Finally, I can Retire, Or so I Thought

”Gina... Gina!” Dion shouted.

”Hey... Gina... where did you go?” Sheila asked.

”Kyuuu,”

Gina’s voice came from right in front of them, but they couldn’t see her. They kept searching until suddenly, plop, Gina’s head popped out out of thin air before them.

”Whoaaaah!” All six of them jumped back in surprise, Dion included. He then stepped forward and pulled her head. Plop, Gina’s whole body slipped out.

”What was that about?” Dion yelled at her, his face pale with concern.

”Yeah... why did you fly ahead and... disappear?” Mei added, equally worried.

Luna, Sheila, Aria, and Cleo crowded around Dion, staring at Gina nestled in his arms. Seeing them all swarming her with worried expressions, Gina just looked confused.

”Um... I thought we came here to go to the nice city up ahead for a walk... I wondered why Papa and the Mamas were just standing around and not going in... so I went ahead. I’m sorry. I promise I’ll be good, please don’t be mad at me,” the voice of a little girl echoed inside all their heads.

Gina looked at their faces one by one, pleading like a child ready to be scolding for a mistake she didn’t realize she made. Hearing her telepathic voice, the expressions on Dion, Luna, Sheila, Cleo, Aria, and Mei turned to utter confusion. Reflexively, they turned to look at the spot where Gina had disappeared, double-checking their eyes. All they saw was a forest scattered with stone ruins.

”A city? What are you talking about, Gina? That’s just a forest ahead, right?” Luna asked.

”Eh... there’s a nice city ahead, Mama. I was hungry, so I went ahead hoping Papa and the Mamas would follow me,” Gina answered in their minds.

”You really see a nice city? What else is there?” Cleo asked.

”Um... there’s a big tree, and it’s super taaaaall,” Gina answered, stretching her arms wide like a child telling a grand story.

Silence fell over the group once more. The air grew still, but a chill ran down everyone’s spine, Dion included. Cleo seemed to be thinking hard. She turned around and walked up to where the path seemed to cut off. Slowly, she reached out her hand, and slup, her hand vanished up to the wrist. She pulled it back out and stared at it. Dion rushed over to her, followed by the rest.

”This is... concealment magic... I read about it in a book. Magic like this should have vanished from the world long ago,” Cleo said to Dion beside her.

”Oh yeah? Is that so?” Dion asked, bewildered.

”But... why would magic like that be in a forest like this?” Mei asked, peering forward.

”Who knows... maybe Gina is right. This concealment magic is hiding something from the world. We should be careful,” Cleo replied, staring ahead.

”Is there really a nice city and a giant tree inside like Gina said? Now I’m curious,” Aria added.

”Same... I’m curious too, honestly, but Cleo’s right. It’s too dangerous to just walk in blind,” Luna agreed.

”Did you really see a nice city and a big tree, Gina?” Mei asked once more to the little girl now in her arms.

”I did, Mama, I’m not lying! The city is right there,” Gina answered, pointing forward.

”Hmm... maybe because she’s a Calamity Dragon, she can see right through the veil,” Cleo analyzed.

Dion, who had remained silent, thought ”Recall” in his mind. A holographic screen opened before him as he prepared to swap his persona. But before he could do anything, Sheila brushed past him.

”Well... there’s only one way to make sure what’s ahead,” Sheila said.

”Hey... what are you doing, you meathead?!” Cleo yelled, reaching out.

Too late. Sheila stepped completely through the veil, leaving Cleo’s hand grasping empty air. Everyone froze, but only for a second, because moment later,

”Wow... Gina was right! There’s a really nice, fancy city... and a massive tree... This is incredible... But I suggest you guys don’t come in... seriously, don’t come in... don’t enter!”

Sheila’s voice echoed around them, fueling their curiosity, especially with her warning not to step inside. Cleo, Luna, Aria, and Mei looked at one another. Then they all turned to Dion, who was standing there stunned.

”So? Do we go in?” Luna asked.

”That muscle-brained idiot went in first. She’s completely reckless, what a fool,” Aria muttered.

”We have no choice, we have to help Sheila,” Mei said.

”Hmm... Mei’s right. We can’t just leave that idiot in there alone. So, Dion, are we going in?” Cleo asked.

Dion paused for a moment. He looked at Gina in Mei’s arms, who kept staring ahead looking a bit tense, then he looked at the four girls before him.

”We’re going in,” Dion said. ”Get ready, Berserk Monk,” he thought to himself.

The four girls nodded. They all turned toward the end of the path and stepped forward together. Gyuuup, they vanished and reappeared on the other side of the veil. Their eyes widened, Dion’s included.

Just as Gina had said, a massive city stretched out before them. The buildings looked modern, but without flat roofs, instead, they had pointed spires reminiscent of Earth’s Victorian era rather than the present day.

Behind the city stood a giant tree. Its trunk was as massive as a mountain and rose so high that its canopy formed a natural roof covering the entire city, though sunlight still filtered through. It was an extraordinarily beautiful, majestic view that words could hardly describe.

”Ah man... I told you guys not to come in,” Sheila said.

They all looked ahead to see Sheila standing with her hands raised. Gasp, they all instinctively raised their hands as well, including Dion, while Gina flew up and perched on Dion’s head.

In front of them stood an army of long-eared figures wearing military uniforms reinforced with armor plates on their chests, arms, and legs. They were aiming weapons at them, flintlock-style rifles with glowing magic circles floating in front of their barrels, along with swords and spears. Dion stared at the long-eared people, his eyes lighting up.

”Elves... there really are elves in this world... Finally... after living in this new world for 22 years, this place is starting to feel like a real fantasy,” he thought with a broad grin.

Thud... thud...

From behind the ranks, several soldier golems, just like the ones Dion possessed, marched forward with swords raised, forcing the troop line to back up. Dion then noticed two watchtowers at the city entrance, their cannon barrels aimed directly at them. Dion’s gaze swept over the city, taking in the steampunk-style architecture. A zeppelin glided past the gigantic tree in the background, making the whole city look like an entirely different realm.

”Hold on a second... maybe if I use this...”

Dion equipped the Mechanical Crafter and Gunner personas. A dark reddish aura began swirling around his body, wrapping him in a cocoon. He pressed ’Yes’ to transform into the true form of the combined persona. The entire troop and the golems locked their weapons onto Dion. The girls watched his transformation nervously, while Gina hovered nearby, staring at the soldiers with a confused face as if asking, ”What’s going on?”

Pyaash!

The light and aura surrounding Dion burst away, revealing the true form of the Mechanical Crafter and Gunner persona: tall, slender, with long white hair, striking red eyes, and most importantly, long pointed ears.

Gasp! The soldiers’ faces filled with shock, though they kept their weapons raised.

”Just as I thought. Welcome to Treevalley City, Your Highness.”

Hearing a woman’s voice from behind, Dion, Luna, Cleo, Mei, Sheila, and Aria turned around. Mei’s face changed instantly when she saw Chiyo standing behind them out of nowhere.

”Grandma... Chiyo?” Mei asked.

”Thank you, Mei. You have brought His Highness here,” Chiyo said, smiling at Mei.

Chiyo walked past them. The moment the soldiers saw her, they instantly lowered their weapons and bowed deeply.

”Greetings, Elder!” the soldiers shouted in unison.

”Huh... Elder?” asked Dion, who was currently in his elf-like Mechanical Crafter and Gunner form.

”Correct, Your Highness. Please, step inside the city. We have much to discuss,” Chiyo replied.

With that, Chiyo clasped her hands together. A bright light engulfed her body, forcing Dion, Luna, Cleo, Aria, Sheila, and Mei to shield their faces with their arms. When the light faded, they gasped. Standing before them was no longer an frail, wise old woman, but a stunning woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties, with long blonde hair, a tall, curvaceous figure, and long pointed ears.

Dion and the others stood frozen, except for Gina, who seemed to have known Chiyo’s true form all along. Chiyo bowed deeply before Dion until he winced, and the soldiers followed her lead.

”My true name is Cylona. I am the spirit of the giant tree that protects this city and this realm. Once again, welcome, Your Highness, emissary of Goddess Hestalia, along with your companions. I have awaited your arrival for thousands of years.”

Hearing Chiyo, whose real name was Cylona, reveal that she was the spirit of the massive tree, and listening to how she addressed Dion while the soldiers bowed in reverence, left Dion utterly speechless. Meanwhile, Luna, Cleo, Mei, Aria, and Sheila stared at Dion as if they were looking at a complete stranger, their eyes narrowing with intense curiosity.

”Uuuh... what now? My gut was right again, that bad feeling was because of this! Give me a break... when will the trouble in this world ever end? Every single day there’s something new to drive me crazy,” Dion thought to himself.