Nona arrived at the village Olivia had mentioned and quickly located its chief.
“The Hero’s Sword?”
Upon hearing they sought the legendary artifact, the village chief, leaning on his staff, raised an eyebrow. His gaze drifted toward the distant mountains, his expression tinged with a peculiar nostalgia.
A surge of delight warmed Nona’s heart.
“Indeed, Chief, do you have any information about it?”
“I do possess some knowledge, but it is quite outdated.”
“Outdated?” Lucrecia questioned, puzzled.
The chief took a few steps along the muddy path, his staff tapping rhythmically, as Nona and Lucrecia followed close behind. Nestled deep within the forest, the village was surrounded by trees, offering a rather pleasant vista.
After a few moments of silence, the chief finally spoke.
“You’ve managed to find your way here, which suggests you’ve heard tales of the Hero’s Sword appearing in the nearby Mount Karr, haven’t you? Haha, that, my dears, was many years ago.”
“I personally witnessed the man who wielded the Hero’s Sword back then; he was a truly extraordinary hero. However, I later heard he was slain by the ‘Saintess,’ and the Hero’s Sword vanished without a trace.”
His clouded eyes reflected the northern mountains beyond the village. The memory of the hero, wielding his sacred blade, involuntarily drew gasps of admiration from the chief.
Yet, a moment later, he shook his head, a look of profound regret clouding his features.
That hero was undoubtedly the most formidable he had ever encountered in all his years, his strength likely having reached its zenith. Despite his prowess, he had fallen so easily at the hands of the ‘Saintess.’
Or perhaps, why did he even challenge the ‘Saintess’? She was an adversary he could never hope to defeat alone. Had he survived, he would surely be a hero renowned across the land by now.
What a tragic loss.
“The Saintess?”
As the chief lamented the hero’s undeserved fate, Lucrecia softly murmured the title. The chief, hearing her, turned his head, his eyes wide with incredulity.
‘Was there an unfamiliar tone in this girl’s voice?’
“You don’t mean you don’t even know of her?”
Nona awkwardly scratched her cheek, exchanging a glance with Lucrecia. Before either could speak, the chief stepped forward, leaning on his staff, and asked with a stern expression, “Do you even know whose territory the northern Mount Karr belongs to?”
“We don’t know, we heard… uh, it’s… an Evil God?”
Lucrecia’s voice grew significantly softer, as if she felt a pang of guilt. This left the chief utterly speechless; he now fully understood that this hero’s party before him knew absolutely nothing about their intended destination.
It was hardly surprising. Their very ignorance was likely what spurred them to venture there; any other hero would have recognized the danger and retreated long ago.
“You, sigh, you should just turn back. Any further, and you’ll merely be throwing your lives away.”
The chief let out a weary sigh, the wrinkles on his face deepening, making him appear considerably older. Then, stroking his beard, he explained with a heavy tone.
“The northern Mount Karr marks the border of the Evil God Beacai’s territory. Many cities are nestled there, and their inhabitants all revere the Blood Church, devout followers of the Evil God.”
“The Evil God Beacai commands three apostles, one of whom is known as the ‘Saintess.’ She is also the ruler of those very cities. That hero, it is said, was slain by her at the territory’s border, and the Hero’s Sword most likely lies lost within those cities.”
“That place is the Evil God’s domain; heroes are not welcome. If you go, you will most likely perish there, so I urge you to return.”
Upon hearing that the path ahead led into the Evil God’s territory, Lucrecia immediately turned her gaze to Nona. As the captain of this hero’s party, Nona held the authority to decide whether they would press onward.
However, knowing her and the other party members, she surmised that merely reaching the Evil God’s territorial border would likely not deter their advance.
Indeed, her assumption proved correct. After a few seconds of silence, Nona murmured softly, “The Evil God Beacai… a hero’s mission is to rescue those oppressed by the Evil God, isn’t it?”
“Exactly. We won’t back down from such a minor challenge,” Lucrecia added, echoing her sentiment.
Seeing that they completely disregarded his warnings, the chief visibly grew irritated. Having lived in this village for decades, how could he not know the horrors that lay within the northern Mount Karr?
In his eyes, this hero’s party was simply marching to their deaths.
“Hmph, every hero I’ve met says the same thing, yet not a single one has succeeded. Excessive arrogance will only lead to your demise.”
“They don’t represent us,” Lucrecia retorted.
“…Suit yourselves then. Stubborn heroes like you are a first for me. If you’re determined to seek death, I won’t stop you.”
A look of impatience crossed his face as the chief took two steps back into the village. Stroking his beard, he glanced back and said, “If you wish to stay the night, feel free. Just remember to pay.”
“You’ll get your due.”
Watching the chief’s retreating figure, staff in hand, Lucrecia let out a small, indignant huff. As a noble lady and a magical prodigy, she had rarely been looked down upon since childhood.
To be dismissed by a mere village chief now left her feeling quite vexed.
“I want to walk around.”
“Eh?”
With that declaration, Nona left Lucrecia’s side and headed deeper into the village. Lucrecia initially intended to follow but, recalling something, ultimately sighed softly and made her way to the village’s lodging.
She could tell that Nona’s mood remained deeply troubled.
****
The sunlight gradually mellowed into a dusky yellow. Nona passed the village square’s fountain, where she sat and fed a few white doves. Soon after, behind the village, she discovered a dilapidated church.
Its glass windows were shattered, and the carvings on its outer walls had been eroded by rain. From its exterior alone, it was evident the church had been abandoned for a long time, with no one tending to it.
Stepping inside, dangling cobwebs nearly brushed her hair. After a quick magical sweep to clear them, she reached the deepest part of the church’s main hall.
Where an altar or pulpit should have stood, only a cold, dark chain now hung from the church ceiling. It seemed as though someone had once been imprisoned here.
At one end of the chain, faint traces of dried blood were visible. Though somewhat blurred by time, it confirmed Nona’s suspicion: it had indeed held a person captive.
‘Who could it have been? A heretic who betrayed the church? A criminal who sold out the village? Or perhaps a stranger lured here by deceit?’
Based on the clues left behind, Nona could deduce no answers.
The stark contrast of a church, meant for sanctity and solemnity, being used as a prison left her deeply unsettled. She instinctively rubbed her arms, a chill creeping over her.
Sitting in the front pew, she drew out the wooden sword she had brought from home. Her delicate hand slowly traced its blade, and memories surged forth like a tide, intensifying the regret in her heart.
She had found no clues regarding her mother. Now, she was embarking on a quest to find the Hero’s Sword, venturing toward the Evil God’s territorial border.
She questioned if this path was truly right, or if it would only lead her further away from her mother. Yet, she had no other choice, for this was the only thing she could do now.
Clutching the wooden sword to her chest, she yearned for her mother to provide a clue, just as before, allowing her to pursue that answer without hesitation.
Alas, such hopes had become mere luxuries.
At this moment, she didn’t even know if her mother was still alive, if the woman who abducted her had subjected her to abuse, or if those cold chains and cages had been used upon her.
Looking up at the moon visible through the church’s broken ceiling, the corners of her eyes grew subtly moist.
“This was once a church of the Life Church, and now it has fallen into such a state…”
A girlish voice suddenly echoed from the rear of the church hall. Nona halted the tears threatening to fall, put away her wooden sword, and turned to face the speaker.
The newcomer was a rather short, green-haired elf girl. Her chest was notably flat, making her appear like an underdeveloped child. Yet, she wore her hair in a sophisticated updo, creating a striking sense of incongruity.
“Olivia?”
The elf girl didn’t immediately acknowledge Nona. After surveying the church’s surroundings, she bowed toward the wall adorned with a carving of Yggdrasil, simultaneously making a strange gesture over her heart.
Then, she spoke, seemingly to herself.
“Yggdrasil, the World Tree, is the Mother Goddess of our elven race and the great deity worshipped by the Life Church. But ever since Ragnarök, my kin have been unable to contact her, nor receive her divine oracles…”
“They all claim the Mother Goddess has fallen, and the Life Church has gradually declined amidst these rumors, transforming into what it is today. Yet, I refuse to believe it’s true. How could such a magnificent Mother Goddess possibly fall?”
“Therefore, I firmly believe the Mother Goddess lives, merely having fallen into a deep slumber. My mission is to seek out her traces and awaken her, even if it means traversing every corner of the world…”
Nona knew Olivia was a fervent believer of the Life Church. The sudden loss of contact with Yggdrasil, her Mother Goddess, was no different to Olivia than losing her own mother.
Perhaps due to her age, Olivia appeared more resilient and mature than Nona. In their daily interactions, it was impossible to discern the depth of her pain.
As Nona pondered, a soft, fair hand extended toward her.
“So, as the captain of this hero’s party, you cannot remain so despondent. Otherwise, it will be quite challenging for me to travel to every corner of the world.”
“Your mother is surely waiting for you in some corner of the world. As long as you don’t give up, you will eventually find her, and she will undoubtedly be proud of the person you become, Nona.”
Staring at Olivia’s outstretched hand, Nona fell into a daze.
‘Would Mother truly be proud of her?’
In her memory, while her mother had never explicitly uttered such words, a radiant smile would always grace her face for days whenever Nona achieved something.
Perhaps that was her way of showing pride. Her mother’s feelings were always easy to discern.
But now… if her mother were to see her in this state of dejection, she would likely be disappointed. Her daughter was not as perfect as she imagined.
Therefore, for both her mother and this hero’s party, she absolutely had to pull herself together!
As captain, she couldn’t afford to be outdone by her own team members.
“Yes, we will definitely achieve our aspirations.”
Taking Olivia’s hand, beneath the moonlight filtering into the church, Nona’s smile returned. The cool evening breeze rustled the hanging chains, their clattering sound seemingly bearing witness to everything that had transpired there.