Worlds apart!
These simple words were Elefseria's evaluation of the power gap between a "Dragon King" like Eclixion and the "Five Dragon Gods." Darwin and the others subconsciously swallowed hard, feeling a surge of tension.
"To speak of the Five Dragon Gods, one must start with the history of the grievances between dragons and humans on this continent..."
Under the flickering candlelight, Elefseria began explaining the history and transgressions of dragons in Guiltina. Even though he kept it as concise as possible, cutting out the complexities, it still took a full half-hour.
"...Among those dragons, six became the most renowned. They each took titles based on Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, and Moon. People called them the 'Six Dragon Gods.'"
"Decades ago, I fought to the death and slew the Earth Dragon God, but I was left with permanent injuries. My strength never recovered, leaving me no choice but to establish 'Magia Dragon' in the hope that those who came after would inherit my will and exterminate the remaining Five Dragon Gods."
"However, those five have each gone into hiding. Even I cannot find their tracks. The only clue I have is Ermina."
Erza asked, "Does that mean it's the hiding place of one of the dragons?"
"I cannot be certain. I only know that the people of that city have always worshiped the 'Water Dragon God' Mercphobia as a 'god.' Based on that, I suspect it might be his territory!!"
At this point, Elefseria looked at the three of them. "If you were just ordinary people or weaker wizards, going there might not necessarily lead to trouble. But now, you've hunted the Thunder Dragon King and eaten his meat. That makes the situation unpredictable."
"If the Water Dragon God truly is hiding there, and if he can sense that you've consumed dragon meat, and happens to hold severe racialist views, he might target you! If that happens, your situation will be perilous."
Elefseria's warning, rather than dampening the trio's spirit of adventure, only fueled their anticipation. Chris, in particular, beamed with excitement.
"In other words, as long as we go there, there's a certain probability of meeting the Water Dragon God, right? Interesting! I was thinking that defeating just one Thunder Dragon King wasn't nearly enough for this field study. I didn't expect to find a clue for a second dragon so soon. Great, fantastic! I'm all fired up now!"
Seeing her boiling blood and look that screamed "Waku Waku," Darwin and Erza felt a collective headache, while Elefseria was even more struck by her lack of fear.
The next day, under Chris's constant urging, the three set off again on their journey to Ermina. Since they had plenty of time, they chose to travel on foot, sightseeing along the way. It took them seven or eight days to reach their destination.
"This is Ermina? From the outside, it looks like a perfectly ordinary town!"
The three walked together through the streets of Ermina, experiencing the local customs—which differed from those of Ishgar—while sensing the magical information carried by the sea breeze.
As the most skilled sensory Wizard in the group, Chris pushed her senses to the limit, paying attention to every corner of the city. Yet, from the city gates to the coast, they found nothing.
"So far, I still can't sense any dragon magic nearby. Is Senior Elefseria's information actually accurate?"
"Since he was so categorical, it's likely correct! Anyway, we aren't in a hurry. Let's just stay here for a few days and look for the Aquarius key while we're at it!"
Darwin turned instinctively to Erza to hear her thoughts, only to find her already standing at a street food stall: "Three portions of this, please. How much?"
Ugh... she really eats her way through every city she visits...
Ten minutes later, the three sat at a roadside grill, sampling various well-known local snacks.
"So good!! The barbecue here is really fragrant!"
"Is this grilled fish a bit too salty?..."
Perhaps due to the cultural differences between the two continents, Ermina's architectural style and the flavor of its street food were slightly different from Hargeon, even though both were port cities. However, this difference didn't lower their opinion of the city; rather, it made the locale more memorable.
After finishing their snacks, they went to a local magic shop to inquire about the Aquarius key.
"The Aquarius key?"
"That's right. We're collecting Celestial Spirit keys. Do you have any leads?"
The shop owner waved his hand dismissively without a second thought. "Don't know, not sure. Go ask someone else!"
Guess we'll have to use some 'special' methods!
Thinking this, Darwin instinctively pulled two banknotes from his pocket. No matter the place or person, paving the way with money was a tried-and-true method. If the other party didn't agree, it just meant you hadn't offered enough.
Just as Darwin placed the bills on the counter—
THUMP!!
A loud crash startled both Darwin and the shopkeeper. They looked up to see Erza holding a thick, heavy, and terrifyingly jagged spiked club. The tip of the club rested at her feet, having cracked the floorboards.
Erza stared at the shopkeeper with a cold, piercing gaze. "I suggest you tell us the truth. You wouldn't want to make it impossible to do business here, would you?"
Eek—what a terrifying woman!! It's just a question, is this really necessary? Who's going to pay for the floor repairs?!
In that moment, Darwin and the shopkeeper's inner thoughts were perfectly synchronized.
Faced with such intimidation, the shopkeeper turned pale and began to sweat profusely, his voice trembling: "I... I-I-I... I'll talk!!!"
"The Aquarius key you're looking for is in the hands of Lady Mikala."
"Mikala? Who is that?"
The owner explained, "Ancient legends say that the Water Dragon God possesses great power and is the god who rules the ocean. Because of this, Ermina has a long-standing tradition of worshiping the Water Dragon God."
"Every time the locals have a major event or set out to sea, they hold a ritual to pray for protection from shipwrecks and a bountiful catch. Then, at some unknown point in the past, the town mayor, wealthy merchants, and respected elders founded the 'Water Dragon God Cult.' They elected a Saintess from the town to be responsible for all rituals concerning the Water Dragon God. This tradition continues to this day."
"Lady Mikala is the current Saintess of the Water Dragon God Cult."