I'm Not an Earthworm, I'm an Earth Dragon

Akash gestured for me to come quickly, but I couldn’t see one person. We couldn’t decide on a destination without her, as she had an important role in the party.

…Even though she would just listen to what was already decided. Still, we should listen to these things together. If we leave someone out, they might nitpick and it could get annoying.

“But Yuna isn’t here. Where did she go?”

“Where else? She had saved enough money, so she went to a reputable guild to request them to distribute flyers in the forest where the elves live. And stop worrying about useless things. I already explained it to that one-armed guy.”

“Ah… I see. To find her parents… Wait a minute. You explained it without us?”

Maybe it was because I had been quiet lately, but I forgot that he was Akash. I was reminded once again that I shouldn’t apply the standards of common sense to this guy.

“So you want me to waste time waiting for those who might not even come back? Even for an archmage, time is a precious resource. It should be used efficiently, efficiently. Not dragging it out to please others like someone I know.”

The small Akash was at least cute, but the big Akash was just obnoxious. He sneered.

“…I met another you and even received a new cloak for Altera, but that you wasn’t as rotten as you are. Can’t you be like that too?”

“Another me? Wait, I live here… Ah, that ignorant brat? Don’t call it me. It’s just street trash that borrowed my name, memories, and knowledge. It’s not a clone like me.”

Aren’t you the street trash? When I said that, he replied that he had never been on the streets.

“Well, I might be a bit inferior since I’m a clone made by a senile version of myself in my later years, but I’m on a different level than those street-born. Don’t put me on the same level as those who just downloaded knowledge and memories.”

What’s the difference? He’s talking as if not all Akashes are the same.

“…If you’re Akash, aren’t you Akash? Is there a difference? Sorry, I wouldn’t know since I’m not an Akash like you. Is there some kind of hierarchy among Akashes…?”

“That’s right. Even roughly made clones like me can use magic, and those street magicians who occasionally touch upon my original memories wouldn’t even dare to use the magic I originally used. That brat is just someone who accidentally touched upon my memories in her sleep, not even a magician.”

I see. I stopped there because it seemed like it would become a complicated story.

“So, a new cloak? This? It’s a cloaking cloak. It’s a bit crude, but it’s well made for something a kid made. It’s natural since I made it. I wouldn’t buy it with money… but it would be nice if I got it for free. You got it for free, right?”

Um. It was a bit too expensive to call it free. Still, there was no point in hiding it, so I told him that it was made from Dalokos’ core.

“Haha, to make such a defective product with such a great thing. Impressive. Well, it doesn’t matter. It’s the Earth Dragon’s, so use it as you please.”

Akash laughed as if it was absurd, then brushed it off as if it didn’t matter. Not knowing this, Altera was fiddling with the cloak.

…I guess there’s no need to tell her it’s defective. There won’t be many occasions where invisibility is needed. I let Altera be satisfied and called her name, telling her to go next to Akash.

“Thanks to Altera, we easily crossed the Zikreu Mountains and reached the ‘Tower’, so now we just need to go here. Northeast of the ‘Tower’. Into the swamp in the middle of the Aidehi Great Wetlands.”

“Wait, the Tower? We’ve already reached the Tower?”

“Then what do you think that is in front of your eyes? This Tower existed even during the time of the ancient dwarfs.”

I thought it was some kind of code or random number that couldn’t be understood without a specific decryption method. Surprisingly, what the dwarves said was exactly as it was.

“So… we’re going here? Where is that?”

Altera asked me with bright, curious eyes, purely wondering where we were going. No, she’s too close. Can’t she back off a bit?

“…It’s called the Aidehi Wetlands, the largest and widest swamp among inland wetlands. Ah, if you don’t know what a swamp is…”

Her curious expression disappeared, and Altera’s face quickly hardened. I wondered if I had been inconsiderate, but fortunately, that wasn’t the case.

“My mom taught me that much. Sigh, a swamp… so it’s water…”

That’s why.

– – – –

A wetland is a place where you can’t help but get wet, and we have to go there. Just thinking about getting wet made me sigh.

It’s not that I can’t use magic when I’m wet. Large-scale operation is impossible, but I can still use enough to protect myself. It’s not like I can’t sense it at all.

…But, apart from that, I couldn’t feel vibrations through water. Besides, the ground doesn’t move as readily underwater as it does on land.

If it’s so deep that my feet can’t touch the ground…

Let’s not talk about it. Let’s not even think about it.

“Don’t worry too much. Even if it’s a swamp, it’s not deep enough for you to sink. And it’s not as dangerous as the mountains, with fewer monsters.”

That’s a relief, but I still didn’t like it.

“If it’s the vault of the ancient dwarfs, it must be somewhere underground, so we’ll need that Earth Dragon again. If she refuses, we’ll have to drag her along even if we have to use a brush.”

“I’d rather not find it then. Don’t say that, Akash.”

“Suit yourself. So when are we leaving? The day after tomorrow? Three days? Four days?”

I don’t know what he’s refusing. I ignored them talking about things only they understood and fiddled with the cloak. How can it be so soft when it’s tough enough to withstand my claws?

It reminded me of the texture of the blanket I used to sleep with in my original world.

…The memory is faint now, but there are still memories I can’t forget in my head.

Even those are just fragments, like the feeling of holding hands with my first girlfriend. I couldn’t even remember my grandmother’s and father’s faces.

They must be doing… well. All you can do is hope that those who have left are doing well.

Back to reality, I slowly infused magic into the cloak, and my hand slowly became invisible from the fingertips, then visible again.

So only I can see it. I infused more magic and quietly hid my form, then lightly poked Myungho’s head from behind while hidden.

“Alte… ra? Where did you go? Ah, are you testing if the cloak works? I wish you’d stop. I don’t know where you are.”

Oh. This is fun. I carefully poked his thigh again with the end of my tail, making sure the blade didn’t touch him.

“…Altera, it’s not funny. I wish you’d come out soon.”

It was fun, so I wanted to continue a bit more, but for some reason, the invisibility was released. I don’t think I used it for that long.

I tried infusing magic again, but only my fingertips became transparent for a moment before returning to normal.

“…It’s not even permanent. Tsk, it’s not doing anything properly, as expected of a brat. The time it can conceal is short, and you have to wait again?”

What’s wrong with this? Infusing magic again did nothing. This is strange. It wasn’t like this before?

“Uh… Altera. That… this Akash says you have to wait a bit to hide for a long time.”

“What? What kind of nonsense is that!”

That Akash maintained concealment continuously with just the core. But it can’t even do that, even though it’s the same Akash?

This is the same as breaking it!

“Altera…? Where are you going?”

“I’m going to find that tiny bitch. I’m going to find her and break her wrist…!”

This is a scam. Honestly, I didn’t expect it to last forever. I thought it would last at least five minutes.

How can it turn off in just thirty seconds?

“Wait, wait! She’s still a kid!”

“And she’s Akash. The great archmage!”

With that much knowledge, she could have made it at least a little better than this.

Well, it’s sturdy and looks cool, so I guess I’ll let her right hand go. If she’s left-handed, I’ll let her left hand go. Either way, I’m going to break one of them.

“Oh, you’re going to take care of the brat? Then I’ll join in. She’s been getting on my nerves, acting up. I need to show her what a real Akash is. Hey, let me use the grimoire. Don’t worry, I won’t touch her body.”

Ignoring the noise behind me, I went outside the inn and channeled magic into my horns. The cloak… I liked it for now, and maybe that little brat could improve it, so I didn’t throw it away.

Most of all, I liked it.

I retraced my steps through the alleys. Disgusting and filthy things clung to me, but I either beat them up or floated nearby bricks to swing at them, and they fell off on their own.

Should I have brought Myungho for this?

It was so narrow and complicated that I got lost, wandering around not knowing where to go.

The way out… I don’t know. Well, I don’t need it. If I really can’t find it, I can just dig my way out.

Anyway, where is this place? Unlike other places, it was empty and the streets were clean. I wondered if someone was managing this place.

As I was watching to see what kind of place it was, someone soon appeared, opening the door. A girl with a gaunt appearance, wearing a collar, was being dragged out, and a man with a lewd smile was pulling the collar.

The girl had cat ears and a tail, which ordinary people wouldn’t have.

They were also poorly groomed, with fur tangled here and there.

Aha, so that’s it.

I was going to ignore it and go find that brat, but that sight bothered me, and I couldn’t just let it go.

I floated a piece of brick lying around and blocked the man’s path.