Chapter 193 – Caged
Chapter 193
Caged
Date : Day 3 of Frostfall 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
After The Sailer rounded the bend in the river and emerged from the densest stretch of the mangrove forest, the reality before them revealed itself completely.
No one spoke. All five members of Freedom Party stood frozen on the deck.
Even the newly made banner of Aetovacus, which had been proudly fluttering only moments earlier, now swayed gently in the cold breeze. Forgotten.
Hyoren was the first to break the silence.
"The fog is too thick."
His eyes slowly swept from left to right.
"And it's enormous."
The white fog stretched across the wetlands like a colossal dome. From their position on the river, it extended for several kilometers in every direction. Large enough to swallow an entire town—along with much of the surrounding marshland.
It didn't resemble the natural mist that had accompanied them throughout the journey. The ordinary mist of Greyveil Marsh drifted lazily above the wetlands, allowing travelers to make out distant trees, rivers, and villages despite the reduced visibility.
This was completely different.
The fog before them was unnaturally dense. It formed an almost solid white wall. Like an immense curtain separating one world from another. Nothing beyond it could be seen. Not even the faint silhouette of a building. Nor the tops of trees. Nor smoke rising from chimneys.
Only endless white. As if the entire town had vanished from the world.
Even Holley instinctively reacted. Without anyone giving an order, the experienced ferryman gradually reduced The Sailer's speed. The ship's wake became smaller. Then—it came to a complete stop upon the river.
Entering that fog blindly would be reckless.
Hyoren turned toward Ina. His expression had become serious.
"Are you certain that's Riverville Town?"
Ina didn't answer immediately.
Her flattened cat ears remained pressed tightly against her head. Even her tail had become perfectly still.
For several long moments. She simply stared ahead. Trying to reconcile the familiar route with the impossible sight before her.
Then, she slowly nodded.
"Yeah…"
She looked behind them.
Toward the dense mangrove forest and the narrower stretch of river they had just navigated through. And after passing that natural corridor, the river widened.
Her gaze returned to the towering wall of fog.
"After passing through that mangrove forest… We should have arrived at Riverville Town. It sits upon one of the largest patches of solid ground within Greyveil Marsh."
She gestured toward the white dome before them.
"Under normal conditions… The town is visible from here. The marsh mist never becomes thick enough to conceal it."
She slowly shook her head. Disbelief was evident in her voice.
"This… is unprecedented.”
Arianna slowly nodded. Her light-blue eyes faintly glowed. The genius scholar's mind was already racing, piecing together every possibility.
She turned toward Hyoren.
"Leader. You have Aethell Sense, don't you? Please use it."
Hyoren looked at her. Their eyes met for a brief moment. He immediately understood. Arianna had already activated her own perception skill.
She had seen something. Something she didn't like.
Without another word, Hyoren nodded. He slowly turned back toward the towering dome of fog.
Taking a quiet breath, he muttered,
"Aethell Sense..."
The skill activated.
His vision immediately shifted.
The world around him transformed. The countless particles of Aethell drifting naturally through the atmosphere became visible once again. Faint streams of elemental Aethell flowed through the wetlands. Magic tools aboard The Sailer glowed softly with their stored Aethell.
Even the ambient Aethell surrounding the marsh gently pulsed with life.
Then—his gaze landed upon the white dome.
His pupils shrank.
"What..."
His breathing caught.
"Damn it."
The harmless-looking white fog vanished from his perception. In its place—stood an immense dome of Dark Aethell.
It slowly pulsed like the heartbeat of some slumbering creature. Wave after wave of dark Aethell spread throughout the fog before being drawn back again. The entire phenomenon radiated unmistakable signs of active Dark Magic.
Even the surrounding wetlands contained traces of Dark Aethell.
He saw a trace of Dark Aethell just a few hours ago, when Aetovacus had flown overhead. But, the faint Dark Aethell surrounding the Apex Bird had felt majestic. Natural. Powerful.
This one though, felt completely different.
It was oppressive. Unsettling. Wrong. As though the very Aethell itself had become twisted.
Hyoren instinctively shouted,
"Voided Covenant!"
Everyone except Arianna immediately turned toward him.
Elise's emerald eyes searched his face.
"What did you two see?"
Jackey also looked over. His tabby cat tail swished nervously.
"What is it, Big Bro? You sound scary."
Ina's amber eyes narrowed. Her ears remained flattened.
"Is it what we feared? Did the Voided Covenant truly begin something in this town?"
Hyoren swallowed hard.
His gaze never left the dark dome. Slowly, he nodded.
"I'm not certain this is truly the Voided Covenant. But… That fog is unnatural. It is the byproduct of..."
His voice faltered.
Arianna quietly finished the sentence.
"Dark Magic."
She continued staring toward the fog.
"There is no such explanation other than Ritual Magic which could generate such quantities of Dark Aethell..."
She paused.
"However..."
Her brows furrowed even further.
"Unlike the Dark Magic I have witnessed Headmistress Thavenessia use… This… feels wrong."
Hyoren clicked his tongue.
"Exactly. It feels… wrong. Eerie. And dangerous."
He clenched his fist.
"I don't know anyone besides the Voided Covenant capable of creating something like this."
Silence settled over the deck.
Everyone slowly turned their eyes back toward the immense white dome. Although only Hyoren and Arianna could truly perceive the Dark Aethell hidden within, after hearing their explanation, even to the others, the once ordinary-looking wall of white fog no longer appeared merely mysterious.
Now—it looked profoundly unsettling.
***
Elise tightened her grip on the railing.
"So..."
She turned toward him.
"What now, Hyoren?"
Hyoren remained silent. His eyes never left the towering white dome.
Whatever lay hidden beyond that curtain of fog. It was undoubtedly dangerous. If their guess was correct. The ones responsible were the Voided Covenant. The heretics of Goddess Noctynara. A group infamous for forbidden rituals. Human experimentation. And human sacrifice.
Even among Noctynara's Heretics, they were most infamous. They were feared for twisting the Dark Magic into something grotesque. They were a dangerous group.
But—his thoughts drifted back to Stonewell Village.
The abandoned houses. The silent plaza. The three Wraiths. The underground ritual chamber. The horrifying Runic Array. The three innocent lives sacrificed for the Curse of Nightmare ritual.
His fist slowly tightened.
He couldn't allow another tragedy like that. Not if there was still time.
"I don't know what's happening inside that fog..."
He turned toward Arianna. The party's most knowledgeable scholar.
"But… The ritual is still ongoing, right? The fog is still here. So… It can still be stopped?"
Arianna remained silent for several moments.
Her glowing light-blue eyes carefully studied the immense dome. She continued analyzing the flow of Aethell surrounding it.
After a while, she spoke.
"Yes, Leader. I believe so."
She continued observing the dome.
"Judging from the current flow and concentration of Aethell… I believe the ritual is still in its early stages."
She slowly shook her head.
"I cannot determine what kind of ritual it is. Nor how dangerous it will become. Not unless I see the Runic Array itself."
Her gaze returned to Hyoren.
"But… It should still be possible to stop."
She smiled reassuringly.
"It isn't too late… Yet."
Hyoren slowly nodded.
He looked at each member of Freedom Party in turn.
"You all heard Arianna."
He closed his eyes for a brief moment. Then opened them again. Resolve filled his dark eyes.
"It'll be dangerous. We don't know what's waiting inside. We don't know what kind of enemies we'll face. We don't even know…”
He paused.
“If Riverville Town can still be saved."
His voice remained calm. Yet every word carried conviction.
"But… I still want to go. I want to save whoever can still be saved. And… If possible… I want to stop that ritual. And completely root out the Voided Covenant from Akela Territory."
He slowly exhaled. Then looked at his companions.
"Will you all follow me?"
Silence. Only the river gently lapped against The Sailer could be heard for a while.
Then—Jackey suddenly reached into his storage bag.
In one smooth motion, he drew both of his twin axes. The Bloody Axe in his right hand. The Flying Kite Axe in his left.
He raised both weapons high. Then performed an exaggerated swing through the air.
"I'LL FOLLOW YOU, BIG BRO!"
A wide grin spread across his face.
"Saving people in need?! I'm ALWAYS READY! LET'S GOOOO! AWOOOOOOH!"
His booming roar echoed across the river like a lion announcing its presence. The tension aboard the ship instantly shattered.
Elise couldn't help laughing.
"Fufufu… It seems the eerie atmosphere made even me nervous."
She smiled toward Jackey.
"Thank you, Jackey."
Then, she turned toward Hyoren. Her emerald eyes met his dark ones. Her eyes were filled only with determination.
"I already made my decision back in the Forest of No Return. I'll always follow you, Hyoren. And… I'll always help you save people. Just as you've always saved me."
Beside them—Ina's flattened ears slowly stood upright once more. Her tail resumed its gentle swaying.
"Nyahaha. My stupid little brother… It seems he's surprisingly sensible sometimes."
She pointed toward the banner still fluttering softly in Hyoren's hand.
"Didn't we just declare that Freedom Party would become like Aetovacus? The Symbol of Salvation and Freedom?"
Her playful smile faded. A firm determination replaced it.
"What kind of salvation… What kind of freedom… Could we ever represent… If we turned away from this?"
She folded her arms.
"And honestly… If we can't solve this… Who can?"
She smiled confidently.
"Not to brag… But as the Vice Guild Master of Akela… I know every adventurer party in this city."
Her amber eyes shone with conviction.
"Freedom Party is the strongest among them. So… Let's save those people."
Her voice lowered.
"From whatever horror the Voided Covenant has brought upon Riverville Town this time."
Arianna smiled. She clasped her hands in front of her chest.
“And as I already said before, Leader. I wanted to make people of Akela safe.”
Her light blue eyes met Hyoren dark ones.
“Let's save them.”
Hyoren smiled.
His grip tightened around the Étendard Sacré du Lys. The white banner bearing Aetovacus fluttered quietly in the cold wind.
He looked at each of them once more.
"Then… Everyone agrees?"
No one hesitated. No one looked away.
Hyoren slowly raised the banner high above his head. The image of the black Apex Bird caught the winter breeze. Its wings seemed to soar proudly once more.
Just like the real Aetovacus they had witnessed only moments before.
Hyoren smiled.
"Then… Let's go save Riverville Town!"
A chorus of determined voices answered him.
"YES!"
“Mhm!”
"Let's go."
"Freedom!"
The banner of Freedom Party continued fluttering proudly against the ominous wall of white fog, as though the soaring Apex Bird itself was leading them toward the unknown.
***
After Hyoren's declaration—the atmosphere aboard The Sailer completely changed.
The heavy silence that had gripped the deck only moments ago gradually disappeared. The eerie unease brought by the mysterious white dome remained. Yet it no longer dominated their hearts.
Instead, it was replaced by something else. Excitement. Determination. Resolve. Everyone now had the same destination. And the same purpose.
Ina immediately turned toward the stern.
"Holley!"
She raised her voice just enough for the ferryman to hear.
"Forward. Get us as close to the fog as possible. But stop before entering it."
Holley nodded firmly.
"Understood."
Without wasting another moment, he returned his full attention to the helm. The magic-powered ship slowly glided forward once more. Its bow gently cut through the calm waters of the Akela River.
Standing at the front of the ship, Hyoren never took his eyes off the enormous wall of white before them.
The closer they came, the more unnatural it appeared.
The ship slowed. Then stopped only a few meters before the fog. Silence returned.
Hyoren narrowed his eyes.
"It's really strange."
The fog no longer resembled ordinary mist. It looked solid. Almost tangible. Like a smooth curtain.
The cold winter wind continued sweeping across the marsh. Hyoren could feel it brushing against his face. The reeds along the riverbanks swayed.
Yet—the white fog remained perfectly motionless. Not even its edges rippled. It was as though the wind simply ceased to exist the moment it reached the white wall.
Hyoren turned toward Arianna.
"Could you try blowing the fog away?"
Arianna nodded.
"Certainly, Leader."
She reached into her purple storage bag before retrieving Quadraflux Weaver.
She took a steady breath. Then quietly chanted,
"Wind Barrier."
A wall of rapidly blazing wind materialized before the ship. The spell roared to life. Instead of remaining stationary as a defensive barrier—Arianna skillfully guided it forward.
The wall of wind slowly drifted toward the fog.
Even several meters behind it, Hyoren could already feel the powerful gusts washing across the deck. His cloak fluttered. Elise's silver ponytail danced in the wind.
The wind barrier reached the white wall.
Everyone watched intently. But, Nothing happened. The powerful winds struck the fog—yet the dense white wall neither scattered nor shifted. It didn't even tremble.
After several more seconds, Arianna lowered her staff. The Wind Barrier gradually dispersed.
She slowly shook her head.
"It's no use, Leader. This fog truly is unnatural."
Hyoren thoughtfully tapped his chin.
"I see… It looks like… We'll have to go inside ourselves."
He nodded once. Then looked around at everyone.
"Okay. Everyone. Gear up."
Arianna and Jackey, who had already drawn their weapons earlier, tightened their grips.
Arianna nodded.
"Ready, Leader."
Jackey spun both of his axes once before stopping them confidently at his sides.
"Ready to whack some heretics, Big Bro!"
Elise tucked another loose strand of silver hair behind her pointed ear before opening her storage bag.
From within appeared her quiver. She fastened it securely around her waist.
Next, she retrieved Moonveil Bow. The silver bow reflected the pale light of the sun. She carefully checked the bowstring with practiced fingers before looking toward Hyoren.
"I'm ready."
Even Ina prepared herself.
Although she rarely fought on the front lines. She had spent decades working in the field before becoming Vice Guild Master. Her skill as scout was nothing to be scoffed at.
She reached into her bag.
Two daggers appeared in her hands. With practiced movements, she secured one on each side of her belt.
Her amber eyes shone with determination.
"Let's uncover what happened in Riverville Town."
Hyoren nodded.
The newly made banner had already been carefully returned to his storage bag. In its place, he equipped his trusty gear. His Steel Kite Shield and Dawn Breaker.
Hyoren took one last look at his companions. Then nodded firmly.
"Okay. Let's do this."
Holley, who had been quietly waiting for their signal, acknowledged the order with a silent nod.
Once again, the Sailer began moving. Slowly. Steadily. Its bow advanced toward the towering white wall. Toward the unnatural dome of fog that had swallowed Riverville Town.
***
The Sailer continued gliding forward at a cautious pace.
The towering wall of white fog drew closer and closer until it completely filled everyone's vision.
Soon, the bow of the ship touched the fog. Contrary to its appearance, there was no resistance. The ship slipped into the white wall as effortlessly as if it were passing through empty air.
Hyoren instinctively braced himself.
He expected the cold moisture of dense fog to cling to his skin. He expected his clothes to become damp. Or at least his vision to be swallowed by white mist.
Yet—nothing happened. His skin remained dry. The air entering his lungs felt no different. His face wasn't brushed by a single droplet of mist. It didn't even feel as though he had entered a fog at all.
Only after several heartbeats—a strange sensation finally washed over him. It was subtle. A faint ripple spread across his body. Like passing through an invisible membrane. Or—a magical barrier.
His eyes widened slightly.
This was a similar feeling when I passed the barrier of the Ward Stone...
The sensation felt almost identical to the protective barriers they often used.
Then, a few seconds later, the ship emerged from the other side.
Holley immediately slowed The Sailer before bringing it to a complete stop. Silence fell over the deck. Everyone stared ahead.
Hyoren's eyes slowly widened.
The town… Hadn't disappeared…
Several hundred meters before them stood Riverville Town.
Far larger than Hyoren had imagined.
Roughly one kilometer across.
Unlike the medieval town he imagined, its entire layout was unique. Rather than being built upon solid land—most of the settlement stood directly above the river.
Countless massive wooden pillars disappeared into the water below, supporting an enormous elevated platform upon which the town had been constructed.
Rows of wooden buildings stretched across the platform. Homes. Warehouses. Shops. Public buildings. All resting atop the immense structure.
Through the middle of the town ran a broad canal.
A passage intentionally left open for ships traveling along the Akela River. Compared to the river's original width—nearly five to eight hundred meters across—the canal was narrow. Barely wide enough for four or five ships to sail abreast, less than fifty meters wide.
Several sturdy wooden bridges crossed above the canal, connecting both halves of the floating town.
Around the outer edges, a wide solid ground emerged from the marsh. However, it was mostly left unused.
Most consisted of a few stone buildings, a blacksmiths workshop, storage yards, warehouses, lumber stacks, docking facilities, and supply depots.
The true heart of Riverville lived upon the river itself.
Then, Hyoren slowly raised his head. His expression hardened.
The sky… it was so dark… almost like an abyss…
Outside the dome, silver Luna still illuminated the world with its cold silver light.
Yet inside, there was no sun. No pale winter sky. Only darkness. An endless black void stretched overhead. Featureless. Silent. Without stars. Without clouds. It was as though the skies themselves had been erased.
The oppressive darkness cast the entire town beneath an unnatural twilight. Every street. Every rooftop. Every bridge.
Everything looked dim. Cold. And profoundly eerie.
Hyoren slowly scanned the town.
Good… The town is… Still alive…
Warm lights still glowed from many houses. Doors stood open. People poured into the streets.
But, he could clearly see crowds running in panic. Shouting. Pointing. Some carried children in their arms. Others pushed carts loaded with hurriedly gathered belongings.
Nearly everyone was fleeing north.
The bridges spanning the canal had become rivers of terrified townspeople desperately running toward the northern side of Riverville.
Even several ships had already cast off from their docks.
They hurried along the canal. Heading straight toward The Sailer, towards upstream.
Then, Hyoren's gaze shifted south. His pupils contracted.
Floating near the southern edge of the town, in the raised patch of solid ground, were several familiar monsters—Wraiths.
Vague humanoid figures formed from translucent white bodies. Their forms constantly shifted like drifting smoke. Each possessed unnaturally elongated claws, grotesquely oversized compared to the rest of their bodies. An eerie light glowed from within their ghostly forms.
Beyond them, dark smoke slowly rose into the black sky. Something was burning. Or perhaps something far worse had already happened.
***
A group of ships hurriedly fled through the river. One after another, they emerged from Riverville Town through the central canal, desperately heading upstream toward Akela City.
Every vessel was packed far beyond its normal capacity. Women clutched crying children tightly against their chests. Elderly people sat wherever they could find space. There were barely any belongings. Only a few hastily packed sacks and baskets.
It was obvious—they had fled with only what they could carry.
Hyoren stepped toward the railing and raised his voice.
"Hey! What happened here?"
One of the exhausted men aboard the leading ship immediately shouted back.
"We don't know! About an hour ago… The sky suddenly disappeared!"
Another man, gripping a sack with trembling hands, yelled from farther back.
"And only half an hour ago… Undead started flooding out of the Still Forest in the south!"
A woman carrying a frightened child shouted as her ship sped past The Sailer toward Akela City.
"The militia and town guards are trying their best to hold them back! But there are too many undead!"
Another frightened voice followed.
"You people should run back to Akela too! Don't come any closer!"
Hyoren grimaced. His grip on his shield tightened. Around him, the rest of Freedom Party had also fallen silent. The situation was escalating far faster than they had imagined.
Yet—before anyone could process the information—a deafening impact echoed across the river.
Everyone from Freedom Party instinctively turned.
The leading evacuation ship had violently lurched to a halt. Its passengers screamed. The sturdy wooden bow had slammed into something completely invisible.
Wood splintered apart. Several planks cracked under the tremendous force. The entire vessel rocked violently. A few passengers nearly lost their footing.
Hyoren's eyes widened.
"What happened?"
His gaze shifted toward where the ship had stopped.
Nothing. There was absolutely nothing visible. Only empty air.
Then—realization struck him. His pupils shrank.
"The barrier..."
His voice became barely a whisper.
The very barrier they had passed through only moments ago. The following ships quickly tried to stop. Some nearly collided with the damaged vessel ahead.
Panic immediately spread among the refugees.
"W-Why did we stop?!"
"We can't move!"
"What's happening?!"
"Hurry!"
"The Wraiths are coming!"
"Why can't we leave?!"
Fear rapidly transformed into chaos.
Hyoren immediately ran toward the stern of The Sailer.
Stopping near the rear railing, he looked back. The invisible barrier stood only a few centimeters behind the ship. From this side, nothing could be seen.
Slowly, Hyoren leaned forward. Then cautiously extended one hand.
His fingers touched it. A firm resistance met his palm. Cold. Hard. Immovable. It felt as though an invisible wall had been erected across the river.
Hyoren pressed slightly harder. The barrier didn't even tremble.
His eyes narrowed.
"This..."
He silently compared the sensation.
It resembled the barrier generated by a Ward Stone. Yet—it was fundamentally different.
A Ward Stone prevented hostile forces from entering a protected area.
This barrier—did the exact opposite.
Hyoren slowly clenched his jaw.
"This barrier..."
His voice became heavy.
"...doesn't prevent intruders."
He stared at the refugees desperately striking the invisible wall.
"It prevents..."
A chill ran down his spine.
"...escape.”
***
The realization struck Hyoren like a physical blow. He now understood what the white dome actually was. It was a prison made by a magical barrier.
His mind raced.
These refugees can't escape… And neither can we…
His jaw tightened.
There was no retreat. No way to simply leave and report back to Akela City. This barrier wasn't meant to keep intruders out. It was meant to imprison everyone inside.
His thoughts rapidly considered every possibility. Breaking the barrier. Searching for another exit. Waiting for reinforcements.
He discarded them as soon as they appeared. None of them were realistic.
Then he remembered what the refugees had shouted moments earlier.
The undead came from the Still Forest.
His eyes hardened.
If the undead had emerged from the Still Forest...
Then the culprit… Most likely the Voided Covenant… Should be there as well…
Whatever ritual had created this prison—its source was probably hidden within that forest. There was only one solution. Defeat the one responsible.
Hyoren slowly turned toward Ina. His dark eyes met her amber ones.
"Ina… Help me."
Ina looked back at him. She immediately understood. Her cat ears stood upright. Determination filled her face.
"Understood, Hyoren."
The other members of Freedom Party silently exchanged glances. None of them asked what Hyoren intended. They already knew. Each gave him an encouraging nod.
Hyoren climbed onto the roof of The Sailer's passenger cabin.
Standing above everyone else, he made sure every refugee could see him.
Behind him, Ina quietly climbed up as well.
She straightened her Adventurer Guild uniform before brushing the front of it. The silver guild emblem gleamed even beneath the unnatural black sky.
Below them—several refugee ships floated helplessly upon the river. Every vessel had stopped before the invisible barrier.
Hundreds of frightened people looked utterly lost. Some desperately comforted crying children. Others quietly held their loved ones. A few simply stared blankly ahead. As though they had already accepted their fate.
Hyoren took a slow breath.
Then, he withdrew the newly made banner of Freedom Party from storage bag. The white cloth bearing the image of Aetovacus unfurled in the cold wind.
He firmly gripped the mithril shaft of the Étendard Sacré du Lys.
Then planted its butt firmly upon the cabin’s wooden roof.
THUD!
The sharp sound echoed across the silent river.
Hyoren inhaled deeply.
He disliked boasting. He hated making grand promises. But, right now, these people didn't need humility. They needed—hope.
He raised his voice.
"EVERYONE! DON'T PANIC!"
The panicked murmurs gradually died away. Countless frightened eyes turned toward the young man standing atop the cabin.
Hyoren's voice rang across the river.
"Help has arrived! We are that help!"
He paused briefly. Then continued.
"We are the strongest adventurer party in Akela City! We came here to save Riverville Town! We will destroy those undead! And we will defeat whoever is responsible for all of this!"
He raised the banner high.
The image of Aetovacus fluttered proudly beneath the black sky.
"We are… Freedom Party! And I am… Hyoren Enjo! The leader of Freedom Party!"
He looked over every frightened face before declaring without hesitation,
"We are going to save every one of you!"
Silence.
Then—whispers spread among the refugee ships.
"Help…?"
"Freedom Party? I've never heard of them..."
"The strongest party...?"
"But….There are only five of them..."
"I saw the undead… There were hundreds..."
"We're doomed..."
Hyoren expected this.
Freedom Party had only been established a few months ago. Most people wouldn't know them.
He kept the banner raised. He didn't lower it.
Ina stepped forward. She drew a deep breath.
"EVERYONE!"
Her clear voice echoed across the river.
"My name is Ina! Vice Guild Master of Akela City!"
She pointed toward Hyoren.
"Everything he said is true! Freedom Party is indeed a newly established party! But they have already proven themselves! They are personally recognized by Baron Guts Akela and Guild Master Fiona Akela!"
She firmly planted her feet.
"They are the very party that could defeat more than a thousand goblins!"
She paused.
"A mere hundred undead… Will not stop them!"
She raised her voice one final time.
"As Vice Guild Master… I'll give you my word. You will be saved!"
Silence.
Then—the whispers returned. Only, this time, they sounded different.
"Wait… I know her… That's really Vice Guild Master Ina!"
"Her hair's longer now… But that's definitely her!"
"Look! She's wearing the Adventurer Guild uniform!"
"No guild staff would lie about something like this!"
Another refugee suddenly pointed toward Arianna.
"That crimson-haired mage… Isn't she… The daughter of Baron Akela and Guild Master Fiona? The genius mage everyone has been talking about?"
More people looked carefully toward Freedom Party.
"That man holding their banner. The leader? Well… He really does look strong..."
Another man pointed at the fluttering banner.
"Isn't that Aetovacus… for a party who dares to use that as a symbol… are they going to become our salvation?”
Then more and more people talked about them.
"The beastkin with the twin axes….Those axes look terrifying..."
"And… There are only two elves in Akela… Both are said to be incredibly strong… That silver-haired elf… She's one of them!"
The hopeless atmosphere slowly began to change. Fear gradually gave way to hope.
"Maybe… We're really going to be saved..."
"Maybe… We still have a chance..."
Hyoren smiled quietly.
Without looking away from the refugees, he murmured,
"Thanks, Ina..."
Ina simply smiled and gave a small nod.
Then Hyoren raised his voice once more.
"There isn't any time to waste! Return to Riverville Town! Evacuate everyone toward the northern district! We'll hold the southern side!"
He tightened his grip around the banner. The Aetovacus symbol still soaring majestically under the void sky.
His voice carried unwavering conviction.
"And I promise all of you… You will survive this!"
For a heartbeat, the river fell silent.
Then—cheers erupted from every refugee ship.
The sound echoed across the darkened waters, replacing despair with something they had nearly lost.
Hope.