We prayed for the carriage driver’s soul.
Died working hard… wonder if this counts as a workplace accident?
As I stood up, another worry popped into my mind.
“The carriage… is broken.”
Damn heretic bastard, now we’ve lost our means of transport.
Another moment where irritation bubbled up inside me.
I shook my head and asked Lux,
“By any chance, do you know the way to the capital?”
“Hmm…”
Lux wore a troubled expression. Well, with us always riding in carriages, she probably doesn’t know the exact route.
After pondering for a bit, she spoke up with an idea.
“If we follow this road straight, there should be a small village where we might be able to get another carriage.”
“That’s the only option for now. At least there’s a paved road, so it’s not too bad.”
Though this area is mountainous, once we descend, there’s a well-maintained road below. Not asphalt like in my previous world, but even having a proper road here shows the Empire’s power.
“Huh…”
“What? Something wrong?”
“…Ah, never mind. It was just a mistake.”
“…?”
It didn’t feel right, but I decided to let it go. Whatever she’s hiding, it’s probably nothing big.
“Let’s head down soon. We’ll likely be hungry by the time we reach the capital.”
“Yes.”
And so, we slowly began making our way down the mountain.
***
‘Phew, he didn’t notice…’
Lux sighed in relief internally. In her bosom lay a small orb—a communication device provided by the Royal Palace used during the Isle of Wisdom incident.
“I’m sorry…”
She bowed her head subtly so Allen wouldn’t notice. If she activated this orb, they could return safely immediately, but…
Lux wanted to enjoy this moment a little longer. Once back at the capital, tough battles would await again.
Why did she fall in love with such an indecisive man? She didn’t know.
“…”
Lux quietly approached Allen and grabbed his hand.
“!”
Allen flinched slightly but didn’t shake her off. This mix of kindness and frustration was both endearing and infuriating. If only he’d outright reject her, she could move on, but he kept leaving things open-ended.
Of course, even if rejected, she had no intention of giving up.
“Hmph.”
“Does it feel good…?”
Regardless of what Allen said, Lux found the current situation satisfying. Even though some unwelcome guests interrupted earlier, she’d achieved her original goal—and now they were enjoying something akin to a date.
Thus, it was a day with its own ups and downs.
In the warmth of the moment, Lux unknowingly spoke up.
“I like you.”
“Don’t say too much… it’s embarrassing.”
“Nope.”
“…Do as you wish.”
“Hmph.”
At this point, it was practically official, right? Lux decided to think whatever she wanted. If she believed they were lovers, eventually they’d become one.
***
With Lux setting the pace, our journey took longer than expected. Thinking about it, even a one-hour carriage ride covers quite a distance. Walking that same stretch on foot was tougher than anticipated—especially for Lux.
“Haa… haa…”
“Are you okay? Should we rest for a bit?”
Despite trying not to show how tired she was, I insisted Lux sit down on a nearby rock.
“It’s… fine… We need to hurry…”
“You’ll collapse if you keep going. Let me carry you.”
“I’m… fine! I can walk!”
Every time she struggled, I offered to carry her, but Lux refused every single time. Struggling to the point of exhaustion—what kind of stubbornness was this? Honestly, incomprehensible behavior.
If I don’t forcefully carry her soon, it’ll get dark.
“Wait a sec.”
“Huh? Wha—”
I easily subdued Lux’s resistance and examined her ankle. Her fragile ankle, which looked like it’d snap from a mere tap, was already swollen and red. Despite carrying no extra weight, walking this far was basically military training for a mage like Lux.
“Still want to be stubborn?”
“Ack…!”
When I touched her ankle, Lux yelped in pain, tears welling up in her eyes. Yet she still shook her head stubbornly, attempting to cast healing magic.
“Tch, this won’t work.”
“Kyaa?!”
Having made my decision, I swiftly picked Lux up. Since I couldn’t force her to ride piggyback, I opted for a princess carry instead. Before she could protest, I warned her.
“Don’t open your mouth or I’ll bite your tongue.”
“Eh? Kyaaa!!”
Surrounding my legs with aura, I sprinted forward, causing Lux to instinctively cling tightly around my neck. About time she gave in.
“This is… too fast… Kyaaa!”
Her scream worried me slightly about whether her throat would hold up, but I had no plans to slow down.
***
“Phew, that was close. We almost ended up homeless, huh?”
Just as we reached the capital gates, the sun set. Using divine power to speed through paid off.
Strange though, maintaining divine power for so long didn’t cause any issues. Normally, prolonged use would either lead to parts of my body turning to stone or severe stamina depletion. But now, I felt perfectly fine physically, and not overly exhausted either. Just slightly out of breath.
Was it because I focused solely on travel rather than combat? Or is there another reason?
“…I thought I was gonna die.”
Hearing her weary voice, I stopped pondering and checked on Lux. Her hair was disheveled, her face drenched in sweat. Cold sweat, perhaps?
“Same with Amy… You really need to train your stamina.”
I intended to let her rest during our stay in the capital after all the hard work at the tournament, but seeing her like this, maybe I should start exercising her little by little.
“…”
Lux didn’t respond. She seemed too spent, staring blankly while only breathing heavily. She probably wouldn’t even remember what I just said.
“Come on. Surely you’re not refusing a ride after coming this far?”
“No…”
Weakly, Lux climbed onto my back. More like collapsing than climbing; she hung all her weight on me.
“Well, anyway… good job.”
“Mmm…”
Unlike Senna or someone, Lux mumbled something before quietly falling asleep on my back. Smiling faintly, I headed toward Robert’s mansion. What started as a simple outing turned into quite the eventful date.
***
“Ugh~ Really, people have too much caution these days.”
In the darkest depths of Sirius Empire’s underworld, ‘The Sewers,’ resided a woman with jet-black hair.
Lying leisurely in a bath filled with viscous demon energy instead of water, Lady Luselo Del Alba muttered softly while gently caressing her body.
“Laziness resides in the Demon Realm, Wrath in the Demon Tower… How amusing to see such a spirited woman reduced to neither alive nor dead… Quite the sight.”
Currently, five of the seven High Priests are fully active. Two positions remain vacant.
If their lives had ended, finding new contractors would suffice, but somehow the Empire’s dogs knew and imprisoned Wrath. Laziness’ return remains uncertain, further weakening their already insufficient forces.
However, the High Priest of Pride merely smiled. As if it had nothing to do with her, she wore a relaxed expression.
“Will everything go according to plan?”
Alba was actually hindering other High Priests. Appearing before Allen at the cost of one of her avatars served exactly that purpose.
Now that Aragon Kingdom—one of the core pillars of the Eastern Federation—had fallen under her control, it was only a matter of time before Lust’s influence grew stronger. And that wasn’t what Alba desired.
“As I will watch idly, please do your best, ‘Singularity.'”
Should Allen trust her information and mobilize the Empire’s forces, overwhelming Lust would be effortless. No matter how powerful Aragon Kingdom is within the Eastern Federation, it cannot surpass the Empire’s stronghold.
But if he doesn’t trust her…
“Hmph…”
Alba chuckled slyly. Either way, she would gain nothing but benefits. All she needed to do was wait patiently here.
Deceiving person after person, nation after nation, ultimately deceiving the entire world…
She felt no qualms about her actions. After all, everyone except herself was less than insects—mere offerings to summon ‘The King.’
“Then, until that day, let me rest for a moment~”
Alba surrendered herself to the demon energy. Slowly, like rocks eroding into sand, it seeped into her body.
The thick darkness clinging to her true form began shaping into something resembling…
…the wings of a bird.
