We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
To the land of death.
“Elnea-kun, I am grateful from the bottom of my heart.”
“No, we are more grateful. Thanks to Restoria-sama, the rampage of the Luyseine’s eyes was suppressed, and if it weren’t for Karuna-sama’s story, I don’t think we would have met Isis-sama at all.”
Before going to see Spirit Tree-chan, we headed to the Moss Garden. I intended to report the series of disturbances to Old Man Sleigsta there. Just then, Karuna-sama luckily returned, so I reported thoroughly about Isis-sama and Nereilaisha-sama as well.
Then, Karuna-sama, after hearing our story, lowered his head slightly apologetically.
“Actually, I had found Isis before Elnea-kun and the others did. However, I was unsure how to approach her and hesitated to act.”
“You were not ‘somewhere in the world’, but surprisingly close.”
“Now, let’s search,” we decided. Naturally, we started searching nearby. And luckily, Isis-sama and the others were in the mountainous region of the Yorttenitos Kingdom.
However, Isis-sama was hidden deep within the clouds created by Cloud Dragon Nereilaisha-sama, making contact difficult.
“Still, I think Karuna-sama, unlike us, could have persuaded Nereilaisha-sama without conflict?”
After all, Karuna-sama and Restoria-sama are legendary figures passed down between the Dragon Race and the Dragon Clan, and they have the “same name and same race”!
When I said that, Karuna-sama and Restoria-sama laughed amusedly.
“Well then, we shall wait quietly until Isis returns.”
“Kururu. Let’s welcome Nereilaisha too, Karuna-sama.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Hah! Then I’ll have to search for the guardian of paradise again!?”
“Will the people of paradise hold an selection exam, nyan?”
“Nimia, if you do that, it’s obvious it will cause a huge commotion!”
After receiving our report, Old Man Sleigsta nodded with satisfaction.
“…And that was my adventure.”
“Wow, it was fun. And busy.”
“Fufufun. Even without me, I knew you could handle that level of task.”
“Oz, then, would you like to go on an adventure with me and Asher-san next time?”
“Pgyaaah.”
After finishing our report at the Moss Garden, we returned to the forbidden territory. And here we were, at the base of Spirit Tree-chan, recounting the intense adventures of the past few days.
Oz, who had been playing with Spirit Tree-chan as a guardian while we were away, fled the moment Asher-san’s name was mentioned.
Apparently, he had developed a considerable sense of aversion.
Poor thing.
By the way, Karuna-sama and Restoria-sama, after hearing our report, returned to their child.
When will their child’s next journey be?
“And then? When is the next big commotion?”
“Soon, soon.”
“Nyan.”
“No, we will not cause any major commotion!”
Leaning my back against Spirit Tree-chan’s thick roots, with Ares-chan on my lap and Nimia on my head, I wanted to rest peacefully. So, no more commotion for me?
Besides, under the peaceful clouds of this forbidden territory, no commotion could possibly occur.
“Elnea-kun, it’s an incident! It seems a magic beast is causing a commotion in the north!”
“I’ve been caught up in a commotion in an instant!”
What shattered my peace was Sefina, who ran to the base of Spirit Tree-chan with incredible speed.
What a disaster. Just as I was meditating and about to give Ares-chan and Spirit Tree-chan their meal, this happened?
Moreover, I was not the one who caused the commotion, but rather caught up in it by Sefina.
Sefina, who seemed to have run all the way to the mountaintop of the Sacred Mountain, was panting and looked distressed. But somehow, she wore a happy expression.
She must surely be thinking, “See, a commotion has occurred.”
“Sniffle. I promised myself I wouldn’t get involved in any commotion.”
“Oh, what a shame. But this is a request from Grandma Yuuri? Are you going to refuse?”
“Kuh. I can’t refuse that.”
I’ve been indebted to Grandma Yuuri, who lives in the Dragon King’s Forest, for many things.
“So, what are the specific details?”
While listening to Sefina, I need to give them their meal. So, I asked back without changing my sitting posture.
Sefina took a sip of water to moisten her throat and, with her usual cool gesture, pointed to the northern side of the forbidden territory.
“Apparently, they saw the shadow of a magic beast unlike anything they had ever seen in the forest near the lake to the north.”
“Grandma Yuuri?”
“No, Priscilla-chan’s father.”
“Hmm hmm?”
“But even Priscilla-chan’s father could only catch a glimpse of the shadow for a moment and couldn’t track it.”
“Oh?”
Besides Grandma Yuuri, Priscilla-chan’s parents and Carly-san had also moved to the Dragon King’s Forest in the forbidden territory.
And Priscilla-chan’s father, who was originally the captain of the guard who led the warriors of the Mimicho Race living in the Dragon Forest. Even if he was in an unfamiliar forest, for him to fail to track a magic beast…
“But that alone doesn’t tell us if that magic beast is dangerous, does it?”
“According to Priscilla-chan’s father’s story…”
There are still many places in the forbidden territory that we don’t know about or haven’t reached.
The forbidden territory, which has been untouched by human hands for over a thousand years, exists as a long rectangle, facing the western edge of the northern Dragon Peak. Its northernmost end meets the sea.
There are also many lakes and springs, so many that it’s called the Thousand Lakes, as well as forests, swamps, and grasslands, making it a land of diverse expressions.
There, Priscilla-chan’s father would go to various parts of the forbidden territory whenever he had free time, investigating various things.
this time, too, Priscilla-chan’s father, who had returned from defeating the Demon King, apparently went on an exploration to the north.
… It’s not that he wanted to be alone because he had a fight with Priscilla-chan’s mother.
At any rate, Priscilla-chan’s father headed north in the forbidden territory. And he saw it.
“The beasts in the forest were found brutally killed, and the trees were roughly felled.”
“Mumumu. That might be something we can’t ignore?”
We too would cut down trees if necessary, and hunt beasts for survival. However, unnecessary killing and acts leading to environmental destruction are strictly forbidden.
Especially for the Mimicho Race, who cherish forests and their inhabitants.
“Priscilla-chan’s father tried to find the culprit.”
“So, he found the shadow of the magic beast?”
“Yes, that’s right. But it was too fast, and seemingly cunning, so he couldn’t handle it.”
“It sounds formidable,” I murmured, and Sefina gave a daring smile.
Yes. I have a premonition that things are about to get noisy.
“Fufufu. Isn’t it interesting? Chasing and defeating a magic beast that even the stout warriors of the Mimicho Race couldn’t track. My arms are itching for it.”
“I’ve been thinking lately. Sefina, you’re a battle maniac, aren’t you?”
“Oh, that’s not true? I’m the sister of Yufi-sama and Nina-sama.”
“Why does that make more sense!?”
Thus, we, who had just returned to the forbidden territory, were decided to work without a moment’s rest.
“Hah. Does this mean I’m fated to be toyed with by Mistral and Sefina!?”
“Pervert, nyan.”
“Ho-ko-ku ho-ko-ku.”
“Have a good trip.”
Spirit Tree-chan swayed its lush green branches and saw us off.
“Well then, Elnea-kun. Let’s have a race. See who arrives at the location first.”
“No, no, Sefina-san. If we do that, it will take days!?”
Do not underestimate the forbidden territory.
The idea that the “territory” is directly controlled by the ruler of demons is naive.
After all, it’s land that continues along the northern Dragon Peak to the sea.
Frankly, I think the land is wider than the Armēdo Kingdom.
The northern part of that vast land is actually a very distant place.
Priscilla-chan’s father must have spent days travelling there and days returning. If we were to travel leisurely and race, we would keep everyone left in the Yorttenitos Kingdom waiting for a long time.
“Besides, I don’t know the specific location?”
The northern part of the forbidden territory. … Only Sefina, who heard the detailed circumstances, knows in which forest of that distant and vast place the incident occurred.
In response to my objection, Sefina shrugged her shoulders with disappointment.
“I thought I could sweet-talk Elnea-kun and monopolize him for days. My plan was too simple.”
“This person has Lyra’s possessiveness!”
In any case, the plan to head to the location while racing is rejected.
So, as usual, I asked Nimia.
“Are you bringing Mist-older sister too, nyan?”
“No, Nimia-chan. I’ll give you a treat later, so keep this a secret, okay?”
“Nyan.”
“Sefina-san. I don’t know what will happen after we get back, okay?”
With a bitter smile, I climbed onto Nimia’s back, which had grown large.
Then, as expected, Oz jumped on.
“Oz?”
“Hey! This is an incident in the forbidden territory. What are you going to do if I don’t go?”
“If it gets dangerous, you’ll have to protect yourself, okay?”
“Eh?”
“An opponent that even the former captain of the Mimicho Race guard struggles with. They must be terrifyingly strong.”
“Hii!”
“It should be alright, shouldn’t it? Come on, Oz is a legendary magic beast.”
“That’s right. Oz should be fine.”
“Pee.”
Seeing Oz’s eyes start to water, with a bifurcated tail clamped between his legs, we couldn’t help but laugh.
“Sorry, sorry. I’ll protect you properly and take you with me, okay?”
From time to time, Oz should also be allowed to go on an adventure.
With Oz included, Nimia soared into the sky, carrying us.
Watched by Spirit Tree-chan, who swayed its branches vigorously on the mountaintop of the Sacred Mountain, we headed for the northern part of the forbidden territory.
However, we didn’t know yet.
That we were destined to face an unexpectedly strong enemy.
And we would realize with pain.
Why didn’t we consult with Teruru-chan, the guardian of the forbidden territory?
And why did that Teruru-chan overlook the one who was ravaging the forbidden territory?
“Grrr. You fools. To attempt to face me unarmed. I will destroy you all and make this land my own.”
“Kuh! Elnea-kun, retreat. I’ll stop them here.”
“No! I can’t leave Sefina-san here alone!”
“Hah, what are you doing so leisurely! We should retreat!”
“Oz, not that!”
Deep in the forest spreading across the northern part of the forbidden territory.
We found ourselves in a pinch beside a pile of dead beasts.
Before us, a monster with an appearance I had never seen before crouched low, exuding an aura as if it were about to charge.
A gray monster with horns on its head, covered in a thick, sturdy hide that could rival dragon scales. The monster stood on two legs, raising a heavy war hammer that seemed to weigh three times its own body weight, and smiled eerily.
