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Monica sat quietly with her eyes closed. Around her, there was the flow of water. Like a moat surrounding a fortress or a magical circle, the water bubbled and circulated, disappearing somewhere.

Lucella guided the flow, while Togul directed.

“Be arrogant, Lucella. Impose the law. Let only the flow you shape be absolute. Accept no others. Rule.”

When using her draconic powers, Lucella felt the “flow” of the unseen world. It was like the circulation of blood in a creature’s body, the gears of a machine interlocking and turning—the workings of the world. Dragons were connected to this “flow,” able to change its direction and manifest power in the physical realm.

However, this was not so much about creating a flow as it was about blocking it. A flow to deny the flow. Through this, Lucella now enveloped Monica.

“How… is it?”
“Seems to have improved.”

After checking her breathing a couple of times, Monica stood up.

“Um…”
“Yes?”
“Thank you…”
“You’re welcome.”

Then, looking away for a moment, Monica awkwardly expressed her gratitude.

“After you created the ‘flow,’ the connection between that girl and the Regalia was severed. It is temporary, however.”
“Temporary… you say?”
“The principle is the same. You should do the same for the Regalia. The Regalia is, after all, just an instrument of command. It maintains its runaway state only through the wielded power. It’s like a Thunderbolt Tuna that cannot breathe unless it keeps swimming.”

Togul was instructing on how to stop the runaway Regalia. In the process, it became a means to protect Monica by cutting off the interference from the Regalia.

According to Togul, Monica was being ‘called’ by the Regalia, causing her to go into disarray. The power of the Regalia was the power of a dragon, something Lucella could counteract. However, if the protection effect was only temporary, a fundamental solution to stop the Regalia’s rampage was needed, leading to the question of how to buy time until then.

“What should we do about Monica? Should we evacuate her far away so that the Regalia can’t call her?”
“No, it is the opposite. If you wish to keep that girl alive, pursue the Regalia together. How could a human resist a dragon, even if a corpse? If you separate them, only the soul will be taken.”
“S-so, this means… the soul is trying to go to the Regalia while killing the body!?”

It was absurd. However, Lucella knew that such absurdities were commonplace when it came to parts of the world’s workings.

“…It’s annoying. What’s that Regalia thinking? I’ll give it a good punch.”

With a face damp with sweat, Monica muttered under her breath, her expression stern. Togul didn’t say anything, whether he was exasperated or impressed, it wasn’t clear.

The adventurer party Golden Helmet used the abandoned Rock Lizard Inn in Kugutfulm, the hometown of Wein, one of the members, as their base.

In the lobby, Lucella and Monica had hastily prepared for their journey. However, Lucella, accustomed to always being ready for adventures, had mostly required Monica to get ready. Viola had diligently packed various items into the bag, including clothes, rain gear, toiletries, and cosmetics.

“How is Monica doing?”
“For the time being, her fever has gone down after taking the life-extending medicine.”
“If that’s what improved it… it’s a really dangerous situation. It means she’s being drained, right?”

Togul’s words about having one’s soul taken had truly loomed. The life-extending medicine replenished life force. It was unnecessary for healthy individuals, and generally not needed even for injured or sick people. It was a magical treatment for the irreversibly weakened, allowing them to cling to life. And it had worked on Monica. Undoubtedly, Monica’s body had been heading towards death.

“Are you really going, Lucella?”
“Yes.”

To protect Setulev, they had no choice but to pursue the Regalia and stop its rampage. Added to that was the goal of saving Monica’s life. Pursuing the Regalia meant heading to Maltgartz. Currently at war with Setulev, this empire beyond the mountains, which had recently invaded Mount Kuguse targeting Kafal’s life, had become their inevitable destination.

“We consulted with the guild, but it turned out it’s practically impossible for us to accompany you all the way into Maltgartz. Sorry. But rest assured, if push comes to shove, we’ll rush in no matter the cost.”
“It can’t be helped. Please don’t push yourselves too hard.”

Tim wore a more solemn expression than usual as he apologized to Lucella.

Adventurers typically went anywhere without concern for borders or politics, as a fundamental principle. However, this principle assumed that adventurers were independent from politics and that adventurer guilds exerted their influence over nations as protectors of adventurers.

In this regard, Golden Helmet had too much political presence. At least enough to make Maltgartz wary, if not more.

Traditionally, Maltgartz had few adventurer jobs, and the guild’s infrastructure was weak. This was true even in the former Maltgartz Kingdom, but it became more pronounced in the newly acquired territories as an empire. By having the government take on adventurer tasks, adventurers lost the reason to exist. Emperor Richard disliked the idea of adventurers, the swords of freedom.

If an adventurer, eyed by nobility, went missing, the guild couldn’t even conduct a proper investigation. That was the current situation in Maltgartz. Bringing the companions of Golden Helmet into that was risky.

“Wait, are you okay too? You’re planning to jump right into the heart of Maltgartz, right?”
“It’s dangerous, but I don’t think it’s an impossible quest.”

Even Lucella herself considered it risky. Still, she had a chance of success.

“…Take care of Monica, please.”
“I’ll make sure to.”

Viola tightly grasped Lucella’s hand, and Lucella nodded deeply.

“I’ll tell Grandfather to ensure I can use teleportation magic at any time. Depending on the situation, we might be able to get ahead to the Gufare Union using that.”
“If the Regalia is really headed there, that is… But, I understand.”

According to information relayed through Viola from Duke Foster, the Regalia seemed to be heading straight for the battlefield where Maltgartz and Gufare collided. If it continued on its course without deviation, the stage would shift to the Gufare Union. Preparing for that was what Lucella’s companions could do.

“And then, to His Majesty, the Blue Dragon King… um, just serve as much alcohol as you can.”
“…Shall I ask Grandfather to handle it?”

The two whispered to each other. The air was filled with the heavy pressure of draconic energy.

Despite his complaints, Togul, who had followed them, lounged on the sofa in the back of the lobby.

He could have used a familiar or another dragon for this task. However, Lucella suspected that there was a definite reason for the Dragon King himself to come. Perhaps he valued Lucella that much, but she was certain that alcohol was part of that reason.

Setulev, rich in water and with a thriving rice industry, also had a flourishing sake production. For some reason, Blue Dragons were known for their insatiable love for alcohol everywhere and by everyone. It was a well-known story even among mankind. The prevalence of blue flags at taverns and sake breweries in different regions was said to be derived from Blue Dragons.

Although Blue Dragons were known to practice sake brewing using their unique methods in harsh environments, the taste of alcohol in the calm world inhabited by humans was something they couldn’t replicate.

If left unchecked, he might end up appearing in the city’s tavern just like that. It would be better to offer him some alcohol and have him leave peacefully.

The vast expanse of sand dunes bathed in piercing sunlight, glistening like a mirror. The arid, parched land of heat waves appeared as a sea of shimmering gold from above. Hills created by the wind stretched endlessly, obstructing the path of the travelers.

To the east of the Angus Marquisate, a territory conquered by Setulev, lay the Makanta Marquisate, with lands imbued with the essence of ‘fire.’ Particularly strong in the aspect of dryness, it had become a vast desert. Stepping into it, the sun’s intent to kill became immediately apparent.

A merchant, draped in a cloak to shield his entire body from the sun, rode a camel laden with goods, making his way through the desert. With a surprised expression, he looked up at the sky.

He saw the form of a Variant, a wyvern with wings dancing in the sky.

Whether the three figures on its back could be discerned from the ground was uncertain.

“Are you okay?”
“For now.”

Lucella asked Monica, who clung to her back.

Monica, wearing a lightweight full-body coat over her riding outfit, was riding the wyvern under the scorching sun. It must be exhausting, but whether she was serious or enduring the hardship out of pride, she seemed fine.

On the other hand, Lucella, in her usual adventurer attire, was immune to any ordinary damage from heat or flames. Sun protection measures for humans were unnecessary for her.

Kafal, too, should have been resistant to the heat, but she was dressed the same as Monica. The puppet Kafal in human form was conjured through magic, both clothing and body. Since she could change her outfit at will, she probably tried on clothes suitable for the situation.

Eventually, a city came into view along the path. Within the sand-solidified city walls, buildings designed for good ventilation were lined up. What appeared to be rows of palm trees lined the main street, and at the center, there stood the lord’s castle and water supply facilities, powered by magic.

On top of the walls, guards pointed towards Lucella and her companions, frantically moving. Lucella manipulated the reins, guiding the wyvern to descend just before reaching the city. It was to avoid the inconvenience of suddenly encountering a volley of fixed-position magic bows if they descended too close. Protecting Monica and the borrowed wyvern in mid-air would be challenging.

“Thank you for your hard work. Give my regards to the Blue Dragon King.”
“Grr.”

Whether the wyvern Variant understood or not, it let out a friendly roar after depositing the three human(?) individuals and flew away to the south.

The guards rushed towards Lucella and her group after they had descended, emerging from the city walls. Wearing magically enhanced shoes suitable for movement on the sand and lightweight armor, they carried spears and bows, pointing them at Lucella’s group, creating a semi-circle.

However, there was no sign of an imminent attack, and everyone seemed hesitant. Over Lucella’s shoulder, Monica made a cheeky gesture.

“Who the hell are you people?! What are you doing here?”

Shouting from a distance of more than twenty paces, a guard demanded answers. Lucella stared back and shouted in response, “We’re here for a sightseeing trip!”