Volume 6 Chapter 4 New Sparks
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The carriage rattled along the forest trail, its wheels jolting with every bump. The trees here weren’t too dense. Sunlight pierced the canopy in scattered streaks. From time to time, Klock glanced at the horses, making sure they weren’t growing restless. He peered through the shifting leaves, trying to catch a glimpse of the sky.
Nothing. The sky remained bright—unshaken. In fact, the west was beginning to turn red. Time to start thinking beyond simple scouting.
”Hah—what a waste of a scare. What the hell was that?” he muttered, shaking his head.
A monster’s roar had echoed through the hills not long ago. Most likely a dragon’s. Fearing discovery, they had ducked behind cover, breath held tight. They waited, but couldn’t confirm anything—no shadow, no movement.
Even after resuming their route, they’d moved with care. Sticking to cover, they’d taken a roundabout path. Now, they were quietly passing through a sparse patch of forest, and still—no sign of the dragon.
”We should start looking for a place to rest soon,” Suzette said, patting one of the horses. “The horses are at their limit.”
The pair of draft horses, spooked earlier by the roar, hadn’t stopped running for a while. Now they trembled with fatigue, flanks heaving, breath shallow. They needed water. Rest.
”Even if we’re looking,” Klock said, glancing ahead, “wouldn’t it be better not to leave the forest?”
”Well,” Suzette replied, pointing south, “since we’re veering in this direction, it should connect to the forest near Beniiro Volcano. The village said the north side’s all wasteland, but south, east, and west have greenery along the rivers.”
”Got it,” Klock thought, nodding to himself. If there’s a river, that settles it.
Considering beasts, it was safer to stay slightly elevated or away from the water’s edge. With energy running low, they’d have to pick a spot close by—no long detours.
They had some food and water, but not everything had been loaded. The plan was always to gather supplies along the way. No need to scavenge at night, though—better not push too far.
”The first river we planned for is still pretty far, huh?” Klock said, rubbing his neck. “Well, I don’t have the guts to cross wasteland anymore, so it’s fine.”
”Yes,” Suzette said. “That roar definitely came from a dragon near the volcano. If we walk somewhere with a clear view, our chances of being spotted go way up.”
Dragons resided where dragon veins were—[T/N: mystical energy currents that affect the land’s vitality]. The mouths of these veins often lay in mountain ranges. Volcanic regions, especially active ones, made perfect nesting grounds.
Still, there was no known record of a dragon in Beniiro Volcano. If one had been spotted before, the villagers would have warned them. No warnings meant either the dragon was new… or it had gone unnoticed for years.
But then, what could produce a roar strong enough to shake the hills, far from the mountains?
”Maybe it’s a named dragon,” Klock suggested. “Even a normal one’s hard enough. But if it’s named… we might not get out alive.”
There were all kinds of dragons, apparently. Suzette furrowed her brow and pointed to the sky.
”We didn’t see its shape when it roared, right?” she asked. “Even though it wasn’t close, the sound was enormous. That means it’s probably huge. Could even be ancient—like that Sea Dragon, Belgerona.”
At the mention of the name, Klock froze. He remembered.
Belgerona—the massive dragon that had once carried him on its back, fleeing from the empire with the heroes in pursuit, soaring toward Rushelora.
Was it on that level? To a human, such creatures were like gods—or disasters. At best, we were scraps in their teeth. At worst, we weren’t even worth swallowing.
Just flapping its wings could send me flying to my death, Klock thought. Rocks tossed by its stride could crush me before I even knew I was dead.
It was apocalyptic. Resistance? Pointless. Creatures like that existed on another plane entirely.
He suddenly understood why squirrels fled in a frenzy just because a human approached. Not because they were targeted—just because one misstep could mean death. It was instinctive, bottomless fear.
They continued walking after that, taking short breaks as needed.
The trees began to thin, the terrain sloping upward. The sun leaned farther west. Klock was about to suggest making camp when he spotted it—water trickling between mossy stones.
It looked like spring water, flowing fresh from the slope. They’d reached the edge of a water source.
”Let’s use the water we brought,” Suzette said, crouching near the bank. “Don’t touch this until we can tell if it’s drinkable.”
She clearly knew a thing or two about water quality. Klock, lacking such knowledge, deferred to her judgment. She’d grown up in the woods. In this kind of forest, it made sense to follow her lead.
Because they had a carriage, they chose a spot with space to maneuver. Normally, travelers sought out hollows or caves—but with weapons and a team, it was smarter to choose a spot suited for a fight.
”What if something big comes and smashes the carriage?” Klock asked, voice dropping. “Are we seriously gonna fight a bear?”
The question had just popped out. Normally, against large beasts, the best move was to run or scare them off. But Suzette had said earlier she could handle a bear. Still, they needed to make sure their emergency responses were clear.
”Let’s fight,” Suzette said without hesitation. “I can handle it alone, so don’t worry too much. Besides, there shouldn’t be anything big around here. In a way, this place is protected—by the dragon.”
”…What do you mean by that?” Klock asked, raising an eyebrow.
”In areas where dragons live, big predators leave. They get eaten. You might still find bugs and the like, but as long as we watch for the dragon, it’s actually safer here.”
Klock blinked, surprised. That logic… made sense.
Wolves might still be nearby, but not in large numbers. The bigger the beast, the more likely it was to draw a dragon’s attention.
Dragons consumed mana—but they also devoured animals. As for threats, anything medium or small—stray cats, for instance—could be dealt with.
”Shall we start a fire soon?” Suzette asked, glancing at the sky.
The once-red horizon had dulled to a muddy brown, clouds bleeding in from the west. They gathered dry wood scattered across the forest floor, layering brittle twigs with crisp leaves.
They built a small mound. Standing before it, Klock quietly invoked a faint spell—one of his few tricks.
A red spark flared to life at his fingertips. (This is all I’ve got.) He blew on it gently, and the leaves glowed brighter, catching quickly.
”Even though it’s pretty weak, that’s surprisingly useful,” Suzette said, watching the flame spread.
”Not that I’m proud of it,” Klock replied with a sigh.
”I get that, but hey—better than useless. These days, lots of people can’t even start a fire without a magic stone.”
That was the world now—convenience had erased necessity. Skills once vital were being forgotten. Magic stones had taken over. Anyone could use them—just infuse a specific ore with magic and voilà, spell-like results. Scrolls had also become more common. No one rubbed sticks together anymore.
”Suzette, you can use basic magic, right? I wish I could manage at least that much,” Klock said, watching the fire flicker.
”I can use it,” Suzette replied, tossing another log onto the flames, “but not well in practice.”
A clean plume of fire bloomed over the kindling, catching the wood with a sharp crackle. Suzette eased down onto a tree root nearby, firelight flitting across her features. Nearby, a horse folded on its legs gave a quiet snort. The pair, along with their two steeds, formed a rough circle around the fire.
”What do you mean you can’t handle it?” Klock asked, turning to her.
”Even if you’ve got twenty kinds of weapons, you end up using maybe three, right?” she said. “Magic’s the same. When it comes to a fight, you stick to what you know.”
It was a simple, clear explanation. In battle, the feel of a weapon—and the tactics that come with it—meant everything. No matter how many options you had, if you weren’t practiced, you couldn’t rely on them. In a world where death could strike in under a second, using unfamiliar magic was a quick way to die.
On the other hand, even someone who only mastered one type could become terrifyingly strong. What mattered wasn’t the quantity, but the depth—how many fights you’d lived through, your age, your experience.
But Klock knew that wasn’t him. Even if he mastered kindling, what good was that beyond making a campfire?
If anything, Klock’s strongest weapon was his experience.
After all, he’d managed to escape from that Elna—an intense, unquestionably powerful mage. Whatever shape the battle had taken, the only reason he’d survived was likely because Elna was too young… and he was just old enough.
If that white-furred [T/N: Beastkin or humanoid being resembling a cat] girl had been ten years older, the outcome might’ve been entirely different. He could’ve been skewered by a lightning spear and killed without so much as a scream.
”Sir Klock. Isn’t something coming this way?” Suzette asked suddenly, pointing off toward the darkness.
Startled, he stood, half-expecting to see some giant centipede crawling their way. But what he saw was… different. A slow-moving black shadow.
”…Huh? Water? Has it flowed this far?” he muttered.
It was hard to see in the night, but as he stepped closer, the glint of moisture gave it away. Water was trickling down from a slope.
”It’s not just water; it’s warm. Lukewarm, but not cold,” Suzette said, gently touching it.
Following her lead, he reached down and dipped his fingers in. She was right—it wasn’t springwater-cold. There was a definite warmth to it.
Hot water. This close to a mountain?
Only one word came to mind: hot spring.
He looked toward the peaks, then exchanged a glance with Suzette.
”So it’s bubbling up right now, huh?” he said.
”Yes. We should move a bit. At this rate, the fire might go out,” she replied, rising.
If the fire died, they’d have trouble staying warm—and if the ground turned to mud, the wagon would be stuck. They should’ve set up camp a bit farther back.
”…Guess I have no choice,” Klock sighed. “I’ll head up and check it out. If it looks bad, I’ll move us.”
”Understood. I’ll take care of the horses first,” Suzette said with a nod.
Just when he’d thought he could relax, a new problem had come up. There was nothing more annoying than having to move right after settling in. He pulled a thick log from the firewood pile and lit one end for a torch, leaning it against his shoulder.
Good grief. It was like remembering an errand the moment your head hit the pillow.
Still… if it was a hot spring, could they go in?
No, that was asking for trouble.
Klock, who secretly loved baths, couldn’t deny the allure of the word onsen [T/N: Japanese-style hot spring bath]. But he didn’t have the knowledge—or the courage—to strip down in an unfamiliar mountain.
He climbed the slope carefully. It wasn’t steep, but the darkness made every root and rock a hazard, even with the torch.
The stream widened as he went. If this much water was bubbling up, they might really need to move the wagon or risk getting stuck in the morning.
Then he felt it—heat. Actual, humid warmth clinging to his skin.
Seriously… was this really an onsen?
The lukewarm trickle must’ve cooled as it flowed. Now, the air felt like the inside of a bathhouse.
Driven by curiosity, he pushed on. Before long, the slope opened into a shallow basin, and there it was—an actual hot spring pool nestled in a hollow.
It was an onsen.
He didn’t plan to bathe, of course, but he couldn’t help the flicker of excitement. Finding something this rare in the wild… that was worth a bit of awe. When he leaned down and touched the water, it gave off a pleasant warmth.
…?
When he scooped some up, something about the color seemed… off.
Maybe it was just the firelight. He brought the torch closer.
It looked red. Like—
”…Huh?” he breathed.
A prickling unease crawled over his skin. Instinctively, he looked forward.
The spring’s surface reflected nothing but darkness. But as the torchlight flickered, it revealed something beneath the water’s surface.
He extended the torch slowly, leaning in.
The light hit something sharp.
Teeth.
A glinting row of fangs. Horns. And then—
A bloodied mouth surfaced, slack and grotesque.
Something with jaws agape was bleeding into the hot spring.
A corpse?
Wait—wait. It was small, but…
A dragon?
Was that a dragon’s corpse?
Only the head and part of the neck had surfaced. A horned, lizard-like skull the size of a large beast lay half-submerged, twisted at the edge of the spring.
The dragon was being boiled.
”No way. What happened?” he muttered.
”I just killed it. Got a problem with that?” a voice responded coolly.
Klock flinched. The voice came not from the shadows, but from beyond the dragon.
”What? I thought you were a local Beastkin, but you’re Human. And a guy, too,” the voice continued.
”…Huh?”
The darkness began to brighten.
Before he could make sense of what he was hearing, he noticed something strange—the ground beneath his feet began to glow.
Fire.
Flames ignited in a sudden ring around him.
He leapt back instinctively, but it didn’t help. The fire spread fast—trees, bushes, everything caught in the blaze.
He stood frozen.
The entire area had burst into flame, trapping him in a wall of fire.
”Aahh, seriously. I was enjoying myself, and you had to interrupt,” the voice said, now laced with irritation. “Coming to peek at my bath? You’ve got some guts, huh? You ready to be roasted to the bone?”
The flames surged higher, boxing him in.
He realized then—too late—that he’d wandered somewhere he shouldn’t have.
Trapped in the blaze, he could now see everything. The hot spring. The half-submerged dragon corpse. And the figure who’d spoken.
Golden-white hair, streaked like old ivory. Cream-colored fur, like a stray cat’s, damp and clinging.
Eyes that could kill with a glance—eyes people made when they were barely holding back pain.
A woman with one arm missing.
Her chest floated just above the waterline, one elbow propped lazily on the edge of the spring. She shared the bath with the dead dragon like it was an old companion. And the grin she gave him—
It was wicked. Unmistakably dangerous.
Klock understood instantly.
This woman was lethal.
”Rejoice, Human,” she said, voice full of mirth. “This Ms. Gildegant will color the end of your pathetic life. Go ahead—brag in the underworld about how you got burned to death.”
What…?
He wanted to snap back. To say something clever. Maybe even run.
But there was nowhere to go. The fire pressed in closer.
He was going to die.
He could see it now. Death, fast and pitiless.
Why like this? Why now?
Sure, he was a former thief, so a trashy ending kind of fit, but this was just too sudden.
Excuses for dying flashed through his mind like a lantern reel.
They say death comes fast, but this was ridiculous.
Wait, wait, wait!!
Just wait a second!!
The flames surged again, seconds from turning him to ash—
And suddenly, Klock remembered.
He was a thief. He didn’t have a job. He wasn’t some noble or hero.
Klock Livorno lived dirty. So he should die dirty, too.
”…Huh?” he whispered.
Then he dropped to his knees.
As if in worship, he pressed his palms together, bowing his head toward the woman.
He began rubbing his hands together in a pleading motion, his expression twisting into the most sycophantic grin he could manage. Raising his voice to just the right pitch, he blurted—
”No, seriously, this is insane!! What is this—so cool!! I can’t believe I’m meeting a dragon slayer!! Please, let me call you Big Sis!!”
For a moment, everything froze.
The woman stared at him, expression locked in stunned silence.
Even the flames around them seemed to pause.
Notes:
• Suzette – The older maid from Viscount Fennec. The head maid at the Viscount Fennec’s villa. She is confident, clear-spoken, and professional.
• Rushelora – A port where demons are allowed to stay at embassies under special circumstances. It is a location where humans and demons have trade relations.
• Elna – Female. A young apprentice mage. Her appearance is that of a child with white hair reaching her shoulders. She wears a black hooded mantle with strange patterns. Her relationship is as an apprentice to Hermine, the Great Mage. Her power involves advanced magic, including spatial teleportation. Her combat style is magical, and she is described as childish and easily provoked.
• Gildegant – One of the Four Generals of the Demon Lord. Flame General.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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