According to the map of the Human Kingdom, there was nothing particularly special about the North.
The Northern Defense Line was solid as a fortress, people lived and worked in peace, and everything was just like everywhere else.
However, reality proved that saying something was one thing, and doing it was another.
There were only three cities in the entire North, along with a handful of scattered villages and towns.
This meant that after leaving the Gate of Iris and the Gate of Hyacinth to the north, the road ahead was wide open—smooth sailing, unimpeded, like a stone sinking into the sea, a hidden dragon diving into the abyss, the vast ocean for fish to leap, the high sky for birds to soar.
On the desolate plain, dozens of people covered in sparks were hurrying along, a luxuriously dressed noble was tied up and dragged for help, while a few red-hot hands reached out and pressed onto him like branding irons.
“You filthy, shameless parasites who reap without sowing, how dare you absorb my Magic, you despicable Parasitic Worms.”
The Count of Herli was barely conscious, yet he still forced out those words.
But no one paid him any mind.
The pace of these people wasn’t fast, but as long as they kept moving, the day would eventually come when they reached their destination.
The silhouette of one of the North’s only three cities appeared on the horizon.
***
“We usually think of elements as discrete existences.”
“Their simple and fundamental intellect can merge as one, or scatter and become independent entities.”
“Together, they are a blazing fire. Scattered, they are stars across the sky.”
The Grand Sage, who was explaining knowledge, paused for a moment and looked at the pink-haired, lightning girl who had just interrupted.
He felt that her words made sense and were rather philosophical.
“In short, the traces of Fire Elements they left along the way transformed into individual entities under this effect. But without Magic to replenish them, they cannot move and can only wait quietly in place until they dissipate.”
“So, if a single Fire Element feels anger over its fate—hatred—it’s not surprising if it randomly burns a passerby to death.”
Vina nodded, then tilted her head.
“Then why did it go to the Dragonheart Furnace?”
At this question, everyone’s gaze turned to Ella.
“Maybe because of love, or admiration, perhaps.”
The pink-haired lightning girl smiled softly.
“From the perspective of a Fire Element, the world is strange and everyone is different from it, while things similar to it are too ordinary.”
“In such a world full of strange and ordinary, the existence of another of its kind could be dazzling.”
The Dragonheart Furnace was the place on the continent where Fire Elements were most turbulent, surging, and abundant.
Sitting in the corner, Celes quietly squeezed her fingers.
What’s going on?
Why is everyone talking about love and hate?
Could it be that Master was right?
“If it reaches that place,”
Vina asked the key question,
“What will happen?”
“I don’t know.”
Ella gave a high-quality answer, then thought for a moment.
“Maybe it will feel disappointed because beneath the Dragonheart Furnace’s magnificent exterior, there’s nothing inside. Like other ordinary Fire Elements, it has no will of its own and only obeys the ‘commands’ of intelligent beings.”
Leah blinked her beautiful eyes.
“And then what?”
“Who knows. Maybe it will hate, too.”
“After all, the deeper the love, the heavier the hate. And then all sorts of terrible things might be done to the other side.”
What Ella referred to were things like engulfing, infecting, and assimilating.
But Leah and Celes clearly imagined something else, their faces blushing slightly.
As for Zero and Vina, they probably thought of it too, but were more composed.
“We have to report this to someone with authority and have the kingdom gather forces to stop them.”
Half an hour later, the girls arrived at the Sanctuary Hall and found Rolls, who was about to have dinner.
After hearing the whole story, the former Great Hero was stunned.
“You mean, if left unchecked, this could develop into a calamity at the level of an evil god?”
“Possibly.”
Hearing this, Rolls said nothing.
He slowly sat down, drank a sip of warm water, and placed his hands flat on his knees.
Ella could tell he was lowering his blood pressure, the elderly way of calming oneself.
Celes noticed, too, and thoughtfully made a suggestion.
“Teacher, next time we go to Bright Cross Star City, let us bring you some medicine. They have a drug there that helps lower blood pressure, said to be very effective.”
“Emmmm, better not.”
Ella quickly said.
“That one’s for the Blood Demon Tribe.”
“Thank you, children, but I don’t need those for now.”
Rolls regained his composure, looked at the pink-haired girl, and asked,
“Can you explain more specifically—what consequences there might be?”
No one knew what would happen if an emotional and self-aware Fire Element were magnified to the scale of the Dragonheart Furnace.
Even Ella couldn’t say for sure.
“Because it has emotions, and with emotions come moods. People can do anything depending on their mood. Maybe it would feel fulfilled with the past and be willing to keep role-playing with the mages, but how likely that is, I can’t say.”
Rolls decided to write a letter immediately and have someone deliver it to the bigwigs in the Royal Palace for them to make arrangements quickly.
As for why not go himself—because a young messenger certainly runs faster than an old man.
“Alright, I’ve summarized the matter and they’ll assign personnel. By the way, have you all eaten?”
The Sanctuary Hall’s dinners were never stingy.
In a sense, it was a free imperial feast.
After dinner, Celes helped Rolls tidy up.
“Did you visit your master? How is he?”
Strictly speaking, the Great Hero and the former Chief Sword Saint were not of the same generation.
The former was a generation older than the latter.
Saying he watched the other grow up was a bit much, but he had witnessed the process from obscurity to greatness.
“Master is doing well physically and with daily life, but his mental state isn’t great.”
Celes hesitated.
“It seems he’s been hurt by love, always talking about love and hate, and occasionally saying things that sound philosophical.”
Rolls couldn’t help but sigh.
“It’s truly terrifying. A generation’s Sword Saint ended up like this because of love.”
“Celes, you must never be like him in the future.”
“………….”
Celes didn’t dare say anything.
Fortunately, Rolls didn’t notice, because just then, a reply arrived from the Royal Palace.
Maken personally wrote back, stating the kingdom would try to keep a close watch, but regardless, the direction north of the Gate of Hyacinth was too remote.
There wouldn’t be any news until tomorrow at the earliest.
“Ella, if you were commanding these people, which route would you take?”
Vina asked.
She wanted to see if they could predict the path and set up an early interception.
But this time, Ella shook her head.
“If it were me, after being blocked last time, I’d learn from it.”
“The best way is to split up, and the more scattered, the better.”