Chapter 259: Strolling and the Oddity

The next day, at noon.

Ansu used the excuse of surveying the village's perimeter to take Freya out of the village and onto a path through the fields.

"His performance over the past few days... I really can't see any flaws in it." Freya kicked a pebble on the road, her voice filled with confusion. "Could we have been wrong? Is he actually a good person?"

She wasn't wavering in her perception of the Chosen One, but rather had developed other theories.

Could this Leo also be a "God-Awakened" like her, someone who had perceived a divine revelation and thus mistakenly believed himself to be the legendary savior?

After all, in the history of the Church of Holy Light, there had been such blunders before.

"Everything he shows truly makes him look like an upright, hot-blooded hero willing to stand up for others." Freya frowned in distress. "If this is all an act, then his acting... is terrifyingly good."

"I also think his words are sincere, and he has a strong sense of responsibility and leadership." Ansu nodded; if these were all true, he would be happy to see more heroes like this in the world.

However...

If he was a liar, then this type of enemy was the most dangerous and troublesome kind.

Fortunately, Ansu had a way to distinguish Leo's truth from falsehood and decided to put it into action tonight.

"Freya," he advised intentionally, his tone carrying the weight of experience. "Truly great liars are skilled at exploiting people's psychology. They really can deceive everyone. In this regard... I understand it all too well."

Freya blinked, her tone turning a bit playful. "Lord Ansu always says he understands these things... Does that mean you are also a big liar?"

Ansu's gaze fell on her soft face, and he nodded. "For example, I have lied to you."

Freya was taken aback, but then she shook her head gently. "That... that's different!"

"I can feel your kindness and trust toward me, even from the first time we met. Though I don't know where that feeling comes from, since we had never met before..."

It was as if Lord Ansu had known her and understood her for a long time...

"So, I also believe in Lord Ansu." Freya averted her gaze from Ansu and lowered her head slightly. "If they are necessary, white lies, I think... they're fine."

Ansu remained silent. Did Freya really not mind being deceived by him?

In this regard, she was the polar opposite of Celia.

"However," Freya quietly looked up, her voice becoming softer, "I still hope that Lord Ansu will try not to lie to me anymore. Ansu, you have to be even better to me..."

If only Ansu could look at her as earnestly as he looked at Celia...

Perhaps that day was still far off.

But she truly felt that recently, Ansu had begun to treasure her feelings more and more.

Perhaps this journey to the North would be a wonderful beginning.

Ansu retracted his previous thought.

The little Holy Maiden's obsessions were becoming more and more like Celia's...

"Yes." Ansu nodded, his voice not loud but very clear. "Didn't I say it before? I'll be the one to look after you from now on. I keep my word."

Freya stared blankly at his profile.

It felt as if her heart was being slowly filled with warm honey, a sweet sensation quietly spreading through her.

The two were silent for a moment, walking side by side along the field ridge.

The summer wind brushed against their cheeks, carrying the scent of growing grain, while the intermittent chirping of cicadas drifted from the treetops in the distance.

This is nice, Freya thought.

The sunlight fell on her shoulders, the breeze brushed through her hair, and the most important person was right beside her, within reach.

She hoped this path could go on forever like this.

...

While the two were walking together, the sound of hurried running suddenly came from ahead.

A militia captain beckoned to them, panting heavily. "Mr. Morris! Lord Leo is looking for you! Something has happened!"

The gentleness in Ansu's eyes vanished. He exchanged a glance with Freya and quickened his pace to meet the man.

"What is it?"

"It's black magic!" Anger and fear were mixed on the militia captain's face. "Following Lord Leo's orders, we conducted reconnaissance on the perimeters of all Staya villages. As a result, we found... the enemy is spreading terrifying black magic everywhere! The water sources and stables of several villages have suffered terrible black magic corruption!"

Ansu's brow immediately furrowed, his tone carrying a hint of reproach. "During a time of war, you can't even guard basic water sources and horses? What have you been doing?"

The combat readiness of the Staya was simply pathetic.

"We, we already added more men and have been patrolling day and night without interruption..."

The militia captain looked miserable as he explained helplessly, "Mr. Morris, the enemy has elusive black mages. It must have been the work of that high priest... We simply couldn't guard against it!"

"Enough." Ansu said no more and immediately turned to Freya. "Get back to Elvin Village quickly. Radish is still there."

Hearing the news of the enemy poisoning the stables, both were somewhat worried.

When they rushed into the stables, their worst fears had become reality.

The scent of rot and death permeated the air. Visible black mist was slowly spreading from the fallen horses. All the carcasses were stiff and lifeless.

Several tribal elders who had rushed over upon hearing the news were trembling with rage. Leo's party, along with Archbishop Paul, also arrived at the scene. They immediately tried to block the spread of the black magic and gathered together to urgently discuss countermeasures.

"We can't go on like this!" Leo's voice was resolute. "Notify all Staya villages. We can no longer disperse our forces and defenses. Concentrate them immediately! Abandon these peripheral outposts on flat ground with no defenses. All tribespeople must immediately migrate toward the snow mountains! We will build defensive fortifications there!"

His tone carried an unquestionable sense of urgency. "The enemy already has a knife to our throats. This is our only way to survive!"

This time, no one spoke up in opposition. The cruel reality had caused all hesitation and wishful thinking to vanish.

Only Ansu and Freya remained silent.

Ansu crouched down, ignoring the surrounding corruption, and carefully examined Radish's cold corpse.

This companion, who had been through so much with him, had a death that brought a strong... lingering sense of dissonance.

Ansu looked at Freya and read the same shock and suspicion in her pale gold eyes that he felt himself.

Radish was immune to black magic corruption.

After all, the 【inhibiting serum】 given to Danielle's husband and Valger's daughter had come from Radish's serum.

Yet the corpse before them had no external wounds and, like the other horses, showed signs of rapid decay caused by black magic erosion.

But this level of corruption was not even worth mentioning to Radish. It had been perfectly fine in the demon ruins, where a fallen deity was sleeping...

Radish wouldn't die this easily.

Ansu silently pondered all the strange clues from the past few days... A bold speculation gradually surfaced in his mind.

He surreptitiously glanced at Leo and the others nearby, then quietly took Freya's cold hand.

His fingertips slowly traced words across her palm:

"This might not be Radish."

"Something is wrong here. Do not speak."

Freya's hand trembled imperceptibly, then her fingertips gripped back slightly as she gave a small nod.