"Yeah. Sir Samuel's identification is no problem."
At my answer, Xenon breathed a sigh of relief.
To ride a Warp Gate, identification is required. That's fine for Xenon, but I have a forged ID, so I can't even pass the entrance.
That's why, despite traveling all this time, I never even considered using a Warp Gate.
Yet Samuel was suggesting we use one as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
He added that with his own identification, he could bring up to three people without checking their IDs.
'If I can use the Warp Gate without problems, there's no reason to refuse.'
The only reason I was enduring Samuel's boring primordial mythology lecture was because he had drastically shortened our journey.
I pressed my eyes firmly, then raised my gaze at a sudden question.
"But can't you use your own identification? Why do you want to ride using Sir Samuel's ID?"
"When someone goes looking for a person, the first thing they check is gate usage records. Especially the Magic Tower would definitely check."
"Why are you suddenly watching out for the Magic Tower? Did you commit a crime?"
At my question, Xenon turned his head away with an embarrassed expression.
It seemed like a sensitive topic, so I was about to stop asking, but then I noticed something on his right index finger as he scratched his forehead.
"What's that ring?"
"Ah, this..."
The shiny silver ring looked brand new no matter how I looked at it.
Xenon fidgeted awkwardly with the ring before slowly speaking.
"It's a magic tool."
"...A magic tool?"
Of course, I'd seen him use some magic tools before, but this was the first time I'd seen him use one worn continuously.
Well... He might have felt threatened traveling with me.
With his magical power currently sealed, he might have thought he needed other precautions.
"Want me to give you a few offensive magic tools? I have some bracelets left."
"I don't like using magic that I can't control."
"Still, better than nothing."
"If that's the case, it would be faster to just unlock my magical power..."
Xenon grumbled, then suddenly fell silent.
His complaint about unsealing his magical power was nothing new, so I casually continued.
"At this point, it seems even the Magic Tower won't grant permission. Just give up and arm yourself with magic tools."
"How did you know that?"
"How could I not know?"
Whenever he returned from contacting the Magic Tower, he was always in a huff. It would've been hard not to know.
At my indifferent words, Xenon furrowed his brows. However, unable to refute, he just sighed.
"I don't know how the conversation drifted this far. Anyway, I'm glad we can use the Warp Gate. They say even dog dung has its uses, and that paladin fellow turned out to be useful after all."
Xenon glanced at Samuel. The man who had been reciting the names of primordial gods at me since early morning was now piously kneeling in prayer.
Watching him, I murmured in a detached tone.
"He's much more useful than dog dung."
He builds tents well and sets up beds properly too. Since Samuel took charge of sleeping arrangements, the ache in my back had disappeared.
I was nodding in acknowledgment of Samuel's skills when Xenon looked at me with a sense of betrayal, something I hadn't seen in a while.
"...Lady Anelli. Later, between me and that paladin fellow..."
"Later, what? They're already fighting plenty."
"So in that situation..."
"I won't take anyone's side. Whether they fight or not, I'm leaving them behind."
When I cut him off firmly, Xenon cried out in dismay.
"How can you leave me behind with that fellow! After all the food I've prepared and brought you all this time!"
"Yeah, I'm leaving you. So don't plan on fighting, just think about getting along peacefully."
When I declared with no room for negotiation, Xenon pouted and mumbled.
"...Lady Anelli doesn't understand the relationship between the Temple and the Magic Tower."
Xenon glared at Samuel with sullen eyes. Samuel wasn't even glancing this way.
I could swear he was pretending not to notice while feeling that gaze.
"Who doesn't know the Temple and Magic Tower have been fighting for ages."
Perhaps because they were groups with fundamentally different interpretations of the world, the two had been in conflict since ancient times.
At least in this Empire where I was, the Temple held sway, so conflicts weren't as sharp. But in some foreign countries where the two powers were evenly matched, wars never ceased.
A few years ago, there was a negotiation table the Imperial family pushed for selling offensive magic tools to such a country.
At that time, thinking it might be useful, I had busied myself learning that country's language. If I had stayed with the Imperial family, I might have quietly offered some input on related matters.
My mood sank at the suddenly resurfaced memory. I was trying to shake off the thoughts when Xenon spoke again.
"And that paladin fellow. Watching him these past few days, he's a very insolent man."
"Insolent how?"
"His schemes are sinister."
"Sinister?"
"Yes, it's quite a sight seeing him pretend otherwise while his insides are stained black."
"So what exactly?"
Xenon narrowed his eyes and leaned his head toward me.
"His obsession with Lady Anelli is at a very dangerous level."
Xenon whispered softly, his expression truly serious. Absurd, I was speechless for a moment before responding.
"That's because Sir Samuel is a paladin. The Temple desires my person, so of course he'd be obsessed."
It was persistent and annoying, but now that I had expectations of him too, it didn't bother me much.
He didn't forcibly restrict my movements and was moderately useful. Samuel was subtly perceptive.
At my calm words, Xenon jumped up with a stern face.
"No, that's not it!"
"Not it?"
"That, you know, there's that kind of emotion that's somehow unsettling, unpleasant, and dangerous."
I was rendered speechless again by the absurdity.
"...Xenon."
I didn't particularly like Samuel either, but this was a bit much.
"No matter how much you hate Sir Samuel, there should be limits to defamation. What kind of imagination are you having about a clergyman?"
"Defamation! I'm making a completely objective judgment right now!"
"Just say directly that you hate him."
"I am always saying directly that I hate him."
Xenon pounded his chest as if frustrated. I was frustrated too. What on earth did he see to imagine such things?
"Stop having strange fantasies and hurry up and clean up. We're leaving."
Just then, I saw Samuel rise in the distance, having finished his prayer.
I turned away, letting Xenon's nagging wash over me.
"Let's go, Nadav."
[I'll fly!]
[I don't want to go back in either, Boss.]
Zigor and Tristan flew over promptly. And Palides...
"I'd like to come along too...?"
Ah, I didn't bring a horse for Palides to ride.
"If Nadav doesn't mind, I don't mind riding together."
At my words, Palides sidled up to the black horse. Nadav, instantly grasping her intention, warned in a voice full of wariness.
[I'll kick you with my hind legs.]
"You carried me when I fainted before. Your back's already been defiled, just lend it once more."
[If you don't want to faint again, get away right now!]
As Nadav refused vehemently, Palides clung shyly. Seeing this, Zigor and Tristan called out enthusiastically.
[First strike wins!]
[Fight, fight! I'll bet honey on Nadav winning!]
And I stood there for a moment, pondering. Whether traveling with all the Dullahans out was really the right decision.
Meanwhile, the struggle between Nadav and Palides continued.
"Subspace is comfortable, but I want to travel while chatting with the Boss too!"
[Get away!]
"Don't be like that, Nadav!"
Xenon, who couldn't understand Nadav's cries, watched their struggle blankly before asking me.
"Is it because it's too heavy to carry both of them? If so, I'll give up my horse and Lady Anelli can ride with me..."
[Boss! No other horse may serve you!]
Somehow hearing this conversation while fighting, Nadav turned serious and rushed to me.
At the black horse approaching with fierce eyes, Xenon retreated with a fed-up expression.
"Guess that wasn't it."
[You wretch! How dare you approach our Boss with such lecherous methods!]
When Nadav became wary of Xenon, Nesi, who had been resting leisurely a bit apart, quietly rose.
[Though this male is feeble-minded, he's no scoundrel. Withdraw your threat at once.]
With Nesi joining in, Zigor and Tristan, who had been watching from the sidelines, stepped forward with competitive spirits.
[Boss, I'll peck anyone approaching with my beak!]
[Boss, my venom is more certain.]
"What is it, why are the animals suddenly making noise?"
It's because of you, because of you. Swallowing those words, I pressed my forehead.
My head throbbed at the clamor springing up like bamboo shoots. I couldn't understand the me from an hour ago who had missed this noisy situation. Along with that, my initial desperate desire for a subspace magic tool revived.
At least Samuel's tedious creation myth lectures didn't ring in my ears.
The moment I thought that, Zigor shouted excitedly.
[This insolent wolf fellow! So you've been ignoring me all this time? I'll show you my terrifying power right now!]
"What? Wait, Zigor...!"
Before I could stop him, black smoke rose, revealing a black horse and black armor.
Even in the sudden situation, I inadvertently scanned Zigor's true form.
Zigor's true form, which I was seeing for the first time since we joined up, was considerably smaller compared to the other Dullahans. Even the horse he rode.
I had been worried since he always went around with modifiers like 'terrifying' or 'threatening'...
'Aside from having no head, he's cute for a Dullahan?'
Zigor, unaware of my thoughts, jumped for joy at confirming he could return to his true form.
[Wow! I can finally return to my true form! We can have our delayed duel!]
Each time he jumped, I had the illusion of faint vibration.
No, wait.
"Even if we're in the mountains, transforming into your true form out of nowhere...!"