Chapter 203 – Chapter 42: Awareness #5
“Having three batteries is really reliable."
"Shutra, isn't it too crude to call your sisters that?"
Anastasia frowned at In-gong's words. In fact, although it was a joke, he was almost serious.
She had felt it when she met In-gong the other day. In-gong seemed to care about Felicia a lot, but he also had a habit of eating his resources, including Felicia. Right now, Anastasia had used her magic until she was almost exhausted. Felicia had been with In-gong for a while, so she had already experienced this burn out several times.
After hearing Anastasia's words, In-gong looked at her in surprise. Despite the content of her words being a complaint, Anastasia still sounded elegant.
“Well, it seems to be working."
Carack spoke from where he was watching alone. Amita, who was more dissatisfied than Anastasia, cut into the conversation.
"Give Daphne the Heavenly Wine! This unscrupulous employer! You should guarantee a fair remuneration!"
Felicia, Anastasia, and Daphne were in charge of recovery for 'faster than the wind'. Carack shook his head in disbelief at Amita.
“Raccoon, the Heavenly Wine is good, but why are you so obsessed with it?"
"There is nothing better than the Heavenly Wine!"
Amita jumped up and yelled, then they started to pant. They were excited just thinking about the Heavenly Wine.
“Umm… it won't last forever. This is why addiction is so terrible."
Carack looked at Daphne for sympathy, and Daphne couldn't help smiling. It was at that moment that…
“Shutra, what is the Heavenly Wine?"
Anastasia tilted her head and asked. She couldn't follow the flow of the conversation because she didn't know what the Heavenly Wine was.
"Eh? Ah, yes. I never gave Anastasia noona the Heavenly Wine."
It really seemed like that was the case. He thought he had given it to Anastasia because he had given it to everyone else, but it seemed like she had never even smelt it, let alone tasted it.
"Heavenly Wine? Isn't the name too grand?"
Anastasia said with a slight frown, inducing backlash from Amita.
"It is lacking! The Heavenly Wine is really amazing! You will be amazed after drinking it!"
"Hoh, isn't that intriguing?"
Anastasia said in a coy voice and looked at In-gong with slightly fluttering eyes. Instead of responding, In-gong thought about something else.
'I can't just give it to her.'
Last night, he had drawn blood after using Spiritualism. Due to the activation of Pheromones and Divine Scent while dancing, they were infused into taste and smell of the wine, making it different from the previous Heavenly Wine. It was obvious that the effect would be great if he gave it to Anastasia without diluting it with alcohol or water. In-gong couldn't help smiling as he imagined Anastasia reacting like Amita. Then Carack frowned and said,
“Prince, you are thinking something dangerous. Your eyes are sneaky. They are burning with more ambition than usual."
In-gong had revealed too much. He quickly fixed his expression and spoke to Anastasia,
"Right now, I have none to spare. I will give it to you later."
"Hrmm."
Anastasia stared at In-gong. Her gaze showed that she knew something wasn't right. In-gong nodded and grabbed Anastasia's hand, kissing the back of it.
"Anastasia noona is a precious battery. I'll make sure to give it to you at a later time."
"Didn't I just say that it is crude to call me that?"
Anastasia said, gazing at In-gong gracefully. She truly was very elegant.
"I want to help too."
Caitlin sighed as she listened to the conversation. She could use spells, but they were only the basics. Unlike the expert magicians, Felicia and Anastasia, Caitlin was unable to use recovery magic. In-gong was about to say something to comfort Caitlin, but he managed to hold it back before committing the mistake. Caitlin was looking around at her surroundings with delighted eyes.
'It's okay, Noona is my aura battery.'
In-gong smiled at the thought, feeling that Anastasia's words were somewhat reasonable. The three princesses weren't batteries. In-gong didn't think so even as a joke. He knew he shouldn't think that way.
"Anyway… we are now approaching the limit line. Once beyond the limit line, we won't be able to march like this."
Anastasia changed the topic. Then Caitlin asked with shining eyes,
“Has Anastasia unni ever crossed over?"
Caitlin's voice was friendly, like they had become closer after the welcoming party. Anastasia responded with a gentle expression, like she didn't dislike Caitlin.
"I've only done it twice. But both times were only near the limit line. This is the first time that I will be entering the depths."
She sounded strangely more polite than when she talked to In-gong and Felicia. Anastasia continued to explain,
“Basically, it has rough terrain. Beyond the Northern Limit Line is pretty much just a cold land, so we will need to take some measures against the cold.
“There will also be creatures and barbarians… It won't be easy to reach Shutenberg's castle.”
Chris, who had been silent until now, spoke up. He was training to become the next king of the lycanthropes, but he still felt afraid to go far beyond the limit line.
“It is a shame that there is a limit on the number of people who can board the Black Flame Dragon."
The number of soldiers led by the royal children reached nearly 200. That was over the limit for the Black Flame Dragon, so they needed to move on land. Anastasia looked up at the Black Flame Dragon and narrowed her eyes.
“Even if it was possible to fit them, riding it is impossible. There is severe turbulence beyond the Northern Limit Line, so it won't be able to fly as fast as before."
The altitude was likely to not be particularly high. Beyond the Northern Limit Line, the winds were as sharp as knives, so the sails of the Black Flame Dragon were likely to be damaged. They hadn't even reached the castle of Arch Lich Shutenberg, yet there were already ominous thoughts. Chris shrugged and said in a cool voice,
“Well, there are many magicians, and there are no ordinary people among the soldiers. Won't it be okay somehow?"
Along with the dark elves who had come from Sky Forest, the lycanthropes, the nightmares, and the suras, who had joined at Enger Plains, were all the best of their kind. In-gong's independent unit was unconventional and didn't contain anyone ordinary either. There were many strong troops like the ogres and golems.
As the conversation continued, their voices naturally became louder. Then Felicia, who had been resting in a separate place, approached.
“What are you talking about?"
Felicia was currently taking a break, but she had been maintaining 'faster than the wind' for nearly two hours. She had laid down and rested as soon as the march stopped, but there was still fatigue on her face.
In-gong felt sorry toward her, while Anastasia just sighed. Chris watched from the side and laughed.
“I was telling Shutra that he is using Noonim too much."
"Yes. Isn't that right? He has drained his sisters."
Felicia smiled wearily, while Caitlin laughed and looked at In-gong.
“Yes, yes. Shutra is too much. I've also had my aura drained."
It was filled with affection rather than criticism. Then, instead of replying, In-gong stood up and declared,
"Now, let's depart. Anastasia noonim, I'll be asking for your magic power next."
“Are you treating me as a battery now?"
“I am too."
“How childish."
However, the princesses then burst out laughing at In-gong's expression.
“Yes, let’s start."
As Anastasia moved to the centre of the army, the aide beside her signalled for the soldiers to prepare to move. In-gong climbed on top of Maybach and thought about Shutenberg.
It had always been Warrior Locke who took out Shutenberg in Knight Saga. Additionally, the place where Shutenberg had fallen wasn't beyond the Northern Limit Line, but at the border with the Demon World and Human World.
'I think that Locke probably took down a clone.'
In-gong took a deep breath and looked beyond the Northern Limit Line with a serious expression in his eyes.
&
Locke's party arrived at that location almost half an hour after In-gong's party left. Carlov gazed at the trail of the army and huffed.
"How can an army march so fast? Are they overflowing with magic power? No, isn't this too much even if they are?"
The speed of the army was even faster than the flying ship. There were 200 troops, but they were moving at a super fast speed. Carlov had experience marching through countless battlefields, so he was confused.
However, Beatrice was worried about something else.
"Doesn't it seem like they have no luggage? How are they getting their supplies?"
They could supplement their supplies in the Demon World, but the destination was beyond the limit line. Each soldier would need to carry a large burden, but the baggage for each soldier was too light. It was almost like they were carrying nothing.
Carlov's and Beatrice’s worries deepened. They travelled all over the Demon World, but they had never encountered such an unusual maneuver.
“Well, aren't we able to go unnoticed thanks to that?"
Locke said brightly, but Carlov wasn't cheered up.
“Rather, I am worried that we will miss them."
Their movement speed was too fast. Until now, it had been easy to catch up due to the traces left behind. However, these traces might disappear beyond the limit line.
“Beyond the limit line, we will have to narrow the distance a little further."
Locke's group hadn't moved beyond the limit line yet. Compared to the children of the demon king, they were lacking in information.
“Shouldn't we just join with the children of the demon king? Their purpose is the same as ours."
Carlov scratched his chin as he spoke, but Locke shook his head.
"It isn't easy to decide. The Guardian told me to maintain a distance."
Guardian Queian didn't trust Conquest. Although Locke wondered if he needed to be so careful, he would follow Queian's words for now.
“Anyway, let's depart. Otherwise, we really will miss them."
Carlov said lightly. The children of the demon king had likely already reached the Northern Limit Line at this speed.
"Beatrice, please use recovery."
“Yes, Locke.”
Beatrice was Locke's battery. She closed her eyes and prayed quietly to her god.
&
In-gong's group reached the Northern Limit Line. In pursuit of In-gong's party, Locke's party headed toward the Northern Limit Line. Additionally, there were those who were going beyond the Northern Limit Line but toward the west.
"1st P
rince Baikal Ragnaros greets the sword duke."
"2nd Prince Zephyr Ragnaros greets the sword duke."
“Greetings, I am the saintess, Zephyr's fiancee!"
A youthful voice was added at the end. Baikal laughed, while Zephyr just closed his eyes with a bitter smile.
The sword duke couldn't help laughing. He knew about the Dark Saintess, but he had never imagined she would have such a bright personality. Furthermore, he didn't know she was the 2nd Prince's fiancee.
"I am Sword Duke Ishgard. It is a pleasure to see 1st Prince and 2nd Prince."
In response to the sword duke, Baikal smiled mildly while Zephyr opened his eyes. Altesia grinned as she approached Zephyr.
The sword duke looked at the three people before turning his gaze away. In addition to the Order of Erebos knights Altesia had brought along, there were the draconians led by Baikal and Zephyr respectively. However, the most prominent one was Quanta.
She looked like a gandharva, but the sword duke immediately identified her as a dragon. 2nd Prince was just as amazing as 9th Prince.
Quanta wasn't the same as when she met Altesia, but just like before, she was still blindfolded.
The sword duke looked at Quanta with interest before turning his attention back to the three people.
"The preparations are ready. Then there is no need to delay. Let's depart immediately."
The number of troops led by Baikal and Zephyr combined to make 500. Due to them being cavalry, the amount of supplies needed was enormous. Therefore, in terms of mobility, they had to hurry or they would lag behind In-gong's party.
The sword duke glided smoothly along the ground, immediately followed by Baikal and Zephyr.
Half a day later, aside from Victor, all the demon king's children and Warrior Locke crossed the limit line.
In different places, the War Knight and the Death Knight looked at the same place.