A moving hill

“Thank you so much!!! I’m sorry for the troubles I’ve cost you all… I’m sure it took a while to catch these muttons!!” The man bowed to us.

Well, It sure did… I had to take naps in intervals… I exhaled, brows furrowed.

Standing up, he cleared his throat and asked. “As for the payment! Is there any type you’d be willing to acquire…? Though I’m not sure I can guarantee everything… However I will inform you if we do happen to have it!”

I stepped aside for him to notice Marieka, and he approached her.

“Anything in your mind? Miss mage?”

She took her time to decide, scratching her head. “Mmmm…. Let’s see…. Uhm… Then, how about something for binding…?”

“Binding…? By that you mean to paralyze?”

“Yes! Though, I wouldn’t mind choosing another if that’s the case. I’d be more glad to have any available.”

The man shook his head and confirmed. “No no! We most certainly have! We’re happy to hand it out as it’s been lying in this village for more than a decade…”

He bowed his head and turned around rushing to the door of his homestead.

I was puzzled before realizing. “ーMarieka. You chose a wise spell… That’s gonna be really helpful when you’re assisting Annaliese.”

“Mhm! I figured because ofー, Hey!! Are you planning to leave me and Annaliese to handle the fighting again…?!!”

“Sorry. Lately I’ve been feeling fatigued… Well, you can’t blame my body.”

She scratched her head. “Hmm, I wonder what happened… I mean, you were like this during Ryven…”

“I was always like this, yeah, It can’t be helped…” I stretched my arms behind my back and yawned. “Well… Could be the effects of unsealing myself, who knows…?”

“Really…? But… I’ll be honest Varieka. It feels like… You’ve actually changed.”

I jolted, turning to her while stuttering my words. “What…? D… Didn’t you say I’m still the same as before…?”

“Yeah but… It’s just that, after Friedenswald you feel more… Let’s say… Relaxed? Sleeping everywhere, more open andー”

“ーYes yes… It’s nothing, I just found books of my choosing during Friedenswald, Lovely stuff…” I exhaled, walking away to cuddle with the muttons behind me. “Who’s a good lamb?! Yes you are! Yes you are!”

Marieka exhaled, before taking an ornament underneath her robe and clenched it firmly, having the look of a person that was hurt under a facadeーAnd I was unaware of it.

“ーSorry for the wait! Here’s the book!” The man called, running to Marieka.

Jolting, she quickly recalled the ornament back to her pocket before turning to the man. “Thank you!! We’re happy to help!” Taking the book from his hand.

“Are you sure that’s the only payment…? We’re willing to double…” He asked, concerned if the reward wasn’t enough for our efforts.

She shook her head and bowed, clasping the book. “This is well enough mister! We’ll be on our way now.”

“Ah… Is that so? Please take care on your way, wandering mages! Thank you so much once again…! Do come back again if ever! We’d appreciate it!”

⇔ ⇔ ⇔ ⇔

“So even to this day… I get called a mage along with you two…” Annaliese slouched, amused.

I softly chuckled, covering my mouth. “Take it as a compliment, just convince yourself that you perceive magic. Better that way I suppose.”

“I guess so… They wouldn’t expect me to wield a sword, which is funny to think about!”

“Would anyone even suspect…? You don’t really have to tell them… Shhh.” I placed an index to my lips.

She laughed. “That is pretty hilarious… Next time, maybe I can try to fool them.”

Marieka scratched her cheek. “Yeah no, Annaliese too seems more laidback than before…?”

“ーDid you say something Marieka?”

“Ahem. Must’ve been the wind… Anyways, what's with the shaking? I’ve been trying to ignore it for over an hour now…. But it keeps getting worse…”

I yawned and wiped my eyes. “Take a wild guess… Remember what you guys saw from Friedenswald…?”

“Hmm… Wait, WHAT?”

Then, the ground below us shook violently before a loud RRAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHHH Echoed.

“ーW… WOAAHH!” Marieka balanced herself, almost dropping to the ground. “ARE WE STANDING ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN DRAGON…?”

“Well, yeah… It’s waking up… Don’t be alarmed… It’s just changing sleeping positions…” I tried my best to stay awake.

Our field of view changed, the area had elevated, much higher than it was earlier. And from how the dragon was well hiddenーthis fellow is most likely a hundred years old due to the fact it had merged with the terrain.

Marieka began panicking. “Why did it wake up??!!! Is it in a bad mood??!!!”

“Not really… They will never be hostile… In fact, when it meets a powerful beingーBe it a deity, it will show its respect to them…”

Her expression shot up, slowly turning to me.

“....So it woke up, because of you Eilise?”

“Hey… It’s not my fault. He did wake up from my mana… And remember, I can’t control it.” I sulked.

Annaliese scratched her head and questioned. “So uhm… How do we calm him down…? Do you know how…? Eilise…?!”

I exhaled before stepping forward, summoning my staff and tapping it to the ground.

Ting… Then blue light rippled from the groundーthe grass began glowing blue, wind swaying from all sides as mana around the air moved in tandem.

The dragon roared in response and slowly the elevation returned to normal… I set my staff aside to kneel down and pat the grass, calmly assuring the mountain dragon. “....It’s your second time waking up huh? I’m sure you’ve paid respects to the hero as well, back when Vanhaert wasn’t formed…”

Mountain dragons have been on earth longer than we have, and of course, he must have witnessed the brutality from a hundred years ago… I feel sad for him…

“Please rest peacefully… No need to wake up if I ever step foot in Vanhaert, I’d only be troubling you.” I muttered to him.

I held my position for a while till eventually pushing myself up. “Let’s keep going, the terrain around the dragon has broken up… So his head should be visible, and so is his entire body from the other side…”

Marieka jolted, misinterpreting what I’ve just said. “W… what are we going to do…?”

I turned to her. “Well.”