“So, where are we going?”

Asks Roa.

We are currently flying on Seilook’s back, and I try not to let the wind blowing in our direction muffle my answer by raising my voice.

“First, the church of Araysla in the capital. There is something I want there.”

“Where Taula’s acquaintance is?”

Roa is sitting behind me, so she speaks with the same tone as always. My body is blocking the wind for her.

“Yes. The religious order that Taula belonged to was destroyed by the shaman, because he feared their oracle power, but the other orders of Araysla are safe. One is in the capital, and that’s where we’re going.”

“Taula said she left a lot of things there. Is that it?”

“Hmm, I guess. I want to get my hands on scripture from Araysla, and maybe I can find it there.”

Seilook begins to drop altitude.

“There should be other followers of Araysla besides Taula who can perform oracles. I want to check scripture used to perform these oracles.”

“Yes, you said the one Taula used was actually a charm.”

Roa is talking more than usual. She might have become friends with Taula without me noticing.

“Can you bring her back with that charm?”

“No. Even if I’m right and that scripture is a charm, that alone won’t be enough. Assuming this goes well, I’m planning to make a new magic item.”

“And you need my power to get the materials?”

We’re now low enough to see the ground in detail.

“Yes. I want you to help me with that, but I also need your help to make the new magic item.”

“All right.”

Roa accepts it without asking more about what kind of magic item I’m talking about.

Is it because she can’t be bothered like usual? Or is it because she trusts me a little? It’s hard to tell with Roa.

In any case, what I have to do is the same, make this as safe as possible and make sure Roa isn’t hurt no matter what happens while we make the magic item.

I tell myself this as I pat that one potion bottle in the potion holder around my waist.

This is something I made accidentally, but I need to investigate it carefully, and as soon as possible.

…But I don’t want to keep calling it ‘this’ or ‘that’.

“…I know, how about we call this ‘homunculus’ for now?

I say suddenly. Did this come out of part of the shaman’s memories? Did it come from me?

I said it without thinking, so I don’t really know.

But that whisper didn’t reach Roa. It’s like it was erased by the wind.

“I can see it.”

I peek behind me and see magic elements swaying in Roa’s eye.

It seems like she’s looking inside the capital with her long-distance magic eye.

I ask Seilook through our bond to take us even lower, and we start getting ready to land.