A—r—ika—, everyone….

We arrived at the dragon’s celestial nest above upon riding on Mister Duragon’s back— to the skies, the place above the clouds of the world of magic I had started to get used to by now. I should’ve seen how beautiful the world was from above— or at least that’s what I feel, because I could have sworn I didn’t remember anything from the ride.

“Did you guys fall asleep too like I did…?” I doubt Mister Duragon, who at the moment was checking things around too, would have any positive reinforcement about my ramblings as he already treated it as useless noises, so I ended up asking Rana and Rama about it. Rana nodded, while Rama shrugged his shoulders.

“Nah. I don’t think I saw anything. I just fell asleep until we’re here either.” Rama said, confirming my suspicions. They must’ve been hiding the nests this way, isn't it? By making us sleep before we even arrive? Classic ways of keeping things a secret!

“That is… well. This celestial realm is rather different from what your body is used to, in that it’s much safer if lesser beings like you all sleep so that your souls could just temporarily ascend to this place.” The voice of Mister Duragon resounded again in my head as he approached us. “In fact, you three physically haven’t gone any inch further than Forest of Wizen since you were in my back. It’s just that I helped your souls to pass here by lulling you to sleep.”

“I… uh… Wait, let me explain it to my friends.”

To avoid confusion, I ended up explaining what Mister Duragon said in my own words to Rama and Rana. The two’s expressions were unfazed, I guessed that their backstory of a civil war and the whole deal with their parents in the past had pretty much stopped them from even panicking by a dragon forcefully dragging them to a realm they never been into before. Wonder what’ll be their reaction if they ever stepped to my original world, though.

“My, how interesting~” Rana smiled, covering her mouth with her palm. “So we’re kind of in a sleepy coma right now in reality?”

“I’d say so. The other option is just to kill you all and ascend your soul here forcefully, but that isn’t what Mage Hero Angelica would have wanted.”

That surely sends shivers down my skin. Thank goodness this dragon really is on friendly terms with Grandma, or we probably would’ve died by now. Well, I don’t think the dragon would’ve approached us in the first place if he’s not friendly with her….

“What did he say again?” Rama asked me, his expressions reflected a sense of suspicion with how I shivered. He still doesn’t trust the dragon much, which can be understandable. I don’t know how far I can explain either, so I took a glance at the dragon.

“Do not panic. It’s not like I would kill any of you in cold blood. I’ll just get scolded by your grandmother.”

“I think it went beyond just being scolded if you actually killed us….”

“He’s trying to kill us?!”

“No, Rama. He would not, because my Grandma wouldn’t allow it.”

“Just how much authority does your grandma have, anyway?!”

I sighed. That’s basically the reason why all three of us— four, including Rui who was busy doing his cat-like behavior in an isolated corner, how cute— came to this realm in the first place. We need to help Mister Duragon to stop the Lesser Goddesses from kicking out my Grandma from her authority. Did I get it right, Mister Duragon? How did you get along with my Grandma in the first place, anyway?

“It’s a long story not worth telling amidst the current urgency. However, the previous Goddess— the one who named me as well, was the reason we met in the first place. To put it in simple terms; she really fascinated the previous Goddess as an individual thus she brought her soul to ascend here, and since I am a thorough follower of the previous Goddess, I ended up talking with her a lot as her guide and guardian of this world.”

As expected from my Grandma. She does get along easily with everyone, including a Goddess and her companion dragon. I bet she would’ve liked Cheshires by her side better though.

“Right. Cheshires was her first creation and gift to the world as the new Goddess. Apparently, they were souls from animals in her previous world that gained other physical forms in this world as a second chance. I feel like the Lesser Goddesses started to doubt her ability after she decided to do so, as it ‘wasn’t important’ to them.”

…I should’ve guessed the Cheshires was my Grandma’s doing. Giant cats with such a simplistic name, it can’t be anyone else than her. No wonder she went like some kind of Santa to the dwellers of this world with those kitties to their dreams to make sure those people would take care of them well. Though guessing from what happened with Dellney and Kay, sometimes they needed scolding to actually comply, though.

“Goodness, you surely talk a lot in your mind. Are you sure of not letting those twin children in the conversation? You called them your friend, didn’t you?”

“Ah, right! Sorry, you two. Mister Duragon can speak with me while reading my mind, so I end up conversing with him in my mind…”

“Don’t worry about it, we all can hear him speak though we don’t understand. I figured it was something like that.” Rana giggled. “So, Mr. Duragon—”

“Child, it’s actually— nevermind, shorten it as Mr. Duragon if you will. Not like you’d understand.”

“Yep, it’s fine to call him Mr. Duragon. You were going to ask about what we should do to help Grandma, right, Rana?”

“Yeah~ I’m prepared to bring some nightmares to the bad, baaad, Lesser Goddess who dares to manage a coup’d’etat against their rightful Goddess, fufu~”

“My sister is definitely just having fun with the idea. Don’t mind her sadism, dragon.”

Even though Rama couldn’t understand what Mr. Duragon was saying, he seemingly had noticed his awkward, concerned stare that he had to explain about Rana to him. I feel like we’re finally communicating properly, in some ways. I can’t help but smile a little in relief.

“I wouldn’t call it a plan. This is a realm where beings like elves can’t use their magic as freely as on the surface, but…” Mr. Duragon blows a sigh. “At least, if we can help your Grandma get some of the pieces of powers she left on the surface, we could possibly help her win against those Lesser Goddesses”

“....Those strange magical stones that gave me dreams and memories about her!” I gasped as I clasped my hands in realization. “To begin with…. For what purpose did she leave them on the surface, anyway?”

“A large part of it was her own whim but…. It’s also to give you, her Granddaughter, your own adventure when you’re here.”

….What does that even mean?

“She was worried about you once she took a little look at how you’re doing in that other world with her divine authority. Before I could advise her not to, she already made her plan to get you here and to give you your own adventure where you’d have to collect them.”

I clenched my fist as I bit my lip, looping back to self hatred after Mr. Duragon’s explanation. So it’s my fault that she’s in this state after all…?

“Not quite. Please do not go on and blame yourself for that, I doubt that was what she wanted either. It’s mostly her selfish determination that brought her to this state. Let’s just go and see where she is now and you’ll understand...”

~*~*~*~

Of course, it wasn’t going to be easy. As we walked our ways through the strange, foggy and cloudy realm with almost nothing in there, the first thing we encountered was something we rather not.

“Duragon, you traitor. Have you lost your mind to side with the otherworlder and brought those adventurers here without the Lady’s permission?!”

I could hear Mr. Duragon sighs. A bunch of dragons, smaller than Mr. Duragon was. They’re much more like smaller wyverns in my own world’s fantasy terms. Of course, they spoke in the language I’m far more familiar with like Mr. Duragon was.

“I don’t remember ever siding with your Lady. I am just a loyal servant of our Goddess” Mr. Duragon’s sharp stare was just as if it would pierce through them all. “Move, or face the consequences.”

“Like hell we would! He’s just alone, we can do it! Charge!”

“What cowards you all are, to be attacking in a group.” Mr. Duragon flapped his wings and took flight. “I’ll keep them all in place. You three, proceed, and don’t forget to hold each others’ hands tight. She shall be there when you all walk forward only thinking about meeting her. I’ll catch up with you all real soon”

Why did this dragon just drop some kind of death flag there leaving us all alone like that?! Though, just to be sure, I decided to grab Rama and Rana’s hand close.

“Heh. A ‘Death flag’, huh… Only those puny cowards have them at this moment. Proceed, or I’ll send you flying in one, two…..”

“Okay, fine! Let’s go, guys!” I shrieked once Mr. Duragon gave that signal that would mean nothing good, as I ran with all my life thinking and mumbling my Grandma’s name as I do. I couldn’t even care less about how Rama is blushing and Rana started laughing out loud as if it was a fun little ride.

Just as we found a birdcage-like prison with a blonde figure so familiar to what I knew of myself in this world of ETO from a distance— which can only mean one thing, we could hear a lot of dragons shrieking in defeat. I couldn’t even feel the desire to turn around in favor of just running off for my Grandma, but I was forced to when I heard a word from a voice I recognize;

“Done.”

“That was really fast~ As expected from such a large Mr. Dragon…” Rana commented first as if she understood his words. She probably just guessed and got it right.

“No, seriously! Did you just speedrun the entire process huh, Mr. Duragon?!” I pointed at the large dragon. “Do you even need our help at all to save my Grandma?!”

“What’s a ‘speedrun’?” Rama asked curiously. I don’t even know how to answer that in this situation. I just shook my head indicating that he shouldn’t ever ask further on the matter.

“Unfortunately, yes. I do still require your help” Mr. Duragon chimed in as his scaly fingers pointed at the direction of the cage we found. “See that cage? I can’t approach it at all”

“What do you mean ‘you can’t approach at all’? You can fly even in this realm… right?”

I decided to run closer to the cage while still holding Rama and Rana’s hand as I was told to, but then, I just couldn’t get closer. It was strange. It was as if we were pulled away further from the prison the more we tried to get close to it.

“Now you shall understand what I meant by that.”

“There’s definitely a special brand of illusion or distraction magic there, Arika. Doubt we can go further.” Rama commented, grabbing my hand tight. Both me and Rama ended up spontaneously taking a glance at Rana, the only one among us three that could manage doing such magic.

“I don’t even think I can neutralize such celestial magic with my own…” Rana sighed. “What a problem…”

“As I said before, elves and beings native to this world can’t use magic that well in this realm, so I doubt her magic would’ve been any help…”

“So as long as we don’t solve this problem, we can't just go ahead and rescue Grandma?!”

That’s a little unfair for us… Wait. He did say beings ‘native in this world’, right? Then, what if I give it a try doing something about it— I thought as I tried to let go of Rama and Rana’s hand— but before I could do anything about it, Rui walked casually towards the cage and he actually visibly looked closer to the cage rather than any of us.

“Look, Lady Arika! Rui’s going there alone?!”

“He can even do that?!”

Right, Cheshires aren’t quite native to this world— they were souls of cats from my world given another chance and formed a physical form by Grandma into this world! That means their souls shouldn’t be affected by the rules of this realm!

“Rui, wait! Carry us three on your back!” I called out, and Rui turned his back with a meow as he tried to approach us with his strong steps. What a good kitty that actually listens to me! I should give him a lot of cat treats when we’re back! I should really ask Rama and Rana what he usually likes after this… then….

“Like I said, you really spoke too many unnecessary things in your head! Just go ahead and get her, won’t you?!”

“Alright, alright. Guys, let’s go. Hold tight to Rui, okay?”

“Do you need any help with riding him, Arika?”
“Nope, it’s all good. I already caught on how it should be by now”

“As expected from Lady Arika~”

I couldn’t care less about Mr. Duragon’s protests of hearing my mind as the three of us friends rode on Rui’s back to the cage where Grandma was possibly being held captive by that Lesser Goddess.