Although the Knights harbored doubts in their hearts, the Saintess’ orders were absolute and could not be disobeyed.
Before long, several Knights had thoroughly prepared a simple carriage, and Iana and Lillian were arranged to rest inside.
That carriage was very close to the one where Elia was seated, as if Elia had deliberately arranged it that way.
As all the Knights mounted their steeds, the convoy of carriages slowly set off, heading in the same direction.
The wheels of the carriage rolled over the muddy road with a creaking sound.
The damp, gloomy moisture in the air, along with the rotten, foul stench of the forest, gave Iana an inexplicable sense of unease, as if she were trapped inside the body of a seriously ill patient.
If Iana remembered correctly, five hundred years ago, when the Demonkin invaded the world, why had the Trial Land sent her to this point in time?
Was it to stop the Demonkin’s invasion, or to assist it?
If she truly had to choose a side between the humans and other races and the Demonkin, Iana felt she wouldn’t be able to decide, for there were people she cared about on both sides.
Calming herself, Iana contemplated the nature of the trial task.
She suspected that the trial was most likely to force her to choose between the two camps at the moment the Demonkin first invaded.
Based on Elia’s opinion of her five hundred years later, it seemed she had chosen the human camp—otherwise, there was no way to explain why Elia and she had such a good relationship.
But looking from the perspective five hundred years later, her choice seemed to have been utterly useless.
After all, the Demonkin still existed then, and had grown so strong that all other races had to unite to stand against them.
“I… Iana, where are we?” Lillian asked nervously, her voice trembling.
She couldn’t understand how she had been in the decorated living room of the mansion just moments ago, but now, when she opened her eyes, she found herself in some unknown forest.
And she was surrounded by a group of fully armored Knights, all pointing swords at her.
It was impossible not to be afraid; under such circumstances, who wouldn’t be?
Iana thought for a moment, then decided to tell Lillian the truth.
After all, she had dragged Lillian into this.
Maybe if she hadn’t broken through inside Lillian’s mansion, Lillian wouldn’t have to go through this.
She felt guilty toward Lillian.
“Lillian, what I’m about to say may overturn your understanding, but please believe me. I swear every word I say is true—or at least, true as I know it.”
Lillian studied Iana’s serious expression and faintly sensed that they were caught up in something major.
She nodded to show that she trusted Iana.
Iana took a deep breath and summoned her courage.
“We may have traveled back five hundred years. This should be the world from five hundred years ago.”
“Five hundred years ago?” Lillian’s eyes widened, and her voice involuntarily rose before she quickly covered her mouth.
“Th… that can’t be…”
Although Lillian wasn’t academically strong, she knew clearly that everything in this world could change—except time.
If what Iana said was true, then when they returned, those obsessed with studying Time Magic would probably dissect and examine them.
“I know you’re shocked, but based on the information we have, this is the conclusion that fits best.”
“You know that woman named Elia, right?”
Lillian nodded, “Yes. We met her during the Holy Trial. If she hadn’t given me those abilities, we might have been killed by that Bone Dragon.”
“That’s right. Before meeting you, I had met her once as well. The Lightbinding Art she gave me is from that meeting.”
“At that time, she told me she had met me five hundred years ago. I think this is that time.”
Lillian was silent for a moment before slowly saying, “B… but this is too absurd.”
“There’s something even more absurd. You’ve probably studied the history of the Continent, right? Do you know what period it was five hundred years ago?”
“Five hundred years ago?” Lillian pondered, then suddenly said, “That was when the Demonkin first invaded.”
“Exactly. I think we’ve traveled to that very period.”
“So what do we do? How do we return?” Lillian’s voice trembled.
She had already come to rely on Iana as her mental support.
“If this really is that time, even a random skirmish could cost us our lives.”
Iana grasped Lillian’s cold hand and comforted her.
“Calm down. All of this is my fault. This must be part of my trial task, but I didn’t expect you to get involved.”
“Since the trial task brought us here, there must be a way to return.” Iana squeezed Lillian’s hand tightly, trying to convey strength.
Just as Iana was comforting Lillian, the carriage suddenly jolted violently.
Outside came the Knights’ tense shouts.
“Something’s happening.” Iana pulled aside a corner of the curtain and peered out the window, seeing several wolf-shaped Demonkin with glowing green eyes.
Iana sensed their aura was similar to the Demonkin’s but also different.
Iana wasn’t sure if it was because the Demonkin had devolved over the past five hundred years or if these wolf Demonkin were special beings.
Their aura was much purer and more terrifying than her own.
“They’re just wolves infected by that creature.” When the Knights saw the wolf-shaped beings, their previously high tension relaxed as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
The Knight Captain ordered two Knights to deal with the wolf Demonkin.
Soon, the Knights cut them down as easily as slicing melons.
Watching this, Iana was somewhat shocked because she felt she would have stood no chance against even one wolf Demonkin.
Yet these Knights eliminated them with ease.
She began to feel relieved that she hadn’t clashed with them, or she might have met the same fate as those wolf Demonkin.
After calming down, Iana found it strange that even the lowest-level Demonkin had intelligence.
They would avoid humans who were far stronger.
So why had these wolf Demonkin attacked the Knights outright?
These wolf Demonkin reminded Iana of the demons she had encountered during the First Trial of the Saintess—they were equally brutal and equally mindless.
Perhaps there was some connection between them.
Iana sensed that this trial task was not as simple as she had imagined.