Chapter 2390: Moonlit Sand Sea

Chapter 2390: Chapter 2390: Moonlit Sand Sea

Seeing Shard still clicking away at the clasp, fixing the armor’s accessories to the inside of the box for easy storage, Miss Mister asked:

"Why are you putting it back in the box? Aren’t you going to put it on and try it out?"

"No time, and for me, protective gear isn’t really important; it actually hinders agility."

Shard wasn’t boasting; his body truly was reliable.

Miss Mister then stood behind him with a smile, saying nothing more, just watching him close the box again and turn it back into a toy using a curtain.

Even as a toy, the box continued to glow. This time, Shard minimized it to the extreme, the final surface area about the size of a fingernail:

"As expected, having the element makes it much harder to cast a spell on it... How about hanging it on Mia’s neck as a pendant?"

He gestured around the cat’s neck, but the cat immediately dodged. It refused to have any decorations added to its body, whether a bell or a small bowtie. For instance, when Megan and Audrey first arrived at Moon Bay, transforming into "Twin-Tailed Cats," and wore that pretty "Cat Lace Dress," Mia absolutely refused to wear it.

"What did you think of that made you smile so happily?"

The brown-skinned lady asked again, and Shard immediately shook his head, feeling that he could still try with Mia in the future. For example, when taking photos for Miss Gawder, he might find a way to make the cat try on that outfit.

The glowing armor was placed in his pocket, and after confirming last preparations with Old Lady Sianod, Miss Sander, and Miss Nate, the group of five officially set off.

Outside the temple was a vast desert under the moonlight. The sunlight had vanished, and now a layer of moonlight floated over the surface of the sand, making it appear not dark at all. Looking up, deep darkness shrouded the sky, devoid of starlight, with only a massive pure white moon hanging where the sun once was.

Shard had a very keen perception of the moon, but this time, he couldn’t discern whether the thing overhead was actually the moon. But what was certain was that the strange object at least shared some properties of the moon.

The desert temperature was extremely low. In the outsider’s memory, except for the "Silver Mountains" when he first met Chloe, he had never been to a place so cold. Yet, strangely, breath only produced thin white mist, and the sand surface hadn’t changed form due to the extreme cold.

Concerned, he glanced at Mia only to find the cat perched on his shoulder as if nothing was amiss, eagerly observing its surroundings.

Shard then looked at his companions; Miss Mister was unaffected, and Old Lady Sianod seemed largely unfazed. Miss Sander tightened her clothes and breathed into her palms, with her face paling slightly, but it didn’t seem seriously problematic.

The only ordinary person, Miss Nate, had donned her full body armor once more. Ritual symbols etched by various witch figures slowly illuminated on the armor surface, continuously providing warmth.

"I’m fine for now."

The helmet transmitted the muffled voice of the lady knight.

Shard nodded, and Old Lady Sianod had already taken out the damaged compass, activating it according to the information received, and the light pointed the way.

She turned back to look at the solitary temple standing amidst the sand sea:

"Let’s set off."

"Hold on a moment."

Shard fumbled in his pocket and found an unlit torch. A gentle blow ignited a small flame on the torch. The flame Shard used harnessed the "Fire of the Primordial," strengthened by Sister Delphine at the "Edge of Life and Death" last night, making it even more formidable. As the bright flame burned, its orange-red glow brought a sense of security to all.

Though the temperature didn’t change drastically with the torch’s presence, the sense of security greatly helped stabilize the mind.

Without Shard needing to speak, the ladies formed around him. Then, with the torch’s flame accompanying them through the sand sea, the group carrying their packs headed into the boundless night.

As they traveled, the temperature dropped further. Apart from Shard unconsciously absorbing the strange moon’s light, converting it into his spirit, the others visibly declined in condition... Miss Mister was certainly unaffected.

The moonlit desert bore five sets of footprints, while Mia, tucked into the front pocket of Shard’s outer garment, remained active.

No one spoke, and not even Old Lady Sianod, leading the way, offered any explanation about changes in the light point on the damaged compass.

For a brief moment, Shard even felt as if he were walking alongside three moonlit shells that had lost their souls. Of course, that was just an illusion.

"Miss Mister, do you think we will succeed?"

The torch flame burned silently, prompting Shard to speak up, breaking the silence. Old Lady Sianod and the others did not turn, while the brown-skinned lady smiled back ask:

"What do you think?"

The question itself indicated she didn’t wish to answer, but Shard wasn’t seeking predictions; he aimed to initiate conversation.

His gaze briefly passed over the other three companions before asking in a low voice:

"I’ve encountered some small troubles back at home... Well, it’s big trouble, and I need someone to help. Could you..."

"I can’t go to your home, so obviously, I can’t help you. You’re aware of that, aren’t you?"

Her golden eyes gazed smilingly at Shard. If he hadn’t known her identity, the outsider wouldn’t have realized she was the Saint.

"Don’t be too greedy, and besides, haven’t you prepared many measures?"

"I think I’m well prepared, but after all, that one is...the unnamed eldest son. They’re very powerful, really very powerful."

As he spoke, he discreetly glanced around, noticing the other three companions still showed no reaction.

Miss Mister curled her lips slightly, glancing at Shard’s chest where the cat was hidden:

"Unnamed eldest son, doesn’t it mean a son not acknowledged? If the ’unnamed eldest son’s father recognized them, I suppose they wouldn’t be ’unnamed.’"

This indeed gave Shard some ideas and direction:

"Yes, the Lord of Light obviously doesn’t acknowledge the ’unnamed eldest son’... So what ultimately happened in the Ancient Times? Could it be that the unnamed eldest son secretly slaughtered other created ancient dragons and then was discovered by the Lord of Light?"

Shard curiously asked again, while Miss Mister’s smile remained unchanged:

"Are you asking me?"

"Do I need to do something?"

The lady with brown skin gently shook her head:

"The happenings in Ancient Times are so far away, and such matters pertain to secrets involving those truly Ancient Ones. The Lord of Light herself erased the information of that ’unnamed eldest son.’ Don’t be too curious, this matter should be unrelated to you, right?"

But Shard was truly curious about the story between the Evil God "Dragon Devourer" and the Ancient God "Dragon of Radiant Light;" it could at least complete the antecedents and consequences for Shard.

Since Miss Mister was reluctant to disclose, Shard refrained from probing further. Though he felt somewhat presumptuous, he continued to inquire about the next topic:

"Regarding the inevitable ’final destiny,’ do you have anything you can tell me?"

"It’s all up to you, Outlander."

This was the first time she addressed Shard as such:

"Since someone chose you, and you chose your fate for yourself, go ahead and act. Perhaps you’ll never see through the mist enveloping you, but at least determine one thing."

After a slight pause, she almost leaned down to Shard’s ear while walking barefoot and said:

"Your appearance has changed many things, hasn’t it? You’ve already become that strand of light in many people’s hearts."

"Are you referring to Luviya?"

"I don’t know any Luviya Annette."

She shook her head with a smile, and Shard hesitantly nodded, holding the torch and pondered more as he continued to walk forward.

A continuous string of footprints extended forward, and Shard subsequently attempted conversations with Old Lady Sianod, Miss Nate, and Miss Sander, trying to prevent them from getting lost in this icy desert.

Yet, Shard’s worries seemed quite superfluous since these ladies had ventured alone in this desert before his appearance. Nonetheless, occasional conversations indeed helped invigorate the spirits.

The Mia whom Shard had always worried about still hid in Shard’s chest, and its body warmth even provided Shard with warmth. Although he thought that before reaching the destination, the lady with pale brown skin wouldn’t speak to him again, as they walked, the lady suddenly spoke again:

"After you left last time, Miss Nate explained the matter regarding [Power of the Earth: Blessing All Things] to us in detail. You seem unable to use it?"

Shard turned to look at her:

"Yes, my petrification resistance is too high... You’re not suggesting you have a way for me to use this divine art, are you?"

The "God of Mist" gently shook her head:

"This divine art is nothing but a means of voluntary sacrifice and self-sacrifice to acquire the power of the earth. If you truly wish to sacrifice yourself, you can certainly seek other methods; it’s not difficult for you. I merely wish to remind you, being in the mist, you have already seen the glimmer guiding truth."

Shard curiously asked:

"What is the truth, may I ask?"

Miss Mister smiled without replying, but instead extended her slender finger and lightly tapped on Shard’s chest, naturally avoiding the cat’s hiding place.

[Outlander, you have felt the ’Miracle.’]

"She" softly reminded, but Shard waited for some time without receiving any further elaboration. He then curiously looked at Miss Mister, who had already turned her gaze forward with a smile, seemingly unwilling to engage further with Shard.

"What does it mean?"

[Yes, what does it mean?]