Chapter 17 — The Strange Feeling in Eryndor

The carriage rolled along the long road toward the Kingdom of Eryndor.

The wheels turned steadily over the stone path.

Clack... clack... clack...

At the front of the carriage, Nemi Noiri held the reins.

She sat quietly on the driver's seat, her white twin ponytails moving gently in the wind.

Her yellow eyes remained focused on the road ahead.

Behind her, the others were enjoying the journey.

Or at least...

Two of them were.

Mina leaned against the side of the carriage, looking at the scenery.

Yumiko sat beside her.

And Nyxhen was...

On the roof.

Again.

Mina looked upward.

“Why is he on the roof?”

Yumiko looked up.

Nyxhen was lying there with his arms crossed behind his head.

“He says he likes the view.”

Mina sighed.

“He's going to fall.”

From the roof, Nyxhen answered without moving.

“I won't.”

“You said that last time!”

“I didn't fall last time.”

“You almost fell!”

“That doesn't count.”

Nemi glanced backward while still holding the reins.

“Is he always like this?”

Mina answered immediately.

“Yes.”

Yumiko nodded.

“Yes.”

Nyxhen shouted from above.

“I can hear you!”

Mina smiled.

“Good.”

Nemi quietly laughed.

She was still getting used to traveling with them.

It had only been a short time since she had joined the group.

But somehow...

It already felt natural.

After several hours of traveling, they stopped near a small rest area.

Nyxhen finally climbed down from the roof.

Nemi turned toward him.

“So you're Nyxhen.”

Nyxhen nodded.

“Nyxhen Caelum Meriveil.”

Nemi gave a small bow.

“Nemi Noiri.”

“I know.”

Nemi blinked.

“You do?”

“Mina mentioned you.”

Mina raised her hand.

“I may have talked about everyone.”

Nyxhen looked at Nemi again.

His eyes immediately noticed her unusual body.

Her mannequin-like joints.

Her yellow eyes.

Her black gothic dress.

Then he looked at the dress.

“You said your dress can become a weapon?”

Nemi nodded.

“Yes.”

She grabbed the edge of her dress.

The fabric began unraveling.

Threads slipped out from the clothing and moved around her fingers.

They twisted together before returning to the dress.

Nyxhen studied it carefully.

“Unraveling dress.”

Nemi nodded.

“Yes.”

Nyxhen thought for a moment.

“Then your class is probably Threadweaver.”

Nemi blinked.

“Threadweaver?”

“Your entire weapon system is based around threads.”

He pointed toward her dress.

“You can unravel it, control it, and turn it into weapons.”

Nemi looked down at herself.

“That actually makes sense.”

Nyxhen nodded.

“But I'm only guessing.”

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Nemi smiled slightly.

“Then I'll stick with Threadweaver.”

Mina immediately smiled.

“Congratulations!”

Nemi looked at her.

“For what?”

“You have a class now!”

Nemi thought for a moment.

“...I suppose I do.”

Yumiko raised her hand.

“Then let's introduce ourselves properly!”

She pointed at herself.

“I'm Yumiko Serenity. Dreamweaver.”

Mina pointed at herself.

“Mina. Bloodmage.”

Nyxhen sighed.

“Shadow Wraithblade.”

Nemi raised one hand.

“Threadweaver.”

The four looked at each other.

Mina smiled.

“We're officially a party now.”

Nyxhen nodded.

“We already were.”

Mina blinked.

“Oh.”

The journey continued.

Day after day, the scenery changed.

The roads became wider.

More travelers appeared.

Large merchant caravans passed them.

And eventually...

They began seeing something Mina had never seen so frequently before.

Airships.

Huge ships floated through the sky.

Some were small.

Others were enormous.

They moved through the air with glowing engines that released strange clouds of mist.

Mina stared.

“Whoa.”

Nemi looked upward.

“Those are Mist-powered airships.”

Mina turned toward her.

“How do you know that?”

Nemi shrugged.

“I read about them.”

Mina nodded.

“Of course you did.”

Nemi smiled.

“I like books.”

Nyxhen, sitting inside the carriage, looked toward the sky.

“Eryndor is known for its Mist technology.”

Mina's eyes sparkled.

“So the entire kingdom uses Mist?”

“Not the entire kingdom.”

Nyxhen paused.

“But it is one of its major sources of technology.”

Mina smiled.

“I want an airship.”

Nyxhen immediately answered.

“No.”

“I didn't ask you.”

“I know where this conversation was going.”

Mina crossed her arms.

“Rude.”

Several days later...

The Kingdom of Eryndor finally appeared on the horizon.

Mina immediately stood.

“Is that it?!”

Yumiko looked outside.

“Yes.”

Nemi slowed the carriage.

The enormous kingdom spread across the horizon.

Towering buildings rose above the city.

Magical lights decorated the streets.

Large Mist-powered machines operated throughout the city.

Airships floated between massive towers.

Mina stared.

“It's huge!”

Yumiko smiled.

“Eryndor.”

Nemi carefully guided the carriage toward the entrance.

Nyxhen looked around.

“Stay together once we enter.”

Mina nodded.

“Okay!”

Then she whispered:

“I'm definitely going to explore.”

Nyxhen heard her.

“Mina.”

“What?”

“Don't disappear.”

“I won't.”

Nemi looked back.

“Are you sure?”

Mina smiled.

“Probably.”

Nemi sighed.

After entering Eryndor, the group decided to explore different areas.

Nyxhen wanted to wander through the city alone and learn its layout.

Yumiko and Nemi planned to explore the market together.

Mina...

Was supposed to go with them.

Unfortunately, Mina wasn't feeling well.

She sat inside the carriage with a blanket wrapped around her.

Yumiko placed her hand against Mina's forehead.

“You have a fever.”

Mina groaned.

“I know.”

Nemi looked concerned.

“You should rest.”

Mina nodded.

“I don't feel good enough to explore the city.”

Yumiko looked toward the carriage door.

“Then we'll get some medicine.”

Mina gave a weak smile.

“Thanks.”

Nemi nodded.

“We'll also find something you can eat.”

Mina raised her hand weakly.

“Something sweet.”

Yumiko laughed.

“Of course.”

Before leaving, Yumiko looked back.

“Are you sure you don't want us to stay?”

Mina shook her head.

“No.”

She pulled the blanket higher.

“You two go explore.”

She smiled.

“Maybe I'll explore tomorrow.”

Nemi nodded.

“Then we'll see you later.”

The two left.

Mina immediately fell backward.

“Ugh.”

She stared at the ceiling.

“I finally reached Eryndor...”

She sighed.

“And I'm sick.”

Meanwhile...

Nyxhen wandered through another part of the city.

He examined the buildings.

The Mist pipes.

The magical machinery.

The airships above.

Something about Eryndor felt unusual.

Then—

Bump.

Someone walked into him.

Nyxhen stepped backward.

“Watch where you're—”

He stopped.

A man wearing a white hoodie stood in front of him.

Brown hair.

Green eyes.

A scar near his right eye.

The man smiled.

“It's been a while.”

Nyxhen stared.

Then his eyes widened.

“...Yuuiki?”

The man smiled.

“Yup.”

Nyxhen sighed.

“Yuuiki Keitou.”

“Still remember me?”

“Unfortunately.”

Yuuiki laughed.

“Nice to see you too.”

The two greeted each other.

Nyxhen looked around.

“What are you doing in Eryndor?”

Yuuiki's expression became more serious.

“Information.”

“About?”

“This city.”

Nyxhen waited.

Yuuiki looked toward the sky.

“There is a God here.”

Nyxhen's expression immediately changed.

“A God?”

“Yes.”

“Who?”

“I don't know.”

“Where?”

“I don't know.”

Nyxhen frowned.

“Then how do you know there's one?”

Yuuiki pointed toward the Mist-powered airships.

“Because something feels wrong.”

Nyxhen looked up.

“The airships?”

“Not just them.”

Yuuiki looked around.

“The Mist.”

“The city.”

“The atmosphere.”

“Everything.”

Nyxhen remained silent.

Yuuiki lowered his voice.

“I can't tell who the God is.”

He looked toward the enormous towers.

“But one thing is certain.”

“They're planning something.”

Nyxhen's hand moved toward Noctesgrave.

“Are you sure?”

“No.”

Yuuiki paused.

“But my instincts haven't been wrong about this kind of thing before.”

Nyxhen looked around.

“...Something about this city does feel off.”

Yuuiki nodded.

“That's what worries me.”

The next morning...

Mina's fever had finally gone down.

She sat up.

“I'm alive.”

Yumiko smiled.

“Good morning.”

Nemi was sitting nearby.

“We brought medicine.”

Mina smiled.

“Thank you.”

Yumiko pointed toward the door.

“Feeling better?”

“Much better.”

Mina stood.

“Now I can explore!”

Nemi smiled.

“You said that yesterday.”

“Yesterday I was dying.”

“You had a fever.”

“Exactly.”

The three girls entered Eryndor.

Mina's eyes immediately widened.

Everything fascinated her.

Magic shops.

Mist machines.

Strange crystals.

Airship stations.

Tall towers.

Different races.

She kept turning her head.

“Look at that!”

Then—

“Look at that!”

Then—

“LOOK AT THAT!”

Yumiko laughed.

“You're going to hurt your neck.”

“I don't care!”

Nemi smiled.

“She really likes this place.”

Mina pointed toward another machine.

“What does that do?”

Nemi sighed.

“Probably something involving Mist.”

“Awesome.”

Eventually, they reached the Eryndor Adventurer's Guild.

Mina walked toward the reception counter.

Then stopped.

Someone was standing there.

A girl.

She had bright red hair.

Blue and red eyes.

And a strange strand of hair sticking upward from the top of her head.

Mina stared.

The girl stared back.

Neither moved.

Yumiko looked at Mina.

Then at the receptionist.

Then back at Mina.

Nemi tilted her head.

Finally, the red-haired girl smiled.

“You have such red hair too.”

Mina blinked.

“Huh?”

She touched her own hair.

“Oh!”

She smiled.

“Yeah.”

She pointed toward the girl's hair.

“Same color.”

The girl laughed.

Mina laughed too.

For some reason...

It felt strangely comfortable.

The receptionist smiled.

“I'm Iris Gwisper.”

Mina nodded.

“I'm Mina.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“You too.”

Mina then noticed something.

She stared at Iris's strange hair.

The little strand sticking upward.

She stared.

And stared.

And stared.

Iris blinked.

“...Why are you staring at my hair?”

Mina pointed.

“That.”

Iris touched it.

“My ahoge?”

“Yeah.”

Mina tilted her head.

“It looks like a horn.”

Iris's eyes widened.

“A horn?!”

Mina nodded.

“Yeah.”

Iris immediately touched it.

“It's hair!”

Mina stared.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!”

Yumiko covered her mouth.

Nemi started giggling.

Iris sighed.

Mina smiled.

“It's cute.”

Iris's expression softened.

“...Thanks.”

Mina finally registered herself at the guild.

When she finished, she waved.

“Thank you!”

Iris smiled.

“You're welcome.”

Mina turned around.

She walked away.

But after several steps...

She stopped.

She looked back.

Iris was still standing behind the counter.

For some reason...

Mina felt something strange.

Why does she feel familiar?

Mina frowned.

“I've never met her before...”

She turned away.

“Probably just my imagination.”

Outside the guild, Mina walked with Yumiko and Nemi.

She suddenly reached toward her neck.

Her fingers touched the black jewel necklace.

The jewel she had bought back in Shadowveil.

It felt cold.

Then—

Pulse.

Mina stopped.

“...What?”

Yumiko looked at her.

“What happened?”

Mina stared at the jewel.

It had reacted.

Very slightly.

But she felt it.

She looked around Eryndor.

The busy streets.

The Mist-powered machines.

The airships.

The towering buildings.

Everything seemed normal.

Yet...

Something wasn't.

Nemi noticed Mina's expression.

“What is it?”

Mina closed her hand around the jewel.

“I don't know.”

She looked toward the sky.

An enormous airship passed overhead.

Mist trailed behind it.

Mina watched it disappear between the towers.

“This city...”

She narrowed her eyes.

“...is hiding something.”

Yumiko looked at her.

“Do you think it's dangerous?”

Mina was silent.

“I don't know.”

She touched the black jewel again.

“But something is definitely happening here.”

And somewhere in Eryndor...

A hidden presence continued watching.

A God whose identity remained unknown.

A plan that had already begun.

And a red-haired girl named Iris Gwisper...

Who somehow felt strangely familiar to Mina.

Mina didn't know why.

Not yet.

But the answer was much closer than she could possibly imagine.