Chapter 176 - The Country of Demi-Humans (1)

It had been a while since we were flying, but it wasn't like we were just wandering randomly in the sky, praying to find the Kingdom of Anima. Before we departed, Sylvia provided us with detailed information on how to locate the kingdom and gave us a map with directions.

According to the information provided by Sylvia, we should spot a vast plain, with a forest right behind it. In the heart of the forest, we would find the Kingdom of Anima. I confess I was quite excited about this journey; after all, like any man of good taste, I have a certain inclination for girls with animal ears.

I can't hide my excitement. Of course, I don't intend to do anything inappropriate that might get us into trouble. Although I've seen some Demi-humans in Arclight, they were so rare that I barely had a chance to interact with them. Additionally, Sylvia told us a bit about their culture, but I think it's best to save that information for another occasion.

"Makoto, look! It seems like that's the forest Sylvia mentioned" 

Aoi said, giving small taps on my neck. Hearing her words, I turned to look in the direction she was pointing. Just as she said, there was a relatively dense forest below us, and around it stretched a plain.

With that, I began to descend slowly toward the plain. It's no secret that we probably wouldn't be well-received if we tried to enter the way we were. In fact, I could clearly see several Demi-humans approaching us quickly, shouting "Wyvern".

As soon as I landed on the plain, I extended my wing downward, creating a ladder for the girls to descend. After helping them disembark, I raised my neck and surveyed the surroundings. The place really lived up to its name, there was no trace of trees, just a vast expanse of open ground, where various animals roamed around. Most of them resembled cows and boars.

Setting that aside, I resumed my human form, and we started walking toward the interior of the forest. For some reason, this experience brought back a childhood memory. My father loved nature and the outdoors; we camped whenever we had the opportunity, at least five times a month. I really loved those moments. The feeling of being in the forest, surrounded by calm and natural beauty, brought back these memories from my childhood.

As we advanced through the forest, I noticed that the trees were starting to become more spaced out. Before long, we spotted a wall made of wood with a huge gate, making it clear that we were facing the entrance to Anima. The imposing structure contrasted with the natural landscape around it, clearly marking the boundary between the forest and the kingdom.

However, my surprise came when I realized that the walls were mostly made of wood. I was somewhat skeptical, wondering if this structure would be able to withstand any kind of threat. Soon enough, my doubt was dispelled when I heard Aurora-sama's words.

"In fact, these woods are more resilient than metal. Take a good look at them, Makoto, I'm sure you'll notice"

Although puzzled by Aurora-sama's words, I obeyed and observed the wall attentively. Gradually, I noticed something flowing, but instead of coming out, it seemed to come from within. I was surprised to realize that even I would have difficulty knocking down those walls if I tried. The construction was much sturdier than it appeared at first glance.

"This entire forest was built by the Goddess of Demi-humans"

I don't need to tell you I was surprised to hear that. The woods were clearly imbued with magical power, but it was a magical power very different from what I'm used to seeing. It seemed purer and more natural, as if it came from some divine order. Moreover, the fact that it was Felrotha-sama who built this also surprised me immensely. After all, wasn't she the goddess who relied only on her fists? This news really caught me off guard.

"Fufufu, your doubt is valid, but although I say it was Felrotha who built this forest, it's more accurate to say that her mere presence built the forest"

That really made more sense, but I really didn't know how the magical energy of the gods worked, or if they even had magical energy. As far as I can remember, while I was in the presence of Aurora-sama and Artena-sama, I couldn't feel anything coming from either of them.

Anyway, I put that topic aside and turned back to face the gate. Soon after, I started approaching with the girls. I couldn't see any guards in front of the gate, which made me wonder how we would enter. Entering abruptly could cause problems, so I began to look around for a solution.

"Hey, you there, explain the reason for coming to Anima!"

While looking around, a voice from the top of the wall caught my attention. Turning in the direction of the voice, I saw a man with furry ears staring directly at us. His gaze clearly showed suspicion, and honestly, I couldn't blame him for it.

Slowly, I slid my hand into my pocket, deliberately calculated movements so that the guard above the wall could see clearly. As I had predicted, his eyes were fixed on every move I made. Carefully, I pulled out a golden emblem from my pocket. The guard's eyes widened upon seeing the emblem, and he immediately jumped off the wall, landing right in front of us.

Although I already knew this fact, their physical strength was truly extraordinary. I noticed there was no trace of mana in his body when he landed, indicating that he absorbed the impact of the fall solely with his body. Most impressively, this feat seemed to require no effort on his part.

As I handed him the emblem, he began to examine it meticulously. After a few seconds of analysis, his eyes seemed to confirm its authenticity, and he returned the emblem to me. A small smile curved his lips, indicating that everything was in order.

"The emblem is authentic. I apologize for the suspicion, but lately, we've had problems with slave traffickers lurking in the area, so we're more vigilant than usual"