“I thought so too.”
After receiving that definite answer, a subtle shift of helplessness flickered in Dalinan’s eyes.
She looked at the golden-haired girl before her, delicate and beautiful like an exquisite porcelain doll.
Any man would be hard-pressed to refuse her request.
Her overwhelming beauty was so stunning it seemed to drain the color from everything around her.
Resting her right hand on the window, propping up her chin, Dalinan silently watched Finihiya for a moment before her gaze shifted to the heavy book in front of her.
Then, in a rather casual tone, she asked, “What kind of book is that?”
“Hmm… something like a collection of strange tales.” Finihiya explained as her small hand flipped open the book. “The author gathered some bizarre stories he heard from various places.”
“What sort of bizarre stories?”
“There are stories about using forbidden dark arts to strip away a person’s consciousness and control them in order to create the perfect doll…”
As Finihiya spoke, her slender brows furrowed noticeably, clearly revealing the deep disgust and aversion she felt.
Yet, for Dalinan, this strange tale piqued a small flicker of interest. She rose and sat down beside Finihiya. “Where is that written? Let me see.”
“Let me find it.”
Finihiya flipped through the pages, searching her memory.
As Dalinan watched the pages turn, she was drawn by a faint but distinct fragrance.
It was a fresh scent resembling lavender, emanating gently from Finihiya’s body.
“What a lovely scent.”
“Hmm?”
The little hand turning the pages paused slowly. Finihiya tilted her head, wearing a puzzled expression as she looked over.
“You smell really nice.”
“De…”
Dalinan’s sincere compliment was oddly met with an expression of timidity and fear on Finihiya’s face.
“… What’s with that strange reaction?”
“Da… Dalinan-sama, my flesh isn’t tasty at all.”
“That’s not what I meant, I’m simply praising you.”
Dalinan sighed softly, a little helpless.
A gentle breeze stirred, carrying the heat of summer.
Dalinan returned to her previous seat and silently gazed out at the distant scenery for a while before a call came from outside the carriage.
“Dalinan-sama.”
The voice came from the other side of the carriage, prompting her to shift and lift the curtain hanging there.
A demon knight clad in black armor stood outside.
“What is it?”
“Ailus-sama asked me to tell you she wishes for you to come quickly.”
Ailus?
Hearing the name, she nodded lightly.
“I understand.”
Lowering the curtain, Dalinan glanced sideways at Finihiya, who was leaning against the carriage wall with her head tilted.
The delicate face showed signs of weariness and exhaustion.
Seeing this, Dalinan asked in a calm tone, “Miss Saintess, has your motion sickness gotten any better?”
Finihiya, eyes closed, slowly opened them and answered with a faint, somewhat subtle voice, “… It’s better than when I first got on.”
“You’ve been on this carriage for over four months; I didn’t expect you still hadn’t adapted. Motion sickness must be really tough.”
“But after today, you won’t have to endure it anymore.” Dalinan spoke as her gaze turned toward the road ahead. “At our current pace, we should reach Yabadawi Demon King City by evening.”
“Is that so?” Hearing this, Finihiya’s pale lips curved into a weak yet heartfelt smile. “That’s really good news.”
After Dalinan left, Finihiya remained slumped back in her seat, her head resting against the carriage wall, lost in thought.
Truth be told, after getting used to it for so long, the sickness wasn’t as bad as before, but only in comparison to when she first boarded.
***
Dusk settled.
Low-hanging clouds were stained pale yellow by the setting sun tilting westward.
Finihiya’s gaze caught a vast wheat field suddenly appearing outside the window.
The wheat was still unripe; its shriveled green ears swayed in the breeze. Sunlight poured over the field, casting a shimmering glow like an ancient sea.
A wheat field?
As if realizing something, Finihiya shifted her gaze forward along the road.
Soon, at the limit of her vision, she spotted the pale black city walls.
Staring at the steadily approaching Demon King City, a mix of complicated and tangled emotions escaped her cherry-red lips.
“Finally…”
She was actually glad this painful “journey” was coming to an end.
Yet, thinking about the imprisonment that awaited, a slight gloom crept over her mood.
The wind stirred gently.
A dry leaf drifted in through the gap where the curtain had been lifted, slowly settling beside Finihiya’s fair, clean feet.
“Hm?”
Picking up the fallen leaf, Finihiya’s well-shaped brows knitted briefly before she looked again toward the Demon Lord’s city.
The wind blew once more.
Unable to fully grasp the coolness mingled with the twilight breeze, she found herself puzzled by a strange sensation.
The wind coming from the direction of the Demon Lord’s city carried with it a dim, indescribable quality—an aura resembling the despair of death.
“… That’s really strange.”
Finihiya murmured softly, pressing her lips together.
This odd, unexplainable feeling was the first time she had ever felt it so clearly. She truly could not articulate it.
After pondering confusedly for a moment and arriving at no conclusion, she gave up on the futile effort.
Her head already ached from motion sickness.
Overthinking would only make her feel worse.
Come to think of it, she had assumed the Demon Territory would be barren and overrun by demonic creatures, but arriving here showed it was not much different from human lands.
Only, comparatively, there seemed to be more deserts and wilderness.
When the carriage rolled along the straight road paved with stone blocks and arrived before the towering gates of Yabadawi Demon King City, the sky had already melted into dark purple.
The deep night darkness stirred, preparing to draw its dense curtain.
Just as her carriage was about to enter through the city gates, the advancing procession suddenly halted.
Curious about the delay after waiting some time, a demon maid approached directly to the side of her carriage.
She stood outside and first gave a polite bow.
“Lady Finihiya.”
In response, Finihiya bowed as well from her seat.
“There’s a minor situation up ahead; please wait a little longer.”
“Understood.”
After the maid left, Finihiya glanced once more toward the front of the procession.
However, due to the walls and other obstacles, she couldn’t see clearly what was happening inside.