Chapter 870: The Second Year of the Great Invasion 6
“Huu……I’m exhausted”
“Yeah, I’m beat. Even though I didn’t do anything”
Stepping down from Maia onto solid ground, the comfort of unmoving earth sinks deep into my bones. All I really did was tell Maia to breathe fire, but even so, fighting the wind and facing the constant danger of falling took a toll on both body and mind. My arms, legs, and lower body were at the peak of exhaustion, muscles cramping. Naris seemed slightly better off, having more base stamina than me, but her mental fatigue likely canceled it out. And Charlotte, whose expression was hard to read thanks to her bangs, was walking with a woozy gait……she seemed saturated, not so much from physical exhaustion, but from witnessing the dragon’s colossal slaughter. Well, I guess that’s how it would be if you’d never seen anything like it before. It transcended awe or wonder; her emotions were pushed to their absolute limit, leaving her unable to grasp even her own thoughts. For better or worse, the sheer fact that something 「Too big」 existed there caused a disconnect between her mind and reality. Not going mad might be considered commendable.
“So, 10-man Captain Smithson. Are we just going to call it a night like this?”
“Ah, you can head back. Maia escort Charlotte to her room. I’ll sleep after Dianne and Laila land”
“……Hearing that, I can’t just go to sleep right away. 『What about Naris?』, 『She’s already asleep』, 『She’s supposed to be Andy’s escort, yet she sleeps before him? That lazy bum』. I know they’ll gossip like that. There’s no way I can just ignore it”
“No, I don’t think Dianne would say stuff like that”
Still, standing alone in the Celesta Manor garden at night waiting felt a bit lonely, so having Naris beside me was a relief. Just then, Charlotte didn’t retreat to her room either. She seemed intent on waiting with Maia near the entrance for Laila.
“Why won’t she go inside……unlike Naris, no one’s going to get mad at her”
“……Well, seeing that black dragon spewing fire so vividly from afar, maybe she just wants to see it up close one more time?”
“Umm……”
I suppose that’s how it is. From my impressions so far, setting aside her extraordinary ability to mask her presence, her basic motives aren’t particularly peculiar……I’ve come to realize that much. That said, from my perspective, she does feel somewhat unfathomable. What she’s thinking—I feel like I understand, yet I don’t. ……Well, that’s probably true for other girls too. I don’t fully grasp the emotions or behavior patterns of hundreds-of-years-old elves or dragons, let alone young humans or cat beasts. Even if I’ve slept with dozens, I’m still just a 27-year-old human male. I’m far too immature in every way to properly predict the feelings of other races, especially girls. ……It’s not just girls’ feelings. I can’t predict tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, or anything.
“Well, today went smoothly enough……but who knows what happens tomorrow”
“Stop with the weird setup lines. That’s totally the prelude to some chaotic story development, isn’t it?”
“Shouldn’t we expect it to happen?”
“That’s a noble attitude, but keep it to yourself! No, seriously, could you at least keep it in your head? Like, I won’t let my guard down tomorrow either or something!”
“You’re such a nitpicker”
While Naris had her arm around me and I was caught up in this weird banter, Laila descended as if cut out from the black night sky, and Dianne leapt down lightly just before landing.
“You didn’t have to wait. You must be exhausted after that annihilation battle, your first in so long”
“Laila was fighting under my orders too, so the least I could do was come greet her”
Laila didn’t land directly either, reverting to human form mid-air and leaping down while joining the conversation.
“Hoho. The sentiment is good, but there’s no need to fret over me. A good dragon performs at its finest even when left to its own devices”
“Stop trying to make me look like trash”
“It means to trust. Besides, that level of cleanup isn’t really fighting. No need to tense up like that”
“It’s reassuring coming from you, but if I said that, it’d instantly sound arrogant”
“Hoho, you’ll have to get used to it. There are those who hail you, who commands four dragons, as the 『Great Rider』. Thinking in dragon terms is only natural”
I entered the mansion, offering words of encouragement to Laila and Dianne. Charlotte was nowhere to be seen. Had she made it to her room? I’d have to check with Maia later. Though I thought that, exhaustion and sleepiness took over my entire body. Returning to my room, I collapsed onto the bed and was out like a light. By the way, my knee pillow was Leda. The first to share my bed were Apple and Shario. The plan was that whenever I felt like it, they’d handle my needs, and they’d take turns sharing my bed at intervals they’d agreed upon. But before I could even see Apple and the others switch out, my consciousness sank, and I slept soundly straight through until the next morning.
———————–
And morning. Somehow, everyone had woken up, and the knee pillows and bedmates were now the three with black collars. Opening my eyes and pushing the breasts to either side, I met Shario’s gaze. Her expressionless face looking down at me was a bit scary, but lately, I’d come to realize it wasn’t necessarily 「Expressionless because she’s in a bad mood」. She just couldn’t fake a smile.
“You’re awake? Everyone said not to wake you, so I let you sleep, but the sun is already high in the sky”
“I see……what about breakfast?”
“We couldn’t keep the others waiting, so Apple prepared it in the dining hall ages ago. Yours should still be untouched”
“You guys waited without eating?”
As I looked up, lewdly stroking the bodies of Leyla and Corti on either side, Shario remained as expressionless as ever.
“We dragons can go years without eating without it being a big deal”
“Well, that might be true. ……But you really didn’t need to go to such lengths”
At that, Corti, wrapped around my left arm, pressed her lips to his cheek.
“I don’t think I’m going out of my way, you know? Just enjoying the perks of being your personal female slave♪”
Leyla, whose breasts were wrapped around my right arm, also leaned in.
“Because we’re the only ones who can wait forever to handle your morning wood……♪”
“……Fine. But you don’t have to let me sleep in that much. I get plenty of sleep, just like everyone else”
“You’re the one who shouldn’t be busting your ass worrying about everyone. Fighting is Leda and the others’ job anyway. You could just sleep or play all day”
“Why do dragons always want to turn me into a useless, dependent person?”
“Unless it’s a seriously tough enemy, just crushing grunts with your breath won’t put you in any real danger or get you held accountable. Besides, I don’t see much point in you exhausting yourself by forcing yourself to join in”
“I get why you guys feel that way, but……”
Sitting up and scratching my head, I think maybe that kind of pretense isn’t so bad after all. I’d asked Laila and the others to handle the monster cleanup as an 「Errand」, leaving me free to relax, have fun, and sightsee. Hearing them talk, maybe this laid-back approach was fine after all. ……Or so I thought.
“……Huh? Something coming?”
Horse hooves clattered outside, and I finally got out of bed. Ignoring visitors and lazing around in bed would be weird. I’m not some recluse.
“You guys should get dressed and eat. I’m heading out first”
I left the room after saying that. Now then, who could be visiting?
When I got to the entrance……well, it was none other than the main event, Lord Buster.
“……Smithson. Ah……this is awkward to say”
“?”
“I’m in trouble if you go that far”
Lord Buster said it looking genuinely uncomfortable.