An incident is discovered the next morning. The various meat dishes leftover from yesterday’s dinner have vanished.

“Nntto, the meat.”

Priscilla-chan looks up at me with damp eyes.

“Asher-san…”

The perpetrator is obvious without having to search. After we went to sleep, Asher-san and Old Sleigstar undoubtably ate everything in secret.

Even though we were sleeping on Asher-san’s stomach, we didn’t notice a thing. That shouldn’t be a surprise though. Asher-san and Old Sleigstar didn’t need to move from where they are, they just needed to stretch out their necks to reach where we left our leftovers.

“Priscilla wanted to eat more.”
Priscilla-chan sorrowfully mutters those words as she clings to my leg.

“Asher-san, ojii-chan[1], why did you make a small child sad?”
“My, my, well, well, isn’t this troublesome?”

Ruiseine comforts Priscilla-chan by taking her into her arms.

“Guh, this is that.” (Sleigstar)
“It’s because jii-san ate everything. I made sure to leave some behind.” (Asher)
“Mumumu, the youngster is attempting to save herself by placing blame on this on?” (Sleigstar)
“This isn’t an issue about blame, it’s the truth.” (Asher)
“Venerable elder, here is your medicine.” (Mistral)
“Wait, wait, wait, Mistral! Do not be so hasty!” (Sleigstar)

Mistral holds her temple with her left hand and unsheathes her rod with her right hand.

“Do iiit!”
Priscilla cries out.

“Agyaaaaaah!”

Old Sleigstar’s scream echoes through out the ancient forest from early in the morning.

“What a frightening young girl.”
Asher-san’s face draws back at the spectacle.

“Honestly, I wish you wouldn’t create more trouble just before I head back.”
Mistral sighs out as she strokes Priscilla-chan’s head.

Priscilla-chan finally regains her spirits with Ruiseine holding her in her arms and Mistral strolling her head.

“Nntto, bring more again next time?”
“That’s true. If Asher-sama isn’t troubled by it, do bring us some more again.” (Mistral)
“I too look forward to it.” (Ruiseine)

Even though Asher-san makes a troubled expression at seeing the three girls advance the conversation as they please, she isn’t able to say anything back since she and Old Sleigstar are at fault.

Ah, perhaps having seen Mistral’s assault just now, she decided it’s better to not go against her?

“Sa, now that Priscilla is feeling better, I should return to my village.”
“Eeeeh, you’re already going back? We haven’t eaten breakfast yet.”
“It’s frustrating, but I have a lot to do.”

Mistral strokes my head this time.

“All of you will be returning to the royal capital in the evening?”
“Yeah, that’s the plan.”
“In that case, until next time when we can meet again. While I will come here again tomorrow, I’ll immediately have to return.”

Starting from tomorrow, I’ll be coming to the moss-covered plaza in the afternoon. Looks like Mistral won’t be here at that time. Maybe we’ll be passing each other by from now on?

“Mist-san, I look forward to the day we can meet again.”
“Yes, let’s meet again.”
“Nntto, bring a souvenir when you come.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll bring you something.”

Mistral, Ruiseine, and then Priscilla-chan exchange farewells with each other.

“Well then, Ernea, let’s meet again.”
“Yeah, until next time.”

Mistral and I smile as we exchange our goodbyes.

“Fumu, hast thou finished thine’s farewells. Then this one shall send you off.”

Old Sleigstar, having waited for us to finish, spreads out his dragon art and a three-dimensional magic technique appears around Mistral.

“Farewell, until we meet again, alright?”
While Mistral is waving, she vanishes within the light.

“Nyaa, I didn’t make it, nyan.”

Nymia, who wasn’t here, zips back from the ancient forest with a large bag around her neck. Many fruits are packed within the bag.

Even though the bag is about the size of a kitten, she’s flying around with it around her neck. I’m impressed. Although, Nymia is starting to look frantic and has begun swaying as she flies towards us. Then, after using all her strength, she collapses onto the ground.

“Right, thank you for your hard work.”
Asher-san gives a blunt comment.

“Nyaa.”

Nymia gives a sorrowful cry at not being praised despite her best efforts. She casts aside her bag and hops onto Priscilla-chan’s head.

“Welcome back.”
Priscilla-chan caresses Nymia.

“So, you brought us breakfast? Thank you.” (Ernea)

That’s right. With the meat gone and nothing to eat in the morning, Nymia headed into the ancient forest to collect fruit at Asher-san’s command.

“How incredible.”
Ruiseine too praises Nymia.

“Worked hard, nyan.”

Thanks to Nymia’s efforts, we are able to avoid the tragedy that is not having breakfast. Ruiseine peals the fruit that was brought back and feeds them to Nymia and Priscilla-chan.

I peel my own fruit and eat it.

But since Mistral isn’t here, looks like Ruiseine is going to care for everyone instead. Sorry for the trouble.

I consider helping, but it seems Ruiseine enjoys looking after others. She refuses me with a smile.

Alright, with this, I have no doubt she’ll make for a good mother in the future.

Then, after finishing our meal, we decide on what we should do. Ruiseine and I will be returning in the evening, but we need to pass the time here until then.

“Nntto, paly tag?”

Just as expected, it came, Priscilla-chan’s anticipated proposal. Today, I will successfully keep away.

While I’m getting excited, Old Sleigstar stops me.

“Thou shall train.”
“Oooh, that’s right.”

Even though it can be said that playing tag lets me freely practice many of my abilities, there are other things I need to do more. I leave Priscilla-chan to Ruiseine and enter my mediation the same way as always. My deep meditation prevents the noisy fun surrounding me from disturbing my heart.

I feel the dragon vein, refine dragon ki, and save up dragon’s power.

My profound meditation gradually creates a world all of my own. The noise becomes distant and I feel my consciousness become one with nature. By meditating with a clear mind, hours pass without my knowing it. Once I finish meditating, I prepare to practice my Dragon Sword Dance.

In my left hand I hold my wooden spirit tree sword. In my right hand, I use a random tree branch like always. I wonder, how long will I have to continue using a tree branch in my right hand? My family can’t afford to buy a new sword, so what should I do? Recently, my right hand has been feeling lonely.

Once my I stop thinking about my hand, Ruiseine and the others suddenly come into my view. Their game of tag has already ended. How long ago did it end? Since I was meditating, I didn’t notice it.

Ruiseine, having finished with play tag, is holding Priscilla-chan to experience space jumping. Priscilla-chan jumps once and appears a small distance away with Ruiseine. Ruiseine crouches down and presses her hands against her chest.

---

T/N: I don’t know about you guys, but if I could space jump, I’d keep doing it until I got used to it.

~Gandire Alea

[1] grandpa

<62.2 The Night’s Final Errand
63.2 Going Back>