Saint and the Monster~2!

In a semi-crowded street, three suspicious figures could be seen striding through people as they followed a small creature, that was attracting more attention than the trio.

It's already been three hours since Kyouki disappeared, and the three started their journey to find him. 

There couldn't use levitation since the creature couldn't track its target in mid-air, and also, the [Camouflage] Luna has drawn upon themselves would become vulnerable in the skies.

So walking on foot was the last option. 

"These things are clinging so much to my body."

Sicily grumbled again as she complained about the pants, that Austin gave her, for the third time.

Since it was something Austin took out of his inventory, it goes without saying, that it wouldn't be just a pair of pants.

But the ojou-sama, who had only worn elegant skirts and gowns until now, was having trouble wearing men's apparel, all of a sudden.

"Don't complain or run naked."

Luna growled in annoyance as Sicily was whining unnecessarily. She also had some kind of attire, with frill centered white shirt and black high-waist pants, but looking at Luna's fluent movement, it seemed she was used to wearing it.

Sicily teared up in grief as she closed her mouth and followed behind the two.

"We are nearing. Spread your senses."

Suddenly the look of annoyance and misery on the two ladies' faces disappeared as they heard Austin's remark, before they did what the man asked for.

The reason why Austin was able to conclude that they were nearing the capital, was the lessen populace around the vicinity. 

Xylex capital was built in two parts. The first was distributed to commoners and traders along with low-ranking nobles, in which Austin and co. were staying last night.

The upper town contained the main palace along with the residence of high-ranking nobles and also, and the main Cathedral was built here.

The two towns were connected in more than one way, which helped Austin, Luna, and Sicily to blend in the crowd and approach the higher end, comfortably.

"Hey, stop!"

After reaching a certain point, Austin halted the dog since it was moving forward while sniffing the path, constantly. 

The reason why Austin stopped it was because in front of the group was a lean bridge made of castle stones with two guards standing on either side of the entrance.

Beneath and beside the bridge was a lake with apparent blue water spread like a serene sheet, and unlike the upper town from which they passed by, this place was utterly unpopulated.

The trio stood at a distance where the guards and any other surveillance wouldn't have been able to see them.

Keeping a look out of their surrounding, Austin asked in a calm tone.

"Luna...is it the same for now too ?"

Luna bit her lower lip in frustration as she felt so useless for the second time in her life, before responding to her beloved.

"Yeah. Something is blocking all my senses after a certain point. I am sorry, Austin."

Seeing her downcast expression, Austin smiled gently, before he brought his hand above her head and spoke lovingly.

"Don't apologize, Luna. I know how it feels when you have the capability yet can't utilize it, but we have to think straight here since this won't be the last thing, I will ask you today."

Luna, upon hearing such considerate remarks from the person whose words matter most to her, became a little calmer as she smiled with a nod.

Sicily wasn't trying to eavesdrop on their lovey-dovey conversation, but since she was so close to them, she couldn't miss the part in which Austin spoke about himself, which naturally made her remember some of the things from the past. 

The pink atmosphere remained only for some moments before; Austin directed his gaze upon the green-eyed girl.

"Sicily, do you have any way to peek inside without getting found out?"

Upon hearing Austin's subjective remark, Sicily frowned slightly.

"Why do I feel like, you know about me more than I am aware of?"

[Ding!]

[+100: Villain's Point]

[The plot has been slightly altered by your interference.]

Austin suppressed his smile and shrugged his shoulder in response to Sicily.

The receiver of such an aloof response fell into contemplation but not for long as she extended her hand toward Austin. 

"What?"

"Give me that staff."

Austin remembered what she was talking about, before he grabbed the thing from inside the inventory and passed it to the excited girl.

"Wahh!"

Sicily was almost seemed to be jumping in elation as she finally reunited with her beloved partner in crime. Hugging the mage staff dearly, Sicily gave an accomplished look.

Luna was glaring at the scene because of not being aware of the whole event which happened back in the Eden Academy.

"*Ahem* Please don't tell Kyou-kun about this spell at all, or I won't be able to show my face in front of him."

Both Luna and Austin were aware of why Sicily said such a thing, so they kept their mouth shut before Sicily finally began to work.

Closing her eyes, a strange greenish hue covered the mage-warrior before some movement happened on the middle of her forehead.

**SQUELCH** 

Like muscle being torn, the flesh on Sicily's center forehead parted before a small eye came into existence.

The eye , unlike usual, wasn't vertical in shape but rather horizontal, with a thin black pupil moving around restlessly.

It took almost five minutes for Sicily to establish the network between the third eye and her consciousness before she widened her perception and took the survey inside the palace.

Very soon, a deep frown contoured her beautiful face as it seemed she saw something seemingly horrible.

Coming back to herself, the third eye disappeared from her forehead before Sicily parted her lids and spoke in a serious tone.

"There isn't any army of humans or demons; instead, what stood guarding the palace is just a single man."

Luna's expression also turned severe as she heard the cause of her senses of restriction, which didn't help but leave her with sourness.

"Anything more about that person?"

It was Austin who asked, and by his expression, it seemed he was expecting such a thing to be the case.

"To be honest, I never had seen such tremendous mana presence from anyone, which that man was reeking with. I can't be sure, but it seems that he was above any of the demons who came to attack Eden Academy."

Upon hearing that the vanguard was a man but not a woman, Austin concluded that this wasn't the person whom the ramen shop owner mentioned as demigod ranked.

But the main trouble was, the whereabouts of that female summoned hero. Since another Summoned being was in charge of guarding the palace, this only meant a single thing...

'Emperor Thannath is taking us lightly....'

Austin fell into contemplation about the next move, for a long minute before it seemed he finally drew his conclusion.

"Sicily, take this."

"Ah.."

Austin threw a white pearl-like pill toward the baffled girl, before he started narrating what he have thought....

"Listen carefully. This pill will help you avoid any kind of surveillance, appraiser, or high-level detection spell, for an hour. After Luna and I draw out every hidden arsenal from Xylex, you have to infiltrate inside and find Kyouki, understand?"

There were various things to register, but in the end, Sicily just nodded with a profound expression as she clutched the pill.

"I won't disappoint you both."

Nodding, Austin turned toward the lovely raven-haired saint who looked pretty in every attire or appearance she adores, before he held her hand and spoke in a whisper.

"You ready?"

Reciprocating the smile with a blend of determination in her eyes, Luna spoke in the same tone.

"Been since ever."

____________________

A/N:- Is it going slow paced? Leme know~