Chapter 30 - Bilena
I thought the world was flipping upside down. Every time the train-car-like structure strapped to the dragon's belly jolted, I felt like I was going to puke.
"Whoaaa—! It's shaking—!"
"Haha, guess you're a total noob who hasn't even ridden a wyvern before."
Esen snickered smugly. She must've been thinking back to when we rode a wyvern together and she treated me like a total rookie.
"Your reaction's pretty dramatic. Should I ask Nidroga to drop you once? That might be even more fun."
"No, don't! Don't do iiiit—!"
The rest of the party burst out laughing as I clung to the jolting sofa, whining like a baby.
Damn, they're all so mean. But petty grudges like that fade fast anyway. I'm glad I was born. Seeing a dragon for the first time was amazing enough, but having it carry us? Even if it's on its belly instead of its back, I still rode it. A badass dragon thirty meters long with a hundred-and-twenty-meter wingspan giving us a lift. The wyvern we rode last time was pretty big and fast, but compared to a real dragon, it was nothing. Now I get why Esen adapted to wyverns so quickly. If you've ridden a dragon, why fear a wyvern?
"Do you party members travel like this often?!"
"Drop the formal speech, newbie porter buddy. I can hear you fine without yelling, so lower your voice."
Nenya nodded graciously. She almost looked like she was trying to act mature, which was kinda funny. Maybe it's because of the "kid" label Esen slapped on her. I've never judged maturity by breast size, though.
"We don't travel like this every time. Nidroga's busy with missions too. And treating a high-class Draconian like a pack animal is ridiculous to begin with."
Esen treated me like a mount, though. Oh right. I'm not high-class; I'm just a porter.
"This time, Nidroga had business in the City of All Gods anyway, so she happily agreed to help. You'll probably get another chance like this later."
Nenya glanced at my pale face and added, almost apologetically.
"Oh, if you hate it, I won't make you ride again."
"No! I'd love to ride again!"
"...Can't tell if you like it or hate it."
Nenya peered at my face, trailing off ambiguously.
Honest feelings? It's awesome, but I feel like puking. Caught between this horrific jolting and sheer ecstasy, I honestly can't tell if I'd ride again or not.
"Come here."
Sis Monica, already seated on the sofa with perfect balance, extended her hand to me. I crawled over half-dead and let her guide me to lie longways on the sofa. Then I pillowed my head on her thigh, just like when I was a kid.
...Mom...
"Better now?"
She placed her hand on my head, glowing faintly with healing power. My brain, mush from the vibrations, started to calm. Using a top-tier healer's ability for this was luxurious, but there's an even greater luxury. I could feel Sis Monica's fat jiggling in perfect balance. Like water sloshing to the opposite side of a tilting bucket to steady it. Her plump, cozy padding was easing my motion sickness. Unshakable comfort. Freaking amazing.
...You've put on a bit more weight than I remember. Oh yeah, your belly fat used to fold so cutely.
"Sis... sleep... is coming..."
"Then stay like this until we land."
Sis smiled plainly down at me. If this isn't happiness, what is?
...Esen's glare stings, but that's tomorrow-Tan's problem.
A half-day has two meanings. Broadly, the twelve hours of daylight. Narrowly, six hours. I naturally assumed it was the twelve-hour trip. But Nidroga's wings were huger than I thought, and her power output insane. We arrived way earlier than expected—still close to midday. I was rubbing my sleepy eyes in surprise when Esen leaped onto my back.
"Giddyup, Pegasus."
"My name isn't Pegasus. Get off."
"Talking back now, huh."
Esen's childish pout, like she was about to puff her cheeks. Four years younger than me, and moments like this really drive it home. Kinda cute, in a sneaky way. Of course, I wouldn't say it out loud—not unless I wanted to get smacked.
Stepping out of the cabin Nidroga had carried us in, a sunset so stunning it could make you piss yourself stretched out before us. The City of All Gods, lined with temples of every color like a patchwork of bricks. So many faiths and ideologies crammed together, coexisting without war—it's almost mystical. Of course, that's probably just the tourist view, and brutal power struggles rage inside. Nah, don't think negative. Just soak in the sunset scenery. It's beautiful like this.
We were so entranced by the view from the landing pad that we belatedly noticed the welcoming party.
A handsome-bearded man cleared his throat. We finally spun around in surprise.
Before anyone could greet him, Esen beat everyone to it.
"Who're you?"
"...I'm Bourden, leader of the 'Banir's Lily' party. You already forgot...?"
"Oh, that kinda bland uncle. The pirate captain dude's presence is so huge I forgot—"
"That's rude to a comrade-in-arms, Esen."
I smacked Esen's thigh to cut her off. Luckily, she seemed to feel more sorry than rebellious at my insubordination. She hopped off my back and shook his hand.
"Aww, just kidding. How've you been?"
"I'll ask again. What's my name?"
"Bourden?"
Please, fuck... Bourden, Banir's celebrity who'd come all the way to the City of All Gods to greet us, forgave Esen—who seemed dead set on cementing her big-dumb-bitch image—with grace. Or rather, he ignored her. He looked pretty hurt. Esen had the sense to shrink back.
"So, which temple are you planning to visit first?"
Nenya, who'd been glaring at Esen to shut up, smiled politely at the Lily leader.
"We'll stay about a week and decide. The City of All Gods has endless options. Since it's such a powerful monster we couldn't kill and had to seal, we'll have to test which sect's prayers work best."
"Haha, you're stating the obvious, guest."
...Our ties with the Banir party might be beyond repair. Bourden twirled his mustache with veiny hands and said,
"Obviously, we start with the Lake Goddess!"
"The Banir Lake Church is famous for pure purification power. Naturally, we'll visit Her Holiness's grand temple first. Our goal should be achieved swiftly."
...Looks like we can still patch things up. Nice one, Nenya.
"Exactly. What sect could boast purity before the Goddess of Banir's apostles? This blessed land protected Banir's civilization from monsters, so as pilgrims of other faiths, we'll pay respects to its mistress first."
Sis Monica chimed in. Bourden, clearly pleased, let out a hearty laugh and began recommending religious hotspots. Thank God.
Bourden's backed by the Banir royals, they say. Rumors he's a royal bastard too. If he walks Banir streets unscathed despite that, the rumors might be true. Either way, untouchable in Banir.
"...Combat special-rank. Intelligence F-grade."
"...I said sorry."
Esen whispered back snippily at my jab. Reni, busy adjusting the schedule with Nenya and Bourden, shot Esen an adult-looking-at-a-kid glare. Esen deflated like a punctured balloon.
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Just shut up for a week and you'll be fine."
Nidroga sighed, patting Esen's back. Then she turned to me.
"While you were sleeping, Nenya, Reni, Priestess Monica, and even this dummy Esen praised you nonstop. Said you know a ton of stuff, porter Ran."
Still feels weird being called Ran. It's one letter off my real name, but it rolls awkwardly off the tongue.
"Not that much, senior. Just somewhat helpful."
"Call me Nidroga from now on. And if half of what I heard is true, Tena reeled in a real talent."
Praise from a near-stranger coworker—a dragon, no less. Bad memories from my old party, where I thought about just dying, melted away. Why is everyone so nice?
"But."
"But?"
"Seems like you rely a lot on tools and drugs. Not that it's bad. But do you have enough stock? I heard you burned through a lot on the last two missions."
Come to think of it, yeah, time to restock. Half the weasel's special feed left? Scent amplifier's running low.
"I was just about to order from a specialist."
"The City of All Gods has one who makes that stuff. Someone I know well and trust."
"Uh."
Esen's eyes widened as she grabbed Nidroga's arm. Nidroga flinched.
"Wait, Nidroga. Don't."
"Why?"
"If you mean 'that one' researching somewhere in this city, please don't drag the porter there. I haven't even used him a few times yet."
...Not sure if "used" means as a porter or a fuck buddy. But talking like a visit would break me?
"That 'Bilena' you mentioned last time? The 'scientist' doing alchemy-like stuff?"
"You heard already? Yeah. I'm going to her. Purification rituals for powerful sealed monsters usually happen at noon when divine power peaks. Nothing much today, so wanna meet her?"
"Don't talk nonsense. You don't know what she'll do!"
Esen was convinced I shouldn't go. But Nidroga shut her down harshly.
"You already committed a huge rudeness once, so watch your nonsense. What crap to a fellow party member. No opinions from you for a week."
"What? Why—"
Nidroga's stern glare froze Esen. First time I've seen her like that. They're both way stronger than me, but among the strong, hierarchies exist. Esen tucked her tail.
"...Okay."
"Good girl. Listen up. I'm at least a hundred years your senior."
Nidroga grabbed my shoulder and kindly shoved me out. Despite the bad vibes, I followed. Leaving Esen behind with her pitiful "don't go" face.
"W-Wait."
"Let's go. You'll see tools and potions you haven't even dreamed of."
Esen, fidgeting anxiously, saw me being dragged and bolted after us like she'd been struck by lightning.
"Fuck, if you're gonna get wrecked, at least in front of me! So I can scoop you up and run!"
"Didn't I say earlier, Esen? Don't talk about your party member like that."
"You're so tough you could headbutt a cliff unscathed, so you can't feel it! You don't know how dangerous Bilena is—!"
The others didn't see our outing. Bourden and the rest were chatting amiably.
...We're party members. What could go wrong?
And the moment some mystery device, while I hung upside down, approached my lower body, I realized Nidroga was a reckless safety-idiot, and I should've listened to Esen.
"Professor, please don't—!"
"Professor? What rude nonsense from an experimental subject contributing to science's progress. It hurts my heart—please correct yourself."
A voice in her twenties at most, with archaic speech that made her seem even crazier. In the darkness, 'Bilena' chuckled creepily.
"The proper term is 'Doctor'."
"Gaaah—! Doctor—! Please don't—!"
"Can't help it. Don't wanna."
The suction device, sucking like it would devour me alive, drew closer. Straight toward my dick.