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Chapter 1:

The Alliance 

I squinted my eyes as I gazed up at the bright blue sky. 

The ground beneath me shook with the roar of the crowd, the reverberations traveling through the earth and up into my body. I lay on my back, squinting against the brilliant sun. 

I was deep in the Great Canada Forest, in the elven capital city of Maple, a place where no human had ever set foot. The massive stadium in the center of the city was filled with excited spectators who’d come to see the event up close. 

From the outside, the stadium reminded me of the massive Roman Colosseum. But unlike its real-world counterpart, this one was constructed of massive wooden pillars reinforced with stone, giving it a rather unique look. 

There were limited seats, but these were all filled with elves. 

The majority of the stadium was devoted to the event space itself, suggesting that it hadn’t been built with spectator sports in mind. 

Today’s entertainment? That was for me to decide. 

I turned my gaze away from the blinding sun and back toward the two-meter-tall woman standing next to me. She was smiling from ear to ear. 

This was no normal woman. Long, violet hair rustled in the wind around two large horns that shot straight into the sky. Her violet, lizard-like eyes focused on me. Two small wings flapped at her back. 

She had a pale body with an hourglass figure and a large chest—which was where many people’s eyes went first. Most notable, however, were the dark scales that ran from her shoulders to her arms and down her back, like natural armor. 

A similarly scaled tail, almost as long as she was tall, jutted from her lower back, its tip covered in jagged crystals. 

This was Felfi Visrotte, one of the Dragon Lords. 

She was at the top of the figurative food chain in this world. Though her true form was that of a dragon, she was also able to look humanoid. Even in this relatively diminutive body, however, she was still able to bring her full power to bear. 

Her immense power would undoubtedly be a great asset in the upcoming battle against the Holy Hilk Kingdom. 

Though she’d referred to this as a game, I suspected her goal was to show off just how powerful she was to all the elves who gathered to watch. 

She’d won in the end, and left me lying in a heap of gleaming armor on the stadium floor, but I still managed to put up a good fight. At the very least, she seemed satisfied. 

I rubbed my throbbing nose and slowly returned to my feet, then picked up my helmet and slid it back over my head, watching out for my dark, elongated ears. 

This mock battle had been quite a beneficial experience. It had given me an opportunity to practice keeping my emotions under control in my elven form, an experience I wasn’t at all used to after so much time spent in my emotionally stunted skeleton form. It was still too easy for fear to overwhelm me on the field of battle. 

All the training I’d undergone recently had definitely helped keep my wits about me against the Dragon Lord. I finally felt as if I were getting used to life here in this world, though whether that was a good or bad thing, I still couldn’t say. 

I turned my attention back to Felfi Visrotte. She flashed an encouraging grin as she approached me, giving me a once-over before her gaze settled on the Holy Thunder Sword of Caladbolg. 

“That last blow was a good one. But you were still holdin’ back, weren’t ya?” Her reptilian eyes narrowed, like a hunter sizing up its prey. 

I shrugged. “I could say the same about you. Unless I’m mistaken, you seemed to be going easy on me too.” 

She ran a hand through her long, lustrous hair. “If I’d really given it a go, this whole building would be in ruins right now. But that’s true for you, too, isn’t it? It’s not like we could just ignore all the spectators gathered here. At least we had a chance to show your face off to everyone.” 

Apparently, that had also been one of her goals with this little game. Though, frankly, I was still convinced that the major reason we were here was because she loved a good fight. That’s how it had felt in the heat of things. 

I recalled the conversation we’d had back at the meeting of the high elders, the group who controlled everything that happened here in Maple. That’s where this had all begun. 

While I was now a member of Lalatoya Village, I was still a newcomer. No one, least of all the elven soldiers, was too keen on me being a lynchpin in the upcoming battle. Even if the execution was a bit ham-fisted for my liking, I had a feeling that this had also been an opportunity to show off my skills against a powerful Dragon Lord, to mitigate further misgivings. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a lithe, well-proportioned figure wearing a robe marked with intricately detailed runes make her way down from the spectator seats and approach us. 

The woman had golden eyes, amethyst skin, and pointed ears that poked out of her long, snow-white hair. She was a dark elf, which was somewhat rare in this world. 

Her name was Ariane, and she was not only from the same village as me, but also one of my closest friends since I’d first arrived in this world. 

She looked at the woman next to me with great concern. “Felfi Visrotte, are you all right?” 

Ariane’s golden gaze darted between the Dragon Lord’s stomach and her face. She was clearly concerned about when I’d stabbed her during the battle. However, Felfi Visrotte simply slid her hand along the ribbed scales of her stomach and laughed. 

“There’s nothing to worry about here. It takes a lot more than that to actually hurt me.” 

Ariane let out a sigh of relief. “I… Wow. I see.” She lowered her voice and whispered to me. “I dunno, Arc, that looked like a fatal blow from where we were sitting. What happened?” 

All I could do was shrug. “I’m also at a loss. I felt the blade go in, so it wasn’t just some illusion, but I still can’t figure it out. The best I can say is that there’s something special about the Dragon Lord’s humanoid form.” 

Ariane turned back to find Felfi Visrotte waving enthusiastically at the spectators. 

A little furry animal dove toward us from the stands, its green fur rippling in the wind. 

Standing at about sixty centimeters—half of which was its long, cotton-like tail—Ponta had the face of a fox, and thin membranes that ran between its front and hind legs, allowing it to glide through the air. 

“Kyii! Kyiiiii!” 

This adorable creature mewing for attention was what the elves called a spirit creature. After a quick flip in the air, it landed atop my helmet. 

“Hey, Ponta, what’s up?” 

It seemed to be offering its encouragement about the battle. I reached up and scratched the top of its head. 

“Kyii!” 

Ponta batted its front paws against the side of my helmet, directing my attention back toward the stands. I noticed a figure waving me over. 

“It looks like we’re being summoned, Ariane.” 

Ariane turned as well and nodded in acknowledgement. “I’m afraid we must be going now, Felfi Visrotte.” 

The Dragon Lord finished waving at the crowd and smiled at us. “No problem, I had a great time today. I’ll play my part later, just like I promised. Oh, and Arc, let’s play again sometime, eh?” 

There was something about the smile on her face that sent a chill up my spine. “Ah, umm, yes. We’ll see if an opportunity presents itself…” 

With that, Ariane and I—with Ponta sitting proudly atop my head—headed back to the spectators’ seats. Before we’d made it halfway, Felfi Visrotte called out to me. 

“Oh, one more thing! I wanted to ask you to pass along a message for me, Arc.” 

Glancing back, I saw the Dragon Lord regarding me with a slight scowl. 

“A message for whom?” I couldn’t think of anyone we both knew who wasn’t currently in the stadium. 

Her expression softened, and she waved her hand dismissively. “You know what? Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it. It’ll be faster if I do it myself anyway. See ya later, Arc!” 

The small wings on her back began flapping vigorously, and a moment later, she disappeared into the sky. 

Her parting words had left a bad taste in my mouth. I really hoped to avoid facing against her again. But judging by the cheerful expression on her face, it seemed unlikely I’d be able to put her off forever, especially while I was living here among the elves. 

I let out a heavy sigh. 

“Kyii?” Ponta looked down curiously at me, so I reached up to scratch its chin. 

“It’s nothing, Ponta.” 

The high elders in the stands who’d come to watch the event were staring at me with great interest. Apparently, the elves were shocked to see someone face off against a Dragon Lord and live to tell the tale. Or at least, that was what I took from the looks of surprise, and suspicion, on their faces. 

However, there was one person who stood out from the rest of the elders: the third founder, Briahn Bond Evanjulin Maple, head of the high elders and ruler of the entire Great Canada Forest. 

Ribbons of all shapes and colors adorned his green-tinted blond hair, and elegant necklaces hung low around his neck, indicating his incredibly high status. 

When he finally spoke, the surprise in his voice was unmistakable. “Well, I certainly wouldn’t believe what just happened if I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes. I have to admit, when Dillan told me that there was someone who could stand toe-to-toe with the great Dragon Lord Felfi Visrotte, I was skeptical. But if you truly are this powerful, I can’t see how anyone would object to you leading our elven forces.” 

Fangas Flan Maple—another dark elf, who was one of the high elders and Ariane’s maternal grandfather—nodded in agreement. 

He was about my height, but his body was absolutely immense and covered in muscles. His short-cropped white hair, the large scar running along his face, and his well-trimmed beard all contributed to his intimidating appearance. He looked like he’d be much more at home on the battlefield. However, he seemed to be in good spirits right now. 

“I haven’t seen a fight that impressive in quite a while! I hope you’ll let me spar with you sometime.” 

He grinned broadly and clapped his heavy hands down on my shoulders. The forceful act caused Ponta to cry out in annoyance. 

“Kyii! Kyiiiii!” 

It looked like I’d be pretty busy sparring once this battle was out of the way. 

I’d always figured the elves to be a mostly magical people, though I’d recently started realizing that sheer physical strength might win the day here. In retrospect, this was hardly surprising. Surrounded on all sides by powerful monsters and dangerous humans, strength was all the elves had to fall back on. 

I averted my gaze in an attempt to avoid responding to Fangas’s offer, only to spot two more figures approaching: village elder Dillan Tahg Lalatoya and Eevin Glenys Maple, Ariane’s father and sister, respectively. 

Unlike Ariane, Dillan had the characteristic green-tinted blond hair of most elves. He was dressed in priestly robes covered in intricate runes. He looked exactly like my mental image of an elf, especially when compared to the battle-hungry high elder Fangas. 

He bowed his head slightly. “Good job, Arc. It’ll be a bit of a rush, but we should be able to muster our soldiers for battle in about a day. You can take the rest of today off to relax and prepare for tomorrow. We’ll be relying on you to teleport everyone, after all.” 

I glanced over at Ariane, who tilted her head curiously. 

“If it’s all right with you, I’d like to spend the rest of the day touring your great capital.” 

There wasn’t really much for me to do when it came to mustering the troops, so I figured now was my chance to look around Maple, the capital city of the Great Canada Forest. 

Sure, now that I’d been here once I’d be able to use Transport Gate to teleport here whenever I wanted, but it felt like such a waste not to do some sightseeing on my very first visit. 

Dillan glanced at Briahn, who smiled softly and nodded. “Of course. I’m sure Ariane would be more than happy to show you around. However, don’t forget that we still need to tell the humans that we’ve agreed to offer our assistance.” 

Dillan clapped his hands together, eliciting a heavy sigh from Ariane. 

“All right, but we can’t be out too long, okay? Don’t forget that Chiyome and Riel are both waiting on us.” 

I nodded. I wanted to take my time looking around the city, but Princess Riel and the others were probably anxiously awaiting our response. 

Before I could dwell on this further, a newcomer butted into the conversation. 

“If my darling little Arin is going, then I’m going too!” Eevin, Ariane’s older sister, clung tightly to Ariane’s arm and raised a fist in her father’s direction before he could put up an argument. 

A dark elf, like her younger sister, Eevin wore her white hair short, down to her shoulders. She was also a lot more energetic than her cooler-headed sibling. 

Ariane could barely contain her surprise. “Why’re you coming along, Eevin?!” 

Eevin puffed out her cheeks in anger. 

Ariane quickly backpedaled, waving her hand as if to brush the whole issue away. “I-I mean…you’re coming too? Don’t you have a lot of work to do to prepare for tomorrow, Sis?” 

Ariane seemed to stumble over the word “Sis,” glancing at me in embarrassment. It seemed she only used this endearment behind closed doors. 

I felt Eevin’s eyes on me, growing more and more intense as she clung to Ariane’s arm. She didn’t seem too keen on me coming between her and her little sister. 

She turned her attention back to Ariane. “It’s just a little excursion, y’know. I figure I can bring along my usual gear. Don’t worry, I’ve got tons of time! Besides, don’t you want to see your big sis in her element?” 

Dillan interrupted his daughter for a slight correction. “Unfortunately, you won’t be coming with us on this journey, Eevin.” 

She wasn’t pleased with this. “What?! Whyyyy? This is one of Canada’s greatest battles, isn’t it? You’ll need fighters like me! What’s going on here?” 

Dillan shook his head and let Fangas explain instead. 

“That’s precisely why you can’t go, Eevin. If all of our greatest soldiers leave the capital, Maple will be undefended. I’m entrusting the capital’s guards to you while I’m away…which also means that I’ll be joining the fight. Gyahaha!” 

“Whoa, whoa… That’s not fair, Grandpa! What’s a high elder doing going into battle?! If that’s not an abuse of power, I don’t know what is!” 

Fangas let out a hearty laugh. “If it’s such a big deal, then you best rise through the ranks, Eevin.” 

She clenched her jaw. This didn’t seem to bother Fangas one bit. 

The high elders oversaw the operation of every village within the Great Canada Forest, and thus rarely ventured out on military excursions. However, it was evident from Fangas’s hulking figure that he prided himself on his martial skills. 

Judging from what Eevin had said, Fangas had used his influence in order to secure himself a place on the front line. 

Dillan and Briahn smiled as they watched the two argue. This confrontation clearly wasn’t unexpected. 

I whispered to Ariane. “So, why are we still standing here listening? Does the outcome matter to us?” 

“Kyii?” Ponta mewed in curiosity. 

Ariane let out a sigh. “Come on. Let’s give you a tour.” 

*** 

Most elves lived in the Great Canada Forest here on the northern continent. Monsters roamed these woods, but they also served as an additional layer of protection against the humans. 

I have to admit, I was pretty surprised to learn that this land had once been nothing but empty plains. Then the founding elder had come along and created an artificial forest and, hidden deep in the inner reaches, the capital of Maple, a city so advanced that it defied human imagination. It was absolutely nothing like anything else I’d seen in this world. 

The city was filled with tree buildings that shot into the sky, an intriguing amalgamation of nature and technology. Elves went about their lives up on the elevated, open-air walkways that stretched between the buildings. 

The streets were perfectly laid out and lined with lights at regular intervals, providing more than ample illumination for the customers milling about the shops and the tradespeople practicing their crafts. 

As I watched the large crowd bustle through the valleys between the trees, I felt something nagging at the back of my mind. 

It hadn’t been all that long since I’d first come to this world. And yet, as I finally accepted that I’d likely never return to my home, I felt sorrow wash over me. 

In addition to the founding elder of the Great Canada Forest, there was also Hanzo, the man who’d saved the cat people from persecution and formed the Jinshin clan, before making his way to the southern continent to create a kingdom for the mountain people down there. They were both almost certainly wanderers brought to this world like myself. 

I wondered if they ever missed the world they came from. Alas, it wasn’t like anyone alive now would know anything about that. They’d both died, as far as I knew. 

Dwelling on it wouldn’t do me any good. 

Fortunately, I didn’t have to worry about troublesome emotions while I was in my skeleton form. I could just continue on my merry way, with little concern for things like this. 

There was, however, a downside. As soon as I drank from the mystical spring near the Lord Crown to lift my curse, not only did I return to my elven form, but all the pent-up emotions came flooding back as well. 

Once this battle was over, I’d probably need to have a good, long think about getting myself used to dealing with emotions again. 

As well as spending the rest of my life here, for that matter. 

Ariane glanced over her shoulder, puzzled. “What’s with you, Arc? You were the one who said you wanted to look around, but you haven’t said anything about what you wanted to see. The city’s pretty big, y’know. It’d take a few days just to see everything.” 

“Kyii! Kyiiiii!” 

Ponta mewed in agreement. 

I decided to banish the dark thoughts from my mind for now. “Ah, sorry, Ariane. I was just thinking about what I wanted to see before our time runs out. I think I’d like to visit a store that sells magical elven items. Do you know a good place?” 

“Magical items? Hmm, I guess I know a few places.” 

While Ariane stopped to think, Eevin finally broke her long silence and chimed in. “Well, why don’t we go to the place Arin and I usually buy our stuff from?” 

Ariane nodded and smiled. “Oh, right! The place we always go to! Sounds good.” 

With that, Ariane began leading the way through the crowded streets. I drew curious looks, as usual. I tried to shrug them off, yet I couldn’t help but sense someone paying a little too much attention to me. 

Looking over, I caught sight of Eevin staring intensely at me. 

“Kyii?” Ponta let out a confused yelp at Eevin’s sudden change in demeanor. 

“Have I done something wrong?” 

Eevin averted her gaze and took a few steps away from me to put more distance between us. Before I could say anything more, however, she beat me to the punch. 

Her voice was cold. “So…I know you can hold your own in battle. I saw that much back in the stadium. But I want you to know that if anything happens to my darling little Arin, I’ll make sure you regret it.” 

She pointed right at me to punctuate her words. I was too intimidated to reply. It was all I could do to nod dumbly in response. 

“Yes, ma’am. I mean, Miss Eevin. I promise that I will protect Ariane with my life.” 

The upcoming battle was going to be an intense one, probably the most dangerous thing we’d faced yet. It was easy to understand why she’d be worried about her little sister, especially since she couldn’t come with us. 

Deep down, I knew it was just a tad arrogant for me to say that I would protect Ariane, especially considering how strong a fighter she was in her own right. But now hardly seemed like the time or place to bring up such trivialities. 

After all, protecting Ariane had always been Eevin’s job. Since she’d admitted that I was a talented fighter in my own right, it only seemed fair for me to take this duty from her. 

One way or another, I had to convince her that I would be true. “I promise, I will protect her with my very life.” 

Eevin raised a thin eyebrow at my cocky reply. “You’d better keep your word.” 

Having sufficiently drilled the point home, Eevin took off in a jog after Ariane. 

There’d be no slacking off for me in the upcoming battle. 

With a renewed sense of purpose, I followed the two sisters through the crowds and down a much quieter side street lined with shops. 

The building we stopped in front of wasn’t marked with any sort of sign, and, quite frankly, I wasn’t even sure if it was a shop. However, Ariane opened the wooden door, which responded with a loud creak, and walked right in. Eevin, Ponta, and I entered after her. 

The interior was dimly lit, and filled to the brim with all sorts of small items, which made it difficult to even move around. Despite this, it still looked quite clean and well taken care of. 

One of the walls was lined with shelves from floor to ceiling, every available space filled with equipment. I could even guess what most of them were used for. 

I felt like I was in a museum. 

Some of the goods looked familiar, so I felt confident enough to guess that these were all magical items of one sort or another. 

In the center of the room stood several waist-high shelves displaying unique wares. I felt like I could spend a whole day here and never grow bored. 

I mumbled quietly to myself as I cast my gaze across the store. Looking up and toward the back, I caught sight of a small area that seemed like a workshop of sorts. 

A moment later, an old man sporting white hair and a white beard that fell to his waist emerged from the workshop area. 

He stood at around 140 centimeters, maybe even shorter, and had a thick, barrel-shaped body that made his muscular arms and legs look like afterthoughts that had just been pinned onto him. 

Deep wrinkles chiseled into the man’s forehead, giving him the intense look of a man who’d lived a long life mastering his craft. 

“A dwarf?” The words left my mouth before I had a chance to think better of them. 

The old man angled his head to look up at me. 

Though they’d once been common across the entire northern continent, the dwarves had been hunted by humans to near extinction. The elves had offered them sanctuary in the Great Canada Forest, letting the humans believe that all the dwarves had died out. 

Since coming to Maple, I’d seen quite a few wandering the streets. In fact, one of the high elders was a dwarf. 

“Well, I’ll be! It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you ladies around these parts. Who’s the flashy knight you’ve got with you?” 

The dwarf—store owner and craftsman, as far as I could tell—raised a large, bushy eyebrow at me, with a certain degree of suspicion. 

I stepped forward to introduce myself. “I am Arc Lalatoya. I’ve only recently been invited to join Ariane’s village.” 

“Kyii! Kyiiiii!” Ponta chimed in as well, ending with an exaggerated wag of its tail. 

“That’s not a cottontail fox, is it? Never seen one sit so easily atop someone’s head. You an elf?” The old man gave me a quizzical look. 

Ariane stepped in to smooth over the situation. 

“You could say that.” 

Strictly speaking, my non-skeletal form didn’t look anything like the elves or even dark elves that inhabited this world, but her answer was technically correct. 

The dwarven man cocked his head at this odd reply, but didn’t seem to care enough to push the issue. He turned his attention back to me. “Well, enough about that. What brings y’all here?” 

Eevin and Ariane both turned to look at me. 

“Now that you mention it, what did you come here to buy anyway?” 

I reached out to a nearby shelf, picked up the closest item, and brought it to my face for closer inspection. “Well, uh, I just figured that, when this is all over, I’d like to get my shrine into livable condition. There are so many conveniences out here, and I thought this was a good chance to check some of them out.” 

Ariane, apparently sold on my explanation, turned her attention back to the many wares that lined the shop’s shelves. “Now that you mention it, there really isn’t much there, other than the hot spring.” 

“Personally, I’d love to get my hands on something like that magical cooking apparatus that Glenys is always using in the kitchen.” 

Ariane moved about the shop and picked out several items for me. 

Of course, there were the remains of a hearth back in the shrine, but if I could avoid the hassle of cooking over a wood-fueled fire by purchasing some magical items, then all the better. 

Ariane put a finger to her chin in thought, as if recalling what the shrine looked like. “It’s pretty dark there at night, too, right? There aren’t any lights or anything, so maybe some large crystal lamps would help.” 

Now that she mentioned it, there were no artificial light sources there at all, leaving me to navigate by the light of the moon at night. Making matters worse, the canopy of the massive Lord Crown blocked much of the sky, plunging the shrine even further into darkness. 

While Ariane and I browsed the shop, the owner let out a loud yawn and scratched the top of his head. He spoke in a slow, bored tone. “I dunno. Y’all sound like a newlywed couple buying yer first furniture together.” 

Ariane’s ears burned bright red. 

“Whoa, wait a minute! I’m just here to help him shop! Besides, I think Big Sis here is the one who you should be talking to about newlyweds!” Ariane’s voice rang with annoyance. 

Eevin drew close, however, a bright grin on her face. “Aww, Arin, you called me ‘Big Sis’!” 

This only seemed to annoy Ariane even more. She tried pushing Eevin away. 

I had to admit, the two sisters were adorable when they argued. 

The old dwarven man and I exchanged glances. Without needing to say anything, I could tell we were thinking the same thing. We both shrugged, and left the sisters to their spat. 

I brought an item over to the owner to ask him about it. “Excuse me, sir, could you please tell me what this is?” 

He beamed at my obvious interest in his work and took time to politely answer all of my questions. I began growing excited about my future life, letting the yelling match behind me fade into the background. 

After discussing various magical items with the dwarven shop owner, and picking out the ones I wanted to bring back to my shrine, I informed him that I would be back later to buy everything. The next time I had a chance to visit, after all, would likely be after the battle with the Holy Hilk Kingdom. 

After we left the shop, Eevin said her goodbyes. Ariane, Ponta, and I returned to Lalatoya to tell Chiyome about what had happened at the meeting of the high elders. 

The short girl in ninja garb spoke up the moment she caught sight of me. “How did everything work out in Maple?” 

Despite her small stature, her clear, azure gaze carried a strength that many adults could never possess. 

The cat ears atop her head, and the black tail that extended from her waist, marked her as one of the mountain people. More specifically, she was of the feline variety. 

Ariane was the first to respond. “Don’t you worry, Chiyome. The central council officially agreed to join the battle.” 

Chiyome let out a loud breath. “I…see. Well, I suppose it’s settled then.” 

Her face tensed as she asked her next question. “So, do you know how large a force we’ll need to completely wipe out the undead army?” 

This was probably the most important question of all, since the Holy Hilk Kingdom’s forces numbered in the hundreds of thousands. 

If we didn’t do anything to stop them, humans, mountain people, and elves alike would find themselves in a very dangerous situation. However, a direct frontal assault on an army of that size would only accelerate the grim future that awaited us. 

And yet, here we were, with species who’d spent generations doing their best to avoid each other putting aside their grievances to fight a common threat. It was as if fate itself had intervened. 

I could tell by the look in Chiyome’s eyes that this weighed heavily on her, and that she was committed to our victory. 

To the human nations that had lost almost everything, and were hanging on by a thread, this might have looked like a step back. However, it was a necessary step, in order to ensure that this world lived on. 

For myself, I couldn’t help but wonder if it truly was chance that had brought me here from another world and placed me at the center of such a pivotal battle. In my heart of hearts, I felt that there must have been some sort of supernatural influence involved. I didn’t actually expect to learn the answer to this question though, nor would the answer change what I had to do. 

Asking God about the purpose of your life was just as useful here as it was back in my world. 

In the end, it was up to me to pursue my dreams. Fortunately, I had the abilities to make them reality. 

The teleportation magic that allowed be to cross vast distances in the blink of an eye was what had enabled me to bring these three species together in the first place. 

The Holy Hilk Kingdom had first attacked its nearest neighbors, but now that they’d been overrun, it was only a matter of time until the undead arrived at the capital of the Nohzan Kingdom. 

Fortunately, the elves understood the severity of the situation and had agreed to form an alliance with the humans. 

I was worried that the elves would choose to stand by and watch the humans get wiped out, but since that would mean facing an even larger undead army all on their own, it made sense for them to join the battle 

now. 

Which led me to Felfi Visrotte. From my sparring match with the Dragon Lord, I’d learned firsthand that she was immensely powerful. 

She and the other three Dragon Lords lived here in the Great Canada Forest and offered their protection to all who dwelt within. 

If we could convince them to join us as well, then we could topple the Hilk, despite the fact that most humans were still faithful to the church’s teachings. 

The high elders knew this, yet had done nothing to rally the other Dragon Lords. The only explanation I could think of was that there was some kind of agreement between the Dragon Lords and the elves, and that Felfi Visrotte was the only one allowed to take a more active role in the affairs of the world. 

Even so, this battle—no, this war—against the Holy Hilk Kingdom should be winnable. 

“You have nothing to worry about, Chiyome. The people of the Great Canada Forest have made arrangements for a Dragon Lord to assist us in battle. Not only that, but they’ve agreed to muster a large number of troops as well.” 

Chiyome’s eyes went wide. 

Ariane spoke in a soothing voice as she put a reassuring hand on Chiyome’s shoulder. “That’s right. Not only is Felfi Visrotte said to be the strongest of the Dragon Lords, but we’ve also got Arc with us, and he’s already destroyed over 100,000 undead soldiers on his own.” 

After having turned Sasuke, Chiyome’s brother-in-arms, into a member of the undead, the Holy Hilk Kingdom had become Chiyome’s mortal enemy. Ariane and I were all too aware that she would stop at nothing to see them defeated. 

It was just as personal for Ariane, who’d been there when Chiyome was forced to kill Sasuke in battle. She knew that if we weren’t careful, Chiyome may decide to fight the Holy Hilk Kingdom on her own. 

Though she was still a girl, Chiyome was, in fact, one of the greatest warriors of the Jinshin clan. Survival had been drilled into her from a young age. She understood that allying ourselves with the humans was the only way we could achieve victory. 

For people like Sasuke and Chiyome, who’d spent their lives killing, learning to separate their hearts from their minds was vital. 

I let my thoughts wander, thinking again about the strange sequence of events that had brought me here…and where I would go next. I began explaining my plan. 

“Tomorrow, I’ll use Transport Gate to teleport all the elven soldiers to the Nohzan capital. Since we don’t have much time, I plan to head back to the Rhoden Kingdom and notify Princess Riel and the others waiting there shortly.” 

“In that case, I’d like to go with you,” Chiyome said. 

Ariane looked relieved at Chiyome’s renewed determination. 

“Also, um, would you mind taking me to the Nohzan Kingdom after you’re done with that, Arc? I’m not sure which route they took, but Goemon and the others should be arriving any day now.” 

I was also curious about what they’d encountered on their way to the capital. I didn’t say it aloud, but I was worried about our friends’ well-beings. 

It was a little late to be only thinking about this now, but I also needed to make arrangements in the Nohzan Kingdom to bring in such a large number of troops. Between the Rhoden Kingdom and the Great Canada Forest, there would be at least 10,000 soldiers joining the fight. 

Of course, 10,000 was practically nothing in the face of 100,000 undead, but that was where Felfi Visrotte and I would come in. 

“All right. Let’s head to the Rhoden Kingdom to speak with Princess Riel.” 

I hefted my bag, and Ponta let out a yawn. This whole thing was all pretty boring for my little buddy. 

“Kyiiii…” 

Alas, things would heat up quickly in the next day or so. 

I reached up and stroked its fur, then summoned up Transport Gate to take us all to the Rhoden Kingdom. 

*** 

Early the next morning, while a thin, white mist still gripped the city, a large crowd gathered anxiously in Maple’s massive stadium. 

These were the soldiers who would be leaving the safety of the Great Canada Forest to join the fight against the Holy Hilk Kingdom. 

Most were outfitted in leather armor, with only the occasional flash of metal in between. 

More interesting, however, was the sheer variety of weapons, each soldier armed with whatever they were most skilled with. The various bags and belongings they brought also spoke to the diversity of the villages this ragtag group was leaving behind. 

There were even a few soldiers with the characteristic amethyst skin of dark elves. 

I have to admit that I’d assumed most of the soldiers would be men, but I was surprised to find that at least a third of them were women. This was in stark contrast to the human military, which was heavily male-dominated. 

Between Ariane, her mother, Glenys, and her sister, Eevin, I already knew quite a few female soldiers. I wondered if elven culture had harbored a bias against female warriors in the first place, or if they were just quicker to move away from outdated gender roles. 

“I guess Ariane and Glenys really weren’t exceptions after all, huh?” 

“Kyiii…” Ponta responded cheerfully to my quiet musings. 

Dillan and Ariane, who’d come along to oversee today’s gathering, approached me. 

Ariane, for some reason, was glaring daggers. “What was that just now? Are you trying to insult me, Arc?” 

I shook my head quickly. “No, of course not! I was just impressed at how talented elven women are.” 

“Kyii kyii!” 

Ariane glared at me for a few more moments, then let out an annoyed sigh. The sudden shaking of my head had nearly thrown poor Ponta off, so I reached up and slid it back onto its perch atop my helmet. 

“All elven soldiers spend their lives training with the weapons and magic they’re best at. So, unlike with humans, being a soldier isn’t just a matter of having certain physical attributes. I suppose you could say you’re more like an elf in that respect.” 

Up until now, I’d felt a divide between myself and the elves here, but put in that light, there was something to be said for how the Paladin class I was using—with its mixture of both the physicality of the Knight class and the arcanity of the Monk class—was actually pretty close to the fighting style that defined elven soldiers. 

Ariane’s words sparked a renewed sense of excitement within me. I’d always felt a bit sad that the only real connection I shared with the elves in my non-skeleton form was my elongated ears. 

Before I could dwell on this further, Dillan approached with Fangas in tow. “Well, Arc, we’re counting on you to bring all these soldiers to the Nohzan Kingdom.” 

Fangas spoke next. “So, I hear you’re going to be using teleportation magic. I know enough not to doubt someone that Ariane trusts so implicitly, but I have to wonder if it’s truly necessary to teleport everyone at once. If something goes wrong, the battle will be lost before it even begins.” 

The high elder had a point. 

While Transport Gate used a lot less magic than offensive spells, expanding it to an area large enough to encompass all of these people would consume a lot of energy, especially over multiple trips. 

However, with my Twilight Cloak, I would be able to regenerate a set amount of magical energy any time I was standing still. So long as I took ample breaks, I was confident I could accomplish this in about half a day’s time. 

When I’d traveled to the Rhoden Kingdom last night to share the good news of Canada’s decision with Princess Riel, I’d also met with King Karlon to tell him of my plans to teleport his army to the Nohzan Kingdom. I’d asked him to hurry up their preparations. 

Honestly, I was a little concerned about whether they’d be able to muster their troops in time. 

They had the command structure in place, of course, but they also needed a lot of people and resources to make it happen. It would be an incredible challenge to get all of that together in short order. 

In that regard, it was easier for the elves to form up on such short notice, since they rarely fought in a large army. Each individual soldier was responsible for supplying everything they needed to fight, including food. 

This battle was on a vastly different scale from the duties elven soldiers were used to. They usually moved through the forest in small units, sourcing their own rations and weapons. Patrols often lasted several days while they slayed monsters to keep their villages safe. 

Still, other than the scale, and the fact that they were traveling to a human country, this wasn’t that different from any other elven patrol. 

“You have nothing to worry about, Fangas. Speaking of which, I haven’t seen Felfi Visrotte yet this morning. Do you know if she’s all right? I was hoping to bring her along first, so she has a chance to meet with the humans.” 

I’d also stopped by the Nohzan Kingdom last night to tell them to make preparations to receive a large number of soldiers. I’d explained to King Asparuh that an incredibly powerful Dragon Lord would be joining the battle as well. 

Fangas and Dillan exchanged a knowing glance. Ariane and I looked back at them, confused. 

Dillan shook his head. “Felfi Visrotte said that she was going to fly to the Nohzan Kingdom herself. She may be there already, in fact, assuming she didn’t spend too long on her side trip.” 

This probably meant that she was in her Dragon Lord form, since it was better suited to flying. I was impressed that she even knew where these human countries were located. 

This did, however, present one problem. I was confident that the elven soldiers would stand their ground when the Dragon Lord entered the battle, but I could easily imagine shock overtaking the humans if they suddenly saw a dragon descend upon their capital. 

Thinking back to when I’d first seen Villiers Fim in his dragon form, I could imagine the fear that might induce. 

“Hmm. Perhaps it would be best for us to send an elf to explain things to the Nohzan Kingdom before she arrives.” 

Fangas gave a firm nod. “You’re right. Best we avoid causing a panic. I’ll supervise the troop movements while Dillan smooths things over with the humans. Can you bring him to Nohzan with a small contingent?” 

“Absolutely.” 

Dillan summoned a nearby group of soldiers who were already packed and ready to go. 

I stepped into the center of the stadium, together with Dillan, Fangas, and the soldiers who would serve as our first contingent. 

I had everyone huddle together and pull their gear in close so that I could keep the teleportation rune on the ground small and conserve energy. 

Since I needed to be at the center of the rune, the area around me was the most cramped. 

“I feel like I’m on a commuter train during rush hour…” 

“Kyii!” Ponta cheered me on. 


I was incredibly jealous of Ponta’s privileged spot atop my head. 

My armor protected me from actually feeling the crush of bodies all around me, but there was something about being crammed in the middle of a large group that made me think fondly of the past. 

Ariane and Chiyome stood outside the range of the teleportation rune, waving. Apparently, they’d decided to wait until things were less crowded. 

“Guess we’d better go before someone gets crushed. Come on, Ponta. Transport Gate!” 

“Kyii! Kyiiiii!” 

A large, glowing rune appeared on the ground as I summoned up the spell. All of the soldiers around me stared down at their feet, speaking in a mixture of surprise and excitement as they watched this unfold. 

I closed my eyes and focused on the corner of the castle in the Nohzan Kingdom where King Asparuh had arranged a space for our forces. 

Everything went dark, the voices fell silent, and an instant later, we were in a completely different place. 

Gone was the Maple stadium, now replaced with the large courtyard next to the castle in Saureah, the capital of the Nohzan Kingdom. 

The elves around me let out gasps of surprise. They began venturing out into the courtyard, giving me some space. 

I noticed some guards standing around, probably awaiting our arrival, but even though they’d known we were coming, they still looked shocked. 

Fangas began issuing orders. “I’m sure this is all fascinating to you, but we don’t have time for lollygagging!” 

The soldiers immediately hefted their gear and formed behind Fangas. Since we’d be using this same spot to teleport each group in, we needed to keep it clear. 

Also, as a representative of the elves, Fangas had to meet with King Asparuh. This initial contingent would serve as his guard. However, looking over his musclebound frame, his sturdy leather armor, his massive war hammer, and the intimidating scar running down his face, I found it hard to imagine this man needed much protection. 

Given that this initial group was mostly made up of massively built dark elves, I wondered if the humans would even believe these were the forces from the Great Canada Forest. 

King Asparuh Nohzan Saureah soon showed up with his own contingent of royal guards in tow. 

The two men exchanged greetings while their guards held back. 

“I’d like to thank you, on behalf of my entire country, for overcoming interspecies prejudice and offering us your assistance in our darkest hour. We greatly appreciate it.” 

The king bowed his head to Fangas. The high elder offered a burly hand in return, and the two men shook. 

“If we can finally put an end to the Holy Hilk Kingdom, then it will all be worth it. I’m sure this is a difficult time for your people, especially those who still follow the church, but we’re more than happy to join you.” 

That was the entire reason why Canada had agreed to send soldiers in the first place. They intended to use this opportunity to bring the fight to the Hilk church. The fact that the Nohzan Kingdom had accepted aid under these terms was a sign of their assent. 

Even though destroying the power base of the Hilk church would dramatically reduce its influence, there were still many kingdoms founded under Hilk principles. The high elders were well aware that these dark teachings wouldn’t vanish overnight. 

It remained to be seen what form the Hilk religion would take after the fall of the church, but the Nohzan Kingdom, which had only survived annihilation thanks to a united front with the elves, would be instrumental in combatting the religion’s resurgence. 

And then there was Rhoden, another influential human kingdom outside the Hilk’s direct sphere of influence, which would also be offering its support. They would help spread the anti-church sentiments to their neighbors. 

Canada was hoping that the Nohzan Kingdom would keep the Holy Hilk Kingdom in check, and had agreed to help them rebuild after the war, in order to provide a stronger defense against the church. 

“We’ve been driven to the edge, and don’t have many options left to us, but despite that, I feel that this decision will ensure a bright future for our country. Together, we will forge a brilliant new world.” 

King Asparuh held Fangas’s gaze and gave his hand another firm shake. 

A king willingly joining forces with the mountain people and elves would certainly elicit outrage among the true Hilk believers once they heard the news. The shock would be relatively small among those who’d endured the siege here in the capital, but for those living who hadn’t yet experienced the wrath of the Holy Hilk Kingdom, they likely wouldn’t let this go so easily. 

People, after all, tended to hate change. Many didn’t appreciate the true threat facing the kingdom until it was too late to save themselves. 

King Asparuh, on the other hand, was committed to using all of his power to put down any who threatened to revolt and transform his kingdom into a perfect society. 

With the pleasantries out of the way, it was now time for the king and me to discuss serious matters. 

“Thank you for making these arrangements with Rhoden and Canada, Arc. If it weren’t for your efforts, our fine kingdom would be lost.” 

This caused a stir among the king’s guards. 

“All I did was express your wishes. It is the parties involved who have come together to help one another out. Princess Riel deserves praise for having sought us out in the first place.” 

A smile sprang to the king’s lips. “You’re right. My daughter has certainly done more than her fair share. Speaking of which, where is Riel?” 

“She is safe and sound in the Rhoden Kingdom. I will bring her back here with the Rhoden forces shortly. It seems that she and her royal counterpart have gotten along quite well.” 

King Asparuh seemed relieved. “Well, I’m happy to hear that she’s made friends outside of the castle. I’ll leave Riel to you for now. Good luck in the upcoming battle, Arc. Our fate is in your hands.” 

The king bowed, then left with his honor guard. There was still much to do to get the grounds ready to take in another 10,000 soldiers. 

I made my way back to the teleportation spot. “Back to work, I suppose.” 

“Kyii!” Ponta agreed from atop my head. 

Feeling slightly re-energized, I told Dillan that I’d be heading back to Maple and used Transport Gate again, this time just with Ponta. 

An instant later, I was back in the stadium. At the behest of one of the high elders, the next group of soldiers swarmed me. 

Once again, I was overcome with the feeling of being on a morning commuter train. I teleported the next group back to the Nohzan Kingdom. 

This was a far greater burden on my body than I’d originally anticipated, and I felt sudden guilt over how I’d taken the elven transportation industry for granted. But that didn’t stop me from traveling back and forth, like a piston running on automatic. 

Fortunately, all that hard work paid off. Just before noon, I finished teleporting the last of the soldiers over to Nohzan. It had taken around fifty trips, and had certainly been a lot of work, but magically and physically speaking, I was far from spent. 

Briahn and the rest of the high elders seemed impressed. 

Ariane, who’d chosen to remain with me, suggested I take a brief break. “Thanks, Arc. Why don’t we have lunch, and then we can tackle the Rhoden Kingdom this afternoon?” 

Chiyome had stayed in the Nohzan Kingdom with the last group, though apparently, she hadn’t been able to make contact with Goemon and the others yet. 

I wasn’t really too worried about them though. Goemon was as tough as nails. 

“Well, we’d better eat a hearty lunch and build up our strength.” 

“Kyii! Kyiiiii!” 

I rolled my shoulders to try and work out some of the stiffness that had crept in from all the teleporting. 

After leaving the stadium and heading into the city proper, I asked Ariane where we should eat. “Any lunch suggestions?” 

She offered me an annoyed frown. “I mean, there are a ton of good places. We could be here all day if you want me to rattle off suggestions for—” 

Before Ariane had a chance to finish this sentence, Eevin appeared out of nowhere and wrapped her arms tightly around her sister from behind. “Ariiiiiiin! Come to lunch with meeee!” 

“Eevin?! What’re you…?!” 

“Now, listen. I know you don’t have a lot of time, so hurry up and let’s go.” 

Eevin urged Ariane on in a sugary sweet tone, all while giving me a death glare. 

She apparently had what could be charitably described as a sister complex, and didn’t take kindly to my being here. 

“Now, hold on a second. You’re supposed to be in charge of the civil defenses, remember?! Arc, get over here!” 

Ariane shot me a desperate look as she tried fending off her sister. I could tell that their relationship would become an issue in the future. 

After a tense lunch, we finally managed to convince Eevin to return to her duty, though she pouted the whole time as she waved goodbye. 

Ariane looked exhausted from all the attention and let out a loud sigh as soon as her sister was out of earshot. She then rapped her knuckles on my armor. 

“All right, break time’s over. Time to head to Rhoden. Riel’s waiting on us.” 

I nodded. “You’re right.” 

“Kyiii…” Ponta mewed and raised a paw in agreement, lulled into a lazy daze by the large lunch. 

Worried that Ponta might not be able to hold on while napping, I took the fox off my head and handed it to Ariane. The two of us stepped close, Ponta let out a loud yawn from between Ariane’s arms, and I summoned up Transport Gate. 

An instant later, we were standing before a large group of soldiers, outfitted and ready to go. Princess Riel Nohzan Saureah and her two bodyguards, Zahar and Niena, were waiting with them. 

As soon as the young princess caught sight of us, she immediately started jogging in our direction. 

“You’re late, Arc! We’ve been worried sick!” 

The eleven-year-old princess stood around 140 centimeters tall, and had bright blonde hair that bounced around her shoulders as she ran. Her youthful exuberance shone through in nearly everything she did. 

But looking closer, I saw concern in her eyes. 

It was understandable, of course. Transporting these troops out to her homeland could mean the difference between life and death for her people. Despite her young age, she’d been entrusted with organizing the reinforcements from the Rhoden Kingdom and the Great Canada Forest. 

Riel was more mature than she appeared. She understood all too well what was at stake. Such worries had likely contributed to her growing up faster than she might have normally. 

I dropped to a knee and tried putting her at ease. “Apologies for causing you such concern, Princess. I finished teleporting all of the reinforcements from Canada without issue. They are waiting for us in Nohzan. Everything is going according to plan.” 

Riel let out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad to hear that.” 

A voice interrupted our exchange. “I’m sure with power like his, a slight delay would hardly be a concern. Indeed, rushing like this hurts our ability to properly prepare for battle, Princess.” 

The man was Sekt Rondahl Karlon Rhoden Sahdiay, prince of the Rhoden Kingdom. 

Tall, handsome, and with light brown hair, Prince Sekt was dressed in elaborately decorated armor. He looked like the kind of prince you’d read about in fairytales. 

Though still young, in his early twenties at the oldest, he had the intense demeanor of royalty. His sneering, insincere greeting did little to strengthen the image of a gentle prince that he tried to convey. 

There was something I didn’t like about him, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. 

A few moments later, a young woman with blonde, wavy hair and dressed in a regal gown stepped up to his side. 

Yuriarna Merol Melissa Rhoden Olav, princess of the Rhoden Kingdom, was Sekt’s younger sister. 

Her eyes were brown, her gaze friendly, belying a strength that rested just beneath the surface. 

“That’s a bit much, don’t you think, Sekt? Riel… I mean, Princess Riel is worried about the future of her kingdom. It’s entirely understandable that she would want to hurry things along. Don’t you agree, Arc?” 

Princess Yuriarna glanced over at her brother. 

I got the sense that the two didn’t have the best relationship. 

I wasn’t in a hurry to side with either of them at this point, and I stumbled over my words for a moment in the hopes of finding some way out of the situation. I glanced at Ariane, only to find her looking off in another direction, a dozing Ponta in her arms. 

The only option was to change the topic of conversation. 

“Before I transport the soldiers here to Nohzan, I would like to speak with the king, if I may. Is he available?” 

I hadn’t exactly been expecting the king himself to see us off, but it did seem a bit odd for him to not make an appearance before sending his own son to war. 

Princess Yuriarna replied first. “There was a bit of a commotion in the capital this morning, so father is working on getting that under control.” 

Her voice sounded odd as she explained this, but I wasn’t sure why. She couldn’t seem to hold my gaze, looking away from time to time. 

Sekt shrugged his shoulders and shot his sister a sarcastic grin. “Turns out there were quite a few people in Rhoden who were breaking the law and using elves for labor, so I hope you appreciate this as a sign of our loyalty.” 

Ariane and I exchanged a confused look. 

Princess Riel stood on her toes in an attempt to look taller as she joined the conversation. “Early this morning, while we were still sleeping, two giant dragons flew over the city. Zahar heard the commotion and went outside to look, but they were already gone. Apparently, the king got to speak with them. I really wish I could’ve talked to a dragon.” 

Niena frowned at her young charge’s disappointment. She took a knee in front of Riel. 

“That’s not possible, my princess. No matter how intelligent the dragon might be, it’s too great a danger for you to go near one. Just think how brokenhearted the king would be if something happened to you.” 

I leaned over to Ariane and whispered in her ear. “Do you suppose one of the dragons was Felfi Visrotte?” 

She shook her head. 

Now, I wasn’t exactly well-versed in the different types of dragons living in this world, but the only ones I knew of that could speak were the Dragon Lords. Ariane seemed to be thinking the same thing. 

But even if it had been Felfi Visrotte, when we’d parted ways with her this morning, she was alone. 

The only thing I could think of was that she’d reached out to one of the other Dragon Lords in Canada. But then…why were they in Rhoden and not Nohzan, where they were supposed to be heading? 

I just couldn’t understand why two Dragon Lords, intelligent beings that they were, would come to a city full of humans. From the way Princess Riel made it sound, seeing a dragon up close was an incredibly rare occurrence here. 

And not only had the dragons spoken directly to the king before leaving, but they also hadn’t done any damage to the castle or surrounding city as far as I could tell. 

Prince Sekt seemed to have interpreted the sudden appearance of these dragons as a show of force from Canada, so I figured it wasn’t the best time to ask what the king had discussed with them. Besides, it was entirely possible that this meeting had been at the behest of the high elders. 

I decided to let the topic drop and move on to other matters. “Well, I think it’s about time we made our way to the Nohzan Kingdom. Could you please order all those who will be traveling to form up around me?” 

Prince Sekt stepped in close. “Given that I will serve as the representative for the Rhoden Kingdom, I should go first so I can meet with the other parties and make the necessary introductions. I’ll also need to bring my personal guard.” 

I watched as nearly a dozen guards led their horses over to me. 

Looking around, I noted that the area was filled with not only soldiers, but also mounted knights and horse-drawn carts laden with supplies. The sheer mass of people and things took up far more space than the elves had. 

I began having my doubts about whether we could transport them all with the half day left to us. 

“I’m going too!” said Princess Riel. “I need to report back to Father. And besides, I’m worried about my people!” 

After Riel and Yuriarna said their goodbyes, the young girl and her bodyguards hurried over to my side. 

“I’m counting on you, Arc.” 

“I know.” 

I was relieved to realize my first trip of the afternoon wouldn’t be a repeat of the cramped train incident from this morning, though it also drove home how inconsiderate I’d been to Fangas and Dillan, asking them to squeeze in tight like that. Fortunately, they didn’t seem to have minded. 

I shook my head. “All right then, we’re off to the Nohzan Kingdom. Please stay inside the rune circle at all times.” 

As I made this announcement, several of the knights took a few steps back. When I summoned up Transport Gate, I heard yells of surprise. These humans were far more jittery around magic than the elves. 

I glanced over at the mountains of supplies and people waiting to be transported and sighed. “I’ll be lucky if I’m done by midnight.” 

Just as the words left my mouth, we were gone. 

After seeing Sekt off for his meeting with King Asparuh, I got to work traveling back and forth between Nohzan and Rhoden. 

The sky was the color of burnt umber by the time I transported the final group of horse-drawn carts from Rhoden and left them with their Nohzan attendants. My job finished, I stretched my arms to relieve some of the tension that had built up in my shoulders. 

“You know, more than the constant use of magic to teleport people, I think it’s the sheer repetition that really makes this exhausting,” I muttered aloud to no one in particular. 

What had once been a tranquil courtyard near the castle was now filled to the brim with Rhoden soldiers and their supplies, creating a literal tent city. 

Having foreign soldiers posted right outside the place where the royal family lived would have been a huge ordeal under normal circumstances, but these were hardly normal circumstances. 

Besides, the entire kingdom of Nohzan would have been wiped out if Rhoden hadn’t sent reinforcements. In a way, the whole world was rising up in revolt. 

Of course, it wasn’t only the Rhoden soldiers camping out in the courtyard. A little farther off, the elves were setting up their own tents, giving the whole area the feel of an overgrown summer camp. 

As was typical of well-trained soldiers, the people gathered here seemed to be in high spirits about the upcoming battle. I even heard the occasional cheer rising up from the various gatherings. 

Whenever I passed a group, they would dutifully stop what they were doing to salute or offer up a greeting. I was starting to feel like a bit of a celebrity—which I really didn’t mind at all. 

I still hoped to see my idealized fantasy world come true, one in which humans, mountain people, elves, and even dwarves all lived together. If I needed to give everything I had in order to make that a reality, then that was what I intended to do. 

Ever since coming here, I’d tried to stay out of the limelight and avoid drawing attention to myself. But I couldn’t just watch people suffer in silence. 

I had to wonder how many people actually could . Living on your own, never interacting with another soul, far from any form of human settlement… That was a lot more work than it might seem. 

The longer you lived in a place, the harder it was to cut yourself off from it. 

My thoughts were interrupted by a voice behind me. “You did good work back there, Arc.” 

I turned to find Chiyome. I hadn’t seen her since we’d parted earlier this afternoon. 

For once, she was walking among humans with her pointed ears and long tail exposed, wagging freely. 

“Ah, Chiyome. Were you able to meet up with Goemon?” 

She shook her head. 

I glanced up at the setting sun. Quite some time had passed since they were supposed to show up. Could something have happened to them? 

I felt unease rising inside me. Chiyome’s ears were standing at attention as she looked back at me with her azure eyes. 

“If I don’t hear anything by tomorrow, I’ll make my way to Delfrent to try and pick up their trail. Arc, I…” 

Before she could continue, a large outcry went up around us. Chiyome and I scanned through the crowd to figure out what was happening. 

“What the hell is that?!” 

Shouts began erupting from the east, so I turned toward the darkening sky. 

There were two shadows flying straight toward the castle at high speed. I could tell they were enormous, even from here. As they drew close, it quickly became evident that our new visitors were dragons. 

Though both massive, the one leading was at least double the size of its partner. It was covered in black scales and had violet marks running across its wings, like ripples on a pond. In addition to the two horns sprouting from its head, I also noted that the tip of its tail sparkled in the dying sunlight. Somehow, this dragon felt familiar, even though I knew I’d never set eyes on it before. 

The one taking the rear, however, was easy to identify. 

Four wings sprouted out of its blue-scaled body, and two horns rose from each side of its head. Not only had I met this dragon on multiple occasions, but I’d actually fought him. 

This was undoubtedly Villiers Fim, the Dragon Lord I’d encountered near the forest beyond the Furyu Mountains at the base of the Lord Crown. Which meant that the huge dragon—a Dragon Lord, maybe?—leading him toward us must have been none other than… 

“Is that… Is that bigger one up there Felfi Visrotte?” 

I’d never seen her as a dragon, but when I recalled her humanoid form, it made sense. Felfi Visrotte had decided to bring Villiers Fim along to boost our firepower. 

I knew that Villiers Fim was smitten with Felfi Visrotte, a fact that she was also all too aware of. Perhaps she’d decided to take advantage of this. 

“Looks like we’ve gained another powerful ally.” 

Chiyome gazed up at the eastern sky, her tail wagging excitedly. I nodded in agreement. 

While these two Dragon Lords would be a great help in keeping the undead armies at bay, the soldiers around us didn’t seem to share in our excitement. They began arming themselves, moving away from their carts while their commanders started to shout orders. 

Unlike the elves, humans rarely ever saw Dragon Lords. 

My mind raced as I tried thinking of a way to calm the agitated crowd, but before I had a chance to act, I heard a series of loud trumpet blasts from the direction of the castle. The pattern repeated several times. 

The soldiers looked confused, but they slowly began putting down their weapons, and the tension started to ease. 

The two Dragon Lords slowed as they drew near, their powerful wings sending blasts of wind down onto everyone and everything below. They landed in a corner of the castle’s courtyard. 

Ariane and Fangas were probably going to meet with them immediately, so I figured I should be there too. 

“Shall we get going, Chiyome?” 

Her ears perked up as she glanced in another direction. “Go on without me. I have to meet with someone else.” 

She disappeared into the crowd of bewildered soldiers. Judging by how she was acting, I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d somehow received word from Goemon. My senses were nowhere near as good as hers, so I easily could have missed some signal. 

I stood there for a few moments, hoping she’d show back up, but it quickly became clear that that wasn’t going to happen. I headed toward the elven side of the encampment. 

Though the space reserved for the elves was quite a bit smaller than the one for the Rhoden Kingdom, this was logistical and not a question of the Nohzan Kingdom giving humans preferential treatment. The elves simply hadn’t brought as much stuff as the Rhoden reinforcements. 

The space was quite cramped with two dragons sitting in the middle of it. 

The Dragon Lord that I assumed to be Felfi Visrotte was about eighty meters in length, and the sheer immensity of her body grew all the more intimidating the closer I drew. However, I also noticed that both Dragon Lords appeared to be shrinking as I approached, until they’d completely transformed into their humanoid forms. 

They looked just like two people standing in the middle of a large gathering of elven soldiers. 

One of the figures was, indeed, Felfi Visrotte, in the same form she’d been in when we fought. 

She stabbed the crystalline tip of her large, serpentine tail into the ground and ran a hand through her violet hair. 

Next to her, standing at around four meters tall, was Villiers Fim. Though his body was humanoid in shape, his height was a dead giveaway that he was anything but human. His dragon head and blue scales further confirmed this. 

I was surprised to see that Villiers Fim was twice the size of Felfi Visrotte in their humanoid forms—a complete reversal from when they were dragons. 

Felfi Visrotte grinned. “Heya, Arc! Sorry to make you wait like that.” 

I weaved my way through the soldiers until I arrived in front of her. A moment later, Ariane showed up with five other figures in tow. 

Accompanying Ariane were representatives from the united armies: Fangas and Dillan from Canada, Prince Sekt from Rhoden, and King Asparuh and Princess Riel from Nohzan. 

Ariane adjusted Ponta in her arms and nodded in my direction before making her way to the Dragon Lords. 

“You must have had a long journey.” 

Felfi Visrotte smiled back at Ariane and gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “You must be the little sister Eevin talks about so much. Ariane, right? Anyway, I figured the more power we have, the better, so I dragged this guy along. You don’t mind, right?” 

Villiers Fim seemed to physically shrink as he shrugged his shoulders and glanced about nervously. You’d think he’d be a little more grandiose about the fact that he’d come all the way out here to join a battle to save humans, but I got the sense that the circumstances around his coming here weren’t all that they appeared to be. 

Despite his massive body, he was squirming around like a new recruit. 

“It’s a great honor to hear that Villiers Fim has also agreed to join the fight. I assume your delay was due to a trip to the Furyu Mountains? I would’ve figured it was a mere twenty-minute flight from Maple.” 

Felfi Visrotte had implied that the reason for her delay was Villiers Fim, but something didn’t add up. Especially not with the way he was acting. 

Flying across the Great Canada Forest from Maple to the Furyu Mountains and on to the shrine beyond, followed by crossing the mountains again to travel all the way to the Nohzan Kingdom, would certainly have been quite a journey, even if I couldn’t say exactly how far. 

But even so, it should only have taken about half a day to cover the distance. I had no doubt that flying was the fastest mode of transport in this world—aside from my teleportation magic. 

Felfi Visrotte belted out a laugh. “Well, y’see, I got a little confused and ended up in the wrong country entirely. I really can’t tell one human kingdom from the next, or even where they are.” 

The representatives of the three countries looked shocked at her answer. 

Apparently, she’d gotten caught up in the excitement of it all and had just taken off without bothering to ask for directions. This made sense, given the stories we’d heard earlier about the king of Rhoden suddenly having to entertain a pair of dragons. 

But had she really been lost, or was there something else going on here? 

Fangas spoke up next, a cheerful lilt to his husky voice. “Well, I truly appreciate you coming all the way out here, Felfi Visrotte.” He turned to the other Dragon Lord. “And Villiers Fim, I’ve heard much about you from my granddaughter. I cannot properly express just how honored we are that you would join us in battle.” 

Villiers Fim looked down at Fangas sheepishly. “W-well, since Felfi Visrotte wanted me here, I could hardly turn her down. Ah… Ahaha!” 

Though they were both Dragon Lords, Villiers Fim seemed to be in absolute awe of Felfi Visrotte. He was acting completely different from his usual, confident self. It was clear he wasn’t used to being around people. 

I looked from Felfi Visrotte to Fangas and back to try and glean a little more context about what was going on here, but their expressions were completely neutral. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Prince Sekt scowling as he listened to the conversation. 

King Asparuh spoke next. “I am truly honored that you have agreed to come out here and assist our country in its darkest hour. I would like to offer my thanks to you on behalf of all of the people of Nohzan.” With that out of the way, he got down to business. “I have made arrangements to conduct a joint planning meeting back at the castle. Please, follow me.” 

Felfi Visrotte threw out her arms and stretched. “Well, thank God for that. I’m all tuckered out after such a long flight. I’d love to sit down for a bit.” 

She was about to start off when she stopped and looked back over her shoulder, as if suddenly remembering something. 

“Y’know, I think Villy’s gonna have a bit of a hard time squeezing in there. Why don’t you be a good boy and wait here for us?” 

Felfi Visrotte glanced at me before making her way toward the castle. Villiers Fim slumped visibly and hung his head at being ordered to stay behind. 

I kind of felt bad for the guy, but she was right. Sure, he could probably squeeze himself through the castle interior, but there was no way he’d fit into any chairs or other furnishings with his current size. Staying behind only made sense. 

King Asparuh headed for the castle, followed closely by Fangas and Prince Sekt. Before I could join them, Ariane jogged over to me, Ponta dangling from her arms. She glanced around before speaking. 

“Where’s Chiyome? I thought she said she was going to meet up with you when you got back.” 

It took me a moment to realize what Ariane was actually asking. “I spoke with Chiyome earlier, but she told me she had to meet up with someone and left very suddenly. I figured she must have sensed that Goemon had finally arrived.” 

“Kyii! Kyiiiii!” 

Out of nowhere, Ponta started mewing anxiously and leaped from Ariane’s arms up to my helmet. 

“Whoa, what’s up little buddy? Did you see something that…?” 

Before I could finish, I caught sight of a familiar figure out of the corner of my eye. 

Standing at over two meters tall, the muscle-bound figure dressed all in black stood out even among the bustling crowd of elves setting up camp. Atop his head were a pair of cat ears similar to Chiyome’s, though his body was covered in a silver and black pattern that made him look like a giant tabby. 

This was Goemon, one of the six great fighters of the Jinshin clan. Chiyome walked at his side, along with two more mountain people. 

“Ah, Chiyome… Goemon. Glad to see you’ve arrived safely.” 

“Hm.” 

The taciturn cat man responded with a nod and raised his fist in greeting. After bumping fists with him, I greeted his comrades before turning my attention to Chiyome. 

“Goemon has provided some good information about what’s happening in the Delfrent Kingdom. The capital had already fallen by the time he got there, and the situation is looking pretty bleak.” 

Goemon punctuated her report with a firm nod. 

That confirmed that the two countries bordering the Nohzan Kingdom, Delfrent and Salma, had already fallen. It was now only a matter of time before the hordes descended upon us. 

“In that case, I think we should bring Goemon to see the king.” 

With that, we hurried off. 

*** 

Margrave Wendly du Brahniey, the man charged with overseeing the last standing territory of the Salma Kingdom, was displeased. 

“Dammit! So not only did Salma’s capital city fall, but Delfrent’s too? How is it that only Nohzan was able to turn back the armies of the Holy Hilk Kingdom?!” 

The margrave boasted the body of a man who’d grown up in the military, his muscular frame, receding silver hair, and intense gaze giving him an intimidating air—a far cry from most nobility. 

He glared down at the map laid out on the table. 

Saureah, the capital of the Nohzan Kingdom, sat right in the center, with Delfrent and Salma near the edges. Two black tokens sat on Larisa and Lione, their respective capitals, while another two marked the Nohzan Kingdom and the Holy Hilk Kingdom. 

Fangas crossed his arms and tilted his head back. “It’s only a matter of time until we’re attacked on three sides.” 

King Asparuh let out a heavy sigh and slowly shook his head. Princess Riel looked up at her father, the worry written on her young face. 

Dillan spoke up next, a deep crease etching his forehead. “If it weren’t for Arc here, the capital would have surely fallen and the truth behind the Holy Hilk Kingdom’s assault would still be unknown.” 

Prince Sekt, the man charged with overseeing all of the forces of the Rhoden Kingdom, nodded. “And it’s also to Arc’s credit that we all find ourselves gathered in this room today. I, for one, am honored by the opportunity to stand among these mystical creatures, whom I’d assumed to be the stuff of legends. The world truly is much smaller than I’d imagined.” 

He glanced over at Felfi Visrotte and then right above my head as he spoke. 

Felfi Visrotte closed her eyes and smiled, letting her long, crystal-tipped tail sway gently back and forth. “The way I see it, you people only inhabit a small part of this great world.” 

Her reptilian pupils stared out through half-lidded eyes. Everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably at this, which caused her smile to grow even brighter. Sekt swallowed audibly. 

They knew in their hearts that what she said was true. The idea that the world revolved around them was pure delusion. 

“Kyii!” 

Growing antsy at the sudden change in mood, Ponta hopped from my helmet and down to my shoulder before wrapping itself around my neck like a scarf. Felfi Visrotte chuckled at Ponta’s reaction before casting her gaze back down to the three tokens sitting atop the map on the table. 

“Well, look at that. So I guess all we need to do is wipe out the armies at each of these three spots, yeah? If we assign me, Villy, and Arc each to one of them, we should be all right, yeah? You guys can hang back and catch any that make it through.” 

The humans in the room looked completely taken aback at such a basic plan, while the elves nodded in agreement. 

With a Dragon Lord on the battlefield, there was little need to formulate for an overly complicated strategy. The real problem would be in figuring out how to coordinate the remaining forces. 

There was a certain logic to it. With powerhouses like the Dragon Lords and myself involved, there would be far fewer casualties, if we were able to wipe out huge swaths of the enemy. 

The only problem with this plan was timing. 

I clenched my hand into a fist. “Time is of the essence. Since we’re dealing with undead, the longer we wait, more of their victims are likely to rise up and swell their ranks. However, if we were to attack the enemies at their strongholds, we’d risk killing any survivors still holding out.” 

This wasn’t mere boasting. Using the powers of my Paladin class, I could wipe out an entire army of the dead with relative ease. Though I’d rather not go through the experience of using that kind of power again, we didn’t have much of a choice right now. 

The problem, however, was that there was no way to direct or limit the damage of such a powerful attack. I figured this was also true for the Dragon Lords. 

Dillan grabbed a white token sitting off to the side of the map. 

“True. These are all the capital cities of their respective countries, right? So I have to imagine that they’re at least as big as the city we find ourselves in currently. If there are any survivors within the cities, they’d almost certainly be wiped out in an attack.” 

Fangas picked up where Dillan had left off. “On the other hand, wiping the other countries off the map would also save us from worrying about any new undead cropping up.” 

He let out a loud belly laugh, though the look of horror on King Asparuh’s face made it clear that not everyone in the room appreciated this dark humor. 

“We could hardly do something like that! Who knows what sort of ill will that would give rise to? Even if we managed to destroy all of the undead, we’d risk deepening human distrust toward the elves.” 

Fangas smiled at this, but said no more. 

After a few moments of silence, Dillan tried to allay the King’s concerns. “Please, Fangas, this is no time for teasing. We’re here to formulate a strategy for battle that will also help build a stronger relationship between us and the humans.” 

Princess Riel broke out into a smile. 

Dillan continued. “Anyway, back to the subject at hand. We need to wipe out the undead armies as soon as possible, before they have a chance to grow any further. We also need to leave the cities largely intact. The way I see it, that means sending our troops to each city’s perimeter, to draw the enemy out. Once they’re outside the walls, we shouldn’t have to worry about any collateral damage.” 

As he spoke, Dillan placed two white tokens on the map, one in Delfrent and one in Salma. 

Prince Sekt was the first to object to this plan. “Undead, even in large groups, lack any sort of consciousness outside of a desire to kill the living. I highly doubt they’d be concerned about a siege. Moreover, these undead are under the direct control of the Holy Hilk Kingdom. So what makes you think they’ll fall into our trap?” 

Dillan seemed to have anticipated such a question and reached for a black token. 

“As you said, undead under intelligent control make for rather deadly opponents. However, as far as I’ve heard from those who’ve had personal experience, the Hilk’s hold over the undead is tenuous at best.” 

He paused and looked at each person in the room, until all eyes were on him, urging him to continue. 

“Considering that the undead are a type of evil spirit that takes possession of bodies, the energy they thrive on is weakest during the day, while at night, they grow more powerful. I’m sure none of this is news to you.” 

The elves and mountain people in the room nodded as if this were obvious. The humans, however, seemed surprised. 

To be fair, so was I. But at least I had a helmet to cover my reaction. 

“However,” Dillan continued, “I’ve been told that the undead that laid siege to this city managed to maintain the assault even through the day and lost much of their focus at night. Judging from this, I think it’s safe to say that whoever is controlling them is unable to maintain that control at night, when the undead grow stronger. I can’t say why that would be—maybe due to the sheer number they’re trying to control—but ultimately, the result is the same.” 

Prince Sekt, who’d been watching Dillan with great interest, piped up. “So, if whoever’s in charge of these armies loses control at night, then that means they wouldn’t be able to mount an effective strategy against us.” 

Dillan nodded and set another white token down on the map. “That’s correct. The longer we wait, the more powerful our enemy becomes, so I believe we should strike out at once. We can split our forces and head to both Salma and Delfrent for a simultaneous attack.” 

King Asparuh broke his silence, a look of concern on his face. “If we split all of our forces, then who will be left to defend Saureah?” 

It was only natural that protecting the capital from another invasion took priority over the king’s desire to see the Holy Hilk Kingdom fall. 

Dillan looked back down at the map and stroked his beard. “I believe your guards should be sufficient for now. Even if you were invaded again from the west, it would take a considerable amount of time for the troops to arrive. Also, I believe you said your son, Prince Terva, is mustering forces from the surrounding nobles. That should be enough to hold off another siege, no?” He looked around the table. 

“Fine by me.” 

“No arguments here.” 

“Hmph.” 

One by one, everyone in the room agreed to his plan, until finally his gaze fell on me. He smiled. “All right then. Arc will take care of the teleporting tomorrow morning.” 

I was hardly surprised. At this point, I pretty much expected it, even if I wasn’t exactly a fan of the slog involved in transporting troops back and forth. There was, however, an issue with this. 

“I don’t mind teleporting the armies to their positions, but I need to have an image of the place I want to go to firmly in mind in order to teleport there. I’ve never been to either Salma or Delfrent.” 

Dillan’s eyes went wide. Apparently, this had completely slipped his mind. 

I looked down at the map and traced my finger from Saureah to Larisa to Lione. “It’d take me at least a day, maybe two, to get close enough to the capital to teleport people there, and that’s just for one of them. I’d need two to four days to travel to both.” 

According to the map, they were both about equal distance from Saureah. Assuming I had a perfect line of sight and could continuously teleport the whole way, I could maybe make it to one in a single day. 

Dillan followed my finger as it moved across and map and furrowed his brow. “Figuring in a little wiggle room, how about three days? I hate to give the enemy more time to bolster its forces, but we don’t have any other choice.” 

He stared darkly at the black tokens sitting on the map. 

Felfi Visrotte, who’d been watching this whole exchange with a bemused look, crossed her arms and smirked. “Y’know, I have an even better idea. Wanna hear it?” 

She cocked her head to the side and shot me a smile. 



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