The elves stood on the highest treetops, looking far into the distance.

It was the edge of the forest, the sun was shining, the sky was clear, and nothing could block his view - and he wasn't as easy to spot as a giant ice dragon.

He could always see the seaside and the people on the beach. Although they seem tiny as insects and ants at the moment, at least the direction in which they are heading can still be distinguished.

He should go down and tell his companions as soon as possible...... But his gaze couldn't help but linger on the white line of sand, a blue that seemed to be connected to the sky.

So...... That's the sea.

The sea seems monotonous compared to the forest, but it is so vast that it seems to have no end...... He couldn't look away at all until Rosa's call came from under the tree.

"Sethana...... Did you see that?"

He came to his senses, climbed down the tree with agility, and told her in the simplest of words: "Along the coast to the south...... Half a day away from us. ”

"Just for a glance, does it take that long?" Is, who is not good at waiting, is very impatient and never polite when he speaks...... But he has been able to tolerate such rudeness, and sometimes even feels that there is nothing wrong with being able to express his emotions so frankly.

Rosa looked back with some hesitation and asked, "Shall we wait for Thornon and them?" I think they should not be far away......

"No!"

The unanimous answer made Sesyana and Iss subconsciously glance at each other, and then looked away.

“...... May I ask why?" Rosa sighed. "Anyway, we're on one side after all, what's wrong with being able to help each other?"

"There are too many people in the way. Is's answer was crisp and straightforward.

"They have their tasks. We have our mandate. ”

The elf felt that his answer was very appropriate...... But Isis gave him a roll of the eye and sneered, "Come on, your reasons are no different from mine." ”

Sesyana opened his mouth and closed it again, slightly annoyed - maybe too frank wasn't too good?

Rosa shook her head, a wry smile on her lips, "I want to say, friends. It's time for you to learn how to act with other people. ”

"I'm studying. Isis frowned, "I'm with you, aren't I? I didn't turn into a dragon to go to them, and waited under the tree like a fool, didn't I?"

Sethiana bowed her head. I couldn't help but want to laugh a little - maybe because it was a dragon...... To be precise, a young dragon, his pride was so naturally arrogant, compared to the deliberately decorated, condescending tone of the elven nobles. It's a little cute.

"But we're supposed to be partners with each other. And now......" Rosa gestured helplessly, "I feel like we're just on the same path because we have the same purpose." ”

"What's the difference?" asked Is, who really didn't seem to understand.

“...... Is it the same with Ed and Naria when they're acting together?" Rosa's wry smile deepened a little.

Isis thought about it very seriously and replied to her, "It's about the same. ”

Rosa was silent for a moment, sighed, and gave up.

Sethyana listened in silence. He knew what kind of companion Rosa wanted—like her, knowing the role he had to play, finding his place exactly. Whoever attacks head-on, knocks sideways. You can communicate with each other with a gesture or even a look, perfectly make up for each other's shortcomings, advance and retreat together, and never give up......

She had a thirst for adventure, but she didn't meet a suitable companion, which made her a mercenary rather than an adventurer like Alan Kavo.

He wanted to be her "companion...... No, he wanted to be her only companion, but she silently kept him at a distance.

Not far away, not close, but a distance that cannot be crossed. And his twin swords and everything he has learned in a hundred years do not help in any way.

He was at a loss.

Staying by her side gradually became an ordeal...... But he was even more reluctant to leave.

He watched as Rosa drew her dagger and picked a tree, sliced the bark and carved a wavy line, on which she drew an arrow pointing southward.

“...... Are you sure they can see it?" Ise seemed to think it was redundant, "since the person we're looking for is already with the person they're looking for...... When we rescued Sersio, wouldn't it be nice to help them see if we did? ”

Rosa smiled and didn't speak, just blew on the carved crumbs, clapped her hands, and said, "Let's go." ”

The sunlight streaming through the treetops jumped on her short hair and shone in her eyes......

He couldn't leave.

It is not very pleasant to leave the shelter of the forest and take a ride in the scorching sun of early summer, and the gravel hills are not as friendly as the woods with thick foliage.

But the sound of the waves became clearer—it was a different kind of chant than the song of the forest. The calm and magnificent tone seems to be just a monotonous repetition, but it is impossible to get tired of, and even gives birth to infinite nostalgia and longing in the elves' hearts.

-- That's the eternal calling.

He suddenly realized that it was the sea...... Even if you are far away from Grival, take a boat from here all the way to the west, to the west, is it possible to reach the sacred place of the elves?...... Will there be a place for him?

The sudden panic caught him off guard, and his feet were empty, and he actually twisted on the flat ground.

"Seth!"

Rosa exclaimed under her breath, instinctively reaching out to pull him.

“...... Are there any traps?"

The Ice Dragon's tone couldn't tell if it was concern or expectation...... This kind of pursuit is probably unexpectedly boring.

Sesyana's face flushed slightly—they probably all thought that a trap was the only way to make an elf stumble.

He shook his head and didn't say anything, just buried his head forward.

Rocks turn to gravel, gravel to gravel, and gravel to fine sand......

Then the sea spread out endlessly before him.

He stopped abruptly at the edge of the waves, his gaze looking from the white shells under his feet to the horizon, the huge, pure, deep and turbulent blue that made him almost breathless.

The elves once owned the whole world...... Before they trapped themselves in the forest, thinking it was the whole world.

Humans with only a few decades of lifespan sailed the seven seas, and many elves like him who lived for a hundred years or more never left the forest at all.

He had never been more acutely aware of how stupid it was.

"Sesyana ......"

Rosa walked up to him, and his gaze distorted in tears as he hastily turned his head to look at her.

She looked at him in surprise, her gaze softening.

She got it...... She knew that he was an ignorant and fragile elf who had seen the sea for the first time.

"This is the West Sea. She said, calmly looking at the sea, "The Ankhtans call it the Silent Sea because it's calm most of the time...... But legend has it that there is a giant beast in the sea that can swallow an entire three-masted galleon with one mouth......"

"Megalodon doesn't have that big mouth either!"

Is's impatient voice interrupted her, giving the elf a sudden urge to swing his sword at him.

"Can you come back later to share this kind of deceptive story?" the ice dragon frowned and pointed south, "They're gone!".

(To be continued.) )

PS: Stick to ...... Take a ......