Volume 7 Chapter 41 The Scent Of Alchemy
When she stepped out of the ruins, it was already night.
A strange colored haze filled the air, obscuring her vision. She couldn't tell which way to go to get back to base. Ridge started walking, unsure of her direction.
Her thoughts were clear. So, Ridge was thinking about what she needed to do to get home.
"The entrance to the base as I know it is probably known to them. But I haven't heard any talk of an attack, so the current entrance to the base must be one I don't know."
That meant it was almost impossible for her to return to base on her own. But at the same time, Ridge hadn't missed the conversation between Terin and 'Oath'.
"Terin-sama said to destroy the door. Then, at least around here, there must be people from my camp active. I hope they find me and protect me."
Come to think of it, the best course of action for Ridge was probably to keep walking until she found someone. With the invisibility cloak, she could probably fool them if they saw her.
With that in mind, Ridge started walking. Believing that there were allies she couldn't even see, she kept on walking.
"Phew... phew..."
Ridge had just recovered from her earlier sleep. But that was just compared to her earlier self, when she was weak and couldn't move because she was being held captive. She got tired after just a short walk.
"How, how, how could I be so weak... I'm so ashamed of myself~desuwa. Moruru will laugh at me."
Hiding under the invisibility cloak, Ridge crouched down in a corner of the road. She calmed her breathing, which had become ragged from walking, and then stood up and started walking again.
It's so hurt. Just walking was terribly, terribly hard. Her breath was ragged, the pain rising from her throat, and a voice in her mind cried out, 'Someone help me'. Tears welled up in her eyes, even though she was just walking.
But Ridge wiped away her tears and kept walking. Ridge's return would benefit the Wade faction. It wasn't just about surviving. So, walk for Wade's sake, for Moruru's sake.
"C, o, u, g, h..."
Sweet-smelling mist filled the air as Ridge pressed forward, determined. She walked straight ahead, occasionally turning right and left, aimlessly wandering down the path.
But the sweat is so cold.
She wiped it away. Her breath was ragged. She crouched down to rest and then collapsed.
"Ugh...ha...ha...ha..."
She couldn't move. Even this much was enough to render Ridge immobile.
Tears welled up in her eyes, a sign of her pathetic state. Ridge couldn't even walk home properly. Even with the powerful assistance of the transparent coat, a gift from Terin, she was still useless.
"Ugh.........."
She covered her face with the transparent coat, hoping at least to remain hidden. And so, Ridge once again fell into a restless slumber. But for some reason, unlike her previous breaks, her body felt unbearably cold.
"...Th-th-this..."
Was Ridge going to die here? As she considered this, she decided that it was probably for the best that she was kidnapped. She couldn't let the others die. But Ridge, she was expendable.
After all, Ridge was――
"Ridge!"
At that moment, Ridge's body was shaken violently, jolting him back to consciousness.
"Ridge, Ridge! Don't! Get up! You'll die if you sleep there! Get up!"
"...Moru, Ru."
"Y-you're up! Ridge is up!"
With tears streaming down her face, Moruru embraced Ridge. For some reason, tears welled up in Ridge's eyes as well.
"I, I..."
"Ridge, I'm so sorry...!"
Moruru looked at Ridge directly. Ridge was dumbfounded, unable to understand what she was apologizing for.
"It's because I, I was weak, that I couldn't protect you, Ridge...! But from now on, I can protect you. Moruru's strong now!"
Wiping away her tears, Moruru's eyes shone with determination. Ridge squinted, blinded by her radiance.
"...If that's the case, then the one who should apologize is me~desuwa."
"Huh?"
"Because..."
In a half-dazed state, Ridge continued.
"I, I, went out knowing that I would be kidnapped from the very beginning..."
"...Huh...?"
Moruru looked at Ridge with a puzzled expression. Ridge realized that she had said something she shouldn't have.
"Ridge, what do you mean...? I don't understand. Moruru doesn't get it..."
"...It's..."
Should she answer or try to brush it off? Ridge hesitated.
In that instant, Moruru suddenly turned around with a swift motion. She quickly took Ridge's back and mumbled something.
"...Moru, ru..."
"Ridge, stay still for a while. Ridge, Moruru will protect you."
Moruru glared down the path where she was looking. From the mist, a silhouette approached with a rhythmic gait.
A middle-aged woman. She was a stunningly beautiful woman. She walked with a serene aura, her ears long and pointed.
She noticed Moruru.
"Good evening. You were the girl from the 'Slow' faction, weren't you? Ah, I remember now. You were the one who moved so quickly when I was kidnapping Ridge-chan that I decided to let you go."
"...papa, said. Alkei Fragrance."
"Why don't you call me 'san'? Hehe, even though we're enemies, it's always good to be respectful to your elders."
"Shut up. Enemies should be defeated. That's what papa says."
"Papa, you mean 'Slow'? I thought you were a sl*ve because you were wearing that collar, but 'Slow' has terrible taste too."
"This is Moruru's taste!"
"Oh, I apologize for that. But still, you're quite a talented girl. Your running speed was quite impressive."
Enough to make me give up on catching you. With that said, Alkei waved her hand. The mist swirled and spread.
"Well, what's your name?"
"...Moruru."
"Thank you. I'm Alkei Fragrance. Head Alchemist of the 'Fragrance of the God' faction of the Forest Sage. So, Moruru-chan, may I ask you a question?"
"No."
"No? Hehe, you're a little mean. Then, shall I ask you a question instead?"
Alkei narrowed her eyes.
"You're hiding Ridge-chan, aren't you?"
"...I don't know what you're talking about."
"You're a bad liar."
Alkei smirks.
"Alchemists are sensitive to smells, especially those of the 'Fragrance of the God' sect who value mystery. So, we can understand what people are thinking just by their body odor. Moruru-chan's body odor smells like a secret."
"The key to fighting is to always unleash your most powerful attack."
[Dragon's Breath]
A white beam of light shot from Moruru's throat, tearing through the fog and air, heading towards Alkei. Alkei's eyes widen. There's no way to dodge it.
But Alkei laughs.
"You're a feisty one. But that's what makes you strong."
[Dragon's Breath]
"!?"
The beam of light from Moruru's mouth collides with the beam of light Alkei fired and disappears. Moruru is shocked. Ridge watches the scene, confused about what's happening.
"Why?"
Moruru says in a disbelieving tone.
"Why can Alkei use Dragon's Breath? Dragon's Breath can only be used by ancient dragons. Why..."
"...I'm surprised. Moruru-chan, are you an ancient dragon? That was an impressive attack, but..."
"That doesn't matter! Answer me! Why! Why was Alkei able to use Dragon's Breath!?"
Moruru yells, unable to hide her confusion. Alkei smiles with an air of adult, saying, "Well, it's an adult's duty to answer a child's questions."
"The alchemists of the 'Fragrance of the God' sect reach their full potential in a space filled with alchemical incense."
Alkei moves her arms slowly, manipulating the smell of the fog that surrounds them.
"Conversely, in a place without incense, they're just ordinary alchemists. They're not very strong. But when they reach their full potential, their power is almost as great as platinum. Do you understand?"
The fog obscures Alkei's face. The smell clouds her mind, and mystery fills the space.
The "Fragrance of the God" alchemist sheds her alchemist's skin inside the incense box. In other words, she reverses. Wrapped in incense, she become the "God of the Incense Box."
That's why she can do this too.
Two magic circles emerged from the swirling smell. Seeing this, Moruru's hair stood on end. Alkei sent the smell to the 2 magic circles.
[Dragon's Breath, Double Shot]
The light beam that Moruru was supposed to have fired was fired twice at Moruru. Moruru desperately dodges the beam of light. The beam of light easily pierces the building and disintegrates it.
"I had anticipated that this whole area would become a battlefield, so I had a large amount of incense prepared in advance. So, this whole area is my 'Incense Box.'."
Alkei chuckled.
"Well, I never thought it was an ancient dragon's youngling. That's interesting. The God of the Incense Box, me, and the youngling of a race that can reach the gods. I'll enjoy it as a prelude to 'Slow'."
Alkei said again.
"Head alchemist of the 'Fragrance of the God' faction, 'God of the Incense Box' Alkei Fragrance. ...I won't hand Ridge-chan over to you."
"Shut up. Moruru will definitely take Ridge back. I will never, ever lose."
The young ancient dragon challenges the God of the Incense Box.
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