As Shien grumbled over it, Lucy instead seems to really confident in her blessing and started wandering about in the surrounding area.

Sometimes they entered a forest.

Sometimes they climbed up a hill.

Sometimes they jumped down into a cavern.

Sometimes they took a small trail.

Lucy simply wander about blindly like that, but she wasnt slow at all. Even Shien started to feel tired just following her around.

However, right as Shien was beginning to get impatient, Lucy arrived before a mountain.

And right as they reached before the mountain, both Shien and Lucy suddenly stopped moving at the same time.

No way, right?

Shien also seemed like he detected something as he muttered to himself.

It looks like weve hit the jackpot.

Lucy stared intently at the mountain in front of her, her gaze turning extremely sharp.

You really managed just by luck?

While Shien was at a loss, at the same time, his eyes were also focused on the mountain before him.

Thanks to the responses from the [Magic Detection] skill, Shien could clearly detect a faint emanation of magic power from somewhere within that mountain.

That magic power was extremely faint. If it wasnt Shien and Lucy who stumbled across it, then it may really have likely gone undiscovered.

However, that magic power had a certain very evil, dark, and vicious feeling to it. That told the two of them that there seems to be something unbelievable there.

This situation is abnormal no matter how one looks at it.

Therefore, perhaps it really is as Lucy said, that theyve hit the jackpot.

Especially given that within that evil, dark, and vicious magic power, theres also an unusually high amount of magic power responses.

Shien could be certain. Those magic power are definitely that of demonic beasts.

In other words, theres something in this mountain, and theres also a high number of demonic beasts as well.

It cant be that all the demonic beasts around the Capital have been gathered here, right?

Shien remembered that Lucy had mentioned it. That a lot of demonic beasts had left their fixed nests and have gone off to parts unknown.

In that case, isnt it quite likely that theyve been gathered here?

What now?

Shien looked toward Lucy and asked.

Lucy didnt hesitate.

Were going in to take a look.

The Princess said that without hesitation.

Is it really necessary to be so reckless? Shien objected slightly, Since weve already found the location, why not go back and mobilize an army to purge this place?

No. Lucy shook her head, If we go back to mobilize the knight orders, then it may very likely end up alerting certain people. At that point, the issues here may very likely end up covered up, so we cant give those schemers the time and opportunity.

The one that Lucy means is probably Jacinta, huh?

I get the logic Shien however still grumbled, But are we really going to just go in on our own like this?

What are you so afraid of? Lucy rolled her eyes at Shien while speaking in an irritated tone, Youre a Hero, and Ive also inherited the Heros Holy Sword. With the two of us working together, we could even be a challenge for existences on the level of the three great goddesses and six great demon lords. So what are you so worried about?

Thats true enough. If its Shien and Lucy together, then theres probably no opponent that could match the two of them in the mortal world.

However, one thing bears repeating. Logic might say so, but if the two of them really do try go up into the mountain to deal with this matter on their own, it feels like theyre just asking for something unexpected to happen

Blind arrogance is deadly, princess.

Thus, Shien started trying to convince her.

Unfortunately, Lucy refused to listen at all.

Really you. Sometimes, youre obviously really rash and reckless, but sometimes, youre instead strangely cautious and cowardly. I just dont get you sometimes. Lucy gave Shien a glare, Enough already, just come along with me already.

With that, Lucy didnt give Shien any more changes to object and just directly grabbed him and dragged him toward the direction of the mountain.

Shien started struggling, but the princesss arm strength is by no means inferior to his on, so she managed to drag him deep into the mountain.

Thus, Shien had decided.

Next time, hes definitely going to be sneaking some stuff in that girls deserts and let her have a taste of despair.

Otherwise, she might really think that she could get away with such things.

Deep in the mountain, the sound of birds, animals, and bugs have all vanished, creating a dead and crushing atmosphere.

Shien and Lucy walked on a mountain path, the only sounds around being just their footsteps.

Say, Shien.

Lucy, still dragging Shien along, had turned more and more serious the further they went into the mountain.

It couldnt be helped.

Do you feel it?

Lucy whispered her question at Shien.

Yeah. Shien nodded. There was no more trace of laziness on his face. Instead, he had a deep frown on him as he spoke, Originally, I had thought that there was something unnatural on this mountain, but now, it looks like whats unnatural is this mountain itself.

Thats right.

After entering the mountain, Shien managed to detect it. This mountain itself seems to be very abnormal. It made the flows of magic power on the mountain move in an organized manner. As it absorbed the magic power in the air, it also forced that magic power to flow toward a certain location. It was obviously abnormal.

It cant be

Shien thought of a certain possibility.

And Lucy had also thought of the same thing.

I keep feeling like something was set up on this mountain, that its currently enacting an enormous ritual.

Lucy so spoke.

That was what Shien was thinking as well.

N the past few days, Shien didnt exactly spend all his time in the library for nothing. While he was constantly memorizing the incantations for astro and enchant magic, he had also gained deeper and deeper understandings of magic itself.

Thus, Shien also thinks that the situation here feels like its currently enacting some kind of enormous ritual.

I cant think of another explanation for this situation other than being something man-made.

Thats what Shien believes.

Are Lord Jacinta and them really preparing to do something in the mortal world? In the Capital at that/

Lucy had a bad look on her face.

If that really was true, then the mortal and demon race might end up in conflict and battle once mire.

Just what is that Demon Commander trying to do? Shien doesnt understand either, He knows full well that his actions might end up causing problems for both races, but hes still doing something like that. It cant be that hes Old Demon Faction as well, right?

Lucy didnt say anything, but she did not have a good look on her face.

We

Lucy was getting ready to say something.

However, right at that moment, Shien reacted.

Dodge!

Shien suddenly yelled out without any hesitation and shot backwards.

!

Lucy also reacted and leaped up without hesitation, escaping from where she was.

Boom!

In that same instant, the place where Shien and Lucy once stood exploded, blasting up a wave of dust.

And within it, a humongous creature dove out.

Gaaaaa!!!

A roar came out of its mouth.

For Shien and Lucy, one backed off into the distance while the other jumped up on a large tree as both of them gazed upon that creature.

With but one look, the expressions on both of them changed once more.

Its because the creature was something that neither have ever seen before.