The next second Hakama came running up to him. "Guardian God, there you are!"
Dano ran beside her, waving his arms. They had all been looking for him. They grabbed his hands, and Hakama pulled him forward.
"Let's go back, quickly."
"They can't start without the guest of honour," Dano added.
Cedo noticed the key hanging around Hakama's neck. Isn't that the key to that door — the door to the laboratory? He stopped.
"Hakama. Where did you get that medallion?"
Hakama lifted the key up to her eyes and shrugged. "This? Some incredible person gave it to our family a long time ago. It's been passed down from generation to generation. People believed that if the village was ever in danger, it would help us call the guardian god and save us all."
I see, Cedo noted to himself. So that's how it works. Even here, I can rely on him.
They pulled him along again, and he followed.
After some time a huge bonfire was lit in the centre of the village. Hakama waved her hand, urging everyone on.
"Over here. Quickly."
They went on pulling Cedo along, and the gathered villagers whispered among themselves. One of them muttered, "So this is really the guardian god? They must be joking. He looks like a lesser being no matter how you look at him. Could a weakling like that really defeat a distorted one?"
The next second Sauls struck one of the doubters, and clenching his fist, roared, "How would you know? You just ran away. The guardian god is amazing. Let everyone remember that."
Hakama sighed quietly. "Look who's talking."
Dano put his hand to his chest and said with a soft smile that it was as if Sauls had become a completely different person.
At that moment the grandmother came over to them. "So this is where you are."
Hakama turned to her.
"I want to thank you officially, on behalf of the entire village," the grandmother said firmly.
The father stepped forward and added, "Without you the village would not have survived. We want to thank you somehow."
Cedo placed his hand on his chest and replied quietly, "It's not worth it."
The father wanted to object, but Cedo cut him off. "If you really want to do something for me, give me information. I want to learn more about this world."
"About this world, then?" the grandmother said thoughtfully. She tilted her head slightly. "In that case, you should go to the capital of the kingdom."
"The capital?" Cedo asked in surprise.
She nodded. "Where the king who rules this country, Colmasia, lives. People from all over the world gather there. They'll be able to tell you what's happening in the world. The people of Kodama also go there sometimes to sell silk goods. The road is long and difficult, but I'm sure the guardian god can handle it."
Cedo frowned slightly. "But I don't know where to go."
Then the grandmother gently placed her hand on Hakama's head. "You can take her as a guide. She's been to the capital before."
Cedo looked at the girl in surprise. "You've been to the capital?"
"As you've probably already noticed," the grandmother continued quietly, "Hakama possesses the sacred power. There's an academy in the capital that helps develop such abilities. She had to leave her studies once, but she'd wish for nothing more than to go back."
So schools exist in this era too, Cedo noted to himself.
At that moment Sauls came striding up to them, holding his hand out in front of him and shouting loudly, "Wait a minute. I'm supposed to be the guardian god's guide."
Shandi called out to his brother in alarm. "Sauls, don't."
The grandmother shook her head and said calmly, "You have no business in the capital."
Sauls chuckled. "And I'm planning to become a paladin."
She sighed heavily. "They didn't even accept you into the academy. You'll never make it."
He clenched his fist again and shouted angrily, "What did you say, old woman?"
"So sacred power alone isn't enough to get into the academy?" Cedo asked calmly.
Hakama shrugged. "There are written exams to be completed as well. Sauls is a fool. He failed those."
"I see," Cedo said. He thought for a moment. Paladins. Yes, that's interesting. I want to know more about them.
Meanwhile, in the dense forest, Argus Wilton dismounted from his horse, holding the reins tightly. He turned to the girl and asked, "So those huge distorted ones that appeared near the village — they really were destroyed?"
The girl nodded confidently. "Exactly."
"Are you sure?" Argus asked insistently.
"Exactly," she confirmed. In fact she had been just about to leave to report to the guild master.
Argus paused a second, considering what he had heard. He had come here thinking that even a dozen paladins could not cope with a monster like that. He had been in a hurry, waiting for the reports, and he had not expected anyone to be able to defeat it.
The girl scratched her head. "Still, running into a paladin in a remote place like this. What a coincidence, huh?"
At that very moment a huge monster stepped out of the shadows of the trees behind her. Argus swung his weapon with lightning speed, rushed forward, and with one precise blow cut the monster in two. Lowering his sword, he said quietly, "If all of this is true, then I want to see this man in person."
After some time Cedo came out of the room and said, "A beautiful morning. What pleasant air."
He had never thought he would be able to enjoy such a view. Shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand, he added quietly, "I wish Kagura could see this."
At that moment Shandi came up behind him, holding a stack of clothes in his hands. "Guardian God, these are for you. Please put them on."
A little while later everyone had gathered at the edge of the village. The grandmother turned to her granddaughter.
"Be a good guide for him."
"Okay," Hakama replied calmly.
Sauls stood with his arms crossed over his chest, looking off to the side. He muttered quietly, "I'd learn a lot if I went with the guardian god."
The grandmother snapped at once. "You should have picked up your textbooks."
"Shut up already," he grumbled in response.
Cedo looked at Sauls and asked calmly, "Sauls, right? You fought well yesterday. I'll be waiting for you in the capital."
Sauls raised his head in surprise, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and cried out passionately, "I'll do my best in my studies."
At that moment the father came up to Cedo and shook his hand firmly. "Guardian god, please take care of Hakama."
Then he knelt in front of his daughter and, placing his hand on her shoulder, said quietly, "Hakama. The main thing is to take care of your health, all right?"
"Yeah," she replied briefly.
After that they headed towards the path. Hakama waved her hand towards the road. "Well then. We're off."
The other villagers waved them away, and Cedo and Hakama began their journey. Along the way they stopped near a waterfall, gazing in awe at the towering mountains, and later sat by a campfire, eating at a rest stop.
"How far is it to the capital?" Cedo asked.
Hakama took a bite of her food. "Four more days on foot."
Cedo smiled. "Closer than I thought."