Chapter 83

As the petals of the cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

Beatrix, the Lich Queen, had skin that was cold at first touch but gradually warmed as she touched me.

Giving her the necessary magic didn’t tire me at all. The amount of magic required to maintain her materialization was only about one-fiftieth of my total magic. Such a small expenditure could be fully recovered with a good night’s sleep.

(But as her materialization progresses... it’s... soft...)

Her well-developed body, hidden under the dress, made contact with my arm when she leaned against me.

“...Master Dick... hmmm... hmmm...”

However, seeing Beatrix sleep so soundly, a different emotion welled up before any strange thoughts could arise.

Is this what fatherly affection feels like? When I undid her usually braided silver hair and saw her lying there, defenseless, my protective instincts grew uncontrollably.

The supply of magic was already complete, but I decided to stay a bit longer to watch her sleep before getting out of bed. If I stayed any longer, Aileen would almost certainly come to dry my hair.

“Beatrix, I’m sorry, but... oh?”

“...No... don’t go...”

(Is she... actually awake and trying to catch me... or even seeking more than just touch...?)

“...hmmm... hmmm...”

Beatrix seemed to be sleeping. She must have reacted in her half-dream state when I tried to move.

Her silver hair fell across her cheek as she moved, and when she brushed it away, the top of her chest, hidden by the blanket, became visible.

(I’m not looking at anything. That way, the world remains peaceful.)

Beatrix continued to sleep soundly, no longer mumbling. I tried not to look down as I adjusted the blanket to cover her shoulders.

◆◇◆

Losing my composure after what I had just seen, I barely made it out to the living room.

But there, another scene awaited to shake my composure—my master and Vellene were chatting in what could only be described as extremely casual attire for young women before bedtime.

(Are they not recognizing me as a man...? They’re practically in their underwear.)

The fifth month, the month of the Lion God, had passed, but it was still two months until the hot August. My house maintained a comfortable temperature at night using the power of fire and water spirits, but even so, drinking wine in a negligee that barely reached the knees and exposed the shoulders was undeniably provocative.

Vellene, now back in her dark elf form, had her brown thighs exposed from under the hem of her dress. It was a feast for the eyes—beautiful legs are a weapon that can kill a man.

“Oh, Dee-kun... What’s wrong? You look so serious.”

“It’s not that serious, I mean, it’s just normal, right?”

“Huhu... I can imagine what happened. When you were supplying magic to Beatrix, you must have been trying to control yourself, as is your nature.”

“That’s probably true. Dee-kun, you’ve always been like that. Even when I slept next to you, you pretended to be calm while being embarrassed.”

I think I couldn’t pretend to be calm at all. Moreover, revealing past embarrassments in front of Vellene, my master is truly merciless.

“Sleeping next to you... how envious. To admire a young master while falling asleep... Master, could you tell me in detail what happened before and after those times?”

“Well, I’d like to say yes... but I think Dee-kun might faint, so maybe next time.”

“Phew... Don’t talk about the past too much. It makes me feel uncomfortable to remember my childish self.”

“You’re wrong, Dee-kun. You were independent. To me, you were a cute disciple. Huhu, I’m remembering.”

My master smiled while stroking her silver hair, which appeared warmer in color compared to Beatrix’s.

—The fact that she had been given a de facto death sentence by the ministers and had carried that burden alone, without letting us notice, showed her remarkable acting skills.

Despite her current calm demeanor, I still couldn’t help but doubt her. My master seemed to understand my inner thoughts and chuckled.

“Dee-kun, don’t just stand there. Come and sit down. We were just calculating Vellene’s adventurer strength.”

“It’s a method where I channel my power through the three metals of the measuring device into a mana crystal, which is then quantified by a high-density magic circuit. It’s an unknown technology to me, and I find it very interesting.”

“My master is unmatched in the creation of magical artifacts...”

“It’s good to be of use to Dee-kun. If I taught you everything, you wouldn’t call me master anymore.”

If my master had said, “I’ll teach you everything,” I would have known what she was thinking and had to persuade her again.

For now, can I relax? That my master trusts me and is willing to accompany me to survive.

“...Master, are you wondering where to sit? I think sitting next to me and leaning on me while drinking wouldn’t be bad.”

“Isn’t it usually the woman who leans? Dee-kun, you’d look good doing that.”

“I don’t know if that’s a compliment... Well, you can sit wherever you want.”

It’s true that I hesitated about where to sit because the two of them were sitting on separate sofas, facing each other across the table.

Vellene’s negligee was so tight that it was hard to look at her chest. If I sat next to her, I don’t think I could remain calm given my current state. It would be better to sit next to my master, who was relatively modestly dressed.

“Hmm... So that’s your choice, Master. But it’s because I can move the pieces that I was the Demon King.”

“O-oi... It’s too crowded, three people on one side.”

“I’ll move a bit to the side. Dee-kun, don’t be mean. Meh.”

What does “meh” mean? This person can be childish and impulsive, yet still thinks of me as a child. Her apparent age has caught up to or even surpassed mine.

“Phew... Oh, I almost forgot my duty. Master, how many ice cubes do you want?”

“...Two, please. One large and one small.”

A metal tool made by a blacksmith to hold ice. Watching Vellene use it to put ice in the glass was mesmerizing.

She poured the ice with a clink, took a green bottle, and poured the amber-colored wine. This wine, made from the ‘Golden Apple,’ is possible through a contract with the Weltem Guild to produce it from an orchard.

The ‘Golden Apple’ is extremely sweet and is sometimes presented to nobles as a dessert. To reduce the sweetness, other fruits are added, but the specific fruit is still under research. A fruit close to an apple with a clean sweetness is ideal, but it’s hard to find. However, the taste is already excellent except for the sweetness.

“The first time I drank this at Master’s shop, I was truly impressed by the human pursuit of fine wine.”

“Fruit-infused wines are popular with women. Women who prefer dry wines tend to be bold and brave... that’s just my impression.”

“So, Vellene is strong but gentle inside? Dee-kun, you really observe things well.”

Vellene didn’t say anything, but her cheeks were slightly flushed. She was indeed a delicate princess in a box in the past—though it’s hard to imagine.

I drank the wine she poured. It was a strong drink, but the ice made it smooth and easy to swallow. The aroma of the fruit filled my nose, and even I, who don’t get drunk easily, felt a sense of elation.

“So, Master... What was Vellene’s adventurer strength?”

“As a Demon King, with all the authority, it would be much higher... but as Vellene now, it’s 119,724. If she regains her combat skills, it could reach around 130,000.”

Once you exceed 100,000, you’re in the SSS rank. At around 120,000, it’s an uncharted territory in the kingdom—S4, you could say.

That means our party might be not just SSS but S4. It makes sense that we can defeat monsters like the Spirit Dragon without taking any damage.

When the five of us were SSS, and we defeated Vellene, who was S4 or higher, it shows that a well-coordinated party can defeat an enemy one rank higher.

“...If I have this number, Master must have a much higher number... If that were public, it could attract attention from the whole world.”

“No, no... Adventurer strength can vary greatly with just a 100-point difference. If Vellene is at 130,000 when fully recovered, I might be just a bit higher.”

“Dee-kun, did you... do the ‘Self-Overload Training’? I told you it would become a habit if you did it constantly.”

“Ugh... Well, in a world without strong enemies, it’s the only way to train myself...”

I learned the basics of using magic to apply mental and physical stress from my master. It’s a training method for when you feel stuck, gradually increasing the load until you forget human sensations, breaking glasses or tearing clothes. I was told not to do it unless absolutely necessary.

But it was the only training I could do while drinking at the shop, so I’ve been using two out of the three parallel thoughts I can manage to simulate battles with strong enemies, and dedicating part of my physical and magical strength to training.

The ‘Load Release and Restraint Liberation’ is a procedure to release one of those thoughts, allowing me to exert about 1.5 times my normal strength.

In that state, I’m confident I wouldn’t lose to Vellene, so my combat evaluation with just the release of the second thought must exceed 130,000.

“Since it takes longer to measure the higher the strength, why don’t you measure the others first? If a strong monster appears in the dungeon, there might be a chance for Dee-kun to show his true strength.”

“A-ah... Right. Okay, I’ll be measured next.”

“Master’s strength is immeasurable, even when I’m close. Being able to master the ‘Release Summoning’ and control a unique spirit, you are definitely stronger than me, which means there are no enemies in the Demon Kingdom.”

That was true even when I was thirteen. If Vellene’s brother, who rules the Demon Kingdom, were to challenge me, I could persuade him with force. If he has strong feelings for his sister, it’s not impossible.

“Dee-kun, I’ll put the measuring device on you. Stay still...”

“...M-Master...”

“Cough, cough. I thought you were going to hug Master, Dick.”

My master put the measuring device’s chain around my neck from the front. Her nightgown was slightly see-through up close, and her chest, wrapped in undergarments, pressed against my chest.

(Well, Master wouldn’t mind if it touched me... I think...)

“...”

“...M-Master...?”

The warm, indirect lighting made her cheeks appear flushed, like her hair.

Her beautiful face, which I couldn’t look at directly, was the same as it had always been.

“Master, there’s nothing to be surprised about. Even someone as inhuman as Master can get drunk. Alcohol washes away the heart and strips it bare.”

“...S-Sorry, I was just... impressed by how much you’ve grown. Really, that’s all.”

“A-ah. Sorry, me too...”

When my master moved away, a faint scent of soap lingered in the air. I remembered visiting a mountain spring with her when I was a child. She played in the water with me, completely unembarrassed.

Back then, seeing my master naked only made me think my head was rushing with blood—but even then, I was subtly aware, which is embarrassing.

(What’s with me today... I’m thinking things that aren’t like me. Is it the apple wine...?)

“Master is like a girl but mentally more mature than me. If I were in her position, I would find it hard to control myself once my arm was around her neck... hmm...”

“O-oi... You have your own glass. Isn’t this mine?”

“Vellene, can I have a sip? I feel like drinking a bit more.”

“Sure, I don’t mind. As comrades, we’ll share this fine wine.”

Despite my thoughts, I watched helplessly as my master took a sip from my glass.

Her glossy lips touched the rim of the glass, and the amber liquid flowed down her white throat—liking the allure of a woman drinking this wine is why I sit at the counter every night. I feel like I’m becoming a bit of a playboy, but my head is fuzzy from the alcohol.

(Should I neutralize the alcohol with magic...? But I don’t feel bad at all.)

Drinking with these two, I don’t feel bad at all. I need to rest for tomorrow’s exploration, but since I’ll be the last to take a bath, I still have some time.

“A... You three look so happy. Dick, you’re so wet.”

“Oh, it’s Cody. That’s perfect, I was just thinking about making some snacks. Do you want to drink too?”

“Yeah, I’ll have a glass. Master and Vellene are already quite tipsy, aren’t they?”

“...I’m not drunk. Dee-kun, don’t go.”

“Master, I understand your feelings, but Dee-kun is quite skilled at making snacks.”

Both my master and Vellene were acting a bit oddly and seemed very cheerful. Yuma, who couldn’t drink, chuckled and poured wine into everyone’s glasses.

“What do you want, Yuma? Or do you want to claim this is water?”

“N-no... If I did that, I’d be breaking my vows. But when I grow up, I’d like to try it once... Ah, n-nothing...”

“There’s a useful phrase, Yuma. ‘Unintentional intent.’”

“If you say so, then ‘accidental accident’... a bit different?”

Vellene and my master seemed to have deepened their bond through the wine.

And Cody—looking at her again, she had just come out of the bath and wasn’t wearing a sarashi. Her nightgown was something I could wear, but she looked nothing like a man.

“...Dick, what are you looking at?”

“I’m not looking. What are you saying I was looking at?”

“Mmm... Cody, or rather, Cordelia. Appearing before Master in such attire, you really do have a reputation for boldness, don’t you?”

“...N-no, that’s not what I meant...”

“Your chest is see-through... Ah, n-no, nothing...”

I didn’t expect Yuma to give me the final push, leaving me with no choice but to close my eyes. I can sense my surroundings with magic, so it’s not a problem.

“...I’m done with wearing a sarashi after the bath, especially during adventures.”

I felt guilty, realizing she had been making such efforts without me knowing.

But now, we don’t have to struggle with such things during our stays. I thought about how to prevent her from being see-through and realized she could just wear women’s undergarments.

“Cordelia, do you not have women’s clothes or undergarments? If not, Master can get them for you.”

“D-don’t treat me like a handyman! Well, I am a handyman, but... I want to respect Cody’s wishes...”

“I do have them... N-no, I don’t. In the knights, I pass as a man.”

What would the knights think if their male commander suddenly appeared in women’s clothing one day?

—They might surprisingly accept it. If I were a subordinate, I’d just say, “Oh, that’s how it is, Commander! What are your orders for today?” But that’s a bit too much.

“I’ll wear a chest plate when we stay here... Dick is weird.”

“True, for women, undergarments are armor. Without a chest plate, you’re dead on the battlefield.”

“I’ve been safe because I wore armor. Thanks, Mom♪”

Despite the strange conversation, I felt a bit sad thinking about Cody gradually becoming more comfortable with women’s clothing.

“No matter what happens