Two days came as fast as for the unexpected than the expected. The group gathered in the front yard of the mansion fully rested and prepared to leave the Frozen Labyrinth.
All there preparations were about getting to experience Metamorphosis Magic by using it on the monsters in the Frozen Labyrinth. With the pendant that had the symbol of Schnee as proof, they were able move freely without activating the traps and trials.
Ken planned to leave Remia and Myu here since it was safe with food and everything to keep them comfortable for the few days they would be gone for. But he still left her with a Gate Key that was linked to the now marked Erisen and Verbergen in case they didn't return as expected, they were late or of an emergency. He also added ring with a mana filled Sacred crystal on top to enable her to use the artifact since she can't use magic but she took it seriously and Ken went along with it and gave her a kiss.
Myu like always will be able to see and speak with Ken and party through the iPad. Mostly it was Ken who initiated a connection since he's mostly on the road or fighting and it won't change until they leave this world.
When those who knew the mother and child had finished their farewells, they gathered before a fountain in the yard.
"Erm, I don't know if anyone has thought of this but we could use the Gate Key to Erisen or Verbergen instead of passing through the Demon territory, right?"
Nagayama voiced his opinion on why they were just following Kenshiro and Hagime, when there was such convenience.
Without even turning to face him, Ken spoke after stepping on an obvious foothold with some ancient designs.
"Garland has the shortest way to the Heiligh Kingdom north from here than the other two with or without my aircraft. Mostly with since the Reisen Gorge poses a problem to ground travel"
*clicking and turning sounds*
Such a sound was audible and the fountain before their eyes began to freeze, it was gradually swelling up. Like that it became a huge egg-shaped ice mass that was almost ten meters, before long the expansion and freezing stopped, right after that, *barin!* such a sound was raised and the ice scattered apart.
What appeared from inside the broken remains was a dragon made from ice. A magnificent lustrous dragon that looked transparent as though it was created from crystal.
The ice dragon lowered its head directly below Ken and Hajime's feet where its long neck made a slope. It appeared riding this ice dragon was the shortcut for this great labyrinth.
"This is also a fantastical shortcut, huh."
"…Nn. A present?"
"This consideration is far removed from the repulsiveness of the trial's content, isn't it?"
Each of them let out their impression while nodding at each other, then they crossed the neck where the scales were like a bridge and rode on its back.
Immediately after, the ice dragon flapped its wings grandly and ascended in one go. The ice ceiling was approaching in the blink of an eye, but just before they crashed the ceiling melted and a hole opened, a cylinder pillar was created there.
The ice dragon didn't drop its speed at all and charged into that path.
The sound of cutting wind resounded in their ears and chilly wind caressed their skin,
"The only dragon who Master can ride is just me… does Master want to change rides right now?" while enjoying such nonsense from a certain someone, they soared inside the ice tunnel for ten-odd seconds. The ice dragon, Ken and the rest who rode finally flew into the visible light of the surface.
They were thinking whether they would be let down on the ground right after that, but the ice dragon didn't show any sign of stopping at all and continued to climb into sky. And then without stopping it charged into the cloudy sky of the Schnee Snowfield. The dragon flew out and it began to elegantly soar above the cloud sea while being brilliantly illuminated by the sun.
"From the position of the sun we are heading to the northwest. … It seems that it is kindly sending us until the border of the snow field."
"…Nn. Miledi and Melusine should follow this example."
"I get the feeling that the female camp of the Liberators were just unscrupulous."
The West of the Snowfield was the territory of the Demons, at the North was Reisen's Grand Canyon, at the East was Sea of Trees.
Advancing at the Northwest like this meant that they would be let down at a place where it would be easy to go to the Demon territory or to the North continent. Furthermore, they didn't really feel the cold air of the sky, so it seemed a simple barrier was spread from the intermediary of the ice dragon.
Indeed, they wanted to be spared from getting tossed out into the snowfield of extreme cold after conquering the great labyrinth, but after thinking about the deed of a part of the Liberators, "Such consideration!" this made Ken, Hagime and the others a bit emotionally moved like that.
And then Shia's guess was surely not mistaken. A woman who was an expert in irritating people, a woman who tossed them into the sea while saying it was a shortcut, a woman who forcefully made people love cockroaches… surely the male liberators in the past was considerably made to go through hardships of this and that which were caused by those women without doubt.
While thinking of such a thing, the ice dragon was gradually beginning to lower its altitude. It appeared they had approached near the landing place. Perhaps the ice dragon couldn't go out of the snowfield, it seemed that it wouldn't go through the sky and brought them outside the boundary, it once more plunged into the cloudy sky.
And then it softly landed on a spot that was just a stone toss from the boundary. Kenshiro and others reflexively said a polite thanks to it. The ice dragon shook its tail as though to say not to mind it and once more it soared and vanished inside the snowfield.
Even while thinking gloomily about the snowfield that covered their sight, the boundary of the snowfield was just right there so Kenshiro and others moved with quick steps.
But, at that time, the senses of Ken, Hagime and Shizuku as well as Shia's rabbit ears caught something. Their eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Everyone, be on guard. Various figures are inbound outside the boundary."
Hajime's caution made nervousness run through them. Everyone held their artifacts in hand while coming out at the other side of the blizzard that blocked their sight.
Over there was…
"As expected you all are coming out from here. The reports were accurate then, it saved us the trouble."
"At least he was of some use in spite of his incompetence. To be killed in such unsightly manner when gifted power beyond mortals"
"... Irregular, the god Alvar wishes to hold a civilized conversation with you."
There must be a few dozen of them, many women with the same face growing silver wings 'the Apostles of the true god'―Noint they all were lying in wait.
....