Otherworld Adventure

A few days later after Rowan returned to the Silvaria Kingdom and informed them of what the Mefastello Tower really was, Kaiser had everyone in the kingdom stop looking for those youngsters who had suddenly disappeared.

"So you're saying that Cecil had completed this region's tower trial and now the golden figure hovering above the tower has already pulled in all of the qualified people who can participate in the trial?"

"Yes, father-in-law, that's exactly what I'm saying. I'm honestly quite surprised that this continent-wide occurrence was first caused by my brother-in-law completing the trials..."

"...I'm sure he wasn't there to try and complete anything. Gabriel, Angelia, and one of his disciples were suddenly trapped and sealed inside of the ruins. Their conditions are still unknown but Cecil did say that they were still alive."

"I see... so was the rescue operation successful?"

"No, the 3 who went missing still aren't back and my son and a few more of his disciples have disappeared along with many of our nation's youths."

"It's nothing to fear, father-in-law. The opening of this trial could be seen as an opportunity for any country. Although there are dangers, the benefits from the trials far exceed any of the risks!"

"Easy for you to say... the lives of my people are at stake and unlike your people who voluntarily go to participate in the trials. Some of ours didn't have any say in it and were just forcibly dragged in. How am I going to explain this to the families of those who went missing?"

"..."

"Anyway, I thank you, Rowan, for this information," Kaiser thanked.

"It's nothing. I just thought that my fiancée's kingdom shouldn't miss out on something so fortuitous."

"I'll have to pull back all of my soldiers who were sent to investigate those ruins. Anyway, from what you're saying, there won't be any more people who'll forcibly be taken away now, right?"

"There shouldn't be. In fact, from what I know, those golden rays that force one to participate in the trials are only for those who have the qualifications to participate in the proceeding trials but didn't finish the previous trials."

"Hm?"

"I'm rather surprised why there are so many people in this land that were sent into the trials without having completed the tower's trials."

"..."

"Anyway father-in-law, I should go find Fatima now. I bid you farewell."

"Yes... by the way, have you and Ima finalized the date of your wedding?"

"Huh?"

"We're getting a little patient since it's been so long that you two have been engaged. It's about time to tie the knot, no?"

"Y-yes, father-in-law... W-we do have a date, but I guess I should go discuss things with her again. We've been so busy with our work lately in our own kingdoms that we haven't seen each other so much lately."

"...Hmmm, go then. I hope to hear from you two soon."

"Yes."

*****

In the garden of the Silvaria Kingdom's royal castle-slash-city center, Fatima was resting her head when someone called out to her.

"Ima!"

Fatima turned her head over and saw her fiancé walking over.

"Hey, Rowan... Are you done meeting with my father?"

"Yes. I've already told him all about the Mefastello Tower."

"Is that so... Well, things have been hectic because of the disappearances... I hope father and brother can spin up a story for this and quickly calm the masses..."

"...It looks like you're going to be busy again," Rowan said with a glum smile.

"Why the look?"

"It's nothing. I thought that after so long, I'd be able to spend some time with my fiancée..."

"Hehehe, did you miss me~?" Fatima asked with a smile.

"Of course! Looking over those stupid papers is pretty boring. I'd rather gaze at your face all day long..."

Fatima smiled and said, "When did my Rowan become such a smooth talker? Anyway, there's good news for you. My father dismissed me from my duties so I'm now going back to the mansion to help my brother's wives out with his duties since he's now gone missing..."

Hearing this, Rowan's expression brightened up a bit and he replied, "Is that so? Maybe I can help in some way?"

"Let's go back, I'm sure I can find something for you to do~"

"Alright."

******

"So these trials are just a preliminary for the even bigger trial that's going to happen?" Lucia asked.

"Yes, that's right," Rowan said.

"I guess that explains why Ren disappeared..." Fatima added.

Serilla pondered for a moment before saying, "It sounds almost like the World Tree's Trials that we undertook back in Urrugdrasil..."

Currently, Rowan had just finished explaining to the girls about the Mefastello Trials. The two women, who had already participated in a continental trial before, were able to conclude that the tower trials were only a preliminary of the true trial which would take place in someplace unknown to them.

Since it was a continental trial, Lucia and Serilla immediately thought about the guardian deity of Midgard which had since gone missing. Unlike on Urrugdrasil where the guardian deity, the World Tree, Urrgudrasil, had remained visible and known among the populace of the continent, the Midgard Continent's living deity was said to have disappeared in the ancient era.

Apparently, that fact was now false because the continental trials were now taking place and the only being who could possibly conduct these trials was the guardian deity of the continent. Not much was known about this deity because it had been forgotten and thought to be dead, so there wasn't much information they could get from perusing the ancient records of the Regulus Kingdom or the Merkruz Principality.

Especially the Principality since there wasn't much of a history for them. Even the royal family of Regulus didn't know much about the continent's guardian deity and even the high priestess of the Revero Kingdom's church which was much more ancient than the Regulus Kingdom didn't know much about it.

There were no records of the deity and the only thing that was passed down was that the deity was not a living being like the World Tree Urrugdrasil but it was instead a spirit that moved from one vessel to another.

As for what that vessel was, no one knew. Apparently, the deity was pronounced 'dead' because it had lost its vessel and there was no new vessel that was prepared for it since then. The objective of the current trial wasn't known, but Lucia came to a negative conclusion which was because Cecil had triggered the completion of the tower trials, the deity was now opening the true trials in search of a new vessel to inhabit.

"It's kind of weird. Since it's a continent-wide trial, why weren't we pulled into the trials?" Lucia pondered.

"...That's probably because we aren't from this continent. Remember, not a single one of the beastkin who lives in the kingdom have gone missing or were forcibly dragged into the trials," Serilla answered.

"Yeah, you're probably right Seri... but that begs a different question, don't you think?"

"Hm?"

"Why was Cel able to participate in the World Tree's Trials when he's a human?"

"..."

"Anyway, it doesn't matter now. All we know is that the stupid deity dragged our Cel into the trials without his consent...if what I said was true and the deity is looking for a vessel, Cel's body would be the perfect one..."

"I'll make sure it dies if it tries to take away my husband!" Serilla hissed. She was already pissed that her husband was participating in the trials without his or her consent. The deity just did whatever it wanted at its convenience.

Serilla swore that if she ever met with the deity face to face, she would immediately smack the hell out of it.

"You'll have my help with that, Seri," Lucia added.

Fatima and Rowan excused themselves from the living room and Fatima went up to talk with her mother. She came home to help out with managing the household in her brother's stead since Lucia and Serilla were still being trained by their mother on what to do as the Ladies of the House.

The training wasn't going too well, since Serilla was still pregnant with Cecil's baby and couldn't exert herself too much while Lucia was busy training with her mother.

Lucia and Serilla were left behind in the living room and Serilla's stomach began hurting again. There wasn't anything wrong. It was just that the little one inside of her was a rather active fellow.

"Ugh...L-Lulu...my baby's acting up again... can you help me up?"

"Sure, let's go back to our room. You better get some rest."

"Yeah..."

Lucia helped her sister up and she couldn't help but send a gentle and envious gaze at her stomach. She was pretty envious at the fact that Serilla was pregnant with Cecil's child. She wanted one too, but she found out from her mother that it was hard for her race of people to conceive.

Lucia wanted to work harder at it but unfortunately for her, Cecil had gone missing.

"I hope he's okay..."

*****

Time continued to pass by and slowly, the Mefastello Towers in the other regions of Midgard were cleared one by one. And with that, the true trials would soon begin. The chosen ones were already selected and all that was left was for the trials to commence.

Cecil, who was sent into the trials against his will, finally woke up in the middle of a large and expansive field.

"...Where the hell is this?"