At night, the alarm bell was rung from the village watchtower, signaling the approach of lights and metallic noises towards the village.
Ayaka hurriedly departed from Laurelena's residence and walked towards the destroyed grain fields near the village. Upon stepping outside, she was met with the sight of three large flying contraptions hovering over the fields. A dwarf accompanying the machines on a flying creature made its way towards Ayaka.
"Are you the individuals who requested additional support?"
asked the chief escort of the dwarf zeppelins. These extraordinary vessels were truly impressive. With their massive boat and two oversized balloons keeping them aloft, they never failed to astonish onlookers.
"Yes, we were the ones."
Ayaka replied calmly to the dwarf. As she recounted the events that took place in the village to the dwarf, he created a shiny rune with his hand and moved it up and down before the zeppelins started descending.
After the zeppelins landed, their true size became apparent. A staircase descended from the top of one of the Zeppelins, and once it reached down to the ground, a familiar dwarf descended from the staircase, recognized by Ayaka.
"Hey lad, we meet again; where is the other rookie?."
The individual descending was actually Dareldrin, the captain of the 8th Unit working under General Benedict.
"Currently, she is recovering from injuries sustained in the recent battle, and as the deputy leader, I am temporarily assuming her responsibilities."
Ayaka used a respectful tone when addressing Dareldrin, who held a higher position and was older, while also updating him on the latest happenings.
"Okay, then, nothing out of the ordinary is happening here. It's common for the nightmarish creatures to attack other areas before reaching the frontlines."
Dareldrin continued talking while he stroked his beard and pondered deeply.
"Great, bring me to the young girl with white hair. I have a message for her from her mother that I want to keep private."
Ayaka's foxy ears perked up when Dareldrin mentioned Kaylessa's mother, but she quickly recalled that Benedict had informed them that Dareldrin was knowledgeable about their situation.
After receiving Ayaka's approval, Dareldrin followed behind as she led the way to Laurelena's residence.
Upon reaching Laurelena's residence and entering, Ayaka made the formal introduction of Dareldrin to Lau and requested some privacy to discuss military matters.
Laurelena agreed with a nod before exiting the room. Ayaka approached the bed where Kaylessa lay, softly prodding her face to rouse her. As Kay finally opened her eyes, Ayaka began to relay the news about Dareldrin and the message he had brought from Kay's mother.
Kaylessa attempted to sit on the bed, but Ayaka blocked her and focused her gaze on Dareldrin instead. Ignoring Ayaka's reaction, the dwarf proceeded to convey the message from Kaylessa's mother.
"Lad, your mother asked me to give you this special rune. It allows you to reach out to me and purchase things from me. Your mother has already set everything up for it to function. If you have the coin, I can sell you anything you need. Simply place the symbol close to the back of your hand, and it will be absorbed automatically. To activate it, just whisper Dwarfazon, and a fairy will appear. Tell the fairy your order, and it will bring it to me. Simple, isn't it? Oh, and the name is a thing from your mother."
Dareldrin retrieved a bluish rune and casually threw it to Kaylessa, only for Ayaka to swiftly snatch it from the air with a menacing glare directed at Dareldrin, who simply shrugged in response.
Kaylessa inexplicably imagined a self-satisfied grin on her mother's face, indicating that she felt a sense of pride in the unique name she had selected, believing it to be completely original and free from copyright restrictions.
Following the given directions, she fused the rune with her hand. Upon completion, Kaylessa locked eyes with Dareldrin and began to talk.
"Because you're here, it means the backup has arrived, correct? Can you explain how it works?"
"It's simple. We'll bring the wounded soldiers back to base and provide you with new soldiers from the 8th unit. Unfortunately, we don't have any officers available for you, so you'll need to get back on your feet quickly. I believe your mission involves visiting 3 villages, and this is only the first one."
After finishing their discussion, Dareldrin departed from Laurelena's residence and headed towards the zeppelins in order to transport the wounded soldiers and deliver fresh ones.
Kaylessa took Ayaka's hands and led her to the bed. Despite Ayaka's flushed face, she made no attempt to resist. Kaylessa proceeded to embrace her.
"Hey Ay, now that Dareldrin brought up the topic of officers, I want to know your feelings and thoughts about inviting Laurelena to join our team as the leader of our mages."
As Ayaka listened and comforted Kaylessa, she began pondering Laurelena's behavior and approach in the recent incidents.
Ayaka understood that it was Laurelena who gave the order for the mages and town guards to support them in facing the troll, ultimately leading to their survival when she leapt off the wall to rescue Kay.
Laurelena's attitude was timid, but that changed with assistance from Grandpa Turtle. The grandpa turtle proved to be the most helpful turtle she had encountered, even though she hadn't interacted with many turtles before.
"I believe it's a wonderful plan, Kay, but before we proceed, we should check with her to see if she's willing to leave the village and join us. Not everyone wants to be in a risky position where danger could strike at any moment."
After careful consideration, Ayaka eventually agreed. Kaylessa then nodded in agreement and nestled her head on Ay's generous bosom. It has now become Kay's favorite spot to rest.
Ayaka blushed slightly, as she was familiar with Kay's mischievous behavior, so she accepted her role as a sensual body pillow with a hint of the natural scent of cinnamon emanating from her body.