Chapter 66: Annoying the Outer God
The caravan traveled smoothly, entering the Western Empire’s territory, heading towards the Restoration Army’s hidden base.
It was midday. Princess Givia sat inside the carriage, engrossed in a book about military tactics. Abyss sat across from her, Rebecca beside him, and Flora, holding Leona, sat opposite them.
“Abyss, when do you think the Lord of Nightmares’ minions will attack us?” Leona asked, unable to contain her boredom. Givia had offered to share her book with her, but Leona had no interest in anything other than knightly romances.
“Their target is likely the potions we acquired from the Eastern Empire,” Givia said, setting down her book. “We must protect them at all costs. Not only did they cost the Restoration Army a fortune, but such a large quantity of military-grade potions is difficult to acquire now.”
“Of course, Your Highness. Leave it to me,” Abyss said, smiling reassuringly at Givia, then turned to Leona. “I don’t know when the Shadowlings will attack, but they might already be lurking along our route. We need to be vigilant.”
“By the way, you didn’t sleep at all last night, but you seem quite energetic,” Leona said, observing Abyss’s alertness. “Is that potion Ray brewed really that effective?”
Rebecca, sitting beside him, winked at him proudly.
“Yes, it’s very effective,” Abyss said, smiling. “I think we should give some to Princess Givia tonight. Your Highness, would you be willing to try it?”
Givia nodded. “I’ve tried countless remedies to escape these nightmares. I’m willing to try anything. If you experienced no adverse effects, I have nothing to fear.”
Givia’s nightmares had been a persistent problem. Leona knew nothing about such things. Abyss’s illusion magic wasn’t powerful enough to counter a god’s influence. Flora could dispel the nightmares with her Divine Arts, but she couldn’t reveal her true abilities. Even though Givia was a trusted ally, using Divine Arts openly would attract unwanted attention. So, Flora had reluctantly refrained from helping her.
But now, with Rebecca’s arrival, a solution seemed possible.
Potions relied on magic, while Givia’s nightmares were caused by a god. Directly countering them with a potion was impossible. But Rebecca had a simple solution: If she couldn’t eliminate the nightmares, she could eliminate the need for sleep.
During a rest stop, she had brewed a potion using a portable alchemy kit and ingredients purchased from a nearby city. This potion, instead of simply acting as a stimulant, eliminated fatigue. It allowed the brain to enter a state of restful alertness, reducing the need for sleep. It slightly slowed reaction time, but the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.
Abyss, who didn’t require much sleep anyway, had felt completely refreshed after consuming the potion. He had stayed up all night, playing cards with the equally sleepless girls, and was still energetic in the morning.
If it worked for him, it should work for Givia as well. He planned to have her consume the potion after an hour of sleep, hoping it would prevent the nightmares.
The Lord of Nightmares had told Abyss that he intended to break Givia’s spirit through fear. Abyss knew it wouldn’t be easy to escape his grasp, but he was determined to annoy him whenever possible.
After all, he and this arrogant Outer God were now sworn enemies. Making his enemy suffer was a worthwhile endeavor.
His only concern was the Shadowlings, lurking somewhere, waiting to ambush them.
Their presence was difficult to detect. Even Abyss had to use his heartbeat detection spell to identify them. And he still didn’t know how they managed to approach him undetected.
The Lord of Nightmares seemed to possess a way to distort perceptions, allowing his Shadowlings to infiltrate their ranks without raising any alarms, even bypassing Abyss’s senses.
There had been no attacks since they entered the Eastern Empire. Abyss didn’t believe the Shadowlings were on vacation. They were definitely planning an ambush.
“Givia, if the Shadowlings attack, prioritize your safety,” Leona said, her voice filled with concern. “Those Shadowlings are expendable. Fighting them directly is pointless. And if they target the potions, don’t try to stop them. Your life is more valuable than those potions.”
“I understand,” Givia said, nodding solemnly. “I trust your abilities. If the Shadowlings attack, I won’t be a burden.”
“Leave it to us,” Flora said, smiling reassuringly at Givia. “We’re traveling with you to protect you and those precious potions. Every potion could save a soldier’s life. We understand their importance.”
Abyss nodded. He knew how crucial these potions were for Givia’s cause. Rebecca could brew them, but the Restoration Army needed a large quantity, a scale only achievable by a proper potion factory. Rebecca, even with eight hands, couldn’t produce enough on her own.
Rebecca, meanwhile, remained silent, scribbling something in a small notebook. A new idea seemed to have sparked her interest. Abyss didn’t interrupt her, respecting her creative process.
They continued their journey, their conversation flowing, the carriage rolling deeper into a dense forest.
“Another forest,” Givia said, peering out the window, her voice serious. She addressed Santos, who was riding beside the carriage. “Warn the others. Be on alert for an ambush.”
“No, tell everyone to spread out. The enemy is already here,” Abyss interrupted. “Mercenaries again, hiding in the hills. Leona, get ready!”
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