Chapter 99

An endless plain of white sand stretches out.

The sand dunes, towering like mountains, are simply overwhelming.

“Wow~~, amazing!!”

It’s my first time seeing a desert!

This is the world’s only white desert, and it’s actually in a cold region. So, it’s quite cold.

I took out the album from my bag and wrapped it around my neck. The fur is fluffy and warm. It’s a good scarf.

It seems to get even colder at night and in the morning. I need to be well-prepared for the cold before starting my mission.

The sand grains are large and semi-transparent. They apparently glow at night.

When you step on them, they make a squishy sound, which is fun.

“Risris, if you look around, you’ll fall—uhh!!”

Urgas stumbled and fell due to the sand. He got back up with Gal’s help.

Urgas, if you look around, you’ll fall, so be careful.

And so, we arrived safely at the Sapphire Desert.

After that, we didn’t encounter any monsters in the sky, so I was relieved.

We landed a little away from the desert town of Anis.

People from the Monster Research Bureau were there to greet us.

The artificial dragons that would take us to the town can run on sand. They have long, slender legs and a silhouette like a horse, but more lizard-like. Hmm, the more I look at them, the more mysterious they seem.

Since monsters appear in the desert, Gal will continue to ride Amelia.

The artificial dragons have saddles like horses. When I got close, I could see them squinting and flicking their tongues. A bit scary.

When I said I didn’t feel confident about handling the artificial dragon, Vice Captain Berry let me ride with him. He’s so kind, it brings tears to my eyes.

I mounted with Vice Captain Berry’s help.

The scales are the same white as the desert. They are smooth and feel cool to the touch.

Apparently, they are designed to blend in with the desert as a form of camouflage.

They move with a unique sliding gait, which makes the ride smoother and more comfortable than a horse. My butt doesn’t hurt. This is good news for those who have such concerns.

We arrived at Anis after about thirty minutes.

Anis is a town built on a high ridge of sandstone.

The streets are paved with white stone, and all the buildings are white. Everything is apparently made from processed desert sand. At night, they glow blue, creating a fantastical atmosphere.

Pots of bright red and yellow flowers are placed on the terraces of each house. They stand out against the white walls and the blue sky, making a beautiful sight.

These views are also a reason why Anis is popular as a tourist destination.

The town is smaller than the capital, so the streets are crowded with people.

I quickened my pace to keep up with the captain.

“Hey Risris, don’t get lost, ride on Amelia.”

“Understood.”

I obediently got on as the captain said, but I would later regret it.

Griffins are rare, so they attract a lot of attention.

Furthermore, the imposing members of the Second Squad walking around Amelia made us look like a group of guards, drawing even more attention.

A small child shouted, “It’s an elf princess!”

This triggered even more attention.

“Wow, so cute~~”

“The ears are pointy~~”

“Elf princesses are so cute”

No, no, no!!!!

What are you saying, kids?

We are definitely not an elf princess and her guards.

I never thought that just riding on Amelia would make us look like that.

I quickly put on the hood of my cloak.

“Bird, so beautiful~~”

“The white creature wrapped around the neck is cute~~”

Amelia and Album laughed, “Muhuhu,” and seemed to enjoy it.

Good for them.

We passed through the busy central street and arrived at a building at the top of a gentle staircase.

This is apparently the headquarters of the Monster Research Bureau.

It’s a three-story building with a grand appearance.

The front door is large, and Amelia is allowed to enter.

“Quack quack~”

Amelia seemed happy. She must have felt left out and lonely waiting outside.

The walls inside the building are white, and the ceilings are high, giving a sense of openness.

We were led to a guest room with long benches and tables, where we were to listen to a briefing from a bureau officer in his thirties with glasses, who seemed to be in charge.

“The giant scorpion is diurnal and has been sighted during the time when the sun is high.”

If caught between its large pincers, a human body would be split in two.

The tail releases a deadly poison. This is the most dangerous part.

“It has a hard, shell-like body structure that cannot be penetrated by blades.”

The inner part of the abdomen facing the desert is relatively soft.

“So, if you’re going to attack, aim for the abdomen or the eyes.”

It can also burrow into the sand, so be cautious of any unusual mounds.

Indeed. The captain must have chosen Urgas and Reislotte, who excel at long-range attacks, with this in mind.

He may look like a bandit, but he’s an excellent captain. I respect him.

“Another thing to be cautious about is the sand ant nest.”

It’s a monster that builds a large nest in the desert. It attacks people and animals from the darkness and uses them as food. It’s nocturnal, so be careful.

Today is a day off, and the mission will start tomorrow.

The Monster Research Bureau provided us with desert-specific coats, boots, and goggles to protect against sandstorms.

Rations were also prepared, but when I checked, they were almost the same as the knight squad’s. Urgas was visibly disappointed.

We each took our supplies and moved to the inn.

I walked, leading Amelia with the reins.

“Hey, Risris, the main street is especially crowded. Ride on Amelia—”

“I’m fine. I’ll lead Amelia by the reins, so if I get lost, look for Amelia.”

I should have done this from the beginning.

We passed through the main street and arrived at an inn in the central area.

It’s probably the largest inn in the town. It’s a five-story building with a beautiful white exterior.

The interior has a high ceiling with large windows letting in soft light, and the walls are adorned with vibrant tiles. It’s a very nice inn.

The room assignments are as follows: Vice Captain Berry and I, along with Amelia, will share a room for the night’s investigation. Reislotte, who will be fighting the giant scorpion, will have her own room.

The men, Urgas and Zara, will share a room, and the captain will have his own room. Gal will be with Sura.

It seems that the inn can accommodate幻獣, and they will provide the largest room for us.

“It’s good for you, Amelia.”

“Quack~”

It seems that guests with幻獣visit quite often, and the inn staff are accustomed to handling them.

“Donna, are you in the room~”

Albus, who was wrapped around my neck, had been completely forgotten until Zara grabbed him and said, “Boys, this way.”

“Yes, with the boys…”

Albus made a displeased face. What a rude creature.

“Fairy, I brought some sweets, let’s eat them together!”

When Urgas said this to Albus, his attitude changed completely.

“Yay, sweets~”

Albus, what a simple creature. He would follow anyone who has sweets. I need to warn him about this later.

After that, we had free time.

We left our luggage and went shopping in the town with Vice Captain Berry and Reislotte.

Amelia said she would stay behind because the crowd would be tiring.

Gal offered to carry the luggage and came with us.

We headed to the market to look for unknown ingredients.

“Wow!”

Despite being in the middle of the desert, various items are transported from different regions, and the market is filled with a variety of ingredients.

Just by stopping for a moment, you can get samples.

The fruits are types not seen in the capital. There are spiky purple fruits, black citrus, yellow strawberries, and more.

They are all incredibly sweet. I bought a lot to bring back as souvenirs for Amelia.

We also tried grilled skewers of sand cattle, a livestock that can only be raised in this climate.

They are soft and juicy, with a sweet and savory sauce that is irresistible.

We also bought a jar of sand cattle butter. When we tried it on bread, it was rich and creamy, and delicious.

We tried and bought so many things that we ended up feeling full.

We might not need to eat dinner.