A few days after the attack of the saints.
In the workshop, the girls' new equipment which was finally complete
was being unveiled.
"Oh, it looks wonderful. Umu, it makes my body feels light, too," Arca
remarked.
"That's a matter of course. We unsparingly used the materials we
had collected over the years. They were the rarest of the rare
materials you could find out there." Nazarie-san puffed up her chest
proudly.
Magmell asked reservedly, "S-should you really use such things? It
does feel exceptionally well to wear however…"
"Umu," Nazarie-san nodded with a smile to Magmell, "we dwarves
never forget the favors we've received. Not to mention, you sorely
needed them; we naturally would spare nothing to make you the best
armors."
"Thanks, Nazarie. Now we can provide even more help to Exa,"
Tirna said with a smile.
Zana nodded, "Yeah. I suffered an embarrassing defeat the other
day, but that won't happen again next time."
"Ou! The next time I meet that ox bastard, Imma beat him black and
blue!" Ophir shouted.
As each of them renewed their determination, I looked over the girls
and smiled. "Yup, you all look great. Of course, you were beautiful
before, but you simply look drop dead gorgeous now."
"Hmph, that's a given. I hate to admit it, but as Tirna said, we were
rather lacking in power. Well, I don't think everything will change with
just a single piece of armor, but I believe that now we can be more of
help to you, and that's what makes us the happiest."
"…I see. Thanks everyone."
Arca's words caused warmth to spread inside of my chest but,
"Indeed, that is the case. But well, I have Hallowed Sacred Staff, so
I'm one step ahead of everyone."
――Glance.
""""...(Irk)""""
In response to Magmell's gaze who seemed to be proud of her lead,
the rest of the girls gave her stares with half-closed eyes.
Then.
"Ha, if ya say so, then ya should've healed Zana quicker."
"—W-what!?"
"Mm, I concur. You took too long."
"I-it can't be helped, can it!? Because Exa-sama's regeneration
magic and my healing magic are completely different!?"
Ophir and Tirna looked at each other and said to Magmell who had
argued back fiercely, "But you had Hallowed Sacred Treasure. That's
all I'm sayin'."
"Mm. You had Hallowed Sacred Treasure."
"You…" Magmell bit her lips. I watched them with a smile on my face,
inwardly relieved that things were going on as usual.
◇ ◇
And so, we set off the village while being sent off by the dwarves.
Of course I profusely thanked all of them, and as I promised to Leiasan, I asked Nazarie-san if I may introduce Leia-san to her.
Perhaps because Leia-san was the blacksmith who made
Hinokaguzuchi, Nazarie-san seemed to be interested in her too and
she gave a positive reply: "Umu, I'd love to meet her someday."
Just that, given the dwarf was an exclusive race, that might be quite
difficult.
Anyways, with the girls geared with their new equipment, we were
heading towards the area of heavy snowfall in the north where the
goddess of thunder—Fluga-sama was residing with my Fire God
Form.
I was thinking if I should get a new armor too, but at present there
seemed to be nothing better than Phoenix Robe.
Well, it was the strongest equipment in terms of materials.
It couldn't be helped.
That said, this Phoenix Robe seemed to be a type of equipment that
could evolve as I grew too, and there was a possibility that it could
gave birth to new forms.
In that case, I just have to become even stronger than I currently am
so as to create the ultimate form.
As I renewed my determination, the snowfall was getting harder and
harder.
It quickly grew into a snowstorm and caused our visions to be filled
with nothing but white.
"It sure is worthy of its reputation as area of heavy snowfall. We
would have been stranded without Exa," said Zana.
Arca nodded, "Yeah. But I must say, your enhanced power is really
something, Exa. To think you could put up a barrier like this…"
Ahead the eyes of Arca and the others was a circular barrier
surrounding my Fire God Form.
Of course, given that the barrier was of fire attribute, the snowstorm
evaporated the moment it touched the barrier, and it made the
temperature inside to be moderately warm too.
"Exa's back is so warm. I'm getting sleepy." Tirna was lying on her
stomach and enjoying the feeling of my feathers (though strictly
speaking they were flames).
"It sure is~," Ophir agreed and lied down spread-eagled, "So
warm~… Honestly, I feel so sleepy… zzz~."
"No, how could you fall asleep that fast!? Rather, we can't be
relaxing while Exa-sama doing all the hard work by himself!? That's
simply wrong!?" Magmell shouted.
I laughed, "Haha, you don't need to mind me. It's still going to take
some time until we reach the town anyway, you can take a nap too,
Magmell."
"What? B-but…"
She was so considerate of me that it was difficult to persuade her
but,
"Come on, try to lie down first. It feels really comfortable, you know."
Arca said.
Zana nodded, "Yeah. It feels like you're being embraced by Exa."
"W-well then, if you insist…"
Urged by Arca and the others, Magmell reservedly lied down, too.
"Haa~… it's so warm…"
Just like that she was immediately immersed in comfort, and I was
as satisfied as could be.