After the unexpected ice explosion, the surroundings were covered in ice.

All the big and beautiful flowers were all frozen.

The gigantic flower in the center, to which a beautiful series of houses were attached, all frozen.

Disedinel asked, "Who is there?" as a figure, clearly not Kiing, emerged from what had become an iceberg from the explosion earlier.

"Somebody who came here to take back what is mine."

Take back what is mine? What could it be?

...

Disedinel tried to find Kiing through his compulsion.

"Kaika, I can't find Kiing. Where do you think he is?"

Kaika closed his eyes.

"Deep. This guy took Kiing down deep into the ground."

Disedinel looked back at the stranger.

"What is your name?"

The stranger smiled.

"My name is Zene. Don't be bothered by me."

Peter asked why.

"Because you have some other problems coming at you." As Zene said that, he turned around and pointed to the sky.

Everybody looked to where he pointed.

There wasn't anything. Just a clear sky.

"Disedinel, did we do something to annoy Therion's squad?"

"No? Why?"

"... Because I can feel that he is coming."

Disedinel immediately looked back to the sky, trying to sense Therion.

"He is? I can't sense him."

Kaika scratched his head.

"They are trying to cover their compulsion. Maybe... w-wait, I..."

"What is it?"

...

"An earthquake is coming. Disedinel, you mentioned a gigantic mountain earlier, right?" Kaika sounded nervous.

"Yeah. Could it be that the mountain will come back?"

"Well, aren't you right? Something doesn't add up."

Before they could continue, the earthquake suddenly hit.

"... That was fast."

"Hey, is it me, or are we rising?"

The ground is indeed getting higher. And so is the noise of the earthquake.

But it seems like no one can do anything about this shaking.

Disedinel took a deep breath.

Just before he began talking, the whole sky turned yellow.

"What?" He looked behind him.

And there it was. A second sun.

"Disedinel, Peter, we have to get out of here."

"That's right, Kaika. I am on it." Disedinel tapped his watch again. Presumably to remotely control the ship. "Alright, it won't be long until the ship is here!"

"Well, isn't that thing blinding? It must come from Vumdr's battle with that boy."

"Hey, Zene! Mind if you give Kiing to us?"

"I don't mind. However, I won't hand him to anybody." He crossed his arms.

"... And you will just stay here?"

Zene didn't reply.

"We are in an unadvantageous position. We shouldn't attempt anything silly against him."

The ship is now in sight.

It is moving rapidly.

Disedinel looked back to the source of the great light.

"Kaika, do you sense it too?"

"Yeah, but let's get on, Disedinel."

As Disedinel talked, the ship just landed near the three.

"Shall we go check out Vumdr before we go?"

"I was thinking that too, Sir Reynard. Let's go!"

Everybody went inside the ship.

Disedinel hurried to the control room.

"The speed will be quite high, so be prepared, everybody!"

"Got it!"

"Got it."

The ship went flying towards what might be the battle of Vumdr and the Linel boy.

As they rapidly approached the source of the light, it all vanished.

The sky turned blue. Without clouds.

The ship is now slowing down...

As Disedinel went inside the living room of the ship, he made a hole in the ceiling, then jumped outside of it, landing on the roof.

After he stabilized his balance, he looked down.

There they are. Vumdr... but who is that?

That isn't the boy who is with Vumdr.

It is somebody else. They have long white hair, is all Disedinel could make up.

Disedinel suddenly felt an urgency to look behind him.

He saw another ship going straight to Disedinel's ship. The ship was smaller, and it looks like a motorcycle, but instead suited for flying.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

... Right, Therion!

The motorcycle crashed right at Disedinel's ship—The ship is now falling to the ground!

Disedinel lost the balance of his feet and fell.

"Wooah!"

As he is falling, a figure twice his size appeared over him.

Therion!?

Therion it is. Therion punched Disedinel, sending him to the ground.

Vumdr and the stranger who is in the stead of the Linel boy looked at Disedinel on the ground.

Disedinel, now on the ground, mumbles in pain.

"... My sword?"

Therion landed in front of Disedinel.

"I thought our compulsion is relative, but it seems like my perception is wrong."

Therion picked up Disedinel by the head as if it is a ball.

"Now... I'll have you give back Lee."

"...Bring him back? No, I don't have Lee."

Therion tightened his grip on Disedinel.

"Show me that you aren't lying."

...

"I don't have Lee."

Therion released Disedinel, letting Disedinel fall to the ground again.

Disedinel just noticed that his ship is levitating. It didn't fall to the ground.

"So he escaped from us. Hey, Vumdr! I owe you one if you tell me where Lee is... And if we don't find him, I'll have you pay me back somehow."

"Shut up... You took Lee... And you lost him under your watch." Disedinel slowly rose up as he lectured Therion.

Therion only smiled.

"...Hey... Sir Vumdr! Who is that with you?"

"I am Kilidr. Nice to meet you, Disedinel."

"You know my name? ... No wonder. Just like Vumdr, I can't sense your full compulsion."

...

Disedinel's gaze turned to the ship.

He noticed Kaika and Sir Reynard.

As the ship was slowly gravitating toward the ground, they jumped off when the height was safe.

Kaika ran to Disedinel.

He handed a small bottle with some liquid in it to Disedinel.

"Sir Reynard told you to drink it."

Meanwhile, Sir Reynard walked over to Therion.

"So, what is your business?"

"...Nothing to do with you, Sir Reynard."

Therion walked away. He picked up his damaged ship and went off.

"Heh. I wonder how it'll all play out. I hate to say it, but this is our farewell, Vumdr." Kilidr vanished.

Vumdr waved in response.

...After Kilidr vanished.

...

Vumdr turned to Disedinel, Kaika, and Peter.

"Your ship was damaged. But it is fixed now. Staying here any longer isn't in my interest anymore."

He vanished.

Sir Reynard looked towards the Linel Depression, which is slowly reaching the same level as the cliff the party is on.

"Huh? Kaika, is it just me, or is that the book from which all the compulsion came from?"

Disedinel drank the drink after he finished.

"That's right. Why is it levitating, though?"

The book opened itself as it was closed. On its own.

Disedinel's and Kaika's eyes widened.

"Kaika, I don't feel any compulsion changing it, is it just me?"

"No, it's not just you."

"Oh, it is Sir Zene!"

Zene was sprinting from the depression right towards the group.

Zene leapt to the cliff after reaching the cliff face.

"Good afternoon!"

"Eh? Sir Reynard, you know he's a potential enemy, right?"

Zene created an ice knife in his hands after climbing up and standing up.

The book flew high up as if it felt threatened by Zene; However, Zene plunged towards the book, striking the air with his knife.

What is he doing?

Surprisingly, the knife stayed behind in the air, close to the book, instead holding still inside Zene's grip.

Once the ice knife halted its expansion, it formed an ice statue of a man!

The statue also had a terrified expression on its face.

...

The statue fell to the ground, but somehow it didn't break.

"What the heck is with that statue?" Disedinel muttered as he took a step back.

"Disedinel, calm down, we can't let our guard down here." Kaika made sure Disedinel keeps his feet balanced.

Zene landed swiftly, unharmed by the fall.

He looked at the statue.

The ice statue shows a man with a coat.

But as it is summer, it is only a matter of time until the ice statue melts.

As it melted, though, it revealed the body of the man. His hair is amethyst.

Actually, his entire theme is purple.

"Oooohhh, Zene! It is nice to finally see you! Hehe."

"Just what are you plotting now, Astra?"

"I was curious what this book had, you know."

"What is so interesting about it? Is it not just a novel for the garbage?"

"Yeah, kind of. But come on, a kid wrote it after all. The plot line is at least interesting. What about you, though? What are you doing here?"

These two know each other?

These two know each other?

Disedinel sent a message to Kaika through compulsion.

"Looking after Kiing. I let him roam around, and he got into trouble with some kid."

So we should listen to what they say.

"Of course you should, after all, who knows what information we're gonna leak!"

"Leave them alone. Hey, Disedinel, Kaika, and Peter. Don't consider me an obstacle. You can go on to take Kiing, but if I ever feel like it, I will take him back."

...

"What do we do, Kaika, Sir Reynard?"

"Well... I'll leave it to Sir Reynard."

"Let's leave."

They all muttered to themselves.

And they decided to leave.

The group of three opted not to make any attempts to get the book and instead immediately left. Of course, after they took Kiing, who suddenly appeared at Astra's command, under Zene's request.

A day to never forget, truly.