Just as they were about to set off, having walked a short distance out of the camp, they discovered that Natalia had followed them.
“No, Lady Field, I must go with you as well!”
“Hm?”
Hearing Natalia disobey her order, Field furrowed her brow slightly.
“Natalia, I made myself quite clear earlier, didn’t I? Alice and Liyakade are coming with me, and you’re staying behind to guard the camp. What do you think you’re doing?”
“Your Highness, your status is far too important. How could I dare let you go alone?”
Having stepped out of the camp, Natalia no longer bothered to address Field by her alias.
Her tone was filled with worry, sounding genuinely concerned for Field’s safety.
Of course, concern for Field’s safety was only one aspect.
On the other hand, Natalia feared that Liyakade and the others might take the opportunity to flee.
If she lost track of them here, she would never find them again.
“I understand your intentions, but you saw my strength earlier, didn’t you? No matter how many petty bandits are around here, they can’t do a thing to us.”
“But…”
“No buts.”
Natalia wanted to argue further, but before she could speak, Field cut her off.
“I am a princess of the Kingdom of Calderra. If I can’t even handle such a trivial matter, how could I ever lead my people in the future? Natalia, as my current guard and as a sister of the Church, just trust me.”
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
Natalia was silent for a moment, then finally agreed.
Since things had come to this point, insisting on following Field would only seem tactless and might even reveal her ulterior motives.
Besides, since Field had brought up her identity as a princess, Natalia believed that even if Field had thoughts of eloping, she wouldn’t abandon the caravan and her people at such a critical moment.
“I will guard the camp well and look after Your Highness’s carriage and luggage.”
“Good. That’s more like it. Let’s go.”
Field nodded in satisfaction, then prepared to leave with Liyakade and Alice.
The reason Field didn’t want to bring Natalia along was to allow Liyakade to fight unrestrained.
Although Field and the others could handle a group of bandits with ease, if Liyakade could unleash her full power and use the power of the Demon Race, she would be far more effective than bringing Natalia—whether in combat, travel, tracking, or searching.
That was why Field didn’t want Natalia to come.
“Wait.”
Just as Field was about to leave with the two, Alice suddenly called for them to stop.
Then Alice approached Natalia, lightly touched the cross hanging from Natalia’s chest with her delicate finger.
A golden radiance flowed from Alice’s fingertip, and the cross shone a bit brighter.
“What is this?”
Natalia was puzzled, not understanding why Alice was injecting Light Element into the cross.
“This is a contingency for you, Miss Natalia. In case someone in the caravan gets poisoned again, or if bandits attack and someone is injured, you can use the cross to heal them.”
“I see.”
Upon hearing this, Natalia clenched the cross in her hand.
Alice’s words further convinced Natalia that Field and the others would not abandon them.
“Then, I wish you all the best, Your Highness Field.”
“Yes.”
Field accepted Natalia’s blessing, then led the two away along a path through the nearby forest.
Natalia watched the three of them disappear into the distance.
Once she could no longer see their backs, she returned to the camp.
Under Field’s lead, the three of them quickly followed the forest path to the foot of the mountain.
Combined with the power of the Purple Mist Vine Grass, she had implanted the idea into all of Vidar’s subordinates that they could not harm her.
However, this idea would not normally take effect, nor would it work on others.
So if Vidar actually ordered those Dark Guards to attack Natalia, she might really be in trouble.
…Never mind.
She could only hope that Vidar still had some conscience and wouldn’t resort to such despicable means to harm the innocent.
“Field, can we really find the bandits by heading in this direction?”
After asking Alice, Liyakade turned to look at Field.
Field had already taken the map out of her Storage Ring and was concentrating on examining the markings on it.
“Yes, the map marks this as a very frequent area for bandit activity. Their hideout is definitely within these mountains. But…”
Field paused here, took off the Gold Silk Mask she was wearing, and stored it together with the map back into the ring.
Now that it was just the three of them, Field had no need to hide her identity.
“Liyakade, it’s your turn now. Release all your power and use it to sense the presence of nearby humans.”
“So that’s why you couldn’t bring Natalia.”
After hearing Field’s words, Liyakade finally understood.
Then, a crimson light flashed once more in Liyakade’s eyes.
Black wings slowly unfurled from her back, and two small, exquisite horns gradually emerged from the top of her head.
Her aura underwent a drastic transformation.
Even Alice beside her felt a certain pressure at that moment.
Liyakade activated Demonization once again.
In this state, Liyakade’s unique perception—that of the Demon Race—could be fully awakened.
It had been a long time since she last released this form.
This time, Liyakade’s power was even more abundant than before.
Whether it was the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze or the sounds of insects and animals moving through the grass, Liyakade could hear everything clearly.
“So this is… Liyakade’s power after using the Purple Mist Vine Grass?”
Alice couldn’t help but marvel.
Standing beside Liyakade, she could clearly feel that Liyakade was much stronger than before.
“What is this?”
Back at the camp, Natalia was obediently staying near the tent belonging to Liyakade and the others.
Just then, the cross on her chest suddenly trembled slightly, which puzzled her.
Liyakade and the others never expected that, even from such a distance, Liyakade’s power in her Demonization state would attract the attention of certain holy relics.