The town nearest to the Augria Sand Dunes, “Milura,” can be described as a desolate way station.

Although the town is of a certain size, it’s obviously small compared to Watergate City Pristella, industrial city Costool, or the royal capital Lugnica.

All the highways that run through the kingdom are well-maintained, and the journey to Milura was stable by dragon carriage, but it was still rather lonely as an eastern terminus.

“But then again, I guess it can’t be helped. When you look at the map, there’s really just the Augria Sand Dunes to the east… and to the south lies the kingdom’s largest forest, right? It’s far from the five major cities, so it’s understandable that traffic here is sparse.”

As Emilia walks beside Subaru, taking in the town, she shares her observations.

Wrapped in a white robe that partially conceals her beautiful silver hair and visage, Emilia’s presence in a rural town like this might send shockwaves through the residents’ sense of aesthetics—a joke made by Subaru, but she indeed holds a distinguished status. For the sake of avoiding trouble, it’s only a minor consideration to conceal her looks and origins.

However, the reason for covering her head and mouth isn’t solely to hide her identity.

Aside from concealing her status, there’s also the effect of Milura’s trademark “disasters”—the sandstorms.

“With no hope of development to the east and south, and topped off with these sandstorms… it’s harsh.”

Positioning Emilia downwind, Subaru stands on the windward side, raising the cloth around his face and murmuring. As he moves his tongue, he feels the gritty sensation of sand rubbing between his teeth, making him feel quite nauseous.

The wind laden with sand flows into the town, blowing down from the eastern dunes.

On windy days, it seems the sandstorms assail the town constantly, and thus one must don such anti-sand fashion when venturing outdoors.

“—? Is something wrong, Subaru?”

“No, it’s just when I heard ‘desert’, I expected something different.”

Emilia tilts her head, glancing sideways at Subaru.

Clad in attire that hides her skin to the utmost, completely wrapped in a cloak from head to ankle, Subaru’s philosophy tends to favor cute girls showing off various outfits, but with a getup that boasts such high defensive capabilities, it’s hardly eye candy.

When you think of a desert, you imagine outfits akin to those worn by dancers to protect against the sun—whatever happened to that?

“Still, I really should have listened to the innkeeper.”

“Right? It’s currently ‘sand time’, so there’s nobody out on the street.”

The wind isn’t strong, but the light sand creates a faint dust cloud. In the yellowish-hazy view, only Subaru and Emilia are visible on the town’s street.

The townsfolk who are used to this environment hunker down indoors during the ‘sand time’, blocking off windows and doors with great diligence.

In reality, visibility—and even breathing—requires considerable effort in this sandstorm. The innkeeper firmly advised them against going out during ‘sand time’.

However, there’s a reason they pushed past the innkeeper’s warnings to venture out.

“This is what it’s like in town. The sandstorm from the dunes must be even worse.”

“…yeah, that sounds about right.”

It’s not they’re practicing, but they ventured out during ‘sand time’ to mentally prepare themselves.

Surrounded by sand, the journey through the dunes will be far worse than this. The view inside the dense buildings of the town is already poor.

One must properly steel themselves for the harshness of the perilous pathway through the dunes.

“How about we find somewhere to duck into? Otherwise, both of us might just turn into sand sculptures.”

Sweeping off the clingy sand, Emilia points to a building across the street. It looks like a tavern or something that seems to function as a safe haven for now.

Other shops give off a customer-unfriendly vibe, but at least the entrance isn’t barred.

Following Emilia’s suggestion, they hurry towards that building.

They shake off as much sand as they can before the push door and slowly step inside the tavern.

“…Welcome, through the sandstorm.”

As they enter, the owner, polishing glasses behind the counter, looks over at them and offers a low greeting. It’s clear from the tone that he wasn’t pleased to see them covered in sand.

They thought they had shed as much sand as possible, but even so, the amount still clinging on is considerable. Feeling guilty, they brush sand into the tavern as they step inside.

“What can I get for you?”

“Milk, cold.”

“Milk, warm.”

“—”

The owner narrows his eyes at the orders from the two seated at the counter but doesn’t say anything.

For reference, Subaru is ordering the cold one while Emilia opts for the warm.

“This place doesn’t seem to have that bustling vibe… Is business dead during sand time?”

Removing the hood he had on, Subaru takes a sip of the milk that was brought to him and then asks the owner. The unfriendly owner responds with a curt, “Yeah.”

“Traffic was already low with outsiders. Though we keep the shop open while the sun’s out, it’s just a hobby.”

“I see. Well, as outsiders, we’re valuable customers then.”

“Ordering milk at a tavern doesn’t exactly make you feel special. Here you go, for the lady.”

“Thank you.”

The warm milk is offered to Emilia, who takes the ceramic cup and breathes a sigh of relief. Watching her blow on the milk, Subaru leans over the counter.

“Since there aren’t any other customers, it seems to be a bit quiet now, right? Mind if I ask you a few questions?”

“Even if I’m truly free right now, it’s bad form to bother someone working, you know… What do you outsiders want to know?”

“Straight to the point: about the Augria Sand Dunes.”

With a finger raised, Subaru shoots his question at the owner. Upon hearing it, the owner’s expression finally falters.

The stoic-looking owner, with his gray short hair, squints suspiciously at them from under his thick brows. After glancing back and forth between Subaru and Emilia, he lets out a small sigh.

“I don’t know what kind of joke this is, but if you’re going for fun, just stop. You’ll die.”

“Hey, hey, what are you saying? Do we really look like we’re here just for fun?”

“What else would make me offer such advice? That place is a deadly sea of sand where no one returns alive. It’s not a good place for romantic escapades.”

“Sure, the bridge effect could work as an approach, but I’m not that desperate. Right, Emilia?”

“Fwoo, hot… eh? What? Sorry, I wasn’t listening.”

“See this E.M.T., though?”

“You’d do well to leave before you end up dead.”

The back-and-forth between Subaru and Emilia seems to lower the owner’s trust level even further.

It’s not that he means ill; he’s just trying to warn them. After all, the dangers of the Augria Sand Dunes are well-known.

“But—there’s no option to back down. Since we can only head one way, we choose the safest road possible. You get that, right?”

“It’s you two who don’t understand. Listen! The dunes are beyond saving. They are a den of beasts and filled with the witch’s miasma. You can’t even get close to the tower you see far off.”

The owner starts to get frustrated at Subaru’s persistence and launches into the dangers of the dunes, pointing towards the closed window to indicate the area to the east.

“Every year, reckless fools come here chasing after the dunes. Their goal is the tower of the sage hidden in the sea of sand… but nobody ever reaches it. Coming back alive is already a blessing, but most end up dehydrated in the sands or become prey for beasts.”

“Seriously, hasn’t anyone made it there before?”

“Do you know how long ago the tower was built? While fools hunting for it keep coming, if anyone made it there, they’d surely announce it. Didn’t you know? Even the ‘Sword Saint’ failed in that endeavor.”

“——”

The challenge to conquer the Pleiades Watchtower is one even Reinhardt did not succeed in.

He’s heard it straight from Reinhardt himself, and it speaks volumes to the tower’s exorbitant difficulty.

But even so, it’s a challenge Subaru and the others must face.

“Of course, we’re not going in without a plan. That’s why we’re gathering information. Isn’t that what you do in a tavern?”

“Is that so? Why drink in a place like this, though?”

“I can’t explain the details, but it’s probably because people loosen up after a drink, and all sorts of gossip slips out?”

“So, it’s just drunk people’s nonsense, huh? Ignoring the reckless option isn’t great, but leaning towards foolish strategies isn’t good either.”

“Ugh! That’s some sharp reasoning!”

Overwhelmed by the owner’s sound logic, Subaru sinks into his milk.

Subaru’s usual conversational speed falters when faced with someone older. It seems the owner is already accustomed to dealing with reckless adventurers challenging the dunes. In truth, Subaru’s approach isn’t reckless, but since the owner doesn’t know the reality, they’re treated the same way.

At this rate, without any lead, they might have to turn back—

“Honestly, to have a girl with you two into such a hellhole…”

“Sorry, owner. You’ve been worrying about us, but Subaru keeps complaining.”

As Subaru sinks into dejection, Emilia interjects, interrupting the owner’s impending sermon. The owner’s eyes widen at Emilia’s apologetic tone.

Emilia bows her head at him, expressing her gratitude.

“Thank you for everything, even though we’re not acquainted.”

“Nah, I’m sorry if I sounded overbearing. Just trying to offer some counsel I hope you’ll take into account. Young folks like you keep coming.”

“Is it really that many? Trying to see the ‘Sage’?”

“Not many who genuinely want to meet the ‘Sage.’ Most are here for the glory of conquering the Augria Sand Dunes. There are even folks hoping to receive wisdom from the sage, but claiming rewards for reaching the tower is a long shot.”

The owner shrugs and lets out a weary sigh.

It seems he’s seen many challengers heading toward the Pleiades Watchtower. He has an unusual warmth despite his rough exterior, suggesting a personal kind of frustration.

“So that means nobody reaches the tower…?”

“Nobody knows the tales of those who made it that far. The rumor is that the sage still looks down upon the dunes from the tower, punishing unworthy fools… but I can’t say for sure. To me, that sand dune looks like a trap dangling prey for a hunt.”

“Did you say beasts and miasma? What about that?”

“It’s exactly as I say. The dunes are a den of beasts… There are all kinds of beasts found across the kingdom, but in those dunes, there’s an unusual variety.”

The owner’s enthusiasm for the topic picks up slightly, even though he keeps his voice low.

As Emilia gasps quietly in surprise, the owner stares off into the distance.

“The spotted king dogs and black-winged rats are somewhat adorable. The unique unicorn and sand worms can only be seen here. Then there are courtesan bears, which like to feast in fields of flowers on the sand. It’s a nightmare, really.”

“Courtesan bear…”

“Apparently, they only appear in Kararagi. They’re magical beasts covered in flowers. If you get tricked by their appearance and get too close, they’ll feast on your insides.”

“Those savage beasts… that’s just cruel…”

Magical beasts exist to kill humanity, a saying that sticks in Subaru’s mind.

As he listens and grimaces, the owner snorts, as if to say, “I told you so.”

“But the one you need to be most wary of in the dunes isn’t the beasts but the miasma. The sandstorms and environmental changes are dangerous, but the miasma takes priority.”

“I don’t really get what you mean by ‘miasma.'”

Subaru tilts his head at the owner, who once again darkens his tone.

The term ‘miasma’ has floated around, and while he can’t easily visualize what it entails, it likely relates to harmful effects on the body or mind—something that’s visibly bad for health.

It’s probably different from poisonous gas but has some similarities.

“Well, Subaru, miasma is essentially mana that has been polluted by bad things. You can’t see it, but it’s everywhere, you know?”

“Wait, so mana itself is miasma?”

Subaru is taken aback by Emilia’s explanation. It’s clear but subtly alters his understanding of the term.

It’s a fact that mana has a massive influence on mages and spirits. However, it shouldn’t cause too much of an issue just for daily living or traveling, right?

But Emilia seems to see through Subaru’s puzzled contemplation and gently shakes her head.

“Don’t underestimate the miasma. Normal mana is pure and lacks any color or direction. But miasma, the mana tainted by bad things, can spoil the very bodies it enters through the gate. Since the gate itself naturally absorbs mana, there’s no avoiding it.”

“So I can’t just hold my breath, huh?”

“That’s correct to some extent, but the miasma drifting in the Augria Sand Dunes goes beyond that. The miasma there can ruin food and drink as well.”

“Does that mean it’s impossible to eat?”

“Once ingested, the miasma’s corruption accelerates. Even a small amount absorbed through the gate drives you mad. If you take it in directly through your stomach? You’ll be consumed by the corruption.”

“And what happens then? Does it just make you go crazy, or is there worse?”

“Generally, the common belief is that you’ll die in insanity. Though, well, I can’t deny it.”

The owner shakes his head somberly, his expression bleak.

Without saying it directly, he must have witnessed it—people losing their minds from miasma and dying.

“Then it’s better to not go to a place like that at all. Just don’t.”

“—Thank you for the milk. And thank you for the talk.”

As the owner wraps up, Emilia finishes her hot milk and offers her thanks.

From the turn of events, it seems the owner was aware that he had been drawn into the conversation. Still, he continued pressing Subaru and Emilia to rethink their plans.

But sadness aside, Subaru’s destination remains unchanged.

“I’ll leave the payment here. Let’s go, Subaru.”

“Yeah… let’s do that.”

Emilia places the silver coin she took out on the counter and tugs at Subaru’s sleeve. The payment for two cups of milk feels excessively high, but the tip for information and concern includes that.

Standing up, they thank the owner as they prepare to leave.

“—In the past year or so, I’ve started seeing birds flying towards the dunes more often.”

“——”

As Subaru and Emilia adjust their robes for the sandstorm, the owner’s voice calls after them. When they turn their heads, the owner is facing away, rubbing a glass while continuing in a muttering tone.

“According to the stories about those birds, they say they’re heading for the tower. It’s all just a funny tale, though…”

Cutting his sentence short, the owner puts away the glass.

“And if you find yourself out of luck in the dunes, look for those birds. If you’re lucky, they might take you to the tower.”

“——”

“But being lost in the dunes means your luck is already the worst it can be.”

Without replying to the owner’s words, Subaru and Emilia exit the tavern.

Once outside, the force of the sandstorm has weakened considerably. Confirming that their visibility has opened up somewhat since they entered the tavern, Emilia turns back to Subaru.

“Let’s head back to the inn and regroup with everyone. Anastasia and the others might have just returned.”

“Right. I’m curious about what they’ve gathered over there.”

Standing in front of Emilia, who is veiled again, Subaru begins walking as a windbreak.

Just as they step far enough away so that the tavern is out of sight, Emilia quietly mumbles.

“That tavern keeper had a missing foot.”

“…I didn’t notice.”

“Not sure how he was injured… but I think that’s not the main point.”

Subaru understands what Emilia is hinting at with her suggestive words.

The owner, who had been so considerate about the dangers of the dunes to the two unfamiliar travelers, must surely have reasons rooted in his own past.

If that’s the case, then it feels terrible that they’re disregarding such an important warning to challenge the dunes themselves.

—

“Looks like Natsuki and Emilia are back safe, too.”

Upon returning to the inn and getting the sand off, Subaru and Emilia find Anastasia, who appears to have gone out as well.

Having changed out of her outside clothes and sitting on the bed, Anastasia gives them a gentle smile.

The inn they’re staying at is, by Milura’s standards, among the better accommodations.

Still, it pales in comparison to Water’s Feather Robe Inn in Pristella, but one can only accept that due to the disparity in urban standards.

“Where’s Julius?”

“After he dropped me off at the inn, he said he wanted to wander around a bit. He’s probably getting used to the sand just like you two. How did it go?”

“Honestly, I’d love some dust-proof goggles. You know, the kind that’s like transparent glass and covers the area around the face. Can’t you make that?”

Imagining underwater goggles, Subaru gestures around his eye area while asking. Anastasia tilts her head at his words, nodding in understanding.

“Glasswork would have issues with strength, but… it might be worth considering. The sandstorm issue isn’t irrelevant even in Kararagi, so it could be useful.”

“I’m not bringing up patents for the future. Without that… well, as long as we avoid ‘sand time’, I don’t think we’ll be completely immobilized.”

“Seems more dangerous than sand is the matter of beasts and miasma. I’ll work with Beatrice to tackle the miasma, but we’re really relying on Meily for the beasts.”

As Emilia says this, she casts her gaze through the wall toward the next room.

That room should currently have Beatrice watching over Meily. Subaru wants to believe she won’t betray them, but given Meily’s history, trust isn’t easily granted. There’s no guarantee her mother wouldn’t try to silence her.

“So we’ll be relying on Anastasia for guidance. It’s a tightrope walk.”

“That’s just how it is every time, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely.”

Subaru chuckles at Emilia’s rare teasing, then turns his attention back to Anastasia, who sits up straight on the bed.

“By the way, did you manage to accomplish your goal for going out? It should mean we can adjust the dragon carriage wheels and handle our entrance into the dunes as we requested.”

“Really? Sorry for putting everything on you.”

“That’s fine. In exchange, I’ll be counting on you as my backup, Emilia.”

With a casual wave, Anastasia brushes off the apology.

Her mentioned goal—to adjust the dragon carriage entering the dunes. Typically, a dragon carriage is intended for smoothly paved roads—or at least roads in good condition. Unfortunately, their current route primarily traverses sandy terrain, making travel quite difficult for standard carriages.

While it’d be smart to swap to an Earth Dragon for transport, considering that there are many women and children, along with an unconscious Rem, it just isn’t practical.

Thus, adjustments were necessary for a dragon carriage suited for desert travel, along with a switch to an Earth Dragon.

“I can’t leave Patrasche behind, though. Leaving him would be unthinkable.”

“That boy’s super smart. If you try to leave him, Subaru, you might just end up bitten…”

That does sound likely, so he’ll have to avoid leaving Patrasche behind.

“And the negotiations regarding the other carriage…”

“It wasn’t even a negotiation, really. I simply soothed their worries and told them what was what.”

Anastasia smiles charmingly, but feeling that her grin might not be genuine sends a shiver down Subaru’s back.

The dragon carriage and the other matter at hand is a simple series of customs.

In other words, with Emilia and Anastasia being royal selection candidates, if they go missing in the Augria Sand Dunes, who would be responsible?

It’s common knowledge that the two of them hold significant positions in the kingdom at the moment. If the two of them were somehow buried in the sands of the Augria Sand Dunes, there would be chaos surrounding the question of responsibility without doubt.

As for the management of the dunes—the lord ruling the area around Milura, particularly, would not be able to handle the burden.

So beforehand, they had to convince the lord that “no matter what happens, it’ll be on the candidates themselves,” and get it put on paper, which is why Anastasia had gone to meet the lord.

“Still, it’s possible we could be blamed for not being able to stop them… our lives aren’t just ours anymore. It’s a lot of responsibility, huh?”

“That’s how it’s been from the start. It’s not just about being royal selection candidates; we’re the ones who need to meet the ‘Sage’ and find a way to restore so many lives. It’s far from a newfound concern.”

“You really are dependable.”

Anastasia gazes happily back at Emilia, and then turns her eyes toward Subaru.

“So, did you two find anything of worth during your wanderings? I hope you weren’t really just getting accustomed to the sands.”

“Well, not exactly a romantic date among the sandstorms, you know. I did manage to get some info from someone knowledgeable.”

“The details from the tavern owner were quite the coincidence, though.”

“My foresight in choosing a tavern truly shone through, didn’t it?”

“I think that was my choice…”

Regardless of who led the way, the flow of events doesn’t affect the information itself.

As Subaru shares the tavern’s tale with Anastasia, she seems to ponder thoughtfully.

“Starting to see birds, huh… interesting.”

“What? Does that catch your interest?”

“Other topics were common-sense knowledge for someone challenging the Augria Sand Dunes, but this change is far more intriguing. Birds seem the most sensitive to the winds mixed with miasma.”

“Now that you mention it…”

At Anastasia’s words, Emilia absentmindedly touches her hair as she starts to think. Watching the lost-in-thought Emilia from the side, Subaru leans closer to Anastasia.

“—You really do have some insight, don’t you?”

“I can’t think of anything concrete, but it’s definitely intriguing.”

“——”

“Don’t give me that dubious look. You’ll only make her suspicious.”

With Echidna’s true intentions peeking through, Subaru has no choice but to withdraw his curiosity. Luckily, Emilia, still deep in thought, seems unaware of their exchange, leaving Subaru feeling like a lovestruck fool desperately trying to hide his transgressions.

“So what’s our course of action?”

“Isn’t it better to leave soon? We’ve already wrapped up discussions about the dragon carriage… just restock our supplies and we should head out.”

“Going tomorrow might be pushing it, but what about the day after?”

“Let’s go with that.”

Anastasia claps her hands as she says this, with Emilia nodding in agreement.

Then, glancing towards the window of the room, securely sealed to keep out the sand, she squints.

What Emilia’s violet eyes gaze upon is the view to the east beyond the window.

There, towering highly, reaching above the town, stands a long shadow.

“The Pleiades Watchtower.”

She calls out softly, her silver bell-like voice announcing that structure.

The desired tower is so tall and grand that it can be seen even from within Milura.

——Is there even a chance of missing something so enormous?

Before arriving at Milura, Subaru had pondered the Pleiades Watchtower’s visibility since they first glimpsed it from the road.

What kind of mistake leads someone to overlook such a notable landmark?

Yet, thinking this, the tavern owner’s warning echoes back.

“Unplanned is out of the question, foolish plans are subpar.”

No matter the circumstances, the option to avoid the challenge does not exist.

That’s why Subaru thinks he has chosen the best possible strategies to mitigate risks.

He truly believes that they will not be the types of adventurers the owner described, mindlessly rushing in.

But because of this very disposition, Subaru fails to notice.

——No matter how things pan out, the option to avoid the challenge is nowhere to be found.

At this point, they have long since closed the door on the original path themselves.