Only My Magic Levels Up - Chapter 184



Only Noblemtl

Episode 184: The Land of the Martyrs (3)

After parting ways with Diana, Galen and Lilia headed straight to the Vatican.

After requesting an interview, Julian brought them into his office shortly thereafter.

“Your Majesty, have you heard the news from the desert?”

Even the Pope has his work hours. Galen didn’t drag his feet and got straight to the point.

When I mentioned the information Diana had given me, Julian immediately understood and nodded.

“A report came in yesterday. Of course, it’s not a proper report, but more like a collection of rumors floating around in the area.”

“I just heard about it, but I came to ask because I wondered if there was any deeper meaning to it.”

Even though he had become accustomed to it, Galen had not lost his social sense to the point of treating the Pope as nothing more than a merchant of information.

However, there are rumors going around that a jewel is involved in this case, so I just came to check it out.

Galen and Lilia have been staying at the Vatican for about a month and a half.

Anton’s report, which he had first submitted, emphasized the need for a comprehensive investigation of the jewels, and Julian accepted the suggestion.

Considering the time it took for the order to be given, it would be nearly impossible to find any special information during that time, but they must have been more careful than usual.

Considering that the jewels are such a big deal and that the church has always been keeping an eye on their movements, the Pope would at least know the truth about the ‘jewels moving’.

“That’s partially true, the rumor.”

“Partial, you say… … .”

“We still don’t know exactly what happened in the Great Desert, but some of the rumors about the jewels moving around are true.”

“…Was that really so?”

Rumors in the world are bound to be distorted endlessly.

By the standards of ordinary people, it is a jewel that is beyond compare and a relic that is almost like a legendary place.

There’s no way these two mixed rumors could maintain their form, right?

Among the most outrageous rumors, there is even an absurd one that says that a huge treasure is hidden in the ruins and that jewels from all over the world are gathering to compete in a battle royale to obtain it.

But actually, some of them were moving.

What Diana conveyed and what Julian confirmed had a completely different weight.

“I’ll have to wait and see, but probably… three.”

“Three? That’s a lot?”

Lilia’s eyes widened. Galen’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Are the relics that popular?”

Jewels are inherently butt-heavy.

It may be because of my pride in not caring about small things, but the more fundamental reason is because I have so much to carry.

Since most of them come from prestigious families, the family’s position must be taken into consideration, and even if not, there are numerous vested interests intertwined over several decades until they reach the level of a jewel.

It’s very different from Galen, who was able to turn into a gem too quickly on his own and go wherever he wanted.

“Of course, during a normal relic exploration process, there are no cases where so many jewels are stuck together. The relics aren’t that important.”

Julian, who initially agreed with Galen’s words, added an explanation.

“But this time it’s a little different. Considering the families of those whose movements have been confirmed, it wouldn’t be strange for them to fight each other using the relics as an excuse.”

“So you’re saying that you weren’t on good terms to begin with? Then it could be a kind of battle of pride between families.”

“Or, it was the family that first discovered the ruins, or… someone in the dark who led it to become such a battle of pride.”

Galen immediately understood what Julian meant.

“Unfortunately, we are in a situation where we have to suspect all the other gems except for a few. The investigation has only just begun.”

“So, until the investigation has made some progress, we should keep in mind the connection with the Demonic Cult in mind for everything related to the jewels?”

“That’s right. Of course, as I said earlier, the jewels that are moving this time are those with sufficient motive. It’s hard to make a hasty decision as to whether they are intentional or involuntary. If Squint was aiming for that, then he must be quite an amazing guy.”

Julian asked, clicking his tongue.

“Is the reason you ask this because you intend to go there?”

“I won’t deny that I am very interested.”

In fact, I would have gone there at least once even if there had been no mention of moving jewels.

Because each of the ruins with intact cores in their cores had their own unique intruder defense system.

Like the Oklanne ruins, clay figurines may crawl out endlessly, or they may be enveloped in a mad storm like the Sky Mirror ruins.

Anyway, it’s a chance to learn some new magic, so it’s worth checking out the rumors, especially since I’m not really busy with other things.

But now that it has been confirmed that there really is a jewel there, there is bound to be even more interest.

If only warriors come, it’s a waste, but if wizards come, there are more magics to steal. I can’t stand one plus one.

“If you go, Archbishop Lilia will go with you?”

“yes!”

“hmm.”

Without a single moment of hesitation, Lilia answered. Galen asked Julian, who was drooling softly.

“Do you find it interesting?”

“You don’t need my permission to go anywhere. If you want to go, go.”

“I’m in a position where I have to be a little more careful now. Especially since I’m going with Lilia.”

“That’s why I was thinking about it. It’s not like I’m saying I won’t send it, so stop giving me that look, Archbishop Lilia.”

“Oh, yes.”

Julian, who had been tapping the armrest of his chair and lost in thought, suddenly chuckled.

“No, now that I think about it, it’s not really a problem. Just say that you heard the rumors and became curious, and come. Archbishop Lilia can say that she personally followed Duke Galen.”

“… Will they accept that so easily? Even if I get over it, Lilia is the Archbishop. She’ll try to interpret it in a political sense… … .”

“As long as there is a sufficient justification, it will be fine. You are not a member of the church, but a member of the fellowship, so they cannot say anything openly. Archbishop Lilia, what… If you just do as you are doing now, it will be enough.”

“Huh? What?”

“Even if you watch the two of them together for just one day, you won’t be able to shake the claim that they followed you ‘personally.’ That is, unless their emotional line has completely died out.”

It was said that they looked so close that it was understandable to say that they came together because they didn’t want to be separated. Galen’s gaze turned to the distance, and Lilia’s face turned bright red. Julian laughed and continued.

“Anyway, the church won’t get involved, so you can handle it as you please. As long as you two continue to do what you’ve been doing so far, there won’t be any harm done.”

“Thank you for trusting me.”

“I will act carefully! Like an archbishop!”

“Yes, yes. Just remember this. Whether or not the Devil’s Cult is involved, always be careful and cautious. No matter what happens, put each other’s safety first.”

“I will protect Lilia with my life.”

“me too!”

“No, don’t risk your life. I just said that we both need to be safe.”

There were some twists and turns, but now that I had the Pope’s permission to do whatever I wanted, there was nothing to hesitate about.

“Oh, Your Holiness. You said there were three expected jewel participants?”

“Except you guys.”

“So are the three families clashing over the relics?”

“Oh, you didn’t tell me that. There are two families to worry about: Murad and Mashrik.”

It was a name they both knew.

I don’t know about anything else, but I remembered the jewel’s personal details, so I was able to naturally connect it to the name of the family it came from.

The strongest wizarding family in the West, Murad.

The strongest in the West… I don’t know for sure, but anyway, they are almost the strongest warrior family, Mashrik.

“Then what about the other one?”

“I’m not from the West… but I have a friend who, even at his age, still hasn’t been able to shed his youthful personality and wanders the world.”

Julian’s brow furrowed as if the mere thought gave him a headache.

Galen somehow seemed to know who he was.

Of course I haven’t actually met him, but there probably aren’t two gem-level people that Julian would say things like that about.

“I think he smelled a fight.”

* * *

What’s different from previous trips is that the desert is not a place you can just go to if you want to.

But that doesn’t mean you have to prepare thoroughly.

To be precise, preparation was necessary, but Galen or Lilia didn’t need to do it.

“Then please do so.”

“Leave it to me!”

All you had to do was go to the Chroma branch at the top of Kalia and make a request, and it would be resolved.

The messenger from above left for the west first, while Galen and Lilia made simple preparations for the journey and left the city the next day.

By the way, the Knights of the Holy War were so sad that they could no longer spar, that Diana, who had spread the rumor, had to listen to the other leaders jokingly complaining about it or something.

Anyway, the two of them rode a carriage and headed west, receiving the latest information from the upper branch of Kalia in the cities they passed through.

Ahre Huh, we arrived at our destination.

The border between the Central and Western Archdioceses. It’s still a bit of a desert, but it’s more like a small city or a large village built at the very eastern entrance to the Great Desert.

The Great Desert was not a complete wilderness like a mountain range or a forest, but people lived there, and there had to be a base for the exchange of goods with the outside of the desert, so there were quite a few small bases that developed along the desert’s border. This was one of them.

“Welcome, you two. I’ve been waiting for you.”

The staff at the top of Kalia, who had been sent in advance, had already completed all preparations to enter the desert.

“Should I wear this? I heard it’s extremely hot in the desert… … .”

“That’s why. The sunlight blocked like that is more dangerous than the heat you get from being wrapped up so tightly. That’s what everyone wears in the desert.”

“Really? Well, I guess that’s right.”

Cover your entire body with a pure white cloth, and cover your face with cloth except for your eyes to protect against the sandstorm.

We hired a guide who was familiar with the desert, and we meticulously prepared the camels we would ride and all the other luggage. The two people who had just arrived were really only required to carry their bodies.

Oh, there was one thing I left out.

“Excuse me, but… I can’t see any water at all. What’s going on…?”

“I asked them to remove it because it took up the most weight.”

“yes?”

“Because you can just make it whenever you need it.”

Galen lightly raised his hand in front of the guide who was expressing his doubts. The water spirit wrapped around him like a bracelet spat out a lump of water the size of a person’s head in the blink of an eye.

“Huh?!”

“Don’t worry about water, you’ll have enough to drink for a lifetime.”

The guide, who was already polite, became twice as polite after his face turned slightly pale, perhaps because he had been paid a lot.

It was like Galen was the only one carrying water while crossing the desert, so it couldn’t be helped. How could one be arrogant toward someone who truly held the power of life and death?

With much lighter luggage and fewer people than the average traveler, they entered the desert.

And five days passed.

“Ugh… … .”

Lilia groaned as she lay on the camel. Her posture should be unstable, but she didn’t wobble at all. Her skills were also good.

“This is a place I would never have come to alone… … .”

“I’m sorry. I asked you to come for no reason.”

“No! You don’t have to feel sorry, I said I would follow you!”

Lilia, who had responded firmly to Galen’s apology, soon slumped again.

“But… Aside from that, I wouldn’t say it’s a good place to travel. I’ve heard it’s desolate, but I didn’t know it’d be this sandy… … .”

It was similar to the sea in that no matter how far you went, you would see the same scenery, but at least the sea had a refreshing breeze, except for the salt.

Above all, didn’t the sea know how to move forward with the wind even when the ship was still? Here, since I had to steer the camel myself, I couldn’t rest comfortably.

In fact, it was hard for Galen too. He had been the one who suggested it, so he just held it in because it would have been a crime to show displeasure if he had asked to come.

Surprisingly, this was a relatively ‘comfortable’ trip. At least they had access to water.

“Just wait a little longer and you’ll soon arrive at the village. You can rest there tonight.”

It was a complaint I always heard when guiding people through the desert, so I knew how to appease her. When the guide spoke carefully, Lilia nodded weakly.

Some time later, when the sun was just beginning to take on a reddish hue.

A small village formed around a small oasis. For now, only Lillia could see it.

“Is that right?”

“Yes? Oh, yes. That would be right.”

It was too far away to see clearly, but the guide nodded in agreement as he looked in the direction she was pointing.

As they continued on, Galen began to see the faint outline of the village.

at that time.

“Huh?”

Lilia, who had regained her energy and returned to her upright posture, suddenly tilted her head.

A different direction from those approaching the village from the east. The north side of the village.

Far away, just enough for her to catch a glimpse of the large body, someone was walking across the desert.

At first I thought they were villagers, but then I thought about it and realized they were still quite far from the village.

There doesn’t seem to be anything there but sand, so why would you be walking there alone?

However, it was hard to believe that they were travelers from another place, as there were no camels or large backpacks to be seen. Their attire was too simple, as if they were just out for a walk around the neighborhood.

“Why is that?”

“Over there―”

Lilia, who was about to answer Galen, who asked her a question without knowing English because her eyesight wasn’t as good as hers, opened her eyes wide.

“Hic?!”

Without any sign. Well, it was too far away to feel any sign.

Suddenly something huge burst out of the sand.

This is my first time seeing it in person, but I’ve seen pictures of it in picture books.

The desert was an environment where it was difficult for both humans and animals to live fairly, so there were almost no animals, but there were still some.

The most powerful and dangerous of the evil species. A hideous appearance resembling a giant yellow caterpillar.

“Sandworm!”

“yes?”

It may be a long distance for an average person, but it’s not that far for a powerful evil like the Sandworm. If the village were to be attacked, it would be a disaster.

Lilia was about to drive the camel in a hurry.

Phew!

A refreshing crushing sound, perhaps not the kind you would hear if you heard it.

The sandworm’s gaping mouth was ripped off entirely.

“Huh?”

While Lilia was hesitating.

Pupupupupu!

The sandworm’s body burst apart sequentially from top to bottom. It was shattered to pieces so that its original form was unrecognizable.

“uh…….”

“Lilia?”

Galen asked a little worriedly, still not knowing what was happening on the other side. Lilia, who had been licking her lips a few times, leaned towards Galen.

“Well, there’s that friend the Pope mentioned before we left.”

“Oh, yes.”

Lilia whispered softly, glancing at the large creature emerging intact from the sandworm’s remains.

“I think we’ve met.”