* * *

Swaying gently…

‘The Happy Sludge’, Kolmallya, using the Great Prison of Delenezo, enveloped in its sludge, as its body, extended a giant arm, and beckoned me.

It’s a huge arm.

That single movement creates a strong wind, blowing towards me.

And since the air, heated by the scorching desert sand, is what becomes the wind—

It’s incredibly hot.

And on top of that, it’s unbelievably foul-smelling.

I involuntarily turned my face away.

<Let’s hurry and escape, Emi!>

Extra-sama, in my head, screamed at the unpleasantness.

I feel the same way.

I want to escape as soon as possible.

But.

“Guh…”

No good.

My legs won’t move.

I involuntarily fell to my knees.

<Emi!? Are you okay!?>

I… might not be.

In short, I’m out of mana.

My body is currently in a state of starvation and has no strength.

I somehow managed to escape from the Great Prison, by forcing my body to move with mana… but—

I’ve run out of mana.

I can’t move my body properly.

The sludge beckoned, and another unpleasant gust of wind—BAFUU—blew, ruffling my hair.

I feel… lightheaded.

And… huh?

I smell… something nice…?

<There’s no nice scent! It still just stinks of sludge! Get ahold of yourself!>

Warned by Extra-sama, I slapped my cheeks to wake myself up.

The pleasant scent I was smelling immediately turned into a terrible stench.

No way… is this… don’t tell me the sludge is doing something?

<Kolmallya must have some kind of charm ability.>

If you smell that stench, you’ll go crazy, and want to jump into the sludge.

Like those Three Great Jailers.

You’ll be convinced that it’s ‘happiness’.

<Probably.>

…Or rather, Extra-sama.

Didn’t you say that my body has high mana resistance, so I’m not easily affected by mental interference!?

<You’re weakened right now. And it’s a Calamity-class, even if it’s just a part.>

Mana resistance… you’re useless!

“…………”

Back to the topic.

Anyway, I’m out of mana.

I got on all fours, scooped up sand, and put it in my mouth.

I felt the sand, now inside me, dissolving and disappearing from the world, turning into mana, and becoming a part of my soul.

But it’s not enough.

This isn’t nearly enough.

It’s not tasty either.

This is painful.

And then, the wind blew again.

It smells… incredibly nice.

Sweet, fragrant… and incredibly delicious…

<EMI! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF! EAT MORE SAND!>

“…HAA!!”

Scolded by Extra-sama, I regained my senses, and hurriedly went back to swallowing sand.

The pain of the scorching sand burning my insides ironically helps me maintain my sense of self.

What a hell!

After resisting for a few minutes.

During that time, Kolmallya didn’t try to swallow me with a sludge tsunami… like it did inside the Great Prison of Delenezo.

It just kept beckoning me.

<Perhaps it’s not compatible with the scorching desert. Since it’s mud, it might not want to touch the sand, which absorbs moisture.>

Oh, that’s a hopeful hypothesis.

If that’s the case, if I just keep eating sand and regain my mobility… I might have a chance to escape!

Alright, let’s eat more sand!

<Yes, let’s eat more sand!>

But.

Things didn’t go my way.

Perhaps having grown tired of my lack of reaction, Kolmallya—

Stopped beckoning.

And extending its neck… it brought its giant face closer to mine!

Its expression is a gentle smile.

Its face is that of a beautiful woman.

But the stench is terrible!

“Uuuuuuuu…!!”

I endure!

I pinched my cheeks, gritted my teeth, and desperately tried to maintain consciousness!

But.

Guuuuuuuuu!

My stomach growled.

It’s a bodily function, I can’t help it.

But it momentarily broke my concentration.

And then, the stench instantly turned into an exquisite fragrance.

“…………?”

What… was I desperately trying to do?

I stopped pinching my cheeks, slumped down, and let my arms hang limply.

<EMI!?>

Here—Fuu—a gust of wind.

Kolmallya breathed on me.

Sweet, and refreshing.

…A divine breath!

<EMI! EMI! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!!>

There’s no need to panic, Extra-sama.

I’m fine.

I can talk, can’t I?

<No, no! Come back to your senses! You’re…!!>

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

Here.

A loud voice… loud enough to drown out even Extra-sama’s screams… echoed.

A voice?

Perhaps it’s not a voice.

A will?

Or an emotion?

It’s… simple, and childlike.

But definitely ‘happiness’.

A “heart”.

Was conveyed to me.

I looked straight ahead.

There’s Kolmallya’s face.

The face of a beautiful woman, smiling gently.

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

Again, a “heart” is conveyed.

It’s pure, and genuine.

Content, and—

Overflowing with goodwill.

…Yes, goodwill.

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

Kolmallya has always been acting out of goodwill.

Because Kolmallya is always ‘happy’.

More ‘happy’ than anyone else.

To become one with such a ‘happy’ Kolmallya.

That’s the surest path to my own ‘happiness’.

‘happiness’.

I want to be ‘happy’.

Me too!

I want to be ‘happy’!

<<<I am ‘happiness’>>>

Here, Kolmallya, bringing her face even closer, breathed on me again, with that sweet scent.

<EMI!! DON’T SMELL IT—>

Extra-sama’s scream was suddenly cut off.

My vision turned completely white.