Published: September 9, 2025
It has already been a month since we were stalled in the city of Fau.
It would be nice if there were a path that bypassed the dragon-occupied mountain pass, but unless we could fly like birds, our only options were to return to Lesseu Count's Domain, cross the treacherous mountain range, and pass through Baron Muno's Domain on our way south, or take the northern route through a cluster of small countries and then through the Marquisate of Ellet.
Heading toward Baron Muno's Domain could take months, and going through the small countries was out of the question. No matter how much we insisted we weren’t here to fight, we were still soldiers of Count Seryu’s army.
"Ms. Zena, how about your side?" I asked.
"Unfortunately, all the shops have raised their prices since yesterday. I should have bought provisions on the first day we got to the city, even if it was tough," she replied.
Whether we chose the route through Baron Muno's Domain or waited for the kingdom army to drive away the dragons, we needed food supplies to resume our journey. However, the price hike was so severe that we couldn't secure enough. We even went directly to nearby villages to buy, but the cunning merchants had already bought up everything.
"Zena-chan!" a small figure waved at us from across the crowd.
Though I couldn’t see who it was, the way they called out could only belong to one person.
Lirio and Luu, who had gone out to scout the side paths, returned after ten days. It must have been quite a nuisance in the middle of such a crowded street, but we couldn’t resist embracing each other and celebrating their safe return.
"Welcome back, Lirio. Were the side paths usable?" I asked.
"They might be passable by people, but not for the civil officials or the maids," she said.
"Even soldiers would find it tough. I would have given up halfway if I had to wear my usual armor," added Luu.
If even Luu, who boasted great stamina, found it impossible, it would indeed be harsh on the civil officials.
"Also, we saw the dragon at the pass," Luu added.
"Was it a low-rank dragon after all?" I asked.
"No, actually—"
According to Luu and Lirio, it wasn’t a low-rank dragon. None of us had ever heard of a dragon with a vividly colored collar around its neck. Moreover, it apparently had no wings. Ms. Iona suggested, "It’s probably a sub-dragon type monster, like a wyvern or hydra."
"So, if we eliminate that, we can pass through the mountain pass?" I asked hopefully.
"In terms of size, it was even bigger than a real low-rank dragon, and it also spewed out a mist that melted rocks," Luu said.
Hearing it wasn’t a dragon was a relief, but Lirio and Luu’s description quickly deflated that hope.
"Did you find out why it’s stationed at the pass?"
"It seems to like the mandarin orange trees growing there. It was nibbling on entire trees and then taking naps," Luu explained.
Could it be a herbivorous monster? Since it also drank the melted rocks, maybe thinking about the monster’s diet was pointless.
For now, we decided to report to the captain and headed back to our temporary lodgings with heavy steps.
â—‡
Whenever I saw a young man with black hair in the crowd, I found myself following him with my eyes.
Though, considering when we departed, Mr. Satou shouldn’t be anywhere around here.
Huh? That black-haired person looks familiar—who was it again?
Lirio, following my gaze, suddenly shouted, "Ah! I found him!" and took off running.
"What’s gotten into Lirio?" I asked.
"You know, the kid who stood me up in Seryu City before," said Ms. Iona, helping me recall.
He was the one-armed man named Joy or Jomisu who taught people in Seryu City how to make croquettes and candy. I’m usually good at remembering faces, but I just couldn’t recall his name or face clearly.
"You left Seryu City three months ago, so why are you here? Didn’t you say you were going to make it big in the Labyrinth City?" I asked.
"Plans change, you know? I heard there’s a ruin on the outskirts of Zetsu Count's Domain, so I went to explore," he replied.