I tilted my head, gazing intently at the face of the Phrygian sister, who was pale with fear.
"Me?"
The sister desperately searched my face for any small clue or shred of hope. But in the end, as if she had found nothing, she wore an expression tinged with despair.
Did she sense her own death? Is dying that terrifying?
She chased me all the way to this land steeped in poison, yet she never even considered that she might die?
"Then why did you come here, sister?"
I threw her into a fight with Father, so I don't know why she came here to willingly suffer this hardship. Probably because she was that arrogant.
Until now, everything had gone according to her will. She must have thought it would continue that way.
Frankly, I understood the Phrygian sister's mindset. Even I, if Lilia hadn't intervened and I had safely become Empress, would have lived with a similar attitude.
I only changed because I died and was resurrected. So, the Phrygian sister would not change until her death.
Everyone in Roam would be the same.
"Sayri's words were true."
The Phrygian sister muttered quietly. She was probably trying to stay calm internally, but her shoulders were trembling visibly.
I scanned my surroundings.
Nothing much was visible on the desolate land. Just thick poison, rattling Skeletons, the Dullahans protecting me, and the baby Lizardman waiting obediently behind me for Ganik.
"I heard the news that Sayri had gone mad. A pity."
When I replied dryly, the Phrygian sister clenched her fist.
I examined her carefully as she swallowed dryly and avoided my gaze.
Then I strode forward.
When I reached out my hand, the Phrygian sister flinched and tried to distance herself from me.
However, Minte blocked her by poking her back with the tip of his sword, preventing her from succeeding.
"Anelli, I won't say anything. So……."
Letting the Phrygian sister's frantic words flow in one ear and out the other, I proceeded to search her body without hesitation.
Even if the other knights were different, the Phrygian sister was an ordinary human like me. Naturally, she must have used a magical artifact to enter the dead land.
Without much difficulty, I discovered a pendant fastened at her waist.
On the surface of the jet-black pendant was engraved the familiar crest of a family.
I slowly parted my lips after lightly brushing it with my thumb.
"Did Margrave Ruejak lend it to you personally?"
It was probably a precious magical artifact passed down through the family for generations. If it was an artifact imbued with purification magic, its value would be difficult to estimate with ordinary standards.
It wasn't strange for a family dealing with borderland Monsters to possess a purification artifact.
"Did you think I was kidnapped and believe you could rescue me, sister?"
"Anelli……."
"Or did you receive Lilia's help?"
The Phrygian sister pressed her lips tightly together. I glanced at her and gave a faint smile.
"The young lady of Baron Ruejak is quite fond of Lilia, isn't she?"
The Phrygian sister's breath shook unsteadily. I made a pitying expression towards her.
"First a mad third son, and now the eldest daughter too. Who would have known Roam would crumble like this."
I grabbed the pendant tightly and pulled. The thin cord snapped more easily than expected.
As soon as the artifact was removed, the sister's face contorted. The Phrygian sister, frantically covering her mouth with her hand, tried to snatch the pendant from my grasp.
But her hand only swept uselessly through the air. Dark stains began to appear on her skin exposed to the poison.
Watching her gasp for breath gave me a strange feeling. I took a step back to distance myself from her and gestured for Minte to withdraw as well.
In the middle of the blood puddle, the Phrygian sister stood alone.
Bent over in her posture of covering her mouth, the Phrygian sister suddenly raised her head.
Perhaps blood vessels had burst, for her eyes were severely bloodshot.
"I… I won't die here!"
Clenching her teeth, the sister pulled something from her bosom and threw it to the ground. Before anyone could stop her, a translucent magic circle shimmered beneath her feet.
*Whoosh!*
With a painfully bright flash of light, the Phrygian sister vanished. It was teleportation magic.
[Captain?]
Minte called me in a startled voice.
I gestured to Minte that it was fine, then turned away indifferently.
"Let's go."
[But the enemy escaped…….]
"I wonder if you can call it an escape when I let her go."
Originally, the heir of Roam was given an expensive, single-use magical artifact for emergencies.
Teleportation magic was one of the spells not circulated as artifacts, but the name 'Roam' had always allowed for exceptions.
Did she really think I didn't know about the existence of that artifact? I even searched her body; did she think I missed it because I truly didn't know?
I could feel the flustered Dullahans watching my reaction. I looked back at them and gave a light smile.
"I told you. Humans aren't something you fix and reuse."
Roam would not change until death.
"So, I can't kill her here."
The sudden encounter had delayed us too much. After glancing up at the sky once, I resumed my halted steps.
The parched land couldn't absorb the warm blood, so with each step, a squelching sound came from underfoot.
"There's no need to plant a story about how she bravely fought Monsters to save her younger sister in a place like this and died a heroic death."
I had already decided Roam's ending. The place for that ending was not here.
I squeezed the pendant I was holding a little tighter.
"Those who oppose the Resurrected One will face the world's distrust. The torrent of hostility poured upon them will surely…"
Place Roam upon the judgment seat.
Right where I once stood.
* * *
By the time we had completely left the dead land, the day had already darkened.
Sitting down heavily on a nearby rock with a deep sigh, I felt my neck.
At first, I thought it was gripping my neck quite firmly, but now it had become considerably loose. If I pulled hard, it felt like it would tear right off.
The fact that the choker had loosened this much also meant the poison of the dead land was that potent. It meant the magical effect was wearing off.
[It, it's still glowing.]
The one who checked the choker's condition in real-time and relayed it to me was Mori. Because I didn't have a hand mirror or anything to check the color with my own eyes.
Fortunately, this artifact performed its role until we left the dead land, and according to Mori, it had started sparkling a little while ago.
"Glowing means it's currently active, right?"
This was a phenomenon that didn't occur when the purification magic was activated.
I recalled the other function bestowed upon this choker. The tracking magic. The very one that only a select few could activate.
[It's Zigore!]
Mori exclaimed with delight. Following the sound, I raised my head and familiar figures came into view.
[Captain! Mori!]
I thought I'd be camping alone, but it seems I'll be able to rest a bit more comfortably tonight.
I saw Xenon, who had spotted me, waving both hands high in the air. Next to him was Samuel, and his hands were glowing particularly white. He was probably using divine power.
Nadav and Soana were also visible. Seeing everyone unharmed, it seemed they hadn't regained their memories and gone berserk just yet.
[Wow, I was worried we wouldn't meet today!]
[M-me too!]
After confirming the boisterous reunion of Zigore and Mori, I looked up at Xenon.
Watching him run towards me with a bright smile, my shoulders suddenly felt stiff.
Only then did I realize I had been tense the whole time, my entire body taut.
Perhaps my nerves had been sharply on edge without my realizing it, for I felt a sudden wave of fatigue.
"You're late."
"I didn't mean to be late on purpose. That bird wasn't guiding properly."
Xenon, who had approached, quickly said, pointing at Zigore. At his words, Zigore protested in an aggrieved voice.
[The land's poison was too severe, making it hard to find your energy!]
Ah, so that's why he suddenly used a location-tracking magic…
"You worked hard."
I stroked Zigore's head with my forefinger, and Samuel, looking at my neck, stiffened his expression.
"It seems the poison was quite strong."
"Huh?"
"The power of purification seems to have been depleted faster than expected."
Samuel's expression was quite serious. Did it look like I had just recklessly used a Temple treasure?
Absentmindedly stroking the nape of my neck with my fingertips, I looked back at the path I had taken. Beyond the darkness lay the dead land I had crossed.
It didn't seem to be just because I had been in the dead land for a long time. Rather…
"Was it because Dasha went berserk?"
Wasn't the main cause the commotion we caused while subduing Dasha, who was billowing black smoke?
"I will request additional support from the Temple."
"Really? It's fine. My business in the dead land is finished anyway."
Waving my hand to dissuade Samuel, I turned my body. At my answer, Xenon raised an eyebrow and shifted his gaze to my wrist.
"Did you retrieve your subordinate?"
"Yes. For now."
I was curious about her condition, but I couldn't summon her recklessly for fear of problems.
It might be better to summon her after reaching Veladia Castle and parting ways with Samuel.
Thinking I should at least warn the other Dullahans in advance, I was about to call Soana when Samuel strode over.
"The Trevi Mountains have many Monsters. There is no guarantee there won't be places like the dead land."
He had a strangely stubborn look on his face.
But that expression looked as if he wanted to somehow give me another artifact imbued with location-tracking magic. Was I overinterpreting?
'Even without such a thing, you can know exactly where I am?'
After staring intently at Samuel, I shifted my attention to Xenon.
"How did the request I made earlier go?"
There was a request I had made separately to Xenon, not to Samuel. It wasn't that I was trying to keep a secret from Samuel; I just hadn't felt the need to tell him.
"It's been resolved well."
"Really? It didn't seem easy."
"My authority is a bit greater than you think."
I was about to smile wryly at Xenon, who shrugged his shoulders as he spoke, when Samuel interjected in a stiff voice.
"A request?"
"Yes."
I nodded nonchalantly and looked back at Samuel.
I know. What Samuel, hearing this conversation, must be thinking.
"If you're so eager to help, it's better to wait until I have a request I want to make. Sir Samuel."
I said it for him to hear.
"Though I'm not sure your patience will hold out."
This is my own form of goodwill and advice to him, who has faithfully aided me all this time.