With Ibuki Suika leading the way and successfully securing her promise of sake, the rest of the group didn't want to be left behind. One after another, they began voicing their own requests. Eirin Yagokoro hoped to find high-end medical equipment or rare reagents unique to this land. Sakuya Izayoi, ever the meticulous head maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, stated she required a new set of silver tableware to ensure the Young Mistress was served with proper dignity. Yukari Yakumo, fluttering her fan with a mischievous glint in her eyes, simply requested a variety of the most refined local delicacies. Patchouli Knowledge was the most academic, requesting a comprehensive history book of Terra to better understand the laws and origins of this world.
Remilia Scarlet, however, didn't ask for anything at all. For her, having her younger sister, Flandre, safely by her side after so much time apart was the only thing that truly mattered.
Zhang Wei took every request to heart, especially those from Flandre. He consulted the maps and addressed the group. "According to our revised itinerary, the convoy will reach Wolumonde tomorrow. It is a vital commercial hub in northern Leithanien. Once we arrive, I will personally see to it that everything you've requested is purchased."
"Wolumonde..." Flandre rubbed her chin thoughtfully. The name felt familiar, like a ghost of a memory from her readings or past reports, but she couldn't quite grasp the details. She eventually shrugged it off; since they were arriving there tomorrow anyway, she would let her own eyes be the judge.
After the terror of the bug swarm, the night became preternaturally quiet. From the moment the fire was stoked until the first rays of dawn, not a single incident occurred. Even the wild beasts that usually prowled the wilderness and roared in the distance were absent. Everyone in the convoy estimated that the sheer presence of the bug swarm—and the subsequent massacre they had witnessed—had sent a shockwave of fear through the surrounding ecosystem. A swarm of thousands was enough to make even the bravest predators keep their distance. Had an ordinary merchant caravan encountered such a swarm, they would have been swallowed whole; it was only the presence of Flandre and Suika that had kept the path clear.
In the morning, the caravan set out once more, heading deep into northern Leithanien. As the afternoon sun began to dip, the silhouette of Wolumonde appeared on the horizon. Because of the sudden and unscheduled arrival of such a large transport group, the local garrison was extremely cautious. A Garrison Officer stepped forward, his face etched with suspicion as he pored over the clearance documents Zhang Wei handed over.
"This isn't right," the officer stated, his voice sharp. "According to the itinerary listed on these papers, your convoy shouldn't be appearing in Wolumonde at all. You are far off your designated route."
Zhang Wei calmly recounted the events of the previous day: the encounter with the Catastrophe Messenger, the imminent eruption, and the forced detour. The officer's eyes widened in recognition. "I see. We received intelligence last night regarding a Catastrophe to the south. The reports said it was urgent and fast-moving. I didn't expect you to be lucky enough to escape its path."
Judging by the time stamps on the documents and the official reports of the storm, the story checked out. The officer didn't push further. He knew the Twin Empresses had issued an explicit order to allow all supply lines from Yan headed to the Reunion Movement to pass through Leithanien territory. As long as there were no obvious spies, he had no reason to block their path.
Upon entering Wolumonde, the group began to explore. This was a massive commercial city, filled with the unique architecture and culture of Leithanien. After walking through a few districts, Ibuki Suika let out a loud, disappointed sigh. "This place is just so-so. Honestly, it's much worse than that Lungmen place!"
The others immediately stiffened, glaring at the slip-of-the-tongue Oni. Remilia, in particular, wore an expression that promised a swift end if Suika continued to mention places they weren't supposed to know about. Remilia was determined that Flandre shouldn't suspect they had been watching her through Yukari's gaps for months.
"Ahaha... Flandre, what does that shop sell?" Suika gave an awkward laugh and pointed toward a strange, weathered building.
"It's a general store," Flandre replied. "Inside are all sorts of second-hand goods. Most of them are just junk, but occasionally you can find something interesting." Flandre remembered such shops from Zwillingstürme, where she had spent hours picking through curiosities with Chen Huijie.
The idea of "blind boxes"—the chance to find hidden treasure in piles of junk—instantly energized the group. They entered the store and scattered. Flandre led Remilia deeper into the dark, cluttered corners of the shop. Suddenly, Remilia stopped and pointed at a dusty, unassuming ceramic jar on a low shelf. "This one. I want it."
Sakuya immediately secured the jar. A few moments later, Remilia pointed to a faded, antique music box. "I want this one as well." Flandre picked it up, but Remilia didn't look at anything else. She pulled Flandre toward the exit.
"Not going to keep looking?" Flandre asked.
"There's nothing else in here worth seeing," Remilia replied with the absolute confidence of a mistress of fate.
When they reached the counter, the others were waiting with their own finds. The merchant, seeing a group of wealthy-looking tourists with eccentric tastes, happily accepted their money and watched them leave. Back at their temporary residence, the atmosphere turned competitive.
"Come, come, come! Let's judge whose item is the most valuable!" Suika shouted, taking the lead. She produced a small, rusted scale. Taking a small knife, she scraped away the outer layer of the tray and weights. Beneath the rust and copper plating was a brilliant, heavy yellow. "It's copper-plated pure gold!" she bragged. It totaled about five or six taels. She snorted triumphantly, looking for a reaction.
Eirin Yagokoro then produced her find: a piece of dark yellow amber. Inside was the perfectly preserved, complete body of a prehistoric insect. To a normal person, it was a pretty rock; to Eirin, who was studying the biology of this world, it was a priceless scientific artifact. The shop owner, ignorant of its value, had sold it as a common gemstone.
Yukari Yakumo brought out an old wooden door. While everyone watched in confusion, she dismantled the frame, revealing that the boards were double-layered. The inner board was engraved with hundreds of clear, ancient characters. Eirin inspected it, judging it to be a record from the Leithanien court over five hundred years old. It documented a major political upheaval in perfect detail—a find of immense archaeological and historical value that would have collectors at an auction house screaming for it.
Then, the Scarlet Devil Mansion items were revealed. Sakuya set down the jar first. "Isn't this just a wine jar?" Suika asked, sniffing for any lingering scent of alcohol.
Remilia nodded, then gave the base a sharp, purposeful tap. The false ceramic bottom fell away and shattered on the floor, revealing a massive, solid gold biscuit hidden inside. It weighed at least two or three pounds, making Suika's few taels of gold look like pebbles. Suika was so infuriated she exploded into a swarm of little Suikas, rolling around on the floor and throwing a massive tantrum.
Finally, they looked at the music box. Remilia opened a hidden secret compartment, and a worn, yellowed piece of parchment fell out. "A treasure map!" Flandre and the recombined Suika shouted in unison. For them, a treasure map meant a new "show," a new adventure. Suika, trying to save face, snatched the map to decipher it, but her face soon stiffened. There were no names, no labels—just drawings of specific mountains and rivers with a large X at a certain point.
"I can find the location," Remilia stated, her fingers tracing the map. Through her power over fate, she could perceive the pull of the destination. "It's to the south. But since we are heading north, we will have to wait until the return trip to seek it out." For long-lived beings like them, a delay of several months was as trivial as an ordinary person saying "let's do it tomorrow."
To pass the time, the group pulled out a set of Mahjong.
Meanwhile, in the capital of Zwillingstürme, the news of the convoy's arrival reached the Twin Empresses.
"Why did the caravan take the northern route through Wolumonde?" Hildegard asked, her voice cold and inquisitive.
"Reporting to the Empress," an attendant replied, bowing low. "According to our intelligence, they encountered a high-intensity Catastrophe during their advance. Facing such a storm, they were forced to change course and head north early. If they had detoured south, the journey would have been significantly longer."
Hildegard reviewed the logs. The timing and the intensity of the storm matched perfectly with the caravan's movements. It was a normal survival decision.
"Is there any news about that girl, Flandre?" Lieselotte asked.
"Yes. She did not return alone this time. She is accompanied by another Blood Demon; judging by their appearances, they are almost certainly sisters. There are five others traveling with them." The attendant handed over the dossiers. "Furthermore, we found that these people were not on the original list of personnel who departed from Lungmen."
"Except for the Blood Demon, and an Oni whose identities are clear... the races of the others cannot be determined?" Hildegard said, looking at the photos with dissatisfaction.
"You cannot blame the scouts," Lieselotte added, pointing to the photos of Patchouli, Yukari, Sakuya, and Eirin. "Look at them. They possess no animal traits, no horns, no wings of the known races. Their specific identities are a complete mystery."
The Twin Empresses stared at the images of these unknown beings, wondering just what kind of power was moving through their northern borders.