I spent my days talking with Karen, sharing time with Mother, playing with Chocola, and laughing with Mint.
I stroked Pochi’s cheek, massaged Grandma’s shoulders, and just like that, a week flew by in the blink of an eye—
Until the day finally arrived.
My communication crystal vibrated, and the message came through.
Rick-san’s message was clear: 『Permission proceed granted.』
※※※
Everyone came to see us off at the usual meadow.
「Take great care of yourselves out there, all right?」
Grandma hugged each of us in turn with a gentle warmth.
「Mint, will good girl, okay!」
Mint dashed toward everyone, wrapping her small arms around their waists, her face glowing with unrestrained laughter.
「Kyururu!」
Pochi chirped energetically, easing the bittersweet mood of the gathering.
And it wasn’t just family.
Berde-san, Schnei-san, and Cliche-san.
Tomoe-san and Lila-san.
Novium-san, Spurudia-san.
Noah, Parker-san, and Dolce-san.
Each of them conveyed their feelings through their expressions and gazes, silently letting us know their support.
「If you have the chance, stop by the branch over there. I’ve made arrangements, but don’t let your guard down—they might already be compromised.」
「Understood. I appreciate it.」
Cliche-san exchanged logistical updates with Mother. I couldn’t help but notice how hard he worked. Balancing deference to Mother while maintaining her authority as Guildmaster must be exhausting.
「It’s frustrating not to be able to go with you. Stay safe.」
「You’ve done more than enough. Your presence here is a great comfort.」
Noah stepped forward and embraced me firmly, speaking on behalf of everyone.
Knowing that Berde-san and the others would watch over Mint in the city was a relief. And with Noah and Parker-san monitoring the Void Forest, I felt reassured. If any signs of Teikou appeared, they were prepared to respond immediately.
「Take care out there! Don’t let them push you around, Karen-chan!」
「Dolce doesn’t really get the whole marriage thing, but… yeah, castles in the sky aren’t Dolce vibe. I hope it works out, Karen-san!」
「In the Republic, there’s a saying: ‘Anyone who meddles in love affairs should expect to be gored by a Tarasque.’ Perhaps you should drag the culprit back and let Pochi have the final say.」
「Hmph… I kind of wanted to join the fun. Well, leave this place to us.」
The women surrounding Karen were practically fuming with righteous indignation. It seemed they were furious over some ‘unilateral engagement talk’, though their anger seemed different from my own.
…Wait, Tomoe-san? Pochi isn’t some savage beast, you know?
As we stood there, I caught sight of Novium-san looking at our equipment with a satisfied expression, while beside him, Spurudia-san watched with a slightly exasperated smile.
It crossed my mind that all this attention might make me more nervous, but more than that, I felt deeply grateful and happy to be supported by so many people.
「We’re really lucky, aren’t we?」
「Bark!」
Chocola wagged his tail cheerfully, and I gently patted his back.
「Alright, Ji Liz is waiting. Let’s get going.」
With that, I steadied my feelings.
Turning to face everyone one last time, we stood before the gathered crowd.
Mint was cradled in Grandma’s arms.
Next to her, Pochi stood quietly, as composed as ever.
And surrounding them were our dear companions.
Some waved their hands, others called out, a few nodded with folded arms, while others offered mischievous smiles. The reactions were varied, but not a single face showed any sign of worry—a testament to their trust in us.
Riding on Ji Liz’s back were Karen, Mother, Chocola, and me. As we waved to everyone, the massive dragon rose gently into the air.
「We’ll be back as soon as we can!」
As my shout echoed, Ji Liz spread her great wings and soared upward. The town of Sidera grew smaller and smaller in the distance.
※※※
Our destination lay to the southwest—an airspace near Helheim Valley, in the northern part of the Beastkin Territory.
Naturally, I’d never been there before, so the sights from Ji Liz’s back were entirely new to me.
「Human towns really are sparse, huh?」
「Was it different in your world, Sui-kun?」
「It depended on the place, but there were areas where buildings stretched as far as the eye could see, packed tightly together.」
「This region is remote. The royal capital is immense, and there are many towns in its vicinity.」
「We might visit someday… Sui-kun, are you nervous?」
「Of course I am…」
Mother, noticing the tension on my face, seemed to understand immediately.
「You don’t need to worry. It’s not such an impressive place.」
「Viole-sama’s right. The castle’s small, and the town around it is about the same size as Sidera. The buildings are more crowded together, but that’s it.」
「Still, it’s… a castle in the sky. I’ve only ever seen those in stories. And more importantly… do I really have to do that?」
「Of course. Didn’t I tell you yesterday? This time, it can’t be me or Karen—it has to be you, Sui-kun. That’s the only way.」
「Hmm. I want to see how cool Sui can be.」
「Don’t say things like that, it just makes it worse!」
Honestly, Mother wasn’t wrong—I was absolutely a bundle of nerves.
I’d managed to hold it together when everyone was seeing us off, but now that we’d taken off and it was all becoming real, the anxiety was hitting me like a tidal wave, making my heart race uncontrollably.
There was a reason for my unease.
Traveling to an unfamiliar land or stepping into another nation’s territory would be nerve-wracking enough on its own, but last night, Mother had given me a directive.
She told me how I should behave once we arrived—something like a mindset, or perhaps a performance.
In short, I was supposed to carry myself in a way that ensured I wouldn’t be underestimated at first glance.
That might sound simple, but for someone like me, who had mostly lived life without much pretense, it felt like a heavy burden to bear.
「You’ll be fine. Look at Chocola, for instance. So calm and carefree.」
「Kwaa… fssuuu.」
「You’re really something else, aren’t you?」
I couldn’t help but pout as I watched Chocola yawn and curl up lazily.
From the front, a deep chuckle rumbled.
「What’s so funny, Ji Liz?」
「Ah, forgive me. It’s just that, with you lot about to enter what might be enemy territory, you’re all acting so… normal. Sui, you claim you’re nervous, but to me, it doesn’t look that way.」
「I am nervous. I’m just talking a lot to cover it up.」
「Heh, when one feels true fear, even that kind of pretense becomes impossible.」
I had no comeback for that remark.
Ji Liz’s jagged teeth curved into a grin, his amusement apparent. His gaze remained fixed on the distant horizon as he continued.
「You and your family are truly a lively bunch. It makes carrying you on my back all the more worthwhile.」
With that, the dragon’s flight speed increased another notch.
Far ahead, the sky stretched endlessly, but the castle was still nowhere in sight.
My nerves refused to settle, and now my palms were clammy with sweat.
And yet—even so—the hardness of the scales beneath me and the reassuring faces of my family eased some of the tension.
The journey would take about four hours.
I’d use that time to steel myself for what was to come.
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