——The morning of departure had arrived.
After setting aside one day as a rest day, followed by a day of advance legwork and inquiries, the second day after that had come.
At the entrance to the town of Milura, Subaru and the others had gathered, their preparations for the sand dune crossing complete and their equipment in order. Among them, Subaru let out a sigh of admiration upon seeing the dragon carriage.
"Ohh, so this is..."
"The earth dragons for crossing the dunes — the Gyros breed, which are strong in sandy terrain. They're a species adapted to sandstorms and dry conditions. They're all large, but docile in temperament. They're a local specialty known for being easy to handle."
As Subaru stared wide-eyed at the earth dragons harnessed to the dragon carriage, Julius provided the explanation.
To reach the
That was why the earth dragons that had pulled them along the highway up to this point would be switched out, and from here on, the Gyros breed — a local specialty — would blaze the trail.
"A local specialty, huh. Makes sense. The water dragons of
Gazing at the yellow-skinned earth dragon that was being linked to the dragon carriage before him, Subaru crossed his arms.
He had now spent over a year in this world. His astonishment toward earth dragons had faded considerably, and he'd thought the initial sense of wonder was something he could no longer taste. But it turned out his perspective had been narrow.
"———"
The flat-headed, yellow earth dragon had thorn-like scales growing all over its body. Its build was similar to Fru Fru, Otto's beloved dragon. Fru Fru belonged to a subspecies of earth dragon prized for its endurance — Otto had boasted that it could run for three days and three nights straight. In Subaru's estimation, Fru Fru's appearance was close to that of a triceratops.
The earth dragon before him now, on the other hand, resembled an ankylosaurus if one were to search for a comparable analogue.
The tail was short, though, and unlike the original, it didn't seem like it could serve as a weapon. What was most distinctive wasn't its skin or facial features, but the structure of its legs. ——The tips of all four thick, short limbs were rounded, with sharp claws serving the role of spikes, anchoring those massive bodies to the earth.
"One wrong step and it'd crush you beyond repair — those feet look dangerous."
"The sand in the Augria Dunes has extremely fine particles. Without feet like these, you'd slip right down the slopes. The Gyros breed's foot structure is said to be an adaptation for exactly that."
"An adaptation for desert terrain, then. Standing in for horses, standing in for camels — what do water dragons stand in for? Pulling boats with animals — when you really think about it, that's not something you'd see back in my world either."
The image of a swan boat floated through Subaru's contemplative mind, but that was just a boat shaped like a swan, propelled by human power. As for having crocodiles or hippos pull boats, he'd never heard of such a custom, and he couldn't think of an equivalent for water dragons.
More importantly, though— "Is it really okay to bring my
"Your beloved dragon is a Dianis breed — said to be the progenitor of all earth dragons. The lineage of the first primordial dragons who once reigned supreme on land, sea, and air... No matter the environment, they possess at least a certain degree of adaptability. Unfortunately, Shaknarl will have to remain on standby in the town."
Answering Subaru's question, Julius gazed up toward the inn with a melancholy look.
Shaknarl was Julius's beloved dragon — a beautiful earth dragon with blue skin.
Even a beloved dragon, though, had forgotten Julius's name after it was devoured by the Sin Archbishops of Gluttony. However, a well-trained earth dragon would not neglect its manners regardless of who its rider was. Ever since their one-sided reunion in Priestella, Shaknarl had accepted Julius from the very start, and over the month and a half of travel since, they seemed to have forged a bond nearly as close as before.
That was precisely why leaving a beloved dragon behind in the town would weigh on one's conscience.
"Still, to call your own beloved dragon the greatest lady around... I can't decide whether to praise you for finally understanding how to treat earth dragons, or to voice my criticism regarding your assessment of the women around you."
"...In all honesty, Patrasche's ladylike qualities really shouldn't be underestimated."
The sentimental look in his eyes lasted only a moment before Julius deftly concealed his feelings with a teasing remark. Subaru, picking up on his intent, went along with it.
Having witnessed that exchange, Julius went to greet the dragon harnessed to the carriage. Subaru, meanwhile, turned his attention to the carriage itself, stepping up to knock on the door.
"The carriage only has its wheels swapped out — the interior's the same, right?"
Before any response to his knock came, Subaru glanced over the modified dragon carriage.
That said, the noticeable changes were limited to the lower body — the wheel area — and the windows, which had sand guards installed as a sandstorm countermeasure.
This dragon carriage, outfitted with various improvements for long-distance travel, was, in a word, a multi-purpose vehicle akin to a camper van. The front of the interior had a row of seats, while from the middle to the rear, there was a simple living space.
Maintaining livable conditions while accommodating up to ten passengers — honestly, the first time Subaru had seen a dragon carriage like this, he'd been astonished that it had exceeded his imagination so completely.
"Even without electricity or electronics, there are tools that can be substituted with magic-stone craftwork. Humans really are creatures who pursue convenience wherever they go, huh."
"I don't know what you're getting all sentimental about, but are you done with your preparations, Barusu?"
While Subaru was studying the exterior with a tilted head, the carriage door opened and a cold voice descended upon him.
Turning around, he found
"I finished all the advance prep yesterday. Supplies are fully stocked. After that, it's just about getting mentally and physically ready, and I'm good on both fronts. What about you?"
"Let me think. The thought of spending days on end in a carriage... no matter how much I prepare, I can't say I'll feel at ease. We're fragile girls — if we were attacked in the middle of the dunes, we wouldn't even be able to call for help."
"——Don't worry, it'll be fine."
When Ram narrowed her eyes meaningfully at that,
"No matter what attacks us, I'll protect everyone inside properly, okay? Subaru and Julius are out front too, so we'll be just fine!"
"How reassuring. See that, Ram? Even Emilia-tan's saying it, so relax."
"You're right, Emilia-sama. Ram finds that very reassuring as well. However, it's not only ill-intentioned beings that might attack. Among them, there are also those driven by base carnal desires..."
As she spoke, Ram's meaningful gaze drifted meaningfully toward Subaru.
In an instant, Subaru caught the implication behind her look and words, and his lips twisted.
"You've been having peaceful nights for nearly a month and you still suspect me like that!? I've never gotten that worked up in front of you, have I!? I don't have that kind of courage!"
"Declaring that so loudly is pretty pathetic, but looking at the male-to-female ratio in this carriage, it wouldn't be strange if you lost your mind in some way. I'm constantly terrified, you know. Please be sensitive to a maiden's feelings."
"Terrified? You mean threatening, don't you?"
Ram's comment — reminiscent of the old saying about boys and girls past the age of seven not sharing seats — made Subaru's voice tremble. Incidentally, Emilia merely tilted her head in puzzlement at Ram's assertion.
That was the same old E.M.T., and Ram being her usual imperious self. However, there was something that was bothering Subaru, and he scratched his head lazily with an "ahh."
"Sis, are you feeling all right?"
"...That's unlike you. What's the matter?"
"My concern about you might be unfounded, but is mine? I just want to confirm that much."
"For someone called Barusu, that's rather considerate. How impudent."
Her complexion wasn't pale, nor was her breathing labored. On the contrary, she seemed no different from her usual self — but she did not deny Subaru's words.
She didn't put on a brave front, nor did she try to hide anything. In that regard, Ram was surprisingly sincere.
"Your sharp tongue doesn't have its usual bite. If you're genuinely unwell..."
"After twenty days of traveling to get this far, are you telling me to stall when the goal is right in front of us? You say that kind of thing all the time, but today of all days, I really can't laugh it off."
"Ram, don't talk like that."
Emilia cut Subaru off, and Ram's sharp glare intensified further. At her attitude, Emilia raised her eyebrows and placed her hands on her hips in an indignant pose.
Standing right beside Ram, she turned toward Subaru and said: "Subaru is worried about you, Ram. And I'm worried about you too. I've been giving you the treatments Roswaal told me to every day, but..."
"Treatments — I'm not sure that's the right word for it, and frankly, doing it myself doesn't go as smoothly as when Roswaal does it. Even if it's Emilia-tan or Beako doing it, it's not quite the same, huh."
"...I'm not using that as an excuse. I don't intend to be a burden, either."
"You're definitely worrying us, though."
"If it were the usual Subaru, I'd be able to brush it off — I'm holding up that well."
"Because you're not your usual self, I can't just let it slide."
It wasn't a case of fighting words met with fighting words, nor was it a case of saying one thing and hearing another.
In any case, their quiet exchange of words continued, with Ram biting her lip in displeasure at Subaru's manner of speaking. But the look in her eyes as she glared at him still lacked vigor.
She must have been aware of that herself. Ram let out a sigh and glanced back into the carriage. She looked at the wheelchair placed right next to her seat — and the girl sitting in it.
The carriage seats had been removed and the space modified to accommodate a wheelchair. The sleeping girl remained unaware of the exchange between the others, continuing to slumber undisturbed.
"I won't let you leave her behind. For one thing, leaving me behind wouldn't improve Ram's suffering. Rather, being separated from Emilia-sama would be a matter of life and death for the current Ram. Are you trying to kill me?"
"Don't jump to conclusions. From the start, I never said a single word about leaving anyone behind. Besides, if we're talking about leaving you behind, then obviously Emilia-tan would have to stay behind too."
"Hmph! Subaru, I absolutely refuse to do that!"
"That's what I'm saying! It's fine! I just want to confirm with Ram, that's all!"
"Confirm?"
"I said it at the very beginning..."
Having been cut off and had his original words forgotten due to premature conclusions, Subaru smiled wryly. When Emilia and Ram exchanged glances and both looked puzzled, Subaru spoke.
"Ram. I can see right through you not being in your usual condition, so if anything comes up, tell me right away. Don't try to hide it or brush it off. Even if you do, I'll just force my way in to help."
"———"
"Hehe."
When he pointed a finger at her and declared that so firmly, Ram made an unusual expression — slightly chagrined.
Beside her, Emilia had a hand over her mouth, unable to suppress a smile that leaked out. Before long, she let the initial burst of laughter pass, and with her lips still curved in something like delight: "I think that side of Subaru is, like, really great."
"...Huh!? Did you just say you fell for me again!?"
"Stop having that conversation in front of sleeping
"Not 'my enemy' but 'my bane'!?"
Subaru's voice cracked on the last word, and Ram gave a sharp "Hmph" through her nose.
Then she extended her slender leg and tried to kick Subaru off the carriage step.
"W-wait, hey! What are you doing?! I'll fall!"
"Whether you fall or not, your place is outside, not inside. Ride proudly atop your earth dragon and protect our carriage's safety with all you've got. Now go, hurry."
"Hurrying isn't the point — you should listen to what I was saying..."
"I heard enough. So go."
Saying that in a firm voice, Ram's kicks grew sharper.
Being kicked around the thigh area, Subaru was forced to retreat, and just before slipping off the carriage, he gave Emilia a meaningful look. Emilia responded with a chin dip that seemed to say "I know."
"Then I guess we're good for now. But anyway, you should really—"
"Go."
A surprise kick to the solar plexus sent Subaru sprawling backward off the dragon carriage. With that, Ram swiftly closed the carriage door, and after letting out a breath, she glanced at Emilia. And then: "...Emilia-sama, what is that look on your face?"
"Hmm? It's nothing, really. It's just that I think Ram is kind of cute."
"That's an unflattering assessment. Coming from you, that's rather impudent, Emilia-sama."
"Oh?"
Being teased had caused her words to slip, and Ram's cheeks stiffened at her own rare blunder. At the change in Ram's expression, Emilia narrowed her eyes with even greater amusement.
"Are you finally ready to show me the face you always show Subaru?"
"...I let my guard down. Please forgive my rudeness."
"I'm not angry. If anything, I'm a little happy. It feels like you're letting your guard down around me when you do that. I was always envious of Subaru for that."
At Emilia's guileless response, Ram fell silent for a brief moment. Then, smoothing her hair down with a look drained of any venom: "You've changed too, Emilia-sama. The first time we met, you seemed like someone who only possessed a resolve as hard and brittle as glasswork."
"Do I look a little stronger now?"
"If anything, more like... sweet. It's as if the glasswork has turned into candy-work."
"Oh my, Ram, you're so harsh."
Ram's caustic remark finally broke through Emilia's composure, and she burst out laughing.
For a while longer, the girls' words continued to be exchanged inside the dragon carriage.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ——The assault on the Augria Sand Dunes commenced several hours later.
More than ten kilometers east of the town of Milura — roughly an hour's ride by dragon carriage — the sandy terrain began. The wind, carrying dry sand and miasma, grew stronger, and as the grassland underfoot gave way to a sea of sand, it was finally time to plunge into the Augria Sand Dunes.
"———"
The formation for this expedition consisted of one dragon carriage pulled by a single Gyros breed earth dragon. Running alongside them was Patrasche carrying Subaru, and together they would traverse the sandy expanse.
The flat-faced earth dragon's speed was not particularly fast, but its heavy, steady gait had a reassuring stability. Patrasche, ever the unusual partner, had been wary at first, but after running together for several hours, it seemed to have found merit in its companion — its proud expression remained unchanged, but it held no complaints.
"If I had to guess, this dragon's current grievance is probably directed at Betty."
That was
"That's way overthinking it. Patrasche isn't such a small-minded dragon."
"...Perhaps Subaru should cultivate his observational skills a bit more."
While riding side-saddle on the jet-black earth dragon, Beatrice held the hem of her skirt and muttered as much.
Compared to before, Subaru's dragon-riding skills had improved considerably. Up until now, he'd been relying entirely on Patrasche's consideration, but now he'd reached the level of a passable novice rider.
Sitting in the saddle, gripping the reins. With Beatrice seated in front of him and embraced from behind, their tandem riding posture was becoming increasingly natural.
Of course, the only dragon Subaru rode was Patrasche, and riding double with Beatrice like this was nothing new. Therefore, Beatrice's speculation was far too paranoid. At least, that was what he wanted to say.
"Proud earth dragons don't like letting anyone other than their rider mount them. And among them, this dragon of yours might be the worst. It would absolutely never let Betty ride alone, I'm sure."
"That's not because you're simply bad at riding dragons, is it?"
"If that were the reason, there would be no grounds for this dragon getting along with Subaru in the first place."
She had a point there.
If Patrasche's criterion for accepting a rider was dragon-riding skill, Subaru would have been expelled at the very first trial. Since that clearly wasn't the case, there had to be some other reason this particular lady had taken to Subaru.
And in truth, Patrasche's attitude toward anyone other than Subaru was fairly scathing.
"Well, I guess it is bothersome not knowing the reason I'm liked."
"Exactly. It's not as if Subaru has the appearance to be liked without reason."
"...So you're saying you love me with a perfectly solid basis?"
"Well, of course Betty..."
"What are you trying to make me say!?!"
In their close-contact position, there was no way to dodge the red-faced Beatrice's attack. Being lightly smacked by her powerless palms, Subaru coaxed her down.
At that exchange happening on his back, Patrasche — seemingly displeased — reared up and shook them both.
"Whoa—!"
With a posture correction like a motorcycle wheelie, Subaru instinctively held Beatrice tighter.
Normally, thanks to the "Blessing of Wind Reduction," he felt neither the jostling of the dragon nor the wind. But with movements this exaggerated, or the angle changes during sharp turns, he still felt the impact.
This was harassment with full knowledge of that vulnerability.
When Subaru glared at the back of Patrasche's head in protest, the earth dragon briefly glanced back at them and narrowed its eyes as if to say, "Bite your tongue."
"Looking at it just for its pride, it reminds me of Ram. Surprisingly, they might get along."
"Or they'd clash and never understand each other in a million years. One or the other."
Subaru and Beatrice exchanged knowing words and nodded in agreement.
And then— "——Subaru, Beatrice. It's heartwarming to see you two getting along, but perhaps it's time to start taking things seriously."
A voice called out to the two, devoid of any tension, from off to the side.
It was Julius, seated at the reins of the dragon carriage running alongside them. Rather than riding an earth dragon solo, he'd taken on the role of driver — a part that seemed slightly ill-suited to him. But Julius himself didn't appear the least bothered.
He might not have had the luxury of being bothered, either. Beside him sat— "It's nice that Onii-chan and Beatrice-chan are getting along, but if you ignore me too much, I'll get sulky, you know~"
Saying that, Meili cast a sidelong glance that was incongruous with her outward appearance.
For the assault on the Augria Dunes, Meili — the anti-mabeast specialist — needed to be on active duty at all times. To that end, she was stationed in the most accessible position — the driver's seat, where she could keep watch over the road ahead of the carriage.
As a result, it fell to Julius to endure her endless boredom.
"The escort duty next to you is being handled by the knight over there, isn't it? He should be much more smooth, stylish, and elegant than me."
"I only understand like half of what you're saying. Besides, I don't have a problem with the knight. I have a problem with you, Onii-chan."
"With me?"
While fiddling with her braids, Meili glared at Subaru and puffed out her cheeks.
"You were the one who dragged me here, Onii-chan, so I think you're obligated to keep me company."
"Don't say such childish things. As you can see, my hands are full with Betty here. Right?"
A pouting Beatrice shrugged, and Subaru looked back at Meili.
Her sulking was age-appropriate, but her mood would have a significant impact on the road ahead. Considering that, it took courage to ignore Meili.
That said, if he started going down that road, he'd never get around to everything — that was the reality of it.
"What you're saying is perfectly reasonable. But before you start talking about rights and obligations, how about fulfilling your own role first?"
"My role, huh?"
"We're about to enter the main stretch of the dunes. I don't think mabeasts are going to jump out at us the moment we enter, but if they do, it'll be your job to pacify them. You know that, right?"
"...Haaah. Beatrice-chan spoils you, but Onii-chan is mean."
He hadn't meant to be cruel, but there was no denying that his words came across that way.
Catching Beatrice looking satisfied out of the corner of his eye, Subaru raised a hand to Julius. In response, Julius quietly dipped his chin.
Calming the little lady's mood would, regrettably, have to be taken over by him.
More importantly, though— "Subaru."
"Yeah, I see it."
Beatrice's quiet call, and the faint snort from Patrasche, who was staring straight ahead.
Being drawn back by those signals, Subaru narrowed his eyes as well.
There, stretching endlessly from Milura, was the unmistakable silhouette of a towering structure — and surrounding it, the vast expanse of sand.
They had arrived, grandly, at the Augria Sand Dunes — the labyrinth of sand encircling the Pleiades Watchtower.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ The Augria Sand Dunes were known for their sandstorms — and among them, the especially fierce winds that blew during "Sand Time."
Three times a day — morning, afternoon, and deep night — sandstorms would blast through, carrying sand and miasma from east to west. They were a disaster that crept toward you in silence.
The strongest winds came during the deep night period, when the sandstorms would blow continuously for several hours.
In the dead of night, with the sandstorms raging, movement was all but impossible.
For that reason, the advance through the Augria Sand Dunes would proceed slowly during the daytime, broken up by rest periods during the morning and afternoon "Sand Time" intervals.
The sand particles covering the ground were fine-grained, and the footing was every bit as treacherous as the rumors suggested — causing them to stumble time and again. The march dragged on at a sluggish pace, and frustration mounted more than once.
However, even in these conditions, Subaru found himself feeling unexpectedly let down — in a different way.
That was because— "The sandstorms are annoying and the footing is bad, but... it's not as terrible as I thought."
Turning his face away from the sandstorm blowing from upwind, he pulled up the cloth covering his mouth to secure his breathing. There was a faint sensation of gritting sand between his teeth, but a baptism of this level was no different from his time in Milura.
The sand-filled视野 was yellow, and while sand getting inside his clothes was irritating, the actual impact was limited. The ferocity of the dunes was minimal.
"When I heard 'sand dunes,' I was bracing myself for killing heat."
"This area doesn't lack greenery because of the natural environment. The miasma that pervades everything kills it all, which is why this kind of landscape stretches out. That said, it does rain here in the dunes, and the temperature doesn't fluctuate to any extreme."
In Subaru's mind, the image of a desert was still dominated by a scorching hellscape.
He'd never once set foot in a real desert back in his world, but deserts depicted in games and manga all carried an association with burning sands.
In comparison, the harshness of the Augria Sand Dunes was almost comfortable.
"The fact that the nearest town was neither hot nor cold was a clue that the dunes wouldn't be some extreme inferno. So the real things to watch out for are the wind and the mabeasts."
"And also... not losing the path, I suppose."
Beatrice's remark tightened up Subaru's somewhat optimistic emotions. Keeping an eye on the wind, he fixed his gaze ahead.
Still visible on the horizon, the Watchtower loomed in all its grandeur.
"I'd say it'd be more unnatural to miss that thing than to lose our way."
"That's what Betty thinks too. But anything could happen, you know? Whatever the 'Sage' might be, the fact that no one has ever made it there is proof enough."
"———"
Of course, Subaru had no intention of being careless.
Realistically speaking, with a massive structure like that as a landmark, getting lost aside, losing sight of the target altogether seemed nearly impossible. But everyone who had attempted this before must have thought the same thing.
And yet they still hadn't made it. That alone meant there had to be some reason.
Anything could happen.
Just as Beatrice had pointed out, this was the kind of otherworldly place it was.
"In that case, it's probably time to set up our next safety net."
Holding his breath, Subaru glanced back at the path they'd traveled.
Scattered across the sand were Patrasche's footprints — the only trace of their passage. However, only the most recent ones remained, and even those would be overwritten and hidden by the shifting sand within seconds.
Nature had prepared a perfect, natural death trap.
The Watchtower ahead aside, the path behind would be obliterated with terrifying efficiency.
That said, this only applied to those equipped with nothing but ordinary methods.
"The ones ahead are about to disappear from view. All right, time's up."
Working the reins, Subaru signaled Patrasche to pull alongside the dragon carriage.
The carriage's trail — the Gyros dragon's spike-like footprints and the wheel tracks — was also being erased under the same conditions. Therefore, they needed to find a different way to mark their route.
"Emilia-tan, I need a favor!"
"——Coming! Got it!"
When Subaru knocked on the carriage from outside, Emilia appeared at the door in response.
Fully clad in white robes for sand protection, Emilia looked at Subaru as he squinted toward the distant horizon, pointing at a barely discernible "something" in the haze.
"I hate to keep putting you to work, but teacher, please!"
"Subaru's the one keeping watch outside, so it's no trouble at all. ...Teacher? What's that?"
"When I'm asking for a favor — old habit. Please, please."
"Mm, consider it done. ——Here we go!"
After a bit of light banter, Emilia turned to look in the direction Subaru was pointing.
With a glare that was almost too adorable to be called a glare, Emilia raised a spirited cry and unleashed her magic.
In the next instant, vast quantities of mana swirled within Emilia's palms. The magic power, gaining accelerating force, shot through the sky in an instant, and the sound of bursting air echoed across the surroundings.
——And a few seconds later, what jutted up from the midst of the sandy expanse was a massive tower of ice.
"Mm, well done."
Emilia surveyed the result with a moderately satisfied look.
It couldn't compare to the Pleiades Watchtower, of course, but amid the dunes, it was a highly conspicuous silhouette. And that ice tower was being erected in a line, spaced at intervals that would keep them from losing their way, along the route Subaru and the others had traversed through the Augria Dunes.
"If footprints won't serve as markers, then we'll set up more visible ones. A practical application of magic."
"I have to say, I'm really impressed by Subaru's knack for devious ideas. You come up with things so quickly."
"The fact that the dunes weren't scorching hot was all the clue I needed — this approach would work here."
The ice Emilia created with her magic was still subject to the laws of nature and vulnerable to heat.
Because of that, if this were a true desert, this kind of forbidden trick might not have worked. But in these particular dunes, it was an effective strategy.
Emilia's ice towers, standing tall along their path, functioned perfectly as landmarks. Worst case — if something truly dire happened and they were forced to retreat — they could follow those towers back.
"This one too... hmm, the footing looks stable. My worry is that the base is too soft and sandy — I keep thinking it might topple over."
"I stabbed it pretty firmly in, so it should be fine. Worried?"
"'Fine' is not a reassuring word. ...Well, whatever, it's fine."
Shaking off his anxiety and teasing Emilia, Subaru looked up. Emilia seemed slightly dissatisfied with his response, but he answered her displeasure with a wry smile for now.
Then, over his shoulder, he turned his gaze into the carriage behind Emilia. The people inside should be the same as always — but there was one person among them whose continued complacency would be a problem.
"Where's Anastasia?"
"What's this, Natsuki-kun? Were you looking for me?"
The voice came from the person in question right after Subaru had let his gaze wander, and his shoulder jumped in surprise.
Anastasia leaned her face into view from beside Emilia, cutting into his line of sight. She looked down at the startled Subaru and narrowed her ash-blue eyes lightly.
"No need to be so surprised. You knew I was inside, didn't you?"
"I knew you were inside, but I didn't expect you to sprout from under Emilia-tan's armpit — that's what startled me."
"...Hey, Subaru. I really hated the way you just said that."
"I'm also, for once, pretty annoyed. What a coincidence."
Getting disliked by both Emilia and Anastasia simultaneously, Subaru reset his composure. In his arms, Beatrice shrugged, but for now, he turned back to Anastasia.
"This dune crossing relies on your knowledge. I'm counting on you for navigation, all right?"
"Natsuki-kun, you're such a worrier. I'm along for the ride, so the success or failure of this journey is just as much my concern as yours... I wouldn't slack off even if I wanted to. Relax, will you?"
"...Trusting a fox so easily — he really says that without a second thought."
At Anastasia's words, Beatrice murmured to Subaru in a voice only he could hear. He completely agreed, but using that as grounds to press her would be unreasonable.
If he were going to make that argument, then embarking on this Watchtower campaign in the first place had been a mistake. Right now, they should stop bickering and each give their all in the roles they'd been assigned.
"Right, Anastasia?"
"That's right, Natsuki-kun. If anything happens, I'll report it to Julius, and when we get close to the place
Subaru's pointed call received no flinch from Anastasia = Eridona whatsoever.
For now, it seemed there was no problem with pressing forward.
"The wind's picking up. Subaru, I'm going to close the door unless there's anything else..."
"...Yeah, I'm good. Emilia-tan, I'm counting on you to look after everyone inside."
"Mm, leave it to me. Subaru, get along with Beatrice, okay."
"That's nothing to worry about. She's having the time of her life."
Exchanging parting words with Emilia as she laid a hand on the door to go back inside. At Emilia's final jest, Beatrice quipped back, and Emilia's smile was hidden as the door closed her within.
Then, Subaru circled around to the front of the dragon carriage and appeared at the driver's seat.
"Emilia-sama's markers seem to be functioning well. As expected — you're quite resourceful."
"You could call it devious too, you know."
"I wouldn't put it that way. I envy your flexibility in thinking of unconventional solutions. Something so unorthodox — I could never come up with it myself."
"'Unorthodox' is a much more flattering评价 than 'devious'!"
Seated in the driver's seat, Julius had a barely perceptible smile on his face.
His handsome features were now wrapped in white cloth, concealing his expression. Still, Subaru could gauge the degree of his amusement from his tone of voice — a testament to the past month of exchanging words.
"Meili, how's it over there? Doing your job?"
"That's what you're asking me? Both you and this carriage haven't run into a single bad animal yet, have you? That's proof I'm doing my job, isn't it?"
Peering into the depths of the driver's seat, there was indeed a sulking Meili. She too had a mantle draped over her head for sandstorm protection, and she answered Subaru's question with only a disgruntled voice.
At Meili's response, Subaru brushed sand from his head while eyeing the path ahead.
"Even so, it's hard to see the results of your efforts. I can't tell whether the mabeasts aren't showing up because of you, or because there simply aren't any around here..."
"...Hmm, so that's what you think, huh."
Having encountered nothing but sand and wind so far, and already feeling underwhelmed by the dunes' fearsome reputation, Subaru had said something careless. In that instant, Meili's voice dropped low, and she fell silent with both hands pressed against her cheeks as if deep in thought.
At her demeanor, Subaru felt a genuine sense of foreboding.
"Subaru, apologize to her. That was clearly a slip of the tongue."
"I... I know that even without being told. A-ahh, Meili? That was my bad just now. Not just 'my bad' — completely my bad. Please don't be upset. I didn't mean any harm."
"...No, it's fine. I'm not angry or anything. I was just thinking that what you said does have a point."
"R-really? That's a relief. You're so much more mature than you look, and I appreciate tha—"
"——Which is why I'll show you exactly what I'm here for."
Cutting through Subaru's excuses, apology, and relief, Meili delivered those ominous words.
The sheer ominousness of her tone made Subaru and Julius exchange looks, and they instinctively moved to speak words of conciliation. ——Right after.
"———"
Patrasche and the Gyros dragon simultaneously slammed their feet into the ground and halted.
The earth dragons' instincts had detected something approaching, and they warned their riders to be on guard. Subaru and Julius both widened their eyes at the same moment and saw it.
"———"
Before them, the sandy ground suddenly began to undulate as though it had developed a will of its own, and something surged up from beneath the sand. It was a monstrous creature, enormous beyond imagination, draped in vast quantities of sand and letting out an ear-splitting shriek from its massive maw.
It had no limbs. Its long, thick body undulated in a manner reminiscent of a snake. But the slick, slimy texture of its skin — the same color as the sand — its putrid stench, the horizontal stripe patterns carved at even intervals along its body, and the way its head slowly lowered into view all allowed Subaru to identify it.
It was not a snake. ——It was an earthworm.
The thickness of its body was beyond what Subaru could wrap his arms around, and its head and mouth were large enough to swallow four or five humans whole. The stench enveloping it was akin to rotting decay, and the saliva dripping from its mouth full of fine teeth sizzled as it hit the sand.
"———"
The eyeless head turned toward them, making motions as though sniffing them out.
In that instant, Subaru completely forgot to breathe. Through the reins, he could feel Patrasche's mind going blank, and Beatrice gripped his clothing tightly within his arms.
The sense of smell — the moment he thought of it, Subaru remembered the stench of the witch that clung to him. If a mabeast reacted to that, and if it reacted to him here, then this entire party would be— "Oh man, you stink. Hurry up and go away, will ya?"
"———"
Before Subaru and the others, who couldn't hide their terror, Meili had called out in a casual, offhand tone.
At her words, the colossal earthworm turned toward Meili — but immediately followed the small girl's instruction, withdrawing its enormous body into the very hole it had burrowed.
Seconds later, the hole from which the earthworm had emerged was completely filled in by sand, and only silence held dominion over the surroundings.
"...That was likely a Sand Earthworm. A mabeast that prefers to burrow beneath sandy terrain — though it was slightly larger than the ones I'm familiar with."
"Slightly? How much larger?"
"In my knowledge, they should be about the size of an adult man's arm."
If an earthworm of that size appeared, it would be a grotesque enough threat. But the one just now had been hundreds to thousands of times larger than what Julius's knowledge described.
It was said that mabeasts in the Augria Sand Dunes became more ferocious than the native species. Could this difference in scale be considered another facet of that phenomenon?
In any case— "Wh-what was that incredible noise just now...?"
A small window on the dragon carriage opened, and Emilia's face appeared in the opening that connected the driver's seat to the interior.
Even if she hadn't seen the sand earthworm itself, she must have heard the roar it let out. Emilia looked worried, but Subaru, still frozen, couldn't find his voice.
In Subaru's place, Meili turned toward Emilia and said: "Don't worry about it. I was just showing Onii-chan and the others how fortunate they are not to have to worry about things like that."
"Honestly, Meili, I have nothing but respect for you!"
Her words broke through Subaru's paralysis, and from the bottom of his heart, he bestowed unstinting praise.
At this turnaround, Emilia looked surprised — but after her initial surprise, Meili quickly looked satisfied.
"Really? You mean it? You've changed your mind about me too, Onii-chan?"
"Absolutely. Total respect. If you weren't here, I'd understand viscerally how dangerous this place is. The Augria Sand Dunes — terrifying! Terrified—!!"
He now understood just a fraction of the reason so many fearless adventurers had challenged these dunes and never returned.
Truly, fearlessness could be taken too far.
The so-called baptism of the dunes, the underwhelming surprise, the anticlimax — what nonsense. Long live peace, tranquility is supreme.
"My, how quickly your tune has changed. It's almost pathetic."
"Shut up! You were shaken too, weren't you?! Ahh, terrifying!"
"B-Betty was only keeping you company because you were tense. Don't get the wrong idea."
"Don't be so stubborn. You flinched just as much as I did, right? I know."
"I flinched!?!"
Their bickering erupted, but for the moment, no one stopped them.
Disturbance might draw mabeasts closer, but the power of the being who had dealt with the last threat had been thoroughly proven. That was why even Julius made no attempt to quiet their argument.
Still, they were walking on thinner ice than any of them had imagined, and he tightened his awareness accordingly.
It was a meaningful first day of dune traversal — one he could look back on with full understanding of what lay ahead.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ A light suddenly streaked across the sky, cutting through the wind.
"———"
With a thunderous impact, the ice tower was struck by a direct hit and shattered halfway, crumbling to the ground.
The obliterated ice tower was instantly converted back into mana, and even the pieces that fell to earth were swallowed one by one by the sand — leaving behind neither wreckage nor trace.
The light continued to streak across the sky several more times in rapid succession.
The number of strikes happened to match exactly the number of times the silver-haired girl had erected the ice towers.
What that meant, at this point, no one could say.
But one thing was clear — conquering the labyrinth of sand would be anything but easy.
That, at least, was an undeniable fact.