Chapter 106: Automatic Detection Radar (Patreon)

Guided by the "intel," the group finally made it out of the city of the snowy plain before long. Taking the chance, everyone rested a little, fed the Trekbears, and recovered their strength.

Soon enough...

"Put on the protective clothing," Luluo said, surveying the scenery ahead.

What lay before them now was a dividing line between two entirely different landscapes. One side was a motionless, almost lifeless wasteland. The other was a snowy plain where goose-feather flakes drifted down.

Hearing this, everyone pulled on their protective gear. But the packs held only a limited number of sets, and with two new members in the group, there weren't enough to go around. Naturally, the shortfall landed on Pandora's side.

"Here, put this on."

Under Odegulas's gaze, Pandora draped a protective suit over her.

Odegulas blinked.

"Then... what about you?"

Pandora only waved a hand, then pulled Louliana into her arms.

"This works fine."

Watching Louliana "steam" in Pandora's arms, Odegulas's eyes held a flicker of novelty. She nodded to show she understood.

"Pando..."

She didn't quite understand why Pandora wasn't using her ability like she had when they first met, but... this feeling was nice.

Beside them, Luluo and Saidela stared blankly at the sight of two people squeezed into one coat.

Maybe that was the perk of being small...

"So, which way now?"

Looking out over the boundless snowy plain, Pandora was at a loss for a moment.

"Look up and look carefully." Saidela suddenly spoke up. "The pillar of light in the sky marks the location of the Holy Capital."

At this, everyone followed his gaze. Sure enough, a pillar of light shot straight into the heavens in the distance. It was only hard to make out because it was daytime and the white expanse of snow blurred everything.

Luluo, who had just opened their mouth, faltered for a moment, then changed course.

"That light sits at the highest point of the Holy Capital. The nobles call it 'the Beacon for the Lost.' Of course, the name carries a double meaning, spiritual and literal."

Luluo paused.

"But that's all we know. For instance, what that light actually comes from... I suspect only the Holy King knows."

The "we" included Saidela.

Pandora was interested in the explanation, but she didn't say much, only nodding in acknowledgment.

After all, everyone knew what the situation ahead would be like.

Except Odegulas, of course...

The road ahead was all the same: snow and more snow, as far as the eye could see. Only that pillar of light guided them on their way.

And just as everyone pressed on without a break...

"Stop... here."

It was Odegulas who suddenly said it.

Pandora and Luluo were puzzled, but they reined the Trekbears to a halt as she'd asked.

"We have to... go around. Ahead... is a lake."

At those words, Pandora fixed her eyes on the ground ahead.

"Hmm..."

Well, she couldn't see any difference anyway...

"So how do we go around?"

In the end, all she could do was look to Odegulas.

"This way."

Odegulas pointed in a direction sixty degrees off from straight ahead.

The Trekbears' path shifted to follow her finger.

Along the way, one Trekbear's foot slipped off line because of its sheer size, but its stable footing kept it from "swimming."

Just as Odegulas had said, there really was a lake beneath the snow. The ice below was thick, but for a Trekbear's weight it was hardly a "cement road," and by the look of it, the lake covered a huge area.

When asked how she'd known...

"Intuition."

That was Odegulas's answer. It sounded a bit perfunctory, but paired with her serious (and expressionless) face, it gained a little credibility.

"R-really...?"

Still, it left everyone feeling it was somewhat preposterous.

After that, guided by Odegulas's "radar," the group skirted the lake and continued toward the Holy Capital, Glacia.

It felt like only a few hours had passed, yet the sky darkened quickly. Of course, that also made the pillar of light, now much closer, stand out more and more.

It also confirmed what Luluo had said: the pillar really did shine from a high place. Along its length it passed through several floating stone frames (or so they appeared), whose purpose no one could guess.

Pandora's first thought was: a signal-boosting beam converger? Still, that was only her imagination.

As they drew closer to their destination, everyone's spirits rose.

Of course, Trekbears weren't fast to begin with, and with the roads buried in heavy snow, their pace was naturally slow. So it was only as the sky began to lighten again that the Holy Capital came into view.

"..."

Before them, not far off, the city blazed with lights. It was a bit hazy, but judging purely by sight, you could call it "golden splendor." Rows of domed houses stood on terrain of different heights, and in many places tall towers had even been raised. Just seeing this city in the distance already felt different from before. At least on first impression, Pandora gave it an 8 out of 10.

Seeing Glacia's appearance once more, Saidela sighed.

"It may not measure up to the Kingdom of Lugunica, but at least it looks first-rate."

However...

"Don't be fooled by the splendor of the buildings and scenery outside..." Luluo suddenly spoke up. "Life inside might be a total mess. Then again, that's a bottom-rung problem. You people in the upper tiers naturally can't see it."

Perhaps because they were free of the constraints of status, Luluo and Saidela now talked like ordinary people, casual and a little teasing.

"Ha ha..."

Knowing he was out of his depth on this subject, Saidela gave an awkward laugh.

"Is that so."

Odegulas raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled.

Seeing that she neither blinked nor spoke, Pandora understood she was pondering some "profound mystery" again...