CH 359

“I think it was here…”

The day after I drank in the balcony with Kalin, I managed to excuse myself from the capital and return to the Admiral dominion.

After camping on the way here, I reach the spot where I first met Seilook. The pond where the shaman’s familiar was.

I see the cloud based water supply system I installed with Roa, and clouds being formed on the other side.

It’s a good thing I found information about dragon spring stone in the castle’s library. And it sure helped that Queen Lily arranged it so I could peruse everything I wanted.

Coming here reminds me of what I read, and I start mumbling it without thinking.

“A stone that comes from a spring where a dragon is born… The day of the coronation ceremony, I ended up not asking Seilook more about before it was born. But I do know that I’m among the first things Seilook remembers seeing, meaning this is the spring where it was born. I say spring, but it really is just a pond.”

“Bumo bumo?”

Hipopo calls out to me, as I remember when Seilook first jumped out of the pond.

“Yes Hipopo. I’m counting on your help.”

“Bumo bumo.”

It’s quicker to just have a look instead of standing here thinking about it. I quickly take off my clothes and go into the pond. I hold on to Hipopo, who is walking beside me, and we gradually walk towards the center.

Back then, I felt the swaying of magic elements just before Seilook popped out.

“Hipopo, do you remember where the swaying magic elements came from before Seilook jumped out?”

Hipopo, who only has its eyes and nose above the surface of the water, blinks with only one eye.

“Nice, Hipopo! Dive deep in that place, please.”

I take a deep breath and hang on to Hipopo tightly, before it dives.

Hipopo drags me along as we go deeper into the pond, aiming for the bottom.

I open my eyes slightly and look around.

The water is somewhat transparent, and since it has the high magic element concentration that’s typical of a remote region, there aren’t a lot of living beings here. And it looks like the monster repellent is still working.

The world underwater is more peaceful than I thought, and the sunlight beaming down diagonally shines all the way to the bottom.

I’m starting… To struggle… Ku… My lack of exercise is showing on my poor lung capacity. And I’ve never made a potion to replenish oxygen or anything like that…

Bubbles escape from the corners of my mouth as I’m unable to hold my breath anymore, and we finally reach the bottom.

I hold on to Hipopo tightly as my body starts to float upwards.

Maybe it’s because there aren’t a lot of living beings here, but there isn’t a lot more down here than the smooth looking sand.

M-my breath… Where’s that dragon spring stone? According to what I read, it should look like a crystal…

Hipopo looks at me with a worried expression. It sees me desperately looking for something, and points right where I’m standing with one of its front legs.

Here? Ah, where magic elements were swaying…

I can’t move my body very well underwater, but I somehow crouch, and move the sand where Hipopo pointed.

I feel something hard, as I’m really starting to run out of oxygen.

I grab it, and immediately tap Hipopo. I don’t even have time to check what I grabbed.

Hipopo immediately knows what those taps mean, and rushes to go up, dragging me along again.

We’re just about to break the surface, when suddenly, I feel all the strength leave my body. My vision turns dark, like it’s being covered by mist.