I fly through the night sky of twinkling stars, spreading my iridescent metal wings, leaving a glimmering afterglow behind me.

　My destination is the village in Gitarka territory, Renu's birthplace.

　The snowy land illuminated by the red and white moonlight.

　I fly above it.

　I might be flying at about 100 kilometers per hour.

　Hugooh!

　The strong wind pressure causes my hair to flail about.

(My eyes hurt...)

　Tears spilled from my narrowed eyes and scattered to the sky.

　With her arms around my neck, Renu, clad in a thermal robe, was carried on my back.

　In the cold outside air, only our backs are warm to each other.

　By the way, her winter robe was Iltimina's.

　I borrowed it without telling her.

(Sorry, Iltimina-san.)

　I guess I owe you a proper apology later.

Merle.

　In my ear, Renu-san called out to me with her lips together.

(Hmm?)

　Through the wind noise, her anxious voice says

'I mean ... are you sure that was a good idea?　I just slipped out without saying a word.

　Oh.

"Uh, yeah. It's gonna be okay, right?

　I replied with a vague smile.

　It would be impossible to get to the village in Gitarka territory, Renu's birthplace, and back in three days.

　However, that was just an overland route.

　If it were an air route with no ups and downs or detours, I thought it would be possible to reach the village in three days.

　However, I didn't have the strength to carry so many people that far.

　At the very least, Renu is the limit.

　But when I told them that, I was sure that Kirto-san and Iltimina-san...especially Iltimina-san, would never approve of Renu-san and I going to Gitarka territory alone because it would be dangerous.

　So we sneaked off.

　Oh, just in case, I left a note because I didn't want to worry everyone, right?

　

(............)

　So I ask Renu to do me a favor.

'I mean, I'm sure it's okay, but...when you get home, will you apologize with me?'
..........
...I'm still scared of being angry at you alone...

　I tell him shabbily.

　Renu-san was staring at my face as if she was somewhat taken aback.

　I have a feeling I'm dumbfounded.

''Nah, it's a bit cold at altitude, isn't it?　We'll fly a little lower.

　Off topic, I get off topic, and I drop in altitude.

　It's a snowy night.

　The temperature is very low.

　Plus, there's the wind pressure, flying at over 100 km/h.

　Even though we are both wearing thermal robes, I want to think about keeping warm.

　I lower the altitude of our flight from about 200 meters above the ground to about half that.

　Fortunately, I have a clear view in the moonlight.

　I'm sure we won't hit any obstacles.

　But the fact that we can see the moon means there are no clouds, which means it's extra cold as the geothermal heat escapes to the sky.

(Fire magic stones, how many of them, did I bring with me...?)

　I vaguely think about the time I'm going to get warm.

　And then I suddenly noticed that the snow field in front of me was slightly raised and hilly.

　In terms of distance, it's about 30 meters to the ground.

(Well, not exactly a bumping distance.)

　I don't care much and I try to pass over it - that's when.

　Bwah.

!

　Something long and slender and pinkish jumped out of that pure white earth.

　Giggling.

　It tangled in our torso as we were flying.

'Whoa!'
What...?

　Forced sudden braking was applied, forcing me to stop in the sky.

　Fluttering its iridescent metal wings, I managed to regain my position in the air while struggling to control it.

(I, what in the world........?)

　My blue eyes, confused, were immediately turned to the ground.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


(??)

　...nothing?

　There was nothing but a land of falling white snow on the ground where something pink and slender popped out of the ground.

　No, the snowy ground moved.

(Could there be something under the snow?)

　Renu says in an urgent voice.

''This is ... the tongue of a snow basilisk!

(A snow basilisk... maybe there's a demon in there!

　Googling

What?

　Its resilient, elongated pink tongue tries to pull us to the ground as it coils around us.

　Vo'on.

　Her wings shine and she struggles to resist.

(d*mn ... strong.)

　It's being pulled to the ground a little more forcefully than I expected.

　I wanted to cut off this tongue, but it's wrapped around my body and arms, so I couldn't pull the sword out.

　What should I do?

　Just when I thought it was clear.

　Gabba.

　The snowy earth flipped up and a huge demon appeared, popping the white masses.

(!)

　It's a lizard that's fifteen meters long, with white body hair all over its body.

　On the top of its head, it has a huge turban and its eyeballs jut out like a chameleon.

　The demon emerged from the snowy land and opened its bright red mouth wide to prey on its prey (us), which it had captured.

　It was as big and powerful as a red-fanged dragon.

　Renu-san is pale.

　Gugug.....

　The giant white lizard drills its four claws into the earth and draws us closer with tremendous power.

　The reflection of our desperate figures is reflected in its scurrying eyes.

(Ku.........don't lick it!)

The divine release!

　I open the faucet of divine power that was inside my body.

　Geez.

　In a moment, the pinned dog ears grow out of my hair, and a fuzzy tail sprouts out of my hair as if pushing up against Renu's lower abdomen.

''Eh...?　Ah.........

　Renu-san's lapis lazuli eyes widened.

　Her surprised voice and breath hit my dog ears.

　Gugkyu, gugkyu........

The power of the 'divine dog' spread his arms and pushed the tongue that was restraining us outward.　

''Spirit!''

　Jeez, jiggah.

　In response to the wish, the green magic stone of the 'White Silver Armor' on his left arm emitted a light.

　The silver white ore that overflows from the magic stone covers my left arm.

　My left arm becomes a white silver arm with sharp claws like that 'Silver White Wolf'.

''Yeah!''

　gasp

　Through its claws, through the gap pushed open by his arms, he severed the thick tongue, which was about twenty centimeters in diameter.

　Purple blood splattered from the cut surface of the tongue.

''Giuwu........!

　The snow basilisk on the ground screamed and pulled back its shredded tongue.

　Von.

　I flap my wings and swoop down in one fluid motion.

'Hey!'

The Fist of Silver Fist was drawn up like a bow.

　Doggone it.

The all-out punch from the power of the 'divine dog' was thrown into the forehead of the snow basilisk as it tried to escape.

　The impact sent the surrounding land of snow flying off.

　It's as powerful as a bomb falling.

　The tosser of the head flies off in a thousand pieces, but the snow basilisk doesn't die out, but reels backwards instead of falling to its death.

　Zulu.

　One foot behind me slipped from the edge of the snowy hill.

'Gyo!'

　Zulul ... Zulun.

　The huge body that struggles, however, doesn't stop but only crumbles down the land of snow, sliding down the steep slope.

　Zuzzaa.........

　With a small avalanche of

"Gioiaaaa...

　The demon's screams disappeared into the darkness below, tailing off into the darkness below.

　I watched it happen.

"Phew.

　Hovering in the air, I exhaled heavily.

　And with my back to the

"....great... this is the power of the 'Godgu'.

　Renu-san's startled voice echoed softly in my ears.

　It was swept away by the night wind and quickly disappeared into the snowfield sky in the distance.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　Since we're here, we decide to take a break.

　We gather some wood and make a fire with the magic stone of fire on the ground with snow scattered on the ground.

　BOW!

(Oh, it's warm~)

　I had been flying in the cold for so long that I was freezing to the tips of my fingers.

　When I held my palm over the flames, it zinged and numbed, and I could feel the blood flowing there.

　I put the snow in a pot, melted it over the fire, and brought the water to a boil, too.

'Yes, Miss Renu,'
Thank you very much.

　I pour it into a glass and give it to Renu.

　Zuzu takes a sip.

　Oh it's delicious!

　It was just hot water, but it warmed me up from the inside out and was so comforting and delicious.

''.........''

　Renu stares at me with a hokey smile on her face, and she doesn't even put her mouth on the cup.

　Then he looks towards the bottom of the cliff where the giant demon has slipped off.

"The snow basilisk is a malevolent demon, with a huge body that rivals that of the dragon species, and is a top-tier predator in this region's ecosystem. I didn't expect them to be so easily repelled...

(Hmm...?)

　Renu-san's lapis lazuli eyes stared at me, who had kyotoned, again.

''So this is the 'divine dog'.......it was even more powerful than I imagined.
Oh, yeah?

　Ho, is that a compliment?

　I'm not sure, and I get a vague look on my face.

　Renu-san finally puts her mouth on the cup.

　Zuzu.........

　And then a breath spilled out.

　It turned white and quickly dissolved into clarity.

　Staring at the surface of the flickering cup - and his own face reflected in it, Renu said.

''The Child of Darkness was very concerned about you.

.................

　My movements stopped too.

　Mr. Renu continued.

'He always saw something in us that we couldn't see. His expression was rich, but his inner feelings were something else entirely.
..........
The Hollow in Limbo.
..........
I feel as if there was a thirst in that heart that could never be satisfied.

Thirsty...?

　Renu looks up.

'But at one point, there was a moment when that emptiness filled my heart.
..........
That's when I learned of Mr. Merle's existence.
I...?
''Yes. After two encounters, the 'dark child' seemed to have found 'something' in Mr. Marle. He seemed to be pleased with that.

　... it's a...

(Could it be my soul mixed in with the imperfect god-dogs, my soul?)

　Renu looked up at the starry night sky with a look that reminded her of those days.

'It was like a child who was all alone and finally found someone to play with...'
..........
'When I met other 'children of God', I didn't get the same reaction. The only thing that would give me that look was concerning Mr. Marr.

　She turned a tearful smile towards us.

''For some reason, it seems that you were special to the 'Dark Child' as well.

　..............

　

　Zzzz..........

　I sip my glass of hot water with a Solstice-like butthurt face.

I don't know what the Son of Darkness thinks of me. I don't care.

　I just know that inside of me.

I don't like him.

　That's all.

　As I said it, she looked a little more complicated than I would have liked.

　Renu didn't say anything else.

　We sipped hot water to warm ourselves up and regained our strength by the fire.

　--I'm not going to be able to get a good look at it.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


Well, shall we go now?
Yes, sir.

　We put out the fire and we try to get going again.

　Huw.

(Ugh?)

　Well, I'm cold.

　As soon as the night wind blew, I felt a terrible coldness in my body. Oh, what?

"?　Mr. Merle?

　Renu notices something wrong with me and scowls.

　I look down at myself in a panic.

Oh.

　To my surprise, I discovered that the thermal robe I was wearing had been slashed wide open.

　This, this........

(Perhaps when he slashed the tongue of the snow basilisk!)

　Yes, that's right.

　The snow basilisk's tongue was wrapped around us from the top of the thermal robe.

　I slashed it with my 'silvery white left hand' from inside the robe, so it slashed the thermal robe with us!

(What the hell...)

　Huio.

　Hey I'm cold!

　It's like having a block of ice pressed up against you with just the night wind blowing through.

　What if I fly through the air with this?

.................

　That imagination sends a chill down my spine even more.

　Renu noticed my thermal robe, too.

Are you sure you're okay, Miss Merle?
Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine.

　I smiled and nodded at her worried look.

(...because I promised...)

　He said he'd make sure Renu was taken to his home village!

　It was cold.

　Huio.

　...you know, it's cold, but I'm a patient girl!

　I was shaking my body and getting stronger.

　Renu-san looks at me with a dumbfounded look on her face.

　With a slightly troubled look on her face, she looks at her thermal robe.

　And.

Mr. Merle.
Hmm?

　phew!

　Wow!
　What, what...?

　Suddenly, something was put over my head and I was confused.

　But I immediately felt my body get warm.
　........What?

　The next thing I know, Renu's brown beauty is right in front of me.

　Her white breath hits my face.

　A little sweet smell.

'It won't be as cold this way, will it?'

　Renu put my body inside her thermal robe, too.

　Ta, it was indeed warm.

　It's warm, but inside the robe, Renu-san's mature, mature, feminine body is being pressed against me!

　I'm a little nervous, and I'm blushing.

　Renu-san looked at me with the kindness of a mother.

"Marle-san is a strange child, isn't she?
Yeah.
So strong, yet so young, so delicate...

　Somehow, Renu-san's gaze was somewhat similar to that of Illtimina-san.

(Umm, hmm?)

　Well, okay.

　It's certainly cold enough to freeze to death, and it might not be at the level of skinny-dipping.

　When you're flying with it on your back, you end up sticking close to it.

(I'd rather have no thermal robes and less cloth to keep each other warm with our body heat...)

　It's a little embarrassing.

So, I'll just fly like this, then?
Yes, sir.

　Renu-san nodded gently.

　Pushing aside my embarrassment, I exhaled heavily and deployed the Wings of the Divine Armor on my back.

　Voon.

　Our wings glow with rainbow colors and our bodies rise.

　Geez.

　Renu's arms are stronger and more closely together.

　Although not as much as Illtimina-san's, a soft elasticity hits my back.

　'Ki, don't worry about it.

''Alright, let's go!
Yes, sir.

　Renu nodded cockily, shaking her glossy red hair.

　Bafu.

　I flapped my large metal wings in the air.

　Vaon Hugo-Oh!

　We flew through the night sky, watched by the red and white moons.

　Leaving behind a rainbow of afterglow like a shooting star, we set out on our way to Gitarka territory.