We returned safely from the dragon's hole.

We tried to keep going back to the abode of the gods, but we stopped on our way.

We ran into an acquaintance in the woods on Table Mountain.

His name is Max.
He's a great buck.

He is the leader of the deer, but something about him was troubling.

He called out to him as a matter of course.
He's a friend, too.

What's the matter with you?　Max . . with an unflattering face.

"Oh, Will. As a matter of fact, it's .......

With a dark look on his face, Max speaks.

He says that his daughter has fallen ill.

They say she just got married this spring and she fell ill.

That's bad news. I'll talk to Mother Milia later and make a potion for you.

"Thanks, but things have changed so quickly. I can't take that long. So I'm going to go find the drug now.

That's a big deal. --What's the name of the herb, by the way?

"It's the orchid.

The moment I heard the name, I looked up.
I was taken aback by the cunning of Mother Militia.
Seeing this, Luna Maria speaks to me.

"Will, do you talk to animals?

Oh, well, I guess Lunamaria doesn't know animal language.

"Yes.

And explain the story to a nodding Luna Maria.
She's as surprised as I am.

Well--well, that's a big deal. And Master Militia is very crafty.

That's true. I'm sure she found out and made me go to the dragon's hole. Maybe it was Mother Militia who told Max the names of the herbs.

So it's doubtful that Seirancho is the only one who can fix the deer's daughter.

Mother Militia is a genius at making potions. Maybe you can cure it with some of your own herbs.

This is where you're trying to find out if Master Will will give you the holy rancor.

Maybe.

Then let's just give her the herbs. It's probably testing the kindness of Mr. Will's heart. Perhaps you'll forgive me if I return empty-handed.

I don't think that's possible. Milia is very strict about that, and to use such a ruse in the first place, you must want to get me rejected.

"...... exactly. So you want to return without giving the drug?

"............

I see a stag named Max.
His eyes were full of melancholy and sadness.

It's hard to ignore a friend with that look on his face.

I take out the holy orchid in my backpack.
I squeezed it, but I wasn't sure until the very end.
Should I give this to him or not?
I hesitated for a few seconds, then I took the orchid--


At that time, in the abode of the gods.

Milia, goddess of healing, is happily cleaning Will's room.

Seeing her, Ronin, the god of swords, asks her, "Aren't you overprotective, cleaning your son's room at his age?

"Aren't you being overprotective, cleaning your son's room at his age?

"What are you talking about. Will is only 14 years old. He's a child.

"I'm 14 years and 12 months old. I'll be an adult in ten days.

Then you have ten more days to pamper yourself.

Milia slaps the flap on the door.
Ronin lets out a breath.

A son at his age hides things under the bed that he doesn't want his female parent to see.

"Don't take my Will with you. He's not a slut.

Well, there's no bookstore in this mountain.

Letting out a wry smile, Ronin changed the subject.

'Come to think of it, it's almost noon and there's plenty of time for that.

What do you mean by "margin?

I'm just saying I'm not going to panic about Will overcoming his ordeal. Overcome the test and you're coming down the mountain.

"Oh, that's the thing. Don't worry, Will will fail the ordeal.

"Don't lick the boy. I can drive away a dragon with ease.



That's true, only if you're a lowly dragon. But you can kill a lesser dragon, but you can't kill time. Not even the bravest.

What does that mean?

"It's just the way it is. On Will's way home, I placed a deer in need of the holy lancet. Gentle Will would give them some of the holy rancor he collected.

"...... oops, what a cunning thing to do!

Say what you will. It's for little Will.

Well, I know the feeling: ....... But what happens if Will goes back for the St. Rango?　Maybe in the tenth level as well.

Yes, there is. But it will take hours to get back to the dragon's den from the forest where we met the deer, and hours more to get to the tenth level. It's impossible.

How about that?
It was Vandal, the god of magic, who countered with a loud laugh.
He approached with a broad smile.

What was that laugh?

It's just that I'm tired of you underestimating Will's abilities. I'm sure he can master the magic of the Flying spell and return to the dragon's hole in a matter of minutes.

You might as well go to ....... But there is no way to reach the tenth level. Because the tenth level is a dragon's den and there are countless lesser dragons.

There are red, blue, green, and many different dragons. But Will might be able to plow through them and get some holy orchids.

I can't.

"Then you want to bet?

Okay. What do you want to bet?

"Very well. The right to a final embrace as Will departs

I'd like to say, "Okay--I'd like to say it, but let's not.

"Cowed?

Yes. I mean, I already know the result.

Then Millia shows the image in the mirror in Will's room.

You can see Will running towards you with a smile on his face.

He has more orchids in his hands than he can hold.

Move the image to the Dragon Mountain's tenth level.
There you'll find a number of bearded dragons.
Their wings and bodies are damaged.

So Will had gone through the tenth level alone to collect the holy orchid.

Seeing this, Ronin saw it and muttered.

...... You're an absolutely unfathomable child. I wonder how much stronger he will become.

"Boys, if you don't see him for three days, scrape him up. I can't even imagine what kind of hero Will will come back as if he were to leave.

Vandal, the god of sorcery, let out a sullen "...... humph" as she stared at Miria, the goddess of healing.

But she seemed to acknowledge that Will had survived the ordeal.

I'll let you go on the trip, but only for a little while. I'll put it back in the mountains in six months and I won't let it go.

Apparently, Millia admits her defeat and allows her to leave.

The strongest opponents of departure, the hardest of the opposing factions, approve, and Will's departure is decided, but then he is torn between how he will spend his last hours of adulthood.