"I'm home," called a small boy with dark brown hair. It was splashing. Water droplets fell onto the floor of the entrance area as he entered the house. His clothes, his green and beige striped T-shirt and his brown knee-length shorts, were soaked and dampened the floor beneath them.
As usual, the elementary school student forgot to pack his umbrella in his school bag, regardless of whether the weather forecast said it would rain that day or not. His mother often scolded him for this. No wonder, after all, he could get sick and miss school. But this didn't seem to bother the child.
"Hm? Nobody home?"
He took off his muddy shoes and stepped into the brown wooden hallway with his dark gray socks. Meanwhile, he let his blue school bag slide off his back onto the floor and strolled through the house.
He reached the living room shortly thereafter when a strange noise pierced his ears.
What's that noise? he wondered, reaching for the handle of the living room door to open it. "Why is the TV so loud?" he wondered aloud, hoping someone would answer his question, but no one responded...
No wonder... No one could answer him...
"Mom?... Sis?..." His voice was barely more than a whisper as he opened the living room door entirely and looked into the room. The room had become a mosaic of the dead realm, created by the Grim Reaper himself.
An adult woman and a high school student—at least, those were the two bodies that would form if all the pieces of the puzzle were put back together to create the original.
In pieces and scattered throughout the living room were their body parts, the once white wallpapered walls transformed into a dark red with an iron afterscent.
At first, you might think this was some kind of horror escape room. But it was real.
The boy was petrified, his breathing becoming heavier and heavier, he could vomit at any moment, but he was still able to suppress it.
For now...
Suddenly, he noticed that, out of nowhere, his left foot became slightly damp, as if he had stepped in a puddle. Of course his sock was wet, after all, he had come home soaking wet, he thought and looked down. Then he realized how wrong he was.
His face went pale as a ghost, his pupils narrowed, an accessory reflected in his iris. To be more precise, it was a self-made bracelet that was once brightly colored. This bracelet was tied around the wrist of the arm in front of him. At least what was left of it. Since the owner of this arm was lying several steps away from it without making a sound.
"AAAAHHHHHH!!!"
Now it happened. He could no longer suppress his nausea. He curled up and vomited on the living room floor. But he didn't just stay there like a plant. Full of fear and confusion, the little boy tried to escape. He ran wildly through the hallway and tore open the door to look for help. As he was about to leave the house, he accidentally tripped over the edge of the door and...
... fell into the freezing cold but dampening snow. Groaning, I tried to get back up, but the icy cold and dreadful weakness fought against my body. However, despite these unpleasant circumstances, I didn't let myself be discouraged from getting back up. When I finally got up, the snowstorm blew directly into my face. In this situation, I could hardly see anything, but I slowly staggered on, my arms crossed over my chest with my half-frozen hands to keep myself a little warm, even though it hardly helped...
"Where the hell am I???"
...
Almost a week, five days to be precise, had passed since the surprise attack and the clash of some members of the organization. In this chaos, there were of course several negative and heartbreaking moments, such as the injured people who worked in the heroes' estate and the estate itself, which performed a dance of red and orange colors on the small elevation in front of what was once a beautiful flower garden. Above this dance, a thick black cloud spread.
After the fire was extinguished, the building was barely recognizable. Even though it only burned for about twenty minutes, only the remains of the ground floor and part of the first floor were left. Everything else was destroyed by the explosion.
Later, when the promised time with Dorilla had passed, he picked us up using his teleportation magic and brought us back to the estate, where Dorilla had already healed all the injured maids and butlers, fortunately without any losses, and, beyond our imagination, they already started rebuilding the estate, even though some of them couldn't even stand on their own until recently.
When we, Monika, Anna, and I, saw this, we were speechless and stared in disbelief, our mouths open and our eyes wide, at the half-finished building standing before us.
Do these people have some kind of hidden power? Or is this an illusion? I wondered. Whatever the answer may be, the result is very astonishing. Maybe Elaine, Alicia, and Dorilla were involved too...
And speaking of the devil, a certain person jumped on me and hugged me. At first, I thought it was Anna, as she often did that, but it was someone else. It couldn't have been Eiko or Reiko either, since this figure was almost as tall as me.
Light brown hair, shimmering in the sunset, blew in front of my eyes. A sob followed, then another, almost impossible to ignore. Her body trembled as if she were shivering, and she hugged me tightly, as if her body were seeking warmth.
Between her sobs, she whispered the same words over and over, even though she could barely speak them quietly without holding back her emotions. But I knew what she was saying anyway. Not because of my heightened sense of hearing, thanks to my demi-human instincts. But because her feelings, her heart, reached me. ...I'm sorry... ...I'm sorry... echoed in my head.
She wiped her tears on my black coat, dirtied from the battle, and couldn't tear herself away from me, like a little child. And this is supposed to be the legendary heroine, the golden lioness, Elaine? I asked myself, seeing only a mere sad girl in my arms.
After half an hour, Elaine finally let go of me. I explained the current situation and told them how we would proceed from our side.
My plan was, even if it was a bit sudden, to leave the capital Almone and the legendary heroes the next day, together with Monika, Anna, Eiko, and Reiko, to continue on to Pezowa, where we would most likely encounter the organization again.
Perhaps even sooner. However, when that time comes, we will be prepared, better than last time, stronger, faster, more precise, and wiser. We will train harder than ever before, but this time without Elaine, Alicia, and Dorilla as our training partners, as our mentors, who have already taught us so much.
Of course, Elaine and the others were strongly opposed to letting us fight the organization alone and argued against it. All of their arguments and points were reasonable, and we certainly agreed with them.
However, the time has come to move on. How long should we stand still without making any progress? The longer we wait, the more mischief they spread throughout this world! And that's the least we want. Not just us, but the entire population.
It took a while, but in the end I was able to convince them with my enthusiasm and ambition. We owe a lot to Elaine, Alicia, Dorilla, and, not to forget, the servants of the estate. Not only for the training, but also for the hospitality, a roof over our heads, and the help in the previous battles against Number Six, Number Three, Number Five, and the Vice Commander.
We will always be indebted to them. It was a quick goodbye, but I am sure we will see each other again, someday.
In our last battle, Number Five, the red-haired sorceress who was also the woman I met in the forest and told me about the flower that made me stronger, and Number Three, my father from that other world, who took everything from me and ruined my life, died. But I finally managed to take revenge on him, even if it wasn't in my own form, but that of a bloodthirsty monster, I accept this act of revenge.
Speaking of revenge. My revenge, the plan to find and kill my murderer, has now changed a little. My killer, a former member of the organization who went by the code name Number Seven, aka Monika, is no longer controlled by the organization. After we left Almone, she told us something about herself in relation to that group and how they treated Monika and possibly others like puppets to carry out missions or foreign operations. Unfortunately, Monika did not know the exact or approximate number of the members, but she knew that there were quite a few. Instead, she told us about the membership system, in other words, what rank they hold and how they are divided.
Starting with the boss, the huge guy I met the other day. His outward appearance was more like that of a well-trained butler, but with a very dangerous aura, as if he could kill me with just one flick with his finger. He also mumbled something strange that I still haven't been able to figure out, what he means.
"Don't lose sight of the real enemy," he said.
After the boss, it starts with the numbered members. According to Monika's latest information, it starts with the vice commander, Number Two, and would end with her as Ex Number Seven, but there is a possibility that they have already added another number that Monika doesn't know about.
Last but not least, there are the members who hardly ever or never walk around the headquarters, but instead take part in the aforementioned foreign operations and are in charge of the dirty work of the Numbers, among other things. Apparently, this system can be compared to life in a kingdom: the boss is the king, the Numbers are the nobles, and the others are the normal people who play around in their shit.
It seems that Monika was also one of these normals before she became Number Seven. Thanks to her outstanding, successfully completed work, which consisted mainly of killing monsters and sometimes humans, she was promoted, but she herself was not yet at headquarters. Well, that would have made our search a lot easier. But even on the day she was invited to join the organization and entered, she only briefly met the boss and another member named Number Four, who recognized Monika's natural talent and persuaded her to immediately accept a mission to kill an orc king.
She didn't tell us any more about that day. On the one hand, I could understand that she probably doesn't want to remember these things, about her past. But on the other hand, her story doesn't seem quite right to me, at least something feels wrong. I'm not sure where the mistake is, but I can't shake the stupid feeling that something is fishy. Maybe it's the sudden assignment of a mission? Maybe the fact that she was never at their base, even though she was a Number? Or possibly the encounter with their boss and this Number Four? ...Number Four...? Haven't I heard that name before? Unfortunately, I can't remember who told me that, nor when I heard that code name, even though it's literally on the tip of my tongue...
"Say, Yuu... I mean Kaito..." Monika stammered unexpectedly as she sat next to me on the carriage.
Holding the reins in my hands to guide Shia, our faithful horse, I briefly looked away from the path and glanced at Monika, who seemed to be fidgeting slightly.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
"Erm... I'm sorry, but I'm not sure yet, how to call you. Until now, I just called you Kaito, in disguise. But since you shared your secret, about your true identity, with us, I thought that you might want to be called Yuuji again instead," she explained.
" That's what you're worrying about?" Right. I had told not only Monika, but also Anna and the children about myself. That I got reincarnated and came from another world. Of course, they were shocked at first, Monika hardly, since she already knew part of the story on her own. And the twins showed little enthusiasm for what I told them. Perhaps they thought it was a fairy tale since they didn't understand the context behind it.
However, in their eyes, I am the same person they met and not a stranger.
"You know, I've already put my old name aside. The human Yuuji Takahashi is dead. But now the half-wolf Kaito is by your side and will protect you," I grinned. Monika's cheeks flushed slightly at once and she became quiet, even though she was the one who spoke to me first.
"By the way... Didn't you want something from me? Or was it just about my name?"
"Ah, right, I wanted to ask you what we're going to do in the next town."
"In what way?" What does she mean, I wondered.
"Well... It's been quite a while since we took a break to spend time together as a team.
Monika. I was very pleased that Monika was suddenly thinking about our team, which she had never done before. At least she never said so. In fact, it seems to me that her personality has changed a little since the incident.
That might be possible, after all, I gave her a new heart, which came from my powers, including my feelings and, possibly, part of my personality. Maybe I'm just hallucinating and shouldn't worry about it anymore.
"Then think wisely about what we're going to do in the next village or town. We'll follow your plan."
"Huh? I can decide?" She looked at me, her eyes wide.
"Of course. Why not?"
"I have no objections either. If my hero is in favor of it, so am I," Anna added from inside the carriage, giggling.
"Guys... Thank you so much." Monika closed her eyes, her broad smile enchanting me so that my cheeks flushed slightly. Meanwhile, Anna looked at me sulkily, slightly jealous.
"Ah... You should think of something quickly, I can already see the town walls from here."
Twenty to twenty-five minutes later, we reached the large limestone-colored walls of the small town called Zyronthar. For a town that wasn't on any major trade route, it was surprisingly crowded.
The cobblestone streets were narrow, but bathed in warm sunlight that shone through the wooden balconies of the houses. Colorful fabric banners hung from the facades, some with holes, others looking freshly sewn, and everywhere I looked, were baskets full of herbs, some I couldn't even identify.
Some merchants at their stalls called out to customers, while a few children chased after a small rattling wooden wheel. Among the residents, scattered here and there, older residents sat on small stools in front of their front doors, watching life pass them by with calm eyes, remembering their own time as young whippersnappers.
At first we looked for a place to stay. The security guard at the entrance gate recommended us an inn, which apparently also had a stable for transport animals. So we drove through the first narrow street, where our carriage luckily fitted through, into a slightly quieter side street.
On the right was an inn with a crooked sign painted with a black cat and a yellow crescent moon. At first I was very skeptical because of this sight.
The sound of a creaking door and the smell of fresh stew filled the air. I opened the door a bit and caught a quick glimpse inside.
Inside were a few tired guys wearing armor like chest plates with weapons such as a two-handed axe leaning against the edge of the table, who probably turned out to be adventurers. At another table, an old man with a smoking pipe was half asleep, slumped over his beer mug, while a brown-spotted dog waited patiently beneath him for some food to fall.
We passed them unnoticed and rented two rooms at the reception desk for two nights, which cost us ten silver coins. Ten silver coins for two nights and two rooms with two beds each, for a group of four or five people, you can't complain. I've seen worse, like back in Ringol, where they wanted to charge us six silver coins per person.
The floors creaked slightly as we climbed the narrow wooden staircase to take our things upstairs. At least some of them, since I had stowed most of my equipment in my item box anyway. But I didn't want to lug my travel bag, which also had its own item box, around town unnecessarily, and thanks to my personal item box, I didn't really need the bag. Until now, I was using this bag just as a disguise because I didn't know how common personal item boxes were. But now, it's like part of my travel gear, and I don't think that's gonna change.
I put the travel bag on a bed with a slightly sunken straw core while the others stowed their own stuff in the room next door.
The twins and I slept in the same room, and Monika and Anna were in the room next door. I wonder if that will work out...
Soon after, I took Shia, our faithful horse, to the stable behind the inn. The stable owner was an old man with white, shaggy hair sticking out in all directions and hands that looked like they could pull nails out of a wooden board.
But his narrow eyes seemed friendly, as he stroked Shia with an unexpectedly gentle gesture.
"A strong animal," he said. "Well-fed. No wounds. Don't worry, lad, I'll keep a good eye on her," he added.
Shia snorted contentedly. I patted her gently on the flank before saying goodbye for the time being.
When I was done, I met up with the others again and we focused on what Monika wanted to do.
Our first destination, as I had already assumed, was a clothing store.
The store was located at the end of a parallel street, flanked by two workshops. Even from outside, you could see that the store was designed purely for female customers.
The shop window was decorated with pastel-colored dresses. A light scent of freshly washed wool and something floral rose to meet me as soon as I opened the door. Inside, dresses hung close together on wooden rods, sorted by color, cut, and pattern.
The air was so heavy with feminine energy that I wanted to make myself invisible.
I could hear two women, presumably residents of this town, standing in front of a large mirror, engrossed in conversation.
"I'm telling you, Lira, that suits you perfectly! Your husband will fall head over heels when he sees you in it!"
"Oh, nonsense, I don't want to kill him, just impress him!"
Their laughter filled the shop, while the shopkeeper, an elderly dwarf woman with gray hair and surprisingly modern fashion sense, shook her head and smiled behind the counter. Until she saw me with the others and nodded to us friendly, rubbing her hands together as if she had just met her best customers of the day.
Eiko and Reiko immediately disappeared between the rows to inspect everything with shining eyes.
"Look! It sparkles!" Reiko exclaimed.
"I want that one! And this! And that one over there!" replied Eiko, who was already looking at three items at once.
I could literally see the saleswoman calculating through the angle of her eyes how much damage two young dragon girls could do. Personally, I was very surprised that the two of them were interested in things like clothes. At first, I thought they were a little too young to be interested in such things, but in the end, they are just girls following their nature. I smiled gently at the sight, but also felt slightly tense, as I had no idea how much this fun would cost.
Anna, on the other hand, elegantly ran her hand over various fabrics as if checking their quality. No wonder. She is a princess, after all. I could hardly imagine that she wouldn't pay attention to the quality of her appearance.
Her yellow-gold eyes sparkled at almost every dress she touched, and the tip of her tail twitched slightly with excitement.
I, on the other hand, felt like a piece of furniture that had accidentally ended up in the wrong room. Not a single pair of pants in sight. No armor, no shirt, not even a ridiculous bandana for men.
Only dresses, skirts, ribbons, scarves, stockings, all in colors I would never touch in a million years.
Then I noticed Monika standing next to me. Her gaze was fixed on a particular dress, and although she didn't say a word, I knew that this piece had completely captured her attention.
It was a dark blue dress, flowing like the night sky, decorated with white and light blue roses, which seemed to shimmer in the light coming through the window.
I noticed her staring at it for a while, her fingertips just a few inches from the fabric.
"Is something wrong with that dress?" I asked.
She flinched in surprise. "Eh? N-Nothing. It's just... Well, I'm thinking of buying it. But... it's pretty expensive."
"How much is it?," I asked, leaning a little forward to read the price tag.
18 silver coins... Eighteen?! For a summer dress?! When I read the price, my heart skipped a beat.
I seriously wondered if the dress was made of secret silk or if the roses on it had been personally decorated by a high-ranking artist. Or both.
"Maybe I'll find something cheaper..." Monika said, but her voice sounded muffled.
She looked really... upset. For her, the dress was probably not just a dress, it was something she considered beautiful, something that would bring her joy at that moment. And not just her, but me too! The image of Monika laughing in a dress blowing in the light breeze on a field full of flowers was now stuck in my head.
I was an idiot. An idiot with a stupid heart...
"I'll pay for this dress."
She opened her eyes wide. "Eh? You don't have to. I'll just look for another dress."
"I want to see you in that dress!"
The sentence slipped out like a drool thread. Not until the two women who had been talking about their husbands earlier let out a loud "Oho?" did I realize what I had said. My face burned. Monika's did too, as she lowered her head so that her hair covered part of her face, which had turned red in record time.
I wanted to throw myself against the nearest wall.
"I-I mean... it would suit you... I think..." I looked away, as if I could escape the awkward moment.
"...T-Then I'll accept your offer."
The moment was brief... and I could have sworn that in that brief silence I could have heard a pin drop. The air felt warm. As if tiny threads were being stretched between us, imperceptibly drawing us closer.
Or maybe I'm imagining weird stuff again...
Suddenly, at that very moment, Anna spoke up with the volume of a salamander ready for battle.
"HOW UNFAIR! I want something from my hero too!"
"Eh?" I flinched. Before I could say anything else, Eiko and Reiko said in perfect unison, "We want something too!"
I sighed inwardly. Of course. Of course they wanted it too. Well, I was already aware that I would have to pay for the children, but now for Anna as well? Hmm...
"All right. Today's on me. So take whatever you want."
That was the stupidest thing I could have said in my entire life. It was as if I had broken an ancient seal. The atmosphere around the girls started to vibrate, and their eyes literally flared red.
Soon after, all four of them ran off and took everything they wanted. It was all like a natural disaster sweeping through the store. I could swear I saw one of the saleswomen praying, while two other employees ran back and forth trying to hold the racks in place. An older customer pressed herself against the wall and muttered. "By the gods... Please have mercy on me."
A young man, who was probably waiting for his girlfriend outside the dressing room, clung to the doorframe next to him like a shipwreck survivor clinging to a beam.
After about five minutes, the store was unrecognizable. It looked like a battlefield, and I was standing in the middle of it... the overwhelmed general who had lost his army and whose soul was about to fly out of his open mouth.
I never thought the female gender could be so terrifying...
Three quarters of an hour later, the four of them came back to their senses, each with five bulging bags around them. They looked like they were drunk from shopping. As for me... I felt like a hollowed-out pumpkin. I wasn't sure if I was still breathing.
An employee, a young woman with green hair and circular, cracked glasses who looked as if she had lost the will to live during the chaos, came up to me and skimmed through the numbers... and through... and through... then handed me a piece of paper.
"Your bill, dear customer. The cost of the interior damage and repair costs for my glasses are also included," she added.
I took the bill, glanced at it... and my heart immediately stopped.
I looked at it a second time. Then a third time.
2, 3, 4... 5... 6?? 389,452 silver coins?!
I calculated it several times in my head, but it remained the same damn number.
"That's 389 gold coins and 452 silver coins!!"
After the sound of a xylophone rang out, a square blue transparent display appeared, showing me my status. By now, I had gotten used to this strange system and ignored my current parameters, since they weren't displayed properly anyway. Instead, I used my mind to click on the
The window showed several small squares representing the individual slots. Depending on which slot is currently occupied, it is assigned the appropriate icon that should represent the item visually so that the respective item can be found more quickly.
Fortunately, the first two slots contained the items I needed, so I didn't have to scroll through the list. It was only then that I realized I had already collected many items and no longer knew what they all were.
But how much money do I have now?
It's enough.
Just barely.
I wanted to cry.
Monika looked at me in disbelief. "The total is way too high."
Anna nodded with a serious expression. "We should put the clothes back." Reiko and Eiko sadly lowered their heads. I looked into their disappointed eyes... I could never do that to them. They had laughed, beamed, and been happy. I had already led them through so many dangers and often caused them worry.
They more than deserved a little happiness. Even if it meant burying my financial future.
"Here!" I said, pulling out a small bag of gold and pushing it toward the cashier. "390 gold coins."
"Wh-? Why did you do that?!" asked Monika, grabbing me by the sleeve.
"Because... I couldn't bear to see you upset. You've been by my side for over half a year now. So I... wanted to show my gratitude."
They stared at me for a moment. Then they smiled.
"Thank you very much," they said together.
Once the matter was finally settled and the shop owner had bid us farewell with a pained but professional smile, we trudged back toward the inn for the time being.
The bags cut into my fingers like thin but unyielding wires, and with every step, the boxes inside rattled quietly against each other.
The others, on the other hand, walked much more relaxed than I did, chatting and laughing, while I kept trying to balance the bags so they wouldn't hit my legs.
I could have used my item box to store everything and walk more comfortably. However, Monika forbade me to do so. I don't know why I listened to her; after all, I'm old enough to make my own decisions. But Monika said it was my punishment for being an idiot and spending almost four hundred gold coins at once, even though it was actually a gift.
Well, this time she was right. I am an idiot and I deserve this punishment.
I was trying to find a more comfortable way to hold the bags when Monika turned to me and crossed her arms with a smile. "You're doing well, Kaito."
"I don't look like I'm doing well," I grumbled.
Eiko hopped alongside me, grabbed one of the small paper bags without further ado, and held it up triumphantly. "See, Papa? Now it's easier!"
Reiko nodded enthusiastically and clapped me on the leg. I think she wanted to clap me on the back, but couldn't reach because of her height. She obviously thought this would motivate me even more, but it only resulted in one of the larger bags tipping over.
I caught it just in time.
When we arrived at the inn, the owner looked at us as if we had just returned from battle. I put the bags in Monika's and Anna's room, sat down briefly on the edge of the bed, and exhaled deeply. I took a moment to stretch my fingers, which were already trembling slightly.
When I came back downstairs, the others were already waiting at the door.
"You did a great job, my hero. Let me give you a reward!" Anna stretched out her arms toward me and wanted to throw herself at me with a kiss. However, Monika pulled at her clothes to stop her.
Monika smiled, and even though it was only a small smile, I suddenly felt a little less like a pack mule.
Monika nodded to me and took my arm. "Let's go, then."
We left the inn again and followed her down the street. She led us to a café with a large banner above the entrance that read 'Rosenblatt'. The café had a beautiful terrace with light wooden tables where some of the town's residents and perhaps some tourists were already sitting.
Two elderly ladies were drinking tea and whispering about some scandal, while a family with two children were arguing over who should get the last piece of cake.
Inside, it was warm and cozy. The smell of coffee and freshly baked rolls immediately enveloped me. A bell tinkled as we entered, and a waitress with reddish hair and freckles greeted us warmly.
She led us to a table next to the window. The soft light fell on my friends' faces and made the fine dust particles in the air sparkle. The twins looked at the display with shining eyes, especially the gigantic chocolate cream cake presented on a silver platter.
Monika ordered a salad and tea, Anna wanted pasta, Reiko and Eiko each wanted two portions of grilled chicken skewers, which turned out to be five skewers per plate, but I didn't notice that until later. My heart was still in the clothing store until a warm and delicious smell tickled my nose.
This aroma suddenly brought my mind back to reality. When I looked more closely, I saw the culprit in front of me. It was a dish I remembered very well and hadn't eaten in a long time.
A plate of wild boar goulash and brown bread, accompanied by a small salad and a mug of mead.
My eyes widened and I wondered why this dish was in front of me when I hadn't ordered anything yet.
Puzzled, I looked up at the person opposite me, who said nothing but smiled gently. I lowered my head again and looked at the meal once more. Slowly, I reached for the spoon, scooped up some of the goulash, and gently put it in my mouth.
The meat was well seasoned and very tender. It was slightly different from the goulash I had eaten on my first night, which was my first meal in this world. I would even say that this one has a better aroma and the right kick afterwards.
I'm not a chef and I don't know what the difference in flavor could be, but this dish creates a pleasant warmth in my palate.
"Last time, it was my fault that your food fell onto the ground. And this time, too, it's my fault because I did something terrible to you. I realize that a simple meal is not enough of an apology, but you should still know that I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Kaito. I have no right to stay in this party, so I would understand if you wanna banish me."
Unexpectedly, Monika apologized to me. I had already noticed that her personality had changed slightly since the incident, that she now spoke openly with us. But the fact that she apologized to me out of nowhere surprised me a lot.
All the time, during our trip, she probably felt guilty about killing me and certainly also about the other things she had to do for the organization. No matter what magic or other brainwashing these guys used to control people just like that. One thing is certain. I will never forgive them for using Monika for evil purposes!
That's why I'm not angry at Monika, and I don't hold a grudge against her. For that, my affection and love for her is far too strong and very special.
"Then get on your knees and kiss my boots."
"...Huh?"
"That's what I would have said if I hadn't forgiven you."
"..."
"Monika, whether you believe me or not is up to you, but... I was never angry with you, not even before I found out that you were my murderer. I admit that until now I hated and despised the murderer above all, since he took away my chance to have an easy life in this world."
"... I'm sorry..." Monika murmured. But...
"But a slow life would be far too boring, especially in this world! A world with magic and swords, and much more. Thanks to you, I was able to come this far, to this place, and make many friends, although I still think I'm dreaming. What I mean is... Monika, no matter what negative things you think or say about yourself, I will respond with positive things about the Monika I met and got to know. You are an important part of our little party, and that won't change. So please don't talk about banishing you from the group. I would never do anything that insane."
"Ahem..." Anna suddenly cleared her throat. "Weren't we going to talk about our financial situation?" she asked, holding a piece of paper and a pen in her hand while adjusting her glasses.
"...Um, Anna. Have you always worn glasses?" I asked, confused.
"That's news to me too," added Monika.
"That's a trade secret," she replied calmly and adjusted her glasses again.
Anna seemed to have noticed the tension between Monika and me and quickly changed the subject, for which I was grateful. If it had continued like this, our conversation would only have become more awkward, and I had no idea what to say.
"So," she began, writing something on her paper. "With the money we have left... we can stay in this city for a maximum of four nights."
I looked over at her and noticed her forehead, behind her fiery red hair, wrinkling slightly. She seemed to be really concerned about planning everything well. I didn't know she did that. Or maybe I just never noticed, since I usually let everything happen spontaneously.
Anna is still a mystery to me. Despite our trip together, I didn't know she carried glasses, let alone reading glasses.
Monika took a sip of her jasmine tea and rested her head on her hand. "Before we leave, we also have to buy provisions. And since the twins eat the most, we have to plan in extra."
Eiko and Reiko looked at her indignantly at the same time, both holding empty wooden skewers in their hands. "We don't eat much!"
"Yes, you do," Monika corrected calmly.
"B-But we can't help it!" Eiko exclaimed indignantly.
"Right, why do they eat so much anyway?" I asked.
"Not you too, Papa!" Eiko cried, tugging at my right sleeve, but I ignored her for the moment.
Anna smiled mildly. "It's because they're both in their growth phase."
I raised an eyebrow. "Growth phase?"
"Yes," Anna explained patiently. "It's quite normal for young dragons. They need to eat a lot so they can grow faster and have better control over their mana."
"Aah. That makes sense." Although I still couldn't imagine how much mana could be stored in two such little bodies, I thought to myself as I picked up the mug of mead and took a sip.
As I took another spoonful of goulash, Monika leaned forward. "But what do we do about the money problem now? We can't stay here forever and... I don't know... hang around."
I thought for a moment and leaned back. "How about something... we haven't done in ages?"
"Haven't done in ages?" Anna asked, blinking.
"Fufu..." I grinned mysteriously.