About five days passed before the territory finally became visible to our eyes. Even from a distance, it would take no more than twelve hours to arrive. Still, that time proved valuable. Thanks to it, I managed to understand a little more about this world.
During the journey, Lygni explained several things to me. I avoided obvious questions—simple topics that the former owner of this body might already have known. Even so, every answer felt like another layer of reality being peeled back, revealing just how deeply trapped I now was in this world.
From what I understood, what they call the Web is a form of energy. A force that permeates everything and can manifest in many different ways.
I witnessed it myself one night while we were camping. Lygni touched the stacked firewood, and in the next instant, it was as if her hands ignited. Fire bloomed obediently, growing within seconds.
Was that magic? Ki? Some fundamental energy governing this world?
I couldn't define it. I only knew it was overwhelming.
The carriage continued onward until it came to an abrupt stop. The sudden jolt pulled me out of my thoughts. Moments later, the coachman approached the door.
"There's a group of people blocking the road," he said, casting a cautious glance at Lygni.
She opened the door immediately. I moved to follow her, but she stopped me.
"Wait here, Your Highness," she said firmly. Her gaze was rigid and focused, leaving no room for argument.
"Alright," I replied.
Lygni stepped down from the carriage and walked toward the group. There were seven of them in total—five men and two women.
"Why are you blocking the road?" she asked, her voice calm yet authoritative.
"Let's just say we're charging a toll," one of the men replied, likely their leader.
"In the Kingdom of Durendal, there is no toll for passing through these lands," she answered without changing her tone.
"Come on, it's just a little help so my friends don't fall into hardship," he insisted.
Lygni remained unmoved. Her posture was firm, and one of her hands rested calmly on the hilt of her sword.
So even in this world, there were low-level bandits. They were no different from the ones I knew back home.
"Step aside while I'm still being kind to your group of 'needy people,'" Lygni said.
"What a cheeky little woman," I heard one of the women mutter.
Lygni didn't react. She didn't shift her stance. She didn't look away.
"Well then, I guess we'll have to do this the hard way," one of the men said as he drew his sword.
The weapon was unusual. It wasn't ordinary steel. A faint aura rippled around the blade.
So that was it.
Another user of that power.
Which meant this force was common knowledge.
Lygni observed the group in silence for a moment.
"Once you take this step, there is no turning back," she warned.
It was pointless.
The man charged forward at inhuman speed, leaping into the air and delivering a vertical strike. The blade slammed down with enough force to kick up a cloud of dust, obscuring everything.
When the dust settled, Lygni was still standing there.
She had blocked the attack.
With a single sword.
Without even drawing it from its sheath.
"Don't cry afterward."
That was all she said.
The swords responded to her will. In one smooth, almost elegant motion, Lygni drew the smaller blade and struck upward. The man was sent crashing to the ground, writhing in agony.
The others reacted, drawing their weapons—but it was already too late.
Lygni was far too fast.
Her blades sliced through the air effortlessly, as if cutting through butter. One of the women conjured something like an ice stake and hurled it toward her. Lygni split it cleanly in half and advanced in the same instant, delivering a cross-shaped slash.
The woman collapsed to the ground, screaming in pain.
The group froze.
They knew it.
Facing her was impossible.
Their leader dropped to his knees before her.
"Please, forgive our arrogance. We won't trouble you again."
Lygni walked toward them, her swords still in hand.
Was she going to kill them?
I had to intervene.
"Lygni, that's enough," I said, trying to pull her out of that state.
She stopped.
Slowly, she turned toward me.
"Eliminating all threats is my duty."
Her gaze returned to the kneeling man.
She was going to ignore me.
I had to try again.
"Lygni, this is an order. Stop."
My heart raced. If she didn't stop, there was nothing I could do.
But to my surprise—
She stopped.
She turned back to me once more.
"You have already fulfilled your duty. They will not block us again," she said, staring at the group. "Is that correct?"
The man, still kneeling, nodded frantically.
"Yes. We won't bother you again," he said.
"See? Let's go. We're almost at our destination."
I stepped back into the carriage.
Lygni cast one final look at them. Disgust was clear in her eyes. Still, she sheathed her swords and returned.
She sat across from me and closed her eyes. To her, everything that had just happened seemed nothing more than boredom.
The creaking of wood echoed once again.
We were moving.
I leaned back against the seat, trying to process it all. It was astonishing. A man moving faster than any human should. A woman materializing an ice stake in seconds and throwing it like it was nothing. And even more terrifying—she had been cut down just as easily.
This world continued to surprise me.
I looked at my right hand.
I wanted that power.