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Sevens (Light Novel) - Volume 8, Chapter 93 – Lamia
Volume 8, Chapter 93 – Lamia
This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml
Translated by: Reiji
Inside the dark forest.
We were holding our breath.
We could hear the chirp of birds and insects, but it was dark so we couldn’t see anything.
But, the enemy was detecting us.
It seemed that it was already seeing us as prey. It was chasing us around really persistently.
It maintained a certain distance and would close in if we let our guards down.
It was an unpleasant feeling.
Miranda was looking at Aria.
「Aria, treat your injury.」
「Just this much isn’t a big deal.」
「Just do it.」
Miranda insisted. Aria reluctantly treated her wound while asking me.
「How is it doing?」
I honestly answered.
「It doesn’t look like it will let us go. I think it’ll attack somewhere before we can leave the forest.」
We had run around really far but, the opponent was chasing us.
Towards that persistence, Eva was looking around while talking about the past.
「When I was a child, I got lost in a forest and a monster chased me around. This feels the same as that time.」
「What kind of monster was it?」
When I asked about the monster,
「It was a lamia. It’s a monster with a female upper body and the lower body of a snake. There are some stories where the monster’s upper body is described as beautiful, but its appearance in reality is normally scary. Even a perverted man will run away at full speed if this monster comes out.」
It seemed that its upper body was naked and its breasts were exposed, but it was scary that even a big man would run away.
Miranda leaned on a tree while staying vigilant to the surroundings.
「I investigated it at the adventurer guild but, recently it seemed to have started appearing in this area. Perhaps it came out from a dungeon somewhere?」
The same thing also happened previously. It was when I was still a beginner adventurer.
Eva brought water to her mouth and drank slowly.
She took care of the dryness of her throat before answering Miranda.
「I wonder about that. If it’s a lamia, then it wouldn’t be strange even if the man who got away defeated it. Even if that man intentionally let it go, it’s impossible for the current us to be unable to get away from a lamia.」
The members here put importance in speed even within the party.
These members had their traveling speed increased by the Fourth’s Art.
Even so we couldn’t get away.
Aria finished her wound’s treatment and stood up. Then she raised her guard to the surroundings.
「In the first place, it’s scary that we don’t know what is pursuing us.」
We were inside a dark forest.
Bluntly speaking it was scary.
If I was alone, surely it would feel discouraging.
While the four of us were talking, the Seventh’s voice came from the Jewel.
『Lyle, don’t talk too much. You should rest too.』
I entrusted this place to the three and took a bit of rest.
It seemed I was more tired than I thought. I immediately fell asleep.
.
──After confirming that Lyle had fallen asleep, the atmosphere of the three changed.
「He fell asleep right away. He’s like a child.」
Eva said those words. Miranda also opened her mouth.
「That’s a good thing. ──More importantly, Aria.」
Aria’s shoulders shook for a moment in surprise. Then she turned towards Miranda. It seemed she knew what Miranda was going to say. Her awkward expression was becoming like a child who got scolded.
「What?」
「Why did you hesitate? If it’s you then you should be able to finish it in one attack.」
If it was Aria, she should be able to attack one of the trio who attacked them. Miranda blamed her.
「I know. But──my body didn’t move.」
Eva shrugged.
「It ended safely but, get your act together.」
「You are really unruffled. Don’t you feel any hesitation?」
Eva narrowed her eyes.
「There would be various troubles when you’re traveling. I got attacked by bandits not just once or twice.」
Toward such Eva, Miranda was,
「Oh, how reliable.」
Eva raised one eyebrow and showed displeasure on her face.
「Your words sound fake somehow.」
「You really said that. I understand that you don’t like me but, to show it openly like that every time is problematic you know?」
Miranda was telling Eva to not involve her personal emotions in an important time like this.
Eva too seemed to understand that.
「Even so I’ll do my job. So let me complain at least. It’s irritating when I’m looking at you.」
Expression vanished from Miranda’s face.
「Choose the time and place. And also, let me say this but──if you come with us with reason like song or story, it will be a bother for Lyle if your feeling is just to that degree. I wish you won’t compare your happy-go-lucky self to the people around you.」
Eva scowled at Miranda’s words. Her atmosphere was gradually turning grave.
Aria came in between them in exasperation.
「Stop it already. It’s depressing for me who is watching you two.」
Eva flared at Aria who said that.
「I don’t want to get told that by you who can’t even accomplish your role. I’m serious here. I’m risking my life for the sake of song. There’s no way I can just stay quiet when someone makes light of that.」
She was keeping her voice low, but she couldn’t hide her anger.
Aria faltered at Eva’s anger.
「So, sorry.」
But Miranda was,
「Aria has no need to apologize. If there is another handy material, then this girl will abandon Lyle and go over there.」
Eva accompanied Lyle for the sake of song and story. Miranda was wary towards her who was like that.
Unlike Miranda and the others, Eva’s motive was weak.
If it was about motive then Clara was also similarly weak, but Miranda was only regarding Eva as dangerous.
Clara was somewhat clumsy. Even if she tried to betray them Miranda was confident she would be able to spot it.
But, what about Eva?
She had the information network of elves and excelled in acting.
She was capable and possessed various experiences.
When push came to shove, she could come to a clean decision even when facing against her fellow elves. So Miranda also personally evaluated her highly.
But, if it was for the sake of her own benefit, then wouldn’t such Eva be able to betray Lyle easily?
Such doubt was growing inside Miranda.
「As I thought I hate you. I really hate you.」
A large gulf was being created between Miranda and Eva──
.
──Inside the Jewel.
When Lyle entered a deep sleep, the three’s voices couldn’t be heard anymore.
When the arguing voices were cut off, the five people opened their mouths.
The five of them were making a somewhat discomposed expression.
『Girls are really scary.』
『I understand. I rea~lly understand!』
『Miranda’s doubt is only natural though.』
『That’s right. Clara too, her motive for accompanying Lyle is a bit──』
『──When the conversation couldn’t be heard anymore at the middle, rather than feeling disappointed I was relieved instead.』
The ancestors who were listening to the conversation of the girls were feeling envious of the sleeping Lyle who didn’t notice anything.
For something like this, they might as well listen to the entirety of the conversation, if not it would still be better to not have heard anything at all rather than only half like this.
The Jewel had unstable parts like this.
And that was getting especially stronger recently.
Lately──no, since the encounter with Celes, the condition of the Jewel was strange.
The Fourth sighed.
『Is it as I thought, that the Jewel is unstable because it’s an imitation?』
Celes said that this Jewel was a 「failure」 and a「defective product」.
It would be unfortunate if the Jewel was unstable because of that, but they still had to depend on the blue Jewel even then.
But, the five people here didn’t feel pessimism from that.
The Third was smiling with composure.
『Even if it’s a fake but its strength is genuine. A tool is only meaningful when it’s used skillfully. It’s unfortunate that it’s unstable, but the bigger problem is──』
The problem right now was the relationship among the girls that was worse than they thought rather than the Jewel.
『Clara-chan isn’t really a problem. That girl’s motive is understandable, and I personally am happy that she is coming along.』
When the Third said that, the Fourth was exasperated.
『The Third’s favoritism to Clara is showing. Even so, Aria’s resolve is lacking. When you consider that Sophia is also similar, aren’t these two problematic?』
But, the Fifth had a different view.
『With how capable Eva is, it makes me not want to imagine how it’ll become if she betrays Lyle. The problem of Aria and Sophia can be solved easily if they accumulate experience.』
The Sixth who was favoring Miranda was,
『Miranda’s opinion is right. I think that we should be on guard against Eva.』
Among them, the Seventh was pondering seriously.
The Third called out to him.
『What’s the matter?』
『No, actually about the elf──they exist everywhere, and there are also groups of them traveling throughout the continent.』
『──Yeah.』
『They’re unrelated with any country, and are cooperative with their fellow elves. They frequently exchange information, and sometimes they manipulate the populace using song. The elves who attacked this time were also troublesome.』
Everyone in this place understood what he wanted to say.
Until now Lyle had been helped many times by Eva.
And by the elves too.
That was how convenient the elves were.
It was the proof of how capable Eva and the elves were.
It would be extremely troublesome to turn such existence into an enemy.
『The demi-humans didn’t really go against humans since the past. If we consider the elves who attacked this time as subordinates of Laukaan, they’re in the position of being used by humans. I became curious about that since some time ago. Just what is a demi-human?』
The Third was interested in the Seventh’s question but,
『That too is certainly important but, there is a big problem right in front of us. Something has to be done about the relationship between the girls. I feel like I’ll get a stomachache just from watching them. Is there anyone who has a solution?』
The other four averted their faces at the Third’s question.
『Please don’t ask me for a solution.』
『It’s also impossible for me. I’m fundamentally the type who is watching carefully from the sidelines.』
『──I, I also got a stomachache from the quarrel between fellow woman so I’ll pass.』
『It’s only this type of problem that is a bit impossible even for me.』
The Third was laughing.
『Eh? Everyone is really unreliable. ──Or rather, I myself don’t have any solution. Really, what to do about this?』
The Third was letting out a dry laugh while sweating nervously in front of this problem.
It was the proof that he was troubled.
The five were completely useless in regards to the girl relationship problem.
They didn’t really consider the matter of being pursued by a monster as that great of a problem──
.
I opened my eyes after sleeping for a bit. There the other three were standing guard wordlessly.
There was no one else who was resting. It also didn’t look like they were standing guard by turn.
「Sorry, I’ll take turn.」
I got up while calling out to them. I also confirmed the enemy’s position at the same time.
The enemy was slowly closing the distance.
「──It’s really close. My bad you three but, let’s get away from this place first.」
The three nodded but──Miranda and Eva looked strange.
Aria was looking concerned at the two of them but, at the same time she also looked scared.
「You three, what happened?」
「There’s nothing.」
「Nothing much.」
Miranda answered with a smile. Eva was replying in a bad mood.
Aria was about to say something, but she closed her mouth in the middle.
The air was strange.
It was clear that something happened while I was sleeping.
「Hey, really what’s going on? Eh? Did I do something wrong?」
I thought that perhaps they were irritated at me, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.
「We aren’t angry so let’s go already.」
Eva said that and walked ahead. Miranda shrugged and followed behind her.
After the two went ahead, Aria said to me.
「You were sleeping so peacefully. ──How envious.」
「I, I’m sorry.」
Was she angry at me for sleeping?
However, it didn’t look like that at all.
Aria sighed with a tired face while going ahead.
I also started walking.
I grabbed the Jewel and asked the ancestors what happened.
「Did something happen while I was asleep?」
There was a bit of pause before the reply came.
The Third’s voice sounded hesitant. He talked to me as though to dodge the question.
『──There wasn’t anything. More importantly, you’re being chased right now. Focus on that.』
「Ye, yes.」
.
──The monster that was chasing Lyle’s group was molting.
The monster considered it a good luck that Lyle’s group stopped walking.
The lamia took time to molt. Its appearance changed to become closer to a snake.
Scales covered its whole body. Only a shadow of its breasts remained.
Its long and slender arms near its head remained but, the amount increased to six.
Besides, the fingers of its hands decreased to three fingers while their claws became even sharper.
Even a monster would go through “Growth” after defeating a powerful enemy.
Its forked tongue quickly went in and out. Its eyes that had grown larger were looking around restlessly at the surroundings.
Nearby, there was a large frog passing by. Its tongue stretched out and caught the frog before it retracted back quickly to swallow it.
However, it was insufficient for the lamia who had grown bigger.
It used its stamina for molting and now it was hungry.
Before long Lyle’s group started moving. Sensing that, its eyes narrowed like a fox.
It looked like it was smiling.
The bigger lamia quickly slithered on the ground in pursuit of Lyle’s group──
.
──While traveling through the forest.
Aria was blaming herself.
(Pathetic. I’m the only one who is being a hindrance.)
Miranda who could do anything.
Eva who specialized in the forest.
While Lyle could perform amazing feats in every aspect.
Aria believed that originally she was the one in charge of scouting in this party.
But, she was inferior compared to both Miranda and Eva.
She was doing nothing except assisting Lyle.
Besides, she could do nothing except watching the atmosphere within the party worsening.
She came to hate her pathetic self’s strength.
She wondered just how much she had to grow stronger to be able to stand side by side with them.
The anxiety inside Aria was growing bigger.
Was she dragging back Lyle who decided to fight Celes?
And then──could she fight against Celes?
The more she thought, the more she felt how small she was.
「Aria.」
She was called and lifted up her face in surprise. There she saw Miranda.
「We’re taking a break. Also, you’ll die if you let your guard down.」
Aria became embarrassed from getting cautioned.
「I, I get it.」
A bluff instantly appeared from her mouth. Even that felt pathetic for her.
It was a vicious circle.
Miranda didn’t say anything to Aria’s attitude.
「That’s fine then. ──Lyle, how is the enemy?」
Lyle looked deeper into the forest──towards the direction they were running away from. His expression was grave.
「I think it plans to attack us before we get out of the forest. It’s closing the distance gradually.」
Lyle touched the ground and used his Art.
Then, it seemed he grasped the opponent’s shape due to the shortened distance.
「A person? No, a snake? The snake has hands.」
Eva entered the conversation.
「Isn’t that a lamia?」
「It’s big. It’s too big compared to the information.」
Lyle also knew about the guild’s information of the monsters that frequently appeared in this area.
Compared to that, the pursuing monster was big.
It seemed the shape was also different.
「It also has six things that feel like arms.」
「What’s that? Are they really arms?」
「I don’t know.」
The pursuer was something like a large snake that was swiftly slithering on the ground.
Furthermore, it easily defeated those elves.
They couldn’t let their guard down.
Lyle was making a tired face.
「If possible I don’t want to fight it.」
Originally they entered the forest with the objective of searching for dungeons. Their policy was to avoid battle.
Aria looked at Lyle while,
(Ah, he grasped the blue Gem again.)
It seemed to be Lyle’s habit. She often caught sight of him doing that when making decisions.
When looking at him grasping or rolling it in his fingers──Aria felt relieved.
When he was like this, Lyle was strong and reliable.
「──Let’s attack it.」
Hearing his words, both Miranda and Eva started checking their equipment.
Aria also performed equipment check slightly late.
Even this trifling thing like this made Aria felt that she was inferior to the people around her──
.
We were lying in wait at an open space inside the forest. An eerie sound was approaching.
It was the sound of rubbing the ground when slithering and the trees getting shaved.
It could easily be imagined that something big was approaching.
Before long, a large snake showed up from among the trees.
Its body was stretching into the forest. Its tail couldn’t even be seen due to the plants hiding it.
「It’s huge.」
I unconsciously leaked out my simple thought. The large snake’s tongue was licking the air.
I had fought against snake monsters several times but, this thing’s abnormality was more its appearance rather than its size.
It had six long and slender arms near its head.
Miranda immediately threw her knife, but it was deflected by the monster’s hard scale.
「It’s not a lamia. Rather than that, there wasn’t any information of this monster.」
There were a lot of monsters with large snake shape.
Their strength also greatly varied. How to deal with them also changed depending on the variety.
It would be extremely troublesome if it had poison.
Eva fired her arrow while,
「I also don’t know it. If it has poison we won’t be able to treat it. It’ll be better to defeat it without getting near.」
If Clara was here then we might be able to hear detailed information about this monster, but she wasn’t here right now.
Aria was bewildered.
「Not getting near you say──how’re we going to defeat it then!?」
Miranda was composed.
Eva was also the same.
The two’s gaze moved towards me.
「I don’t really want to use it though.」
I grasped the Jewel with my left hand tightly, then I tore it off from my neck.
The silver chain was changing into the shape of a bow. It became a silver bow without string.
A string made from light could be pulled like a bowstring.
When I pinched the bowstring and drew, an arrow of light was created.
The large snake opened its large mouth. It looked like it was laughing at me.
「Even though the power’s adjustment is difficult.」
I grumbled.
The bow that the Second left behind was different from the silver great sword that the First left behind. It gave me an obedient impression.
No, it was diligent.
To put it in a bad way, it was inflexible.
If I mistook the strength adjustment even slightly,
「──Ah!」
The large snake spread open its six arms widely and rushed forward as though to capture me. I fired the arrow at the eerie large snake. ──I accidentally fired.
The moment I got flustered thinking that it was slightly disgusting, the power got heightened without me intending it.
The arrow of light pierced the large snake’s head and opened a hole in its forehead.
For a moment, it only looked like there was a hole opened, but right after that the large snake’s head burst open.
It was fortunate that the blood and flesh was blowing out to behind the large snake.
A bit later, at the other side of the large snake──from behind it there was a sound of an explosion. The arrow of light that pierced through the head crashed somewhere and exploded.
The strength adjustment was harder than before.
When I looked around, the inside of the forest became covered all over with the snake’s blood. It was a really terrible scenery.
Aria was surprised. Her mouth was opening and closing while yelling.
「It finished instantly! Why were we running around then!?」
──That reaction was only natural.
But, I too wanted to be allowed to make an excuse.
「Recently this weapon is especially unstable. Besides, with a sound that loud──」
In the middle of talking, I saw smoke rising up from ahead.
『Aa~aa, you did it.』
The Third’s easygoing voice came.
Eva was exasperated.
「Won’t it be better to use the great sword? More importantly, let’s go extinguish the fire first.」
Miranda said to Eva.
「That great sword is no good. You have to get closer to use it, and more importantly Lyle will collapse after one shot.」
「But it’s no good if you cause a fire like this.」
「That’s why we were running around right? I wish you would stop doing nothing but complain.」
I turned the bow back into the Jewel──into a necklace and hung it around my neck.
「Anyway let’s deal with the fire first. After that, we’ll have to leave the forest immediately.」
I didn’t want to cause a commotion because I didn’t want to be detected by the knights and soldiers of Laukaan that seemed to be in the surrounding area.
Aria pouted.
「I’m not convinced.」
In contrast Miranda was understanding.
「From the start it was already said that we would refrain from fighting right? Did you think we were running around because we won’t be able to defeat the monster?」
Eva made fun of Aria.
「Aria really isn’t composed.」
Aria got angry and her face reddened, so I hurried the three.
「Let’s quickly extinguish the fire and leave this forest. Good grief, perhaps the investigation will be hard for a while after this.」
Our objective of searching for the dungeons of the Laukaan Kingdom would become difficult with this.
Aria looked at the large snake.
「We aren’t going to recover the magic stone?」
I shook my head.
「We don’t have time to search for it, and in case the snake is poisonous we don’t know how to deal with it. That’s scary. It’s best to not do anything.」
We didn’t have time to search the large body of the snake for the magic stone.
We could only leave it alone like this.
If it was smaller, we could cover it with soil to hide it──that was impossible I guess.
That would be obviously too suspicious.
It would be better to escape right away.
「Let’s go already. If the fire spread out we won’t be able to deal with it. I can’t allow that as an elf.」
Eva was itching to extinguish the fire. She led us toward the fire.
.
The arrow of light seemed to have gone very far.
We advanced forward using the lined up trees that got a hole a few centimeters wide opened in their trunk in a straight line as a sign.
「It would be better if you fired the arrow toward the sky.」
It couldn’t be helped that Eva said that.
If I did that, then the work wouldn’t increase needlessly like this.
「It’ll be troublesome if it fall far away like a high-angle shot. Or rather, can that arrow fall?」
In response to Miranda’s simple question, I,
「I never tried it, so I don’t know.」
A performance that was too good was also a problem.
It felt like the arrow would go forward no matter how far, but seeing its shape as a bow and arrow, I also got the feeling that the arrow would be pulled by gravity and fell.
Aria lifted her face slightly and sniffed the smell.
「The burn smell──it’s near.」
We hurriedly headed to the fire scene with the four of us. There we found several scorched trees remaining.
It seemed that the surroundings was also burning. There was black soot around.
However, the fire was already extinguished.
I suddenly sensed a presence and looked around. There I saw a girl sitting on a nearby tree.
Her legs were swaying to and fro, but she stood up on the rock when we approached.
There was still a trace of childishness remaining in her appearance.
But strangely there was a pressure from her.
Her blonde hair was cut short. Her eyes were blue.
Her clear eyes were looking at us.
She was standing on the rock, so she was looking down on us.
The girl before us put her hand on her waist and said.
「It’s not admirable to play with fire in a forest.」
The girl started sermonizing with a really patronizing tone. Her voice was also childish as expected.
How should I say it──it was strange.
First the girl’s clothes was strange.
It was an outfit that was unsuitable for walking in a forest.
It exposed the majority of her skin.
A white cloth that only hid her breast.
Because her abdomen was exposed, her navel could be seen.
The sleeves that were starting from her upper arm were loose. It looked difficult to move with.
Her bare legs stretched out from the white short pant she was wearing. Her feet were wearing sandals.
It wasn’t an outfit for entering a forest.
That kind of outfit would often get stuck on grass or tree branches. It would soon become ragged. Because there was many exposed body parts, her skin would get many bruises and wounds.
That was in the normal case.
However, even though the girl was this deep in the forest, there wasn’t any fray or dirt of that kind on the girl’s outfit at all.
Her skin was also really clean──a faint scar could be seen on her neck but it seemed to be an old wound.
「But, Iboku’ll forgive you all because you returned here. Does the elf-san over there lead the other three back there? Ah, could it be the fire was unrelated with you four? If that’s the case then that’s my misunderstanding.」
The young girl had a proper bulge on her chest.
That was why there was no doubt she was a girl.
When she referred to herself she used “boku”.
It gave me a somewhat otherworldly impression of her.
Eva talked to her representing us.
「Did you extinguish the fire for us? Actually the forest got set on fire due to our carelessness. If you extinguished it for us then please allow us to say our thanks.」
I could see that Eva was wary.
Miranda was also similar.
I could also hear the ancestors’ voices from inside the Jewel.
『This girl, don’t you think that she is somewhat unnatural?』
『It’s strange that she is in a forest like this but, her outfit is especially strange. There isn’t a single wound on her body even though she is dressed like that. Is it related with her Art?』
Next after the Third and the Fourth was the Sixth.
『She looks like a really precocious child but, I don’t think that’s all there is to her. Lyle, be on your guard. Even so, it feels like I have seen her somewhere before.』
It seemed that something bothered the Sixth.
In response to that the Seventh was,
『Is it another descendant that you created somewhere else? Spare us from any more of that kind of talk.』
『Idiot! I’m thinking seriously here. It’s not that kind of story, something is really bothering me.』
I could hear their quarreling voice, but the Fifth alone wasn’t saying anything.
The girl stared fixedly at us for a bit before her expression broke into a smile.
She then sat down cross-legged on the rock.
「How honest. I intended to discipline you four for a bit if you lied but, I’ll forgive you. Also, I was the one who extinguished the fire. I had business in this area so I did that secondary to it.」
Secondary?
I got curious and asked.
「You have business in a forest like this? Even though there isn’t anyone living here?」
The girl waved her hand lazily and spoke looking like it was bothersome.
「This too is something like our job after all. I wish that you all will get your act together more.」
I was curious with the way she said that.
Miranda’s wariness deepened.
「Do you know what we’re doing?」
She looked like she was going to draw out her weapon. I stopped her with my gaze.
The girl was grinning while watching us.
I didn’t understand. Just what did this girl know?
「I don’t know what your group is up to. But, I myself want you humans on the whole to get your acts together. It will be a disaster to do nothing to a dungeon no matter how much time passed. Really, I wonder when humans will learn.」
Those words sounded like she was saying that she wasn’t human.
She didn’t look like a mere child putting on an air.
My wariness deepened a lot. Then Eva talked to the girl.
「Who are you? ──What do you plan to do with us?」
The girl shook her head. She was slightly flustered.
「Ah, don’t misunderstand. I have no intention to attack. After all I’m someone who is especially kind to humans even among my race. But, I’ll have to give you a warning if you do something bad. Using that kind of power inside the forest is not allowed you know?」
The girl’s gaze was turned towards me.
She noticed that I caused the fire by using the silver bow.
I gulped.
「You know everything?」
「I saw it after all. A lamia went through Growth and it looked like it would do something bad, so I was thinking to exterminate it. But, I became interested in you.」
I felt relieved seeing the girl smiling at me.
It seemed that we would be able to go through this without any hostility.
I turned towards the other three and nodded. Then I relaxed my guard and talked to the girl.
「Are you not human?」
「Yep, I’m not.」
The girl was showing a friendly grin. But she didn’t say anything more.
She must have no intention to tell us her true identity.
「I wish to thank you for helping us to extinguish the fire. Thank you. I wish there is something I can give you to show our gratitude but──」
When I was thinking of giving her something, the girl pointed at my chest.
「Then, give me that. Though if you resist, I’ll take it away forcefully.」
Her expression was different from before.
My back felt chilly from the low tone.
The girl’s blue eyes were shining.
Her smile vanished and she became expressionless. She was staring fixedly at my necklace──the blue Jewel.
Eva asked back dubiously.
「Lyle’s pendant?」
Miranda stepped forward to cover me up,
「I’m sorry. This is his heirloom. That’s why, please ask for something else. We will grant what you want as much as we can so──」
The girl didn’t allow for the topic to be shifted.
「I don’t care about gratitude for dealing with the fire. I want that thing you have there. After that, let me ask you this time──why is it, my benefactor is being imprisoned inside that?」
Hearing those words, the Fifth opened his mouth inside the Jewel.
『──As I thought, is that May?』
The girl opened her eyes wide. Was she able to hear the voice?
And then, a golden horn grew out from her forehead.
A shining golden horn.
The moonlight was shining on that treeless open space.
