[The woman’s lost her mind.]
‘Why the sudden realization?’ Eugene thought as he exchanged his shoes for ones better suited for traversing the snow-laden grounds.
[Hamel, I made a decision for the world and for you. I chose to strike a pact with Melkith El-Hayah, whom I viscerally despise. This is not like our previous deal in Aroth. Even if Melkith did not adhere to those bizarre superstitions, I was open to communicating with her this time around.] Tempest’s voice resounded in Eugene’s head as he continued with his explanation.
Eugene continued with his activities while listening to Tempest. He changed into a coat fit for tundra crossings, then set Mer and Raimira beside him comfortably before checking their attire.
[But that crazy woman didn't even attempt a normal conversation with me from the start...! Hamel, do you know the first thing Melkith did after taking Wynnyd? She flew naked over the sea!] Tempest’s voice was full of horror.
Eugene had half-expected her to climb a high tower to face the winds. Oh, but she had tried that before. Considering her past failure, perhaps she thought of trying a different method?
Right.… The sea did possess winds as strong as those atop towers. And the 'sea breeze' was a sensation one couldn't experience inland. However, how much advantage that might offer in striking a deal with the Wind Spirit King was uncertain.
As these thoughts occupied Eugene, he adjusted the position of Mer's earmuffs and wrapped a scarf around Raimira.
[After flying around naked for a while, that lunatic woman embraced Wynnyd and sought conversation with me. I don't wish to… delve into the details of the conversation, but it was evident Melkith El-Hayah wasn't in her right mind. Had I not prioritized the greater good, I would've refrained from even speaking with her, let alone forming a pact,] Tempest said, sounding thoroughly disgusted.
Eugene knew how this story ended. Melkith had promptly returned Wynnyd the very next day after borrowing it.
She had long desired a contract with Tempest out of admiration for Vermouth, who mastered the Wind Spirit King. But even if she was an archwizard specializing in spirit magic with unparalleled prowess, her capacity wasn't limitless.
The Spirit King of Lightning, the Spirit King of Earth, and the Spirit King of Fire — she already had contracts with three different Spirit Kings. As it turned out, contracting with another one was an impossibility, even if the Spirit King desired it.
[The very idea that a human can contract with as many as three Spirit Kings is unthinkable…. It's a pity, Hamel. I genuinely intended to form a pact with Melkith El-Hayah this time.] Contrary to his words, Tempest's voice sounded remarkably calm as he spoke.
In stark contrast, when she arrived that morning, Melkith's face was ashen. Her eyes had been swollen from crying, and her voice was hoarse.…
'It wasn't a complete loss, though. Even if she failed to form a contract with you, she did form a contract with a mid-tier wind spirit, didn't she?' Eugene asked Tempest as if in consolation.
Thankfully, the prospect of forming a contract wasn't entirely off the table. If her vessel wasn't big enough, it could be expanded. Moreover, regardless of the contract, Melkith was completely obsessed with Tempest.
As such, after having contracted with a mid-tier wind spirit, she was asking it to speak to Tempest on her behalf even now. As expected, Tempest was ignoring her every word.
[Never!] Tempest proclaimed with vehemence. [Never! There will never be a contract formed between Melkith and me. Even if I yearn for it, what's impossible remains so. It just won’t happen. The capacity of a human vessel isn't so simple that it can be expanded just by wishing for it. Even if Melkith undertook a hundred years of training, enlarging her vessel to a degree where she could contract with me is simply impossible.]
Although Melkith continued to bother Tempest with unsolicited conversations, he could be content knowing that they had not actually formed a contract. This arrangement wasn’t detrimental for Eugene either. Although, had Tempest actually bound himself to Melkith, Eugene might have relished in cruel amusement.…
[You damned cur, Hamel,] Tempest cursed after reading Eugene's thoughts.
Eugene cleared his throat while taking the hands of Mer and Raimira, one in each of his own.
‘Well, in the end, everything worked out, didn’t it? You evaded a contract with Lady Melkith, and while she couldn't bind you, she’s connected to you now. And as for me, I used that… that voucher to send Lady Melkith straight to the desert of Nahama,’ Eugene tried to placate Tempest.
Though Melkith was initially shocked by the request for her to raid the dungeons of black wizards in the Nahama desert, given what the contract entailed, she could not refuse Eugene’s request.
~
—There won’t be any problems with this, right?
—Of course not.
—Really? If a war erupts because of me and that old man Trempel decides to execute me—
—You won’t need to worry about that at all. There won't be an issue if they know it was at my request. I’m telling you.
—Well, but Eugene, that badge you said you gave to King of Aroth... you know Aroth isn't an absolute monarchy, right? The king's power is limited! If the council decides to execute me—
—Do you think that the council has more authority than me? Are their voices louder than that of the Hero's?
~
In Melkith’s opinion, this wasn't quite the case — this wasn’t enough to get her executed. Ultimately, Melkith decided to heed Eugene’s request, though she kept grumbling about it. Given that her response had come through that very morning, she had likely arrived in the scorching deserts of Nahama by now.
~
And Eugene? He found himself in a stark opposite environment — the bone-chilling Northern Kingdom of Ruhr.
"This lady has never seen snow before…!" Raimira squealed in delight.
Mer held onto Eugene’s hand with a bit more decorum. She murmured as she looked at the antlers on Raimira’s head and the snow swirling around her, “If only she had a red nose. She would look like Rudolph.”
The sudden, unexpected remark made Eugene's cheeks quiver as he tried to stifle a laugh.
Noticing the change in his expression, Mer gave a cheeky smirk. Suddenly, Mer complained with a pout, “That hurts, Sir Eugene.”
Eugene had pinched her cheek as payback. Kristina watched the playful exchange between Eugene and the two children whose age said otherwise, with a warm expression. Her gaze drifted to the distant castle of Ruhr as she asked, “Are you planning to visit the royal castle?”
"We met the Beast King just yesterday. Why would we need to go to the castle? Let’s just continue on,” answered Eugene.
They needed no preparations for this snowy expedition. The gear from their previous trek was intact, and there was no need to consider Cyan and Ciel's training quests either.
Their destination was the Grand Hammer Canyon of Lehainjar. Though the vast white landscape made navigation difficult, they had been there before, which meant that Eugene couldn't get lost.
"It’s all because I remember the spatial coordinates of that place, Sir Eugene,” commented Mer.
While Mer remembered the coordinates, they still had to travel there. However, this journey was substantially easier and faster than their previous one. Last time, they only had the aid of the wolf lent to them by Aman Ruhr, but now, they had a different means of transport.
"Why did you even wrap a scarf around this lady’s neck and adorn her hands with gloves?" Raimira questioned, her face betraying her confusion.
After they had departed the city of Hamelon and made their way north to Rosrok, they journeyed beyond the castle walls in a carriage.
She took pleasure that her benefactor was looking after her. Their long carriage ride meant she couldn’t walk the snowy plains, and she had only held Eugene’s hand for a short time.
"Rai," Eugene replied, "It’s because I wanted to gift them to you."
Raimira's shoulders shivered with emotion.
Obviously, she did not feel the cold as a dragon. However, the warmth Eugene gifted her with the scarf, gloves, and furry clothes was not of the body but of the heart. Raimira had never felt the warmth of a father, and as such, Eugene, with his aloof demeanor yet attentive care, was both a paternal figure and her benefactor.
The mere fact that he affectionately called her Rai, which he had only used during their covert entry to Shimuin, was a testament to the special bond they shared.
And…. And a gift…!
Raimira removed her scarf. It was clear from her expression that she was immensely touched.
"It can’t be helped. It's unheard of for a dragon of this lady’s stature to carry another race upon her back, but if it’s Benefactor’s request! This lady will gladly offer her back,” declared Raimira.
After stripping off the gloves, fur coat, and boots that Eugene had gifted her, Raimira started to dash across the pristine snow. Eugene rushed to stop her with an appalled expression.
“Not here! Transform in the sky instead!” he shouted.
If a dragon were to appear just beyond the walls of Rosrok, it was clear that chaos would descend upon them.
Raimira had wanted to show off her transformation. She pouted after hearing his words, but as he said, she soared beyond the clouds before reverting to her true form.
As a familiar formed from intricate magic, Mer was sensitive to Dragon Fear. However, after receiving enhancements from Sienna, Mer remained unaffected by the aura Raimira unknowingly emitted.
"It’s quite disgusting now that she’s so big,” Mer remarked in displeasure.
"Do not prattle atop this lady’s back," Raimira retorted. The back of Raimira’s draconic form was vast. However, it wasn't inherently comfortable due to the hard, sharp scales lining her body.
But such discomfort could easily be rectified. A piece of soft fur was laid upon her wide back, and with Sienna casting various spells, their journey through the snow-blown skies felt warm and steady.
"How wonderful it would have been to fly atop a dragon three centuries ago?” mused Sienna.
"Don’t say something so stupid, Sienna. If we had been riding a dragon during those times, we would have attracted the combined attacks of demons and demonic beasts,” responded Anise.
Of course, in this age, such caution wasn't necessary. Monsters roamed the northern snowfields, but even the most deranged of them wouldn't dare attack a dragon.
In other words, a dragon was the ultimate mode of transportation. There were no natural predators of dragons, which meant that there was no need for caution. To boot, they were swift.
It hadn't been long since their flight commenced, but the walls of Rosrok were already out of sight. At this speed, it would only be a matter of days before they arrived at the Grand Hammer Canyon.
~
As anticipated, they reached the Grand Hammer Canyon on the third day of their journey. This was taking into account breaking from camp every night, setting up tents, and getting ample rest. Without such pauses, the journey would have only taken a mere two days.
But while the dragons were swift… two days would be too long to fly Molon from Lehainjar during dire times. If they wanted to summon Molon for help during battles in Babel, they would have no choice but to rely on Ciel’s Demoneye.
‘Is there enough time…?’ Eugene thought with worry.
He recalled Vermouth from Noir's dream. Vermouth had been worn down to the brink. His appearance had suggested he could collapse at any moment. The gaze in his eyes when he lifted his head...
…The Demon King of Incarceration had said he would wait for Eugene to ascend the Babel. Yet, he also mentioned that the 'end of the Oath' was nearing.
What would happen when the Oath ended, regardless of Eugene challenging Babel? To Eugene, the Oath seemed like Vermouth chained to a chair. Vermouth was sacrificing himself to seal the Demon King of Destruction.
Could the end of the Oath signify Vermouth's inability to function as a seal?
Perhaps Vermouth would be utterly broken at the end.
Eugene hoped for no such end. Sienna and Anise felt the same. They hadn't asked yet, but they believed Molon would feel similarly. They all wished to defeat every Demon King and save Vermouth, who was sealing away Destruction for the world.
If Vermouth was completely ruined and became something that was no longer Vermouth…
Eugene didn’t think any further. He couldn't bear the thought. Just thinking about it soured his mood.
He yearned to meet a sane, relatively healthy Vermouth, even if not for a long lifetime. He wanted to punch that inscrutable rascal's face, then tell Sienna to leave a wound in his chest just as she had been wounded. Knowing her lousy temper, Sienna would probably pierce Vermouth's heart immediately, and then Anise would whisper to the Light to heal the wound.
‘I should have that bastard Molon beat Vermouth up too,’ Eugene thought as he was tallying up the scores that needed settling.
Because of Vermouth's request, Molon had been stuck in Lehainjar for nearly one hundred and fifty years. Eugene was confident Molon definitely harbored some grudges against Vermouth.
But after settling their old scores… perhaps they'd all end up crying together. For some reason, Eugene's current body was more prone to tears, compared to when he was Hamel. Even if everything ended well… he might find himself weeping involuntarily, even if he did not want to. After the tears, they'd probably drown their emotions in drinks for a few days, then….
Eugene’s train of thought was suddenly interrupted.
Something was coming their way. Eugene jumped up from his lounging position.
[Kyaaaaaahh!] Raimira screamed in terror because of the sudden interruption. She had been flying high in the sky, even beyond the tall mountain ranges, relishing a peculiar sense of superiority in her flight.
Fwoooosh!
A deafening sound pierced the sky. In an instant, they saw an uprooted tree hurling towards them like a spear from below. Some madman had ripped a nearby tree from the ground and thrown it their way.
[Kyaaaahhh!] Raimira screamed once more, and the tree grew instantly closer. It was just a simple tree. However, the force, speed, and power contained in the tree made it feel as if it could easily go through the hatchling’s body.
"Hey! I thought Molon was alright!" shouted Sienna.
Molon was the only lunatic who would attempt such an attack. Sienna summoned her staff in shock, and Kristina quickly grasped her rosary. Without responding to the outcry, Eugene leaped off of Raimira's back.
Booom!
Eugene kicked the tree away. He was thrown backward, and his leg tingled with pain. He looked downward while wincing.
He saw Molon standing atop the cliff. Moreover, this fiend seemed intent on hurling an axe next instead of another log. Eugene felt fortunate that the first projectile had been a log and not an axe.
"You idiot!" Eugene screamed.
The bewildered expression on Molon's face seemed no worse than the last time Eugene had seen him. Eugene lunged towards Molon in fury as he descended.
"Ha… Hamel?" Molon responded uncertainly. He blinked rapidly, and his voice was filled with confusion.
He had had his reasons for reacting as such. Just moments before, he had slain the Nur from the other side of Lehainjar, as he had for decades. After hurling the corpse toward Raguyaran, he had stepped out for a brief respite… only to spot a black dragon soaring high in the sky.
Any other dragon he might have reacted differently, but the sight of a black dragon had completely shocked him.
Especially when that black dragon, with an arrogant glint in its eyes, was scanning the earth below as if searching for someone.
For a brief moment, Molon was forced to consider many things.
A Black Dragon. The Demonic Dragon. Raizakia. And, Sienna.
Molon had lived a reclusive life in the Grand Hammer Canyon, and as such, he wasn’t well informed about the rumors of the world. He hadn't even heard the tale of Eugene Lionheart defeating the Demon Dragon and the Demon King of Fury. As such, he had reacted with a simple impulse after spotting the black dragon above him.
'I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m going to drop it,’ Molon decided.
He could figure out the exact situation later. Thus, he had grabbed and thrown a log from nearby.
"You absolute imbecile! Why would you throw a log? What if it hit and injured the kid!?" roared Eugene.
"Ha... Hamel. I'm confused. By kid, are you referring to that black dragon?" questioned Molon with a baffled expression.
"Who else would I be talking about?" retorted Eugene.
"A dragon wouldn't get hurt by a mere log,” complained Molon.
"You were about to throw an axe! And listen, even if it’s a log, if it’s you throwing it, it could kill even a dragon!” shouted Eugene.
Molon first set his axe down while blinking slowly, then spread his arms wide and embraced Eugene.
"I might not fully understand, but it's good to see you, Hamel. Why are you here, though?" inquired Molon.
"Let go!" protested Eugene.
"Don't tell me, Hamel. Did you come because you were worried about me!? Did you come to beat me up? Haha! I appreciate the concern, but I'm still in one piece…." Molon's words trailed off.
He kept Eugene in his embrace, but his gaze slowly headed upwards at the descending figure of Sienna.
"Oh…."
A shaky, prolonged sigh escaped him. Eugene had a sinking feeling about what would come as he wriggled in Molon’s embrace.
"Uwoooooh!"
Molon started to sob uncontrollably, and tears rained down upon Eugene's head.
