Crumble !!

One week has passed, and the stone blocking the road has been removed. Sunlight began to enter from the open hole and Fresh air started to enter the room.

"Hahaha ... You see that! Finally the way has opened! Hahaha ..." As if losing the burden on his shoulders, Garius laughs with relief.

"Finally ..." Adelia didn't say much, only the tears on her cheeks were enough to say it all.

Yes, they were finally free. As if everything that happened was just a nightmare. But they know that all of this is true and the pros and cons will be experiences that are hard to forget. As if they had reached an agreement, they stared at each other.

"Ahem ... Looks like it's time for us to part. Thank you for all." Garius who tries to smile can only make creepy expressions.

"pfftt ... Right! Thanks for all." Garius's weird facial expression made Adelia laugh.

There was no fear like the first time they met. In front of Adelia, not a monster. But a friend in arms dug a way out. They didn't say much, like this time. They know what each of them is thinking. Without many words, they parted ways. Adelia moved south towards the nearest village and Garius walked north.

This world, [Geodia]. It consists of two large continents extending to the north and islands to the east. Currently, Garius is in the Eldia Kingdom which has been established since 500 years ago.

The Lost Forest to the northeast and the Hayes mountains to the west served as natural borders, the Kart Kingdom to the north and the Barbarian wasteland stretching from north to south. the port of Forti in the east opens trade routes with the Solus archipelago.

It was information from Drein's memory. Regardless, given his physical form, Garius does not find a way that humans are somewhat acceptable. And going to a human village is a bad idea. So Garius decided to go North.

The dungeon where Garius is summoned is on the outskirts of the Lost Forest. At first Garius thought of staying in the basement. But after receiving a warning from Adelia, he canceled his intention.

According to Adelia, after the Church Soldiers eliminated the Black Witch. Adventurers would occasionally check the scene for treasure. And when someone saw a lich monster roaming around. The Adventurer's Guild Lich Eradication Mission could released at any time.

Because Adelia can think that far. It could be that something like this doesn't just happen once or twice, but something that happens a lot. And like what Adelia said. Along the way, Garius finds several corpses of the Black Witch with only the clothes attached to them. Only occasionally did he find the weapons and armor used by Church Soldiers. Like a sword and a shield that is a paladin's equipment.

When it comes to the Church, we have to go back a thousand years. Legend has it, since a thousand years ago when the Demon Army declared war on all humans, holy wars were happening everywhere. And the Holy Church with the element of light blessed by the goddess Astra is the only effective way to kill the devil.

After three hundred years of war. The humans managed to push the demons to the north which is now called the Demon Continent, leaving destruction everywhere. After seeing no sign of the demons' movement, the soldiers returned to their hometowns and built their village. With the remaining strength, the humans re-built their civilization. Everything lasted for two hundreds of years, until the Eldia Kingdom was founded five hundred years ago and the Holy Church had a huge share in the founding of the Eldia Kingdom.

To keep the Holy Soldiers with the power of light from being lost in time. At the time of the declaration of the establishment of the Eldia Kingdom, King Aloesa Eldia announced that Goddess Astra was the official religion in the Eldia Kingdom and the only organizational body that had its own Army. And to maintain the balance of government, King Aloesa declared the equality of power between the Prime Minister and the Pope.

From its history, the Holy Army could be said to be the strongest army of its time. And Paladins are part of the Holy Army. But all of that has nothing to do with Garius at the moment.

Garius walked through the undergrowth, with no path as far as the eye could see. Every now and then he met low class monsters, but with the magic power of Lich all can be overcome easily.

After one week of Garius learning [Elementary Magic], Garius has already mastered some beginner magic. Among them are [Fire Ball] with the highest damage rate, [Water Sprout] for an infinite source of water and [Wind Accel] which helps the movement to speed up. But somehow, Garius can't use those magic. When Garius casts a spell, he smoothly recites the incantation and drains the mana, but the magic will stop when it is about to be realized. The only magic he can realize is magic without the element [Magic Hand] which is a mass of mana shaped like a transparent hand and can be used to hit and grab enemies.

After walking a few kilometers north, Garius came across a river. As was part of the activities of Nature Lovers Club in Garius' previous life, he began to move toward the source of the spring looking for a place to camp until he found a four meter high mound around which was covered with trees and close to a river.

"A pretty good place to practice Earth element magic." Garius smiled bitterly as he remembered his predicament with magic.

After finding a suitable place, Garius began to dig with [Magic Hand] and made a cave three meters long with the floor rising up to avoid the puddle, and did not forget to dig to the left along three meters to make a room to make the cave like the letter L. When finished, Garius started making equipment such as beds, tables and chairs with dirt. With great satisfaction, Garius saw his handiwork.

"Done! Only with beginner magic I can make a cave like this. Hahaha, Magic is cool!"

°°°

A few hours ago.

Srekk.

Two hands parted the thicket, Adelia appeared with a leaf against her head. Adelia saw the dirt road in front of her. This is the main  road to Galm village. After two days of walking, with bread from the basement. Adelia will arrive at Galm village. But when Adelia saw the road to the village, Adelia's legs stopped. Doubts began to stir her heart.

"What do I do, if I go back to the village, what will happen to me." smiling bitterly, Adelia saw the tattoo on her hand.

"No, I don't want to go back to my old life. I want to be free!" after making up her mind. Adelia turned 180 ° and started walking back into the Lost Forest.

°°°

In a cave, near the river. Garius is back reading a book about magic.

"This, nope ... This isn't ..." Garius looked very confused.

"Unreasonable! So absurd! Inside the Grimoire [Elementary Magic] is said, casting spells, channeling mana and then casting magic like the image you have in mind. But why doesn't it work ..."

"Drein's memory also says that. Magic is an activity to create phenomena using mana. Mana is a source of energy in the surroundings. Mana is absorbed and stored in the body as fuel to use magic. All of that is true if you want to use magic like [Magic Hand] or black magic that I use. But it seems like something is missing. Why can I easily use black magic. Why can't I use other elements. Is there no other way. "

Garius keeps looking until he sees [Drein's Note] inside his space ring.

"Hmm ... Lich's anatomy and how it works? It says here, the lich is a dark elemental creature skilled at using black magic ... Elemental Affinity, which means the compatibility of using certain elements. But should I use black magic? No no no, there must be some other way. "

While Garius is arguing with himself, a voice can be heard from the cave entrance.

"H-hey who or what is that ..." Garius started peeking out slowly.

At the cave door, Garius saw a woman in a black coat walking carefully into the cave. Without a word, Garius used [Magic Hand] to catch her rendering the girl unable to move. But when Garius ran forward with Sword in hand, the woman started calling his name causing Garius to lower his sword.

"Wait wait wait! Garius! It's me !!"

"Ha ... Who?"

"It's me! Adelia!"

"Hahh ... Ade ... Sigh ... I almost killed you."

"Ha ... hahaha ... Sorry sorry."

"Never mind, but what are you doing here? You know this in the middle of the Lost Forest, right?"

"Y-yes, I ... Followed you ..."

"Wh ... Why?"

"I don't want to go back to being a slave. Garius, help me. Let me here. I can cook, I can wash, I can-"

"Wait ... Did you hear what you said. You sound like you want to be my wife."

"Eh ... I-that's not what I meant. But .."

"Yes, I understand what you mean. I don't mind if you are here, but you know this is the Lost Forest and there are many monsters here."

"It's okay. As long as I'm not a slave."

"... Ok. Then, please come in."

Garius doesn't understand what this girl is thinking. But considering that it was only Adelia, the human he knew, and he also didn't mind his current form, maybe this wasn't so bad.

Garius did not know that Adelia would become an irreplaceable figure in his life. And that's how a human and lich live together.