Chapter 52

"It's a nasty wind. It carries a deep malevolence, though slight. Where could it be hiding...?"

While walking through the Mead and Varj territory, a familiar voice echoed from above.

I turned my gaze to the rooftops of the surrounding buildings.

There was a woman sitting on the roof, gazing at the sky.

The woman was clad in a solemn robe adorned with magical symbols.

Her profile was as beautiful as if an artist had poured their life into completing it.

Her slightly melancholic gaze towards the sky could easily be a scene from a religious painting, if not for the peeling paint on the roof and the phantasmal beast Nyaun she held in her arms.

Phantasmal beasts are rare magical creatures.

Nyaun, in addition to its adorable appearance, is inherently less aggressive.

This makes it highly popular as a pet magical creature.

However, sightings of Nyaun are extremely rare, and it is known for its ability to move at high speeds by manipulating the wind, making it difficult to capture.

Even if an adventurer manages to catch one, wealthy nobles would likely spend a fortune to acquire it, leaving almost no chance for the average person to obtain one.

"Where did that Law God get the money? Did he beg it from Peter?"

I muttered while looking at Kuudor.

Peter, who probably failed miserably in trying to control Kuudor and ended up sparing her life multiple times, would likely feel indebted to her.

If I were Kuudor, I would definitely go to Peter for financial support in this situation.

"Umm... I don't think that's the case, right?"

Mia responded with a wry smile.

Incidentally, Peter is also generous to me, perhaps due to a sense of guilt.

Even now, the special permit for the use of magic and alchemical experiments that I requested from Peter after the incident is supposed to be returned to me through a messenger.

However, if Peter had acted promptly, a messenger should have arrived by now, but there is still no sign of Peter's messenger.

He couldn't possibly be having trouble obtaining permission from the royal family or the church, could he?

If this continues, I intend to visit Peter with Kuudor.

Since the battle at the ancient sanctuary, this is not the first time I have met Kuudor.

Kuudor, based in the Varj territory, travels throughout the Kingdom of Dinarot.

In the Varj territory, she is welcomed as a beautiful traveling adventurer.

She often seems to enjoy sightseeing, as I frequently see her holding souvenirs from various territories.

Incidentally, the collector who boasts of being able to see auras was completely terrified by Kuudor.

The collector, who usually dislikes me, repeatedly asked, "What is that monster? Did you bring it?" in a trembling voice.

According to Altamia, the auras the collector sees are "an extension of the ability to infer a person's rank based on their words and actions." But what did the collector see in the great god Kuudor, the ruler of the mythic era?

I have many questions for Kuudor.

Why did she react to Mia? What does the impending calamity signify? What does she want me to do?

And what happened to the promise of giving me the "Sephirah's Judgment Staff" and the "Gluttony Dragon's Magic Organ" as a reward for overcoming the trials? Could a god be lying?

However, whenever I ask her anything, she mostly ignores me.

She only says, "You will understand when the time comes," or "I will tell you then."

Every time we meet, she insists, "You will work to replenish the magic power I have spent," but I have received no specific instructions or orders.

Kuudor, sitting on the roof, looked down at me.

"I thought it was someone else, but it's Abel, who wasted the magic power I had been saving for the impending calamity, and that girl."

This god might hold grudges.

I stepped in front of Mia.

Kuudor had previously tried to kill Mia.

For Mia, Kuudor is not someone she wants to face.

"Abel. It seems the time will come soon when I will need your power. Until then, hone your magical skills to perfection."

Kuudor told me.

Until now, she had not spoken about the impending calamity, but now she has finally brought it up.

Perhaps now she will answer my questions.

"...Is the enemy one of the Four Great Creators?"

The only ones who could instill a sense of crisis in Kuudor are the Four Great Creators.

In fact, it is true that the Four Great Nations, led by Revaras, are showing signs of unrest.

After a brief silence, Kuudor spoke.

"I destroyed the Four Great Creators. But they are all monsters. It's not impossible for them to be hiding and deceiving me. That's why I needed to maintain my power, as there was no guarantee they were gone."

As a powerful high-level spirit and an artificial spirit, Kuudor consumes magic power just by existing, and her natural magic power regeneration is extremely low.

To counter them, she had no choice but to seal herself and wait for the enemy to show itself.

"However, I do not know who this new enemy is. But it is certain that someone is preparing to fight me."

She then turned her gaze to Mia, who was standing behind me.

...Even during the battle at the ancient sanctuary, Kuudor clearly changed her strategy when she saw Mia.

"What concerns me is where the enemy is hiding. No matter how skillfully they hide, anyone with the magical power of the fire god Mahalbo or the air god Sylphaim cannot escape my detection... Yet, I cannot pinpoint their location or identity. If they are hiding at the edge of the dimensions or in a physically distant place, even I might lose track of them... But if they are that far away, it should be difficult for them to return to this land."

She casually omitted the names of the water god Levi and the earth god Galuja.

She seems to have no interest in the two lower-level Four Great Creators. I felt somewhat uneasy.

I took a deep breath and asked Kuudor again.

"Why did you target Mia?"

"As long as you are with that girl and not with me, I cannot speak of it."

It seems she has no intention of answering this question.

Mia gripped my hand tightly, likely feeling anxious about facing Kuudor.

However, there is still something I need to say to Kuudor.

I tightened my lips, took a deep breath, and calmed my mind.

Mia's eyes, looking at my face, were filled with worry.

I nodded firmly and forced a smile.

I am actually scared too.

But even if the enemy is the great god of justice, there are things I cannot back down from.

Now is the only chance, as Kuudor, who usually evades questions, is unusually talkative.

"Um, I've been thinking a lot, and I really want the golden skull, the automatic magic activation device, which was called the greatest weapon of the priest Yohanan..."

"...I have spoken too much. I will leave this place again."

A gust of wind blew.

In an instant, Kuudor, who was sitting on the roof, and Nyaun, who was on her lap, disappeared.

...She got away...