In the Land of Leadale - Volume 3 - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Sightseeing, a Rescue, a Voice from the Heavens, and a Predicament

Then five days after Cayna and her group moved to the village… 

Luka’s usual way of tottering around after Cayna like a little chick became a daily occurrence. A mere glimpse of Cayna brought a smile to the little girl’s face, and she immediately grew anxious the moment Cayna disappeared. She climbed into Cayna’s bed at night and slept with her regularly. 

Even so, as long as Cayna was in the corner of Luka’s eye, there were no obvious issues. When not helping around the house, Luka would play with Lytt and Latem. 

Latem was three years older than Luka. Apparently he was put to work at the shop only when the owner, Lux—his father—was present. The boy’s primary job in the village’s engineering firm involved repairs and servicing. He would fix houses and furniture. Most of the requests that came in were for new furniture. Since the master and his apprentice were away, Cayna had heard Sunya could only accept orders. 

And thus, Latem was assigned to managing the children. Latem and Lytt’s job was to play with Luka and help her grow accustomed to the village. 

Climbing trees. Games of tag. Working the fields. Some activities were a bit puzzling, but there was only so much the three could do together. Cayna herself wasn’t familiar with many games, and those that she did know required the wonders of modern civilization, so they weren’t all that helpful. 

When it came to playtime professionals, it was the adults of the village who answered the call. Cayna tried asking what sort of games they played as kids, and many of the aforementioned activities arose. 

Incidentally, since Luka had cried after she fell from a low branch while climbing trees, that idea was quickly nixed. She was also fatally slow, so tag was nixed, too. After ruling out activities deemed too physical, there were plenty of other fun options. Latem taught her simple wood-carving, and she wove flower crowns with Lytt. Children were also an incredible source of labor, so they were sometimes sent to work the fields on occasion. It wasn’t yet harvest time, so the majority of the tasks involved weeding. 

There was also plowing to be done, so Cayna took this upon herself. She did the work of several, and her intense bulldozing power in the fields shocked the villagers. Since simply striking with the hoe would cause the ground to explode, she used an Earth Spirit as a last resort to rumble through the ground tatami-gaeshi style. After that, she picked up the loose stones and roots that rose to the surface and plowed in one day what would have taken multiple people several days. This, too, caused the villagers’ jaws to drop. 

That day, the three children were making flower crowns in the shadow of a large, lush tree. 

“All right! This looks pretty good. Next… H-huh? Why won’t it come together?” 

“Where? Latem, you messed it up a while back!” 

“I’ll…attach it here…like this. I just…have to untie it…first…” 

The trio were at the edge of the field making flower crowns. Cayna leaned against the fence and naturally smiled at their conversation. (She more or less tried to ignore the plants’ screams.) 

Roxine, who made a rare appearance outside, brought them a basket of snacks and stood at attention nearby. In the morning, the children would meet just before noon, and in the afternoon, they would meet after lunch and play until early evening. Essentially, it was a pattern that fit Lytt’s schedule, since she often had to help with the family business. 

“All right! It’s done… Aaagh?!” 

“Uh-oh…” 

As Latem raised his finished product high, the flower crown fell to pieces. He had apparently messed up somewhere. 

“I’m…done…” 

“Ooh, very pretty,” said Cayna. 

Lytt and Luka both happily put their flower crowns on their heads. Li’l Fairy enjoyed trying to pick the scattered petals from Latem’s out of midair, even if they passed right through her. 

After that, everyone ate the cookies Roxine had made and called it a day. This course of events had become the children’s typical schedule as of late. When Lux returned and Latem had to help with the family business once again, the trio’s playtime would undoubtedly decrease. 

Cayna taught Luka a bit of reading and writing in the mornings, but when Luka, who was learning a number of things at home, had showed her friends how she wrote her own name, Cayna gained two more students within the day. 

Thanks to that, from the next day forward, she spent time teaching open-air classes both to the three children and to the occasional villagers with free time on their hands. Since it was a village far removed from the capital, the literacy rate was practically zero. The village elder could just barely read hiragana, and Marelle and her husband, Gatt, could only do three-digit addition and subtraction. 

“Never could have guessed I’d come out all this way and end up a teacher, huh?” she murmured with a wry smile as she considered her circumstances. People really never knew in what ways they could be of use to others. 

Roxine, who had been listening to her, simply nodded as if this were only natural. 

“The common people are eternally grateful to have you so kindly extend your wealth of knowledge to them, Lady Cayna.” 

The maid’s usual lack of consideration was a particularly headache-inducing problem. 

“I seriously wonder how Opus made you…” 

The NPC aides summoned from the handbells had to be created according to a wide array of standard character settings. Cayna’s interests had created Roxilius the young werecat butler, but Opus had decided to cause trouble and throw Roxine together without much thought. 

Aides came with two personality settings, so Cayna chose “sincere” and “loyal” for Roxilius. Roxine listened to Opus and Opus alone; he’d probably chosen “uninhibited” and “free-spirited” or something similar. Opus’s black-haired elf maid had been set to “graceful” and “kind,” so there was a high chance he’d gone with the direct opposite of that. 

“Give it a rest, okay, Cie? We aren’t above the villagers. You can’t say stuff like that to people.” 

“…I apologize. My comment was uncalled for.” Roxine bowed her head at Cayna’s chiding. The werecat’s body language didn’t seem especially remorseful, and Cayna gave an exasperated sigh of “It’s no good…” 

Roxine probably had some setting that caused her to have undying loyalty to her master. This made her more difficult to deal with than Skargo and the others. Her speedy housework made her very helpful as long as she kept quiet. For some reason, her destructiveness had something to do with her fellow werecat, Roxilius. This had been going on since the Game Era, so it probably had something to do with conflicting character settings. 

She would have liked to get more evidence on this, but those were the conditions for obtaining the handbells. Unless one threw their life away and played ten thousand hours like a true addict the way Cayna had, it was an impossible task. Based on Roxilius’s remarks on his former residence, most players only had a decent number of hours. As far as Cayna knew, Opus was the only one who had managed to keep up. 

“Lady Cayna, if you have a spare moment, do you think could you make me a weapon?” 

“Huh? You don’t have one?” 

Cayna listened to Roxine’s rare request as, smiling, she watched Latem fix his flower crown and the two girls lambaste him. She remembered how she’d equipped Roxine in the game the first time she summoned her. Nevertheless, both Roxilius and Roxine had only the clothes on their backs now. Since Cayna had freshened them up with Purity during their travels, she hadn’t given their inventory much thought. 

“It’s been this way since you summoned me.” 

“If you’d told me that when we arrived in Felskeilo, I could’ve stocked up. Why’d you wait until now?!” 

Cayna suddenly raised her voice, and Luka and the others froze with shocked expressions. When she apologized with a “Sorry, sorry” and explained they were just having a discussion, the kids returned to their peaceful flower crown–making. 

Cayna put a hand to her forehead with a “Geez,” and Roxine bowed her head in remorse. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think it necessary at the time. I didn’t think I’d be living in some backwoods village…” 

Roxine’s tone was meek, but she apparently still couldn’t hide her sharp tongue. 

Nevertheless, the quality of her maid outfit was fine enough to be a national treasure. None of the local shops could readily provide anything of its magnitude. On the whole, most clothes sold in this world were secondhand. Ready-made, mass-produced goods weren’t exactly a thing, either. If one wanted custom clothes, they had to go to the merchants frequented by nobles. 

If that was the case, it would be faster to buy the fabric and make it themselves. 

“Guess I’ll have to ask Caerick or Elineh.” 

“If we have fabric, Roxilius and I can use Sewing (the prerequisite skill for Clothes Creation).” 

“In that case, all I’ll have to do is add protection to the finished product. All right, let’s do it.” 

As the two continued to converse smoothly, the three children looked up at them strangely. 

“Huh, what’s wrong?” Cayna asked. 

“This lady can make clothes?” Lytt’s eyes sparkled, and she drew near to Roxine. Seeing as Cayna was right next to her, the werecat responded with an inoffensive “Well, I guess so.” 

A helper NPC’s skills were 12.5 percent of the skills possessed by the summoner. Roxine and Roxilius, who had been summoned by Cayna, both had a maximum of five hundred skills. Roxilius’s skillset was geared toward battle and butler work, while Roxine’s consisted of housekeeping tasks such as cleaning, laundry, and cooking. She could fight, although she wasn’t nearly as capable as Roxilius was in combat. 

“I know, why don’t we make plush toys next time?” Cayna proposed to the three children since Roxine had fallen silent. 

Roxine would surely teach Luka a great number of things. But if Lytt and Latem joined in, it’d be a pain, since Cayna would have to get involved as well. Thus, it would be easier for Cayna to do the teaching from the outset. If she taught Luka first, even the other two in their jealousy would be roused to action. 

Sure enough, Lytt and Latem raised their hands in agreement. Luka nodded a bit slower than the rest, but she looked pleased. Everyone would no doubt enjoy thinking about what they were going to make. 

Even most people in this world who learned sewing from their mothers stopped at simply mending clothes. After all, there was no economic wiggle room to learn how to create something new. It was for this same reason that Cayna’s language classes were popular among the villagers. 

“Master, why don’t you take things a bit easier? I believe it will be beneficial for you to sleep the day away while thinking of nothing at all.” 

Having determined from the height of the sun that her timing was appropriate, Roxine brought out warm hand towels as she called to Cayna and the children. She distributed the towels and spoke with concern as she handed Cayna hers. 

“Please leave the home and Lady Luka to myself and that stray cat.” 

“…You still haven’t made up?” 

“No, we’ve simply reached a mutual understanding. We haven’t reconciled. After all, he and I are sworn enemies.” 

Roxine spoke with such forthrightness that Cayna could only tilt her head in wonder over what could have caused such bad blood. 

“Anyway, I should take it easy, huh?” she murmured as she looked at the sky. Well, the screams of the plants sacrificed to the flower crowns alone were awfully hard on her sanity. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Li’l Fairy chasing butterflies. As if she couldn’t leave Cayna past a certain distance, Li’l Fairy didn’t try to go beyond a certain point. Cayna could touch her, but Li’l Fairy passed through everything else. 

Even in the house, Cayna often saw her passing through walls like it was nothing. Neither the villagers nor her helper NPCs Roxilius and Roxine could see her. Kartatz and the others were the same way. The players were the only other people who could, and the fairy didn’t seem to want anything to do with them. Kee also seemed to notice the fairy, but Cayna didn’t know if the same could be said the other way around. After all, a Divine Spirit like Kee was plenty mysterious all on his own. 

The fairy conveyed her will only through gestures and expression; she had yet to ever speak. She never even tried, so she likely had no words at all. Even so, Cayna somehow managed to understand her. She wasn’t sure if it was intuition, but the words would pop into her head. 

This hadn’t been the case when the fairy initially came out of the book, but now she occasionally pointed out things Cayna had forgotten. Cayna thought if these instances grew, the fairy might give her hints on how to meet Opus. 

Cayna recalled a promise she’d made thanks to the fairy’s suggestion. Just as she started thinking about taking Lytt through the skies, someone held a flower crown out to her. 

“This…is for you…Cayna.” 

“Oh my. Thank you, Luka.” 

Cayna put Luka’s flower crown on her head. Lytt praised how pretty she looked, which made Cayna hug Luka in gratitude. Perhaps because they were in front of everyone, Luka became profusely embarrassed. 

Since she’d anticipated bringing only Lytt, Cayna thought strolling through the sky with Flight would be a simple affair. Now that there were three children involved, she’d have to come up with a few safety precautions. 

“Have anything for me, Kee?” 

“What about a carpet to ride on?” 

Kee was talking about an item known as a Magic Carpet. It could fit one to five people, hover about a meter above the ground, and travel at the running speed of an average human. 

“That’ll take a while to make, though…” 

Since she would need thread filled with monster magic, gathering the materials would likely take some time. Cayna wasn’t even sure the monsters from back in the Game Era still existed. She could make the thread herself, but that would take a tremendous amount of time, too. 

“That’s a hard pass. Next!” 

“Well, the only other option is summoning, but…” 

“Right…” 

There were several possible summonings that could carry the children. However, since the griffins and dragons weren’t the most friendly-looking, anyone who didn’t know better would be terrified. In fact, since the village was right along the border, there would likely be endless trouble if the soldiers spotted them. 

“Maybe something low-flying that doesn’t go past the treetops?” 

Cayna had to think of the children’s safety first and foremost. With crumbs of Roxine’s cookies on their cheeks, the three looked at Cayna quizzically as she glared at the empty sky mumbling to herself. 

“Miss Cayna doesn’t look very happy, does she?” Lytt said. 

“Uh-huh… Maybe…she’s sad…?” 

“Come to think of it, I heard my dad say somethin’ about how high elves can hear plants’ voices.” 

““What?!”” 

Shocked, both Lytt and Luka turned around to stare at where they’d all just been sitting. It was a nameless flower field filled with white, purple, and yellow blossoms. Thanks to the children’s thorough plucking, all that remained of one section was pitiful leaves. 

As the two girls gazed downward sorrowfully, Roxine poured them the tea she’d brewed and spoke in reassurance. 

“Lady Cayna would never blame you for something so insignificant. She’s much too forgiving. If you prefer, you could make these somewhere else, where she cannot see you.” 

“Somewhere else…,” said Lytt. 

“Where she…can’t…see us…?” asked Luka. 

“Does the village even have a flower field like that?” Latem wondered aloud. 

Roxine giggled as she watched the children hem and haw, putting their heads together to talk it over. After all, since Cayna was more focused on wowing the children than anything else, they had nothing to worry about. 

The next day, Cayna discussed her plan of action with Marelle and Sunya and informed them of the risk involved. However, since the three kids would be with Cayna—an adventurer who had made even Arbiter howl—it seemed more than safe to trust her with their children. Cayna, who had spent the morning teaching the kids to read and write as usual, told them to meet in front of Lux Contracting in the afternoon. 

“Well then, ready to take to the skies today?” 

“““What?””” 

The three tilted their heads, not understanding. With a smirk, Cayna cast a spell she hadn’t used in quite some time. 

Summoning Magic: Double Load: Griffin 

A shining green line drew a magic circle in the air a few meters above her. It was a double-layer hexagram, and mysterious writing wrapped around the inner layer. Two complete circles formed side by side, and a thick green light came pouring down. 

Slowly slipping through that gallery of light were two mythical beasts whose top halves were pure-white eagles and bottom halves were majestic lions. 

““KWRARARA!!”” 

The griffins’ sharp talons pierced the ground, and their high-pitched shrills echoed in every corner of the village. Once the circles disappeared, they unfurled their mighty wings in an ostentatious display. They were slightly larger than an African elephant, and their presence caused a stir among the villagers. 

Summoning Magic: Load: Earth Spirit Thog Level 5 

Next to the griffins appeared a chess piece that stood twice as tall as them. Thicker than a pawn, it was a rook with uneven protrusions on its brick surface. It was white from top to bottom, and it looked like a work of art carved from marble. 

Seeing in the flesh a mythical beast found only fairy tales, legends, and the songs of minstrels left most villagers once again slack-jawed and bug-eyed. 

The two griffins rubbed their feathers and beaks against Cayna’s outstretched hand, and they purred lovingly. To outsiders, it was an act far beyond any wild Beast Master. The scene conversely forfeited all hope for Beast Masters across the board. 

In regard to their original purpose, all summonings were created for battle. Thus, on that note, the beasts had ever-present skills that made the very sight of them overwhelmingly terrifying… That was how the game had made them, anyway. 

Cayna had summoned them several times before and saw the beasts not as tools but as friends. The griffins seemed to respond to this, and they took control of their skills out of respect for her. Taking the villagers, who Cayna saw as dear neighbors, into account, they moderated their harsh skills so they wouldn’t appear scarier than they actually were. 

“Grararagh.” 

“Krawgh.” 

Luka had clung to Cayna, and she thus ended up ruffling the soft feathers of a griffin’s neck without running away. High above her, a head with a sharp beak big enough to tear apart an adult looked down at her with its round, golden eyes. She initially froze in fear, but her heart let down its walls once the griffin enveloped her in its fluffy feathers. 

Seeing that Luka had recovered from her paralyzing fear, Cayna held the girl up in her arms and introduced her daughter to the two griffins. 

“Okay, guys, this is my daughter Luka. If anything happens, protect her above all else, got it?” 

Up close, the two beasts truly were frightening. Luka let out a small yelp, and the two retreated a few steps to bow to her. They did so simultaneously, and the rumbling coming from their throats was reminiscent of pet parakeets. 

Taken aback by these comical actions, the little girl timidly held out her hand and touched one of the griffin’s soft feathers. It narrowed its eyes comfortably, and Luka gave a small smile. 

Lytt and Latem had escaped behind Roxilius, who stood a bit away from Cayna. When they saw Luka petting the griffins, they finally approached Cayna, too. 

“Miss Cayna… C-can we pet them?” 

“I-is it really okay?” 

Cayna chuckled when it was clear Latem was less adventurous compared to Lytt. Irritated by this, he forced himself to race up to one of the griffins. 

However, because of his height, Latem was only able to place his hand on a rough joint on its front claw. Just as the suspicious griffin bent its head to seeming stab Latem with its beak, he ran away screaming. 

“UWAAAAAAGH?!” 

““……”” 

“Um…” Cayna was shocked; she’d never expected a boy to be the first to head for the hills. She secretly decided to not leave Luka with him going forward. 

Of course, the rest of the villagers watching laughed, and his mother, Sunya, was surprised as well. The griffin no doubt found the whole ordeal more outrageous than anyone else, since it had merely bowed its head. The boy had run away screaming away despite the griffins’ attempt to drop their intimidation factor, and they felt like they’d lost face. One dropped its head sadly, while the other wrapped its wings over its companion and stroked in apparent consolation. 

“They’re pretty cute creatures once you take away the menace.” 

“It is rather evident their master played a vital role in that, wouldn’t you say?” 

As soon as Latem escaped, his mother, Sunya, dragged him straight back by the ear. 

“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!” 

“Nothing is more embarrassing than a boy like you being too afraid to touch something a girl can with ease!” 

She plopped him in front of the griffins, and he averted his gaze as two pairs of large, round eyes stared at him. Finally, he said, “Sorry,” and the griffin that had been doing the consoling batted Latem with its wings as punishment. 

After Cayna confirmed with relief that she could go on with her preparations, she took a thick rope from her Item Box. 

“We’re flying with that?” 

“With rope?” 

Lytt and Latem seemed to be under the impression the rope would fly through the sky on its own, but Cayna hadn’t explained everything just yet. 

“My plan is to get the two griffins to pull us on the floating Earth Spirit.” 

An Earth Spirit could control gravity, but you wouldn’t be able to gain enough altitude to soar that way. Plus, it was incredibly slow. Her idea was to attach it to the griffins and turn it into a flying carriage. 

Initially, the plan was to suspend the golem carriage from the griffins. However, everyone would be in trouble if the rope snapped. She then considered restructuring the golem carriage to make it float, but she soon realized she’d never have enough magic rhymestones and gave up. Finally, as a last resort, there was one remaining option: the Earth Spirit, which they could use as a solid basis. This method would allow them to float on their own power if the rope was severed, and even if Cayna separated from it for whatever reason, the Earth Spirit could act in self-defense. Since its protective powers were a cut above the rest, the risk to the children would be minimized. 

“Just to be safe, please take these as well.” 

Roxilius brought out heavy coats, cloaks, and the like, and he passed them to the children. 

“We’re not gonna fly that high, you know.” 

She planned on taking them just a little higher than the treetops as well as casting Invisibility on the griffins. That way, no one at the border would recognize their group as anything more than specks. 

“It will be cold in the sky, so please be sure to dress properly,” said Roxilius. 

“C’mon. Hop aboard, you three,” Cayna urged. 

Cayna and Roxilius urged the children forward as they made sure the ropes were properly fastened around the griffins’ torsos. A disturbance erupted along the rook’s surface, and a spiral staircase sprouted around the outer circumference. It looked like a pure-white marble chess piece on the outside, but since it was packed with firm sediment inside, it could change its shape at will. The rope would be tightly held within the Earth Spirit itself, so there was hardly any chance of it getting cut off. 

Lytt and Latem gingerly climbed up and were captivated by the view they had over the village rooftops. Luka alone was unwilling to rush to such a high place on her own, and she clung tightly to Cayna’s cloak. Cayna lightly lifted Luka princess-style and carried her upward. 

“I’m so jealous, Luka.” 

“Well then, I’ll be sure to carry you on the way back down, Lytt.” 

“Yay! That’s okay, right, Luka?” 

“…Uh-huh.” 

Luka nodded, and Lytt jumped for joy. Cayna tilted her head, thinking Girls really like the princess hold, huh? as she totally missed the point. 

Cayna held tight to the three children bundled up in coats. The protrusions at the top of the Earth Spirit (which were set in sawlike intervals) were shorter than the children’s heads, but if she cast Fence, they wouldn’t fall outside. Roxilius confirmed the rope’s security, and the griffins took off at Cayna’s signal. 

The beasts cried out with a slow beating of their wings, then began to rise upward. At the same time, Cayna’s Invisibility spell made sure those wings didn’t make a sound. The group switched directions and turned as they passed the village’s tallest tree, making a big circle around the village. 

Although timid at first, the children seemed to grow more comfortable, giving cheers of “Wow!” and “Ooh!” As usual, Luka stayed by Cayna’s side, but she seemed to enjoy watching Lytt and Latem while also slowly taking in her surroundings. 

Seeing this, Cayna gave a huge smile and ordered the griffins to speed up. 

“These two are going to go a little faster. You’re not scared, right?” 

“Nope, I’m totally fine!” Lytt chirped. 

“This is awesome! Awesome! AWESOOOOOME!” 

Latem’s ways of expressing his excitement were apparently rather limited; he’d been saying nothing except “awesome” for a while. Cayna then thought that she ought to work on expanding their vocabulary during their reading and writing classes. 

As Cayna listened to their cheerful voices on the wind, she determined that all was well and instructed the two griffins to head east toward the mountain range, as she’d intended. The plan was to circle around her Guardian Tower, pass over the Ejidd River, and head back to the village. 

The others waved and saw them off with cries of “Have fun!” and “Take care!” 

The wind wasn’t too strong thanks to her Fence spell, so Cayna put her hands on Luka’s shoulders and turned her 180 degrees. 

“Here, Luka. Don’t look down, but check out what’s up ahead.” 

“…Um, o-okay…” 

Although Luka said this, Cayna could tell her body was tense, and her eyes were shut tight. Lytt grabbed Luka’s hand gently, while Latem squeezed the other hand tight. 

“It’s okay, Luka. We’re not swaying, and the wind isn’t all that strong.” 

“We’ll be right here with ya, so open your eyes at least once. Just one time.” 

Perhaps thanks to their encouragement, Luka slowly relaxed. Finally, Cayna heard her give the slightest “W-wow…” 

“Right?! Isn’t it amazing?! It is, isn’t it?” 

“Hey! Look, look! That silver pole over there… What do you think it is?!” 

To the ecstatic Latem, it was indeed a silver pole. However, in reality, it was the tower of a very bad witch. Since getting too close would kick in the Nullification Barrier and cancel her summoning, Cayna gave the griffins plenty of time to make a long detour. 

The children’s eyes locked onto the silver tower that reflected the sun’s rays and sent particles glimmering all around them. Lytt was the only one who whispered in Cayna’s ear. 

“Is that yours, Miss Cayna?” 

“Yup, that’s it. The home of the big bad witch.” 

As they grinned at each other, Latem began to feel left out, and he pouted. 

“Hey, what gives? Somethin’ going on?” 

“Nope, nothing at all.” 

“That’s right,” said Cayna. “It’s our little secret.” 

“Heeeey, that’s no fair. Tell me, too!” Latem demanded, but reluctantly gave up after being told it was a girls-only secret. After all, he was outnumbered three against one. 

Luka looked up at Cayna and asked, “What about…me?” Lytt met Cayna’s gaze, and the two of them had a brief, wordless exchange. 

Lytt nodded, then hugged Luka and happily declared, “I’ll tell you when we get home.” 

Flying was tiring business, Cayna had planned on relaxing and enjoying the scenery the rest of the way, so she was shocked to find Lytt and Latem so unexpectedly energetic. 

“Cayna! I wanna go to that tower!” Latem insisted. 

“Y-you can’t, Latem! A veeeery scary witch lives there!” 

He was apparently excited either way. Just when she thought he was a boy of some discretion, she turned out to be wrong. He was now a loose cannon—or perhaps something that had been freed of its shackles. In any case, he was entirely focused on the one thing that had caught his eye. 

“I wonder if this is how kids act on roller coasters.” 

“…? Roller…what?” 

“Ahhh, don’t mind me. It’s nothing for you to worry about, Luka.” 

“Okay…” 

Latem’s eyes shone with a fierce fire, and he seemed utterly infatuated with the silver tower. Cayna ordered the griffins to briefly slow down after they moved farther away from it. 

“Tch. I wanted to go see that tower.” 

Latem clicked his tongue as he looked toward the tower that was now the size of a toothpick, and Cayna couldn’t hide her irritation. 

“Don’t be stupid. Even the griffins wouldn’t have been able to hold their own in there. It’s not the type of place worth risking Lytt’s and Luka’s safety just to satisfy your curiosity.” Cayna gave Latem a dead-serious look that turned him into a trembling mess of fear right where he stood. 

While there wasn’t anything that could be called a monster in Cayna’s tower, the surrounding area was full of wild, invisible ones. Any average person who even approached her tower would be in for a mess of trouble. If they managed to make it inside, they would be forcefully thrown back out the moment they stopped moving. The monsters would attack as soon as they found themselves panicking in an unfamiliar place and dropping their guard. 

There was no way Cayna would ever allow children to go near a place like that. They’d be like lambs to the slaughter. Even she had a responsibility to care for other people’s children. Cayna didn’t necessarily want to say this, but she wanted them to understand this world wasn’t so kind that a mere desire to go outside would help them survive. 

“Now, now. Act your age, Cayna.” 

Kee gave her a warning as she was about to unwittingly unleash Intimidate. Just as she swallowed her words and considered how to admonish Latem, someone else spoke for her and stepped on his foot. 

“Owwwww!” 

“Don’t be selfish! Miss Cayna brought us all the way here out of the goodness of her heart!” 

In front of Latem, who now held his foot in a crouch, Lytt stood like a fierce guardian god. The boy frowned, and tears welled in his eyes. That stomp must have held a ton of force. 

“If Luka wasn’t here, she probably never would have taken you! Miss Cayna has already done so much for everyone. After all, we’re never flown before!” 

As Lytt put her hands on her hips and silenced Latem, Cayna bowed her head and gathered her thoughts. 

Lytt really is incredible. 

If someone else had been there, they would have thrown in a comment of Hey now, you’re praising someone? Somewhere out there beneath the sky, her terrible friend was holding his face in his hands. 

“S-sorry…for makin’ you so mad…” 

Lytt looked angry enough to bite him, and Latem at last bowed his head. 

“What are you apologizing to me for?! You should be apologizing to Miss Cayna!” 

A wave of intimidation rolled off her, and he hurriedly turned to Cayna with a bowed head. 

“U-um. I-I’m sorry.” 

Cayna was used to never hearing any selfishness from the children she met at the hospital, even though they surely once had selfish desires and opinions like anyone else. 

Back in the hospital, a lot of us, myself included, had given up… 

Pushing sentimentality aside, Cayna switched her attention back to Latem, whose head was still bowed. 

“What are you apologizing for?” 

Even if he’d done some reflection, it’d be problematic if he was unaware of the root cause. 

Latem then responded in a loud voice, “Huh? Ummm. I-I’m sorry for being selfish!” 

Cayna lightly bonked his head and forgave him. 

“If you understand, then that’ll do.” 

She continued. “If we get too close to that tower, both the griffins and this Earth Spirit will disappear.” Cayna knocked her heel against the rook that served as the ground beneath their feet to prove her point. “If you three were suddenly thrown into the air, what would save you?” 

“U-um…” 

They were currently more than ten meters above the ground. When they took the long detour around the tower, they’d been flying at about a hundred meters. As they recalled this, not only Latem’s but also Lytt’s and Luka’s faces became instantly strained. 

“Even if I caught you, I sadly wouldn’t be able to use magic, so you’d just fall. I’m pretty confident I could grab Luka to save her, but what about you two?” 

If the children were now aware of the cause, it was best they be properly aware of the effect. Her words were probably a bit harsh, but the experience would no doubt be useful later. 

“W-we’d fall?” Lytt questioned. Her face was pale, and she clung to Cayna alongside Luka. 

Cayna didn’t plan on adding more detail beyond that, but considering the height from which the kids would fall, it obviously wasn’t necessary. 

“I’m sorry! Really, really sorry!” 

This time, ashen-faced Latem apologized to Lytt and Luka. He seemed to have finally realized how much danger he’d put them all in. 

Cayna heaved a sigh. I’ll never get used to this scolding thing, she thought. 

“It’s just not my forte.” 

With a dry smile, she thought of the many members in her old guild who would have had a smart comment about that. Since they’d referred to themselves as “a bunch of no-good adults,” reprimand had mostly fallen to Opus and Ebelope. 

If only they were here at a time like this was too far-fetched a wish even for Cayna. 

“Gyararagh!” 

As they continued flying above the forest, one of the griffins let out a warning cry. Since Cayna was the summoner, she understood it was telling them to be careful. 

The children were looking at the far-off mountain range and watching the clouds pass, so they didn’t notice anything amiss. Cayna had completely forgotten one had to keep an eye out for monsters soaring in the skies as well. Originally, the griffins would emit an aura that said Back off whenever they appeared, so the weak monsters would typically stay away. However, the beasts now had no presence, since they had shut off their Intimidate system for the sake of the children. They were now floating defenselessly in the sky (or so it seemed), and it didn’t take long for monsters to see them as easy pickings. 

Wham! 

A monster crashed right into the Earth Spirit’s Fence. Although the method of arrival was a wham! the actual sound of the crash came out more like a whomp. 

Before they realized it, the Earth Spirit was surrounded by a flock of black crows. When packed together in such a way, their fierce attack was comparable to that of a horned bear. The birds were known as Caro Bears, and they scavenged for dead meat like condors. The monster birds circled the area with loud squawks of “Caw, caw” and “Gyah, gyah” as they threatened Cayna and her group. 

Lytt and Luka were absolutely terrified, and they huddled under Cayna’s cloak. Latem was just barely standing, but his face was paler than ever before. 

“M-Miss Cayna…” 

“…?!” Luka gulped audibly. 

“Ah, don’t worry. Chumps like that can’t break the Earth Spirit’s barrier.” 

Cayna said this with a light wave of her hand, but by the children’s tragic faces, they clearly thought it was the end of the world. 

In the meantime, a number of Caro Bears tried to attack, but it was a suicide mission. The Fence forced them back in droves. Their adamant refusal to learn better and give up had to be some monster instinct. 

“Guess scaring kids isn’t really their goal, huh?” 

She thought maybe they’d go away on their own, but there seemed to be little chance of that. 

Cayna swung her right arm over her head. In that instant, sparkles appeared outside the spirit’s Fence and solidified into multiple layers. 

It was a low-level ice-type attack spell, Shattering Ice Arrow Gira Giga. The intense spell didn’t stop at just freezing the target; it immediately shattered it. Each arrow was about the size of a pen and generated endlessly around the Fence. There had to be several hundred already. There were probably ten hits for each Caro Bear. 

Despite seeing this right before their eyes, whether the Caro Bears were unfazed because they were literal bird brains or because they didn’t see it as a threat was unclear. Already pretty sick of being shadowed, Cayna uttered a quick “Fire,” and the pathetic flock of Caro Bears were eliminated in three seconds. After their clamorous cries died away, Cayna waited for a moment before turning back to Lytt and the others. 

“…Are the scary birds gone?” Lytt asked. 

“I took care of ’em, so you’re nice and safe now. You come on out, too, Luka!” 

Cayna patted Luka’s back with encouragement, and the little girl finally popped her head out. Her body was still tucked into Cayna’s cloak, but she didn’t seem to be trembling anymore. 

“Th-that’s an adventurer for ya. Awesome.” 

Only Latem, who had managed to remain standing, saw the Caro Bears’ entire demise. He looked at her with admiration and envy, but he was better off not regarding her as a normal mage. Someone like Cayna, who could cast magic with a flip of her hand, was the epitome of illogical. A normal mage could never go up against a horde of Caro Bears alone or fire hundreds of shots at once. If one were to use Cayna as a standard, any Imperial Mage who met her would be tormented by dejection and despair. 

Latem’s excitement piqued Lytt’s interest, and she joined in the discussion of Cayna’s valor. Since Cayna herself could say nothing more than “I hit them, and they fell,” Latem spoke for her. 

“It was crazy. These shiny things surrounded us, and just when they disappeared, the monsters all got taken out!” 

Having someone else explain was a little embarrassing, so Cayna could only smirk as she listened to his retelling. Seeming to feel he wasn’t giving the whole story, Lytt and Luka demanded he be more specific. 

“Uh, well…” 

“That didn’t tell me anything! Miss Cayna, what did you do?” 

“Coming to the source, huh? Hmm. I shot lots of ice magic.” 

“What? That was ice magic?! Never seen that before.” 

“Cayna’s magic…is amazing…” 

“You’ve seen it, too, Luka?!” said Lytt. 

Luka had also seen Cayna’s Summoning Magic, so a giant Blue Dragon was the sort of thing she considered impressive. Lytt, on the other hand, had only ever seen Cayna use a bit of magic to make daily life easier, which generally couldn’t be called amazing. Even so, in the eyes of people who spent their entire lives in the same village, such magic was nothing short of extraordinary. 

“Heads up, everyone. We’ll be passing over the Ejidd River next. It’s super-wide, so make sure you get a good look.” 

It’d be problematic if the kids got too interested in magic and started saying things like Teach me! Therefore, she decided to try to sway them from the subject and bring attention to their surroundings instead. 

“I know lots about the Ejidd River. It’s a loooong way to the other side,” Latem stated. 

He’d likely seen it if his family had crossed over the bridge Cayna and Kartatz had built. But they wouldn’t be walking alongside it this time. Instead, Cayna thought they could follow the stream downriver. Since they’d end up in the Felskeilo capital if they went too far, she planned on stopping just beyond the bridge. 

There were also waterfalls with some nearby mountain streams on the way; it must have been difficult for craftsmen of the past to float their lumber along them. The guards at the Helshper border were unlikely to see the group, but in the event their group was discovered, she had every intention of pulling some connections with her grandson. 

Cayna had initially considered grazing just above the river’s surface as they flew, but she thought it’d be pretty bad if they got stuck on the bridge she and the others had constructed. Rising as high as possible, they sped along the river at top speed. Both sides of the river were covered in sprawling forest, and the flight had a trail-like ambience that delighted the children. 

As she listened to their cheers, she remembered one war where she dove into the water and ambushed guys from the Red Kingdom from behind. Since she didn’t know what might be living in the river now, the last thing she wanted to do was dive in. It wasn’t like she thought she would lose a fight, but if she happened to come across a daioyanma dragonfly, she was confident she’d panic and blast it away with zero discretion. Doing so would probably change the flow of the river or create an avalanche of debris. The consequences would be undoubtedly scary. 

As she gazed into the far distance, harkening back to old memories, the group suddenly passed right over the bridge that mother and son had built. 

“Huh…?” 

Flying over it was fine enough, but at the same time, Cayna felt she’d seen something strange, and she cocked her head in bewilderment. She’d been so mindful of the children’s safety that she hadn’t been able to properly notice a scene occurring on the bridge. 

Just when she thought she was thinking too much, Lytt tugged at her clothes. 

“Miss Cayna! There were carriages on the bridge just now!” 

Latem also started crying out “The bridge! The bridge!” in a fluster. 

Left with not much choice, she consulted her third eye. 

“Kee, what’s going on with the bridge?” 

“It appears carriages are being attacked by monsters.” 

“Right. Carriages are being attacked by mons— WHAAAAAAT?!” 

She could have hurriedly ordered the griffins to stop, but landing wasn’t the right move, and it was impossible to suddenly halt. Having heard their summoner’s orders, the griffins bravely gained altitude and went around in a circle. 

Meanwhile, Cayna used Farsight to check out the situation on the bridge and spotted several carriages at a standstill. Ogres and goblins locked the group in on both sides, and it was obvious they were in a pinch. She felt like she’d seen several of the carriages before. They were most likely part of Elineh’s caravan. 

However, she still had the children with her, and Cayna’s thoughts came to an impasse. 

“Oh dear, we’re in a bit of a tight spot, aren’t we?” 

In the middle of the bridge, Elineh admitted their hopeless situation and narrowed his eyes as if to prepare for the worst. 

There were ogres at their front door and goblins at their back. Despite having the aid of the mercenary group the Flame Spears, who were led by the battle-renowned Arbiter, their leader was absent, and only half the group’s numbers were present. Protecting even three carriages would be a struggle. 

“Just when I thought that luck was on our side…,” Elineh murmured as he glanced at the small wooden crates piled atop the carriage beds. He didn’t let his resignation show on his face even once. 

This merchandise, ordered directly from Sakaiya himself, was addressed to Cayna, who had decided to live in the remote village. Even an amount of this size rivaled the transport cost of other completely packed wagons. It was likely just as profitable, too. 

It was hard to believe that only a little while ago he’d been casually laughing with Arbiter, who joked that Cayna “sure wears a lot of hats.” The situation had quickly taken a turn for a worse; Elineh couldn’t help but click his tongue at how utterly unfair the world was. 

A monster attack had driven Elineh and his caravan into this corner. They’d experienced a similar dilemma not too long ago when Kenison ended up seriously wounded, although a lack of vigilance wasn’t to blame. 

This attack began shortly after the caravan crossed the Helshper border. One ogre and three goblins had appeared from behind, and Arbiter left with half his men to take care of them. The plan was for the caravan to wait a short distance away. 

However, this turned out to be a diversion meant to divide Arbiter’s forces. Five goblins appeared from the nearby forest, leaving the caravan no choice but to keep moving. The co-captain then decided it was best to drive the carriages faster and outdistance the monsters. 

Just as they were about to give the tenacious goblins the slip, the caravan arrived at the bridge. When the caravan had almost crossed, three ogres appeared on the opposite side. Even though the remaining mercenaries managed to fend them off, the goblins drew ever closer. In all likelihood, Arbiter wouldn’t be able to return to the caravan no matter how long they waited. Monster reinforcements would arrive and keep his group from getting back to the bridge. 

This wasn’t a strategy ogres or goblins, with their limited intelligence, could cook up—someone had to be pulling the strings in secret. The thought made Elineh shudder. 

At that moment, a giant creature passed over his head, and Elineh wondered if something outrageous might be happening behind the scenes. 

…With extreme unease, he questioned if he was thinking too much. They were still holding out within the limited confines of the bridge, but if monster reinforcements arrived here as well, the caravan would never last. 

Magic Skill: Load: Boa Lu Ludo: Strike, O Lightning 

It was then that salvation lent an outstretched hand. Several serpents of lightning crackled through the air from downstream, avoiding the bridge and carriages before striking three ogres that were fighting the co-captain and his men. 

Its destructive power was mind-blowing. The ogre that was struck at the shoulder instantly turned to ash from the waist up. The ogre struck in the stomach had its torso turned to ash, and it crumbled away; its only remains were the head and anything below the knee. Several bolts struck the last ogre all at once and left nothing but charcoal. 

When the co-captain, Elineh, and the others turned in the direction the spell had come from, they found Cayna floating in midair nearby. 

““Lady Cayna?!”” 

But there was no time to be shocked: Another bizarre incident occurred toward the back of the caravan. The surface of the river bulged, and pillars of water large enough to soak the entire line of carriages came bursting forth. Cayna had anticipated this, of course, and cast a barrier spell on the caravan, keeping things completely dry. 

The only ones affected were the goblins in the back row that had been causing trouble. Five were blasted into the river by water cannons before getting swept downstream and drowning. Even those remaining on the bridge were trampled by the water giants that appeared from the river. Not a happy ending for the goblins, either way. 

“Lady Cayna! I have a favor to ask!” the co-captain called when Cayna set foot on the bridge and kicked at the ogres that had turned to ash. 

“Oh, it’s the co-captain. You okay?” 

“I’m terribly sorry, Lady Cayna. Might I ask you to protect the caravan for a short while?” 

“Uh, sure, no problem.” 

Cayna wasn’t really sure what was going on, but she nodded. The co-captain spoke briefly to Elineh, then took his remaining men to race back the way they came. He shouted hoarsely, “Captain, please be saaaafe!!” 

Cayna saw them off while looking perplexed, and Elineh bowed his head. 

“Thank you very much, Lady Cayna. Because of you, both our people and goods are safe.” 

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m glad I just happened to be passing by.” 

“Gyaaararagh.” 

“Gyarararagh.” 

The two griffins screeched as they flew over to Cayna with the giant chess piece in tow. The creatures remained airborne, but the three children peeked out from the top of the chess piece. Among them was Lytt, who Elineh recognized. 

“So that’s what passed by us just now…,” he said. 

“We were on a bit of a sightseeing flight. Good thing we made it here in time,” Cayna replied. 

Elineh squinted at the airborne griffins. “Some rather frightening creatures you’ve brought sightseeing with you.” 

“They’re not scary at all. I think they have you beat in fluffiness, Elineh.” 

“…‘Fluffiness’?” 

Cayna’s eyes glinted with a light like that of a bird of prey. Every strand of fur on Elineh’s body stood up in fear, and he instinctively backed away. 

“…Ah.” 

Cayna’s face fell in disappointment, and she didn’t push it any further than that. 

They couldn’t stay on the bridge forever, so the caravan crossed to the other side for the time being. They stopped the carriages in an open area, and Cayna heard the rundown of events. Afterward, she introduced Elineh to Luka. Lytt and Latem stayed on top of the chess piece since they had no idea what was going on, while the griffins rested their wings nearby. 

“Oh, are you Lady Cayna’s daughter?” Elineh asked. 

“…I’m…Luka,” the girl mumbled softly. She dipped her head and stuck close behind Cayna. 

“My name is Elineh. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

Cayna was pleased to see Luka giving a rare introduction without prompting. Elineh could sense her deep, doting adoration of the girl, and the corners of his mouth lifted. 

“At any rate, is it rare for ogres to do this sort of thing?” Cayna asked. 

“Well, they don’t typically employ such advanced tactics. But let’s discuss it further when Sir Arbiter returns and everything has calmed down.” 

In the game, monsters commonly worked in groups during certain types of quests. Elineh’s explanation contradicted that, so Cayna wasn’t quite sure what was going on. 

“Gyararagh.” 

As she pondered, one of the griffins standing guard for its master let out a warning cry. It had spotted the raucous mercenaries crossing the bridge. 

At the head of the group was Arbiter, who stiffened when he saw the creature. He approached the caravan hesitantly, but the tension on his face drained in relief when he caught sight of Cayna. Luka hid behind her, frightened by the rough-looking men. 

“Nice work, Arbiter,” said Cayna. 

“H-hey, miss.” 

“Thank you so much, Lady Cayna. I appreciate your help.” 

The co-captain expressed his gratitude, sent the men to their stations, and prepared for the caravan to advance. Arbiter took notice of Luka but didn’t force any introductions on her. 

“Was anyone injured?” Cayna asked. 

“Nah, we’re all doin’ just fine. Barely even a scratch on us.” 

The most severely injured seemed to be Kenison, whose left arm was wrapped in bandages. When Cayna approached him with a look of You again? he stuck out both arms and waved them around to prove how okay he really was. 

Having determined the caravan and mercenaries would be fine without her, Cayna took Luka back to the top of the chess piece. 

“I’ll be waiting at the village, so let’s save our discussion for then,” she called out to Elineh after giving the griffins the order to take off. 

The beasts obeyed their summoner’s command and produced powerful gusts of wind as they ascended. Cayna’s group set off for the remote village, and Arbiter watched them leave with a noticeably disgruntled expression on his face. 

“The heck? She’s not nearly as chummy as usual…” 

“I’m afraid that little girl has us beat.” 

Elineh burst into laughter, not the least bit surprised at how much of a mother hen Cayna turned out to be. Arbiter was left bewildered. 

The number of scouts increased, and vigilance was heightened, so they were prepared in the event of a second attack by the same monsters. Thus, the caravan was already in the village by the time night fell. Before it grew too late, Elineh set off to pass his goods to their recipients at Lux Contracting and did a double take when he saw the sign proudly displayed out front. 

Cayna stopped by the inn that night and, for some reason, brought Roxine with her. Luka had fallen asleep early from the day’s adventure, and Roxilius had stayed behind to mind the house. Roxine decided to join Cayna for more violent purposes: “No one will dare make a pass if I pummel them first.” 

Roxine was strikingly attractive, so naturally, a few brazen mercenaries attempted to pick her up. However, she pummeled any triers one by one without a shred of emotion. 

Her responses were as follows: 

“Try again once you’ve got a new brain.” 

“Are you only able to talk to women when you’re that drunk?” 

“Don’t come near me with your disgusting breath. How utterly filthy.” 

“It appears to me you don’t have the funds to support a wife and child.” 

And so on. 

Each barb had a grain of truth to it, and that only crushed the men’s hearts further. Roxine didn’t pummel them so much as skewer them straight through. The suitors’ ships sank like rocks. 

“Hey, miss. This maid of yours some sorta demon?” 

Arbiter had initially cautioned his men not to “go overboard” as he watched the drunken spectacle unfold, but Roxine ended up freaking him out after she had verbally harpooned his subordinates into a pile of corpses. 

“Ah, she’s related to a friend of mine,” Cayna explained. “They’re basically cut from the same cloth.” 

Roxine’s spitfire spread until the village’s bachelors were clutching their hearts with hung heads as well. Some even hurried home without even a drink, claiming their mothers were super-strict. Marelle was exasperated by the carnage. 

“Honestly! You’re all a bunch of cowards if this is what a little rejection does to you,” she griped. 

Rather, she seemed more exasperated with the men themselves. 

Cayna put a hand to her heart in relief that Marelle didn’t say Roxine was obstructing business. 

“Hey, innkeeper! Keep that ale flowin’!” Arbiter called. 

“It’s not ale—it’s beer. I got it from Cayna,” Marelle replied. 

Arbiter seemed to take a great liking to the beer, and when he demanded more of it, Marelle explained its origins. 

“What did you say?!” Elineh yelled. “Lady Cayna, I ask that you tell me every detail!” 

“I’d expect no less of you, Elineh. You’re always quick on the draw.” 

Cayna could only smirk at how Elineh instantly jumped at this. “Sorry, Elineh. I’m already discussing sales and materials with Caerick.” 

“Hmm, the Sakaiya owner himself, you say…? In that case, I’d simply like to request priority rights.” 

Apparently, he expected to be one of Sakaiya’s retail outlets. 

“Isn’t that a bit hasty?” 

“Whatever do you mean? Your ale has a clean taste the likes of which has not been seen before. There will undeniably be a demand for it.” 

“It’s not ale—it’s beer.” 

Elineh seemed highly interested. He wasn’t the only one, either; given how his caravan companions and the members of the Flame Spears were guzzling it down, it was obvious they felt the same way. 

Roxine’s sharp tongue sent home a number of the villagers who had come in for an evening drink, and the caravan was doing a great job of making up for any lost customers. There were endless orders of snacks and side dishes to go along with the alcohol, so Luine and Lytt were swamped running back and forth between the counter and seats. 

Even this calmed down once people started getting smashed. And like the previous day’s proceedings, Cayna helped send the drunks to their rooms. 

“Now then, these packages are for you, Lady Cayna.” 

Five wooden boxes the size of orange crates from Elineh’s caravan had been brought to Cayna’s doorstep. The contents made a stiff rattling noise and were unbelievably heavy. She stopped Roxilius from fetching the pliers and instead unsheathed her Rune Blade, cutting off one of the lids with a single slash. 

Shocked at the sudden show of such incredible skill, Elineh smirked and said, “Well, you are Lady Cayna, after all.” No matter what came flying at him, he was likely to just go along with it. His attitude reminded Cayna of her veteran gaming friends who’d quit Leadale; her gaze grew distant. 

The boxes were packed with small, dark-gray pieces of ore. Based on the magical reactions, the rest of the boxes were all filled with the same thing. 

“Stones?” Elineh said curiously. 

“Wow, I mentioned only a couple of specifics and just look at how much he got! Goes to show how skilled Caerick is at this.” 

Cayna stared in admiration at the five boxes filled with magic rhymestones. She’d told Caerick nothing more than “It needs to be able to hold magic” and “It needs to react to magic,” yet he’d been able to gather this many. How could she not be impressed by such talent? 

Even to Elineh’s trained eye, they appeared to be no different than the stones one would find by the roadside. He’d never imagined a product with such a high transport fee would be a bunch of rocks, and he grew a bit dejected. Cayna, however, was becoming more excited with every lid she opened, so he concluded there had to be something unusual about them. 

To distinguish these from any other stone, one needed Magic Skill: Appraisal. Caerick must have had players, or at least those of similar standing, in his employ. That alone had made it simple for Cayna to obtain these magic rhymestones, and her opinion of her grandson rose drastically. 

She took a magic rhymestone out from one of the boxes, performed Synthesis to expel its impurities, and transformed it into a drab, perfectly round ball about five centimeters in diameter. 

Craft Skill: Install: Flame 

The ball instantaneously turned red in Cayna’s hand, and both Elineh and Arbiter watched with puzzled looks on their faces. She plopped the ball on the ground and asked Elineh a question. 

“Elineh, could you give a command for me? Please don’t look at me when you do.” 

“Ah yes. Ummm, what should I say?” 

“‘God, please grant us fire.’” 

Elineh faced the ball with some dubiousness and said the phrase as Cayna requested. The moment he did so, a pillar of fire nearly three meters tall came bursting forth. It was a simplified magic circle that would set an attribute and password in a single step and activate with a set amount of MP. It was an extremely versatile item that could be used in weaponry and armor for battle or in objects to help make daily life easier. A good example of this was the wand she had recently obtained from the bandits, which could release up to ten balls of fire. Many creators of such weapons would set a password and, since the MP couldn’t be recharged, treat them as disposable. 

However, the item’s power changed depending on the level of its creator. As someone whose magic was unparalleled within the game, Cayna created weapons whose value were nothing to sneeze at. The magic rhymestones had also been very handy in the dungeons and her guild home as well as in different seasons and environments. One drawback was that there were some who thought it was a good idea to recreate a lava zone or the Arctic. 

The highest caliber of this magic rhymestone was embedded in the Guardian Towers. Players had unlimited design choices, but since their construction was manually controlled by the Admins, the magic rhymestones had a permanent effect. However, only those with the title of Skill Master could use magic rhymestones of this caliber. The Admins couldn’t have known they would be brought to a different world. 

The lighting in Cayna’s home also used these and could be turned on and off at a snap of the fingers. 

The caravan workers and mercenaries who brought the boxes were shocked to see the tower of fire rise before them. They fearfully peeked at it as they took cover and put distance between themselves and the ball. 

She hadn’t added that much MP to it, so the fire was quick to extinguish. However, Cayna realized her error and said, “Sorry for startling you.” 

There were indeed many uses for the magic rhymestones, but people like Cayna had too many uses for them. She would go to Caerick for guidance on how they might be marketed. Cayna then asked Roxilius to put them away in the storeroom. 

“I see. So items such as these were widely distributed long ago?” Elineh asked. 

“The stones were often put into swords and equipment. People mostly used them in…dungeons, I guess?” 

Elineh grimaced and made a strange expression that said he wasn’t familiar with every word in that sentence. 

Just then, Lytt and Latem skipped in. They had probably come to invite Luka to play as usual. 

“Good morning, Miss Cayna! Is Luka here?” Lytt asked. 

“Good morning, you two. She’s almost ready, so wait just a minute.” 

“I want her to teach us how to make flower crowns again. I hate bein’ the only one that doesn’t get it,” said Latem. 

When the top half of Luka peeked from the doorway, the two ran to her in greeting. They then took her hands and headed for the well at the center of the village. Although Cayna would be out of her sight, the children would give Luka a crash course in going solo. 

Cayna wasn’t entirely sure whether she was sad or happy Luka was learning to play without her nearby. She had no clue that, only a few hours later, she’d deeply regret letting them go. 

“Well then, Lady Cayna, please sign this receipt.” 

“You’ll be taking this all the way back to Caerick, right? That’s almost a month’s round trip. Don’t you find that difficult?” 

“The process is indeed taxing. However, this is the sort of work I’m best suited for.” 

“But you have such a nice shop,” Cayna said as she passed him the signed receipt. 

“Oh, so you paid us a visit,” he replied, beaming. “Thank you very much.” 

“What’d you think, miss? The boss’s place is pretty great, right?” 

Arbiter cut in and ruffled Cayna’s hair. After prying his hand off, she grinned and told Elineh, “I did some lovely shopping.” 

“Wonderful, wonderful. Customer satisfaction is our top priority,” Elineh said with a sprightly nod. Behind him, Arbiter was gripping his hand in agony. The other members who had been watching agreed that tearing off his skin was a most suitable form of payback. 

Afterward, they discussed the recent state of product distribution and the possibility of Sakaiya transporting casks of alcohol. The co-captain, village elder, and Lottor soon joined them. 

“Finally here, eh?” said Arbiter. 

“It’s rare for you to be early, Captain…,” his co-captain replied. 

“Ain’t it worrying we got ambushed again?” said the elder. 

“My apologies for making you wait,” added Lottor. 

Since they hadn’t been able to come up with countermeasures against the ogres the day before, even the village elder was called to join the discussion. After all, on top of the caravan being attacked a second time, it was confirmed that the monsters were moving systematically. Depending on the circumstances, the plan was for the Flame Spears and Cayna to work together to subjugate them. 

“We shall leave some of our own men here to keep watch outside the village,” the co-captain explained. 

“I have Rox and Cie, so we’ll be fine, right?” 

“Those two kitties won’t be able to handle a whole horde of monsters. The problem here is that we’ve got no clue how many are left,” Arbiter argued. 

“You defeated three ogres and five goblins yesterday, Lady Cayna,” said Elineh. “The rest retreated when you injured their boss.” 

For some reason, they were holding the meeting in front of Cayna’s house. Roxilius brought out a table, and Roxine provided tea. After a noisy debate, it was decided who would go subjugate the monsters and who would stay to protect the village. 

Arbiter and his most elite forces would be the subjugation group, while the co-captain and remaining men would serve as defense. When Cayna proudly boasted that Roxilius and Roxine would be more than enough protection, the mercenaries flared up and shouted, “What can a little boy and girl do?!” After Arbiter replied with “Let’s hurry up and put ’em to the test,” a mock battle was set between Roxilius and the men who had been quick to lash out. 

The group moved to the village entrance, and everyone gathered in droves. Their stage would be a spot some distance away from Lux Contracting. There was nothing in the area except for, well, the caravan wagons. 

“What do you think, Cie?” 

“Obviously that stupid cat will be victorious. I know all too well just how strong he is. And these shrimps think they stand a chance against that foolish feline? Such an utterly pathetic spectacle. If left to me, I would send those men’s heads flying.” 

“Uh, well, it’s a mock battle. Taking each other’s heads isn’t the point.” 

This conversation infuriated some of the mercenaries who overheard, but they kept their mouths shut after witnessing the results of the mock battle. 

It was an overwhelming victory for Roxilius. Each opponent who went toe-to-toe with him lost in only moments as he held them down with his short sword pointed a hairsbreadth away from their necks and hearts. Understanding now that the village needed these two, Arbiter decided he would leave with his select elites, including those who had lost the mock battle. 

As far as Arbiter was concerned, Cayna was just a young lady who happened to be moderately skilled in magic and close combat. But in truth, she had enough magic power to destroy a nation; if she used any of the fearsome techniques she gained from Opus, she could decimate the entire mercenary squad in combat. Cayna was choosy when it came to revealing the full extent of her capabilities. 

“…Say, Sir Aribiter—I have a question for you,” Elineh said. 

“You’re not gonna tell me you wanna come, too, are ya, boss?” 

“Do you know where to find our foes from earlier?” 

“““………””” 

At Elineh’s simple question, the mercenaries who had thus far been in high spirits fell into silence. Arbiter very obviously averted his gaze. 

They didn’t know the answer to one of their most crucial remaining problems: the location of the ogre stronghold in question. 

“Arbiter, were you going to leave without knowing where their hideout was…?” Cayna asked. She thought to herself with horror, I’m right, aren’t I? 

“We were so busy runnin’ around yesterday that I didn’t have time to think that far,” he answered. 

Cayna had been focused on her sightseeing flight and prioritizing the children’s safety. Naturally, she wouldn’t have thought to look for some hideout in the woods. 

“Do you have any leads, Lottor?” she questioned. 

“I’ve never stepped that far into the woods myself.” 

Since Lottor had only been as far as the forest entrance, he couldn’t begin to guess where it might be. The villagers had only their bows, traps, and own two hands, so it would be harsh to expect any more of them. 

Elineh took out a map, and Arbiter and the others gave their guesses. They concluded the hideout was someplace surrounded by trees with an easy water source and free from prying eyes. This led them to a riverbank deep in the forest right in front of the tower of the evil witch (to Cayna’s tears and dismay). 

It was indeed a location that made it easy to attack people crossing the bridge while staying hidden. 

Just to be sure, Cayna tried confirming this with her own skill. 

Special Skill: Oracle 

Will this even work with the Admins gone? 

She tilted her head in puzzlement, but this was the best skill to use when dealing with murky information. 

For some reason, Li’l Fairy flew out right in front of her. She held out her hands and kept her feet perfectly together to form a cross pose. With a serious expression, she then closed her eyes and began glowing with a faint phosphorescence. 

Cayna had no idea what was going on, but she didn’t think she’d get an answer even if she asked. For the time being, she decided to let the fairy do as she pleased. Of course, no one else saw what was happening. 

“Please bear with me for a minute, everyone.” 

“What’s goin’ on? Can you read the future now, miss?” Arbiter asked. 

“Ha-ha-ha… Well, something like that. Some strange things might happen, but please don’t let it get to you.” 

“““Strange things?””” 

They all looked at Cayna in wonder as she produced a crystal ball the size of a human head from out of nowhere. 

In the old game world, it was a skill said to have the strangeness of Special Skill: Oscar—Roses Scatter with Beauty in reverse. 

It would answer five of a player’s questions. As for how it responded… 

“Is there an ogre nest within about sixty kilometers of here?” 

Ding! 

The happy little electronic noise that suddenly rang over their heads flustered all present. Anyone would be taken aback when an unfamiliar sound popped right over their head from the blue sky above. It was programmed to be audible to anyone around the player. As a function in the game, it was used by many to check crossword puzzles they’d completed in the real world. Why anyone would bring a physical game to kill time inside a VRMMORPG was another question altogether… 

In other words, it was a skill one could ask questions. To use it, there were several conditions. 

First, the caster had to ask a clear question. 

Second, they had to use the crystal ball. 

Third, they had to ask under a blue sky. 

Incidentally, she had specified sixty kilometers because that was the approximate distance between the village and her Guardian Tower. 

“Is it to the south?” 

Bzzzt! 

“Is it north of here?” 

Ding! 

“Is it a cave?” 

Ding! 

“I’ve always wondered: I don’t actually need the crystal ball for this skill, do I?” 

Boooooo—! 

“……What the heck? That was scary.” 

Cayna had continued asking her questions while paying little attention to everyone staring up at the empty sky in confusion. In the end, it only further supported Arbiter’s guess. Roxine, however, seemed to get a kick out of that last answer, and she trembled with laughter. 

As the skill ended, Li’l Fairy wiped the sweat off her forehead with a look that said her work was done. It seemed a bit like she’d done long years of hard labor. 

Although Cayna had asked for a sixty-kilometer radius, they were hardly nineteen kilometers from the Ejidd River. By her estimation, the hideout wasn’t far away at all. In Arbiter’s opinion, with Cayna’s help, they’d arrive by the afternoon. 

“Arbiter, you sure are quick to treat people as your personal handymen…” 

“Nah, it’s not like that at all. I just go with all my options. That’s only natural for an adventurer, right?” 

“Sure, but it would have been nice if you planned on using those many methods in the first place.” 

After she sent a Wind Spirit on patrol, Cayna then summoned a kirin that looked exactly like the logo of a certain beer. Incidentally, the hiragana in its name, which were normally hidden in the mane and tail, were gone. It was about the size of a donkey, and its feet strangely hovered above the ground. 

Naturally, Arbiter and the others had never seen one before. The creature had a majestic presence, so they surrounded it from a distance. 

“What’s that, Miss Cayna?” 

Nudged on by his fellows, Kenison asked what they all were wondering. Although he’d be staying behind to protect the village, next to Arbiter, he was one of the mercenaries Cayna got along with best. Whenever Cayna did something, the poor soul was the first one put in the line of fire to ask questions. 

As Cayna stroked the kirin’s mane and told it “I’m counting on you,” she tilted her head at everyone’s wariness. 

“This is a kirin. You don’t know them?” 

The mercenaries, Elineh, and Lottor all shook their heads. 

Back in the Game Era, the kirin was categorized as a Rare Monster, but it wasn’t all that well-known now. After all, not only did it inhabit the special Heaven area, it also a noncombatant character with no level. However, it had a number of unique skills unavailable to players and was highly useful in the right time and place. Since it was so special, the downside was that players who summoned it had to deal with a number of limitations. Even so, the truth was that completing its search quest on one’s own proved extremely helpful. 

After going over their predeparture checklist, Cayna parted with Arbiter, who was preparing his men to split up, and left with Roxine to look for Luka. 

They soon found the children whispering to one another at the back of the bathhouse. 

“Luka?” 

“…?!” 

“Uwagh?!” 

“Kyaah?!” 

As soon as Cayna called out to them, the three jumped into the air before falling on their bottoms. She helped them up and apologized. 

“Sorry about that.” She looked Luka in the eyes and crouched to pat her head. “I’m afraid I’ll be away for a little bit. If anything happens, go to Cie, okay?” Cayna said slowly with a regretful look. 

Luka’s eyes grew round with shock, and she trembled as she looked at Roxine behind Cayna. 

“I cannot say I am as capable as my master, but please come to me at any time, my lady.” 

“D-don’t worry, Miss Cayna!” 

“Y-yeah! She has both of us.” 

Lytt and Latem hurriedly took both of Luka’s hands and nodded repeatedly. 

Cayna gave Luka another hug and a light pat on the back before asking the other two to look after her. She then set out. 

Lytt and Latem gave deeeeep, simultaneous sighs. When they noticed the chilly stare coming from Roxine, who had remained behind, they repeatedly said, “It’s nothing,” and led Luka to the shadow of the building. Roxine, who essentially didn’t care about anyone except her master and Luka, returned home to finish her chores. 

“Okay, Rox, watch after the village for me.” 

“Right. Please leave the young lady to me as well.” 

Roxilius, the village elder, and Marelle saw part of the mercenary group off at the entrance. The rest were already scattered here and there throughout the village. Arbiter and the others were well-prepared as usual, and those who would be acting as shields were dressed in full plate armor. 

In addition to her same old Fairy King Robe, Cayna had the magic staff affixed to her ear as usual and the Seven-Colored Crystal Ball floating next to her. Since one single orb alone released tremendous magic, Arbiter trembled at the thought that it might be some equipment saved for the most decisive of battles. 

The Seven-Colored Crystal Ball automatically amplified one’s magic. It was created with the Silver Ring in mind but was an item that could be used only for defense related to cost and specs. 

As long as their foe wasn’t a player, this would likely be enough. Probably… 

“True north is that way.” 

“Well then, kirin, lead us on.” 

Cayna compared her intended route to the map of the area she’d drawn up with Kee earlier. The Ejidd River cut the continent in half diagonally, so her Guardian Tower was toward the southern end of the river. The main road to Helshper continued northwest, so the path leading true north would cut straight through the forest. That was Cayna’s aim, and she showed the kirin which way to advance. The creature did as it was bidden with a nod and ignored all existing roads as it set off for the forest. Her plan was to compile the information the Wind Spirit had gathered from its patrol and continuously alter their course. 

“H-hey, miss. You plan on cuttin’ straight through the forest?! That’ll take forever,” said Arbiter. 

“Well, I’ll figure it out as I go along, so please follow very close behind me.” 

Arbiter and the others certainly had their doubts, but their eyes grew large when the forest avoided the kirin’s footstep and split apart. As they continued on as a group, the foliage behind them returned to normal. Large trees, thorny shrubs, even weeds and underbrush opened a path for them. To the men, the girl putting this kirin to work was more of an illusionary angel than the beast itself. 

“Kirin, please use March.” 

The kirin nodded at her command, and a green wind blew from its body and enveloped everyone. One might say it was as if they were being pressed forward inside a hollow tube or caught in a wind tunnel. Her magic seemed to have evolved since last time, and there was no question they were quickly blowing past their surroundings. 

It felt like they were in a wind tunnel that carried their troops forward, and Arbiter wondered in panic what they’d do if they couldn’t escape. 

“What? You found it?!” 

Those feelings were blasted away by the harried voice of the very person who had put them in this situation. 

Shortly before the subjugation unit left the village: 

Lytt and Latem had suddenly swept Luka away, and after speaking with Cayna, the trio held a secret strategy meeting in the shadow of the bathhouse. 

“I found it yesterday,” said Latem. “It wasn’t that far from the village.” 

“We can check it out and be back in no time!” 

“?” 

Latem and Lytt were strangely excited; Luka, meanwhile, had no idea what they were talking about. She felt bad raining on their parade, but tugged on Lytt’s clothes and cocked her head curiously. 

Luka never said much to begin with, but the two had been spending so much time with her recently that they knew all her quirks. They patted her shoulders in reassurance. 

“Hey, we were told earlier to find a spot where Cayna can’t see us, right?” said Latem. 

“We saw one when everyone was flying yesterday. It’s a field full of flowers,” said Lytt. 

“Let’s go there for just a bit while Cayna’s away and make some pretty flower crowns!” 

“…But…it’s dangerous,” Luka murmured with her head hung low. Latem showed her a blue, tear-shaped jewel. Lytt had never seen it before, either and peered in wonder. 

“Heh-heh-heh. I took it from the shop without asking. It’s for charms.” 

And it was a popular charm item, too. Walk into any town, and you’d see a commodity like this one carried everywhere from small tool shops to open-air stalls. You needed at least five of these jewels just to draw a pentagram; alternatively, you could create a safety dome around a specific area using many of these charm jewels. A single jewel had the power to temporarily ward off monsters, but it wasn’t very potent. Shops normally sold these in sets, but children who never left their village couldn’t discern what a single piece entailed. Latem had taken trips outside the village before, but he had never handled such an item and had no clue as to how it worked. 

Lytt and Latem had never personally experienced the threat of a monster, so they took an optimistic approach. They knew Cayna would be mad Latem took the jewel charm but never once thought their ignorance would put them in danger. 

A calm had settled over the villagers ever since Cayna, their all-important, unbeatable protector, had moved in; with her around, they felt the monsters wouldn’t dare try anything. Of course, the village elder disapproved of such sentiments, and hunters like Lottor, who experienced the dangers lurking beyond the village firsthand, remonstrated the adults. However, the children themselves dealt with none of this. After a string of coincidental misfortunes, Latem and Lytt’s pride had manifested as baseless confidence. 

Only Luka, whose home had been destroyed, feared the monsters. Thus, she realized something about Latem and Lytt’s plan to “make crowns in a flower field where Cayna won’t find us” didn’t add up: 

If Cayna isn’t in the village right now, why can’t we make flower crowns here? 

Latem and Lytt were blinded by their excitement, but Luka could do nothing to stop them, and she simply watched them prepare. In the end, Latem forcefully insisted, “No telling the adults!” so Luka couldn’t even say anything to Roxine. Lytt pushed her forward, and they sneaked out of the village. 

Luka gripped the pendant she’d received from Cayna, who had told her to ask it for help if anything happened. The girl prayed Cayna would protect her friends as well. 

Roxilius returned home from his routine morning and evening patrols of the village to find a displeased Roxine standing at the entrance. He frowned. Her expression was dark, her arms were crossed, and her stance was that of a wrathful god. She was looking around sharply for no apparent reason. That piercing glare was enough to take out the chickens roaming freely about the village. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“I had plans to cook with Lady Luka, but I don’t see her anywhere. You’ve been going around the village as usual, right? Didn’t your stupid eyes see her?” 

Like always, it was hard to tell whether she was asking him for help or making fun of him. However, considering this was her default mode, pressing further was a fruitless endeavor. 

Roxilius thought back to the route he’d taken that morning. He had cleaned the men’s section of the bathhouse and repaired the roof of one house as requested. He had received simple snacks as thanks. He’d also done a round of patrol outside the village but spotted nothing more than a few small monsters. When they made eye contact with him, they trembled and ran away. He also visited the usual fields but neither heard nor saw the children playing about as they normally did. 

“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen her, either.” 

“Our master just left, and you’ve already messed up? We have to find her quickly and make sure she’s safe. You’re the only one getting punished for this, Rox.” 

If Luka wasn’t in the village, it was possible she had gone outside. Even if the danger in the area was minimal, that wasn’t to say there weren’t any monsters at all. Roxilius went around each house to check again when Mimily called to him from her bathtub golem. 

“Ah, there you are. Hey, mister! You live with Cayna, don’t you?” 

“That is correct. Am I right to assume you are Lady Mimily, the mermaid laundress?” 

“Uh, well, yes. That whole I-don’t-care-about-anyone-but-my-master attitude is no good, though! Even if you speak politely, I get the message!” 

He could handle Roxine well enough but hearing such comments vexed Roxilius. He treated all the villagers with reverence, but deep down, he never had any intention of getting to know them. For better or for worse, Roxilius and Roxine were created to serve Cayna. Even so, he had never expected those feelings to be uncovered after only a few encounters. 

“Is that all you wished to tell me? I’m in quite a rush, so if you’ll excuse me…” 

“Ah! Wait, wait!” Mimily called to Roxilius as he was leaving. “You’re looking for Lytt and the others, right?!” 

Mimily flailed in a panic, and the water from the bathtub splashed around everywhere. 

“That’s correct. Do you know where they might have gone?” 

“I heard voices coming from near the bathhouse not long ago. They said something about ‘flowers’ and ‘going outside.’ It sounded like a conversation between three people. I had a bad feeling and tried calling to stop them, but they were gone. I thought I had no choice but to go to them directly, then I saw you running around…” 

Mimily’s voice trailed off. Roxilius felt utmost respect for her; even though mermaids couldn’t walk on land, she had left the bathhouse out of concern for the children. 

“I appreciate the information, Lady Mimily.” 

“Huh? Sure…” 

Roxilius faced her again and bowed low. It was the sincere bow of a butler. After all, he had the feeling he owed her the greatest of thanks. 

Mimily froze, taken aback by his elegant gesture. 

Just as Roxilius switched directions and was about to set off, he said, “Ah yes,” and added a caveat. 

“It’s nice of you to search for the children, but I suggest you do not leave the village in that golem.” 

“…Huh?” 

“It is a creation of Lady Cayna’s in some way. There is a high chance it will transform in order to protect you.” 

“……What?!” 

That was the moment when the differences in their understanding of Cayna became evident. Mimily froze and stared at the tub she occupied as if it were something strange, and Roxilius ran off. If Cayna had been there, she would have no doubt loudly proclaimed, It’s just a transport golem! Moreover, this misunderstanding wouldn’t be dispelled until she returned to the village. 

As Roxilius moved to meet with Roxine, he was stopped by Marelle and Sunya, who were talking in front of Lux Contracting. 

“Hey there, what’s the big hurry? Somethin’ up?” Marelle asked. 

“A major and rather urgent incident has occurred. Have you seen Lady Luka?” 

In that instant, the two housewives’ faces fell. Their reactions further confirmed the information Roxilius had obtained from Mimily. 

“I haven’t seen Lytt around, even though it’s already almost noon.” 

“I’m terribly sorry. It seems my son Latem took a charm stone with him, so he’s likely using it…,” Sunya said, explaining that when it came to barrier-type charms, a single stone didn’t do much at all. 

Before she left, Cayna had instructed Roxilius and Roxine to help the villagers. After conferring with Roxine, Roxilius promised Marelle and Sunya that they would bring the children back home safely, then raced out of the village. 

The remainder of the Flame Spears who had been left behind paired up in groups of two and primarily guarded the village entrance and the outer perimeter. They never noticed the children cut through the thicket behind the engineering firm, wait for the perfect timing, and cross the main road. The three entered the forest on the opposite side and gingerly continued through the dim lighting. The atmosphere when actually entering the forest was completely different from looking at it from the sky above. 

The children’s path and footsteps were muddled, and the sun was at its zenith by the time they arrived at their destined flower field. It was a relatively open space, and in one corner, white and blue flowers grew everywhere. Yellow and red flowers could be found a short distance away. There was evidence that the center of the field had been dug up, and piles of dirt were already covered in weeds, grass, and ferns. This was where Cayna had sent the horned bear flying, its giant body mowing down trees and shrubs in a domino effect. 

After Latem made sure there were no dangerous creatures around the field, the three moved forward in a huddle. At the time, they took no notice of the upward and downward drafts of wind that any expert would have taken into account. Incidentally, it was an upward draft. 

Unaware of the situation they were in, the three formed a circle and began making flower crowns. They had to at least assign someone to be the lookout. However, expecting that much of clueless children would be rather cruel. Luka alone glanced around, but as she began instructing Latem, even she gradually grew lax. Captivated by the large, colorful flowers not found in the village, the three began making flower crowns in earnest. 

By the time they felt chills travel down their spines, it was too late. Hordes of beasts surrounded the field. 

Letting out screeches as they appeared from the trees to corner their prey were monsters known as gaur lizards, which had tan scales on their backs and stomachs. There were eight of them. These tawny lizards had long, slender legs like dogs, and they hunted in packs. Although the wings on their backs had only thin membranes, they were able to glide like flying squirrels. They primarily targeted weak creatures, so they didn’t approach clusters like the village. However, they didn’t stray far, either, and both people and animals would often meet their fate if they went astray. 

It would be very difficult for the children to escape a group of eight gaur lizards. And even if they did manage to do so, the monsters were fast enough to catch up with them. 

Now cornered, Latem bravely brandished a knife. However, his body was trembling badly. 

Lytt had never really left the village before, and while she did hear things from Lottor and Cayna, this was the first time she was actually seeing a monster in person. She felt fear course through her body; her face turned pale, and she stood frozen in place. 

Like the other two, Luka had turned white as a sheet and was shivering from head to toe. She instinctively gripped the pendant around her neck. She was very fond of it; Cayna had given it to her after they arrived in the village, and Roxilius and the others praised how cute it looked on her. Cayna had then told her, “If anything happens, ask that pendant for help, okay? It holds my greatest guardian.” 

With this embodiment of fear now upon them, Luka clutched the pendant tightly in a final, desperate hope. 

She prayed for help to come. 

“Help…us…Mommy Cayna…!” she whispered. 

 Understood. 

The next moment, a powerful voice suddenly echoed in the children’s minds. At the very same time, a white light surged from the pendant in Luka’s hand and engulfed the area. Its warmth washed over the children without burning their eyes. 

For the gaur lizards that had followed their natural instincts in search of prey, that light would spell their doom. 

No one knew if the moment lasted for a second or a minute. 

After the light settled, the children found themselves in the shadow of something enormous. They timidly looked up to find a large, white body towering over them protectively. 

The head was long enough to crush a whole house with ease, and silvery-white horns protruded from its temples. Its sturdy forelimbs had four sharp claws each that looked as if they might snap a large tree in half just from picking it up. Two legs that supported its massive size were firmly planted on the ground, and a thick, long tail grew between them. Its entire body was covered not in scales but in glistening white feathers. 

This was the guardian that Cayna, the overindulgent mother, had sealed within the pendant. A level-990 White Dragon. 

Four wings in sets of two unfurled from the massive dragon’s back; when measured from head to tail, the creature was as big as a castle. The eyes in its narrow sockets looked upon the children kindly, and the corners of its mouth lifted in a grin as if to say I’ll take care of this. 

Unlike the children, who were taken aback with shock, the gaur lizards had their tails between their legs in terror. The dragon was so huge that when they looked up at their opponent, they couldn’t get the whole picture. Even the magic power that enveloped the guardian was great enough to blur out the gaur lizards’ very presence. In fact, there was no point in even comparing them. 

The gaur lizards feebly cried out as they began retreating. The second the dragon took its eyes off them, they turned tail and dashed off. 

However, the White Dragon, which had been sealed inside the magical accessory, had been ordered to “eliminate anything that threatens Luka,” with “eliminate” being the operative word. 

The behemoth wasted no time in unleashing a mighty attack that would be considered savage for this modern era. With an enormous intake of breath, the light surrounding the dragon warped and converged inside its mouth. Rainbow light flashed between the gaps of the sharp fangs of its slightly open maw. The dragon dipped its head, extended its neck, and took aim at the small, pathetic animals (at least, from the White Dragon’s POV) that were attempting to flee. 

An instant later, its gaping mouth released an explosive beam of light—an attack called Prism Buster—and decimated everything in its path. 

An endless hail of rainbow-colored bullets about ten meters in diameter struck the ground, gouging out the earth and uprooting the trees. The light beams that trailed behind became an aurora that rose above the treetops and practically split the forest in two. 

The horde of gaur lizards desperate to escape were devoured by the rainbow bullets and vanished without time to let out anguished cries. Even though the targets had been destroyed, the bullets continued their trajectory through the forest for several more kilometers before growing smaller in diameter. Finally, their power ebbed, and they faded away. 

The White Dragon’s primary purpose was to engulf the targets and blast them to pieces, but it had toned down its attack to prevent the children from getting harmed. 

From what Luka and the others could see, valleys had appeared in the forest in a matter of seconds. 

“……A-awesome…” 

“…Y-yeah…” 

“………” 

Witnessing such unprecedented, ferocious might had left Latem, Lytt, and Luka at a loss for words. Cayna’s exceptionality as the creator of Luka’s pendant was a part of this as well. 

As far as Latem knew, even Helshper didn’t have anyone who could accomplish such a feat. 

The White Dragon above them slowly surveyed their surroundings. Its silhouette gradually faded to phosphorescence, then disappeared. At that very same moment, a crack formed in the pendant in Luka’s hand. The magic that had given it form turned to small particles of light reminiscent of fireflies and dispersed. 

Almost simultaneously, Roxine and Roxilius came rushing toward the children. When something as enormous as a White Dragon appeared, the pair knew that was where they would find who they were looking for. The creature was so massive that it could be seen from the village, and subsequently caused a huge uproar.