The Outer God Needs Warmth-Chapter 197: Beauty and the Beast (7)

A thick stench of fish and decaying bodies mixed together, spreading a horrific odor.

As I smelled that scent, I ran for a long time, getting hit by the water droplets falling from the black sea in the sky, and finally crossed the barricade.

Victoria had already crossed it and continued moving east.

However, she wasn’t sure of the exact location. She was looking at the address on the letter to guide her, so she was heading somewhere that was off the actual location.

If you follow the number, you end up taking a detour from a distance. But if you predict there’s something in the middle and go in, you end up at a completely different address, making it even harder.

The road is a mess, so the numbers are also poorly placed.

Considering that Victoria might get lost, I think I’ll arrive at the address sooner.

That’s when it happened.

"Hey, there's a runaway!"

While I was holding Polaris' hand and running, someone from a distance shouted at us. Polaris' gaze reached them before mine.

Two people in military uniforms. One winding machine that resembles a person.

Compared to the winding machines that killed people from the airship, this one looks much stronger. Although the one that killed people was unmanned, this one has a pilot.

And it starts emitting light as it races toward us. The light rises above, while the thrust goes backward, which is strange.

Maybe because I'm used to rockets, it feels more comfortable when the thrust goes in the opposite direction of where the light is aimed.

Polaris clicked her tongue quietly and grabbed my body. Then, she jumped, lifting me with her.

In one leap, we were near the second-floor house.

No, even so, isn’t this defying gravity?

But before I could say anything, the ring of light flew toward us. Polaris slapped the wall that blocked our escape with her palm.

CRASH!

Superhuman strength?

No, no matter how strong it is, there’s no shock on Polaris' arm. This isn’t just raw strength, it’s the result of using magic.

Creatures living in this world use magic for their physical abilities, so their movements often seem like magic.

From what I remember, creatures that use a lot of magical energy to move aren’t necessarily the best.

Using a lot of magic means they’re good at utilizing the magical environment in their habitat. They become stronger in that environment but, as a side effect, the magic from other areas doesn’t suit them.

As a result, their habitat shrinks.

And this means that if there’s a drastic change in the environment, they can’t survive and will disappear. They’re strong in their domain but vulnerable to environmental changes. It’s a trade-off.

That’s why widespread creatures are often the ones that don’t use much magic.

Like rabbits.

Creatures that can live in any environment survive and spread the most. So, most ecosystems are made up of creatures that use the least magic.

But if they don’t use any at all, they fall short in output.

That’s why creatures that use a little magic for movement are widespread.

Because of that, it’s not that there are disabled people who can’t use magic, but that there are wizards who can use magic.

The average is that the creature can’t use magic.

Anyway.

It means that someone born with great strength, if they also use magic, can exert truly enormous power.

Ugh!

But that was before high-level magic.

The surrounding air hardened, blocking our movements. And the winding machine, as though missing the target of the spell, flew toward us.

"Type 1 specimen!"

"It’s the Purple Twilight Association! We assume it’s not Type 2, so let’s capture and interrogate them!"

Someone behind shouted.

Ah, I see.

Two little girls.

Most of the harvesters left in Vern City belong to the Purple Twilight Association. The Type 1 specimen likely refers to harvesters with purple hair or unusually pale skin. From their speech, Type 2 probably refers to those with psychic powers.

So, if we see someone with purple hair, it wouldn’t be strange for them to be part of the Purple Twilight Association. Also, Polaris and I had been walking in the direction toward the west.

It would actually be strange if they didn’t notice us.

"Polaris."

"What?"

I suggested another approach while Polaris moved as though cutting through sticky gel.

"Leave me behind."

"What?"

She turned around in surprise. I leaned toward her ear and spoke softly.

"It’s No. 39. If you go up this alley, the number will increase. Do you remember the address?"

I had mentioned No. 91 earlier. Polaris nodded slightly, indicating she remembered.

"Don’t worry about me. Go ahead."

"No."

Hmm. She’s resolute.

Considering her actions until now, it’s not surprising, but right now, it’s an obstacle.

I heard them talking about capturing and interrogating, so there’s no immediate danger of being disintegrated into dust. That means this is a place where I can move freely.

Polaris tightened her hold on me.

She sees me as someone she has to protect, and that’s why she’s acting this way. That turns the situation around.

"Polaris. If you keep this up, you’ll become a hostage."

I deliberately cut my words short, so it sounds like this: "You’ll be the hostage, and it’ll make me uncomfortable."

Polaris immediately understood, looking at me with a hurt expression, but honestly, a single female student has no chance against soldiers using magic.

Unless Polaris is particularly strong, I don’t recall anything like that in Kanna’s memories.

So, she’s an ordinary student. Even if it’s one-on-one, there are three professionals here. One-on-three, especially with a difference in skill level, is dangerous.

If there’s a gap in skills, it’s a guaranteed loss.

"Are you really okay?"

I nodded while watching the approaching winding machine. As I subtly relaxed, I applied force and broke free from Polaris’ grasp.

Then, I intentionally moved into the steel hand that was reaching out toward me.

Greeek!

No, isn’t that grip a bit too tight?

First, I provoke them to buy time for Polaris to escape.

"Are you planning to rebel against the royal family?"

"What?"

"My name is Bel. I’m under the protection of the royal family, and I came here because something felt wrong with what’s happening in Vern City. What are you doing here, humans?"

It’s true that I’m under royal protection.

It’s also true that I sensed something wrong with the events in Vern City.

But when I say both together like this, it sounds like I’m investigating for the royal family.

"What’s that supposed to mean?!"

"I’ve appeared in the media multiple times. I’ve been with a member of the royal family. Are you really going to deny it? Who’s protecting you?"

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

When I asked assertively, the man riding the winding machine stopped moving.

"Release your hands."

I ordered while I was at it. But the hand didn’t loosen. I could feel the pilot inside the winding machine hesitating, visible through the brass mask.

Meanwhile, Polaris had left the area.

As she looked at the sea above, it seems like she might join Victoria and then come looking for me.

That’s fine either way.

At that moment, two other soldiers arrived.

This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.

"Gaston is already dead. So, please guide us to the commander right below him."

Honestly, they won’t really guide us, right? Would they believe a little girl like me saying that? They’ll probably just brush it off or dismiss it.

Even if it’s true, if no one knows the truth, it’s just an accident, right?

Now, I’m wondering in what form ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ I’ll be torn apart, but one of the soldiers approaching me gulped as he looked at me.

"Bel...?"

Ah.

He knows me, but I don’t know him. Is he someone who recognized me from media coverage, or perhaps a relative among the harvesters?

"Soldier, do you know who this girl is?"

"Yes! She’s the one who healed all the injuries during the disaster in Vern City. She was taken directly by the royal family!"

Ah, so ordinary people know me like that.

I roughly understand the rank of the person in front of me. The slightly older man is the highest ranking, with the soldier and the one riding the winding machine below him.

Hmm?

This is going to end more normally than I expected.

"Why is someone like that here?"

I overheard the highest-ranking person muttering. It wasn’t a question directed at me.

But I want to test something, and here, I’ll throw logic out the window.

"It’s because the royal airship was shot down. Inside, the winding machines killed people and tried to hijack the airship and crash it. Then, they attacked me from the ground. I barely escaped and made it to Vern City."

I stopped by the Nant port and witnessed Marquis Gaston, the real owner of this army, being murdered. But I won’t mention that. I’ll twist the story a bit, so later, when someone checks my tracks, it’ll be confusing.

Since the airship automatically flew toward the sea, I can say I miraculously reached the coast after escaping from the sea.

Why do I do this?

It’s simple torture.

"Where’s the person who will take responsibility?"

By the way, this means they’re calling for the highest-ranking person to be brought here. Since there’s a surviving soldier from Vern City, if the army has spread the news, they’ll know Gaston is already dead. If not, they won’t know anything.

"Commander, what do we do?"

The man who recognized me anxiously asked the superior. It seems the one riding the winding machine has a lower rank.

"First..."

The so-called commander sighed deeply.

Well then.

What choice will they make?

"We’ll take her back to the base. Until we confirm she’s really from the royal family, keep a close watch."

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

The young man and the soldier riding the winding machine saluted. Though their words were softened, in essence, they were saying that if it’s a lie, they should capture and torture me, keeping me under surveillance.

Hmm, they’re not as aggressive as I thought. I expected them to desperately cover up any evidence of a rebellion.

I guess the experiment will have to wait. Well, I can do that later.

I was led by them, beneath the sea leaking from the sky, toward the place the commander referred to as the base.

By the way, being dragged by the winding machine’s hand didn’t feel very pleasant.