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“So hooooot…”
“There’s just no helping this part…”

After boarding Kyodaigorou and setting off, we immediately ran into a major problem.

Just past the first big mountain outside Rigel, the temperature shot up—and the cockpit turned into a sauna.

“U-Um… Mr. Arnitta… Is there no air conditioning…?”
“Well, you see, the cooling system operates by recycling surplus energy generated by the golem.”
“Uhh, in plain terms, what does that mean?”
“It means the air conditioning doesn’t kick in until the golem’s moved enough to build up some surplus energy! Wahahaha!”
“What’s so funny about that!? That’s a structural defect, you dolt!!”
“Shut yer yap, Mintaaark!! It seemed like a stroke of genius when I thought of it in the middle of the night!!”
“Stell, let’s go outside for a bit… I’m gonna die…”
“Vaaaahh…”

Dragging along a half-melted Stell, I opened the hatch affixed to the ceiling and climbed out.

The outside temperature wasn’t all that different, but it was still better than being caught between the heat of those two arguing.

Besides, unlike the stuffy air indoors, there was at least a bit of a breeze outside.

“Haah… the wind feels so nice…”
“Vaaahh~…”

Sticking my head out the hatch, I could feel the wind rushing past us as Kyodaigorou rumbled forward.

The blazing sun was just as punishing, but when that dry wind hit my sweat-slicked skin, it actually felt kind of refreshing.

Most of all, the bone-dry desert heat was nothing like a Japanese summer—there was none of that nasty, sticky humidity. Even if the heat was just as brutal, not being drenched in dampness made a huge difference.

“Here, Stell—some water. You’ve got to stay hydrated or you’ll pass out.”
“Nn… thank yous very mush…”

Still slightly melted, Stell took the leather canteen and drank little by little with her tiny mouth.

She looked kind of like a hamster—adorable. But if even Stell was this out of it, I was getting more and more worried about how Master was holding up in this environment.

“Phew… Here, senior disciple… have some too.”
“Yay, thanks. But wow—no matter where you look, it’s just desert. There were still plants and grass before we crossed that mountain.”
“That mountain blocks out the humidity… Only dry air makes it into the desert, apparently…”
“Whoa, really? That’s pretty cool! You know a lot, Stell!”
“I studied.”

When I patted Stell on the head as she puffed out her chest proudly, something warm bloomed in my chest at her age-appropriate behavior—so different from Master.

I wondered if having a little sister might feel like this. I could get used to it.

“Still, it’s amazing how much changes just from crossing a single mountain. Nature’s pretty incredible.”

*―No, my apologies. The climate here is largely influenced by me as well.*

“Eh? Really? I mean, that’s… impressive in its own way.”

*―Ahh, you have a very honest soul. I shall take that as praise.*

“Senior disciple…? Who are you talking to…?”
“……Huh?”

Now that she mentioned it, I had responded without thinking—but whose voice was that? It wasn’t Stell. It wasn’t Mr. Arnitta and Mr. Mintark. It was a much older voice.

And apparently, I was the only one who could hear it—Stell just tilted her head, clearly confused.

*―Apologies for startling you. I’m not physically present, so searching would be pointless.*

“Wha-wha-wha? Wh-what do you mean? A g-ghost?!”

*―Not a ghost. I’m sending a telepathic message to you because your frequency aligns with mine. I’m sorry, but would you be willing to come to where I am?*

“Hey, missy! The air conditioning finally kicked in—wait, what’re you doing out there spacing out? Unless you want a mouthful of sand, get inside!”
“Uh, right… Mr. Arnitta, sorry, but can we change our destination? Just a quick detour, please!”
“Uhh, okay…?”

✦✧✦✧✦

“Hey, missy, are you sure this is the right way? We’re way off the original route now.”
“Yes, this is right. I think… it should be…”

It had been about five hours since we started heading in the direction that mysterious voice had pointed us toward. No matter how far we drove Kyodaigorou off our intended path, all we saw was more sand.

The scenery hadn’t changed at all, and it was starting to feel like we weren’t moving at all. But the old man’s voice was definitely calling from this direction.

And I had proof—the voice echoing in my head was growing clearer by the minute.

“Hellooo? Can you see us from over there? We’re starting to feel a little uneasy over here…”

*―It’s fine. I can sense your presence clearly. But I must say, you have quite a peculiar and tiny form.*

“Hmm? I’m still growing, so I’d say I’m decently tall, thank you very much.”
“Hey Mintark, who the heck is the girl talking to?”
“No idea. It looks like she’s communicating with a voice none of us can hear…”
“…Did the heat scramble her brain?”
““That seems a bit much…””
“―Hmm?”

I could hear them whispering behind me, but before I could be bothered by it, something zapped along my neck. It was like a jolt of static electricity—and in that moment, I understood.

The person calling out to me was close. I could feel their presence distinctly now.

*―I’m right here, just up ahead. Please, come and see me.*

“Roger that! Mr. Arnitta, veer a little more to the right! Aim for that hole over there!”
“Alright, we finally made it to the destination, huh? Hold on tight!”

Peeking out from the hatch, I could see a massive depression carved into the desert.

…But something about it felt off. The air around the crater shimmered wildly.

Even I knew that mirages formed in heat like this, but the wavering around that hole was far more intense than usual. And the closer we got, the hotter it became. Not hot—scorching.

This wasn’t just sunlight. Even inside Kyodaigorou, the temperature kept climbing, surpassing what the air conditioning could handle.

“…Senior disciple, that hole… it’s on fire.”
“Wha—what!?”

As we drew closer, the source of the abnormal heat became clear.

Inside that enormous crater—easily big enough to fit several Kyodaigorous—fierce flames were roaring skyward.

In a world of endless sandy browns, the interior of that pit blazed a vivid, searing red.

*―Well now, this is a surprise. I had assumed you were of my kind, but I didn’t expect my guest to be this small.*

And more surprising than the flames… was the owner of that voice, who emerged from within the pit. It wasn’t human. Its black scales looked like cooled, hardened lava, and embers danced softly from its skin.

But most striking of all were its eyes—serpentine and larger than I was tall—gazing calmly down at Kyodaigorou.

*―A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Valka Muetta, a dragon who has made this desert his lifelong nest.*