Chapter 173

So, there was Maybel, strutting down the road with all that self-assurance…

“Hmm… I’m sure if you head west from Central Plaza, there’s a big tavern and next to it is a fine inn, right?”

“That’s south though, isn’t it?”

“Ah, is it? Then if I turn into this alley here…”

“That’ll take you east though?”

“W-well… then maybe the other way…”

“You can get to Central Plaza by going around the side of that building you just passed?”

“Ah…”

Despite having been told various things by the priest, it seemed Maybel had a terrible sense of direction. She wandered around for quite some time within the reasonably sized town, unable to find her destination.

Hmm. Well, when you live in a small countryside village with only a few houses, there’s no need to worry about being directionally challenged. She probably didn’t even know she had the issue.

Did the priest not know this girl was so bad with directions? No, if he had, he definitely wouldn’t have sent her off alone.

If this girl had left the village on her own…she probably would’ve wandered around aimlessly without ever reaching her destination.

After wandering for quite some time, Maybel finally stopped in front of a building.

“Is, is this it…?”

“It seems to be.”

After mistakenly entering a few wrong buildings and feeling rather drained, Maybel hesitantly pointed to the one in front of her.

Hmm. Though there’s no proper sign, the location roughly matches what was described, so it’s probably correct.

“I didn’t realize I was this bad at finding places…I’d have been in serious trouble if I were alone.”

“Hmm, indeed.”

Ordinarily, when you think of a rat, you imagine something small, nimble, and clever—but this kid completely bucks that image.

“Let’s go in then.”

Thankfully, the building they entered turned out to be the inn Maybel had been looking for.

Then…let’s spend the night here, shall we?

—

“It feels a little strange sleeping in a room that’s not my usual one. And since I’m not alone, it feels even stranger.”

Maybel gave a slightly stiff smile. The tension was clearly visible.

Well, it’s natural to be tense. A girl who grew up in a rural village is now traveling with a hammer as her weapon.

And not just any journey—it’s to find her mother, whom she hasn’t seen in years.

If she weren’t nervous in such a situation, one might suspect her nerves are made of iron wire.

“This room is shared with the Dragon Priestess… Hmm… Should I feel incredibly honored? Ugh… I’m so nervous…”

Ah, am I the cause?

Hmm… It makes sense! The tales of heroes are widely known as the world’s first epic hero stories. The Dragon Priestess featured in them would naturally be famous too.

Ahem. This is somewhat embarrassing.

“You’re not going to eat me or anything, so why are you so tense?”

“But…you’re the Dragon Priestess! And your true form is a massive dragon! This kind of story…no one would believe it!”

“Not without reason, huh?”

Well, it’s just a title that somehow stuck.

“For now, let’s keep it a secret. It could be troublesome if others found out.”

“Yes sir! I’ll take it to my grave!”

That was quite an energetic response. Her small, cute appearance made for a pleasant sight.

Though her voice was full of determination, her body was still trembling slightly. Hmm…let’s see.

When someone’s this tense, a warm and sweet drink would do nicely.

With a flick of my finger, a steaming cup of cocoa appeared in mid-air. It was a beverage yet unseen in this world.

Hmm…somewhere out there, it must exist…should I look for it someday? Or perhaps make it myself? Hmm…

We’ll think about that later. For now, I want to relax.

“Do you like sweets?”

“Eh? Oh, yes, I do. But honey is such a precious item that we only get to eat it on special occasions. Usually, we stick to fruits…”

Honey…ah, honey. Of course, it’s a rare commodity since it’s obtained through beekeeping.

And plants like sugarcane or sugar beets that produce sweetness haven’t been discovered yet—or at least, not that I know of.

Somewhere out there, they must exist…maybe in a different form.

“If you like sweets, try this. Be careful, it’s hot.”

“Yes sir! Thank you very much!”

Maybel carefully took the cup I offered and stared at the steaming cocoa for a while.

Then, with the look of someone making a grand decision, she sipped it—and—

“AH IT’S HOT!”

Like a scalded cat, Maybel jumped, sending the cup flying into the air.

I warned her it was hot…such a clumsy child.

I caught the falling cup mid-air and used magic to gather the spilling cocoa back into it.

With a smooth motion, I guided the cocoa back into the cup, not letting a single drop escape.

Hmm. This level of magic control has become quite simple for me now—barely consuming any magical power at all.

“I said it was hot, didn’t I?”

“D-d-sorry…”

“It looks like your tongue got burned. Let me see.”

With my empty left index finger, I gently touched Maybel’s cheek, channeling a bit of magic through my fingertip into her mouth.

At least it wasn’t too severe; this should heal instantly.

“There. All better.”

“Wow…the pain disappeared instantly…”

Maybel stuck out her tongue and pressed it lightly with her fingers, clearly amazed that the pain had vanished so quickly.

Hmm. She’s surprised that the pain disappeared so fast.

“Now, drink carefully.”

“Y-yes, yes sir!”

She looked even more nervous than before. My attempt to ease her tension seems to have backfired.

Taking the cup I offered, Maybel cautiously sipped the cocoa.

And then—

“WHAT IS THIS?! It’s so sweet! And there’s a faint bitter taste that makes the sweetness stand out even more!”

“You seem to like it.”

“Yes! This sweet! Incredible!”

Watching Maybel exclaim in delight, I couldn’t help but smile slightly.

Seeing her enjoy it so much makes it worthwhile.

“Now, let’s review our plans moving forward.”

Maybel, her mouth full of cocoa, nodded silently.

“We’re aiming for the Temple of Life where your mother sent the letter, correct?”

“Yes. They say the letter came from the Temple of Life in Armen.”

“Armen? Where’s that?”

“Ah…you’ve been asleep for 300 years, right? Um…how should I explain…”

After thinking for a moment, Maybel spoke.

“Have you heard of the region called Arcad?”

“Of course. Wasn’t it part of the country that existed before Arcadia?”

“Yes. It’s located northwest of the Arcad region mentioned in the hero’s tale.”

Arcad northwest? Hmm…there were only small villages over there back then.

So a city-state was established there? Northwest of Arcad means it’s close to Arcadia. They managed to build a city there despite that.

“If it’s close to Arcadia, it must be dangerous. Quite impressive they managed to establish a city there.”

“Ah…well…Arcadia as a nation doesn’t exist anymore.”

“What?”

The nation is gone? In just 300 years?

What happened? What on earth occurred?

“About 80 years ago, the king died without naming a successor. The collateral royal families fought each other for the throne…and it ended up splitting into several pieces.”

Hmm…so the kingdom of that person split apart like that. The person resting in paradise must be regretful.

“Now it’s split into several city-states, each claiming to be the rightful heir of Arcadia and fiercely competing with each other. That’s what I learned, though I don’t remember the details well.”

“Hmm…that’s enough information.”

Several city-states…like the Three Kingdoms, or rather, the Sixteen Kingdoms period.

This too is part of human history, I suppose. Though I feel a faint sense of loss, I don’t wish to actively interfere in human affairs again now.

Just…I’ll watch from a distance.

“If Arcadia split like that, what’s the current situation of Sirius, Arcadia’s former capital?”

If everyone claims to be the rightful heir, Sirius must be a city coveted by all.

No, considering it’s the city named after the guardian deity protecting the Pantheon, could other cities even invade it?

“Sirius…is neutral, they say. Both the Sirius Temple and the Epona Cavalry declared that when a worthy successor to Arcadia appears, they’ll open the gates to the throne of Sirius. So, Sirius is governed jointly by the head of the Sirius Temple and the commander of the Epona Cavalry.”

Hmm…things seem complicated on that side too. Without a legitimate successor, they couldn’t easily move.

However…the Sirius Temple and Arcadia’s crown aside, the Epona Cavalry?

Isn’t Epona the name of the beastman who excelled in the Arcadian war—the one who guided the hero and me?

“Epona…surely…”

“Yes, you must remember, Lady Dragon Priestess. It’s the name of the first captain of the cavalry in Arcadia. Due to her great achievements in capturing the king during the war, the cavalry was named after her.”

Indeed. She earned great merit, hence her name remains.

People leave their names behind when they die…