Construction on Lana’s house had already begun in the village, but she ended up leaving before it could be finished.
It seemed the hot springs had done wonders for her physical condition, though she still wasn't able to fly in her dragon form. However, the general consensus was that she had likely overstayed her welcome as it was.
The children were quite dejected. They had grown remarkably attached to her. The Civil Official Girls felt the same way; they looked as though they still had a thousand more stories they wanted to hear from her.
Because Urza would be departing alongside Lana, Hakuren and Zabuton were also wallowing in disappointment. I had to remind them that they shouldn't try to hold Urza back. I understood the loneliness, but still.
I’d assumed the two of them would use the teleportation gate to reach Village Five and board an airship from there, but they opted to travel via Lana’s teleportation magic instead. Yoko had sent a request from Village Five specifically asking Lana to stay away.
That was all well and good, but if she was going to use teleportation magic anyway, I couldn't help but feel she could have just commuted from here without worrying about overstaying. I knew Dos and the others were dead set against her using it, though.
"I appreciate the care you’ve shown me," Lana said. With that simple greeting, she and Urza set off.
Ice didn't accompany Urza on her journey, choosing instead to see her off quietly. I wondered if it was really alright for him not to go along, but he told me that protecting the place his master returned to was also part of his job. I see. Well then, I’ll be counting on you from here on out as well.
Meanwhile, Dos and Giral—who I’d expected to be overjoyed at Lana’s departure—wore strangely solemn expressions. I wondered if they were reflecting on whether they should have treated her more kindly. However, according to Raimeiren, that wasn't it at all.
Lana was the type to pop back in the moment someone let their guard down. Apparently, they were just staying on high alert for her inevitable return. I thought they were being a bit too cautious.
Then, on the night of the very day I’d muttered that thought to myself, Lana secretly teleported back. It seemed she had forgotten something.
"Keep the fact that I used teleportation magic a secret from Young Dos and the others," she whispered.
Of course. But... was it your doing that Ria and the others suddenly fell asleep?
Ria and the other High Elves who had been in my room, along with Kuro’s children, were all breathing rhythmically in their sleep. They wouldn't wake up even if I shook them.
"Indeed, it was. Ah, the range is limited to this room only. I have no hostile intent, so please put away that dangerous spear."
I lowered the Universal Farming Tool, which I had been holding in its spear form.
"My apologies," she said.
I personally felt that putting them to sleep was a bit much just to cover up her use of magic, but there was something else.
"Something else?" she asked.
"Who are you?"
She was Lana, but she wasn't quite Lana. She was still wearing the nameplate I’d given her around her neck, but her entire aura was far too different.
"So you noticed that and still put away your weapon? How bold."
It was simply because I could tell she meant no harm. Besides, Zabuton’s Children were perched on the ceiling beams and hadn't moved an inch. They were in Watch-over Mode.
"That is a relief. Those little ones are troublesome, after all."
"So, what’s with the change in appearance?" I asked.
"My memories are still a bit muddled, but... I am something like Lananon’s other personality."
"Like a split personality?"
"It is not something so grand. Ah, saying it is another personality was a poor choice of words. It is merely the difference between when I am dressed up and when I am not."
"So, like the difference between being on the clock and being off-duty?"
"You may think of it that way. Naturally, this form is when I am 'on the clock'."
I could tell that much just from the atmosphere.
"I emerge when a battle is about to be lost, or when my name has been mistaken three times in a row. And also... whenever the mood strikes me. It is rare for me to come out, but it seems the hot springs were even better than I expected."
"And what brings you back?"
"I told you, did I not? I forgot something. I forgot to give this to you."
Lana tossed something over to me. It was a palm-sized, ornately decorated rod.
"It is the key to Gulgrant’s Treasure Repository. Young Dos knows the location."
"Why give this to me?"
"Because there were Artie Horses—the Multi-purpose Humanoid Mobile Heavy Equipment—in this village."
"Gulgrant’s hobby was tinkering with Artie Horses," she continued. "He collected them to an excessive degree. In that repository, there should be mountains of Artie Horses and related equipment."
"Is this really okay? It’s a memento, isn't it?"
"Tools are happier when they are being used rather than locked away."
"That might be true, but..."
"Gulgrant wanted to use them as well, but because he became the Dragon King, he could not use them carelessly. He locked them away in the repository with great regret. Please, use them. I have cast magic on them so they will not deteriorate; they should still work."
"...Understood. I’ll treasure them."
"Do not worry too much about the tools. Using them in moderation is enough."
Lana looked out the window at the moon. Her eyes held a lonely glint. I’d heard from Raimeiren that the reason Lana had entered her long sleep was because she had lost her husband. She might have been remembering him.
"Ah, no. The reason I went to sleep was because I threw out my back. That made me suddenly feel my age, you see."
"..."
"Thanks to Urza, my back is completely healed, but I cannot let my guard down. You must be careful with your back as well. Even if you are young, it will hurt when it hurts."
"A-Ah, right. I'll be careful."
"Umu. By the way, there are two more things I forgot. One is a barrel of miso..."
"Oh, that. I found it after you left, so I was preparing to send it from Village Five tomorrow. It’s sitting by the entrance. I'll have someone bring it here."
"Forgive me for putting you to the trouble."
"Not at all."
"The last thing is a request. I am Lananon, but there are times when it is inconvenient for me to call myself that while in this state. I have another name."
Lana touched the nameplate hanging from her neck.
"I want you to carve that name on the back."
"That’s an easy enough task. So, what is the name?"
"If you wish to know my name, then challenge me!" she declared dramatically. Then she immediately relaxed. "That was just a pose. Just a pose. Put away the spear."
Having finished her business, Lana departed once again using her teleportation magic.
Teleportation magic really was convenient. I found myself wishing she would use it to bring Urza back if she was ever in a pinch. Also, I began to wonder if the reason Dos and the others were so wary of her wasn't because of her personality, but because of her carelessness. The reason she had teleported into my room in the first place was apparently because a Scale Fragment Lana had given Urza was currently in this room. I thought it was a bit much to hurriedly activate sleep magic just because she’d ended up in an unexpected spot.
Still... I wondered when Ria and Kuro’s children would wake up? Ah, they were waking up now. That was a relief. Zabuton’s Children on the beams, thanks for keeping watch.
Alfred, who had been staying in the village to coincide with Urza’s visit, was also departing. His departure had been delayed to match the timing of Progenitor-san coming to fetch him. Accompanying him as a new escort was Fuuma, the mannequin suit operated by Zabuton’s Children.
Zabuton was quite worried about Fuuma, but the children inside the suit were brimming with confidence. They had trained thoroughly, and the Mountain Elves had added all sorts of extra functions for them.
We also made sure they didn't forget the Fuuma-specific Motorbike. This bike had also been modified in various ways to assist Fuuma’s activities. To be precise, there were about five of Zabuton’s children inside the bike as well. It had turned out to be faster and easier for the children to operate the bike directly rather than having the Fuuma-operated children handle the controls.
While they were in charge of the bike, they were also expected to serve as relief personnel for operating Fuuma. Rest was necessary, after all. Because of that, the Mountain Elves had even thoughtfully included a little rest area for the children inside the bike’s frame. The children promised they would take good care of the bike.
"But you know," I told them, "you all are more important to me than the bike. Make sure you don't get hurt."
Since it had been quite a while since Alfred had stayed in the village for an extended period, Lu refused to let him go. Part of it might have been because he had returned to his younger form, but it felt as though she hadn't properly prepared herself for the parting.
Flora was trying to soothe Lu while pulling her away. That was supposed to be my role, wasn't it? Sorry, I was a bit focused on the children. I’ll take over.
Lana’s alias was Lanawi.