Chapter 348

He had hoped that simply moving forward would lead them to something, anything, but Azar was only gaining a renewed appreciation for the sheer, boundless expanse of the desert. Ah, Nathan’s going to worry at this rate… The thought that he might not be able to keep his promise to return within a week drew an involuntary sigh.

Then, he suddenly recalled Nathan mentioning, just before they entered the dungeon, that he might follow them depending on the situation. Instead of wandering aimlessly like this, maybe waiting for Nathan to arrive would have been the better option? Calypse would surely have no trouble locating them. Various conflicting thoughts tangled in his mind. But he knew, realistically, that having already become lost, attempting a reckless escape from the dungeon depths now was foolhardy. He should have acted more decisively the moment they realized they were off course. Still, the futile “what ifs” persisted.

That’s how suffocating Azar found their current predicament. And once Nathan came to mind, a sense of urgency began to gnaw at him. This impatience stemmed from the knowledge that time flowed differently inside the dungeon compared to the outside world. If things had gone according to plan, even if they were pressed for time, he wouldn’t feel this anxious… But having already spent several days lost here, the growing unease was unavoidable. What’s happening outside? He could only hope that while days had passed within the dungeon, merely hours had ticked by in the world beyond.

“…How is it? Are they still following?” Azar asked Ali casually, habitually scanning their surroundings before sinking onto the sand.

Ali, who had been sprawled out flat on his back, remained silent for a moment, apparently checking their periphery, before replying weakly, “Yeah.”

Hearing this, Azar muttered with a sigh, “I wonder how long those guys plan on tailing us.”

In truth, Azar was already well aware of the group secretly following them. He had first detected their presence about two days after they had set off without any landmarks to guide them. Navigating this vast desert without a map, compass, or guide was exceedingly difficult. In such circumstances, the only recourse was to rely on the intuition that had served him well so far, supplemented by Ali, whom he’d instructed to use his spirits to constantly scout the area.

At Ali’s command, a wind spirit rode the currents, surveying as far as it could reach, while an earth spirit delved beneath the sand, vigilant for the monsters that occasionally erupted from below. It was during one of these scouting missions that they accidentally discovered the group trailing them from a considerable distance.

When Ali first reported their presence, Azar initially suspected they were either mercenaries blinded by the lure of dungeon spoils, or perhaps the Naga Kassel had mentioned. His guess turned out to be largely correct. The spirit, having observed them from a safe distance high above, reported that the individuals were exceptionally large and that, without fail, snake-like tails protruded from beneath their robes. Realizing this matched Kassel’s description of the Naga, both Azar and Ali felt a surge of hope – needless to say, their expressions brightened considerably.

…Of course, that optimism lasted only until they realized the Naga were consistently maintaining a specific distance while following them. At first, they simply assumed their paths happened to overlap by sheer luck. At the time, Azar and Ali had found a welcome patch of shade and decided to rest there. Figuring the Naga would eventually catch up if they waited, they set up camp even after resting, assuming a natural encounter would occur. This decision was based on the fact that the distance between them was still too great for visual contact.

The first inkling that something was amiss came when, after leisurely finishing their meal and waiting for a considerable time—long enough for the sun to completely set and the moon to hang high overhead—the Naga still hadn’t arrived. Azar and Ali were puzzled. The rocky outcrop where they rested was the only viable place to escape the scorching sun and sandstorms in the immediate vicinity; it seemed the only logical place to rest. They had naturally assumed the Naga would head there as well. Wondering if the Naga had perhaps changed direction, Ali hastily sent out a spirit to locate them again, but the result only deepened their confusion.

Surprisingly, the Naga were still there—closer than before, certainly, but still just outside their range of sight. Upon learning this, Azar couldn’t shake the feeling that the distance was deliberately maintained, strangely calculated. It was then that the first seeds of suspicion began to sprout.

And so, a day passed uneventfully, frustratingly.

The following day brought more of the same. The Naga meticulously mirrored their movements, stopping when they stopped, moving when they moved. Faced with this inexplicable behavior, Azar abandoned his initial plan to approach them directly.

However, as the situation dragged on, his resolve began to waver again. They couldn’t continue this pointless, directionless wandering indefinitely. Whether the Naga were hostile, or what hidden motives drove their persistent shadowing, remained unknown. But Azar decided that even if a fight was inevitable, he needed to at least try asking for directions first.

Besides, there was always a slim chance, wasn’t there? Kassel had mentioned a non-aggression pact within the treaty he’d brokered. Of course, Azar wasn’t naive enough to believe a treaty guaranteed absolute compliance. ‘But surely there’d be an opening to talk, even briefly? Maybe this whole “following” thing is just a misunderstanding.’ Perhaps their paths truly did coincide, and their rest breaks just happened to align by chance…

“…Probably not.” Muttering under his breath, Azar distractedly pushed back strands of hair disheveled by the wind. “Alright, let’s get up.”

“Ugh, can’t we rest just a little longer? I’m so tired I can barely command the spirits anymore…”

“Get up.”

Just as Azar forcibly hauled the whining Ali to his feet, a deafening roar, like an explosion, echoed from behind them.

BOOM!

Whirling around in alarm at the sound, their eyes met a sight that had become disturbingly familiar over the past few days: sand erupting skyward like a geyser.

***

—Moments earlier.

‘Oh dear. What are we going to do?’

The smallest, youngest Naga among the group let out a low groan, forgetting the food before them. The other Naga nearby cast worried glances in their direction.

“[Are you alright, Lord Sete? You must be very tired?]”

His name was Sete. He was the de facto leader of this small band. As his youthful face and small stature indicated, he was the youngest among them—barely a teenager by human standards.

“[It’s just… I can’t help but worry,]” Sete admitted, his young face clouded with concern.

Seeing the deep worry etched on the child’s features left the other Naga feeling helpless. One of them attempted to lighten the mood with a cheerful tone. “[S-Still, isn’t it somewhat fortunate? Those two clearly don’t know the way, yet they seem to be heading towards the nearest settlement regardless.]”

“[That’s right! If they keep moving like this, they’ll reach Lambda soon. Perhaps encountering them naturally there wouldn’t be such a bad idea!]”

Yes, yes, the others quickly chimed in, deliberately echoing the sentiment.

“[But hasn’t the official decree reached Lambda as well?]” Sete’s quiet question instantly silenced the others. Their slit pupils darted nervously between each other. Sete let out a sigh that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle and shook his head. “[As you say, meeting them in Lambda seems like a good option. However… it would be best to approach them before they enter the village proper…]”

“[Excellent idea, Lord Sete. We shall do just that. So, for now, why don’t you finish your meal? You’ve barely touched it. Lambda may be closer, but it’s still some distance away. You’ll need sustenance to keep up with them.]”

“[Mm… No, you’re right. Thank you, always.]” At the encouragement, Sete resumed eating, his hand moving once more.

But his mind remained preoccupied, filled with anxieties—anxieties centered, naturally, around the two individuals ahead of them. Originally, Sete had intended to approach the pair the moment they first spotted them. His attendants’ cautious objections had delayed him, but he had been watching for an opportunity ever since. However, given that the two were clearly outsiders from the ‘surface,’ and considering the ‘current circumstances,’ the extreme wariness his fellow Naga exhibited towards them was perhaps unavoidable. This caution, ultimately, was the reason they had spent the last few days in this tiresome pursuit.

‘In my opinion, their worries are unfounded. How could someone who wields the power of the divine possibly be malicious?’ But Sete wisely kept this naive thought to himself.

As they trailed the pair, various suggestions on how to approach them safely had been debated. The option that gained the most consensus was to intervene and offer help should the two find themselves in genuine trouble. Many believed this approach would minimize potential hostility and suspicion.

‘…That was the plan, at least, as of yesterday.’

But then, something wholly unexpected by the Naga had occurred.