News from the imperial palace could only be heard if I specifically asked Heinri about it.
Though I occasionally contacted Heinri, unless I asked first or it was a matter I needed to know, Heinri himself did not readily bring up such topics.
Because of this, I did not know in detail how the imperial palace was operating these days.
The baseless rumors floating around the village, whose origins were unknown, were difficult to verify, so I made a point not to lend them an ear.
More important than that was the final Dullahan I would soon meet. According to my estimation, it was likely Dasha, the last knight slumbering in the dead lands of the Montel territory.
Before moving to find Dasha, we stayed briefly in a small village. It was to rendezvous with Samuel.
Fortunately, Samuel appeared before a full day had passed.
"I thought you'd be back soon, but it took longer than expected."
Samuel, who opened the door and entered the lodging, was no different from when we had parted.
Since he was later than expected, I wondered if he had encountered bandits on the way, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
"I received a communication from the High Priest on the way, which caused a slight delay."
As he said this, he set down his own travel bag. It definitely hadn't been there when he left.
"What's that?"
"Seeing that you've come this way, I assumed you plan to move to the dead lands soon."
What Samuel took out was a choker.
"Paladins are trained to resist the miasma of Monsters. But just in case, I brought something you can use as a precaution."
Come to think of it, the reason the 'dead lands' became dead lands was because of the miasma emanating from Monster corpses, wasn't it?
I obediently accepted the choker from him. The leather encircling the neck was white. After quietly examining it for a moment, I calmly parted my lips.
"Sir Samuel, having stolen treasures from the main Temple before, I know a thing or two."
"Stole... what?"
"This seems to be a Temple treasure, doesn't it?"
Temple treasures were magical artifacts. The reason the Temple, which is on bad terms with the Magic Tower, enshrines magical artifacts as treasures is because these were excavated by the Temple.
So, this was not something made by the Magic Tower, but an item created and passed down by someone from the Temple a very long time ago.
"......"
This was the reason the Temple claimed that magic was also a divine power. Since such magical artifacts were excavated from the Temple, magical power must also be a power bestowed by the goddess.
The Magic Tower mocked that claim, retorting that it was proof the goddess did not exist.
Anyway, in my view, this was indeed a Temple treasure. And Temple treasures were of a different quality compared to commonly circulated magical artifacts.
But the most important point was that the vast majority of these treasures were single-use magical artifacts.
"It is a reliable item."
"No, this is a Temple treasure, isn't it?"
"I received it incidentally while handing over the criminals."
"So, it *is* a Temple treasure."
"There is nothing more certain than a Temple treasure to block Monster miasma."
"Once used, it can't be used again, right?"
Is the High Priest aware of this?
Even considering my past of stealing a Temple treasure and fleeing, I don't want to be a thief twice.
When I looked at Samuel with doubtful eyes, he opened his mouth as if making an excuse.
"The Temple actually offered it gladly. Knowing who I am on an unofficial pilgrimage with, they would rather hope the Temple treasure is actively used."
When he put it that way, what could I do?
Nodding, I was about to put the choker around my neck when Xenon, who had briefly stepped away, saw this and hurried over.
"What is this?"
"Ah, Xenon. Did you check the carriage?"
Xenon had been busily moving about, saying he needed to thoroughly re-inspect the carriage that had been hidden deep in the woods for several days.
Answering my question perfunctorily, he narrowed his eyes and glared at the choker in my hand.
"This is not a magical artifact certified by the Magic Tower."
"This is a Temple treasure."
Samuel retorted immediately with a displeased expression. At his words, Xenon's face scrunched up even more.
"A Temple treasure?"
"They say the dead lands are full of miasma, so a magical artifact is needed. Speaking of which, don't you have a magical artifact for Xenon?"
Samuel is a paladin full of divine power, so that's fine, but what about Xenon?
At my question, Samuel glanced at Xenon with a sullen look. Then, reluctantly, he spoke.
"A mage of sufficient skill should have no problem with that level of miasma."
That meant if one struggled with the miasma, they lacked skill, I suppose.
Perhaps thinking the same, Xenon glared at Samuel with an irritated expression.
"If that guy can withstand the miasma, I can too. But, paladin."
Xenon's gaze returned to the choker.
"Why are you giving Lady Anelli an item with a tracking spell on it?"
"All Temple treasures have tracking spells on them."
Ah, then the appearance-altering magical artifact I stole from the main Temple back then must have had a tracking spell on it too.
As I fiddled with the soft leather, thinking that, Samuel spoke as if explaining to me.
"Anyway, the Temple's tracking magic cannot be performed by just anyone. And as long as it's not registered as a stolen item, there shouldn't be a problem."
Right. If anyone could track it, they wouldn't have failed to find me when I fled with the Temple treasure.
But this meant Samuel had the ability to track my location through this choker.
As I held the choker without putting it on, just looking down at it, Samuel added.
"It is an item imbued with purification power. It instantly purifies any impure air the wearer is exposed to. Each time it activates, its color turns black, and when its power is completely exhausted, the leather will break."
Nodding as I listened to Samuel, I glanced back at Xenon. Xenon, who had been looking at the choker with a dissatisfied expression, spoke in a disgruntled tone.
"It is indeed purification magic."
"Then, instead of using a precious magical artifact, couldn't Xenon just cast a spell on me?"
"Purification magic... is not something just anyone can do. That's a bit of an innate talent issue."
Seeing Xenon speak like that, it seemed it truly was a difficult matter.
The reason for going to the dead lands was to retrieve Dasha, who might be there.
So I absolutely had to enter that place, and if the miasma was dangerous, I had no choice but to use even a Temple treasure.
In the end, I obediently placed the choker around my neck.
A soft sensation enveloped my neck. It was firm yet flexibly bendable; I had no idea what kind of leather it was.
As the *click* of it fastening behind my neck echoed in my ears, I felt an illusion that the surrounding air had become purified.
"Oh."
It wasn't an illusion.
I glanced outside the door where the smell of manure had been drifting in. I hadn't expected to confirm its function this way, but it was truly purifying the air.
Breathing out a little more comfortably, I fiddled with the leather with my fingertips.
"The effect is good."
Now that I could block the miasma too, all that remained was to meet Dasha.
I unfolded the map.
We would be able to reach the dead lands by the day after tomorrow at the latest.
I hoped Dasha would be there.
However, the next day, we could not depart as planned. It was because of ominous rumors sweeping through the streets.
The news was that a rampaging Dullahan had appeared in the Montel territory.
* * *
[......It must be Dasha, right?]
[Most likely.]
The Dullahans whispered with gloomy voices. They had been like that ever since hearing the story about the rampaging Dullahan.
[That fool. Couldn't she wait just a little until we got there? Can't control her temper.]
Minte muttered irritably, yet with a voice tinged with worry.
Soana, sitting across from her, was silent for a long while before speaking to me in a stiff voice.
[I will go.]
"Where?"
[To Dasha. For her to be rampaging alone and attacking humans like that, I must go quickly and calm her down. Moving alone, I can fly and arrive faster.]
It was indeed important to calm Dasha quickly, as Soana said.
The widespread rumor now was that a rampaging Dullahan was indiscriminately attacking homes and farms.
It was said the guards dared not face it, not knowing how powerful a Monster it was, and were only waiting for paladins to be dispatched from the Temple.
If paladins were dispatched, that's when Dasha would also suffer great damage. Because divine power inflicts the most certain wounds on Monsters.
"You said you can't sense the other knights' presence. If you move separately and get left behind, it'll be troublesome. Besides, they say that guy moves unpredictably. We can't even pinpoint where it appears, so I can't just send you off blindly."
Shaking my head firmly, I crossed my arms and sank into the chair.
How long had I been looking out the carriage window? I saw Samuel returning, having briefly stepped away to communicate with the Temple.
"How did it go?"
"I prevented them from directly engaging the Dullahan in combat. Their primary objective will be to evacuate the imperial citizens."
I had been worried that the Temple might send dozens of paladins to capture a single Dullahan, so I was finally relieved at his words.
"The fact that you subdued a Dullahan single-handedly at the imperial palace was a great help."
"Did you tell them I plan to go?"
"I had no choice."
Samuel answered with an apologetic demeanor.
I didn't particularly intend to blame him. With things becoming this publicly tumultuous, I too had to step forward openly.
"Anyway, I have to take the front for that guy's safety too."
Although they called for paladins, perhaps the people were waiting for the Resurrected One to come?
And my guess was exactly right. It couldn't be otherwise.
Because Heinri had leaked footage of the subjugation force being defeated by the Dullahan.
With footage spreading of soldiers, knights, and mages trembling in fear before the Dullahan, the imperial citizens began clamoring that to deal with the rampaging Dullahan, someone specially chosen was needed.
Someone specially chosen.
Namely, the goddess's Resurrected One, resurrected by the goddess herself.