For a few days after leaving Valtora, Daeun’s mood was soaring.

“Hehe.”

Whether she was riding a horse, eating a meal, or preparing for bed, she constantly glanced at her ring-adorned hand, a smile spreading across her face. It was impossible not to notice.

“Kana, did you know? The meaning of a ring changes depending on which finger it’s worn on. For example, wearing it on the left ring finger symbolizes a ‘token of love,’ which is why wedding rings are always worn on the left ring finger.”

“Hmm…”

Come to think of it, I think there was something like that on Earth. A custom… or was it just a superstition? I wasn’t sure if such things existed here in Silia. In any case, I’d never been interested in such matters.

“So, what does yours mean?”

“Hm? You mean this?”

Daeun grinned, and the ring on her left index finger sparkled, seeming to mirror her smile.

“It’s a secret!”

“…?”

…What’s that about? Not that I was overly curious, but there was something irksome about feeling like I’d lost to her in a conversation that didn’t even have a winner or loser.

“You must really like it.”

“Of course! It’s the first gift Kana has ever given me!”

“Hehe, you’ve said that at least five times now.”

“Oh…”

I couldn’t quite catch what Selene had said, but Daeun gave an awkward smile and hid her hand. There was no one nearby, and even if anyone did see it, very few would recognize her ring as made from the Dragon Orb. Most people would probably just think, ‘Wow, what a luxurious, beautiful ring!’

Of course, bad people might add, “I should steal it!” or “I’ll kill her and take it!”

…But can players actually be robbed? Back in the mountains, I’d defeated plenty of players, but I’d never seen them drop any items. Still, it wasn’t something I could ask Daeun directly. I decided I’d ask Edel about it later and swallowed the question for now.

 

The Raxia Continent lies across the western sea. So, to reach Raxia, we’d have to go back to where we started—territory once claimed by Grassis. Some clever people had figured out that the land wasn’t flat but round. Hypothetically, if you kept sailing eastward from the eastern edge of the Ardina Continent, you might eventually reach Raxia. But I’d never heard of anyone reaching Raxia that way.

After all, who’d even seen Raxia firsthand?

In a situation where we didn’t know how long it would take or what route to take, it wasn’t feasible to set out on such a voyage blindly. Our goal was to reach the Demon Continent, not chart a new course.

And even if we tried asking around for a ship that could take us east to Raxia, no one would volunteer. To the people of Ardina, the Demon Continent of Raxia was practically the land of death.

“Hmm? Isn’t it the same for the west? Wouldn’t the western regions be considered even worse because they deal more with demons?” Daeun asked sharply.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Her words were accurate; the closer one got to the west, the more negative the perception of demons.

“So even if we head to the western edge, it’s unlikely we’ll find a ship willing to take us all the way to Raxia. No one would want to sail into such dangerous waters. Shame, but it can’t be helped, right?”

A cheerful smile spread across Daeun’s face.

“There is someone willing to go.”

“…Huh?”

“Someone who actually wants to sail into danger.”

Tap, tap, tap.

Pointing one by one to myself, Selene, and Daeun, her bright smile quickly faded. Well, it wasn’t entirely incorrect, though. Just getting close to a demon settlement could expose Ardinians to dark magic, so heading to Raxia, the homeland of the demons, was practically suicide for them. Even if we secured a ship, most people wouldn’t survive the voyage. And they likely wouldn’t know the route to Raxia, either.

“…I guess you’re right?”

Daeun’s face lit up again.

“We’re going anyway, though.”

“…I guess you’re right.”

She repeated her earlier words, but this time, the feeling behind them was completely different. Anyone would think she was being dragged to her doom.

“If there’s no boat, we can run across.”

“…Across where? The ocean?”

“Yeah.”

“What do you mean…?”

Daeun suddenly paused, seeming to remember something.

“No, if it’s Kana….”

She muttered under her breath, then lifted her head.

“—It might be possible, but I’m absolutely against it! I never want to go through that again! Once was enough for such a stomach-turning experience!”

“Wouldn’t you get seasick even on a boat?”

“It’s different! Completely different!”

Lying flat on the ground in protest, Daeun finally quieted down after I told her it was just a joke. I didn’t change my mind because of her vehement opposition. I just thought crossing the sea that way might be troublesome on the way back.

…Yes, that’s the reason.

“…”

“…Kana? What’s with the sudden serious look?”

“Huh?”

“No, I just thought you seemed really deep in thought.”

A serious look?

I didn’t remember making one. As I blinked, Daeun scratched her cheek.

“Maybe I was imagining it?”

“Honestly… either way, I wouldn’t want to travel that way.”

“Wow…!”

“…What?”

“It’s the first time I’ve heard you say something’s difficult.”

“Difficult is still difficult.”

If I lose my grip and let go, I’d have to retrieve it again, and gripping too hard might crush my hands. Even I have things to consider. Tilting my head, I thought aloud. Actually, it’s more of a hassle than a difficulty.

“…Oh, so that’s what you meant. Makes sense.”

Not sure what she figured out, she nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer.

“But then, what do we do? Even if we can get a boat with money, we can’t just hire someone who knows how to sail… Kana, can you sail?”

“Of course not.”

“Didn’t think so. Selene, do you know how to steer a boat?”

“Hmm, no. Sorry I can’t be of help.”

“Oh, no worries. I’m in the same boat, haha.”

Seeing Daeun bow her head to Selene, a bit of mischief sparked within me.

“Joni, that was rude.”

“…Kana, you don’t even understand what Selene’s saying! If you want to understand, study hard!”

“Hm…”

Daeun’s hand ruthlessly messed with my hair. The pink strands swayed annoyingly in front of my eyes, and I let out a faint whine. After making my hair look like a bird’s nest, Daeun began gently smoothing it out again.

“So… if Selene doesn’t know how to sail, do you have any good ideas?”

Though she phrased it as a question, her tone implied she was sure I had a solution. I decided to meet her expectations.

“Didn’t I just say it? ‘For an Ardinian, going to Raxia is practically suicide.’

“So, it just has to be someone who isn’t Ardinian.”

Daeun’s eyes widened.

“Are you seriously thinking about hiring demons?”

“Yeah.”

Smart people are a blessing. Just one sentence, and they catch on immediately.

“The demons likely know the route to Raxia, and they can endure the dark magic.”

Even if they left Raxia because they couldn’t withstand its dark magic, they should be able to tolerate it long enough for a quick trip ashore. This is what they call a “suitable crew,” isn’t it?

“Well, it’s a good plan, but…”

“But?”

“Would demons even listen to us? I doubt they’d have any fondness for Ardinians… might think we’re up to something in Raxia.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

According to what Edel told me, they wouldn’t be able to refuse our offer. They might not believe me or Daeun, as she feared. But they’d definitely believe Selene. She’s a nun serving Edel, after all. And not just any nun—a trainee saintess.

“…What does Selene’s faith in Edel have to do with the demons believing us? Oh, is it because the Holy Nation mediated during the race war?”

“It’s the opposite. They accepted mediation because they trusted the Holy Nation, not because the Holy Nation intervened.”

“Uh?”

In Silia, everything is believed to be created by Edel’s hand. In a world where a god’s existence is real, that belief is widely accepted. Perhaps, centuries from now, if Edel’s descent is lost to memory and record, things might change, but that time isn’t now.

The demons also know they were created by Edel.

“If it’s about faith, the demons might be even more devout than the Holy Nation.”

If that weren’t the case, they wouldn’t have lived in Raxia for so long.

“Uh… huh?”

Daeun looked as confused as ever.

“I don’t know what you mean, but is it really okay to say that?”

She glanced at Selene, who hadn’t reacted to my words, yet still seemed uneasy. It was natural, though; she must’ve thought Selene would be upset by such talk about a trainee saintess. However, even if Selene had heard me, she wouldn’t have been bothered.

“It’ll be fine.”

She probably knew the truth about the demons, too.

Starting to feel weary, I stopped talking there. They’d understand what I meant when we reached Raxia, so there was no need to explain everything now. What’s the term for this again?

A… S…

I was sure it started with an S, but I couldn’t remember, so I gave up on it.

“…What is it? Huh? What do you mean?”

But Daeun wasn’t as quick to give up, clinging to me for answers. When I remained silent, she puffed her cheeks in annoyance, clearly sulking. She tried to avoid looking directly at me, but I could feel her gaze.

Who’s treating whom like a child?

With a sigh, I shook my head.