Goddess's Monastery

Frieren used a blood sample to cast [Tracking Magic], and a set of messy footprints gradually emerged on the ground.

Those pale blue magical footprints twisted and turned, leading deep into the forest.

"There are two... no, three people."

Frieren crouched beside the footprints, observing the chaotic marks as she attempted to analyze the condition of those being tracked.

"One person is severely injured, another is supporting them, and there is a third... who seems to be an old man."

"Are there any elderly people in the caravan?"

Faced with Frieren's question, the merchant uncle shook his head decisively and pointed at the coachman, saying, "Each of the three carriages in our caravan was assigned two people. Aside from us, the other four members of the caravan are all young men."

Upon hearing this information, Shane fell silent for a moment.

He did not doubt the accuracy of Frieren's magic or her extensive combat experience for a second, so something must have changed that they were unaware of.

"Frieren, have there ever been demons in the Southern Nations that look like humans?" Shane asked.

Frieren shook her head. "Thanks to the Southern Nations being so far from the Demon King Castle, large demons rarely appear in this land since the Demon King was defeated; only sporadic monsters appear."

"Furthermore, I don't believe these are the footprints of a demon. If it were a demon, the other two would not have left footprints."

Shane nodded. Indeed, he was being too nervous and had forgotten the demons' tradition of consuming humans.

Since it wasn't the worst-case scenario, everything was manageable. There was still a high probability that the merchant's employees could be found.

"The trees in the forest are intertwined and dense. Those giant bird monsters can't fly in, but we cannot rule out ordinary wild beasts. Everyone, stay close and don't get separated."

Shane took the lead, following the trail of the magical tracking spell deep into the forest.

The merchant uncle and the coachman, who had no combat ability, followed in the middle, while Frieren brought up the rear.

The group of four moved very slowly.

In the southern forest, there were many snakes, insects, and rodents, and a dark shadow would dart past their feet from time to time.

Shane held his sword in front, maintaining extreme vigilance.

However, after walking for a long time, there was still no sign of anyone. Looking at the moon gradually climbing above the treetops, Shane began to feel strange.

After walking for another few minutes, he raised his hand to signal everyone to stop.

"This is the fourth time we've passed this crooked-neck tree."

Hearing Shane's words, Frieren walked around the crooked-neck tree in front of her, resting her chin on her hand as she fell into thought.

"My [Mana Detection] does not sense any monsters in the vicinity, nor have I detected any magic circles with hallucinogenic effects, so..." Frieren paused, then continued, "Are we lost?"

"..."

Shane rubbed his forehead.

"Is there any magic like [Guidance to the Correct Direction After Getting Lost]?"

"Magic is a world of imagination. How could anyone imagine the correct direction while they are lost? If one could truly imagine it, how could they be considered lost in the first place..."

Fine.

The world of magic really is unreasonably reasonable.

After much deliberation, Shane slapped his palm. "In that case, there is only one solution."

He stylishly sheathed his long sword, stepped forward, cupped his hands around his mouth, and focused his energy:

"Hey—is anyone there—"

"Is anyone there—"

"Is someone there—"

"Anyone—"

"Anyone—"

In the quiet night, Shane's bold voice echoed continuously through the forest, startling countless birds.

His actions left the merchant uncle and the coachman beside him stunned.

"Hey, won't you attract... attract..."

Shane waved his hand dismissively, telling them not to be nervous.

We have been trapped walking in circles, yet no fierce beasts have come to ambush us, which means the surroundings are generally safe. Frieren also said there are no demons nearby, and with Frieren here, there is nothing to fear even if demons do appear.

Therefore, he decided to bet on his [Strong Luck].

Sure enough, a miracle occurred; a small yellow light appeared deep in the forest.

The small light swayed as it moved slowly toward the direction where the group was standing.

As the light drew closer, Shane finally saw clearly that it was a lantern.

The owner of the lantern wore a monk's habit; his face was aged, his posture somewhat hunched, and he walked with a limp, yet his demeanor was incredibly calm.

"Greetings, travelers."

"My name is Beryl, a monk practicing here. I am very pleased to meet you."

"The forest isn't safe at night. Would you like to come into my cottage for a cup of hot tea to warm yourselves up?"

Hm?

Hearing a line with such a strong sense of déjà vu, Shane felt a momentary illusion that he had lost track of what era he was in.

Following the monk's tone, he tentatively asked, "Old man, we are looking for our lost companions. Have you seen four young travelers passing by?"

"Companions, what a word filled with beautiful memories," the old man sighed. "Back in the day, I also had many companions, until I took an arrow to the knee... ah, let's not speak of those old matters."

"Follow me. The people you are looking for are this way."

Seeing this turn of events, Frieren blinked. She turned to look at Shane, her eyes carrying a hint of admiration.

So, this is the effective solution to getting lost.

The cottage the monk spoke of was actually a monastery.

It was very archaic and also very humble.

There were no massive bronze bells, nor were there statues of the Goddess; there was only moss on the stone walls as thick as a felt blanket. The monk pushed open the creaking wooden door, revealing four young people standing or sitting, resting in the courtyard.

Seeing this, the merchant uncle was the first to rush inside.

He carefully checked the injuries of his four associates, patting one, examining another, and constantly expressing his relief that everyone was fine—it was truly wonderful.

The monk watched the people in the courtyard, a smile hanging on his lips, his face full of benevolence.

Shane was very puzzled. The monastery wasn't small and the lights were on, so why hadn't they discovered it despite circling the forest so many times?

Seeming to notice Shane's confusion, the monk explained:

"Because wild beasts often roam these deep mountains, I have set up a barrier around the perimeter of the monastery."

Hearing this, Frieren frowned and looked over, saying in a somewhat dissatisfied tone, "I didn't detect any traces of Barrier Magic."

The monk smiled. "You are a mage, aren't you? This isn't a simple magical barrier; it is the Goddess's Barrier."

"The Goddess's Barrier?"

"That's right. I have spent my life interpreting the Chapter of the Heavenly Paradise in the Holy Scripture. A few years ago, I discovered this barrier within it. It possesses defensive capabilities comparable to Barrier Magic, can hide everything within the barrier from discovery, and cannot be sensed by Mana Detection."

As he spoke, he opened the Holy Scripture in his hands, a tome recording the deeds and commandments of the Goddess of Creation. Countless monks throughout history had attempted to interpret its chapters to decipher the magic belonging to the Goddess.

Now, the page for the "Chapter of the Heavenly Paradise" was covered in dense annotations.

The monk caressed those words with affection, a small trace of pride appearing on his aged face, his voice devout and firm. "This is the most perfect barrier created by the Goddess."

Shane nodded involuntarily; it was indeed perfect.

Then, he suddenly froze.

Because he saw a line of information emerge on the Holy Scripture in the monk's hands:

[Goddess's Barrier]

Type: Barrier Magic

Effect: Provides a powerful defensive barrier and hides everything within it.

Status: Unlearned