3
They took one day of rest in Mirula, a reprieve from their long journey, but the dawn of departure soon arrived.
Everyone was wearing new clothes for traveling through the dunes and gathered at the entrance of the town early in the morning. Subaru gasped in amazement when he saw the state of the carriage waiting there.
“Hah, so this is our secret weapon for clearing the dunes, huh?”
Subaru was looking at the unfamiliar land dragon in the harness connected to the carriage.
It had a flat head, broad body, yellow scales, and walked on four legs. It was a similar sort of build to Otto’s trusty Fulfew, but it seemed even more heavy-duty, like it would have a lot of stamina.
“It’s a Gilas dragon that’s strong in sandy climes. This dragon species is well suited for sandstorms and dry environments. It’s on the bigger side, but it has a mild temperament and is easy to deal with. It’s the endemic species here.”
“Endemic species! They have stuff like that here, too? And there were the water dragons in Pristella, now that I think about it. This world really is a big place.”
Julius explained the new land dragon while Subaru observed it.
In order to reach the Pleiades Watchtower, they would have to pass through a real desert. Because of that, they had switched out the land dragon they had brought with them with a local one in order to deal with the sand.
“Still, even if it has a mild temperament, will a new dragon be able to work in tandem that easily?”
“It won’t be a problem. Land dragons have a natural affinity with people. Gilas dragons in particular can be calmed down quickly and easily by rubbing their necks. You should remember that, just to be safe.”
“Sure thing. Though I doubt it’ll work with Patlash.”
Subaru shrugged as he glanced at the new dragon harnessed to the carriage and the black land dragon with a queen’s demeanor. Unlike the dragon that would stay waiting in Mirula, Patlash was locked into joining them on this road.
“But will Patlash be okay in a place that requires a desert professional? I don’t want to force a lady of ours to somewhere she shouldn’t be.”
“Have no fear. Your land dragon is a Diana dragon…a descendant of the first dragon said to rule over land, sea, and air. No matter the environment, she will perform well.”
“Whoa there, that’s like the background for a protagonist or something. Almost a little too elite…”
“It would have been nice if we could bring my Shaknar, but there’s not much we could have done about that.”
Julius’s gaze drifted to the sky, as if looking off in the distance. Shaknar was his trusty blue land dragon.
Unfortunately, Julius had even been erased from Shaknar’s memories. In the end, he had to give up on getting it to obey him and leave it with the Iron Fangs in Pristella.
They were on their way to get everything back, but there were so many things that had to be left behind for the sake of their mission. Over the course of the past twenty days, Subaru had started to understand that almost as well as Julius.
“Still, treating your steed as the lady closest to you… I don’t know if I should compliment you for understanding how to properly handle a land dragon or scold you for your treatment of the women around you.”
“I’m sure you’ll come around once you get to know Patlash’s matronly style.”
Patlash had refused to have anything to do with Subaru for being left alone in Pristella during the incident. It wasn’t until Otto acted as a go-between that he found out Patlash was ashamed for not being by his side when everything went down. Once he knew that, Subaru wasn’t sure what to say.
“Anyway, I couldn’t think of anything other than hugging her. I love you, Patlas—bgha?!”
But the lady of the party wouldn’t accept such a shallow profession of love. She swung her tail around and knocked Subaru flying to the sandy ground.
Sprawling on the ground, he was sandy even before they could reach the dunes.
“…No sense of tension even right before the critical moment. I’m jealous of Barusu’s shamelessness.”
A face appeared upside down in his vision. It was Ram wearing a robe to protect against the sand. Subaru scratched his head at her icy response.
“So does that mean you’re nervous? Isn’t that a little out of character for you?”
“I’m not sure what would lead you to believe otherwise. As you can see, I am just a frail and weak maiden. I am in fear of all sorts of dangers at all times. My delicate bird’s heart might burst at any moment.”
“Where did you catch the bird?”
Subaru raised his legs and swung himself forward to stand back up. He patted himself down to brush off the sand and then faced her again.
“Are you really okay?”
“…How impertinent. You’re awfully attentive despite being Barusu.”
“Your insults don’t have quite the same bite as usual. I should warn you: We still haven’t started yet.”
She didn’t look pale, and it wasn’t as if she was breathing heavily. She didn’t look any different from normal, but she didn’t deny what Subaru suggested, either.
She didn’t try to put up a strong front or try to hide it. In that regard, Ram was surprisingly earnest about it.
“It’s been one year and fifty days. Are you telling me to stop standing still with my goal in front of me after wasting all that time? How cruel.”
“Don’t say it like that, Ram.”
As her eyes flared and her glare chilled, Emilia chided her, having finished packing the big luggage into the carriage.
Emilia had her hand on her hip.
“Subaru is just worried about you. And I am, too. I’m doing the best I can to treat you every day like Roswaal asked, but…”
“Even with Beako helping, it still isn’t matching Roswaal’s treatments?”
“…I have no intention of using that as an excuse. And I won’t cause any trouble, either.”
“But we are worried about you.”
Ram didn’t immediately respond, but she did look unsatisfied at the quiet reply. The usual spirit was missing in her pink eyes.
She probably realized it herself. Ram sighed and turned her gaze to the carriage. In the back of it, the wheelchair was locked in, and Rem was sleeping in it—
“—Please don’t say something like you are going to leave me behind.”
It was a frank, ardent plea.
Hearing that, Subaru scratched his head and then looked over at Rem, too.
“I wouldn’t say that. But we can tell you aren’t at your best, so if something happens, let us know as soon as you notice anything. There’s no point in trying to hide it or fake it. We’ll still just help you anyway.”
“ ”
“Hee-hee.”
For once, Ram actually looked a little bit embarrassed. Emilia giggled softly and looked at Subaru.
“I think that side of you is reeeally nice.”
“…Eh?! Does that mean you’ve fallen for me again?”
“Don’t talk about things like that in front of Rem while she’s sleeping. Mortal enemy of all women.”
“Not just enemy but mortal enemy?!”
Ram snorted. That brazen attitude was her usual self coming through again.
“…Quit grinning and do your job, Barusu. Your place isn’t in the carriage, it’s outside driving with your beloved land dragon. If you’re too slow, you’ll be left behind.”
“Resorting to that already, Big Sis? Didn’t you hear what we’ve been saying—?”
“—I listened to you. That’s enough. Now get a move on already.”
With those last sharp words, Ram pushed Subaru aside and got into the carriage. Watching her get on, he scratched his head and glanced at Emilia.
“Emilia-tan…”
“Don’t worry. Just leave it to me. You should be careful, too.”
“Aye, aye.”
Nodding, Subaru looked inside one last time and then headed to his own place on the carriage.
Pulling up the anti-sand cloth around his neck, he took a deep breath.
“All right then, let’s do this. The sea of sand and the tower…!”
—Inside the carriage after Subaru left.
“…Lady Emilia, why do you have that look on your face?”
“Mmm, it’s nothing important. I was just thinking that you were cute, Ram.”
“That’s an upsetting assessment. It’s rather impertinent for you, Lady Emilia.”
“Hmmm.”
Ram was sitting in her seat next to the wheelchair as she turned away from Emilia’s gaze. Strangely, she seemed to be regretting her blunder.
“Hee-hee. Have you started to let me see the face that you always show Subaru?”
“…I let my guard down. Please forgive my discourtesy.”
“I’m not angry. If anything, I’m a little happy. This way, it feels like you trust me more. I was always jealous of Subaru.”
Ram was silent for a moment at Emilia’s innocent response. But she soon turned to face Emilia again.
“You’ve changed, Lady Emilia. When we first met, you seemed as fragile as a glass doll, even though you didn’t have anything other than a weak facade of a resolve.”
“Do I seem a little bit stronger now?”
“Mm-hmm. And sweeter…like the glass has now become hardened sugar.”
“That sounds reeeally delicious… So what does that mean?”
The half insult went over Emilia’s head, and Ram simply sighed.
But once she did, her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.
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