Chapter 7

However... it's so hot.

On top of being a Magic Drinker, this heat is really tough to bear. It's even worse for a kid's body. The demon girl who was carrying me on her back was also drenched in sweat all over.

This morning, when we returned to the cheap inn we had left, the glaring sun that hurt our eyes had turned orange.

A private room is two copper coins for a bed and breakfast. Two thousand sheep. I still don't understand the value of the currency, but it must be pretty cheap. Abbey prepared a private room for me as I requested. By the way, it seems she booked a dormitory for the other kids.

Abbey said in a cajoling voice,

"Dee, is it okay if we get dinner from a restaurant?"

"Leave it to me. I don't care what it is, but make sure to get plenty."

"Sure thing."

Thanks to the job we have tomorrow, Abbey nodded generously.

The cat girl and the demon girl were frowning at our exchange.

It's only a matter of time before they start complaining.

I was carried into the private room by the demon girl, following Abbey's lead.

It's a shabby room with drafts, but at least it has a bath and a fireplace.

The demon girl, with a very serious expression, gently laid me down on the bed. For some reason, all the kids followed us into the room.

The kids, who seemed to find the private room a novelty, were staring at it with wide eyes. After all, they are kids. If left alone, it's only a matter of time before they start causing trouble.

That would be a disaster.

I decided to get rid of the kids quickly.

"This is fine. Abbey, can you take care of the kids?"

"Huh? W-Why?"

Abbey looked at me with a very surprised face, but there was nothing surprising about it.

"Isn't it fine if it's me? I'm the best among them, right? I'll take good care of them."

What does 'best' mean? What does 'take good care of them' mean? What is she thinking? Such a precocious kid.

"Abbey is the leader. How can you leave a large group without a leader?"

This is quite important. Especially, the demon girl and the cat girl seem to have opinions about how Abbey and I are handling things.

Even as the No. 2, it's natural for them to be dissatisfied with a new member like me.

Abbey put her hands behind her back and smiled at the short me.

"They'll be fine with Ashita and Eva. It's my decision. They won't even peep."

That's why it's bad.

I shook my head with a sigh.

"Abbey, I want to rest. Do you understand? I want to rest quietly."

At that, I sent a glance to the dwarf girl.

"Zoi. Have Zoi stay with me."

Zoi, who suddenly grinned, quickly turned away and pretended to be indifferent when glared at by Abbey.

"..."

Abbey, frowning, was looking at me and Zoi with a stern expression.

She was licking her lips repeatedly, as if thinking about something, but then an unexpected interruption came.

"I, I'll help too..."

It was the demon girl.

What's her aim?

The cat girl, also surprised, stared at the demon girl with wide eyes.

"You, you're exhausted, and there's heavy work to do. Zoi alone isn't enough..."

The latter part of her sentence faded away uncertainly.

Of course, I shook my head.

"You're not needed. Zoi alone is enough."

The demon girl's eyes sharpened in annoyance at my blunt words.

Zoi couldn't hide her smile.

The cat girl, unable to hide her hatred any longer, glared at me, and Abbey, displeased, put her hand to her mouth and thought.

"...And, Abbey. I have something important to talk to you about. Come later. Alone."

Abbey, not convinced by my words, but apparently deciding to back down, nodded slightly and turned around.

You guys just want to stay in the private room, don't you?

Watching Abbey leave with the kids, I sighed in exasperation.

◇◇

In the private room, with only the dwarf girl Zoi, the surroundings became quiet.

"Wow..."

Zoi, who seemed to find the private room novel, was looking around. She particularly liked the fireplace, and was poking around inside with a poker she had found somewhere.

"Can I light the fireplace at night?"

"Sure, do whatever you like, Zoi."

Saying that, the exhausted me threw myself onto the bed.

"...Zoi, I'm tired. Very tired. I'll sleep a bit, but I'll take a bath and eat. When Abbey comes, I'll talk to her, but everything else is up to you. Got it?"

"Okay."

Zoi, in a good mood, threw some firewood she had found somewhere into the fireplace.

Small but delicate in appearance, the dwarf girl moved around energetically.

Racially, dwarves are second only to earthlings in their strong faith and high affinity with Asclepius. It's not unrelated to the fact that she was kind to me from the first meeting.

The bed was hard and musty, but when I lay down, it felt like it was sucking me in—

And the veil of sleep fell over my consciousness.

◇◇

Today, just healing three people drained all my divine power.

Magic Drinker.

Commonly known as magic sickness, healers and priests who consume 'divine power' rather than 'magic power' also suffer from the same symptoms.

The condition of using up magic or divine power and collapsing is collectively called 'Magic Drinker.'

I easily fainted because I haven't fully synchronized with Diethart yet.

But, with time, I'll get used to it.

When fully synchronized,

I and Diethart will become one person. A person from another world, and a priest of Asclepius, Diethart Becker.

◇◇

I thought I was exhausted, but the time I actually slept was short.

Opening my eyes slightly, I saw the light coming in from the window had turned blue, and Zoi, moving around, was hanging a lantern on the wall.

"...Is Abbey still not here?"

"Ah, you're awake? Abbey is arguing with Ashita and the others. It might take some time."

"I see."

It's not particularly surprising.

Abbey is neglecting the older kids. It would be strange if they didn't argue.

Zoi, who came over, had soot from the fireplace on her cheeks, making her face dirty.

"Should I take a bath first..."

Muttering that, there was an odd pause.

Zoi, who had suddenly stopped moving, sniffed and froze.

After a moment of silence...

"...Sure."

What was that pause?

I felt something sexual.

Zoi and I headed to the bath.

The stone-built bath had slats laid out, and a wooden barrel was placed there haphazardly, which seemed to be the bathtub.

I was confused by the lack of a faucet, but Zoi took a blue stone from a nearby shelf and threw it into the barrel.

The stone bounced around inside, making quite a noise.

Peeking into the barrel, I saw water seeping out of the stone at an incredible rate.

"Wow..."

Impressive, fantasy.

As I was marveling, Zoi threw another red stone into the water. The red stone began to emit heat and shimmer in the water.

Stones that contain a lot of water are called 'blue stones,' and stones that contain heat are called 'red stones.' These are common items, and from the fact that Zoi is using them, they don't seem to be rare. They appear to be available everywhere.

While confirming the seeping memories of Diethart, Zoi, for some reason, was tense and stared at the bathtub.