Angel refused the offer of an alchemical familiar. Gloria looked somewhat disappointed. If Angel had agreed, she could have properly studied that stupid bird—perhaps she might even reverse-engineer the key data behind Gloria's Creation Art.
What a pity.
But Gloria's regret lasted only a few seconds. Even if she obtained the complete, unaltered data for Creation Art, unless she walked Gloria's path, it would be difficult for her to replicate it. She was curious only because wizards possessed an innate thirst for knowledge.
Gloria said she would first take Angel back to his room. Along the way, Angel had initially been happily admiring the prairie scenery atop the whale's back, but the deeper they went into this "pasture," the stranger he felt.
For example, when they passed a square stone house, he faintly caught an overwhelmingly strong scent of blood.
And ever since he had begun following Gloria, he had constantly felt that someone was secretly watching him from behind. The prickling sensation on his back made him deeply uncomfortable. Yet whenever he turned to search for the source of that gaze, he found nothing. The flaps of every tent were tightly shut, and aside from a few cows scattered across the grassland, he saw no one.
But as soon as Angel turned away, that feeling of being watched returned.
Angel felt uncomfortable all over. Gloria seemed to have noticed his state, but she offered no explanation.
When they passed an entirely metal building, Angel sensed an unusual atmosphere beyond its tightly closed doors. Perhaps it was his imagination, but he seemed to smell the foul stench of rotting corpses.
The sun shone brightly, the grass was fresh and green, the cows were leisurely, and eagles flew freely.
At first glance, this pasture looked so fresh and natural. Not long