<A Message from the translator:> Okay, the story is starting. So far, it’s really just been set-up, so please enjoy~
1-8: Unexpected Request
The waning half-moon appeared in the sky to the east.
Awakened by Leena, Fin quietly snuck out from his bed. He put on another layer, grabbed his sword, and headed out to the cape at night. The moon was obstructed by the mountain range, so the sea and town were covered in darkness. What a strange sensation.
Fin felt Leena’s nervousness on top of his own, so he gently extended the hand in his heart. There was a response, and the warmth from the connection calmed him.
Fin slowly walked towards the sea. The repeated sounds of waves washing over the stones on the beach tempted him to sleep. Even time seemed to drip like a sticky syrup.
When abruptly—
[Deia’s Dragon Lord.]
This bizarre intrusion in his consciousness made Fin shiver. Although there was no pain, it felt like a thick spear was thrust into his body. The intrusion of this foreign object caused intense discomfort, and his stomach, intestines, and the rest of his internal organs twisted and writhed.
Unable to bear it, Fin folded his body in half forward, but at that moment, the presence disappeared. Instead, he heard, “Sorry, have you never experience this?”
A quiet voice whispered. Fin held back the urge to vomit. He gasped as he raised his head. A man was suddenly standing there as if he had melted out from the shadows.
Even in this dim light, Fin was able to clearly make out the man’s appearance: the woven, geometric patterns on his clothes, his long pants, his thick boots, and finally, his long, silver hair.
(What is a Salda tribesman doing here?)
Fin’s suspicion was probably displayed on his face since the man suddenly smiled.
“I have a request for you. Think you can spend a winter in the mountains?”
“…What kind of job are you requesting?”
“A show of might to deter the 8th Army Corps from crossing the pass.”
“—!?”
Fin unintentionally widened his eyes. It was unprecedented for a member of the Salda tribe to involve themselves in the conflicts of the lower world. Besides, Fin doubted that a whole army corps, let alone the large one Dirgius led, would bother with a mountainous, hunting tribe like the Salda. No matter how advantageous the location was, there were no other worthy benefits.
“Don’t be so blatantly delighted.”
The man amusingly jested, causing Fin to blush, but he tried to keep up appearances. Before he could open his mouth to ask his question, the man began to explain.
“Rather, we’re not trying to take on an entire army corps. There probably wouldn’t be full-scale invasion until next spring. But, whether it’s to secure a path or maintain a camp, or even go after our resources—manpower and food supply, I’m certain they’ll send small numbers of scouting troops ahead to steal whatever they can. That’s why I want to make it difficult for them. Send them away or along the wrong path so they don’t want to head south before this winter falls.”
“Why would a Salda tribesman want to do such a thing?”
“It’s a request from a family member. The 4th Corps Commander of Nakte, Rufus, is a distant relative of ours. Even if he didn’t ask, we’re just savages who don’t like when our mountain gets trampled on, right?”
This was a sarcastic response to Fin’s questions. He responded with only a shrug of his shoulders. The man in front of him certainly did not look like a savage. Fin slowly took a long breath and straightened his back.
“Are you asking us to take this request because you know that we’re deserters? Or, are you…the same thing as me?”
Fin chose these words carefully, but the man easily replied, “Both.”
“Rather than the average thug, you ‘Millers’ are well-mannered, and you know how the army corps fight. Additionally, Phineas, if you come, it’ll make it even easier to keep the Beasts of Darkness away from the village during the long winter nights.”
“……? But, you’re also…”
“My partner isn’t light. You’ve probably realized it, but he’s darkness. Because he’s friendly with the Beasts, they do not fear him.”
“Can you not make them obey you?”
Fin thought that because this man was bonded with the dragon of the God of Darkness Naruge, he should be able to control the Followers of Darkness at will. But, the man wryly smiled at Fin’s proposal.
“You’re bonded to the light, so do all humans obey you? …It’s like that. Anyway, if you take the job, I’ll have more time to explain further. I’ll head back tonight for now, but I’ll come again for your answer. Make up your mind.”
The man left those words and turned around, but Fin quickly called him.
“Um, your name is?”
“Oh, guess I forgot to say.” The man turned around and looked straight at Fin, “It’s Verdant Mist. …Your partner’s quite beautiful. Give her my regards.”
Verdant Mist chuckled. His laughter reminded Fin of that Wolf of Darkness from before. The man looked at the speechless Fin behind him, casually raised a hand, and disappeared into the darkness. His body literally blended into the shadows. Fin thought he was hallucinating when he saw the man dissolve into them.
Fin stood dazed for some time, but then he sneezed when the salty sea breeze brushed against his neck. At the same time, he felt Leena sigh from the corner of his consciousness.
[Although that person was clad in Master Naruge’s power, he wasn’t scary.]
[He said that you’re beautiful.]
When Fin joked around, he felt Leena squirm in embarrassment. Fin grinned and looked up at the sky. The moon was shining brightly high in the sky. Darkness and moonlight mixed in the undulating waves. He understood why Verdant Mist chose this time and headed back inside while lightly yawning.
The next morning, the dining table of the Millers’ was surrounded by an indescribable air. After Fin told them about Oria’s proposal and Verdant Mist’s request, everyone was considerably conflicted.
“To think a Salda tribesman was Naruge’s Dragon Lord… Wonder if that’s really true,” Varte grumbled in uncertainty. Plast looked at another direction and slightly shrugged his shoulders.
“Asking us deserters to fight the army corps is ironic, heh.”
“Either way, we can’t be buddy-buddy with the 8th Army Corps,” Varte shook his head. “It’ll be a different story if they changed commanders. They’re a bunch of bastards Dirgius humiliated and threw mud at. Even the one with unquestioned criminal records. I’m sure it won’t end well for them once he finds them. It wouldn’t be bad getting to tell him straight to his face that we’re his enemy, so eat sh*t.”
“So what will we do?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. No one answered right away, so the room was silent. After some time, Nellis hesitantly opened her mouth.
“…If you guys do leave to go to the mountains, what’ll happen to us? Do we just wait here until the spring?”
Her voice and facial expression conveyed her disagreement. Fin arranged his thoughts as he cautiously answered her.
“Verdant Mist said that he wanted me to come. He needs Leena’s power. It also seems that he’s quite well-informed about dragons. I have a lot I want to ask him, so I’m going. At the very least, I can’t…go south with Oria.”
“Why?”
Fauna asked with a tone filled with worry. A worry that asked, “If you want to live a calm life…if you want to live together as a family, it’ll be better to go south.” Fin’s face turned lonely.
“It’s because I’m a Dragon Lord,” he pushed out this short response and coughed to change subjects. “But, I believe that it’ll be safer for Aunt and the others to head south. Even though we finally could work as millers again, unfortunately…”
“That won’t do.”
Oandus rejected, unwilling for the conversation to end like this. Because Fin had expected such, he held his hand out to ask him to wait.
“Uncle, but, we cannot take Fernaine with us to the mountains. We haven’t found any foster parents for her yet. Either way, the worry that she might be found by Niardo if she remains in this city or that she’ll be sold somewhere hasn’t disappeared. That’s why I want you to take her and go south with Oria.”
“Wait a sec, Big Bro. Are you telling me to go too?”
Nellis was clearly angry. Although Fin slightly flinched, he when he nodded. This caused Nellis to immediately explode with resentment.
“Am I that much of a bother to you!? Every time something happens, you always go off somewhere to do everything by yourself! Give me a break!! Besides, you always bring up your oath, but did you expect to take care of Fernaine for your whole life? You have to let her go at some point. That’s the same for us as well. We can just leave her with the orphanage until they find her a foster family. As long as Dirgius and Niardo don’t come down to this town themselves and search everywhere for her, they won’t find her. And I’m sure that Fernaine would feel safer staying in a town she’s familiar with than going to another unfamiliar village again.”
“Big Bro really is an idiot,” Nellis did her usual insult and glared straight at Fin. Then, she blankly ended with, “It’s not that I hate looking after that girl, but I thought I should just say it.” Fin unintentionally smiled wryly.
“I know.”
Nellis just didn’t want her family to be split apart again. However, he couldn’t forgive her for using Fernaine as a reason for him not to leave.
Then, Fernaine herself could no longer stand herself being ignored in this argument, so she leaned over the table.
“I won’t go! I’m staying here!”
“But, Fernaine, you might be left alone in the orphanage.”
Fin asked as a warning, “Do you know what it means to stay here?” Fernaine pouted.
“Big sister is here. The big sister who gives me sweets.”
“……”
“Just as I thought,” Fin dropped his shoulders. It appeared that she didn’t understand that Oria was also leaving.
Then, a young man from the former pursuit group who had been silent the whole time timidly spoke.
“Um, hey, Phineas. If you don’t mind, um…I could take Fernaine with me.”
“Eh?”
At these unexpected words, Fin blinked in surprise. The young man was bathed in everyone’s gaze, so he scratched his head in embarrassment.
“What I mean is that…I’ll escort Oria and her mum south, and…”
“What, Nix? Did you fall for that girl?!”
The one who rudely said this was, of course, Varte. Young Nix suddenly blushed. His comrades around him slapped his shoulders and back in harmless harassment.
“No wonder why you haven’t been rollin’ the die recently. You’ve been saving up your money to prepare to settle down, huh, ya bastard!”
“Why so distant? Should’ve told us earlier!”
These several jabs made Nix shrink. Fin was still dumbfounded and only watched. When Nix escaped from his comrades’ hands, he looked over at Fin and smiled.
“In any case, I was thinking about washing my hands from this kind of work. Maybe I’ll buy some goats in the south or start a small business somewhere. So, I’m going to take this chance… That is, if you’re alright with it.”
“Alright or whatever… Are you really alright with it?”
“Yeah. Well, I don’t know what Oria will say, but um…I’ll proceed patiently. But, even if it doesn’t go down well, the west has less of a chance of being involved in the war than Nakte, and it has better public order than this town. I can live safely. Fernaine as well.”
At the end of this sentence, Nix extended his hand and patted the girl’s head. She couldn’t keep up with the development of the conversation, so she had a strange face, but it seemed that she liked Nix and was obedient.
Looking at this, Fin’s chest gradually warmed up. He couldn’t clearly see their hearts, but he could vaguely sense Nix’s character. He was a simple soul raised in the rural town of Tetna. Although boring, he loved his steady life and peaceful days. He was kind, helping his family, neighbors, and comrades.
(—Ah, if it’s him…)
Fin momentarily closed his eyes. What he had lost, this man deserved. A small village and family. Livestock and fields. …Children. Surrounded by such things in life would certainly suit this man. He would treasure them all.
(It’ll be fine to leave them to him.)
Nix would definitely protect Oria and Fernaine with his life.
Fin let a relieved smile and nodded deeply.
“Yeah. Thanks, Nix.”
Towards the Sky 
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