We live in the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Returning to daily life starts with a bath.
“Phew. Hot springs really are nice, aren’t they?”
“You’re a carefree kid. Don’t you have any sense of urgency?”
“Even if you say that…”
Oz swims cheerfully doggy-paddle style beside me, his chin submerged in the hot water.
He certainly seems more carefree than I do.
This is the men’s bath. Of course, there are no wives around!
Immersed in the semi-private open-air bath, I reflect on the incident that occurred this evening.
Baltnowar, that man, sowed seeds of disaster and then left.
He caused trouble in the Yorttenitos Kingdom using a magic sword user, lured Oz by breaking the mirror at the Nine-tailed Fox Shrine, and now I have a premonition that he might cause more trouble in the Demon Race’s country.
Ruilala, a demon, floats face down in the hot spring. I wonder what he thinks of Baltnowar’s machinations.
Ruilala is a subordinate of the Giant Demon Lord and a noble with his own territory.
If Baltnowar causes chaos in the Demon Race’s country, his territory could be involved, or he might be forced to act on the Demon Lord’s orders even if he isn’t directly harmed.
“Hey, Ruilala. Aren’t you going back soon?”
“Glub glub…”
“No, no, I can’t understand you. Please talk with your face out of the water.”
It’s amazing that he can breathe without his mouth and nose being out of the water, but floating face down makes him look like a drowned corpse. Please be careful when other people are around!
Ruilala flips over onto his back and, with his face flushed red from the hot water, speaks to me again.
“Why would I?”
“Because Baltnowar is likely to cause trouble in the Demon Race’s country? Shouldn’t you report it to the Demon Lord?”
“Well…”
Ruilala ponders, his gaze shifting from me to the starry sky.
“My prediction is that the first disturbance will occur in the country formerly ruled by the northern Demon Lord.”
“Why is that?”
“It’s a region already in turmoil. I don’t know what his future plans are, but wouldn’t it be easier to cause trouble and expand his influence in a place that’s already chaotic rather than a country with strong demonic rule?”
“I see.”
Baltnowar’s scheme.
What does he ultimately want to achieve? What does he aim to do?
Recalling our conversation this evening, I feel like I’ve grasped a small clue.
Baltnowar showed no hostility or desire to fight while talking to me. He even acted friendly, as if he wanted to be my friend.
He also showed proper respect to elders like Grandma Yuuri and Jab.
Though a bit extreme, he was also lenient with the dragon people in our village.
Later, Ruiseine and Madrine, who attended to the people collapsed in the plaza, confirmed that no one had any external injuries or after-effects.
The villagers who have regained consciousness have returned to their normal lives.
Considering only this incident, Baltnowar doesn’t seem inherently evil.
However, I feel a sense of unease regarding his attitude towards demons.
Or rather, it’s about the ruling class of demons.
Baltnowar’s tone of voice seemed to grow harsh only when referring to the demon rulers.
So, is he trying to oppose the demon rulers?
Although it’s questionable how equipping a magic sword user with ancient weapons and breaking the Nine-tailed Fox Shrine’s mirror relates to Baltnowar’s intentions, his focus is likely on the demon ruling class.
In that case, as Ruilala suggested, starting a disturbance in a place prone to it and escalating the chaos might be his best strategy.
“But if that’s the case, I won’t be able to rest easy.”
“You mean the Necropolis?”
“There are no undead there anymore!”
Nevertheless, Ruilala’s point is valid.
“Meduria is in charge of governance, but if a major disturbance erupts in the country ruled by Kusharilla, and more refugees appear, I’ll be in trouble.”
Last autumn, according to Meduria, whom I met again during the wedding ceremony, the influx of refugees had recently begun to subside.
Initially, chaos continued throughout Kusharilla’s former domain, and those who lost their homes were drawn to the Necropolis by rumors.
However, as time passed, word of surrounding situations spread, and those who had the means to escape moved to neighboring countries. The flow of people deliberately heading to the remote Necropolis has reportedly ceased.
But if further chaos were to strike…
“Ruilala, hurry back and report to the Demon Lord!”
“Ehh. I want to relax a little. I’m tired from the unfamiliar journey too!”
“That’s your fault for coming to Dragon Peak as a demon!”
Ruilala is enjoying his trip to Dragon Peak alongside us as if it were natural, but he’s actually causing quite a bit of trouble.
Along the way, dragons reacted to the demonic presence within Dragon Peak and attacked multiple times. Even after arriving at the village, the dragon people gave him suspicious glances.
None of these escalated into major incidents because I’m his acquaintance, but it’s still a nuisance.
Speaking of which, Baltnowar didn’t react to the demon Ruilala. As I recall this, the adjacent women’s bath suddenly becomes noisy.
“Hey! Stop fidgeting!”
Mistral’s scolding voice overlapped with the cheerful, chirping sounds of young children.
And then, with a splash, something was transferred into the men’s bath.
“Nyah!”
“Whoa!”
“Hey, Priscilla-chan, you mustn’t make a racket in the bath.”
No need to confirm.
It was a flat-chested little girl who had arrived in the men’s bath via spatial jump.
“Um, we were playing tag.”
“No, no, playing tag in the bath is dangerous.”
“The demon came!”
“Um, we have to run away quickly!”
“No!”
I grab Priscilla-chan as she tries to escape the open-air bath and run around.
Let’s hand over the “demon” to her and have her scolded.
Now then, who is the demon coming from the women’s bath?
Is it Mistral?
Ruiseine?
Could it be Madrine?!
Ah, but Ruilala is here, and I don’t want other guys seeing my wife naked.
“Whoa, this side is spacious too!”
“Rim is the demon!”
It was the young dragons!
With anticipation, I looked towards the entrance of the men’s bath, but it was Fiorina and Rim who flew over the hedge separating the men’s and women’s baths.
What a disappointment.
The two young dragons charge at me without hesitation as I hold Priscilla-chan.
“Kyaa!”
With a huge splash, Fiorina and Rim embrace me. …Or rather, they attacked me!
Even as young dragons, they are about the same height as us. In terms of weight, the dragons are overwhelmingly heavier. Crushed by Fiorina and Rim, I sink into the hot spring.
Dragons can hold their breath underwater for a long time, can’t they? …No, that’s not it!
As Fiorina and Rim rub their heads against me affectionately while I’m submerged, my consciousness fades.
Air!
Give me air…
“Phew!”
I manage to push off the two young dragons and surface from the bath, gasping for air.
“Hey, if you don’t stop, you’ll be punished!”
They’re getting a bit out of hand.
Probably because they were made to behave during the journey due to potential dangers, but now that they’re in a safe village, they’ve let loose. Please go easy on me.
I promise we’ll play tag again tomorrow and appease the younger ones. Then, Priscilla-chan is the first to quiet down, and Fiorina and Rim stop rubbing their heads against me.
“What noisy brats. I’d like to see their parents’ faces!”
“Oz… I’ll introduce you to your parents next time. Though I can’t guarantee your safety.”
I wonder if Oz would say the same thing in front of Revalia and Yugra!
After all, I don’t want to be responsible for what happens!
And yet…
I scan the men’s open-air bath, my face contorting.
Ruilala, the demon, floating face down in the bath again.
Oz, the fox-like demon beast, swimming with a doggy paddle.
Fiorina and Rim, who should be flying dragons, comfortably soaking in the hot spring.
Priscilla-chan, humming contentedly on my lap, and Nimia, who has retreated to my head because she dislikes long baths.
And Ares-chan, who manifested when Priscilla-chan arrived, is also sitting comfortably on my lap.
It’s like a zoo!
“A hot spring for rare creatures, nya.”
“If you say so yourself, there’s no hope for you.”
“Nya.”
I wonder how the male dragon people would react if they walked in here!
They’d probably run away…
“There were female dragon people in the women’s bath too, nya.”
“…So, the male dragon people anticipated this situation beforehand and aren’t coming in.”
“Undoubtedly, nya.”
“It’s nice to have it to ourselves then.”
“The main reason is probably that Ruilala, a demon, is in here!”
“How cruel. I want to get along with the dragon people and dragons, especially because of the Emperor’s wishes.”
“Oh?”
Come to think of it, when I first met Ruilala, we were hostile. Ruilala had an aura that suggested he might slaughter all the dragon people. Well, at the time, his territory’s citizens were attacked by someone who was involved with the dragon people, and as the lord, he became agitated.
After many twists and turns, we’ve become close enough to float naked in a hot spring together.
“We’re best friends, nyan.”
“No, we are not!”
Damn. With Nimia’s return, I can no longer have careless thoughts.
“Ah, that’s right. Hey, hey, Nimia.”
“Nyan?”
“Were you able to read Baltnowar’s thoughts? Also, could you tell me about a dragon named Gaf?”
Nimia, saying “So many questions, nya,” wags her wet tail, stirring the water as she replies.
“I couldn’t read his thoughts on the man, nya. His mental defenses are strong, like Mist older sister’s.”
“Or rather, what species was Baltnowar?”
I had that thought a moment ago too.
“I think he was human, nya?”
“Are you unsure?”
“There was an inhibition of perception, nya.”
“What’s that!?”
“His clothing was imbued with various powers. You know, you two have them too, right? Like fabric woven with Senju no Kumo no Ito, that sort of thing.”
“Ruilala noticed it too. So his clothes weren’t ordinary after all.”
“Gaf’s blessings were also added, nyan.”
“Was the twin-headed dragon an Ancient Species after all?”
“A Rainbow Dragon, nya. I didn’t notice it hiding at all.”
“Yunyun and Rinrin didn’t notice either.”
“Hah, speaking of which!”
I quickly cover myself.
No, I was already surrounded by the two little girls and hiding.
“Who would peek into the men’s bath?!”
Rinrin’s shout and a basin flew from the women’s bath.
It seems they are enjoying the hot spring in their true forms… Wait, wait, that’s not all. Why can they hear our conversation in the women’s bath?
“Sorry.”
“Kyaa!”
Yunyun, enjoy the hot spring over there too!
“Nia, I was watching to make sure Brother Elnea didn’t do anything strange to Priscilla.”
“I’m not a pervert!”
“Um, what’s ‘strange’?”
“‘Pervert, pervert.'”
“Priscilla-chan, there are some things in this world you’re better off not knowing. And you too, Ares-chan, what are you saying!”
Priscilla-chan tilts her head and looks at me as I panic.
“M-more importantly, is it safe to assume the Rainbow Dragon is an Ancient Dragon Species?”
“Yes, nya. They’re good at hiding, nya.”
“So that’s why no one noticed. But if Ancient Dragon Species have joined their side, that’s troubling…”
Gaf, the twin-headed dragon, was clearly an adult dragon.
I have many dragon allies, primarily centered around the Dragon Peak Alliance. Nimia and Lily are even Ancient Dragon Species.
However, when facing an adult Ancient Dragon, the difference in power must be immense…
“Is Asher-san not coming here?”
“Mother has serious work for a while, nya.”
“Hmm… It seems I should consult Grandpa about Gaf.”
As we’re about to get out of the bath, I urge everyone on.
Baltnowar’s appearance has presented various considerations and the need for preemptive action, but the information is still too scarce.
It seems we need to observe the situation for a while longer.
For now, let’s focus on the Mother’s Federation’s journey.
It’s a trip, after all. It’s a rare experience, and I want them to have good memories.
With that, after healing the fatigue of our long journey, we cheerfully got out of the bath, ready for a banquet!
