episode_0081

81.

“Levi-ssi, are you alright?”

“Yeah. Perfectly fine. I’m more worried about you.”

Levi’s crimson hair flutters in the breeze.

Blessed by the hero, she, a hero herself, was pregnant with Erina’s child and had been modified into a futanari.

It was her own decision, though there was some persuasion, but ultimately, there’s no problem.

As Erina said, she’s been modified into a futanari to spread the hero’s blessing.

“I’m fine. I’ve adapted to the weather here.”

“Haha. Considering that, you’re bundled up. Still, showing your chest is very you.”

Even Erina, who enjoys wearing thin clothes due to her unique coldness, had to concede.

However, she couldn’t give up her nun’s habit that revealed her cleavage, so she continued to wear it as is. It’s become a habit, but also, she finds it uncomfortable when her chest gets sweaty.

“Anyway, you wanted me to investigate, right?”

“Yes. I’ve already told Aries-ssi.”

“Great, great. I’m more than happy to. When should we leave?”

“Whenever you’re comfortable. I think you can leave once you’ve agreed with Aries-ssi.”

Levi burns with enthusiasm. Being suddenly dropped in a completely new region, her blazing adventurous spirit had been stubbornly refusing to die down.

Moreover, the prospect of unraveling the dragon’s secret ignited the adventurer’s soul within her.

“From Prim-ssi’s story, it seems quite a long time has passed. From her perspective, it’s recent, but….”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s fine. It’ll be fun.”

Erina explains Prim’s story once more.

Simply put, it seems there’s a wedge in this region that binds the dragon’s power. At the time, Prim apparently accepted this through some kind of deal.

However, due to the being’s immense power, it seems to be placing an undue strain on this space itself.

“We just need to find and pull out the wedge?”

“No, please don’t pull it out. Just ascertain its location and situation. However, I’ll leave the judgment up to you depending on the situation on the ground. I trust Levi-ssi.”

“Hearing you say that makes me blush―.”

“Luckily, we have some food left, so take that with you.”

Levi nods vigorously.

Her preparations are minimal. Changing out of her everyday clothes into her going-out clothes and packing food is all.

This is what being an adventurer is all about, Levi thinks.

“Oh, before we go. Please take these. It’s holy water I’ve been refining bit by bit. I’ve compressed and processed it into a kind of talisman.”

“Thank you. I’ll use it carefully. When did you even develop this?”

Carefully placing the compressed solid holy water in her bosom, she finishes her preparations for going out.

Still, she haphazardly stuffs various odds and ends into a small leather bag, just in case.

She securely fastens the bag to the belt of her chest-baring one-piece dress and hurries to Aries, who is waiting.

“…What’s all this?”

“Ah, you’re here? Ugh…. Hoo….”

Her eyes widen at the sight of the bag, which is almost as large as the small Aries.

Even if it’s all clothes and food, it doesn’t seem like it would take that long.

Despite being the height of a child, she is a white-haired girl older than Levi. A cute-looking girl, but not a particularly innocent or kind one.

It’s partly due to the attention she draws, but she has a somewhat sharp nature.

She’s older sister by age, but she acts like a younger sister.

“Can I open it?”

“Hey, be careful, be careful.”

Levi, unable to contain her curiosity, slightly opens the large backpack.

“Wow.”

First, she is amazed by its splendor, which surpasses the haphazard mess she just made, and it’s filled to the brim with strange, unfamiliar items.

Among them, she sees familiar objects, but they are all useless.

“Why is there a fork? And this is unnecessary too, and a folding chair? Why…? How did you even bring a portable altar?”

“Hmph…. Most of them are research tools? You can’t use them on bare ground!”

“Let’s take this out, and this too….”

“Hey, hey, hey! Careful, careful!!”

Despite Aries’s pleas, Levi relentlessly removes the seemingly useless items.

As she pulls them out, it becomes almost completely empty.

“Aries, I understand I’m excited, but you know how I am, right?”

“Hing….”

Levi’s words are right. Since they plan to stay here for a while, there’s no need to rush.

They could investigate step-by-step, but she can’t give up this large backpack.

“I’m taking the backpack. I have to collect materials. We might even get dragon materials.”

“Oh, um. Shouldn’t we just ask Prim for some of her hair or something?”

“……I don’t know! Anyway, let’s go.”

“Well, if it’s heavy, I’ll help you carry it. Shall we leave now?”

Aries has a slightly displeased expression, but no objections.

Their journey begins. Nobody knew that the Holy Land awaited them.

A chilling air fills their lungs, sending a cold wave through their bodies. The cold wind urges them onward.

The exhilarating feeling of this departure makes her heart pound. Levi, who believes that this thrill is the essence of adventure, couldn’t be happier.

Aries is calculating the most efficient way to proceed with the search. Physical strength is limited, and time is even more so; she’s devised the most perfect route possible.

Since she managed to obtain a map beforehand, all that remains is to adjust it in real-time according to the situation. Prim, being a dragon, showed no interest in the surrounding environment and was of no help.

Starting their journey with slightly different feelings—there’s no reason for things to go wrong.

Though their thoughts differ, their trust is the same, their hearts united.

Even as she plans the route, she meticulously observes and collects any materials that seem new.

Levi, in turn, matches her pace, using her wild knowledge to harmoniously follow Aries, enjoying it.

After walking for a while, Aries suddenly speaks.

“Um. I’ve been thinking, but I think Prim is the reason we were transferred here.”

“Really? I kind of felt that way.”

“It’s just a feeling for me too. But what kind of feeling did you…?”

Aries has deduced this through the flow of magic around them and the state of the ecosystem.

While not certain, she once heard of a powerful force distorting the environment. It’s not her specialty, so it’s just speculation, but it could fully explain the spatial distortion.

“Just intuition? It’s hard to explain.”

“That’s just like you…. Anyway, even though Erina’s relaxed about it, she’s like a bomb to me….”

“Won’t she just do it herself? Let’s leave that to Erina and go find the wedge, no, let’s go find it.”

“Th-… Kyaa!”

A sudden sensation causes Aries to let out a short scream. A hard texture with a chilling touch.

She quickly clings to Levi, who was facing her, observing the situation.

“A monster?”, Levi prepares to take out the holy water she received from Erina.

“Less a monster… more like a golem, an inanimate object, or something made of magic?”

The flow of magic is chaotic—a mistake from not properly assessing the situation. Her mind was elsewhere, so she didn’t pay close attention.

No, it’s also different from a typical magical entity. It’s hidden in the bushes and only after it moves can one be aware of its presence.

On closer inspection, it seems to be made of golem-like minerals, with unusual magic swirling inside.

“The first thing I realized is, I’ll tell you right away. It awakened in response to my magic, and it’s a dragon attribute.”

“Dragon attribute? Attributes are usually words attached to nature like fire and water, aren’t they?”

“Right. It’s the same. It means its unique magic is significant enough to be defined separately. I’ve only heard this in theory….”

“What’s the way to catch it, or avoid it?”

Levi assumes a stance, preparing to draw her sword. It’s better than a creature with will, even if it’s annoying to deal with.

This is probably also influenced by Prim.

The attribute she’d only heard of in theory during school. One of the few unique attributes in the world.

She had forgotten about it in the meantime, but she remembered it thanks to Prim.

“…Shall we just try hitting it?”

“Haha. Aries, I really like that about you.”

Levi moves slowly, observing her opponent. It’s small and slow-moving.

To test its reaction, she kicks several rocks with all her might.

‘No reaction…. It reminds me of when I met Hanna. There was something like that there, too. Different size, but….’

As it happens, Aries is having similar thoughts. She inadvertently wonders if this thing, like that golem, exists beyond this space, or if there’s some other connection.

However, it doesn’t seem to be guarding anything. It just lies there like a discarded doll.

“Maybe… we shouldn’t bother with it? It’s just standing there?”

“But… there might be some unknown danger, so wouldn’t it be better to eliminate it?”

Levi nods with a ‘That could be true’ feeling and draws her sword, advancing slowly, quickly, and methodically toward the magic entity with a simple but standard footwork.

With the rustling of grass, she instantly closes the distance, swings her arm, and extends her sword.

“Huh?”

“Uugh…!”

It doesn’t work. No, it’s strangely ineffective.

“This is… like that robe from back then!”

“Robe?”

Aries explains about a cloaked figure called a prophet.

“The source of that incomprehensible magic… was it a dragon?”

“In short, we can’t handle it, right?”

Aries nods.

“Luckily, it doesn’t react to attacks, so we don’t need to worry too much, but let’s mark it on the map.”

“Did you bring a map?”

“No…. I memorized it. I can easily store the route in my head.”

“Don’t say ‘store’ like that. It’s arousing….”

Aries shakes her head.

The magic entity continues to look around, but shows no will to fight. They decide to leave it be.

They will find the answer if they consult Erina later.

The journey towards the wedge continues.