True God In Another World (Tensura x Tbate)

Chapter 89 - Beneath the Constellate

Arthur Leywin POV

The talk with Rinia ended, leaving me with a rather bad taste in my mouth, like one would get after taking a spoonful of a bitter tonic. Her warnings echoed in my mind, mixing with the weight of everything else she'd revealed. The future she'd hinted at weighed heavily on my thoughts, each possibility more concerning than the last.

Rinia woke everyone up soon after, with me pretending to have been asleep with them as well. She made some excuse about accidentally mixing in some herbs for relaxation that were a lot stronger than she anticipated. No one seemed to mind, though Virion gave her a knowing look that she pointedly ignored, her ancient eyes moving past him as if he wasn't there.

We continued on with a light lunch that Rinia prepared out of edible plants and mushrooms she'd gathered from the surrounding area. The meal was surprisingly flavorful despite the lack of meat, the various herbs and spices she'd used bringing out complex flavors I hadn't expected. However, Sylvie made her displeasure known through our bond, constantly projecting images of various meats she'd prefer. Her silent protest made me smile despite the heaviness of my earlier conversation with Rinia.

'Want meat,' Sylvie's thoughts pressed against my mind, accompanied by vivid images of roasted deer and other game.

It was pretty late in the afternoon by the time we finished eating and had to get on our way. A bigger surprise than the fact that Rinia's home was in the center of a mountainside cliff was the fact that, through a secret door and passage, she had her own teleportation gate. The ancient structure hummed with power, its runes glowing with an otherworldly light that cast strange shadows on the rough stone walls.
Since teleportation gates were made in ancient times, supposedly with the help of the deities, or Asuras, as I now know, it wasn't possible to make any more. Virion wasn't as surprised as everyone else, including me, but knowing Rinia's powers, I could only shrug and realize that this was something within her abilities. The old elf's prescience likely extended far beyond what any of us could imagine.

After saying our goodbyes, Tess, Sylvie, and I went through the gate. The familiar sensation of displacement washed over us, like being pulled in every direction at once while remaining perfectly still. It was followed by the dizzy feeling after crossing, our bodies adjusting to the sudden change in location. We were welcomed back to the edge of Xyrus City by guards that had their spears pointed at us, their weapons gleaming in the late afternoon sun.

After realizing that the unknown crossers were teens who had the Xyrus Academy uniforms on, they quickly lowered their weapons, though their postures remained alert, hands still firmly gripping their spears.

"We apologize," one of the guards, who appeared to be the leader, said firmly. His weathered face remained cautious as he studied us. "The portal you were coming from was read as an unknown gate, so we didn't know who or what would pop out from the other side. It's rare, but there have been times when mana beasts accidentally stumble through a teleportation gate somewhere deep in the Beast Glades."

"It's fine," I replied smoothly, keeping my explanation vague but plausible. "We came from one of the other cities of Elenoir and the guard did mention that he was having troubles with the gate from time to time."

The guards exchanged glances before giving us an understanding nod. Since there was no carriage waiting for us, the three of us walked to the nearest stop and found a carriage to take us back to the manor. The sun was already setting, painting the sky in rich hues as the Aurora Constellate approached its peak. The magical phenomenon was far more visible from the floating city than through the dense trees in Elenoir, creating a spectacular display above us.