abcnovels
Chapter 501 502-Pursuit
Chapter 501 502-Pursuit
Chapter 501 502-Pursuit
??"Nula sent me to check if you've finished counting your money. If you have, we need to discuss our departure."
"We might be in a bit of trouble."
Trouble? Vivia's words momentarily puzzled Howard, who casually asked, "What trouble? Did Nula tell you something?"
Vivia shook her head.
"She didn't go into details, just asked me to check on you and urged you to join her as soon as possible."
"Alright then," Howard nodded, tousling Vivia's hair.
"But don't wait by my door next time. People might get the wrong idea, thinking I did something to you. Just knock directly."
Vivia suddenly giggled.
"What are you afraid of being misunderstood for?"
Howard didn't respond, merely straightened his face and gave Vivia a light knock on the head before stepping out of the room.
"Let's go."
Nula's room was directly opposite Howard's, so he found himself at her door almost immediately, raising his hand to knock.
Vivia, standing behind Howard, gazed at Nula's door, her expression deep in thought.
Seizing the moment before Nula opened the door, Vivia tugged at Howard's sleeve.
"Hey, Howard, during the monster tide attack a few days ago, did you guys do something?"
"What do you mean?" Howard glanced back at Vivia, asking, "Why would you ask that?"
"I heard the monster tide was due to a sudden withdrawal of a mana surge. But afterwards, people searched all over Rodel and couldn't find the source of the mana surge, leading me to believe it wasn't caused by any device or spell. So, I thought of you. When it comes to mysteries, there aren't many in Rodel more mysterious than you!"
With a smile gracing her face and a look of curious inquiry directed at Howard, Vivia asked, "So, did you do something? You two are the most suspicious!"
Howard grimaced, paused for a moment, then puffed out his chest and raised his eyebrows, "Yes, it was me! It was Nula and I who saved the entire Rodel. How about that, scared?"
When Howard openly admitted it, Vivia wasn't quite convinced.
"If you're really that powerful, why bother standing on the city walls fighting those spellbeasts and other creatures? A simple wave of your hand should have wiped them all out."
Nula opened the door, stood at the entrance with her arms crossed, and looked at the two with an inscrutable expression, amusement playing across her face.
"Your relationship seems better than I imagined."
Nula's voice made Howard turn back around.
He lifted his chin, "You mentioned we might have trouble?"
After glancing left and right to ensure no one was in the corridor, Nula turned and walked back into her room, "Let's talk inside."
Howard didn't hesitate and entered Nula's room, his first visit since waking from unconsciousness.
The room's arrangement appeared slightly different, adorned with additional trinkets and more luggage.
Realizing Vivia had also moved in, he assumed these belongings were hers.
Finding a stool to sit on, Howard followed Nula with his gaze and began, "Can you give me the details now? Is it another cult or something?"
"A cult? What cult?" Eagerly sitting next to Howard, looking as excited as if attending some major conference, Vivia nudged Howard's shoulder and asked.
"The one behind the monster tide attacking Rodel, a cult called the Eternal Flame. They had built a large base beneath Rodel, but Nula and I destroyed it."
"It was the destruction of that base that dispersed the monster tide."
"It sounds like something out of a legend." Vivia stroked her chin, nodding as if understanding.
"So, it really was you and Nula who saved Rodel?"
Howard said irritably, "No."
You didn't believe me just now, now I won't admit it.
Want a story?
No chance!
"What's the trouble, then?" Howard's gaze returned to Nula.
"The Eternal Flame," Nula's expression turned serious.
"I suppose you haven't forgotten; they're a cult that spans almost the entire western region of the continent."
"After the base was destroyed, they sent people to investigate."
"While the first group of investigators was dealt with by our people, more are on their way."
"Moreover, there's intelligence indicating they might be aware of our existence, even knowing we've been to that base."
"That's bad news," Howard's eyes twitched.
"So, we're going to be hunted soon, and we'll have to flee like stray dogs?"
"The situation isn't as bad as you think. Our people will stop most of the pursuers," Nula paused before adding, "The manhunt won't be as relentless as you imagine, but it's certainly not something that can be easily resolved either."
"This is a real crisis. A moment's inattention, and we might end up dead at the hands of those cult assassins."
"To kill us, the Eternal Flame has even deployed a top-notch level 2 magus."
Howard raised his hands and shrugged, "Do you have any plans, no matter how crazy?"
Among the three of them, the most reliable might just be this lady.
Without her, Howard didn't think he could survive this manhunt.
Of course, he wasn't afraid to die.
But there are always things worse than death in this world.
Falling into the hands of a cult, who knows what one might endure.
"Time!"
Nula paused, then emphatically waved her hand.
"Time is our life! Time is our only advantage right now! We have the advantage of intelligence, but as the manhunt progresses, this slight edge won't last long, so time is indeed our most important advantage!"
"We must act one step ahead!"
"One step faster to leave, one step faster to arrive!"
"The first three waves of assassination won't be their full effort, as my little boss will be distracting them."
"However, starting from the third wave, we'll be facing a death crisis!"
"As long as we arrive in Sorona before the third wave of assassination, we'll be out of danger!"
Once in Sorona City, Nula was confident in trapping and eliminating all those pursuers then and there.
"Alright, since you have a plan, let's follow through with it. We can't delay any longer; we need to set off immediately. Are we still riding chocobos? What about Vivia?"
Howard glanced at Vivia before continuing, "Packing our bags won't take too much time, but my half-armor needs some repairs, which will take about half a day."
Nula calculated the possible timing for the first wave of assassins and after a moment, looked up, "That works, we'll split up. I'll go buy a simple carriage; it will be handy for carrying stuff and reduce our stops. You get your half-armor and weapons fixed. If you find something suitable, you can also buy something for Vivia. And those magic potions or scrolls that temporarily boost endurance, buy some if you can."
Howard and Nula, being magi, were the strongest in combat among the three, with Vivia being the least capable.
Yet, Vivia was a companion Howard cared deeply for.
If the enemy targeted this weakness, they might aim for Vivia.
Strengthening Vivia's combat ability was crucial.
"I understand," Howard nodded.
"So, when do we regroup?"
Nula looked out the window; it was just past noon, leaving half a day.
Considering it was not advisable to travel at night, setting off early the next morning seemed most reliable, timing-wise.
"We set off tomorrow morning; you can start preparing now."
With the time confirmed, Howard didn't linger any longer.
He stood up, patted Vivia's head, and left to prepare.
"The carriage is your responsibility then. Do you have enough money?"
Chocobos, known for their stamina and temperament, surpass the capabilities of ordinary nags and present no issue when tasked with pulling a cart.
A lightweight two-wheeled carriage would be perfectly adequate for Nula and Vivia.
The absence of the need to purchase horses significantly reduces the overall expense, as this era lacks effective alternatives to beastly labor.
"I have the funds, don't worry," Nula also stood up, her expression firm.
"While we have a decent buffer before the first assassination attempt, we can't discount the possibility of unforeseen events. Vigilance is essential when we're out and about."
"I certainly don't want to receive sudden news of your demise."
When Nula spoke, her expression was grave.
She had no desire to relive the experience of losing a companion—what was supposed to be a low-risk mission had resulted in the death of a long-time partner due to carelessness.
Vigilance and caution are paramount, a lesson even a maverick like her understood all too well.
Although she hadn't spent a great deal of time with Howard, he had become somewhat of a companion.
His sudden death would not only signify the failure of their mission but also mean she'd lose one of the few people she could converse with in this world, making her existence increasingly lonely.