Choices and Decisions (5)
During the two-week break, everyone focused on their own preparations.
Their objective: Charon, the possessor of Poseidon's divine power. And the capital of Palma, where he resided.
‘Well, it’s not actually Poseidon, but something impersonating him.’
Whatever it was, it held the key to the potential civil war in Palma. And if it was a devil, it was a time bomb that could even trigger a war between Gods and devils.
A civil war might break out the moment Frondier headed to the capital. No amount of preparation was enough.
Headmaster Carla, aware of this, visited Frondier's house whenever he had time to discuss the matter.
“This is the map of Palma’s capital,” Carla said, bringing a table and spreading a map on it.
“It takes about five hours by car from here. Quite far, isn't it?”
“If you were to draw a straight line between here and the capital, would it still take about five hours by car?”
“Yes, it’s already close to a straight road.”
Quite far indeed.
It wasn't just a detour due to mountains or valleys; it was a five-hour drive even in a straight line.
This was simply a matter of physical distance.
‘At this distance, it would take quite a while for news from there to reach here. Major events would be visible through Wizard View, but we wouldn’t even notice the smaller movements.’
In the worst-case scenario, by the time news of a possible civil war reached them, the capital might already be in the midst of it.
“It will be difficult to contact you once you leave,” Carla said.
“Meaning we can't expect any backup.”
“Not like we have anyone to send backup anyway,” Lily said from the side. She was right.
“Who will accompany you?” Elodie asked Frondier. How many of them would be heading to the capital? It was a crucial question. It was time for Frondier to exercise his leadership.
“First…” Frondier began, raising his finger to point at Elodie, but immediately stopped upon sensing her gaze filled with immense determination.
He shifted his gaze, and there was Selena.
“...”
Selena, with her lips tightly shut, spoke only through her eyes.
—You’re not leaving me behind again, are you?
Her gaze was fierce enough to kill, or die trying.
“...Selena, for starters.”
“As expected. I knew I could count on you.”
Don’t lie.
Selena's complexion brightened as she smiled sweetly. Frondier could only shake his head in resignation.
“But you’ll be acting separately.”
“... ! Why?!”
“Because you can fly to me immediately if I’m in danger.”
With Shadow Transition, Selena could be by Frondier's side at any moment.
So it was better for her to act separately from him. While she could come to him anytime, it wasn't easy for her to leave once she was there.
“Ugh, this doesn't feel right,” Selena said, sounding frustrated.
“Not at all. What are you talking about?”
Frondier then looked at Elodie.
“And Elodie, basically, move freely. We don't know what kind of situation might arise, so I need you to be flexible. I’ll entrust you with most things.”
“Yeah, got it.”
“Need a vanguard?”
“Nope.”
“Good.”
Their conversation was so concise it was almost empty. But it seemed to be enough for them.
“Lily and Arald, please stick with me. Our goal is to find the devil after all. It’ll be reassuring to have you two.”
“I can’t tell the difference between devils and humans either, you know?” Lily said.
“That’s alright. You know much more about the devil’s way of thinking and their knowledge than I do.”
The two nodded in understanding.
Frondier looked at Mei.
“Mei, I’m sorry, but can you watch the house this time?”
It was dangerous to take Mei along. It wasn’t about worrying for Mei’s safety, but rather, what might happen if she saw a devil or a God.
The time would come when Mei would be needed. But not now.
“You don’t have to apologize,” Mei said.
With that, the roles of everyone present were decided.
However, there was one person left. Elodie asked,
“What about Aias and Glaucus?”
“Of course not. It’s too dangerous.”
His answer was immediate. The two were just students he was teaching in the magic engineering department, and had nothing to do with this plan.
They might actually tag along if he asked, but he had no intention of doing so.
“What about Basileo?” Elodie asked.
“I’ll bring him, but I’ll leave him somewhere extremely safe. If a situation arises where he might be in danger, we’re aborting the entire plan and retreating. It’ll be a mission failure.”
“...He said he ‘didn't want to be alone’ with such incredible resolve. And here you are, making it sound like you’ll let him fight, just like you did with Basileo.”
“That was just to test his resolve.”
Frondier shook his head resolutely.
“I won't let him get hurt.”
“...Hmm, alright.”
Elodie nodded, her lips pressed together tightly for some reason.
Selena, who had been listening from the side, asked,
“Um, what about Pielott?”
Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. Tiers starting at 10$ per month and you can access upto 40 advance chapters! Choose your tier by clicking the 'Support me' button! Join our discord server for latest release updates and novel discussions. Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Bonus chapters on reaching milestones. Happy reading!