Trinitas Mundus

December 11.

The Rays took off the inn and left Doctus.

Looking up into the sky, the clear blue sky of winter was spreading, but he seemed to see something more and more like a black temper rising from the shadows of the Aquila Mountains to the east.

The three rush east, unlike a refugee-like wagon coming from the east.

On the second day we go through the city of Armaswaite and on the third day we enter the city of Orton.

The city of Orton had many merchant squadrons eating footstops due to information from Periclitle.

The merchant corps heading for the Kingdom of Lax can take the streets towards Cardobec in the north, but the only way to get to the Kingdom of Kaum in the south is via Periclitle.

Even as we head north, we need more escorts than usual because of the poor roads and frequent attacks by demons and bandits compared to via Periclitle.

At a time when mercenaries were dwindling, many merchants hesitated to head to Cardobec.

For this reason, the city of Orton was overflowing with merchants.

"That's a great number of people. I wonder if the inn will be okay."

"Right. Looks like you should find an inn early. It could be a big room."

Look for an inn, but there was nowhere even a large room available. "It's Ashley," he said, calling from behind when he gave up that he had no choice but to go wild.

When the three of them turned around, there was Hank Barrows, a mercenary they knew on his way from Fonce to Periclitle.

"It's been a long time," said Hank, noting the three of them walking with their horses,

"You missed the inn. If it's a good room for two, I'll make it convenient for you."

While walking, listening to Hank, he said he was escorting a merchant convoy from Doctus to Periclitle, lamenting that he had eaten his foothold in this noise.

"I punished you last time. The merchants rescheduled and said they wanted to go to Cardobec, but now they can't do it, so here they are..."

Ray remembered when he and Hank were escorting him.

(Soldier Ant, Harpy, the Great Black Raven, and finally the Four-Handed Bear. If you get attacked with all that, Mr. Hank will be cautious)

When we get to the inn, Hank speaks to the mercenary who was staying in the two rooms.

"You guys drank, and half of you sleep at the dining room table. I want you to give up the room for my life."

He put two people in the room where he was staying and gave the two of them the room to the Rays.

Ashley said to the two of them, "I'm sorry. Let the liquor at night be luxurious," he said.

"You must be Hamish's daughter with the red arms. On the contrary, it's an honor to have given up your room to someone like that. I'll brag to my people. But I appreciate the luxury."

Hank said, "Don't hang tight. Hahaha!" he laughed greatly, and the two young mercenaries were also caught laughing.

Hank asks for information that night as he picks up dinner in a dining room overflowing with guests.

Hank became a bitter face for a moment,

"Only bad information comes through. You know the Auga story. That's all. Oh, my God. They also say there are orcs and goblins. Thousands of them too. Apparently, a request for rescue flew from Periclitle to various countries, but it's hard. They're still resisting demons entering Lax, and it's this season anyway. It should be snowing by now around Turok. It's going to take a lot of time to move the big army..."

Ray had a heartbeat about ghostly demons like Auga, Oak and Goblin being around Periclitle.

(Is it a ghost demon... is there also a Big Ghost, Medium Ghost, or Little Ghost? Besides, the Winged Demons... after all, this one was the main one and Chulock was the one? I thought there was something wrong with Turok's demonic movement, but this is what happened...)

"... so far, PericLittle seems safe, but the demons are slowly approaching. People in the city are evacuating to cities like Caldbeck and Thornbrough."

As Ray listened to Hank, he was thinking about why the Demons, who were supposed to want to bring Luna back safely, had invaded with great force.

(The Demons should have gone as far as a massive Yangtze operation and invaded even Periclitle. Put in enough force to destroy the country, too. You shouldn't have to do that. It should be enough if a small number of demonic magicians infiltrate and turn the adventurer into a puppet. If you do poorly, you could lose the son of the moon...)

So he remembers some of the novel's settings.

(Indeed, in the setting, when Luna's mother escaped, a temple was descending on a woman known as the "witch”, the leader of the Moon Demon Nation. The daughter of the escaped woman (...) said she was the "son of the moon”. And it was assumed that the devil tribe who gained his Son could gain the power of the Dark God (Noctis) (...) ……)

And I also recall the actions of the orcs around the village of Thysek the last two times.

(At first, at the initiative of the Moon Demons, they invaded the Kaum kingdom, and at the same time, an operation was carried out to recapture the son of the Moon. But the Demons weren't a rock either. The leaders of the Ghosts, especially the Middle Ghosts, do not like the way they originally relied on the magic of the Moon Demons and the power of God. Because the enemy thought he had to screw down on his own. For this reason, he tried to annihilate the "Son of the Moon", the “Abominable Son”, ignoring the temple. So, during the second recapture operation, the Middle-Ghost tribe ran wild. The village where Luna lived, the village of Thysek, was killed by orcs manipulated by the Middle-Ghost tribe, and the son of the moon was reported dead... but the Moon Ghost tribe did not believe it. I searched the vicinity of the village of Thysek many times, and finally got a lead on my son in the moon. With someone in Periclitle who looks like the Son of the Moon... this time again, the Middle-Ghost tribe may be trying to kill Luna, the Son of the Moon...)

It comes to the fact that it is there.

(Eighteen years before Luna was born, there was a massive demonic invasion. Yes, it was when Ash's mother died... maybe Ash's mother died because of a novel I wrote...)

Back in his room, he tells Ashley about it.

"... the battle of Acree Chain, where Ash's mother died, may also be due to my novel... if it's true, I..."

Ashley listens to the story and groans, "I don't understand what you're thinking."

"... but you haven't even written a story about my mother Abby dying in battle? Then even if the battle is triggered by you, you don't have to feel responsible for my mother's death."

"But..." Ray tried to recruit something. But Ashley blocked it,

"I think it's tough to assume responsibility for everyone's death. I hear my mother died to protect my father. My mother chose to protect my father of her own free will. I think it's blasphemy against the dead that he died because of himself."

Without any feelings, Ray calmed down a little when he said so quietly.

"Right... I'm not a god. And I didn't decide it was because of my novel... thanks. It made me feel a little easier..."

The next day was raw and hateful weather with cold light rain, but the Rays left the city of Orton early in the morning.

Hank asked me if I could escort him with him, but when he said he would help defend Periclitle, he sent me out honestly.

"I don't think you're wrong, but don't die. But do me a favor about the city. I'm well taken care of there too..."

Evening of December 14th.

The three Rays are back in Periclitle for the first time in roughly a month.

The city of Periclitle had changed dramatically in just a month.

There are few people in the city, and many of the shops that were calling in are closed, with armed adventurers rushing to and from. Its appearance was not always bright, either, and it was wrapped up in heavy painful air.

Many of the citizens fled after information was brought about that there was a large group of augs. Commercial activity had also lagged behind and deprived the city of vitality due to the extreme decrease in the number of merchant troops arriving further.

But there were still many citizens left in the city.

There were many citizens who could not escape because there was no one else to rely on, but there were also many citizens who stood up to protect the city.

Arms stores and armor stores in the South Side were filled with many people seeking weapons, and this was the only place more vibrant than usual.

Ray headed to her sleepover "Nest of the Arid Eagle” pavilion to meet Luna.

The Arid Eagle's Nest remained open in this situation, but many adventurers are more idle than usual because they are in the woods.

Asking Joan, master of the inn, what is the status of the Lunas,

"Hazel - the leader of Luna's party - left three days ago. He said he had to go pretty deep, so I don't think he's going back for the time being."

Ray said, "Didn't you hear which neighborhood you went?" I ask,

"I think I heard from Rickadale - a village 80 km northeast of Periclitle - that we're going into the woods. It'll take at least ten days to come back."

Until Rickadale, if you fly a horse, it's two days away, but you can't read their actions because you don't know the enemy policy. Normally, it should be the route back to Rickadale, but there is also the possibility of coming back directly through the woods to Periclitle.

(If you go after it badly, it could be a mistake. Now you can't move around. But it could be too late in ten days...)

Ray was worried if he should go after the Lunas or wait in Periclitle.

There are ways to check the enemy range with your Alliance, but if you get into the woods, you can't find someone even if they're just a few hundred meters off.

(Do you have to wait too long... do what you can in the meantime...)

"In the meantime, I'm going to go to the general headquarters of the Adventurers Guild. I don't expect to see Randall - head of defense Randall Ogburn - but I think I'll see Dr. Raspade. We need to get the information first."

Ashley and Stella were surprised that Ray was calm besides his thoughts.

(Ray thought he'd go after Luna to the dark clouds, but he's surprisingly calm. I can't stay alert yet, but I won't be unscrupulous...)

(It's a good thing Master Ray is calm, but for some reason there's chest noise. Maybe something is about to happen...)