“So, Furni, why are you walking around holding this huge bouquet of lilies of the valley?”
On the way here, this dragon had been continuously picking these lilies of the valley in the forest for some unknown reason.
“You wouldn't understand.”
“An old man's eyes can't see the distant scenery clearly.”
Walking down the street, Furni's thick tail swayed back and forth.
Thumping against the ground from time to time, it was obvious that the dragon was in an extremely good mood.
“I don't understand. Maybe this old man really is getting too old.”
Karl squinted in the direction Furni was looking. What on earth could be there to make a dragon like Furni so happy? It wasn't like there was any gold in sight.
“You'll just have to guess for yourself, old man.”
This was the happiness the guardian dragon was about to welcome. How could this old man possibly understand?
In Furni's golden slit pupils, Lin Ling's completely flushed cheeks were clearly visible in the distance as she held hands with Ivelia.
Furni channeled her wind magic once again, blowing the scent of the lilies of the valley in her hands toward the two of them.
“Little Saintess, you must work hard for the future happiness of this guardian dragon!”
“Did I just hear Bishop Furni's voice?”
Ichikawa, who was walking down the street, instantly turned his head.
“Furni? Who's that? Someone you know, pal?”
Dashi, who was walking beside him, kept stuffing meat skewers into his mouth.
“Logically speaking, that delicate bishop should still be at the Holy See. I must have misheard.”
“But Dashi, is this really a banquet?”
“It looks... more like a festival or a temple fair.”
Looking at the stalls set up by the demons all around, Ichikawa felt as if he were walking through a festival market he had never visited before.
If Uncle Baroque hadn't just gotten him drunk, he probably wouldn't even be here.
Still, he had to thank him. If he had really refused, he wouldn't be standing here now, peacefully eating these delicious meat skewers.
Thinking of how seriously Mr. Baroque had handed him that cup of wine, it was truly hard to imagine that such a stern-looking man could lie.
“Because none of us have ever been to that kind of banquet before.”
“Everyone wants to show off their culinary skills for others to taste, so of course it's better to set up individual stalls like this.”
“That way, we can easily find out whose food is the most delicious.”
Hearing Dashi's words, Ichikawa looked down at the food the residents had handed him.
To tell them apart, they were all marked with various icons.
“But if no one is charging money, how do they account for their earnings after working hard all day?”
As they walked along, Dashi had been eating non-stop from the very beginning, and the residents hadn't charged them a single copper.
Even the gold coins he had initially tried to hand over were quietly slipped back into his bag by the stall owners using magic.
It had to be said, everyone here really knew how to use magic.
“It's all thanks to that adult's unique magic. Right now, our crops far exceed everyone's daily needs, and the domesticated magical beasts are practically overflowing.”
“That adult?”
On their way here, Ichikawa had lost count of how many times Dashi had mentioned “that adult.”
But even now, he still didn't know the name of the person Dashi was referring to.
“Brother Ichikawa, you still don't know? That adult is—”
“Dashi!”
Just as Dashi was about to say Lin Ling's name, Mrs. Nashi walked toward them, practically radiating a murderous aura.
Seeing the lizard-kin woman before him radiating a dark aura, Ichikawa instinctively reached for the sword hanging at his waist... Huh?
Where was his sword?
Now was not the time to wonder where his sword had gone. The lizard-kin woman in front of him clearly looked like someone he shouldn't mess with.
Since he couldn't find his sword, Ichikawa had no choice but to assume a fighting stance, watching Mrs. Nashi approach as if she were teleporting.
“M-Mom...”
Upon reaching them, Mrs. Nashi completely bypassed Ichikawa, who was shielding Dashi, and picked up Dashi, who was hiding behind him, with one hand.
“You child, how many times have I told you not to follow Lord Baroque into that dangerous forest?”
As she spoke, Mrs. Nashi's face was filled with worry for her child. Her current appearance was the complete polar opposite of the dark, menacing figure from just a moment ago.
“But I came back safe and sound~”
“Also, Mom, this is Brother Ichikawa. He protected me the entire way back!”
Dashi, suspended in the air, smiled at his mother who was holding him. At the very least, he had to put her mind at ease.
Seeing Dashi like this, Mrs. Nashi could only feel a wave of helplessness.
She then turned to Ichikawa with gratitude in her eyes.
“Thank you very much, Lord Ichikawa.”
“N-No, it was nothing.”
Ichikawa had never been thanked so warmly before, and his speech became a bit clumsy again.
“If you don't mind, Lord Ichikawa, would you like to try the event everyone is hosting?”
“An event?”
“Yes. Because those magical beasts are breeding far too quickly right now, we need people to help deal with them.”
Mrs. Nashi looked distressed at the thought of how few people had volunteered to sign up for the event so far.
“I-In that case, I can give it a try.”
“An event? Me too! I want to join as well!”
Just as Ichikawa made up his mind to participate, several rabbit beastkin ran over to Mrs. Nashi in a hurry.
“Is this where we sign up?”
Seeing the registration slip Mrs. Nashi was handing to Ichikawa, an identical one instantly appeared in the rabbit beastkin's hand.
“All filled out, here you go.”
Even Mrs. Nashi was a bit confused as to when she had handed over the entry form.
“Kavia? I've never heard of that name.”
“What does it matter? I just rarely go out on normal days.”
Seeing the smiling rabbit beastkin before her shaking her hand continuously, Mrs. Nashi nodded and accepted the submitted entry form.
“In that case, I'll take Dashi to get ready first. Thank you very much, everyone, for volunteering.”
Mrs. Nashi bowed slightly to the four of them before walking away with Dashi, who was struggling in her arms.
“Yo, pal~ You don't mind if we walk together, do you?”
After Mrs. Nashi left, Kavia familiarly draped her arm over Ichikawa's shoulder.
“Ah? Me?”
“Is there any other pal here besides you?”
“Come on, come on~ Don't be so shy. Us soft little rabbits are counting on you for protection~”
Watching Kavia act so spoiled from a distance, Marigal suddenly felt a strong urge to throw up. What was that about?
No, I must restrain myself. I can't just attack this Deceiver on a whim right now.
As she took deep breaths to calm herself, a faint scent of earth and sunshine drifted over from nearby.
Marigal was instantly drawn to the scent and looked toward its source.
Rate on N.U.
