Now that the Nyx battle is over, how does the funky little trip with Melona resume?
Enjoy!
Finally Reunited
The morning glow illuminated the village that had become a battlefield. Nyx, defeated in a Queen’s Blade, left without saying anything. The fact that Rana had asked to drive Michel out became a secret only known by two people. The kid, in tears, looked on as the magician’s back shrunk in the distance.
“Lady Elina... I showed you something unsightly.”
Cattleya lowered her head along with her son, shying in embarrassment.
Melona had found the flute in Cattleya’s body, though she didn’t clearly say where she was hiding it.
‘Well, even if I don’t say, you’ll get it by feeling the flute, nishishi’, she laughed. Then, she proceeded to regain the volume lost by Funikura through the flute’s effect.
‘Whoa, this shit’s awesome!’ That was how the pink girl seemed to feel about the instrument.
“Please raise your head, Miss Cattleya.”
Elina said, with a tone befitting a noble lady.
“I must thank you from my side as well. It was thanks to the spear you made that I won against that magician. Besides, you did protect Michel, and I’m very thankful for that.”
The merchant raised her face when she heard her.
“I’m sorry, Michel.”
The mother apologized to the boy, who was in possession of his magical flute now.
“It’s not you who should apologize, Miss Cattleya.”
With a soft smile, he turned to Rana, who was looking at the situation in worry.
“I’m sorry, Rana. You got caught up in such a mess because of me.”
The other boy hid behind Cattleya without replying. He fully knew that he had been the one who had caused the whole deal.
“It’s my fault, it’s not yours, Rana.”
Cattleya gently stroked her son’s head.
“I’m sorry, Rana, Mother was quite in the wrong this time.”
The Vance girl was relieved when she saw how parent and child behaved, and stepped aside. Just hearing both of them apologize was enough.
With a cursory look around, she noticed that the villagers—Nyx’ departure helping them realize the battle was now over—were gathering around the destroyed weapon shop.
“What a disaster, Miss Cattleya.”
“You’ll hafta rebuild.”
“Why don’t you come live in my house for a while.”
They called out to her, one after another. It was a small village; when one was in need, everyone pitched in.
“Now, we don’t want to overstay our welcome.”
Elina waved her hand to Cattleya and bid her farewell. Reconstructing the weapon shop was something the mother had to do, the Vance girl didn’t need to stay around throughout. She had fulfilled her original aim, which was reuniting with Michel.
“Where will we go now?”
“Ah, right. First, shall we go somewhere with an inn, so I can rest?”
The blonde answered the pink girl.
“We’ve been walking non-stop for the past while. I’d like to rest.”
The mother gently lowered her head towards the three people who left the village as they talked to each other.
***
“By the way, how did you dodge Nyx’ last attack?”
“Ah, yeah, I totes thought you were done for there too!”
Elina reacted to their question by slightly puffing out her chest.
“Oh, you mean that thing? I applied a technique I learned at Echidna’s.”
In order to avoid Nyx’ final attack, she had fallen flat towards the ground. Properly speaking, it was a killer technique that consisted of stretching her lying-down body before jumping upwards—like a spring—to tear the foe to pieces from above, but Elina had used it in a different way.
The Vance girl had learned long ago that heat generated from an explosion moved upward. The shockwave emitted around her had been offset by the shockwave of her flinging herself even harder into the ground; then, she had only had to wait until the heat dissipated upwards, and then stand up.
What she didn’t mention was how hitting the ground with enough force to create a shockwave had hurt like hell; ‘those who are rulers shalt not speak of their own weaknesses’.
“Oooh, that’s impressive.”
Michel was honestly interested, while Melona grinned. Maybe she could guess what Elina had failed to mention.
“Impressive, huh? I will never neglect my studies. ‘Those without ambition art not fit to become rulers’.”
‘Ehehe’, Elina stuck out her chest.
“Ambition is very good and everything, but I wonder if we could have come earlier if you hadn’t been so crazy about learning.”
“What. Blame the gal who went and got herself frozen.”
The blonde replied to the slime girl’s words with a pout. From what the boy saw, they got along pretty well.
“Jokes aside, let me say something.”
The Vance girl let out a deep sigh.
“I’m seriously sleepy, can’t you arrange something?”
She had been in time to participate in the fight between Cattleya and Nyx because she had gone through a forced march overnight, but the fatigue was rapidly piling on. Having been relieved of her worries about whether she’d meet Michel again also played a big part in it.
“Guess there’s no other way, I’ll carry you.”
Saying so, the shapeshifter turned into a pink horse.
“Why, that’s so nice! Thanks, Melona.”
“You’re welcome, I’m glad that I’m able to travel like this with you, Elina.”
She was speaking her honest feelings. If the Vance girl hadn’t visited the Swamp Witch, the restrictions placed on her wouldn’t have been lifted, and the dream she hoped to accomplish of going on a journey and seeing many things wouldn’t have come true.
In that sense, Elina was her benefactor. And it was only natural to want to make her benefactor’s life easier.
For an evil spirit, Melona had quite a strong sense of duty.
“O-Ooooh?”
All of a sudden, she cried, her whole pink body vibrating.
“What’s wrong, Melona?”
“Hm, a communication came from the Swamp Witch.”
“From the witch?”
“She successfully summoned Airi!”
“Couldn’t have asked for anything better...”
Elina openly smiled, turning her gaze to the north.
“We’ll finally go back to our original journey now.”
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