Of course, to a certain skeptical priestess, all mysteries must be governed by underlying principles and reasons, and the Holy Spirit Trail in the tranquil forest is no exception.

 

At this moment, the little dragon girl, who had been quietly listening on the side, suddenly spoke up.

 

“Master, it seems that one of the parties involved in the earlier fight on the damaged official road left a similar scent on this path. Most likely, they also went through that trail.”

 

“Oh…? Can you estimate the time?”

 

Upon hearing this, the dragon girl frowned as she thought for a moment and then said, “Based on the scent’s dispersion, it’s probably from two or three days ago, though it could be a bit earlier.”

 

“That long? Then we probably won’t run into them. What a pity…”

 

Honestly, Violet was quite interested in those two groups that had fought on the official road. She had a feeling that the issue involved more than just the damage to the road. The effects might even be something the priestess had encountered before.

 

But since time had already passed, there was nothing to be done except to proceed and see what happened.

 

The Holy Spirit Trail was not long, and the surrounding Holy Spirit Forest was only a small forest by area. Even with the caravan’s slow pace, it would probably take half a day to cross. For a lone expert, it might only take a few minutes.

 

Of course, this is assuming there are no unexpected occurrences.

 

That said, Violet hoped that this mysterious place recorded in 【The World’s Top 100 Unsolved Mysteries】 would reveal some rare and interesting aspects. After all, one of the pleasures of traveling lies in the many unusual sights along the way.

 

……………………………

 

Avery had been leading the caravan into the Holy Spirit Trail for about half an hour.

 

To be honest, he felt a bit anxious about this decision. Although he had heard the legends of the Holy Spirit Trail, this was his first time actually entering it.

 

The reason for Avery’s decision, aside from the urgency of time, was also significantly influenced by his own identity as a devout follower of the Goddess.

 

It wasn’t just him, as a local organization in the Holy Empire, most members of the White Dove Merchant Guild, including its leader, were believers in the nation’s sole deity—the Goddess of Light, Aurora.

 

In this caravan, White Dove Merchant Guild members made up nearly seventy percent, over one hundred fifty people, while the remaining few were travelers from all corners of the world who happened to be passing through Sacred Star City and took up their offer for a ride.

 

The legends of the Holy Spirit Trail didn’t have a clear standard, and there were minor differences in various versions.

 

Some people said that only those with sincere faith could pass through the Holy Spirit Trail. Others claimed that the Holy Spirits would not attack those wearing the Goddess’s emblem, known as the Holy Seal.

 

There were even rumors suggesting that as long as one did not blaspheme the Goddess, they could safely pass through here, even if they were not a believer.

 

So, although there are many other faiths represented within the caravan, such as mixed-bloods, half-beastmen, and even winged people, Avery believed that the doctrine of the Goddess advocates for equality among all beings.

 

Even if one is not a follower of the Goddess of Light, as long as they maintain sufficient reverence, they should not be punished.

 

To be on the safe side, not long ago, Avery had his subordinates notify everyone in the caravan, advising them of the precautions and warning them of the seriousness of the situation. He also emphasized that if anyone was unwilling to travel through the trail, they could get a refund and leave.

 

A few passengers chose to withdraw, but it seemed that most decided to take the risk, betting on the reliability of the legend.

 

After all, there have been numerous successful crossings of the Holy Spirit Trail throughout history, enough to make them believe… they could do it too.

 

That said, once they actually entered the lush and serene forest, Avery still felt a bit uneasy.

 

“Great and exalted Goddess of Light, praise be to Your name… You are the embodiment of dawn and hope… You are the first ray of light in the world, the master of all beauty and light… Devotee Avery offers you sincere prayers… May the Holy Light bless me, dispel evil, and cleanse my heart… Great and exalted Goddess of Light, praise be to Your name…”

 

Constantly murmuring the established praise from the doctrine, which is said to have been passed down from ancient times, Avery chose not to enter the carriage for easier observation and quick response. Instead, he rode a horse and walked along the road with the surrounding guards. Others within sight were similarly cautious, reciting the prayers to the Goddess of Light in low voices.

 

It was clear that everyone was quite nervous. After all, the Holy Spirit Trail is so mysterious that no one can be absolutely certain about anything. In a place with such deep church culture as the Holy Empire, failing to show sufficient reverence to the Goddess of Light could easily displease the local spirits and lead to retaliation.

 

Even those who are not followers of the Goddess have now obediently huddled inside their carriages or squeezed together with others in the crowd, seeking some semblance of safety.

 

Except for… certain individuals.

 

“Hmmmm… After walking for so long, this Holy Spirit Trail seems no different from an ordinary forest? We’ve been waiting for ages and haven’t seen anything strange pop up. This damned book isn’t trying to fool us, is it…?”

 

The girl with the white fox mask, leaning her head against the half-open carriage window and resting on the giant dragon beside her, murmured her boredom while glancing out at the slowly passing scenery.

 

“Miss Vi… Miss Dawn, is it really okay for us to be so brazen? Everyone outside seems to be reciting prayers to the Goddess of Light. Uh, I mean… if we’re too disrespectful to the deities, won’t it…”

 

The white fox girl turned her head slightly, somewhat amused as she patted the trembling, corner-huddled blue-haired girl’s head who had weakly raised her concerns.

 

“I’m telling you, Theresa, haven’t you figured out your own identity and position? You’re a blessed one chosen by the Goddess of Life, protected by Sethlin. How can you offer prayers to other deities? Religious issues are very serious for deities. If— and I mean if— those Holy Spirits really come knocking, we have every right to refuse them. So just relax.”

 

If talking doesn’t work, using a bit of muscle is also an option. After all, the relationships between deities have never been all that harmonious.

 

Reassured by her, Theresa seemed to calm down a bit, letting out a deep breath. She glanced at the two white-feathered girls sitting opposite her, who looked like they were on the verge of falling asleep from boredom, and whispered.

 

“That’s true, but… actually, ever since we entered this forest, I’ve been feeling a strange sense of unease. There might be something particularly dangerous lurking here, so everyone should be a bit more cautious…”

 

“Hmm, I see.”

 

Theresa’s empathic ability to sense the environment is a very effective means of foreseeing danger, as previous experiences had proven. Her concerns suggested that there might indeed be something frightening happening in this Holy Spirit Trail.

 

With this in mind, Violet slowly extended the area of her detection, which was originally just around the carriage, slightly outward. Without causing any unnecessary commotion, this range was already quite comprehensive.

 

Her encounters with many demon races in the Ten Thousand Demons Mountains had broadened Violet’s perspective. If there were any unseen dangers approaching, using this method to prevent them was likely the safest option.

 

In the next moment.

 

“Huh?”

 

Almost simultaneously, the most powerful priestess and the little dragon girl on the scene turned their heads sharply, looking through the carriage’s wooden wall towards a certain direction. Leila, who had reached an advanced level of perception, quickly furrowed her brows as if her senses had reached beyond the carriage and into some area outside.

 

Immediately after, a chilling and mournful scream echoed from not far away!

 

“Yah!!! What is that thing! No! No, no, no! Have mercy on me! Your Holiness, the Goddess! Great Spirits! I didn’t mean to desecrate… I… Ahhhhhhh!!!!”

 

The scream, along with the very obvious sound of clothing dragging against the ground, gradually faded into the depths of the air and the trail, disappearing without a trace in just a few breaths.

 

“What’s going on!?”

 

Only at this point did the caravan leader, Avery, shout in anger, followed by a wave of panicked cries and increasingly urgent prayers. It seemed that only this could calm their fear triggered by the sudden change.

 

“Mr. Avery! It looks like someone has been dragged into the forest!!!!”