Chapter 12
“Hide the kids and the women! Especially watch out for the ladies!”
“Damn it! Who would’ve thought my peaceful school trip would turn into this hellhole?!”
“All you weaklings, fall back!”
“I’ll hold this place with my life, no matter what!”
What the hell do these guys think I am?
As soon as we arrived at the hot spring town, Lucy tugged on my sleeve when she noticed the commotion caused by the dragons.
“Umm… are those horned people really dragons…?”
“Yeah.”
“B-but why are they so scared of Adam?”
“It’s too much to guess, honestly.”
That said, fighting is strictly prohibited here regardless.
It makes sense – with all kinds of races gathering from across the continent, allowing fights would make it impossible to maintain the city.
Sure enough, the city guards rushed over upon sensing the disturbance.
“What’s going on?! We cannot tolerate fighting within our city limits!”
Seeing the guards, Iris, Lucy and I immediately raised our hands to show we had no intention of fighting.
If we were to fight, we’d be permanently banned from entering Ardeau Aqua – same goes even for gacha characters.
This place, one of the largest resorts on the continent, operates under such restraints.
“Dragonkin, stop too! We will hear your story!”
Whether they were reassured by the guards’ presence or simply remembered fighting was forbidden, the dragons calmed down slightly.
After hearing both our stories, the guards sighed.
“We understand given the incident a year ago, but both <Wandering Hero> and <Painted Moon> clearly have no intention to fight you. Please enjoy your trip peacefully.”
Though still wary, the dragons seemed convinced enough thanks to the guards’ assurance and quietly retreated.
When the guards left, Iris shrugged.
“Luckily that ended anticlimactically.”
“Same here. Though I did expect to run into them eventually, didn’t think it’d be right after entering the city. Anyway, are you okay, Lucy?”
“Huh? Why me?”
Just checking since it’s been quite a long journey… but judging from how she tilted her head not understanding the question itself, she seems fine.
Thinking about it, it’s been quite some time since I was summoned.
Lucy, who used to be nothing but skin and bones, has gained weight, and for some reason, she’s becoming almost as beautiful as Iris, known as <Painted Moon>.
Especially her chest volume is impressive.
She seems healthy, so maybe she’s finally getting better.
“A-Adam… please don’t stare like that… it’s embarrassing…”
“Sorry, just thinking for a moment.”
“W-why are you looking away now?! I-I never said not to look…!”
Does she mean it’s okay to keep staring despite being embarrassed?
Since she allows it, I continue to gaze until Iris blocks my view with her hand.
“Stop acting like an idiot in the middle of the street and let’s check into the hot spring we planned to stay at. We can’t sightsee without checking in first.”
“That’s true, but why are you grabbing my butt while talking?”
“…Because I didn’t get to see yours.”
What a creative sexual harassment excuse.
While filling out documents regarding our identities and stay duration at the hot spring we won through a lottery draw…
“Adam Idingger!”
“Huh?”
Recognizing the voice I turned around to see a group of white-robed priests led by a blonde man glaring at us.
“You…”
Wait. What was his name again?
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten!”
“I haven’t… wasn’t there a sister named Anna? Right?”
The memory feels faint, something oil-related… Canola? Olive?
“Yes! The sister you defiled, Saint Anna Lausemis! I’m Oliver Lausemis!”
Right, Oliver. Damn, almost got it.
“Nice to see you. So you were summoned too?”
“Shut up! Today’s the day I kill you and avenge my sister…” [Check-in is this way] “…I’ll come to kill you soon! Be sure to wash your neck and wait!”
As Oliver disappeared upon being called by the inn staff, Lucy and Iris pinched my sides from both sides.
“Who’s Anna?”
“What do you mean by ‘defiled’?”
Always feel wronged as the man even when consensual.
“Anna was a saint of Marta Church 500 years ago, back when I lived.”
“And?”
“I did her.”
“Where?”
“At the Central Shrine of the Holy Kingdom.”
For clarification, we weren’t caught during the act – I’m not that clumsy.
We only got caught because we couldn’t clean up properly afterwards.
“Also, Anna was the one who made the first move. Saints have desires too.”
“So that’s why the saint title was revoked and her brother’s mad?”
“Nope. She never lost her title. He’s just overprotective.”
Even back then, he tried to kill me every time I sneaked into the Holy Kingdom to meet Anna.
“Seems there was a reason for the extermination order.”
“I don’t follow any religion but that sounds pretty sacrilegious…”
With two icy stares, we completed the check-in and headed out for sightseeing.
Ardeau Aqua is a stunningly beautiful city covered in endless snow.
Even after visiting several times, including before becoming a gacha character, I’m always captivated by its beauty.
Upon ascending the tower opened for tourists to overlook the entire city, Lucy gasped in awe.
“Wow! It’s beautiful!”
“Been awhile since I last came, but it’s as lovely as ever.”
“Have you been here before, Iris?”
“I came once with my family and Adam when I was little.”
“…Sounds nice.”
Hearing Lucy’s quiet mutter, Iris grabbed her cheeks.
“Didn’t you say you’d figure things out confidently moving forward? What happened to that spirit?”
“I-I’m not discouraged!”
That’s right. The important thing is now.
We just need to live together, see beautiful things, eat delicious food, and have fun.
After touring various spots, we returned to our lodging to soak in the hot springs.
“E-excuse me, why do I have to enter a separate bath with Adam?”
“Same here. Should’ve booked a private tub room instead of relying on the raffle prize.”
Pushing the complaining Lucy and Iris into the women’s bath, I entered the men’s side alone.
Feeling the warmth seep into my body after walking around the cold all day.
“Why am I the only one here?”
There must be other men staying here too. What about that Oliver guy, Anna’s brother?
Not that being alone is bad. It feels like I rented the whole thing, which is pretty great.
While idly gazing at the sky thinking that…
“Uh?”
“Wha?”
Our eyes met. Several problems arose simultaneously.
First, the person entering wasn’t a man but a woman.
Second, not human but a dragon.
Finally, her father was someone I killed.
Is this town filled only with my enemies?
“What!? How did a human male break through the barrier… Oh? Adam Idingger?”
“Hmm. Hi, Sinkerian. Long time no see.”
About a year ago, without warning, she invaded the empire along with the disaster dragon Terminus and fought fiercely until we mutually perished.
Looking at me in the water, Sinkerian nodded as if understanding.
“Ah, that’s why the barrier didn’t work on you.”
“What kind of barrier?”
“A barrier that repels humans.”
“Why?”
“To bathe alone quietly.”
Total breach of etiquette.
“If you wanted privacy, you should’ve booked a private tub room.”
“I checked, but it was expensive. I’m a rookie with limited funds.”
“You’ll get kicked out if discovered. And this is the men’s bath.”
“Really?! Hmm, must’ve messed up the target designation when setting the barrier.”
Why does she enter instead of leaving? Normally shouldn’t she exit?
“Go to the women’s side.”
“Eh, no way. Too troublesome. The barrier’s working fine, so it’s okay.”
“I’m here though.”
“That’s fine too. I wouldn’t show myself naked to another male, but it’s not a problem with you.”
Depending on how you hear it, her statement wounded my masculine pride as she approached and submerged herself in the hot spring with an excited sigh.
“Ah, feels good.”
“Relaxed despite having your father’s enemy right in front of you, huh?”
“When trying to kill another being, one naturally prepares to die too. Humans create endless hatred chains by obsessing over revenge.”
“Hmm.”
Got served.
“While we’re on the topic, why did Terminus suddenly attack the empire?”
“Don’t know.”
Giving me a skeptical look, Sinkerian replied that not only her but other dragons found it strange too.
“One day he just killed the lord, declared himself lord, and ordered an attack on humanity. Naturally, other dragons opposed him, but he was too strong to disobey.”
After learning from Lucy post-summoning, dragons returned to their own country shortly after Terminus’ death, likely due to this reason.
“There’s no reason for dragons, who’ve been civilized for over a thousand years, to attack another race in modern times. Trying to assert dragon superiority or world domination is considered outdated even among our kind.”
Assuming her words are true, Terminus’ actions become even harder to comprehend.
Was he simply insane?
“Something feels off.”
“Same here, but there’s no way to find out now. By the way, it’s surprising. You’re SSR rank, yet you were summoned again after only a year?”
“Not sure.”
Bathing naked with the daughter of a dragon I killed while chatting casually felt quite surreal.
Maybe that’s why…
I completely forgot.
That I wasn’t alone.
“Adam?”
“Wh-who’s that woman?”
Just as we finished giving each other back massages and were about to leave…
Realizing the situation, Sinkerian grinned, kissed my cheek, then turned around.
“That was fun, Adam. See you next time.”
She just poured gasoline on a burning house.
What bothered me more were the murmurs from passing dragons.
“Idingger probably slept with a 120-year-old…”
“Shockingly disappointing! He seemed like a decent guy despite being an ex-enemy!”
“What a disgusting pedophile!”
For some reason, I started being called <The Lolicon> Adam by dragons from that day onward.
“…”
Honestly, I think this is unjust.
