After reading the introduction about the King of Secret Source, Nanako's whole body trembled.
The... Ancestor of Magic Power?
What kind of joke was this?!
How could she possibly deal with an existence of this level?!
This being existed in the same era as her disciple, no! It was even more ancient than her disciple!
Without another word.
She immediately hugged the book and quickly rode her broomstick toward Andrew's wizard tower.
"Grandpa Andrew!!"
Nanako shouted while riding her broomstick.
Then with a loud bang, she crashed into Andrew's wizard tower from mid-air, creating a huge hole, and directly burst inside.
Nanako ヽ（≧□≦）ノ said:
"Nanako has something very important to ask!!"
"..."
"..."
The wind whistled through.
In front of the collapsed wall.
Andrew, who was soaking in a bathtub holding a glass of orange juice, slowly had his expression freeze. The bathtub cracked with a snap, and bathwater splashed everywhere.
A cold wind whistled through the huge hole that Nanako had crashed through.
"..."
Andrew took a deep breath and said: "Nanako, how many times have I told you, use the front door when you have business, don't just crash in, don't just crash in..."
"Do you know how much money your grandpa has to spend every year to repair the wizard tower you crash into?!!"
Andrew exploded in rage, the glass in his hand cracking with a snap.
Nanako's ahoge instantly shivered and retreated into her hat. She stared with wide eyes, saying dumbfoundedly:
"Sorry, Grandpa Andrew, I'll be careful."
Andrew gritted his teeth and said: "You've said that no less than a hundred times already!"
"Tell me! What is it this time?!"
Nanako swallowed and immediately told Andrew about the information she learned about the King of Secret Source from the book, and shared her concerns with him.
Andrew took a deep breath and said exasperatedly:
"Nanako, do you really think your grandpa would assign you tasks that are impossible to complete just to make things difficult for you?"
"That encyclopedia you read is over a thousand years old. A thousand years ago, many forbidden existences, including the Great Lord Violet, were all eliminated during the Divine Descent period!"
"The current anomalies in the Secret Source are either remnants of the King of Secret Source's legacy resurfacing, or some evil Secret Source mages causing trouble. If it were really the King of Secret Source returning, do you think I would give you this task?!"
Nanako's eyes widened: "Is... is that so..."
Andrew ground his teeth: "What else?!"
Nanako immediately let out a breath of relief, and the ahoge on her head started dancing cheerfully again.
"That's great then!" She waved her hand, (´▽`)ﾉ saying: "Thank you, Grandpa Andrew! Now Nanako can rest assured. I'll prepare and set out tomorrow!"
With that, Nanako quickly turned around, ready to leave on her broomstick.
"Wait a minute, the repair costs for the wizard tower will be deducted from next month's allowance! You don't have any objections, right?"
Nanako instantly shuddered, stared with big eyes, and zoomed away in a flash.
...
The next day.
At Lakeside Town in the Southern Silver Empire.
Accompanied by waves of powerful teleportation array energy.
In the town square, Nanako and Lynn's bodies slowly materialized, followed by three white pigs wearing wizard hats.
[So this is our destination? Lakeside Town, nice name.]
[Though it's quite unexpected. I was thinking of finding some excuse to have my loli master take me along for this mission, but she actually suggested it herself!]
Lynn stroked his chin, carrying his backpack while looking around the environment with interest.
Nanako adjusted her wizard hat, her sapphire-like eyes glancing at Lynn, and said:
"Disciple, the reason master brought you this time is mainly to serve as a translator. However, you must stay close behind master and not wander off, understood?"
Lynn nodded enthusiastically: "Understood!"
[Pig language translator, huh? Hehe, never thought I'd have such a title one day.]
One of the pigs following them (^(OO)^) said: "Oink oink, dame ho!"
Lynn immediately cleared his throat, coughed and said: "Master, it says the Winter Spring Valley camp is at an inn to the south, and wants us to follow it."
After he finished speaking.
The three pigs immediately started walking, trotting along the empty street with pattering steps.
"Let's go! Disciple, let's follow them and meet up with our people first!"
Nanako brought out her dignity as a Winter Spring Valley executive, shouldering her sturdy staff and following the three pigs while humming.
But soon, a puzzled expression appeared on her face.
Looking at the empty streets.
"This is strange. This town seems quite sizeable, but why isn't there anyone on the streets? Is it because of the recent anomalies that the residents are too scared to come out?"
Lynn nodded: "Master, I find it strange too."
He glanced up at the sky.
[There's a Secret Source aura, very faint but widespread.]
[If I'm not mistaken, there must be a place storing large amounts of cursed Secret Source that's leaking.]
[This town has probably already undergone some kind of transformation.]
Soon.
Following the three magic pigs, they could see an inn at the end of the street in the distance.
A pig •(OO)• said: "Gururu ya ho hey, yaji!"
Lynn pointed at the distant inn and translated: "Master, we've arrived. That inn is our Winter Spring Valley base..."
But before he could finish speaking.
With a loud crash.
They saw a girl wearing wizard robes suddenly fall from the second floor window of the inn, then hit the ground heavily, coughing up bright red blood.
"Stop it!!" The girl tried to get up with difficulty, trembling as she said:
"Don't touch them! I've already told you, they are Winter Spring Valley mages. What you're doing will have consequences!"
And in the next moment.
Under Nanako's stunned gaze.
Warriors in golden armor poured out of the inn, fully armed and holding large shields.
Their expressions were cold, and all their shields were engraved with cross emblems.
"Order Church people?!" Nanako's expression changed slightly.
And in the next moment, they suddenly heard miserable screams coming from inside the inn.
They saw one white pig after another being driven out of the inn under the whipping of those golden-armored warriors.
They could vaguely see that their bodies were covered in wounds of various sizes.
Crack—
A spiked whip instantly fell on them, immediately creating a savage bloody mark.
"Stop it!" The young mage girl screamed, trying to rush over, but was immediately kicked away by the leading warrior.
"By order of the Church."
Along with footsteps, a cold female voice slowly came from inside the inn.
"This town has been cursed. All those who are cursed must be uniformly controlled and isolated. Since you won't cooperate, we have no choice but to use force!"
A woman wearing golden robes and holding an ornate staff walked out.
Her eyes emitted a faint golden light, and her whole body radiated a holy aura.
The young mage girl gritted her teeth and said:
"You're going too far. They are Winter Spring Valley mages who came to help the residents here. You're too scared to enter that volcano yourselves, but our people risk their lives to investigate, and this is how you treat us?!"
"Aren't you afraid of offending Winter Spring Valley?"
The golden-haired woman said coldly: "What does Winter Spring Valley amount to?"
And the moment she finished speaking.
"What did you say Winter Spring Valley amounts to?!!"
An angry loli voice suddenly rang out.