Looking Forward to Another World

*AOOO—!*

*AOOO—!*

Amid the raging blizzard, the carefree cries of the two lesser frost dragons rang out from time to time, as if they were fish returning to the sea.

Above the snow-covered ground, the floating dragon carriage sliced through the howling wind and heavy snow as the two lesser frost dragons pulled it forward at an astonishing speed. It was so fast that it resembled a high-speed train from a previous life, leaving every bit of scenery along the way far behind.

Even while racing through such a frozen wasteland and violent blizzard, the large carriage being pulled by the two lesser frost dragons remained incredibly warm inside.

Meanwhile, the escorted silent girl looked around the spacious interior with visible curiosity. Feeling the warmth filling the carriage, she unconsciously removed her thick winter coat.

As soon as she did, everyone was stunned.

Because her thick clothing had concealed everything before, no one had known what kind of figure she possessed. But the instant she took it off, her breathtaking figure was revealed in full.

She not only had an extremely plump chest and a generous underbust, but her body’s curves were also remarkably well-defined. Despite her voluptuous figure, her waist was so slender it looked as though it could be encircled by two hands. It was an irresistibly eye-catching silhouette.

Lizbeth, Euryale, and Lilith all had excellent figures in their own right.

One was petite yet voluptuous, one had balanced proportions while remaining well-endowed, and the last possessed a seductive, curvaceous body. All three could be considered exceptionally attractive, yet compared to the young woman, they still fell just a little short.

As for why, that was because her curves were simply too striking.

Full breasts, a slender waist, and shapely hips combined into the very definition of a devilish body. Calling it the golden ratio no longer seemed sufficient—it was more fitting to describe it as a masterpiece crafted by the gods.

Riezel, who had already seen his fair share of beauties, remained relatively calm.

Leo, however, who had clearly lacked such experience, nearly drooled the moment he saw her.

It wasn’t until Ivy smacked him across the head that he finally showed some restraint, though his eyes still drifted toward her every now and then despite his efforts to control himself.

Truth be told, a devilish figure such as hers was incredibly rare even among the goddesses of the world of Danmachi, where flawless beauty was common. Even Freya and Ishtar, both known as Goddesses of Beauty, might very well lose if the comparison were based solely on physique.

Combined with her unbelievably fair skin, the silent girl—or rather, the silent young woman—possessed nearly every physical trait a woman could dream of, except... for her face.

”...Why’s she got such a plain face with a body like that?”

Leo accidentally voiced the regretful thought that slipped into his mind, earning himself another smack from Ivy.

”...”

At everyone’s reactions, the young woman appeared completely unfazed.

Remaining silent, she calmly pulled her clothes back over herself, covering most of her overly alluring figure once again.

”S-Sorry. He didn’t mean anything by it.”

Lizbeth apologized on Leo’s behalf.

Euryale and Lilith, meanwhile, paid the young woman no attention at all. One had already fallen asleep in the corner, while the other sat quietly beside Riezel, guarding him with little interest in their new companion.

Under those circumstances, Riezel, who sat across from the young woman with one leg crossed over the other, casually spoke.

”Come to think of it, I still don’t know your name,” Riezel said as though it weren’t particularly important. ”If you don’t mind telling us, then go ahead. If you do, you can just stay quiet.”

Hearing that, the young woman slowly raised her eyes and glanced at Riezel.

After a long silence, just when everyone thought she would refuse to answer again, she finally spoke.

”Chloria...”

Her voice was unexpectedly beautiful, as melodious as a diva’s singing, pleasant enough to captivate anyone who heard it.

”My name is Chloria Michette.”

Her answer caught Riezel somewhat off guard.

”Michette?” Riezel blinked before saying, ”You sure it isn’t Theresis?”

Faced with Riezel’s question, Chloria remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.

”You suspected I was a member of the royal family?”

Chloria spoke quietly, her tone carrying emotions that were difficult to decipher.

”Wasn’t that obvious?”

Riezel narrowed his eyes.

”You managed to set up a meeting with this country’s queen, get us into the royal family’s secret library, and now you’ve got Lukais, an enemy nation, after you.”

”On top of that, there are other groups trying to get their hands on you too. It’s only natural to think you’re some princess with a pretty special status in Theresis’s royal family.”

At the very least, that was what Riezel believed, and the others likely thought the same.

Unfortunately...

”You’ll be disappointed. I’m not a member of the royal family...” Chloria said softly. ”If I were a royal princess, I’d be fighting the Prince Faction for power inside the queen’s palace in Urvashi, not struggling alone to survive in a border region like this.”

A trace of self-mockery crept into her voice as she spoke.

”Who exactly are you then?”

Now that Chloria had completely covered up her devilish figure, Leo could no longer admire it, leaving him sounding somewhat disappointed as he asked the question.

”...I’m nobody. I’m just a tool.”

Chloria lowered her gaze.

”I have no parents, no family, and no one to rely on. I’m nothing more than a tool that’s activated whenever this country needs me.”

”Don’t worry about me. Before long, I’ll disappear from everyone’s sight.”

As soon as those words fell, silence filled the carriage.

Everyone looked at one another, exchanging uncertain glances, yet none of them knew what to say.

Even Riezel remained quiet.

He studied Chloria intently while his thoughts drifted elsewhere.

Honestly, she was nothing like what he had imagined.

Moreover, the fact that she wasn’t a member of the Theresis royal family genuinely surprised him.

Originally, after seeing her unusual status, the peculiar qualities surrounding her, and the indescribable noble aura she carried, Riezel had assumed she was a royal princess traveling incognito.

One of the main reasons he had agreed to Leffy’s request and allowed Chloria to travel with them was because he believed she might belong to the royal family and therefore know something about the Reinnail Clan and the Kazdel Mountains.

Who would have thought she wasn’t royalty at all?

Although she wasn’t part of the royal family, her background seemed even more extraordinary. It appeared that she carried some enormous secret—one closely tied to this country.

”I’ll just call you Chloria. Tell me, Chloria. Did you really choose to go to Urvashi on your own?”

Riezel asked directly without beating around the bush.

Just as before, his question wasn’t answered immediately.

Chloria fell silent once again, and only after a long while did she finally respond.

”I don’t know...” Chloria sounded as though she were both confiding in someone and talking to herself. ”But if I don’t go to Urvashi... where else can I go?”

Who exactly that question was directed at, Riezel didn’t know.

Perhaps even Chloria herself didn’t know.

”What kind of answer is that?” Leo said as bluntly as ever. ”If you wanna go, then go. If you don’t, then don’t. How can someone not know what they’re thinking?”

”You really gotta keep your mouth shut, Leo.” Ivy shot him an annoyed glare. ”Do you think everyone’s as simple-minded as you are? Just because whatever pops into your head turns into your answer?”

”Isn’t that how it works?” Leo protested unhappily. ”It makes perfect sense! Why’re you insulting me?”

”Alright, alright.” Lizbeth was gradually becoming the group’s peacemaker as she hurriedly stepped in upon seeing Ivy and Leo on the verge of arguing again. ”Let’s just hear what Chloria has to say.”

”...No, there’s nothing worth saying.” Chloria, having already regained her composure, lowered her head once more and pulled her clothes tighter around herself. ”If... this is the meaning of my existence... then all I can do is accept it.”

Her words caused the atmosphere inside the carriage to become heavy once again.

’A depressed one, huh...’

Seeing that Chloria clearly had no desire to continue talking, Riezel didn’t press her any further.

Although her current state left everyone feeling somewhat uncomfortable, it was ultimately her own business.

Besides, Riezel barely knew her and had no right to interfere.

”Let’s leave that aside. When are you gonna get rid of that fake face?”

Riezel had only intended to change the topic, but the subject he raised immediately shocked everyone present.

”A fake face?”

”Her face is fake?”

”No way!”

Lizbeth, Leo, and Ivy all cried out in surprise.

”Oh?”

Even Lilith turned her gaze toward Chloria with mild surprise, apparently not expecting her face to be disguised.

Only Euryale, who continued sleeping soundly with gentle snores, remained completely unaware of what was happening.

”You...”

Chloria looked at Riezel in astonishment, clearly not expecting her disguise to have already been seen through.

”Don’t look at me like that. Just ask yourself this—when people see your temperament and your figure, then look at your face, wouldn’t they think something feels off?”

Riezel spoke calmly, his tone steady from beginning to end.

”A perfect body, perfect presence, and even a voice that beautiful, yet your looks are just so ordinary. It kinda feels like some cruel joke the gods pulled, to the point where people don’t even wanna believe someone like you could really exist.”

”As for me, I just didn’t think it was some prank by the gods. I figured it looked more like a disguise made by people.”

”And by pure coincidence, I happen to be able to see right through that kinda thing.”

In other words, from the very first time they met, Riezel had already begun to suspect Chloria because of how strangely mismatched her appearance was.

And just so happened, he possessed the ability to see through disguises.

As a result, Chloria’s disguise had been exposed.

”I get that you’ve got your reasons for hiding what you really look like, but honestly, disguising yourself like this just makes you stand out more and gets people even more suspicious. You’d be better off just showing your real face.”

Riezel’s analysis was met only by the gloomy expression that spread across Chloria’s face.

”...Do you think I wanted to wear this face?”

Her voice was filled with unmistakable resentment.

”What?”

Riezel froze for a moment before frowning.

Chloria fell silent once again.

”Hey...”

Leo grew even more irritated and was just about to say something when someone interrupted him.

”Master.”

Lilith suddenly lifted her head, and for a brief instant, her eyes turned pitch black as she quietly called out to Riezel.

”I know...” Riezel looked at Chloria with complete calm. ”Looks like your identity really is special. We haven’t even been out of Mitte for that long, and they’re already coming after you. They really don’t like wasting time, huh?”

His words caused Chloria’s expression to change slightly, while everyone else inside the carriage immediately rose to their feet.

”Enemies?”

Leo reached for the hilts of the twin swords at his waist, killing intent flashing in his eyes.

Ivy silently chanted several spells, placing herself in a state where she could cast magic at any moment.

Lizbeth hurried over to Euryale, intending to wake her up.

”No need to wake Euryale,” Riezel said calmly, shaking his head at Lizbeth. ”They’re just a buncha cannon fodder.”

As soon as his words fell, the two lesser frost dragons outside the carriage let out furious roars.

In the very next instant, the sound of something slicing through the air echoed from outside, and the target was the carriage.

===

A few minutes earlier, within the snow-covered wilderness, where wind and snow raged together, a large group of people had arrived.

They made no effort to hide their movements. Standing together in the middle of the snowstorm, they endured the freezing wind while raising their weapons toward a single direction.

Among them, the man leading them held a map in his hand. After comparing it with the surrounding terrain, he put it away.

”Mm, this is the place...”

He muttered to himself.

”According to our informants, that group never tried to conceal their route and headed straight north.”

”If that’s true, they’ll be passing through here before long, so this is the perfect place for an ambush.”

After confirming both the intelligence and the task ahead, the man raised his hand.

”Listen up. Battle positions. Form up.”

At their leader’s command, everyone immediately scattered, using the snowfield and the blizzard as cover as they took up concealed positions, surrounding the entire area. Anyone passing through without stopping would inevitably fall into their encirclement.

*AOOO—!*

*AOOO—!*

Not long afterward, two intimidating roars echoed through the blizzard as a massive, luxurious dragon carriage raced toward them at incredible speed, charging directly into the trap without slowing down in the slightest.

”That’s it.”

Watching the majestic dragon carriage approach, a flash of killing intent crossed the leader’s eyes.

”Nock your bows!”

”Loose!”

*Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!*

*Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!*

In the next instant, arrows engraved with glowing runes—empowered by magic that allowed them to ignore the fierce wind and snow—shot straight toward their target.

As the attackers hidden all around drew their bows, they released the enchanted arrows without the slightest hesitation.

By the time the whistling sounds reached the air, a rain of arrows had already taken shape.

Countless arrows erupted from every direction, blotting out the sky as they descended upon the dragon carriage that had made no attempt to conceal its movements.

===

[A bonus Chapter for reaching 300 Power Stones]

[Support and get early access to upcoming Chapters at: patreon.com/VALRRR]