"Hilde, is the Sword Sanctum where you're going?"
Once their small talk was over, Isolte got down to business.
"To be precise, the northwestern part of the Northern Continent. That region is almost entirely forests and mountains, with very few plains. Most of the sovereign nations there are scattered towns. Even the Sword Sanctum is just a little town by the sea in the far north."
Hilde hid nothing and told her frankly, "What I'm looking for is very likely in the Sword Sanctum, but I can't be certain. Anyway, I'll keep searching along the way. I'm bound to find it eventually."
"I see..."
Isolte nodded blankly.
The Sword Sanctum...
Even traveling from Sharia, where Hilde usually stayed, to the Sword Sanctum would take around a month at the fastest possible pace.
If she had to search along the way, it would take even longer.
No wonder Hilde had made a special trip to say goodbye.
What a shame...
"Oh, in that case, why don't we travel together?"
Nina raised her hand. "I was going back to the Sword Sanctum anyway, so I'm heading the same way as Hilde. Besides, I know the route and the Sword Sanctum pretty well, so I can be her guide. I might even save her some time."
"Huh?"
"That was what I had in mind too."
"What?"
"So we're going together?"
"Yes. Sorry for the trouble, but could you be my guide? If you want payment..."
"You don't have to pay me. I told you, we're going the same way. Besides, if we travel together, we won't have to stop in a town every night. Taking turns keeping watch will save us plenty of time. It works out nicely for me too."
"Thank you, then."
With a few words back and forth, Nina and