We rattled along in the carriage for three days.
After passing through a heavily fortified stronghold, the interdimensional gate finally appeared before us.
It looked like a large triangular picture floating in space—that's what they call the interdimensional gate. Beyond that triangle lies another world, they say.
There wasn't even a frame around it. The gate was far more abrupt than I'd imagined.
It was my first time seeing it. Abigail, too, seemed unable to contain her curiosity, her eyes darting around. I'd expected something grander, more imposing, but this felt more like a rift between dimensions.
"Look, look! A butterfly! It's so beautiful, Jibodan!"
As Ferris pointed, I saw a butterfly land on the corner of the leading carriage.
It was enormous, its wings shimmering silver.
The carriage passed through the gate.
Before we knew it, we'd entered the other world, Mifosis, with surprising ease.
The butterfly fluttered into the sky of this new world.
I pointed to it and caught Abigail's eye. She nodded firmly back at me.
The landscape was covered in rolling hills and vast grasslands.
Ripples of green stretched endlessly, and the scent of fresh grass carried on the wind. It was a peaceful land.
The sky was blue, and the distant horizon was hidden behind snow-capped mountains. The air was warm, and the sunlight made the leaves glow vibrantly. It was hard to believe this was a world ruled by a Demon Lord.
I felt this planet was far more beautiful than Earth.
The carriage kept moving without stopping.
We were headed to a place Ferris visited regularly, though the purpose was a secret even from Lydia.
This expedition's main mission was to escort Ferris.
Abigail was here as my companion, though not for pleasure. Since this wasn't a long expedition, only she came along. Lydia joined as a friend.
My companions are always chosen randomly, but this time, Lydia used her connections to insist on Abigail. Lydia's also from a wealthy family, so she's not shy about using her influence.
Usually, Ferris's sister, Phoenicia, comes as both escort and companion, but this time she stayed behind, trusting Lydia and me. I guess all my efforts to appear obedient paid off. With Lydia's telepathic abilities, they figured she could keep me in line.
Of course, we had plenty of other guards too. Several carriages were involved.
All for Ferris alone.
What exactly are you, Ferris?
"My sister's always nagging me, so this trip feels so much easier!" Ferris said, stretching on the carriage roof. Lydia pounced on her, shouting, "Gotcha!" The two tumbled down with a soft thud, leaving behind giggles.
The carriage had a canopy and was lined with plush carpets and cushions, making it quite luxurious. Ferris is from a wealthy family too.
Abigail and I, sitting in the soft carriage, occasionally exchanged messages in Morse code, stealing moments away from the others' eyes.
By the way, Abigail was dressed up today in a resort-style pareo skirt with a daring slit.
When she was first brought from the facility, she wore a plain robe, but Lydia said, "That's too depressing for a trip," and prepared this outfit for her.
Despite their bickering, Lydia's a good person for even preparing Abigail's clothes.
"So, lately, I've been translating for her and Gevaudan's girlfriend. Right, Gevaudan?"
Lydia tapped me and suddenly said this. She'd been telling Ferris about Titania.
"Yeah. I like her."
"Jibodan's girlfriend…"
Ferris's mood suddenly grew heavy.
"What's she like, this Titania?"
Abigail asked.
It was deliberate, but she was still pretending not to know about Titania.
Right now, I was sitting cross-legged in the center of the carriage, with Lydia lounging on my lap. Her hand was touching Ferris, and her feet were touching Abigail. Somehow, the four of us were managing to converse in this awkward position.
Lydia's youthful warmth against my thighs felt pleasant. So soft. Grateful. Honestly, my unruly rod was pressing against her back, but Lydia acted oblivious, not moving away. Instead, she shifted deliberately, grinding against me. She glanced at me. Little devil. Damn.
"Titania has purple eyes and curved horns. Long silver hair, and she stands like a flower. And her breasts are huge—bigger than Abigail's."
Abigail gasped, "W-what…?" Lydia burst into laughter, and Ferris looked down at her own chest.
As Ferris's escort, I hadn't made any moves on Abigail during the trip.
Or rather, it was too dangerous to even try.
As we approached the gate, the frequency of monster attacks increased, and after passing through, we were attacked day and night.
This is definitely another world. It was my first time seriously facing off against monsters from another world, so I was cautious, but once I swung my butcher knife, they were easily split in two.
But for Ferris and Abigail, the threat was real.
I took my role as a professional escort seriously.
What surprised me was Lydia. When we fought, she somehow produced a longbow—a sleek, archery-style bow that gleamed—and supported me.
With a single shot from Lydia's hand, the monster's brow was pierced. Her arrows struck true, showcasing her skill. As a former sniper, I felt a strong camaraderie.
"Impressive bow skills, Lydia."
"Oh, you noticed? Hehe!"
"Yeah. To hit a moving target's leg from that distance, with wind blowing, is incredible. And with a bow and arrow. Hey, can I see that bow?"
"Sure. Here."
Lydia handed me the bow, but she didn't let go. Ugh. A little disappointing.
"I'll give it back."
"No, it's not that. This bow disappears if I let go."
"Disappears?"
"Yep."
As soon as Lydia released her grip, the bow in my hand vanished, leaving behind a trail of light particles.
How bizarre.
"What's going on?"
My head tilted slightly.
"This is a 〈Gradnega〉 bow. It's one of my innate 〈Skills〉."
"What a sinister name."
"Since it's an innate Skill, it appears when I need it. Look, I can create arrows too."
With a whoosh, a bow and arrow appeared in Lydia's hand.
"Skills?"
"It's the power we humans use by harnessing magic. Like the 〈Skin Disguise〉 Jibodan mentioned—I think that's a Skill too. Even though Butchers don't have magic, some can use Skills. I looked into it after you mentioned it. Jibodan's definitely special."
So what we call magic, they call Skills. I remember Lydia mentioning Skills before.
Impressed, my attention turned to the Gradnega bow.
Up close, it was incredibly well-crafted.
The dense, polished ebony, the intricate design, and the way the string glowed when drawn—it was the coolest thing. This longbow could easily be displayed in a museum as a work of art.
"That's a really cool bow. I wish I could try drawing it."
"Whoa! You're flirting with me!"
Lydia covered her mouth in surprise, then laughed.
"Flirting?"
I didn't mean to flirt… but I definitely want to… Is saying you want to draw someone's bow considered a confession in alien culture? I don't get it, but it's somehow stylish. The moon is beautiful, isn't it?
"Haha, just kidding. Innate Skills like this are called 〈Elite Skills〉, and if you marry someone with one, you can use it too."
"So if I marry Lydia, I can use the Gradnega bow?"
"Bingo."
"Let's get married. A hundred kids should be enough, right?"
"Eek! I'm being assaulted!"
"Hahahaha!"
As we joked, Ferris emerged from the carriage, drawn by Lydia's laughter.
"What's going on? What were you two talking about?"
"I proposed to Lydia."
"Huh?"
"Why?!"
Ferris raised an eyebrow, her voice sharp.
"If we get married, I can use the Gradnega bow."
"Lydia!"
"Just kidding! It's a joke!"
Lydia tried to run from Ferris but was quickly caught. Ferris is faster—no surprise there. She's so quick she could outrun me too. When she runs, she leaves a trail of "Whoosh!" behind her.
Come to think of it, she had a pretty strong grip when she grabbed my tongue. Could Ferris actually be a hand-to-hand combat expert?
Then, as if an idea struck her, Ferris pulled Lydia toward me.
"Oh! Jibodan's injured! I'll heal you!"
She cast a healing spell. It felt warm.
As always, her healing was top-notch. Or should I say, her healing Skill? So complicated…
"There. How's that? My 〈Soma〉 is an Elite Skill too!"
"Ferris's Soma is way more advanced than regular 〈Life Gift〉 Skills!"
Lydia added, explaining Ferris's words.
Hmm. True. Ferris's healing is the fastest and cleanest I've ever seen.
"Ferris, you're amazing. Thanks."
Ferris grinned.
Two more days passed, and our destination finally came into view.
A massive, imposing mountain stood before us, with a town at its base. It was called 〈Dean〉.
As we entered the town gates, the streets were surprisingly well-organized, with a spa-like atmosphere.
Wait.
The rising steam, the sulfuric smell—this is a hot spring town. There are even hot spring fields and stalls everywhere. It's a resort.
Is this just a spa trip…?
As I observed the town with growing suspicion, I felt a tapping sensation on the back of my teeth. It was Number Five, who'd been enduring my mouth for nearly a week.
"We're here!!!"
"Finally!!!"
Ferris and Lydia jumped out of the carriage.
Seizing the moment, I followed them outside, discreetly extended my tongue, and released the centipede onto the ground.
It had a black body with red legs and a distinctive single horn—not your average centipede.
Abigail nodded, catching my eye.
All the preparations were complete.
I patted the control device embedded in my temple through the paper bag.
Good things come to those who wait.
Abigail and I would wait patiently, resting as much as we could.
What humans call magic, aliens call Skills.
What humans see as aliens, aliens see as humans, and they view humans as subhumans.
This naming discrepancy might have been a mistake—it's too complicated.