The long sword, the lonely city, turned lightly and fell into Ellie's hands again, but the old man on the opposite side did not take the opportunity to attack, but suddenly stayed in place.

Ellie watched the Northland legend warily, and after a while, there was still no movement.

The night is getting deeper, and in the wilderness where no one is around, facing such a guy who doesn't know whether he is a human or a ghost, even if it is Ellie, who has experienced a lot of strong winds and waves, her heart is also a little worried.

Elle watched the other man and slowly retreated until the other person's figure was almost invisible in the night, then she immediately turned around and ran at full speed.

In the wilderness, there is no obvious reference, and it is easy to get lost, if Sally's necklace is in her hand, it can be of no small use, but now, Elle can only rely on her own experience.

Ellie's experience in surviving in the wild is not unlimited, whether it was a few years ago, when she and her little master went deep into the Endless Mountains to find the Mage Tower, or a few months ago, when searching for the hidden tombs of nobles, the always perfect and dashing maid lady played a huge role.

But now, when it was completely dark, in the wilderness with no reference, Ellie was really at a loss. Therefore, when Ellie, who felt that she was about to get lost, saw the lights in the distance, she couldn't help but be a little excited.

In the darkness of the night, Ellie cautiously approached the light source, but fortunately, it was not a gathering place for thieves or goblins.

For Elle saw that in the middle of the field, where many tents, campfires, and carriages were gathered, there was a small temple.

Elle knew that this was the kind of place that was characteristic of the kingdom of Clay—perhaps now called the parish of Clay—the country that was once closest to Thea in the Northlands.

The wilderness of Clay is as chaotic as the rest of the world, filled with bandits, aliens, and monsters that roam the Northland. Unlike other places, this country that believes in Ilmat has built more than a dozen temples in this wilderness, and these small temples exist to help traveling merchants, injured people who have been attacked, lost pedestrians, etc.

The question now is, what is the current state of the temple after the whole of Northland has been unified by the so-called Papal States?

Ellie carefully observed the crowd near the campfire, as she had seen before, there were caravans, mercenaries, but none of the people who wore uniform and looked like troops.

With a little relief, Ellie made up her mind and walked into the camp.

People didn't particularly care about Elle's arrival, after all, she was dressed like an ordinary adventurer.

In order to get rid of the sword ghost Velon, Ellie's luggage had been left on the road, and after a moment of hesitation around the merchants' campfires and caravans, Ellie finally entered the temple. For no other reason, the people inside could help, and she ...... I need help.

The small temple was not even as large as the antechamber of the Lilac family's castle, and as soon as Elle entered the door, she heard the woman's mournful cry.

In the center of the temple, a badly wounded man was lying on a stone platform, with a huge penetrating wound on his stomach, which, although bandaged, could not save his life.

To his right, a young woman was covering her face and weeping, and the cry Elle heard was her.

On the other side of the man, an old woman in a black veil and a skullcap held the man's hand and read a prayer in a mournful tone, which Elle listened to, mainly about the teachings of Ilmat.

It turned out to be this ...... Elle didn't come forward to disturb them, but stayed quietly in a corner of the temple, waiting for the ceremony to end.

This end-of-life conversion ritual, as far as Ellie knows, would allow the deceased to receive Ilmat's blessings and increase Ilmat's healing powers, even though it would not convert converts to Ilmat.

But now...... What is the point of such a ritual? Ellie suddenly remembered what she had said to her little master on that snowy morning.

No matter how meaningless things are, when desperate people continue to do them from generation to generation, meaninglessness becomes meaningful. It's like yourself...... After all, he chose to return to the Northlands and chose the hopeless revenge. Is this a senseless waste of one's own life......? Perhaps, but now, no.

......

The man didn't last long, and after watching the nearby clergy carry the man's body out for burial, the old woman came to Ellie.

"Traveler from afar, is there anything I can do to help you?"

Elle suddenly realizes that she may have made a big mistake.

The old woman's face was covered with a black veil, and she wore a necklace around her neck, and the figure on the emblem was a pair of pale hands bound by red ropes, which was the emblem of Ilmat, and although Elle was a little surprised that the Papal States of Stiller allowed other faiths to exist in the Northlands, it was not this that made her feel bad, but the breath of the old woman...... That's the taste of magic, very powerful magic.

Ellie was annoyed, with such a level of magic, the other party should undoubtedly be a high-ranking figure in the original Clay Kingdom, such a person is very likely to have seen her own portrait, or know some of her own characteristics, although she does not know the relationship between her and the Papal States that now dominate the Northlands...... But, in any case, it is really bad that it is possible to reveal your identity so early.

And this situation can actually be avoided.

Because of Ellie's bloodline, she already has a certain resistance to spells, and after awakening the power, this sensitivity to magic, or disgust, is even further, which allows her to easily distinguish the existence of the caster from the crowd...... Within a certain distance, and this kind of magic, which is almost comparable to the level of the little master, should not be ignored at all.

Perhaps because of the day's travel and the encounter with the sword ghost Velon, Ellie's spirit became very tired, and when she finally entered a safe place that she remembered familiarly, she unconsciously let her guard down, until now, when Ellie realized that the old woman was not an ordinary clergyman, it was too late.

"Honorable Honorable One (an honorific title for the clergy of Ilmat), thank you very much for your help. I was attacked by a small wave of goblins on the road and lost most of my luggage, so I wish I ...... Able to get a tent, and ...... Some necessary daily necessities. Ellie tried her best to ignore the threat of the other party's powerful magic, trying to keep her body in a relaxed posture, and finished her request in a smooth tone.

The old woman calmly agreed, and did not question or test her identity.

The gray-haired girl secretly breathed a sigh of relief, yes, after all, she has grown up over the years, and it is normal not to be recognized.

Following a young nun into the utility room next to her, she took out a full set of tents, as well as some dry food and water, and Elle bowed slightly to the old woman before preparing to leave.

"Bang!"

It was the sound of debris falling on the ground, and on this day, the girl who was fed up with the fright suddenly pulled out the lonely city around her waist.

At the door of the temple, an old man in white clothes and white hair, standing with his hands in his hands, looked up at the statue of the god of suffering, his expression awe-inspiring.