Chapter 53
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If we go by the map and the records from back then, the Church in the Demonlands should be about half a day's walk from where we entered the forest.
For an adventurer who can use physical enhancement, it would be around three hours—pretty average for your typical adventurer.
And if we're talking high-ranked adventurers, well, if I may be a little arrogant, Erika and I could probably make it even faster.
But that's just talking about distance—realistically, we're moving through the forest of the Demonlands, so we'll have to fight monsters, and there's no way we'd make it in that short a time—or so I thought.
Or so I thought......
"That was the idea, anyway."
I realized my voice had a hint of exasperation in it.
"W-What do you mean?"
Shara, ever the earnest one, responded to what I'd meant as a muttered comment to myself.
She was panting from trying to keep pace with Erika and me. She could've just taken a moment to catch her breath, but I guess she's either too serious or too dutiful.
"What do you think this is?"
I pointed to the ground at my feet.
"Um... a rock?"
I couldn't help but chuckle at Shara's answer.
At the very least, we should take a break until she's caught her breath and her head's getting enough oxygen.
I signaled Erika with just my eyes to keep watch around us, then turned to Shara to give her the answer.
"It's a marker that says we're about an hour's walk from the Church."
Shara gave me a goofy grin.
Her expression was like, "Oh, come on now—no way I'm falling for that."
"Look."
I stepped half a pace to the side to give her a better view of the marker.
Covered in moss, cracked, and weathered by the harsh conditions of the Demonlands, it looked ready to crumble at any moment—but you could just barely make out the crest of the city of Hekatai and the number assigned to the marker.
"It's real!"
For some reason, Shara got mad at me.
"This! This is the one we saw on the map yesterday!"
Shara pointed at the barely legible number on the marker and shouted.
Well, I can't blame her for wanting to shout.
Even I hadn't expected our exploration of the Demonlands to progress this quickly.
Sure, Erika's performance had been nothing short of phenomenal, but even she doesn't have infinite magical energy. I figured we'd have to retreat at some point—it's just not possible to keep moving while taking down that many monsters.
I never imagined we'd be moving at a pace that could get us to the Church in the Demonlands on the very first day—but then, after a while, the monsters just stopped showing up.
Even with my vague but wide-range presence detection skill, I could tell the number of monsters had dropped drastically.
As for the monsters that entered Erika's range—not a single one.
Or rather, any that did seemed to flee the moment we got close.
It made me wonder what the hell that initial horde of monsters was all about.
What's more, we hadn't run into a single other adventurer.
This part of the forest is now called the middle layer, but it used to be a place opened up by humanity.
So it doesn't make sense that we haven't encountered even one adventurer on the way here.
Sure, the number of adventurers has dropped since the peak, but it's not like no one earns their keep in the middle layer anymore.
In fact, the middle layer should be the main source of income for adventurers—and yet, this feels like...
...like someone deliberately cleared the area of people.
Well, that's ridiculous——or is it?
In that instant, a thought flashed through my mind—followed almost immediately by a wave of overwhelming dread.
I only regretted my hesitation after I realized I'd wasted a precious moment.
My physical enhancement surged to full power, leaving my thoughts behind.
"Erika!"
Her name escaped my lips before I could even form the words in my head.
The trust that naturally came through in my voice was not betrayed.
"I'm not great at defense, you know."
The shimmering golden magic told me she'd understood what I meant.
I felt a wave of relief as I saw Shara wrapped in golden magic.
Now I could shove her out of the way without holding back.
Shara, still wearing a dumbfounded expression, not even realizing what was happening, was enveloped by the barrier Erika had created.
The excessive amount of magical energy poured into it proved that Erika wasn't lying when she said defense wasn't her strong suit.
She'd forced her way through with sheer power, overriding efficiency and technique.
"Don't bite your tongue!"
I warned her, though I doubted she'd hear it.
"Huh?"
Shara finally managed to get a word out.
Thinking that we wouldn't gain much distance in the forest anyway, I punched the barrier around Shara with all my strength.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!"
With a scream—or something like it—Shara flew off, barrier and all.
I caught a glimpse of her soaring between the trees, just as I turned to face what I really needed to be ready for.
I braced my legs.
Erika came into view, wrapped in her own barrier.
What kind of face is that?
What kind of face are you making?
I felt a warmth rise in my chest.
For me—for someone who was only chosen as her partner in a silly little act—Erika Solnzari was making that kind of face for me.
Erika wore an expression full of frustration.
Because she hadn't made it in time to put up a barrier for me.
Her face showed a fierce, painful regret.
——Impact.