Translator: SumTLMan
After Fespanray departed, Angel continued to steer the Gondola towards the distant horizon.
The smoke that pervaded the air had begun to thin, allowing a clear view of the ground below from high above. However, the ground was nothing but dry, scorched earth, offering no scenery worth mentioning. Staring at it for too long would only tire the eyes.
Yet, for Dangros, this was not an issue. It clung to the edge of the boat, its palm eye staring intently at the vast, aged land below. Even the endless scorched earth seemed beautiful to it, as if seeing it for the first time.
Angel, on the other hand, propped his cheek with his hand, quietly observing Dangros from across.
Initially, Angel was lost in thought, but gradually, his gaze involuntarily focused on Dangros’s palm, growing increasingly suspicious.
“Have you put on weight today?” Angel couldn’t help but ask out loud.
Dangros shifted its gaze from the land below to Angel, “I haven’t gained weight, you must be mistaken.”
Angel’s question was casual, but Dangros’s reaction was peculiar, its eyes darting around, avoiding direct eye contact. Angel narrowed his eyes and insisted, “No, I’m certain you’ve gained weight.”
As he spoke, Angel also involved Toby in the matter, asking, “Toby, take a look.”
Toby chirped, and although Dangros couldn’t understand what Toby was saying, it could see Toby gesturing with its wing over its belly, indicating that Dangros’s “palm center” had indeed enlarged.
After Toby’s explanation, it looked disdainfully at Dangros, its little eyes full of scorn.
Dangros, unsure why Toby looked at it that way, felt its recently improved relationship with Toby was at risk over such trivial matters and hurriedly explained, “I haven’t gained weight. I was just thinking about leaving the Fire Domain for a while and needed to pack some luggage.”
Angel looked skeptical, “So, you’re saying your stomach is filled with luggage?”
Dangros avoided Angel’s gaze and after a long pause, admitted in a low voice, “Sort of, along with some gifts from Mentor Magu.”
Angel remained silent, eyeing the piece with disbelief, as did Toby, who also appeared unconvinced.
Dangros, intimidated by Toby’s gaze, hesitated before finally spitting out a black and red crystal.
Recognizing the familiar crystal, Angel realized, “Is this the core flame crystal from Mr. Magu and Magic Fire Midir?”
Dangros nodded, unable to meet Angel’s eyes, “This, this was given to me by Mentor Magu. Seeing you didn’t want it, he, he gave it to me.”
Dangros’s voice was uncertain and slightly stuttered. Combining this with its reluctance to meet Angel’s eyes, Angel could infer that Dangros’s statement was far from the truth.
Indeed, the crystal wasn’t given to Dangros by Magu but was requested by Dangros with the intention of passing it to Angel.
“Really?” Angel asked.
Under Angel’s gaze, Dangros shivered and hesitated, “It should be true, I guess?”
Dangros’s intentions were simple, but Angel, seeing through its avoidance and excuses, almost immediately understood the reality. This crystal was not meant for Dangros. Recalling the events made it clear to him.
Magu likely hoped to pass the crystal to him through Dangros.
“Shouldn’t you know best whether it’s true or not?” Angel reached out, picked up the crystal from the table, and played with it in his hand.
Dangros, realizing its lie was uncovered, knew Angel had seen through its deception.
Dangros lowered his head in disappointment, saying, “I just thought this was pretty. If you don’t want it… I do.”
Angel chuckled softly without saying a word.
Toby also followed Angel’s laughter, disdainfully chirping a sentence.
Toby’s chirp, like a spike piercing Dangros’s heart, made him bury his head even lower, almost his entire hand sprawled on the table, full of guilt, he said, “Yes, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have secretly taken it for myself…”
Dangros’s sudden admission of fault somewhat surprised Toby. It huffed twice and slowly withdrew its scornful gaze.
Angel still didn’t speak but played with the crystal for a bit before finally handing it back to Dangros.
“This should still be yours.”
Under Dangros’s puzzled gaze, Angel slowly said, “Mr. Magu knows you better than I do. He gave you this crystal, probably guessing what you would do.”
If Dangros handed the crystal over to Angel and Angel accepted it, that would naturally be best.
If Dangros hid it, Magu wouldn’t feel at a loss, after all, it was used on his favorite student. Of course, knowing Magu’s understanding of Dangros, it’s estimated that Dangros definitely couldn’t hide it.
Once Dangros was exposed, the choice was handed back to Angel. To keep or not to keep, it was still up to Angel to decide. And this time, whatever Angel decided, the crystal would hardly return to its original owner.
Angel understood Magu’s intention; he initially refused and didn’t plan to accept it now.
Though both Magu’s fire and Magic Fire Midir’s flame were fine, he was not a fire wizard after all, his need and research for special fire were not significant. Thus, he could restrain his emotions and desires.
Dangros didn’t think so deeply, seeing Angel returning the crystal to him, his heart immediately rejoiced, and he looked at Angel with more fondness.
Seeing Dangros’s pleased appearance, Angel thought for a moment, cast a flame shaping spell, removed the unnecessary parts, and modified the external appearance of the flame crystal.
Originally a whole lump of crystal, under Angel’s mental control, quickly transformed into a new look.
A ring with a black base and red patterns.
“It’s uncomfortable to keep it in your stomach; wear it on your finger instead.”
Dangros gladly accepted the change of the crystal and wore the ring on its middle finger.
Angel looked over, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. It had to be said, though Dangros was just a severed hand, the hand overall was very fair, and the fingers were beautifully slender, not considering the eyes and mouth on its palm, it was even more perfect than many women who take care of their hands.
Now paired with this ring emanating a strange fire aura, even just a severed hand had a bit of elegance and nobility.
Of course, this was Angel getting used to seeing Dangros over time and gradually accepting such a setting to think so.
If an ordinary person saw a severed hand running around, they would definitely not think it elegant and noble, but would be scared half to death.
Dangros, wearing the ring and admiring it for a while, then hopped and skipped to Angel’s side, rubbing Angel with the back of his hand as a thank you.
Angel was somewhat surprised; this brat actually knew how to use rubbing as a way to act coquettishly in thanks.
Perhaps, this just looked like coquetry to him; in the brat’s view, this was normal?
While Angel was imagining, a murky wind suddenly blew from afar.
At first, Angel didn’t feel anything, but as his vision became more and more blurred and the air around him started to turn yellow, he realized something was wrong.
The air becomes increasingly turbid; looking forward, one can hardly see anything except for the vast clouds of dust.
Within these clouds of dust, there exists a very rich power of the earth.
This so-called power of the earth is actually a general term for energy related to the earth element.
The rising clouds of dust are clearly the manifestation of some kind of earth elemental energy.
Angel calculates quietly in his mind; based on their previous speed, they should have now reached the end of the scorched earth and should be at the border of the Wild Stone Wasteland.
The appearance of such a rich power of the earth seems normal? The only thing Angel is uncertain about is whether this situation, akin to a dust storm, is a natural phenomenon of the Wild Stone Wasteland or if someone is manipulating it from behind.
With a light press on the hull, a wave of azure light swirls around, and with the appearance of the light, the dust is immediately isolated outside of the Gondola.
With the use of a cleansing spell, the sand grains clinging to the ship also disappear without a trace.
Angel turns to look at Dangros, who is still somewhat bewildered: “This is the border between the Fire Domain and the Wild Stone Wasteland. Is it common for there to be such dust here?”
Dangros shakes his head in confusion: “No, when I’ve come to the Wild Stone Wasteland before, I’ve never encountered this.”
Does that mean this is a special situation? Such special circumstances usually have a manipulator behind them. Angel frowns, wondering if he has been targeted by the earth elemental creatures of the Wild Stone Wasteland?
After thinking it over, Angel quietly activates Little Inba’s Mark of Earth, and the originally subtle and profound aura instantly becomes rich.
As the aura of the Mark of Earth spreads, the surrounding dust begins to intentionally avoid the vicinity of the Gondola, forming a noticeable void.
At the moment the void appears, Angel hears a light exclamation.
“Ah, it seems like there’s a scent of a kin.”
Following the descent of this voice, Angel sees a shadow suddenly floating out from among the surrounding dust clouds, flying towards the Gondola.
Eremy, lurking in the shadow of the Gondola, instantly opens his eyes, gathering at Angel’s feet, entering a deeper state of alert.
Angel watches the approaching shadow without hindering it, allowing it to land on the ship.
With the shadow’s landing, Angel also sees the figure of the other party.
A hawk completely constructed from yellow sand particles.
Undoubtedly, this is a hawk built from earth elemental energy, which can be tentatively called a Sandhawk.
This Sandhawk looks about the same size as Fespanray, but Angel understands that this is not its true form, as he does not feel any vitality from within Sandhawk. This is a kind of earth avatar, its real body should still be outside in the sandstorm.
Sandhawk closes its wings made of flowing sand, curiously walking to the edge of the ship, lowering its head to examine this strange object it has never seen before.
“What a strange thing, it can actually fly in the sky, could it be made by White Cloud Hamlet…” A slightly hoarse voice comes from Sandhawk’s mouth: “Salamado Do you know about this?”
Just as Sandhawk’s words end, a sound of wind comes from the high sky: “No, we from White Cloud Hamlet do not have such a thing.”
Angel looks up into the sky, inferring from Sandhawk’s words that there is another elemental creature outside called Salamado, and it belongs to White Cloud Hamlet? That should be a wind elemental creature?
Angel’s destination is exactly White Cloud Hamlet, if there are wind elemental creatures here, maybe he could communicate with them a bit in advance?
Angel was preparing to find an opportunity to join the conversation when Dangros, standing by his side, spoke up first, “White Cloud Hamlet? Is it White Cloud Hamlet of Gentle Wind Uranos?”
“Yes, indeed.” A voice came from above, and at the same time, Sandhawk standing on the edge of the boat also expressed surprise, “Oh, it’s actually a flame sprite, and it has developed intelligence at the sprite stage?”
Dangros steadied his index and middle fingers together, raised his “head” proudly, and declared, “Of course, I am a descendant of the great Kalomaches.”
“Kalomaches… I’ve heard this name from the sage. It was once a sovereign, rumored to be a fire griffin. But, you don’t look much like a griffin?” Sandhawk curiously examined Dangros.
Dangros, with his thumb on his hip, retorted, “That’s because you are uninformed. Your monarch, Fallen Earth Cerny, would definitely know of me. Don’t believe me? Go ask!”
As Dangros finished speaking, laughter from an unseen wind entity came from above, and Sandhawk on the opposite side also showed a bemused expression.
Sandhawk said, “The monarch of my domain is not Fallen Earth Cerny, but Sandstorm Sandestorm.”
“Sandstorm Sandestorm? So, you’re not from the Wild Stone Wasteland, but from the Toothpull Desert?” Angel spoke up, recalling what Magu had mentioned before. The Toothpull Desert, too, was a territory of earth creatures, located near White Cloud Hamlet, with its monarch being Sandstorm Sandestorm.
Turning to Angel, Sandhawk looked puzzled, “Yes, I am from the Toothpull Desert. You seem odd, you smell like one of us, but you seem not to be?”
Angel remembered Magu mentioning that although the Toothpull Desert wasn’t as close as the Wild Stone Wasteland and the Fire Domain, they still maintained a relatively amicable relationship. This Sandhawk seemed capable of a calm conversation as well.
With this in mind, Angel activated the Mark of Earth: “The aura on me is the Mark of Earth given by Little Inba of the Wild Stone Wasteland.”
“As for myself, I am not an elemental creature; I am a human.”
…
After some explanation, Sandhawk still seemed somewhat confused, not quite understanding what a human was.
However, Sandhawk didn’t dwell on it too much. Being given the Mark of Earth by an earth creature indicated that Mr. Pat wasn’t an enemy.
“You’re going to White Cloud Hamlet to see Lord Gentle Wind?” Upon learning Angel’s intention, a blue hawk materialized in the sky, somewhat resembling Sandhawk but entirely composed of wind elemental energy, undoubtedly the Salamado from White Cloud Hamlet.
“Yes, I have some matters I wish to verify with Lord Gentle Wind. Can you provide some guidance?” Angel looked towards Salamado.
Salamado tilted its head in thought, “Lord Gentle Wind is truly gentle. As long as you come with goodwill, Lord Gentle Wind should not refuse to meet with you.”