We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Carelessness is a great enemy.
We spent the daytime peacefully.
We played with Priscilla-chan and the others, and enjoyed the scenery of the sky while riding on Revalia’s back.
We can’t move unless the Giant Demon Lord returns.
The dragon people were also preparing for their upcoming journey, healing their worn minds and bodies, and regaining their vigor.
“Hey, by the way. Where did Yufi and Nina go?”
Suspicious. It’s definitely suspicious!
I haven’t seen those two, who always act so freely, even once today.
Everyone smiled at me when I finally asked.
Huh? What is that smile?
“Fufufu. Elnea-kun doesn’t need to know.”
“It’s a secret from Elnea-sama.”
“Just wait and see.”
Mumumu. A secret?
I’m curious!
Their meaningful words made me suspect even more.
What could the women know that they are keeping secret from me?
It’s not anything bad, is it?
Since Mistral said to wait and see, I don’t think it’s anything too outrageous…
Still, when it involves those two, I can’t help but be curious.
As I scowled, Priscilla-chan imitated me. Her cute gesture brought smiles to everyone’s faces.
I ended up smiling too, and for the moment, the matter of the Twin Princesses was put aside.
And in the end, the Twin Princesses didn’t show themselves until dinner.
As we were preparing dinner, Yufilia came out of a building a little distance away and stretched. Nina followed, appearing and stretching in the same way.
“Ugh, I’m so tired.”
“I’m completely exhausted.”
“What were you doing?”
“Fufufu. It’s a secret from Elnea-kun.”
“Fufufu. I can’t tell Elnea-kun.”
I casually asked the Twin Princesses, but they still wouldn’t tell me.
A secret… Didn’t we agree that secrets were forbidden among our family? I want to shout.
What could it be? Is it one of those maiden secrets? If so, then as a man, I can’t know, can I?
Inevitably, I decided to give up pursuing the matter and ate dinner with the dragon people, as well as everyone else.
We ate a simple but filling meal and watched the sun set in the western sky.
Winter is approaching.
The Giant Demon Lord said that winter would arrive earlier and be colder than usual this year.
As the sun began to set, the temperature dropped sharply.
“Elnea. Go take a bath before it gets dark.”
“Okay, I’m going.”
Prompted by Mistral, I entered the building where we were staying and began preparing for a bath.
By the way, I no longer sleep in the buildings where Ruilala or the winged demons are staying. Since waking from my weakness, I have been living in the same building and with everyone else.
“Meow.”
Nimian happily flew over when she heard I was going to take a bath.
I often take baths with Nimian.
When I’m with Priscilla-chan, it gets chaotic even in the bath, so when I want to soak in the tub slowly, she comes to me.
I took off my clothes in the changing room and carried Nimian on my head to the bathroom. The bathroom, filled with steam, was warmer than outside.
I washed Nimian thoroughly, then washed myself from the top of my head to my toes. Then, I sank into the piping hot bath.
“It’s nice to be able to take a bath here so comfortably.”
“Meow. Thanks to the demons, meow.”
The hygiene of the dragon people we rescued from the Necrotic Castle was quite poor. The winged demons, unable to bear it, provided us with fire magic crystals.
With fire magic crystals, we can easily heat water.
We have to draw the bath water from a nearby well, but it’s not a problem to do some labor for a bath.
The dragon people were also boiling water and bathing in their respective lodgings.
“It feels good, meow.”
Nimian was doing the dog paddle in the tub. Her long fur swayed in the water.
I caught Nimian with both hands and lifted her up. She shook a lot of water droplets from her fur as she rose from the bath.
A wet Nimian’s fluffy fur clung to her body, making her look smaller than usual.
Even though she’s such a small young dragon, she’s always working hard.
“Thank you for always protecting Priscilla-chan and everyone else.”
“Meow.”
Her true, large form doesn’t really matter. Nimian, like Fiorina and Rim, is still a child from the dragon race’s perspective. Yet, I keep putting her in dangerous situations.
Perhaps I’m a failure as a guardian?
“Nyan is older, so Nyan is the guardian, meow.”
“Mumumu. Actually, we were the ones being guided!?”
“Everyone is dancing on Nyan’s palm, meow.”
“On such small hands?”
I held Nimian’s small hand.
“Yes, meow. The Demon Lord would be surprised, meow.”
“You’re right. It’s shocking news.”
Nimian’s cute joke made me smile.
Nimian and I enjoyed the bath slowly, warming our bodies to the core.
But then, a terrifying intruder appeared.
“Mistral and the others haven’t noticed.”
“Infiltration successful.”
“Wha-wha-what!!”
“Meow!”
The culprit who suddenly invaded the bathtub.
It was the Twin Princesses.
The Twin Princesses, who had barged in naked, shamelessly charged at me, who was frozen in surprise in the hot water.
“I can’t stand it anymore.”
“We worked hard today, so this is our reward.”
“W-what are you talking about!?”
“Meow.”
Ignoring my and Nimian’s confusion, the Twin Princesses entered the bathtub.
It’s crowded!
In the bathtub, which wasn’t designed for a large number of people, were me, Yufilia, Nina, and Nimian.
“It’s crowded.”
“We can’t fit unless we get closer.”
And with that, the two pressed themselves against me.
The warmth and touch of the Twin Princesses’ bare skin, different from the hot water, made me boil in an instant.
“Fufufu. Elnea-kun is blushing.”
“Fufufu. Elnea-kun is embarrassed.”
O-of course I’m embarrassed!
I’m naked. The Twin Princesses are also naked.
Their healthy, tanned bodies, their firm waists, and their alluring lower bodies were all visible, rippling in the clear water. I was also fully visible.
Who wouldn’t be embarrassed by such a sudden situation with no mental preparation!
“Don’t hold back. It’s just you and us here.”
“Don’t hold back. There’s no one to disturb us here.”
“Meow.”
“Nimian-chan. I’ll give you something delicious later, so keep it a secret.”
“Nimian-chan. I’ll do something fun for you later, so keep it a secret.”
“Understood, meow.”
They’ve been charmed!
Nimian, whom I thought was my last resort, easily surrendered to the Twin Princesses.
And then, in the cramped bathtub, the Twin Princesses pressed themselves even closer to me.
“There’s no need to hesitate. We are male and female.”
“There’s no need to hesitate. It’s us and Elnea-kun.”
Their sweet breaths tickled my ears.
The four hands, moving sensually, intertwined with my body. My consciousness drifted towards their soft chests.
Ahhh, my reason…
Will I succumb to temptation!?
Where has the chastity of the Princesses of the Armēdo Kingdom gone?
My hands, freed from reason, began to move according to instinct.
Clang!!
But then, a new intruder appeared.
The bathroom door was opened with such force that it seemed about to break.
No, it’s broken!
“Hey. You two!!”
Mistral, with a furious look on her face, entered the bathtub.
“A demon has appeared!”
“A devil has come!”
“Who calls us a demon? A devil?”
“Kyaaa!”
Startled by Mistral’s overwhelming presence, the Twin Princesses and I screamed.
Mistral approached us, who were huddled together in the tub, trembling.
“Get out of the bath, now!!”
Mistral dragged the Twin Princesses out of the tub.
“My body hasn’t warmed up yet.”
“My heart hasn’t warmed up yet.”
Still resisting, the Twin Princesses were met with Mistral’s glare.
“……”
But perhaps Mistral’s terrifying glare was so frightening that the Twin Princesses’ faces contorted, and they left the tub.
“M-Mistral. This is, you see…”
It’s a misunderstanding! I stood up in the tub, trying to make an excuse.
Mistral, after completely expelling the Twin Princesses from the bathroom, turned around with a sigh.
A wry smile was on her face.
“Elnea, don’t let your guard down.”
“Uh-huh.”
Huh? She isn’t angry with me?
“Yufi-older sister and Nina-older sister were the intruders, so Elnea-older brother is innocent, meow.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Come to think of it, maybe.
I was about to succumb to temptation… No, I had succumbed.
But that was all because those two barged into the bathroom.
Yes, I don’t think I’m to blame!
Mistral seemed to acknowledge my innocence too, as she just looked at me with a wry smile, not seeming angry at all.
…She’s just looking at me with a wry smile.
“You’re a boy.”
Mistral’s gaze drifted slightly downward!
“Kyaaaa!”
Overwhelmed with shame, I sank into the bathtub.
I submerged myself completely in the water, hiding from Mistral’s gaze.
“Be careful not to get overheated,”
Leaving those words behind, I confirmed Mistral’s presence disappear from the bathroom and then resurfaced.
Bubbling. Still, my nose and below were underwater. I exhaled through my mouth, creating bubbles, but it didn’t distract me.
My entire body was flushed red, not from the heat of the water, but from shame. I glared resentfully at Nimian, who was playing doggy paddle.
“It’s not Nyan’s fault, meow.”
I know that…
Bubbling.
If I told Zan that a man would be embarrassed just because his naked body was seen, he’d probably laugh.
But you know…
I’m embarrassed!
Hmm, my spiritual training is definitely lacking.
Let’s try to meditate and discard worldly desires and shame. So, as I tried to meditate in the tub, Nimian patted my cheeks.
“It’s time to get out, meow. You’ll get overheated, meow.”
“Is that so?”
With Nimian’s declaration of being satisfied with the bath, I forced a wry smile and reluctantly got out.
I’ll meditate later.
I dried Nimian and then myself.
Whether it was the strange lingering heat left by the Twin Princesses, the shame of being seen naked by Mistral, or just my body warming up in the bath, my body remained toasty and hot even after I got out.
Then, I left the bathroom and returned to the living room.
In the living room, the Twin Princesses were being made to sit in seiza.
“Everyone is mean.”
“Everyone is scary.”
“It’s your own fault.”
The Twin Princesses protested sulkily, puffing out their cheeks. But Mistral, standing in front of them, looked down with narrowed eyes.
“Take it easy.”
As I said that, Ruiseine and Laira laughed with a “what can you do” attitude.
“Such troublesome people…”
Then Mistral softened her gaze and gave a wry smile.
“As punishment, you two will be on night watch tonight.”
“This is terrible. Mistral is a demon!”
“This is terrible. Mistral is a devil!”
Despite their complaints, were they reflecting?
When released from their seiza, the Twin Princesses left the building and obediently headed for their night guard duties.
“We’ll have to prepare warm midnight snacks and a hot bath for them.”
Everyone gave me another wry smile when I said that.
“Elnea-kun is too kind.”
“Elnea-sama is too soft on the twins.”
“Honestly…”
“Um, Priscilla also wants to take a bath.”
“Okay, okay. Well then, let’s go.”
Priscilla-chan, who never reads the mood, started to undress in the living room. Mistral quickly gathered her clothes and they headed to the bathroom.
Soon after, Priscilla-chan’s happy, excited voices could be heard from the bathroom, and we finally regained our daily routine.
Laira brushed my hair, which was still a little damp, and Ruiseine prepared warm drinks.
Nimian yawned widely while grooming herself.
The Giant Demon Lord is scheduled to return tomorrow.
Our short respite seemed to be ending tonight.
