Dís of the Hot Sands

A bounty hunter who is willing to take on any dangerous mission depending on the reward. In particular, she hates false peace and stability. She seeks thrills and games, and she enjoys her job.

She is originally from Maqam Jins, southeast of the continent of Emerg. The land was once fertile farmland, but due to the effects of the great war and abnormal weather, it turned into desert in just over a dozen years.

However, among the people of Maqam, some became experts at resolving disputes in the rare oasis through skillful negotiation, and the well known Hunters Guild was formed. 

"You have to do whatever it takes to survive." 

And now, with the guild on the verge of collapse, she alone is still floating around and searching for trouble.

We Maqam hunters have made a living by doing business in a land with nothing. It’s natural to earn money by any means necessary. 

If we didn't, we wouldn't have water to drink.

I roam the desert looking for trouble that’ll make me money. Looking back, I've done a lot of pretty terrible things up until now.

Approaching the rich people at the oases, luring them with seduction, and kidnapping them was an easy way to swindle them out of their money.

There was a time when I raided the hideout of a group of grave robbers. I not only stole all their treasure, but I also beat them half to death and reported them to the national police.

It's not unusual for me to be the one being pursued by the police or the military. So what's the big deal?

Am I the bad guy? I suppose so. Thank you. I know it's not a life worth celebrating. 

But such are the people of the desert.

I heard that the Excavation Brigade is loaded with treasure, but there are a few people there who can control wind ether, so it's going to be a pain to deal with.

They're scrawny and old—or kids—but they can fight strangely well…

I can't understand these strange people who sail land yachts in places where there's no wind. 

Unfortunately, I have no talent for music magic. I know that the continent is supported by something called an invisible ether, but I'm not interested in anything other than selling the crystals to make money…

But this time, I was surprised. I never thought the Imperial Army would directly request a favor from me, a mere Hunter. All I have to do is infiltrate the Brigade and steal this weapon called Seele Tact, right? Too easy.

Apparently the Tact thing is usually huge, but I can talk the boy into transforming it into a sword and then take it.

Hahaha! Those guys from the Brigade are so cute! That little wind user Fené and the young Shizuma both believed what I said so easily!

I told Shizuma, "Why don't you sleep with the sword next to your pillow just to be safe?" and he stupidly did exactly that! 

So, I stole the sword—Seele Tact. 

Wow... it has a mysterious shine when you look at it up close.

It's made of some unknown material and is light and hard. Its sharpness as a sword is questionable, but…

Well, I think it will sell for a surprisingly high price, right? I'm confident in my ability to identify treasures. For the time being, I have no intention of handing this baby over to the Empire.

—Hey, hey.

Why did Tact suddenly revert to his huge form? And the metallic sound it makes! You're attracting more and more creepy monsters! 

C-Come on! I don't want any trouble! 

S-Someone help me!!

Sigh… you saw something embarrassing. Even I whine when surrounded by the most terrifying Dark Serpents in the desert.

But of all people, it was Shizuma and the Brigade coming to retrieve Seele Tact that saved me from the monsters... This meant I had no choice but to return Tact to Shizuma. And they forgave me for stealing the sword.

Tch, this is no fun. They helped and forgave me. I didn't pay them anything, and yet I feel like I've lost out big time!

I can't believe I'm indebted to those guys...If this continues, I'll no longer be fit to be a Hunter. 

The Imperial Army also gave me an earful, but I don't care about that anymore. 

I decided to follow the Excavation Brigade. You always repay your debts—that's the law of the desert people.

Whoa! I'm so lucky.

Finding Glenn, the second prince of Blue Country—this smells like big time profit.

But why is Glenn wandering around without a companion in the outskirts of the country...?

Ah, what a mess…!

The Blue Citadel has been reduced to ashes! 

Swindling some coins in the Blue Citadel was the way I wanted to kill time...! 

Killing citizens and even royalty... The Imperial Army has gone too far...! 

...I see. I understand Glenn's situation. That must have been tough.

In the sudden attack, your father, brother, and your people were killed. 

But don't take it lightly! You’re not the only one who’s suffering... 

Above all, aren't you frustrated that you keep losing? 

You’ve got the strength to fight!!

Heh, lecturing a prince doesn't suit me. But I wound up saying a lot of things to Glenn.

When my home country, Maqam, turned into a desert, we had to deal with raging ether and terrible weather. Everyone tried to fight back, but they couldn't... 

Blue Country isn't finished yet. It's time to start fighting back against the Empire. 

The Waldhorn music gun that Glenn has is an antique. These old music guns have the ability to perform mysterious tricks that can cause modern machinery to malfunction.

With my knowledge of antique art and stolen goods, there is no doubt about it.

So...was my advice helpful?

It’ll take money to rebuild the Blue Citadel.

The Excavation Brigade's operations are tight on finances. 

Well, why don't you go and check out the mines near the church in Mythos? 

The Empire recently abandoned that mine, but there should be plenty of ether crystals lying around. There's still plenty to sell. 

What do you think of this? The rest is up to you guys.

The cocoon of the Machine God that slept in Blue Country. There was a painting depicting that god left in the basement of the Blue Citadel, but...it somehow resembles the god of thunder that appears in Maqam folklore.

It seems there are similar myths and legends in Sanctuary. 

Humans are strange things.

Maybe it’s all connected somehow.

Thanks to my occupation as a Hunter and dealing with many cultures, I  was well versed in the rumors and folklore of various parts of the continent.

But now I was just speaking what came to mind. Professor Clemens was impressed, but…

Are there things that even scholars can't think of? And so, I, along with the Brigade, arrived at Mythos.

This is the first time I've set foot here... After all, it seems this country has a barrier that keeps out those without pure hearts. 

That's why I haven't been able to enter until now. 

Oh? When did I become a saint?

Hahahaha! How funny!!

There's plenty of time before the dimensional gate activates. I think I'll take a relaxing bath in the hot springs near the mine. 

Alma was there, and we chatted for a bit. Hahaha! Even the holy white knight takes baths? In the bath we're all the same! Let's be friends!

Alma is a stickler for the laws of Sanctuary, but she's probably lived her life knowing almost nothing about the outside world, so it's not so strange that she thinks her stubbornness is normal. 

I've been troubled by the laws of the desert a lot, too.

Deceiving people, tormenting them, and stealing from them. If you didn't know that this is considered absurd in society, you would believe it is the right thing to do. 

Well, I don't think that my life up to now has been wrong. 

But Alma, Lumiera is right, this world is huge. It's not just continents. I hear that there is another continent beyond the edge of the world. 

Wouldn't you like to go and see it someday?

The captain of the Empire's Crimson Spear started a rebellion? 

No way!?

Isn't Gustav a real Imperial soldier—a loyal man? How could that happen…

Destroy the Ether Anomaly Zone and capture the ancient weapon. For the sake of that mission, he will do anything—no matter how cruel. But he himself is noble and proud. 

Have you finally grown tired of the Imperial Army, Gustav?

The Empire that had called for the rescue of the continent's nature was the true destroyer of the environment. They were causing suffering to the people of other countries—people that had nothing to do with anything.

I thought that was irrelevant, but…

Shizuma said that he would protect a place where everyone could return to. 

Then I suddenly thought. If Maqam's Hunters Guild is destroyed, where will I return to…? 

I realized—In order to make up my mind, I would also need to fight.

Shizuma must be some hero trying to tame the Machine God... He really is a Conductor.

Well, I don’t understand complicated things.

Beyond the light—the saint and the scholar have been saying all sorts of things, and I'm curious about Shizuma's fate. Aside from that, it's been decided that this battle is over, so I can rest easy.

So... you're Gustav. Thank you for lending me your strength.

Even after defeating the military, you have no intention of returning to the Empire? I don't think the entire Empire is bad. 

I see... Then let's go on a journey.

I'm going back to Maqam, but I'm planning to leave the Brigade for a while and travel around the continent. 

I'd be more than happy to encounter some trouble along the way. No monsters, though. 

I hope I'll have a bodyguard. I'll pay you, of course. 

How about that, Gustav? If you don't have anywhere to go, why not travel with me?