Chapter 57: Beyond the Map
“Really?” Leona’s eyes widened as she turned to Flora. “I hadn’t noticed Maggie being isolated by her peers. I even thought she was quite popular.”
Abyss and his companions were now within the Shadow Realm. They certainly weren’t going to travel conventionally and risk being intercepted by the enemy. Although the enemy currently seemed unthreatening, Abyss couldn’t be bothered with insignificant monsters, and the three girls had made it clear they didn’t want to see another gruesome sight of a dismembered corpse.
So, after galloping for dozens of kilometers, the two extraordinary horses were easily pulled into the Shadow Realm by Abyss, where they took a leap and flew. Leona’s “East Wind” possessed inherent flight capabilities, able to soar through the sky after transforming. Abyss’s undead warhorse, on the other hand, defied gravity, able to run wherever Abyss’s magic willed it.
“She does seem cheerful, but I noticed from the beginning that she’s actually a very lonely child,” Flora sighed softly. “She has no friends in the Druid gathering. Outside of her duties, she seeks us out, people she’s only just met. Otherwise, she stays with her master. Normally, elves her age should be looking for partners, but she barely even talks to boys her age.”
Wood Elves lived twice as long as humans, but this didn’t mean they matured at half the rate. An elf in their twenties was considered an adult. Wood Elves typically found partners in their twenties or thirties, courting for a few years before marrying and spending their lives together.
Normally, a beautiful girl like Maggie should have many admirers, but based on the four’s impression of her, she seemed to have none.
If it were simply because she was too talkative, it shouldn’t be this severe. Although Maggie was chatty and gossipy, she was agreeable and would stop when asked. Perhaps there were other reasons why others distanced themselves from her. Or perhaps… her incessant talking was related to her experiences?
“Now that you mention it, I did overlook Maggie’s relationships,” Rebecca said, holding onto Abyss’s waist as they rode the undead warhorse together. “I was also misled by her cheerful demeanor. She does seem quite lonely.”
“Yes, if possible, I want to check on her,” Flora said to Abyss. “Maggie is a kind and enthusiastic girl. She deserves to be treated more gently by the world.”
“In that case, we need to understand why others are avoiding her,” Rebecca added. “See if we can resolve her issue. Honestly, despite her talkativeness, I quite like her.”
“I feel like Baggs is hiding something from us,” Abyss said. “After we resolve the Sacred Tree issue, we need to ask him. My intuition tells me Maggie has a secret. Baggs’ willingness to stay with her might not be because she’s pretty.”
“Definitely. I don’t see any romantic interest in Baggs’ eyes when he looks at her. He’s not so lecherous as to have inappropriate thoughts about his female apprentice,” Rebecca smiled. “He clearly leers at other women.”
“Great, it seems the Leona Detective Agency has a new case.” Leona nodded with satisfaction. “Shall we start investigating after we’re done with the Sacred Tree?”
“Of course… Let’s try to resolve this quickly. If we’re lucky enough to seize the enemy’s artifact, we might even be able to effortlessly deal with this newly discovered Outer God,” Abyss smiled faintly.
…
The group’s destination was a sea region in the southwest of the Eastern Empire. According to Abyss’s insect scouting team, the problematic roots emerged in this area.
Hai-Teweru’s nautical technology wasn’t particularly advanced, limited to transporting goods, with little large-scale, long-distance seafaring. This was primarily due to the perilous nature of the sea, not only teeming with sea monsters that indiscriminately attacked passing ships but also plagued by frequent storms that disrupted navigation, along with chaotic magic that hindered mages, even injuring them.
If maritime safety couldn’t be guaranteed (venturing beyond a certain distance from the continent was practically a death sentence), then oceanic exploration and the discovery of new lands became extremely difficult.
The discovery of the Shadow Blight was a stroke of incredible luck. A geographical expert, through a series of coincidences, discovered unusual ocean currents and deduced the presence of a large island in that direction, not too far from the main continent. This led to the empire’s subsequent colonization and exploitation.
Currently, the most authoritative maps of Hai-Teweru only depicted the main continent, the Shadow Blight, and some smaller islands near the main continent. Beyond these areas was entirely unknown, a blank space on the map. Brave scholars had sailed into the unknown – and were now likely resting on the seabed.
After traveling for some time, Abyss and his companions could see the coastline. Continuing southwest would gradually bring them closer to the location of the problematic roots.
“Ahead lies the blank area on Hai-Teweru’s maps,” Rebecca said, one arm around Abyss’s waist and the other shading her eyes as she gazed at the distant sea. “This is the unknown territory that many geographers have spent their lives trying to reach. It’s a little exciting to think about. Ah, the area further offshore is completely shrouded in dense fog, obscuring the view.”
“This mission might be somewhat risky. Rebecca, you stay on the shore for now. I’ll share my senses with you. Once I’ve confirmed the environment is safe, you can come over anytime through the alchemy lab,” Abyss said, turning to Rebecca. “To be honest, I have no experience with areas far from the continent. My master’s adventures with me were limited to the mainland.”
“If you can’t use magic, let this Dou Qi Master help,” Leona thumped her chest. “Leona Express, your delivery is guaranteed!”
“Flora, Leona’s and my safety are in your hands,” Abyss said to Flora. “Our enemy is likely a minion of an Outer God. Your Divine Arts should play a decisive role.”
Flora nodded obediently. “I’ll do my best to protect you and Leona!”
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