.....
"So, you guys aren't here to destroy the Sanctuary?"
After some explanation from Emilia and Roswaal, Garfield, now awake, finally understood that Satou Kazuma and the others weren't enemies of the Sanctuary.
"Why would we want to destroy the Sanctuary?"
Satou Kazuma sat beside him, scoffing.
"Then why didn't you say so earlier?"
Garfield glared at Satou Kazuma.
"You didn't ask, did you?"
Satou Kazuma immediately threw the question back at Garfield.
Garfield was speechless for a moment, unable to come up with a response.
"You guy... what trick did you use just now?"
Garfield looked at Satou Kazuma with disbelief. He didn't remember how he had been taken down.
In his beast form, Garfield gradually lost his reason, but he did remember suddenly experiencing something extremely painful.
"You don't remember anything?"
Satou Kazuma slightly narrowed his eyes, looking at Garfield intently.
"I don't remember."
Garfield shook his head.
Hearing his words, a meaningful smile immediately appeared on Satou Kazuma's face -
Since you don't know, then I'll have some fun!
"After you went berserk in your beast form, I could have taken you down with one hit. But since there was a misunderstanding, I didn't do that. I dodged a few of your attacks first, and then used some special moves..."
As Satou Kazuma spoke, he made corresponding movements with his hands, as if those things had really happened.
Natsuki Subaru next to him looked speechless.
Satou Kazuma's description was similar to the action scenes in anime movies he had seen before.
There was no way he actually knew those moves.
No one would believe him.
"Wow, that's so amazing!"
Garfield's eyes widened, his gaze full of surprise.
He believed it?!
"But, but, you, you, you were running away earlier? I remember you were running away at first, right?"
Garfield recalled something was off and immediately asked.
It seems this person still has some normal sense.
Natsuki Subaru thought to himself, then turned to look at Satou Kazuma, curious about how he would answer.
"That wasn't running away, it was to lure you away!"
Satou Kazuma suddenly struck a cool pose.
"After all, if you went berserk, you might have endangered the people around me - no, not you, but I was worried that my attacks would affect others. I deliberately led you to a deserted place so I could go all out."
"I see!"
Garfield's eyes seemed to have a hint of admiration for Satou Kazuma, and his tone was much gentler than before.
"I see!"
Otto also had a sudden realization, saying at the same time,
"As expected of Kazuma-sama!"
"But Kazuma-sama, why are you still tying me up?"
Garfield lowered his head. At that moment, he was bound by layers of chains.
In fact, Satou Kazuma was worried that Garfield would attack him again indiscriminately after waking up.
"I, I'm worried that you haven't regained your senses after waking up and might hurt yourself."
Satou Kazuma's mind raced, and he said quickly.
"I see, but these chains won't hold me!"
Garfield immediately tensed his muscles, preparing to break the chains with his own strength.
But nothing happened.
Garfield felt like he couldn't use his strength.
"What's going on?"
"These are handcuffs made of magic-sealing stone. They're not that easy to break free from."
As Satou Kazuma spoke, he took out a key to unlock Garfield.
Magic-sealing stone was a very precious resource.
But Satou Kazuma had found Russell earlier and bought almost all the magic-sealing stone he could get.
To be safe, Satou Kazuma had brought a lot of magic-sealing stone with him.
"There's even something like this..."
Garfield lowered his head, looking at his hand.
Because he was so worried about the Sanctuary being harmed and was angered by Satou Kazuma's words, he had chosen to transform.
Fortunately, Satou Kazuma took action, forcing him to calm down, which prevented a tragedy from happening.
Satou Kazuma is really an amazing person.
Garfield only acknowledged the strong, and he now considered Satou Kazuma the strongest person he had ever met.
But...
"I remember hitting someone when I was in my beast form?"
"It's not important."
"Really?"
Garfield scratched his head.
"You guys came here to help that half-elf - Emilia - get her memories back."
"Yeah, the current plan is to let her participate in that trial, it seems that will help her regain her memories."
Satou Kazuma said slowly.
"As for the other backup plan, we can revive someone directly..."
"You, are you going to free the Sanctuary?"
Garfield's expression became extremely serious in an instant.
In his heart, he absolutely did not want the Sanctuary to be freed.
Garfield's father was a demi-human, and his mother, Reala, was human, so he only had a quarter of demi-human blood.
In the past, Garfield, along with his mother and sister, was brought back to the Sanctuary by Roswaal and settled there.
When Garfield was two years old, his mother prepared to leave the Sanctuary temporarily to find and bring back their father.
However, his mother never returned.
During this time, Garfield also participated in the Sanctuary's trial. The content of the trial was to face his past and his heart.
However, Garfield witnessed his mother's death in the trial, so he had always been afraid of the outside world.
To protect the Sanctuary, Garfield was willing to give everything, but he was also unwilling to lift the barrier.
"Free the Sanctuary? Does passing the trial mean freeing the Sanctuary?"
Satou Kazuma asked.
"That's right. Kazuma-sama, do you know that there is a barrier at the edge of the Sanctuary? Half-bloods can't leave. Only by passing the trial can the barrier be removed. That's what they call freeing the Sanctuary."
"What's wrong? It looks like you don't really want to free the Sanctuary, Garfield?"
Satou Kazuma keenly captured the subtle change in Garfield's expression.
"I don't!"
Garfield said immediately.
After all, it was not convenient to reveal his true thoughts yet.
"That's good, because that barrier is gone."
"Oh, I see. Wait?! What?!"
Garfield looked surprised, thinking he had misheard.
"Just now, the useless goddess removed the barrier as an afterthought. It should be a good thing for you guys, right?"
Satou Kazuma said casually.
"You... passed the trial? That's impossible?"
Garfield looked at Satou Kazuma in disbelief.
Logically speaking, it wasn't even time for the trial to begin yet.
What, what was going on?
"The useless goddess heard that there was a barrier that restricted the original residents of the Sanctuary, so she directly removed the barrier."
After Satou Kazuma finished speaking, he sighed helplessly.
Aqua did this not only to free the residents inside.
For her, these people who had been isolated from the world for many years were the targets of her Axis Church.
She wanted to absorb all the people here into her church.
At this rate, the Axis Church might become the most dangerous group in this world.
This series of events made it difficult for Garfield to accept, and his legs felt weak.
In any case, he had to let the residents of the Sanctuary know.
"Um, I'll take you to the village first."
Garfield turned to look into the distance.
"But it's a bit far, it's better to go by carriage."
"The dragon carriage is gone!!!"
Otto said to Garfield with resentment.
"Just now, because of your sudden attack, the dragon carriage is gone!"
"Oh, don't worry about that, Aqua fixed it."
Satou Kazuma said.
"Huh?"
Otto frowned, his face full of doubt.
Did he hear wrong?
Fixed it?
The dragon carriage had been attacked by Garfield and was almost a pile of scrap metal! Even the best craftsman would take some time to fix it.
Aqua fixed it in a dozen minutes?
Otto swallowed, turning his head tremblingly to look in the direction of the dragon carriage.
The dragon carriage had been completely restored.
No, no, not just restored...
It even looked newer?
"What's wrong, Kazuma!"
Aqua came over at that moment, saying to everyone with a proud look.
"As expected of the goddess of talents."
Satou Kazuma nodded.
"That, that Aqua-sama, did you use some kind of magic?"
Otto's voice seemed to tremble.
"Magic? Why would I need magic to fix a dragon carriage? I just fixed it a little."
"Just, really just a little?"
Otto looked helplessly at Natsuki Subaru, who shrugged.
Looking at Otto in front of him, Natsuki Subaru felt like he was seeing himself not long ago.
"Alright, let's go!"
Aqua couldn't wait to say to Garfield.
"Useless goddess, it looks like you can't wait to drink!"
"Of course, your name is Garfyawl, right!"
"It's Garfield!"
"Do you guys have any local liquor? A secluded paradise like yours should have some special drinks!"
Aqua's eyes seemed to be shining.
"Uh, what's liquor?"
Garfield's face was full of confusion.
"Huh?"
Aqua rushed in front of Garfield, grabbing his collar.
"You're asking me what liquor is? Liquor is a liquid, like flowing gemstone, carefully brewed and fermented with wheat or fruit by brewers. Liquor is full of the deliciousness of those crops, the sweat of the workers, and the gifts of nature! And you don't know it?"
Aqua's gaze was so sharp, like a sharp blade about to swallow Garfield whole.
Until yesterday, Garfield had never felt so wronged.
"I, I really don't know? We, in the Sanctuary, dont have that kind of thing. Our usual supplies are all sent in from the outside."
Garfield answered immediately.
Although there were residents in the Sanctuary, there were only a few who could be considered labor, it was difficult for them to fully support themselves, so most of the supplies needed to be sent in by Roswaal from the outside.
Liquor, naturally, was just a luxury.
"So, there's no liquor in the Sanctuary?"
"Probably not."
"Kazuma, let's go back. The Sanctuary has no value."
Aqua's attitude changed one hundred and eighty degrees. She, who was just impatient to go to the village, now looked disgusted.
"Hey hey hey, useless goddess, at least pretend a little."
Satou Kazuma sighed.
"We're here to help, and can't Echidna let you drink as much as you want in Dream Castle?"
"That's right! Let's go revive Echidna now!"
The light in Aqua's eyes, which had just dimmed, instantly returned.
"What, what did you say?"
Garfield thought he heard wrong.
"You want to revive Echidna?"
"That's right."
Satou Kazuma and Aqua said in unison.
"Why?"
"For liquor."
"For chests."
"?"
Otto felt like his brain was about to stop working.
He even tried to think if there was any hidden meaning in Aqua and Satou Kazuma's words.
But, but he couldn't think of anything.
Garfield pursed his lips.
Echidna was the one who showed him the tragedy his mother experienced after leaving the Sanctuary.
The two people in front of him were going to revive Echidna.....
Was that really possible?
"Let's go, let's go, don't waste time! Liquor - Echidna is waiting for us!"
Aqua immediately said loudly.
.....
After a few more tens of minutes of traveling by dragon carriage, the group finally arrived at the village in the Sanctuary.
Rather than a village, it was more like a collection of scattered buildings, looking extremely dilapidated, completely incomparable to Arlam Village in Roswaal's territory.
Satou Kazuma looked around, all the people around him were demi-humans.
Under Roswaal's leadership, the group arrived at a small house, which they used as a temporary place to rest.
Next, it was time for Emilia to try to participate in the trial.
Just as the group was about to set off, a petite figure appeared in front of them.