The desert stretched endlessly, its vast expanse making any human seem utterly insignificant.
This boundless sea of sand, deathly silent, exuded a solemn grandeur. Its unyielding face presented an endless monotone: yellow, yellow, always that scorching yellow. It was as if nature had frozen raging waves and furious tides in an instant, preserving them in eternal stillness.
The desert lay flat, stretching to the horizon where serrated dunes rose like jagged teeth at the meeting of sky and earth.
The merciless sun blazed down without restraint, roasting the expansive wasteland until it resembled a steaming cauldron, its heat oppressive and overwhelming.
When Phoenix first descended upon this world, she had done so in the heart of the desert. Now, she found herself returning to the same barren expanse.
Rather than choosing the teeming grasslands or areas teeming with life, Phoenix sought out a desolate patch of sand where few creatures dwelled.
Like this desolate desert before her.
After all, the arrival and battles of Heretic Gods brought catastrophic disaster to humans and living beings alike.
Though Phoenix didn't consider herself particularly virtuous, neither was she inherently malicious. For such a simple act as shifting locations, she was willing to accommodate.
Summoning a Heretic God in a populated area would undoubtedly result in countless deaths. This desolate stretch of desert proved far more convenient.
It was merely a matter of traveling a bit further.
Phoenix stood rooted to the ground, glancing at the three young girls curiously observing her before turning her gaze forward once more.
"Phoenix, will a Heretic God truly descend here? There's not even the slightest sign of it."
Liliana surveyed their surroundings. The barren desert stretched endlessly before them, devoid of any indication that a Heretic God might manifest. After all, the arrival of such a deity created massive disturbances, leaving profound impacts on the environment.
"Of course it will..." Phoenix replied with unwavering conviction.
"..."
Hearing Phoenix's confident declaration, Liliana refrained from further comment. As a Knight, her role was to offer occasional counsel regarding matters concerning the "Phoenix." Overstepping boundaries by meddling with the Phoenix's affairs was something Liliana had never considered, nor did she intend to.
Liliana wasn't like Erica. While somewhat inflexible in her thinking, such unwavering loyalty made her the ideal companion.
Phoenix turned to look at another young Italian girl beside her, whose delicate features contrasted with her youthful appearance. Erica's red dress exposed shoulders as white as snow, her collarbones slender and delicate like bamboo, exuding a feminine allure that made one want to lick them.
Then she looked at Liliana, who wore a set of practical knight's armor suitable for movement. A black-blue cloak draped over her shoulders, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of pink absolute domain between the skirt and white knight's socks.
"Erica, Liliana..."
Hearing Phoenix's voice, Erica and Liliana hurried forward, looking at her with confusion. "What do you want us to do, Your Majesty?"
"The Heretic God is about to appear. Don't you want to leave this place? Or do you really want to see the Campione fight against the Heretic God?"
Phoenix gazed at the two young girls before her. She had no idea which gods she'd randomly summoned, but... as Heretic Gods, it would be dangerous for them to stay here.
When Phoenix asked, Erica and Liliana froze. Without hesitation, they replied in unison:
"As the King's Knights, we don't seek to help the King with our meager strength. But how could a knight flee before battle begins? My sword would weep if I did."
Erica drew her magic ceremonial gear, the Lion King's Heart, her voice firm as a lioness in her den.
"As the King's Knight, I'll never abandon you in battle. Of course, even if I can't help, I'll never cause trouble for the King."
After Erica spoke, Liliana echoed with equal conviction, her voice and actions embodying the perfect, upright knight.
"Very well. But you've never faced Heretic Gods before, so you don't understand their danger. I must warn you - even as spectators, you can't be careless. The battle's aftereffects alone could kill you."
"Although I'll have Higokumaru watch over you, I doubt you'd be willing to be protected."
As the twin jewels of Italy, Erica and Liliana had already attained the strength of Great Knights at just over a dozen years old. Even commanders of the Copper-Black Cross and the Capital of Lilies were merely Great Knights.
Of course, there were distinctions among Great Knights, much like S-rank Valkyries—equal rank didn't mean equal power.
Yet their exceptional strength at such a young age, combined with the Lion King's Heart—a top-tier magical artifact—and Erica's innate intelligence, all contributed to this young girl's phoenix-like pride.
Liliana was somewhat more moderate, but especially Erica...
Having never witnessed a Heretic God firsthand, never faced the overwhelming power beyond mortal mages' resistance, this proud girl might develop a sense of defiance. Perhaps she even believed she could slay a god herself.
Only by truly confronting a Heretic God would they learn how utterly insignificant human talent and ability are before the divine. The annihilation of gods by mortals has never been achieved through strength, but only through that most unlikely of fates—divine providence.
After exchanging a few words with the two young girls, Phoenix turned to Higokumaru and gave her instructions to keep watch—ensuring the girls didn't actually die.
Though Phoenix possessed resurrection abilities, it was best to avoid using such trump cards if possible.
"Leave it to me!" Higokumaru responded with a casual pat on her chest.
"Mm..." Phoenix nodded briefly before turning away from the trio and striding forward.
In the eyes of Erica and Liliana, Phoenix seemed to take only a single step before materializing hundreds of meters away. Their ordinary senses couldn't process the movement.
Had they been ordinary people in this vast desert, they would have lost sight of Phoenix entirely.
After putting some distance between herself and the group, Phoenix mentally accessed the shop through her thoughts.
There, she found exactly what she needed.