The Dragon Slayer's voice began to fade as if a decrescendo was being applied.

White Mask had managed to whisk us away in an instant, so quickly that it seemed almost impossible.

Thanks to her, we reached the place where the train was, and White Mask finally set us down on the ground.

"Looks like Muyun has fainted."

When I checked on her, as White Mask had mentioned, Muyun had indeed collapsed, her mouth twisted and her body limp.

It must have been the Dragon Slayer's voice that she heard as the roar of a foreign god. It would have been strange if she hadn't passed out.

"To think the Dragon Slayer would track us down here. That could have been a disaster," White Mask exhaled deeply as she spoke.

Though she said it was no big deal, her casual attitude suggested that she hadn’t anticipated such an occurrence.

And then it happened.

Crrrack.

"Hm? What's that sound…?"

"…!"

White Mask's mask began to crack, and she seemed visibly startled. Her hands moved as if to hold the mask in place.

But…

Crash!

The mask finally broke in two with a loud noise, and White Mask, apparently not thinking to cover her face, grasped the broken pieces in her hands.

In that state, our eyes met.

"Ah."

White Mask began to sweat nervously and hastily turned her back to me.

However, the brief glimpse of her face left me astonished.

A sharp cat-like appearance, fierce blue eyes.

But the perfectly chiseled features were so flawless they looked like they belonged on a sculpture.

It was a face so perfect that it seemed it could only exist in a computer-generated image.

Yet, White Mask was more flustered, as if she had shown something unsightly.

"S-Sorry. You must have seen something hideous…."

"You're beautiful. Why are you hiding your face?"

The moment I voiced my thoughts, White Mask seemed to say something.

"Pardon?"

"What did you just…?"

Our voices overlapped once again. Why are we so in sync today?

I tried to ask her again what she said, but White Mask grabbed my shoulders and brought her face close to mine, leaving me speechless.

Um, wow.

My heart felt like it was going to burst; it would be great if she kept a bit more distance.

"This face… you think it’s beautiful?"

White Mask seemed very flustered, and I could only nod quietly.

"Yes."

When I answered honestly, White Mask took on a serious expression, resting her chin on her fingers.

"…Did I misunderstand? Maybe this guy really is insane…."

"No, what are you talking about!"

I retorted, seeing White Mask trying to slander me again. How can complimenting someone’s face make me seem like a madman?

While I was feeling unfairly accused, there was a rustling sound nearby.

Muyun was stirring and beginning to rise from where she had been lying.

Both White Mask and I turned our gazes toward her simultaneously, and Muyun, still not fully grasping the situation, looked around before her eyes met mine. She smiled with relief.

"T-Tanton! What just happened…?"

She began to speak to me, but her eyes then caught sight of White Mask.

And she froze in place.

It was as if she had encountered an indescribable being; her pupils shrank, and she began trembling violently.

It seemed she couldn’t bear it any longer.

Muyun closed her eyes and collapsed to the ground, clearly having fainted again.

Hmm.

"Does that prove my point?"

"…Yes."

As expected of the fear detector, Muyun. She’s certainly reliable!

With Muyun lying across the seats, the train started moving.

White Mask, probably still shaken, had roughly covered her face with something like a piece of cloth and said nothing, so I had no idea where we were headed.

"Um, Master?"

White Mask nodded quietly at my call, cleared her throat, and looked at me.

"Where are we going now?"

"We’re heading to another village. Since the Dragon Slayer came this far out, it wouldn’t be wise to go back to London. We might get tracked down."

"But if they follow us, won’t that be pointless?"

"They can’t follow. The drakes under her control will vanish quickly without her protection; they’re weak creatures."

I figured those creatures were weak, but after the massage I gave them, they did disappear on the spot, so White Mask was probably right.

Although she didn’t mention it, I wondered if it was related to what the Gardener had explained. Those drakes were likely the "anchors" that allowed the Dragon Slayer to remain here.

I couldn’t understand why she’d go to such lengths in the human world, though.

"Anyway, you both need to rest, right? After all, you just fought those drakes, and I’m sure you borrowed the power of a foreign god during the battle."

With those final words, White Mask fell silent again.

There wasn’t much to talk about, but the silence became so stifling that it felt awkward.

With nothing else to do, I looked out the window of the train.

Beyond London.

The sky was covered in thick clouds, with only faint sunlight piercing through, barely illuminating the world.

Snow was quietly falling, covering the world in white as it steadily accumulated.

The train raced across the snow-covered ground, the sound of wheels on rails echoing in my ears.

The land outside London was supposed to be a land of death.

Yet, why does it seem so beautiful?

As I watched the large mountain peaks, now snow-covered, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.

At the same time, seeing the snow-covered hills made me think of all the people who had likely perished and were buried there, and I felt a deep sense of solemnity.

Is this what they mean by the contrast between beauty and tragedy?

I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes, offering a silent prayer for their souls.

"…Allowing that attack was a mistake."

As I was marveling at the gloomy yet artistic landscape, White Mask spoke.

"When I boldly went to deal with the Dragon Slayer, I wore the usual foreign god’s protective gear, thinking it would be no big deal. I had managed to drive away even greater foreign gods before.

But that was my arrogance. In the end, the Dragon Slayer bit my head. Her bite force was incredible. Without the protective gear, my head would’ve been sliced off like pudding."

I recalled the power of the Overseer and the Gardener.

Especially the Overseer, who had easily overpowered me with just a fraction of his strength when playing around. Considering that the Dragon Slayer was serious about killing, it was a miracle that White Mask survived.

I nodded, thinking it was indeed fortunate she survived.

"Still, thanks to my comrades, I somehow survived, drinking healing potions and enduring the pain. But this is the result. I must have been cursed by the foreign gods. Every time the villagers see my face, they either faint or are filled with fear."

Recalling Muyun’s reaction, I thought that even considering her reputation as a coward, anyone else would likely react similarly.

"So that’s why you’ve been at the railroad maintenance site…?"

"No, I just wanted to be there."

Feeling a bit sorry for her, I asked quietly, but White Mask replied bluntly.

So, this ends with a railroad fan? What am I supposed to feel about that?

Saying that, White Mask stood up from her seat.

"It seems we’re almost there."

I watched, somewhat dazed, as White Mask shook Muyun awake before heading out first.

"…Anyway, don’t push yourself too hard. You should also have the courage to say something is bad when it is."

As Muyun woke up, still groggy and looking around in a daze, I scratched the back of my head.

It wasn’t a lie, though.

Bandra, a village under London’s rule.

I had heard that, aside from London, there were a few other places sustained by the Flames of the Hearth.

Either where Candles were present or places like this, where knights could rest.

I expected that there wouldn’t be any people here, but humans are creatures of adaptation, and it seemed even in a place like this, there was a fair amount of bustling activity.

It was a familiar sight to see people walking with their heads down.

However, perhaps due to the weaker firepower compared to the Hearth, while the snow was kept at bay, the cold couldn’t be fully warded off, so everyone was bundled up in thick clothing.

As I looked around in wonder, White Mask placed a hand on my shoulder and walked ahead.

"Feel free to take a look around. This is your first time here, right? I’ll go find us a room."

"Oh, I’ll come with you!"

Muyun, still a bit flustered, hurried after White Mask, leaving me alone.

Well, shouldn’t they have told me where they were going?

But this place isn’t that big, so I guess it’s fine.

I walked around, taking in the sights.

Coats packed tightly in clothing stores, warm food being sold at restaurants, people chatting while holding cups under the eaves of buildings.

It wasn’t much different from London, but knowing that there were similar places elsewhere made it feel somewhat mysterious.

I wandered around with a fresh smile, feeling a sense of novelty, until I noticed something slightly different from what I had been seeing.

"Come on, cheap! Ladies and gentlemen, wouldn’t it be convenient to have a maid at home? I’m offering them at a great price! Only 50 silver coins! Just 50 silver coins, and she’s yours!"

A man with a protruding belly, likely a slaver, was holding a whip and shouting loudly.

Human trafficking.

I’d heard it was illegal, but seeing that it was still happening didn’t sit well with me.

I didn’t want to cause trouble by getting involved.

Maybe I should tell White Mask about it later.

Just as I was about to walk past, I made eye contact with a girl among the slaves.

Pointed ears.

Neatly groomed brown hair.

Unlike the other frightened girls, she had a look of utter fatigue, as if she was completely fed up.

Wait, that girl…!

I suddenly remembered who this slaver was, and it dawned on me that I couldn’t just walk past that girl.

So, I turned back and approached.

"Come on, come on! Hurry and… Ah, are you a knight, sir?"

"How much for that girl?"

When I pointed at the girl, the slaver began to rub his hands together and spoke.

"Oh, my dear knight! Each one is 50 silver coins! But if you take a few more, I can offer a discount…."

"Ah, 50 silver coins?"

I pretended to search my pockets as I spoke.

Then, pulling my hand out again…

Smack!

I punched the slaver right on the nose.

"Gaaah!"

The slaver flew back and slammed into the wall, sliding down to the ground, unconscious.

…What kind of person tries to sell slaves knowing the buyer is a knight?

My eyes returned to the girl.

Was it just my imagination?

It seemed like a glimmer of hope had appeared in her once vacant eyes.