Chapter 74

“I will go to the desert tomorrow.”

Liam, Wenzel, and Hans were all gathered in the room.

“I will tell the person in charge of the route to get ready.”

The Byrne Desert was so extensive that it was impossible to go without a guide, that was why we had already contacted a caravan who traveled in the Byrne Desert.

“I plan to leave tomorrow before sunrise.”

“Don’t worry, we’ve been fully prepared since we departed from the Empire.”

The tense atmosphere softened a little at Wenzel’s blunt reply.

“Then, please.”

At that, all three bowed their heads at the sincere request.

* * *

After everyone left the room and even Declan fell asleep, I remembered Epist’s words again.

“Find Kefiena. A long-forgotten Namos awaits, blown by the hot wind on the dry land. Follow the 8 Hodein in the face of the rising sun. You will find the lost door.”

Now that I have found Kefiena, I must find the temple in the desert tomorrow.

‘…Can I really find it?’

In the meantime, I had searched for books and papers on the ruins of the Byrne Desert, but there have been no significant results. If the people who came as guides tomorrow didn’t know, I would have to wait for the Kefiena to come.

Worried, I went through the bag and pulled out Mazvin. When it was dark like today, touching it made me feel strangely at ease.

I put my hand on Mazvin and prayed into it.

‘Please, let me find Namos tomorrow…’

Until now, when I asked what Namos was, it never answered. In addition, when I asked where to find Namos, it only answered ‘Ielro,’ so I thought it wouldn’t respond again this time…

Clink.

Mazvin started to turn.

Dazedly, I watched Mazvin move.

The answer given by Mazvin, who stopped after a while was…

“…Potimos?”

It was a word I had never seen in any of the sources I gazed at on the Byrne Desert.

“Is that a person’s name…? Would it be better if you gave me a little more detail?”

Even though I glared at Mazvin in frustration, it didn’t move any further.

“This won’t do. We’ll find out tomorrow.”

* * *

As a result of our diligent traveling speed, the sun was just rising when we reached the Byrne Desert.

“Your Majesty, this is the person we asked for guidance.”

Liam brought a copper-skinned man in his late thirties with him.

“Greetings, precious visitor. My name is Haram.”

The man pressed his hood down deeply when he saw Declan and bowed down to greet him.

“I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, yes!”

Haram couldn’t even look at Declan properly and kept his head down.

“These, these are the nomads who live here in the desert. We also get help from them when we go up.”

Those whom Haram brought were three young men.

“Are they Kefiena?”

I was told that they lived in the desert, so I observed them closely.

“Well, didn’t the princess say that if we had the necklace, they would recognize us?”

Obviously, Stella said so, though they just politely bowed their heads and didn’t say anything.

“I don’t know.”

Declan approached Haram and asked my question.

“Are these people from the Etila tribe?”

“No, but Etila would not be known to outsiders…”

Haram tilted his head and looked into Declan’s eyes as if asking. Seeing that, he opened his mouth to reply.

“I heard it because I knew the tribe.”

“Oh, did you? There’s very little chance of meeting them in the desert. They don’t show up very well.”

“I see.”

Declan responded lightly and returned to me.

‘That person…’

One of the three young men’s eyes trembled when Etila was mentioned.

‘Does he know about Etila?’

I thought about asking him, but he didn’t come forward, so there seemed to be something. Let’s wait first because it said they would come…

“Your Majesty, I asked them about the temple or the ruins, although they said they did not know.”

“Then, ask if they know Potimos.”

When Liam asked Haram again, he conversed with the nomads, perhaps hearing it for the first time, too.

“The nomads say they know.”

If they had said they did not know, we would have had to wait for the Kefiena at the entrance, which was a relief.

“Then, let’s go to Potimos.”

Declan’s party rode on the camels and covered their heads and faces with cloth.

* * *

As we entered the desert in earnest, a sight glistening in the morning sun caught our eyes. A sand wind blew like a silk cloth fluttering over the sand dunes large and small. Whether it was because of the occasional sand wind or because of their first-time camel riding, there was no word from everyone.

When the sun was approaching the middle of the sky, we got off the camel and had a light meal.

…How long has it been since we moved? Suddenly, Liam’s camel came to a halt. Then, an unfamiliar voice was heard.

“Stop!”

It was a low voice for a woman.

At the same time, strangers whom we did not know where appeared, surrounding us. Declan, as well as the escort knights, all drew their swords. In an unexpected situation, I hurriedly glanced around at the strangers. They were all covered in black cloth except for the eyes.

“Get out of the way!”

They didn’t even budge at Liam’s call.

“Why did you stop us?”

Declan asked them, raising his voice. Suddenly, the first person to shout slowly came forward.

“Erica.”

At that moment, I quickly turned my head to the sound of Declan’s call.

His brow was narrowed.

“Don’t, don’t tell me you’re hurt?”

“It’s reacting.”

He pulled something out of his arms and showed it to me.

…It was Stella’s necklace.

It was trembling finely in his hand.

‘Then…!’

I glanced at the one who had shouted at us and saw her brown eyes trembling.

“Kefiena.”

I was convinced as I watched her pat around her own neck. Because Stella said that if we meet Kefiena, the necklaces they had with each other would react.

The woman’s hot gaze turned to Declan.

‘It seems she can’t see me either. I thought that if she was Kefiena, she might be different…’

Stella couldn’t see me, so I didn’t expect it, but my heart didn’t.

“Kefiena.”

At Declan’s words, I could see the strangers frowning.

“Do you know us?”

“Princess Estee told me. She said if they saw this, they would find out.”

Declan picked up his necklace and held it forward.

“Can I check it up close?”

Hearing that, he nodded his head when she asked. At the same time, Liam and Wenzel got off their camels and stood around Declan. The leader approached slowly, carefully examining the necklace Declan had offered, and immediately knelt down.

“Savior, I meet you at last.”

As she knelt down, all the surrounding strangers withdrew their swords and fell to their knees.

‘Savior…?’

Even now, this situation is surprising, though the word savior stuck in my ears more. Stella obviously looked at me and said I was the owner of the necklace, although I wasn’t the savior.

…Wait, why do I remember the last revelation I saw yesterday?

“Nikki, the second guardian of Kefiena, greets you. Really… I waited a long time.”

As she reached the end of her words, her voice trembled.

“I’d like to talk to you first.”

“Please, wait.”

Nikki got up and turned to her comrades.

In an instant, the tent was erected, and Niki knelt down in front of Declan. The black cloth wrapped around her head was untied, revealing her short black hair and copper-colored skin. Her familiar hair color made me feel familiar even when meeting her for the first time today.

“I will greet you again. I am Nikki, the second guardian of Kefiena.”

“I heard that the Kefiena are the guards of the Perseum, is that right?”

“That’s right. We have been guarding Perseum since God blocked it.”

“Princess Este is also a Kefiena.”

“She also took the oath of Kefiena.”

Nikki’s face was drenched in emotion as she raised her head carefully, “It is truly an honor to be able to see the Savior in our generation.”

Tears were welling up in her eyes. Still, Declan just opened his mouth in a dignified manner.

“There is something you must know. Of course, the Princess already knew that.”

Nikki’s face, which had been overjoyed, became serious.

“I am not the savior you are talking about.”

“…What do you mean?”

Whatever she was thinking, Nikki’s eyes suddenly became sharp the next moment.

“What have you done to Stella?”