“Hey, Ermine. Can I go to town too?”

“If Mei wants to go, that’s fine.”

When I eagerly asked to go, I got a quick OK.

Come to think of it, Ermine always says it’s okay if I want to do something. It feels nice to be gently watched over like this.

“But, I can go with Zeke and the others to go there, but what should I do about coming back?”

Right. The problem is coming back. It would be strange to ask Zeke and the others to escort me again.

“If Robo were a bit bigger, he could be my bodyguard, but he’s still so small.”

“Woof!”

Robo barked as if protesting to Ermine. But Ermine shook his head and said, “No, no.”

“With Robo, he would get taken out after just three steps in the forest. It would be great if Koko could come with us…”

Koko, who was chosen by Ermine, gave a lackluster reply of “Caw.”

Hmm. That seems impossible.

“Well then, can I borrow Koko’s minion?”

Minion?

Koko has one of those?

It wouldn’t be strange for Koko to have a minion, considering her presence. But is she really a chicken? Or…

“Caw!”

Koko let out a crow and stepped outside through the front door, where she let out a loud call.

“Co-caw!”

It was a volume I had never heard before. My eardrums were vibrating!

Not just me, but Zeke and the others were covering their ears too. Robo was… oh, he seemed to have fainted.

After a while, I heard the sound of flapping wings coming from somewhere.

I thought it might be a flying chicken as I looked up at the sky—

“Eh, a Pegasus!?”

Flying against the blue sky was a horse with pure white wings— it was a Pegasus!

“A Pegasus!?”

Zeke and the others looked up in surprise as well. So that means Pegasi are rare in this world too.

Neighing as it descended, the Pegasus bowed its head in front of Koko.

Wow. So Koko really does have a minion.

“Co-caw!”

The Pegasus kept its head bowed while Koko seemed to explain something in a grand manner. Does this mean the Pegasus is Koko’s minion and will cooperate with me?

Oh, I see. If it can fly, it won’t have to walk through the forest, so it’s safe.

That would certainly make the return trip safer, but I don’t think everyone can ride on the Pegasus’s back. I wonder how that will work.

As I was pondering this, Koko started preening her feathers.

Then, several feathers fell off.

Wow. This is the first time I’ve seen Koko’s molted feathers.

“Mei, pick up those feathers.”

“Eh. Okay.”

As I picked up the feathers, Ermine said, “Shall we do some alchemy?”

Alchemy?

What are we going to make?

“Well, besides that, we need gold and adamantite. I can provide those.”

As he said this, Zeke and the others’ eyes went wide.

…Even I can tell those are incredible materials without being told. Ermine, is it really okay to put out such amazing materials?

While I was flustered, Ermine smiled.

“I can only produce things that will help Mei, so it’s fine. Besides, humans can’t capture me.”

Koko’s combat ability is well-known, but could Ermine be just as strong? If that’s the case, I feel a bit better…

“Now, Mei. Put in Koko’s feathers, gold, adamantite, and some healing herbs.”

“Okay, got it.”

“Now stir it up.”

“Okay.”

I began to mix it—swirl, swirl, swirl. The gold and adamantite made a clinking sound in the alchemy pot.

Clink, clink.

Clang, clang.

Clink.

Ding.

The stirring stick lost its resistance. I wonder if it’s almost ready.

“Oh! It’s done~! Completion♪”

“All right, everyone, step away from the door!”

At Ermine’s voice, Zeke and the others, who had been standing near the entrance, all stepped back.

“On three!”

With Ermine’s cue, silver light burst forth from the alchemy pot.

At first glance, it looked like a normal silver sphere.

But the moment it hit the ground, it transformed in an instant.

Maintaining its round shape, it grew larger, and a window appeared in the middle. Then four wheels materialized. The seats at the front and back must be for the driver.

“A carriage…?”

The suddenly appearing carriage left Zeke and the others dumbfounded, their mouths agape.

Yeah, I can totally relate to that feeling.

A harness for a carriage connected the Pegasus to the carriage.

There it was, a beautiful silver carriage that looked like it belonged in Cinderella.