By Zephyria 
Four days passed like that.
It wasn’t a non-stop rush, but rather a journey where we took time to mourn after defeating zombies, ate meals on schedule, so it wasn’t too uncomfortable. The only discomfort was not getting enough proper sleep. Among us, Marianne and Ruben, who had the weakest stamina, would doze off on the camels.
Upon finally reaching the Oasis’s domain, we immediately set up tents and everyone collapsed. We could rest soundly because we had Sylphs to wake us if anything happened, and Elvin, who could keenly sense the inside and outside of the divine realm.
As soon as we woke up, we lit a fire and boiled stew, praising each other’s efforts.
“Which way do we go now?”
“Let’s see…”
Hugh Benson took out a crumpled piece of paper.
It was a rough map, marking the Statue of the Goddess’s Head and the Sanctuary of the Sun with simple symbols, and noting the locations of Oasis domains in between. Though it was marked solely based on Elvin’s memory, it was reliable information, having led us into Oasis domains twice already.
Elvin spoke, as always, through the sound of the wind. Hugh Benson immediately translated his words.
“From where we are now, if we go south for three more days, the Oasis’s domain ends. That area is the closest to the next domain, so let’s head out there.”
“Then we’ll be able to eat and sleep properly for three days?”
“Yeah. After this, we’ll have to travel for about a week, eating roughly and sleeping on the camels, so we need to replenish our stamina.”
“A week…? I want to cancel this commission. Please let me go back.”
Peter, with a playful look, made a baseless joke. Hugh Benson played along.
“Shall I settle your payment now?”
“No, I was wrong. Please let me go with you.”
What would he do alone in the desert? It was a foolish remark.
However, if I thought carefully about why he was making such a joke, I had a hunch.
“It’s not the Ninth God calling us now, is it?”
“No way. The Oasis said that god was sulking… sulking.”
“They didn’t say where they went.”
That was true.
Didn’t the Third God send multiple divine revelations to Elvin in Sierren, even while sitting in the Oasis? If the Ninth God had also sent divine revelations to the people of Owen in a different region, there would be no way to know his current location.
We inwardly harbored animosity towards the Ninth God. On top of that, as we hurried along, seeing the faces of zombies, it was natural to feel uneasy. Wasn’t it from this feeling that Peter wanted to escape?
However, Ruben, who had been lost in thought, comforted me in a gentle voice.
“You said the Ninth God was born with the second moon. And that the sun came into being before that. If the gods value their respective domains so much, the Sanctuary of the Sun and the Ninth God are unrelated. Rather, I think…”
“…Rather?”
“I suspect the Ninth God is preventing us from going to the Sanctuary of the Sun.”
Everyone in the party listened carefully to his words. Ann asked cautiously.
“Why do you think so?”
“Because I’ve experienced something similar once before. When our party tried to enter Owen, the Ninth God blocked our entry into Owen with a divine revelation. Inside, a mercenary kidnapping incident was unfolding.”
“…Hmm.”
“If the Ninth God and the black magician’s group, or the ‘Thousand-Faced Devil’ Mika mentioned, have the same objective, and there’s a reason they’ve been consistently hindering us. I believe there’s an important hint at the Sanctuary of the Sun.”
I was inwardly surprised. I had only uttered the epithet of the Thousand-Faced Devil once and hadn’t mentioned it since. I was already accustomed to the fact that the people of this land couldn’t pronounce all the poems, acupoints, and certain epithets I knew perfectly. It was very strange that Ruben could pronounce that epithet perfectly.
Ruben met my surprised gaze and smiled faintly.
“It’s a bit difficult, but let’s try a little harder.”
“…Yes.”
“It’s ready now. Please take your bowls.”
While we were talking, Leon also served the stew, which was now fully cooked. As always, it tasted very good. I once again greatly praised Leon’s skill. After finishing the meal, our steps towards the Oasis’s water source to refill our drinking water felt much lighter.
Whatever it was, I had the conviction that we were heading in the right direction.
The next three days were even more relaxed. We deliberately ate meals more leisurely, and when riding the camels, I didn’t bother waking up those who were dozing off. When we set up tents to sleep, I offered my arm to Ruben first, to prevent the same thing from happening as before.
The day to resume our busy journey was now just around the corner.
A few people dawdled, showing their displeasure, but we had rested enough. We couldn’t delay any longer. Still, they were all strong in terms of stamina, so they quickly regained their strength. We encouraged each other, spurring on the camels.
Right after we exited the Oasis’s domain.
Two or three Sylphs fluttered about, creating a great commotion.
[Five! Five! Five!]
[Five is three! Fifteen!]
[Come this way!]
What?
The entire party immediately went into combat readiness. We stood at a distance, keeping the camels and the three children in the center. We slowly moved in the direction we needed to go. As we had always done, we intended to keep moving forward until the zombies got very close.
As I watched the group of zombies approaching from afar, I felt stifled and spoke.
“Can’t some of us go ahead and take them down?”
“This is a different pattern than before. What if the zombies are possessed by black magic? It’s better to wait until they get here. Let’s fight them with full force.”
“…Yes.”
Still, it wasn’t difficult for the eight martial artists to defeat fifteen zombies. Marianne, who gathered the corpses and burned them all at once, hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Next time, give me one of the zombies on the farthest side. I’ll check how effective the magic is. Just in case.”
So we did.
Indeed, a larger number of zombies appeared, with shorter intervals than before.
Now, even Ruben and Benjamin couldn’t sit on the camels. It would be more dangerous if a camel accidentally fell over. Instead, Ruben positioned himself behind me, Marianne behind Hugh, and Benjamin behind Elvin, to be prepared for any eventuality.
We defeated another group of zombies. This time, Marianne did not gather and burn the corpses.
“Magic of 3rd Circle or lower doesn’t work. It’s not just hard; it feels like mana has been condensed and layered on. Magic does work, though? I tried using Wind Cutter with an acceleration amplification, and it cut through… but the mana consumption is too high. I’ll conserve mana from now on.”
“Alright.”
After that, zombies appeared so frequently that it was bothersome even to get on and off the camels.
The camels, having witnessed countless zombies come and die, no longer showed fear. With expressions that seemed to wonder why the humans were rushing their steps, they simply followed obediently behind those holding the reins.
During brief lulls, we chewed on dry bread and ham while walking.
It was a journey of a week. Even though the sight of corpses made us feel sick, we couldn’t starve. Still, we occasionally let the children ride on the camels to rest a bit, and we stopped the camels before they collapsed from exhaustion to cast restoration magic on them.
For the first time since coming to the desert, we took out and used artifacts. No one was injured, but since everyone was tired and drenched in sweat, we used restoration and clean magic the most. I was also on high alert, worried that some of the children might get hurt.
After enduring about ten waves of zombies, everyone’s eyes were bloodshot.
Marianne let out a pained groan.
“How much is left?”
“Two days.”
“Why? Why…?”
“Ah, why? Do you think deserts are full of Oases?”
That was true. Marianne, who had been whining, let out a little sob, and Benjamin looked flustered. However, it wasn’t Benjamin who comforted Marianne, but Giselle. She gently stroked Marianne’s back, indulging her whimpers.
“Oh, my little lady, are you tired? How difficult for you.”
“Unnie, carry me.”
“The camel is carrying you right now.”
“This one just spits saliva.”
[Five is five! Five is five!]
Sylph interrupted Marianne’s words. John, looking up at the Sylph, murmured with vacant eyes.
“I wish someone would teach Sylphs how to state the answer instead of just multiplying.”
“I agree.”
Ann replied to John’s words and drew her sword. Twenty-five zombies were approaching us. Dragging their legs, their shoulders rattling, their mouths clicking open…
As I stood there, accustomed to the sight, watching the direction they were coming from.
“…That, Senior. Hyoo Senior.”
“What?”
“The one at the very front, is it perhaps…?”
“…Ah, fuck. It is.”
Hugh Benson cursed as he enhanced his eye force to look ahead. The clothes he wore, his hair color, the distinct scar on his neck, and the hole in his stomach were familiar. The Cigarette Man I had killed was approaching us, shambling like a zombie.
He held a longsword in his right hand and a short saber in his left, his face a deep red as if covered in blood.
…It was a Blood Corpse Fiend.
“That one can use a sword.”
“Who will take him?”
I answered immediately.
“I will go.”
“Peter, protect Your Highness.”
“Yes!”
“Elvin, you stay here and watch those two as well.”
“Hmm.”
Was there anything more to say? Everyone except the two designated stepped forward. To avoid accidentally letting a sword fly, but to be able to turn back immediately if something happened, we formed a loose line fifteen paces ahead.
Soon, the zombies, smelling fresh blood, charged at us ferociously.