“Is this it?”
Asks Rurika, and Naoto nods.
There are columns in front of us, and one has what looks like a door.
Naoto grabs the nob and opens it, and we see a woman lying on the floor in the center, dressed in white.
I try to use People Appraisal on her, but it’s like something is repelling the skill.
But from what I can see from here, she has that characteristic black hair, so there’s a good chance that’s Miharu.
“I was told only royalty and heroes could come here, but…”
Says Naoto, but I think the fact that he thought she might be here, and that he brought us here at all, means he’s no longer trusting what the king said.
Then he tries to enter, but he takes a couple of steps back, like something repelled him.
“What was that?”
I ask, but Naoto stays silent.
Instead of responding, he fearfully puts out his hand, which stops right when it was about to get inside that column.
“A wall? I can’t move any further. Even if I try to force it…”
Naoto’s hand is pushed back. Does it hurt?
“Ah! You can’t enter. That’s a sacred place where only royalty may enter! Lowly people like you can’t get in!”
Yells the sorcerer from before with a smug tone.
So annoying. I’m sure everyone’s thinking the same too.
And as if speaking for everyone, Hikari hits him with the handle of her dagger.
Her complete lack of mercy gives me chills, but I’m applauding on the inside.
“Tell us how to get in.”
The sorcerer with the crushed nose can’t even hold it, because his hands are bound. He opens his mouth like he’s going to speak, but closes it.
I think he was about to say something in defiance, but he felt danger when Hikari quickly held up her dagger.
He takes a deep breath, then another, and starts speaking slowly and clearly, with a polite tone.
“I can’t do it. Only the king knows. It’s true! I really don’t know!! Please believe me.”
He yells that last part in desperation because halfway through, Hikari’s body twitches.
Scary girl. Well, I guess it’s not strange considering how she was raised.
“What are you going to do?”
Asks Hikari while tilting her head after coming back.
She seems less proactive now, but I guess it’s natural.
That sorcerer is like a completely different person now. Wait, did he pass out?
I use Magic Energy Detection to examine the column, and feel strong magic energy. Actually, I feel like it’s releasing it.
Is this place like the linchpin of the barrier that protects the capital?
I wake up the fainted sorcerer to ask more about it, but it’s not simple.
It’s all good when I use Water Magic to force him to wake up, but then he starts making a fuss like he’s deranged.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget his face twisted with fear the moment he looks at Hikari.
In the end, I use Dark Magic to hypnotize him into calming him down, and finally get him to talk.
According to him, this is like the heart of the barrier centered around the capital. The holy sword used to maintain it, but since they handed it to Naoto, they placed Miharu here to use as a replacement.
However, the weakened Miharu doesn’t have the same power as the holy sword.
He also says that they’ve been keeping her here ever since they gave Naoto the holy sword, under the guise of treating her.
“How could they…”
Naoto clenches his fists, and glares at the column where Miharu is.
Do we need to bring the king here and have him release her? I think as I keep examining the column with Magic Energy Detection.
I focus and look more closely, and see the starting points… What looks like the linchpins of the magic energy.
If I destroyed this, could I destroy the barrier?
First, I try asking Chris what would happen if the barrier was destroyed.
She says that destroying a magic barrier wouldn’t bring down a building.
I try asking the hypnotized sorcerer too, and he starts speaking loudly.
He actually starts speaking so eloquently, that I start imagining how he would sound if he wasn’t hypnotized.
Anyway, he also says that destroying the barrier won’t destroy the building. And that if it could be destroyed that easily, they would be afraid to live here.
I’ll believe that, so I start preparing to destroy the barrier.
First, I take out a gun. It’s the most effective way to take out those linchpins inside the barrier.
Then I replicate several dragon fangs and turn them into bullets.
God killing bullets. They even finished off the goddess. If these don’t do it, we really have no choice but to bring the king.
I take aim, and destroy the important parts with one or two shots.
And when they’re all destroyed, the flow of the magic energy changes.
What felt like a mist hanging over all this time is now dissipating.
I use Presence Detection just to check, and sure enough, I can see where everyone is clearly.
Then I reach towards the other side of the door, and see that I can get in with no problem.
Naoto takes off running towards Miharu when he sees that, and we follow him.
Miharu is on the floor, like she’s sleeping. But a closer look shows that her face is pale, like blood isn’t flowing.
Name – (Miharu) / Job – (Saint) / Level – (63) / Race – (Otheworlder) / Condition – (Weakness)
I cast Heal and Recovery, and we take her out of here.
Let’s leave her to Naoto.
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Thanks for the treat.