— Raid route —
[Sandworm Pass route: 15km]
[Wyvern pass to mine entrance: 2km]
[Mine Entrance to Mine shaft: 5km]
[Mine shaft to Wyvern Peak: 10km]
"Ria, it's itchy."
"Eh? Itchy? Umm…"
Ria looked around awkwardly, checking whether anyone had heard her.
Fortunately, Hikari always raises her sound barrier out of habit.
The town went on as if nothing had happened.
The steam tanks were rolling out for a supply run.
Soldiers eagerly disembarked from the returning ones.
As the steam tanks docked, the slayers lined up in a column.
Columns of riflemen lined up to escort the dormant slayers placed under anesthesia until the real fight.
A wizard on horseback led them from the front.
"Ria."
"Shh… do you want everyone to hear you?"
Hikari looked straight.
She was in her full armor.
She slung the giant sword she found in the mana vein across her back using an improvised holster made from the climbing equipment she scavenged.
The raid was approaching its final phase.
With her help, General Rey's militia had completed their mission of clearing the way through the wyvern peaks.
Now, she stood in the town of Thauff, ready for any unforeseen emergencies.
Ria stood right beside her boot.
Her white tunic and red hair contrasted with the black wyvern skin.
Many would be terrified to stand beside a boot taller than a bear.
But she felt safe.
Spending time with Hikari, she had learned how extraordinarily disciplined she was.
It was perfectly safe to be around her boots.
She could stand for hours without budging.
Having a giant knight watching over her made her feel so safe.
She felt small, but safe.
"Ria."
Hikari softened her voice, but her lady, standing right below her, could still feel its full force.
"Oh, enough with you. Since you grew bigger, we could only find one pair of saddles that fit you. You overused it training with the sandbender."
"Sorry."
"Sign. Don't be. I don't mean to make it sound like it is your fault when it's really my responsibility. Say, why don't you wash it? It dries pretty fast in the desert wind, I believe. In the meantime, your wyvern skin and salamander armor would have to cover the part it leaves exposed."
Hikari scanned the area.
The Herdial miners had set up a central washing bay and wooden poles in the desert wind.
It was crowded, as many soldiers could finally rest after their rotation ended.
Not that she felt comfortable having her saddle share a clothesline with an army.
"Ahem!"
Ria cleared her throat.
"You can still do it in the RazenHeir camp. All the backline staff will evacuate to the fortress of Escher north of here. A detachment of scouts will man the camp, so you don't have to worry about someone stealing your saddle. They are here primarily to keep watch over you and support you should you run into trouble. I don't think they'd mind a bit of guard duty."
Hikari abruptly swings her boot.
Ria stumbles backward from the suction of her stride.
She turned around and watched Hikari disappear into the RazenHeir camp.
Splashing, soapy sounds.
Moments later, Hikari's head appeared over the palisade.
She strung up a cloth line between the sentry tower and the gate house.
Splashing and squeezing sounds.
The sentry atop the watchtower watched, bewildered, as Hikari hung up her saddle.
She watched it flutter in the desert wind, blowing away tiny droplets of water.
It'll be dry by the time she goes to sleep.
Ria turned her back and pretended nothing was going on.
She didn't want to draw any more attention to her knight's saddle flying like a flag over the camp.
Thud. Hikari returned to her post.
Her cold, expressionless face.
Her lady shuffles closer to her boot.
Ria, too, was no stranger to maintaining a poker face.
They watched quietly as another convoy of steam tanks was loaded.
Barricades, barbed wire, bombs, ballistas with their ammunition.
"That's a lot of weaponry; does the general intend to slay the wyvern queen himself? Say, Hikari, what's going on in the caverns? Is he getting swarmed by monsters? Perhaps you should go help him?"
"Yes."
"I'm kidding. If he needs you, I don't think he'll fail to find you. If he asks you to haul all that weaponry back when it turns out he didn't need it, be sure to tell me. I'm charging him Herdial gold for it. We can't have the general making you do free labor for him, can we?"
"He."
The RazenHeir knights escorting her walked up to them.
"My lady."
"Ah, I see, it's time, isn't it?"
Ria stepped forward and looked up at Hikari.
"My lady?"
"Standard protocol. When a raid nears its climax, we evacuate all nonessential personnel to keep them safe. More than once in history, botched raids have expanded well beyond the raid zone. A simple evacuation would have saved many lives."
"I see."
"I know this looks like I'm abandoning you. But I'm just too weak to join you on the frontlines. I'll be training just as hard as if you were training me yourself."
Ria blushes as she speaks.
Hikari smiles.
"The fortress of Escher to the north. The stronghold of the Hearthstone house. It's so massive that you can see it from here. That's where I'll be. Its thick walls have never been breached. Even if they were, the Hearthstone benders would patch up the hole in minutes."
"Whoa."
"So don't worry about my safety and just focus on the mission. I trust that you'll be joining me shortly?"
"Yes, my lady."
"Good girl. I don't think you have been to Escher before? It's a city that'll make even you feel small. It's basically a self-sustaining city. Once you're done here, I have so much to show you."
"Whao."
"Ah, that reminds me, the festival of flowers is coming in just over a month. Oh, but I doubt we'll be staying in the city long enough for it. Perhaps just a tour of the merchant stalls? There is a wide selection of perfumes straight from the capital of Herdial. Perhaps we can find something that'll deal with your, Ahem! strong-smelling feet after workouts."
Hikari scratches her cheek.
"My lady, the train is here."
The knight whispers to her.
"I see. Let us depart then."
Ria turned and smiled at Hikari one last time.
"Be safe, my lady."
"I will, you especially! Don't forget, a feast awaits you in Escher."
Ria smiled brightly at her.
Hikari watched as the RazenHeir knights and her attendants escorted her onto the train.
Her lady turned and waved just before boarding the carriage.
Hikari watched as the train rolled out of the station.
"Man! I wish I could fight the wyvern queen alongside you. But I'm grounded for reasons."
A loud, tomboyish voice came from behind.
"Master Sheela."
"He! So you will be coming to Escher after this, eh?"
There was excitement in her voice.
"Yes, Master Sheela."
"He. I hope you don't think that I have shown you everything about sand bending."
"No, Master Sheela."
"Good. Once you reach Escher, come to my chambers. It's pretty hard to miss."
"Yes, Master Sheela."
"Good student. For now."
She holds up a bundle of silky almond cloth.
It was her foot bindings.
Hikari bends down and accepts it.
"The one you're wearing will probably last you for one battle, tops. You can't charge them to full by yourself just yet."
Hikari examines the bindings. They were freshly woven and enchanted.
"Thanks."
"Don't sweat it."
Sheela looked away, pretending not to care.
"You and Rey. Just be sure to return safely."
"Yes, Master Sheela."
Sheela rolled her eyes awkwardly.
"Hey!"
With a sudden burst of energy, she knocked Hikari's boot with her knuckles.
"If that wyvern queen or whatever shows up, be sure to give her a good whopping. Ya know, I don't trust those fatties that the slayer guild brought can do the job. But! A student of the great master Sheela should be able to handle a wyvern queen, shouldn't she?"
"Yes, Master Sheela."
"Hehe! Who is the greatest master?"
"Master Sheela."
"Of course. Of course. Now go get em!"
"Yes, Master Sheela.'
"That's the spirit! Again-"
Her attendant behind her whispers, prompting her to leave.
"Ah! Yeah, yeah, whatever, grandpa this, grandpa that."
Sheela walks past Hikari.
She bumps her fist against her boot.
"Remember."
Hikari nods.