Chapter 84: Breath
Light rain drizzled down.
The clouds were a somber shade of grayish-blue, making the sky look like it was covered by a dull filter, with only one side still bright. Three war chariots sped back and forth amidst the downpour, the rain turning the yellow mud under the wheels and in the rocky creeks into a murky current, complicating the already difficult dirt road ahead.
The carriages were rocking violently, and the mud-covered horned horses were gasping for breath, their fur glistening from the rain. With every step, mud splattered up, soaking the half-wet nun driving the carriage, her headscarf plastered against her cheek, completely unfazed and expressionless.
Inside the cramped middle carriage, a petite girl with black hair and eyes leaned against the high arms of the leather seat, her hands clasped between her legs. Her small head rested against a wooden pillar that supported the carriage’s canopy, and the pressure squished her pale, tender face into an odd shape. As she stuck out her little pout, her eyes squinted like a sleepy cat’s, staring blankly ahead with a hint of drowsiness, utterly lost in thought.
With each jolt of the carriage, the soft flesh of her cheek rubbed against the thick wooden pillars, her puckered lips stretching and scrunching in a comedic dance. A droplet of saliva threatened to slip from the corner of her mouth, but she “suddenly” slurped it back with a triumphant “szz!” She smacked her lips, slightly coming back to reality.
…So sleepy.
I wish I could bury myself in a soft, fluffy bed, face down.
It had been over two days since we left the royal city.
In these two days, to avoid wasting time, the three war chariots had hardly stopped, racing day and night toward the north. The church’s driver had long since given up and changed, with the holy women of the saintess class taking turns driving the chariots for a stretch, swapping off to rest, eat a little, and nap before switching again.
So, the journey that was initially anticipated to take at least three days was almost complete in just two.
However, due to the rushing around and the rain that followed, the road was muddy and bumpy. Inside the carriage, it was unbearable—the rocking made it hard to focus. After a long time, my backside ached, and I couldn’t get any good rest. A few times I was so exhausted that I dozed off for a moment, only to be jolted awake by bumps. At one point, I even bumped my forehead against the carriage’s edge with a loud “thud,” which echoed painfully, waking the equally dazed Margaret.
Without good sleep and with poor food, the experience was rough. The holy women of the saintess class carried these rough grain cookies. They were easy to carry, lasted long, and fit their style of simplicity, but they were as tasteless as cardboard, barely satisfying hunger. The real problem was they didn’t grasp my appetite, always serving portions based on Margaret’s standards—okay, in reality, they were super considerate, giving me almost twice the amount of cookies as Margaret.
But come on, the saintess had the appetite of a little bird… a chicken leg could fill her up… So those two times the cookies were barely enough…
Yet, I couldn’t bring myself to complain, and since the cookies were hard to swallow, I just endured the hunger. The nuns were working much harder than I was—I didn’t have to drive the chariot in the rain; they were all soaked, with no time to start a fire for warmth. They were all young girls and I couldn’t bear to ask for more from them… After two nights of hunger and fatigue, I was starting to feel really awful.
Why didn’t I think to buy some snacks before leaving the city…
I deeply regretted it.
“Haah~”
I yawned, rubbing my sore eyes and sluggishly lifting my eyelids to glance at Margaret across from me.
The beautiful saintess was dozing off.
She sat up straight, hands crossed over her little tummy, her slim waist upright and not touching the seat, looking every bit the part of a proper lady. Her eyes were closed, her head drooping slightly as she nodded repeatedly like a little chick pecking at grain—her upper body didn’t sway despite the bouncing carriage, maintaining her pose for quite some time. I couldn’t tell if she was actually asleep.
As a saintess, Margaret surely had to travel far and wide, spending more time in carriages than in warm, cozy rooms… She must be used to this life of travel by now?
Oh…
The raindrops pattering against the carriage’s roof sounded like a never-ending drumming, mixed with the creaking wheels and the occasional whinny from the horned beasts, infiltrating my ears and drumming into my brain without pause.
…I really hate riding in war chariots.
Just hang in there a little longer…
We should be arriving soon.
Before that…
Slowly, my eyelids began to droop again, and my consciousness blurred.
I’ll just… sleep… a little more…
…………
Thud!
I suddenly jolted awake, hurriedly grabbing the leather armrest to stabilize my leaning body from the rocking, wiping away the drool at the corner of my mouth, looking bewilderedly at Margaret.
“…What? Are we there?”
Margaret, now fully awake, shook her head, “Not yet, but we’re getting out of the carriage.”
“What’s going on?”
Margaret tilted her head and gestured outside the carriage with her mouth, indicating I should look outside.
The rain curtain at some point had been lifted, and the rain had let up a lot. The fresh, damp air filled with the scent of mud rushed into my nostrils, making my head clear up quite a bit.
The war chariot came to a slow stop.
I leaned over the edge of the carriage to peek outside and saw the stunning scenery of a canyon up ahead.
We’ve arrived…
Before me, towering mountains rose steeply into the clouds, their bodies blanketed with lush green vegetation, while jagged stones dotted the landscape. From afar, they looked like vertical, emerald blades. Amidst the mist, a long river glistening in turquoise and violet split the mountains, winding and curving until it reached the deep, mysterious part of the canyon.
Further along the horizon, at the surreal junction between the canyon and clouds, a rainbow of many colors could be faintly seen. A flock of white birds flapped their wings, flying leisurely over the azure mountains and emerald waters, making the entire canyon resemble an otherworldly paradise.
So beautiful…
Such a breathtaking view would surely be a 5A tourist attraction back in my previous life. But clearly, the people in this world didn’t have the time or inclination to appreciate the wonders of nature.
“There’s Rabeli Valley over there,” came Margaret’s voice beside me.
“Oh.”
“The war chariot can go no further, so let’s get down.”
With that, she stepped out of the carriage first.
The road here essentially came to an end, blocked ahead by steep terrain covered in bizarrely shaped boulders, many of which were covered in moss, making it quite tough to walk. The war chariots could not proceed further.
Time to walk…
I slapped my face a couple of times to pump myself up, throwing my cloak over my shoulders and hoisting Captain Gray’s black suitcase before jumping off the carriage. The fine drizzle painted my cheeks; it was refreshing yet oddly uncomfortable. I pulled the hood over my head.
Margaret exchanged a few words with the nuns, instructing three drivers to stay behind to watch the war chariots while the others tidied up and joined us to venture into the depths of the canyon.
“The traces of the Abyss are located to the south of the canyon; the Church Knights’ camp is over there. If we follow the Wisteria River, we should reach before nightfall. Let’s move quickly and keep up the pace.”
Taking the lead, Margaret walked ahead, and I closely followed her, with the nuns trailing behind me as we headed into the canyon.
The path ahead was tougher than I imagined. The ground was littered with rocks of various heights, their sharp corners nearly impossible to navigate without careful footing. The moss covering these stones was treacherously slippery, and one misstep could send someone crashing down, risking injury on the jagged edges. This situation only worsened as we entered the forested area, reminding me of my first days in this world, spent in Woodward Forest.
Fortunately, the rocky terrain kept the road relatively mud-free; otherwise, it would have been unbearable… I didn’t mind much, but I hoped the others could manage.
But the deeper we went, the more I realized I had underestimated these holy women. Clearly, their stamina was not as delicate as it seemed. Especially Margaret, who, after nearly two hours of traversing this difficult rocky path, hardly seemed out of breath. If it were those twenty-something girls from my past life, most would have been flat on the ground by now.
Thinking about it, it makes sense; after all, she’s a saintess. Although they were ‘miracle’ users, which could place them in the mage category, that didn’t mean they were weak. I wasn’t sure how these nuns trained, but the saintess class was definitely not on the same level as ordinary nuns. Even if they lacked the physical strength of warriors, they were certainly much stronger than normal people… Perhaps Margaret’s physical strength rivaled that of an average knight.
Of course, they still weren’t as strong as me. On the way, Margaret once attempted to lift the black suitcase—she actually managed it for a brief moment, but it looked like quite a struggle. There was no way she could casually handle Captain Gray’s suitcase like I could.
After walking along the Wisteria River for a bit longer, the terrain gradually opened up. The valley on both sides receded, the rocky landscape began to shift to a reddish hue, and a patch of red-and-white flowers spread across the hillside. The ground remained hard rock, and the vegetation grew densely. I had to lift my feet up high as we walked, or the vines would trip me.
“We’re getting close,” Margaret turned back to softly inform me.
She led us to the top of a small valley, reaching the edge of a giant boulder. Pointing into the distance toward the Wisteria River, she said, “Do you see? The Abyss Mud is over there.”
I raised my gaze.
The rushing water sparkled with ethereal colors under the sunset, flowing from the crimson and emerald plains into the depths of the canyon. Towering cliff faces stretched infinitely like natural walls along the winding Wisteria River, reaching up to the sky.
Amidst the swirling white mist, melodious chirps erupted from an unknown green field, as massive red birds took off and settled back down, disappearing into the crevices of the rocks.
This was such a soothing sight.
But this dream-like beauty of nature—a landscape that should be captivating—was almost entirely marred by a tremendous chasm crossing the Wisteria River.
A menacing chasm sliced the river in half, extending to the stone walls of the valley, within which countless massive cracks surged, like an ugly scar that refused to fade. Sinister black liquid surged quietly within the chasm, turning the surroundings into a bleak wasteland.
Surrounding the wasteland was a semi-transparent light wall made of golden energy, encompassing everything dark within. The bisected Wisteria River hit the light wall as if it crashed against a solid wall, no longer flowing into the chasm.
What a spectacular ability…
It’s somewhat like the functions in Royal City Boschwell…
“What is that?” I pointed at the light wall, asking Margaret.
“That’s a miracle from Cardinal Nero, granted by the great Goddess of Sin—called the Sin Barrier named Anastasys. Many within the Holy Church can execute this miracle, but only Cardinal Nero can achieve this magnitude.”
“Oh…” I was a bit taken aback.
To create something of this scale… how powerful!
Just earlier, I was thinking that a single person could never stand against an army… But this light wall here could easily trap a whole thousand Iron Guards… and they couldn’t even fly. Just starve them for a few days, and they’d be completely helpless… So, this is one of the four highest powers in the Church, aside from Angel, huh?
I seem to have underestimated miracles…
Does Teresa possess similar strength? If she used something like this while battling me…
And what about the Abyss of Gluttony…
It somehow managed to k*ll two people with such elite support, including my father and Carlos among the five Pope Knights. It’s hard to imagine just how powerful an Abyss that devoured tens of thousands of lives can be…
In an instant, numerous thoughts flashed through my mind. I took a deep breath, hiding my shock beneath a calm facade, focusing my gaze into the distance.
A thousand meters away, around the light wall, I could see countless white tents scattered among the rocky terrain, tightly surrounding the chasm on both sides. Even above the valley walls, tents could be seen set up. Countless church knights moved around the camps. From here, they looked small, but undoubtedly more than the amount I dealt with previously.
“As you can see, the Abyss Mud is quite calm at the moment. But not long ago… during my last visit, it was still boiling.”
The Abyss Mud indeed looked calm.
The surface of the pitch-black sludge was eerily still, clearly different from the bubbling chaos I recalled; the Abyss Mud wasn’t even flowing from the chasm.
“Miss Silvya, do you have any thoughts?” Margaret turned to me, softly asking, “Can you sense anything… I mean, the monsters from the Abyss, are they still within the sludge, or perhaps elsewhere, can you detect them?”
…Hey.
Is it really okay to ask something so direct with the saintess class around?
Though they probably wouldn’t think in that direction… I guess I’ll just try sensing it…
So I closed my eyes.
I wasn’t really sure how to go about it, but I concentrated my attention on my hearing, touch, and smell. I appreciated the natural fragrance in the air, felt the gentle breeze brush against my cheeks, and heard the occasional calls of unknown creatures. I could even vaguely pick up the clattering of knight armor and muffled chatter from down the valley.
Everything became clearer in my senses, except for that familiar, comforting breath I was seeking.
It wasn’t there.
The Abyss might… really not be here.
Just as that thought emerged in my mind, I quickly suppressed it.
…After all, this was only my second encounter with the Abyss. Perhaps not every monster could evoke that feeling in me… so let’s not jump to conclusions…
I unconsciously stuffed my right thumb into my mouth, “gulp, gulping” as I nervously chewed my nail.
Tilting my head thoughtfully, I then asked Margaret, “Is it possible for the Abyss to silently break through the Sin Barrier without being detected?”
The saintess standing next to me shook her head slightly.
“It’s impossible; nothing can easily break the goddess’s Sin Barrier, not even the Abyss… Even if it could force its way through, Cardinal Nero would definitely notice.”
So, the only way to escape without detection would be to fly…
“However, we often need to open the Sin Barrier for our investigations into the Abyss for convenience. So…”
“Oh.”
Okay, it might also be capable of invisibility.
“I want to get closer to take a look.”
I turned to meet Margaret’s gaze, finding the depth of her turquoise eyes hinted at profound concern hidden beneath.
She probably realized as well that the Abyss might not be here…
“Alright.”
Margaret nodded, “Let’s head to the Second Knights’ camp.”
Following the saintess, we descended from the valley and traversed through the lush green valley floor, pushing through the thickets ahead until we reached the knights’ camp.
“Saintess, you’ve returned…”
“Saintess, may the Deity forever bless the Church…”
“Powerful Pope Knight, it’s an honor to meet you…”
The knights didn’t relax their guard despite the Abyss’s prolonged absence; they remained keenly alert, having already sensed our arrival. As we entered the camp, they had already lined up in a welcoming formation—two rows of knights stood at the camp’s edge, their right fists thumping against their chests as they saluted us, while other knights smiled and greeted us.
None of them had seen me before and didn’t know who I was, but they recognized the Pope Knight cloak I was wearing. Perhaps they didn’t expect a young girl to show up, and their gazes toward me were more filled with respect, amazement, and curiosity—as if they’d just spotted a rare animal.
Ugh, so annoying…
I pulled the hood down even lower.
“Where is the Cardinal?” Margaret asked an older man who resembled the captain among the knights at the front of the line.
“The Cardinal and the Vice Captain are over by the Sin Barrier; they went to survey the Abyss Mud… I’ve sent someone to notify him, please inform the Saintess and…”
As the knight spoke, his gaze shifted to me, contemplating for a moment.
“Pope Knight, I presume you are the famed Miss Silvya?”
“Yes.” I replied softly.
The knight captain smiled, “Miss Silvya, it’s an honor to finally meet you. I am Captain Alexander Eubelresta of the Second Knights of the Church, honored to make your acquaintance.”
He bowed deeply to me, employing the proper noble etiquette, and I had no choice but to curtsy in reply.
“Miss Silvya, you probably can’t imagine my excitement at this moment… It feels a bit embarrassing; I’m much older, though my children are about the same age as you. Yet I’ve heard of your deeds, of how you single-handedly defeated the Abyss in Silgaya, and I know of your recent actions in the royal city… I truly admire your remarkable courage and determination at such a young age…”
His words gradually faded into background noise as I furrowed my brows, lifting my gaze toward the Abyss Mud. My mind wasn’t with him anymore.
Over there…
I think I sensed something…
Though it was faint, there definitely was a hint of a familiar breath.
