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“―――Master!!”

I had a bad feeling. I didn’t want to leave Master behind and run away.

After getting Ms. Hoshikawa to safety and coming back, I found no one there. So I climbed up through the hole in the ceiling, and there she was—collapsed like a ragged cloth.

I couldn’t hold it in. My legs moved on their own.

“Pink-hair. Tighten your stomach and brace yourself.”
“…!”

I took a deep breath and did as I was told, gathering strength in my core—then something exploded behind me and shoved me forward.

It was rough, but I was grateful for the push. If I ran as hard as I could, I might still make it in time.

“Ugh, reinforcements!? Seriously, now of all times!?”
“Masterrr!! Uuuup theeeeeeeere!!”

I charged forward, crushing the spear-like sand rising from underfoot along with the now glass-like ground.

I ducked under the towering legs of a dragon so huge I had to crane my neck just to see the top, slipped past the red-haired girl, and threw myself at Master where she lay collapsed.

I grabbed the hem of her clothes and, carried by the momentum of my dive, rolled across the ground with her in my arms. Right behind us, something much heavier than the person who had pushed me came crashing down with a thunderous boom.

“…Momo. Shut your eyes and mouth.”
“Okay!”

Sand blasted against my body with a sharp crackling noise—it hurt like hell.

Every roll drove glass shards deeper into my skin, but I kept my eyes and mouth shut just like she told me. And no matter what, I didn’t let go of her. Not for a second.

“O-ow ow ow… Master… are you okay…?”
“――――Honestly, you never listen to what people say. Always rushing headfirst into danger.”

Even now, she hadn’t lost her sharp tongue—but her body was in worse shape than I’d ever seen.

Every bit of exposed skin was covered in cuts from the glass and bruises. Some areas had even turned dark, almost black.

And she was bleeding from her stomach. Her body felt cold, and her breathing was ragged. This wasn’t the time to be standing around.

“P-please hang in there, Master! I’ll get you to a hospital right now—sorry, could you move aside for a second!?”
“Huh? Oh, s-sorry… wait, wait, wait! You think I’m just gonna let you through like that!?”
“Please let me through! If I don’t, she’s going to die!!”
“I *am* trying to kill her, you know! If you get in the way, I’ll just take you out too—!”
“Oh? In that case, mind if I join in as well?”

Suddenly, someone appeared right in front of me and the girl, cutting between us—the king.

It wasn’t like he’d run up here like I had. He’d just popped into view, clear as day. I wasn’t imagining it—and from the look on the girl’s face, she hadn’t expected it either.

“Wha…!? Where did you come from!?”
“Fuhahaha! This desert is my domain. I appear wherever I please!”
**“GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!”**

A thunderous roar drowned out his laughter.

The rugged-looking dragon reared back and brought one of its legs down straight over the king’s head.

There wasn’t even time to react—he got flattened in an instant. Sand or not, with something that massive stomping down on you, there’s no way you’re coming out of it in one piece.

“Y-Your Majesty!?”
“Yes, did you call for me? Still, how terribly rude of that dragon to interrupt our conversation.”
“Wha—!? Huh!?”

I was sure I’d just seen him get crushed right before my eyes, but somehow, the king was now standing right next to me.

Not a single scratch on him—not even a speck of sand. What kind of magecraft was that?

“Wh-what is this guy…!?”
“Hmm… it seems you’ve no intention of showing proper respect to a king. White One, do you require assistance?”
“…Honestly, I’d love to say no… but this time… I don’t have the luxury of pride…”
“That’s right, Master. When things get tough, it’s okay to rely on someone else! Please, Your Majesty, help us!”
“Understood. Then let’s send these unwelcome guests packing. Pink-hair, use this!”

He untied the turban wrapped around his head and tossed it to me.

It felt incredibly high-end, but when I twisted it and tied it off, it made the perfect rope for carrying Master on my back. I decided not to think about how expensive it probably was and gratefully put it to use.

“Momo… don’t… Don’t do this… Picking a fight with a dragon is suicide…”
“But they’re not giving us any choice! And besides, I’m pissed they beat you up like this!”
“Fwahahaha! You’re well and truly under her thumb, White One! But what a fine disciple she makes!”
“She’s not my disciple…”
“Oh, for the love of—would you two stop flapping your mouths in front of the enemy already!?”

The red-haired girl, left out and clearly furious, turned bright red as she pointed to the sky.

I had no idea what she was planning to do—but the tingling sensation crawling up my neck told me whatever it was, it wasn’t going to be good.

“Momo… Did you see that last attack…?”
“You mean that thing that looked like a *meteorite*?”
“…!?”

The moment I said “meteorite,” the color drained from the girl’s face—shifting instantly from flushed to pale.

Taking advantage of the shock that spread to the two creatures standing beside her, the king hurled a fireball—about the size of a basketball—straight into the face of the fluttery-looking dragon.

**“――――Do you wish to die so badly, Human?”**
“Oh? A dragon that speaks the language of men. Fascinating. Very well—you shall be my opponents!”
“Orgueil! Bakvilyde! Take care of that foolish king. I’ll handle these two myself!”
“…Momo, fall back. We’re going to separate her from the dragons.”
“R-right!”

At Master’s command, I leapt back with all my strength—and just as she planned, the girl charged after us.

Her expression was crazed with desperation. She wasn’t even paying attention to the dragons behind her anymore. Her whole presence radiated one thing: she was ready to kill us no matter what it took.

“…I’ll say this now—I can’t read the signs of that attack. I didn’t even notice it was coming from above until it had already struck.”
“W-what does that mean, Master!?”
“Momo, this isn’t ideal, but we’ll have to work together. You’ll be my hands and feet from now on. So listen—I’m going to tell you how we can win this.”