“Something tells me Prince Reichardt gave you his approval,” she said.
Our faces must have given it away before we had the chance to explain. “I’m sorry, Mother.”
“Don’t apologize, Philia. This was your decision. Anyway, I can’t stop you now, can I? As soon as Mia comes back, I’ll tell you everything I know.”
“Very well. Thank you.”
We were escorted to the drawing room for the time being. After hours of waiting and drinking tea, Mia at last returned.
“Hi, Philia! Getting permission was a breeze! Well, Prince Fernand looked a little annoyed, but when I threatened to call off our marriage if he didn’t comply, he reluctantly gave us the okay.”
“Mia! How could you do that to him?”
“It’s no big deal. After all, we have no time to waste. Who knows how many days it would have taken for me to win him over with a logical argument?”
Mia didn’t show the slightest hint of remorse. In fact, she looked completely unfazed. That girl was something else.
Nevertheless, she had helped us secure immediate permission from both Girtonia and Parnacorta.
“Mia does have a point, Philia,” Sir Osvalt contended. “Though I can’t help but feel sorry for Prince Fernand, we’ve got the authorization we need. She can apologize after making it back in one piece, can’t she?”
“You’re right,” I said. “Now we need to collect intel from Mother and prepare for our expedition to the Volcanic Miasma Zone.”
I glanced at Mother, trying to gauge her reaction. She sat down across from Mia and me.
“Philia, Mia, listen carefully. As I mentioned earlier, the Volcanic Zone is continually racked by phenomena resembling magical explosions. The only way to protect yourselves is by using magic-based defense.”
“Understood, Mother.”
“If you sense an explosion coming, you must create a magical barrier to shield yourselves straight away.”
Mother’s advice seemed straightforward, but it would be incredibly difficult to put into practice. The explosions were constant, so we’d have to stay alert at all times. Even Mother had been taken unawares in the past.
“Should we practice a little before you go? It won’t improve your skills, but it’s worth knowing what to expect.”
“That would be wonderful.”
“All right,” said Mia. “Let’s do our best, Philia!”
After that, Mia and I practiced controlling our magic and casting spells that sharpened our senses. This grueling training reminded me of my early days with Mother, but we tried our best to keep up.
“Hah… Hah… How am I this exhausted? We haven’t even set foot in the danger zone yet.”
“You’re right,” I said. “I’m a little tired. Let’s rest until dawn.”
“Y-yeah… Good idea.”
Looking completely worn out, Mia nodded and staggered inside.
“I’d heard stories about Lady Hilda’s coaching,” Sir Osvalt remarked, “but that was beyond anything I had ever imagined.”
“You were standing around watching us the entire time, weren’t you, Sir Osvalt? I thought I told you to get some rest.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. How could I rest while you two were working so hard?”
Sir Osvalt had been watching over us all through our practice. He truly was a kind person. His casual generosity had given me immeasurable courage.
“Philia Adenauer, the greatest saint of all time. I thought you were a natural genius, but I was wrong. Turns out you’ve been put through the wringer since you were a kid.”
Erza made her way over, looking astonished. She must have been watching us as well.
“Don’t exorcists go through rigorous training?” I asked.
“Of course we do. A normal level of intense training. The drills your teacher puts you through are beyond the pale, even by our standards.”
“Is that right?”
Indeed, Mother’s training was harsher than ever, but once I grasped her true intentions and threw myself into the training, her love was palpable. Receiving my mother’s guidance for the first time in so long filled me with joy.
“Anyway,” said Erza, “it’s getting late. Are you still planning to depart at dawn?”
“Yes. I want to begin my search for the Moontear Flower immediately. I hear there are fewer explosions in the mornings.”
It would be difficult to collect the elusive plant with constant, dangerous explosions happening around me, but I was determined to do it.
Mia had offered to lend a hand and Sir Osvalt was willing to put himself on the line for my sake. If I gave up now, all our efforts would go to waste. That was the one scenario I had to avoid at all costs.
“I have an idea,” said Erza. “I’ll get Mammon to take you as close as he possibly can to the danger zone. He’s a demon, so I doubt the explosions will affect him so much.”
“Don’t be so sure. I’m tough, but there’s a limit to how many explosions even I can take.”
“Oh, that’s a shame. Guess you’ll end up dead.”
“Talk about cold!”
Despite being a demon, even Mammon was wary of the Volcanic Miasma Zone. He was incredibly resilient—he could even survive having his head chopped off—but not against a barrage of magic explosions.
That didn’t make his support any less valuable, though. As always, his teleportation gate would be a huge help.
“I’d like you to drop us off outside the danger zone, Mammon,” I said. “I can’t let you put yourself in danger.”
“I knew you’d say that, Philia. Unlike Big Sis, you actually care.”
“Before we go, Philia,” said Sir Osvalt, “you should get a little rest. You must be exhausted.”
“You’re right. I’ll take a quick nap to make sure I’m in top form.”
I hurried inside. Mia must have been tired, too, because I found her fast asleep on the sofa. She hadn’t even made it back to her room.
When I woke up after an hour’s nap, Sir Osvalt, who’d apparently been awake the whole time, was there to greet me. “You’re up already? We still have plenty of time.”
I suspect that he needed sleep more than I did, but he insisted that he couldn’t allow himself to rest when I was pushing myself so hard.
“I’ve learned how to recuperate efficiently,” I explained, “so this much sleep will suffice.”
“I see. I suppose I’ll have to take your word for it.” Sir Osvalt grit his teeth. It looked as if he wanted to say something, but was biting his tongue.