A black landscape spread out before my eyes. You may wonder what I am talking about, but I can only describe it as a black landscape.
The journey to this place was a very pleasant one. Soaring high into the sky on the wings of Geneva, we crossed the Mazpis Mountains with ease. Below us, the ice mountains shone like mirrors in the sunlight, a beautiful sight. Sidney and I both let out a sigh of relief as we held onto Jeneha's legs. Naturally, Princess Meek, who was riding on her back, was also excited at the sight.
But beyond the mountains, a huge mountain that seemed to cover the sky came into view. As it gradually drew nearer, we naturally began to talk less and less.
The top of the mountain was covered with a pure white snow-like substance, but when we looked at the foot of the mountain, it was a pitch-black color. The shape of the mountain is more like a huge building than a mountain. It was truly a precipitous cliff, a sheer mountain stretching vertically toward the sky.
What was even more surprising was that when we landed at the foot of the mountain, it looked like a huge roof. I found out that the mountain is apparently shaped like an inverted triangular pyramid. The mountain spreads out toward the summit. ......
......What a mountain!
I let out a yelp. Siddee is touching the slope of the pitch-black mountain.
"This has been artificially cut down, hasn't it?
"What?"
This mountain is made of fairly hard bedrock. That seems to be the reason why this mountain has not collapsed. Still, it must have taken a lot of work to break ...... it down this far. ......"
Sadie shakes her head in admiration and dismay. I was told that great care was taken when cutting the bedrock at the foot of the mountain, and that it was done under careful calculation to prevent the mountain from collapsing.
As I listen to her talk, I turn my attention to Princess Meek. She is riding on Geneha's back and looking around.
Hey Meek, when you left the elf village, how did you get to the foot of the mountain?
"...... don't remember."
"......"
He told me that he found himself with Hayes, and that they did not travel in a snowstorm, nor did they shiver from the cold. His memories of the elven village where he grew up as a child are vague. He remembers his father's and mother's faces, but he has almost no memories of those days. The only thing she remembers is that she was with Hayes when suddenly someone stepped in and she found herself locked up in a room, and that some time later, Hayes appeared and took her out again.
"You don't remember what happened when he took you out?"
"I found myself in Hayes' room."
"...... I see. You mean you've been transferred. So you can use magic in the elven village?
I put my hand on my chin and think.
"Yes, Master Linos! Master Linos has the skill to sense the other party's magic and transfer it. If you can use it, you won't have to go all the way up this mountain!
Sadie opens her mouth with a look of satisfaction on her face. He said what I was thinking before I said it. I just don't know what kind of magic the elves have. While I'm thinking about this, Sidhee comes up to me and talks to me.
"Master Linos, do you think that I don't know what kind of magic the elves have? That's easy. Just refer to the magic of Princess Meek there.
...... Oh, I see. That's my girl. You know exactly what I'm thinking. I am so glad that I pushed Geneva to bring this person here. Her skills are encouraging, but at the same time, a little scary. I vow once again that I will never do anything I feel guilty about. I will never cheat on my wife. I will live my life loving only my wives.
"That's right. That's all I have to do.
Sadie is nodding her head. I wonder if she read my mind right now: ....... No, no way. I'll take that as a coincidence.
With this in mind, I walk up to Meek and put my hand on her head.
"......"
"...... quickly move your hands away. You'll mess up your hair."
"Sorry."
I remembered that Sadie had once been angry with me. That was when we were newlyweds. On a whim, I nudged her head and she gave me a very sad look. She said that she was trying hard to set her head so that people would see her as a pretty woman. Please don't touch her without asking because it will ruin the set. ....... I remember that he told me so. I slowly remove my hand from her head.
Then I put my hands on the ground and inject magic power into them.
"......"
I'm injecting quite a bit of magic, but I don't feel the same magic as Meek. On the contrary, I do not feel any sign of life in this mountain range. What is the meaning of this?
"Phew. ......"
I stop the infusion of magic power and look up to the heavens. I could have continued to do so, but somehow I felt that this would not work.
"Rinos-sama, ...... are you all right?"
Sadie calls out to me with concern. I assure her with my hand that everything is fine and turn my attention to her.
"It's a little tricky. I don't feel any magic, or even any sign of life. I'm starting to wonder if there really are elves in these mountains, or even if there are.
"Hmmm."
Sadie put her index finger under her chin and struck a pensive pose. Her eyes move slowly from side to side. It's as if she's thinking of a joke in <<10-san>. ....... As I was thinking this, my eyes met Sadie's. She looked into my eyes for a while, and then her eyes widened a little. It seemed that something had flashed in her mind.
"Warding?"
"Huh?"
"Could it be that the elves have placed wards around the entire village? I can't explain that ...... well ......."
"I see, it is possible that the wards have an effect to prevent people from knowing the magic. If that's the case, then ......"
I think as I cross my arms. If I were in their warder's shoes, what kind of wards would I put up? I'd make sure that the magic was not detected: ....... How would I do it so that the warding would not be noticed ....... At that moment, the shape of the Filcon Mountains appeared in my mind.
"Snow ......?"
The Filcon Mountains are covered with pure white snow from the mountainside to the top. If we put up a barrier that resembles the thick snow, we cannot be seen from the outside. I put my hand on the ground again and inject magic power.
"......"
I don't know how long I kept it up. My forehead is slightly sweaty. I have spread a considerable amount of magic throughout this whole mountain range, but I have not been able to capture any warding-like magic at all.
"Mr. Linos!
Sadie's voice brings me back to myself. I find myself in her arms. A terrible feeling of drowsiness overtakes me. It seems that my MP has been depleted.
"Mwah!"
Suddenly something soft was pressed against my lips. Immediately after that, a stream of liquid poured into my mouth. It is a potion of ...... MP recovery.
I opened my eyes and saw Sidhi's face in front of me. She gave me the potion by mouth.
She said, "I'm sorry, Sidhi. It's just that ...... it doesn't have to be by mouth. ......"
"Master Linos was about to fall on his face. ....... I can't turn him on his back myself. ......"
"That said, ......"
"Uh-huh. You're good friends. It's like we're lovers.
Meek is looking at us and giving us a nasty look. Next to him, Jeneha yawns loudly in boredom. I sighed and urged her to return to the imperial residence and set up the transfer wards. .......