Chapter of Arkdragon, Episode 7: Welcome to Japan, Ms. Arkdragon

I’d heard there was a meaning behind the chirping noises sparrows make. Their morning chirps were a song of courtship as they sought out a female mate, and when they found food, they were calling over their buddies. Apparently, they were quite smart and could distribute roles like posting a lookout.

And so, I had woken up in the morning at my usual condo. The room was dim, and my still-groggy mind was realizing we had returned early.

According to the weather report, it was going to be sunny all day. It had been several years since my last domestic trip, and I figured I’d be able to take my time and enjoy the view.

Then, someone’s arm appeared from the edge of my vision. It clutched my head like an eagle’s talon, drawing me closer. I couldn’t resist the pull, but there was no pain, and I was suddenly enveloped in something ridiculously soft. There was a soft, squishy sensation and the warmth of someone’s skin. It was slightly sweaty, with a scent that made me want to smell it more for some reason.

What is this...?

My cloudy mind tried to figure it out, but it felt different from being hugged by the elf girl. It smelled faintly sweet and was smooth to the touch. It felt so nice, and I slowly opened my eyes to find out what it was.

Huh, what’s this? Such a pretty color...

I froze, stiff like a scene straight from a manga, because I’d finally realized what the soft, warm thing was.

I tried getting away in a fluster, but another arm appeared from the other side and locked me in place even more. It was like the skin was sucking me into it. My nose was buried in even deeper, and a bewitching leg wrapped around me under the blankets. The black-haired beauty squeezed my entire body.

Th-That’s right... We slept together with the magi drake at the cave last night, so I should’ve anticipated this. I’d forgotten from all the times we’d woken up leisurely, but people who I brought over to Japan for the first time ended up naked!

“Ah, hey! What are you doing?! Hey, wha—”

I heard an “Nnh! Nnh!” as the girl behind me cried for help, but the sleeping beauty had the incredible strength of a dragon even while unconscious. My body was tightly bound, and when I tried moving to free myself, the magi drake let out a terribly feminine and sexy moan. Neither of us were accustomed to such noises, and we both turned bright red, our faces screaming silently.

“Nnh, nnh, mmg!” (Translation: “M-Marie, I don’t know what to do, I may be done for!”)

“Nooo, don’t give up! I’ll move the blankets out of the way!”

“Nnnnnnh!” (Translation: “No no no, don’t do that!”)

Fwoosh!

The blankets were thrown aside, and everything was illuminated by the sunlight.

The beauty had been snoring happily until that moment, but stopped abruptly. She was in a face-up position and looked down at her own body with an uninterested expression, then sat up. Her healthy back muscles bulged as she stretched with a groan, her eyes glimmering as they gazed at the view outside the window.

“Ah, so this is the realm of the other! Hm, hm, it seems all things are different in form here. Even the flow of time... Aha, that explains Kazuhiho’s change in appearance. It is about what I had expected, but... oho, still surprising! So this how you look in a world with no foundation of magic!”

She chuckled cheerfully as she spoke, but I was still dumbstruck. The magi drake finally seemed to notice me, and she gave me an exasperated look.

“Hmm, and what are you two doing? I can see you two get along quite well... But I must say, seeing you two embracing each other like that so early in the morning is a bit unwanted.”

Oh, she’d mentioned her husband was out enjoying himself somewhere. I didn’t know too much about the magi drake’s home life, so I decided not to comment.

As for the elf girl, her face turned bright red and she let out a puff of air from her nose. She looked cute as her eyebrows arched angrily, but I wasn’t even allowed to look. The girl was sitting up and holding my head, which was red to my ears, against her stomach.

“Wh-Who’s unwanted?! Please, put on some clothes already!”

She was clutching my head pretty tightly, but I would’ve liked to be released. If only she’d realize that having my face pressed against her soft stomach was a bit too much to handle...

The draconian tilted her head, then looked toward the clothes that had been prepared for her. She picked up a piece of clothing with an uninterested look, then uttered, “I suppose I could...” and took her time reluctantly getting dressed.

Thankfully, the girl finally released me, allowing me to get a lung-full of fresh air once again.

Boy, this morning was full of surprises... but it seemed it was too early to feel relieved.

“What about this end? It won’t fit at all.”

She turned her butt toward me, and I did a repeated set of double takes. Her pants were caught on her dragon tail, and her peach-shaped butt was half-exposed... Then, Marie covered my eyes.

This went without saying, but the kitchen was facing the walls, so I was released there under the condition that I wouldn’t turn around. Judging by the way Marie had pardoned me, it seemed she trusted I’d keep my promise. As for the draconian, she unfortunately didn’t seem to care in the slightest...

I began making onigiri as originally planned, but I wasn’t sure how many of these rice balls I’d need. The magi drake could eat two or three bento boxes easily, so I decided to prepare more than usual.

I could hear her and Marie talking behind me, and it seemed she was speaking in Elvish so they could understand each other. Apparently, she could speak monster and ancient languages as well, and she’d actually understood what we were saying to each other during our first encounter.

While I was wrapping the rice balls with dried seaweed, I heard Marie’s impressed voice from behind me.

“Oh, your tail and horn... You really can transform them.”

“As I have told you. You may not be familiar with the term, but my tail and horn are made of magic particles, which is akin to pure energy. Hm, I know you went through the trouble of preparing these clothes, but I will be changing them to something more comfortable.”

Hearing terms like tail, horn, and magic particles, it made me wonder if I really was in Japan. I kept my promise not to turn around, of course, but I was really distracted by the fantasy world conversation going on behind me. It made me wonder if now was the time to be making onigiri like I was.

“Umm, Marie, what happened to her tail and horn?”

“Oh, ooh, wow... They really turned into her clothes. Ah, it’s okay now. You can’t see anything.”

R-Right. That was good. I almost forgot we were still in the Koto Ward, but I didn’t have to cancel our trip if she was able to hide her tail and such. We wouldn’t have been able to walk around outside if she couldn’t, and Marie had been looking forward to our little trip today.

Now, as for the onigiri, I decided to prepare many different types of stuffing. I tried making sure they wouldn’t get bored of the flavor by providing a wide variety, including umeboshi, kombu, furikake, tuna mayo, and okaka.

As I was finishing up, Marie spoke to me from behind. “You can turn around now, Kazuhiho.”

“Oh, sure. I’m almost done making these, too.”

Now that I had permission, I turned around to find the dragon’s clothes had changed completely. Her long black hair was still the same, but her horn and tail were gone, just as she had claimed. But the most surprising part was that she was wearing an A-line one piece that revealed her shoulders and thighs.

“Hmhm. Well, what do you think? I used Marie’s clothes as reference.”

“Huh? Did you just make that right now?” My surprised voice came out louder than I expected.

The high quality made it hard to believe it was prepared while I was making onigiri. Intricate embroidery adorned her chest and hip area. I couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

But there was no time to waste staring at her.

“Oh, look at the time.”

The clock on the wall was approaching 6:30. I was expecting the travel time to be about three hours, so it was about time we departed.

“Okay, let’s go, then. Do you two have everything packed already?”

“Yeeeah!”

“Yes!”

They’d been staring out the window, but now they came rushing over.

Then let’s head out toward Chichibu, Ms. Arkdragon and Ms. Elf.

I quickly wrapped the onigiri in aluminum foil, then grabbed a canteen and headed out the door. I opened the door to find it was very bright outside, and I was greeted by the warmth of spring. It seemed that we’d be able to enjoy ourselves on the way there with weather like this.

When we descended in the elevator and went outside, we saw a man brushing his teeth while throwing out some trash. He had a case of bed head going on, but I recognized him as someone we’d gone to dinner with before. He was the husband of the Ichijo couple who lived in the same complex.

“Good morning, Toru.”

“Ah, good morn...ing?”

Toru froze completely upon seeing Marie, who was humming like a fairy, and the magi drake, the beauty with her long, slender legs exposed.

“Ah. Good, morning. We are going, on a trip.” Marie bowed her head politely. The black-haired beauty, who didn’t understand Japanese, waved her hand.

“Cough, cough... Have... a nice trip...” Toru waved back and watched us go.

The parking lot was a short walk away. Marie got in the passenger seat as usual, and the back seat was reserved for our guest, the magi drake.

Thinking about it, Marie was very scared of the car that first time. On the other hand, the magi drake seemed to understand the gist of the vehicle’s structure by looking around the interior. She sat down heavily, and then I saw her nodding to me magnanimously in the back mirror.

I didn’t usually play music, but I found myself in a happy mood from being on my commemorative first trip. I pressed the play button for the CD I’d prepared, and some nostalgic music from the Showa era began playing. It was the perfect song for a Japan trip, and it could still be heard on TV every now and then.

“Wow, this really sets the mood! This mellow atmosphere is so Japanese!”

“Oh, you can tell that kind of thing already? Well then, let’s get started on our very first Japan trip.”

““Yaaay!””

Huh, it’s a lot more uplifting with two women with me.

The distinct mood brought on by the female vocals filled the vehicle, and the car left the parking lot as the sand crunched under the tires. I kept my eyes on the road as I slowly pressed down on the accelerator.

Now, it was time to head out for Chichibu.

The sound of cars passing by could be heard from outside. We were out on Shin Oumekaidou already, which was quite busy switching between two- and three-lane roads. If we just drove straight down this road and got on route 299, it would lead us right to Chichibu. It would’ve been faster to take an express train, but I thought it would be better this way since I was with the elf and magi drake. I wanted to avoid any sort of trouble at all costs.

“This is quite slow, but it is nice that I can travel without doing anything.”

“That’s good to hear. I was afraid you might get bored, so I’m relieved.”

The woman stretching in the back seat was basically the ruler of the dream world. Her main body’s estimated level was easily in the four digits, and according to written records, she’d lived for over ten centuries. I wondered whether a commoner like me should be showing her sightseeing, but I figured there was no need to worry about that, considering how relaxed she seemed back there.

Through the rear-view mirror, I saw her shaking her head side to side.

“Not at all. Watching these buildings go by is quite entertaining. There is no limit to what humans can accomplish, it seems.”

“This area has been developed quite nicely. I guess it’s surprising even for you, Lady Arkdragon.”

There were several high-rise buildings and flashy storefronts in the Shinjuku, Tokyo area, and she observed them through the window with great interest.

Of course, Marie was also seeing such a well-developed city for the first time, as well. She was also glued to the window, and she let out a “Wooow...”

Then, the black-haired woman seemed to notice something and turned toward me. “Oh, it must be a bother addressing me like that. You may both call me Wridra.”

“Lady Wridra it is, then. Marie and I have been wondering about your name. This one fits your image perfectly.”

When I told her as such, I saw Wridra smiling happily through the rear-view mirror. Her outfit was a simple flared black one piece and shoes with heels. But her long, straight hair that went down to her hips and slender, model-like legs that were full of mature charm could make anyone stare admiringly. She had clean-cut features and night-colored eyes and hair, but gave off an impression that was distinctly non-Japanese.

In the passenger seat was the elf girl, and her long ears were hidden under a hat as usual. Her pale purple eyes looked to the back seat, and she spoke to Wridra with an expression full of curiosity.

“Lady Wridra, may I ask why you aren’t surprised by cars and roads? I was screaming the whole time when I first saw them.”

“I have come to understand the construction of these so-called cars for the most part. Hm, Marie... You need not be so careful of your choice of words. This is a trip for leisure, no? So I, too, would like to relax and enjoy the realm of the other.”

Hearing this, the girl looked at me with rounded eyes. She seemed to be wondering if we could really be so disrespectful to a creature of legendary status. Then, we heard that internal question answered with a confident, “Yes, you may.”

I cleared my throat, then slowly opened my mouth.

“Understood, Lad... Wridra. It may be a little cramped for a bit, but you can look forward to the hot springs when we get there.”

“Yes, I am excited about them. Mmm, how wonderful it is to not have any responsibilities.”

Marie and I laughed out loud at her slovenly expression. Despite her dignified appearance, her emotional state was always easy to tell, and we were able to interact with her with our minds at ease. She may have been a legendary dragon, but she was now just a friend we spent time with, so it was best for us to treat her like one when speaking to her.

Marie seemed to understand my sentiment and relaxed a bit, as well.

Our car drove down the Shin Oumekaidou road while playing more nostalgic music. I didn’t want to pay the freeway tolls, but we must’ve gone at a good time, because there was hardly any traffic.

“The Japanese language is so expressive, and not only in music. I noticed lately that there are so many words I can’t express in the languages in the other world. I even think in Japanese sometimes.”

“Oh, I do get that. I think about how I should communicate something much of the time.”

Marie slapped my arm while happily nodding in agreement. These things were pretty common when learning another language.

“These mellow songs are a good example. They’re so full of emotion, and I can almost picture the scenes being described.”

“Hm. This reminds me of a bard, but with many other instruments. Though, I do not understand the meaning behind the lyrics quite yet... Ah, so you have been studying Japanese, Marie?”

The girl turned around proudly, as if to say, “Of course!”

“I was surprised when I first came here, but there are so many things to enjoy. There are many different books and movies, and countless types of clothing. I want to enjoy it all to the fullest, so I can’t allow myself not to learn Japanese.”

“Huh, I thought food is what you enjoyed most out of everything.”

As soon as I said that, the girl’s eyes lit up as if she just remembered, and then she put her arms around the back of her seat. Seeing her act as if she were talking to an old friend put my mind at ease. Her expression seemed to become even more gentle.

“Oh yes, the food of this country is sooo incredible! It even made me roll around in the room by myself. I’m sure it’s going to blow you away, Wridra.”

“Ha, ha, I would be quite impressed if that were true. If that happens, I would allow the cook to claim their food blew away a magi drake as advertisement.”

Marie... rolled around the room? No wonder she was so interested in that oven cooking dish. She asked me for the recipe several times, so it was possible she would make it on her own eventually.

Oh, that conversation reminded me, I’d prepared some rice balls for us. The drive wasn’t that long, but we hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. I asked Marie to get them out, and she grabbed the containers and canteens for me. She opened the wrinkled aluminum foil, and the aroma contained inside it began filling the car. It seemed to stir their appetites, because I heard both their stomachs growling at once. I smiled, thinking they were almost like sisters.

“What is this... black triangular object? Hmm, it does smell good.”

“You can bite into it just like that. They’re called rice balls, and they’re a light meal that’s sort of like bread in the other world. They’re very convenient when you’re on-the-go like we are now.”

Wridra picked up a tuna mayo rice ball, and Marie went with okaka. I told them to go ahead and enjoy since I was driving, and they both bit into their food at the same time.

The rice balls were still somewhat warm, and the fragrance of dried seaweed passed through their noses. The natural sweetness of the rice filled their mouths with every chew. You couldn’t underestimate the food simply referred to as rice balls. After the comforting initial flavor, the ingredients in the middle of the rice ball would take you by surprise.

As the saltiness and sweetness merged together, Wridra’s eyes snapped wide open. When rice was mixed with tuna and mayonnaise, its flavor became rich and creamy. The taste changed with each bite, and the sweetness and texture was all too enjoyable.

The car was quiet while the two wordlessly chewed their food.

“Oh, maybe we should open the windo...”

“Delicious! Th-This creamy flavor is tuna mayo?! No, I cannot allow a young child to eat such things, for the sake of their future! This one, this one, and this one are all mine. Whatever you do, do not touch them!”

“Mmm, the okaka rice ball is so good. This is what kitties like to eat, isn’t it? Every grain of rice is full of flavor.”

“What...?! C-Come now, what do you say to trading one of those for one of my tuna mayos?”

I was worried a rice ball would attain the title of dragon slayer at this rate... It seemed Wridra’s bar for good food was set as low as ever.

But personally, I was glad she thought the rice tasted good. I imagined her to be a carnivore, so it’d be tough for her to enjoy her time in Japan if she didn’t like rice.

What I didn’t expect was just how surprised they were by the warm tea.

“It’s warm! It’s as if it’s freshly brewed... Is it magic?”

“Huh? No, it’s called a thermos, and...”

“‘Thermos’? Is that the name of the spell? I always suspected there was a Grand Wizard somewhere in Japan ever since I saw that tower. Now I’m sure of it.”

I wasn’t quite sure how to explain. The tower she mentioned was the Tokyo Sky Tree, which was visible from my place. Though, she probably wasn’t going to be convinced until I actually took her there.

The conversation went back and forth for a little while longer, but Marie eventually forgot about it as her stomach filled more and more.

As we got on route 299, the road became far less busy. In the city, taxis that cut into your lane and braked suddenly in front of you were especially scary, so you couldn’t really take your time driving there. But now that we were in Saitama, I didn’t have to worry about that anymore.

We began seeing more farmland in the area, and mountains could be seen in the distance. This made driving enjoyable for me, too.

It was a little livelier than earlier, with the two girls singing along with the songs. It began with them saying it was for their Japanese studies, but it ended up basically being karaoke.

What surprised me was how fast they were learning. Marie was pretty accustomed to Japanese by now, but Wridra was already getting the hang of the pronunciations, despite it being her first time using the language. She was incredibly fast at learning, and it made me wonder if she had some sort of skill that helped her with absorbing knowledge.

The elf had a lovely singing voice, and Wridra’s was surprisingly beautiful, too. Even the gentle, serene songs were arranged into cheerful ones by their duet.

Once they were done singing, they both laughed with their mouths wide open, and I couldn’t help but smile. It was just so splendid and uplifting having women like them on the trip.

Wridra seemed to be in quite a good mood and put her arms around the driver’s seat. She spoke so closely, I could feel her breath tickling my ear.

“So, Kazuhiho, will there be a volcano at these hot springs?”

“No, not at Chichibu. We’re just going to take a look today, but I’d like to go to authentic volcanic hot springs someday, too.”

Oh, right. There was one big problem with that...

This went without saying, but the elf girl had long, elven ears. I’d just remembered that was the reason why I chose a room with a private bath.

“Hmm? Ears, you say?”

Wridra held one of the elf’s ears between two fingers and stared at it. I nearly forgot this at times, but we were in Japan, and I honestly didn’t know what would happen if someone saw us. Even though it was a country full of polite people, it could’ve become big news if she were to be found out, and reporters could come rushing at us with questions. I told Wridra as such, and her obsidian eyes blinked once.

“Hm. So, her ears simply need to be hidden?”

“Huh? But she can’t hide them without her hat, which means she probably can’t go in the hot springs, right?”

“Come here, Marie.”

Our eyes widened, and then Marie’s seat was leaned back. I could sense they were doing something, but as the driver, I couldn’t look away from the road.

When the passenger’s seat was eventually returned to its original position...

The signal turned red, and I slowly brought the car to a stop. I noticed the girl was staring at me, so I turned to face her. There, I saw Marie without her knit cap, and time seemed to freeze for an instant.

“Ah! Your ears are gone...? Huh? What happened?!”

The elf ears that should’ve been there were gone, and in their place was her white, braided hair. The light turned green and the driver behind me honked, so I began driving again in a fluster.

Apparently, my reaction was pretty funny. Wridra chuckled, then brought her face closer and revealed her trick.

“Ha, ha, I made hair ornaments for Marie using my magic particles. Look, they are completely covered and invisible to the public eye.”

“What? But it was hair... Wait, you can make hair, too?”

“That is not all. I have set it to follow simple commands, such as ‘bind’ and ‘unravel.’ Now she should be able to go outside as she pleases.”

I finally seemed to get it as we stopped at the next red light. I didn’t really know much about the so-called magic particles, but she used them to recreate Marie’s white hair and cover her ears, then tied them at the back. Only her earlobes showed this way, making her seem like an ordinary girl.

A beautiful girl.

I felt like a late-night infomercial repeatedly saying “Incredible!” but this really was. So much so that I stared at and touched it every time we stopped at a red light. It looked so natural and completely covered her elf ears.

The one who was happiest of all was Mariabelle herself.

“Ohhh, I won’t have to worry about my head feeling stuffy when going out from now on! This is so comfortable, Wridra!”

“I’m really amazed. Modern technology is pretty advanced, but we can’t really make anything that looks this natural. I guess that’s the power of the great magi drake.”

“You may compliment me more. Kufufu, children of men certainly are lovable.”

I thought Wridra was cute herself, seeing her smile in such a happy mood.

In any case, this was extremely helpful. I felt bad about making Marie wear a hat in the sweltering Japanese heat, and we wouldn’t have to worry about being considerate when eating at a restaurant now.

“You can enjoy the outdoor hot springs when we get there, too. How about I buy us something tasty at that parking area over there as thanks?”

“H-Hm, I suppose I cannot refuse a token of gratitude. I shall accept it. I am quite a stickler for etiquette, after all. If you so insist, I have no choice.”

A light meal as payment was nothing compared to what she’d given us.

With the magi drake’s approval, I drove into the parking area on our left-hand side. It appeared to be a cozy little rest spot out in the country. The stand here wasn’t that big in size, but they seemed to be selling a variety of products.

“There are local delicacies in each region of Japan, so they might have something like that here, too.”

“Hey, there you go again, piquing my interest like that...”

The girl laughed with her pure white hair showing, and she seemed to be even more radiant than usual. It made me realize again just how glad I was to bring her on the trip.

Our car was parked quietly under the blue sky. We realized we were surrounded in greenery, and the air felt different compared to the city.

Miso potato, a Chichibu specialty.

It was a potato coated in batter, then covered in thick miso. It was such a common snack for the residents there that they apparently thought it was eaten throughout Japan.

The wild trees were reaching out toward the road, forming a sort of natural tunnel. It was quite a nice view, but I felt a pair of eyes staring at me from the back seat. I bought the local delicacy as thanks to Wridra the magi drake, but it seemed its appearance had not met her expectations.

“This is quite bland for a token of gratitude...”

“Is this really a local delicacy? It looks like a skewered potato.”

Put that way, I couldn’t help but feel a little bad for the potato...

We returned to the car, and the girls each had a fox-colored skewer in their hand. It was being sold plainly in the household dish section at the stand, and its modest presentation must have lowered their expectations drastically.

“Hehe, just give it a try. Looks being different from taste is part of the charm of Japanese food.”

The two nodded at my suggestion, and the sound of them biting into their food rang throughout the car.

Then, their eyes widened.

The creamy, melty texture was more akin to mashed potatoes.

“Muoh!”

“Mmm...?!”

They chewed wordlessly, and then their eyes turned toward me. I got the feeling that they were trying to say, “What is this?!”

Potatoes usually tasted rather plain, but when mixed with spicy-sweet miso, it brought out the potato’s natural sweetness and depth of flavor. The creamy potato evolved into a complex flavor, and as it was swallowed, the aroma of yuzu passed through the nose and stirred one’s appetite even further. Their stomachs seemed to demand they eat more, and they bit into potato number two.

“Mmf, this is plain, yet so delicious! This miso is enhancing the flavor fantastically!”

“Mmm, you’re right! It tastes so much different than it looks! It’s creamy, sour, and spicy, and the aftertaste is a fragrant yuzu flavor!”

Their opinion of the dish seemed to have flipped upside down, resulting in a high score for the miso potatoes.

It seemed that it was a bit “too local,” and so common in the homes here that it was treated as unremarkable at the shop. It was almost too affordable at a hundred yen, too, and I felt like they could have raised a price a little.

In any case, we arrived at our destination without any issues. Not only was there was much less traffic than I’d imagined, but the conversations and listening to the magi drake and elf sing made the three hours fly by. I was initially a bit worried because I hardly had opportunities to drive far, but I realized there was nothing to fret over now.

We got out of the car, and the elf girl enjoyed a nice stretch with her arms out wide. It was a gesture that seemed fitting for the nice, clear weather.

Our eyes met, and she furrowed her cute brows.

“You’re staring at me again. I think you look at me and laugh far too much.”

“Haha, you just looked like you were enjoying that stretch. Is your back hurting at all?”

She dusted herself off, then turned around to point her little butt toward me. Her light one piece was perfect for spring, with bright colors that suited her well.

“Just a little. But this is nothing compared to riding horses. That can leave a pain that lingers for half a day. And all the swaying makes it hard to enjoy the view.”

“Now that you mention it, I haven’t really ridden them much before. Horses are a bit scary, you know? And they bite my head all the time, which tends to hurt...”

The girl chuckled, then flashed a brilliant smile that matched her white hair. Seeing the beautiful expression on her face, I felt a cool sensation passing through my chest for some reason.

Chiiirrp chirp chirp...

Hearing the noise suddenly, we both looked up to the woods. It seemed she wasn’t familiar with nightingales, and she stared at the bird wide-eyed.

As I stood next to her, we naturally held each other’s hands, gazing at the intricately repeating mountains and the view that was framed in farmland.

“Such a peaceful place. It’s so different from where we live.”

“It really is. But I like the calm atmosphere in your room, too. It kind of reminds me of inarizushi.”

Yup, there she went again with the mysterious comments. She could very much be a girly-girl at times, I thought.

Highly impressionable, and just listening to her made me smile. I wordlessly asked what she meant, and she hugged my arm tightly.

“It feels like this. It always makes me feel just a little excited.”

“I’m not sure I get it, but I’m glad you seem to enjoy it.”

As dramatic as it sounded, seeing her like that made me happy to be alive.

She smiled happily, and I was sure she was even more expressive than usual. Maybe it was because she was on her first trip, or because she was freed from having to wear a hat.

As for the magi drake who helped make that happen, she was smiling at us while resting her elbows on the car. Her gentle expression as she watched over us was like that of a parent’s. I’d almost forgotten we were there to help relieve her stress.

The black-haired Wridra’s lips curled upward, forming a bewitching grin.

“It is strangely pleasant seeing how well you two get along. It makes me feel as if my heavy heart will be cured even before entering the hot springs.”

It was a bit embarrassing getting called out like that, and the elf girl quickly let go of me. Then, Wridra put up her hand as if to stop Marie.

“Oh, no, it is fine. I want you to be your natural selves. I have lived a long time, but it is always heartwarming to see children of men coming together.”

Judging by her expression, it didn’t seem like she was saying it to mock us.

The girl seemed to hesitate a second. Then, face turning slightly pink, she decided to keep holding my hand. I followed her gaze to find a gate just past the parking lot, and there was a building there that seemed to be welcoming travelers.

“Okay then, let’s go to the inn.”

The girls responded to my suggestion by exclaiming “Yaaay!” and raising their fists. Seeing how excitable they were, it was strange to think one of them was an elf who’d lived for over a hundred years and the other was a dragon who was over ten centuries old.

We arrived at an inn that had a tranquil, Japanese-style appearance. There was a small gate and a Japanese garden, and the girls looked around with great interest. It made efficient use of the small space in true Japanese fashion, and the building gave off a rural, homey sort of vibe.

I slid the door open to find the reception desk right in front of the entrance. The interior was very Japanese as well, and the other two stared with mouths agape at the ceiling with exposed beams that gave the room an open feeling.

“Hmm, I do like the atmosphere. It feels as if bizarre creatures may be living here.”

“What? Really? I’d love that!”

Ahh, this must be the influence of anime. Ms. Elf seemed to have picked up an interest in Japanese-style buildings, and she stared at the shoji screens and pillars while I was checking in.

According to the employee there, there were two types of clothes for walking around the premises. We were able to choose between a type of work clothing called samue and brightly colored yukatas. Both the girls pointed at the yukatas with vigor, while I opted for the samue.

“Aww, why don’t you pick the same one as us? This one is so much nicer.”

“I just like wearing clothes I’m comfortable lounging around in.”

“No, that’s not it. Ever since you were a child, you’ve liked clothes you can bum around in. It’s obvious just by looking at that face of yours.”

Her reasoning was pretty bad, but for some reason, I couldn’t deny it...

We walked out to the wooden flooring in the hallway and headed toward the room I’d reserved. The interior of the inn was cleaner than expected, and the design had a distinct Japanese charm to it.

There was a waterfront by the open hallway, and the girls curiously peered at the colorful koi swimming there.

“Oh! Look, Wridra! Those fish have such strange patterns!”

“Hmm, you are right. A fish this round is most definitely for eating.”

No, it most definitely wasn’t. I really hoped she wasn’t planning on catching it...

It was no wonder Mrs. Ichijo recommended this place to us, though. There was nothing like it in our neighborhood, and I decided to get her a souvenir on the way back.

And so, we finally made it to our room and found its serene interior awaiting us. The elf girl’s eyes glimmered as she became the most excited out of all of us, smelling the faint fragrance of the tatami flooring.

“Oooh! Tatami! Look, look, tatami flooring!”

“These mats are made of straw...? The Japanese certainly have skillful hands. Though... the sharp eyes and accuracy required seem to be somewhat beyond that of a normal human’s.”

“R-Right. Let’s just take it easy here for today. Here, Marie. Go ahead and open the shoji screen.”

The girl blinked and looked at me, then seemed to realize something and jogged over to the shoji screen. Sunlight poured in as she slid it open, and within the small garden right outside...

“Ah! A bath! Huh? Why is it outside?!”

“It’s an open-air bath, so you can look at the sky while you bathe. You can use this one or the big bath we saw on the way to our room.”

I asked what she wanted to do, and her eyes began sparkling. I’d always known how much she loved baths, so one with such an open feel to it was sure to make her happy.

“B-Both! But I want to try the big one first!”

“All right, then let’s make the best of our time here. We can enjoy the hot springs all day today.”

The girl shuddered, hardly able to contain her excitement. Wridra’s face also lit up.

I thought to myself how Marie was very good at expressing her joy. I could feel her heart thumping with her body against mine, and she pressed her head into me while making unintelligible sounds. Then, she looked up to face me, and her colorful lips slowly parted.

“I’m so excited, I can hardly wait. I’ve always wondered... why is it that you always teach me about such fun things?”

“Hmm, I wonder... Probably because it’s fun for me too.”

She let out a puff of air from her nose, which was pressed against me again. Her pale purple eyes looked into mine, and then her mouth opened once more.

“Will you teach me how to wear the yukata?”

When an adorable girl asked you this, all you could do was answer with, “Gladly.”

Her smile was infectious, and I felt a grin widening on my own face, as well.

It was quite lively as she got dressed. The two seemed very interested in the colorful yukata, and I could hear their cheerful voices behind me as I sat in the garden. Just listening to their happy squeals put me in a happy mood, too.

It was strange to think that, just a month ago, I was a salaryman who only lived to spend his time alone and dreamed as a hobby.

“Hmm, I think this is about right... Would you mind checking this really quick?”

I turned around in response to the girl’s voice, then immediately snapped my face back toward the garden. A black-haired beauty stood behind Marie, and her pale butt was visible under the open yukata.

Hmm... Such a powerful image... Her lack of modesty was a bit troubling. Maybe it was because she was in vacation mode, but it felt like Marie was less cautious than usual, too.

“I-I’ll check it over here. Come here, Marie.”

She quickly trotted over, and a girl with flushed cheeks appeared before me. I took her by her hands and stood her in front of me, redid the rope around her waist, then made some finer adjustments around her chest. It seemed as if she liked being taken care of like this, and she cheerfully let me fuss around with her without resistance. Her happy expression as she spread her arms out wide was more than I could ask for as the one dressing her.

“...That should do it. Let me see your back side.”

I took her by her hand and turned her around, and she giggled lightly. With some final adjustments to her sash, Ms. Elf successfully wore her yukata. Her smile as she turned around was like a blooming flower, and she gave me an adorable, “Thank you.”

“Ah, so that is how it is meant to look.”

Wridra peered out from behind the shoji screen, and I was taken aback when I saw her exposed shoulders and clavicles. Her skin was also a pale white, and there was a potent and mature allure to her, with her black hair hanging over her soft skin.

Come to think of it, she’d mentioned something about magic particles earlier. The outline of her yukata changed shape in front of our eyes, and it enveloped her skin like she’d learned after looking at Marie. It was a sight straight from the realm of fantasy, and an impossibility in the Japan I knew... but she was a resident of a fantasy world to begin with, so there was no point in me worrying about that.

“Okay, let’s go to the big hot spring, then. Do you both have your towels?”

““Yeees!””

They smiled brightly as they each enthusiastically raised an arm into the air. I led them out of the room, and they followed me, humming with a bounce to their steps.

Silence filled the room, and it became colored with sunlight. It was sure to greet them warmly by the time they returned.

＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋

The dressing room was filled with steam and smelled faintly of the hot springs. Marie sniffed around for that mysterious scent, and her eyes met with another Japanese guest who happened to be there.

As visitors from a fantasy world, the two girls couldn’t help but draw attention to themselves, which made her shy about undressing her yukata. But the magi drake with her didn’t seem to mind a bit, and she revealed her bare body without hesitation.

Mariabelle had been worried when Kazuhiro first invited the magi drake to this world. But now, she seemed to appreciate the fact that she had a fellow companion.

Wridra grinned at her, though it was unclear whether she was aware of this sentiment. This emboldened her to disregard the watching eyes, disrobe, and put her clothes into the locker. Finally, she put her drawstring bag on top, then stared at it with her pale, purple eyes. Kazuhiro had handed this to her earlier, saying it contained something called an “allowance.” Apparently, she could use it to buy something after getting out of the bath.

But more important than the money was that the pouch had a picture of a goldfish drawn on it, and it made her happy to know that he knew what she liked. So much so, in fact, that the smile she’d been holding back spread across her face.

“Hmhm, he is a diligent one. I see he thinks very dearly of you, Marie.”

“I-I don’t... think so. He’s just very considerate, almost like a woman... and he’s very kind.” She blushed a bit, then closed the locker in a hurry.

The woman watching her had incredible proportions, and she stood there with her hand to her waist, an amused grin on her face.

The girl felt her cheeks grow hot for some reason, then pushed Wridra’s back toward the hot springs.

“Ahahaha! Just look how red your face is! Such a maiden you are.”

“Stop laughing so much! I’d spank your butt if you weren’t a magi drake.”

The comment only made Wridra laugh even more. There was a whole head’s worth of height difference between them, but they almost seemed like sisters.

As they went outside, they found there was no ceiling there. A blue sky awaited them. The spring sunlight was warm. There was the hot springs before them, the distinct smell of trees in the air.

The girl wasn’t just imagining that smell. The hot springs contained gas emitting from the trees, and should they wander inside, it would’ve felt like they were surrounded by a lush forest.

The fairy elf’s heart thumped with expectation as she dipped her foot in the water. The slightly cloudy color and scent made them feel as if they were surrounded by forestry and the slippery texture of the water made both girls’ eyes widen as they immersed themselves in the water feet-first.

As their entire bodies submerged, they both let out an “Oof...”

“Aaahhh, so much hot water... This is so luxurious!”

“Nng! There is a thickness to this water. But I can feel it seeping into my tired body. How wonderful.”

They felt their bodies shudder as the slightly viscous water enveloped and gently warmed them.

They’d just washed themselves off earlier, and now they had their hair wrapped up in towels. Marie had ensured her long ears were still hidden, so now she was enjoying the water without worries. There was hardly anyone else there, so they enjoyed an extravagant, near-exclusive experience.

“Ahhh... So this is a hot spring... This is going to ruin me as an elf...”

“Something like this once in a while cannot hurt... Though, I do not mind at all if this ruins me as a dragon...”

Enveloped by the warmth of the water, the two let out contented sighs.

There were Japanese cypresses around them, as well as vivid, green trees. These hot springs were likely accustomed to curing weary travelers of their fatigue.

Because of the sheer volume of water, moving around didn’t make the ripples splash back at the elf. As she stretched her legs and took in a deep breath, her butt naturally floated to the top of the water.

She was in a world of bath. She’d come to realize what a deep culture the hot springs offered.

Then, she stretched her legs and arms. The blue sky expanded overhead, and the two let out another deep breath.

“Mmf, this is no good... I came here on a whim, but I just may become addicted...”

“Me too... It’s scary how deep I am into Japanese customs now, despite being an elf... A part of me wouldn’t even mind if my ears just fell right off...”

Marie placed her head against a cypress, and the two had sleepy looks on their faces. They looked just like their companion, Kazuhiro, but luckily, neither of them seemed to notice.

Steam wavered all around them, softening the sunlight coming down on their bodies. It felt as if even their thoughts would dissolve into pudding.

With such an expression on her face and sweat beading on her forehead, Wridra turned toward Marie.

“So, does it seem like you will be able to enter this so-called ancient labyrinth?”

“No, we’ll be going to speak to the guild leader tonight... Wait, how do you know...? Ooh, that’s right. You’ve been secretly eavesdropping on us.”

Hearing the slight attitude in the girl’s words, the dragon chuckled with amusement. There was no ill intent in her eyes as she looked at the girl with her breasts floating atop the water.

Marie and Kazuhiro had been aware of her observing them through the dragon blood she’d given them. Or, more accurately, they’d realized it when Mewi pointed out that they were “still connected.”

“I had no choice. I do not know anyone who is capable of crossing over to the realm of the other. This is why I was concerned. I had feared someone would try to use this power for evil, but... Oho, I did not anticipate he was simply spending his days eloping with a young elf girl.”

The girl’s cheeks turned red instantly, and not from the heat. She was all too familiar with what the magi drake was talking about.

“Ah! I’m going to call you the ‘Peeping Arkdragon’ from now on... We’re never bringing you to hot springs again!”

“What? I cannot have that! I can promise you this: I have only listened to your voices, and I was considerate of your privacy! I would have no idea if you two have been kissing!”

“K-Kissing? W-We’ve done no such thing!”

Wridra tilted her head at the sight of the girl submerging in the water down to the lips and blowing bubbles up to the surface. Judging by the content of their conversation, she’d assumed they already had that sort of relationship.

Still underwater, the girl was averting her eyes. Wridra may have imagined it, but it seemed like she was somewhat upset. Seeing this, a look of realization spread on the black-haired woman’s face.

“Hmm, I see. You are a child, and he is a coward.”

“...Huh?”

The magi drake’s hand moved through the slick water and took hold of the elf’s hand. The girl looked up to face her, and Wridra whispered, “There is something interesting over there. What do you say to joining me and checking it out?”

“...Sure, I don’t mind. So long as you’re going to explain what you meant just now.”

Wridra grinned, revealing her white teeth.

Hot air suddenly drifted out toward them, and they shut the door in a hurry. It was so hot, they seemed to think it wasn’t a place where a living creature should enter. The entrance read “sauna,” but neither of them knew what it meant quite yet. They looked at each other, wondering what to do, when several women exited from the room noisily. Seeing the refreshed look on their faces, the two looked at each other again and mustered the courage to enter.

The potent heat was still there, but seeing the dark space with wooden seats inside, they could tell it was some sort of place for healing.

The magi drake sat down heavily on the seat, and the girl followed suit... only to jump up from the burning heat on her butt and yell, “Hot!” The dragon laughed again.

“Ha, ha, this seems to be another type of bath. To warm the body with steam instead of water... Humans come up with some truly innovative ideas.”

“That’s fine and all... but I thought I was going to turn into a steamed dish. Even the air I breathe is hot... It’s making my nose sting!”

She was still a bit cautious, but she gradually became accustomed to the heat and lowered her hips slowly. As she sat in the room filled with hot air, she eventually became used to it enough to stretch out her limbs.

The girl then asked the dragon, “Would you mind telling me what you meant earlier? It sounded awfully mean when you called me a child and him a coward.”

Marie looked at the dragon coldly, an unusual expression for her. Though, in truth, it was simply that Kazuhiro had not seen her like this, and this was her usual expression when spending time at the Sorcerer’s Guild.

Still, Wridra’s warm, motherly expression didn’t fade, and she moved in a little closer to the girl.

“You may already know this, but my body is closer to that of a fairy. The same goes for you. Elves are close to fairies as a species, and a different creature from humans altogether.”

It was true. Although the elf sometimes forgot... no, she tried to forget, she was different from humans. They could touch and communicate with each other, but there was something fundamentally different about them compared to humans. Because of this, she knew full well it was extremely rare for humans and elves to end up together.

“Come now, do not look so glum. This is why I say you are still a child. You wish to touch him deeply, which is why you have been changing your body and way of thinking little by little. Am I wrong?”

The girl blinked. She couldn’t understand what was just said to her, but couldn’t pretend she didn’t hear it, either. The dragon had said something important.

“No need to be hasty. You and that boy will be a pair one day.”

The girl felt something deep within her head go numb. She could see the truth of the dragon’s words, and a glimpse of the future flashed in her vision. It had been blurry and vague until then, but the dragon’s words helped it take shape. The magi drake could control all sorts of magic, but this seemed to be magic, indeed.

The girl let out a melancholy sigh, hugged her knees, and made her small body seem even smaller.

“Hm? What is it?”

“He... probably doesn’t find me attractive.”

“Hmmm? And what makes you think that? You seem adorable even in my eyes.”

It had to be obvious from any observer that she was very important to that young man. But Marie pouted, making a child-like expression.

“He barely ever initiates physical contact... We’ve never even kissed like you mentioned. I don’t think he sees me as a woman at all.”

“Hm. Then, about what I said earlier...”

The elf’s eyes turned slightly toward the dragon, but they were full of doubt and accusation. Considering how she’d just trusted the dragon’s earlier statements, Wridra couldn’t help but let out an internal sigh.

“He has become a coward because you are so important to him.”

“...What do you mean?”

“Ha ha. Put simply, it means there is hope for you yet.”

The girl’s amethyst eyes widened, revealing their vivid brilliance. The boy, Kazuhiro, apparently thought of them like blooming flowers. Wridra felt as if she somewhat understood why he lost himself in those eyes.

“Real...ly...?”

Even as the girl asked anxiously, she moved in even closer. Her shining eyes were attractive even to the dragon, and they made Wridra’s cheeks turn slightly rosy.

“Well, finding out whether that is true or not is a simple task. The truth is always right there in front of you. If you wish to know, you can simply find out. For example...”

The girl felt her head go dizzy from the woman’s confident words. Really, it was because she’d been in the sauna too long.

The girl’s body slowly sloped downward, and Wridra silently supported her. Then, Wridra carried her outside and laid her down on the chair.

As she passed through the cloth divider to go out, the young man was reading a book nearby. The girl remembered how they’d picked a book at the library together, but she would’ve liked more time to mentally prepare for the reunion.

He noticed her as well and looked right at her. His usual sleepy-looking face smiled gently, and he stood up. The samue he wore was rather plain, but it was perfect for spending time in leisure.

“Hey there. How was the bath? There’s a footbath over there. Would you like to check it out?”

She couldn’t speak very well, and she could only nod wordlessly. And so, they walked toward the footbath with him in the lead.

The girl turned around to see Wridra waving her hand, mouthing the words “Good luck,” which only made her heart beat even louder. She could hear it pounding against her chest, and her feet were uncertain, as if she were walking in a dream. His hand squeezed hers, and her small body twitched in reaction. The anticipation of something to come made her feel like she could pass out at any moment...

＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋

This place was a recreational facility, but it was also a nice and tranquil Japanese inn. As we walked down the hallway, there were many families who seemed to be enjoying their free time. The sunlight was nearly directly overhead, and there were several people heading toward the dining hall by this time.

We could go and eat already, but it would probably be better to relax a bit after taking a bath. It was the first hot springs visit for the elf whose hand I was holding, so I should’ve been teaching her the proper way to enjoy it.

“After you’re done taking a bath, you get to pick any drink you want. Look, that’s what that booth is for.”

“...I-I see. Is that what the drawstring pouch you gave me is for?”

I turned around, noticing she took her time to reply. The girl’s face was so red that I wondered if she’d overheated in the hot springs. Her clavicle was peeking out beneath her yukata, and seeing her pale skin more flush than usual made her seem more alluring than her age. Seeing her full, soft-looking lips almost made my own face grow hot.

Although, of course, she was an elf who’d lived a hundred years, so she was actually much older than me.

“Y-Yeah, so, uh, go ahead and pick anything you’d like.”

I pointed ahead, and the girl’s eyes were directed to the juice lineup. The refrigerator behind the glass contained coffee, milk, strawberry milk, and various canned drinks in a line. The sight was sure to draw the attention of any child, and the girl’s eyes glittered with excitement.

But feeling someone’s eyes on us, I looked to the side to find Wridra in the corner of the hallway, looking as if she were about to cry.

Umm, she’s standing pretty far from us... But what was she doing there? I wanted to ask, but she disappeared to the other side of the hallway with a look of pained reluctance. I would’ve bought her some juice if she wanted some...

As I was thinking about this, I felt a tug on my sleeve.

“I want this one! The color is so pretty.”

“Oh, sure. Then I’ll choose the same. Excuse me...”

The two bottles of Ramune clanged against each other as I put them on the counter to pay.

“Oh! What is this? There’s a transparent ball in here.”

“Yeah, it’s called a marble, and it’s used as a seal for the drink.”

It was funny seeing Marie struggle to get the marble through the neck of the bottle. She put the bottle on a towel and tried pushing it through, but she seemed to have difficulties pushing hard enough. I placed my hand over hers to help, and she slightly trembled with effort. Just as she started to turn toward me, the marble shot in with a satisfying pop!

She made an impressed noise and peered into the bottle curiously. Her pale purple eyes observed the carbonation bubbling up the inside of the bottle. Drinks like these must’ve seemed strange to her.

She stared at the bottle the whole time as we walked toward the footbath. It seemed like she could hardly wait to drink it, but she just needed to wait a little bit longer.

After a short walk, we arrived at the nearby footbath. There were various places to enjoy the hot water at the facility, one of them being a bath that was also a walkway that didn’t even go up to your knees. We sat on the seats that resembled verandas and dipped our feet into it, feeling the warmth of the water that was at just the right temperature.

“How interesting. I didn’t expect to see a bath like this. This is for warming your body, I’m guessing?”

“That’s right. Just dipping your feet in warms up your whole body. But going in the hot springs is more effective for keeping yourself warm on a cold day, of course.”

The redness on the girl’s face had faded, and I was relieved to see she was her cheery self again.

She plopped down next to me. With her leg next to mine, it was clear to see the difference in our skin colors. She stretched her feet as far as they would go, then made little squeezing gestures with her toes. Her feet were pale like the rest of her body, and much smaller than my own.

I spread my toes in the same way, and she giggled happily.

“So, what did you think of the hot springs? I’ve heard this place is pretty good.”

“Oh, it was incredible. I have nothing to compare it to since I’m from the forest and this is my first time going to hot springs, but I shuddered when I soaked my body in it. I even thought it would ruin me as an elf.”

I’d heard people saying that about themselves, but didn’t know elves could feel the same way. She seemed sincere when I looked at her, and it made me glad to have invited her.

“Then, I guess I should say, welcome to hot springs culture. I’m really glad you seem to enjoy it.”

“Oh, but I don’t know if I should. What if I really do get ruined as an elf? You may not be laughing when my ears fall right off my head.”

We both laughed, then clinked our bottles together. The chilled Ramune felt good going down my throat, and it left a refreshing aftertaste. Marie’s eyes widened a bit at the carbonation, and then she smiled and said it tasted good.

“I wanted to thank you. I was embarrassed at first, but seeing your sleepy-looking face helped relax me.”

Hm? Embarrassed? What did she mean?

I wasn’t expecting any formal thanks, but she removed her feet from the water. I watched her, wondering what was going to happen next, and she placed her small hand over my chest.

“You need to feel embarrassment like I’ve been feeling.”

“Huh...?”

Her pretty face, so finely detailed, obstructed the sun as she moved closer, and my eyes widened. Her nose brushed against my forehead, then she gently swept my hair out of the way. Her soft-looking lips were just as—no, far softer than I’d imagined as they pressed against my forehead.

Time seemed to disappear. My thoughts were wiped clean from my mind, and I only recognized the warmth coming from her.

A gentle splash of water could be heard, but it sounded like it came from so far away. Only the girl’s neck appeared in my vision, and I felt her breath tickling my hair. The elf’s bright, silky hair caressed my cheeks, and I was at a complete loss for words.

All I could do was feel her warmth.

Then, heat began visibly warming my cheeks. I made a faint noise as I moved away from her, and the elf’s face filled my view. The blushing girl before me seemed so womanly and pure, I couldn’t help but be captivated by her even more than usual.

Seeing me like this, a satisfied smile spread across her face.

“Hehe, how’s that for a thank you?”

“A-Ahh, it was, very, surprising. Umm, thank you.”

“Hey now, I’m the one who’s thanking you... I’m getting a little chilly. Can you scoot over for me?”

I was still in the midst of my confusion when the girl moved her butt in between my legs. She then got back into the footbath and began humming in a cheerful mood.

The feeling against my forehead was still clearly lingering, making it feel as if Marie’s lips were still there. I was dazzled by her thighs peeking out of her yukata, and I needed some time to contain the strange emotion I was feeling.

I didn’t know at the time, but apparently Wridra had told her, “Hands, feet, wherever you please... Just give him a kiss somewhere. If he has feelings for you, just look at his face and you will see.” It was aggressive, yet accurate advice.

As my head slowly recovered from the confusion, I came to a realization: the girl was taking a step forward, and, despite my timid nature, so was I.

In other words, it seemed we were more than just friends from this moment on. That was how it felt as I touched my own forehead.

It was quite shocking, and I probably wouldn’t have felt any pain if I pinched my cheek just then. I’d never experienced something like it before, so it hardly felt real. I even considered the possibility of it being a very pleasant dream. But the girl was definitely there and enjoying the footbath before me, her toes wavering back and forth.

Finally noticing the bottle in my hand, I brought the Ramune to my mouth. The mixture passing down my throat was very cold and sweet. When I put my bottle back down, a pair of pale purple eyes were staring at me, and my heart skipped a beat.

“Hey, how are there hot springs when there’s no volcano here?”

I felt a little bit of relief as she asked the question. It was likely because her eyes were so full of curiosity as always. They told me that Marie was tangible, right there in front of me, and her actions earlier were only natural.

As I drank some Ramune, soaked in the bath, and enjoyed our conversations for a while, my heart finally seemed to calm down. That moment would be etched into my mind as a special memory, but I also wanted to protect the relationship we already had.

Marie seemed to be very interested in the hot springs as I’d thought, so I taught her about their history and of some other famous hot springs in different regions of Japan. But I soon realized I may have picked the wrong topic of discussion when I told her the reason there were so many hot springs was because this country was one of the most earthquake-prone in the entire world.

Her eyes snapped wide open. “That reminds me! There was an earthquake that night! So that wasn’t just a rare incident?!”

“No, they happen quite frequently... Why don’t we join one of my condo’s evacuation drills sometime?”

Marie grew pale, then nodded fervently.

I remembered she was so surprised that night that she practically flew out of the bathroom. I decided not to tell her that metropolitan cities like the one we lived in were particularly vulnerable to earthquakes. They often showed the regions that were dangerous to be around during earthquakes on TV. The Koto Ward was bright red on the distribution maps shown.

“There was a very big earthquake a long time ago. It got pretty bad at my grandfather’s house, too.”

“Really? Is it okay now?”

“Of course. We’re the most well-prepared country in the world when it comes to earthquakes. People from other countries even come here to learn about our methods.”

Hearing this, Marie let out a sigh of relief and rubbed my leg as if to comfort me.

Golden Week was coming up, and I planned to visit my grandfather’s house with her. This was because she’d become greatly interested in experiencing the old-fashioned Japanese lifestyle after watching anime.

Now that we were all warmed up, we decided to take our empty Ramune bottles and leave the footbath. We walked through the dim and somewhat nostalgic-feeling Japanese-style hallway, when she turned to me with great excitement.

“Oh, I just can’t wait! It’s a place full of greenery that’s kept up well, isn’t it? There must be gods all over there.”

“Huh, I’m actually not sure. I’ve never really looked into the region’s history. You might actually know more about it than I do at this point.”

“How disappointing. You don’t know about the land you grew up in? You need to study when we get back. I’ll help you.”

Ugh, I don’t want to study after coming home from work...

I grumbled as I opened the sliding door to find Wridra listlessly lying on the tatami floor.

“Oh, I was wondering where you went. What happened?”

“Uuugh, I thought I would be able to eat something delicious... You are terrible!”

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she had a hungry expression as she sat up. We both looked at her blankly, and while we did feel bad, we couldn’t help but burst out in laughter.

“Uuugh! After I was being so considerate, you two bully this poor magi drake? Children of demons, you are!”

“Hmm, this looks like the menu. Look, they have a local delicacy here, too. It’s called waraji katsu. Would you two like some?”

““Yes!!!””

How cute, they’re perfectly in sync.

Taking a bath made me hungry for some reason. Thinking back, all I had were some of the miso potatoes along the way. Though, I guess we had some rice balls, too... but we were on our wonderful day trip, so I couldn’t complain too much.

I placed an order with an employee there, thinking how convenient it was that we didn’t have to go to the dining hall since we booked a private room. The Ichijos must have spent their time pretty leisurely here, too.

When the food arrived, I realized it was called waraji katsu because it was as big as waraji sandals. The flat katsu was served with sweet sauce on top and placed atop a bed of white rice. Wridra’s eyes glittered at its grand appearance, and the woman’s mouth hung open in surprise.

We couldn’t enjoy the open-air bath that came with the private room, but I couldn’t have witnessed Wridra thrashing around with joy on the tatami at the restaurant, so I would’ve said it was worth it. It wasn’t necessarily a token of apology, but the post-bath sake and delicious side dishes she was surrounded by seemed to blow away all her stress from raising children. To be honest, I felt bad that even I’d forgotten this trip was for her.

The girls enjoyed the rest of their time there by taking naps and going back and forth to the hot springs.

Time flies when you’re having fun.

This thought filled my mind as I looked up at the red skies.

The mountains of Chichibu felt somewhat nostalgic. The narrow and tall repeating mountains were a picturesque image of age-old Japan. I always pictured mountains like these whenever they appeared in stories about the olden times.

I was lost in these strong emotions as I slowly drove the car through the winding mountain road.

To me, Japan seemed like a boring place. It was strange to think about how I was experiencing it to my heart’s content now, wondering where we could go next. Though, I figured most of that came from my desire to see a certain lovely girl’s reactions.

I glanced to my side to see Mariabelle nodding off to sleep. Just looking at her lips as she slept made my cheeks grow hot. She told me to feel embarrassment, and it clearly worked out well.

“Oh, Wridra. Would you mind getting that lap blanket for me?”

“Hm? Ah, you mean this.”

I thanked her as she handed me the blanket, and I placed it over the girl at a red light. Spring nights were still chilly, and the air was prone to getting dry while driving around. I didn’t know too much about half-fairy elves, but I was worried she might catch a cold.

“Hmhm, so gallant. Among the humans I have known, it was always the women who took care of the men. It seems you are a special case.”

“Is it really that strange? I think it’s pretty normal these days.”

Despite what I said, I felt like those of Japan weren’t all too accustomed to treating women too kindly yet. I figured that was more common in the chivalrous western countries.

As I thought about it, I could sense Wridra moving up right next to me. The seat shook slightly, and I could actually feel her eyes on me. She was probably giving me a dubious look from behind.

“You say that, but it seems to me that you only have eyes for Marie. Well?”

“I, I don’t... think so?”

My voice squeaked a little hearing the oddly passionate tone of hers, and because her hand had firmly gripped my shoulder. The dragon tilted her head as if she were scrutinizing my words, then spoke with a hint of anger in her tone.

“Fool, do you truly think I did not notice that you were feeling lonely as I was waiting eagerly?”

“Huh? Waiting? What do you mean?”

She glared at me through the mirror, seemingly saying, “As I thought.”

Being glared at by a beautiful woman was strangely intense.

Her crimson lips turned into a frown, and she looked clearly displeased.

“Inviting me to the so-called labyrinth would have been the expected course of action. I thought that was your objective to begin with, but you have nothing but recreation on your mind.”

“...Huh? Oh, you mean the ancient labyrinth? But you wouldn’t want to be invited to that, would you?”

I didn’t forget about it; I hadn’t even thought of inviting her. I mean, who’d ever heard of inviting a boss-level dragon into your party?

Moreover, I was surprised she even knew about the ancient labyrinth. But when I thought about it, she’d been listening to our conversations through the item she’d given us, so it was no wonder she knew so much.

While these thoughts crossed my mind, I heard sniffling next to my ear.

“I see... I am an outcast... How strange... There is mucus coming out of my eyes.”

“What?! B-But... Wait, do you want to go with us?”

I was shocked to turn around and find she was actually crying! She looked like she could start bawling any minute, so I stopped the car at a drive-off near some vending machines.

I placed some coins into the vending machine, and the buttons all turned red simultaneously. The dragon’s pale skin stood out even more than usual with her night-colored hair and one piece dress.

I stopped my car’s engine, and the world grew quiet at once. The only illumination came from the vending machine. It was like we were in a dimension separate from the rest of the world.

The bamboo forest around us rustled with the wind, and Wridra’s finger wavered as she tried deciding on what to pick. She eventually made her choice, and an electronic beep could be heard as a button was pressed.

“Oho, there you are! Hoho, I will drink you down!”

Seeing her gleefully take the can out of the machine, I was relieved that her crying from earlier had turned out to not be such a big deal. I was sure she wasn’t faking it or anything, but it seemed she was too expressive with her emotions since she’d hardly ever interacted with humans.

Her butt was emphasized as she was crouching, and I quickly looked away.

“You surprised me when you started crying so suddenly. Are you feeling better now?”

“Fool, dragons do not cry. As I said, that was merely mucus.”

I think those are called tears, Ms. Arkdragon...

Wridra’s heels clicked on the ground as she walked to the car, moving to lean on it. She was about as tall as I was, but her long, slender legs made her look like a model. Though, the pouting face she made when she tried to open the lid of the melon cream soda bottle did look a little weird.

“Nng, mm... Ahh, delicious!”

It was strange how a woman with such a beautiful face could seem so childlike when she smiled.

Feeling relieved that she seemed to have calmed down, I asked her, “So, about the underground labyrinth... Wouldn’t it get in the way of raising your children if you were to join us?”

“Ah, no need to worry about that. I am but a single part of a cluster known as the Dragon Core. I am connected to the main core, so this has been effective in relieving my stress as a whole. So long as I occasionally return to synchronize, I can move about freely even while raising my young.”

I tried making sense of what she had just told me. It was hard to understand the being known as a dragon, but it seemed there’d be no issues with her joining us.

Though, I did have other concerns...

“I should mention, it’s a pretty dangerous place. If you, the whelps’ mother, get hurt...”

“Yes, yes, fine. I want to go spend time with you two, so take me with you! I could tank with my eyes closed, and I would consider going depending on the bento, so take me with you!”

Sh-She just wanted some bento?! And she said she’d “consider going,” but she was clearly intending to go by the way she told me to take her with us. I wondered if she really didn’t mind...

It was true that I wanted a powerful ally, and there was definitely no better candidate to fill the role. Considering I needed someone who could completely protect Marie, keep my secret, and was uninterested in money, this would perfectly resolve every obstacle in the way.

“Well, I didn’t expect this. It’s like a puzzle was solved with just one move.”

She laughed in an amused fashion. It was likely that she’d already come to the conclusion that challenging the ancient labyrinths would be no issue with her with us.

“Um, would you like to go with us? It’s going to be packed with ancient mysteries, and I’m sure you’re going to have fun. I’ll prepare us bento, of course, so let’s enjoy them together.”

“Hmph, you should have said so from the beginning. Then I could have acted hesitant, eaten plenty of delicious food, and reluctantly agreed at the very end.”

She pointed her nose in the air. So that’s what she was planning...

It seemed I was blowing her off without knowing it, and it put the dragon in a bad mood. But the main issue of finding a tank was now resolved, and Marie’s safety was secured. There was no one I could trust more to handle the task, either.

“It’s an honor to be have a dragon join us. There’s still much for me to learn, but I hope to receive your guidance.”

“Hm, be sure to apply yourself diligently, human. I shall join your party, then.”

The dragon flashed a handsome smile, and we shook hands. Her skin felt smooth, but there was a hint of her dragon’s strength behind it.

The strange thing was, a living legend known as the magi drake was joining us on the way back from a day trip to some hot springs while an elf was snoring away next to us.

“...Oh no. I promised Marie I’d discuss these things beforehand. Sorry, Wridra, I’ll have to take it back if Marie doesn’t agree to it.”

“Gah?!”

I told her as such as I climbed into the driver’s seat, and Wridra’s eyes went round. Yeah, I understood how she felt, but my promise with Marie was important. I doubted Marie would disagree, but if that happened, sorry.

“Y-You fooooool!!!”

Wridra’s voice echoed all around us, and the girl opened her eyes sleepily.

The car began accelerating slowly, and we eventually arrived at my home. And so, our little trip came to an end.

＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋　＋

I felt a yawn tickling my ear. I was carrying the elf on my back, walking down the hallway of my condo. The girl was muttering into my ear as I made my way down the hall.

“Oh... Was I sleeping...?”

“Yeah, but you can keep resting. We’re almost home.”

I turned to find her amethyst eyes next to me, struggling to stay open. Her long, white lashes trembled as she slowly focused on me. She smelled faintly of the hot springs, and she rubbed her cheek against me before her eyes began closing again.

“Feels good...” she muttered, followed by her light breathing as she fell asleep. She was exhausted from playing all day, and being carried back to my room was a privilege reserved for her.

Actually, maybe it was a privilege for me, too. The girl was much lighter than she seemed, and her warm body felt good against my own...

We finally arrived in front of the door, and when I tried reaching into my pocket for the keys, I was interrupted by someone else’s soft hand. I looked to the side and the black-haired woman held her pointer finger up against her lips, then reached into my pants to pull out my keys.

Marie made gentle sleepy noises next my ear, and I checked up on her as Wridra unlocked the door for me. We usually slept together, so maybe it was nice that I could take my time to watch her sleeping face like this.

The door opened with a click. It was completely dark by the time we returned from the trip, and it was already past eight o’clock.

Wridra entered the room before us and flipped the light switch. I followed her inside, then quietly laid Marie down on the bed.

“All right, I’ll take this time to prepare a meal. You can rest, too, Wridra.”

“Before I do, I will teach you how to handle this ear cover. If you hold this ornament with your fingers like this and order it to ‘untie’...”

Marie’s hair emitted a white, glossy light. What appeared to be her braided hair dissolved in the air, and specks of light were absorbed into the center part of the ornament. Seeing it again made me consider just how incredible it was, and it said so much about the extent of the magi drake’s powers.

I placed it next to Marie’s pillow, and Wridra looked at me as if to ask, “Understand?”

“Yeah, this is amazing. How long can she keep using it?”

“I have separated its connection to me, so you can continue to use it in the realm of the other. It will degrade eventually, but I will recharge it if you call upon me every so often.”

With that, Wridra gently sat next to the sleeping girl. Although she could be boisterous most of the time, seeing her being quiet and taking care not to wake Marie made her appear more charming and beautiful than usual. I mean, she was still beautiful when she was being noisy, but her extreme emotional ranges often caught me off-guard.

Then she whispered, “A trip like that must be damaging for your wallet. I would not mind coming here occasionally, when you have the funds to spare.”

“To be honest, doing this every week would be tough. I think it’d need to be once every few months at best. More importantly, I’m still worried about distracting you from raising your children.”

As the girls rested from their long trip, I began walking toward the kitchen. It was about time I showed my cooking skills to the visitor from another world. I’d prepared some ingredients in the refrigerator just for this day, and I’d even bought a hot plate beforehand.

“Hm. As I have mentioned earlier, I am but one of seven Dragon Cores. I will have no issues raising my young. Though, my level is lowered in this state.”

Oh, so that’s how it works.

But even then, I suspected her level was over 1,000, so she’d still have been a considerable threat even if her skills were cut in seven.

I chopped up some cabbage as these thoughts simmered in my mind. I figured we could discuss the labyrinth stuff after Marie woke up. In that moment, I was more occupied with the new cooking tool I’d purchased for the first time in a while. Heheh, I’d be able to cook up a wide repertoire of dishes with this, like yakisoba, yaki udon, and chan chan yaki.

Besides, a hot plate wasn’t really something I could use by myself. This was true for shopping, too, but when cooking for one person, there’d usually be leftover ingredients, and it could end up being rather expensive. In that sense, it became much easier to shop for and cook food since Marie arrived.

“Hmm, what else... I could use a pressure cooker, too. Ahh, I can’t wait to get my bonus.”

“You are in front of a dragon and all you can think about is cooking? How absurd.” I could feel her giving me a cold look.

I heard a fizzing sound from behind me, and I could tell she was beginning to revert back to her original form as a draconian. This meant I couldn’t turn around, out of modesty and respect, so I’d be staring at the cabbage for some time.

By the time Marie woke up, most of the cooking prep was finished, and Wridra’s tail was extended and waving around. The girls each took a seat on either side of me, and the sight of a half-fairy elf and magi drake made it very hard to believe I was still in Japan.

“All right, I’m turning on the hot plate. Marie, would you mind pouring Wridra some beer?”

There was a glass for each of us, indicating that even the young-looking elf would be able to enjoy drinking while we were in my room. Wridra’s eyes glimmered at the bubbling beer, and she smiled cheerfully.

“And so, it is decided. I will protect Marie from today onward. I will also be pointing out any areas in which you are lacking.”

“...You two have a talent for blowing my drowsiness away. I never would have imagined we’d be joined by a draconian.”

Marie’s cheeks were flushed as she spoke, and I could tell she’d already accepted Wridra as our new traveling companion. It seemed she was actually excited about this, because she was speaking a bit faster than usual. That just showed how much the two had grown closer during the trip.

And so, I raised my beer. It may have been an audacious move with my being drastically younger than either of them, but I decided to make a toast.

“Well then, welcome to our party, Wridra. Though we still don’t have achievements under our belt just yet.”

“Ha, ha, so says the man who cares less about such things than anyone else.”

That was true. Getting in the spotlight only led to more trouble. Even at work... Never mind, now wasn’t the time. We’d just returned from our mini trip, so I didn’t want to think about reality just yet.

“A toast to our new traveling companion! For this memorable day, let’s enjoy some Japanese soul food known as okonomiyaki.”

“Yes! How delightful, I only experience wonderful things when I am with you two!”

Mhm, but more importantly, I was rather absorbed in making some okonomiyaki. I dropped some batter containing cabbage and corn onto the hot place, then shaped them into circles. As I placed some pork onto them, Marie tilted her head curiously.

“Oh? Are you going to make them right now?”

“Yup, it’s called teppanyaki. We’ll be able to enjoy cooking using the hot plate from now on.”

I said that, but I was the one having the most fun with it. Honestly, I was thrilled. There were all sorts of cheap, delicious meals that could be made with a hot plate. To enjoy it to the fullest, I wanted okonomiyaki, the king of hot plate food, to be highly rated in this household.

Once it was cooked adequately, I flipped it over and the sound of the meat sizzling could be heard. The girls were staring fixedly at the okonomiyaki at this point, and their faces moved in unison as I flipped it over. The way they were acting as close as sisters must’ve been a plan to make me break into a smile.

But I wasn’t going to give in.

I flipped the side with the meat back up, revealing the grilled meat covered in melting fat. Two forks were already reaching for the food, but I put out a hand to stop them. I added some sauce and bonito flakes, and an enticing aroma began filling the room. There was a hint of sourness to the smell as the sauce was cooked on the hot plate, and just as the hunger set in, the green laver delivered the finishing blow.

“Aaahhh! It smells so good! Stop, stop, I have to have it!”

“Right after I add some of this mayonnaise... Okay, you two, give me your plates.”

They both presented their plates at the same time. They looked like they were about to drool as I cut the food into two pieces and placed one each on their... Oh, Wridra’s actually drooling already...

They drove their forks into the okonomiyaki and brought it to their mouths. It was still hot, so they huffed and puffed for some time, but then finally began chewing. The batter was so gooey, it was hard to believe it was mostly cabbage. The fragrant, fatty pork tasted delicious as the unbelievably appetizing smell passed through their noses. Fat seeped out as they chewed into the partially crispy meat, elevating the flavor even further.

The girls let out a synchronized breath, stamping their feet on the floor. Marie doing it was one thing, but Wridra might’ve been causing a nuisance for the people downstairs...

“Ahh, sheesh! I love this so much! It smells incredible!”

“Delicious! Urrrgh, the flavor is spreading throughout my mouth! I have been underestimating vegetables! I will take responsibility and eat all of them!”

Well, that was good. They seemed to be enjoying the meal.

I cut up another one and divided the pieces between my plate and Wridra’s, which was already empty. It looked like I’d have to keep cooking non-stop just to keep up.

“This is the best meal to have a beer with. Oh, but gyoza is too... Anyway, enjoy it to your heart’s content. We’re celebrating today.”

We tipped our gold-colored glasses, their contents drained as we gulped them down audibly. We all breathed out together with a satisfied, “Ahhh!”

“Mmm, yes! A perfect match! D-Do not tell me... You have been enjoying meals like this every day, Marie?!”

“Ahem, of course. It’s nothing to brag about, but this is the reason I decided to learn Japanese. Though anime is wonderful, too, of course.”

Y-Yeah, she was right about that being nothing to brag about, but I decided not to say anything...

Now, we were only just getting started with the okonomiyaki. I mixed in some cheese and mochi, and I became an okonomiyaki cooking machine, making batch after batch. You know, I expected the dragon to have an appetite, but it was somewhat entertaining to watch.

“Mmm! I love cheese! The burnt parts are so savory and... Oh, oh! Beer, beer, please! I want more!”

“The melting mochi... Oof, so delicious! I think I may be reduced to tears. Ah, yes. I have decided. I, too, will learn Japanese!”

Oh, she would? Though I did understand just how powerful food could be. Even if you went to a mediocre travel destination, it could end up being a good trip if the food was just as so. That could be enough to motivate people to learn Japanese...

Actually, most people probably wouldn’t.

“I was thinking of making more tomorrow if we had leftovers, but looks like we might finish it all off. I can make some yakisoba for our packed meals. Oh, would you like to try some now?”

““Yes!””

They were in high spirits. The sight of beautiful women chowing down was...interesting, but it was nice to see.

I turned on the TV to get some rest after eating, and a movie happened to be playing. The TV was usually facing the bed, but I turned it around the other way to face the living room whenever I had guests over.

This movie was about a giant creature going on a rampage, which was rather easy to understand in terms of entertainment, and seemed to be perfect for a lively dinner table like this. Low rumbles echoed as the music played, and the girls paused their meals to turn around.

Wridra was the first to move, driven to action by the rhythm that was like a quickened heartbeat. She walked toward the TV with a plate still in hand and stared at the screen with a serious expression.

“H-Hm! O-Oho!”

“Wridra, would you mind moving? I can’t see. Come on, move out of the way!”

Marie grabbed her by the tail and dragged the dragon back to her seat. Wridra continued eating slowly the whole time, her eyes never leaving the screen.

I was thinking how Wridra looked like a grade schooler when a flash of light appeared on the TV. A beam streaked across the land and an intense explosion lit up the sky, causing the tipsy Marie to stand up in her seat.

“Ooohhh!!!”

“So cool!!!”

Yup, I couldn’t see a thing with Marie and Wridra crowding the screen like this. Yet they were still eating okonomiyaki the entire time, so it seemed it was a hit to say the least.

“Magnificent. This is what is great about being born a dragon. I wonder... Where ever shall I direct this desire boiling up inside me?”

“U-Um, Ms. Wridra? Please don’t say such ominous things in my room.”

“The music is so cool. What? No way! It’s that sorcerer’s tower!” Marie trotted over, pushed the curtains aside and stepped out to the balcony.

No, she had it all wrong. It wasn’t actually under attack, it was just a movie for entertainment purposes. And it was the Sky Tree, not a sorcerer’s tower.

“Um, I finished making some yakisoba. Do you two want some?”

““Yes!”” Their faces both turned toward me at once.

Huh, so they’re still able to react to these things...

All in all, it was quite the hectic dinner.

Under the downlight, I saw the girl’s eyes right before me. I’d gone to bed with her many times before, but I thought her heart was beating louder than usual, just as mine was. Her eyes like amethyst jewels were shimmering slightly, and I felt like I’d be absorbed into them as I stared.

I could still feel the heat the girl had left on my forehead. Neither of us were speaking much, likely because we were thinking back to that very moment.

I heard the sound of bare feet walking along the floor and tried turning around, but the girl stopped me by placing a hand on my cheek. Her eyes told me not to look.

“Nnh, that battle music was fantastic! I would like to use it myself,” Wridra said as she moved the blanket aside and slid in next to me.

Her smooth arm wrapped around the nape of my neck, and I felt something soft press against my back.

Ah, so that was why. The girl had stopped me because Wridra had stripped down to her naked body again. The clothes she’d created were absorbed into their master as the dragon got ready to sleep.

“I didn’t think a dragon would be so into a movie like that. Did you have fun?”

“Oh, I did, indeed. It was gratifying to watch. I had used up a slot because of it, but I do not regret it one bit.”

Hm? What did she mean by “used up a slot”? Marie and I looked at each other with widened eyes at the odd phrasing.

“Ahh, ahh... Human and elf, I am grateful to you two for welcoming me today. I pray we fight alongside each other in the dream world, as well.”

“Wha?! Sh-She just spoke Japanese!”

“I can’t believe it! I’m still in the middle of learning... N-No fair! This isn’t fair at all!”

I heard a triumphant noise from behind me. Were dragons able to control their skills freely? And just to watch a movie at that?

“You’re as unbelievable as always... Your actions themselves are impressive, but I can’t believe you do them just for the sake of entertainment.”

“Oh, no, there is far more value to it than you give credit for. This Japan place certainly is interesting. Not only is there food and entertainment, but I sense something buried deep within the earth.”

I turned around to face her without thinking and saw her lying under the blanket, grinning at me with her obsidian eyes narrowed knowingly. “Something buried deep within the earth” had to be some sort of metaphor, but her eyes told me she was telling the truth.

“...It has been a while since I have tired myself out with amusement. Hmhm, and how amusing it was.”

With that, the black-haired dragon let out a yawn and slightly tightened her arms around me. She then buried her head into her pillow and relaxed her entire body.

“Hmph, this is unfair. I’m the only one who can’t speak it now. I’ll show everyone and even learn kanji.”

The elf let out a dissatisfied breath and moved in closer. Her forehead ended up right in front of my face, and I felt the slight temptation to make a move. This was all because Wridra had nudged things into motion. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have...

I slowly pressed my lips against her forehead, and the girl froze for a moment. I could smell her even better from this position, and the sweet fragrance passed through my nostrils.

But I wasn’t able to look at her face. She drove her face into my chest, rubbing her nose against me like a cat.

“Hehe... Goodniiight.”

“Yeah, goodnight. I’ll see you again in the dream world.”

It was adorable to see her digging in closer, unconcerned by her hair getting messy in the process. We listened to the quiet snoring coming from behind me as we, too, fell asleep.

“Today was so much fun,” I whispered, and she nodded wordlessly.