Gazing Outside

Tired after learning for a whole day long, Oria hits the dirt and sleeps like a rock. The dragon in front of her is surprised, seeing how easy it is for her to fall asleep in just a tick of time. Somewhat, a strange sensation is stinging within him.

"Hmm... now that I think of it, Oria doesn't really care where she's resting at, eh? When she first rested in here, she simply lied down without caring anything that may dirty her clothing...

...hmm, perhaps I should wake her and tell her to sleep somewhere else..."

Faruk's worried.

But he holds himself from waking her up. Seeing the little child sleeping peacefully made him dare not to disturb her. Meanwhile, knowing the cold ground, Faruk feels wrong if he doesn't wake her.

"Nyuhuhuhu~ talk about worrying, eh?" Dux said, sitting on a stone slab about the height of the dragon, reading a tome.

The dragon raises his head, letting out a small sigh.

"...I know humans are mostly weaklings. Sleeping out in the open, exposed to cold winds, then they will fall into fever."

"Haha, I know that. It's basically what human parents always tell their children."

"Hmph..."

Dux closes his large book and asks the dragon, "Are you worried, Faruk?"

"...Perhaps. After all, if she dies, I die, too."

"Hmm... truth be told, yes... but knowing so makes you even more caring towards her, eh?"

"Hmph, I don't feign affection like you, Dux."

"Nyuhuhuhu~ what a dishonest creature..."

"Pardon?"

"Ah, nothing."

"Hmph, cryptic as ever."

The squid-like wizard floats above the stone slab using wind magic, hovering down to the ground. His tentacles touch down and the magic dissipates. He did it perfectly without raking up noises.

"Worrying about her health would simply be for nothing," said the dragon while crossing his front feet, lying down on his belly.

"Really, now?" Dux replied as he fixes his wizard hat carefully.

"She had slept here on the ground for a few days and she's still healthy as ever. That alone makes her different to other human children."

"Well, that's true. But, if you won't mind me suggesting to ya, let her sleep on top of your body."

Faruk, a bit surprised, responds, "On top of my body?"

The wizard nods lightly, "Yeah... You have a portion part of your back covered in fur, don't you?" said Dux in a casual tone. "If you worry that much for her wellbeing, then you might at least let her sleep on top of you."

"..." Faruk replied with a silence.

Breaking the silence, the debaucherous wizard bids him farewell and waves his tentacle.

"—Very well, then, Imma go somewhere. See ya~!"

Almost instantly, the squid wizard flashes out of existence using teleportation spell. He has left the cave.

Faruk muses about what Dux said before, thinking it long and hardly.

"Indeed, Oria isn't your ordinary human child. At first sight, she's feeble, probably weaker than Raskiel Felines. But as some days passed... Oria never showed signs of getting sick. She was injured, plagued by the terrible memories of her days as a slave, but she didn't show any sign of having diseases. Perhaps leaving her be like that will make her stronger in the next few days.

It appears she's going to be a strong person. Maybe I can make her rival the Hero's strength? ...No. She's not going to be a weapon for me."

In the middle of thinking, Faruk hears a faint whimper. It comes from Oria.

"..."

Without thinking anything, Faruk carefully and gently carries her on his large dragon feet. He rests her on top of his skin where a portion of silver fur grows. It not only provides cushion, but also warmth. It calms her down significantly, allowing her to sleep more peacefully.

"Maybe... one day, she will rival 'her'. Though, she still has long ways to go."

The Silver Dragon reflectively did what a father would do to his daughter. Followingly, Faruk falls asleep, too.

...

..

.

The next day, Oria is taken by Dux to the mountain range per Faruk's demand. The child holds Dux's tentacle arm, still fearing of her surroundings. They need to go through a deep forest before reaching the intended area. Somehow, Dux is sounding smug, thinking that he's won over something.

"Nyuhuhu~ I'm surprised Faruk actually takes after my advice!"

Dux gets all flowery upon knowing his dragon friend actually let Oria sleep on top of him. But Oria has a different impression of what happened.

"U-Uhh... I was shocked that I was suddenly on top of him... I nearly fell off."

The wizard giggles, "Keehee. I'd expect you'd be like that."

"I-It's not funny at all... I'm scared half to death you know...!"

"Ooh...! (Is she portraying anger now? I see she's beginning to release her sense of fear around us!)"

For the first time, Oria pouts, displeased by the wizard's giggly voice.

"What is it...?" she asked, grunted.

"Nyuhuhuhu, it's nothing~" Dux brushed her question off.

"..." Oria grumbled. But her moping sounds end instantly when she notices a brighter light flowing into a forest. They're walking to an opening.

Dux then happily introduces.

"Well, here we are! –Behold! The Land of Burneu!"

Oria's mouth is left agape, a natural reaction should one witness a grandeur sight of a beautiful landscape in front of them. Her eyes are brimming, amazed by the sight of a vast forest around her. They stand on the edge of a cliff, extremely high above the ground. Oria can see rivers flowing through the forest, ornated by the sparkles reflected by sunlight. Roads decorate the forest, trailing down to certain places around the region.

"It's so...!" Oria couldn't continue her lips, awed by the sight in front of her.

"...Beautiful, right?" Dux finished her sentence.

Oria immediately let go of Dux's grip, amazed by the nature's grand design. Her negative thoughts are washed off simply by the sight of the region. She enjoyed the view, it's like she can spend hours gazing at them.

Dux wriggles his tentacle, spinning his cane in an exaggerated motion. He then mashes the ground with its tip, giggling as he joins her watching the scenery.

"Nyuhuhu~ you might have been passing through the region multiple times, but that's when you are not quite 'free'. So, let me introduce the world to you.

Oria... we are now standing in Burneu Continent. It is an everlasting world of fantasy and beauty if you ask me. Truly, a blessed world that Goddess Altria has given us."

"Whoa..."

Dux twisted his body, making funny noises, "Aaand here I am, standing as a perilous-looking creature, staining its beauty~! Ah... the birds are chirping, and the warmth of the sun, bathing these wicked tentacles... oh, how despicable of me..." Dux said dramatically, almost poetic, perhaps. Sadly, Oria didn't listen to his act.

"Master Dux... we are so high above the ground, aren't we?" she asked while not batting an eye to him.

"Hm? Yes, that's right. We are currently at Raskiel Mountains. The sight is beautiful, yes, but the distance from here to the nearest kingdom is abysmal. In fact, you'd need four days of walking if you wish to reach the nearest city."

"Eh? But that village we visited yesterday... It doesn't look that far from where Faruk is..."

"Ah, Fred Village, you mean? Well, that is the closest and the only civilization we can find near Raskiel. Nearest city from here would be... uhh..."

After a slight pause, Dux wipes his squid-like face in disgust.

"Ah, darn it, I forgot what city it was called again. I wished my brain would be as good as the complexity of a real squid, but geez it's just didn't work that way! *sigh* Well, to go to that city, it takes up to four days on foot. But hell, who wants to go there on foot form here?"

Oria watched the squid wizard threw a tantrum. She didn't really understand most of what he's trying to say on the first half. But responding to the latter, she smiles to him.

"...I see. I guess that city must be the last city that 'group' visited before coming to this mountain..."

Dux suddenly feels a thrilling sense buzzing over his slicky tentacle skin.

"(What is this feeling...?)" he asked himself.

Oria holds the pretty amulet around her neck.

"Yeah... I think I remember a bit now. It was that time when 'she' entered my life. Though only for a few weeks... she's the one who helped me escape."

Dux then realizes what kind of feeling he's having. But he refuses to reveal that to the child in front of him. He just thinks.

"(I see... it's her previous life as a slave... guess it won't hurt asking a bit...) So, who is this person you are talking about?"

"It's Hilda. She was a slave like me, too. But she was a beautiful woman, a kind one, that is. She was the one who helped me out of that slave camp."

Dux nods a little, "Hm... she must be a wonderful person."

"Oh, she is," Oria smiled. "She's the reason why I don't give up on my life..."

"Is that so..." Dux responded. "(That the woman must've meant everything to her.)"

Oria continues her list of compliments toward the late woman.

"Smart... kind... and understanding. That's just who she is."

Dux then asks the ultimate question: "Where is she now?"

"..." She went silent.

Oria looked down for a moment, only to proceed looking up to the sky. She grabs the amulet that was given by that woman on that fateful night. Oria shows the amulet to the sky. The light of the sunrays reflects on the amulet's gemstone.

Oria then says, "She is with me. She says she will always be with me. No matter what will happen..."

Dux could barely say a word. "(I take it that she's passed away.)"

Oria closes her eyes, gently lowering her view upfront. She looks at Dux, giving a grateful expression. With a smile on her face, she says "Thank you, Master Dux."

"Hm?"

"I've been reminded of my true purpose when I escaped that night. All thanks to you. Now... I believe I have the resolve to proceed on living. So, thank you, Master Dux."

"I see. Glad to hear that. You're welcome. (Somehow... I sense a significant change in her personality... and I believe it's in the right step.)"

Oria looks at the glorious view once more. It really calms her nerves.

"Okay, if you say that you have the resolve now... then I expect we begin our study!"

"Eh? O-Oh, right... we're here to study something..."

"Yup." Dux's cane has its orb lighting up. "We will learn magic, now."