Evening.
Ariel was quietly mulling over her strategy in the student council room.
She had thought some rough measures were necessary — she had even gone so far as to destroy the dormitory as part of the cover-up — and yet it had still ended in failure.
"So you didn't sneak into his room at night?"
"Like I could possibly do that!"
Luke's remark drew a sharp retort from Sylphie.
She had agonized over it for ages, and the fact that she had chickened out at the very end was a secret she intended to keep.
Luke received the shouting with a weary shrug, as if to say he had known this would happen.
"…Luke, what do you think?"
"About what?"
"About
Ariel thought it over.
Everything should have been set up for success.
And yet, it had failed.
"This wasn't a coincidence, was it?"
"No, I wouldn't say so."
Even when they tried to manufacture a coincidence to stage a discovery, there was a will behind his actions — a determination to head things off before they even began.
She had said it was because Sylphie was dense, but that couldn't possibly be the case.
His actions spoke of intention.
For that matter, it was inconceivable that someone of his caliber would spend an entire night climbing in and out of bed without waking or saying a single word.
Why hadn't he said anything?
(Is it my fault after all?)
Rudeus had explicitly stated that he did not wish to be at odds with Ariel.
She didn't know the reason, but…
Perhaps, in his eyes, Ariel appeared far more formidable than she actually was — just as she had been overly wary of and fearful toward Rudeus.
(I have no intention of opposing Rudeus Greyrat either. We're quite the pair, aren't we?)
She chuckled inwardly at the unfunny joke and let out a sigh.
"Still, I think we need to find some way to make him remember Sylphiette."
"…Isn't it a bit late for that? He's probably forgotten about her by now, too."
Luke's words gave Ariel pause.
True — the chances of him having forgotten were high.
It had been eight years since Sylph and Rudeus had parted.
In eight years, a person could certainly forget someone.
At the very least, over the past year, Sylphie had not once heard the word "Sylph" leave Rudeus's mouth.
Which meant there was a strong possibility he had forgotten the very existence of Sylphiette.
How could they make him remember?
Ariel tried using herself as an example.
She herself couldn't recall the names of the maids who had served her eight years ago.
But there were a few she did remember.
Lilia had disappeared around the time Ariel first began to understand the world, but she clearly remembered Lilia fighting for her right there before her eyes.
"Sylph, do you have any memories with him — anything at all?"
"Memories?"
"Yes. A person is remembered by their abilities and by the memories they leave behind. That's why nobles host parties at every opportunity — to introduce people to one another. They pile on flowery compliments, perform refined dances with elegant movements, all to leave some kind of impression… Since nobles are numerous, simply meeting someone once isn't enough; they're quickly forgotten."
Sylphie's abilities were memorable enough.
Chantless casting — very few people in the world could pull it off.
At Sylphie's or Rudeus's age, the number who could do it was virtually zero.
And yet Rudeus still hadn't remembered.
Why?
This was something beyond Ariel and the others' knowledge, but one reason was that he had lived a loser's life in his previous world.
He had the assumption that if he could do it, others could surely reach the same level with ease.
Another reason was the existence of figures like
Encounters with these overwhelmingly powerful people had instilled in him the recognition that this world was crawling with people far more capable than himself.
Surely chantless casters were a dime a dozen, or so he believed.
And then there was Ariel's presence.
It would be one thing if some random commoner could use chantless casting.
But a princess's bodyguard could use chantless magic.
That fact had skewed his perception.
A princess's bodyguard could probably manage something like that, he figured.
"Memories… Well, I did tell him about being bullied before."
"Yes, I heard you were bullied because of your hair color."
Incidentally, Sylphie had never told anyone that her original hair color had been green.
She feared that if the princess or Luke knew she was naturally green-haired, they might look at her strangely.
It wasn't that she didn't trust them.
She was simply afraid.
And so, she had maintained the story that her hair had been white since birth.
A lie told once was difficult to correct, and fortunately, after her hair had turned white, it never returned to its original color.
"When he saved me from those thugs, that was how I first met Rudeus. It's my most precious memory."
"…I see."
Ariel considered the idea.
Have Sylphie be attacked by thugs, then have Rudeus save her.
It was a scheme Luke had pulled off many times before.
She had the know-how.
But there was a problem.
Sylphie was strong.
She may have looked like this now, but when it came to a real fight, her judgment was swift and precise.
Any ordinary thug would likely be killed in an instant.
Rudeus, too, must have recognized at least to some degree "Fitz's" strength.
Could anyone find someone skilled enough to corner Sylphie like that?
…They could.
The adventuring clan "Thunderbolt," known for their prowess in rough-and-tumble fights, was currently in the city.
If enough money was paid, they could probably be hired.
But she had heard a rumor that they were on good terms with Rudeus.
The rumor was that "Rudeus of the Swamp" and "Sולדate the Lightning" had been having tea together at a café.
It was also said that "Elinarize of the Dragon Path" and "
Therefore, hiring the "Thunderbolt" clan was out of the question.
Even if she chose adventurers who seemed completely unrelated…
The face of the adventurer known as "Rudeus of the Swamp" was probably more widely known than Ariel imagined.
Even if she deliberately chose unaffiliated adventurers, there was a chance they were connected to him through some chain of acquaintances.
In that case, it would needlessly complicate things.
People might even end up dead.
Ariel had no intention of causing casualties over something like this.
Hiring some run-of-the-mill street toughs instead of adventurers was another option.
But if the opponents were too weak, Rudeus might actually end up disappointed in Sylphie.
It would be ideal if it led to a "I'll protect you" sentiment, but Sylphie had been marketed to him as a reliable senior. The risk of backfiring was high.
She needed to avoid anything that would lower Sylphie's standing.
That was her guiding policy.
In that case, the thug-ambush plan was off the table.
"Do you have any other memories with him?"
"Well… there's one more."
Sylphie recalled it, and her face turned red.
"At first, Rudeus thought I was a boy, but when we were practicing magic, it started raining, and I ended up taking a bath at his house. And then Rudeus, well, he tried to forcibly undress me…"
She trailed off and glanced toward Luke.
Luke met her gaze and silently covered both ears with his hands.
He was a man who could read the room.
"A-And then, he pulled my pants down, and… a-and then, he saw me, and he finally realized I was a girl."
After that, she explained, Rudeus had been depressed for a while.
As it happened, Ariel had already heard the rest of the story before.
So she nodded with an understanding "I see."
Rudeus's decision not to expose "Fitz's" identity must have been rooted in that past experience.
Even if he didn't remember Sylphie specifically, on some subconscious level he understood that forcibly exposing her identity would end badly.
At the same time, she concluded this was the only option.
Recreate the same scenario — and have him undress Sylphie with his own hands.
"Understood. Then we'll go with that."
It was a decisive pronouncement.
"Luke, take your hands off your ears. I'm going to explain the strategy now."
But then Ariel remembered something.
Sylphie's tendency to chicken out.
If they didn't address that, the same outcome was virtually guaranteed.
"Before we continue, there's one thing I need to confirm."
"Y-Yes?"
"Sylphie — what do you want to happen between you and Rudeus?"
The question made Sylphie think.
What did she want with Rudeus?
What did she want to do?
She wanted to be together with him.
She had feelings for him.
She had been in love with him for a long time.
She had fantasized about it constantly.
For example— The life she imagined after marrying Rudeus.
The house in her mind was the one he had lived in in
A house about that size.
They would share a bed.
When she woke up in the morning, Rudeus would be sleeping beside her.
He would say good morning and give her a kiss.
He would get dressed quickly and head off for his morning training.
She would go downstairs and make breakfast.
Making breakfast was a wife's job.
It didn't have to be anything lavish.
But Rudeus was a big eater, so she would make extra.
When breakfast was ready, Rudeus would return.
And when he ate, he probably wouldn't say "it's delicious today" or anything like that.
But he would eat in quiet contentment, and Sylphie would watch him with a warm smile.
When he asked for seconds, she would serve him.
After breakfast, Rudeus would head off to work.
She would pack his lunch and see him off.
Sylphie would also leave for Princess Ariel's side.
It was a double-income household, like Rudeus's parents.
She didn't know what Rudeus's job would be, but in her daydreams, that sort of detail was well within the margin of error.
When Sylphie finished work and returned home, she would run into Rudeus at the door.
He would spot her, give a wry smile, brush the snow off his shoulders, and pull her into a hug.
Together they would go inside and light the fire in the hearth.
Drawing the hot water would be quick.
After washing up and warming their bodies, it would be time to prepare dinner.
While she cooked, Rudeus would sit in front of the hearth, perhaps whittling another figurine.
They would eat together.
Unlike breakfast, Rudeus would be talkative.
What happened at work today, this and that.
Every story would be some incredible event far beyond Sylphie's imagination, and she would giggle and sincerely say how amazing that was.
After dinner, they would relax on the sofa by the hearth.
Sylphie would snuggle close to him, his arm draped over her shoulder.
Some days they would talk; other days, they wouldn't say a word.
But after a while, their gazes would meet.
Their faces would draw closer together.
And their silhouettes would merge.
Rudeus would lift Sylphie up, extinguish the fire, and carry her into the bedroom.
(Rudeus sometimes gets crude, so he might ask something like "How many kids do you want?" And then I'd get crude too and ask back, "Rudeus, how many do you want me to have?" And he'd give a little laugh and say "As many as possible" while undressing me… And then I'd giggle too and say "Then let's do it lots…" Oh no, I can't say that!)
"…I can't say that!"
*Ahem.* "Huh?!"
Ariel's single cough yanked her out of the fantasy.
Sylphie fiddled with her beet-red ears and hung her head.
Ariel watched her and spoke quietly.
"That fantasy of yours… try substituting yourself with another woman."
In the daydream, the role of Rudeus's wife was taken by
Sylphie's role became that of peeking through the window of the neighboring house at the two of them together.
When Rudeus and Nanahoshi noticed Sylphie watching, they smiled gently and closed the curtains.
"You wouldn't like that, would you?"
"N-No! I wouldn't!"
"Good."
Ariel nodded gravely and said: "Sylphie — the success of this strategy depends entirely on your effort."
"Y-Yes!"
Ariel considered whether that was enough to motivate her.
And then she drove the point home.
"I will not forgive a cowardly failure like last night.
If you repeat the same mistake, we will never help you again.
No — that wouldn't be enough.
In the name of Ariel Anemoi
It was, of course, a bluff.
But Sylphie swallowed hard.
Ariel confirmed the effect and added one more line: "Get serious."
"Y-Yes."
"Good."
Ariel nodded gravely once more.
And then she laid out the outline of the strategy.
--- Sylphie's Perspective --- The strategy was set in motion.
It was lunchtime.
Mealtime.
First floor of the dining hall.
The place was crawling with students who had been adventurers and demon race students alike.
The nobles looked down on them.
Most of it was prejudice.
Princess Ariel said prejudice was foolish.
Four hundred years ago, who exactly had been cornered by the very people they looked down on?
Well, it was a bit rich coming from Princess Ariel, who had once viewed Rudeus with prejudice herself, but still.
Rudeus was at the table farthest back on the first floor.
He was chatting with a group of people.
Rudeus,
At the edge of the group,
"So the essential requirements for a figurine, as Lord Badigadi sees them, would be what exactly?"
"More beautiful than the real thing, and above all, they must possess an eroticism that captivates all who gaze upon them!"
"Eroticism! As expected of Lord Badigadi — truly inspired insight. Here, have another drink."
Badigadi's skin was flushed a deep reddish-black as he sipped his sake with evident pleasure.
Rudeus and Zanoba grinned as they refilled his cup.
How odd — the dining hall wasn't supposed to have sake.
You'd have to go all the way to the campus store to buy any.
"By the way, Lord Badigadi — if I were to make a figurine of Lady Kishirika, what would you think of that?"
"That would be one incredibly erotic figurine."
"You would object to a figurine of my fiancée? But surely you've never seen Kishirika in her complete form."
"That's precisely the point. Once she reaches her complete form, she can never go back, right? That's exactly why I need to preserve her current adorable appearance."
"A valid argument. But that woman is careless by nature and sometimes dies rather abruptly. No need to preserve her current appearance, then."
"If I had figurines of Kishirika at every age, the Demon King's castle would become quite the spectacle."
"You are a human — you couldn't possibly see Kishirika at every age."
"Ah, but that's the key. To see Kishirika at every age simultaneously, my figurine-making craft must be passed down to future generations. And for that, I would need Lord Badigadi's cooperation. Hehehe."
"Fu ha ha ha ha!
You dare to leverage that kind of power with such a merchant's shakedown! I like your spirit!
Very well! Name your wish — gold, or people?"
"Oh no, nothing so grand. Just… if the time ever comes, I'd appreciate having you as a backing—"
Rudeus was wearing a slimy grin.
A thoroughly wicked look.
Rudeus rarely smiled, but when he did, it always looked like that.
He hadn't changed since the old days.
There had been someone who smiled like that in the royal palace too.
It was Minister Darius, if she remembered correctly.
The man who had cornered them. The ringleader.
An unforgivable person.
But because Rudeus smiled that way, Sylphie found the smile itself wasn't so bad.
She chalked it up to something particular to clever people.
She had heard that Rudeus and Zanoba were working on sculptures using earth magic.
She didn't quite understand what made them so special, but she could tell they were doing something extremely advanced.
When they had shown her the red dragon sculpture still in progress, she had genuinely thought it was impressive.
They were giving the Cliff Doll tribe specialized education and even roping in the Demon King himself.
A truly serious undertaking.
As a fellow chantless caster, she would have liked to be included, but with her duties as Ariel's bodyguard, it was out of the question.
"Rudeus Greyrat."
"Ah, Senior Fitz."
When she called out to him, Rudeus's face lit up happily.
Despite her strange behavior lately, he apparently wasn't on guard at all.
Rudeus really was dense.
But not being on guard was a sign of trust, wasn't it?
She was happy about that.
"What can I do for you?"
"Well—"
Zanoba's and the Demon King's gazes drilled into her.
Hmm…
"It's a bit hard to talk here. Let's go somewhere else."
"Understood. Zanoba, please continue without me."
"Yes, leave the finer details to me."
Rudeus and Zanoba really did get along well.
She was envious.
She used to be the one in that position.
So envious…
Thinking that, she guided Rudeus out of the dining hall.
They moved to a secluded spot, and she got down to business.
"So, what's up?"
Rudeus's expression had turned serious.
A sharp, focused look.
…He really was cool.
"Well, actually, there's something I need your help with."
"Say no more. You can count on me — leave it all to me."
Before she could even explain, Rudeus thumped his chest and took on the request.
"Wait, I haven't told you what it is yet."
"Unless it's something truly outrageous, I won't refuse."
How dependable…
It made her feel guilty about deceiving him.
She already felt terrible for not being able to tell him the truth…
"Actually, Princess Ariel mentioned she'd stayed at a friend's estate recently. The bodyguard that friend employs — apparently they're incredibly strong."
"So you want me to beat them up?"
"N-No!"
"Oh, good. I'm no good with fighting, really."
No good with fighting — sure, he says…
Was that perhaps Rudeus's idea of a joke?
Should she have laughed?
No, no — that wasn't important right now. She needed to continue.
"Princess Ariel was bragged to, and it got her all riled up. She said our 'Fitz' could do even better."
"And?"
"The other noble said their bodyguard had entered the Hail Forest with a four-person party, all the way to the depths, and retrieved a flower that only grows there…"
At that, Rudeus touched his chin thoughtfully.
"A flower that grows in the depths of the Hail Forest — that would be the Freezing Fringed Orchid. The petals are used as a tonic, and they're famous for blooming only during winter."
Impressive. As expected of Rudeus.
He knew his stuff.
Thank goodness she had verified that such a flower actually existed.
"The Hail Forest is dangerous in winter, but for four adventurers of A-rank or above, it's nothing to boast about. If they proceed cautiously, they can retrieve the flower and return without much difficulty."
As he spoke, Rudeus rattled off the names of monsters found in the Hail Forest.
Snow Hornets, White Cougars, Mustard Treants…
He listed them off fluently without a pause.
Did he remember all of them?
"And, well, Princess Ariel got carried away and said, 'Our Fitz could do it with even fewer people.'"
"Oh, I see how it is."
Rudeus nodded, satisfied.
"I'll talk to some adventurer acquaintances and get one at a discount. If you say you obtained it on your own, they'll have no choice but to believe you."
"W-Wait! Rudeus, that's not right! This is supposed to be a chance for me to show what I can do!"
"There are many forms of strength. Connections between people are also a form of power."
"A-A sophistry… What are you suddenly going on about?"
"That won't work. If we get caught, Princess Ariel would be humiliated."
"If you say so. Then let's go get it ourselves."
Rudeus agreed readily.
For someone about to enter the forest, he showed absolutely no apprehension.
As expected.
But the very next words out of his mouth froze her in place.
"I'll round up some available acquaintances, so give me about three days. Ten or so should be plenty.
As it happens, the 'Step Leader' crew is in town right now, so I can gather them quickly."
No — wait.
Something was wrong.
"Wait, hold on, Rudeus!
Princess Ariel said 'with even fewer people'!
Why would you need ten?!"
"Rest assured. They just happen to be entering the forest at the same time as us. Some of them have monster subjugation contracts, and others are out gathering materials, so they might clear out every monster along the way. But none of them will be the one to retrieve the flower — only you, Senior Fitz."
Ugh…
Was this the wisdom of adventurers?
Well, Rudeus had been an adventurer for many years and knew all too well how dangerous forests could be.
He was just worried because he assumed she, a novice, would be going in there.
Yes, that had to be it.
"E-Even without them, you and I together could handle it easily, right?"
"…Senior Fitz — could it be that you want me to be your escort?"
She hadn't planned on phrasing it that way from the start — had she?
"Yes! That's exactly it. You're the only one I can rely on, Rudeus."
Hearing that, Rudeus murmured "Hmm" and placed a hand on his chin.
After a moment's thought, he nodded.
"I owe Senior Fitz a great deal. Having been asked, I can hardly refuse. I humbly accept the request."
"Th-Thank you, Rudeus! I was nervous about going into the forest alone!"
There had been a few close calls, but the first hurdle was cleared.
Still, she had only asked Rudeus for a small favor, and yet ideas just popped out of him one after another.
Rudeus really was something.
--- The strategy moved to its second phase.
Sylphie and Rudeus entered the Hail Forest.
The Hail Forest was located about three days north of the magic city Sharia.
A break in the forest marked the border with Basherant.
While Sylphie wore simple traveling clothes, Rudeus was equipped in heavy gear.
His enormous pack was stuffed with emergency rations and other supplies for worst-case scenarios.
She had assumed Rudeus would be the type to go in empty-handed and come out fine.
When she said as much, he replied: "Never underestimate a forest. There are monsters that dodge even after seeing a rock bullet heading their way."
She had thought he was joking, but when she pressed for details, he explained that the forests of the Demon Continent were full of such creatures.
She had assumed he was exaggerating, but his eyes were dead serious.
The Hail Forest only harbored B-rank monsters at most.
She could handle that herself.
Or so she thought…
"Sorry. It seems like I've dumped all the preparation on you."
"Not at all — if you consider this an escort job, this is perfectly natural."
The fact that he framed it that way made her wonder if he would charge an escort fee.
"So, um, a fee — should I be paying you one or something?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm doing this out of goodwill, so don't worry about it."
Rudeus had emphasized the "goodwill" part with unusual force.
"I mean, I can afford to pay you a fee, you know."
She received a modest salary from Princess Ariel.
She had nothing to spend it on, so she had been saving up.
She should be able to afford hiring Rudeus alone.
Ah, but Rudeus's strength was at least king-tier, so… would that even cover it?
"Hmph. I'm expensive, you know."
"E-Expensive? Well, I suppose that might be true, but…"
Those words made Sylphie think not of money, but of the slave market.
In her mind, a naked Rudeus was standing on the auction platform.
Buying Rudeus… with money…
A tight, urgent feeling gripped her lower abdomen.
She felt the heat rising to her face in embarrassment.
"A-Anyway, let's get moving!"
"Yes."
They entered the Hail Forest.
At first glance, it looked like any ordinary forest.
Tall trees buried in snow — a common sight anywhere.
This forest experienced hail at regular intervals.
The land was suffocating under a magical anomaly.
In this area alone, the snow crunched with a gritty sound underfoot.
"The flower grows on a cliff. I'll melt a path straight there through the snow, so follow me while keeping watch on the surroundings."
Melting a path through the snow.
Rudeus said it so matter-of-factly as he pressed forward.
Sylphie tried to do the same, but couldn't manage it.
Melting only the snow around herself — he was probably applying fire magic, but maintaining it at the level needed to create a path was difficult.
It wasn't impossible, but it would consume far too much mana.
Rudeus's mana usage was extravagant.
He melted a path through snow that reached up to his shoulders as he walked.
She had worried that the steam from melting might attract monsters, but Rudeus eliminated every wisp of it.
When she asked how, he said that by controlling the temperature, he could melt the snow without producing any steam at all.
How much practice would it take to pull off something like that?
(Never mind that — time to start the strategy.)
The moment she took a deep breath, Rudeus pointed at the staff in his hand.
"That staff — you lent it to me the other day, and it's really something. Colored magical stones like that — I've only ever seen them in the royal palace."
"A young lady I served as a tutor gifted it to me for my tenth birthday."
He said it, and his expression grew faintly melancholy.
Come to think of it, she had never heard much about the young lady he had tutored.
Rudeus didn't seem to like talking about her much.
According to her sources, the young lady had been an astonishingly violent person…
Perhaps it was a bad memory.
"Could I hold it for a moment?
I only have a beginner's staff, so I've always been curious about something like that."
"Is that so? For a princess's bodyguard, you'd think they'd give you something better."
"They said since I use chantless magic, I don't need a staff. Tightwads."
Of course, she didn't actually think Princess Ariel was a tightwad.
She kept this staff precious because Rudeus had given it to her.
To Rudeus it probably looked like any ordinary staff, so he didn't think twice about it.
"Go ahead — grip it. How's the thickness?"
Rudeus asked with that slimy grin of his.
What was that about?
Was there something funny?
Puzzled, she gripped the staff.
Perhaps because her hands were small, she found it a little unwieldy.
"It's thick. Was it designed to be held with both hands?"
"…I suppose it was made with the assumption that I'd grow into it."
"Oh."
Rudeus laughed and began melting a path through the snow.
Sylphie followed behind him, staff in hand.
All right — strategy phase one was a success.
Next up, she…
She brought the ring on her pinky finger close to her mouth.
And whispered the keyword in a small voice: "Red Tower."
The gemstone in the ring shifted from blue to red.
It was a magical tool that Princess Ariel always carried.
When the keyword was spoken aloud, its color changed.
Simultaneously, the color of its paired ring — held by someone waiting outside the forest — changed as well.
That was the extent of the tool's power.
It didn't work over very long distances, though.
The other ring was in the hands of the team waiting just outside the forest.
(Will this work…?)
She glanced up at the sky repeatedly, waiting.
True to her worries, the sky began to cloud over almost immediately.
Good.
It was working.
"Hm?"
Rudeus noticed right away.
He looked up at the sky and murmured: "…Rain clouds. That's unusual."
In the northern lands, it rarely rained during winter.
Perhaps because of that, the cold-weather gear used in this area was poorly suited for rain.
The snow hedgehog fur clothing they wore could shed snow without it melting — excellent insulation.
However, its weakness was that water seeped in easily.
Once moisture penetrated the fabric, even a blast of winter wind would freeze it solid.
"Senior Fitz — it looks like rain."
When rain threatened during winter, the recommended response was to build a makeshift roof on the spot or find a cave to shelter in.
A cave was considered comparatively safer than constructing a shelter with magic.
Even though Rudeus excelled at earth magic, he would probably find it tedious to keep casting until the rain stopped.
So she suggested: "Right — if I look at the map, there should be a cave up ahead—"
She was about to suggest they shelter there, but Rudeus shook his head.
"No — I'll disperse it immediately."
As he said that, he raised his hand.
(Oh no!)
In that instant, Sylphie realized her miscalculation.
Rudeus was a Holy-Class Water Mage.
Manipulating the weather was child's play for him.
Ariel had said she'd hired two senior water mages, but against Rudeus, the clouds would be scattered in an instant.
What do I do, what do I do.
If it didn't rain here, the whole plan was sunk.
She channeled mana into the staff gripped in both hands.
She felt an incredible surge of power.
Th-This might actually work.
"Hm?"
Rudeus tilted his head mid-gesture.
Presumably, the clouds weren't dispersing as he expected, and he found it puzzling.
Of course — she was the one interfering.
Whether it was because Rudeus wasn't going all-out, or because of the staff's power, her weather manipulation was holding its own against his.
That meant she had the advantage of the senior mages waiting outside the forest.
Clutching the staff like a prayer, she kept pouring mana in.
As if encouraging the rain clouds spreading across the sky.
Like Rudeus had taught her.
Gather moisture, form clouds, cool them, and drop them!
"Mm…"
Rudeus furrowed his brow.
The next moment, cold rain began to fall.
"…I'm sorry, Senior Fitz. I seem to be off my game today."
He said it with a slightly shaken expression.
"I-It's okay. It's probably because I still have your staff."
"Even without the staff, I should be able to disperse rain clouds of this scale. Maybe I've gotten rusty from not using it much lately… or perhaps…?"
Rudeus muttered to himself while studying his own palm.
He seemed to have realized that the rain clouds were intentional.
But he probably hadn't expected that his attempt to disperse them would meet with further interference.
"Well, once the rain starts, there's nothing to be done about it.
I believe there's a cave up ahead — let's shelter there."
"R-Right!"
She nodded emphatically at Rudeus's suggestion, and they resumed their trek.
The snow hedgehog fur absorbed the moisture, draining their body heat in no time.
Just as planned.
"There it is."
And they arrived at the cave — soaked to the bone.
A small cave, no more than ten meters deep.
They had reached their destination.