Author: Akashari	Original Source: Syosetu
Translator: Mui	English Source: Re:Library

Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

“Thank you for your hard work. Here, have some water.”

After putting the utterly exhausted Momo to bed at the inn, I stepped outside for a breath of night air, only to find the Saint waiting with cups in both hands.

Since her position likely barred her from offering anything indulgent, the cups held nothing but plain, cooled water—a decidedly unexciting choice. Well, honestly, I’d be more troubled if she’d offered alcohol as a reward.

“Thanks for the water. Sorry for dragging you along today.”
“Not at all; it was a nice change of pace. How’s the progress?”
“Hard to say. There’s definite improvement in movement, but… if things keep up at this rate, it’s about fifty-fifty.”
“A fifty-fifty chance with rough training is quite good, isn’t it? Or… do you not have confidence in your disciples?”
“They are not my disciples, and I can’t trust them. No matter how meticulous our preparations are, unforeseen circumstances are bound to happen.”

For now, I’d tailored the training to match the level of the dragon I was familiar with, but whether it would work against whatever lived on that mountain was anyone’s guess.

If the dragon on that mountain turned out to be of a higher caliber than the one I knew, or if it wielded an entirely different kind of power, all our efforts would be wasted. But given that it was an already risky endeavor, I had no choice but to believe my actions wouldn’t end up in vain.

“Saint, do you know anything about the dragon that lives on that mountain?”
“Just the name. Claxton—that’s the name of the dragon lurking there.”
“A named dragon, huh? That’s even more of an encounter I’d rather avoid.”
“Here’s what I don’t understand: wouldn’t it be safer if you just went along with them, Ms. Laika?”
“Don’t be absurd. I have no obligation to. If Momo hadn’t dragged me into this, I’d have stayed well out of it from the start.”
“And yet here you are, lending a hand in various ways to help the two of them.”
“……”

Something in the Saint’s tone hinted at hidden meaning, and her all-knowing smile was starting to get on my nerves. This so-called help was just a whim, really. As long as I stayed uninvolved with the dragon, I could watch the mess from a safe distance, like observing a fire across the river. I figured I’d stoke these two fools a bit, then sit back and see just how much they struggled to survive.

“Eheheh. Ms. Laika, if I may offer some advice—you’re really not cut out to be a villain.”
“Haaahhhhh? What on earth are you on about?!”
“Oh, my, how scary. Since I’m frightened, may I pat your head?”
“Stop that! Don’t come any closer! If you’ve got no business here, go home!”
“Oh, right, I did forget something important.”

I swatted away her hand as she reached for my head, and the air around her shifted completely. She straightened, her expression turning serious.

“Ms. Laika, what are your thoughts on the wyvern situation?”
“Why ask out of the blue…? If I remember, it was said that wyvern saliva wasn’t the only cause, right?”
“Precisely. The incense I burned only fanned the flames, so to speak—there has to be another trigger behind it.”
“Only, you say, but what you did was no small issue, you know.”
“Yes, and I’m reflecting on it even more deeply than the ocean itself… Truly, believe me.”

Maybe that instructor of hers gave her a severe scolding, because the Saint’s face turned pale as if recalling something unpleasant. I sincerely hoped she’d keep herself in check going forward; I didn’t want to be dragged into another mess like that.

“Still, if there’s another cause… could it really be the dragon?”
“Is that your thought as well?”

Apparently, those wyverns had lived in a colony on that mountain all along. Considering the sheer number of them, it seemed likely they’d coexisted with the dragon there. But for all of them to suddenly take flight at once…

“Ms. Laika, can you sense anything from that mountain?”
“……Nothing at all. I hope my instincts aren’t failing me.”
“Yes, I feel the same way. There’s no sign of any threat from that mountain.”

As a wizard, I was always keenly attuned to magical forces directed toward me. Dragons, after all, emitted immense magical power just by existing. But from this distance, I couldn’t pick up any significant aura from that mountain.

“Is it even really there?”
“About a month ago, Claxton’s roar reached this town. But since then, it’s been eerily quiet, as if the flames have been snuffed out.”
“Did anyone… No, it’s not worth going into the mountain just to confirm whether it’s alive or dead.”
“Exactly. One reason we’re sending Mr. Nova this time is due to these circumstances.”
“Hmph. Like a canary in a coal mine, then.”

It seemed the people of Astraea had grown considerably shrewd in my absence. By sending Nova out, they’d be able to determine if the dragon was alive if he didn’t return, and if he made it back, they’d get a detailed report. Using human lives to clear up lingering doubts… Momo would be livid if she heard about it.

“So, how about accompanying the two?”
“…Hmph. As I already said, I have no business on that mountain.”
“Are you not worried about the two of them?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I taught them myself, so they won’t be throwing their lives away meaninglessly.”
“Ufufu, you do trust them, after all.”
“I merely have confidence in them—don’t get it twisted. Besides, I have my own matters to attend to.”

I pulled an envelope from my pocket and held it up, showing it to the Saint, who watched me with that infuriatingly warm smile. The letter had been sealed with wax, a clear indication it came from a noble.

“Oh my, and that is…?”
“It was delivered to the inn ahead of time. I couldn’t exactly refuse to accept it.”
“Probably for the best not to. It’s an invitation from a noble, isn’t it? Who might it be from?”
“You know full well. There’s only one noble family in this town with any connection to me.”

I flipped the envelope over, angling it so she could see the seal. As with most noble invitations, it bore the family crest, pressed into melted wax. I immediately recognized the insignia on the seal.

“…It’s from the current head of the Umravolf family. Who knows what they want from me at this point.”

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