They had their next destination.
The map showed no proper railroad line leading that way and an air route using an airship or balloon bungalow was out of the question. They would be forced to travel across the wasteland using a six-legged sorcery vehicle. In that case, they might just be sleeping in the vehicle. With only the rearview mirror and side mirrors, who could say when they would have access to a mirror that would show one’s entire body. Life on the move meant life away from the Media Summoners that looked like large snowdomes but required a semi-wireless mist mana connection (which meant a fixed location along one of the lines between points). They would have to say goodbye to TV, radio, and data searching.
(“We” live surprisingly close by and with little difficulty?)
“Sigh. That is so hard to believe.”
Teleria Nereid Aquamarine toyed with her bangs in front of a large store window below the real blue sky.
A demon and a human could come together even if they knew each other’s identities.
Demon Lord Nirvelphany and Hero’s Descendent Thomas had proven that themselves, but it still felt so far away for her. It was like hearing about a mountain climber planting their flag on the world’s tallest peak. It did not sound like anything she could accomplish herself.
After all, the truth was a frightening thing.
Once she revealed the truth that she had the lower body of a fish, there was no going back.
(Someday.)
That Mermaid knew she was being selfish in finding courage from that.
Because it was really no different than seeing some craftsman’s technique demonstrated on TV and bragging about it even though you had not done anything yourself.
She did not want it to happen while he was busy with something else in a cheap inn or as some vague statement he might not even remember.
Someday, she would try it face to face.
(But when can I actually end up like them?)
“Sigh.”
She was right back where she started, so she decided to focus on the more immediate reality facing her.
Ayato did not own a car, but if he was going to acquire one here on the surface, it was not going to be some rental car meant for the wealthy or for nobles. It would probably be best to volunteer as bodyguards for a convoy traveling between city-states and be supplied with one of the escort vehicles that would surround the large trucks that looked like grasshoppers with powerful spring legs. The vehicle would be rundown and they would be forced to match their client’s pace, but the client would pay them and pay for the fuel. …Although she was terribly worried about what Ayato would do during his self-maintenance work if they were sleeping in a car. If the weather cooperated, she might have to consider the possibility of sleeping up on the roof.
(But if a combat-oriented Forward takes a defensive job like this, we might get some angry defense-oriented Bouncers picking a fight with us.)
“What’s wrong?” asked Dark Elf Mamilis Coster who was keeping her long ears exposed. “You keep sighing.”
That girl was technically a demon just like Teleria, but she seemed to have already grown accustomed to her new circumstances. She may have been bolder than she had initially seemed when attacked by the human traffickers.
“Huh? What are you doing here?”
“I sent a letter to my grandma. I told her things are pretty busy right now but I’ll be back eventually so don’t worry.”
That might lead to pursuit arriving here, but that was not an issue since they had no intention of staying long.
“The sorcery mail truck nearly left before I got there, but a cow on the road delayed it long enough for me to get there.”
“I kind of like this relaxed atmosphere.”
Silver-haired Dark Elf Mamilis Coster may not have needed to stay with them to the end of that incident. If she had backed out at some point, she might have been able to stay in Sky City Celedileka and return to her family.
But her expression did not change.
“I don’t regret a thing. Revealing the truth of who you are and carrying it with pride is a wonderful thing, so I knew exactly what to write in my letter.”
“Is…that so?”
First Nirvelphany and now Mamilis seemed to be facing the concept of truth.
A slight cloud fell over Teleria’s face, so Mamilis tilted her head.
“Really, though. What’s wrong?”
“I have my own worries and stuff, okay?”
“Hm? Hmm???”
“Why won’t you just accept my answer!? Of course I have my own worries!! For example, I have the lower body of a fish, so do I technically count as a fish or a mammal!? It would be something of a shock to realize I was born from an egg!”
Mamilis had seen Teleria’s true identity as a Mermaid, so the blonde girl was honestly thankful to have someone she could open up to about these things.
Then the Dark Elf casually grabbed the softest part of Teleria Nereid Aquamarine’s body.
“You have some nerve to think you might not be a mammal when you have these two things here.”
“You have some nerve to treat me this way!!!!”
They heard a familiar boy’s voice calling them over.
They saw a figure waving from the distance. He must have completed the negotiations because he held a sorcery vehicle key that appeared to have been carved out of crystal. It glittered in the sunlight.
Teleria’s place here was comfortable, but it also felt stagnant.
Dark Elf Mamilis would not stop groping her, so she brushed off the girl’s hands before touching up her appearance using the reflection in the shop window. Then she walked toward a new life as if hesitantly stepping out from that stagnation.
How many more steps did she need to take before reaching her own truth?
“Yes! I’m coming, but give me just a moment!!”
Ayato Criminaltrophy continued to leave his old home and wander the world in search of the truth about “that day”. That conspiracy involved something large that taught high-level and deadly attack magic to people who should have only used sorcery guns as household items. But all his efforts were wasted. If that boy wanted to grasp the whole truth, he had to start by truly understanding the people closest to him.
Yes.
He had to cross the boundary between human and demon.
He had to start by discovering the true identity of that girl by his side.
They had their next destination.
The map showed no proper railroad line leading that way and an air route using an airship or balloon bungalow was out of the question. They would be forced to travel across the wasteland using a six-legged sorcery vehicle. In that case, they might just be sleeping in the vehicle. With only the rearview mirror and side mirrors, who could say when they would have access to a mirror that would show one’s entire body. Life on the move meant life away from the Media Summoners that looked like large snowdomes but required a semi-wireless mist mana connection (which meant a fixed location along one of the lines between points). They would have to say goodbye to TV, radio, and data searching.
(“We” live surprisingly close by and with little difficulty?)
“Sigh. That is so hard to believe.”
Teleria Nereid Aquamarine toyed with her bangs in front of a large store window below the real blue sky.
A demon and a human could come together even if they knew each other’s identities.
Demon Lord Nirvelphany and Hero’s Descendent Thomas had proven that themselves, but it still felt so far away for her. It was like hearing about a mountain climber planting their flag on the world’s tallest peak. It did not sound like anything she could accomplish herself.
After all, the truth was a frightening thing.
Once she revealed the truth that she had the lower body of a fish, there was no going back.
(Someday.)
That Mermaid knew she was being selfish in finding courage from that.
Because it was really no different than seeing some craftsman’s technique demonstrated on TV and bragging about it even though you had not done anything yourself.
She did not want it to happen while he was busy with something else in a cheap inn or as some vague statement he might not even remember.
Someday, she would try it face to face.
(But when can I actually end up like them?)
“Sigh.”
She was right back where she started, so she decided to focus on the more immediate reality facing her.
Ayato did not own a car, but if he was going to acquire one here on the surface, it was not going to be some rental car meant for the wealthy or for nobles. It would probably be best to volunteer as bodyguards for a convoy traveling between city-states and be supplied with one of the escort vehicles that would surround the large trucks that looked like grasshoppers with powerful spring legs. The vehicle would be rundown and they would be forced to match their client’s pace, but the client would pay them and pay for the fuel. …Although she was terribly worried about what Ayato would do during his self-maintenance work if they were sleeping in a car. If the weather cooperated, she might have to consider the possibility of sleeping up on the roof.
(But if a combat-oriented Forward takes a defensive job like this, we might get some angry defense-oriented Bouncers picking a fight with us.)
“What’s wrong?” asked Dark Elf Mamilis Coster who was keeping her long ears exposed. “You keep sighing.”
That girl was technically a demon just like Teleria, but she seemed to have already grown accustomed to her new circumstances. She may have been bolder than she had initially seemed when attacked by the human traffickers.
“Huh? What are you doing here?”
“I sent a letter to my grandma. I told her things are pretty busy right now but I’ll be back eventually so don’t worry.”
That might lead to pursuit arriving here, but that was not an issue since they had no intention of staying long.
“The sorcery mail truck nearly left before I got there, but a cow on the road delayed it long enough for me to get there.”
“I kind of like this relaxed atmosphere.”
Silver-haired Dark Elf Mamilis Coster may not have needed to stay with them to the end of that incident. If she had backed out at some point, she might have been able to stay in Sky City Celedileka and return to her family.
But her expression did not change.
“I don’t regret a thing. Revealing the truth of who you are and carrying it with pride is a wonderful thing, so I knew exactly what to write in my letter.”
“Is…that so?”
First Nirvelphany and now Mamilis seemed to be facing the concept of truth.
A slight cloud fell over Teleria’s face, so Mamilis tilted her head.
“Really, though. What’s wrong?”
“I have my own worries and stuff, okay?”
“Hm? Hmm???”
“Why won’t you just accept my answer!? Of course I have my own worries!! For example, I have the lower body of a fish, so do I technically count as a fish or a mammal!? It would be something of a shock to realize I was born from an egg!”
Mamilis had seen Teleria’s true identity as a Mermaid, so the blonde girl was honestly thankful to have someone she could open up to about these things.
Then the Dark Elf casually grabbed the softest part of Teleria Nereid Aquamarine’s body.
“You have some nerve to think you might not be a mammal when you have these two things here.”
“You have some nerve to treat me this way!!!!”
They heard a familiar boy’s voice calling them over.
They saw a figure waving from the distance. He must have completed the negotiations because he held a sorcery vehicle key that appeared to have been carved out of crystal. It glittered in the sunlight.
Teleria’s place here was comfortable, but it also felt stagnant.
Dark Elf Mamilis would not stop groping her, so she brushed off the girl’s hands before touching up her appearance using the reflection in the shop window. Then she walked toward a new life as if hesitantly stepping out from that stagnation.
How many more steps did she need to take before reaching her own truth?
“Yes! I’m coming, but give me just a moment!!”
Ayato Criminaltrophy continued to leave his old home and wander the world in search of the truth about “that day”. That conspiracy involved something large that taught high-level and deadly attack magic to people who should have only used sorcery guns as household items. But all his efforts were wasted. If that boy wanted to grasp the whole truth, he had to start by truly understanding the people closest to him.
Yes.
He had to cross the boundary between human and demon.
He had to start by discovering the true identity of that girl by his side.
