It was the second day of our expedition in the Storm Valley.
We finally set out to reach the summit of the cliff.
「When you look from here, it feels like it’s just right there.」
「The visible distance can be deceiving, especially on a rugged path like this.」
As Martina and Kiara discussed, it didn’t seem like there was much distance left. I thought we would arrive in less than an hour.
However, that notion was quickly challenged.
「Wow, this is definitely farther than I thought… I mean, isn’t it too far?」
The distance to the summit showed no signs of shortening.
It felt as if we were simply standing still, going nowhere.
「! Wait… could it be…?」
The moment the thought crossed my mind, I stopped in my tracks. The others noticed and rushed over.
「What’s wrong?」
「Charlotte… this is just a hunch of mine, but—are we just going in circles?」
「「「「「「Eh?」」」」」」
The six of them looked at me with bewildered expressions.
It was understandable.
We had been climbing a slope, yet if we weren’t getting any closer to the summit, it was possible that we were experiencing some sort of phenomenon.
「If we’re walking in the same place… it could be due to some kind of spatial distortion magic.」
「If that’s the case, we must break the spell to move forward.」
Kiara and Charlotte, the magic experts, began discussing how to overcome this potential spatial distortion based on my hypothesis.
—But then,
「There’s no need for complicated measures.」
Hanon said this as she patted Simone on the shoulder.
「We have a dragon that can soar through the skies, after all!」
「Y-Yeah! If it’s Simone-chan, she might be able to break through!」
Hanon and Martina turned their gaze toward a startled Simone, who stiffened at the unexpected attention.
「…It does feel a bit forceful, but maybe Simone can manage it.」
Simone, a member of the dragonkin, now appeared human like us, but her true nature was that of a powerful dragon capable of wielding the forces of water.
She had faced enormous monsters that were beyond our capabilities, and she might again become the trump card to save our party.
「Alright, I understand!」
Resolute, Simone transformed into her dragon form.
「Whoa!?」
The first to react was Ailia.
Come to think of it, this is her first time seeing Simone in her dragon form. It was a kind of rite of passage. We had all been surprised at first, but we had since grown accustomed to it.
「Okay! I’m counting on you, Simone!」
「Yes!」
Once in her dragon form, Simone spread her wings and soared into the sky—only to be met with a dull thud a moment later.
「What just happened?!」
I couldn’t immediately grasp what had occurred, but as soon as Simone took off in her dragon form, she abruptly stopped mid-air and transformed back into her human form.
「Is she in danger?!」
Martina screamed as she watched Simone plummet.
That snapped me back to reality, and I plunged my dragon tree sword into the ground, using the same method I had employed to save Kiara.
My aim was spot on.
The vines sprouted from the ground, catching Simone as she fell.
For now, she was safe…. but what on earth had just happened?
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