We Live in Dragon’s Peak

Old Sligsta told me in advance where Mistral had left off the news.

Slightly south of Dragon Peak. Mistral seems to have had an evening at the end of an elongated mountain path from a small settlement.

"You've never been south of Dragon Peak."

"That's right. Mist told me not to get too close because there might be influence from the kingdom of the gods that borders the southern tip of Dragon Peak."

Among the long dragon peaks between the north and the south, we usually operate from the centre to the north.

That's why I've never been to the south.

I've been to the villages of the Dragon Clan, where Fiorina the Winged Dragon, with its golden scale, and Yugla-sama's hometown, and the fountain of the Dragon God, where I swore my future with my wives.

After all, as Louiseine said, there are a few Dragon tribes in the south that interact with the gods. Old Sligsta and Mistral were worried that we would come into unexpected contact with these tribes and be unaware of their influence.

But there were a lot of things that happened to us, and we got acquainted with the gods Alex, the heavenly Louvent, and the former martial arts gods Wender.

Speaking of which, I wonder if Wender and the others are making it through Dragon Peak safely.

Though there are Dragon tribes, it should still take some time to cross Dragon Peak because it is a walking trip.

Likewise, Alex's siblings and Louvent, who have returned home, are still on their way to Dragon Peak.

In any case, it may be good to ask how it is. However, it was only after successfully rescuing the missing Mistral and Sephina, resolving Louisaine's pupil problems, and overcoming the challenge from the Goddess.

Unfortunately, we can't afford to distract others now.

Anyway, we need to help Mistral and Sephina as soon as possible.

"There it is."

Nimia, who put us on board, will lose altitude.

From the mountain path that is likely to be buried in the deep tree sea, it is a little bit further.

By the time we arrived at the dense, lush forests of old trees, the sun had already set ahead of the western ridge.

"Nimia can't get off if she stays big, so let's jump out of space. Nimia, get smaller and come down."

Nyan

From Nimia, which descended near the tip of the old tree, I jumped to the ground in my space. [M]

It's a creepy place where there's no gap in the weeds around the dense old trees.

Is it true that Mistral was camping at night away from the mountain road?

"Elnea, I found it."

Then Lyla quickly discovered Mistral's nocturnal ruins.

Among the trees that have grown older, is a giant tree with thick trunks. And there were signs of a man in the back of the cave at its root.

"Mr. Sligster was right."

"Mistral said he was working at night in an old tree cave."

The cave was an entrance where one person could bend and finally dive.

First of all, I'll go in on behalf of you.

His eyes were filled with dragon spirit, and he looked into the sky.

The deep cave at the root of the giant tree was as wide as I thought. Moreover, we can see signs of considerable obsolescence.

The interior of the trunk of the old tree, that is, the walls inside the cave, have protrusions that allow luggage to be hung, or there are depressions on the ground where the wood debris is piled that are likely to become beds.

I see. This cave was originally used by the Dragon Clan traveling on the Dragon Peak. "

Dragon travelers have worked hard to build night camps to ensure a safe bed to protect themselves from the dreaded dragon tribes and dangerous beasts.

When I entered Dragon Peak on my 15-year-old journey, I saw a place where a night pit was dug at a high cliff. In the same way, it seems that the Dragon tribe used it as a safe night camp.

"We're surrounded by ancient trees, so we can't get close to the big dragon clan."

"We're surrounded by weeds, so even as the Beast approaches, we'll notice the sound."

Euphilia and Nina were searching the area.

Are there any clues left somewhere? Are there any anomalies that even Mistral has overlooked?

Lila and Madeleine are also carefully exploring the area around the old trees.

"Ernie, have you missed a clue?...!

Only Louisaine followed me into the hole. [M]

But then... Louisaine suddenly sat down looking at the dark interior.

"Louisaine!?

Just a little bit, Louisaine's eyes were glowing.

"I'm sorry, Ernie. I thought I could see the darkness with my eyes like you...."

"You don't have to use the magic eye to force it.

"Yes, I'm sorry.... but is it because of your mind? Like you ran into pain before you put power in your eyes?

"Louisaine, it's dangerous to inadvertently use the Magic Eye in its present state."

"That's right...."

Looks like Louisaine's trying to help us find Mistral.

Indeed, with Louisaine today, you can see things you can't see if you put your power in your eyes. It is not only the flow of the dragon pulse, but even the hidden beasts and the unrepresented spirits.

But the load is too strong. If Louisaine goes blind to get a lead on Mistral, there's no ex or child.

With my painful eyes in my arms, I look again inside the sinus. [M]

However, there were no clues left here.

"After all, Mistral was taken away without time to resist?

Outside, not only are the old trees densely wooded, but the grass is also lush.

We should be more vigilant than Feilongu's hunting grounds, which Sephina has lost sight of.

However, someone slipped through the dragon princess Mistral's safety net and committed the crime.

"There's nothing unusual out there."

"There was nothing left inside."

I'm going out with Louisaine.

Lyla rushes in and leans over to Louise.

"Louisaine, are you okay?

Next, Madeleine rushed in.

Louisaine nodded back as she left her body with Lyla.

"Yes, I'm sorry to bother you. But the pain was only for a moment."

"Don't push me."

"Don't be rude."

Louisaine, also nailed by Euphilia and Nina, once again lowered her head with a bitter smile.

"Well, after all, as expected. Unfortunately, we couldn't find any physical evidence here either."

It was something I had anticipated before I visited the night camp.

Anyone who took Sephina away from the Flying Dragon Hunting Ground and Mistral from the Dragon Peak still left no physical evidence or clues here.

"But maybe there are witnesses? Ares!"

"Leave it to me, leave it to me"

Ares called out to the spirits.

Then, several attributes of spirits appeared, just like at the Hunting Ground of the Dragon.

In the darkness of the night book, the spirits appeared with a faint glow.

"Everybody, tell me. I wonder who abducted the woman who was camping here?

I ask the fluffy spirits in the air.

Then the spirits walked around the old tree, telling me the situation at the time.

It was night.

It was dark.

"That doesn't mean it was dark at night, does it?

That's right.

Um... It was dark just around this tree. "

Then the woman who was resting in the back suddenly disappeared.

"After all, even here!

Someone who took away the sight of the spirits took Mistral away in the darkness, just as she did in Sephina's time.

"But I doubt it. No matter how dark it gets, breaking into the interior of the hole through this narrow entrance and taking Mr. Mist away is a trick."

"Lyla's right, isn't she?

The cave at the root of the old tree is only as big as one person can finally get in and out. Earlier, it was difficult to get out with painful Louisaine.

Yet the kidnappers were taken from behind the cave in an instant, without being resisted by Mistral.

"How the hell...?

It's full of questions.

How did you manipulate the darkness and deprive the Spirits of their sight?

Mistral and Sephina were taken away without any time to resist.

"... that's right. Hey, Furuki-san. How was the woman who was resting at your roots taken away?

We can't just listen to the dragon clan and spirits. [M] Has the ability to listen to the voices of all things.

I asked a giant tree with a tree hole. [M]

Then the old tree responded to me, shaking the leaves.

It was a quiet night. It was a quiet night without the wind, without even the beast howling. "

There is still little wind.

Occasionally, the slightly flowing wind shakes the leaves of the dead trees, squeaking the weeds.

Perhaps the night Mistral was taken, the silence was wider than it is now.

"It was a good night for the spirits to dance quietly."

Furuki-san talks.

But the darkness was sudden. He was trapped in the darkness. And his daughter was captured. "

The roots of the old tree burst into bitterness and regret.

I don't know. Where has one's daughter disappeared? Where did the darkness come from and where did it go? "

Yusayu and the old tree shaking the leaves.

The sound of the rubbing leaves sounded lonely somewhere.

"Even Mr. Furuki, who was hiding inside himself, didn't understand the situation at the time...."

It wasn't just the Spirits' vision. Even the sensation of plants makes us nervous about the presence of someone who took Mistral away.

I wonder how many people they're dealing with.

"Nyah. Shouldn't we be back soon?

Nimia, who was keeping an eye on her surroundings even when she was small, jumped on my head worried.

At night, the surroundings are dark.

Above his head are branches of old trees that do not even reach the lights of the stars.

If someone who took Mistral and Cefina were after us, they might fall into our hands without spreading the darkness.

Perhaps we should return to Moss Square as soon as possible for today.

"It's dangerous at night. Now we have to watch out for the darkness."

If we are trapped in the darkness, we may be taken without resistance.

And night is exactly the darkness itself.

"... hmm?

And then something caught me in the head.

"Night...? Darkness....."

"Ernie, what are you doing?

Louisaine and everyone looked at me strangely with my neck tilted.

I try to put words in order to sort out the questions that arise while looking at everyone's faces. [M]

Um... It's just a matter of time. Mistral and Sephina were abducted at night, right?

"It's obvious from the fire."

It's obvious from the testimony of spirits and dead trees.

No, it's really a preliminary thing.

Why were they abducted at night?

When I asked the question, everyone wondered what kind of discomfort there was. [M]

So I'll try to say what I think honestly.

"Because. It's like taking Mistral and Sephina away with such skill. Well, then, I guess we shouldn't have bothered to wait for the night, just after the two of us acted alone.

Of course, neither Mistral nor Sephina is an amateur who fails to be vigilant just because she is on the move.

But if you had the power to take them away without resisting, you could have taken them away at any time without choosing the night.

Of course, I can't deny that the crime happened to happen at night. But I still feel uncomfortable.

"It had to be at night. It might have been more convenient at night....?

Thinking about it, my gaze turned down.

Even in the darkness of the night, when the stars did not even reach, my shadow looked darker.

Ah!

And then I realize.

"Darkness... Maybe I was wrong from there! Not darkness... but shadow!?

"Nnnhh!

Nimia jumped over my head.