Volume 4 Chapter 13: Shrouded in Sand and Dust

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

A single speck of light was shining in the desert where raging winds carried purple sands.

That was a space created by a white wall of light in the form of a snake.

The storm kept hitting the wall of white light with purple sand.

However, the wall allowed none to pass through.

Inside the snake made of light was a tranquil space.

Within it, a single man was lying face up.

「I’m… Sorry, Snake God…」

Clad in easy to move clothes and equipped with exploration tools, he breathed those words through scorched lips.

Merely moving his lips seemed to require all the strength he had, as he spoke into an empty space. Thenー

「Please, don’t mind it, Myers. I’m only doing what I can.」

Beside that man, Edgar Myers, a giant snake was coiled, that replied to him in a human speech.

It was a giant serpent, tens of times longer than the person that was lying on the ground.

「But… Because of me…… You are using extra magic…… Even though you are…… Injured…」

While saying that, Edgar slightly turned his head to the side, and looked at the snake god’s tail.

At the end of his pristine white body, was a black stake, piercing into the tail part, with dry blood sticking to the mangled body part.

Bone fracture and bleeding.

During the investigation of the deepest parts of the desert, they found several tornadoes made of purple sand.

And while trying to confirm if those tornadoes were the source of the purple storm this black stake came flying.

The desert’s wind dried it up at the moment, but it doesn’t change the fact that this is a serious wound.

「This wound I brought upon myself with my own carelessness, approaching the purple storm too much. There is no need for you to apologize. And it recovered quite a lot with the potion that you had. It’s your dehydration and magic deficiency that is more worrying.」

The snake god spoke, remonstrating him.

Yes. We treated the wounds and tried to return to the town, but the damage turned out to be a lot greater, pinning us down here.

Cooperating, we somehow managed to reach the rescue point, but that proved to be the limit. How many hours have passed since then? The purple storm kept hitting them for many and many hours.

…For now, he still could hold out since the snake god wasted her own magic on creating this barrier through ancient sorcery……

The barrier stopped roaring winds. But even inside the barrier, dehydration and magic drain still got to him, gradually squeezing the remaining life out of him.

They already used up potions and miraculous water.

The body was all dried up, not even a drop of saliva would appear in the mouth.

Sight blurred, body heavy.

……A hopeless situation.

But even so, we couldn’t give up. The reason beingー

「We finally grasped a clue on this purple storm, you have to survive.」

「Ye……ah……」

Yes. A few months after the start of the investigation into the purple storm we finally got a great deal of info.

The area deep within the desert, where purple winds continue to blow.

If we were able to relay the results of our observations made to the city, it would become a great help in stopping this bizarre and vile storm.

……I have to protect Eniado, my hometown……

I can’t give up here.

But with waiting for rescue being the only thing I can do now it drives me to the brink of despair.

While wondering if it would be easier to just allow myself to lose consciousness, I grind my teeth, persisting.

It was at that moment.

「……Mh?」

The snake god beside me raised her voice.

「Did something happen?」

「Something is approaching……」

Edgar looked in the direction the snake god pointed with his gaze.

From behind the white wall, he could see only the same scene of the furious purple winds.

However, right now, something else came into his sight.

「What…… Is that, wind, breaking through……」

Right. Something that could change the direction in which the sand flew, is now approaching us.

……Tornado? No, it moves in a different fashion. I…… Never seen anything like that……?

It’s my first time seeing such a thing in this desert.

Eventually, that wind changed direction.

Now it was coming right at us.

「It’s coming at us……!」

The snake god also was surprised.

Just what is that? A few seconds later that question was answered.

「Oh, there you are! Found you!」

By the voice of a man coming from that wind.