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  Chapter 5: Swords And Magic, High Tech

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  The forest y not far from the town, and with the endable prowess of the group, they soon found themselves nearing the town's gates.

  “Ah... I don't want to walk anymore...”

  Of course, there was one exception to this se.

  A fluffy, sky-blue ball of fur ropped up on a magical staff that towered above her head, her expression heavy with fatigue.

  “Are you alright? Do you wao carry you? I've got plenty of stamina!”

  “No thanks, Veridith. She’s simply too zy to walk. sidering she graduated top of her css from the Empire's prestigious healing academy, a few enha spells would have her running circles around me.”

  Marlyno thwarted Veridith’s ear offer with a wave of her hand.

  “The Empire's prestigious academy? What’s that?”

  “Oh, your youth may make it uandable that you’re unaware,” Marlyno replied, her tone a blend of patiend fondness.

  Responding to Veridith’s query, Marlyno began to enlighten the group about the Empire’s esteemed institution.

  “The Empire's prestigious academy is the pinnacle of academia within our world. Although it bears the name 'Empire,' this is only because it is hosted by the tus Empire; iy, many races participate, including elves, dragons, and demons, among others.”

  “And Mira, she graduated at the very top of the elite healing curriculum at that esteemed academy. It is said she is a prodigy, sed only to that legendary ‘Saintess’ after her.”

  “Wait, ‘Saintess’?”

  Misako’s i piqued at a key phrase derived from Marlyno’s eboration. As a priestess of her own kind, she found the existence of another ‘Saintess’ incredibly intriguing.

  “Hoo, I see by your attire that you hail from a distant realm, one obscured by forbidden knowledge? Still, this ‘Saintess’ is not to be fted with your ‘Saintess.’ The aforementioned ‘Saintess’ belongs to the seown as the ‘White Saintess Church.' There's even a corresponding club at the academy. Rumor has it that this ‘Saintess’ shares a e with the revered Witch who transformed our uanding of the world, which is why the White Saintess Church maintains a particurly cordial retionship with the Witch’s Academy.”

  Though still unwell, Sisi endeavoured to crify the cept of the ‘Saintess’ prehensively.

  “Hmm... I think I’ve heard of her. It’s said her abilities far surpass those of the Saints from the Holy Light Church.”

  The statement came from Aris, who, after rummaging through her recolles, iumbled upon some tidbits ing that particur ‘Saintess.’ Yet, Aris’s decration was but a preamble to what she truly desired to vey.

  “Ihat seems to be a prevalent belief—many hold such a notion. However, after her fame grew widespread, that ‘Saintess’ quickly vanished from public view, while shortly thereafter the previous Saiher succumbed to exhaustion or urged from her religious order for treason. The current Saint has only held her position for a mere eight years, which could hardly pare.”

  “...Wait, eight years?”

  Upon hearing Marlyno’s reply, Aris dised a troubling insistency.

  The transition of Saints happens promptly; even if deyed by an unforeseen i, it would never exceed a month. For instahe former Saint Aris kneerished from overwork, and she was found and ordained in the position almost instantaneously—within a span of less than a week.

  From this perspective, it implied that it had been approximately eight years sihe preg Saint had ‘passed.’ The fate of this former Saint seemed to mirror her own uny circumstances.

  ‘No, although the likelihood is minimal, I ot dismiss the possibility of mere ce.’

  At that moment, they arrived at the town gate.

  “Ah? It's you lot! How did the assig go?”

  A guard statio the entrance addressed them.

  “Quite well, thanks to the on-a-red-moon enter with them, we mao plete it easily,” Marlyno replied, gesturing slightly towards Aris and the others standing beside her.

  “Hmm... they seem unfamiliar. Might I see your identification? An adventurer’s card will suffice too.”

  “...”

  Herein y a predit: as individuals who had vanished from the world during the Great War, did Misako and the others possess any form of identification or adventurer's card?

  Even more so, Aris, as the ‘deceased’ former Saint, could hardly elucidate her identity without irrefutable evidence, especially as that particur dotation had long perished alongside her belongings shortly after her fall into the Abyss.

  “No dots? Then I’m afraid you’ll have to pay the entry fee.”

  “...”

  “Could it be... you don’t even have any money?”

  Another silensued.

  While Misako, as the leader of her kiainly cked for , the curren this nd differed entirely, making it impossible for them to use.

  “I shall cover the cost for you; sider it a reward for the information shared,” Marlyno offered, retrieving several s and handing them to the guard.

  “Very well, you may enter. Also, should you wish to obtain new credentials, you visit the office over there. However, if you wield a modicum of strength, I would reeering for an adventurer’s card at the Adventurer’s Guild.”

  With that, the guard stepped aside, allowing the group to pass through the gate.

  As they ehe visage of the town unfurled before their eyes.

  “Well? Wele to Watcher Town. By the way, it got its name because it’s the settlement to the Abyss; there are quite a number of tourists... although, truth be told, most belong to the ‘Witch’s Academy.’”

  “Hmm, it truly possesses a unique charm.”

  Misako observed this town, noting its medieval ambiance, distinctly differe remi of her own realm. If oo pare it, it bore the essence of an ‘RPG’ world, where knights and sorcery iwined.

  Yet, in some locales, there were peculiar sights as well.

  “What’s this?”

  Misako inquired, pointing towards a translut crystal panel hanging outside a shop.

  “That is a ‘Magic Crystal Board;’ it serves as a duit for eg to the ‘Magiet.’”

  “...?”

  A look of fusion began to bloom upon Misako’s face, remi of her initial meeting with Shirone.

  “...Aris, do you know anything about this?”

  “Don’t ask me. The church forbids many things, and as such, I’m uo learn a good deal.”

  how the group appeared just as bewildered as try folk, Marlyno patiently tinued her expnation.

  “‘Magiet’ is a colborative venture among various races, akin to a grand spell modeled after a ‘system.’ The Magic Crystal Boards ect to it, allowing access to myriad pieces of information that have been uploaded.”

  “...Oh! So that’s like the ‘i!’”

  Fortunately, the bck demon tribe had absorbed muowledge from various worlds; Misako, with her familiarity, quickly identified the Magiet’s simirities to the i she knew.

  “The application of this is exceptionally broad; the Adventurer’s Guild has provisio up as well, making it even more ve for us to acquire information. But enough of that; let’s head to get your credentials. Where would you like to go?”

  “...To the Adventurer’s Guild, I suppose.”

  “The’s head this way; follow me.”