The Airship departed from Mezeporta, crossing the central and eastern regions of the continent as it sailed through the skies above the sea.
Although summer was a season of frequent storms, the ocean lay unnaturally calm, without a breath of wind or a ripple on its surface.
To guard against any mishap, Altaïr and the Guild Knights assigned as escorts remained fully armed and patrolled day and night.
The Machine Cannon at the stern had also been uncovered and its magazine loaded, ready to answer any danger at a moment's notice.
Yet the Airship reached the camp deep within the Great Forest without encountering any danger.
They saw no dangerous Large Monsters, not even a bird of any notable size.
Shalan thoroughly mocked the Hunters and Guild Knights who had spent the entire journey on edge. "I told you there was no need to be so nervous, meow.
"We were invited here, meow. As long as you don't cause trouble at the Tower, nothing will happen to us, meow."
Even so, Mr. Bud did not dare lower his guard. He assigned sentries to stand watch in shifts throughout the night and ensure everyone's safety.
—--
Two days passed.
Over those two days, everyone either stayed aboard the Airship or remained in camp, hardly ever venturing out.
Mr. Bud even rejected Altaïr's proposal to procure fresh meat for everyone. His priority was clear: assist the two Divas in completing their task.
At the beginning of the quest, Bud had not been so tense, but the Wyverian Diva's words had left him uneasy. He did not know what would happen if the ritual failed, yet his instincts told him it would be no small matter.
Everything therefore had to give way to the operation on the night of the full moon, two days away. Bud intended to eliminate every possible source of trouble.
Yet accidents could not be prevented through wishful thinking...
—--
That night, several uninvited guests blundered into the Guild Knights' perimeter.
After briefly verifying the newcomers' identities, a patrolling Guild Knight brought them into the camp.
The Fonron Great Forest was rich in resources and teemed with Monsters, so Hunters coming there to Hunt was nothing unusual.
Besides, these camps were open to everyone in principle. The Guild party could not simply occupy one and drive other travelers into the perilous Jungle for the night.
"Huh? Why are there so many people here? And why is there such a huge Airship?" The sturdy young man leading the group, a Charge Blade on his back, looked around. "Is some important person traveling?"
"Whoa, they're not going to drive us away, are they...?" muttered the other young man beside him, who carried a Light Bowgun.
Hearing the patrol's report gave Bud a headache. He stepped out of his tent, approached the three young Hunters, and displayed his Guild Knight badge.
"I'm terribly sorry, but we are carrying out an extremely important task on the Guild's behalf. To avoid disrupting it, could we ask the three of you to remain in camp for a few days?
"Once our task is complete, we will compensate you for all your losses."
Behind the two young men, the dark-circled young woman who had remained silent until then stared directly at him. "How many days, exactly?"
"The day after tomorrow, once the night of the full moon has passed," Bud answered.
"Ah, that won't work. Someone arranged to meet me at the top of the Tower on the night of the full moon. It would be rude not to show up," said the young Hunting Horn user, pinching her narrow chin.
Bud's expression changed. "Did you say someone invited you to meet at the top of the Tower on the night of the full moon?!"
"Yes."
Bud's expression shifted several times. He turned to one of the Guild Knights and said, "Go and bring both Divas and Mr. Altaïr here. Tell them it's important."
The Guild Knight nodded and strode quickly away.
Hearing a familiar name, the three young Hunters exchanged glances and saw the surprise in one another's eyes.
The camp was small, and even descending from the Airship suspended overhead would take only a few minutes.
Altaïr and the two Divas soon arrived.
At the sight of the young Hunters, Altaïr could scarcely hide his astonishment. "Lambert? Chia and Vari too? What are you doing here?"
"You know them?" Bud asked. "This young woman says someone invited her to meet at the top of the Tower on the night of the full moon."
At Bud's words, the expressions of Altaïr and the others changed as well.
"Who invited you?" Altaïr asked urgently.
Lambert scratched her cheek with one finger. "A young girl dressed in white. Hmm, she was very strange. I even doubt whether she was human."
"Why do you say that?" A rare trace of surprise and curiosity appeared on the Wyverian Diva's perpetually serene face.
Chia was a country boy, and Vari hailed from the Great Desert. Lambert, however, had grown up in Dundorma and naturally recognized the Wyverian Diva.
Her parents' orchestra often accompanied the Diva's performances, and Lambert had seen her sing more than once.
She had not expected to meet the Diva here.
"Because of her voice," Lambert answered.
"Her voice?"
"Mm. She made no sound at all, not even the faintest trace. Even the dullest person should produce some noise.
"But she felt almost unreal to me. She did not seem human, or even alive."
"You can hear the voice of a soul?" Rather than looking at Lambert as though she were crazy, as most people did when they heard such claims, the Wyverian Diva looked even more surprised.
"Something like that, though I can't explain exactly what it is either," Lambert said with a shrug. "For example, your voice is like the sky, distant and serene, but... boring.
"Listening to your songs is like listening to the wind in the wild. They're easy on the ears and soothing to the mind, but not very interesting. They make me sleepy.
"Oh, except for 'Moonquake.' That song has power!"
As she spoke, Lambert shifted her gaze to the young Diva from Mezeporta. "You're the singer who has made a name for herself in recent years, right? Your voice is special too. It's like a forest, full of... vitality."
The young Diva stared in astonishment at the dark-circled young woman carrying a Hunting Horn.
"So this is the Lambert you were talking about, meow?" Shalan poked her head out from behind Altaïr's shoulder. "Interesting, meow! Hey!
"Young lady, what kind of voice do I have, meow?"
Lambert's entire face scrunched up as she looked at Shalan. "Ew. Like a Dung Bomb soaked in Honey. Disgusting..."
"I think you've got a damn death wish, meow!" Shalan flew into a rage and leaped up to scratch Lambert.
Altaïr quickly caught Shalan and pulled her back. "Calm down, Lady Shalan, calm down... It's only a comparison..."
Unlike the furious Shalan, the Wyverian Diva showed not the slightest anger at Lambert calling her voice "boring."
She studied Lambert as if appraising a treasure. "You are a born Diva. Singing may suit you better than Hunting."
"No thanks. I'm not interested in such refined pursuits." Lambert waved dismissively. "What I seek is the symphony between life and death, the roar of fury, the howl at death's door."
The usually reticent Wyverian Diva became uncharacteristically talkative. "The singing I mean is not the kind performed on a stage.
"It belongs in freer, vaster, more distant places.
"Here and now, why not raise your voice and sing with me?"
As she spoke, the Wyverian Diva closed her eyes and spread her arms wide. Her graceful voice rose like wind sweeping across the sky and echoed beneath the night.
It was "Moonquake," the song Lambert had said she liked.
Almost unconsciously, the young Diva lightly pressed both hands over her heart and joined the Wyverian Diva in song.
At that moment, the branches and leaves swayed gently in the wind, and the tranquil Great Forest rippled like a sea, as though accompanying the two Divas.
Altaïr's eyes widened slightly.
This was the first time he had heard the two Divas sing with his own ears. Even someone as indifferent to music and art as Altaïr found himself spellbound.
As the prelude ended, both Divas extended their hands toward Lambert at the same time, inviting her to join the piece.
Lambert loved music with all her soul, and the Divas' singing swept her up.
She abruptly pulled the Hunting Horn from her back and swung it through the air, producing a booming blast like the strike of a giant drum.
Her melody and rhythm matched theirs perfectly, yet a roar in a completely different style exploded in everyone's ears.
"LIFE'S! RESONANCE!
"THE EARTH'S! RESPONSE!!
"LIFE! LIBERATION!!!"
The two Divas:
"..."
"..."
* * *
This chapter was translated with YourTL.app. The site can also translate novels for readers when no English version is available.