"Looks like I don't need to pay my salary this month."
"Ahhh, help!!!"
The magic communication device went dead the next second. Leon looked at the item that wouldn't reconnect even if he tried, and he couldn't help but frown. The situation seemed more urgent than he had expected.
"Will Lumine-chan be alright?"
"That famous traveler might actually…"
Anis and Faruzan also turned pale, realizing the traveler might be in mortal danger.
Leon shook his head and said,
"It must just be the communication breaking down. That girl won't die so easily. Heh, she really knows how to stir up trouble. She actually managed to provoke a dragon again."
Thinking about it, it was the same when he had been in Mondstadt. Perhaps Lumine was as destined for dragons as he was.
"Then we have to go save her!"
"The distance between us and Lumine is about 3,000 kilometers. We can't reach her unless…"
Both women looked simultaneously at Shouki in front of them, and at Leon, who stood in the cockpit of the mecha.
Three thousand kilometers—for the people of this world, it would take nearly two months. By then, forget rescuing Lumine—there wouldn't even be bones left to find.
But distance meant nothing to Leon!
"I'll save her."
Leon spoke without hesitation.
How could the golden retriever he had finally adopted end up as a dragon's lunch?
And speaking of dragons…
At last, he had found one again!
Leon had long been thinking of conquering a few more dragons for himself. When the time came, he could even play around with having them pull a chariot.
"I was worried I wouldn't find a suitable opponent to excite me. Lumine was kind enough to present me with one."
Leon spoke eagerly, clenching his left fist and striking it into his right palm.
Shouki mirrored the gesture simultaneously, as if he too longed for the coming battle.
"Leon-chan, please be careful on the journey!"
"Mm."
Leon/Shouki swung his arm in a circle before him.
Suddenly, a hundred-meter-long rift tore open in space.
There was no longer any need to even open the hangar.
The giant machine, with Leon as its core, did not only command the seven attributes of wind, fire, water, lightning, rock, and ice—it also wielded the eighth: space.
Leon/Shouki teleported to the kingdom's border and then opened space again toward the east, each jump spanning over 500 kilometers.
Days later, many across the world would claim to have seen a giant.
It was as tall as a mountain, but before most could even glimpse its full form, it had already vanished.
---
Sumeru Desert Region
"I'm going to die, I'm going to die right now!"
"Lumine, wait for me!!!"
"Paimon, if I stop now, believe me or not, I'll die instantly—and you can fly faster than me!"
"Humph, then hurry up!"
Lumine was running across the yellow sands with all her strength.
Behind them surged a massive sandstorm that blotted out the sun. Unlike normal storms, this one carried the magic of a dragon, making every grain of sand as sharp as a blade.
Desert creatures unlucky enough to be caught within died in less than three seconds.
Lumine glanced sorrowfully at her broken communication device.
[It was so rude to cut the call off like that… Ah no, what if the Prince thought that meant I was already dead? Wuwuwu, help~!]
Clenching her teeth, Lumine looked back at the storm bearing down on her.
She couldn't understand why this was happening.
Why had she encountered a dragon again?
She had only been traveling normally when she heard there were many hidden ruins here.
So she had taken the risk, hoping to find something inside that would make the Prince happy.
At first, everything had gone smoothly.
Lumine, who had once completed Leon's Machine Castle 1.0 in another life, felt her strength as an adventurer had risen several levels.
She had cleared several ruins with ease, earning many rewards.
Lumine: "Hehe~ Too easy. I'd suggest you raise the difficulty."
But just as she was happily collecting her loot and preparing to leave, she suddenly stumbled upon a massive sandstorm in the desert—and from within it, a colossal, majestic body emerged.
The nearby brigades, merchants, and mercenaries didn't yet recognize what it was. But Lumine, who had faced Dvalin, immediately knew—this was a "dragon"!
And unlike Dvalin, who had only feigned madness—
This one was truly insane!
Lumine: "Oh, no…"
Even faintly visible, it was clear the dragon stretched for several kilometers. The draconic power radiating from the sandstorm was enough to engulf the entire desert.
The blonde girl froze in terror.
But at that very moment—
She lost her balance and fell.
She tumbled down a sand dune, then gasped in horror as sharp pain shot through her foot.
"Lumine, your foot!"
"Damn it! I twisted my ankle!"
Beside her, Paimon panicked, nearly in tears.
"Ugh, I knew it would've been better to just stay in Prince Leon's castle instead of taking risks!"
"Sorry, Paimon. I've dragged you into this."
"Lumine, don't say that! Even though Prince Leon's place is super comfy, we're partners. No matter where you go, I'll never leave you behind!"
"Thank you, Paimon."
Lumine was moved, hugging her companion who had been with her since the very beginning. Though she was unreliable, ate too much, didn't talk much sense, and maybe even had the suspicious ability to bend time itself…
No matter what, she was always there.
"Paimon, you're the best partner."
"Lumine, what are you suddenly saying…"
"It's not too late. Fly quickly. I deposited our savings and the salary Prince Leon gave me at the [Liyue Chamber of Commerce]. You can retrieve it. And remember to tell His Highness for me… By the way, I may have fallen in love with hi—"
"Lumine, you… ahhhh!"
Before Paimon could react, Lumine lifted her small body with one hand, pouring a massive surge of magic power into her other hand, and hurled Paimon away with all her strength.
Paimon, no bigger than a child, shot off like a white meteor, flung a thousand meters away from the sandstorm.
"That's better…"
Lumine collapsed onto the sand with a sigh of relief.
She watched as the dragon's sandstorm drew closer and closer.
Even knowing it was useless, she still gripped her sword tightly.
And just as death was about to engulf her—
A colossal figure suddenly appeared, standing tall in the sky, shielding her from harm.
Lumine stared wide-eyed at the mechanical giant. She didn't even need to confirm who was inside. The overwhelming, familiar magic power had already revealed the identity of her savior.
"You really came to save me…"
Lumine's eyes shimmered.
This time, it wasn't a false display.
It was a true hero rescuing a girl.
---
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."