Dozzu was about to say, We have no other choice.
But then Nashetania suggested something unbelievable. “Let’s ask Tgurneu for help.”
“…Are you out of your mind?!”
“I’m not crazy. It’s our only option. We’ll use the blade gem in Chamo’s stomach as leverage to negotiate. We’ll have Tgurneu defeat Cargikk’s fiends for us, and we’ll kill Chamo in exchange,” said Nashetania, looking toward the western side of the forest. She estimated Tgurneu’s position based on the movements of the fiends. “I think Tgurneu will agree, since he’s been having trouble with Chamo, too. We’ll be protected until we kill her.”
It could work, possibly. But Dozzu just couldn’t agree to it. It knew better than anyone just how formidable Tgurneu was. There was no way it would actually end up helping their situation.
“If we can make it through this,” said Nashetania, “then things will get better. We have to survive, no matter what it takes. We don’t have any other options now.”
Dozzu knew that, but it still couldn’t agree. “Nashetania, after we kill Miss Chamo, Tgurneu will be done with us. I can’t imagine he’d let us live.”
“We’ll only be working with him temporarily. Once he’s eliminated Cargikk’s minions, we’ll escape—before we kill Chamo.”
“You’re underestimating Tgurneu. He would never allow it,” Dozzu said.
Nashetania replied, “If Tgurneu captures me, then Goldof’s Helm of Allegiance will activate. He’ll come to rescue me.”
“…But he…”
“The Helm of Allegiance only activates if I’m held captive, so I can’t call for him right now. But it Tgurneu catches me, it’s another story. The helmet will let him know I’m in danger.”
“You’re saying he’ll come save you? Really?”
“I trust that he’ll come.”
Dozzu closed its eyes and thought about Goldof. During its time pretending to be Nashetania’s pet, it had observed the knight. It knew quite well that Goldof’s loyalty to her was absolute. In Dozzu’s whole life—which had by no means been a short one—it had never seen such a loyal boy. He was so faithful, Dozzu found it tragic.
That loyalty had been the reason they had decided not to bring him into the fold. Goldof would not fight to achieve his ambitions—he would only fight to protect Nashetania. Dozzu’s goal was bound to endanger her life many times over. Goldof might have tried to interfere for the sake of her safety.
“You betrayed him,” said Dozzu. “I don’t doubt his devotion, but your evaluation of him is plainly naive.”
“You don’t understand him, Dozzu. He can’t live without me.”
“…Nashetania…”
“He’s been like that ever since we first met, and he’s still the same.” There was a rustling sound behind Dozzu. Cargikk’s fiends were already close. “Goldof will come,” she insisted. “He will come to save me. Please, Dozzu. Believe, as I do.”
“Could he do it? Could he save you if Tgurneu captured you?”
“He could,” Nashetania said, smiling. “The strongest person in the world is not Chamo—and it’s certainly not a dunderhead like Adlet. I believe that when Goldof is defending me, he’s the strongest man in the world.”
Dozzu closed its eyes and nodded.
On the outskirts of the lava zone, Dozzu heard Goldof roar. Its hearing was far more sensitive than that of a human. When Dozzu heard the cry, it knew Goldof had not yet given up on Nashetania.
Everything was unfolding just as she had known it would. Tgurneu had readily agreed to their proposal and killed all of Cargikk’s forces for them, and then it had taken Nashetania captive to force Dozzu to do its bidding.
It was clear that Tgurneu did not care to let them live. Dozzu knew that once Tgurneu was done with them, it would kill Nashetania. She had predicted everything beforehand. Dozzu and Nashetania had lured the Braves of the Six Flowers into their trap, and also just as Nashetania had anticipated, Goldof came to the lava zone to save her.
The problem was what happened next. If Chamo died, Tgurneu would kill Nashetania. It would be about another hour and a half until then. Nashetania couldn’t escape on her own, and Dozzu couldn’t rescue her, either. The only way for her to survive was for Goldof to save her. What’s more, if Adlet discovered Nashetania first, he would be sure to dispose of her. Her chances of survival were incredibly low. Would Goldof be able to fulfill his role?
Dozzu knew how Tgurneu kept Nashetania hidden, but it couldn’t tell Goldof. If it did, Tgurneu would immediately end her life.
Tgurneu had cultivated a specialist with formidable abilities. Dozzu doubted the boy would be able to figure out its powers—though, granted, his chances weren’t zero. Still, Dozzu had no choice but to trust him. All it could do was pray that Goldof would save Nashetania.
Would Tgurneu’s scheme succeed or would Nashetania’s? Everything depended on Goldof.
The knight returned to the outer fringes of the gem’s area of effect. Hunkering down in the shadow of a rock hill, he quietly poked out his head to check on the situation.
Clouds of dust billowed over the lava zone. From far away, he could hear the sound of explosions and see stone hills falling one after another. He didn’t know what was going on, so he ventured toward the explosions.
Within the haze of debris, Rolonia and Fremy were examining the ground, hunting for something. They appeared to be searching underground. Goldof figured they had to be looking for Nashetania. They must not have realized that the one they had been chasing was a fake. To them, she’d suddenly disappeared. They thought she was underground.
“Where…did it hide her?” Goldof muttered, concealing himself in the shadow of a rock hill. She was within a kilometer of Chamo’s location—Mora had told him as much with her mountain echo. Goldof was positive that was true. And Nashetania herself had told him she was inside a fiend’s stomach.
Then where was it? The area had a radius of just one kilometer. There was no way it could stay hidden without using some special ability.
So what was that
