After delivering the male Meleo to Village Four, we finally returned home to the Village of the Great Tree.
Since our return was later than scheduled, Kuro, Yuki, and Zabuton were extremely worried about us. I felt terrible. Even if they knew we would be delayed because of the letter, it was only natural for them to worry. I gave them all some well-deserved attention.
I also apologized to my wives, who had been equally concerned. And to the children... I’m sorry.
Hahaha, I get it, I get it. We’ll play together later.
Actually, I’m sorry, but please let me rest for today.
"Also, Flora. I’m sure they’re fine, but could you cast some healing magic on Daga and the others? They insist they’re okay, but they did lose consciousness, after all. Sorry for the trouble."
"And Hakuren, thank you for getting us back so quickly."
"Ehehe!"
The next day.
While playing with the children, I waited for the results of the discussion between the male Meleo from Village Four and his owner, the Devil Race girl. I had already explained the situation to her, including the fact that Silkyne and her group were more than willing to welcome the Meleo if he chose to move. I wanted them to come to a decision they both felt good about.
Meanwhile... Daga, Galf, and Beezel were acting strange. At first, I thought they were just embarrassed about fainting, but that wasn't it at all.
"That was God's Viewpoint..."
"Did I see something that should have remained forbidden to mortal eyes?"
"Can such a thing even be forgiven?"
To them, that view of the world from space was a perspective reserved only for the divine. They were agonizing over the fact that they had stood in such a place, terrified that they might be struck down by some form of divine retribution.
I had never really heard the three of them talk about their personal faith, but I supposed they each had gods they believed in. In this world, the existence of gods was a certainty; after all, we had literally heard the Voice of God not that long ago. Because it was a matter of faith, I didn't—and couldn't—interfere.
I wanted to tell them to worry to their hearts' content, but there was a practical problem. If the male Meleo decided to go to the breeding ground, we would likely have Hakuren carry him there as well. It would be a problem if they were still in the middle of an existential crisis when it came time to depart.
Still, what could I do? When it came to religious matters, Progenitor-san was usually the most reliable person to talk to, but I never knew if he would just happen to show up. He visited frequently when he was in the mood, but when he wasn't, he was nowhere to be found.
Aside from him... what about Yoko, Niz, or Saint Seles? All three of them were well-versed in divine matters. Would that work? Or would it be too difficult for them to handle? Well, all three were currently in Village Five. If Daga and the others were still troubled the next time they visited, I would ask for their help.
About five days later, a decision was reached: the male Meleo would move to the breeding ground. The owner had acknowledged his passion for finding a mate.
Truthfully, they had reached that conclusion within the first two days. However, the male Meleo had insisted that he didn't want to be parted from his owner and spent the remaining time trying to convince her to come with him. Although the owner was old enough to be independent, she had her own life in Village Four. She felt a strong resistance to throwing everything away just to live at the Meleo Breeding Ground.
...To be blunt, the owner needed to look for a partner of her own, too. Fortunately, things were progressing well between her and a certain Devil Race boy in Village Four, but she had rivals, so she couldn't afford to get complacent. She treasured the male Meleo, but she had apparently struggled with the idea of abandoning her own love life to play third wheel to his. She was a remarkably considerate owner for even agonizing over it.
Ultimately, the deciding factor was the reality of life at the breeding ground. While Beezel and Silkyne would provide everything she needed to live comfortably, she knew she would be forced to watch the Meleos' intense romantic displays day in and day out. She simply didn't think she could endure it.
Well, I could certainly understand her feelings. I didn't think it would be quite that extreme outside of the breeding season, but the female Meleos had been obsessed enough to stage a week-long siege, after all.
The owner had also considered bringing the Devil Race boy along with her, but he was determined to make a name for himself in Village Four. He felt a deep sense of gratitude toward Kuzuden, Bell, Gou, and me for improving the quality of life in the village, and he was currently studying hard with the goal of joining the administration. She couldn't bring herself to ask him to give up his dreams for her.
For now, I planned to ask Beezel and Silkyne to assist the owner whenever she wanted to visit the Meleo. I wanted her to be able to see for herself the kind of environment he was living in.
Now that the Meleo's move was official, it was time to prepare for departure. We would be using Hakuren's high-altitude method to transport him in record time.
...Oh, it won't be as fast as the trip home? Because of the destination's location, it'll take a bit longer? I see. Well, even if it took a few extra hours, it wouldn't be more than half a day. I prepared about one meal's worth of food for the trip. Since Hakuren wouldn't be able to eat while flying, I felt a bit bad for her.
I also installed a small outhouse on the pack frame. If the journey was going to take some time, it was a necessity. I even added a water storage tank so he could wash his hands and a sewage tank since I couldn't have anything leaking onto Hakuren.
While I was at it, I loaded up some gifts to take along. While I heard that gifts aren't strictly necessary for frequent visits, they were going to be looking after the male Meleo for us. Going empty-handed didn't feel right. Of course, the Meleo's comfort was the top priority, so I only packed a reasonable amount.
Once preparations were complete, I was ready to set off immediately, but a problem arose.
Daga, Galf, and Beezel flatly refused to board the pack frame.
Were they still worried about the religious implications? They had seemed much more energetic after consulting with Yoko and Seles, so I thought they were fine... but that wasn't the issue. They had processed the spiritual part.
They were just plain scared.
...I see.
Well, I suppose it is terrifying. I'm sorry. It seems my own sense of things had become a bit skewed. You're right. It is scary.
In the end, it was decided that Daga, Galf, and Beezel would travel ahead using teleportation magic. I wondered if I should find other companions to take their place, but...
"As long as I'm there to guard you, it'll be fine, right?" Hakuren said.
That was true. If I was with Hakuren, there shouldn't be any safety concerns. Lu and the others agreed. I checked to see if there were any other volunteers, but everyone seemed to be busy with their own tasks. Even the Meleo's owner couldn't make it on such short notice.
It couldn't be helped. Hakuren and I would transport the male Meleo ourselves.
By the way, Hakuren was wearing her Full Armor again. I thought she had mentioned that it wasn't particularly comfortable and felt a bit like being tied up.
"It doesn't interfere with my flying at all," she insisted.
I wondered if it was because I had praised it so much when she first showed it to me. To my eyes, the transformation expansion where that rugged armor shifted into a sleek, stylish set was pure fantasy come to life. I could see why the children loved it. Even in her dragon form, it looked impressive. The children were gathered around, squealing with delight as they admired the armor.
The fact that a human-sized object could expand to a dragon-sized one was truly a testament to the convenience of magic.
Wait, it wasn't a universal thing? She explained that it was only possible because the materials were extremely specialized. Furthermore, even when it grew to dragon size, its defensive capabilities remained the same as the original human-sized version. So, it was mostly just for aesthetic appeal. I see.
Suddenly, the male Meleo on the pack frame began nudging me, urging us to hurry.
"Sorry about that. Have you already... said your goodbyes to your owner?"
Was he scared? He signaled that he would endure it no matter what.
"Alright then. Let's head out."
Our destination was the Meleo Breeding Ground.
"Village Head, actually, it's difficult to fly directly to that spot. Is it okay if we head toward the Lake with the Waterfall first?"
"Oh? Is that so?"
"The terrain around there all looks very similar. I'm sure I'll recognize the place once we get close, but I'd rather not go wandering around aimlessly in the air."
"Will the lake be okay as a landmark?"
"It's a massive lake, so I should be able to spot it from high up. I've been to that area a few times before."
"Understood. Let's set our sights on the lake, then. I'm counting on you."