By Zephyria 
I perceived it not with my nose, but by snatching it with my sixth sense.
It could only be called a scent, but it was a higher-dimensional sense. It was like when I first encountered the liquid in the crystal cave, which I privately called Clearstone Oil.
Startled, my fingertips tingled and my heart pounded. Blinking in surprise, I gently pinched Ruben’s cheek, who was still playing with my hand, to stop him.
The child wasn’t surprised, blinked his eyes twice docilely, then smiled bashfully and let me go.
Leaving Ruben there, I called out to Hugh Benson, who was sitting with his eyes closed a short distance away.
“Seonbae. What is in that direction?”
“What? That’s north. It’s probably Dunmel Canyon.”
“…”
“What, you crazy, save that look for your wife.”
“…”
“No, what are you going to do there?”
“…”
Rubel, at the mention of “wife,” jumped up and stuck to my side.
Ruben tilted his head for a moment, then followed me, standing beside me and looking at Hugh Benson with a curious gaze. The way he acted was so cute and amusing that I couldn’t help but chuckle, and Hugh narrowed his brow, annoyed.
“Ah, seriously, you two… Fine, let’s go, let’s go. I’m so dumbfounded…”
“Thank you.”
As expected, it wasn’t just me who couldn’t resist Ruben’s cute gaze.
I patted Ruben’s head a few times, and the child purred like a beast, snuggling into my arms.
My height had grown considerably, and now I was almost eye-level with Ruben. I was very pleased that I could easily hold him as he burrowed into me.
Hugh, seeing the sight, made a snide remark, “Aren’t you hot?” but how hot could it be? I couldn’t not indulge a child. Knowing he was just chiding me, I didn’t pay him any mind and moved forward.
Benjamin, who was particularly sensitive to the heat, hesitated a little when he came out of the shade, but soon followed obediently.
Up until then, we had been mostly traversing areas that were far from Dunmel Canyon and closer to the Duchy, crossing paths with other squads of the 2nd Platoon. The vicinity of Dunmel Canyon was an area with higher Mana Concentration, and I had often heard stories of Medium-sized Monsters roaming there.
However, the children had grown strong quickly. Their sword tips grew sharper day by day, and their breathing became calmer. Those who could barely cut one in a single breath could now cut two or three with a single stroke and still have breath left. Their unfocused vision widened, seeing more.
It was likely due to their increased trust in us that we were allowed to leave the small monster zones. Thinking so made me feel quite pleased.
My steps were light even in the sweltering heat, excited by the thought of obtaining new Spiritual Medicine.
However, as we got closer to Dunmel Canyon, I saw a landscape completely different from what I had imagined.
It felt as if some colossal being had torn off a piece of the world and hidden it. Had I ever seen such a distant and magnificent cliff? From this side to the other, a vast expanse of empty space seethed with ferocious Mana like molten steel. It surged, leaped over, and then plunged down again into the dizzying depths.
I had encountered cliffs hundreds of times in the Central Plains.
But those were all mountains carved into the bare earth. A master of Light Footwork could somehow cling to them and leap over. At great heights, one would gasp for air, and at great depths, one would feel cold, but they were not places humans couldn’t go. Some sects even carved stairs into the cliffs for ordinary pilgrims to ascend.
But this place was different.
Through the surging Mana, something white flickered like a fish, leaping up and then sinking deep. Even when I focused my Eye Force, my vision wavered, making it impossible to see clearly. Watching the white, blue, and red things mingle amongst themselves felt like being bewitched by a goblin.
Instead of peering into the canyon, I looked around its perimeter.
It was a barren land, like a desert. I remembered seeing not a single living plant in the crystal cave before. In places where ferocious Mana had swept through like a flood, coarse sand dust occasionally drifted.
And then, several Minotaurs were gathered, doing something. Puzzled, I watched, when suddenly, click, Hugh Benson, taking out a familiar Artifact, let out a simmering sigh.
“No way, what the hell. 52mp?”
“…Is it much different from before?”
“Even though this is near Dunmel Canyon, it’s lowlands. At most, it would rise to about 45mp on a bad day. This won’t do. Let’s go back.”
“…Yes.”
Regrettably, I felt the same.
There were no Wizards, and our fighting strength was low. Moreover, the opponents were Minotaurs, known to typically roam in herds. Even if there were five or six in front of us, after defeating one group, another group, or perhaps three or four, would come.
Benjamin and Hugh Benson could protect themselves well, but I couldn’t plunge into danger while leading Ruben. Perhaps sensing my disappointment, Hugh Benson added an explanation in a tone like he was soothing a child.
“When the Mana Concentration fluctuates, it means the area is being shaken by laws not of this world. Your body could suddenly freeze, or catch fire. Usually, when the weather is good, the Mana in the canyon is stable, so I came here, but today we’re out of luck. Absolutely not.”
“Yes. Thank you for telling me.”
“…Right. Ha, shibal… But I don’t know what those bastards are eating.”
That was something I had also found suspicious.
The torn pieces of beast carcasses, though vaguely resembling humans, were far too large to be human. Yet, they didn’t look like Orcs or Trolls, with their unusually slender limbs and red blood.
Hugh Benson seemed to have observed it more closely.
“Seeing the blue spots dotted throughout the meat, they seem to be monsters, but even after five years in the Yuil Mountains, I’ve never seen anything like it. What could it be that Minotaurs would devour so ravenously…”
“…Hmm.”
Rubel and Benjamin also looked puzzled. We didn’t have the talent to figure out what Hugh Benson didn’t know. Leaving our unease behind, we returned to the place designated for tonight’s campfire. Hugh Benson volunteered for cooking duty again today.
Naturally, Ruben and Benjamin had never been in the kitchen, and I, too, was clumsy at cooking, as my daily routine involved chewing on jerky or dried meat while wandering around rather than cooking. Hugh Benson grew impatient with our slow preparations, so he always took on the duty.
When we showed our apologies, Hugh Benson scoffed and said, “Pay for the meal later. It’s on credit.”
“Yes. We will.”
Only then did my mind feel somewhat at ease. It was enough if I could repay him in some way.
❖ ❖ ❖
August. Marianne returned.
Fortunately, on the appointed date, we met at the shelter with the three trees planted, the first place we had agreed upon. Marianne and Elvin had been so eager that they arrived a day early and waited.
Hugh Benson, though he hadn’t said anything, seemed to have been on edge, as he let out a joyous “Manse!” upon seeing Elvin. With his arms raised high, he said he could finally sleep properly for the first time in a while, implying he had stayed up all night, even while we were on watch.
No wonder his eyes had been dark circles lately. Was that the reason? I felt a bit awkward.
“Was there any trouble on your way back?”
“Yes! Just saw some walking cacti on the way back! Wow, my nose was getting roasted.”
“It’s already time for Makrir to be out? That’s a bit early…”
“Makrir?”
I had heard the name. But the Makrir I knew was a giant cactus firmly rooted in the desert. Didn’t I hear in Alchemy class that its fruit had anesthetic and analgesic effects?
As I blinked in confusion, Hugh Benson immediately explained.
“The ones in the desert don’t move much because they get enough sunlight, but near the Yuil Mountains, they move all at once if they think they won’t get enough light. They’re slow, but while their roots aren’t planted, they hunt small prey, so it’s best not to get too close. Unless you want to get hit by cactus thorns.”
“…I see.”
The thorns of the Makrir I saw in the Academy’s greenhouse were so large and thick, like spears, that one could step on them. It would be quite troublesome to be hit by one of those out of the blue. Hugh Benson continued his explanation.
“Their sensory organs are all concentrated at the top, so if you lower your body, you can avoid them. While their roots are planted, they’re just plants. As Marianne said, if you see one moving, you should crawl on your belly.”
“…Huh.”
There are so many things to be careful of. I learned one more thing today.
Elvin was carrying the bulk of the luggage, but Marianne’s pack was also thicker than usual. Elvin and Marianne unpacked their bundles and divided them into six portions. As each person refilled their suddenly lighter backpacks, I felt the cool breeze Marianne brought with her for the first time in a while.
“A little service, while we’re at it.”
Marianne smiled brightly and cast a spell on all the children to show off her skills. Marianne could now cast simple spells without an Activation Word. As she puffed up her chest, expecting praise, I told her, “Thank you, well done,” with kind words.
Rubel, who had just received the magic, excitedly brought his wrist to my nose.
“Smell it, Mika.”
“Hmm?”
“It smells good.”
Does it? I took Ruben’s hand and brought his wrist to my nose. It certainly smelled good. However, rather than the scent of flowers or holy oil, it was simply the familiar… scent of Ruben’s skin. …It was very pleasant.
“Mmm.”
“Right?”
“Yes.”
It was indeed fragrant. I nodded, and to see how different it was from usual, I took several more deep breaths. Then, Marianne’s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with both hands, exclaiming dramatically.
“No, that’s not the kind of service I meant! What is this! I only used Clean Magic! Have you been like this the whole time? This is truly outrageous! You’ve gotten worse while I wasn’t looking, both of you!”
“…Ah.”
“…Mmm.”
Ruben, realizing his mistake, blushed at the tips of his ears and twisted his wrist, pulling it out of my grasp.
Feeling equally embarrassed, I cleared my throat a couple of times to calm myself. Benjamin, who had been quiet until then, as if it were a lie, buried his face in his hands and murmured.
“…It was difficult.”
“…No!”
Amidst the laughter of those around me, I was too embarrassed to regain my composure.