We live at the foot of Dragon Peak.
The three of us, united as one.
Those who misbehave need to be punished.
I hold Ares-chan tightly so she can’t escape, and then I question her.
“Now, Ares-chan. I won’t get angry, so tell me why in a hundred characters or less.”
“It was fun.”
“She’s not reflecting at all!”
What?
Instead of reflecting, Ares-chan gives me a satisfied smile.
“Ares-chan, why did you knock everyone out?”
Still, I can’t just end this without hearing her reasons.
So, I patiently ask Ares-chan. Then, Ares-chan fumbles around, pulls out the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword from a mysterious space, and hugs it dearly.
“I was playing with Spirit Tree-chan.”
“With Spirit Tree-chan?”
When I ask again, Ares-chan nods. At the same time, a similar will emanates from the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword.
Hmm.
What could this mean?
Why did Ares-chan and the Spirit Tree conspire to put everyone to sleep?
Ares-chan, influenced by Priscilla-chan, is mischievous, but she wouldn’t involve others in pranks without reason. Especially not by knocking out her own kin without question and then saying she had fun with a full smile.
Therefore, there must be a reason for this whole ordeal from Ares-chan’s perspective.
“Think about it, think about it.”
“Before I knew it, I’m the one being interrogated!?”
I intended to scold a misbehaving child, but I ended up in a situation where Ares-chan, with whom I share a destiny, is questioning me as if to say, “Of course, you know the reason, right?”
Perhaps the clue lies in the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword she took out for some reason in this situation.
Also, the fact that she committed such a big act as taking over the entire inn with her kin, yet is in her usual young girl form, Ares-chan, instead of her adult form, Ares-san, is also concerning.
If she wanted to incapacitate Mistral, one of the most powerful among her kin, let alone just the inn staff, she would normally transform into her adult form to exert her full power. Yet, Ares-chan, remaining a young girl, put everyone else to sleep except me.
“Bath, bath.”
Ignoring my contemplation, Ares-chan states her desires as she pleases.
“I just got too hot earlier!”
“I want to go in.”
“I can’t help it.”
If Ares-chan wanted to take a bath, she should have just joined everyone else.
However, I can’t refuse Ares-chan’s request.
This is because I still haven’t figured out the true intentions of Ares-chan and the Spirit Tree. Besides, even if it’s a naughty child’s request, I want to grant harmless wishes.
Thus, I found myself heading for the bath for the second time today.
However, it wasn’t the mixed bath I took with my wives. It seems this inn also has an open-air bath.
Ares-chan had erected a barrier separating us from the outside world. If she removes it, I can easily go outside.
Speaking of which, upon arriving at the changing room, I realized the full extent of Ares-chan’s inn takeover plan.
The reason there were no spirits within the inn grounds was that Ares-chan, a superior Spirit Tree Spirit, had performed a spirit expulsion. We had assumed at that point that the spirits and Ares-chan were also being negatively affected and that the culprit was someone else. That was our mistake from the very beginning. Rather, it makes sense that she didn’t respond to my voice during the prank because Ares-chan was the mastermind.
Furthermore, Ruiseine, who was caught off guard and lost consciousness without any warning, was careless because she knew it was Ares-chan. Yufilia and Nina, realizing Ares-chan’s scheme, were put to sleep in fear. Laira screamed in surprise, and Mistral recognized the culprit but was defeated before she could resist.
Hmm, I can now see how everyone fell into Ares-chan’s clutches.
Ares-chan happily hops around and says, “Correct, correct!” to my deductions. I quickly undress in the changing room, grab the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword, catch the hopping Ares-chan, strip her clothes, and dash into the open-air bath.
“By the way, Ares-chan, is Spirit Tree-chan joining us too?”
“Together, together.”
For some reason, Ares-chan wouldn’t let go of the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword. Of course, she released it when undressing, but otherwise, including when getting into the bath, she neither returned it to the mysterious space nor tried to put it aside.
Hmm. Perhaps the clues to the truth are hidden here. Ares-chan cherishes the Spirit Tree very much. Well, she is a Spirit Tree Spirit after all. However, she’s never said she wouldn’t go to the bath without it before. Yet, on this particular day, Ares-chan won’t let go of the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword.
“…I see. So that’s how it was.”
Outside the inn, it’s still mid-winter. Naked, my body would instantly freeze to the core. So, I took Ares-chan and immediately got into the bath. Of course, the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword came with us.
“The bath is warm.”
“The water’s warm! It’s nice and warm.”
The open-air bath, where the cold of the outside air and the warmth of the water harmonized splendidly, was incredibly pleasant. Ares-chan squealed with joy in my arms, and the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword resonated happily in Ares-chan’s arms.
It was there that I finally realized the truth behind the pranks Ares-chan had caused.
“You wanted to spend some private time with me, Ares-chan, and Spirit Tree-chan, didn’t you?”
“Correct, correct.”
Ares-chan smiles with satisfaction and hugs me happily. Spirit Tree-chan also sways its branches and leaves happily. I and Ares-chan are in a relationship that can be called one in spirit. In other words, we are bound by a deeper bond than the one I share with my wives. Similarly, the relationship between me and the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword is inseparable. Therefore, just as my wives and I needed private time, Ares-chan and Spirit Tree-chan also needed private time.
However, to put everyone in the inn to sleep… Well, this is just Ares-chan’s way of monopolizing me as a young girl. To take me away from my wives using an elaborate method. Ares-chan said it was “fun.” This means that simply monopolizing me wasn’t the only goal; she also wanted to enjoy the process. Yes, together with Spirit Tree-chan.
Also, the reason she didn’t transform into her adult form is probably because she wanted to be spoiled by me like this? Ares-chan, just as she wouldn’t let go of the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword, doesn’t want to let go of me. Sitting on my lap in the bath, she hums a happy tune, swaying her head. Adult Ares-san is alluringly beautiful. But in that form, she wouldn’t have a personality that would dote on me. Rather, I would be the one doting on her. Current Ares-chan is in a mood to “want to be doted on” rather than “want to dote.” That’s why today, it’s not Ares-san, but Ares-chan.
After warming up until we were toasty in the warm bath, we get out to wash ourselves. If Mistral or Ruiseine were here, they’d scold me, “Wash your body before getting in the water!” but unfortunately, everyone was put to sleep by Ares-chan. Besides, I already washed myself when I went into the mixed bath, so it’s fine, right?
I wash Ares-chan’s hair and body. Then, Spirit Tree-chan asked for it too, so I washed it carefully. I worried if it was okay to wash the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword with soap, but Spirit Tree-chan seemed to enjoy it and let me do as I pleased.
As I cleaned Ares-chan and the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword, I delved deeper into the happenings of this incident.
“Ares-chan was thinking about the future, wasn’t she?”
“That’s right!”
“I hadn’t deeply considered it until you pointed it out. I’m sorry.”
“I’ll forgive you.”
The vines entangled with the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword stretched out and wrapped around my finger. For some reason, I felt a mysterious sensation as if I were being embraced by the Spirit Tree.
“If you plant Spirit Tree-chan, we won’t be able to go on adventures in various places together like before, will we?”
I’ve already decided on a place to plant the Spirit Tree. All that’s left is to wait for an auspicious day and plant it there. Originally, I had thought of doing it last year, but unfortunately, the latter half of last year was very busy, and I didn’t have the time.
However, planting the Spirit Tree itself is decided. There’s the initial promise with old man Sleigsta, and more importantly, it would be cruel to keep the greatly grown Spirit Tree-chan in the form of a wooden sword forever.
But once the Spirit Tree is planted, it won’t be possible to pull it out of the ground. Even during the wedding ceremony, it had grown into a large tree. Now, it must have grown even more magnificent. In that case, not even old man Sleigsta or the Giant Demon Lord would be able to dig it up. And then, I wouldn’t be able to wear the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword on my right hip and travel all over the land.
“Ares-chan wanted to make memories, didn’t you?”
“Precious memories!”
“Unforgettable memories.”
“Yes. After coming up with a plan and putting the hindrances to sleep, I obtained a treasure. It was the best adventure, a memory that will stay in my heart.”
Of course, the hindrances were the inn staff and my wives, and the treasure was me. Ares-chan and Spirit Tree-chan conspired together and overcame the difficulties. Therefore, they have the right to enjoy this happy time without hesitation, with me as their reward.
Alright, in that case. I will do my best to entertain them so that it becomes a lifelong memory for Ares-chan and Spirit Tree-chan. I apologize to everyone I’ve knocked out, but please forgive me just for today.
After enjoying the open-air bath, we then played indoors. We worked together to make the flower arrangements decorating the room splendid, me, Ares-chan, and Spirit Tree-chan. We revitalized a weak maple tree in the courtyard. We sang happily and danced gracefully. We also played a little prank on Mistral and the others who were sleeping, but that’s our secret.
“I’m hungry.”
As if on cue, Ares-chan pulls out various dishes from the mysterious space.
“Ah. You snatched these from the kitchen while I was escaping, didn’t you?”
“Feast, feast.”
Ares-chan and I savored the delicious food. Furthermore, saying “There’s always room for dessert,” Ares-chan absorbed Dragon Energy from me. Of course, I didn’t forget to feed Spirit Tree-chan either. I carefully refined the power of the Dragon Vein and sent it to the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword. Spirit Tree-chan happily received the power and absorbed it greedily.
“Hey, speaking of which…”
Time flies when you’re having fun. Before we knew it, night had fallen, and the dazzling stars were twinkling in the sky. While soaking in the bath for the third time today, I asked Ares-chan.
“Ares-chan, are you going to leave me too?”
After all, Ares-chan is a spirit that inhabits the Spirit Tree, right? Then, will Ares-chan stay by the side of the planted Spirit Tree and won’t be able to act with me anymore? A sudden anxiety began to plague my heart. Me, Ares-chan, and Spirit Tree-chan, always together, anywhere, anytime. This was normal until now, but it will be different from now on. Of course, once Spirit Tree-chan is planted, I will definitely visit it often. However, we won’t be together all the time. And if Ares-chan, as the Spirit Tree Spirit, stays by Spirit Tree-chan’s side, then we won’t be able to be together anytime, anywhere. We have overcome numerous hardships and challenges together. The anxiety that we might be separated gnaws at my heart. Then, Ares-chan hugged me tightly, as if to dispel my anxiety.
“We’ll be together from now on too. We’ll go on lots of adventures and report to Spirit Tree-chan.”
“Ah! Telling Spirit Tree-chan about our adventures is my role!”
“Greedy, greedy.”
“I want to hear all about everyone’s stories!”
“Then, after we go on a long trip, we’ll definitely have a report session with everyone!”
“I’m really looking forward to it!”
The happiness for those who live in this world is different for each individual. For Spirit Tree-chan, adventuring with me is happiness, but it’s also happiness to take root in the earth and fulfill its role as a Spirit Tree. That’s why I decided to plant Spirit Tree-chan a long time ago. But it’s not something to be sad about at all. Even when we are apart, our hearts will remain strongly connected. Surely, even after rooting Spirit Tree-chan, I will continue to feel its presence nearby. Yes, not as a vague presence like I felt when we were playing tag running around the inn, but as a concrete sensation.
On this day, or rather, using the entirety of the next day as well, Ares-chan, Spirit Tree-chan, and I created many memories. However, it goes without saying that Mistral and the others were astonished when they woke up later. You can express your support by clicking the heart. (Login required.) Support. Login if you have an account. Learn more about the reading experience on Kakuyomu.
