Chapter 268

Having come to terms with Leah’s situation and welcoming her as family, Tatsuro and the group moved forward. The next morning, after sufficient rest and a brief discussion about their plans, they filed out of the house. Tatsuro, the last to leave, stored the house in his [Infinite Item Field].

As they turned around, a group of Pixies began gathering toward them. Wondering what they wanted, Tatsuro waited, and three larger Pixies floated before them.

“You’re really leaving, huh?”

“Of course. I told you we have things to do.”

“Sorry, my bad. I don’t have the best impression of humans, so I tend to be skeptical.”

It seemed the Pixies had some unpleasant history, but since it didn’t sound like a fond memory, Tatsuro chose not to pry and moved the conversation along.

“Fair enough. So, did you come to see us off?”

“Not exactly, though that’s part of it… Since you can fly, we have a small request. Of course, we’ve got a reward prepared.”

“…Alright, let’s hear it.”

Unsure if they could fulfill it, Tatsuro figured listening wouldn’t hurt and urged them to continue.

“Do you know of a mountain called Banramonte?”

“Nope, never heard of it.”

Unfamiliar with this world’s geography, Tatsuro glanced at Leah behind him.

“Um, I think it’s in the territory of Casapisti, beyond the neighboring country Libelheight. It’s said to be the tallest mountain in the world, right?”

“That’s right. There’s a mountain there, Wind Mountain, with a force field similar to this place. Our elder brother went there and hasn’t returned.”

“So, you want us to check on him if we’re in the area?”

“Yeah. But only if you’re nearby. I doubt anything’s happened to him, so just drop by if you feel like it.”

“Sounds manageable.”

After checking with the group and hearing no objections, they agreed to do it if the opportunity arose.

“For the reward, could you show us the Fairy Crystal, we gave you last night?”

“This one?”

Tatsuro pulled out the red sack containing the Fairy Crystal from his Infinite Item Field. At their request to “borrow it for a bit,” he handed it over, and they opened the sack.

“Now, channel your magic into it.”

“Got it.”

Unsure of what would happen but seeing no issue from Leah’s perspective, Tatsuro held his hand over the sack and poured pure magic into all the Fairy Crystals. The reddish-black stones began to emit a faint, flickering light, like fire.

Confirming this, the Pixie absorbed surrounding fire elements while mixing in its own magic. The faint glow intensified, transforming the crystals into sparkling, fiery red gems, as if burning with an inferno.

When instructed to stop, Tatsuro ceased channeling magic, and a second or two later, the Pixie did the same. Though the magic flow stopped, the crystals didn’t revert to their original reddish-black state. Instead, they shimmered as if the flames had been solidified into the gems.

“This… it’s not just a Fairy Crystal… it’s a Fairy Blaze Crystal, isn’t it?” Leah said.

“You know your stuff, dwarf girl.”

“Isn’t this a mineral whose creation process is unknown?”

“Exactly. Even if you know how, it’s not like anyone can make it.”

“Really? It looked like you just mixed our magic with the fire elements around us,” Tatsuro said, describing what he saw with his Spirit Eye.

The Pixie shook its head and explained. Apparently, this process required a specific environment overflowing with a dominant attribute’s elements—like this place—along with a Pixie and a non-Pixie species.

Additionally, if either party harbored ill intentions, the magic wouldn’t blend properly and would dissipate. If Tatsuro had lied about their agreement, the crystals wouldn’t have transformed into Fairy Blaze Crystals.

“So, you were testing us?”

“Sorry. Our peace is at stake.”

“No big deal. We got something rare out of it.”

“Indeed. Regular Fairy Crystals have substitutes, but Fairy Blaze Crystals are top-tier materials for magic equipment. These should provide the highest enhancement for Fire Magic.”

“So, if we did this in a mountain with a different attribute, we’d get Fairy Blaze Crystals of that attribute?”

“Correct. I don’t know if Pixies live there, but such places are suitable for us. If you show them a Fairy Blaze Crystal, they’ll likely be less wary and might help you make more.”

Since Fairy Blaze Crystals can’t be forcibly created due to the process’s nature, Pixies would likely be friendly toward the magic’s owner—in this case, Tatsuro—if he showed one.

“So, it’s like a badge of friendship with Pixies.”

“Exactly. Also, our elder brother—named Aurikki—will recognize the magic in it as proof of our connection.”

“Aurikki, got it. I’ll remember that.”

“Please do. Keep at least one crystal to show him. He’s strong, so you don’t want him on guard—it could be dangerous.”

“That strong, huh?”

Ai, who had assumed he was on par with these Pixies, sounded surprised. The Pixie, clearly proud of their elder brother, eagerly shared more.

Apparently, Aurikki was a free spirit blessed with skills, becoming a solo adventurer. He quickly rose to prominence, earning a rank 4 adventurer status and even conquering a level 9 dungeon with allies.

He could’ve easily defeated a Giant Fire Salamander if he were here. The magical tool used to hide in this place was also something he obtained from a high-level dungeon, entrusted to them for emergencies.

“Wow, if he’s that strong, a big guy like that would’ve been no problem,” Ai said.

“Yeah, against someone that strong, a fight might end with someone getting hurt,” Tatsuro added, giving face to the Pixies, though seven of them together would likely be fine.

“Alright, time to go.”

“Take care.”

Jeanne carried the Palanquin, and everyone climbed aboard, watched curiously by the smaller Pixies. Once everyone was settled, Jeanne activated her Cloud Camouflage Fur, turning her body cloud-colored.

“Let’s go!”

“Neigh!”

Responding to Tatsuro’s voice through the speaking tube, Jeanne soared into the sky. Waving lightly to the Pixies below, Tatsuro and the group flew over the mountain, blending into the clouds as they headed toward Leah’s hometown, Holmes.

At a leisurely flight speed, they passed over Tergeni, now part of Lyadas’s territory, and the neighboring town of Grakenu. Perhaps sensing Jeanne’s intimidating presence, no flying monsters or beasts appeared, allowing them to enjoy a comfortable flight with lunch.

Sometime later, guided by Cardina in her [True Form], Jeanne gently landed in an unpopulated area near their destination town.

“Thanks, Jeanne.”

“Neigh!”

Storing the Palanquin, Tatsuro put a choker designed by Leah around Jeanne’s neck, now in her Child Form. Cardina, also in Child Form, curled up in Tatsuro’s pocket. Deciding they could keep Cardina and Jeanne out like this, the group walked together toward the stone-paved road leading to the town.

So far, nothing seemed unusual, but as they reached the road, they noticed a deep trench—large enough for an adult man to hide in if he crouched, about six meters wide—running parallel to the road, a few meters away.

“What’s this? A canal?” Tatsuro asked.

“No… I’ve never seen anything like this, and a canal outside the town seems odd,” Leah replied.

“Leah doesn’t know either? Oh, let’s ask that guy working over there!” Ai suggested.

“Yeah, good idea.”

Ai pointed to where heads were popping out of the trench, visible even from a distance. As they approached, one man climbed out, noticing the group.

“Hey, hello! Are you adventurers?”

The man, in his early forties with short brown hair, greeted them casually. Tatsuro matched his tone.

“Hello. We’re adventurers, heading to Holmes. But this trench caught our attention…”

“Caught your attention? Something weird about it?”

His reaction, as if the trench’s presence was obvious, made Tatsuro scratch his cheek awkwardly.

“No, it’s just… we don’t know what it’s for. What’s the purpose of this trench?”

Glancing inside, Tatsuro saw the trench was neatly coated with lead-colored metal, deepening the mystery. The man, slightly exasperated that they didn’t know, explained.

“It’s for the train to pass through. It was a big deal when it was announced. You hear about it in every town. Adventurers shouldn’t be so out of touch.”

“We’ve been in a dungeon for a while, so we’re behind on news.”

“Oh, I see. My bad for sounding high and mighty. So, you don’t know what a train is either?”

“Yeah. Could you explain it briefly?”

Ai tilted her head at Tatsuro’s words, confused since he knew what a train was. But Tatsuro was curious about what “train” meant in this world, not Earth.

“Sure, no problem. A train is—”

His explanation revealed that the train was similar to those on Earth. It involved box-like containers for people or goods, linked together and placed in the trench, powered by a magical liquid made from Artificial Magic Stones. The train’s base would glide along the trench floor.

However, the planned speed was currently limited to about 50 kilometers per hour. The immediate goal was to connect the capital to major cities, starting with Lyadas, chosen for its Artificial Magic Stone production and output. The project aimed for completion in two years, and the workers, like this man, were busy with infrastructure.

Intrigued by the development, Tatsuro thanked the man, and they parted.

“A train, huh? I’d love to ride one here,” Ai said.

“Neigh!”

“She says she’s faster,” Tatsuro translated.

“Haha, true. But it’s a train from another world. Don’t you want to try it at least once?”

“Neigh?”

“It’s totally better than me!” Ai pouted, tilting her head. Tatsuro smiled and patted the small, rhinoceros-like Jeanne.

“Well, it’s two years away (planned), so we probably won’t ride it before we leave. Even if we could, it’d be way in the future.”

With that, the group continued walking toward the walls of Holmes.