Category: Hazure Skill “Alarm”, jitsuwa fūin kaijo no nōryoku deshita. Ochikobore no shōnen wa, nemuri kara sameta megami-tachi to yasashī saikyō o mezasu

We were chasing two vessels from land. A warship called longship was leading the way, followed by a small boat. The road along the canal ended, and we were about to be pulled away.

Suddenly, a swordsman jumped onto the boat. What’s more, I recognized someone I’d seen before, so I couldn’t help but gasp.

“N-Nils?!”

The boat was taken over in an instant. The river pirates had been thrown into the canal or slashed, and only Nils was left standing.

Why?

How?

I was confused by his perfectly timed rescue.

Then the sound of chains rattling brought me back to reality.

 “Haha! Looks like we’ve got ourselves a free boat!”

Mia-san’s eyes gleamed. The chain-axe she threw wrapped neatly around the prow of the small boat.

“Hup!”

With a sharp pull, she hauled the boat toward the shore— likely using her skill, Immovable.

I pointed at the approaching vessel.

“Let’s take that one and go after them!”

With a thunderous thud-thud-thud, we leapt aboard the small boat. Just in time, two more allied boats appeared—manned by city guards.

This was where several canals converged. Their patrols must have been alerted by the commotion, so they gathered here. Including the boat Nils had stolen, there were three boats, each with a capacity of six people. They were just over five meters in size, but they still had oars and masts to set sail.

『Lion, we can still see the enemy!』

Solana’s voice came from the gold coin.

It seemed that the guards’ boats were similarly stationed at the exit to the lake. Water fences and small boats provided a brief delay. The warship, however, quickly broke through, gaining momentum.

“…Why are you all here?”

Felix-san handed the oars to Nils, who was still stunned.

“It seems we have the same goal.”

We’ll talk about that later. For now, all we have to do is row!

The makeshift fleet, including Nils, began to paddle down the canal. Calls echoed through the darkness of the night. Our speed rapidly increased.

I looked ahead and shouted.

“The enemy is moving fast!”

The warship was large. I thought we wouldn’t lose sight of it, but the night mist that hung over the lake gradually began to obscure its shape. I oared desperately, trying not to lose out to the tall people. But the agile enemy ship seemed to mock me.

“We’ve come this far…!”

My short sword trembled. The blade of blue crystal short sword glowed emerald-green.

“Wake up!”

The skill I instinctively called upon brought an incredible effect— after all, this little one is a spirit of wind.

“Whoa!?”

A strong tailwind suddenly surged against our sails, propelling the boat forward with a burst of speed. Mia-san and the others nearly pitched forward from the force.

When I glanced back, I saw it— a faintly glowing, greenish dog sprinting across the surface of the water.

“Woof!”

More wind rushed in. Felix-san raised his voice—

“Raise the sail!”

The canvas stretched wide against the night sky, swelling with the breath of the wind spirit, Sylph. With the oars and the blessing of the wind together, our speed surged.

The fleeing warship ahead of us began to grow larger—closer.

“W-what the hell’s going on!?”

“We can’t shake them off!”

Their curses drifted back to us across the water.

『Haha, this is splendid!』

『Normally, water spirits like undine handle such things but——』

『Wind serves just as well. Water and wind both nurture life so they go well together.』

The gods smiles at the excitement.

Thus the speed issue has been resolved.

“You…”

Breathing hard, Nils looked at me. His expression caught somewhere between astonishment and disbelief.

“W-who are you really?”

By now, we didn’t even need to row anymore. The wind alone was enough to keep us right on the enemy’s tail.

Felix gave me a subtle look.

If we caught up too soon, we’d lose the chance to “let them lead us to their base.” So, we stopped rowing on purpose and let the wind carry us forward.

“…My name is Rion. I’m with the Raven Warriors.”

Then I added, firmly.

“Just like you, I’m after the slave traders. My sister’s been targeted by them too.”

Neither Felix-san nor Mia-san stopped me from introducing myself. Well, if we were going to exchange information here, hiding who we were wasn’t an option.

Nils’s eyes widened. His gaze shifted to the two raven emblem on our cloaks, and after a moment, he gave a firm, thoughtful nod.

“…I see. So, two hunting dogs have sunk their teeth into the same prey at the same time, huh.”

His face was smudged with the soot of travel, yet even so, his features were strikingly handsome. Beneath the sweep of his golden hair, his expression softened for a brief moment.

“Looks like we’re a temporary party, then.”

At that, Felix-san spoke up.

“Tell us what you can. Were you already aware of this slave deal as well?”

“Yeah”

Nils replied.

I saw Felix-san’s narrow eyes widen slightly.

“I came to Flocia because I was told that the slave traders had a base here. There are people who pass information to me—reliable ones.”

That… then it means his network might be on par with, or even greater than, the Raven Warriors.

Considering he was once a noble, maybe he had special connections of his own.

“I also received word that a trade would be happening soon on the western side of the city. Tonight was only supposed to be a quick reconnaissance.”

Something about that made me pause.

Wait a second—this side is…

“This is the east side, right?”

I asked.

“Yes” Felix-san confirmed.

I discussed with Felix-san.

If he was searching to the east, how did he manage to meet up with us on the other side of town?

Nils lowered his eyes, fiddling with the sword at his waist.

“I got lost.”

The lake breeze blew through the boat.

“…It’s always been like this. I came to Flocia by river, and I couldn’t have gotten lost if I was on the river. I thought I was searching west, but I see, I was in the east.”

Mia-san’s mouth twitched.

“You’re an adventurer, right? H-how’s your dungeon dive doing?”

“I hardly ever go in. Actually, I only became an adventurer six months after my sister was kidnapped.”

We exchanged uneasy glances.

Is this really okay…? He seemed like such a reliable ally, but the more I heard, the more nervous I was getting!

“Look—there!”

One of the warriors pointed ahead.

Through the thin mist, faint torchlights began to flicker into view.

My voice trembled.

“…That’s the slave traders’ base in this city…?”

What we saw was nothing like the peaceful scene from the daytime.

Torches burned here and there, but the island itself—shrouded in darkness and fog—looked eerie, almost alive. The longship cut straight toward it without hesitation—toward that place.

Toward the Dungeon Island.

Felix-san set his staff against the deck, his expression hardening.

“They’ve realized they can’t win on open water. They’re gambling everything on escaping inside the dungeon. Which means—”

I swallowed hard.

The Flocia dungeon lay on an island in the middle of the lake.

“Their base… is inside the dungeon?”

“Most likely. If there’s an undiscovered exit within the dungeon, they could use it to shake off any pursuit.”

The Dungeon Island is in chaos now. Guards were visible along the shore, but they were trained to face monsters, not enemy warships. No one had expected an assault from the lake. The enemy vessel steered straight for a dark, gaping cavern ahead—the island’s dock, the entrance to the dungeon itself.

“Let’s go after them!”

And so, under the shroud of night, we turned our prow toward the dungeon.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Apparently, the slave traders’ transaction would take place east of the city. In the abundant city, Flocia, if the port, bustling with people and goods, is its light, then the east is its shadow. Like the eastern part of the royal capital, it was a slum where the poor live.

We gathered members of the warrior corps and set up an ambush at the designated location.

It is now completely dark.

“I never thought we’d get this kind of information on the first day.”

Mia-san reached out from under her cloak and adjusted the hood that she had pulled down over her eyes.

Felix-san, dressed in the same attire, responded,

“Thanks to you, we were able to get ahead of them. I take credit for that, Rion.”

Nodding in response, I looked down over the vacant lot below.

Thanks to the advance intel, we were able to wait here for the slave traders’ exchange to begin. The warrior corps had split into teams of three or four, each taking positions on rooftops with good vantage points. My own team consisted of Mia-san, Felix-san, and me.

The appointed time is now drawing near.

Even at night, southern Flocia is astonishingly warm. The air is so still, so silent, that it made me uneasy.

I leaned toward Felix-san and whispered,

“…They must have realized by now that the river bandits meant to come here aren’t showing up. Do you think they’ll cancel the deal or move it somewhere else?”

“I doubt it. Their network is complex but that also means that they can’t easily change plans at the last moment. The first to notice anything would be their contact at the trading house. But we’ve already taken care of him.”

Currently, we are overlooking an abandoned workshop’s yard. Beyond the stone wall, a canal flowed by. The faint sound of splashing water echoed through the night.

Before long, two carriages arrived. 

About ten people got out in total. A magic stone lantern was set down in the middle of the vacant lot, its pale blue glow dimly illuminating the surroundings. Men armed with axes and swords split into two groups of about five each, taking their positions.

As we watched, one of the carriage doors opened. Three people were dragged out. They were all bound and gagged. Even from here, I could see the handcuffs glinting faintly in the blue light.

“How terrible….”

The words slipped out before I could stop myself. But this is what it means to fall into the hands of the slave traders.

“…Rion, calm yourself.”

Felix-san whispered softly.

Our warrior corps cloaks blended into the darkness so we wouldn’t be noticed, even if we shifted slightly. And once the fight starts, our matching cloaks would also serve to help distinguish friend from foe in the chaos.

“The slave trade in Flocia has always been a mystery. To bring slaves into the city, they’d have to pass through either the city gates or the harbor. But there’s no way a group of bound and gagged people could get through inspection unnoticed.”

I tightened my jaw.

Don’t rush it. I told myself.

Felix-san’s calm voice reminded me just how valuable this moment was.

“That’s why just like the hidden tunnels beneath Alvis, there must be some secret route known only to them. If we can witness this exchange, we’ll uncover it. That alone would be a major breakthrough.”

A chill crept up the back of my neck.

We were finally close—close to the slave traders, to Ymir and the truth behind them.

“Shh”, Mia-san whispered.

“It’s starting.”

From the darkness, a man stepped forward, he clutched a ledger in his thin hands. His cheeks were hollow, and from beneath a brown cloak, a gaunt face is exposed. When he flicked the staff he carried, the dim light caught his sharp eyes as he stared at one of the pirate groups.

Judging from his presence alone, he had to be the overseer of the exchange.

One of the river bandits spoke, “Several are missing…”

“They were captured.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd at the overseer’s curt reply.

“Never mind. Let’s start. As promised, I’ll tell you about the escape route.”

He gave his staff another faint shake, glancing briefly toward the canal.

There were two groups of bandits—five men each. One side hefted a heavy-looking sack and handed it to the other. The men peeked inside, and they quickly made greedy grins. It’s clearly filled with money.

In exchange, the three bound captives were dragged forward and handed over.

—These guys… they’ve got some rare skills.

—This city’s our hunting ground.

—That global message pulled in every greenhorn for miles.

—As if any of them could ever become “heroes,” huh?

Those voices inevitably reached my enhanced ears.

I met Mia-san’s gaze.

“Rion!”

“Yes!”

We exchanged a glance—and leapt down from the rooftop.

I drew in a deep breath and shouted at the top of my lungs, “Stop right there!”

More than ten men turned toward me at once, their gazes slamming into me like a wall of pressure. In one swift motion, I drew my short sword.

“We’re with the Raven Warrior Corps! Surrender quietly!”

A ripple of panic spread through the enemy ranks. I could also feel their composure slipping.

The overseer clicked his tongue.

“Fireball!”

He hurled a blast of flame toward the mana lamp. The crystal shattered, scattering burning fragments in every direction. Thick, black smoke billowed out—

A smokescreen!

『Over there!』

The coin in my pocket trembled, and Solana’s voice rang out.

『The wall! They’re climbing the wall!』

Shoving the captured slaves aside, the bandits scrambled up the retaining wall that surrounded the abandoned workshop.

Wait, that’s—

“Head for the canal!”

As if mocking Mia’s shout, the slave traders leapt over the wall to the other side. We grabbed onto the wall and vaulted after them.

“Hehe! Just like we predicted!”

Mia-san flashed a grin, her sharp canine teeth catching the moonlight.

Down by the embankment, the men had stopped running.

Of course. The earlier panic had been nothing but an act. Three patrol boats were already waiting on the water, blocking their escape. The guards had them trapped—us behind, soldiers ahead.

“Thank goodness—”

The words had barely left my mouth when a scream tore through the night.

Under the pale moon, the surface of the canal bulged— and then a massive vessel loomed out of the darkness. It is heading straight down on the smaller patrol boats.

Mia-san’s jaw dropped.

“A longship!?”

At the prow of the warship, a dragon’s head was carved in menacing detail—its fanged maw seeming to roar at the night.

With a thunderous crash, the vessel slammed into the patrol boats, splintering them like toys. Had the guards been a heartbeat slower, they’d have been hurled into the water—or worse.

The slaver traders clambered aboard the oncoming warship and pushed off from the bank. The longship had to be at least ten meters long—massive compared to the small boats it crushed beneath its hull.

Those who couldn’t fit aboard seized what remained of the undamaged patrol boats and followed behind the Longship.

“Row!!!!”

At the overseer’s roar, oars struck the water in perfect rhythm. The boat was about to sail away from the side of the workshop!

We immediately sprint along the canal path, rushing after the escaping vessel.

“Wait, didn’t they have a bigger ship?”

Mia-san shouted, glancing back at the guards being pulled from the water.

“The canal’s wide. Neither the warriors nor the city guards could cover every route. And besides…”

Felix-san grimaced.

“The fact that they had a warship ready means the Eastern Shipping Bureau’s in league with the slave traders. In the capital and in Alvis, they courted the nobles. But in a merchant city like this, they’ve wormed their way into trade guilds and the shipping offices. How thorough of them.”

“Now’s not the time to praise them!”

Mia-san snapped.

The cobblestone path along the canal was uneven, fitting for the city’s poorer quarter.

From the gold coin in my pocket, Solana’s voice rang out.

『There is still a chance. We just have to catch that ship, right?』

“Exactly! If we do, we’ll find out where their base is too!”

We sprinted along the canal, chasing after the fleeing slavers.

The oars beat the water like wings, smooth and powerful—clearly, the river bandits knew how to handle a boat.

“We’re not letting them get away, right?”

Mia-san called out.

“I’m worried. At this rate…”

Soon enough, the canal would open up into a wide body of water.

Once that happened, the lake would be just ahead—if they reached it, we’d lose them.

“Felix-san!”

“We’re joining the pursuit!”

The raven warriors caught up from behind. Felix-san raised a silver whistle to his lips and blew a sharp signal, then traced glowing runes in the air. A surge of cold magic rushed toward the canal.

—It was an ice spell.

“Ice Edge!”

Frost burst forward, racing toward the fleeing ships. But the enemy’s mage—the gaunt overseer—countered with a wave of fire.

The clashing elements roared against each other, steam billowing skyward. The freezing spell lost its force, and before the ice could seal the canal, the two vessels slipped through the narrow gap between frost and wall.

『Rion, shall we intervene?』

Solana’s divine voice echoed in my mind.

But even gods have limits—she had fought for us just two nights ago, and tomorrow we’d be entering the dungeon of Flocia.

As I hesitated, the ships broke free into the wider channel.

“Haha! Farewell, then!”

The moment the overseer spoke, a shadow leaped into the night sky. It seemed to have jumped from a building along the canal. It landed on the back of the two fleeing boats. Amidst the spray of water, the shadow’s blade flashed in the blink of an eye.

Blonde hair fluttered in the night sky.

“Nils…?”

It was Nils—the swordsman who said he was pursuing the slave traders.

“Y-you guys…”

Our gazes met.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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A woman working at the Flocia Trading House was in truth a collaborator of the slave traders.

Their connection began two years ago.

The woman possessed what people called a “useless skill”—a talent so weak it was deemed useless. Because of that, the nobles within the trading company had treated her poorly, dismissing her worth. Her resentment had festered for years… until a man calling himself the Shrewd Merchant approached her.

His offer had been simple—and irresistible. The cooperation would more than double her income. On top of that, she’d be allowed to use her skill for a side business of sorts. She had been hired at nineteen and had worked for over five years since then. The bitterness of being branded a failure had long since etched itself into her heart.

So when the slave traders’ payments began to flow, and her betrayal turned into a quiet form of revenge against the company that had scorned her, she felt no guilt—only satisfaction.

That was why, when an urgent report arrived in the middle of her peaceful lunch break, it took every bit of restraint she had not to click her tongue in irritation.

“They caught some bandits by the river!”

“Oh? And what’s that got to do with the company?”

“Apparently, they were carrying one of our adventurer’s tokens. Might’ve been stolen, but the guards are coming to check it out just in case.”

“I heard they were the river bandits who’ve been attacking villages upstream…”

The moment she heard that the guards were coming, the woman’s expression stiffened. It didn’t take her long to realize what had happened. The man who was supposed to receive a “message” from the company with the adventure token had been captured. Worse, it seemed he’d already talked about the company.

The bandit wouldn’t have known about her—the company’s inside contact—but the very fact that the guards were on their way to her workplace was enough to make the woman’s stomach twist. Years of petty crimes had made her quick to panic.

“I need to retrieve the magic stone.”  Those were her immediate thought.

The item exchanged via the adventurer’s token is a magic stone with message magically engraved on it. And in times like this, recovering that message was part of her job.

The woman heads to the vault.

The section that stored goods meant for exchange through the adventurer’s tokens was more loosely managed than the rest. The Adventurers’ Guild frowned upon merchants and adventurers trading directly, so the system of adventurer’s tokens—something that could strengthen that connection—was kept deliberately small in scale.

Keys to the materials used for Adventure tokens are kept separate for each box. The woman borrowed a key from her superior, saying she would open another box. However, with her nimble hands, she also snatched the key to the slave trader’s box from the shelf.

Her quick work, thanks to her <Thief> skill, went unnoticed by her colleagues and superiors, who believed it to be a useless skill.

Even in her panic, she felt a flicker of smug satisfaction. 

The woman opened a box in the vault and breathed a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, she sensed a presence behind her.

“Ah!”

Several rats jumped down from above. The creatures darted straight for the box, shoving their heads inside. Then—just as the woman reached for the magic stone inside the pouch—it slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor.

One of the rats seized the pouch’s drawstring in its teeth and bolted for the exit.

“S-stop!”

She felt terrified. They usually contained an important message after all. The woman didn’t know the details, but there was no way she could get away safely after losing it.

Suddenly, she remembered a slave trader she had met only once. That hulk like man had been staring at her when she was granted the <Thief> skill. She recalled those starving eyes, the look he gave that time was like he was holding back from eating her alive and was forced to watch his food go free.

—When I’m no longer useful… he’ll devour me.

It was only a fleeting thought, yet the fear that came with it dulled her reason even further.

“Damn it!”

The rats ran out the back door, round the corner, and down an increasingly lit road. When they ran out of breath, the beasts finally stopped. The pouch containing the magic stone rolled to the ground. It was picked up by a young boy.

◆◆◆

The God of Hunting , Uru, had called this method a hunt.

The bandit who was supposed to receive the magic stone had been captured—and that information was deliberately leaked to the trading company. The collaborator, believing the goods was compromised, would likely move to retrieve the message hidden in the vault.

The key was to mention the word “token” and to make them believe the city guards were already on their way. In other words, force them to panic—make them take the magic stone out of the vault on their own.

“…It really worked.”

“Told you.”

Uru, looking quite pleased with himself, gave a sly little wink. In his small, childlike form, he waved lightly at the rats sniffing around the corner of the alley.

“Of course, it wouldn’t have worked without their help.”

Uru added with a grin.

Uru is a deity of nature—one who could ask the trees, the beasts, even the smallest creatures for aid. This time, it was the rats who had answered his call.

A sulky voice echoed in my head—Loki clearly displeased at having his moment stolen.

『Eh, whatever. We gods could’ve slipped in ourselves if we wanted to. But then again, if something like Alvis’ golem core reacted to divine energy, that’d be a real pain. Using animals as intermediaries—yeah, I’ll admit, it’s a clever, harmless trick.』

Urubrushed back his braided hair, looking quite proud of himself.

“Fufu… Rion, it’s your turn now.”

His form began to fade into the air, dissolving like mist.

“Truth be told, I was this close to granting you a new power for this little hunt. But… it seems your mindset isn’t quite there yet, hm?”

I was about to ask again. But thinking about it, that wasn’t the time. I tucked my chin in and looked straight ahead.

The woman I was facing was a woman a little over 20 years old. She was out of breath, probably from running. A group of raven warriors were blocking the exit to the back alley.

“Tch.”

The woman clicked her tongue and readied her knife.

Her eyes were wide, and she looked frightened of something.

“Surrender. I don’t think you can… beat me.”

The woman raised her eyes.

“I-I’m no ordinary woman!”

Her body glowed faintly. A skill had been activated. The knife she had thrown head straight for me.

“Tsu”

I drew my dagger and shot down the attacker’s throwing knife. The woman drew another blade and attacked me. I twisted my body to avoid the attack and grabbed her outstretched arm with my left hand. I pulled with all my might, then I swept her leg away.

“Wha…?”

The woman’s cheek hit the ground with a thud. The fight was over in an instant.

“H-Help…”

The woman looked up and groaned. She seemed afraid of something.

Mia-san’s eyes sharpened, her voice became serious.

“Rion. Stay alert.”

“Yes, but…”

She really did look frightened—not because of us, but because of something else. Of course, I would not let her go now. But I guess, pitying her was a bit naive of me….

“It’s all right. As long as you’re willing to talk… that’s enough.”

The woman’s eyes fluttered shut, as if in relief.

The raven warriors arrived, leading a carriage. We helped the woman inside, and at last, I could exhale. It might have been a rather forceful method, but—we’d secured the magic stone, and another of the slave traders’ collaborators was now in custody.

『Rion!』

“.….Y-yes!”

Urged by Solana, I held the magic stone up into the sky.

The result was just as we had predicted. The magic stone I obtained was a special one, it’s engraved with a magical message.

“The power of the sun will remove the bewilderment cast by the monsters!”

The sunlight shone on the stone. Letters began to appear on the surface of the egg-sized magic stone.

“East District, Temple Parish, April… That’s today’s date and the location.”

I gasped. Felix-san peered into the magic stone and put his hand to his chin.

“Hmm. It appears… this is the slave trader’s next transaction. I believe the slave will be handed over here.”

Mia-san grimaced at my deduction and scratched her head.

“Surely it doesn’t include the location of their headquarters?”

“Yes. However, it’s an elaborate message. There’s a high chance that it’s an important transaction or something big will come up.”

We exchanged glances.

It would provide a clue to the enemy targeting Lu. Above all, it was obviously best to stop the buying and selling of kidnapped people. It would mean that a disaster like that of Nils’ sibling could happen again somewhere.

I naturally straightened my back.

“Let’s go, Felix-san, Mia-san.”

Our next move is happening tonight.

We’ll expose the enemy’s base —and stop the slave trade.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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For now, we head outside the noisy trading post.

There is a possibility that the enemy has hidden a message here. If we can find it, we might be able to find the slave traders’ base or the date and time of their next trade. The corner where the three of us hid was only a few dozen meters away from the trading post. But there were far fewer people around. This made it easier to hold a strategy meeting.

Mia-san was the first to speak, leaning her back against the wall.

“So basically, it’s a message engraved with magic, right?”

She crossed her arms, shaking the chains.

“Is that even possible?”

“Yes, research is being done for it. For example, unlike regular letters, the message won’t appear unless the sender knows a ‘password’ and there are various ways to devise it. Right now, the most promising idea is―”

Felix-san looked at me.

“It’s about engraving messages into magic stones. It’s still in the research phase back in the kingdom, but… it’s possible the slaver traders have already learned to use it.”

Mia-san added.

I recalled the faint glow I’d detected with my magic sense.

“Uhm… the object was about the size of an egg.”

“Then a magic stone seems most likely.”

Mia-san concluded. She ran a hand through her red hair, gripping it in thought.

“Should we bring Safi?”

I asked.

Safi, the blacksmith, had gone ahead to the temple to prepare—setting up her tools, sharpening stones, and all the other gear she might need to assist us later.

Mia-san shook her head.

“Not yet. It’s too soon for that. First, we need to get our hands on that message.”

Felix-san, who’s standing beside us, touched his chin thoughtfully. His eyes narrowed, glinting like needles. Of the three of us, he’d spent the most time chasing slaver traders. He knew their tricks, their habits, and their trails better than anyone.

“I can’t say for certain.… But if the message really is engraved on a magic stone, then it’s very likely they’re using the trading system of the merchants’ guild to exchange it.”

He glanced between us, then continued.

“The adventurer’s token I explained earlier was originally designed to help busy merchants trade with adventurers. When you present it, the guild hands over the requested item on the merchant’s behalf. And if that item happens to contain a magic stone with a hidden message—”

Mia-san snapped her fingers. Snap.

“—Then no one would think twice about it, because the recipient is an adventurer.”

Felix nodded.

“Exactly. They’re using the guild’s system to avoid the risk of meeting face-to-face.”

Even though it was the enemy’s trick, I couldn’t help but be impressed.

It felt strange, knowing that monsters are using human systems to communicate.

“There’s a clever mind behind this. Whether it’s a monster or a human working with them, I couldn’t say.”

I thought for a moment. Knowledge like this—how to twist systems and rules to your advantage—was also a kind of power.

“Felix-san, does that mean the merchants won’t hand over the magic stone without the token?”

He gave a single, short nod.

“That should be the case.”

If the token really worked like a voucher, then it was hard to imagine there being more than one of the same kind.

Felix-san opened both hands and showed them to me.

“The river bandits didn’t seem to have it either. Unless they threw it away, it’s likely they hadn’t received the token yet.”

Mia-san curled her lips.

“What a roundabout way to do things.”

Felix gave a wry smile.

“And thanks to that, we’re the ones left to deal with the trouble.”

I swallowed hard. Thinking about it, the slaver traders had always been one step ahead of us. But now, finally, we were starting to trace the movements of the people who had attacked me—and Lu.

It was only the faintest lead, but still… it’s a start.

Felix-san went on, his tone calm but deliberate.

“From my experience, there’s probably an accomplice inside the trading company as well. It’s a well-crafted system, but they’d still want a capable person on the inside—someone that will handle unexpected problems. Well, a maintenance worker, I should say.”

“Then that means we’ll need to be extra careful.”

Mia-san muttered. Felix-san glanced at me, a small, reassuring smile tugging at his lips.

“That’s right. This is also a good opportunity to capture this ally. I’d rather capture them than let them get away with it.”

I took a deep breath.

I closed my eyes and tried to process the situation.

“We don’t have a voucher that will grant us the magic stones. So, one option would be to use the name of a warrior group and force them to show us the warehouse—but if we do that…”

“The accomplice would interfere.”

Felix-san finished my words.

Mia-san scratched her red hair. After tilting her head several times, her eyes became glazed.

“Then.…. Aren’t we completely cornered?”

“In truth, if we make a fuss, their accomplice in the trading post will be alerted. If they destroy the magic stone with the message and then go into hiding, we’ll be back to square one.”

After Felix-san finished speaking, everyone fell silent.

It was at that moment that the gold coins began to vibrate.

『We heard you, Rion.』

After Solana’s voice was heard, the gods all spoke.

『Ha! So it’s a battle of wits now, eh?』

『It’s getting interesting too!』

『Everyone, stay cautious.』

Then, among the chatter, a refreshingly calm voice rose above the rest.

It was Uru, the God of Hunting.

『Scouts and vanguards always find creative ways to communicate. Tell me, how do you think a hunter handles this kind of situation? When the prey’s holed up and refuses to come out?』

For a moment, I could almost see him—his brown hair tousled, his grin sharp as a blade.

『He sets the hounds loose!』

That was the hint given to me.

The image flashed through my mind: a rabbit startled by barking dogs, bolting from a hidden burrow through a different exit.

“Ah…!”

I voiced the thought as it came to me.

And this time, both Mia-san and Felix-san snapped their fingers in agreement.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The morning after the battle with the river bandits, a swift boat departed from the village where we’d anchored. It was faster than an ordinary vessel, and its mission was to carry word of the attack downstream to the city of Flocia.

Thanks to that, by the following evening, we met up with a military patrol boat sent from Flocia.

The soldiers aboard questioned us, but Felix-san quietly revealed our identity as members of the Raven Warriors. That ended the inspection quickly enough—but it reminded me again just how much the warrior group’s influence had grown since the last global message.

In the end, our schedule was delayed by only a single day.

On the fifth day since leaving the Royal Capital, we finally reached Lake Flocia.

“Whoa…”

I exclaimed as the warm southern wind brushed across my cheek.

Between the great river that flowed in and the vast lake itself stood a checkpoint. We passed through it, raised our sails, and sailed on a little farther.

Before long, a massive wall appeared to be jutting out into the water. The morning sun gleamed white along its stone surface, and above it I could see the spire of a temple rising within.

As the boat continued on the lake and the harbor came into view through a gap in the wall, I finally understood why this city was called the City of Abundance.

The harbor was alive with chaos and color, a forest of masts proudly stabbing into the sky. Every vessel seemed to flaunt its own purpose—some ready to row out across the lake and downriver toward the sea, others setting their sails to journey upstream once more.

Along the piers, mountains of cargo—barrels, hemp sacks, crates of all sizes were being loaded and unloaded. Bare-chested dockworkers, muscled and glistening despite the lingering chill in the air, hurried to and fro with practiced rhythm. It felt almost like the canals of the Royal Capital—but bigger, louder, and brimming with life.

As I watched, one ship leaving port caught the wind in its sail and came gliding toward us.

For a moment I panicked, thinking it might collide—but it passed by gracefully, skimming so close that its wake rippled against our hull. Its bow was aimed straight toward the heart of the lake.

“…An island?”

“That is Flocia’s labyrinth.”

Felix-san cleared my confusion. His words jogged my memory.

“Dungeon Island…!”

“Mm, that’s what it’s commonly called.”

The dungeon of Flocia lay separated from the city, built into a small island that floated on the vast lake. From afar, it seemed tiny—but beneath the surface, it was said to stretch far and deep, a maze filled with water-aligned monsters sealed away since ancient times.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to imprint the image of that island in my mind.

“…Huh?”

I looked down at the water’s surface and thought I saw something sparkling at the bottom.

Felix-san followed my gaze, then pointed ahead.

“We’ll be anchoring over there.”

Felix pointed to the edge of the harbor. It seems the merchants attacked by river pirates will be using a different pier.

“Farewell, heroes!”

The merchant’s voice boomed across the water as our boat drifted from the pier.

I don’t think he thinks I defeated all the river pirates, but… he probably knows that I fought them.

“Heroes, huh…”

I turned my gaze forward. In this city of Flocia, just like in the Royal Capital, there must be countless adventurers chasing that same word—hero.

From the boat receding into the distance, I caught sight of Nils raising a hand in farewell.

“…I hope he finds his sister.”

I murmured.

I lifted my hand in return, a faint ache tightening in my chest. In the end, we’d gone our separate ways.

Beside me, Mia-san crossed her arms, the chain wound around her wrist clinking softly.

“Honestly, it’s a bit of a waste.” she said.

Felix-san only shook his head.

“That’s not an option.”

Mia gave a small shrug.

“I know, I know. Just saying.”

The truth was, she and I had been quietly talking with Nils since the day before. It would’ve seemed odd if it were just me, so Mia-san joined in—under the pretense of a casual exchange of information between adventurers.

That was how we learned a few things. That he was a fairly high-ranking adventurer, a level thirty-four one. He came from a noble family in the borderlands.

“I’m from the frontier too.” Mia-san said softly. “And, well… even nobles there can be dirt poor. A little debt for the sake of your land, and next thing you know, your sister’s sold off as a slave…”

My heart sank as we found ourselves in similar situations.

We’d already asked what his sister looked like. We’d promised that if we ever saw her, we’d send word to his lodgings here in Flocia.

Felix-san, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke, narrowing his eyes.

“It may sound cold, but we can’t simply take anyone into our ranks. We share too many secrets among ourselves.”

His words made me think of Pauline-san, and the conversations we’d had—the myths, the sealed monsters, the truths hidden from most of the world. So many people were already being drawn into this struggle… yet everything still had to remain a secret.

Even if someone called us heroes, in the end, there would only ever be so many we could truly save.

“I know.”

I slapped my cheeks with both hands.

“But if we’re pursuing the same person, maybe we’ll meet again, right?”

The situation might be different by then.

For now, I’ll focus on moving forward.

Mia-san grinned and turned her attention to Felix-san.

“Well, we do have the same goal. So… where are we investigating today?”

“Speaking of that. It seems the captured river pirates will be receiving new instructions soon.”

Felix-san pointed to a magnificent building at the back of the port.

“It seems they’ll tell the time and location of the transaction there.”

◆◆◆

There were plenty of people there too, but the atmosphere was different from the bustling harbor.

It was a quiet kind of busy. The ones coming and going weren’t rugged dockworkers, but merchants dressed in fine clothes. They stopped at the counters to talk, and occasionally, one would be called into a room in the back.

The whole place felt like an adventurers’ guild—if someone had multiplied its refinement by a hundred.

“Is this place…?”

“It’s what they call a trading house.”

Felix-san replied.

I blinked in surprise. By the way, I am wearing the “Hat of Bewilderment.”

“C-could this be…the enemy’s base?”

“I doubt it. The Medis Trading Company is far too large and reputable to have any use for slaves.”

Apparently, this was where the enemy was supposed to deliver some kind of message to their comrades.

But in a place like this—could such a thing really happen?

As I watched absentmindedly, I noticed someone behaving a little strangely.

“They’re… exchanging something.”

I whispered.

A merchant handed over a small wooden tablet at the counter. Then he received magic stones, gems, and gold coins in return.

“Hmm. A bill of trade huh.”

Felix-san said. I’d only ever heard the term in passing. Tilting my head, I asked,

“A bill… of trade?”

“It’s something like a claim ticket,” he explained patiently. “When the goods are too large, numerous, or too valuable to transport directly, the trading house issues a bill. You can then redeem the goods elsewhere—or even buy and sell the bill itself.”

““Heh~””

Mia-san and I spoke in unison. Felix-san sighed and hung his head.

“Adventurer Mia… I would have thought you’d already know this.”

“Of course I did,” she said with a grin. “Just impressed by how neatly you put it, that’s all.”

Felix-san cleared his throat and continued, pretending not to notice her teasing.

“That one’s called an adventurer’s bill. It’s used for exchanging rewards, advance payments, or required materials. Magic stones and supplies are bulky—and transporting them takes time. So instead, they issue a kind of voucher, like: ‘Of the potions in this branch, ten thousand gent’s worth belong to you.’ The recipient then comes here to redeem it.”

Felix explained.

I caught my breath. An entire mansion, dedicated to handling such immense flow of trade.

“F-Flocia is…”

“A city of commerce as well,” Felix said with a small smile. “This region is a warm, fertile breadbasket. Without this kind of exchange system, even a shipload of wheat couldn’t be traded efficiently.”

I stood there, dazed, watching the steady rhythm of goods and people flowing past.

The capital, and even Alvis, were cities of adventurers. But this place—this was a city of trade.

“…Wait.”

Something stuck in my mind.

“So if something can be exchanged… does that mean if we use the system well, we can give something to them?”

Felix-san and Mia-san traded a look.

“True,” Felix murmured. “It’s possible they’re using the exchange system itself as an intermediary to deliver messages.”

『Rion.』

The gold coin at my chest trembled—God’s voice echoed softly.

“Uru?”

『You’re learning to draw more deeply on my blessing. I can lend you my power—and if you wish to track your enemies…』

I lowered my chin slightly.

Right. Skills weren’t only for use inside dungeons.

Skill, 『Divine Protection of the God of Hunting』was used. ————————————————————— 【Wild Heart】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Detection. With magical power consumption, effects can be further increased.

Skill, 『Sun’s Divine Protection』was used. ————————————————————— 【Golden Flame】 ………Improves physical abilities. Provides an even greater effect for a limited time.

The strengthened detection spread like a ripple through the entire building.

Then—faintly, deep within—I caught a small red glimmer.

It was the same eerie hue I’d seen inside dungeons.

“…I sense the presence of a monster’s mana.”

Mia-san’s eyes narrowed.

“Inside the trade hall? You sure about that?”

“Yes. It’s about the size of an egg, so it’s probably not a monster itself. More likely… something that retains a monster’s magic.”

【Wild Heart】could sense mana as well. It had reacted to golem cores before; anything imbued with a magical trace would be registered.

Felix-san,looking thoughtful, tapped his staff against the marble floor.

“If that mana came from a monster’s magical power, it might very well be the medium they’re using to transmit messages. If we can obtain it, we could learn where their base or the next exchange site is.”

The only problem was how to get it.…

We huddled together, whispering, we start planning our next move.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The battle on the river had somehow been overcome.

Two boats had attacked from the upstream side where the gods and I were defending, and one more from downstream, where Felix-san and Mia-san had gone to assist. There were three of them in total.

The magical lights illuminated the now-quiet surface of the river. Once I stopped moving, my soaked clothes felt heavy and cold, so I quickly changed out of them.

The words of thanks for repelling the attackers ended quickly.

In a way, it was because our work wasn’t done yet. As the villagers and the raven warriors that are holding torches looked on, a loud voice suddenly rang out.

“Alright—!”

“Pull!”

Everyone began hauling on the ropes stretched across the river, each one tied to an enemy vessel. If we left them drifting, the current would carry them away.

I joined in, taking hold of a line myself.

“Heave… ho!”

『You can do it, Rion!』

Solana was cheering me on, but it was a bit distracting…

Because I was wedged in between Mia-san and Felix-san, I was practically standing on my tiptoes.

Before long, with a heavy thud, the enemy boat slammed into the riverbank. One of the capsized vessels lay on its side, its bow and mast jutting into the shore like stakes driven into the earth.

The bandits who had been tied up inside the ships seemed to have awakened from the shock of the impact.

“W-what is going on….”

“Rope…?”

“When did this happen…!?”

The bandits glared at us from within the circle of guards, their eyes burning with frustration.

“Damn it! You’re the ones who did this, huh?!”

“Was that… water magic?!”

Ah, I see—

They couldn’t see the gods. From their point of view, their ships must have suddenly capsized, they blacked out, and when they came to, they were already tied up.

“Y-you’d better behave yourselves!”

I tried my best to sound intimidating, though I wasn’t sure how much effect it would have given my height. The bearded bandits blinked at me in disbelief. Then, one after another, they began to wail.

“W-we lost to a brat like this…?”

“We thought it was just a bunch of merchants!”

Solana’s expression stiffened in irritation.

『What a rude bunch.』

Certainly, it was a surprise to the bandits. From their perspective, this was unexpected. Most of the warrior group had disguised themselves as merchants. After all, sending a group of more than ten armed adventurers downriver would’ve drawn too much attention.

“I don’t really mind. But still…”

If we really had been what we looked like—just a child and a handful of merchants—then that raid would’ve succeeded. They would’ve taken us all, bound us in chains, and sold us as slaves.

There were others who had anchored downstream from us and been attacked in the same way. They were actually a combination of real guards and merchants.

A shadow crept across my heart. That small difference, the illusion we created, had been the only thing separating survival from tragedy.

From farther along the bank, Felix-san came running toward us, his boots splashing in the mud.

“We’ve captured all the bandits downstream as well. 23 upstream and 12 downstream —three boats in total.” He exhaled sharply with a grim expression. “It’s a frightening number.”

I remembered what we’d heard just that evening— that the slaver traders from Flocia were pushing their raids farther inland, following the river upstream.

My hands trembled, and I clenched them tight to keep the shaking from showing.

“Felix-san. Mia-san.”

“Mm. Let’s start by hearing what they have to say.”

Mia-san answered.

Three of the bandits—apparently their leaders—were dragged off the boat and forced to their knees on the riverbank.

Among them was Zamza, the one I’d defeated earlier. He carried himself with a false calm, and when our eyes met, his lips twisted into a sneer.

“I’ve heard there were other raids farther downstream. Was that your doing?”

I asked, stepping forward.

The bandits exchanged glances and then gave a low, scornful laugh.

Zamza was the one who answered.

“And what if it was, huh?”

He tried to sound defiant, but the mocking glint in his eyes only stoked my anger. My voice trembled when I spoke again.

“Were you… taking people? Enslaving them?”

“Damn right we were!” Zamza barked, grinning wide. “Remember this, brat—your sisters, your parents, whoever you’ve got—we’ll make ‘em all slaves for payback, you hear!?”

He threw his head back and cackled, tongue lolling out like some beast drunk on cruelty. There wasn’t a trace of remorse in him. Just ugliness—raw and festering.

“You—!”

I took a step forward, but before I could say more, a searing white flash streaked past Zamza’s face.

A heartbeat later, red scattered through the air.

“…Eh?”

A single line of blood ran down Zamza’s cheek, and his eyes went wide in shock.

“I have something to ask you.” came a low, steady voice.

It belonged to a man—a swordsman, maybe about twenty years old.

He wore the rough leather gear typical of adventurers, his dull blond hair stirring softly in the night breeze. Tall, sharp-featured, so handsome—so much that at first glance, one might have mistaken him for a woman. But his broad shoulders and the way his hand gripped his sword at his side left no doubt of his strength. And his eyes—cold and piercing—were sharper than any blade.

“I’m one of the escort adventurers. From the fleet stationed downstream. My name is Nils.”

With that brief introduction, the swordsman straightened and faced the bound bandits once more.

“There’s one thing I need to confirm.”

He raised his left hand, one finger extended. In his right, the sword’s edge shimmered faintly in the torchlight.

“You said you were taking people—didn’t you?”

The air itself seemed to tighten, as if the night were holding its breath.

“I’m looking for my family.”

Nils knelt, leaning close until his face was inches from Zamza’s.

The bandits’ mouths worked soundlessly, gasping like fish pulled from the river.

“Look here. This, do you recognize it?”

From his pocket, he drew out a small object—a fragment of metal dangling from a thin, blackened chain.

Once, it must have been a necklace. Now, it is destroyed. The surface was scorched as though seared by fire, the delicate engravings and inlaid gems buried beneath layers of soot and rust.

“The woman who dropped this,” Nils continued, his tone tightening, “was taken by raiders—by people like you. Before you captured her, do you remember seeing it?”

“I—I don’t know anything!”

One of the bandits stammered.

“She’s my family. My sister. Her name is Dee.”

Nils spoke softly.  Even I found myself holding my breath.

Zamza, too, had gone pale under the weight of that presence.

So this is what people meant when they spoke of killing intent.

Nils’s eyes narrowed, his right arm tensed, the sword trembling faintly in his grip.

“W-wait!”

I blurted, unable to stand the suffocating tension.

Felix-san stepped forward beside me, planting his staff into the ground.

“…River raids are a grave crime,” Felix-san said firmly. “These men have already been captured. The law will judge them, and the investigation will uncover the rest.”

Nils let out a sharp snort through his nose and rose to his feet.

With a smooth motion, he sheathed his sword, then swept his gaze across the remaining bandits—everyone except Zamza. When they shook their heads frantically under his stare, he turned on his heel.

“…My apologies. I shouldn’t have interrupted your investigation.”

Without waiting for a reply, he strode away, his boots splashing faintly in the shallow water.

But his words lingered in my mind.

He’s searching for his family…?

“I’ll go talk to him.”

I uttered before I even realized it.

I couldn’t help it—I wanted to know more. And if he was really looking for someone who’d been enslaved, maybe the warrior corps could help somehow.

I caught up to him just as he was about to leave the riverside.

“…You’re looking for someone who was taken as a slave?”

I asked. Nils turned around, surprise flickering in his sharp eyes as he looked down at me.

“…Yes. My sister.”

For a moment, Lu’s face flashed through my mind.

If my own sister were kidnapped—if she were taken away like that—I’d probably search the world too.

Slavery… abduction… those were things that shouldn’t exist. They were cruel in a way that made your chest ache just to think about them. Still, I couldn’t just blurt out, we’re after the slave traders too. That wasn’t something I had the right to say—not yet.

“Did you need something?”

“Ah—um…”

The words caught in my throat, and I just stood there, frozen.

Nils gave a faint smile.

“A newcomer, huh? Then—may I give you one piece of advice?”

I blinked, startled, and nodded.

“Your heart is too kind.”

“…Huh?”

He glanced toward the riverbank where the captured bandits still sat tied up.

“Those bandits, earlier. An empty threat is no threat at all. I can tell you have strength in you—real resolve. That’s good. But you should learn how to use it. Sharpen your sense for when to show mercy, and when not to.”

I realized then— that killing glare of his earlier… maybe that had been part of his negotiation.

“So… that was on purpose?”

“Who knows.”

A faint smile tugged at his lips, but his eyes—narrowed and cold as winter steel—made my breath stagnate.

“There are times when getting the truth means you can’t choose your methods.”

The sound of metal jingled softly as he slipped the charred necklace back into his coat. Then he turned, the river mist curling around him as he walked downstream.

“If I frightened you, I apologize.”

He said over his shoulder, his voice is low but sincere.

I found myself staring in the direction he’d gone for a while.

Down by the river, the merchants from the downstream convoy were approaching, stopping to consult with Felix-san about what to do with the captured bandits and when to set out tomorrow. It seemed like they were sorting out the practical things now that the fighting was over.

Mia-san caught up to me, her red hair swaying in the lamplight. She narrowed her eyes, gazing after Nils’s fading silhouette.

“That guy—he’s got skill,” she muttered.

It made sense. Mia-san and Felix-san had been protecting the merchants downstream, so they must have seen him fight firsthand.

“Mm. It’s hard to believe he’s not more well-known.”

Felix-san added.

“He told me he’s looking for his sister.” I replied.

“Ah. So that’s why he’s traveling…”

Felix-san folded his arms, the metal of his gauntlets clinking softly.

“Honestly, as far as intimidation tactics go, what he did to that bandit wasn’t wrong. But… call it a hunch—something about him feels a little unstable.”

I nodded quietly. If nothing else, it meant we weren’t the only ones chasing the slavers. Maybe we could work together.

But then I remembered the cold, killing edge in his eyes—and the thought made my chest tighten.

My heart wavered, rippling like the moonlit surface of the river.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The water I jumped into wasn’t as cold as I had anticipated. The Golden Flame protected me. And the water temperature was much warmer to the skin.

Come to think of it, it was the eleventh day of the fourth month. Spring had arrived. Plus, now that we are heading south, the water wasn’t as cold. This would give me plenty of room to swim.

I kicked the water. My improved physical abilities allowed me to swim like a fish. It was a night with a faint moon, but my eyesight was clear enough to spot the ships on the water.

The enemy’s boat hadn’t moved yet. Once I am directly below it, I grabbed the gold coin from my pocket.

 “Wake up—(gurgle, gurgle)!”

The gold coin burst into dazzling light, releasing the gods into the water.

“W–water!?”

—or at least, that’s what I think they tried to say.

Thor, burdened by Mjölnir, was the first to plummet straight down. Uru and Sigris flailed just as badly in the river’s depths. Solana was shouting something too, but all I heard was a froth of bubbles.

R-right… I hadn’t exactly told them we’d be fighting underwater, had I…?

“S-sorry…(gurgle, gurgle)!”

Not that my apology carried through clearly.

Beside me, while I swam, Loki pressed his fingers to his forehead as if massaging away a headache.

“Hey guys… you do realize, don’t you? We’re beings manifested by magic. We don’t have physical bodies. There’s no need to actually drown.”

“Ah—”

Almost simultaneously, the four gods stopped flailing. They exchanged glances, then patted themselves down as if confirming something.

Planting both feet firmly on the riverbed, Thor scratched his head with Mjölnir.

“…Huh. Now that you mention it, I don’t feel out of breath at all.”

“Of course not. We don’t need air—only mana. Honestly, you’d think it would’ve clicked that drowning is impossible when we can literally float if we want to. Still—”

Loki shrugged.

That was when Solana drifted closer to me, clearing her throat with a prim little cough.

“Ahem. Rion, a reminder—the Light of the Sun’s Awakening won’t manifest at night. With no sun in the sky, the spell has nothing to draw on.”

I nodded.

I understood—the gods couldn’t linger like they did in the temple.

“Good grief. Busy day, huh?”

Loki joked. Then, flicking his hand, he said,

“Mist”

A black fog rolled out and swallowed the two boats, muffling the sound and hiding its shape. It was the same kind of concealment magic we’d used against the golems. With the vessels cloaked like that, even if the gods unleashed their power there’d be no one nearby who can see—not even the villagers, nor the passing adventurers.

“What the—”

“There’s light down below!?”

“Never mind that —look at the fog!”

While the bandits are confused, I launched myself up through the water in one motion.

“Let’s go, everyone!”

I waded through the water with a splash and landed on the edge of the boat. The gods followed close behind me. The raiders stared in stunned silence for a beat, then their expressions hardened.

There were two boats, each about 15 meters long, with more than 10 people on board each.

“Die!” one of them shouted.

He swung his oar at me. I hopped aside easily and countered with a kick to his face. He hit the deck and slumped unconscious. The fellow’s level was almost certainly below twenty.

“…Do you surrender?”

I asked.

“As if!”

A throwing knife whistled towards me. I sprang to the mast on instinct. Spears and blades stabbed upward from below, but on such a cramped deck they could barely swing their weapons. Using their heads as stepping stones, I darted toward the prow.

“Alright…!”

I spun on my heel, slashing with my short sword.

“Wake up!”

The engraved words “Jinrad” glowed blue. Sylph, the wind spirit, leaped out, blowing all five of them away. The bandits were launched high into the air, and after a few beats of staying mid-air, they fell and turned into pillars of water.

“…Is it just me, or is that spell getting stronger?”

A nervous grin tugged at my lips. Safi’s rune magic was incredible on its own, but the spirits themselves… it felt like they were pushing themselves harder than ever before. A violet glow shimmered faintly in my chest—the same light I’d seen in Loki.

“What the hell’s with this kid!?”

A sword lunged for me. I struck it aside, and the golden fire blazing along my dagger roared in response.

Snap!

The blade split clean in two and tumbled into the river. Not a nick marked my weapon.

Yes… that had to be Safi the smith’s handiwork.

“W-what…?”

The scar-faced man stared at his trembling, numbed hand. Around him, the others faltered, fear flickering in their eyes.

I drew in a deep breath and shouted,

“Will you surrender!?”

“I told you already—we ain’t surrendering! Damn it!”

A huge man, head and shoulders taller than the rest, shoved through the bandits to the front.

“This haul’s worth a fortune! Take a good look around—do you think we’re backing off now!?”

He looked like someone who knew how to handle himself in a fight.

His bald head gleamed under the torchlight. His worn leather armor creaked with each of his steps and his half-lidded eyes carried a cruel, oppressive weight. Across his back bristled weapons—spears, swords, axes, all rattling with menace.

His level….

“I’m Zamza the Grimface. Level twenty-nine. Time to die, brat!”

He shouted. His hand reached over his shoulder.

Would it be an axe? A sword?

“Hehe!”

What he drew was a slender blade.

“A rapier!?”

His choice confused me. Hulk frame, brutish face—and yet he went for finesse over brute force. The surprise cost me a heartbeat.

Zamza lunged, the rapier’s tip flashing. The edge grazed my cheek.

“Not a fan of fighting in a boat, are you? Nowhere to move but forward or back!”

Thrust after thrust rained down on me. They were all sharp and relentless. I swayed left, then right, dodging each of them by hairsbreadths, but the narrow deck ultimately hemmed me in. The prow loomed close at my back.

“You’re good, kid.”

Zamza spat while pressing forward.

“Dodging all this, you’ve got some skill!”

I fixed my eyes on his blade, reading every twitch, every line of his attack. The next thrust came fast and lethal—

Clang!

I caught it with the guard of my short sword and flicked it aside. Zamza staggered back a step, sweat breaking across his brow.

“Y-you….Are you seriously just a kid!?”

On the other ship, chaos erupted. Bandits clung to the rails, shrieking in disbelief.

“What the hell—!”

“Impossible! What is that!?”

The entire vessel was rising, heaving up out of the river. And beneath it—stood Thor, the God of Thunder, hefting a ship more than ten meters long on his shoulder like it was driftwood.

“Hahaha!”

He flipped it as if overturning a cooking pot, slamming the boat upside-down into the water. A column of spray burst skyward and crashed back down in a drenching downpour.

“F-fuh-Thor!”

“Come on, Rion, once in a while it’s fine, isn’t it?”

T-too reckless…!

Bandits flailed in the water, only to be snatched up one after another by the gods. The rapier-wielding Zamza faltered, torn between me and the overturned boat. His composure cracked.

“Rion.”

A whisper, soft and close came. It was Uru’s voice. A warm brown glow welled in my chest.

“It’s about time I lent you something more. A hunter’s power isn’t just about sensing prey. Without the skill to stalk while being unseen, the hunt will be incomplete.”

When I moved, the sound of my steps vanished. My breath, even the whisper of the cloth against my skin was gone! Like— my presence was erased.

Zamza’s eyes flicked back to the wreck of the ship. To him, in that single instant, it must have seemed as though I’d disappeared entirely.

“W-where are you!?”

I slid in closer.

The wooden deck creaked underfoot.

“.…Behind!?”

With my presence undetected, I emerged behind him. And with all my weight, I slammed down the Hammer of the Thunder God.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Our next destination was the city of abundance, Flocia.

On our previous journey we had relied on carriages, but this time was different. Flocia lay to the south of the Royal Capital, along the lower reaches of the great river that ran from the kingdom’s northwest to its southeast.

This time, we would travel by boat.

Two vessels prepared by the Warrior Corps drifted side by side downstream. The river is astonishingly wide—nearly a hundred meters across—so broad that the opposite bank wavered faintly in the distance.

The current is gentle, and the spring breeze felt wonderful. Unlike traveling by carriage, here we could bask freely in the sunlight. I found myself dozing off more than once, though I reminded myself I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. An important duty awaited me in Flocia after all.

“Hey, don’t keep yourself wound up too tight.”

Mia-san beamed at me.

The Raven Warriors had split evenly between the two boats, seven on each. Felix-san is on the other vessel, along with Safi, the gnome blacksmith who is traveling with us.

“First time on a river voyage, huh?”

I couldn’t help but follow the sails of another boat as it passed us by. Leaning casually against the railing, Mia-san gave me a knowing smile.

“Etch it into your memory. From the capital to Flocia, we’ll be keeping watch for you.”

The scenery slid past, carried away by the river’s flow.

Before I knew it, two days had gone by. Already the fields along the banks had grown noticeably greener. We began to see cattle grazing, and donkeys laden with goods hanging from either side. This must be the gateway to the fertile southern lands—the realm of abundance.

It felt like sketching in new lines on the map inside my head. It’s exciting. Maybe it really is the blood of my adventurer father stirring within me.

The river journey was expected to take four days. The following days drifted by just as peacefully. Even the gods who had been bouncing around with excitement at first gradually calmed down.

…Though honestly, seeing Thor more restless than me was a little hard to swallow…

“Are we… camping here for tonight?”

On the third day, the place where we drew the boats ashore caught me by surprise. It is a village, if it could be called that. I think it’s ten houses clustered together, surrounded by fields.

“There’s no walls…”

A rough wooden fence circled the area, but it looked more like it was meant to keep out animals than repel any real threat.

“Most frontier villages are like this.”

Mia-san explained as she deftly unloaded supplies from the boat.

 “Remember the outer market we passed in Kalmar? It’s the same idea.”

“…So they’re not worried about monsters?”

“At least, they trust Odis-sama on that point. And in truth, there’s no dungeon anywhere nearby. No reason for monsters to be wandering around.”

I made a mental note as I helped unload the cargo.

The bank here was small, but it seemed to be a common campsite. Another group had arrived and moored their boats farther downstream from us.

“Well, monsters aren’t the only danger out here…”

Mia-san’s words carried a hint of warning.

I sifted through what I knew, matching it with the current situation.

“You mean…river bandits?”

Mia-san nodded.

“Looks like you’ve been paying attention.”

A warm climate. A rich lake. Bustling trade.

The “City of Abundance”—Flocia—was painted in such bright colors. But it wasn’t just lively markets and cheerful crowds.

Money and people flocked there in numbers to rival or even surpass the Royal Capital. And where there’s wealth, there are thieves. Bandits preying on merchants, and a shadowy underworld ruled not by nobles but by the city’s wealthy traders.

The warrior corps’s sources suggested that some of those crooked merchants were in league with the bandit crews who haunted the lake. Several expeditions had been organized to wipe them out, but each time, the raiders slipped away, as if they’d been tipped off.

“Lately, there have been attacks on villages upstream of Flocia, haven’t there?”

“Yeah. By raiders on boats, no less.”

That was information we’d picked up along the river.

If it was true, then the bandit crews must be operating out of Flocia’s great lake.

“Villages like this one must be even more vulnerable—ah!”

I’d let myself get too caught up in the conversation. Still carrying a bundle of supplies, I bumped into someone.

It was Felix-san. As usual, he peered down at me through narrowed eyes.

“I’ve heard the same reports.”

Felix-san said. And then, after a pause, he added,

“Details have begun to surface. The raid happened three days ago. The village that was attacked—aside from a few elderly—was left nearly empty. Even the children were gone.”

“.…Empty?”

A chill ran down my spine. Not just taking goods or money, but abductions. And there were only so many reasons for that.

“.….To turn them into slaves?”

Mia-san twisted her mouth.

“If that’s the case, it’s awfully bold and reckless. The Temple of Odis can’t just look the other way.”

“Of course not.”

A faint crease appeared between Felix-san’s narrowed brows. He adjusted the small coronet on his black hair as though smoothing it.

“But it’s indeed puzzling. The slavers we’ve tracked until now never gathered captives in such a heavy-handed way. The kingdom bans slavery outright after all. To flaunt that so openly would only draw attention and make their future operations impossible.”

Then the gold coin at my belt gave a sharp vibration. The first voice, like distant thunder, belonged to Thor.

『If they’re making it harder to keep working, maybe that’s because they don’t intend to keep working. Maybe there isn’t a “future” for them to worry about.』

Solana’s calm yet serious voice followed.

『Perhaps they’re desperate. There may be reasons for taking slaves beyond their hunt for the power of Creation.』

And then, Loki’s sly tone cut in,

『Hmm…. Well, you’ve heard about that power to steal skills, haven’t you? To Ymir, maybe it’s like feeding. Not just “Awakening” or “Creation”. Even rare skills might give him more strength, or fuel him greater reserves of magic.』

The night settled heavy around us, leaving those unsettling words to linger. We knew about the attacks, but they’d all been farther downstream. I kept my guard up, telling myself not to relax too much.

“Rion!”

The shout yanked me out of sleep. It was Mia-san’s voice.

And then,

—BWOOOOO!

A horn blared through the darkness. I snapped my eyes open. Thanks to the Blessing of the God of Hunting, I could see clearly, even in the pitch black night. From downstream, torchlight burned atop approaching boats. And above the river, screams tore through the sky.

“For real? No way…. talk about tempting fate…”

Mia-san gasped.

A dragon with its mouth open was carved into the boat’s prow, threatening us with its jaws wide open.

Solana’s voice rang in my head.

『Let’s go, Rion!』

“Yes!”

I was about to run when a sound from the river stopped me. I used『Divine Protection of the God of Hunting』, Wild Heart —instantly sharpening my hearing.

Oars are striking the water surface. The bow cleaving black water. Tonight the sky was overcast, so the torchlight never reached the river. The water surface was a pocket of absolute night.

“I can hear them.” I murmured.

No doubt about it. New attackers are coming toward us through the dark river.

“Another boat—no, two more—are heading this way!” 

Felix-san stroked his chin with a sharp look in his eyes.

“So…. the boats downstream are just diversions.”

A cold shiver ran through me. Their plan was cruelly effective.

“We were the real target. While they draw attention downstream, the main force would land here. If we had run downstream to help, we would have been attacked from behind.”

Monsters are frightening, but humans can be just as terrible.

To abduct people using a trick like this…..

I clenched the gold coin pouch in my pocket.

“Mia-san, Felix-san…. please head downstream to provide support.” 

With my detection, I saw the two boats showed no movement. They are probably waiting for the diversionary force to cause more chaos.

Mia-san raised an eyebrow and stretched like a cat.

“Alright. Then….what are you going to do?”

I drew my short sword and pointed it toward the river.

“I’ll take the two boats on the water.”

Here I could use the gods’ power without reservation. Fighting on the water kept the risk of collateral damage low and kept prying eyes away.

Felix-san nodded.

“Understood.”

The warriors moved like lightning. At Felix’san’s signal, dark figures slipped off toward the downstream chaos.

“Rion!” he called once more as he walked with his staff.

“Let me tell you, Flocia’s dungeon is known as a water dungeon. You’d do well to get used to naval and underwater combat here.”

I raised my short sword and activated the Divine Protection of the Sun, and used the ability, Golden Flame. Warm fire wrapped around me like armor.

“Let’s go, Gods!”

I jumped into the water. I kicked off the shore and approached the enemy’s boat, which appeared as a black shadow.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Through the dim corridor crept Ratbone Rata.

Cobwebs clung to the ceiling, and the sparse glow of mana-lamps only faintly lit his way. This place was once a noble’s castle, but since its abandonment, the underground halls resembled a cavern more than any human dwelling.

Outside, the sky was bright with spring, yet here the air clung cold and stale, as though winter itself had been left behind.

His leather shoes crunched on fragments of plaster, and Rata grimaced. His fine attire, his chestnut hair swept neatly backwards—such appearances would grant him entry even to the great merchant houses. But this was hardly the sort of place one would wish to visit dressed like that.

At the far end of the corridor, Rata halted.

“…It is me, Ratbone Rata. Begging your pardon for the intrusion.”

When the door swung open, the first thing he saw was the back of a massive man. Tangled strands of blond hair tumbled in curls down broad shoulders.

All around lay scattered burlap sacks and wooden crates.

With one hand the massive man hefted a barrel nearly the size of a child and poured its contents down his throat.

“What is it?”

The now-empty barrel clattered to the floor as the man asked, still without turning.

“…Ymir-sama, I’ve come with my report, and to see to the state of your supplies.”

Bowing, Rata cast a quick glance at the barrels and sacks strewn about. His downturned face twisted faintly—for all of it had been arranged by his own hand.

Ratbone Rata was the one who ran the slave trader’s business. Though he was a monster, he was a clever one, and could even disguise himself as a noble-born merchant such as this.

“…Has the food run out already?”

“There’s a little left.”

With a hand like a bear’s paw, Ymir gestured toward the boxes and sacks stacked in the corner.

A sigh slipped from Rata.

It was he who had arranged the transports that carried provisions into this ruined castle. A waterway from a nearby city ran beneath the place, making it convenient despite its desolation.

Until now, Ymir’s lairs had always been provided through noble patrons. But with the Raven Warriors beginning to reassert its power, he had chosen to move preemptively and go deeper into hiding.

——You glutton.

Rata carefully suppressed the clicking of his tongue. Like other monsters, Rata and the others could survive by feeding on magical power. However, as physical beings, they could also maintain their strength by eating.

He had offered Ymir food, thinking it would be cheaper than expensive magic stones, but perhaps he was mistaken. Ymir eat too much. He is more gluttonous than the World Serpent.

His master threw the second barrel aside, shattering it against the wall, then spoke with his back on him.

“What’s wrong with Jor?”

“She’s still healing her wounds.”

Ymir suddenly stopped eating. The air became chilly, like frost had fallen.

Rata gulped.

“I’m hungry.”

A chill ran straight through him.

“…Jor may still be of some use.”

“I see.”

Rata’s voice had slipped into a tone that sounded almost like a defense.

“W-we also brought you Surtr’s magic stone. Was it not enough?”

After the fierce battle in the mining town of Alvis, Flamebone Surtr had been slain. Its massive magic stone had shattered across the battlefield in crystalline shards. Disguised as a small creature, Rata had gathered several of them and brought them back to Ymir.

“Hm.”

Ymir gave a single sweep of his enormous hand.

The broken barrel staves and burlap sacks strewn before the sofa burst into flames.

“…That power should now be yours as well—like Surtr’s. The power to revive monsters, just as you did when you devoured a Skill.”

In truth, this had been Rata and his companions’ aim all along in the mining city of Alvis.

“Surtr was already at his limit. Consumed by rage, bereft of reason… even had he escaped his seal, with that massive body, there was no way he could ever cooperate with us. We could carve pieces from him, yes—but so long as he lived, he would regenerate. Keeping him alive as long as possible was the most prudent course. Still… once we were sniffed out, it was time to cut our losses.”

Rata’s long-winded explanation barely reached Ymir’s ears.

Ymir rose to his feet. Over two meters tall, his head nearly brushed the ceiling. His face, chiseled like stone from a cliffside, showed no expression at all. He picked up a charred barrel, and with one hand, he crushed it to splinters. And then—those splinters dissolved into motes of light. Into raw magic.

“…W-wha-?”

Rata stared, dumbstruck.

“C-converting matter into magical energy…?”

The shattered barrel turned into more particles of light and was sucked into Ymir’s mouth. Into the creator’s body.

“Some of my strength has returned.”

Ymir spoke while greedily savoring the light of raw magic.

Only now, too late, did Rata tremble at the truth—this was the primeval titan, the very first being of the world, slowly regaining his power.

“But still… it is nowhere near enough. I remain far from sated.”

Ymir lifted a weary hand and gestured toward the wall on his right.

Among the empty barrels and burlap sacks, a human arm jutted out. Every so often it twitched faintly, but there was no will left within it.

It was a slave, no doubt about it. One whose skill had been devoured, leaving nothing but a hollow body. The blessings of a Skill were bound so deeply to the mind that to have it consumed was as if a piece of the soul itself had been torn away.

“Rata.”

“…Y-yes, my lord.”

“I know the truth. You did not fight alongside Jor nor Surtr.”

“T-that…!”

Rata stumbled backwards—only to have his chest seized in Ymir’s massive grip.

“The network of slave traders you built… it is impressive. For that reason, I find you almost too valuable to waste. You would hate to see the fine organization you’ve so carefully nurtured for my sake… reduced to ruin, would you not?”

Rata had seen monsters over ten meters tall, yet none of them ever felt as immense as Ymir did.

“I understand. I can sympathize. You are my creation, after all.”

“.…..!”

“Your defiance…. amuses me.”

Ymir then released him.

Rata crashed to the ground, realizing only then that he had been lifted nearly to the ceiling. Until now, he hadn’t been able to tear his gaze away from that huge, unblinking eye.

Ymir turned his back on him and returned to the sofa, his tangled golden hair swaying down his shoulders.

“Bring me slaves. As many as you can.”

“S-slaves…?”

“The power of creation, the power of awakening—it will come. Until then…. I will feast. Gather them all. Bring them here.”

His audience with Ymir ended there. The heavy doors shut behind him.

Rata stumbled through the abandoned halls, trembling—yet slowly, the tremor twisted into a smile.

“Very well. None can oppose you. Then I shall entertain you as best I can, Ymir-sama.”

A low chuckle slipped from Rata’s lips. His mind already leapt to the gathering grounds of the slaves, linked to this place by the waterways.

“Soon… a great transaction is coming! From that city, I will offer you a flood of slaves to glut yourself upon, Kukuku….!”

The target was a fertile city blessed with water transportation and a lake.

The city called Flocia.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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A cold light illuminated the entire room.

My and Lu’s breath drifted into the air as white mist. In the center of the room was a giant orb surrounded by a fence. It must have been at least two meters in diameter. The orb was floating in a dug-out depression, somehow held by a mysterious force.

A cold air is emanating from the sacred object. It remained in the basement, making it much colder than the spring outside. I’m glad I brought my coat.

A thick layer of frost had fallen around the depression where the orb was floating. Lu and I were unable to speak for a long time. The orb hidden in the basement of the Raven Warriors’ base is truly mysterious.

“They call it the Frost Orb.”

Pauline-san said. Even the princess was wrapped in a thick cloak, her skin bathed in the pallid, bluish light.

“…Skill, Seal”

Pauline-san raised her hand.

The orb flared brighter. Ice crystals burst outward with a rush of frigid wind, forcing Lu and me to shield our faces. The name she spoke was the skill said to be only given to the royal line.

“Rion-san, Luisia-san, and, our esteemed Gods—this is the secret of the warrior order, the device that governs the dungeon.”

With her breath turning white in the cold, Lu asked,

“This is…?”

“Only one who bears the skill Seal can command this orb. Its power can strengthen the dungeon’s bindings—or weaken them.”

Pauline-san explained.

I could only stare, speechless, at the orb’s cold, gleaming light.

The source of power that bound monsters within the dungeon. In every unexplored region, ice had always been present. Perhaps this orb was the very source, radiating the “frost” that maintained it…

“The orb’s iciness is tied directly to the strength of the surrounding dungeons’ seals.  Increasing the coldness strengthens the seal and weakens the monsters. However, it also weakens the power that can be drawn from the dungeon, such as magic stones and items.”

My throat bobbed as I swallowed.

This was the kingdom’s method of sealing the dungeon. And Pauline-san is now entrusting us with knowledge of the crucial device at its core.

Pauline-san went on.

“By adjusting its strength, we’ve been able to manage the dungeon. To allow more adventurers to challenge it. Though the orb can alter the seal’s intensity, it cannot break the seal entirely. It was made only for governance in times of peace.”

Pauline-san turned back to face us, brother and sister.

My throat burned, and still no words came. It was Lu who finally spoke up.

“Uhm…..does this mean this orb controls the seal of every dungeon? Then… isn’t that an unbelievably important artifact?”

The princess narrowed her eyes.

“No, you may rest easy. This is not the only one. Smaller orbs like this exist in temples throughout the land. You would surely find them in Alvis and Flocia as well, each guarding their own dungeon seal.”

Almost as an afterthought, she added,

“But the one here in the royal capital is the largest, and by far the most powerful. From here, its sealing force can be channeled to the other orbs across the realm.”

Then….. that means the capital serves as the very heart of the seal….

“Since the sounding of the horn, this orb’s power has steadily grown stronger. I suspect some new effect may soon reveal itself.”

“…New effect?”

“I have my predictions. But let us wait until I can speak with certainty.”

The conversation ended there and it became quiet. Like phantom footsteps pacing across the frozen floor, the sharp, cracking sounds of ice echoed through the chamber.

The pale blue orb was larger than any magic stone, and I could sense its power. It had surely stood here for a thousand years, guarding the dungeon’s seal all that time. A divine relic, testifying both to the kingdom’s history and to that of the Raven Warrior’s Order.

Pauline-san then spoke, her voice touched with solemnity, bathed in the orb’s cold light.

“From now on, more of these secrets will be revealed to the people. The age when such truths could be hidden is gone. I believe it is the will of the High God itself—that the existence of such monstrous powers should no longer be concealed…”

Then after a pause, she eventually asked,

“Shall we leave?”

Her face looked a little pale—or maybe it was just the lighting?

◆◆◆

Stepping out of the great tower, the spring night air felt warm against my skin.

Above us stretched a sky full of stars. The moon cast its gentle light, outlining the temple in a faint silver glow. Torches, lit by the warrior order, burned steadily along the walls, their flames swaying in the breeze.

My body felt strangely light—perhaps because the weight pressing down on my shoulders had finally lifted.

“…Oniichan”

Lu spoke, but nothing more followed.

Even so, I understood.

We had brushed against a secret far too immense, and for a moment it left her feeling small, fragile—these words had simply came to my mind.

Before I realized it, we had stopped walking.

“We really are caught up in something vast, something important, aren’t we?”

The temple’s great tower stood against the backdrop of the moon.

I still didn’t fully grasp things like a thousand years of history, or the stories of the gods. But what I did know was this: the truth that the kingdom had hidden, the things once taken for granted, were beginning to change.

—I believe in you.

That was what Pauline-san said before she revealed the orb.

To show someone what had been hidden all this time. To reveal a secret.

When I thought about it… for a princess to do such a thing must have taken extraordinary courage. It meant she had decided to unveil something the kingdom had kept buried for a thousand years.

The truth of a myth where the gods had lost. The reality that powerful monsters lay sealed within the dungeons. By revealing such things, she was surely prepared to face criticism—and to shoulder the responsibility.

After all, the worldwide message had already foretold the rise of a colossal monster.

No one could go on believing forever in the old tale—that the gods had triumphed, and that the dungeons were simply benevolent gifts of magic stones and rare materials.

“…Oniichan, are you alright?”

Lu looked up at me.

Startled, I forced a smile onto my face.

“I’m fine—”

“Liar. You were lost in thought.”

She stood on tiptoe, as if trying to bring her eye level with mine.

“I know. I’m worried too and… a little scared.”

I had no answer to give.

So, without another word, the two of us simply started walking again.

“I kind of understand that my power is something amazing. That’s why I want to get used to it quickly, and I want to be useful to you, Oniichan. But…”

Lu’s gaze drifted past the city walls—toward the royal capital.

“What scares me… is the thought of you going somewhere far away and never coming back. And… I’m also scared that I can’t leave this place.”

It must have been her true feelings.

The world seemed on the verge of changing, and her own skill was tangled up in it. All those fears were probably wound together like threads of lint, lodged in my little sister’s heart.

“Lu…”

“Ah! I’m sorry, for always whining.”

I shook my head and smiled at her.

“It’s alright. Just believe in me too, Lu.”

Odin had called me a hero in that worldwide message. Others might call me that as well. But more than the thousand-year histories or myths, what I wanted right now was simply to ease my sister’s worries.

“Everyone… can you hear me?”

With my right hand, I pulled the coin case from my pocket.

I whispered my wish to the gods.

The gold coin grew hot, scattering dazzling light.

“Wah!”

Lu let out a cry of surprise.

Bursting forth around us were the five gods.

Thor, with his red hair streaming like fire. Loki, cloaked in black robes. Sigris, clad in azure armor, her hair the same shade of blue flowing like the night sky. The god of hunting, Uru, hovering silently in the air, and finally, Solana, wrapped in golden radiance, who clasped both my hand and Lu’s.

“Let’s go.”

“Eh—?”

Lu blinked, startled, just as Loki snapped his fingers.

A shimmer of divine brilliance engulfed us, and in an instant our bodies lifted high into the air. The ground fell away beneath us. The goddess’s gentle light cradled us, and she set us down atop the great tower.

The height of five stories above the ground. The night sky stretched close overhead, while the royal capital spread out below, its lights gleaming. Bathed in moonlight, the river winding through the land glimmered like polished silver.

“Wow…!”

Lu’s voice was filled with awe.

“I still can’t take you inside the capital.” Solana said softly. “But from here, you can see it all.”

The capital’s nightscape twinkled with countless lights, lively as though new stars had fallen from the heavens. Perhaps it was the influx of adventurers that made the city glow with such energy.

“…It’s beautiful.”

Lu whispered.

“Yeah. Our house is still there, too. It hasn’t disappeared. We’ll go back someday.”

Her eyes shimmered with tears. But she shook her head, wiped them away, and broke into a bright smile.

“…Mm!”

Even being called a “hero” out of nowhere, I didn’t yet know what that truly meant.

But step by step, we’d keep moving forward.

Beneath this star-filled sky, I remembered the vow I had once made to the goddess.

“You will be.” Solana said, turning to us as she floated in the air. “A hero—yet not just any hero. Only you can become this hero. The world grows more turbulent by the day… but this is where your path begins.”

Holding Lu close, I gazed southward. There lay our next destination—the bountiful city of Flocia.

“Let’s go, gods.”

The gods nodded one after another.

We would depart at dawn.

“Come back safe, Oniichan.”

Lu said softly.

I squeezed her hand, warm and firm in mine.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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