They continued talking for a few more minutes until three carriages arrived. One was to take Yorichi and Grey to the Duchy of De Moliar, while another—hired by Armin—would take him home.
The third carriage belonged to the Kethali family; it was to transport Lucy, Beatrice, and Previka to the Duchy of Kethali—the birthplace of Beatrice's grandfather, Boswal, and the place where both she and Previka resided.
Before boarding, however, Previka hugged Yuta in front of everyone, much to Lucy's jealousy.
"Take care of yourself, my dear. And you'd best stay away from Lady Gia Guilford. After all, finders keepers!"
A faint smile crossed Yuta's face as he listened. With a playful, teasing tone, he gently pushed her away:
"But as it turns out, you weren't the one who found me first, were you—Lady Previka Al-Aslan?"
Previka froze, staring at Yuta's face, which was now mere inches from her own. He was so strikingly handsome up close that she became completely oblivious to everything else around her.
Lucy let out a gloating laugh from inside her carriage. Overcome with embarrassment, Previka scrambled into her own carriage without a word—she had been so fixated on Yuta's proximity that she hadn't even registered what he had actually said.
With that, the three carriages departed, heading off in different directions toward their respective destinations. The carriages belonging to the Duchies of Moliar and Kethali headed toward the eastern part of the Central Continent, while Armin's carriage set off toward a city near Gasemburg.
Yuta and Gia watched the carriages until they vanished into the distant horizon. Gia then turned her gaze toward Yuta, silently asking how they intended to reach the city of Yoher Spek. Yuta, however, appeared indifferent to her questioning look.
As they departed the Versalkin Academy, heading toward Gasemburg, he spoke in a calm tone:
"It seems you are determined to uncover the truth at any cost—yet, at the same time, you still refuse to fully trust me, and you're ready to turn against me at any moment, aren't you?"
Gia did not utter a single word in response. She knew that Yuta wasn't asking because he was unaware of her stance; he was well aware that she didn't trust him in the slightest. Furthermore, his intention to kill the Magic Emperor, Aster Guilford—a pillar of the Human Empire—was bound to lead to serious trouble.
They continued their journey in near silence, making their way toward the gates of Gasemburg. Vehicles were not permitted inside cities without special authorization and various other guarantees.
Bringing them in would only invite complex problems that would hinder him from achieving his goals.
After some time, they arrived at the gate of the city of Berhais and presented their identification cards to the official on duty. "You may go now. I wish you a safe journey."
The guard spoke calmly, signaling his subordinates to open the pedestrian gate—a measure designed to prevent criminals and fugitives from slipping through amidst the crowds.
Gia, gazing toward the forest, asked in a tone that bordered on an interrogation:
"So, how exactly are we getting to the city of Berhais? Do you plan on walking, flying, or what?"
Yuta looked at her, puzzled. They could have reached Berhais in mere seconds by using their powers, but they had other destinations to visit first. Besides, there was no reason to resort to such abilities when they could simply enjoy a leisurely journey.
"No need to worry, Lady Gia. We can get there much faster in my car."
There was a hint of mockery in Yuta's voice, but Gia ignored it, lost in her own thoughts:
"A 'car'? I suppose it's different from what they call a transport truck... and yet, why does the word sound so familiar? How strange—have I ever ridden in a car before? I feel as though I've done so many times... or am I just imagining it? Perhaps I'm confusing 'cars' with the carriages I used to travel in."
Yuta snapped his fingers, conjuring a spiritual portal from which emerged the very same four-wheel-drive vehicle he and Seria had used to travel to Berhais—back when they had departed the Casiral family estate and spent a night at an inn. They got in immediately, without wasting a single second. Both fastened their seatbelts—a move that left Gia flustered, as she had managed to buckle hers all on her own. She glanced over at Yuta, who was busy starting the vehicle.
She realized he was likely laughing at her internally, amused by her earlier reaction—a thought that stirred both anger and embarrassment within her. Nevertheless, he decided against picking a fight on their very first day.
The engine roared to life, the sound echoing loudly. The soldiers guarding the walls stared in shock, momentarily fearing that some sort of beast was attacking the city of Ghasmburg.
Yuta accelerated, reaching a staggering speed of 1,243 kilometers per hour. He maneuvered past other carriages with such breathtaking skill that the drivers were forced to bring their horses to a halt, completely unaccustomed to a vehicle of such terrifying velocity.
"Whoa! What kind of carriage is that? It's sleek, incredibly fast, and—on top of that—it doesn't even need a horse to pull it!"
"That guy is an expert behind the wheel. Isn't that 'Cold Star of the Heavens' Yuta Caseral from the Elite Class? And that's Gia Guilford—daughter of the Magic Emperor, Aster Guilford. Are they dating or something?"
"Watch your tongue! I heard he's here to blackmail and threaten the heads of the clans, sects, and the nobility. They've accused him of having sexual relations with Beatrice Azwasen." "You're joking, right? Is he really that much of a monster? Yuta Caseral—'Star of the Cold Sky'—he truly shows no mercy!"
As Giya gazed out at the scenery, she noticed Yuta take a different turn. She shifted her focus toward him, her expression demanding an explanation for his intentions.
Yuta spoke in a calm tone as he steered the vehicle:
"We need to stop in the city of Yoher Spek, as I mentioned, to meet someone. Besides that, there's the 'Market of Mysteries'—we'll be staying near it for a couple of days."
"As for the city of Berhais, we'll reach it in less than four hours from the location where the Market of Mysteries is being held—though I'll advise you once more to seize this opportunity; it's truly invaluable."
Jia turned her gaze back toward the forest, her expression clouded with clear unease—a gut feeling that events beyond her knowledge were about to unfold. Still, the fact that their destination was not much further away brought her a measure of relief.
"Fine—have it your way. But you'd best keep your little games to yourself. If I even suspect you've had a hand in any of this, you know exactly what will happen."
Yuta narrowed his eyes, mildly annoyed by her words, and suddenly swerved the vehicle. Jia was caught off guard, staring at him with intense, simmering fury.
She drew her sword from her personal dimensional storage, making it clear that any foolish behavior would be met with severe consequences. Yuta glanced at her, feeling a flicker of tension; he let out a sigh, regretting that he'd brought along someone so troublesome—someone bound to cause nothing but headaches. Yet, he had no choice but to keep her with him.
He shifted his focus to the road ahead—a path barely fit for driving, frequently crossed by monsters wandering through.
An hour and twenty-five minutes passed, and they found themselves nearing the city of Yoher Spek. Yuta brought the vehicle to a halt, leaving Jia momentarily bewildered—so much so that she nearly took his head off right then and there.
Then, it dawned on her: automobiles were not yet a recognized mode of transport; the inhabitants of this world had neither heard of them nor would they readily accept them. Their appearance here could only lead to trouble. She stepped out, rubbing her head—a result of Yuta striking her for attempting to kill him.
Yuta returned the vehicle to his own spiritual realm, casting an annoyed glance at Jia. She turned her face away, feeling somewhat flustered; she had nearly caused a problem by forgetting such a detail—she simply wasn't accustomed to cars, having momentarily mistaken it for an ordinary carriage.
They continued their journey toward the city of Yuher Spek, having prepared themselves for any trouble they might encounter there.
As the walls of Yuher Spek came into view, Yuta spoke a word of caution:
"We've arrived at Yuher Spek, so you must be careful. You are powerful—a 'Ruler' at the age of fifteen—but as I mentioned before, there are many deceivers here, as well as devices designed to suppress energy. I'm not saying you wouldn't be able to resist their effects..."
"Still, you must remain vigilant. Just because you reached the rank of 'Ruler' at such a young age, it doesn't mean others in this world haven't done the same. There are terrifyingly gifted individuals hiding in the shadows, their talents deliberately suppressed or ignored. Tom and Seok—the Grand Steward—are proof of that. You are exceptionally talented, but the fact that someone like you has reached the rank of 'Ruler' suggests that others could have attained it as well. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Jia looked at him for several seconds, trying to grasp why he was telling her this—though she had to admit that his words were true. Aster Guilford, Belgord Kethali, Yukimarus MacTire, the Beast Ruler, Reinhardt de Molière, and Gother MacTire—all of them had surpassed the rank of Sovereign Master.
This revealed that the notion of reaching the rank of Sovereign Master being "impossible" was merely a lie—a fabrication believed by the inhabitants of the ordinary world and all other mundane realms within this fantasy universe. It was a ruse designed to ensure those in power remained in control, discouraging anyone from daring to stage a coup or challenge their authority.
Gia spoke in a calm tone as she returned her sword to its own dimensional space. Yuta offered a faint smile, which Gia pretended not to notice:
"I've known this since the incident on Jigwa Island, and it was confirmed for me in the city of Yuspeakers. I even encountered one of these beings there. Besides, I travel alongside one of them and live with another—so, honestly, it doesn't bother me."
They came to a halt at the gates of the city of Yoher Spek, where a guard barred their entry. Both produced their identification cards and paid a nominal fee of five silver coins each to complete the entry procedures.
Unlike in the city of Gasemburg—where, as students, such costs would have been covered by the academy (otherwise, they would have been charged two platinum coins per person)—this was not a festival period, during which entry would have been free for everyone.
Retrieving their identification cards, they headed into the city, not bothering to listen to the guard, who appeared flustered by being so pointedly ignored. Yuta spoke, glancing toward the stalls:
"I have someone to meet. Hmm—well, you know how it is. Just try to enjoy yourself until I'm finished. That is, if you happen to run into the person I'm meeting—if you do, back away. You're no match for him, and I'm certainly not in any condition to fight him myself."
Jiya stared at him for a few seconds before taking a different path than the one Yuta was following, remarking:
"As you wish. Just make sure you don't stir up any trouble that ends up dragging me into it."
Yuta watched her for a moment before continuing on his own way. To him, she was nothing more than an arrogant—and extremely dangerous—girl. If she were to fall into the hands of his enemies, it would be a disaster; yet, there was little he could do for her other than help her grow stronger. And she wasn't the only one for whom he would be forced to do the same.
Still, her death would come at a price so steep that, no matter how hard he tried, he would never be able to pay it.
Half an hour passed as they wandered through the city of Yoher Spek. While it lacked the grandeur of cities like Gasemburg, Yusbekers, the Imperial capital, or the capitals of the great duchies, it possessed a beauty all its own.
After less than an hour of exploring, Jiya—who had felt as though she were being watched ever since she first entered Yoher Spek—looked around cautiously and said, with a cold edge to her voice:
"It's a beautiful city, isn't it—you fool?"
There was a hint of murderous intent in Jiya's tone as she fixed her gaze upon a girl who had been tailing her for quite some time. This left the young woman flustered as she gazed at Jiya, clutching her—her hand resting on the hilt of her sword—before letting out a soft, light laugh, attempting to mask her fear and nervousness:
"My lady, I bear you no ill will; I truly hope you wouldn't kill a defenseless girl like me."
Jia narrowed her eyes as she listened to what she deemed nothing more than useless nonsense. She drew her sword slightly from its scabbard, causing the girl's expression to darken completely.
With her eyes glowing in a silvery hue, Jia spoke:
"Who are you, girl? And why have you been watching me for the past twelve minutes? I'll give you three seconds—your answer will determine your fate."
The girl swallowed hard, staring at her own reflection on the blade of Jia's sword, and replied in a trembling voice:
"My name is Selexia Kellort. My master ordered me to bring a challenger for a duel—the winner gets to claim whatever they desire from the loser."
Jia slid her sword back into its scabbard. Selexia let out a sigh of relief, clutching her chest. Having released the girl, Jia turned her gaze toward the spot from which she had felt such an intense, lingering stare.
Looking at Selexia—who was still shivering from the encounter—Jia mused to herself in a calm, quiet tone:
"Could this be the person searching for Yuta? Or is it someone else?"
Meanwhile, Selexia, still breathing rapidly as she watched Jia, thought to herself—her mind still gripped by the terror she had just experienced:
"What in the name of the Creator of Hell is this girl? She looks like she comes from a noble family." "I remember now! It's Yuta Caseral. Strange—I thought it was a boy, but I suppose it doesn't matter; that name can be used for both genders. Still, if I hadn't had the information about her, I would have assumed it was someone else. But the young man I'm thinking of is far more spontaneous than she is—it couldn't possibly be him. According to the reports, he's cold, composed, and rarely ever smiles."
Her expression shifted to one of shock as she met Jiya's gaze—a look so terrifying that she instinctively recoiled. Jiya, though slightly puzzled by this reaction, chose to ignore it.
Speaking in a calm, steady tone, Jiya looked toward the direction from which she felt she was being watched:
"Celexia—or whatever your name is—take me to that place. And you'd best ensure there are no tricks from you or your master. Am I clear?"
As she spoke, Jiya drew her blade. Celexia shook her head, trembling with fear.
Celexia then set off, leading Jiya toward the spot from which she had felt watched—the very same place, Jiya was certain, that Celexia had intended to take her to all along.
Furthermore, Jiya felt not a shred of ease. Observing the way Celexia walked—with a confident, vengeful air—she heightened her vigilance, bracing herself to the utmost for whatever might unfold. As they wandered through the districts of the city of Yoher Spek, Jiya sensed that something was amiss—that an entity of terrifying power lay in wait for her. She gripped the hilt of her sword with all her might.
Selexia offered a mocking smile—a gesture not lost on Jiya. It confirmed to her that the individual who had been watching her since she first entered Yoher Spek was the very same person for whom Selexia worked. But was this the same person Yuta had warned her about? She couldn't be certain.
If her employer truly was the person Yuta had cautioned her against, she would be in serious trouble. Yet, she felt not a shred of hesitation at the prospect of facing a superior opponent. Even if her adversary were two full ranks above her, she could invoke the "Wing of Blessing" to bolster her own strength—or at least bring herself to an even footing. The only remaining variable, then, would be the disparity in experience.
A few minutes passed before they reached a plaza, where a table stood. Beside it sat a man of immense, hulking physique—so physically imposing that, were it not for his human-style attire, he might have been mistaken for a barbarian.
He studied Jiya, his gaze probing—attempting to discern her identity and gauge the extent of her power—before shifting his eyes toward Selexia, which left the latter visibly tense.
Trying to mask her unease, Selexia spoke with forced enthusiasm:
"Look, why don't you enter the arm-wrestling contest? This is the person I told you about earlier." Jia looked at him calmly, withdrawing her hand from the hilt of her sword and moving toward a chair; she wanted to gauge his strength before making any further moves.
The man, however, kept his gaze fixed on her, his eyes lingering on her figure—for Jia possessed a beauty that could not easily be concealed. At the same time, he felt a sense of satisfaction, perceiving her to be far too weak to pose any threat to him.
With a tone brimming with delight and contentment, and a look of undisguised lust in his eyes, he spoke:
"Who would have thought that Master Yuto had turned into such an incredibly attractive girl? And so incredibly weak, to boot. Splendid—you'll make an excellent sex slave."
Sensing that something was amiss—especially given the way this stranger was looking at her—Jia placed her hand on the table and said, in a calm, composed tone:
"My name is Jia Guilford. A pleasure to meet you."
A look of bewilderment crossed Selexia's face as she heard Jia's words; she glanced toward her master, whose expression remained inscrutable.
"I am Vermon Solterk. It is my pleasure to have you as my first challenger today. Hahahaha! I shall go easy on you, Lady Jia Guilford."
Jia said nothing in response. Meanwhile, Vermon's subordinates let out sighs of relief, having feared that he might fly into a rage—a scenario that would surely have led to dire, unpredictable consequences. Cilexia spoke up, breaking the tension as she stood more or less between them, gripping both of their hands:
"Wonderful! This is going to be so much fun. Lady Gia Guilford and Mr. Vermon Salterk—the first match of our arm-wrestling contest begins now!"
Cilexia pulled her hand away. The match, however, did not last long; it ended in Gia's defeat, prompting a mischievous smile from Cilexia, as well as from Vermon and the rest of his followers.
Gia stood up, realizing that Vermon was significantly stronger than her—and that any foolish move on her part would lead to dire, unpredictable consequences.
Yet, it seemed Vermon did not want things to end quite so easily; he signaled to his followers to block her path, drawing a look of clear annoyance from Gia.
Cilexia spoke up, breaking the tension as she stood more or less between them, gripping both of their hands:
"Wonderful! This is going to be so much fun. Lady Gia Guilford and Mr. Vermon Solterk—the first match of our arm-wrestling contest begins now!"
Cilexia pulled her hand away. The match, however, did not last long; it ended in Gia's defeat, prompting a sly, mischievous smile from Cilexia, as well as from Vermon and his followers.
Gia stood up, realizing that Vermon was far stronger than her—and that any foolish move on her part would lead to dire, unpredictable consequences.
Yet, it seemed Vermon had no intention of letting things end so easily. He signaled his followers to block her path, drawing a look of clear annoyance from Gia.
Surrounded on all sides, she was left with no choice but to fight.