“You’ve been nothing but annoyance today!”
“What?! Why is it always my fault?!"
“Retard!”
“Lizardman with a brain of a lizard!”
“Dragons are far from lizards!”
“Please… shut up… you two.”
A familiar voice resounds the whole bath. The voice comes from Susanoo… in the nude… just like the others… this is the second time I’ll be seeing him here…
I peek at the scene unfolding in the bath.
But as I peek, a small glance is directed at me. It was the glance of Susanoo.
…
Yeah…
He already knows I’m here. I wonder how.
I gestured at him for help by making hand gestures.
I-NEED-HELP!
I hope he gets it. Because if not, something will break inside of me! And I am getting a little dizzy with all the heat.
“Susanoo! Yo! You finally showed up!”
“Uh..yeah… I’ll wash …”
“While we’re on it, ignoring Mito, I want to ask Ichirou!”
“Me?!”
“Yeah!”
“Ah… ahehehe…it’s really embarrassing… but… I haven’t had any experience at all. I focus on my goals in life. I really didn’t have much interaction with girls.”
“Ohh…h-h-how about… seeing a naked body? Even once?”
“No, no! I haven’t seen anything like that too. I’m sorry…”
Woah. Ichirou looks so embarrassed that it’s cute. Seriously, how can someone not fall in love with this guy!
“Well, Ichirou is pure and innocent about that. Please don’t try to influence him with your retardation.”
“Mito! Please don’t say it like that!”
“Are you devoted to your left or to your right? Or maybe both?”
“S-Shouta! That’s…”
“That’s a joke. Don’t mind me.”
“…”
“At least I have one comrade now on being a virgin here!”
“Don’t shout about something like that Kouta!”
What a shameless guy shouting about being a virgin! Have a shame, please! I got embarrass myself!
Well… men’s talk huh… thinking back, I had some with acquaintances back in that world.
“So…let’s move to Dreg! Dreg, please say something! Dreg!”
“…”
“Um… Dreg?”
“Kouta, maybe the guy doesn’t want to talk about it, like, can you stop?
“It’s fine Shun… there’s nothing wrong about it.”
“Oh. Dreg will tell us about his experience!”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“My wife…”
“Your wife?”
“I did it with my wife on a fixed schedule.”
“OOHH! Sir Dreg has a wife? Wow! Sir Dreg! I respect you.That’s a good thing going for you!”
So on and so forth. They gave Dreg some compliments. Even I become curious about his wife.
“So Dreg, you must really want to go back to our world right?”
“…”
“…”
“No…not at all.”
“Hm? Why? What’s wrong?”
“I… have no one to come back to…”
"What does that mean?”
“As you guys know, I am an animal shelter rescue squad leader. I rescue animals in need and arrest poachers in the wild. We give medical attention and care for the animals too. My wife is a botanist. She loves flower. She is also raising many types of medicinal plants. We have known each other by an acquaintance. We immediately dated and we after five years of dating, we got married. I’m 29 years old and she is only 24 years but our marriage was strengthened by our bonds. But… six months ago…”
“?”
“Six months ago… while I was on duty, I received a phone call. She…died… in an accident… because… she saved a girl…”
“Aa…um…Dreg…”
“She died giving her life for other people… and together with her death…is…my… our… unborn child…”
“Sir Dreg…”
“Because of her death… I was… in slump… for three months… and finally... when I am ready… to face the world again… realizing that… she won’t forgive me for moping like that… for blaming myself with no basis… for trying to give up my life… I tried to stand up again on my feet…”
“…”
“I was able to go back… to work… although… I was never been the same… until I got brought here.”
“…”
“I thought… maybe, this time, I can have a new life. I know she wants me to be happy. I also wish for my wife and my unborn child happiness too.”
“Um…Dreg-san… sorry for… that… I… um… didn’t mean to do that…”
“No, I feel a little better… after letting that out…”
“In the bath, though… anyway… what happened to the girl that she saved.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“I saw her three days after my wife’s burial, standing next to her grave, saying her apologies over and over while crying.”
“So…”
“That girl… is Ruri…”
“””!!!!!!!”””
Holy fuck!
Sorry about that.
But… that’s really a twisted turn of fate! I can’t contain myself from Dreg’s story. I think highly of him right now.
I am sorry for all the biases and prejudices that I had on you!
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
You are manly enough to tell your whole story to the people here without tearing up. But weirdly, sad emotions are there. I can’t imagine myself being in his situation.
Wait! What about Ruri?
She doesn’t know about this?
“Dreg…does Ruri knows?”
“…No. I don’t really plan on telling her. The guilt… might be too heavy for her.”
“I see. Sorry that you had to bring that up.”
“No, as I said, I felt a little better…”
…
Complete silence fills the room.
Even I, who is not directly involved in their talk, feels bad about hearing it.
Good thing that Susanoo the ice breaker is there!
“Ah… it is indeed…a sad story… but… people come and go… that’s the basis of life… push through in life, Dreg…”
“Un. Thanks for that.”
He positions himself farthest from them as he also dips in the hot water.
“Sooo…. Let’s move to Susanoo! Can you tell me about your… sexual experience?! I bet you fall asleep before anything happens!”
“Retard…”
“Kouta… don’t try to put words into his mouth…”
“Dense. You should remember who to fear.”
“Ah! Geez! Come on! Answer Susanoo!”
“…Ah… I had…”
“You had?”
“I did it… a lot of times… with my master in… killing… she told me… it’s a handy skill…”
“GUH! So you really had?!”
“Well… it’s a practice. An activity without mutual feelings with each other… Well… at first… she fainted…”
“Eh?!”
“The next morning… she told me to… lessen my activeness…at that activity… after that, she taught me techniques about this and that…”
“What a lucky guy!!! What does your master look like?!”
“…an American… with… how do I say it… hourglass body…as what people usually say. Her face is… I don’t know the normal standards for looks… but I’d say,,, pretty… I guess….”
“And here I haven’t got rid of my virginity…”
“The water… feels lacking in heat…”
PSSHHHHHT
The temperature suddenly rises. Susanoo looks at my direction. The whole bathroom is being covered in steam.
I see! My escape opportunity!
Nice going!
I slip out behind the pillar that I am hiding and walks carefully to the exit while tip-toeing.
“Such thick steam! What did you do Susanoo?!”
“It’s… lukewarm… so I reheated it… with my magic…”
I’m almost at the exit!
While hiding, I did think of an escape plan and memorized the outlay of the bath. But I had no opportunity to do so! So thank you very much, Lethargic man!
…
As I am about to walk out, I look back…I look eye to eye with Ichirou who seem to be just looking at my direction for no whatsoever reason… and he notices me…
One second…
Two seconds…
Three seconds…
Four seconds…
Good five seconds pass when I snap back from my staring contest with Ichirou!
…
I run! I run to the changing room!
I quickly put on my clothes and run as fast as I can to my room and dives to my bed to sleep!
PLEASE FORGET ABOUT IT!
PLEASE FORGET ABOUT IT!
PLEASE FORGET ABOUT IT!
.
.
.
Morning came… I woke up…so early… nothing better to do… and my experience last night was so invaluable that I want and don’t want to forget about it.
I start dressing up in warm clothes and as a hobby, I head outside. My destination is none other than the garden. I want to know if he sees something or not. In the first place, this is a child’s body, there’s no way Ichirou would be interested in it.
The cold breeze and fresh air stumble on my senses as I emerge from inside. Chill run past my spine. The beautiful sky is still dark and there is no sign that the sun is rising. Maybe I woke up a bit earlier than what I consider…earlier…
I walk towards the garden.
Contrary to my expectation… Ichirou… is not there… but… someone else…
…
It’s Kouta.
I take a step back… little by little… quietly… stealthily… like a ninja…
But he turns around and saw me.
“Ah! Lil Asagao! What fateful encounter!!”
“Ehehehe… good morning…”
“Let’s have a talk!! Come on! Come on!”
“Ahaha…”
Too late… I wasn’t able to escape.
“It’s so early Asagao! Why are you awake already?”
“Um... I really do wake up early in the morning…”
“I see! You’re the same as Ichirou! He wakes up so early to train and things…”
“Kouta..?”
“He always do his best at everything, He has a strong heart and mind but too pure, Hahaha!”
“…”
“Well, he won’t be doing any training today!”
“Eh? Why?”
“Hmm. For some reason, he fainted while we are taking a bath last night. It seems he doesn’t feel good at all. He needs to take a breather sometimes.”
He really did saw me last night! It’s a good thing he didn’t say anything about it!
But…Why did you faint Ichirou!?
“Hahaha…”
“Kouta, why do you look so troubled all of a sudden?”
“Well… I was thinking of what to do today… my antics… seems to get less effective…”
“What does that mean?”
“Hahaha…. Everyone is being too negative lately… I can’t handle that…”
“Ah…”
I see… so that’s how it is.
Kouta… is putting up the bravado. He acts as the jester among the group.
He tried to be funny on many occasions in hopes that it will cheer everyone up but fails and gets everything wrong. He doesn’t take everything seriously though when it goes awry.
He is also insensitive to some matters. But he just wants people to cheer up…is what I think.
“I know. I’m insensitive, dense and an idiot. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t feel it when they are sad or down… I just don’t know how to deal with them and when I try… sometimes… it fails.”
“Kouta, I really think you should try to hold back on being funny and try to tackle a problem that you only created yourself. Each and every one of here has a problem to deal with and they will deal with it themselves. There’s no need for you to act stupid.”
“Ahahaha! That hurts, but it’s true! And Ichirou was right! You are indeed the early rising counselor!”
“Eh?!”
“Ahaha! He told me one time! I am here by the chance that… maybe… you could tell me off too.”
“Geez! That Ichirou!”
“And you really do sometimes act much mature sometimes…”
“Anyway, Kouta, how do you plan to apologize to Baccara-nee?”
“…”
“Well?”
“I don’t know…”
“?”
“Don’t look at me like that! It’s really hard to deal with her! She is so random! It’s like she always has a mood swing that totally goes bad when I’m near her!”
“But do you plan to do?”
“The problem is… I don’t know how… Do you know anything Asagao?!”
“Why are you asking a child...?"
“Right!~”
Guh! This guy!
I want to give him a straight punch at his face right now.
His hand… is trying to reach to my head.
SLAP!
…
SLAP!
…
…
SLAP!
SLAP!
SLAP!
“WHY?!?!”
“I don’t want it.”
“Don’t you like head pats?!”
“I don’t like head pats unfamiliar to me.”
“I am not a stranger!”
“Still a no! Solve your problems first!”
“Guh! Very well then! I have an idea!”
“?”
“I am going to reconcile with her for once and for all!”
“To Bacarra?”
“To Bacarra! Before the day ends!”
“I look forward to it.”
You making peace with Bacarra…
.
.
.
Okay…
He said all of those things to me but in actuality… he never shows up in front of Bacarra. He didn’t even train for the day. Not a single sign of him in the vicinity of the castle either.
When I ask Violetta if she knows anything. She said that Kouta left the castle after breakfast. It seems he headed to the city.
But for what?
Does he really plan to reconcile with her?
I talk to Bacarra about it but she just kept avoiding the topic. It wouldn’t hurt to tell something about it though.
The day is uneventful at all. Nothing interesting is happening.
The king is busy!
The royal guards are busy!
Ichirou is still locked up in his room!
Everyone is concentrating on their training!
Without the clown of the group, nothing is happening!
The day will end with nothing good happening!
I expect that Kouta will do something good for the sake of reconciling with Bacarra but he is not even inside the castle!
And I didn’t even get to take a nap because Susanoo is sleeping on my favorite couch in the guest room again!
…
The sky is already dyed in orange color.
People are starting to pack up their things.
Most of the people that work in the castle office and some officials are going home already by their carriages with escorts. Some even carry tons of documents with them.
The soldiers that guard the castle are changing shifts and the maids are preparing for dinner already.
…
I just lay down in the grass under the shade of the tree while looking at people.
…
While I am being bored here because I already finish reading the stacks of books that I brought, Bacarra walks up to my view while walking slowly.
She seems like she is looking for something or someone…
Then suddenly, someone walks up to her.
It was Kouta.
I can’t hear what they are saying…
He just gestures something like come with me… like a gangster would…
Even though hesitant and looking at him with condensing eyes, Bacarra still follows him.
I guess I have something to see.
I tailed the two of them. It seems that their destination is at the top of the castle wall where the sunset is visible. I like where this is going.
Upon my tailing… I have taken notice of some people… tailing them too and likewise, they notice me.
It was Mito, Rose, and Ruri.
So of course, after some nodding agreement, I joined up with them to see what’s going to happen.
“So… what do you want?!”
“Haaa… will you drop that attitude?!”
“I have no reason to act friendly to you.”
“I haven’t said much yet and you are already getting on my nerves!”
“I don’t think you don’t have anything good to say! You are wasting my time!”
“What?! You did agree to come with me all the way here and now you complain!”
“I don’t think a bitch like me has any importance to you!!!”
“…”
Suddenly…things got heated that even us… the viewers are getting anxious and nervous…Kouta, while looking away shyly, rubs his nape and starts talking again.
“Hey…uh… about that…that thing…me… calling you like that…”
“…”
“I… I’m sorry…”
“…”
“I’m sorry about that… I didn’t mean to…say it…”
“Are you…serious…?”
“I am…yeah… I am serious…and to all the things that I said to you in the past…. Could…forget about it too?”
“…”
“Look here, I am really sorry. I don’t know what I did to you that made you perpetually angry at me, but I want you to know that I don’t mean you any harm.”
“K-Kouta… But… don’t you hate me too?”
“What? I don’t hate you. I never said anything about hating you right?”
“Ah…”
“Oh. Right! I brought something for you! It may be cheap, but I at least… want to give you something as an apology…”
From his pocket, he reaches out two items.
One is a large wooden fan with no designs at all. No…it’s handmade…
The other is a bell with a pink ribbon.
Kouta comes closer to Bacarra.
“Here…uh… a wooden fan… err… just so you know…. I made it myself! Look how fresh it is from my skills!”
“Why?”
“Hm? You complain a lot about hotness on a dry day. I remembered that earlier so I made it. And it looks elegance on you.”
“Pfft! Not close…”
“Eh? Well… this bell…”
“What is it?”
“…nothing special… nothing at all… but… will you accept it?”
“Where do I even suppose to put it?”
“Oh? Come here.”
As Bacarra did what Kouta said, she comes closer to him. And then he reaches out for her horn and tied the bell and ribbon to her right horn.
“This…”
“Oh! You’re prettier than before!!!”
“Eh?! Pr-prettier!?”
“Yeah! Yeah!”
“I…”
“Oh… why are you looking away? Are you sick or something? You look flushed. Did I do something wrong again?!”
At Kouta’s side, you can’t see Bacarra’s face, but to our side… her hands are trembling from excitement and her face is red from ear to ear and she is grinning so happily.
“I-I’ll take this cheap thing as an apology! You should be happy!”
“Ahaha! Good! Well… Bacarra…”
“?”
“So… for now… will you…
“?!”
“Will you…”
THUMP
THUMP
THUMP
THUMP
“Will you be my friend?!”
“…….”
Ahahaha! Ahahaha! As expected of Kouta…
Such cringe-worthy lines that even Bacarra is at loss for words and my stalking companions has an awkward smile on their faces while trying to hold off their laughter and holding their face with their palms.
“Y-yes…”
“Well! Everything is solved now! Man! I’m hungry!”
Bacarra tears up a little… Don’t worry! Someday, he will realize it!
For now, bear with it!
.
.
.
The day after tomorrow, Bacarra can be seen studying and performing magic while holding a fan and a pink ribbon together with a bell is tied to her horn, is happily smiling.
.
.
.
The dreams end here…