We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
The Breath of the World. Listen.
“Consciousness to the world…”
“Do your best, do your best!”
Birds take flight from branches.
Branches shake, leaves rustle.
Animals run.
The ground explodes, grass is pushed aside.
“Oh, whoops!”
I tripped on a tree root because I wasn’t paying attention to my feet. Ada-san quickly reached out her hand, and I managed to avoid falling.
Ares-chan, who I was holding, looked up at me and said, “That was dangerous.”
Hmm. It’s difficult.
I can confirm the changes in the world with my eyes. But when I try to grasp them with my senses, it doesn’t work at all.
Just now, I wasn’t feeling it. I was just walking while looking at the front of the forest.
Thanks to Ada-san’s advice, I felt like a new world had opened up.
However, it wasn’t something that could be mastered immediately after being told.
I can sense the presence of animals. I can hear the voices of all things, and I can be conscious of the lives of living creatures. But it’s a feat to grasp the warmth of the earth, the signs of grass and trees dancing, the flow of the wind, and the existence of clouds in the sky with my senses.
It’s so difficult that I almost doubt Ada-san could master it in just half a day.
“I want to eat fruit.”
“That’s right. That was our original goal, wasn’t it?”
I can’t, I can’t.
It would be selfish to be absorbed only in myself, and I feel sorry for Ares-chan and Ada-san.
First, I need to prioritize securing additional ingredients for our future food supply.
While maintaining the awareness of “feeling the world,” I’ll search for prey by sensing their presence, just as I’ve always done. For wild grasses and fruits, Ares-chan and the voices of all things in nature are my reliance.
As we proceeded through the forest, we found a cluster of trees laden with yellow berries.
A sweet scent wafted through the air.
“They look delicious.”
As I approached.
Ada-san moved. With a smooth, fluid motion, she drew near the tree bearing yellow berries. Then, a moment later, Seijim, who suddenly appeared before us, attacked.
“Nguwah!?”
Seijim, surprised by the sudden Spatial Jump, tried to distance himself from Ada-san to counter.
“Seijim, secured!”
Too bad!
Certainly, I can’t yet read the presence of Seijim or Azeilan. But if they appear before my eyes and I confirm their existence, I can move immediately. Moreover, if Ada-san is drawing their attention, all the more.
I used Spatial Jump to get behind Seijim, applied a joint lock, and pushed him down.
“You got me,” Seijim grumbled.
Ada-san looked slightly surprised by my Spatial Jump.
“Ares-chan, please use that thing.”
“Leave it to me, leave it to me.”
Ares-chan took out a sturdy rope from a mysterious space. It was originally used for hanging hunted prey from trees to bleed them. She then wrapped it around Seijim.
“Wh-what are you doing!?”
“Fufufu. If you’re caught by us, it’s the penalty of being tied up. Please have Azeilan-san untie you.”
With that, I tied Seijim up without holding back and threw him onto the ground. Azeilan-san must be following him anyway, so have your son untie you. A father being saved by his son. Ah, how pathetic.
Seijim and I, with mischievous smiles, rolled him around. Ada-san gave a wry smile.
“Now, let’s gather the berries and move on.”
Leaving Seijim on the ground, we collected a lot of the sweet-smelling yellow berries. And then, heartlessly, we moved on.
A while after leaving the cluster of trees bearing yellow berries, I sensed someone appear near Seijim. That presence was Azeilan. I sensed them revealing their presence and rescuing him.
However, I couldn’t feel the world around those two, the air that should have been flowing, or the distortion of the earth that should have conveyed weight.
Perhaps this will be a long training period…
Leaving the presence of Seijim and Azeilan behind, we moved through the forest. It’s easier to walk here since it’s not dense jungle. Footprints left faint traces on the soft humus, and we proceeded while being careful not to get our feet caught by tree roots. The spring sunlight was blocked by the canopy of light green leaves, making it a little dim. Although the air in the spring shade was still cold, it felt nicer to move around in the shade of the trees.
Next, we’ll aim for the deer ahead.
Setting my sights, I advanced. The deer and their fawn were resting near a tree root, unaware of us.
The presence of Seijim and Azeilan had vanished. As expected, I still couldn’t read them properly. However, I detected a different presence and instinctively drew my White Sword.
A dangerous presence emerged from underground. A ferocious beast that had been lurking in the dragon veins instantly devoured the deer and their fawn.
“Ada-san, be careful! It’s a magic beast!”
I caught a glimpse of its form for a moment as it swallowed the deer and fawn. It was a great snake magic beast with a characteristic diamond-shaped head. The great snake, whose lower jaw split in half, swallowed the deer and fawn in one gulp, then stared at us with its unsettling eyes and quickly retreated into the dragon veins.
Ares-chan vanished so as not to get in the way. Ada-san crouched, carefully observing our surroundings.
“Now, how shall we lure it out?”
With my White Sword still drawn, I lowered my gaze to the ground.
I can sense the dragon veins even without meditating. And it’s easy for me now to find the anomaly within the turbulent flow of the dragon veins, which resembles the flow of a great river. I firmly sensed the presence of the great snake lurking in the dragon veins and observing us.
“Ada-san, it will appear from directly below! Dodge!”
At my words, Ada-san leaped backward. Immediately after. The great snake magic beast sprang from the ground, its lower jaw split in two, wide open.
Ada-san’s jump was weak!
The great snake magic beast swung its head, trying to devour the leaping Ada-san in mid-air. Ada-san twisted her body in the air and narrowly avoided the sharp fangs. However, it wasn’t perfect, and she was sent flying by the great snake’s head.
“Ada-san!”
I activated Spatial Jump and closed in on the great snake magic beast. Then, I flashed my White Sword, as if to divide its head and body. With only the resistance of slicing through thin paper, the great snake magic beast’s head flew off in a completely different direction. Glancing at the great snake magic beast, which died without a death rattle, I rushed to Ada-san, who had been flung away.
“Are you alright!?”
I hurried over in a panic, but Ada-san had taken a perfect roll and was unharmed.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t move my body as well as I wanted.”
“No, it’s me who should apologize. You’re still recovering, aren’t you? It was my fault for not being considerate.”
From what I could see, Ada-san wasn’t injured. Ada-san also got up normally, as if she didn’t feel any discomfort in her body.
“But, are you really alright? It looked like you were knocked away by its head.”
“I’m wearing something quite substantial. Something like that doesn’t faze me.”
Ada-san, now standing, lightly brushed the dust off her clothes and gave a wry smile.
Ada-san’s clothes are undoubtedly of the highest quality. They didn’t even get a tear from the magic beast’s attack. I’ve never paid much attention to clothing or armor, but it seems Ada-san has paid attention to those aspects as well.
“Armor, huh? That’s something I’ll have to think about from now on,” I said. Ada-san looked at me as if she found it strange.
“Well, you see… Actually…”
Blue blood gushed from the severed torso of the great snake magic beast. Hmm, that looks like it’s not edible at all. If we stay here too long, the scent of blood might attract the next magic beast. So, while moving, I talked about yesterday’s events and what the witch had told me. Ada-san listened, looking with interest at Ares-chan, who had materialized again.
“Ada-san’s attire is quite high-class, isn’t it? The fur you’re wearing around your waist… I saw that it’s certainly not ordinary animal hide!”
The mending was completely different. My clothes, since returning to the capital, had changed to something decent to match the mansion. However, they were completely different from what I was wearing. Ruiseine is a Miko, so her attire is made of different fabrics and sewing techniques than ours, but Ada-san’s clothes are still in a class of their own. Ada-san’s attire felt like the finest, with attention paid to every single thread of the fabric. But it’s not vulgar because of that. Rather, combined with the wearer’s aura, it gives a solemn impression.
“Yes. It’s not something I acquired through my own abilities, but rather through my family lineage…”
Ada-san gave a wry smile, seemingly troubled by her answer. It seems to be something she can’t talk about much. I’ll stop prying.
“Thread of a Thousand-handed Spider, huh…”
Perhaps sensing my discretion, Ada-san changed the subject.
“I can obtain Spirit Tree leaves, but the other two are hopeless. The witch said it was a reward, but it’s no reward at all. I don’t even know what kind of insect it is, let alone its habitat.”
As I puffed out my cheeks in discontent, Ares-chan, whom I was holding, imitated me and puffed out her cheeks.
…No, wait. She was stuffing the yellow fruit we just picked into her mouth! My collar is stained with juice…
“However, she doesn’t seem like someone who toys with people. If she said ‘while you’re in this land,’ she would have specified things that could be gathered during that time.”
“But I can say for sure. There are no Evil Dragons in the Forbidden Territory.”
There are no Evil Dragons in Dragon Peak, let alone the Forbidden Territory.
“Evil dragons… You’re more of an expert on that, so I won’t butt in. But I do know about the Thousand-handed Spider. I believe it’s a magic beast that builds its nest deep in a ravine.”
“It’s a magic beast?!”
“Perhaps it’s a magic beast of the same caliber as Shōjō?”
“……What?”
A magic beast in the same class as Shōjō? You mean that Shōjō?
The moment my eyes lit up at the thought that I might find it by searching the ravines of the Forbidden Territory.
I was plunged into the depths of despair.
“It’s… impossible…”
I slumped my shoulders in defeat. Ares-chan also chewed on a yellow fruit with a disappointed look. Seeing me dejected, Ada-san hastily tried to make amends.
“Certainly, it’s described as a magic beast with a level of fear similar to Shōjō, but one that is gentle.”
“Eh…!”
“But that’s knowledge from old texts…”
“Ugh…”
I don’t know what kind of texts Ada-san saw, but the fact that it’s a magic beast in the same class as Shōjō is all that dominates my mind, and I can’t think straight.
As I was feeling down, forgetting my training to sense the world and the objective of finding the next prey. Ada-san pulled on my arm.
“That child is important to you, isn’t she? If there’s even a sliver of a possibility, you should go at it with all your might.”
Her kind and gentle aura from before changed completely. Ada-san rebuked me with a strong gaze and tone. Her sharp eyes showed a strong will. She was telling me not to give up before even trying.
“I see. That’s right. I was unconditionally scared because it was in the same class as Shōjō. I’m sorry, Ada-san. And Ares-chan. I will definitely get it!”
According to Ada-san, the Thousand-handed Spider is gentle. The texts did say so. So, I’ll believe that and try to find the Thousand-handed Spider first. Whether it’s impossible or not, I’ll decide after I find it.
Seeing me regain my resolve, Ada-san returned to her benevolent smile.
“Well then, let’s start searching!”
“What about continuing the hunt?”
“Ugh… While hunting, let’s search!”
“Let’s search, let’s search!”
Regaining my spirit once more, I pressed on into the forest. Ada-san followed from behind, watching over me.
We hunted cows, sheep, and bears. We gathered wild grasses and fruits. Despite being repeatedly obstructed by the ill-natured Mimicho Race. I fulfilled the role assigned to me for the day. And so, by noon, we reached a grassland facing a lake.
I thought I might have made Ada-san, who had just recovered from her weakness, walk too much. However, Ada-san showed no signs of fatigue and kept up with me. Nevertheless, a break was necessary. I handed Nazaria-san’s bento and juicy fruits to Ada-san and decided to let her take a break in the shade of the trees.
“Elnea, aren’t you taking a break?”
“I think we’ve hunted enough. I’m going to try and search for the Thousand-handed Spider now.”
Leaving Ada-san under the shade of the trees, who tilted her head asking how, Ares-chan and I moved to the grassland. Then, I released the power of the Dragon Jewel and fused with Ares-chan.
In the vast Forbidden Territory. If Nimia or Revalia were here, they could search from the sky. But running around on the ground, with its varied terrain, searching the entire rich and varied Forbidden Territory would require an enormous number of days and effort. However, I had a technique to sense presences over a wide area.
Drawing my White Sword and Spirit Tree Wooden Sword, I gracefully danced the Dragon Sword Dance. In time with the dance, dragon veins gushed from the ground. Following the expansive movements of my limbs and the rotation of my body, I diffused the refined dragon energy limitlessly. Aggression was unnecessary. A gentle spring storm spread across a wide area of the Forbidden Territory. The wind danced, the clouds flowed. The grass and flowers, imbued with dragon energy, became vibrant and bloomed in vivid colors. Animals leaped about joyfully. Birds sang pleasantly.
…Huh?
I was feeling nature. I was sensing the world. My clear consciousness, riding on the spiraling, expanding storm of dragon energy, conveyed to me the activities of the sky, the earth, the water, the wind, plants, and animals of the Forbidden Territory.
I see.
Even before Ada-san’s advice, I had acquired it. I just hadn’t recognized it correctly. It was a pleasant surprise to find the answer to the problem in an unexpected place, and I got a little carried away, happily dancing the Dragon Sword Dance. Before I knew it, the grassland had turned into a flower garden, and the trees were bearing delicious-looking fruits out of season. I wonder if the nearby lake’s water has turned into holy water…
“That was a wonderful dance. It felt like a solemn Kagura, and also a beautiful performance.”
From the shade of the trees, Ada-san applauded.
“Thank you for watching.”
I bowed deeply to Ada-san.
“So, what was the result?”
“Hmm. Come to think of it, I can only sense the world while dancing the Dragon Sword Dance. I’m still not good enough.”
“Fufufu. Not that.”
“Ah! The Thousand-handed Spider! Uhm… At the foothills of the Sacred Mountain, over that way, there’s a crack, and I felt an extraordinary presence deep within it.”
That’s right. I danced the Dragon Sword Dance to search for the Thousand-handed Spider. Ada-san wouldn’t know my feelings while I was dancing. Seeing my flustered state, Ada-san smiled.
