, quite lightly.

“See, the turning point isn’t here yet…”

“Continue.”

I pretended to be impatient, tapping the table lightly to urge him on.

It was just that I was a little afraid of looking at his smile…

“Alright, alright, I just wanted to make the atmosphere a bit lighter… Actually, the first turning point came in March. When our search yielded nothing and we were planning to try a different approach, we…”

On the outskirts, we suddenly encountered a group of sand pirates.”

“The sand pirates’ target was not us; they were attempting to rob a transport caravan. When we arrived, both sides were already engaged in battle, and the scene was chaotic. Initially, I planned to go over and help, but after climbing up a high slope and getting a clearer view of the situation, I realized that the sand pirates were actually retreating, suffering numerous casualties and almost completely defenseless.”

“The transport caravan only had about thirty people, while the number of sand pirates was at least two to three times theirs. Many of them were riding ostriches, which were renowned as the antelopes of the desert—fierce birds with beaks sharp enough to pierce thin steel plates. They couldn’t fly, but their running speed was even faster than regular antelopes, making them highly agile…”

“Sand pirates who could afford ostriches were certainly well-known in Epalista. Even the most formidable merchants would have to surrender their goods when faced with such numbers, never daring to confront them head-on. Yet, this small caravan managed to drive them away completely. The main reason was that there was a woman in that caravan.”

“…A woman?”

I couldn’t help but ask him.

“Yes, a woman cloaked in a robe with her face wrapped in a gray cloth. Her skills were extraordinary. Although she didn’t use Order power, she relied solely on her exquisite swordsmanship, single-handedly charging into the bandits, striking them down one by one. The sand pirates couldn’t withstand her, and soon they fled in disarray.”

“Oh…”

I nodded, deep in thought.

Could that woman be…

“That woman was disfigured,” Carlos continued. “We later interacted with the caravan. The man leading the group mentioned her. They were weapons merchants from Nowag, specializing in sword trade, transporting blades to towns east of Epalista, all imported from West Continent, top-quality goods.”

“The woman was hired as a guard at great expense. This wasn’t their first collaboration. According to the leader, the woman had suffered an injury in the past, disfiguring her face, hence the cloth wrapping her face. However, her skills were indeed impressive; usually, twenty to thirty men couldn’t get close to her. She made a living as a bodyguard, and no one knew her exact age. She was quiet and reliable, far surpassing the greedy hired guards from Nowag.”

“After chatting for a night, we found out that the next destination of the caravan was the same as ours. So, we decided to travel together. We didn’t think much of it at the time; our identities were merely those of wandering ronins from West Continent, dressed in ordinary cotton robes and carrying little luggage. There were many such travelers in Epalista, and most of them knew some martial arts. Even if they carried conspicuous long swords, no one would suspect anything. Meeting someone to travel with wasn’t necessarily bad.”

“However, after traveling for two days, I began to notice something strange…”

Carlos paused, looking toward the door, lost in thought.

“At first, I was somewhat interested in that woman… Oh, not in the way you’re thinking. I simply respected those with exceptional sword skills, especially a woman. Naturally weaker in physical strength compared to men, achieving such a level requires immense hardship and extraordinary talent. Such individuals are rare, and since I had met an unfamiliar one, I wanted to casually exchange ideas with her…”

His expression turned serious: “The woman indeed didn’t talk much, seeming indifferent, clearly showing no interest in me. But one night, when I was planning to try communicating with her one last time, I accidentally saw her remove the cloth covering her face…”

He paused here.

“Silver hair, azure eyes, incredibly young, beautiful beyond words…”

“Most importantly, there was no sign of any old injury on her face.”