“All they have to do is tell the eagles to fly up with the flags in their beaks. Even while panting, Karla complained.

“We have Pegasus too. Even if the flag is in the sky, we can catch it if we ride Pegasus up there.”

“Ugh. It must be nice to have wings! Our snakes should have had some decent wings too.”

“Snakes have their own strengths in their own way. Above all, Karla, even without wings, the snakes of Venenum are strong.”

Even when Merche patted her shoulder in encouragement, the disgruntled expression didn’t easily unfold.

Tap tap, Karla stopped in place and kicked the ground for no reason.

“…Shall we bury it in the ground?”

Then suddenly, her eyes sparkled.

Karla scanned all her snakes scattered around.

Yes, this should be enough. Just bury it underground and tell them to bite anyone who comes, right?

Nine out of ten snakes in Venenum were venomous. So venomous that they could instantly turn a person into a corpse.

If such a venomous snake sank its teeth, no matter how great a kelpie or eagle, they would not be able to endure it.

The corners of her mouth, drenched in sweat, rose with a grin. It was truly the optimal move.

At Karla’s sudden suggestion, Merche also pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement. It was definitely not a bad method.

“Huff, above all… if someone, huff, comes here!”

Karla, who finally dug up the ground, straightened her waist and pointed at Merche.

“You can use your authority to knock them all out, right!”

Done! Karla, who had finally buried all the flags, stretched out both arms and let out a small cheer.

She had dirt on her cheeks and all over her body, so she couldn’t look neat by any means, but she sat down on the floor with a look of overflowing joy.

“Ah, that was tough… phew.”

It was when she looked up at the sky blankly, immersed in a sense of accomplishment.

“Huh?”

A bird with a very clear eagle appearance flew across the sky with something long in its beak.

What, what is that? Seeing it, Karla hurriedly got up, grabbed Merche and shouted.

“Merche! That, that flag… it’s an eagle with a flag! We have to follow it right now, hurry!”

“…Wait a minute, Karla. Wait. It could be a divine beast that came to find us for tracking purposes.”

“What are you talking about! Didn’t you see it just now? It didn’t even look at us and just flew away! And it had a flag in its beak, a flag…!”

“Karla, calm down.”

Merche decisively stopped Karla who was trying to rush out.

“…Let’s do this. You guard the flag here. I’ll follow the eagle and see.”

“No, why only you?”

“One of us has to guard the flag. Someone might have been following us without us knowing.”

“…Still.”

“I can subdue the divine beast by myself anyway. Is there any need for both of us to take risks while moving?”

Every single word was correct. In the end, Karla crouched down again with a sullen face and nodded her head.

“Okay. You’re right, you’re right. …Then go and come back. Be careful, just in case.”

“Thank you, Karla.”

Thanking her for accepting it despite being able to push through with her argument until the end, she expressed her gratitude with a smile.

Then, after a brief greeting, Merche quickly turned her steps in the direction the eagle had flown.

“Shall we go out now?”

The escort knight who followed along asked. Diego Fondo, standing in the direction the knight was looking, did not answer immediately and assessed the situation.

−I will follow behind the Venenum side.

−Okay. Then let’s leave the role of hiding the flag to you.

After a businesslike consultation with Tereze Aquila of the same faction, he immediately followed Merche and Karla.

There was also a reason that if they were likely to hide the flag and he tracked them and took the flag, he would be closer to victory, but that wasn’t all.

The real goal was Merche Venenum. His only concern was to stick with her, gain favor, and close the distance.

He deliberately left the kelpie on standby far away, in case it sensed the presence of the divine beast.

The way he caught up with them without a divine beast was by catching one of Venenum’s snakes in advance and making the snake find Merche and Karla.

“We need to get the flag before the one who left returns, young master.”

The process and the result, everything was perfect. At this rate, he could approach, subdue Karla Venenum who was left alone, and take the flag.

The knight, unaware of Diego’s intentions, urged him impatiently.

However, Diego eventually shook his head and put the cape he was wearing over the knight’s head.

“I will follow Merche Venenum. Stand by here and do nothing.”

“Pardon? …But young master.”

“It’s an order.”

If he took the flag here for no reason, he could incur Merche’s resentment. Such a victory would be worse than defeat.

The most important thing was Merche Venenum. Gaining the woman’s favor.

Putting the loose cuff button back into the hole, he disappeared into the forest following Merche.

[This is the timeline separator]

“……”

Something is strange. Merche stopped walking.

From where she stood, she raised her head and looked at the sky. The eagle was still flying with its large wings spread within sight.

Not once did it leave her field of vision, from the beginning until now.

Moreover, it was also suspicious that it was not being caught by her authority despite seeming like it would be.

She had tried dozens of times to issue commands to stop the eagle, but it remained ambiguous as if it would succeed but ultimately did not, making her anxious.

…Is it trying to lure me?

It was suspicious. Besides, it was also a problem that she had gone too far from Karla.

While pondering carefully, the eagle did not leave her sight for that not short period of time.

Seeing that, Merche made a decision.

I should go back.

The probability of it being a lure was at least 70%. The moment she was convinced, she cut off her lingering attachment and regret and immediately turned her back.

But right at that moment.

“Aaaah! Save, save me…!”

A man’s scream that seemed to tear through the dark forest resonated. Merche’s body, which had stopped abruptly, froze stiffly for a moment.

It was a voice she knew. A familiar scream that shouldn’t be heard here….

Alonso Fondo. Merche’s lips parted as she grasped the identity.

[This is the timeline separator]

The situation was taking a strange turn. While suppressing his presence, Diego quickly ran through his thoughts.

“…Why is Alonso here?”

He muttered unknowingly. Alonso.

Why was his foolish cousin, who should have been bedridden after being bitten by a wolf not long ago, screaming in this dark mountain?

He raised his chin and looked at the top of the mountain, which was starting to come into view.

This mountain leads to a cliff. There is only a precipice at the summit, and if you fall from that precarious edge, you will….

Swoosh. The sound of water getting closer tickled his ears. At the same time, all the nerves in his body were on edge.

The place where Alonso was found was the top of the mountain.

As soon as she arrived, an open view and eerily deep blue sea greeted Merche.

“Mmph, mmph!”

“Your Highness?”

“Mmmph…! Mmph!”

Alonso’s entire body was tied up with ropes, and he even had a gag in his mouth. He struggled desperately and shook his head.

His bloodshot eyes were looking at her. No, not at her, but behind her…?

“Aagh!”

The moment she turned around following the terrified gaze, her body was lifted into the air.

Pain assaulted her, unable to even make a sound.

Although confused, Merche tried with all her might to identify what had grasped her.

Cork-colored feathers, yellow pupils looking down at her, and the talons that gripped her body.

…Ah. I was lured after all.

The realization that it was already too late, the talons released her body as if an arrowhead was flying toward a target.

Then, Merche fell. Into the mythical realm of the primordial sea, the blue-shimmering waters.

[This is the timeline separator]

“…Merche?”

He grabbed the beak of the charging eagle and tore it open. Another eagle fell lifelessly.

“What’s the matter, Lord Lupinus?”

“……”

“My lord? …Ugh. Get a hold of yourself, my lord!”

“Shut up.”

What is this grown man whining about so much? Rude retorted in a low voice and threw the eagle he had caught. It was the eagle that had been biting Fabio’s leg.

“Hey. Speak clearly. So what did you see?”

Fabio closed his mouth. Those words were not directed at him.

He was seeing and receiving something from the divine beast connected to his thoughts.

The man, who already had a fierce look, distorted his eyes even more ominously.

It didn’t take long for it to take on a clear murderous intent.

Smack!

He kicked and instantly ended the life of the eagle clinging to him.

Fabio saw that terrifying expression and sensed that an incident had occurred.

Rude, whose momentum had changed in an instant, moved his lips.

It wasn’t hard to tell that it was a considerably rough curse.

“…Are, are you going to leave now? Leaving it like this!”

“Are you a bXXXh? After I fed you everything, what more are you whining about?”

“No, listen, my lord!”

“Enough, I’ll borrow your words.”

Whether it was permission or a notification. Before Fabio could even answer, Rude led the Pegasus he was riding on and rushed like crazy.

[This is the timeline separator]

The primordial sea.

The place where the twin gods Nilam and Nisha are said to be sleeping.

The beginning and origin of the Ifero Kingdom, where the first king was born.

Even though her whole body was completely submerged in water, she wasn’t suffocating.

Because she had confirmed it last time in the northern lake of Venenum, there was no fear or urgency of death rushing in.

But that was it. That was the only luck given to Merche.

Please. It hurts so much. I feel like I’m going to die from the agony, please…!

She sobbed without knowing who she was pleading to.

Every moment, sharp pain and tinnitus that seemed to shatter her head engulfed her.

It was useless to struggle. Her vision turned white, then black again.

When she curled up her body with difficulty, wanting to faint instead, it appeared.