Vic Empire ......

Castle of the Io......

……

A man in armor sat casually on a throne.

He leaned sideways on the armrest, his eyes scanning the report in his hand.

After a moment of silence, the man suddenly crumpled the report in his hand......

The corners of his mouth curled slightly, and he stared indifferently ahead.

"Funny ......"

……

Kingdom of Light......

Temple of the Light......

……

An old woman's expression was peaceful.

Behind her, a woman with soft hair was kneeling on one knee.

After a few minutes, the old woman slowly turned around.

"We don't have to pay attention to the heresy of the Adventurers' Guild......"

After a pause, she looked at a giant inverted pyramid in the distance.

An unusually vague humanoid silhouette emerges from it......

"Get ready, the day of prophecy for our Daughter of Light is approaching......"

……

Kingdom of the Rising Sun......

Saran Royal Castle ......

……

“……”

Claire had been staring at the two reports on her desk for more than an hour.

The expression on her face kept changing, and the back of her hand was a little red with her interlocking fingers......

Suddenly, a maid appeared next to her seat.

"Your Highness Princess, you haven't rested for a long time. In addition, I have been busy preparing for the Chaoyang Festival recently, and my subordinates are afraid that you will not be able to hold on......"

“…… I know. ”

Claire replied lightly and picked up the copy on the left.

"Luno, this report from the Northern Forests ......"

"There is no false information. The subordinates personally went to the scene to confirm that the entire territory of the tentacle monster had been turned over, and there was only one tree left in the center of the suspected battle that had not fallen......"

“…… What about tentacle monsters? ”

"The tentacle monster has been confirmed dead, but its corpse appears to have been gnawed by some kind of large monster......"

Speaking of this, Luno's face became a little unnatural.

Claire waved her hand and didn't let her continue.

Leaning back in her chair, Claire picked up another document......

At the top of this document, a mission sheet from the Adventurers' Guild stands out unusually well......

"In a month's time, I defeated the quasi-ruined Miè-level monsters and the quasi-platinum-level perverts...... What is the origin of this adventurer called Night Star? ”

Hearing Claire's question, Luno's expression was a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, but my subordinates still haven't been able to find out his details...... At the moment, it is only known that his identity is only an adventure card......"

“……”

Claire silently flipped through the report under the task paper......

Has the [Destruction Crystal] of the Adventurer Guild of the Kingdom of Kos been crushed?

It's amazing......

It seems that the bounty quest was completed on those days, right?

Could it be ......

No...... How is this possible?

After all, he is just a slightly stronger adventurer, and no matter how much he can make the adventurer's union use the [Destruction Crystal] alone......

The joke was also a bit too much......

Turning her gaze to the distant sky outside the window, Claire's brow grew even more sorrowful.

"Why is it that the Kingdom of the Rising Sun is always cloudy these days? It's so boring......"

Claire muttered as she put down the report in her hand.

An inexplicable depression has always lingered in her heart......

……

On the fourth day of someone's departure from the kingdom of Kos......

The human kingdom in the western part of the Ica continent suddenly became extremely calm, and it seemed that everything was going on as usual.

It's just that some people have noticed the western part of the continent......

What is shrouded in ......

Disturbed......

Dysphoria......

Confusion......

All kinds of negative emotions have also begun to gradually spread in the human realm.

Although the rulers wanted to change the status quo, they found it difficult to effectively curb them no matter what......

……

At the same time, in a forest on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Chaoyang......

A silver-haired girl was concentrating on controlling the magic power output in her body, and countless thin needles swayed slightly around her.

The girl's hands were wrapped in bandages, and the old staff was covered with tiny cracks.

“！”

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open!

The surrounding needles are rapidly gathering towards the center as if they are being pulled!

"[Blocked Hourglass]!"

The silver-haired girl's slightly flustered voice sounded, and a wave of magical power that was invisible to the naked eye immediately enveloped the entire area.

In this area, it seems that the flow of time is forcibly blocked......

"Goo......

The girl's hands clenched the staff trembled violently, and the bandages were stained with a hint of bright red......

"[Instantaneous ......] !!!"

Before the second mantra could be recited, the surrounding time flowed again!

In an instant, the countless thin needles continued to gather at the girl's speed.

The girl's face was a little pale, but she couldn't use other magic in time......

Just as she was holding her head with her hands in horror, an old voice sounded faintly......

Inverted Hourglass ......

……

Yuriyu put away her white staff and walked slowly towards Kuya.

“……”

Kuya looked at the thin needle that was suspended in the air again, and couldn't react for a moment......

It wasn't until Yuriyu came to her side that two crystal tears hung from the corners of her eyes......

"Little Kuya, take a break. You have barely closed your eyes for more than ten days...... If you continue like this, your body won't be able to hold on......"

Yuriyu looked at the thin Kuya in front of him, his face full of worry.

"No, no......"

Kuya wiped tears from her eyes and looked up and smiled at Yuriyu.

"I—I'd better continue training, after all, at my current level, I still can't deserve this pendant......"

As the words fell, Kuya struggled to her feet.

She re-applied [Float] to the thin needle that had fallen to the ground, and staggered into the distance......

……

"Now I ...... Nor worthy of him......"

……

Looking at the girl's weak figure, Yuriyu never said anything to help her heal.

Sighing secretly, Yuriyu stared at the staff in his hand with a slight sadness......

"Am I wrong? Maybe little Kuya shouldn't have taken this path at all......"

"Huh? Yuriyu, what are you talking to yourself about there? It can't be dementia, right? ”

An extremely discordant voice forced Yuriyu out of his thoughts.

She raised her head with a slight frown, and was greeted by a smirking Stantin......

Before Standin could say a second sentence, he received a blow to the head.

"it?!"

Statin covered his bald head in pain and subconsciously took a few steps back.

After a few moments, he exclaimed, "Are you crazy!" Why don't you just blow someone's head without saying a word......"

Before he finished speaking, his bald head received another double blow......

……

Yuriyu looked at Stantin, who was squatting on the ground with his head in his hands, and the corners of his forehead were rarely raised.

"Are you too embarrassed to yell at me? Who told you to tell Sù Kuya that the pendant was the possession of the protectors of the Chaoyang Kingdom?! I almost wanted to throw you into that dragon's lair! ”

"Uh...... It's not like I can't keep my mouth shut for a while, you're going to sue her sooner or later anyway, right? ”

Stantin stood up in disbelief, his eyes looking a little erratic.

Yuriyu seemed to want to reprimand something, but in the end all the words turned into a sigh......

"You're right, little Kuya will have to face this sooner or later...... But by no means now! ”

The staff in his hand slammed to the ground, and Yuriyu's expression became extremely stern.

Even though Kuya knew what it meant, she was still willing to accept it...... But it's always unfair to her! ”

"Unfair? What's that, hasn't little Kuya already agreed......"

“……”

"Hug, hug, hug, sorry! But, but but, but Marilyn must have her own ideas! Anyway, don't get angry, okay?! ”

“……”

"Ahh That's right, that's right! Maybe Marilyn just wants to help little Kuya at the Rising Sun Festival? Maybe she wants to go back after the Rising Sun Festival? ”

“…… Stantin ...... You get the idea, right? ”

“……”

“……”

Yuriyu silently watched in the direction in which Kuya had disappeared, and the corners of her eyes were a little moist......

"The pendant and notes of the protector mage of the Kingdom of the Rising Sun...... Once you send it out, you will never come back......"

“……”

"And there are two kinds of ...... when it is sent out"

“……”

"One is that the current protector mage is handed over to a suitable successor when he retires......"

“……”

"And the other is that a suitable successor has been found, but the current protector mage is ......"

Two lines of tears flowed from Yuriyu's eyes......

At this moment, her gray hair turned completely white......

Standin was startled and hurriedly supported her crumbling body.

……

"But I know that my life is coming to an end......"

――――――――――

[PS: Thank you for the encouragement of Guyuemu Yuyun~~ Sorry...... The author's procrastination has flared up again......]