Chapter 98

It has been a day and a half since stepping back into the world of reddish-copper.

Aichi drove the four-wheeled vehicle, stirring up a cloud of sand as he sped towards the Principality of Ankaji. The original destination was supposed to be the Haltina Tree Sea, but Kyouko suggested that if they used the Regeneration Magic, they might be able to restore the oasis of the Principality of Ankaji to its original state. She asked them to give it a try.

Regeneration Magic, as the name suggests, is a magic that can "return everything to its original state." Therefore, even an oasis that has been polluted and cannot be purified by Recovery Magic might be restored to its original state.

Since it was on the way, and the last time they were in a hurry and didn't even have the chance to enjoy the local fruit specialties, the others had no particular reason to object, so they went along with Kyouko's suggestion.

Now, as they approached the entrance to Ankaji, they saw a long queue at the city gate, which was different from the last time they came. Several large carriages were lined up, and the atmosphere suggested that it was a caravan.

"Quite a large caravan..."

"...Yeah, it looks like we'll have to wait a while."

"Probably, they are bringing in supplies?"

As Kyouko speculated, the long line was a caravan sent by the Kingdom of Helich to deliver relief supplies to the Principality of Ankaji at its request. The kingdom's relief forces had already entered. The caravans that could be seen now, as long as they were not engaged in black market activities, seemed to be accepted by Ankaji.

After all, with the water source cut off, except for the already harvested reserves, crops watered with toxic water could not be eaten for safety reasons. In addition to water, a large amount of food was needed. There was no room for choice.

Aichi glanced at the caravan queuing up in the middle of the desert, where sand was flying, and drove the four-wheeled vehicle directly towards the entrance. He had no intention of waiting in line.

Suddenly, a black object rushed past, and the caravan people shrank back in surprise. "Is it a monster!?" they must have screamed in their hearts. The gate guards also raised their weapons at the four-wheeled vehicle, which was approaching, stirring up sand, and looked at it with a mixture of caution and fear.

However, a guard who found it strange that the scene at the gate had suddenly become noisy and came out of the guardhouse, upon seeing the four-wheeled vehicle, widened his eyes as if he had noticed something and advised his colleague to stop the inspection and issue a warning, without even picking up his weapon. He then ran forward to greet them and instructed other soldiers to run back and relay the message.

Aichi and his group arrived at the gate and got out of the vehicle, ignoring the gazes of the surrounding people. As usual, the people around them were captivated by the beauty of the moon and others, and then they were stunned by the four-wheeled vehicle, which suddenly disappeared into the "Treasure Vault."

"Ah, it's the Apostles. You've returned."

The soldiers were relieved to see Kyouko. Probably, this soldier had seen the four-wheeled vehicle when Aichi brought Bez or when Aichi and his group set off for the Great Volcano of Gurun.

Moreover, it seemed that he regarded it as the vehicle of Kyouko, who was known as one of the "Apostles" and was well-known in Ankaji. Since it was not entirely wrong, Aichi and his group did not particularly correct it. Since Kyouko had the highest recognition, she took the lead in the negotiations.

"Yes, actually, we have obtained a magic that might be able to purify the oasis, so we came to try it out. We want to speak with the lord..."

"Purify the oasis!? Is that true!?"

"Yes, yes. It's just a high possibility..."

"No, no, it's just as expected of the Apostles. I apologize for not welcoming you properly. I have already sent someone to inform the lord. If we miss each other, it would be a shame, so please wait in the reception room. Upon hearing of the Apostles' visit, the lord will surely come immediately."

Indeed, they were recognized as national heroes, and from the soldiers' gazes, Aichi and his group could feel a great deal of respect. The reception was VIP treatment. Aichi and his group glanced at the merchants who were looking at them with curious eyes and were guided by the gate guards, stepping back into the Principality of Ankaji.

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About fifteen minutes after Aichi and his group arrived at the reception room, Lord Lanz ran over, out of breath. He arrived quite early, which showed how important Aichi and his group were to Lanz and the others.

"It's been a while... Not really. It's better to be safe than sorry, Prince Aichi. When Princess Thea brought back the 'Silent Stone,' I was really worried. You have already become the savior of our principality. It would be troublesome if you died without even saying thank you."

"Don't be so formal. But as you can see, I'm still alive and kicking. Thanks. By the way, Lord, it seems the relief has arrived smoothly."

"Yes. Thanks to the pre-stored food and the reservoir made by Princess Tsuki, we managed to buy enough time. With the aid from the kingdom and the help of various merchants, we have managed to prevent the people from starving."

Saying this, Lanz, whose cheeks were slightly thinner, smiled calmly. He must have been running around day and night to save Ankaji. The results matched the fatigue he showed, and just by looking at his expression, one could tell that Ankaji was recovering well.

"Lord, about the purification of the oasis..."

"Your Highness... No, Lady Kyouko. The oasis hasn't changed. Fortunately, there is fresh groundwater, which should naturally purify it... but there has been no progress. At this rate, it will take at least half a year to completely purify it, and if the polluted soil is included, it will take more than a year."

Lanz's expression was slightly gloomy. Kyouko told him that it might be possible to purify it immediately. Lanz's reaction was very dramatic. He asked, "Is that true!?" with a momentum as if he wanted to grab Kyouko, and Kyouko, who was completely shocked, nodded repeatedly. Seeing Kyouko hide behind Aichi, Lanz coughed nervously and reorganized his posture, immediately requesting the purification of the oasis.

Since they had that intention from the beginning, Aichi nodded, and the group followed Lanz to the oasis.

The oasis was almost deserted. As a resting place, it was usually crowded and lively... thinking about this, Lanz's expression, which was usually expressionless, took on a melancholic air.

Kyouko stood by the oasis and cast the "Regeneration Magic."

Although Aichi and Sia still had no affinity for the "Regeneration Magic," Sia, although she could not activate it, gained a passive skill-like automatic recovery effect. Additionally, if she wanted to, she could specialize in the recovery speed of external injuries, magic, physical strength, and mental strength. Sia was constantly evolving. The level of her body enhancement and the proficiency of her weight manipulation were also increasing, and she seemed to be gradually turning into a heavy tank with an automatic recovery device.

Kyouko had the highest affinity, followed by Thea, and then Tsuki. Tsuki, as always, was not good at using recovery magic due to her innate magic "Automatic Regeneration." On the other hand, Kyouko, as a "Healer," had a high affinity because of the commonality between recovery and "regeneration," allowing her to use it efficiently over a wide area. However, since it required chanting and a magic circle, she could not use it in combat like Tsuki, which was a bit regrettable.

Kyouko began to chant. A long chant. After training in Einson, the initial seven minutes were reduced to three minutes. Achieving such a level in just one week was really cheating. However, since Tsuki and the others were known as "bug" characters, she became a star next to the moon, whose light was overshadowed. She seemed to have come to terms with it.

The chanting was solemn and dignified, and Lanz and his subordinates could not help but fall silent. It felt like a sacred ritual that must not be interrupted. Finally, in this place dominated by tension, Kyouko's Regeneration Magic was activated.

"──[Absolute Image]"

Closing her eyes and raising her white staff, she muttered the name of the magic.

In the next instant, a faint light like fireflies appeared in front of her, suddenly flowed, and fell into the center of the oasis. Then, the entire oasis glowed, and light particles rose into the sky. It was a mysterious and moving scene, as if purifying all the filth in this world and elevating it to the sky.

Everyone was entranced by the sight, forgetting to breathe. After the effect of the spell ended, the mysterious light covering the oasis dissolved into the sky and disappeared. Lanz and his group stood silently, immersed in the afterglow.

Aichi supported Kyouko, who was slightly fatigued and leaning on his shoulder, and urged Lanz to check the water quality. Lanz, who suddenly regained his composure