The carriage Chloe had prepared for me was small, but I could tell at a glance that it was the supreme one in the military.
The interior was in good shape, and above all, the quality of the war horses that powered it was good.
The wheel construction was splendid, and there was no doubt that good people and money had been spent on them.
It probably wouldn't break down in a single trip or so.
After welcoming Snow as our companion in the city of Cork, we drove the carriage westward.
Our current destination is the site of the Battle of Palinkulon, where the Western Labyrinth is said to be located.
According to the information from Rastiara and Snow, Maria and the Reaper are there, so we are going to change our course to the north after collecting the two.
I hold the reins at the Gosha-dai and ride along the cleared roadway.
A year ago, this is the road that we forced our way through on horseback, but this time we can proceed at a leisurely pace since we have a carriage.
I can grasp the geography, and I've avoided the troublesome military gatherings with the 《Dimension》, so we haven't had any problems for nearly a full day already. If we keep going like this, we should be able to arrive easily.
There was just one problem.
It wasn't an army, and it wasn't a night thief - it was a monster on the street.
The 《Dimension》 sensed the huge body and magical power, and I had no choice but to change my path.
Anyway, there are many large monsters on the mainland. I'm sure you won't encounter them often, but it seems like a large number of them are being generated due to the fact that the "Dimension" is being deployed over a wide area.
''However, the number of large monsters has increased: ....... Can you do trade or something properly with this ......?
It was a pure question.
The answer is given by Snow in the back of the carriage.
'It's been like this all over the world ever since the 'Great Disaster'. But the traffic hasn't changed that much. Instead, the number of human bandits has decreased, so the danger on the streets hasn't changed much.
'I see. ....... But a large monster outbreak? I'm guessing it's because the one in Palinclone let the 'World Devotional Squad' run amok: ......
'I think part of it is simply that the collapse of the earth has changed the environment for the monsters ......? Maybe it's because of the magic leak that says it was at the bottom of the world: ......
As we were discussing the influence of the World Inheritance Formation, Titi interrupted us.
My vote is for magic. From my experience, it's usually bad magic. A thousand years ago, various incidents occurred in various places due to magic.
Her experience of living so long is invaluable.
Based on those words, I put my hand to my chin for further consideration.
In my memory from a thousand years ago, 'magic power' was sometimes described as 'poison'. It's a good idea to make sure that you have a good idea of what you're looking for.
The human figure is distorted because of the "magic power", large monsters rampage because of the "magic power", and because of the magic that uses the "magic power", the "compensation" is common.
As I recall, the Apostle Sith seemed to know a lot about 'magic power'. The next time we meet, it might not be a bad idea to just ask him or her about it.
Using the free time of the trip, I will use the free time of the trip to sort out the things that are on my mind.
However, I was the only one who took it seriously.
The two of us resting in the rear carriage were basically fluent, although they would occasionally answer questions. They are happily chatting, playing, eating, and sleeping together.
Anyway, Snow misses Titi very much. And since Titty doesn't mind being affectionate and loving, before you know it, they've become like sisters.
'But aren't you guys hot ......?'
Right now, Snow had Titi kneeling on her lap. The girls were in a lot of physical contact as well as verbal, and it was hot to watch them.
''Mmmm. It's warm and soothing. I'd love to have Kanami do that for me.'
'No, don't. It's embarrassing,
The person doing it does not seem to be hot. On the contrary, he's keeping an eye out and going for my lap as well. Snow's guy, he can do whatever he wants because there are no Rustyala and the others around. In fact, maybe he's doing his best because he thinks it's now or never.
'So I'm keeping it to Titi sis. I know Kanami is shy, you know.
Kanamin, you're not in a bad mood. In fact, it's a win-win situation, so don't worry about it.
No, I'm saying this because I'm getting hot as I watch.
Apparently, I'm the only one who is affected.
'Aside from Snow, I'm sure Titi likes it a lot, too. To be honest, I thought Titi wouldn't like Snow.
When he'd heard that Snow was serving as Commander-in-Chief in good standing, Titi had been worried that he would show his dislike of his own people. No one likes to see themselves failing in the past. So Snow had once disliked Rowen in one way or another.
...... that's why. I really don't feel like a stranger to Snow," he said. I'm not going to be able to tell you what to do with it. It's so nostalgic.
The resemblance seemed to be understood by Titi. Then he added an unusual name to it.
'Seldora ......? You know, the one that made a brief appearance in your memory. Hey, can I ask you about that guy?
I couldn't say no to her if it was for someone else.
I didn't think it was a good idea to dig up too much of the past, but after surviving that battle, Titi seemed to be fine with it. Thinking that this was the reward for defeating the fifty-layered guardian (Guardian) Titi by persuasion, I decided to ask without hesitation.
''First of all, is that Seldora guy a 'reason stealer'? If so, it could come out after the seventy layers of the labyrinth.
Hmm. He was the one who stole reason, that's what he told me. But he was the last to become a thief, and most of his power is unknown to the child.
The last one: ......?
So you're saying that this Seldora guy became the commander-in-chief of that era with his bare strength? It would be horrible if he had gained enough power on his own talent alone to rival Titi.
'If possible, I'd like to hear more about that Seldra guy. Also, the one who came out of the Civil War a thousand years ago was the Three Knights of Nosfy and the Apostles. I'd like to know more about these people as well.
The only one of the three knights that hasn't come out yet is Fafner's. ...... I'm sorry, but I don't know what happened to Fafner. I'm not sure I know Fafner, but I don't know him. The only thing I know about him is that he is a thief of blood. As for the apostle, I only had a few conversations with the Diplaclar. But at that time he only apologized to me, and we didn't have a good talk.
Apparently, the 'Stealers of Reason' of a thousand years ago knew each other's names, but had rarely met in person. If you think about it, it's not surprising. If two enemies meet each other, there is a good chance that one of them will die there.
The Serdra man is an expert on the matter, having served under the rule of the boy. He was a "witch" of the dragon, just like Snow here. That alone is enough to make him strong, but the heavens even gave him the talent for fighting. He was strong. As I recall, the report said that he became a thief of nothingness.
'You're still strong ....... I'm giving up on that part because it's always been there, but can you tell me more about your character than that?
Honestly, what matters in a fight against a guardian (Guardian) is the person they are.
That makes a big difference in the level of difficulty.
That's right. That guy is blunt and unrefined. That's why he was often unable to understand the feelings of the weak and spoke harshly to them. However, he's not a bad guy at heart. He understood his own shortcomings and tried to help the weak as much as possible.
I am slightly relieved by that character review.
Thinking back, it was probably because there was a heart within Serdra that wanted to save people that he went along with Titi's revolution a thousand years ago. He seems to be a kind-hearted dragon man.
I've never seen him smile, no matter how many times he helped people and how many words of thanks he received. I'm sure that's what's involved in his "regrets": ......
I never smiled? Is it okay that Serdra's 'unknowns' weren't funny?
Titi and Serdra are from the same orphanage. They were like best friends at one time, so it seems that they have been following around the 'unconsciousness'. When I met him as a guardian (guardian), I asked him for details because it's a very helpful story.
'Not exactly. It's probably better to say that he has a disease and the cure for it is called 'regrets'.
...... "Sickness".
It's getting a bit cloudy.
It seems that no guardian is going to be able to make it easy for them.
I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work for you. It's not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you'll be able to see the difference. As a result, he said (・・・・) that he wanted to escape to another world (・・・・・・・・・・). In the end, he not only denied being a citizen of the north, he denied even being a human being in this world. ...... Maybe that's why he actively cooperated with Kanamin in The Gentile. When all is said and done, the two of us had made a 'contract' to go to another world together.
'You wanted to come to my world? You're a weird one.
'Ah, a freak. The one in Serdra was a general, a demon, but still not a people of the north. He wasn't even a man of this world. He didn't get along with anyone - he was a born lonely strongman.
Titi, the King of the North, seems sad that his friend Serdra has denied being a Northern citizen. He lowered his eyebrows and called him a 'born lonely and strong man'.
It made some sense.
When Titi said goodbye to the Northmen in the basement, there was no sign of Serdra. I thought that they simply missed him because there were too many of them, but he wasn't there for the reason that he wasn't a Northman.
I was beginning to understand not only his identity, but also his personality.
The most important thing to remember is that Seldora's goal is to go to another world. As long as you don't get in the way of that, you can be a collaborator. That's the only thing we should definitely remember.
As far as I'm concerned, the strength of the man called Seldra is comparable to Titi and Rowen.
'Don't look so scared. "Don't look so scared," he said. In fact, he's just a goody-two-shoes kind of guy. In order to repay the favor the boy gave me, he even became the general of our army, which I had lost all love for. A thousand years ago, he looked like he was on good terms with Uzumi. Haha, it brings back memories. Come to think of it, he's the only one who could recreate all the weapons in Kanamin's world with magic. Well, as long as he or she hasn't changed, he or she wouldn't be an enemy. It's all right, it's all right.
Yeah. I know how the labyrinth works now. If we talk it out properly, we can avoid a battle.
But I'm afraid that if I repeat that it's going to be okay like this, the exact opposite is going to happen. It's what they call a flag in my world.
...... Just to be sure, let's assume you'll be in a battle with Seldora.
I'm sure that's what I'm thinking in my mind, from experience, and Snow, who is laying in Titi's lap, interrupts me.
'Seldra-san, you're a dragon person (Dragon Newt) just like me, but on the inside you're the exact opposite. The only time I ever hated boredom was when I was a kid. Now I welcome boredom. If I could, I would like to live a long and quiet life with Kanami.
That's after you've helped everyone else. ......
I know. I know. You help us, and we'll do a lot of things. ...... but the world that Kanami was in... Maybe I should go there for a bit.
Snow showed interest in the same thing as Seldra as she lounged on Titi's lap.
'Huh. The boy is not interested, but Snow is not. Then you should try to go on a trip after all is said and done. I'm not sure if you are dimensional wizards, but I'm sure it's possible someday.
I'll do that. And I have to say hello to Kanami's parents, too!
I-I mean, my parents--?
No, I only have Yotaki now.
That's right. Since it became so long ago--
No, I don't have parents, so that's not possible.
'What ......? Oh, sorry: ......
There's nothing to hide, so I tell Snow about it.
'Snow's the same way. Don't worry about it.
Yes, you're right. The current mother-in-law is more like a nagging aunt, not a parent. Heehee, they're just the same.
That doesn't mean I think it's right that these things should be happy to match: ......
'I can't blame you for being happy. ...... Um, so can I be taken to another world, too? After that Mr. Seldora guy.
Yeah, sure. I don't mind. When I take Serdra with me, I'll take Snow with me.
Yay! I'm looking forward to it!
Snow jumps up from Titi's lap and expresses her joy with her whole body.
...... hmmm.
Now, I felt like I had promised to commit a mortal sin, and I felt like I was resented ...... by all the creatures in my world. It's as if taking Snow into my world is the equivalent of bringing a ridiculous dangerous object into my world--.
Haha. Good for you, Snow.
Thanks, Lisa!
Next to me, who laughs bitterly, only Titty is congratulating Snow with pure feelings. In response, Snow hugs her sister-in-waiting and expresses her gratitude.
--Our carriage journey goes on in a very peaceful manner.
The only thing we can't avoid is that the monsters get caught in the Dimension. I frown as I spot another monster in the direction I'm going. This time it looks like a giant dumpling bug.
''What's the matter, Kanamin?''
No, there's another big monster in our path.
There are too many monsters. You can take down the children, but ...... do you want to bypass them and avoid them?
Let's go around. I would have liked to go straight to the new labyrinth in the example, but it's no use.
The journey is peaceful, but instead it's taking time.
You decide that safety is more important than time right now, and you try to get an alternative route from Snow, who is familiar with the area - and stop along the way.
The 《Dimension》 realizes that the giant dumpling bug monster's movement has a purpose.
''-- Oh, no, wait a minute. Could this be what you're chasing ......? There are people ahead of you in the direction of travel: ......?
When we unfold the 《Dimension》, we find a group traveling in a carriage just like us. There are four carriages, and we might as well call them caravans.
The monsters seem to be chasing that caravan.
Snow's face becomes a workman's face when he hears this.
'Huh? Is it the merchant who was in too much of a hurry to get on the road and was found by a large monster? There are a lot of monsters these days, so I made a manual for proper movement by me: ....... Hmmm, I guess there's a simple one, but one similar to 'Shodou': ......
As is his habit, he was talking up ideas for improving the country. It's kind of like the state of a person who has been working all the time without sleeping, but even after quitting, he still thinks about it.
With that in mind, I checked the caravan's faces with 《Dimension》.
To be honest, I had a hunch.
And that premonition came true.
''Ah, I knew it was this--it can't be helped. Let's go help them.
Mm, quick decision.
It wasn't a stranger. ......
Hmm? Oh, I see. Now let's hurry up. Who's in charge of the big monsters? If possible, I'd like to play a child. Like a professional hero.
Immediately, Titi senses what's being said and begins to set up the battle arrangements.
Snow also stands up without hesitation and speaks up while getting ready.
''I'll do whatever I want! The only thing I hope for is to show Kanami a good point...''
As for the earlier statement about work sickness, Snow has really changed.
The old Snow would have preferred to stay home to rescue strangers.
'No, the battle is enough for Titi alone, so Snow would appreciate it if you would join me in rescuing people. Just focus on preventing the aftermath of Titi's attack.
Okay, okay.
Unlike my special magic, Snow's magic is more direct.
Now Titi will be able to fight without a care in the world.
''Then let the rescuing mission begin.
Then the whip is cracked and the carriage speeds up, and we get closer to the big monster.
◆◆◆◆◆ ...
That battle was close to a rehash of the battle with Giphian Lance.
The only difference is the environment of the battlefield.
Land, not sea - just that much difference in conditions decides the match in an instant.
''--Because my grip was so lax before! This time I'm gonna give it a good shake! Eat it!
Right above the enemy, Titi swings her sword down.
That's all it takes to bring about the same result as wide-ranging magic. A loud explosion sounded that robbed my ears of their function, creating a crater in the street. Naturally, the monster, the dumpling bug, was crushed and died out.
Dragoon Wave!
And then Snow offset the aftermath of the blow with vibrating magic.
Just the other day, I, who drank a large amount of magic stones in the Confederation, found out the details of that magic. It seems to be an attributeless magic with a bit of Snow's arrangement. The vibration of my voice when I chanted the magic was amplified by the dragon's magical power, creating a wall of vibration.
Even I, an almost magic-compliant me, wouldn't be able to recreate that. The current one is possible because Snow is a 'dragon man' (Dragon Newt) and is familiar with a minor 'ancient magic'.
While confirming Snow's strengths that I didn't understand a year ago, I also prepare my sword for the flying stones. However, due to Snow's perfect magic, not even a single shard attacked the caravan, so my fears are unfounded.
Snow looks at me proudly, and I lightly respond with a smile.
However, Titi's eyebrows were in a c shape.
I'm sure you've gone a little too far ......? Hmmm. An all-out attack with a sword is not spoon fed: ......
He might be perfect with wind and bayonet, but he still seemed to be inexperienced with the great sword.
At the center of the devastation I had caused, I crossed my arms and roared.
Immediately I used Dimension to check the monster's breath and surroundings. Seeing that it's completely safe, I call out to the girl behind me who was protecting it as a priority.
''Hey, Kounel-chan. Nice to see you again.''
It was an interesting reunion, and it makes me smile a little bit nasty.
'Well, again! What? This is absolutely crazy!
Looking at my face, Kounel-chan, the girl who was supposed to have escaped from the cork yesterday, swears all over the place in a bare tone of voice.
''I left first, and besides, I was in quite a hurry! d*mn it, d*mn it!