The next morning, the six of us and Mr. Arnold rode in the Beast Carriage in front of the Royal Palace.

"I wish you good luck.

　The only people who will see me off are His Majesty Shamahn, about ten noblemen, and the Kingsguard.

(You can trust these people, can't you?)

　As I waved my hand out the window, I thought to myself.

　The aristocrat who masterminded last night's attack had been quickly captured after questioning the perpetrators.

'Thanks to that, I'll be up all night.

　Mr. Arnold chuckled and sighed.

　His Majesty Shamahn will check for further masterminds and fellow nobles while we are away.

　For now, the matter is now settled.

(..........but, oh dear.

　We came to this country across the sea to fight demons, and we never thought we'd have to deal with people.

　And yet I didn't expect to have to deal with a human being....

　I felt a little discouraged.

　The 'beast car' that carried us left the king's palace.

''Ha!''

　tightly

　Mr. Arnold, seated in the guru's seat, is slapping the elephantine beast's ass with a stick that bounces like a fishing pole.

　Galang, Galang.

　The bell on the beast's neck rang a dull sound and the vehicle proceeded.

　In front of the Royal Palace, the beastmen who were demonstrating, as usual, to have the 'Holy God Tree' shaved again, were gathered in front of the Royal Palace.

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

　These people don't know the truth.

　If they knew, would they stop demonstrating?　Or is it...?

　Galang, Galang.

　The beast car leaves the protesters behind and proceeds into the streets of Karanka, the capital of Vega country.

　The road is sandwiched between a canal and a street tree.

　At the far end of the street, white stones and golden buildings line the street.

　Even though it's morning, many beastmen can be seen on the street.

　It's full of exoticism.

''...I wish I could have gone sightseeing.

　I couldn't help but pout and mean it.

　Everyone's eyes are drawn to it.

'I suppose.'

　Mr. Kilt chuckles.

　Soltis looks dumbfounded.

Isn't this a good time to be doing this?　

　His lips twitched.

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

　Mr. Colentude and Poe began to look out again, without answering any questions.

'Merle,'

　Iltimina's white fingers stroke my hair in a comforting way.

'When things settle down, we'll all visit again sometime.
Yes.

　Yeah.

I'll show you around then.

　Mr. Arnold also laughed as he showed me the fangs of the beast so.

　Galang, Galang.

　The beast car carries us forward.

　--A city of pure white and gold.

　Leaving that beautiful city behind, we set out on our way to the Sacred Tree.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　A few hours have passed since we left.

　Outside the window, as far as the eye can see, it's a grassy field.

　Our beastly carriage is advancing on the bare dirt roads that have been built there.

　Galang, Galang.

　Near the capital, there had been many vehicles passing each other, but now that was gone, and our vehicles were the only ones on the street.

Compared to Shumuria, Vega itself has a smaller population.

　is what Solstice, the girl who knows things, said.

(Really?)

　A grassland that can be seen to the end of the horizon.

　Trees are sprouting there, and animals can be seen in the distance.

　The air is a bit idyllic.

　And then...

　(?)

(Hmm?)

　I heard some strange sounds.

　Animal noises?

　The melody is too beautiful for that, and it feels like a beautiful voice.

　Everyone else noticed it too.

'Is that the Harpy's singing voice?'

　Mr. Kilt mutters.

(Harpy?)

　According to my past life knowledge, it's a bird demon.

　Mr. Arnold squinted his vertical pupils and pointed to a single tree in the distance.

'There it is,'

　This is the largest tree in the vicinity.

　There are nearly a dozen gigantic, human-sized birds perched on its branches.

(Wow ... that's a man-faced bird!

　All of those birds, to my surprise, had the faces of human women.

　And all of them were beautiful.

　Their breasts were also swollen with two breasts wrapped in feathers.

　These women, who said they were harpies, were swaying their long, lustrous hair, exposing their long throats, and singing in the meadow.

(..........They have beautiful voices.

　You can't help but listen in.

　And.

'Don't let looks deceive you, Merle?

　Hmm?

It's The Carrion Eater.

(...carrion eater?)

　I get a scare, and Illtimina tells me.

　Harpies are carnivorous demons.

　They attack creatures smaller than they are in groups, of course, but they also eat 'rotten meat' left over from other demons and animals.

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

　With that beautiful face...?

　It was a subtle feeling when I imagined it.

　Mr. Arnold laughs.

'Also known as a 'prairie sweeper'.
..........
'You'll know it when you get close, but you'll smell quite a bit of rot. And I've also heard that there are a number of humanoid men who have been tricked into approaching them by their beautiful looks and singing voices and have been able to fit into their stomachs.

　...Really?

　Mr. Colontude says in a sleepy voice.

''........the face is a person.......but inside it is a demon.
..........
Merle, be careful with that, okay?
Uh-huh.

　I nodded divinely.

　Suddenly, I realized that the singing had stopped.

　When I looked, the harpies on the tree were looking at the beast car that was advancing on the street - and at us in it, all at once.

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

　Beautiful, expressionless female faces.

　Oh, I see.

(That singing voice was meant to lure us in, wasn't it?)

　I realize that.

　........It's terrifying.

　Although she has the face of a beautiful woman, her essence is still a demon.

　Garang Garang.

　The beast car paced with the sound of bells.

　With the gaze of the demons staring at us from afar, we proceeded along the grassy roadway.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　Beyond the grasslands was a rainforest.

　The air was humid.

　The muddy earth.

　A paradise of ivy-laden plants, and many large insect-shaped demons.

(Ki, that's creepy.)

　When a spider of about 1 mead fell from the tree tops onto the roof of the 'beast car', it was indeed a scare.

　We fought them off with the help of Mr. Quilt and his team, and found ourselves in the wilderness, where the environment had changed completely after we left the rainforest.

　Dry soil and wind.

　Cactus-like plants grew out of the ochre-colored ground.

　Large rat-like demons ran across the earth, and centipede-like demons that popped up from under the ground caught them and ate them mekily.

　With them by my side, I continued on the street.

''We're almost at the 'Valley of the Demon Beasts'

　Arnold said as he looked ahead.

　It was the eighth day after we had left the capital city of Karanka.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　We turned off the wilderness road and made our way through the rough terrain.

　Eventually, we were swallowed up into a large canyon.

(Wow...)

　About thirty meters to the left and right of the beast car, a 50-meter-high cliff rose up about 30 meters to the left and right.

　We were just sandwiched between the cliffs.

　We seemed to be moving along the bottom of the canyon.

　Galang, Galang, Galang.

The sound of the "Beast Car" bell echoed.

　A number of pillar-like things were growing at the bottom of the ravine, and there were a number of rock bridges that stretched out in the sky above, which seemed to connect the cliffs to each other.

(Hmm........?)

　When I saw the bridge, I suddenly realized

　That was.....

Or is it a bone?

　Or so I thought.

　It's shaped like the bones of a snake, like the spine and ribs of a snake.

(No, but ... what's a snake that size?)

　Between the cliffs, there are 60 to 100 meadows between them.

　I don't think it's possible for a snake to be long enough to take so many trips there.

　At the sound of my voice, everyone notices.

"Huh... is this a fossil of the 'Greatest Species'?

　Mr. Kilt said in a very surprised voice.

　'The Great King species?

　I looked up at Dr. Illtimina, who I could rely on at times like this.

　The doctor noticed my gaze.

'These are giant creatures that are said to have existed before the time of the ancient Thanatos Magical Dynasty.

　He told me.　

The "Great King Species" lived more than a thousand years ago and are now extinct.

　Nevertheless, they are still a phantom creature whose existence has been proven by documents from the Thanatos Era and fossils left behind in various parts of the world.

　Solstice, the girl who knows things, also says.

It is said that even in the Thanatos Era, the Greatest Species fought with the humans for supremacy on earth.
"Huh?

　Really?

Also, the Chimera in this valley are said to be magical bioweapons created by the Thanatos civilization to counteract the "Great White Species.

　What a fact.

　Mr. Arnold also has a look of admiration on his face at the girl's erudition, "You know a lot.

'Oh?　You can respect me, you know?

　Mr. Solstice with a high nose.

　You get on a roll so easily........

　My sister snaps at me, "Hey," and I'm taking a chop to the brain with a petticoat. Haha.

(But I didn't know there was such a giant creature.)

　Looking up at the fossils of snakes ranging from a few hundred meadows to a few kilometers in length, I can't help but feel a sense of ancient romance there.

　Chillax.

　I look at Kilt-san.

''If it's Mr. Kilt, can you take down the 'Greatest Seed' as well?''
Do you?

　The silver-haired beauty laughed vaguely.

　But I won't say that I can't beat it, I won't say that I can't beat it.

(..................Great.

　Kilt's strength is immense.

　On the ship, he was defeated by the Shinryu Nagaia, but if he fights again, I don't know what will happen next time, in my opinion.

　Actually, Kirt, I've been training without telling everyone.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


Merle, do you have a minute?

　That's what Mr. Kilt called me after a practice session on the boat one day.

　Hmm?　So I thought to myself.

Can you make your spirit fly?

　He asked me if I could do it.

　Of course I said, 'I can't,'" he said.

　She was disappointed that I could.'

　I asked her why.

"I believe that if you can sense the invisible divine energy, you can respond to its attacks.
..........

　You are completely expecting a battle against the Shinryu Nagaia.

　I was dumbfounded, but Kirto-san pondered my answer.

　And.

"I'm sorry, but can't you let me feel your divine presence?

　He asked me to do it.

　Then I was embraced by Mr. Kilt.

　In his arms, I 'divine release'.

　A hot force like magma flowed inside my body, and a pinned-up beast ear grew out of my head and a fluffy tail grew out of my ass.

　Crackle, crackle.

　There were white sparks radiating from the divine Qi around them.

''Hmph.''

　Kirt-san felt the change in me, while keeping close to me.

　...........

　I was also feeling Kirt-san's body.

　Her petite, yet large and resilient breasts.

　Hot skin that touched each other.

　Her rich silver hair was silky and smooth as it stroked my body.

　The sweet smell of citrus.

　It was the body of a mature woman of 29 years old.

'I don't know how,'

　A beautiful voice murmured that in my ear.

　...........

''Deactivate the divine body mode, again, please.

　Then I went back and forth in god body mode until I reached the limit of the three minute time limit.

　In other words, I was being held the whole time.

　When my time was up.

Hmm. See you tomorrow.

　He said with a fresh smile.

　And so, for a few days, without everyone's knowledge, Mr. Kilt's secret training continued.

　A few days later.

I think I'm starting to get it.

　That's what he said, Mr. Quilt.

　White fingers touch the air.

　Crunch.

　Another move into the air.

　pasish

　The white fingers were indicating ahead of time where the divine Qi would dissipate.

　What even I, as a divine dog, can't understand, this person has come to understand... what is it, this person?　Are you really human?　Even the arcane in me is surprised.

　I was surprised, and Mr. Kilt smiled happily at me.

　Then, as I recall.

Don't you ever tell Irna about this exercise?

　While hugging me, Kirt-san said that now.

　There's no way I could say that.....

　At my answer, Kilto-san let out a breath of relief.

　Then his white fingers combed through my hair.

'And yet you're really comfortable to hold........ I know how Irna feels about always using you as a cuddle pillow.

　I murmured as he buried the tip of his nose in my neck.

　My breath hit my neck, tickling me.

　I was writhing in agony, and Mr. Quilt was smiling a bit happily at me.

　From then on, our secret rehearsals continued every day until the day the ship arrived on the dollar continent, because Kirt-san wanted to improve his accuracy.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　I couldn't help but reminisce.

Merle?　What's going on?

　The current voice of Kilt-san brought me back to myself. ........Oh.

　I couldn't help but stare at it.

'Nope.'

　I reply, hiding my inner thoughts.

　Mr. Kilt, staring at me, his rich silver hair shaking, tilts his head in wonder.

　And then.

Hey, guys, I'm out!　The 'Chimera' you've been waiting for!

　A warning came flying in from Arnold up ahead.

(!)

　The air tightened.

　Everyone grabbed their respective weapons and got into a battle stance.

　Golden eyes looked at me.

Let's go, Male!
Yeah!

　I replied loudly to my beautiful mentor.