Linda resumed driving the carriage, refusing to let Cleo touch the dashboard despite the lizardman’s protests. The remaining ride to Ni’En was uneventful: Linda drove at a steady pace, empty plains with a few trees lay on either side of the road, and the group encountered no one else along the way. The first sun was beginning to set by the time the city came into view. Unlike the first city they went to, there was no river or boats crossing through Ni’En; however, it was just as big and had an almost equal amount of buildings.

Palan’s brow furrowed as he pinched his nose—the air smelled filthy. The desert in Eljiam never smelled as bad as this even when a slaughter took place. “What’s wrong?” Linda asked, noticing the discomfort in Palan’s tail. Danger Noodle was writhing about on the roof of the carriage, coiling and uncoiling its body.

“He’s not good with crowds,” Cleo said, bringing the greedy angel’s attention towards the back of the carriage. “I thought we were going somewhere less occupied.”

“It isn’t heavily occupied,” Linda said as she pursed her lips. She wanted to tell the lizardman to step away from her wares, but she had no reason to. Somehow, the carriage looked less full than before. “Although some people have fled here seeking refuge, I think a greater number of people would have left. The army made an announcement to retreat as far east as possible.”

“It smells like crap,” Palan said as he crawled off the roof and into the carriage.

“Well, that’s what happens when you stick thousands of people together without diligence angels,” Linda said and shrugged. “Poop has to go somewhere. There aren’t enough diligence angels in the second sector to dig deep pits. It doesn’t smell nearly as bad in the first sector.”

“Good,” Palan said. “Let’s hurry up and enter the first sector then.”

“Is that the plan?” Linda asked, turning her head towards Elrith. The archangel had woken up along the trip and was slightly confused by Sally’s clinginess. He found it odd, but it wasn’t a bad feeling to be wanted.

“The sooner the better,” Elrith said as he looked towards Raea. During the week they had traveled in the second sector before they met Linda, Raea had told him about her transformations. They came to the conclusion that her body changed because of her contract with Palan, and the metamorphosis was triggered by Palan’s own evolution. Elrith wasn’t looking forward to seeing what Raea would turn into if Palan became an archdemon, and if he could somehow break apart their contract before that happened, he would. Perhaps Raea would even revert back to her previous form. He had no evidence, but it couldn’t hurt to hope that was the case.

Linda sighed. “I don’t suppose we can stay here for a few days as I sell my goods?” she asked.

“No one wants your goods,” Cleo grumbled as a pair of socks disappeared from the carriage. Her tail thumped against the floor. “They’re too overpriced.”

“Are you still bitter that I’m not letting you drive?” Linda asked as a wrinkle appeared in her forehead.

“No,” Cleo said, her tail thumping against the floor again. “What makes you say that?” She snorted and turned her head to the side while closing her eyes. Her arms crossed over her chest. Linda ignored Cleo and turned towards Elrith.

“It’s really up to Raea. Personally, I prefer we leave as fast as possible since someone insists on announcing our location everywhere we go,” Elrith said and glared at Palan before looking at Raea. “Ray?”

“Didn’t we come to Ni’En for Palan to adapt?” Raea asked and pursed her lips. “And I really don’t think the council can spare any archangels to chase after us when Solra’s army is basically over in the next town. Besides, would they really believe rumors that we spread ourselves? I think it should be fine if we stayed a few days—Linda has helped us out a lot.” She turned towards Palan. “Sorry, Palan. I know cities make you uncomfortable, but you have to adapt or we’ll never make it through the first sector. We can’t have you killing everyone you see because of your instincts.”

“Can’t Elrith just dig a tunnel all the way through?” Palan asked.

“I don’t want him to do that,” Raea said and furrowed her brow. “That’s too much to ask for. The first sector is wider than the third and second combined.”

Palan frowned. “Just how big are the sectors?” he asked. “Didn’t Selena make it through the second and third in one day? Why are we taking so much longer compared to her?”

Raea’s eyes narrowed at the mention of her sister’s name. Elrith cleared his throat and said, “She ran her horse to death. Also, we haven’t been going in a straight line. We made detours to avoid the checkpoint in the third sector, and I’ve been zigzagging through parks in the second because you dislike cities.”

“So what?” Palan asked. “You’re telling me you can’t dig a tunnel as fast as a horse can run?”

“There are a lot of factors to consider while digging a tunnel,” Elrith said and snorted. “You don’t have a right to comment until you dig one for yourself.”

“Whatever,” Palan said and shook his head. “I’ll adapt to your stupid cities. I can just stay on the carriage the whole time, right?”

“I mean,” Raea said and tilted her head, “I guess that’s an option.” She paused. “Actually, that would be for the best. We didn’t have a carriage the first time. I think you’d do a lot better with a barrier between you and the city.”

“Great,” Linda said. “So we’re staying for a few days? Most of my things were meant to be sold to the army, but I suppose they could sell just as well to civilians.” The carriage approached the city as the first sun disappeared over the horizon. Unlike the first city the group arrived at, there were no guards stationed at Ni’En. There was one watchtower at the gate, but it was empty. “Huh,” Linda muttered as the carriage rolled through the gate, entering the city. “Looks like a lot of people already evacuated.” The streets were mostly empty, but a few angels could be seen walking with bags that contained food. Linda shrugged. “Then again, it is nighttime. It should be different in the morning.”