Chapter 16: Zid LightFlame

“Raki, you are searching for a priest, correct?” Lena asked as we ate our meal.

“Yes, we are indeed looking for one,” I replied.

“Then why not take Zid with you?” Lena suggested.

“But who will protect you, Lena?” Zid asked with concern.

“Protect me?” Lena repeated calmly. “You are worried about your father, aren’t you?”

“I am, but…” Zid hesitated.

“You should go with them,” Lena said firmly.

“Besides, Aira will be returning today”, Lena added.

She then turned to me. “So, Raki, will you take him with you? I am certain he will prove useful.”

“Yes, of course. We would be glad to have him join us,” I answered.

Just then, a woman’s voice called from outside.

“Lena!”

“Aira, you arrived at just the right time,” Lena said.

“Is Uncle still not back?” Aira asked, then glanced at us. “And who are these people?”

“Little Rion sent them to investigate the Dragon’s Graveyard,” Lena explained.

“I see,” Aira said thoughtfully.

“I am here now, Zid. Go check on Uncle”, Aira commanded.

Aira’s gaze then shifted to me and Janbo.

“If you prefer, I can accompany them instead,” she offered.

“No, I will go,” Zid said with determination.

“I’ll go and prepare my belongings,” Zid said, rising from the table with his empty plate in hand.

“My cousin may seem childish, but he is strong,” Aira remarked.

“We know,” Lily replied. “He saved us from a group of Shadow Hounds earlier.”

Aira glanced at Lena, who smiled knowingly.

“Oh, you’re back already, Zid,” Lena said when he returned.

“We’ll leave Ethra once we finish eating,” Lily announced.

“Lena, where is Ethra’s landmark located?” Lily asked.

“It is behind this church,” Lena answered.

“I will guide you there,” Zid offered.

Once our meal was done, we made our way toward Ethra’s landmark.

“So, where should we head next?” I asked.

“Mardel would be the best choice,” Zid suggested.

“My father took that route, and we may find more information there”, Zid added.

“Raki, open the Great Forest Estir Map. I want to see where Mardel is,” Lily instructed.

“Great Forest Estir Map," I uttered.

The map unfolded before us, confirming that we were indeed at Ethra.

Lily leaned closer, scanning the area northward.

“It’s quite far compared to the other two landmarks,” Lily noted.

“I think it’s best if we follow Zid’s father’s path,” I suggested.

“It will take about a full day’s walk,” Zid explained.

“We will likely need to camp in the forest once the two suns are about to set.”

“That’s fine. We are used to camping,” Reimei replied smiling.

“So, Mardel it is then,” Lily said, looking at the rest of us.

Once everyone agreed, Lily brought out her Orbiter.

“Point, Mardel,” she commanded.

“Raki, you should activate yours too, just in case we get separated or lose this Orbiter,” she advised.

“Orbiter,” I called, summoning mine.

“Point, Mardel.”

Afterward, I stored both the Great Forest Estir Map and the Orbiter into my Divine Gacha inventory to ensure they wouldn’t be lost.

Zid’s eyes widened as the items vanished from my hands.

“Is that some kind of spatial magic tool?” he asked in surprise.

“Something like that, I suppose,” I replied casually.

“We should also decide on our party formation while traveling,” Zid suggested.

“I think Lily and the spirit wolf should take the lead, then me, followed by Raki and Reimei,” Zid proposed.

“That works,” Reimei agreed without hesitation.

“Woof,” Janbo barked as if confirming his role.

“You can call him Janbo,” I added, patting the spirit wolf’s head.

“He’s my companion”, I added.

Zid nodded, then glanced at me. “So, what combat style do you specialize in, Raki?” he asked as we began heading north from Ethra.

“Ahm…” I hesitated, unsure how to answer.

“Raki can enhance his status, and he’s skilled in close combat,” Reimei explained on my behalf.

“Yeah, I can enhance my stats and fight effectively in melee,” I confirmed, though I noticed she had deliberately left out my ability to instantly recover from injuries.

She probably wasn’t sure about it yet and didn’t want to draw attention to something uncertain, I thought.

“That is a rather unique ability,” Zid remarked, his tone thoughtful.

“As expected from God Chaleon’s chosen Hero”, Zid continued.

“I specialize in melee combat and Holy magic. I can heal to some extent, though not nearly as well as Lena or my father,” Zid explained.

“Honestly, we should discuss this in more detail once we set up camp in the forest,” he added.

“Understanding each party member’s strengths and weaknesses is essential if we want to function properly as a group.”

“Zid has a point. We can go over everything more thoroughly tonight,” I agreed.

Reimei gave me a slightly worried look.

I could tell she still wanted to know how my injuries had healed so quickly that day.

“By the way, should we do some hunting? I only brought a few biscuits and some dried meat,” Zid said.

“We actually need to. At most, our supplies will last only two days,” Lily responded.

“Then perhaps we should hunt after we set up camp later?” Zid suggested.

“Do you know any good hunting grounds along the way?” Lily asked.

“There are plenty between Ethra and Mardel. I know a few reliable spots,” Zid replied.

“That’s good to hear,” Lily said with relief.

“But won’t the meat spoil before we can use it?” Zid asked.

“It won’t, as long as Raki stores it,” Lily explained.

“Wait… are you saying that anything I store won’t change at all?” I asked.

“That’s right. Remember those vegetables and mushrooms? They were still fresh even after a day,” Lily said.

“Normally, food kept in a magical pouch or bag dries out after a while”, Lily explained.

“That is remarkably convenient,” Reimei remarked suddenly.

I had always thought it was normal, since even my hamburger steaks didn’t spoil.

“Is it only food and tools you can store?” Zid asked curiously.

“I can store armor and weapons as well,” I replied.

“That confirms it. What you’re using is not spatial magic, it’s divine magic,” Zid remarked.

“Divine magic? Is that different from holy magic?” I asked.

“They are very different,” Zid explained.

“Holy magic can be wielded by most people as long as they possess enough mana to cast it.

Divine magic, however, can only be used by the gods themselves, or by those chosen directly by them,” Zid added.

“Zid, just how strong is your father?” Lily asked.

“He is far stronger than I am,” Zid admitted.

“He’s my mentor after all, and I am still learning from him.”

“Are you worried about him?” Lily pressed.

“Of course. No matter how strong someone is, there is always another stronger one out there,” Zid said.

“And strength alone does not determine victory. In real battles, strategy and circumstance matter just as much,” Zid added.

Our journey continued for several hours, filled with light conversation and occasional pauses to rest, share biscuits, and drink water.

“Wait,” Zid suddenly said, lowering his voice. “Do you hear that?”

We all stopped and listened.

“We’re about halfway to Mardel,” Zid added, as the faint sound of rushing water reached us.

Pushing past a cluster of trees and bushes, we emerged to find a clear blue river shimmering under the afternoon light.

“This is the River Sepir. It’s an ideal spot to set up camp,” Zid said.

“It’s beautiful,” Lily murmured, admiring the view.

“And a good place to hunt. Many creatures come here to drink,” Reimei observed.

I glanced at the sky.

suns were dipping lower, leaving us only a few hours of daylight.

“I think this would make a good campsite,” I said.

“Then it’s decided, we’ll spend the night here,” Lily confirmed.

We began setting up camp, and as usual, I was assigned to prepare the fire.

“Raki, are you done with that?” Lily asked, carrying several bundles of firewood in her arms.

“Almost,” I replied, placing the last of the dry, flat stones I had gathered in a ring a few meters from the riverbank clearing.

“Lily, Raki, I’ll head out to hunt since the tents are already up,” Zid said, glancing at the neatly pitched camp.

“Should I come with you?” Lily offered.

“No, I’ll manage. Besides, Janbo looks eager to join me,” Zid replied.

“Woof!” Janbo barked, his tail wagging.

“I bet he just wants a larger share of the grilled meat,” Lily said with a teasing grin.

“Bau!” Janbo barked again, as if agreeing.

As Zid disappeared into the forest with Janbo, Lily leaned closer to me.

“What do you think of Zid?” she asked in a low voice.

“I think we can trust him,” I said without hesitation. “He already saved us once.”

“You know Janbo could’ve easily torn through those Shadow Hounds, right?” Lily pointed out.

“I know,” I admitted, “but the fact remains that he stood and fought for us. I don’t sense any malice from him.”

“I see. I just wanted to know if you felt the same way,” Lily said softly.

“What are you two whispering about?” Reimei suddenly asked, stepping closer.

“Zid,” Lily answered casually.

“I think he’s trustworthy too. Reliable, and besides, we need a priest,” Reimei said.

She glanced at the firepit, then at me. “So, what kind of dinner are you planning for us, Raki?”

“Something like a stew,” I replied, “but with more flavor.”

“Then I’ll look forward to it,” Reimei said with a smile.

“A stew that’s more flavorful? I’ll make sure to savor every bite,” Lily added playfully.

“Reimei, can you help me set up the protective barrier?” Lily asked, producing several charms from her pouch.

“Of course,” Reimei answered, stepping over to assist her.