The dragon carriage swayed and rattled as it traveled along the dusty yellow road. In a setting like this, having an actual road at all was already a luxury; one shouldn't harbor any grander delusions.
Following the painful reality Rem had exposed earlier, Satoru Gojo was now under strict supervision inside the carriage. The few remaining snacks he hadn't yet demolished were their rations for the following day.
"What a group of companions—no trust to be found at all," Gojo muttered dejectedly, leaning against the carriage wall as he watched the sky outside gradually dim.
"Drop the act," Felt said, hands on her hips. She was completely unmoved by Gojo's pathetic display. "If we don't keep an eye on you, forget about having anything to eat tomorrow—we'd probably be going hungry tonight!"
"Speaking of which, are we spending the night in a place like this?" Subaru Natsuki asked curiously, staring at the desolate scenery outside.
"Not right here. We will be resting beneath the Tree of Flugel," Rem's voice drifted in from the front. "Many merchants gather there every day to reduce the probability of being attacked by mabeasts or bandits."
"It's fine! We'll protect you guys, right Satoru?" Having successfully struck up a conversation with Emilia, Subaru had returned to his usual energetic self.
"You're certainly spirited, boy. I'll leave the heavy responsibility of the night watch to you then. Don't go disappointing Puck's trust now," Gojo said with a yawn, clearly having no intention of volunteering.
"It's alright, Subaru," Emilia said to him. "When we came here before, we also rested under the Tree of Flugel. With so many merchants gathered together, it's quite safe."
"It's just staying up for one night! Back home, I was a certified night owl—I never hit the sack until the sun came up!" Hearing Emilia's words, Subaru's spirit soared, and he gestured toward the carriage roof with a solemn vow.
"Just let him do it, Emilia," Gojo remarked. "Young people need to have a bit of vitality."
"You talk like you aren't a young person yourself," Felt chimed in. Picking on Gojo had seemingly become her favorite daily pastime.
"That's different. I'm a member of the 'early to bed, early to rise' club. Unless something happens..."
Gojo's voice trailed off. He paused mid-sentence and lifted his gaze toward the window. Subaru noticed a rare look of genuine surprise flash across his face.
"What is it?"
"I see something... a bit rule-breaking."
"What? Let me see." Subaru scrambled to the window, but outside was pitch black. Aside from the oil lamp hanging from the front of the carriage, the distance was shrouded in a darkness that made it impossible to see anything.
But for Satoru Gojo, it was a completely different story.
Under the influence of the Six Eyes, Gojo's vision could pierce through the darkness to see far into the distance. In his sight, far ahead of the dragon carriage, a massive expanse of lush, dense foliage appeared.
The leaves appeared abruptly; he couldn't see the specific branches or the trunk yet. But as the carriage drew closer, more details of the giant tree manifested before him.
It was a tree of gargantuan proportions. It looked like the World Tree from mythological tales—blotting out the sky, unimaginable in scale! As the distance closed, the sheer enormity of it became even more palpable.
Without seeing it with his own eyes, it would be hard to believe a single tree could grow to a height of several hundred, perhaps even a thousand meters.
"That 'Tree of Flugel' you mentioned we'd be resting under... is it that impossibly huge tree up ahead?"
"Yes, it is," Emilia nodded, explaining to Gojo. "The Tree of Flugel is one of the most famous landmarks in all of Lugnica. It's said to have been planted centuries ago by the Great Sage who sealed the Witch of Envy."
"An impossibly huge tree? Why can't I see it?" Subaru strained his eyes at the window, still seeing nothing but black.
"It really is an exaggeration," Gojo mused, a hint of curiosity rising in his heart. What kind of person was this so-called 'Sage'? To reach this level just by planting a tree... exactly how powerful was he?And if he had to join forces with the Sword Saint and the Divine Dragon to seal the Witch of Envy, how powerful must she have been?
As they chatted, the carriage drew closer to the Tree of Flugel. Finally, Subaru was able to make out the scene in the distance. It was, as Gojo described, a tree beyond all imagination. Beneath its canopy, numerous dragon carriages were huddled together. The bonfires lit by the merchants allowed the tree to be seen clearly against the dark backdrop.
"It really is huge..." Subaru couldn't help but whisper in awe the moment he saw it clearly.
Rem drove the carriage toward the base of the tree. Compared to the surrounding merchants, this luxurious carriage embossed with an exquisite family crest was quite out of place. Upon seeing the carriage, the merchants instinctively moved aside to avoid offending a noble and bringing trouble upon themselves.
Rem continued to drive until they reached the position closest to the trunk. The merchants already there voluntarily pulled their carriages back to make room. With so many merchants on the outer perimeter, this spot was incredibly safe from mabeasts or bandits.
Gojo and the others disembarked one by one. After being cooped up for so long, they were quite exhausted. While this dragon carriage was the equivalent of a top-tier luxury car in this era, it was still a far cry from modern suspension systems. Coupled with the poor quality of the dirt roads, even Gojo felt a bit rattled by the journey, let alone Subaru.
"It must be tough for you too, Emilia," Subaru said, twisting his waist and stretching his legs to loosen up. He looked at the slender Emilia with concern. "Why don't you join me in some exercise? This is a very popular movement from my hometown!"
"Pfft."
Gojo couldn't help but burst out laughing at Subaru's words.
"What's wrong, Satoru? Did I say something weird?" Subaru didn't see the issue with calisthenics. It really was perfect for loosening the body.