After Story: Former Townsman A Begins His Investigation

2021/03/30: Typos corrected. 2025/02/10: Clerical errors pointed out by readers have been corrected. Thank you very much.

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"I see. So the God of Wind and the Goddess of Ice said such things..."

When I reported what had happened at the Church, my father-in-law crossed his arms, his expression clouding with thought.

"A place where the wind always blows and ice never melts, hm? If we’re looking for a location that fits those criteria, the Eastern Mountain Range comes to mind. It serves as the border with the Est Empire, and several of its higher peaks are capped with perpetual snow. However, building a temple to enshrine two gods upon those summits would be a logistical nightmare."

"That is true," I said, nodding in agreement.

Besides, the fact that the God went out of his way to use such a cryptic description makes me think he was pointing toward somewhere else.

"Father," Ana interjected. "Is it not snow that covers the mountain peaks, rather than ice? If so, I believe that differs slightly from the conditions the God of Wind described."

"Hm, you have a point there."

My father-in-law’s face grew even more grim as he considered Ana’s observation. To me, snow was essentially just another form of ice, but apparently, as the Ice Saint, Ana saw a clear distinction. Since she had spoken directly with the Goddess of Ice, I figured she knew what she was talking about.

"In that case, perhaps further north?" my older brother-in-law suggested.

"Umu. One certainly finds ice in the north, but I have never heard of such a place within the territory of Norsane, let alone Centlaren. It might be possible if we look beyond the northern seas of Norsane, but..."

If we went that far north, we’d be reaching the level of something like the Arctic Ocean. I didn't know if this world actually had an "Arctic Ocean" or if there was just more land up there, but an island floating in a frozen sea—much like the one from my previous life—might satisfy the divine requirements.

"Should I head up to the northern reaches of Norsane to investigate?" I asked.

"No, Allen. If you go, it will provoke the neighboring nations. Furthermore, the northern seas of Norsane are distant and treacherous. I cannot allow you to be exposed to such danger for a mere scouting mission."

"I understand."

He was right, of course. There was no helping it. Even though everything I’d done had been to save Ana, I was officially a "dangerous person" now. While the pressure of retaliation from the Sky Dragon was always looming, there was also the very real possibility of a "man-made" accident occurring if I wandered too close to sensitive borders.

"I know... let’s consult Lord Roh."

It had been a while, so I nearly blurted out "that pervert," but I managed to restrain myself.

"I see. That is an excellent idea," my father-in-law replied. "Lord Roh is currently safeguarding the staff, and he is a man connected to the lineage of the Selfless Great Sage. He may well know something."

"Allen, Father," Ana added. "Melissa at the Valley of the Flying Dragons might also have some idea."

"Oh! Lady Melissa traveled the world on her own wings before she became a Sky Dragon, didn’t she? She might have discovered something during her journeys."

"Yes."

Right, I remember now. Originally, my goal had been to help Amy and her friends avoid certain "events," but those guys had slacked off on their level grinding so much that they’d been thrashed by ordinary Wyverns. In the end, though, the two of them had enjoyed their trip to the fullest, so I suppose it was a case of "all’s well that ends well."

"Furthermore, the Valley of the Flying Dragons is within our borders, unlike the Elven Village," my father-in-law noted. "It would be wise to visit the valley before heading to the village."

"Understood. Then, as soon as the snow lets up, I’ll head to the Valley of the Flying Dragons."

"Yeah, sounds like a plan."

"Will you come with me, Ana?"

"Yes. I would love to see them again after all this time."

"Great. Let’s go together, then."

"I would be delighted."

And so, it was decided that our first stop would be the Valley of the Flying Dragons.

◆◇◆

Three days later, we arrived at the Valley of the Flying Dragons. I landed the Vytol Custom in the temple’s front plaza, which was buried under a thick layer of snow. After unbuckling my seatbelt and disembarking, I moved to the passenger side to escort Ana out.

The moment she stepped down, a small white mass shot out from the temple like a bullet.

"Kyuu!"

"Whoa!"

I managed to catch the projectile and hold my ground, though the impact was surprisingly heavy.

"Ciel-chan, you’ve grown, haven't you?"

"It has been a long time, Ciel," Ana said softly.

"Kyuu—"

Ciel-chan had been squirming and trying to play-fight with me, but the moment she heard Ana’s voice, she settled down instantly. She trotted over to Ana and began nuzzling her hand, acting like a total spoiled brat.

A tackle for me, yet total adoration for Ana? I see how it is.

"Oh my, Allen-san. And Ana-chan too. Welcome!"

Melissa-chan appeared from the temple entrance. A moment later, I saw Jerome-kun hurrying out behind her, looking slightly frantic.

"Come on, Jerry! Move it! Allen-san and the others are already here!"

"W-Wait for me..."

As they carried on with an exchange typical of their marriage, Jerome-kun came clattering out of the temple.

"W-W-Welcome. Ugh, it’s freezing out here."

"Kyuu!"

Ciel-chan, who had been acting all sweet with Ana, spotted Jerome-kun and accelerated to bullet-speed again, tackling him with everything she had.

"Y-You shouldn’t run! It’ll hurt if you fall!"

"Kyuu!"

Despite his warning, Jerome-kun let Ciel-chan frolic all over him. She was play-biting him everywhere; I had to wonder if it actually hurt or not.

"Ciel!"

With a single word from Melissa-chan, Ciel-chan stopped her antics immediately and sat perfectly still.

Ah, I see. I completely understand the power dynamic in this house now.

"Well, let’s go inside. It’s too cold to stand around out here."

"Thank you."

Following Melissa-chan’s lead, we headed into the warmth of the temple.

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With the release of the first volume of the book version approaching on March 15th, the wonderful cover art by Parum-sensei has been made public.

In the printed version, not only has Parum-sensei provided incredible illustrations, but I have also included episodes that I felt should have been depicted in the main story, as well as a certain beloved character's past.

Roughly twenty percent of the book consists of completely new content. Combined with Sensei's illustrations, I believe it has become a truly top-tier volume.

I have summarized detailed information regarding pre-order bonuses and other news in the Activity Report, so please take a look there if you're interested.

The fact that Allen and Anastasia’s story is moving to the new stage of a published book is entirely thanks to all of you who have supported us.

I will continue to work hard and improve, so I look forward to your continued support!