《I Thought I Picked up a Girl Who Had Fallen Down, but It Turned Out To Be the Future Demon Lord》 CH extra part1 The setting sun dyes everything golden. The shadows of the trees, standing lonely and forlorn, stretch out long, gently nestled in the twilight of the world. I take a step forward. The faint sound of stomping snow spreads across the fragile ground. A gust of wind blew and tiny snow flew up. The snow, exposed to the slanting light, shines brilliantly, reminding me of the stars shining in the night sky. *Wappu* The snow hit me directly in the face. It is cold. Cold. hurts. As I wipe my face with my cloak, the cold air that enters through the rim of my clothes makes my body shiver. No matter how heavily I dress, the human body is not designed to withstand the cold. My lazy mind fiercely denies the current situation of standing out in the cold weather. ...It''s cold. I need to finish this quickly. I scoop up the snow and twist my hips to gain momentum and toss the snow I scooped up with my shovel. The snow is falling deep and fast, and I¡¯m bravely bracing myself against the cold. A silver world is spreading around us, and the temperature is dropping below freezing. My girlfriend, Spica Velvet, and I go to a remote corner of the plains to see the scenery that can only be seen at certain times of the year, but we are confronted by the great enemy of snow. Behind me is a tent big enough for two people to stay in without feeling cramped. It is warm inside, shielded from the cold by magic. There is a place that Spica and I would like to visit later after dark, but if we go, the tent will be buried in snow. So we''re not planning to leave. It might be tempting to stay in this place and hibernate until the snow melts ...but I chuckle at the joke that arose in my mind, and vigorously push the shovel into the snow. Today is Christmas Day. Awesome right, this world has the concept of Christmas too. In my previous life on Earth, it was a big annual event called the Nativity of the Saints. In this world, it has nothing to do with the birthday of the saint, it is just a day to show gratitude to those close to us who have the same name. To put it bluntly, it''s just like Christmas on Earth. This is one of the social activities of the game world, and it''s a setting. ¡®Christmas limited edition skins, gacha, and so on¡¯. I don''t know why, but it makes me sad. Bombing... ahhhhhhh... As I¡¯m thinking, I notice that the snow is piled up in front of me. Wiping the sweat off my face with the back of my hand, I open the tent door with a sense of satisfaction. The familiar figure of my girlfriend is not there. Beside the heater, there is a mysterious object with a blanket completely covering its head. Only its hand was sticking out, and it was holding it up to the heater. I bite down the smile that comes to my face. ¡°You look like one of those undead monsters we fought earlier." Instantly, a pile of blankets moves quickly toward me. The blanket is flipped up to reveal Spica, her mouth agape with frustration. Her normally white skin is slightly pink from being covered by the blanket for so long. Her eyes met mine, and her crimson eyes, shining like jewels, became wet with emotion. Her silver hair spills down from the blanket as if flowing. It slides down my fine cheeks. My heart gives a small jump. I can''t seem to get used to her figure, which is so well-groomed that I want to embellish it with exaggerated words like ¡®mysteriousness¡¯ and ¡®leaning country¡¯. The blanket fell to the floor ...and the hair spiked with static electricity. I can¡¯t stand it any longer and start to wipe it out. Spica pats my arm complacently. ¡°I''m sorry, I''m sorry. Turn around. I''ll fix your hair." ¡°I forgive you.¡± ¡°Haha. That''s great, thank you.¡± Spica stretches out a little, rubs her head against my hand in a sweet way, and lets out a satisfied exhale. Whether you are ...aware of it or not, you can''t afford to have my heart tortured like that. ¡°Sun''s hands are cold.¡± "...I shoveled the snow ¡° ¡°Thank you for the hard work.¡± ¡°You''re welcome." Spica blows a small breath into her hand and gently squeezes my other hand that isn''t stroking her head. ¡°Is it cold now?¡± ¡°...It''s warm.¡± It¡¯s more than enough. The warmth from her elegant hand is comforting. Damn, she''s cute. I mutter in my mouth. ¡°Thank you for everything.¡± "I haven''t done much." ¡°That''s what you always say.¡± Spica let out a ticklish giggle. ¡°I have a gift for you, Sun.¡± She says, stepping into the shadows of the heater and pulling out a small package. "Hmm?" I took the package from her. After receiving her approval, I carefully opened the package. What comes out of the package is a cassock hat. The fabric is thick and lined with animal hair to keep you warm in the winter. The design is similar to the hat that Spica always wears. When I looked into Spica''s face to see what emotion she was expressing, she turned red and blushed. ¡°Thank you. I''ll take good care of it.¡± CH extra part2 Extra - Merry Christmas (Part 2): She quickly puts on her hat and puts her hand on her chest and says, ¡°You''re welcome.¡± I can¡¯t take the gift just like that. Of course, I have to return the gift. ¡°Merry Christmas.¡± "Merry Christmas." Having lived in a village of dragon-men, she is unfamiliar with a different kind of language, like English in my previous life. I nod my head and smile and take the present out of my pouch. Then, while putting a serious one-word expression, I say: "Please take it." Her fingers extend slowly and receive the paper bag. The contents are a muffler woven in a single color: Dark red. I thought it would make her fairy-like appearance more vivid. ...I wonder why it is so embarrassing to give a gift that I have chosen seriously. I sit down in front of the heater without asking for her opinion while she sits down beside me. ¡°Thank you. I''m so happy.¡± "You''re welcome. You can use it if you like.¡± "Yes." For a while, we don''t open our mouths to each other, and slowly the time passes. The heat from the round stove makes a scraping sound as mana is converted into heat. An owl''s hoot echoes from outside the tent, distant and long. We can hear the faint sound of snow shattering on the branches of trees, and the sound of the wind on the snowfield. After a few seconds, I steal a glance at Spica, who is sitting beside me. She seems to have immediately wrapped up the scarf I gave her, and her silver hair, snow-white skin, and downcast red eyes are more vividly beautiful. Yes, it looks good on her. When I¡¯m about to nod to myself, my gaze meets Spica''s eyes. She smiles softly which gives me a sense of warmth. ...It¡¯s as if she can see through my thoughts, and I feel nervous. Then I open my mouth. ¡°It looks good on you. The red color goes well with Spica.¡± ¡°...That''s not fair." With a blush on her face, Spica murmurs as she squeezes it out. So cute. ...I wonder how many times I have felt the same way about Spica. I tilt my head in a daze. Spica''s eyes are fixed and she leans towards me, tongue-tied. I feel soft and warm. I can smell the sweet scent of her body at such a close range. My heart throbs. I roll my eyes and look at Spica, who is looking up at me with a mischievous expression on her face. If Spica is willing to do that... As I straighten my body, I take Spica''s hand with my right hand and wrap my left hand around her, and hug her tightly. It¡¯s payback time. "Hiii..." I''ll be back soon. "Hiiii..." Her eyes are red all over her face and she lets out a voice that I have never heard before. ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ -Kyu, Kyu The soft fresh snow makes a pleasant sound as I step on it. I exhale white mist. It''s cold. I check on Spica as she steps on the snow, conscious of the pace at which she is moving so as not to leave her behind. "Are you okay?" ¡°Yes, I''m fine.¡± There is a bit of awkwardness when we leave the tent. I¡¯m relieved to hear Spica''s voice which has returned to normal, although I wonder if I have overdone it earlier. Slowly, I walk through the sunken ground. Two people''s footprints are etched in the pale snow. Black shadows are drawn on the surface made of silver and indigo. Eventually, we arrived at our destination. There is a lake, shining in the cool, clear moonlight that filtered through the heavy blue clouds. Part of the surface of the lake is frozen over like a cracked mirror. Spica and I look at each other, nod slightly, and wait for a moment by the surface of the lake. A single ray of light, as small as my fingertip, shone. As I blink two or three times, the light shines brighter and brighter, making the scenery more beautiful. As the fine snowflakes fall, the light flows softly and fluffily. Even forgetting to breathe, I continue to stare at the delicate scenery. My body shudders and trembles. In the inviolable silence, the phosphorescent light comes and goes. The insects known as winter fireflies are the true source of this light. They appear every year only during the Christmas season, creating a spectacular sight, and then disappear for a year. I don''t know why they go to such great lengths to stay alive in the winter, but it makes a memorable sight. The glittering lights swirl in the sky. It¡¯s just a beautiful sight, like a dream world. I gently hold Spica''s hand beside me. I give her my utmost gratitude for being able to come to this place together with me. Merry Christmas. I wish everyone in the world a very happy Christmas. (The End) TL: It¡¯s done already. I am really looking forward to reading (and translating) more chapters from the author. If there are any new raws available in the near future, I¡¯ll make sure to translate them and post them here. I really enjoyed translating each chapter, some on my PC (which has gone for a repair and hasn¡¯t returned back) and almost all on my mobile (chapters after 5). So, as my device wasn¡¯t that good, I had to split every chapter into two parts. Sorry for that. :( Anyway, now that we¡¯re done, I would be grateful if I can get some support. It¡¯ll help me to bring out many more translations. Even a little bit of support will keep me motivated :) CH 1 Chapter 1: I Thought I Picked Up a Girl Who Had Fallen Down, But It Turned Out To Be The Future Demon Lord. What does it mean to live - and what does it mean to die? I think about this as I take my worn dagger from my waist and wipe off the blood with my beast skin. In front of me, there were two rabbits that had been dismantled and turned into food, and residue. I quickly dug a hole in the ground and filled it with the inedible organs, and then I continued what I had become accustomed to doing. I clapped my hands together and bowed silently, the sound of the clapping spreading throughout the area. There was no one to hear the sound but for me and the dense trees. Enjoying the tranquility, I flicked one of my fingers and drew out the magic power from my body. I felt like a gas burner. Well, there is no such thing in this world, though. I blew out flames from my fingertips and used the dead leaves I had collected as an igniter to make a fire. As I polished the dagger with familiar motions, I saw a familiar face reflected in the blade. I frowned at the dagger, my face reflected in the mirror also frowned. No, it would be scary if It didn''t make the same expression. The blond hair is curly at the tips and the gray eyes are amber in color. he has a distracted expression that doesn''t seem to be in high spirits, and his cheeks are slightly puffy. I had been in this world for about 25 years now. Even after that, I couldn''t shake the feeling of discomfort for a while, instead I got used to it. As the word "Japanese" implies, I had memories of my previous life, and more importantly, I knew about this world. It was the world of a smartphone app game that I had played in a previous life. It''s a fantasy world that was popular a long time ago. The main character, who is a stranger to the world but has a charm that attracts people, pulls out a holy sword and travels with his childhood friend, a beautiful girl, with the goal of defeating the demon king. Along the way, a group is formed, people gather, and a guild is formed¡­ I''m nostalgic. It was a game with no freshness, somewhere between an action game and a game that is ridiculed as a "snap-and-grab" game. At best, it was a sense of security; at worst, it was a common game. The title was "The Last Sword¡±. But the music, the characters, the graphics, and the ease of use of the interface are all very different from those of other games, and it was an interesting game because it was a classic... Unfortunately, there weren''t that many users. I don''t know why I''m here in this world when I''m supposed to be dead, and I''m not even close to being a top ranker. Well, I''m alive, and I''m enjoying my second life. Thank you Kami-sama. While saying a few words of gratitude in my mouth to a god I''ve never met. As I stared at the fire, which was blazing and providing relief and heat, I took care of the tools I had worn out over the course of the day. ...The smell of roasting meat is quite intoxicating. I''m hungry. I took a quick glance around the area. This place is called "Whispering Forest". I wonder if it has anything to do with the village I''m going to, but I don''t know the origin of the name. After passing through this forest, I heard that there was a human village in the middle of the forest, surrounded by nature on all sides. It''s called Parose Village, and it seems to have a huge hole called the "Devil''s Mouth," and we''re crossing the forest with the goal of visiting it. The sun was beginning to set, and the light from the bonfires cast thick shadows around us. A visibly thick pool of magical energy - magical elements glowing like fireflies, poisonous mushrooms that are taller than a man, and red and orange wildflowers make me feel uncomfortable. The crystal-like lumps rising up from the ground were so beautiful that I wanted to take them home and decorate them, but they were formed by a thick mass of magical power. If I carelessly touch it, it may cause magic sickness, and it may even explode if triggered. The whirlwind rushed around, making a creaking sound, and the smell of ripe nature stimulated the back of my nose. It''s not a place I want to be, but that''s why I enjoyed it. Having grown up in a concrete jungle in my previous life, traveling to places where there are few people has become a hobby of mine. The untouched scenery, which I call "spectacular scenery," fills my heart with joy, and the fresh, regional food delights my taste buds. I was glad when I came to this world. There are many sights that I could not have imagined in my previous life. Fairies flying in flocks, people lining up to practice their magic. Magic, magic tools, what an exciting sound. There are many non-human species and an endless supply of food that I have never seen before. There are many dangers to life, but in hindsight, it''s a good experience. Even if I lost my life, I would have no regrets about this way of life. It''s not that I''m complacent, but I can say that I''m living a very fulfilling life. Of course, I don''t want to die, and it would definitely be better if my life was not in danger, but when you''re traveling, there are always¡­ offshoots. The other day I visited a place that served a specialty dish that was the worst. A small winged worm''s egg was planted in the cheese made from the milk of a sheep-like demon called a mour, and fermented to the point of mold growth. It is said that you can enjoy the texture of the larvae and the flavor of the savory cheese, but the intimidation I felt when it was offered to me made me feel like I was being tested to the bottom of my being. As a result, I retired after one bite. I want someone to praise me for not spitting it out though. Well, such an experience is a funny story. It would be a good conversation topic. Occupation: Traveler. A free man who lives for his hobby, otherwise known as unemployed. I''ve been wandering around the vast and fertile land of... but I haven''t been able to confirm the existence of a demon king, a threat to humans. I visited a place where fairies live and asked the fairy king about the Demon King, but he didn''t know anything about it. The only thing he told me was that there was a demon king in the far past. I also visited the village where the protagonist would be born and raised, but I couldn''t see anyone who looked like the protagonist among the children and young men. Maybe he was never born, or maybe it was a long time ago. I regretted that I should have played the game a little more thoroughly if I was going to be born in the world named The Last Sword, but there was nothing I could do about it. Well, there''s no imminent danger, so that''s good. While I''m just polishing my combat skills for when the time comes - I''m enjoying this world where there are no significant crises. Great. Rabbit meat, is it time to eat? Before eating, I hit the ground hard. The firm texture echoes the dull sound of hitting something stuck in the ground¡­ Okay, we''re good. There is a demon beast called the Sandman. It''s a huge collection of sand, but as the word "man" suggests, it''s humanoid. It''s not a very strong demon, but its movements are slow yet powerful. It is known as a troublesome demon that kills travelers. They lurk in the ground and attack the moment a person lets their guard down. If a place has more mana than usual, the more likely it is to be inhabited. It would be strange if they weren''t in the forest, where the mana element is so visible. The way to check is simple, just hit the ground as I did. If you feel a gaping hole in the ground, there''s a good chance the Sandman is lurking there. I can''t be too sure when my life is in danger. Just as I was about to open my mouth and start eating. From far away, I heard a small noise of something chopping through the trees and grass. Is it a demon? No, it is too low for that, but it is noisy for a small animal. And then, as the¡­ sound of falling down became quieter and quieter, the sound stopped. There is no one to help you when you are traveling alone. It''s too late to regret what happened. A wise and dangerous demon will be watching me until dark, and may even attack me if I expose if I let my guard down. Anyway, I decided to check. I stood up, dusted off my butt, put out the fire, and sharpened my nerves in the direction of the sound. CH 2 Chapter 2: I Thought I Picked Up a Girl Who Had Fallen Down, But It Turned Out To Be The Future Demon Lord. The sun was setting and the night was coming. And the beautiful moon was peeking out from between the trees. It reminded me of a fable I heard in my sleep as a child. There is a god in the sky, watching over the people. If you did something wrong, the gods would be angry with you. It was such a common fairy tale. I wonder if there is actually a God. In this world, it would not be surprising if he is there. If I had a chance I''d like to meet him and talk to him. Well, I wonder if religious people would be offended if I said such a thing. Surrounded by moonlight and magical light, I made my way through the trees and grass and found a person lying in front of me. Although I couldn¡¯t confirm her age or appearance as she was lying on the ground, I could tell that she was a girl from her long, waist-length hair and slender body. Her clothes were stained with mud, the hems were torn, and her bare skin was being exposed without protection, she had scratches here and there¡­. How pitiful. I rushed over to her, turned her face to the side, and held out my hand to her mouth. Thank god! I can feel the... breath firmly. And all I see is a horn sticking out of the side of my head. Huh, is she a beast-man? It doesn¡¯t seem she''s been injured to the point of death, but she''s so weak maybe it was the reason why she fainted. Though, I can leave her like that. I picked her up in my arms and started walking towards the ... base camp. Now, we were in the middle of an unpopulated forest, and there was probably only a village at the end of the road. It was a long way to get to the village, but there was a road that had been maintained by humans. She had no proper equipment, she had injuries all over his body, her clothes were in tatters, and she was a beast. She was a beast. I could feel my brow wrinkling unconsciously. The relationship between humans and beasts is not bad. If I were to be precise, I would say they are indifferent to each other. They consider each other to be a nuisance. In my travels, I have heard of incidents where people have raided races for their treasures and ¡°hobbies¡±. Hopefully, this is not the result of short-term greed and the short-sightedness of human behavior... Back at the base, I quickly started the fire again. I was relieved to see a warm glow in the darkness. I wondered why I felt so calm and comfortable when I heard the sound of the wood chopping and saw the fire moving slowly. Thinking about this, I look at her as she lies on the animal''s fur. She had waist-length silver hair and a neat face that could be seen even with her eyes closed. Her slender outline is younger than I expected, somewhere between a girl and a woman. Most notably, the horns on the side of its head and the distinctive scales on its wrists and elbows. She¡¯s a dragonkin... I put a pot on the fire while she closes her eyes and makes a small shudder. It was filled with rabbit meat that I''d just hunted, seasonal vegetables from the village I visited, and dried mushrooms from the mountains. These I took out from the pouch on my waist. The fist-sized pouch didn''t look like it would hold all these ingredients, but it was a typical magic pouch with a larger capacity than it looked. The fact that the items in the pouch don¡¯t decompose is also very useful and beyond description. I am very glad that I was lucky enough to get it. Frying the ingredients on a pan with butter, pour in milk, and add a little dashi. A gentle aroma that stimulates the appetite envelops the area. What I''m making is white stew. If it were just me, I would have been fine with survival cooking, but now that a girl is here, it''s a different story. Chunks of meat would not be kind to her aching body and would be difficult to eat. A bowl of soup would be easier for even the weakest of bodies to eat. I looked away from the girl and stirred the contents of the pot so that it wouldn''t burn. No one would think that there was someone camping in the gap between the Whispering Forest and making stew. A small moan rises in the background, probably from the aroma of the stew. It''s a sign that she is waking up. I reach into the small pouch that hangs around my waist and pulls out two bowls from inside, placing them next to the fire. As I was slowly stirring the pot, I felt a strong presence behind me. I opened my mouth without looking back. "You''re awake. Are you hungry? The stew is almost ready.¡± There was no reply. On the contrary, there was a small sound of air being split. A blade made of magical power was thrust at my neck. "...!" It''s not me who let out a cry of anguish. I made a wall of ice to block the air blade. If I hadn''t done this, my neck would have been separated from my body. It¡¯s an ice-based elementary spell. It''s a spell that creates ice spikes in front of you and sends them flying at your enemies, but it can also be used in this way if you''re crafty enough. Since I was a child, I had been weaving my magic like a limb, refining my skills. It''s no exaggeration to say that I devoted my entire youth to the excitement and enthusiasm I felt when I learned I could use magic. I diverted from the main topic here. "Ah, it seems you are in good spirits. I''m not going to do anything to you and I''d appreciate it if you''d calm down for a moment." ¡°...Shut up. You humans have caught me off guard and killed my clan. You have no right to question me. Now die for me.¡± ¡­ I had a strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. I heard a familiar voice when I turned around with the pot in my hand. Her cheeks, white as lingering snow, stood out brilliantly against the orange fire. Her sharp, slit eyes gave the impression of a cat''s, and their deep red color lit the light of her will. Her clear silver hair billows like a tail. This is the first time I''ve ever seen such a thing. She sharpened her murderous intent as if she wants to take my life. I stare blankly at the blade as it unfolds. I don''t want to... die yet. Somehow, I calmly handled her attack out of my thoughts. The two of us crossed our gazes. Her appearance was so good that it gave off the impression of fake. A heavy and sharp attack from a thin body that would break if you touched it. A voice like the sound of a bell leaked from her lips. Her magic color was the same as the sky and the technique she was using to attack blades with magical power. A sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu shuddered through my brain and I drew a picture. A scene I saw in my previous life through my phone, a picture of a character loading. This girl - isn''t she the Demon Lord? CH 3 Chapter 3: Explosion She gave me no time to speak. True to her title, the Demon Lord makes a magic woven dagger appear in her hand and throws it at me. It''s an attack method I''ve seen in games. The dagger, which splits the space, is covered with a transparent blue sky color, which changes to a white color as it melts around the edges. If it weren''t for this situation, I''d take a closer look at it, it''s so beautiful. It is said that magic light reveals the soul of a person, but I wonder what the color of the sky means. In my previous life and this life, I have been too busy doing what I like to do to study mana colors, and yet I can''t answer that question. By the way, my mana is in greenish-white color. This is not the time to be lost in thought. I''m also upset because I encountered the demon king. I didn''t expect this to happen. The Demon King - Velvet. In the game, she deals with magic that controls space and was dressed in a deep blue dress that exposed her ample bosom, with a collared cloak over it. There were golden ornaments around the edges, giving a strong impression of dark blue and gold. I stare at the girl in front of me. She is a little younger and more delicate than the one in the game. Her appearance is different, but the sharpness of her eyes glaring at me to pierce me is the same. However, the corner of her eyebrows is much softer than I remember. Perhaps she was frustrated that her attacks were not getting through to me, she kicked the ground hard and lunged at me. I heard the light sound of her kicking the ground. With a speed that I couldn''t have imagined from the sound or her tender appearance, she soon reduced the distance between us to zero, I held her hand above her head and swung the frosted sword I had instantly created. I called out to her as I blocked the attack by making her reappear. "Wait, wait, wait. Calm down. Let''s talk.¡± "You humans killed my father and mother, and I will not forgive you!¡± She was crying. She stared up at me with red eyes without looking away from me, biting her lip hard as if to say she would not sob even if she had to. Her softly curved cheeks were dyed red, her brow wrinkled, and she let out a voice that could not be described as a growl or a cry, and continued to shed tears. I was taken aback by her stubbornness. ¡°Hmm...It¡¯s a white flag.¡± Damn you, you''re a pain in the ass. I really don''t know what to do. I really don''t know what to do. As I was pondering this, I saw a light flicker ominously in the corner of my eye. "It¡¯s bad!" This place is so dense with mana that it forms mana crystals. Those who are wise can manipulate the mana to create all sorts of mysteries. I''ve heard of people like me who produce ice and flames, people like the Demon Lord in front of me who weave and manipulate swords and even can make people control life. With such a mass of mana lying around in the form of crystals, you''d think this place was a treasure trove. If I could sell these crystals, I would have no trouble making money for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, no. There is no such sweet story. It''s difficult to process mana that doesn''t belong to you, and moreover, mana crystals are extremely dangerous. I don''t know what will happen if I touch it. I heard that there was a laboratory in Royal Capital that did many experiments on mana crystals, but it was abandoned after an explosion. In the game, there was an event where the hero was chased by demons through a dangerous area and had to flee. Inside the cave, there were countless demons behind the main character. At the last moment, when he thought he was in danger, a fellow wizard used a fire spell on the crystals. The sound of an explosion. A blinding light dyes up the screen of my phone and my vision. The protagonist and his group are pushed back by the blast and flee for their lives from the cave. Well, it''s a common event. I wonder what would happen if a sword made of magic pierced the mana crystal. It doesn''t matter what I put on it. It will explode. My sense of danger is giving off a strong signal. The demon king, who is holding her sword with her back to the mana crystal, probably hasn''t noticed the ominous light. Think for a moment. But as there is no time for hesitation, I let the mana flow through my body to strengthen my bodily functions. It''s a technique called Enhanced Boost Magic. In the game, it is a buffing technique that increases attack agility and attack power. When used in real life, it raises the overall level of your physical abilities. The benefits increase depending on the skill level. I stood up from my posture and presented myself to her with my sword at the ready to unleash a thrust. I''m not sure if she was surprised that I took action when I hadn''t shown any desire to fight, but I held the side of the demon king, who stiffened for a moment. The sword that the Demon Lord thrust out gouged me deeply in the stomach. I felt intense heat for a moment. Soon, the heat is converted into pain as my heart beats. I can feel the loss of vital heat from my body, but if I lose consciousness here, we will both collapse. "Ooooooooooooooo...!¡± What we lack in stamina we make up for in shouts. What I lack in strength, but I make up for with my shouts. With a sense of urgency, I formed my magic at full speed and kicked the ground to create an ice floor before my feet touched the ground. In the same way as the stairs, I run up to the sky at full speed. I was holding a pot in my left hand and the Demon Lord in my right hand. Behind me, I hear a series of explosions and flashes of light. The blast pushed me back, and I ran through the air at full speed as if I were rolling. If I stop, I''ll fall from the momentum. If he threw her out, the only destination would be death. The sound of explosions echoed from all over the forest in a chain reaction. The huge sound, the impact, and the flashing lights made me feel vaguely intoxicated. As I ran up to a certain height, I began to feel a little more relaxed. I wondered if she would be okay. I''m sure she''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. "... are you okay?" There was no reply. The only thing is that her head moves up and down slightly. "I''m glad to hear that.¡± It was worth surpassing my limit. I was relieved, but at the same time, the pain was intense and a groan escaped my lips. I''m in the middle of an immensely exciting air trip. It consumes a lot of mana to keep the ice in place and requires a lot of concentration. If the magic fails here, both of us will fall to the ground at high momentum and we will not survive. I made a lid for the pot with ice and called out to the demon king. "Sorry, can you hold the pot? We are going to land on the ground." I held her with one of my hands and let her grab the pot without looking at her. With my free left hand, I took out a recovery potion from my pouch and slurped it down in one gulp. A second later, the pain finally faded, and I could see the wound closing up as if it were on fast forward. It''s all magic. The clear view of the night sky is more beautiful than I can describe,......, but unfortunately, I don''t have time to appreciate it. Carefully leaping through the air to avoid slipping on the spilled blood, I descended to the ground. "Why did you save me from being injured?¡± Suddenly, a voice sounded like a bell. "Why I wonder, is it because I''m ¡­¡± Should I replay: Because you''re a character in a game? No, it''s not. Maybe because I feel sorry for her? This is not entirely true. It''s because I admired her¡­ No. A simpler, more fundamental reason, maybe because I didn''t like her ending. As I''ve experienced a lot of good things and a lot of bad things, but I still love this world. I don''t have such a strong sense of justice and passion to eliminate misfortune or become a hero and annihilate demons. But at least, if something happens in front of me. If I can respond to it within my sight, I will. It''s not the most dexterous way to live, but it''s how I''ve lived my life, and I''m sure I will continue to do so. "Well, I''m happy that you and I both didn''t have to die. So be it." It was a very childish and embarrassing reason. I''m too shy to say it out loud, so I''ll stop myself from answering explicitly. "Since I¡¯ve met you on this journey, why don''t you tell me your name? It''s not very nice to call you without a name. My name is Sanson. People close to me call me Sun." Her voice was so quiet that it seemed to disappear into thin air, but the muttered words reached my ears. "I-I¡¯m Spica Velvet.¡± CH 4 Chapter 4: Conversation Finally, I jumped off the ice and ¡­ landed on the ground. As I consumed more mana than usual, I''m exhausted. While breathing a sigh of relief, I stepped on the ground. The ground I landed on is quite a bit farther away from where I was before. The animal''s fur, which Spica had been lying on, might have been caught in the explosion and destroyed. It is my favorite fur, and it made me a little sad. Anyway. "Arghhh, I''m so tired. I''ve never run in the sky like that before.¡± Spica looks at me with a shocked expression. Hmm, I''ve never seen her making that expression before. Because No one actually wants to step on the ice and run through the sky. One wrong move could result in instant death, and the mana a human has is limited. Surely, my recklessness has caused a great deal of mental fatigue. In fact, I was extremely tired right now. In any case, it would be much easier if I walked on my own or used a service like a horse-drawn carriage to replace my legs. "Well, we''re both lucky to be alive, aren''t we?¡± "... Baka." I turned my head away and sighed again. I think so too. "Well, let''s eat for now. Thank you for holding the pot for me.¡± I took the pot I handed me and decided to heat it up again. I quickly took out the firewood from the pouch and made fire with my fingertip. I also took out two furs and secured a place for me and Sepia to sit. "Why don''t we have a little chat while the fire stabilizes? Well, if you don''t want to talk to a human, I''ll talk to you anyway." Although she didn''t reply, Spica stared at me. ... I''m just thankful that she does not refuse to talk or try to wield her weapon as she did just a few minutes ago. Before opening my mouth again, I rummaged through my pouch. Soon, I pulled out a magic item and held it out for Spica to see. "Do you know what this is?" What I offered was a magic item called a fairy feather. The feathers on the back of the fairy race are not real features. Instead, the fairies make it look like feathers. Spica shakes her head in silence. You don''t know? "This is¡­ well, look at it." I licked my lips with my tongue and took in a little breath. I then clutched the feature tightly and opened my mouth. "I have a good relationship with the fairy race and I received this item as a token of friendship. There is no...change." As I said, the fairy feather did not show anything. I don''t really want to say what I''m about to say in front of Spica right now, but I have to say it. "I invaded the fairy race and took this item.¡± As soon as I told her the lie, the fairy wings glowed strongly. It saw through my lie. "''When I lie, the feather glows like this.¡± Although it is not recognized by¡­ humans, it has a function that everyone who knows about this item will want. I''m not going to give it away no matter how much money I''m stuffed with, also it was given to me as a token of friendship and I can¡¯t sell it for money. "I declare that I don''t discriminate against humans, beasts, or even demons, as long as they can understand my language.¡± I don''t know how much effect my own words will have, but at least I want Spica to hear that. Let¡¯s put it another way. "I have never thought or attempted to harm the Dragonborn Drakhs. I also have no intention of harming Spica, who is right in front of me." The feathers did not glow. "That''s it. In case you''re wondering that I''m lying again. Then¡­ I''m not human." The fairy''s wings glowed again, casting dark shadows in the area. I''m not expecting her to trust me with this. She''s probably lonely. So I thought it would be easier for Spica if she had a place where she could be alone without worrying. I looked at her sideways, but¡­ there was no noticeable reaction. "Give me that." I offer it to her silently. I have nothing to be ashamed of. "I am an elf." In a small whispered voice, Spica utters those words and the feather responds with a glow. "... I have a grudge against humans and want to destroy them.¡± The feather did not glow. ...well, that¡¯s right. From the looks of Spica, the demise of her homeland was a near-death event. Her clothes were tattered, she was worn out, and her actions were rash. If I think about it, it could have happened a few hours ago, just before she met me. I don''t recall ever hearing of a dragon man drakh village in this forest, but I''ve heard of villages being built secretly, hidden from other races. I''d be lying if I said I didn''t care about it¡­ but if you ask questions to confirm, that could be a dead end. And her parents were killed in front of her. "Hey, can I just ask you this? If you don''t want to answer, you can hand me the feather.¡± ¡°..." "Spica, do you want to live?¡± "I still want to live. I don''t want to die." The feathers didn¡¯t glow. "Thank you. Let''s go...for dinner." Before I knew it, the fire hadn''t changed its shape much, bringing a steady stream of heat and light between us. I put the pot on. For a moment, silence enveloped us. The shadows grew darker, and the air around us smelled of night. Listening to the buzzing of insects, I took out a new container to replace the blown-out bowl, poured in the stew, and handed it to Spica. She took it without saying a word and ...gently sipped it. "How is it good? "...You cook better than my mother.¡± She said it in a very cute way, and tears welled up on her cheeks again. I wondered if the warmth in her stomach had loosened her nerves. I turned my head away and cleaned up my own meal, pretending not to notice. CH 5.1 Chapter 5 part 1: The sun came out slightly and dyed the area with the sunrise. The magic spell which I had cast to make the fire last night was still emitting a faint light under the sun, enveloping the area like a mist. Even my own vision was somewhat blurred due to the dense morning fog. Reds, purples, and yellows mist can be clearly visible to the naked eye, it¡¯s due to a poisonous plant unique to this region. The ... atmosphere is still ridiculously bad. I took a deep breath as I got up from my bed. Last night, we didn''t have any conversation after that, and we both went to bed wrapped in the blanket that I took out from the pouch. Incidentally, this blanket is a magic artifact that automatically removes dirt and grime when I apply a magic spell on it. I''m really glad that I bought more than one blanket. In the past, I''ve even slept without any clothes on. So considering that I''ll be traveling in the cold and winter areas, I bought extra clothing for emergencies. At night, I''ve also set up a barrier to keep my surroundings away from beasts. However, I should not be careless, as there are demons with great strength and demons with the ability to pass through the barrier. Well, such demons are rare. I sat up and cast the cleanse magic to my body while patting my forehead and pondering. Of course, it is about Spica Velvet, who is still sleeping on the other side of the campfire. I looked at her to see how she was doing. Spica, who must be tired, was deeply asleep. Under the sun, her appearance is quite striking. Her eyes are swollen and there are tears down on her cheeks, but that doesn''t detract from Spica''s beautiful face. Her skin is as white as virgin snow, her nose is clear, and her lips are red. Her slender outline looked fragile, giving a vibe of mystery. It is no exaggeration to say that if she makes one of those warm smiles, it will definitely make the most beautiful girl in the country By her appearance, she seemed to be about sixteen years old for a human. Even so, it wouldn''t make much difference. I''ve heard that their race grows up like humans to a certain extent and then ages slowly. The only disadvantage of their race is the difficulty in having children. However, the love and bond between their race are very strong. This can be said the same for Spica''s condition. I''ve heard rumors that their horns, a characteristic of dragonkin (Dragon race), can be used to make high-quality medicines that improve physical strength, or that the scales can be roasted and drunk as medicines for intractable diseases. Maybe these rumors were the reason why the humans attacked Spica¡¯s homeland. Whatever it is, it''s annoying. The question is, what will I¡¯ve to do with this girl? If Spica and I part ways here, it''s going to be a straight path to the demon king''s (Spica¡¯s) demise, and the other problem is that Spica''s race and appearance are too superior. If she''s alone, she''ll definitely attract attention. Spica''s high combat ability is also a problem for me. She could go berserk and rush to kill humans for revenge, spreading destruction and slaughtering the entire human race. I don''t know if Spica will ever listen to me, a human... But if the Dragon race would listen to me I can stop her from turning into Demon Lords. If that''s the case, sending this to the Dragon race is the best choice. At the very least, it would be better to keep an eye on her until I get her to a dragon race she trusts. Whatever the reason was, I simply couldn''t seem to leave her alone in front of me. "... Uh." I''ve decided. I have to persuade Spica to travel with me for a while. I got out of the blanket to get ready for breakfast. The air was so humid and sticky that it was hard to describe how I felt. The charcoal and other materials in the fire pit were too wet to be of any use. So, I rummaged through my pouch and pulled out a few things that I thought would make good igniters. I rifled through the pouches again, looking for something that would make a good breakfast ingredient. Dried noodles? I guess I will make Pasta for breakfast. Thinking about the recipe at random, I got up to train my magic in the time it would take for Spica to wake up. Thinking of a suitable recipe, I got up to do some magic training in the time until Spica wakes up. Leaning against a suitable tree, I closed my eyes. I slowly let my mana spread through my body and release it little by little out of my body. In order to keep the mana from dissipating, I put it in a lump and pulled cast a spell. Low-level ice spell. One, ten, twenty...fifty. The glowing blue-white spherical mana that appeared around me increased in number with each time. Without releasing control over mana, I manipulate it further while manifesting the mystique of magic. Ten ice bolts are grouped together and transformed into a huge bolt of mana. On the other hand, I tried to disperse them and keep the surface intact, feeling like a barrage. I can make them move around me at high speed and even pause, or I can leave them to their inertia and make them follow an irregular trajectory. Each of these ice shots is a low-grade ice spell. Considering the drain on magic power, it would be better to use higher-level spells, but when traveling, it is sometimes difficult to cast high-powered spells over a wide area like this forest. It''s convenient for those times, and it''s also perfect for my training. But there is one disadvantage. It''s cold. That''s only natural since the ice particles are flying around at close range. "It''s cold. It''s so cold¡­ Good morning." ¡°...what¡¯s this mess?" I throw a greeting to Spica, who seems to have woken up before I know it and now she is staring at me. It''s not long since the sun came up, but it''s a little early to wake up. "You''re early." "There''s a stupid amount of mana being used next to me. Anyone will wake up even if they don''t want to.¡± "... Sorry about that.¡± "As I suspected from your reckless flight last night, you have an unusual amount of mana and great control over it.¡± "Yes." I closed my eyes and nodded. Well, I''m aware of it. I can''t deny that I''v0e been pushing my limits with...magic. ¡°Well, some people are like that.¡± Just like the heroes and heroines who will be born in the future, and the comrades who will become their friends. "I''m going to make breakfast. Are there any ingredients that you don''t like or that your body doesn''t accept?¡± "It¡¯s okay¡­ Thanks.¡± ¡°...Oh¡± CH 5.2 Chapter 5: From now on (Part 2) I was a little surprised by the words of gratitude she said. I wondered if she had calmed down after the night. Anyway, that''s a good thing. Thinking this, I nodded to myself. ???? As I continue to put the butter into the frying pan, the smell is aromatic and inviting. I like this smell that tickles my nose. It stimulates my appetite. ¡­ I can hear a stomach growl¡­ but it¡¯s not me but Spica''s. I turned my head to the side and met Spica''s eyes, she was staring at me with her bright red face. Looks like she is embarrassed. As the butter burns easily, I melt it carefully to prevent it from burning. When I was sure that the butter was melted, I took out the milk from the pouch. I poured the mixture into the pan, making sure that the ratio of milk to butter was three parts butter to one part milk. Slowly stirring with a spatula, I could smell the sweet aroma of milk and butter mixed together. When the butter and milk were well mixed, I sprinkled a little flour. This will add taste and thickness to the flavor. I put some of it on my finger from the chopsticks I was stirring with, and lick it. "It''s h-hot...Yes, it''s good.¡± It''s not very sweet because I did not add sugar, but it can be mistaken for the fresh aroma of cream. While frying the chopped garlic, I ate one of the dried noodles that was boiling...The core is not boiled yet. I took out the dried meat from the preserved food, cut it into reasonably sized pieces, and put it on the pan where I was frying the garlic. It made the light sound of oil popping. The smoked meat, seasoned with a variety of spices to prevent spoilage, had a strong flavor, and even without salt and pepper, it would add a deep flavor. I even added the sauce to the meat. I waited until the dried meat was cooked, then poured in the cream substitute I had made earlier. This is where my special secret ingredient comes into play. Dried kelp, a delicacy from the sea, is chopped into small pieces and sprinkled on top. This will give a rich flavor. After putting the boiled pasta into the frying pan and stir-frying it to give it a nice heat¡­ it is ready. The soup is made. I put some of it on a plate and served it to Spica. "It''s breakfast.¡± She didn''t reply, but she looked up at me and nodded her head. I sat down two meters away from Spica, held my hands together, and mumbled a "thank you for breakfast¡±. I put some hot meat in my mouth. The taste of the rich creamy sauce hits the back of your throat with a thud. ...... Yes, it''s good. Spica was scooping up the pasta from the plate with a gesture that could only be described as elegant. No noise was made, and her manner was gentle. I can see the elegance in the way she sat on her knees. (The usual sitting position in japan). She brought the pasta to her mouth ... but she opened her eyes slightly and looked at me. When I nodded a little, she started to eat the pasta as soon as possible. I feel a sense of accomplishment. The only sound in the forest was the faint clatter of dishes. After watching the pasta disappear from the plate, I looked at Spica. ¡°Uh¡­ Spica, what are going to do after this?" Spica turned silent and grasped the hem of her tattered robe tightly. "Well, I''ve been traveling a lot. I came to this forest on my way to visit the village of Palouse. I''ve also been to the village of the fairy tribe., and In the future, I''ll visit¡­ the other dragon race towns as well." I strengthen my nervous, moisten dry lips with my tongue. I''m not very good at this sort of thing. "Until then... why don''t you travel with me?" CH 6.1 Chapter 6: Somehow (Part 1) Let''s travel together. Hearing my words, Spica first looked at me in surprise and then looked at me with a stern look. The air around us froze. The not-so-called bad atmosphere that had been flowing till now has instantly turned tense. "Why?... Why are you doing this? I told you I would destroy the humans, and I even pointed my sword at you!¡± ¡­ Well, it¡¯s natural when she asks about it. She was traumatized by humans to the point of becoming a demon lord. So, she must be wondering how a human could ask her to travel with him. Maybe, it was Spica''s first time encountering a human after her village was attacked. Some people think that humans are all stupid and violent, willing to abuse other races for their greed. Well, it does not end there. Even among humans, there are constant conflicts, having no limit to their greed. It''s a part of human nature. But¡­ It''s not a bad thing. Greed is what makes life convenient and gives a reason to improve ourselves and work harder. Whether it goes in the right direction or skews in the wrong direction depends on the person. However, I don''t think that''s what Spica wants to hear about. The sunlight passes through the gaps in the woods and falls on Spica. She is enveloped in warm daylight, but her slender body looks unreliable and fragile. ...The image of her in the game passes through my mind. When I saw her like that, she was neither happy nor sad, but the sense of loneliness and agony. For some reason, I don''t like it. I make eye contact with Spica. Her gaze is still grim while her eyes hesitate slightly. The girl in front of me now is not just a game character. But if she continues this way, she will probably become the Demon lord. I''m certain that Spica¡¯s fate depends on this conversation. I let out a small exhalation and think about what I can do best. ¡­I went through my magic pouch and took out a fairy feather. "I''m not a good talker. I don''t know if I can express myself well, so I''m going to rely on this guy." While saying that, I pointed the feather at Spica so that she could see it clearly. This is the same feather I used last night to detect lies. "What I''m about to say is what I really mean. As a human being, I can''t let an existence go wild and destroy humans." This is one of my true intentions. When Spica heard my words, I could not describe her expression. It wasn''t the angry expression she had earlier, nor was it cold. It was a serious expression that gave off an impression of being more mature than she looks. The emotion I could faintly read on her face was conviction and understanding. That''s all I can think of. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, I spoke again. "And, uh, ¡­ I can¡¯t do that so I¡¯ll not leave you alone." ...Damn, this is so embarrassing. "It''s just because I¡¯m worried about you." Spica stares at me with dotted eyes and her mouth wide open. ... The blood rushed to my cheeks turning them red in the process. As I was telling the truth, the feathers do not glow. I don¡¯t have a cold, but I feel a shiver run through my body. I''m probably doing something insanely embarrassing at the moment. But I''d better not look away. Due to the extreme embarrassment, I twisted my mouth into a distorted shape as she stared at the tips of the feature swaying in her hands. One second. Ten seconds. One minute. ".... Hey, say something." A few minutes had passed. I felt so hot that my ears might burn, and Spica, who hadn''t said a word, brought me to my limit. I don¡¯t know whether she heard my words or not, but her thin chin slowly moved. The next thing I knew, Spica was slowly moving to the feather that I had been pointing at her and then moved up to my face again. You can''t change a feather by looking at it like that. ¡­ After a few moments of silence, I couldn''t really look at Spica''s face. "Damn, this is so embarrassing.¡± My earlier resolve was easily fizzled out. Having decided it was best not to look away, I shove the feather into my pouch and turned my body to face the opposite side of Spica, and held my head. As I was scratching my head in embarrassment, I heard a lovely voice behind me that seemed to melt into thin air. "You''re worried about me, human? ...Hahahaha." This is the most lively laugh I''ve ever heard. ¡°... Hey, what¡¯s wrong about it?¡± "There''s nothing wrong with that¡­ So you were worried about me." Spica whispered to herself but not to me. She whispers to herself as I cover my face with my hand. "There are many kinds of humans.¡± Yes, there are many kinds of humans, at least for the half-dragons. I''m not trying to be smug, but I hope that my encounter with her will have a positive effect on her. But I''m unable to look at Spica for a while because of that. Sighing to myself I looked up at the sky, yet my face still remained red. CH 6.2 Chapter 6: Somehow (Part 2) ".... Stop sulking like that already.¡± "I''m not sulking.¡± "Then stop being shy.¡± "Shut up.¡± "You''re like a child.¡± "Leave me alone." A laugh comes from behind me as if she can''t hold it in. I''m sure this is her true personality. "So, where are you headed on your trip?¡± ¡°... Firstly, I was thinking of going to the village of Parose. I was hoping to get some supplies and information there while sightseeing, which is also my goal." "So you''re going sightseeing?" "Well, we''ve come this far, haven''t we? So, Spica, what do you want to do about..?" I stopped showing my back for good and asked Spica directly. To be honest, I''m not really sulking. No, I''m really not. I don''t know to whom I''m talking, but I''m mumbling in my mouth. When I turned around, I gasped at the sight of Spica Velvet. Her presence now looked quite different. It was as if she became a different person. Under the sunlight, her figure is still eye-catching as ever. Her silver hair was like clear running water and her eyes peeking out from under her bangs. The eyes that used to be filled with hatred are now with joy. Not only that, her presence which had been so fragile that it seemed to melt and disappear soon had now changed for the better. Somehow, I felt shy to stare at her and dropped my gaze downward. I don''t know whether she misunderstood me or not, but she covered her mouth with her hand and laughed like the sound of a bell. " Well, now that you''ve asked, I''ll join you, human." ... If someone else asked these words, I would be quite coercive. But the girl in front of me said while laughing happily. "Hee hee...It¡¯s my honor to travel with you, dragon girl¡­. Please take care of me" ¡°I''m sorry to trouble you, but I''m counting on you as well.¡± Spica bowed with an auspicious attitude. What is this girl talking about? "It¡¯s about when I stabbed you in the stomach, I¡¯ve caused you a lot of trouble. So don''t hesitate to curse me. It¡¯s the only way I will feel better." ¡°...Huh" "... What?¡± "No, thank you.¡± "Ooh." ¡­ When Spica raised her voice at me, I was afraid of what would happen, but I''m glad it turned out alright. Really. I look away from her as she drops to her feet and looks at me, and puts out the fire. After that, I gather up the charcoal, and toss it into a tub made of ice, cover it, and plunge it into the porch. The charcoal, for example, does not decompose naturally and remains as garbage. Well, there is no one to blame if I did that, but the trash can be found lying around in a busy camping area, and it is a habit that has been ingrained in me from my previous life. "...Do you need any help?" ¡°No, I''m fine. I''ll let you help me when I need it, but for now, just rest.¡± "Okay.¡± "Oh, yeah. Here, let me help you. Put it on." I tossed the hooded cloak from my pouch at her and Spica did as I said, but I noticed her eyes glowing at my sudden action. "I''m sorry for using my old one, but pica''s appearance is a little too conspicuous, but it would be helpful if you go out in public. "...It¡¯s to hide that I¡¯m a half-dragon, right?" She seemed disappointed by my words and said with a somewhat depressed tone. She turned away while putting on her hood. " Uh, no, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean it like that. I just thought that since you''re pretty, you''d definitely stand out in front of people. "..Y-yes." After a few seconds, I heard her saying that in a low voice but the cloak made me unable to see her face. Well...if she heard it out of the blue, it would be difficult to react. After a moment, as if to break the ice, I opened his mouth again. "So, let''s go. It''s in this direction and shouldn''t be too long for us to reach. I turned my back to Spica, who had stood up, and began to walk while moving her body to loosen the stiffness from the tense conversation. CH 7.1 Chapter 7: Crossing the Forest (Part 1) "...Hey." It wasn''t long after we started walking that Spica called out to me. Though it was only one word, I can feel that it held a variety of emotions. When I turned my head, she was looking at me with her scarlet eyes. I¡¯m somewhat nervous with the clear and innocent impression of those eyes. I had a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, and what came back to me was my childhood memory. It''s the eyes of a child asking questions to the parent. "Parose is a human town, isn''t it?" "...Ah. Yes, it is.¡± "Why did you want to go there?¡± ...Spica, who had said that she was holding a grudge against humans and wanted to kill them. So, she might be wondering why I am taking her to human village? I knew that she would ask me, so I¡¯ve already prepared the answer in advance. "There are many kinds of humans.¡± It was the same words I had muttered earlier. I want her to come into contact with various humans and have an idea that all humans are not the same. It may be difficult to make her understand all this right now, but still, I want to try, even if it''s just for a little while. I hope she can enjoy her trip¡­ At least when she is with me... I¡¯m following my own feelings and doing it without thinking of the future impact on her. I don''t know whether this is a good thing to do or not. Maybe it will only deepen her wound. It reminds me of the Demon Lord''s words in the game. "Die in endless hatred and despair for me." I just didn''t want her to face a future where she would say these words with a cold tone that doesn¡¯t value anyone else''s life and sacrifice them for the sake of revenge. "Huh, You don¡¯t like it? It''s fun to walk through unexplored areas like this. Do you want to look for a Dragon people settlement without walking in the beautiful scenery and not visiting the towns?" As I didn''t take into consideration Spica''s feelings, I decided to discuss it with her when she asked. When she heard my words, she hid her face with her hood and asked me in a small, hushed voice again "What are you going to do if I went on a rampage in the human village?¡± "... I will not let you or anyone else hurt you and if we face any trouble, I''ll take Spica and get out of there.¡± I was planning to do that when I chose to travel with her. ¡°O-okay." She turned her head away with her hood up. "I wonder what kind of Palouse village is like?¡± "Huh, you don''t know?¡± "Well, I''ve never heard of it.¡± I wonder if the village of the dragon people is living in the depths of the whispering forest. "In the village of Parose, I heard there is a huge hole called the ''Devil''s Mouth,'' from which screams are heard every night.¡± "Isn''t that dangerous?¡± "No, the owner of the voice has never appeared, and the surrounding demons do not like the sound. As long as you turn a blind eye to those screams, it¡¯s pretty much a safe place.¡± Even if someone doesn''t know the name of Parose Village, the existence of the demon''s big mouth is well known. There is no end for talking about this big hole and its screams. And yet, she had never heard of it. Even if she wasn''t in the Whispering Forest, she would have known about the big hole if she was anywhere near the forest. Didn''t the Dragon people have a settlement in this area? I don''t understand. But it would be better not to ask Spica. This story touches a sensitive part of my heart and it''s not something I could say if I had wanted to take her to a human settlement on the spur of the moment, but if I¡¯m thinking of Spica, it''s probably premature. "The Devil''s Mouth. The only place like that is in Parose Village. I thought I should take the time to see it." Instead of answering her, I said something dangerous. Of course, I meant it. ¡°...I don''t know." A single sigh escaped from behind her hood. Apparently, I was taken aback. In a world infested with demons, traveling not for money but for sightseeing is a fool''s errand. Well, I''m aware of that. I crossed my arms, closed my eyes, and nodded deeply. When I opened my eyes, I saw Spica staring up at me. "''W-What''s up?'' "... It¡¯s fine. We are going to Parose Village." ¡°... Uh¡­ oh. Okay." As I brushed my hair back, a sigh escaped from the bottom of my heart. All that was left to do was to enjoy the sightseeing in Parose Village without anything happening. It''s the same as always, I''m sure we''ll be fine. CH 7.2 Chapter 7: Crossing the Forest (Part 2) A few hours pass as we continue to walk in silence. The time was about ten o''clock but the same awkward situation remained between us. It''s not that I really care, but I turn around to check on Spica, who is following a little distance behind me. Spica looks up at me and tilts her head while her bangs sway gently. ¡­ Such a defenseless reaction. I notice that her eyes are red. Was she crying silently? A lump of air holds at the back of my throat. I turn around and scratch my cheek with my finger even though it doesn''t itch. "What''s wrong?" "...I-it''s nothing.¡± "Okay.¡± I don''t know when it started, but instead of the cold tone of the demon lord in the ending of the game, Spica''s tone has become more appropriate for her age. Well, it''s a good thing. But it will be nice if I can break this silence. I look at her again. "What''s going on with you?" "... No, I''ve been traveling alone for a long time, so it''s refreshing to walk with someone. If you get tired or thirsty, just tell me.¡± "Okay. I''ll tell you right away if I get tired or thirsty.¡± She replied with a beautiful smile on her face, making me a little embarrassed. I wonder if I was worrying too much. When I turned to face her, she replied bluntly, "Hey. "What kind of places have you traveled to so far?¡± "Well... I''ve been to places where the sun never rises and it''s night all day, castles at the bottom of lakes. I''ve also been to ruins full of ancient artifacts, and oceans of sand as far as the eye can see.¡± As I close my eyes, the scenery and adventures come to life. This world is really interesting. "But the one that made me the most terrified was the moving forest.¡± "What do you mean by Moving forest? I don¡¯t get what you are saying.¡±. "It was about this time last year...¡± I heard a story in a bar in a city. A hunter went deep into the forest to hunt a phantom beast. He camped out there for the night, and when he dozed off, he found himself in a meadow. There was not a trace of the forest where he had been. In the end, the hunter returned to his base without being able to hunt the beast. The person who told me this story said with a laugh that must have been under the spell of a magic demon. "It''s exciting, isn''t it? Doesn¡¯t that make you want to go there?" . . ¡­ Instead of a reply, I got a cold, unspoken stare. "Of course, I''ve been there, but I found a forest in a very different place than the one I was told about. ¡°I used magic to make sure the trees weren''t demons and camped out in the woods as I''d heard." After taking a small breath, I continued. "At midnight, when the moon had risen to its peak, the trees around me suddenly pulled their roots out of the ground like limbs and began to walk freely.¡± When I was startled, the trees called out to me and said, "Human, don''t be surprised.¡± And as I looked at the tree impatiently, I saw a small mouth and eyes on it¡¯s trunk. It was alive... that forest." Spica looks at me suspiciously. "I don¡¯t believe it.¡± "It''s true! I can take you there if you want. From then on, when I see the trees, I sometimes talk to them¡­. ¡® Hey, how are you doing?" I tapped the trunk of the tree to my right... Unfortunately, there is no response It''s a shame. Anyway, it was almost nightfall and we could see the village of Parose. CH 8.1 The sun was soothingly slanting the road. Cotton candy-like clouds are slowly changing shape in the western sky. Trees with thorny leaves lined the road, and huge four-legged animals can be seen, probably cows are grazing on the fence. On the side of the road, windmills keep spinning in the wind, and houses made of wood can be seen from a distance. A magnificent and regular scene created by the power of nature and man. The dense atmosphere of the whispering forest disappeared, and instead, we were surrounded by a warm atmosphere where we could see the activity of people. Hmm, it¡¯s so pleasant. The place at the end of the road must be the village of Parose. "Finally, we made it.¡± "...Y-yes." Spica''s voice was a little stiff as she answered. For Spica, going into a human town is like walking alone into enemy territory. "Are you okay?" I look at Spica as I call out to her. "Nevermind. I''m the one who decided to follow you on your journey. I''m fine." ¡°...Sure." She sounds brave and dependable, but... However, it was actually a line she said while holding out her right hand and right foot at the same time, stiffening her body. I was planning to spend the night in the village, but from the looks of her, we might as well camp on the outskirts of the village. I wanted to sleep away from the hard ground at least tonight, but I''ll give up. Gvvvoooooooooooooooooo!!!... Suddenly, there is a low rumbling sound coming from a huge hole nearby. The sound, which seemed to be impossible to imagine from the quiet and simple landscape, seemed to disapprove of our visit. So, this is the scream of the devil. What I felt before my surprise was a strong sense of discomfort. It could be described as a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. I raised my brow and listened carefully to the sound. ...Doesn¡¯t this sound quite familiar? Where did I hear it? The heavy bass sound made several shock waves causing my body to tremble. It¡¯s so loud, yet the sound that does not seem to come from a living thing From the depths of my faded memory, I felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu rising in my mind. "..." But my thoughts were interrupted when Spica came to my side and started to pinch the hem of my cloak with her index finger and thumb. My and Spica''s eyes meet. She must have been startled by the sound and acted quickly. When she noticed what she was doing, she quickly let go of my hand. Soon, her cheeks turned red, the corners of her eyebrows lowered and her eyes turned moist. She twisted her mouth into a smile, but tears continued to well up in her eyes. Spica, who has few facial expressions other than anger, is now embarrassed to the core. Naturally, seeing the expression on her face stopped me from thinking. ...Something, I must say something. "Oh, my God, that was so scary!" My voice sounded so intentional that even I was surprised. I tried to follow her, but it seems I don''t have any talent for acting. ...Instead of helping her, I made the matter even worse. Because of that, Spica''s white skin turned red all the way up to her neck. ...I''m so sorry, I had to do something to catch up. In the blink of an eye, Spica distances me and pulls her hood up deeper. "...Let''s go.¡± "... O-okay." We start walking with a little more distance between us than before. As we walk away, we hear the distracting cries of cows passing between us. They seem tired of hearing the demon roars from the huge hole. They are now munching on the grass, making a cow-like mewing sound. A man who seemed to watch the cows must have noticed us walking and came running as he called out to us. ¡°Who are you? I don''t see any luggage¡­. Are you merchants? You''ve come a long way, haven''t you?¡± The man wiped the sweat from his forehead with the towel around his neck. I''m not sure how old he is. But the smile on his face gave us the impression of a young man, but the deep wrinkles on his forehead gave away his age. "Oh, no, We are travelers. I heard rumors of the Devil''s Mouth, so I came here to take a look. "...I see. You look like strange people, aren''t you?" As he said this, his gaze shifted to me and to Spica, who had snuggled up against my back to hide from the man''s gaze. "Are you two couples? There''s a height difference between you for that¡­ You don''t look like a brother and sister as well." "We''re traveling companions. She is my acquaintance.¡± "I suppose there is such a thing." He stroked the tip of his beard as he said this. "My name is Sanson, you can call me Sun. May I ask what your name is?¡± "It¡¯s Lark. Nice to meet you.¡± CH 8.2 Chapter 8: Parose Village (Part 2) He held out his right hand, and I held out mine, and we shook hands. The palm of his hand is thick and¡­ has a hard skin, and there is an octopus under the fingers. I''m not sure if it''s a sword octopus or not. Lark must have noticed my reaction, and said: "Ah, I used to be a well-known hunter. Even so. I was distracted and attacked by a demon called the Sandman. These people of Parose Village saved me." "It sure was a disaster, but I''m glad I can talk about it now.¡± "Haha, you''re right. I''m glad that I¡¯m alive." Lark then patted me on the right shoulder. "You came all the way here to see the devil''s mouth, didn''t you?" He opens his mouth in a frustrated tone as if he has something caught in his teeth. He crossed his arms and dug his toes into the ground while nodding gravely. ¡°You can go into the village as you like. Just follow the road and you should be able to see it. If they say anything, just mention my name.." While he was looking around, he told me and Spica. "Be careful with that guy in the priest''s uniform, Thanatos. He''s a devil." Lark let out an exasperated sigh with a look of bitterness on his face. "I''m sure I scared him off, but he''s not going to do anything to a traveler.¡± If you walk down the road, you''ll know that there was an explosion last night. Some of the villagers are a bit on edge, so there''s no harm in being careful. He then smiled lovingly. "I''m sure the village chief will be able to lend us a place for the travelers to stay. You should at least say hello to him before nightfall. He''s a nice guy, so don''t worry. He pointed toward the village and gave us a friendly welcome. For a while, the only sound was the sound of the two of us walking. I look up at the sky. Clouds are flowing slowly. The shadows of small birds passing through our shadows. The beautiful orange sun behind us. "...Hey, Spica." "Yes.¡± "You''re doing great. Spica did not attack a human. I''ll admit that you''re a great girl." "...Yes" ¡°Right¡± Some people might feel bad about Spica''s refusal to lower her hood and participate in the conversation. Lark, who didn''t mind, was a carefree and good-natured person. ...So what kind of person is this Thanatos guy that he warned me about? "As Lark said earlier, let''s camp again in the corner of the village, where we''ll spend the night.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for putting you in a troublesome situation. If something happens I will deal with it." "...Okay." Spica''s reply was dull and lifeless. However, I vaguely thought it¡¯s not a bad thing. CH 9.1 "Spica, do you have a favorite food or something?" ¡°...Linka berries.¡± "Oh, those. They''re good, aren''t they?¡± While having a conversation with Spica, who occasionally snorts, I walk along the path Lark pointed out. Linka fruit is mellow, sweet, and has a sour taste. It is a fruit peculiar to this world, and if I had to compare its taste to that of an apple, I would say it is similar. I remember buying them before. I think I still have some left in my pouch. Let¡¯s bring out the linka fruit for dessert after dinner, But it''s not very artistic to just give them away. I''ll have to come up with a little dessert using the fruit. ...I''m too embarrassed to say it, but it''s a reward for Spica¡¯s hard work. And it''s a mess in the pouch because I''ve shoved so many things in there. Cleaning equipment and so on¡­ So, I can¡¯t take it out like that, I feel depressed just thinking about it. One of the top five words I hate. I slowly exhale air through my nose. In spite of the clear, fresh air, my feet have slowed down. Ahead of me, there is a hole in the ground, which I¡¯m close enough to see clearly. The sunset, which is the boundary between day and night, gives a somewhat gloomy impression. It is the time when the sky goes dark. People have been thinking about this since ancient times, and have been in awe of the darkness that comes. In the midst of this twilight, the "Devil''s Mouth" opens its mouth. A huge hole, perhaps five meters in diameter rose up as if it had been torn from the inside of the ground. The hole was filled with the same kind of mists we saw in the Whispering Forest. The air was leaking out and the soil started to grind while leaking a thin sound. It''s as if it is breathing slowly. So, this is the devil''s big mouth. A man in a priest''s clothes was giving a speech next to the hole, though it was obscured by trees. A dozen or so villagers were listening. "...And for that reason, our Lord has raised his wrath just now. Now, pray with me. The Lord will hear your voice!...¡± I wonder if the person is Thanatos. He was preaching to the villagers in a mysterious voice while shaking his big, protruding belly in an exaggerated manner. A priest''s uniform is supposed to be simple, right? But his clothes are different. A scarf with intricate patterns hung from her shoulders, and his clothes are made of black, decorated with woven gold and silver threads. He wore a pentagram necklace that was as big as his face and held a book decorated with gold. ...Wow. "We should leave before they find us. I''m getting a bad vibe." I whispered to Spica, who was once again snuggled up against my back, but it was too late. A villager who was listening to Thanatos'' speech made eye contact with me. Upset at the sight of a stranger spreads quickly between the crowd. Thanatos immediately noticed the change, and our eyes met. He said something to the villagers and then approached me, "Oh, welcome to the village of Paros. What brings you to this village?" He has a friendly smile on his face. However, his eyes are not smiling. Is it because I¡¯m a stranger or due to other feelings? "...I¡¯m a traveler who came to visit after hearing the rumor of the devil''s mouth." "So, you''re a treasure hunter or something?¡± "No. I just came here for sightseeing.¡± "Well, that''s wonderful. I don''t like treasure hunters or dirty rats who have no respect for our mighty being.¡± Thanatos laughed out loud. "My name is Thanatos. May I ask your name?¡± "It¡¯s Sanson." He held out his hand and I shook it. It was a soft hand. "And you, young lady.¡± Then he offered his hand to Spica. "She is not comfortable with a stranger." I blocked him with my body. "I don''t like humans.¡± It is true, and I didn''t want Spica in Thanatos'' eyes any longer. "''Hmm¡­ hmm. Well, that¡¯s fine." Thanatos smiled softly. I noticed that the moment I interrupted him, the expression on his face looked as if he was extremely irritated with me. ¡°By the way ...do you guys know anything about last night''s explosion? The Lord of the Big Mouth is very angry. You wouldn''t want to offend him, would you?" Heck, from Thanatos'' point of view, it was probably just revenge. I''m sure Thanatos was trying to scare me or something. "Boooooo¡­ ooh¡­ Booooo...ooh ...ooh¡­.¡± As if the timing wasn''t bad enough, at this very moment, a roar was released from the devil''s huge mouth. A vigorous wind blew from a crack in the ground. Though the wind looked like a breath, it shook the leaves of the trees in the area, and the sound of the leaves brushing against each other spread. Out of the corner of my eye, Thanatos'' face fell. He was grinning. His nose bulged while the corners of his mouth twisted, and he let out a vulgar exhale. I had a bad premonition and looked at Spica. The wind had stirred up the hood she was wearing, her beauty (Horns) was exposed. Spica held her hood down, but it was too late to hide her appearance. CH 9.2 Chapter 9: Devil''s Den (Part 2) (TN: Changes: Devils Mouth/Demon Mouth ¡ú Devil¡¯s Den) ==== Was it because of the roar, or Spica''s horns? The villagers look upset and start to whisper to each other. "Oh, my. The Devil¡¯s Den must be angry now. Do you know why?" He turns to the upset villagers and begins to make a speech with attractive gestures, spreading his hands out, his face turning ugly, showing an expression of dejection. "They are the ones who will bring misfortune to our village. Haven¡¯t you seen this girl¡¯s horns? She must be a demon who has come to meddle with the Great Devil¡¯s Den. She would bring catastrophe and chaos to our village. To prevent that from happening we must cleanse her.¡± "Shut up!¡± I let my anger leak out along with my magic power. Because of my anger, I seemed to lose control of my own mana. My mana intimidated the area causing it to run wild, freezing the surroundings. "Hee!" Thanatos let out a scream, but I didn¡¯t care. Spica''s body was shaking. She crouched down on the ground, covering her ears, shaking her head. She looked frightened. The fact that she had stabbed me instead rather than talking to me because I was a human, in the end was all due to her fear. The way she was now by my side without any hostility towards these humans, the way she now looked scared, and the way she was trying to act tough - with a little thought I must have guessed that she was doing all this just to protect herself. What was he thinking about Spica, anyway? Oh, shit! My heart is beating so hard that it hurts. Only red and black appeared in my vision. It made me so angry. She chose to trust me and follow me. I¡¯m not in the mood for sightseeing anymore. ...Maybe I came to Parose thinking this was a game? "Ha, ha, ha! Did you see his magic power? He''s also a demon. Hee hee, Lord, help us!¡± "To me, you''re the one who''s a demon.¡± "That''s how you confuse people with your mouth. I have heard the Lord, he spoke to me! Justice is on our side!¡± He then raised his hands in the air as if to inspire the villagers. "They are the ones who will bring chaos and destruction to our village!" Rumble! At this time, Spica slowly stood up with her face still covered by her hood. However, there was a trace amount of magic power emanating from her body. When she held her hands upward, a magic sword appeared in her hands. She tried to swing her hand down with it, but... "I''m sorry. I didn''t know this place would be like this. I''m truly sorry." I managed to stop her with the gentlest gesture I could muster. "...Why? ...Why are you stopping me?¡± "Killing is easy. I''m going to take away all his dignity. Everything Thanatos said is a lie. There is no master in this pit. Trust me." The first time I heard the roar, I felt a strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, and as expected, hearing it at close range gave me an idea. Besides, I''m sure that Spica will become a Demon Lord if she kills people at her current state. Oh, maybe this village must be the reason why Spica turned into a Demon Lord in the first place. I open my mouth to Thanatos, who is trembling under Spica''s tremendous magic power. "...I¡¯ve seen through all your lies." "... W-what are y-you talking about ?" "You''re a fraud. I¡¯ll now expose you.¡± I put my hands under Spica''s knees and held her close to me and then jumped into the Devil¡¯s Den. CH 10.1 Chapter 10: Bottom (Part 1) A cold breeze blew through my body, cooling down my burning body. I made ice appear under my feet and used it as a foothold to climb down the depths of Devil''s Den. Just like last night, I used the ice to climb down but it''s not on the ground, but this time it¡¯s at the bottom of the ground. "... Are you okay?" Spica did not give a reply but nodded her head. I could feel her uneasiness through her body. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to make you feel bad.¡± ¡°... I guess they¡¯re different kinds of humans out there.¡± In the dimly lit cave, Spica whispered quietly. Due to the darkness, I could not see her face. "... I was saved again.¡± "No, I¡¯m at fault¡­ I¡¯m the one who told you to come to this village in the first place.¡± "Mmm..." A minute passed with no words. "It''s not your fault. Besides, if you had been alone, you would have been sightseeing now.¡± "I''m not sure about that..." If I didn¡¯t make Thanatos angry, maybe we might not get ourselves in trouble. While I¡¯m thinking, I hear a gentle laugh. "Sanson, no, Sun-kun... you''re a nice human, " I felt a sharp jolt in my heart as I heard her calling my name for the first time. As usual, I couldn''t see her face. But there was something different about her voice. It was as if the words had weight as if they were coming from the deepest part of her heart. It was a strange feeling. It isn''t something I disliked. "...Well, I don''t want to be called a bad human.¡± It''s not that I''m a bad human, I just don''t know what to say at the moment. ... Ah. There is one thing that is clear to me. "You''re not at fault. It''s all Thanatos fault." It reminds me of Lark when he pressed on that Thanatos is a devil. I also remembered the villagers I had seen earlier. Half of them looked enthralled, but half of them were oddly smiling at each other. I guess there''s something to it. Something that a traveler who just came here today can''t understand. It must be a sensitive issue. But I don''t care about that. I¡¯m only worried about Spica at present. Unknowing to me, I put a little more strength into my arms while holding Spica. "It hurts¡± "S-sorry.¡± ¡°Umm... it hurts, but it''s not painful.¡± "...What are you talking about?¡± What''s with that tone? Is it unique to the dragon race? I''m not sure. "Sun-kun is not a bad human. Also, thank you ...for helping me." ¡°....Welcome." The reply that came out of her mouth was flat but I couldn''t help but feel embarrassed. But strangely enough, I failed to open my mouth to say something, so we both remained silent for a while. With light footsteps, we slowly descended the Devil''s Den. When I looked up, the hole which we had entered now looked like a dot and faint light was about to be replaced by the darkness. It seems we have landed too deep. CH 10.2 The entire Devil¡¯s Den was covered with darkness. Even our shadows are out of reach. I was covered in a glow which usually happens while I''m using my mana and this is the only light in the den at present. With it, our surroundings glowed making it less dark than before. Our shadows are created to make our existence known. Even if the light is unlikely here, it made a huge difference. With a whooshing sound, the wind flowed through my body, I felt colder and colder as the climb down, and finally, my legs touched the ground. ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö I took out a magic item from my pouch called a moonlight stone that emits light. It is a great magic item that can be activated by flowing mana into it, and after that, it will automatically float and follow the owner in response to his mana. It''s a sphere the size of a volleyball, and its surface is covered with mana, it is so dense that it leaves no gaps. As it''s too dark to see it at the moment, but there''s something simmering inside the translucent sphere, like a liquid. This is a product of this fantasy world. I can''t help but simply admire this thing. Unlike the flames of a bonfire, it doesn''t emit heat, which has its advantages and disadvantages. Being able to use it in such situations is a big help. This is probably the second most essential magic tool for traveling. The first is of course the magic pouch. "I''ll turn on the lights.¡± I told Spica, and let my mana flow into the tool. A brilliant light shines down on the area. "... It¡¯s so pretty." It was not me but Spica who muttered under her breath. I continued to stare at the scene and even forgot to reply. I was simply overwhelmed by the view in front of me. This was a huge dome-shaped limestone cave. No, this was not just any ordinary limestone cave. I don''t even know if I can call it a limestone cave. All the stones that looked like rain pattering down on us are made of crystal. An erratic flickering light was beamed from the moonlight stone, shining in the wavering light. The scenery changed every moment. There is an underground lake surrounding the place where we are now, and mana is pouring out of it. The twinkling lights are like a night sky on the shore of the lake. The scenery of a small stream of rushing water, the sound of the wind flowing around us with the beautiful flickering light. A scene that no human could ever create. Even though it was not cold, my entire body shivered. It was so beautiful and felt so unreal that I could even dare to believe it. In the middle of my field of vision, there was a crystal that had been formed from mana. It was supposed to be translucent, but it was a spectacularly clear green, and much larger than the one I had seen in the forest. Oh, thank God. There it is. "Spica, this is it! This is the crystal which causes those roars." CH 11.1 Chapter 11: End of the day (Part 1) "Spica, this is it. This is the crystal which causes those roars." When Spica heard my words, she tilted her head back and blinked her big eyes in question. "What do you mean?¡± "It''s hard to explain with words. Anyway, let''s get closer.¡± As I took a step or two on the ground, I heard a rattling sound. A human skeleton clad in rags rose up from between the crystals. The skeletons belong to the people who had left strong grudges in this world or the people who had died in places where mana is strong, and they would turn into demons with no will and their movements are slow and they are not considered to be scary. Bright red light can be seen in their eye holes. If the light is cut off, it returns to a dead corpse. I let my mana flow through my body, from the tip of my finger I shot ice magic at the two skeletons. As it plunged into the middle of their skulls it made a small, breathless sound. A moment later, the skeletons fell to the ground. A similar sound came from behind me. As I looked behind, I saw piled-up bones on the ground next to Spica, who was floating with magic while covered with a glow. "Are you okay?" "I''m fine.¡± "But ...why are there skeleton monsters here?¡± Although I had doubts in my mind, I sort of could imagine why. When Thanatos had accused us, he had mentioned us rebels. Maybe three bones belong to the previous rebels and became victims to him. They could be a family. ...It¡¯s sickening. I swallowed down the thoughts that came to mind. I was not comfortable leaving them out in the open so instead of leaving them on the ground, I gathered the bones without uttering a word and gently sank them into the underground lake. The surface of the lake rustled. I stare with an indescribable feeling as the bones of three people sink into the deep blue of the night sky. I put my hands together and bowed in silence for a moment. I wondered what Spica was thinking right now as she gazed blankly at the surface of the lake beside me. "...I''m sorry for making you go along with¡­ Shall we go to the crystal?¡± Instead of answering, Spica slowly nodded her head. As I turn my back to the lake, I feel a presence of her following behind me while I continue to explain the details about crystal to her. ¡°...That crystal is not just any ordinary crystal. It''s called a wind crystal. I''ve seen them in places I''ve traveled in the past.¡± I remember a place called the Desert region, where there is a sea of sand as far as the eye can see. There was a temple in the depths of the desert. "It was explained to me that it was a mass of mana that had been stabilized by the influence of nature over an uncanny number of years.¡± "And?" "I don''t mean to be pushy, but to know more about it, you have to breathe on the wind crystal." As the skeleton monsters had attacked us before, we walked with caution. The sound of our steps reverberated throughout the place. Sometimes we slipped on the ground as the surface was too smooth to walk on. Well, it was fun. As we walked while enjoying ourselves, we soon arrived at the wind crystal. Looking at Spica, I shrug my shoulders and point to the crystals with my hand. "Hmm...." In accordance with my words earlier, Spica squeezed her lips with a serious expression but still blew on the wind crystal. The crystals vibrated slightly under her breath and returned a loudness that was many times louder. "Whoa." Like a frightened cat, she jumped away from the crystal and hid behind my back. The scene was comical and funny, and I couldn''t hide the laughter that was building up in me. "...Mmm." Spica turned her back in front of me indicating that she was angry with me while her cheeks became slightly red. I felt like teasing her, but I was afraid that she would get really mad at me if I went any further. "I''m sorry for laughing.¡± Making an apologetic face, I apologized, as best I could. Spica saw this and nodded. It seems to have been forgiven, thank goodness. "I accept your apology. Somehow I understood that the roar came from this crystal. What¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°You mean, what are we going to do about Thanatos, right?¡± "Yes.¡± A question that was probably bothering Spica for a long time. "You do have a big mouth, you know?" (MC) She raised her lips into a smirk. "So, what are you planning to do?¡± (MC) "What would happen if the Lord of this Devil Den appeared before Thanatos and told him he didn''t know him? He''ll probably lose all the faith he''s gathered till now. I am sure that it would be a pretty interesting scene." CH 11.2 Chapter 11: End of the day (Part 2) Spica opened her big mouth and pouted. "I''d like to get it to work¡­ but first, we need to eat dinner. Spica, do you think you can eat dinner?¡± ¡°... A little." "Good.¡± "Can I have a word with you first?¡± "What''s up?¡± In response, she walked silently over to the wind crystal and took a deep breath. "Ha, haaaaaaaaaaaaa...." I heard her drawl. Well, it''s not that I don''t like it. Baaaahhhhahahah¡­ hahahaha...! Her voice increased many folds by the wind crystal, and it reverberated, passing a roar throughout the Devil¡¯s Den. Even though I was holding my ears, the huge sound remained to ring in my ears. The blast was so huge that it made Spica''s eyes roll back. While I supporting her unsteady body, she closed her eyes and whispered to me about something. ¡­ Sorry, what? I didn¡¯t hear her... Probably, she was thanking me. When the ringing in our ears eventually fades away, we both looked at each other and laughed. "I bet there''s a panic on the surface right now. This was probably the loudest roar they ever heard, wasn''t it?" ¡°...I feel a little better now." I laughed again at Spica, who said this with her usual blank expression. ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö The sound of crackling firewood can be heard. In front of me is a pot that has become a regular item by now. I think I''ll make pot-au-feu (a French soup of meat, typically boiled beef, and vegetables cooked in a large pot.) for tonight''s menu. A lot has happened today, and Spica doesn''t seem to have much of an appetite. As I still have some soup leftover in the pouch that I made in my spare time. Now, it''s quick and easy to make the dish with some chopped vegetables. Also, it will be enough for both of us to eat. First, I cut spinach into bite-sized pieces and boil it. I added a little salt to the water. The salt aids the water to boil faster, so even if I add cold vegetables, the temperature of the water will not drop. Instead, it also improves the texture of the boiled water and makes it easier for the vegetables and other ingredients to taste even. I skilfully cut up onions, meat, and other vegetables, and put them into the soup. Lastly, season with salt and pepper, and It''s done. "There you go.¡± "Thanks." Both of us let the pot-au-feu cool down and brought it to our mouths with a spoon. Soon, the taste of vegetables rushes through my mouth. The warm, reassuring, simple taste is what I''m talking about. "Delicious." Spica''s eyebrows lowered and she said happily with a relaxed expression. "Glad you like it." For me, just eating delicious food is enough to make me feel happy in life. Even when I''m having a bad day, it somehow makes me feel better. With that thought in mind, I drained the contents of my bowl into my mouth, and it was empty before I knew it. As I was pouring a refill from the pot, I felt her eyes on me. Spica turns away, holds out her bowl to me, and opens her mouth coyly. ¡° ...Another. Can I have a refill?" "Sure. Don''t be shy." I take the bowl and serve it back to her. It''s a huge underground space with no one but us. We''re eating pot-au-feu while blowing on it to cool it down. If it hadn''t been for this incident, we wouldn''t have left the Devil¡¯s Den by now. It''s funny to know that a place with such beautiful scenery is named Devil¡¯s Den. "Oh, by the way, I''m going to prepare a little dessert for after dinner, can you eat it?" "I will." That was the most agile reply of the day. Hearing these words, I chuckled and pulled out some linker fruit from my pouch. When Spica saw Linka''s fruit in my hands, she almost lost her composure¡­ I''ve never seen her like that before. It seems that it is true that it is a favorite food. "I''m going to make a little dessert out of this, so you can have a satisfying dinner.¡± With a serious expression, Spica nodded her head. Well, it was really just going to be a small dish, so I was nervous that people would expect that much from me. A bitter smile appeared on my face. I took out a frying pan and heated it thoroughly, and when I was sure it was warm, I poured in the sugar. I drizzled a little brandy on it. It was to add fragrance. The sugar sways due to the heat and gradually turns into a liquid. During this time, I cut the linker fruit into bite-sized pieces and skewered them. I removed the skewers from the fire when the sugar syrup turned a lightly browned color. And then mix the sugar syrup with the linker fruit. When the candy is hardened, it is ready. It''s kind of like candy apples... Before I knew it, I was presenting it to Spica, who had already finished the pot-au-feu. "It''s just a random candy, so don''t get your hopes up." "Sun''s cooking is delicious. The pot-au-feu was also delicious. Thank you." "...You''re welcome." Spica gently holds the plate in front of her and brings one of those candies to her mouth. The moment she did, her eyes widened and her big eyes shone. And then, she revealed a big smile on her face. It was as beautiful as the stars twinkling in the night sky. Spica is the name of a star in the constellation Virgo in my previous life. The game staff must have given it to her. This name seemed to represent the girl she was now. Somehow, I think it''s nice. "Thank you.¡± "...Ok" I''m too embarrassed to say it out loud, but as I stared at her smiling face, I wanted to say, ¡®Thank you for your hard work today. You''ve been through a lot. At least eat something delicious to take your mind off of it¡¯. You''re a great guy, you know that? You really are. I''m sure you''re tired, so go to sleep. It''s my time from here on out. I turned away from Spica, who was gobbling up the delicious linka fruit, and I glared at the wind crystals. I patted both cheeks in a spirited manner and let the magic flow through my body. ...That''s right. Since I¡¯m going to do this, let''s chant with all of it with all might. "Bind, fill and alter the world. Ice, the embodiment of eternity. Sword of the frozen world. Reveal yourself through my magic." High Tier Ice Magic. CH 12.1 Chapter 12: Good Morning (Part 1) ¡°Huh, it''s morning already.¡± I mutter as I put my hand on my forehead to cool my foggy head from staying awake the whole night. "...It''s finally over!¡± I fell to the floor and started to roll over the ground. I let out a deep, long breath of mixed feelings of accomplishment and exhaustion. I make a half roll and look up at the ceiling of the "Devil''s Den". The sunlight is coming in from the ceiling, and the crystals reflect the sunlight diffusely creating a different view from last night. "It''s really beautiful.¡± I mutter to myself. I wonder if my voice has woken her up, but a muffle, growling voice sound behind me. "Hmmm¡­¡± Crawling out from under the blankets, Spica let out a big yawn and rub her eyes. "Hey, good morning." ¡°... G-good morning." She moves her head slowly and her voice sounds carefree than usual. I look at her while she lazily stares at me with sleepy, half-open eyes. ...Hey. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re letting yourself get a little too comfortable with me? I can¡¯t stand to look at her face, so I do another half-roll. I put my forehead on the cold ground and breathe in slowly to calm my heart. Yuck, it smells like dirt. A different kind of fever, different from the fever of being awake the whole night, messed up my head. She looks so beautiful but I''m not going to tell her because I''m too embarrassed to reveal it to her. "What are you doing?" The voice was a little more gentle than before. "...I''m testing the smell of the ground.¡± "Do you smell something unusual?.. I don''t smell anything unusual though.¡± Just when I think I have successfully hidden my embarrassment, she seems to have taken the trouble to sniff the ground. No, no. Spica, there is no need for you to sniff the ground! However, when asked what I meant, I felt very embarrassed, so I decided to repeat the words appropriately. "Well, that''s what I meant." It didn¡¯t make any sense though. "Sometimes Sun-kun says things that I don''t understa¡­!!!" She stops her words in the mid-way. ¡°...Spica?" I raise my head and look at Spica as I¡¯m worried about her. Her gaze is a little further back than mine. She slowly moves her head upward, sideward, downward, and finally looking up at the ceiling. ¡°...Wow. That''s great, Sun-kun.¡± ¡°Well, I''m not the only one who does that." What Spica was looking at, is a huge dragon made of ice. It is probably eight meters long and made of ice, giving it the appearance of a reptile. However, what separates it from the regular reptiles is its huge, powerful wings. Its majestic wings are being bathed in sunlight and emitting a faint white glow. It has a rough body with visible scales and a long, thick tail that covers more than half of its body. The clear eyes give the impression of being sharp, filled with round crystals that reflect light like an eye gleam. It''s a dragon with a slender body, and it''s made up of layers of small, thin ice spikes. I proudly nod to myself as I did a nice job. When I see Spica rushing up to the dragon, I channel my mana into it. .... With a roar, the ice dragon flaps its wings powerfully and the heavy sound causes the entire place to shake. It¡¯s not over yet. "Shall we finish breakfast with the leftover pot-au-feu and bread from last night?" As the ice dragon flaps its wings, a low, horrible, muffled voice escapes from its mouth. When she hears the voice, her body trembles in surprise and looks at me with a twinkle in both of her eyes. "How did you do that?¡± "I buried this in the dragon''s body." Then, from the inside pocket of my jacket, I take out a crystal that contains my mana in it. "I''ve been trying to recreate this for a long time. Now I¡¯m successful in making it. I''ve embedded some of them in the dragon''s body, using them as a trigger to manipulate the dragon''s body." By putting command into my mana, the crystals react and move as I wish. It''s like operating a radio-controlled car. It''s fun. "I used a bit of my mana to create that voice.¡± "It draws mana from those crystals that I buried in this body and use it to make it sound like a voice. It''s like I''m forcing it to recreate what happened with the wind crystal." Halfway through the sentence, instead of my mouth, the dragon tells her. "... It''s easy when you say that, but it''s outrageous. I don''t think there''s anyone other than Sun-kun who could do it." She says that cannot be described as astonishment or dismay. CH 12.2 Chapter 12: Good Morning (Part 2) ¡°Come on¡± In my case, I felt a sense of urgency that this world might be threatened by the demon lord in the near future, so I increased my skill level. I reply in a reasonable manner while rolling over near the campfire. Since I have been working on the ice all night, the fire has been burning all night, and will continue to do so until morning. Lying down on the ground just like that, my body is gently enveloped with warmth, and drowsiness slowly fills me. As expected, I¡¯m tired and I don¡¯t have the strength to even lift a finger. "Your hair¡­ is shaggy." "Yes, I rolled around a lot. I''ll put some water on it later.¡± ¡°...Okay." Well, I didn¡¯t think she would reply to me. Spica nods her head as if making up her mind about something. I hear the sound of Spica, who was looking up at the dragon till now, coming towards me. Just when I¡¯m thinking she is right beside me, she reaches out her hand to my head fearfully. Her slender cold fingers touch my head, and my heart jumps harder than ever. "What''s wrong?" I ask as calmly as I can, trying to hide my shock. "Don''t move. I''m going to fix your hair.¡± "Thank you for that¡­ why all of a sudden?" "Because you have been so nice to you. I thought I should¡­ do something." When I hear those words, I¡¯m instantly taken aback. And then, slowly, the joy that fills my heart spills out without me even trying to hide it. "Spica, you''re a nice girl." Spica didn''t reply but in response her fingers which are combing my hair trembles slightly. ...I can understand. I too feel embarrassed when people say that face to face. I''m not sure why, but I feel an inexplicable kind of self-consciousness about being stroked on the head by a younger girl. However, the tip of her fingers tickling my head is so comfortable that I simply can''t resist. Spica''s fingers continue to touch my hair gently. ...Gradually, the pleasant warmth spreads throughout my body making me feel more drowsy. I open my mouth to shake it off. "If someone treats you well and you try to reciprocate it, then you''re a good person. I''ve seen a lot of people in my life, and I can tell you that. ¡°...Oh, yes, I''ve got some pot-au-feu on the table. Go ahead and eat it. When we get things settled, Let¡¯s make dinner together.¡± But my words remain confusing and incomplete. My thoughts became slow and sluggish as I was surrounded by the most comfortable feeling ever. I''m sleepy. Very sleepy. "My bad. I''m going to sleep for a bit. When I''m done, we''ll go to the surface.¡± I don''t know whether I¡¯m able to complete my sentence well, but I let go of my consciousness as the oncoming sleepiness overtook me. I let go of my consciousness. ¡ö¡ö¡ö As I open my eyes, I vaguely see Spica¡¯s figure facing the ice dragon with her back to me. She reaches out her hand gently to touch something reverent and poked it with her index finger. "...It¡¯s cold." She continues to spread her hand and gently strokes the icy protrusion. ¡°Even though these scales are fake, it feels real." She crouches down to the ground, staring at her claws and muttering. ¡°...These are Claws made well." She crawls underneath its belly and looks up at the dragon as if to stare at it. "Its belly has traces of wind crystals. This is a regular size for a dragon. ¡­ Sun-kun seems to know a lot about dragons." That''s not true. It''s because of the previous knowledge from my past life. Spica continues to stare at the dragon and opens her mouth again. "...I think it''s true that Sun-kun was controlling it. But still, all I could think was that it was alive. He explained it to me properly, but..." She extends her index finger again and pokes in its belly. "Hello. Is there anyone in there?..." She calls out to the dragon in a small, fearful voice. While watching Spica, I was completely awake in the middle of the show and struggling to hold back the laughter that was welling up in me. The mischief in me squirmed. I secretly let my magic flow so that Spica would not find out about it. ¡°You found me out, little girl. The truth is, despite what Sun-kun said, I''m still conscious. Also, the lord of the Devil¡¯s Den is me." "Whoa, whoa, whoa!¡± Spica turns at me with great speed. Of course, I close my eyes and pretend to be asleep. Spica, who has confirmed that I¡¯m sleeping, panics and holds her mouth tightly in an exaggerated way, then turns to the dragon and calls out to him fearfully. "Um, Sun-kun is asleep, so please lower your voice. Did you really mean it, really?...¡± ¡°Yes, of course. Are you surprised? I was staying in a wind crystal, staring at the outside world." "....Oh, really? That''s tough, isn¡¯t it?" She nods with a serious face. "Well, did Sun-kun tell you about me?¡­¡± "I bet, ha..haha. I can''t stand it, ah, haha..." I turn my back to Spica and laugh on the spot. ¡°¡­.Hey, Sun-kun?" The tone of voice is horrifyingly cold. It¡¯s the coldest voice I''ve ever heard, even in a game. Even after hearing her, it took a while for the laughter to die down, and then I looked over at Spica''s face. Surprisingly, she has a big smile on her face. However, her eyes aren''t smiling. Oh no. I overdid it. "I just wanted to make fun of you because you are so cute. Sorry about that." When Spica hears my words, she rolls her eyes as if the poison has been drained out of her, and after a moment, she closes her eyes and exhales as if she has given up. ¡°I was really impressed. But I don''t think this kind of thing is good." It looks like the only option I have is to apologize. CH 13.1 Chapter 13: Lord of Lords (Part 1) At last, it¡¯s time to go to the surface. While I¡¯m thinking this, I notice that Spica is getting nervous. She tightly presses lips that seem to lose their color, and now and then she opens her mouth and closes it. I wonder if she wants to say something. I can¡¯t stand to watch her, so I call out to her while looking up at the light. ¡°Hey. Is there anything you want to do after we are done with Parose Village? If there''s something you want to see, I''ll show you ...Let''s have some fun together." "...Are you sure?" She asks me while her red eyes flicker. "Hmm... As I told you before, it''s best if you don''t hold back and ask for it.¡± "Then ...I''d like you to make more sweets using the Linka fruit." "...Is that what you want?¡± "Yep, it was super delicious. I want to eat it again.¡± "All right. I promise to make it for you. Then let''s go." As I speak, I straddle on the ice dragon and present my hand to Spica. Seeing her still looking nervous, I naturally smiled. "Don''t worry. If there is a problem I will handle it.¡± Little by little, Spica''s small white hand extends and slowly takes my hand. Her hands are delicate and softer than I expected but a little colder than my hands. I pull her hand up and make her sit firmly on the icy back of the dragon. Due to my magic, she doesn''t feel the freezing cold. Just when I think I''ve put my magic into the dragon and it''s ready to charge to the surface ¡­ It''s when my playful side pops out. "Hey. Since we''re here, let''s give a shout-out. ¡°... Okay¡± She looks at me with eyes that have no emotion. Her eyes seem to be frostier than my ice. Come on, it''s okay if I''m a little playful. "It''s not fun to fly without saying anything, is it? Besides, it gets me fired up more than a man''s annoying voice does." As if she has given up, she lowers her eyes, lets out a small exhale, and then inhales sharply. "Fly!" "Haha, thanks, that''s great. Let''s go then!" It''s great that you''re going out with me in some way or another way. The dragon flaps its wings wide. And as soon as its body seems to levitate, the ice dragon dives up... ???? The dragon''s growling voice cuts through the silence of the village. Under the clear sunlight of a pleasant spring day, a gentle and vast scene of simple nature is woven together. Ordinary life goes on. Until just a few days ago. CH 13.2 Chapter 13: Lord of Lords (Part 2) In Parose Village, an extraordinary dragon is walking right next to the "Devil''s Den" There are so many people around us, wondering why the hell the dragon is here. One of them is Lark, who gave us advice when we first came to this village. He looks at the dragon with a startled expression on his face, but then is deeply relieved to see us on its back. And in front of me, I see Thanatos trying to hide his upset. His forehead is covered in sweat as he is trying to start a conversation with the dragon. "Well, you must be the Lord who lives in the Devil''s Den." ¡°?...I don''t know. I never remember being the lord of this Den." When Thanatos hears the words of the dragon, he nods his head while sweat drips on the ground. He seems to be expressing respect with his whole body. "Yes, you''re absolutely right. But we humans are small beings who have to respect someone to survive. You are the Lord who owns this Den and I will not mistake your voice." "It''s tough being human." When Thanatos hears those words, he smirks and glares at me and Spica on the back of the dragon. "Hey! Why are you guys riding on the back of the Lord? It seems that you have used your wiles to ensnare the Lord, but that will not work as long as I, Thanatos, is here! I''m going to peel your skin off just like I did last night!¡± ¡°...Well, that''s okay. I''ve got a few questions I''d like to ask you.¡± I then lightly tap Spica on the shoulder and jump off the dragon. ¡°Thanatos, you look like you''ve been leading a pretty good life. Your hands are soft and you have fat all over you. By the way, I found Human bones at the bottom of the Den. Do you mind explaining?" "Haha, there are human remains lying around! Those must be the rogue and his family. They are villagers who rebelled against me, the protector of the peace of Parose Village. So, I had them serve as sacrifices to the Lord. "It¡¯s for the Peace. People spend sleepless nights shivering at the sound of the roar, and eventually, they become frightened of their own shadows at night. The fear breeds doubt, and doubt breeds fear¡± "Then why did someone rebel?" ¡°...I suppose they could not understand this noble purpose of mine. They were ignorant. "One more question, okay? Thanatos, what did you try to do to Spica when we first came to this village? As I recall, you said you were going to purify her, but what exactly did you mean by that? How can a mere traveler like myself bring chaos to this village? Tell me." As I say this, I take my gaze off Thanatos and look up at the dragon. "The big lord you''re talking about is here too. Tell me the truth, please.¡± "That''s-" Shut up, shut up, shut up! You are the devil, after all. You are trying to bring chaos and destroy the peace of this village!¡± Thanatos'' face turns bright red and he shouts with all his might that he is unwilling. He is sweating and out of breath. Here''s the bad news. ¡°I can smell it. It smells like a lie, Thanatos! You''re lying to me. And I never laid a hand on this village. That''s a bit of a roar, but does that make a person divisive?" "Aaahhhh--aaahhhh! It can''t be! I¡­ I¡­ I¡­¡± Thanatos collapses to the ground, staining his gorgeous robe with mud. And there is no one to offer a hand to him. He falls to the ground helplessly, then looks up and sees me. "You think you''ve done a good deed? You must have felt so good all this time, you arrogant bastard!" "It''s not like that. I''m not trying to do anything for this village, I''m just mad at them." He may have no more words to reply. This time, Thanatos'' whole body gave up. CH 14.1 Chapter 14: Settlement (Part 1) Things went fast from then on. ¡°To the villagers here, I promise to not attack you, humans. It has nothing to do with me. I only sleep in the bottom of my large den. Well, I will make sounds in my sleep which may cause the roar again, but please don''t mind that." I make the ice dragon speak with my magic and fly its wings back into its large den. ...The villages look dumbfounded by all this, but Lark shouts and the villagers begin to move. First of all, Thanatos - he has been taken somewhere by the villagers. I am impressed that he didn''t seem to be rampaging, but just quietly following behind. The rest of the villagers just gaze distantly at me and Spica. The one who calls out to us is Lark. "Come here for a minute." At his request, we are taken to his house. For a second I braced myself to see what will happen, but he silently takes out two bottles from the cupboard and pour them into a cup. Then he offers a cup to me and Spica. ¡°...Let''s have a toast. This grape juice for you, girl." I don''t know what he was thinking when he looked at us seriously, but he opens his mouth and laughs. ¡°The name "Palouse" means "trust. But that word hardly seems to be appropriate for this village. ¡­.Until today." How can he not have a drink on such an auspicious day? While saying so, he calls for another toast. "Hold on a second. Excuse me." I say this to Lark and make ice from the tip of my finger and drop it into the cup. "Oh, thank goodness for that. It''s nice to have Sun-kun around." ¡­ A smug smile appeared on my face. Thanks for that. "Spica too.¡± "Thank you.¡± "All right, then? Cheers!¡± And so the story goes. I am concerned about Spica''s ability to drink human beverages, but my fears seem to be unfounded. She was slowly sipping her grape juice. Without paying any attention to us, Lark poured another glass of liquor into his cup and drank it all at once. "It''s delicious! It''s the best! ¡°Maybe Sun-kun and the little miss don''t understand the situation at all. So let me explain.¡± I wonder if he''s talking to us, or if he just wants to talk, but he piles on the words like a gush of water. "It was about six years ago. A man came to the village. You guessed it, it was Thanatos. He came to Paros in a haphazard fashion, all skin and bones. But soon got kicked out of this village for causing trouble. Thanatos is a smooth talker, and he became the center of the village in an instant.¡± Lark takes a moment to say it and then stares at the grain of the ceiling. "He was good at first. He listened to the villagers'' problems and gave them his best advice. But halfway through ......, he went crazy. He began to ask for offerings and stopped even doing his daily work. He has created an environment where this is considered a good thing. ¡°...Oh, Miss. Your cup is empty. Here''s some grape juice, drink up." He fills the cup with grape juice. The sound of the melting ice hitting the glass as if it is talking to each other. "It''s a good thing I''m not the only one who''s worried about the roar he was saying. It''s Thanatos who made me feel anxious. If you don''t believe me, the Lord of the Devil''s Mouth will be very angry. Up until then, I had been able to coexist with the demon lord. "He spread his fear of the roar which he had made up for himself. It''s Thanatos who''s been making everyone nervous. He said that if you don''t trust me, the Lord of the Devil''s Mouth will be very angry. But if they listen to him, we may be able to coexist with the demon lord. First, only I believed in him. Next thing I knew, I had three believers, then five, then ten, and before I knew it, half the village believed in him. I think part of it was that I was scared. If they rebelled, they''d be killed." CH 14.2 Chapter 14: Settlement (Part 2) He moves his cup to me while staring at my eyes as if he is asking me for something. ...I silently make ice cubes and drop them into his glass. ¡°I thought about taking action, but if I did, the village would have been split in half. So the only way to solve this problem was for someone from the outside to bring in a new wind. But I didn''t think I would be that lucky. So thank you very much.¡± I scratch one of my cheeks. That''s not the kind of praise I can give away. "No, there is no need for thanking me. It''s just that I was offended by the way he looked and spoke to my companion. So, it''s something I need to do.¡± "But still. I don''t know what would have happened if San-kun hadn''t come out of the Devil¡¯s Den. I was at my wits'' end. Maybe this village would have disappeared from the map.¡± He then let out a chuckle. "Even so, I''m glad they''re okay, though. When I heard that Thanatos attacked you and you fell into the den, I still blamed myself. I should have stopped it at that time. I''m really glad. Oh, thank God." "Oh, yeah. It''s strange for me to apologize, but I''m sorry for making you worry about me. Even if I look like this, I''m good at magic, so I can protect myself.¡± ...I look out the window and see the setting sun. It seems that it is already the end of the day. Thinking about it, for some reason, Spica stares at me and Lark. I said to her, "I''m sorry it''s just a guy thing. Are you okay?" "Yes. I''ve been listening to you talk about how there are all different kinds of ...... people. "I see.¡± I gave a nod. My heart feels a little lighter now. Maybe I should be the one to thank Lark. ¡°But still. Lark blurts out. ¡°The dragon, the lord of the big mouth, was somehow very human-like. I''m sure he''ll be fine. Heh." My heart nearly burst out of my mouth. My face became tense¡­. I¡¯m not a good talker and I am well aware of that. I move my gaze to Spica as if to ask for help, but even Spica, who also has her face tensed up, looks away through the window to see nature. ...Hey "I hope there''s someone in there... Hmmm...how can there be anyone? Well, if there is someone living there, he/she must be very cool.¡± Without looking at us, Lark is lying on the floor, drunk as a skunk. This time, Spica cast an accusing glance at me. I avert my eyes to the wall. I''m sorry about that," she said. And I don''t think I can say that now in front of Lark. I''m sorry for teasing you... ¡°By the way, I wanted to ask you both something. What was the bottom of the Devil''s Den like? The way I see it, it''s a hellish place. Well, there''s always fire, and demons are lining up to plan their invasion of the earth. That''s the kind of scenery I''m talking about.¡± Lark, unconcerned with our momentary offense and defense, asks the question. He shakes his shoulders exaggeratedly, as if to say he is very frightened. Spica and I look at each other and smile bitterly at each other. Not at all. But I don''t feel comfortable telling people what I saw. I¡¯m sure that no one who hears the roar of the villagers will ever think that at the bottom of the Devil''s Mouth there is a spectacular view. "...I can¡¯t tell anyone. It''s a secret between me and Spica.¡± CH 15 Chapter 15: It may Rain I look up at the sky, which is deep and calm blue. The pleasant sunshine, filtered through the clouds in places, brightly illuminates the path in front of me. A short distance away from this spot, there is the mist that seems to be covering the sky. It''s ...the "Whispering Forest" that we came through. It''s nice weather. A perfect day to travel. Closing my eyes for a moment, I admire the fresh morning scent. In front of me is the figure of Lark. On my right hand is Spica with her hood covering tightly over her head. -Life is made up of encounters and farewells. Such thoughts pass through my mind. The following words are, "Make every effort to have a pleasant farewell.¡± These words: "Just make sure you say hello" were said to me by my parents in my previous life, so much so that I almost feel like I have paralysis in my ears. However, it''s the truth of the world. "... Do you really have to go on the trip already?" "Yes.¡± "You can take it a little slower¡­ The village will be settled in a few days, and I''ve been discussing with the village chief about throwing a big party to show our appreciation.¡± "I''ll just take your feelings. It''s hard to calm down when the person who caused the commotion is still here.¡± "Well, I can''t deny all of it, but¡­¡± In the first place, our actions were not aimed at helping the village. It would be strange for us to receive such an acknowledgment. It''s hard to tell Lark this, but as the one who can contact the Lord of the Big Mouth, I might be worshipped like a second Thanatos, and the Lord of the Large Den is itself a problem for me. If they go into it too deeply I will not be able to bear it. Anyway, this is too much trouble for a mere traveler like me. I had decided with Spica that I would be leaving this village at the end of the day. ¡°Hey, you should definitely come back again. That time, the whole village will come together to make this village''s famous dish!¡± "I''m looking forward to it. ...Let''s go, Spica.¡± I wave my hand and turn my back to the place and start walking. I can hear the sound of Spica''s light footsteps as she follows close behind me. But the truth is that I managed to get more than just a thank you. Yes, it was a night spent in the devil''s den. Spica and I were the only people in the world who have enjoyed the real view of the Devil¡¯s Den. If it hadn''t been for that incident, we would never have been able to enter the Devil''s Den. It¡¯s a precious experience that I will not trade for anything. Unfortunately, it''s not all that good. I failed to get the supplies or information on the dragons that I had been hoping for, and it had been a very hectic and uncomfortable stay. I turn to Spica, who is following close behind me. Before I know it, she takes off her hood, exposing her silver hair, which is shimmering. She tilts her head softly in response to my gaze, and her hair sways freely in the air. It¡¯s probably her who is in more trouble than me. Not only has she been hurt by Thanatos, but her homeland has been destroyed by humans. I wonder if I can do anything for her with such a past. Maybe she is surprised to see me staring at her in silence, but she rolls her eyes and gives me a childish look. "The next destination is ...a place called the town of Miel, right?¡± "Yes, that''s right. I''m sure Spica will enjoy it, so you can look forward to it.¡± Miel means "honey" in French. It''s one of the stages that appeared in the game, and it''s big enough to be a village but small enough to be a town. It''s a place like that. This is the next destination that I had discussed with Spica last night. It''s also the place I stopped by before coming to Parose Village. "By the way, you should be careful when they serve the famous cheese in Miel. The cheese is fermented with worm eggs planted inside. The texture and aroma of the larvae. They seem to enjoy the scent of cheese, but ... my limit was only a single bite. " "Humans are amazing, aren''t they?... " Her tone of voice is indescribable. ...I''m sorry to be so rude to the Miel people, but please don''t include this type of food in the category of humans. Oh, yes. "Before I came here, I found a beautiful place. Do you mind if we stop by there?" "Sure. I''m looking forward to it." She looks me in the eye and smiles at the corner of her mouth, her eyes narrow with an unmixed feeling of anticipation. ¡°...Oh.¡± She shows many expressions openly to me now. I feel so embarrassed by this that I turn my eyes away from Spica and look up at the sky. ¡ö¡ö¡ö -The sky is filled with the sound of rain. All I can hear is the sound of rain and the distant hooting of owls. When I look up at the sky, it is filled with thick layers of black clouds. It¡¯s sunset, but the area is completely dark. ¡°Ahhhh¡­ it''s not going to stop all night.¡± The sky was clear when we set out, but as time went on, more and more clouds appeared, and now it¡¯s pouring down, making me feel depressed. "I guess we''ll be camping here tonight.¡± Then, I make an ice stick in my hand. I walk a few steps away from the road and carve a magic mark on the ground. As soon as I finish digging the intricate patterns, I pour my mana into the pattern. A sheet of my mana swells up. The membrane swells up to envelop us and stabilizes in the shape of an upturned bowl. It''s a rainproof barrier. It automatically repels the moisture from the wet ground and dries us out, so we don''t have to worry about where to sleep. "Whew, now I can catch my breath.¡± As I cast a clean-clean spell on my body, the rainwater dries up and wipes away my discomfort. I feel like I have come back to life. After that, I quickly make a fire and sit down next to it. The heat of the fire feels so comfortable on my wet and cold body. One of the best things about the barrier is that it doesn''t trap air when I build a fire, so I can use the fire with peace of mind. "Are you okay? It will be terrible if you catch a cold or something. Let''s get you warmed up.¡± "Thank you¡­¡± Spica removes the cloak which has been covering her body and she is now wearing only a single head garment. The head garment, which was soaked by the rain and stuck tightly to her body, revealing the outline of her body. It seems that no matter how much magic is used to dry it, the thin cloth remains firmly wet. I immediately look away and take out a blanket from her pouch and throw it to Spica. I just point a little bit at my chest¡­ conveying my intention. Her cheeks blush red and wrap the blanket around her. Spica sits down very close to me with the blanket around her body. ¡­ So close. I guess the distance is less for the two people to fit in. Her hips seem to be uncomfortable and she wriggles around to find a place to put them. She mumbles in a voice that seems to be lost in the sound of rain pounding against the barrier. "My parents used to stay with me on rainy days and teach me how to study.¡± ¡°...They were good parents.¡± "... I miss them.¡± As she says these words, I try my best to hold back the emotions that are running through my chest. When we arrived at Parose Village, Spica, whose face turned bright red when I saw her startled by the roar, spitting out her weakness to me. Spica''s hands are clasped so tightly that it makes her white skin even whiter. Not knowing what to say ¡­.I look up at the barrier. The barrier is just hit by a drop of water that keeps falling and pops. The only sound is that of rain. "I miss them.¡± She spoke again. I''m sure she isn¡¯t looking for a definite answer. Even so, I feel the need to say something, so I open my mouth. ¡°... My parents died when I was little. The last memory of them was that they were being attacked by a demon.¡± That was in this life. The painful loss of someone who shares the same blood is too strong to put into words. Thanks to that ¡­,or rather because of that, the memories from my previous life came back to me. I was so desperate at that time that my ego, as an adult, could not bear the prospect of the future. I was able to relax my mind - that is when I was able to put my feet on the ground in this world, I was happy to let go of the fantasy that was spreading all around me. "I was sent to an orphanage, where I silently devoted myself to the training of magic. It''s not a lie that it was both a¡­ hobby and a practical benefit, and I enjoyed the improvement that I began to feel along the way.¡± There was no one there to stop me from silently continuing my self-discipline, which was excessive for a child. "I guess the worst part was probably that I didn''t tell anyone about the pain I was feeling, and as I couldn''t talk about it, the bad feelings were building up inside me. So..." I stare at the flickering flames and continue to speak. "I was relieved to hear Spica''s words of weakness. You''re going to be fine. I can assure you ...I can only listen to what you have to say, but I''ll take you seriously, so just let it out." Her voice leaks out like the sound of rain. I''m sure Spica''s mind will clear up like the rain after ¡­ the rain. I guess I''m being too cool. CH 16.1 Chapter 16: Thank You for Your Hard Work (Part 1) The fire, which had been burning so vigorously, has calmed down and is now producing a slow stream of smoke. The sound of rain and the darkness of night remains unchanged. She must have been tired from the waves of emotions overflowing through her slender body. Now, Spica is sitting on her knees, her face in her lap while breathing softly in her sleep. Many of the words she spoke were cold. For instance, "It hurts. I just can''t forgive them¡­¡± But there are a few exceptional words she said while steadily looking up at me. "Thank you for being so considerate of me. I''m so glad you''re here, Sun-kun.¡± She whispers to herself. I say in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat about it.¡± Taking a slow breath, I lift up her bangs with my right hand. "You''re going to hurt yourself if you sleep like that.¡± There is no response. She is sitting on her knees, soundly breathing in her sleep. ...As I¡¯m left with no choice, I put the fur on the ground, then lift her knees and lay her down on the fur. I¡¯m not in the mood to go to bed.. so I thought to drink a little and then cover myself with a blanket. However, as I try to get back to the campfire, I can¡¯t move my body away from Spica. Her hands firmly gripped the edge of my jacket. "...You''re sleeping, aren''t you?" I whisper again, but there is still no reply. I didn''t feel comfortable shaking her off, so I sat back down, trying not to make a sound. I took out a bottle of traditional drink that I had gotten from a place I had visited in the past, and slowly heated it in a ceramic bowl with the flame from my fingertips. Waiting for the drink to warm up, I listen to the sound of the rain, and then sip it, a little at a time so as not to get myself drunk. ¡­ It has a refreshing aftertaste as if I¡¯m drinking water. It is so delicious. The rainy wind is chilly. But the heat from the alcohol warms the bottom of my body and is so comfortable. With the rain pouring down on us, I lick my lips as I drink. I feel calm. It''s as if the depths of my heart have become one with nature, and all of my obscene human problems have disappeared into the distance. I sip my drink again. When I was traveling alone, the atmosphere was always like this. It is fine, but traveling with someone else is also something ¡­that is not bad. When we left, I told Spica that I will take her to the most beautiful places I can find. But I wasn''t aware of it, but it seems I''m enjoying this trip with her more than I thought. I scratch my cheek with my finger, even though it doesn¡¯t itch. It has been about an hour since I have started drinking. Without a second thought, I looked at Spica, and our eyes met. Her eyes are slightly open though. "You''re awake. It''s still night, why don''t you go back to sleep?" ¡°...¡± She did not reply. But Spica stares at me as if she has never seen my face before. Her gaze shifts from my eyes to my face, and then to Spica''s own hand, which was gripping the hem of my dress. She silently let go of her hand and turned her head away. Her white skin is illuminated by the flames of the fire, and is distinctly recognizable red, but I know that it is not just the color of the fire. She put her face down as if she is cowering and let out a moan that cannot be described as an ah or an oo. ...Haha. You are embarrassed by all the things you''ve blurted out earlier, right? A small smile spread across my face, "You don''t have to worry about that.¡± Not that I am drunk to that extent, but I take out a tartaric fruit from my pouch and throw it into my mouth. In exchange for the bitter taste spreading in my mouth, the pleasant intoxication I was feeling disappears like a falling wave. Spica''s embarrassed face is cute, like a little animal, but if I leave her alone, she will continue to feel nervous like this. Spica''s body trembles as she lets out a wry smile without even trying to hide it. "If you don''t like it, let me know.¡± I remember what Spica had done to me at the bottom of the big mouth. So, I gently reach out to her head and put my hand on it. I then pat her head and let go of my hand. I say, "I knew what Spica was thinking, so don''t worry too much about it. Her voice of disapproval leaks out again from usual Spica after hearing my words. ¡°...More." "Hmm?" A voice like the sound of a bell rolls over. "Pat me more." ¡­. Silently, I continue to pat Spica''s head. The sensation of her hair running through my fingers, it''s so different from my stiff, habitual hair. She has silky and smooth hair that doesn''t catch on my fingers. The horns on the edges of her small head give my hand a soothing sensation. Spica''s head moves slightly as if she is pressing against my hand. Her ears and cheeks, which I can see through her hair, are stained a deep red. When I see this, heat rushes to my face. I feel as if I have been hit by a bonfire. This is not good. I feel like I''ve pulled the trigger on something different and decisive. ¡°...¡± Spica''s breath leaks out as if it is poking at the back of my throat. I hear it, and this time my hand stops stroking. "It''s done." It¡¯s a tone I have never heard before as if someone other than me had spoken it. I lightly pat her head. Silence. The only sound between me and Spica is the sound of raindrops falling on the ground. I take a slow, deep breath to cool my head. I¡¯m supposed to get rid of the ... tension, but what''s the point of making myself feel embarrassed too? I bite down on the thoughts that come to slightly calm my head. ¡°... Umm, I haven''t eaten dinner yet. Do you want me to make you some food?" ¡°...Sure." CH 16.2 Chapter 16: Thank You for Your Hard Work (Part 2) . . . We complete our meal with a few words in between. As I sip the traditional drink(alcohol), I glance at Spica who also happened to turn her shapely eyes to me. I frown exaggeratedly and move my lips into a smile. "Thank you for your hard work in Paros Village. Spica and I are really tired.¡± Letting out an exaggerated sigh, and the little embarrassment which I¡¯ve been feeling seems to melt away with it. Then, I rummage through the contents of my pouch. I take out the traditional drink and pour it into a cup. I also add a lot of fruit juices, cut fruits, and lavish sweets with a lot of sugar. "Since you''re here, let''s have a little get-together, just the two of us. We''ve been through a lot after all ...It will be nice to have it in the rain." She stands up silently and sits down close to me. Her soft and gentle scent spreads around me. Spica picks up the pottery of the traditional drink on the ground and tilts her head faintly when she sees my face while I smile mischievously at her. She is going to pour me a drink. She¡¯s closer than she''d ever been before, but my mind remained strangely calm. I held out the small cup and heard the sound of a drink being poured, muffled by the rain. "Sankyu." (TN: Japanese word) "Sankyu?" "It means thank you.¡± "You''re welcome. Me too." Sankyuu ...sankyuu. Her cute sounds of broken words and silly phrases made me laugh slowly. Spica tilts her head, wondering why I''m laughing, and I feel another wave of laughter coming on. From that time onwards, we continued to chat about many things, not caring that the night was drawing to a close. "How''s that juice? Does it taste good?" "...It tastes strange. I''ve never had it before." "I bet it does." I bought it because it has the slogan ¡®It tastes like the Summer Sun¡¯ on it. I didn''t feel like drinking it myself alone, so I had Spica drink it for me. I''m sorry.¡± "It''s terrible! But it''s strangely delicious, so I can''t complain¡­¡± Spica gives me a complicated look. What, it''s good? Then I should have drunk it myself. She probably guessed what I was thinking. She held the juice in her hands as if to hide it, and looked at me coldly. "I''ve been studying so much since I was little, but I''ve never seen anything like the bottom of the Devil''s Den. Traveling is good.¡± "Yes, it is! Traveling is great. If you can enjoy the atmosphere, you can be a good traveler ...But it''s hard to live like a leaf blowing in the wind, without stability.¡± Like Money, trust, danger. As I don''t want to say anything negative about it, I keep silent. ¡°I bet Spica and I are the only ones who''ve ever enjoyed the real view of the Devil''s Large Den. Isn''t it great?" "Yeah!¡± "Is alcohol good for you?¡± ¡°...Yes, it is. It''s delicious and fun.¡± But I think I¡¯d better think about how I¡¯m going to interact with her. Here''s a story about a failure in drinking. While I was traveling, I was enjoying a drink with the best view, and I got drunk. I gesture to the ground, falling limp with my eyes. "I was one with the ground at that time. That''s when I was attacked by a demon¡­! I couldn''t use magic in my drunken stupor, and a wizard who can''t use magic is weaker than a waddling bedbug. I was ready to die.¡± "What happened to you? Did you get hurt?¡± "Yes, it''s a popular place for locals, and some nice people helped me out.¡± "I''m really glad¡­ ¡° ¡°It''s not just the alcohol that''s killing you, it''s the bugs¡­ Sorry, forget about it." (TN: ...Bugs? Are you kidding me?) ¡°...¡± "Stop it! Don''t look at me like that!¡± I''m sorry to say something boring! Goddamn it! ...A white color mix at the end of the sky. The sky was just beginning to dawn, and thick clouds still made their way across the sky. After a short break in the conversation, a big yawn appears from Spica''s mouth. Her lips open wide as she begins to yawn. After that, her lips close with a small exhale. "I''m going to bed now. We''ve been talking a lot.¡± Saying these words, Spica curls up in the fur that lay at her feet. "What''s wrong?" "...I''m sleeping. I''m already sleeping." Then she pats the fur. ¡°...What do you want me to do? No, I don¡¯t get it.¡± "No, it''s¡­ ¡°Just for today. I want to pamper you...Is it a no?" As I¡¯m wondering what I should say, she claps her hand on the fur stronger and stronger, turning into a fluffy sound. I get amused and stare at it silently. The sound of the dragon hitting powerfully on the ground became less and less fancy and became a dull thumping sound. The vibrations cause drops of water to fall from the leaves of the trees in the area with great force. No, it''s scary. "It''s just for today. Think about me, too. Look, I''m a man." ....Spica covers her entire body with the blanket to hide her face. I wonder if she realized what she had said. Oh, she must be embarrassed as hell. I roll over on the small fur and take another blanket out of my pouch and put it on. CH 16.5 Chapter 16.5: Side Chapter ¡°Aww¡­¡± I open my mouth and let out a yawn. I gather up my consciousness and keep it together so that I don''t fall into the silent darkness of the depths of the ocean again. It''s nothing exaggerated, I just woke up from sleep. Ugh, I''m awake. "Oh.¡± I open my eyes and see the face of an incredibly beautiful girl filling my vision. The distance between us is probably a little less than 30 centimeters. The girl is looking up at me, but when our eyes meet, she smiles softly. Her silvery-white hair, which looks pleasant to touch, curled like the sea, gently lapping at the water''s edge. Under her long eyelashes, alluring scarlet eyes stare right into mine. When I first met her, she had an expressionless face. Her appearance was so great that I even felt a sense of mystery, and she had an otherworldly temperament that made it hard to believe she was a person with flesh. But now. Her snow-white skin that catches the warm sunlight is filled with the presence of the living. Before it can get registered in my mind, I feel my heart throb. When I think about it, last night ...or rather this morning, we slept together on a small fur under the barrier. It''s no wonder we''re so close to each other in our sleep. I reached out to my face to hide the embarrassment I felt from seeing her so close. But, in the process, my hand accidentally touches her cheek. Spica shyly twists her body. But she didn''t shake off my hand. While I¡¯m wondering ...what is it like, Unknown to me, I pull her cheek. ...It''s so soft, what is this? It''s like I want to touch it endlessly. As I admiringly soak in the chewy texture, Spica smiles and reaches for my cheek. I wonder what is going on with me, and then she too pulls my cheek. ¡°... Goooooddd mmmmorniiiiing." "...Oh-oh-fu-aimasu (good morning)." Somehow it became very funny and we both laughed. ...Not yet! She puffs her cheeks full of air. Immediately, Spica''s finger comes off my cheek. Hahahaha. When I stare at Spica with a grin, she puffs out her cheeks in response. However, I can see that she''s trying her best to puff her cheeks as they aren¡¯t stretched enough. Besides, Spica''s cheeks are too soft to pull when she puffs. I admit defeat in front of her too soft cheeks. When I let go of her cheeks, Spica raises her upper body, looks down on me making a triumphant pose. But as she puffs out her nostrils, I squeeze her chin again. Take that, now where is that smile on your face! As I am smiling in victory at Spica, who is now groaning at me¡­ "Hey!" Spica complains as her fingers poke me at the sides. Don''t do it, my sides are weak. Her fingers kept poking me. I feel so ticklish that I let out a shameful scream that I¡¯m embarrassed to even raise. Spica continues to poke me until she''s satisfied, and there I¡¯m left breathless. ¡°...Haha, haha." I glance to the side to see if I should retaliate. I peek out from under the blanket and see her covered by a thin piece of cloth. ¡­ I can''t touch her! "I''m sorry. I''ve lost." I collapse on the spot and raise a declaration of defeat to Spica, who is silently puffing her cheeks with joy. CH 17.1 Chapter 17 Part 1: Many trees grow haphazardly on either side of the path. In front of the path is a natural arch made of intertwining creepers. The ground is gently sloping, almost like a small hill. The spectacular view that I wanted to show Spica is just ahead. "Almost there.¡± From the top of a huge fallen tree, I held out my hand about a meter above her. At the end of my hand is a beautiful, eye-catching girl, Spica Velvet. ¡°Thank you.¡± "... Did you like it?" "It¡¯s hard to put it in words." She says with a bright smile on her face. Spica was a character in a game I played in a previous life. But now, it''s hard to think of her as a game character anymore. In the game, ¡®The Last Sword¡¯, Spica''s role was that of a demon lord. She pulls my hand firmly towards me and draws herself up onto the fallen tree. Her lips pout as she uses her magic to remove the pieces of tiny wood pieces from her cloak, she is already far away from her usual appearance in the game. In the game, the gaze she directed at the player was a blank look, reflecting no kind of emotion. She was the epitome of despair and destruction. In contrast, the girl that is in front of me, tilts her head and gives me a puzzled look that gives me the impression that she is a child. Not bad. I''m glad for her. ¡°...What?" "No, it''s nothing. Let''s go.¡± "Can you give me a minute? "What''s the matter? Did you get hurt? Are you okay?¡± "No, I''m not. I don''t know how to describe it, but I''m having a good time, so why don''t we take a break?...¡± "I understand." Spica sits down on a huge fallen tree and shuffles her feet. I''m not in a hurry. I sit down on a fallen tree too. I take out two square blocks of ice from my pouch and hand one to Spica beside me. "Thank you.¡± "Mmm!" Spica makes a sword appear in the air and cuts off the top of the ice with it. I flick the ice with my fingers, and the top fell to the ground. What¡¯s inside is chilled water. This is caused by magic. In this world, there is the magic that was a fantasy game in a previous life. ...A gentle breeze blew, and the pleasant sound of the leaves rustle. The sun''s rays filtered through the trees, creating a soothing atmosphere. We silently enjoy nature without any conversation. I said earlier that we were traveling, but this strange trip had another goal. That is, to find the village of the Dragon-men, the same race as Spica. Spica''s homeland was destroyed by humans. I don''t know why the humans destroyed the village. Maybe if I ask her, she can tell me¡­ But that will surely be an act of stepping on the sensitive parts of her heart. I''m not sure how I, a human, can ask Spica who was exposed to human cruelty. It''s not easy. The promise I made to her when we started our journey was that I will send her back to the dragon people. Eventually, our journey will come to an end. Just thinking about it brings an indescribable feeling that dominates my heart. ¡­ A bitter smile appears on my face. I''m completely overwhelmed just by the thoughts of getting separated from her. What I need to do is to help her understand that there are many different kinds of humans through this journey. And the only thing I can do for Spica is to make sure that she doesn''t get hurt by any more humans. This is just my personal wish ¡­ I hope she enjoys her journey with me. I wonder what effect she had on her first visit to Parose Village. Well, she got along with me. ...I''m embarrassed to say it myself. When I think about humans, everything instantly becomes confusing. When she saw Lark, who had been good to us in the village of Parose, she seemed to think, "There are different kinds of humans out there," but what happened in the village was not a good thing. I don''t think it had a positive impact on her. CH 17.2 I rest my back gazing at the trees above. I want to make sure that Spica has fun in the next town. If possible, I want her to interact with other humans, even if it''s just a little bit. Fortunately, I''ve been to Miel Town before, so I don''t have to worry about it. I''ve already assessed our current situation and formulated a plan for the future. The only thing left is to do her best. ¡°...Uh-oh." I jump off from my spot. "We should get going." For some reason, she looks unhappy. After a few seconds, she tugs on the sleeve of my dress a little. "Wait." She says and walks towards me. She pats me on my back. It seems that she is removing the dirt on my body by lying down. I can use magic to remove dust from my body, and just a few minutes ago I saw Spica use magic to remove dust from her own body. I don¡¯t understand why she didn¡¯t use magic but instead, she does it by herself. "Sorry for the trouble." Instead of answering, I hear her humming happily. Her hands, which had been gently removing dust, moved to my head and gently removed the dust from my hair. ....When I saw her so close, I felt like holding her pretty head in my hands. "You sure are enjoying it.¡± (MC) "Yes." Saying that, Spica hums happily again. I''ve heard that dragon-man has a very strong bond of trust between the races. If I replace the species with a similar-minded person, isn¡¯t this behavior strange?... I stop thinking about it because I can¡¯t figure it out. Well, what will be will be. A bitter smile appears again. The only thing I can do for Spica is to make sure she doesn''t get hurt by any more humans. Including me. "That''s it.¡± "Thanks." "You''re welcome.¡± I can¡¯t see the expression on Spica''s face, but I¡¯m sure she is enjoying herself. That''s what I thought. ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö Beyond the vividly veined trees, my vision suddenly became clear. Ahead of me is a spectacular view. I posed triumphantly while Spica was taken aback. That''s it, that''s the reaction I wanted to see. That''s why I didn''t attempt to tell her the details. They are at the top of a small hill, overlooking the small Miel Town. The town of Miel is surrounded by a field of flowers that spreads out all around. It is as if the whole town is the center of a giant flower. From the town, there were several winding roads, which made it look more like flower petals separated from each other. It is a landscape created by human hands, not by nature as I had seen in the past. She turns her head and looks at the field of flowers in awe. It was one of the most mysterious places in the game. Also, one of my favorite places in the game. ¡°That''s the place we''re going to. It is called Miel, the Flower Town. "...Awesome." Seeing Spica''s wordless, I know it has been worth the long detour and several days of walking through the trees to come to Miel Town. CH 18.1 A sweet and pleasant fragrance tickles the back of my nose while the yellow flowers sway softly in the background. Spica, spinning across the carpet of flowers, moves ahead of me on the road. Her face, peeking through the gap in her hood, is expressionless, but her spirit is high. "You seem to be in a good mood." When she hears my words, she stops moving and approaches me with light footsteps. Spica, whose face is dyed red, looks up at me and gives me a big smile. ...Oh, she¡¯s so pretty. I tap my fingers laboriously on my rapidly beating heart and exhale to calm my thoughts. I can tell that she is enjoying herself fully, I averted my gaze from the mock joyfulness of her smile, which was not her usual unconscious smile. Ahead of us, a field of flowers spread out in a continuous line. Yellow, red, peach, and white, the colors varying regularly. I stop in my tracks and slowly enjoy the fragrance that fills my heart. Even with my eyes closed, the scent makes me think of yellow like it''s colored. When I open my eyes¡­ I see Spica tugging at the edge of her deeply covered hood, as if embarrassed. She seem to move in a small run and then ducked a step behind me. ¡°...Do you like flowers?'' ¡°We dragon people pride ourselves on living and dying by nature. Nature is our companion. ¡­ I especially like flowers." I see, no wonder her spirit is so high. I can imagine the simple and diligent way of life from the way she spoke. I nod my head. "Aren''t we going?" "Yes, I guess so. Let''s go.¡± She followed my words, but the scenery around me did not move at all. The gates in front of us and the small station beside us grew larger and larger, and I finally felt like I¡¯m walking. "The town is full of flowers like this, and the inhabitants wear them in their daily lives. I don''t know if it''s because of this, but there are many generous people in the town of Miel. ...So, it will be easy for Spica to spend time here. And besides," I continue. "The inn where I''m planning to stay is run by a couple of foxmen, a ninko and a human. Don''t be surprised if you see them.¡± He doesn¡¯t care what I call him, and his wife is a fox-man. They have a daughter too. She''s probably close to Spica''s age, though I don''t know the exact number because I didn''t ask. She looks vaguely convinced as I speak. "I''m a dragon-man who does things when I have to.¡± "What do you mean?" "I''m traveling with San-kun. So I''m sure I will be fine.¡± I feel an indescribable feeling in my heart as she lowers her head and says those words. Because Spica said the same thing when I arrived at Parose Village. ¡°...I see." "You seem to be worried about something.¡± ¡°...Spica is like a little cat, so I can''t shake my worry.¡± "Mmm. I''m a dragon. I''m not a cat.¡± "It is a fable that cats can be intimidating with their fur, they can scare you, or they can even mess with you.¡± See, it''s just like Spica. When she heard this, she didn''t reply, but turned away and took another step backward, smiling a little so as not to hide it. "We''re approaching the entrance to the town. If anything happens to us, we''ll escape this time. So let''s take it easy and have fun." At the end of the road was an open gate, behind which we can see people going through their daily lives. "Hey, Sun-kun." The words are spoken in a soft tone while her fingers gently pick at her dress. I can feel the strong emotion in her voice. "Thank you for thinking of me. I''m sorry for making you worry.¡° ¡°...Mmmm¡± This time, I felt like putting on a hood. Until now, I don''t know what it is about being told directly like this. I feel pretty embarrassed. We moved our arms and legs awkwardly, and both of us walked a little slower than before to the gate. "Whoa, isn''t that the traveler who visited a while ago?¡± "Thank you for your hospitality. I''m back again.¡± "You name, it was Seung or sung something like that. Sorry, I forgot." "Ha, that''s a shame. It¡¯s neither Seung or Sung. You can call me Sun.¡± "I''m Turker, I''m one of the low-ranked guards here. I''m mainly stationed at the gate, remember me, okay? "I got it.¡± He held out his hand, I took his hand and gave it a firm shake. Tarkar-san, a guard in worn bronze armor, smiles lightly at us. "Now, let''s get to work. Your companion there is a newcomer.¡± "Yes, she has been through a lot.¡± ¡°...Hmm. Well, whatever it is, if it brings money into town, you are welcome.¡± Turker-san shrugs his shoulders in an exaggeratedly theatrical motion. He goes into his office to bring a crystal in front of us. Then, he says: This crystal will check if the person who puts his/her hand on it has the intention of committing a crime, or if he/she has a desire to harm the town of Miel. Now both of you, put your hand on it.¡± Translator Corner: I¡¯m hungry right now and it is already late here. I will upload the next part by tomorrow, thank you for reading my translation works. If you don¡¯t mind feel free to leave a comment and rate this novel on ¡®novelupda...¡¯ CH 18.2 We do as he said. ¡°...There is no problem with you two. Well, then Enjoy your stay in this town..." Turning his loose side back to his serious side in an instant, Turker-san drew a circle with the thumb and forefinger of his right hand. ...The pose of a coin that I''ve seen in a previous life. "...Sun-kun, you served me Crunchhorn meat the last time I was here, didn''t you? Do you still have it?¡± Crunchhorn is the name of a four-legged monster with huge horns. Crunchhorn meat is very tasty. It melts in your mouth, but the core is crunchy and rich in flavor. It doesn¡¯t have any demonic odor or miscellaneous taste. It could be seen in a wide area of this world, but it was a phantom beast. In the past, they were easy to hunt because of their calm temperament. Because of this, the Crunchhorns were hunted to the brink of extinction by various predators as well as humans. As a result, they fled to the sky. A four-legged beast that flies in the sky. Now, that''s what the Crunchhorn is. They are extremely cautious, and if they sense even a hint of hostility, they will run for their lives. ...No matter how sensitive they are to their surroundings, it''s easy to hunt them if I fly through the ice. The fur which I laid out when we camp is also harvested from the Crunchhorns. When the ground is cold and we lay on the ground, the ground starts to absorb more and more of our body heat, and we start to get cold. Due to the nature of flying and moving from place to place, the fur of the Crunchhorn is surprisingly cold-proof. A single layer of fur is enough to completely shut out the cold air from the ground. It''s not just fur and meat, its liver can be used to make potions, and if you hunt one, you can use the entire body. And it''s one of my main sources of income. "Well, my wife and son looked at me angry when I told them I ate Crunch Horns with the whole security team. From them, they won¡¯t let me come inside my house for not saving them some. Now, I have no place to go. so if you can help me out, I''d appreciate it!¡± ¡°Here you go." I thought he was being serious. I pulled a huge leaf-wrapped hunk of meat out of my pouch and handed it to Turker-san. It is probably a little too much for the whole family to eat though. "Oh, thank you. ...I''d pay with money, but would you prefer information for Sun-kun?" "Yes, thank you. I had a few questions I wanted to ask you.¡± "Ask me anything." I look over at Spica, who is covering her face with a hood behind me, and nod a few times. "First of all, can you tell me who is knowledgeable about the outside of town? I''d appreciate it if he could tell me the direction and know anything about beastmen.¡± ¡°Gareth-chan is a good place for that. She owns a tavern and knows a lot of things. I''ll write down the location on a piece of paper.¡± Turker-san opened his mouth and quickly drew a simple map on a piece of paper. "Two, where do I buy women''s clothing?" The clothes Spica wears under her cloak haven''t changed since we met. The hem of the dress that covers her knees is frayed. Having only one piece of clothing to travel in will be a problem in case of emergency, and if she is going to continue to wear the headgear, it will be better to repair it. "You can go to Begonia, a clothing store on the main street. It has a cute name, but it''s owned by a big, ugly man. But he''s good at his work.¡± ¡°Three, I know it''s not the right time of year, but do you know of any place that sells lingcod fruits?¡± ¡­ This is a bit embarrassing, but I''m trying to fulfill a promise I made to Spica in the village of Palouse. "That''s true¡­. Hmm. It''s good to ask at the slumbering pavilion where Sun-kun will be staying. If they don¡¯t have it ,I have a magic tool that can store things, so I may have it. Is expensive " "Thank you, I¡¯m saved. That''s all." "That¡¯s all that you know?... The meat and the price don''t add up. But if you need anything during your stay, just ask me. And when you leave town. I''ll wrap them in the shortage item and give it to you." Turker-kun holds out a piece of paper to me. I¡¯m surprised that he was more sincere than I expected. I accept the paper with a simple map on it and swallow the rude thoughts about him that come to mind as I thank him. "You can go inside then. Oops, I almost forgot, you''re here in Miel, the city of flowers. Enjoy your stay." With Turker-san''s words pushing us forward, we step out into the town of Miel. "Heh, heh, heh. The delicious Crunchhorn meat is with me now. I did it. I will be loved by my family a lot today. I''ll have to make sure my friends don''t find out." ...I hear a dirty laugh coming from behind my back. for some reason CH 19.1 As we step into the town, a scene that greets us is similar to the scene of a fantasy game. The ground is made of cobblestone, and the main street stretching from the gate is lined with various stores. The buildings are made of bricks, giving a sense of warm atmosphere. The signboards in front of the shop have a sword and shield symbol, a bunch of medicinal herbs, cartoon meat, a traveler and a pouch, and other designs that are easily recognizable. There are vases and planters everywhere, and the colors are gorgeous. In one unique store, instead of vases, there are vines hanging all over the walls of the store and small white flowers blooming all over the place. ...It''s always exciting to see it again and again. It¡¯s still a little early in the day, but there are a lot of people on the main street. The people walking along the street are wearing flowers and flower accessories in various places. "There are many humans, are you okay?" I call out to Spica, who is snuggled up close to me, and when hears me, she moves her hood up and down. However, there is no voice response. ...Where''s the brave Spica before entering the town? "...We are finally here.¡± Hoping to relieve some of the tension, I walk to the main street with that in mind. While pointing out my right hand to a street vendor selling flowers, I pay two copper coins to the smiling old lady and receive a flower. The pale pink petals spread modestly are very pretty. "May I know the name of this flower?¡± "It''s Karensa...¡± "Thank you.¡± "Huh? You have to pay me for the answer or if you come back to buy more flowers, that''s fine too." "You''re a tough lady. All right, I''ll come back for more.¡± "Thank you.¡± ...It¡¯s her stylish way to say this to the first-time customer. As the old lady flutters her hand in the air, I turn to Spica. Like a person on the street, I decorated Spica''s ears with flowers. "Now, Spica looks like a person from Miel." The pale pink petals look great along with her silver hair and crimson eyes that can be seen through the hood. I nod deeply, satisfied that I have done a good job. ...For some reason, her face slowly changes its color like a flower. She cast her eyes down as if to hide her expression, but since I have lifted her hood, it doesn¡¯t escape my notice. It¡¯s her expression when she is embarrassed or happy. I let go of the hood with great force as if I¡¯m being hit. ...It''s a very pretentious and cool action, isn''t it? Haha. I try to explain myself, but I can''t. My head was full of embarrassment, and my body stiffened as I let go of the hood. I feel like I have to say something, but all I can think about is my emotions swirling around in my head. When Spica sees me, she giggles, her lips curling into a smile. "I¡¯m happy.¡± CH 19.2 When Spica sees me, she giggles, her lips curling into a smile. "I¡¯m happy.¡± She takes a step away from me and covers herself with the hood slightly. "Kah-kah. You''re quite the gentleman, aren''t you?¡± ¡°...That''s right.¡± The old lady teasingly calls out to me, and my reply is a reckless and desperate one. I cover my eyes with my hands to cool my burning face. ¡°... For the time being, let¡¯s go to the inn first." My voice is small and scratchy, like a mosquito. "Okay." I feel my emotions calm down from hearing Spica''s words. ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö "Welcome! ...Oh? Oh!" Her fox''s ears twitched as it pokes her head out. Her chestnut eyes, which give off a cheerful impression, roll up, and a voice of admiration escape from her mouth where her dagger-like teeth peep out. "Kaa-san! The man from the last time is here again! He has a girl with him too!¡± The fox tribe girl who has been guarding the store gets up from her seat and trots off to the backside of the store. Spica and I, who are now left alone, look at each other and let out a wry smile. This is a rare occurrence that greets us when we arrive at the ¡°Slumbering Pavilion¡±(name of the inn). She is the innkeeper''s daughter, and as I said before, she is half human and half fox. Let''s leave that story for now. ¡°...Spica, do you think you can stay here by yourself? No, I don''t mean that in a weird way." When she hears my words, she looks visibly frozen. After a short pause, she look at me apologetically, and then she slowly shook her head. ¡°...That.¡± "All right." My words that follow are either negative or an apology. I pat her head, gently through the hood. "Well, well, well. It''s been a long time.¡± "I don''t think it''s been that long¡­ Anyway, I¡¯ll be in your care again.¡± The person who spoke to me is a small, slender woman dressed in an orange apron. She has chestnut eyes like her daughter''s and long golden hair that reaches her waist and hangs from her neck to her chest in a single bun. On her head are fox-like ears that stick out. A little later, a huge bear-like man appears, being led by the sign girl. Wiping his hands on his apron, he walks across the door and his eyes are sharp. He gives the impression of a huge predator. Despite his appearance, I know that he is a very kind-hearted man. These three are the entire staff of Slumbering Pavilion, and they are family. "I''m glad to see you''re doing well, ...My name is Bear. Usually, I¡¯ll be at the backside of the store. If you need anything, just tell my wife Shinoda.¡± As soon as he says these words, he turns on his foot and goes back to the backside of the house. He is a pillar of the family, with a sweet tooth, good at crafts, cooking, washing, and doing all the chores. "I''m Shinoda. Nice to meet you.¡± She waves her hand lazily across her chest. "I''m her daughter, Jaco! It''s nice to meet you!¡± She smiles vivaciously and waves her hand in the same position as Shinoda-san. Unlike her parents, she is cheerful and full of energy. CH 20.1 Chapter 20 Part 1: ¡°I need a room with two beds, and also can I borrow one of your flower vases. If you have any Linca berries, I''ll pay for them. Oh, that can wait." I tell her what I want and pay for six days. Jaco-chan, the sign girl of the Slumbering Pavilion, takes us into one of the rooms. The rooms are above the stairs. By the time we are climbing the stairs, the Sun is about to set. Through the open door, I see the room is calmly decorated, and I like it. In the center of the room, it is decorated with many flowers, there is a one-meter-long carpet with a small table and two chairs. On the table is a lamp that can be lit by channeling magic power, a candle with its end unraveled, and a candle holder. A pleasant breeze flows through the open window, fluttering the thin white curtains as if it is welcoming us. A soft bed is placed at one end of the room and a pure white blanket is folded and placed at the other end. Seeing this, a sigh escapes my lips. ¡°Whew¡­¡± No matter how enjoyable the traveling is, if you stay out in the open for too long, you''re going to get tired. It is the first time in a long time that I have been in a room that feels like a human, and it fills me with a sense of relief and fatigue. "Please take your time. Kindly, let me know if there is anything I can do for you.¡± I look over at Jaco-chan, who is smiling charmingly, flicking her fox ears while giving a polite bow. I sit down on the chair. The chair, which is weighted down heavily, lets out a small squeak of a complaint. "Which bed do you prefer?¡± ¡°Well, not particularly.¡± ¡°...Then, I will take the bed closest to each other.¡± Without waiting for her reply, I dive into bed. The scent of the clean sheets, the comfortable softness of the bed. It''s so good. ¡°I told her to borrow the flower vase, so you can put the Karenso flower in it, and Jaco-chan will bring it in a little while.¡± "Good." Raising my face from the pillow, I look at Spica, who is sitting in her chair, and I nod my head with a look of relief. I''m glad she is happy. The western sun shining through the window tints the room orange. The nice fragrance of flowers tickles my nose. The comfort of the room and the softness of the bed are about to take me to very deep drowsiness. ...Ah, this is the kind of thing that spoils people. I can''t resist my eyelids from growing heavy, and I sink into slumber. ¡ð¡ð¡ð It is a dream. I''m having a nostalgic dream. It''s a dream from when I was living in an orphanage. I opened the window in my shabby room, letting in a soft breeze, and I ran through the branches of a tree that grew far to the window. As soon as I get through the gap in the dense woods, I find myself in the outside world. A thick, milky fog covered the town. There were no people on the ...dusty streets, giving the impression of being deserted and lonely. As a young boy, I headed to a small old bookstore. "Hello." I grabbed the rusty handle and opened the door, and the smell of dust and mildew immediately filled the air. It''s not rude to say that this is a place like this ...but I wonder if I can stay there all the time and not get an allergy. At the back of the store, there is a table that is visibly old and worn out. At the back is an old man reading a stack of books. He was the owner of the store, and also my master of magic. CH 20.2 Chapter 20 Part 2: ¡°¡­Are you here?" "Yes. I know it''s a short time until dinner, but I was wondering if I could read a book on magic.¡± "You might want to read this.¡± "Thank you very much.¡± I was not the talkative type, and the old shopkeeper was quiet and eccentric. I wonder if it''s ¡­ old-age health care. People already closed their stores and are enjoying the rest of their lives by the time I leave the town, but I''d like to go see them once in a while. He once asked me, "When was the last time you were here? "You can be the wizard you want to be. If you devote yourself to your future, you will one day reach the fairy tales of fortune tellers, healers and necromancers who can see into the future and even control life as described in the ancient books. What do you do with all that power?" "Not much. I just want to walk around ...and see this world." "So you do. Ha, ha, smart way to live." He nodded his head and smoked his old pipe. --- I let go of the world around me, and wake up from my dream with an exhale. Guess, I was sleeping. Surely, dream is a wonderful word. I open my eyes and see two girls sitting around a table. One of them is Spica, and the other is Jaco-chan, who has just shown us around. The light is dim, and the lamps are lit. Jaco-chan''s eyes are wide open and her lips are quivering, as if she has just seen ...something extraordinary. Beside her, Spica is holding her face with both hands. Her skin and ears, which fail to hide by her little hands, are stained bright red like a tomato. She seems to be embarrassed about something. Eventually, Jaco-chan notices me looking at them and speaks to me slowly while she continues to tremble. "Oni-san ...! Spica-chan is cute ...!" ...I know more than that. When Spica notices me after Jaco-chan, she stares at my face, and her face turns even redder. She turns her eyes around as if she is about to fall down, and then she puts on her hood and plops down on the desk. What the hell are they talking about? ¡°Don''t pick on her too much.¡± While talking to Jaco-chan, I¡¯m filled with joy that the two of them get along well enough to talk. Good, really good. It''s hard to make her talk with a pure human, but I¡¯m hoping it will be Jaco-chan, who is half my age. I haven''t done anything, but I feel like I''ve accomplished one of the more difficult missions in the game. The achievement bonus ¡­ is my self pleasure. If it doesn''t come with ...gacha stones, I''m going to start complaining. Jaco-chan''s eyebrows lift, and then she looks distressed. Once again she looks at Spica, she then looks at me and gives me another look. Hmmm¡­ She is a good person. Hmmm. I''ve made up my mind. I''m going to be nosy now. So please don''t get angry and listen! What a backward thing to say. Anyway, what is it that she wants to say to me? "Okay. Just tell me." "If you want to be equal with Spica, I think you should show more of your clumsy side!... You see, when you came here before, you were useless and sloppy in some ways, weren''t you?" ¡­ I will be lying if I say I didn''t have a clue. Ummm, she nods with a mysterious look on her face as she firmly brings her knee-tips together on the bed she is sitting on. "Spica, you are being too careful. He is a good person, and you should be able to say what you''re feeling for him. I think you know more than I do." Spica shivers as she falls down on the floor. Jaco-chan exaggeratedly wipes her forehead and smiles, as if to cover up her embarrassment. "I hope it works out for you! So, if you''ll excuse me. See you later!¡± After making a wish for her (our) future. She finally leaves the room with her tail wagging, but she has a serious look on her face. CH 21.1 After Jaco-chan leaves, there is an awkwardness in the air. I don''t know what effect her words have on Spica, but I have more than a few thoughts running through my mind. ¡°I''m selfish at heart, and the only reason I do anything is whether I like it or not.¡± Spica seems to shake her head slowly. "I''ve only done what I liked! Though, it''s not something I''m proud to say about ¡­¡± I''ve never tasted the fruits of my daily efforts, nor have I been compensated for my diligence and honesty. Well, I''ve never regretted this way of life. That''s why I met Spica and so many other people. I nod my head to myself. Traveling is wonderful. "I''m just a human, I make mistakes. So please tell me, what''s going on?" Spica looks up and opens and closes her mouth several times. Her white face, glowing under the lamp, is tense as if confessing a sin ...A few moments later, the words slowly roll out of her open mouth. "Sun-kun has been traveling alone for a long time, right? I was wondering if my presence would affect the fun used to travel alone. I appreciate that you are providing me food and money but..." With her eyes downcast, she repeats her words. "I''m only bothering you¡­¡± I''m sure that''s what Spica really wanted to say. But the weight of her emotions made me rethink that. So, I didn¡¯t dare to reply lightly. "I''m not sure. Well, is that all you want to say?¡± ¡°Huh?...¡± She says indignantly, but when she looks at me in my eye, her momentum quickly fades, and her words disappear. Eeee, so this is what Jaco-chan wants her to say. "I''m only going to say this once because it''s embarrassing. I''m probably enjoying this trip more than Spica thinks I am.¡± After saying that much in one breath, I pull my gaze away from Spica and stare at the wall. "It''s fun to talk about the scenery together, and I''m not a talkative person, so it''s easy to be silent. And yes, I''m not trying to be a prude, but a pretty girl is also a big score. As a man, I mean. Does ...that disillusion you?" She shakes her head. "I don''t get attention very often." "That''s because I''m careful.¡± ¡°..Sorry.¡± So that I can be nice to you. "Oh, no, I didn''t mean it that way. I''m just trying to be nice to you because you deserve attention." Her large eyes flicker ...I wonder if my words are transmitted correctly? ¡°Because I can''t do any tricks, even though you have been called out because of that roar in Parose Village. Even if I did nothing, eventually they would have found out the truth by now." ¡°That¡¯s right," I continue. "If you still feel self-conscious, be proud of yourself. I don''t know how Spica feels about me, but I''m sure she thinks well of me enough to feel guilty about it.¡± Then, Spica is the kind of person who makes me want to do so well. Isn''t that amazing? " ¡°...What is that? It''s a mess. CH 21.2 A soft smile appears on the corner of her mouth as her whole body relaxes. I shrug my shoulders in an exaggerated motion and make a shocked face with an exaggeratedly furrowed eyebrow. "I¡¯m being serious.¡± I¡¯m joking, of course., because I speak in one language towards the end. Damn it. Spica did not say it out loud, but only made the two words with her lips, and her expression fell. I''d rather smile than look nervous. ¡°...I''m going to go downstairs for a bit. I need to talk to Shinoda-san.¡± I wonder if there are any Linka berries in the inn. I get up from the bed and am just about to open the door when I turn around. "You know, I''d be more than happy to talk to you about anything. So tell me what you''re thinking." ...It''s embarrassing to tell people what you''re thinking honestly. When I go downstairs, I find Jaco-chan lying on the counter. She is holding her head. "What''s wrong?" "I skipped work to talk to Spica-chan, and my mom got mad.¡± I must have dozed off for a little over two hours, and if she had neglected her work during that time, no wonder her mother is mad at her. "So, how''d it go? Are you okay? I was worried that I said something I shouldn''t have¡­!¡± She is worried she said something wrong. ¡°Thank you. I am deeply grateful to you.¡± "Good!" Saying so Jaco-chan smiles. ¡°...Can you tell my mother that I have guided a lost lamb? She doesn''t listen to me. She''ll get wrinkles if she gets angry like that, wrinkles." Ah. As she is saying this, Shinoda-san peeks out from the aisle behind the counter. She is smiling, but her eyes are not smiling. Were small wrinkles a forbidden word? ¡­ Jaco-chan, you need to control your words now. "Oh, Sun-Kun. Thank you. I''m sorry that my daughter has caused you trouble.¡± As soon as she hears the voice, Jaco-chan jumps. The sebum sweat running down her forehead makes her look sad, unlike her usual cheerful mood. ¡°I was treated well by ¡­¡± "I''m glad to hear that. But you don''t have to use honorifics with us, you know? It''s kind of a habit for me. I''m sorry, but I''m going to have a little family meeting. "Aha!" Jaco-chan''s eyes are as if she is clinging to me¡­. There''s nothing I can do if you look at me like that. I''ll pick up the bones, sorry. I turn on my feet to go upstairs. "I''ll be back.¡± ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö The door is open and the darkness of the night is seeping through. Spica seems to have turned off the lights and is gazing at the city below, lit by the moon. "How did it go?" "You don''t want to piss off the ...humans, do you?" Spica tilts her head. You can''t offend humans. ¡°You know, after we eat dinner, can I go to the bar? Will Spica come too?" I''m going to take advantage of Jaco-chan''s advice. The purpose of the trip is to ask for information that the guard, Turker-san, has given me, but I¡¯m also looking forward to having a drink. Just a little, okay? ¡°...No. I''m not really into that kind of thing." "I see. Should I stop going too?" "Thank you for your concern¡­ you need a break. You''re in town, so do what you enjoy, okay? Don''t worry about me." She gets up from her chair and walks over to me. She looks up at me and gently smiles. I¡¯m struck by the smile on her face as if to say it is okay. CH 22.1 "Here it is." The paper, illuminated by the light peeking in from the window in front of me, is a hand-drawn map with the words ¡®Drinking Place - Gareth-chan¡¯ highlighted in a circle. I compare the words with the words on the signboard in front of the door. Well, the letters are exactly the same. ...The hustle and bustle of people reverberate through the thick doors. Slowly, I open the heavy wooden door with anticipation and a little anxiety to see what kind of place it will be. I¡¯m greeted by the heat and the smell of alcohol that hit the back of my head. And it is not the end. "Ah, you''re new?" With a red face, sour voice, a beer belly, eyes as thin as threads, a smoking pipe and also a bald head reflecting the light. If I¡¯m taking all the elements of a bar owner and translating them into a person, it will look something like him. His looks are somewhere between a mature man and an old man, staring at me with his arms crossed. ¡°...Gareth¡¯-chan¡¯, is that you?" "Yes. I''m Gareth¡¯-chan¡¯. Why? Do you have a problem with the name my wife gave me for the restaurant?¡± ¡°...I''m sorry.¡± "Hmph. It''s getting a little damp at night. Have a seat.¡± ...The name Gareth¡¯-chan¡¯ gave me an image of a cute sign girl, so I¡¯m shocked. I wonder if anyone who hears this story will be able to relate. I sit down on the chair while looking around the store. The first thing that I see is the memo paper that covers the entire wall. There is something written in small letters all over the place. I move my eyes a few times, looking at the owner and the wall. I let the magic run through my eyes and look at the words. "Carly''s story. According to her, the first step to quitting smoking is self-sacrifice and holy water." "Meteorites, fluorite, and liquor dal. Listen, you''re a cactus." "To grow as a person, first make four choices and do them. And don''t laugh at farts." I can''t believe my eyes. I know it as a word, but it didn''t make any sense. I look at the owner and he is laughing at me. "Ha, they are notes that only I can understand. Even though ¡­ I wrote it in the mood of the moment, so there are some things that even I don''t understand when I look back on it later.¡± ¡­ But it is crazy to see all around the walls and for some reason it is creeping me out. But still, fluorite and cactus. Can someone tell me the connection between these words, I can''t think with my head. If I ask Gareth what they meant, will he tell me? Thinking about this, I sit down on the chair I¡¯m directed to. "You''ve got a good eye, by the way.¡± Thanks. It''s not purely physical ability, though, since I use magic. ¡ö "There''s been a lot of talk outside of town. I''d like to know if there''s been any buzz outside of town and any kind of uproar about the beastmen.¡± "...Well, that''s a tough one." I ask a few questions as I order. "Let me ask you a question. Does that question have anything to do with the young lady who came to town with you today?" ...I¡¯m about to get up from my chair. While a bead of unpleasant sweat appears on my back. He might be informed by Turker-san. "What is it? ...It''s boring. You don''t seem that surprised. Hey, Carly." Gareth-¡¯chan¡¯ calls out to an old lady sitting by the wall, drinking a drink. The old lady smiles and waves her hand, showing a friendly smile. It¡¯s the same old lady who sold me flowers when I arrived in town. I see, she must have told him about it. ¡°... No, I was surprised enough. It''s bad for my heart." "Hahaha, just kidding. But still, I see. Mmm ...Mm-hmm." Gareth-¡¯chan¡¯ looks into my eyes and crosses his arms, letting out a low growl that sounds like the snoring of a demon. CH 22.2 "I don''t believe in rumors without examining the information. How long are you going to stay in this town?¡± "I''ve just taken lodgings for six days. I''m thinking of staying longer than that. ¡°...Well, I''ll pay you according to the information you give me. First of all, I¡¯ll pay one silver coin in advance. I promise to pay at least ten silver coins, depending on the information." "I see, I see. Then come back in six days. I''ll have it all together by then." I firmly grasp Gareth''s hand as a gesture. The business deal is done. Gareth smiles cheerfully as he places the single silver coin I have just pulled out of my pouch on the counter as if he''s feeling good. "The first drink is on me. I''ll buy you your first drink.¡± "That will be great. ...Is it okay to ask for the finest drink in the store?¡± "Wow, you''re a solid guy. You''re going to bankrupt me.¡± "I''m kidding. I''ll have the regular drink in town.¡± "Oh, so you''re asking for the best drink in town, huh? Ah, taste it.¡± Gareth then took out a magnificent bottle from the shelf behind him. A viscous liquid is poured from the bottle into the glass. A rich, moist honey aroma drifts into the air. "You see, this is the finest and most carefully selected honey produced in the town of Miel..." I take a sip from my glass while listening to Gareth''s insights. The aroma of the honey is thick and rich, and it spreads all over my mouth. And yet, what spreads in my mouth is a slightly pleasant bitterness and a crystal clear spirit. This is delicious. The taste is surprisingly sophisticated, but it''s not... Muuu¡­(Sob) It is not enough. The taste is perfect, there''s nothing to complain about. But what comes to my mind is the memory of a drink I had the other day on a rainy day. It is more fulfilling than this. The difference - it is obvious. There was Spica, pouring the drink into my cup with her slender hands. I wonder if she was alone in the room now. My body, which has begun to heat up, cools down quickly. I stare at the glass with steely eyes and grab the drink and pour it down my throat. "Whoa! Hey, man, this stuff is expensive!" ¡°I''ll take a bottle. I''d also like to buy a bottle of non-alcoholic juice. Do you have any?" When Gareth hears these words, he grins, leans over the counter, and taps me lightly on the shoulder. "Ha, ha. Ha, ha, ha. I see. That''s right, it''s not good to drink alone. Now go home. Of course, I''ll take your money for the drinks." ??? "Pick the day." It''s a line from an ancient Roman poet that I''d heard in my previous life. I walk along a narrow path lit by moonlight. While my head was fuzzy, I ran through a single road as if I were sewing it. The meaning of these words is: we don¡¯t know when the gods will give us death. Instead of looking for hope in our short lives, we should enjoy the present. Pluck the flowers that color the day, pick as many opportunities as you can, drink, eat, and enjoy your life. That''s what I mean. I''ve been out ...for a little over an hour. At first, I¡¯m walking slowly down the street, but then my feet start to move faster and faster, and before I know it, I¡¯m running as fast as I can. I wonder what I¡¯m doing. I know that drinking alone is, well, boring. And when I imagine Spica waiting alone in a dark room, a mixture of emotions fills me with a bad feeling. It is something akin to frustration, and it makes me walk faster. ...Apparently, I¡¯m enjoying our trip together more than I thought I would. Before I left, I asked Jaco-chan if she would chat with her again, but she is also working all day. I didn''t know if she would be able to meet her. I find myself standing in front of the inn and slowly open the door. I see Jaco-chan standing at the reception desk. She gives me a thumbs-up, but I reply by waving my hand, and climb the stairs. I see a white color door that gives me a cool impression. When I knock on the door. There is no answer. I wonder if she is asleep. I make a small call before I enter and open the door. As it turns out, Spica is sitting on a chair with her back to the door. Her back is surprisingly small and weak as if she is about to disappear into the night. A moment later, she turned around. The lamp makes her silver hair shine clear and softly sway. Her big eyes roll back in her head, and she looks puzzled. ¡°...You''re early. What''s wrong?" "I don''t know." I took a few ragged breaths on the spot and spat out the same words again. "I don''t know." I lazily approach her and pat Spica''s little head. "I''m sorry." ¡°...for what?" "It''s nothing." Then, I put all my weight on the chair. CH 23.1 The orange color emits vaguely from the lamp in the night. Gigi...The sound of magic converts into light echoes through the room. The silence in this room is not heavy, but strangely comforting. The sound of the chair shifting enhances the silence. As I wipe the sweat from my face with my sleeve, my eyes meet Spica''s, who is staring at me. She is smiling modestly, supporting her cheeks with both hands. ¡°...What happened?" "No, it''s just that it''s refreshing to see you like this.¡± "Is that so?¡± "Yes.¡± What''s so fun about it? I don''t know, but it''s a lot better than her ...pouty, grumpy face. "Are you tired? "A little. I guess I''m a little tired. I was busy at the bar. Also, I''m a little drunk." The alcohol in the honey wine is stronger than I expected, and the alcohol is swirling around me from running. "Good night." She says with a soft expression that shows how much she cares for me. "Thank you." "You''re welcome." Spica smiles happily again. The soft, slightly embarrassed expression on her face is a defenseless smile that strips her of the caution she wore. I¡¯m shocked deep in my heart when I see that smile. It''s...You know, it''s highly destructive. (cuteness) Go easy on me. I look at Spica with that in mind, but she is still smiling happily. ...Should I have to say something right now? Is there nothing to say? Suddenly, a brilliant thought flashes through my mind. Oh yes, I have a souvenir for you. I¡¯m about to put my hand on my pouch and hand Spica some juice, but then an interesting idea pops up in my head. My brain unanimously passes the judgment. I get up from my chair and walk to the window and open it wide. Then I wave to Spica in front of the window. "Kya!" Without saying a word, I put my hands under her knees and held her in my arms. She should be a little surprised, I hope. My smile deepens as I see her reaction. ...I jumped out of the window. At my feet is a thin sheet of ice, glowing slightly green. Cutting through the night breeze, which is neither cold nor hot, I bounce up and out of the inn. "Are you feeling cold?" "I''m fine, but..." I smile at her slurred words and put my face to Spica''s ear. "Talking outside at night can be quite loud, so let''s talk in a low voice.¡± Whispering, What a way to get back to my childhood. Spica nods her head exaggeratedly. CH 23.2 "Here we are." The place I jump from is the roof of the inn. I call out to Spica and let her down from my arms, then take the fur from my pouch and lay it gently on the roof. The roof gently slopes, but if we move too much, we will have to worry about falling. "Here''s a souvenir.¡± I take out a bottle and a cup, pour some juice into it and offer it to Spica. ...As everything is so abrupt, and I get a blank stare with a hint of surprise. Gently extending her white fish-like fingers, Spica accepts the cup and continues to raise her white throat. "It''s ...delicious." "I don''t know what it tastes like. How was it?" "It smells of honey and ¡­ it tastes like sour fruit." Wow, that''s quite a fancy drink. So, it is a honey-based drink. "I''ll ask you again, are you okay with the cold?¡± "I''m fine. I''m a dragon, I''m strong in the cold. It¡¯s just¡­¡± "It¡¯s just?...¡± ¡°...I wanted to roar like a dragon.¡± "Hahaha.¡± That''s going to attract enough people. I look up at the night sky, not caring about her protruding lips. The sky is full of stars that seem to be about to spill out. There are no clouds in the night sky today, and the sky is filled with a very luxurious scene. The soft light from the moon floods the town, the rooftops, and Spica beside me in the clear night air. As the lights gradually fade from the town in front of me, I can feel the colors of the stars more intensely. I let out a sigh of relief. It really is beautiful. I steal a glance at Spica beside me. Her white skin shines brightly in the moonlight. I wonder what she is thinking right now as she squints up at the night sky. "What should I do? Should we go back to our room?" ¡°No. Just a little more." A smile that shows she is enjoying herself comes back with her reply. ...Good. I tilt the bottle of honey drink and pour it into my glass. ...Yes, it''s so delicious. This is it, this is it. I¡¯m so deeply moved by it that I exaggeratedly look up at the sky. The little finger and ring finger of my right hand collided with Spica''s hand. No, no. It is Spica''s left hand that holds my two fingers tightly. Her overlapping hands are cold and trembling slightly. I wonder if she is nervous. "Thank you for everything.¡± She looks at me, but soon turns her head away and opens her mouth. Spica''s body turns to crimson in the ...moonlight. When I see this, I explode with embarrassment, too. "Did I ...do something?" I told her not to worry about it. "Really..." The words are filled with strong emotion. The words are not the raging emotions that hit me when I met her, nor that came out of happy emotions. I don''t know what it is, but I can still feel the heat in the words. "Really." She turns her body to face me, her hand tightening on my finger, her red eyes flickering in the moonlight, and she opens her mouth. "It''s not fair." CH 24.1 ¡°Not fair?" "Yes, it''s not fair." In front of me, Spica''s face is bright red, her lips are slightly pouting, her eyes are moist with strong emotion, but she still won''t let go of my fingers. "You don''t understand, Sun-kun. You gave me a place to stay, and you respect me, and..." She takes her hand away from my fingers at once and squeezes my hand tightly with her small hand. She looks straight into my eyes. and my face gets all hot without my conscience. ¡°You never asked me anything in return.¡± ...You tell me that it''s okay to be the way I am, and you may not know how much that has helped me. And then you go on to tell me that I''m a good person and that I should be proud of myself, and that I shouldn''t worry about it." -A strong wind blew. Spica''s hair flutters beautifully in the moonlight. I stare blankly at the scene as if I¡¯m under a spell. "You... really ...a sly person." She whispers in a small voice. When I heard it, my thoughts finally restarted. ...Um, uh, Ah¡­ let''s see. Crap, how should I respond? "No, that''s..." "Mmm." . . . "You''re welcome¡­¡± Saying that I place my left hand on top of Spica''s hand that was placed on top of mine earlier. Spica''s face broke out into a smile ...We stare at each other for a few beats. After a few moments, we both let go of each other''s hands as if we were repelled and kept the distance between us. My face is bright red. I tried to fan my face with my hand, but it didn''t seem to cool down at all. I glance to the side. Then. I see Spica looking at me with a smug smile on her face, as if to say, "You can''t help it. This is bad. This is very bad. I''m so embarrassed. I cover my face with my right hand and soak up the night air, which feels much colder than before. In order to swallow the embarrassment that still dominates my body, I pour the liquor into a cup with awkward motion and drink it. CH 24.2 ...Ah. So delicious. The viscous, sludgy honey dominates my mouth, and the massive lump of sugar attacks me. I don''t remember this drink being this sweet. Drinking this isn''t going to calm me down. I scurry around and take a bird''s eye view of the view from the roof. The main street is made of white stone and looks a little weary from the rain, wind, and people coming and going. Not a single person is walking along with it at the moment. At the end of the avenue, there is a large fountain and a flower bed that spreads out in a circle. I¡¯m impressed by the amount of work that has been put into it. It is the pride of Emil''s city, the Main Street Park, which is usually filled with people, but now it is quiet, engulfed by the night. I remember when I visited the park in the past, it was very colorful with street performances and live music. I wonder how it will be tomorrow. ...Once I thought about the pointless thing. I''ve calmed down a bit. I turn my gaze to the side. Spica is within touching distance if I move my hand. She looks up at me and smiles softly as if she is embarrassed. I feel another surge of emotion, and my heart is on the verge of breaking. Spica laughs at my nervousness, covering her mouth with her slender hand and giggling. ¡°...Please give me a break." I am out of breath. Maybe I should declare my surrender with a white flag. "No." ¡°...Are you here to flag me down, Spica?¡± She lifts her ass up to me without walking and leans over me. She has a teasing smile on her face, but she can''t hide the bright red face and the stiffness of her body that makes her feel nervous. But still, I manage to take a deep breath, and .. somehow my body relaxed. Her soft body and body heat transmit through the thin cloth. I''ve always had the impression that if I touch her, she would break. By touching each other in this way, I realize that Spica is also just a person. "Thank you so much¡­¡± She smiles at me as much as she can, much closer than she ever had before. ¡°...Hmm." I put on my best serious expression and give her a nod. It sounds surprisingly stiff even to myself, but Spica nods her head happily. CH 25.1 On the right, trees are planted to divide the outside from the inside. To the left, the crowd is enjoying their daily lives. At the back, a fountain that creates cool and refreshing air is making a gurgling sound. As I look up, the sunlight is strong enough to make me feel like it''s summer even though it is spring. When I look down, I see a round desk made of wood while shadows are cast by the two of us. The place where Spica and I are now is Miel''s Odori Park, and I collapse helplessly onto the round desk. The reason is obvious, I don''t even have time to think about it. The sound of a musical instrument called a concertina being played, while the sound of a lively voice reading out a story to accompany it. "A silver dragon emerged from the large devil¡¯s den. The silver dragon priestess who followed it said to the evil impostor in the village, "You are wrong.¡° Then the silver dragon roared..." Even if I don''t listen to it carefully, it''s a familiar story. I can even grade the content of the song in detail. First of all, there is no such thing as a silver dragon priestess. And the silver dragon is fake, in fact, I was the one who made it. ...Well, it''s a completely different story. Nevertheless, just listening to it makes my body itch. The story begins with the claim that it is "the great story from a troop merchant." The story is about a village that was saved by a dragon priestess and her followers. The name of the village is not mentioned, but the word "Devil¡¯s Den" gives an idea of where the story is about. We both overslept and missed breakfast, so we decided to have an early lunch and listen to the story while eating skewers from an open-air restaurant. ...We almost spew out our meat. Damn, it is a close call. We walk slowly and leisurely from the village of Parose to the town of Miel, so it is not surprising that a group of traders pass us in the meantime. I can imagine Lark-kun, the man who had seen us off at Parose Village, happily recounting the events. "The dragon priestess returned to Den and brought peace to the village. I''m sure she''s still watching over the village....¡± The sound of applause from the crowd who had been listening rang out. The sound made me feel uncomfortable, and a frown appeared on my face. I murmur to Spica, who looks at me in shame with a frown. ¡°...Silver Dragon Priestess." Thumb! She throws me on the table and hits me on the arm. But she isn''t putting any effort into it, so it didn''t hurt at all. Spica''s expression seems as if she''s biting into something bitter, and this time I turn to smirk at her. "... A shrine maiden''s attendant" Oh no, I¡¯m hit with a painful counterattack. ...Okay, I get it. This conflict does not produce anything. Let us live in peace. I take out a completely chilled skewer from the container, open my mouth wide and bite into it, while the background music is a passionate concertina. I wonder why I¡¯m out there in the first place. It''s not just to eat. I look up at the sky and see not a single cloud in the sky - a perfect day for shopping. The first place we visit is a market with a wide variety of food products. From common items such as wheat, potatoes, salt, and ...to things you can''t imagine tasting until you try them, such as mako bamboo, dried curagon, exploding grass, and mishmash meat. The corner with the most unique atmosphere is a collection of edible insects. Spica and I looked at each other and shook our heads. I''m really glad. I guess we both don''t like eating insects. We buy what we can find in the order of ease of cooking and put them in my pouch. The next stop is a corner lined with specialty stores. The first store we enter is labeled as a tool store, and it sells a wide range of items, from things necessary for adventuring to consumables. CH 25.2 Standard healing potions, sturdy shoes, bags for travel, accessories with a little magic effect, and so on. Here, I found a backpack for Spica. She bounces a few times on the spot as if to check the comfort of the backpack she has chosen. ...There is a faint sound of metal clashing from inside her cloak. It¡¯s the gold coins that I forcibly handed over to her before we left the inn. There are some things that are difficult for me to buy. Like ...underwear and other things. So, it''s better to buy such things by herself. She accepts the gift with a bit of persuasion. The way she bounces on the spot while happily smiling is just like a cute little animal. When Spica realizes that she is being watched, she tilts her head slightly to hide her face. ...A pure white hand pokes out from the gap between the clothes. If I look up a little, I can see one well-shaped eye peeking through the gap. When our eyes met, the hand beckoned to me. I open the cloth with its rails making a rattling sound, and there is Spica in a completely new outfit. The overall impression is white. A sleeveless dress with boldly cut cuffs and a white shirt peeking out from the cuffs. The cuffs of the shirt are cut to form a shape like the bud of a flower. I wonder if she is embarrassed by being stared at head-on, I notice the tips of her knees are rubbing together. Wrapping around her knees is a pair of wide-leg pants that spread out like a culotte skirt, with the hem tie to create a narrowing. The overlapping lace weave gives an elegant impression. A rugged, wide belt is wrapped around her stomach. From the holes in the belt, a number of small pouches are hung, which seems to be able to hold small items. On her head is a cassock hat large enough to completely cover her dragon horns. The design, size, and harmony of the hat are so harmonious that it is tailor-made for Spica. "How do I look¡­?¡± ¡°... It looks good on you." As expected from the store recommended by Turker-san. Spica strokes her hair a few times using her hand as a comb and smiling in a way that seems to attract everyone who sees her. "Hmm, thank you." In addition, she invites me with another hand. When I bow slightly, she puts her hand to my ear and whispers. "Actually, the dress I''ve been wearing is my nightgown." ...I''m sorry about that. I wish I had been able to prepare the clothes earlier. "Those clothes have a special place in my heart, and they are ...very important to me." She turns her head and looks very sad. "I see.¡± I take the hat off of Spica''s head, grab it firmly, and pat it around wildly. ¡°Mmm." "Then, since you''re here. I''m going to need you to fix the loose ends and stuff.¡± I walk out of the fitting room without turning around. I scratch my head and swallow the inexplicable stagnant feeling that has risen in me. I''ve been completely overcome with emotion. With just a few words, I feel as if she is me. And now it¡¯s time to end our shopping. I mumble something in my mouth. Now is not the time to think about it. I can think about it in ten minutes before I go to bed. When I look around. I don''t think I need to tell you this, but this is a clothing store called Begonia. It''s a good clothing store that was recommended by Turker-san. I find one thing that look goods "Hey, owner, can I ask you a question? I''d like to ask you to mend some clothes, and while you''re at it¡­¡± I whisper and ask for the order. "Thanks for waiting.¡± "Hmm." A few moments later, Spica calls out to me and comes out of the fitting room with a cloak and backpack on her back. I ask the shopkeeper to mend Spica''s clothes as I had told him earlier and to give me a sign to pick them up. He says he is sorry to keep us waiting for a few hours, and we decided to continue our walk around the town. We thank the owner again and pass through the door of the store. The cool sound of a bell indicates the opening and closing of the door. CH 26 (Third POV) A warm feeling fills her heart, as if she¡¯s immersed in lukewarm water for a long time, or as if she¡¯s lazing under the pleasant sunlight. It is such a feeling. Spica Velvet gazes blankly at the back of the man in front of her. Then, she looks down at her own body. She wore comfortable and new clothes. At the time of purchase, she remembers what has Sun-kun said, "It''s one of my minimum responsibilities as the person to buy this to Spica. In fact, Spica should be more selfish.¡± When she thinks about it, Sun-kun''s smile surfaces in her mind. Perhaps he is trying to make me feel less self-conscious. As Spica thinks about it, an impossibly strong feeling takes over her body. The color of her dress is black, and it is as thick as sludge. It is the color of ugly self-loathing. ¡°...I¡¯m hiding something from you.¡± She lets out a mutter. Her words gradually disperse in the crowd in the street. He is a good human. She knows that, but that''s why all she can do is breathe out a sigh. The more they get to know each other, it¡¯s harder ...to talk. She wants to open up with him, but she doesn''t know how to do that. These feelings continue to swell and grow until they almost crush her heart. She knows that he will listen to her. ...But still, some part of her is helplessly afraid that he will reject her. ...It''s okay if he just rejects me... But what if Sun-kun changes suddenly? What will I do if he ends up like the humans who attacked my village? What if? What if? My body trembles a little as the thought of what might happen. ...Why don''t I just put my trust in Sun-kun''s kindness and let myself go away the easy way? Spica whispers to herself. She decided to give her thanks. After all, she owes him a favor. If not, it betrays everything she has been taught for her whole life. Spica stops in her tracks. She bites her lip tightly and shuts her eyes. ¡°...What''s wrong? Ah, You have been to a lot of human places, I guess you got tired.¡± I easily notice Spica''s strange behavior. Oddly, she shook her head through her hood to convey her denial. Watching that, Sun-kun glances up at the sky as if he is thinking about something. ¡°...I see. Well, when I came here before, I found a place where people don''t seem to come. It''s a bit of a walk, but let''s go there." As soon as he says that, Sun-kun walks into the gap between the stores and starts to walk. The streets are strangely empty, and she realizes that he is very good at finding places that are a little off the beaten path. Sun-kun''s back is somewhat unreal as he flips his gray cloak and walks through the gray stone streets. "Onii-san, You''re not very reliable, are you?" A memory crosses her mind. She remembered what Jaco-chan had said to her. It¡¯s a conversation we had while Sun-kun was at the drinking place. When Spica let out a snort of denial and complaint, Jaco-chan hurried to deny it. "It''s like he is flying off the handle, or he is not on the ground. That''s what I meant! When I first saw him, I thought he looked lonely.¡± ...It''s an analogy that doesn''t quite fit. But still, Jaco-chan seems to not be joking. She nodded her head exaggeratedly and said more. "But when I met him again with Spica-chan, he seemed to have calmed down a bit. When I saw that, I knew he was going to be okay." She smiled, pointed her finger at Spica, and said, "That''s right! He has a pretty girl with him, he needs to calm down a bit!¡± ...But then Spica-chan seems to be complicated in many ways. She patted me on her shoulder. "I know he is trying not to show it to the lady, but that kind of thing is totally obvious from the outside¡­ That¡¯s right ¡° Jaco-chan pinned up her index finger and twirled his fingertip around, seemingly putting the words together. "Spica-chan, why don''t you seduce him?" "Nah." What are you saying all of a sudden, you fox-ear? Jaco-chan looked pleased that she had said what she needed to say and nodded. ...After this, we went off on more and more miscellaneous conversations. When I heard those words, I wondered what he thought about me. Should I deny that I couldn''t burden him anymore, since I was causing him so much trouble? Or should I try to accept it? It¡¯s as if I¡¯m trying to estimate the emotions of another person, even though it happened only a day ago. So much had happened in just one day. When I was looking outside by myself after Sun-kun had left, I saw him running outside. After that, we both climbed on the roof. ...I didn''t mean to do that. I lean on him, trying to act like a spoiled child. As she looked at Sun-kun''s face, she couldn''t stop herself from revealing the feelings she had been thinking. That''s when it started. Even though it was her own feelings, she couldn''t calm her emotions. I want to rely on him. I¡¯m scared. I want to be heard. I don''t want to say it. Everything is jumbled up and screaming inside my heart. ...It hurts. Sun-kun, who is walking ahead, looks back. When his eyes met Spica''s, he gave a small smile. ...She feels a rush of emotion in her heat. This is the first time that she has ever seen such a thing. It was a cruel emotion for Spica right now, as it makes her want to cry. It instantly erases the black feelings drifting through Spica''s chest and fills her with a cozy sense of relief. The hood no longer hides her face. And then, just a little further down the road. A small dead fountain stands between a metal fence with red rust and a half-collapsed ruin. Beside it is an old bench covered with leaves. Sun-kun brushes away the leaves with his hand and motions for Spica to sit down. The look in his eyes is as gentle as can be. CH 27.1 Clouds drift in the clear, dark blue sky. A ray of light shines through the gaps between the clouds. Spica walks to the bench and sits down. She opens her mouth as if to say something but stops herself. Sun-kun doesn''t say a word when he sees Spica''s expression. He just looks at her with gentle eyes. Even if he didn''t say anything, she is sure that he is worried about her. Gradually, she opens her little mouth again. The sound of air leaks out and a small, faint sound mixes with it. Facing his back towards her, he stares at the sound from the other side of the wall as if to ease her. She takes a small breath. There is Spica''s small determination to be a person she can be proud of. So, she opens her mouth again. This time, she is able to speak clearly. Like a stream, her voice spills out and overflows with emotion. While he looks up at the sky, which is a deep blue silently and listens to her. ¡ð¡ð¡ð (Spica Velvet POV) The night sky that I can see through the small window is blood red, and for some reason, I have a bad feeling about it. Spica Velvet, who is sleeping on the hard floor, stretches a little. The strange place and position she slept in caused her body to complain loudly. This is a settlement of dragon humans, managed by the Velvet clan. The name of the village is tasteless, the village of the dragon-man, her parents put their foreheads together and said, "You should have a prettier name."... This is a tradition." "...Such a thing should feed to a Hound Dog. "...How about Okoko?¡± What a carefree conversation they are having. As a side note, "Okoko" means pickles. Apparently, my mother enjoys the pickles she¡¯s having for dinner. I smile at my mother in my memory. I can''t stay like that forever, Spica thought as she stood up. The space is so small that if I open my arms, no two people will fit. The books overflowing from the bookshelves are piled up in a heap. In the middle of the room, there is a lamp whose magic has run out, and a large cushion she has brought with her, and a canteen filled with fruits soaked in water. A book is left unfolded near Spica. A hidden library on the outskirts of the village is where Spica is now. What she is doing here is to read a book and fall asleep under the excuse that she is studying to become the next head... The book she is reading is a biographical novel about a man who tries to be reborn into this world. It''s a little secret that even her parents don''t know (or so Spica thinks) that Spica enjoys reading books that are not related to her studies in this place that is like a secret base for her. A yawn escapes her lips. It is getting late in the evening. She feels like it''s too late, but she has to get into bed before they(parents) find out or they''ll be mad at her. --She gets up to go home and opens the door just a little. Then, she hurriedly closes the door. She is aware of the scent that makes her fingers tingle and goes numb after just a few breaths. A sharp scent that makes her brain numb. It is the unique scent of the coneflower, which, when roasted and drunk by humans, becomes a medicine that sharpens and strengthens the body''s senses. But... What will happen if a creature that has always had keen senses and a superior body takes it? It''s a poison, just as too much alcohol can have a negative effect on the body, disorienting the senses, intoxicating the consciousness, and causing the body to lose its strength. The blood drains from Spica''s body. She understood that something was happening in their village. She grips the necklace around her neck tightly and swallows the nightmare that is about to hit her. She has to be calm. She gathers her magic into her ears and sharpens them to listen to the sounds outside. Countless footsteps. Numerous screaming. The dull sound of steel clashing with steel. An attack. She thought of the two ominous words. CH 27.2 Staring at the door she lets the magic crawl over my body, holding her breath, and quietly opens the door. As the poison of the coneflower is denser than the air, she climbs up the tall tree in front of her. She lets out the breath she has been holding, filling her lungs with fresh air, and looks around. The poison of the coneflower has turned into a white haze that covers the ground like a veil. The poison is flowing out from the entrance of the village. There are many humans surrounding the village, and the wizards seem to be searing small piles of coneflower, creating a wind behind them. In the center of the village, there is an open square. There, at this very moment, a sword reflecting a dull light is swung down. A dark figure collapses, and something round rolls slowly away. It is a scene that didn''t feel real. A dream is something you see with your eyes closed, not with them open. Then. Is this happening for real? ¡°It''s a shame to kill such a beautiful woman without even tasting her.¡± "Although I''m paralyzed by poison, I''m a dragon-man. If I want to die, you won''t stop me." "Wow. the demon just said." There are two men wearing armor. I notice the bright red pattern on the shoulder of the armor, which shines in the dense moonlight. A magnificent rose is drawn within a circle of twining vines. He is playing with the object that has just rolled over his toes. Spica knows it is the head of a dragon-man, who is beheaded while her body is covered in mud and blood flows out of her body. Her name was Elena. She is a woman who acted like an older sister to Spica. She is very close to Val, who was the same age as her, and they are going to get married next week. She is the one who earned happiness, the one who has to be happy. And yet. Why? Why? ...She''s dead. No, She''s not dead, she''s been killed. By the human in front of me. "I''ll take this one, I guess." The knight, who opens his mouth, crouches down and begins to do something with Elena''s head. It is too dark to see clearly. After a moment, the knight stands up and holds two horns in his hands as if he is holding a playing thing. Not only did he kill her, but she was also playing with her pride. Instantly, an uncontrollably strong rage overwhelmed my body. My eyes turn red, my vision blurred, and I hear the sickening sound of the tree trunk supporting my body caving in. Tears are streaming down my cheeks, and my body is screaming for me to kill the enemy in front of me. The range of my body drove me to jump from the tree. "Spica? Is that Spica?¡± I¡¯m about to jump down from the tree when I hear a voice so faint that it is lost in the rustling of the trees. "Spica? Frau! Thank God¡­! It is a familiar voice, one that Spica is used to hearing. She turns around to see a strange old woman standing on a branch just like Spica. She works as a matchmaker for the Velvet family and is like family to her. "Elena is, Elena is ¡­?¡± My words are incomprehensible, but Frau seems to understand them. ¡°It¡¯s horrible. How can they do such a cruel thing?¡± "What the hell is going on?"¡± ¡°I don''t know, but the enemy is human. The humans are attacking us.¡± As if in response to their conversation, a man in the square brandishes a sword and shouts loudly. Ironically, it is like a scene from a heroic tale. "Dragon-men! I can see that you, foul creatures in this village will become the great enemy of human beings. So, we will destroy you in order to protect the future of mankind! Listen, this is a holy battle. ¡°Come on, my people, let''s annihilate every last one of our enemies!" As if startled by the loud voice, the birds all flew away at once. What is that? It''s not like we''ve done anything to them. I feel an explosion of frustration and anger dwelling inside me. This village is happy and sad with the daily blessings, and it is the best way to live out our days peacefully. That''s why it is unthinkable and unbelievable that we will become enemies of humanity in the future. Nevertheless, it is the humans who decided to slaughter us. You humans. If that''s what you want, then that''s what you''ll get. CH 28.1 I ask her what has happened to my parents. Frau opens her trembling lips and tells me. ¡­ It can be imagined. Hearing her words, all of my emotions are torn apart, and I want to kill as many humans as I can at random. A desire wells up in my heart wanting to bring about as much destruction as I can before I¡¯m killed. But Frau stops me. It''s not worth fighting a battle knowing that you''re going to lose. She begs me to live. The necklace that I¡¯m wearing is one of the treasures of the Dragon-man tribe. It is a magic item that is said to teleport a single person to some distant place, but can only be used once. The problem is, it emits an intense light when it is being used. Frau says, ¡±I''ll use my magic to divert them and act as a decoy," Though Spica is hesitant, she has to go along with it and somehow manages to survive. . . . (THIRD POV) He looks up at the sky, where clouds are slowly drifting by. They are the same deep blue color as ever. He wonders if it will be easier to live if we have a mind as calm and composed as the sky. The world is unreasonable and cruel. Hearing her past, he opens his mouth with the intention of throwing out all the emotions that are welling up inside him as well. He thought that he is taking enough care of her to make her forget her losses, but the words that come out of her mouth are full of sorrow. A moment later, she asks him: "What do you think I should be doing, Sun-kun?¡± She¡¯s known to be the greatest enemy to humans. As she vividly remembers him saying at the beginning, "As a human, I can''t let an existence that even threatens to destroy humans go unchecked.¡± So, she knows what Sun-kun is going to do when he hears about this. Instead of dying in someone else¡¯s hands, she feels it is okay to be killed by him. Sun-kun is the only one who said that he cares about her. And, she doesn''t want him to be killed by other humans because of her. If she has any regret, it is that she has forced him to spend money unnecessarily on her. She looks down at the clothes that cover his body. His clothes are vaguely twisted and don¡¯t look good. She wonders if she should have said it earlier. It''s been a while since She has been able to calm down, and she thinks she has worked up enough courage to talk about her. She hopes he will forgive her for taking so long. Sun-kun didn¡¯t say anything. After a few minutes of waiting, he ...yells. "Oh, shit! I''m annoyed with myself!" Her body reacts to his loud yell. Sun-kun hurriedly opens his mouth. "Ah, I''m sorry. I''m sorry for yelling." Then he repeats his words. "There''s something I need to tell you, too. ¡°It must have been hard for you to say. I''m glad you told me." His words are soothing as ever. ¡°Do you remember what the bard said this morning about the silver dragon priestess? We were deeply appreciated by the people in the village of Parose, and Spica was deeply appreciated by the people. I wonder if such Spica will become an enemy of humans! ...No, that''s not what I''m trying to say. No, no, no." Sun-kun grasps Spica''s shoulders firmly with both hands, makes eye contact, and says "I''m glad Spica is alive. I''m not going to do anything to you... I''m really, really glad you are alive.¡± When he says this, Sun-kun sheds a few tears as if it is her, and keeps repeating the same words. She feels so funny that she starts to laugh out loud. It''s not fair. Sun-kun is, after all, a sly person. ???? Sniff... sniff. He puts back a piece of rough-edged paper (similar to tissue paper)into his pocket and opens his mouth. CH 28.2 Yes, it¡¯s his turn. When he hears Spica''s past, he doesn''t need to say anything more than that, he keeps patting her back as she sheds tears. ...And then. Spica hugs his stomach and then slides straight to his back. Now she''s snugly tucked in between his cloak and his back. "Do you need some tissue paper too, Spica?" He takes out another tissue paper from under his pocket. He puts a piece of tissue paper in her hand and she takes it. When she blew her nose, his hand was sticking out again. ...What should I do? Should I continue to give more tissue paper now? For now, he takes the used tissue paper of hers and puts it in his pouch. He hopes she has calmed down a bit. ¡°... Ah, listen to me." Her hand on his abdomen tightens. "I owe Spica an apology. Just like the story in the book, I had a chance to see the future.¡± In his previous life, it¡¯s a game, not a book, though. "There is a dragon-man, who was called the Demon Lord and brought destruction and despair to humans. Her name is Velvet. When I first crossed swords, I thought it was you." Spica''s hands hold stiff and tense while he strokes his arm around her body gently. He continues to stroke her again and again, hoping she will come down. ¡°I knew it from the beginning, but even after I found out you are the Demon Lord, I can¡¯t help but worry. I''m sorry for the trouble I caused you. I''m sorry I put you through that. I should have told you that I knew about you." ...The hand that is placed on his stomach exerts more strength. "Ha-ha-ha." She continues to put more strength in her hands, but not too bad since he had his face pressed against her back. ¡°...Sorry." He didn''t know what to say, so he apologized. He wonders if she is unhappy that he apologized. Spica''s hands tighten as if she is complaining. The force became even stronger, making it harder and harder for him to breathe. Wait. No, no, no, you idiot. The human stomach is fragile. If it''s tightened with the full force of a dragon-man, the contents will leak out. I''ll die! I''ll die! He flows his mana through his body and strengthens it with more concentration than He has ever done in his life. "Spica, wait, I''m dying. Loosen up, please." He violently tap-tap-tap on her back. (gesture) The words of desperation must have gotten through to her, because she relaxes her hand and says, "Ah, I''m sorry¡­¡± He is dumbfounded by her response. While he is deeply relieved she does not despise him. He has a lot to think about, such as the knight of the rose crest, and he also needs to discuss the future with Spica. In addition to shouting out loud, He wipes away her tears with the back of his hand. The core of her body is burning as if it had gone numb. For now, just for now, don''t think about anything else. They decided to enjoy this slow air. CH 28.3 "Hey." I call out to Spica, who continues to cling tightly to my back. "What?" "How long do you continue to stay like this?" I mean, she is hugging me for some time. ¡°...Are you really asking me this?" "I do.¡± Because it''s hard to move. If there are no people in this place, I''m still concerned when we stay like this outside. ¡°...Sun-kun, you''re such a disappointment sometimes.¡± "That''s me.¡± "I know. ...More than that, you are sly." ...I don''t know, but I feel like it''s not a bad word. Spica sneaks out from behind my back. As I watch in a daze, Spica, realizing she is being stared at, covers her face with my cloak again. I point to her and say, "You look terrible, all swollen and crying. ¡°...Spica." My voice is softened. "Hahaha!" Spica laughs. She steps out of her cloak, stands in front of me, and gives me a big smile. It is a carefree, crumpled smile all over her face. While her face is swollen from crying, and part of her face is red from pressing her face against mine. Even so, the smile is as clear as the blue sky, with no hint of cloudiness. It is more impressive than any other expression I''ve ever seen. Seeing this, my heart fills with something like a sense of relief. If I¡¯m not careful, I might say something unnecessary. "Your hat is off and your hair is a mess." I point it out as if I¡¯m embarrassed. Spica turns her head away in disbelief, flashes her red ears at me, and fumbles to fix her hair. "It''s not there. ...Not there either." In order to give a helping hand, I reach out to her as she struggles, but my hand is quickly avoided. ...Hey. I reach out my hand. She avoids me. I reach out my hand again and she does it again. Her silver hair swings left and right as if to agitate me. Spica laughs and runs around me, oblivious to her hat being out of place. ...Haha, let''s do it. In the beginning, I can only depend on my physical abilities as a human, but I just can''t beat the dragon-man. As my body wraps in mana, Spica raises a voice of complaint. "It''s not fair!¡± I don¡¯t care what she says. The result is all that matters in this world. Hahaha. I chase after her at a much faster speed than before and reach out her hand. I¡¯m able to catch Spica so easily that I¡¯m taken aback. I grab her arm, but the impact causes her to almost fall down. It¡¯s dangerous. I grab her firmly with both hands and hold her tightly from behind. This is much more embarrassing than the former ones. My heart beats violently. I can hear it thud, thud, thud. I feel a soft sensation in my hand. The faint scent of a girl. Her face is bright red, but she didn''t seem to be displeased. This makes me even more nervous as time passes silently. ¡°...Hey you" ¡°...What" "Catch me properly" CH 28.4 "You know, I may become the Demon Lord. So please, Sun-kun looks after me and stops me. "Staying with you, I can continue being a Dragonborn. "So, please. Be with me, okay?¡± Her body is so slender that it looks like it will break if I put too much force on it. Her skin is white and translucent, reminiscent of fresh snow. Her red eyes are tinged with melancholy, and that will melt when she smiles. Her silver hair is soft, and I know it feels good when I stroke it. Now I''m holding her tightly in both hands. "Of course, I''m not going to let you out of my sight now.¡± I reply bluntly, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth in delight. ¡°...Nah" "Hmm?" "Will you continue to travel with me¡­?¡± I''ve been thinking about this for a long time, and my desire comes out of my mouth. When Spica hears this, she turns her face toward me and stares straight at me with her upper eyes¡­ For some reason, I got half an eye. Then, she smacks me on the arm that is holding her. ¡°I¡¯m going with you. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have asked you to catch me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ...I see. I¡¯m filled with an explosion of joy. I take a few deep breaths to try to calm down, but I can¡¯t. The words she says reverberate in my ears. I don''t know what kind of expression I have on my face, but Spica lets out a giggle and strokes my hand again and again, just like I just did. My embarrassment reaches its limit, and I let go of her hands and take a step back. Spica closes the distance and hugs me with her whole body. The sensation of her hands around me is uncomfortably hot, and I feel as if I have been burning with embarrassment now. She stares at my face and opens her lips. "You''re pretty cute, aren''t you, Sun-kun?" ¡°...That''s a disgraceful word to say to a man.¡± "Fufu." She smiles slyly while I wonder what is so fun by teasing me. I thought I was listening to Spica''s past, but it seems like I''m being coddled. Though I¡¯m embarrassed I grab Spica by both shoulders and somehow manage to gently pull her away. ¡°It''s over. See, the day is finite. We''ll decide what to do after this.¡± The day is limited. "We can go back to shopping, or we can stay here and relax a little longer, or we can go back to the inn. What do you think?" ¡°Let''s stay here a little longer.¡± "Okay.¡± ...Me too. As a matter of fact, I need some time for the fever in my body to subside. Spica goes to the bench while I go to the edge of the fountain, sit down and close my eyes for a while. CH 29.1 A breeze blew. The breeze, filled with the gentle scent of flowers, feels good, and the remaining heat in my core relaxes. Neither of us opens our mouths. A pleasant silence spills out from inside my heart. A quiet space in the midst of the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the city. It''s nice to be able to enjoy this kind of time, isn''t it? This thought crosses my mind, and I look up at the sky, feeling embarrassed. I stretch with my whole body. I take in a deep breath. "Should we go now?" "Okay.¡± "Let''s get back to shopping.¡± I get up from the fountain and hold out my hand to Spica, who is sitting on a bench. Spica grasps my hand firmly and stands up. The hem of her cloak flutters like flower petals. We walk in the midst of the bustling crowd. The stores along the street are full of people coming and going. The flowers in front of the stores sway gently in the breeze, their bright colors delighting our eyes. We walk in the early summer sun, avoiding the lush green leaves sticking out of the road ahead. "Hey, tell me about Sun-kun." Spica suddenly calls out to me. ¡°...me? Is it fun to hear that?¡± I can¡¯t help but extend the end of my sentence. Spica nods her head and she turns around, not paying attention to me. Then she says, ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m interested to know more about you." "But still.¡± ...If she wants to hear, I''ll say it. It''s not something to hide. "What do you want to hear?¡± "Well, what do you hate? What do you like?¡± "Worm-eating, grief, and people with bad intentions.¡± "What do you like ¡­? "Travel. Delicious food. Beautiful scenery. The rest, well..." A few words came out of my mouth. "I like the time we spend walking together like this." When Spica hears these words, she takes a step in front of me and turns around. She looks away from me, smiles faintly, and says, "I like it too.¡± ¡°I''m glad.¡± I nod as I exhale and am deeply relieved. I know that she does not hate me, but hearing it in words and not hearing it in words are two very different things. After a moment, Spica takes a small breath and tugs at the hem of my clothes. "Where are you going now?" "Definitely, we''re going to the clothing store again, right?¡± What should I do now? I''ve bought some food, and I''ve gotten Spica''s traveling clothes ready. I also bought some recovery potions at the tool store. Now I just need to find some small travel gear. A knife is an absolute necessity if you are going to travel in earnest, clean clothes, a small bag or cord, something to use as a fire pit in case you can''t cast a spell, some calorie-dense nuts, and a charm to ward off demons. "You also need a change of clothes, because traveling isn''t all fun and games. You''ll need to have some medicines in case something goes wrong, as well as some restoratives. Also, it would be nice to have something reassuring, like a scent bag, to help us through the restless nights." Hearing me, Spica giggles. CH 29.2 "Muu. Safety is an important part of traveling.¡± ¡°Uh-uh. You really like traveling, Sun-kun.¡± I know that, but when she says it with a smile on her face, it hits me like a blow on my head. For some reason, I like this feeling. ...Spica''s comments earlier have been drowned out by relief, but I think they are very powerful. It is really strong. Unknown to me, my face turns red. I rub my brow to cover my embarrassment, but embarrassment is a tricky emotion and it makes me more conscious. For some reason, Spica seems to be happy to see me upset. She closes her eyes, stretches out her chest, puts her hands on her chest and then says. ¡°It''s just like ...told me before. For me, too, Sun-kun is someone who wants to be good to me, someone who makes me want to do something for him. I also want to know what you like and dislike. If there''s anything I can do for you, I want you to tell me." She looks up at me from up close and says those words. ¡°There''s not much I can do, but that''s why I''m wondering if there''s anything I can do. Please tell me anything." She then shows her huge smile towards me. Seeing her like that, I turned my head away from her. It''s not that I''m shy or anything. ¡­ It feels like if I leave it alone, I will lose strength from all over my body. My face is hot. I can''t look at Spica''s face anymore and I turn away. ¡°...I''ll be honored to be your friend. I just can''t think of anything right now, so I''m going to tell you again." "Hmm, I understand." I mumble a few words back and look at Spica, who is looking at me with a happy expression in her eyes. The shopping continues. I¡¯m going to buy some tools for the trip, but I find myself drinking flower juice from a roadside vendor, browsing a flower shop, and going into a bookstore. I have a feeling from what she said, but Spica seems to like reading books. I did not expect to find her looking at biographies and dictionaries instead of the sweet romance novels that girls seem to like. By then, the sound of a cool bell rings out around the town. As we stroll around the town, the sky, once a deep blue, has now turned orange and is almost halfway tonight. Behind us is an old wooden door crawling with ivy, and the word ¡®Begonia¡¯ on it, a clothing store. In Spica''s arms is a cloth bag containing her clothes, which have been restored. "I think we should go back to the inn for the day.¡± Spica nods her head. The shadows of Spica and I stretch long and wide across the cobblestones. The orange glow of the windows is beginning to show, signaling the end of the day. "You must be tired from shopping." I call out to Spica. It has been a long day, and I feel tired too, but more than that, I feel fulfilled. I look at Spica, who is walking beside me. When she realizes I¡¯m looking at her, she turns her head and tilts her head. A fluffy atmosphere surrounds us. It¡¯s nice to see Spica like that. The slanting sun is completely enveloped by the night. The only remnants of daylight are the orange colors that blend with the dark blue at the edge of the sky. As we watch the birds making small noises in the sky, we continue on our way home(inn). When we return to the inn and open the cloth bag, Spica lets out a surprised voice. CH 30.1 When Spica took the clothes out of the bag to check on the repaired clothes, a small package wrapped in paper tumbled down. "Wow!" After letting out a small voice, a thoughtful expression appears on her cute face. She stares at me without saying a word as if she has reached an understanding. ¡°It''s just the kind of store that Turker-san introduced me to. It must be some kind of hospitality thing for first-time customers.¡± "It can''t be.¡± "No, I''m sure it is. Why don''t you open it?¡± ¡°...Yes, I will.¡± Perhaps she is more interested in the bag than questioning me, Spica nods and unties the paper bag. What comes out from the inside is a hair clip with a dark blue color. On the ceramic piece at the end of the cord is a design of a white flower. It receives the light of the lamp and returns a discreet glow to Spica. Deep blue and white flowers, yes, it¡¯s perfect for Spica. The reason I want to give this to Spica is simple. Looking at her, I sometimes feel that it would be inconvenient if she did have something to hold her long hair. I also thought that even Spica, who tends to be reserved, will accept a gift if it is something she will use regularly. When Spica sees the hair clip, she stops moving like a still image. Her eyes, which are dark red like the jewel, blink a few times. Her lips parts like the opening of a flower, but she straightens them into a pout. Her petite body sways slightly, and a hand without a hair clip is placed on her cheek as if to relax. She''s ...pleased, isn¡¯t she? After a full minute or so, she carefully wraps the hair clip with both hands and looks at me. ¡°Do you like it?¡± I ask, and she nods her head vigorously. "Well, that''s good. You should thank the owner of Begonia''s." When I say that, Spica gives me a cold glare. I can tell from her pouting lips that she is dissatisfied. I put my cheek against hers to see what is wrong, and she opens her mouth. "Embarrassing. I want to say thank you to Sun-kun." ...When she says that, I''m embarrassed too. It''s good that I gave it to her in a cool way. "Thank you. Sun-kun, really ...sankyuu(thanks)." I can almost feel the heat in her eyes as she says this. Her face tilts or scrunches up. Her silver hair sways and glistens in the pale moonlight streaming through the window. ¡°...You''re welcome. I''m glad you liked it." When I say that, Spica smiles. Her white cheeks are softly colored, and her whole relaxed body tells me that she is happy. I can¡¯t take my eyes off her face. I feel as if she has been surprised by an unexpected counterattack. She unconsciously shouts, "Mmm," and crumple her hat around my head to hide her embarrassment. ¡°... Are you sure I¡¯m not mistaking you for a cat?¡± "No, of course not.¡± I know she looks like a cat, but Spica is Spica. . . . . Spica, who has been watching my face, looks up at me with a somewhat surprised expression. When I turn my face away, Spica takes the trouble to look into my face. ...I wonder if I have a strange expression that makes her want to look at me. ¡°I think it¡¯s getting late, and we are going to miss out on dinner at the inn.¡± As I stood up from my chair, Spica, who has been watching me intently, finally takes her eyes off me. She rubs her belly a little as a gesture. "I''m hungry." "Hahaha! That''s right!¡± That''s right. I¡¯m hungry too. Spica turns her face away, saying she didn''t know what I was talking about when I gush uncontrollably, feeling amused. But she stays by my side, and I laugh at how cute she is. What''s for dinner this evening? I''m in the mood for meat. I want to eat a big meal. I bit back my laughter and opened the door to my room. CH 30.2 And then. On the second day, We continued shopping. The rest of the day, I go alone to Turker-san, the gatekeeper of Miel, and ask him to gather information about the Knight of the Roses in exchange for the Crumplehorn (meat). On the third day, I just lounge around at the inn. Spica reads a book she borrows from the inn, and I rest and spend my time as I wish. On the fourth day, we go out and enjoy the sights of Miel together. The fifth day. Jaco, who has attacked me, takes Spica out, and they go shopping together. In the meantime, I enjoy my time alone, talking with Turker-san and having fun at the bar. The sixth day. I take care of Spica, who is limping, and we enjoy eating the promised Linka berry together. And then... The sun is shining on the cobblestones with a hint of summer. The gurgling fountain gives me a cool impression, but the heat of the sun is the same. I breathe in a lungful of air, and the scent of fresh green spreads through the air. The place where we are now is Miel''s Main Street Park. We are sitting on the edge of the many chairs that surround the fountain. We''re sightseeing at the spring festival for the townspeople, wishing for a good harvest. As we are chatting with the family at the Slumbering Pavilion, they tell us about the festival. It is a small festival and they are embarrassed to recommend it to people from other parts of the world, but we enjoy the atmosphere of such festivals. The two of us decided to go sightseeing. It must have been a small festival for the locals, as there are less than 50 people in total. In the center of the specially set up stage is a high pile of firewood. There are many flowers with buds around the firewood, and a prayer warrior dressed in an old-fashioned traditional costume is praying like a character in a play. After making eye contact with Spica sitting beside him, we join him in praying for a good harvest this year. I''m not sure what to make of this. ...Speaking of the future. In the game, the demon king Velvet creates a dark miasma that makes demons all over the world go berserk. Then, she ordered the demon army with wisdom as the demon lord to attack the humans. Some beast-men joined the army, and it became a mixed army of demons and beast-men. --In the game, it¡¯s described that the Demon Lord suddenly appeared. The people who have been enjoying the peace suffered from the sudden chaos. I don''t think the preparations for the invasion will be easy. If there is a being who can see into the future, there is no way that they will not take advantage of it. ...It is safe to assume that there are no pursuers to Spica. It may be right. If the Demon Lord is defeated from the beginning, it would not be a game, and it is not good to think of everything as it is in the game. But -Future vision. I thought It is a fairy tale until Spica told me about it. That''s something even the fairy king couldn''t do. I don''t think he can do it over and over again without any compensation. It''s not good to be complacent, and it''s absolutely necessary to be prepared for any eventuality. But even so. It''s also not good to be too pessimistic and nervous. I hope we can find out something from Turker-san and Gareth-san. I swallow the words that come to mind. I must not neglect to gather information. I close my eyes and look sideways at Spica, who is praying earnestly. I pray that she will be able to spend the coming days with peace of mind. I''ll pray for a good harvest as well. In any case, can''t you make my small wish come true as well? I''m not a citizen of the town, but I''m sure it will not hurt to ask for that. The tranquility and serenity of the city spread out. All I can hear is the sound of the fountain. A performer on stage claps his hands and a drum is beaten in time. ...There is a loud bang. The firewood in the center of the stage is lit, and the flames flicker like a mirage. The fire, which has become an orange mass, stretches high into the sky. A bouquet made of dried flowers is thrown into it. The shape of the flowers slowly collapses. Eventually, they are completely consumed by the flames and lose their shape. A firm voice announces that the ...prayer is over. CH 30.3 The liquor is served by the hands of those who have been praying on stage. A wooden barrel filled with clear liquor is scooped up with a ladle and distributed to each person. The juice is also available for those who can¡¯t drink or for children, and Spica received that as well. While playing with a wooden cup filled with the liquor that has the slight consistency of milk in my palm, I look at the girl who sits back down beside me. She is looking at the wooden cup with anticipation in her eyes. When she brings the cup to her mouth, her throat rises and falls in a small way. The ...face beamed. Spica Velvet. I think about her past. The village of the dragon people is destroyed. I''m not a god, and I can''t change the past. But just by staying close to her, listening to her, reaching out to her, and doing such simple things that anyone can have done. "I can just be a dragon-person.¡± It is sad and frustrating that someone like that is not in the game. ...right. I scratch my head in frustration. This is the reason why it is important to make sure that she has a good meal, a beautiful view, and a fun place to go. Slowly, I take a sip of liquor. The heat of the alcohol ignites my skinny heart. I thought I had picked up a girl who had fallen ill, but it turned out to be the future Demon Lord. The sun shining through the lush leaves is pleasant. I slurp up some liquor while listening to the townspeople here discussing this year''s crop. "Hey, Spica. Is there anything you want to do?¡± "Something I want to do¡­?¡± "Yes, in the future. Anything is fine." She mumbles something in her mouth, as if examining the words, and seems to be thinking of an answer. She pulls her body closer to mine, reaches for my ear, and whispers. ¡°I want to see the things I read about in the books I''ve read, like the peep-show mechanisms excavated from ancient cities, the castles that lie deep in the earth, and the hidden islands found by adventurers¡­¡± When Spica leaves my body, she smiles like a child eating her favorite food. She looks at me shyly. It looks so refined that I stare blankly at it. "Did I say something weird...?" ¡°No. Of course not. ...Yes, that sounds like fun. I like that. Once you get settled, tell me more about it and I''ll see what I can find out." When Spica hears my words, she opens her mouth and her face slowly takes on color. Like a flower, she is filled with vivid vitality. The atmosphere is mesmerizing. She put on a serious expression and began to speak fluently about the title and contents of the book she had read. ¡°The book that Mook had written contained a lot of cleverness alone, though, didn''t it?¡¡Among them, he seems to have incorporated fictional ones into the culture, based on Western demons." "''Ah, now that you mention it, it''s slipping my mind. Tell me more." As I nod back at Spica, who is doing her best to explain, something akin to a deep sense of security fills my heart. People who can explain what they like in a fun way are fine. ¡°...You look like you''re having fun. What''s up?" Spica, who has stopped explaining at some point, asked me. Really? I touch my face with my hand and find that I have been smiling unintentionally. The breeze that blew between us is warm, and Spica''s silky hair, spilling out of her hat, flew up softly. The flowers on the stage shook their heads happily. It is a warm breeze that heralded the arrival of summer. ¡°I was happy to hear that.¡± I put my hand on Spica''s question mark head and give her a sincere smile. Even the way she looks at me seems cute, and I want to take good care of her. "Hey, Spica.¡± "What?" "I''m looking forward to it." When Spica hears my words, she gives a small nod. Then she smiles. She shows me a soft smile through her hat.