Episode 148: Investigating! Dragon Girl!
Look, there are two beautiful girls on a date. So cute!
“Two… two?”
There are two of us, right?
Look at Toa-chan who’s more energetic than usual, and me following behind her.
She’s the cool older sister type with black hair, isn’t she?
“But wasn’t she described as gentle and serene just a moment ago?”
My forms as a beautiful girl are infinite.
Combine your favorite attributes and create your own unique beautiful girl!
So, I am currently Toa-chan’s older sister.
This kind of lily relationship is also wonderful…
“Hey, let’s go there next! They say the takoyaki from that stall is delicious!”
“Alright, let’s go.”
My gaze watching Toa-chan express herself wholeheartedly must be very gentle.
And my beautiful girl radar can hear any mention of us from a kilometer away.
I can hear it… the voices of the people excited by our pure lily relationship!
“What is with his occasional inhuman behavior?”
I’m feeling good right now.
Very good.
Transforming into a beautiful girl and going on a date with one.
Could there be any greater bliss?
“Look, they’re giving an extra one for free right now!”
“That’s great.”
We’re only talking about food, but she’s incredibly cute.
By the way, how have you managed to eat the same amount as everyone else until now?
I like you when you eat a lot.
“Sor x Toa… hmm”
Why can’t you just accept this smoothly?
Look at Toa-chan.
No matter how you think about it, she’s not attack-focused like Clam.
She’s a cute, timid foodie.
Surely you’re not suggesting she’s the aggressive type too?
You haven’t fallen so far as to twist interpretations unreasonably, have you?
“Nothing to complain about really. It’s just… a bit off-putting. Despite being too good, it makes me skeptical.”
Do you not know what it means to trust others?
“Have you forgotten the painful lesson from Kanon?”
Even if betrayed once, that’s no reason to stop trusting.
I will always believe in beautiful girls.
And I’ll protect their smiles!
Toa-chan, eat your fill today.
Don’t worry, I’ll pay even if I run out of money.
It’s fine even if my wallet empties.
I’ve got cash conversion items here.
“Did you just say ‘cash conversion item’ referring to angels?”
They are cash conversion items and materials for crafting equipment.
Angels are truly great beings.
Perhaps angels really are allies to humans.
“…gasp, alright! I’ve eaten enough! Let’s go next!”
“Eh?”
Before I knew it, Toa-chan had bought and finished eating, then started pulling me along.
My takoyaki…
“Toa-chan?”
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
“My takoyaki…”
“I”
“Eh?”
“In this form, call me ‘I’. It’s too conspicuous otherwise.”
Holding my hand, Toa-chan stopped and said that.
Eh, suddenly serious guidance?
Well, if Toa-chan says so, I’ll follow– who is this guy!?
“Eh?”
Look, that’s not Toa-chan! The shine of the beautiful girl is different!
What was I seeing before, an illusion!?
Is this where the free version of the date with Toa-chan ends!?
“Something’s starting again…]
Why am I being treated like I’m the odd one out!
I’m just saying the shine of the beautiful girl has changed!
“That’s exactly what’s strange.”
Moreover, this shine is… wait, what?
It’s Toa-chan as usual.
Focusing my inner beautiful girl awareness and looking at Toa-chan again, she had her usual shine.
“A, eh?”
“What’s wrong, Kei-kun? Ah, should I call you Kei-chan now…?”
The sight of Toa-chan tilting her head cutely hasn’t changed.
“…Yeah, Kei-chan sounds better right now.”
Huh?
That’s strange.
I thought it was Nameless.
“Maybe you’re still hung up on Nameless? That’s why you’re mistaking her. Her height is similar to Toa’s, unconsciously you might be drawn to her.”
Damn, captured by the Solciela Receptacle Cult.
Star Reader’s Staff, calm down.
Nameless is technically the enemy.
“Exactly because of that it’s exciting. Solciela flustered by Nameless’ straightforward expression of love. And Clam, who still can’t take a step forward and regrets it every time. This relationship is beautiful… ”
You relationship fetishist.
Alright, I’ll enjoy this lily date with Toa-chan.
I don’t need noise during my date with Toa-chan.
“So, let’s go again, Toa-chan.”
“Yeah! There’s a crepe shop over there that’s delicious!”
With a smile, Toa-chan starts walking.
Soltateeee.
■
Watatori Ryuko was an excellent explorer.
Even without intending to, her evaluation from the Board of Directors was high.
Her abilities were unusual compared to other S Ranks.
Plus, she rarely asked for anything other than money, and her values were normal.
Given her flawless task execution capability, it was natural that she was highly trusted.
—Therefore, within an hour of meeting Solfi, Ryuko had already completed her mission.
“Fuuu, somehow it went well.”
In the commercial district of Kroma Music Academy.
Ryuko had taken control of a research facility disguised as an ordinary building.
“Good work, Baltius.”
By her side was a red dragon about two meters tall.
With a lizard-like face, sturdy scales, and bat-like wings, it perfectly matched the popular image of dragons.
“Good boy, good boy, good boy.”
While petting the red dragon rubbing against her like a dog, Ryuko took photos of the destroyed research facility.
Then, after surveying the area for a while, Ryuko suddenly thought of something.
“…Where’s the S Rank Clone?”
Apparently, this was supposed to be a facility for S Rank Clone experiments.
But upon reflection, she couldn’t recall encountering any such clone.
After wiping everyone out and securing the area, there was no sign of the crucial cloning technology.
“Hmm? Maybe this was just a branch office? Perhaps the main base is elsewhere. What do you think, Baltius?”
In response to her question, Baltius tilted his head.
However, the next moment he began walking and poked the floor with his nose.
“Dig here, woof.”
Approaching, Ryuko examined the floor.
Only this spot had tiles of a different color.
“Great job. Alright, let’s destroy this.”
Baltius, who was being treated entirely like a dog, happily stomped on the floor with his foot.
On the other side, a hole leading underground appeared.
“Hmm, is this where the real battle begins? Don’t want to, wanna go home.”
Saying that, Ryuko stepped onto the stairs leading underground anyway.
As Baltius tried to follow behind her, he slammed both wings.
Seeing Baltius mournfully cry, Ryuko sighed.
“You can shrink back… Come on, shrink, shrink.”
Saying that, Ryuko clapped her hands twice.
Instantly, the massive body blocking the entrance transformed, becoming a silver viscous mass.
Moving its candy-like body wobblingly, Baltius approached Ryuko.
Confirming that, Ryuko started walking again.
“Be ready to fight at any time. My physical stats are crap.”
Baltius rippled his body in response.
In front of them, a shattered door appeared.
A thick iron door broken as if it were glasswork.
Seeing that, Ryuko realized.
“Wow…”
Among her S Rank acquaintances, there was a girl who could do the same.
A tyrant-like girl who froze objects and broke them regardless of their strength.
“If that’s her clone, I’d want some help from the others too”.
Muttering that, Ryuko peeked cautiously into the room.
Inside the room, it was already ransacked by something.
Shattered aquariums, frost covering the surroundings.
And small footprints.
The footprints led to a path different from the one Ryuko and company came from.
In other words, there was no one left in this room.
Realizing various things from these pieces of information, Ryuko covered her face and looked up.
“They’re escaping… Absolutely something troublesome is going to happen… ”
Even dealing with S Rank Clones was troublesome, but if they escaped, Ryuko’s workload would double.
Thinking about the ruined holiday plans, Ryuko followed the footprints.
Fortunately, she soon reached the outside.
Or rather, considering the escape, perhaps it was the worst scenario.
Opening the door led to a heavily trafficked area in the commercial district.
Carefully closing the door and stepping fully outside, Ryuko looked up again.
“Oh…”
It seemed she would have no choice but to seriously search for the S Rank Clones now.
The moment she recognized this fact, something snapped inside Ryuko.
“Yeah, let’s take a break first. I’ve already destroyed the lab. I’ve called the cleanup team. I’ve done my job. Yeah!”
Ryuko is an ordinary high school girl.
If forced to point out something different, maybe it’s that she can control a dragon.
Other than that, she’s a regular high school girl who doesn’t have the mental fortitude to chase tyrant clones and ruin her day off.
But she wants her full reward.
Thus, the compromise she came up with was…
A temporary rest.
“Baltius, come back here.”
Ryuko spread her hands.
In response, Baltius’s body turned into particles and disappeared into Ryuko.
After confirming all the particles entered her body, Ryuko placed her hand on her chest and said,
“There’s a limited quantity of delicious crepes around here. Its name is―”
“Golgotha Hill Crepe! …Huh?”
Her voice overlapped with someone else’s, and Ryuko looked to the side.
There was a blond girl with the same “?” mark above her head, and a black-haired girl with an indescribable expression.
