Chapter 4: The Path of Law

The atmosphere inside the tent was still tense and strange the next morning.

The four of them didn’t even make eye contact, each busy with their own tasks.

Hestia habitually erased all traces of the squad’s camp, Reina and Belinda efficiently packed up the tent, while Ellen fed the horse.

Not far ahead is the Silent Zone.

Didn’t we agree last night to walk there?

Belinda stuffed excess supplies into the carriage compartment, looking at Ellen with some confusion.

It’s the final battle.

We don’t know when we’ll be back.

Of course Little Fei should have a good meal.

Ellen lowered his head, stroking the forehead of the white colt.

Little Fei was a southern dwarf horse worth six Tuck, which Ellen had bought from a circus—then still a bony, scrawny thing.

It didn’t have any special abilities, but it was the squad’s first shared property.

In a sense, wherever Little Fei pulled the carriage, their squad’s “home” was there.

Don’t worry.

I already ordered a cavalry corps to come to the outskirts of Demon King City last night.

They’ll come to take over here.

Belinda pressed Ellen’s hand.

The searing heat of her touch made Little Fei snort.

The cowardly horse rolled its eyes at Ellen, dodging his petting.

Belinda looked calmly at Ellen, who just stared at the hay spread on the ground, not replying.

In the distance, Hestia buried all the campfire ashes under fresh soil to prevent anyone from using Divination Spell to track their traces.

In truth, with their current strength, they no longer needed to worry about such things.

They were Divine Chosen, about to face their final nemesis—no one would scheme against them, no one dared to.

But this habit, developed from the very start of their journey, had become a daily ritual Hestia couldn’t abandon.

Is it really necessary for Her Highness to mobilize the ‘Blood Thorn’?

Reina pushed the last two tent poles into the carriage, asking nonchalantly.

The Blood Thorn is the closest and also my personal guard corps.

Besides them, who else does Her Highness the Saintess think I could mobilize?

Belinda’s words carried a trace of fire.

She turned toward the gloomy Ellen.

They’ll take good care of Little Fei.

Esteemed Princess, I must remind you—Little Fei is our joint property.

It does not belong to the Taya Empire.

Hestia’s dagger spun between her fingers as she approached with a grin.

The implication was clear.

The bizarre tension in the air peaked.

It seemed there were differing opinions about Little Fei’s ownership.

After the great battle, I hope to bring it back to the Saint Palace and let it spend the rest of its days in peace.

It’s endured too many battles.

The Saint Palace will cleanse its burdens and grant it peace.

Reina voiced her opinion.

The Blood Thorn will watch over it here until the battle is over.

Little Fei will accompany me and Ellen back to the Imperial Capital, witness our Marriage, and finally live out its days in the Royal Palace stables.

Belinda’s usual self-assurance made it seem as if everything had already been arranged.

Of course, in the ears of the others, it took on a different meaning.

Enough already.

Little Fei is definitely coming back to the Forest with me in the end.

Right, Little Fei?

Hestia called to the horse, her emerald eyes sparkling.

Little Fei responded instantly, scraping its right hoof on the ground and nearly charging toward her in excitement—only to be yanked back by Ellen gripping the reins.

Elves possessed the ability to communicate with beasts.

When Hestia first joined the squad, Ellen accompanied her during night watches.

Later, when Ellen was injured and resting, Hestia took on the night watch herself, despite her fear of the dark, and passed the time chatting with Little Fei.

She chattered endlessly, making Little Fei yawn constantly during that period.

But the bond between the two was forged then.

Now, if Ellen hadn’t held it back, the foolish creature would have dashed to Hestia’s side, oblivious to Belinda’s furious expression and the flames burning in her eyes.

All right, settle down now.

Ellen gathered the scattered hay back before Little Fei, reminding, After the battle, I’ll take you away.

His words successfully ended the argument.

Little Fei rolled its eyes at him, then lowered its head to eat.

As Ellen turned to leave, it suddenly raised its head and nuzzled his arm before quickly returning to its meal.

Ellen paused slightly but didn’t look back.

The outline of Demon King City cast a vast black shadow on the distant horizon.

The sky here was thick with blood-red, the air heavy as lead, each breath filled with the scent of sulfur, scorched earth, and the stench of decay wafting from Demon King City.

The squad marched in silence across the desolate plain toward Demon King City.

With Belinda’s step at the lead, all sounds abruptly vanished.

No magic flowed, even the elements in the air disappeared without a trace.

The Silent Zone.

A domain said to be formed by the power of a Holy Light Warrior during the battle sealing the Demon King.

After his death, the Demon King researched and utilized the magic, turning it into a defensive mechanism, supposedly covering all of Demon King City.

Within the Silent Zone, no magic flows, nor do any elements exist.

Any team fighting the Demon King in such an environment could only slowly deplete their own stored magic until their strength was exhausted and they met their end.

Ellen.

Belinda couldn’t help urging him.

She sensed the lack of fire elements in the air, filling her with deep unease.

Power is everything.

Only by holding power can one grasp fate.

Too strange.

Even knowing of the Silent Zone, she still felt discomfort.

In nature, elements always existed in balance.

Even in special spaces, elements were everywhere, and once consumed, would replenish.

But here…

The very source of all power was completely drained.

Ellen closed his eyes, activating the Zhesi Gem.

Magic surged into it, the energy of [Perception] flowing from the gem at his chest and blending into his body with a cool mint sensation.

At that moment, everything around Ellen slowed, and then slowed even further.

Nearly still.

Everything in his vision was illuminated by Appraisal Spell.

Under the overwhelming wave of Appraisal, hidden white threads of magic in the air were finally revealed one by one.

Just as he’d theorized, the elements hadn’t disappeared—they’d been hidden by Holy Light magic.

In Ellen’s view, white water Elemental Pathways and golden thunder Elemental Pathways intertwined in a net, stretching for hundreds of miles and binding the other elements firmly in place.

No wonder the elements wouldn’t flow.

A genius design.

There was no magic flow.

It wasn’t even a magic formation.

First, powerful magic and elemental properties were used to shape it, then it was hidden in the air.

Since the elements of this world hadn’t vanished but were only concealed, natural elements wouldn’t replenish the area.

Fortunately, the magic system he mastered wasn’t entirely the same as this continent’s.

Otherwise, he would have been trapped as well.

The magic system here was vast and complex.

Ellen believed all magic boiled down to the Heaven-Earth-Thunder-Wind, Water-Fire-Mountain-Swamp Eight Types.

He used basic magic to deduce the complex, and in the process discovered the existence of Elemental Pathways.

Simply put, all magic was a mimicry of the movements of ancient gods.

Over time, these actions changed, becoming more complex and difficult to understand.

One is one, two is two.

Most magicians memorized the actions rigidly, without seeking the inner connection.

But to Ellen, if magic was imitation of the gods, why not pursue the origin?

And the origin was the Elemental Pathways.

Once he understood this, his magic was no longer mere mimicry.

Knowing the why, he could release magic freely.

By observing the evolution of the Pathways through the Zhesi Gem, he could even predict the trajectory of an opponent’s spell at the moment they began casting, allowing him to strike first with a prepared spell.

With this ability, he’d startled many famed archmages and earned the title of Philosopher.

Ellen raised his hand, casting Dispel Spell.

Rays of gold and white struck the web in the air, ripples spreading.

The once-solid net loosened, and the scent of elements began to return to the air.

With a thunderous boom from above, as if a mirror shattered, the elements flowed back into the atmosphere.

Reina’s icy blue eyes watched Ellen’s every move.

When he broke the domain and the elements spread again, she realized everything as if awakening from a dream.

So that’s how it is…

She recalled when they first theorized about the nature of the Silent Zone magic.

He had said, “It should be an illusion. But to break it, you have to see it with your own eyes.”

The theory was unproven, and to challenge the Demon King on that basis seemed suicidal to Reina, but he persisted.

Now, he had really done it—just by looking, he broke the “Silent Zone” domain that had trapped countless strong ones.

Such a terrifying and chaotic power truly needs my…the guidance of the goddess.

In Reina’s eyes, her compassion was replaced by something deeper, then quickly faded.

Ellen, as expected of my prince.

Belinda excitedly slapped his shoulder, then raised her sword and strode forward.

Hehe, teacher is the best.

Hestia clung to Ellen’s arm, feeling for the whistle in his sleeve, her smile even brighter.

The squad continued onward, heading for the region where the blood-red was thickest.