Y/N POV
After a few days of travel, we arrived at the desert city of Mirula. My whole battalion was with me, and along with the merry band of travellers from the Emilia Camp and Anastasia and her knight. Otto and Garfiel stayed behind in the cleanup of the Water Gate City...hm, I wonder what their reaction was when they couldn't find Typhon's arm... hehehehe...
Anyways, the city was actually quite nice, despite the constant blowing of sand into my face. Rem's new wheelchair seemed to be functioning quite well, and I examined its parts beforehand to see if I can add some self-defense mechanisms, but I held myself back on that for now.
The city just beyond the dunes of sand had a better hydration system and food supply thanks to the efforts of our help throughout the 8 months before Arc 5, but it could still use some improvement. Mainly the housing, but unfortunately we don't have time for that.
We're setting off in an hour or so, and it's the second day we arrived here. We gathered information from the surrounding locals, and Subaru reported that a guy from a bar reminded him on the immense number of mabeasts in the current season.
"We have Meili, so it'll probably be fine" is the argument I used to convince everyone. However, fo I have complete confidence in Meili's Divine Protection? No. It's too much of an error to completely rely on something. From the perspective of a scientist, I need to guarantee success and weed out anything that will be an obstacle. There are three main factors. The Sand Time Barrier, the Mabeasts, and Hell's Snipe. Those three deadly obstacles will be impeding our journey, and I need a way to go around them. Also, I need to make sure dies less than the original timeline, our else I will literally be strangled by Satella.
Satella and Envy have not shown up at all for a while since I was pretty far from her Sealing Shrine. However, now that I returned to Lugnica and headed directly towards her seal's direction, it's quite dangerous as she is now able to reach out to my mind.
Lets just hope that Chid-chan's powers keep her away and protect me for now.
I reinforced the wheels of the carriage for it to fit better on our travels. As long as our surface area of our transports are large enough, sinking into the sand won't be that much of an issue.
The ground dragons pulling our carriage seemed to have webbed talons, and I gave Fulgenta some webbing shoes for her to travel quicker. I also made a pair for Patrasche, since Subaru will be riding her alongside Beatrice.
Julius and Meili have been directed to the front lines, along with Halibel and Yae who volunteered to be at our group's front. Zarestia is in the back providing a magic barrier that will protect us from any unexpected attacks, and the rest of my Battalion is staying in my own new and improved steam carriage.
Making sure that everything was ready, I went over to Subaru.
"How's the information gathering?" I said as he took his hood off when he entered my capsule. I turned on the air conditioning and saw Emilia following him in. They took a seat as I took their coats before I washed and rinsed them.
"In short, our trip is very dangerous. According to a local shopkeeper who in my opinion knows a lot, nobody has ever reached the watchtower, much less seen the sage. Also, thank god we have Meili on our side now, or else we'll probably be ripped to shreds around 10 kilometers in."
"Yeah, mabeasts are quite the problem in the sand dunes. I just hope in case Meili gets too exhausted, my magical barriers will hold up. Oh, right, hold up." I said as I raised a hand and opened a tiny compartment in the capsule, before taking something out. "Here are the goggles you requested. They aren't the best, since I'm not exactly an expert at glassware, but they do the job at blocking sand out. Also, here are a few hoods for our mouths and hair that I replicated from the Muslim headscarfs."
"Wow... these are amazing!" Subaru said in awe as he put on the one for him, which I specifically died orange and black for his colour style, and Emilia looked happy with her white and purple one, too. "Thanks a lot, Y/N! You really are a great helper."
"Aw, shucks. Just doing my job." I chuckled before snapping my fingers to create a can of Sprite out of thin air, before popping open the aluminum can and started drinking the soda. "So, do you think we're ready?"
"Ready or not, we're going."
"That's that, then." I tapped onto the Conversation Mirror I had, and a link was established between myself and my Battalion members.
"Assemble at capsule, everyone. We're commencing Operation Sandstorm Breaker."
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"Hey, at least we might be able to fill out some parts of the mabeast encyclopedia today." I said to Omega, who sat in front of me as we rode on my ground dragon.
We're about 5 kilometers away from the city of Mirula now, and it's still visible from where we're at. Not too sure about that if we continue, though. The journey ahead of us is a treacherous one, and we need to be very careful advancing. However, we can cheer everyone up a little. In my case, I'm taking my binoculars and zooming in onto the tiny mabeasts scattered throughout the desert, while Chid-chan used Nect on my eyes to observe and document their statistics.
Meili was doing great, controlling the small yet deadly horde of mabeasts that I advised to took to protect us from any disobedient mabeasts in the sand dunes. Meanwhile, Chid-chan was frustrated at the Book of Wisdom 2.0 for some reasons.
"Chid-chan, what's wrong? Is something bad going to happen?"
"No, but... why is my Book of Wisdom in one of your Earth's languages?"
"Huh?" I replied, confused as I glanced at the book, which I noticed is now covered in Greek. "How could this have happened?"
There was a signature at the bottom for some reasons, and it was written in the old code that I used to write in Greek. "Goppy? Who is Goppy?"
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Meanwhile in another universe
"What do you think, Pyr? Is Goppy fitting enough for my title of Ghosts and Pranks?"
"I... ********-******! I told you to go kill them, since Ritatotsky refuses for me to do so! Not alter a Book that tells them the future!"
"But at least they won't mess the timeline as much now, right?"
"True... you know what, 'Goppy', you've outdone yourself this time."
"Aw, Pyr, you finally accepted my existence!"
"Why do you make it sound so miserable..."
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Leaving the now paranoid Omega to figure out the Book of Wisdom, I rode over to the left of Julius, since Subaru was on his right. At this point in time, Subaru asked an absolutely brilliant question.
"Julius, I remembered you mentioned dragons like Josef, the one who's pulling the carriage right now, have those feet so they could step on the sands, right? So how is Patrasche still keeping her balance?"
"Your loving dragon is a Diana, which is considered the ancestor of all earth dragons. It has the genes of the initial dragon ancestors that were dominant on land, sea, and air......it has excelling adaptability, no matter what the environment is. Unfortunately, my Shaknar will be left at the town."
Shaknar was Julius's Ground Dragon. Unfortunately, when Roy ate Julius's name, it disappeared from animals as well. However, they retained their bond due to Shaknar's ability to be kind to anyone who rode it, and they rekindled their friendship over the month.
Interesting. Earth Dragons' different breeds have actual genetic development between them. Gotta note that down.
"How have you NOT noticed that, Y/N?" Omega asked, a little disappointed.
"Well, I didn't exactly have the time to study and analyze info when we were running around for the whole time! In the past year and a half, and we've been doing a lot of important things!"
"That's true..."
Subaru was now talking to Ram. Checking up on her condition, I presume. I always wondered why though, since they didn't go through a major battle like we did at Priestella. Ram and Roswaal stayed behind at the mansion after Arc 4, but I do remember Roswaal injuring her quite a lot during that battle at the sanctuary.
"Hey, Ram-san. Why exactly did you want to come with us?" I asked her, and ram thought for a reply.
"I won't be left behind. Also, it's not like my pain will improve if I do get left behind. Actually, being separated from Emilia-sama with how I am now would put my life at risk."
"I see. Is it because of the Sanctuary's battle? Is that why your body is still recovering?"
"You're both intelligent and annoying at the same time, Y/N. But prying too much will not do you any good. In any case, Barusu, take some of Y/N's wits and you both will have a good balance."
"I'm not that stupid! Y/N's branded a genius back in his country, for god's sake!"
"Subaru does have his perks. His strategical genius may come on par with the ones at. the top one day. In some ways, he's more resilient than me. How else do you think he survived so many deadly encounters with dangerous people? The White Whale, the Sin Archbishops of Sloth and Greed, and the Great Rabbit. Although I played a part, Subaru is undoubtably the most prominent character."
"Hm. Y/N speaks quite highly of you, Barusu. What kind of bribery did you commit-"
"I didn't do anything!"
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"You okay, Meili?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, onii-san. Thanks for coming to stay with Elsa-nee and me. We were getting bored."
"True. I haven't exactly hunted too many bowels recently. Then again, purely fighting anything is a good workout." Elsa replied. Her personality underwent a little change, going from the obsession of bowels to fighting. That actually may be for the better, I guess. I don't exactly wish to see guts spewed out anywhere.
"The other onii-chan was ignoring us. How mean! He spoils Beatrice-chan so much, yet refuses to pay attention to us. Y/N-onii is much better in this aspect."
Well, you two were both assassins, to be fair...
"Are you afraid?" I asked the two.
"Of what?"
"Death? Or anything at all, if I may know."
"Obviously Mother, if you don't already know." Meili said as even Elsa gave a shudder. "Of course, that's before Onii-san subdued her. I've always wondered, how exactly did you win over Mother? She didn't seem like one who would follow orders from someone else."
"Let's just say it was a little connection of her past. She suffered quite a lot before she became the figure you guys feared, you know. All I did was help her out a little, but I guess that meant a lot to her."
"How did you even know about Mother's past?"
"Cheats."
"What?"
"Uh, my abilities. Part of them allows me to extract memories, but it wasn't perfect by all means."
"Huh." Meili gave me a look. "That's a little suspicious, don't you think, El-nee?"
"True. But we shouldn't pry too much, Meili. We all have our fair share of secrets. Anyways, back on topic. I am afraid of death. Death spells the end for me or any living thing at all, which means that you couldn't do anything after dying. It's a waste, to put it simply. But I believe when we are with you, Y/N, our lives will be safe. Isn't that right, Meili?"
"Yessss. After all, Onii-san made a promise to protect us back at the mansion, didn't you?"
"That's a lot of expectations coming from you two, but I guess it is part of my duty." I hugged Meili up and placed her in Elsa's lap, before giving them both a hug. "This is my promise. Don't worry, I will ensure that you two will survive until that bright future comes. So stay by my side, okay?"
"OK!" The two gave me confirmation, and I returned the smile. Until I felt a hand cup my cheeks from behind.
"What exactly are you talking about while leaving me out, Y/N? It's not really nice to play with children if you don't consult with their mother before, hm?" Capella said with a sinister smile, suddenly behind me somehow.
"Cappy! Uh... we were just-"
"You're going to have to give a good explanation. In the capsule, now. We have to talk."
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The Augria Sand Dunes' has a famous "sand time" when the "sand wind" blows particularly strong.
The sand wind that blows during the three periods of the day morning, afternoon, and night carries sand and miasma from the east towards west, and it's a disaster that silently presses on you. Wind got strong late at night, and this sand wind continued to blow for a few hours.
It was pretty much midnight, so we couldn't move well at this time when the sand wind blew.
Thus, we would conquer the Augria Sand Dunes during the day, which was also the time when the "sand time" would take a break in the morning and in the afternoon, moving forward little by little.
The grains of sand that fully covered the ground were small, and just like the rumours said, we would trip many times due to the difficulty of walking on the surface. We marched slowly without speeding up, and it was an irritating situation.
"Onii-san said he would protect us, right?" Meili said to herself, repeating the scenes of her experiences.
Recounting, Reliving.
"What kind of person do I want to become to onii-san? I wonder..."
"Hm? You have an idea, snakey?"
"I just hope he fulfills his promise."
Next chapter is a Meili backstory and her POV chapter!