NOVEL NEXT Chapter 146: ʕ•̫•ʔ---Arion
Locating the fairy Trauco was like finding a needle in a haystack. The Forest of Forgotten Tales was massive, a sprawling labyrinth of trees and shifting paths.
Even though I had a map, the real problem was that it wasn't real-time—it was static. Trauco could've moved anywhere by now. He might not even be in the same spot anymore.
Still, it was better than nothing.
I kept my eyes on the projected map, watching the little marker representing our buggy moving steadily forward. That, at least, was reassuring. Hopefully, nothing major would happen—like, say, running into a giant monster like last time.
I had calmed down too soon.
The moment the thought crossed my mind, an ear-piercing screech echoed from the sky.
"What was that?" I whispered, instinctively lowering my voice as if that would somehow keep the creature from noticing us. Not that it would help—our buggy wasn't exactly the most discreet mode of transportation.
"You do realize," Agnos said dryly, barely looking up from his tea, "that the sound of the buggy's engine is way louder than your whispering, right?"
At the back of the buggy, Jiuge and Amaterasu sat lounging, clearly unfazed.
"I'm bored," Jiuge announced, stretching her arms. "I need to do something. And that shrieking sound? It's calling me to fight it."
I shot her a look that said, Don't even think about it.
She ignored me entirely. "I know we shouldn't recklessly use our powers and mess with the magical balance of this place, but you said it yourself—it's already eroding. What's the harm in adding a little more?"
"The harm," I hissed, "is you making the place erode even faster!"
EEEEEEEKKK! EEEEEEEEEEK!
The screech rang out again, this time louder—closer.
Then I saw it—the source of the screeching. And I couldn't believe my eyes.
"What the—Is that a giant mutated rooster?" I blurted out, completely dumbfounded. Suddenly, all my fear vanished, replaced by sheer confusion.
The creature swooped down toward us, beak open in an unmistakable attempt to peck us. It had the head of a rooster—complete with a ridiculous red comb—but its body was covered in thick, dragon-like scales. And those wings? Definitely not poultry material. They were massive, leathery, and unmistakably draconic.
"What kind of cursed barnyard experiment is this?!" I shouted as I ducked.
The creature's massive beak slammed into the top of the buggy with a loud CLANG, sending vibrations through the entire vehicle. The AI system immediately lost its mind, blaring an endless loop of warnings and alerts.
"WARNING! IMPACT DETECTED! STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AT RISK! WARNING! WARNING!"
"Ugh, shut up!" I groaned, resisting the urge to punch the dashboard.
With no time to waste, I took manual control, gripping the wheel tightly and slamming my foot on the pedal. The buggy lurched forward, tires kicking up dirt as we sped ahead.
"Hold on!" I shouted, weaving through the uneven terrain, trying to shake off our oversized poultry problem.
The ride was pure chaos. The buggy bounced violently over tree roots, each jolt rattling my bones as I swerved desperately to avoid getting skewered by an overgrown, feathered menace.
Then, disaster struck—Agnos' tea splashed all over the dashboard.
"Careful!" Agnos snapped, staring in horror at the spilled liquid like I had personally offended his entire lineage. "You made me spill my precious tea!"
"Oh, forgive me, your godliness!" I shouted over the incessant blaring of the buggy's warning system. "I was just trying to keep us from being pecked to death by that giant poultry abomination, but sure—let's all take a moment to mourn your tea!"
Agnos clicked his tongue in annoyance, casually stashing away his thermos before turning his attention to the towering creature still in hot pursuit. He barely looked concerned. "Tsk. It's just a giant rooster. We can kill it and have it for dinner."
"For once, I agree with Agnos." Jiuge leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with interest. "Can't we just slay it? Roast it up? Maybe make some stew?"
I stared at them, flabbergasted. Were they seriously discussing dinner plans right now?!
"No!" I barked, gripping the wheel tighter as another sharp turn nearly sent us flying. "No killing! We don't know what kind of magical domino effect that could trigger! I am not getting whisked away into another cursed, hidden, or mysterious realm before I find that damn Trauco!"
Jiuge sighed dramatically and slumped in her seat. "Ugh, fine." She muttered something about wasted opportunities while Agnos shook his head, probably still mourning his tea.
Meanwhile, the mutant rooster was still trying to murder us.
Out of the corner of my eye, movement caught my attention—something, no, someone, was charging toward us. A woman, riding what appeared to be a horse.
No—scratch that. That was no ordinary horse.
She galloped at an impossible speed, closing the distance between us in mere moments.
"Follow me!" she shouted over the chaotic roar of the buggy's engine and the mutated rooster's relentless screeching. She gestured sharply, then veered in another direction.
I didn't think twice. Survival instincts kicked in, and I jerked the wheel, flooring the pedal to chase after her.
"What kind of horse is that?!" I exclaimed, struggling to keep up. "The buggy can barely match its speed!"
Agnos, ever the walking encyclopedia of Mythica, barely even looked up from adjusting his thermos. "That's an Arion," he said nonchalantly. "A divinely bred horse. Incredibly fast. Also intelligent. It can talk, by the way."
I gaped. "It talks?!"
Agnos shrugged. "Oh yes. Quite eloquent, too. In fact, it's a polyglot horse."
I shouldn't have been surprised. This was Mythica, after all. Talking horses were probably as common as overpriced coffee back on Earth.
But a multilingual, galloping translator? Now that was a new one.
The mutated rooster was still hot on our tail, its monstrous screeches rattling my skull. But as I followed the speeding Arion, something came into view ahead—tall walls, towers, the unmistakable outline of a city fortress.
And then, just as we neared the gates…
The rooster hesitated. Its wings flared, its head jerked back in what looked like uncertainty. And then—just like that—it let out one final screech and abruptly retreated, disappearing into the sky.
I exhaled, gripping the wheel tightly. "Okay," I panted. "Can someone please tell me what just happened?!"
"It means we will not have a giant roast chicken for dinner," Jiuge huffed, arms crossed. She was still sulking over not being able to fight the creature and cure her boredom.
Amaterasu merely shrugged. "I'm vegetarian, by the way. So, I'm good."
Meanwhile, Agnos—well, he's Agnos. Completely unfazed, as always.
I narrowed my eyes at them and refocused on the road ahead. The massive city gates groaned open, and Arion gracefully slowed to a trot before entering. I followed suit, maneuvering the buggy inside.
As soon as we rolled in, heads turned. It wasn't every day someone drove a buggy through what looked like an ancient fortress city—especially one that had clearly embraced both modernization and magic.
The streets bustled with a wild mix of creatures and people—humans, elves, and beings I couldn't even begin to name—all going about their business. Some rode carriages or chariots, others mounted beasts and horses.
The roads were paved but blended seamlessly with dirt paths leading to alleyways.
Buildings lined both sides of the streets, some looking like they had been pulled straight from ancient history, while others gleamed with modern architecture.
Neon signs buzzed beside stone-carved facades, glass-paneled towers stood next to ivy-covered temples.
The entire city was a fusion of civilizations, eras, and styles—a chaotic, colorful contradiction that somehow worked.
"What is this place?" I gaped, taking it all in.