They march to the dragon's hole, but before the dragon's hole is visible, they start a fire.

Set up camp there and spend the night.

In the morning you will jump into the dragon's hole to rest your wits.

"Dragons are nocturnal. If we jump in now, we're at a disadvantage. I want to be in good shape to take the plunge.

I said so and put water in the pot I was holding.
Cut the salted bacon and put it in and take out the broth.
I put the vegetables I brought from home in the pot.
Let it simmer and it smells good.

Lunamaría
"Master Will is a great cook,
and compliments.

I wonder.

You are good at it. You are good at cutting bacon and vegetables. Thumping and rhythmic. That's a sign of your proficiency.

"It's my turn to cook in the mountains. Mom and Dad used to take turns cooking, but now I'm part of the rotation. I'm a better cook than Mom. Only with a knife.

Goddess Milia. I was surprised when you told me to kiss you the first time.

Maybe my mom was joking, I don't know.

I looked at Luna Maria's lips and wondered what would have happened if I had said yes and kissed her immediately.

Her cherry-red lips looked so soft.

You can't help but feel a tint to your cheeks. I'm glad she has no light. I counted the prime numbers and tried to keep my cool.

...... Do you cook, by the way, Luna Maria?

Yes. . because the miko has to do everything herself.

"You don't want to cut your fingers with a knife?

"The fact that I'm blind makes me cautious, so I'm not.

Good. So, if you're traveling, maybe Lunamaria will make you one day.

I'm not sure if this is to your taste. --I forgot to mention that I'm the one who basically prepares the food, since Will made it so casually.

"Huh?　It's bad. Let's take turns.

"I am Master Will's squire. My job is to take care of things around me. Henceforth, use me like a maid.

Then she served bacon and vegetable soup on a wooden plate and handed it to me.

She's very handy and doesn't seem to be blind.
I take the soup and ask her, "Are you really blind?

You're really blind, aren't you?

"Yes.

And then she took off her mask.
Underneath the mask, she has a very neat nose.

Her eyes look normal, but when she opens her eyelids, I notice that her eyes are cloudy.

They are unfocused.

"When I was young, to serve the earth mother, I lost my light. I took an elixir that blinded me.

Why would you do that?

"To serve the Earth Mother God.

Were you born a priestess?

She shook her head.

No, I was born a poor farmer. I was the youngest of five children, but when my parents died of an epidemic, I was taken to the temple. It was there that I found out I had the aptitude to be a priestess, so I became one.

Then it's half compulsory.

"No, it's not. It's fate. The day before I became a priestess, I heard the voice of God.

"Voice of God?

"Yes . I was to be a maiden. And ten years later she told me that I would meet the brave man to whom I should dedicate my life. The oracle has been fulfilled.

Smiling Luna Maria.

No sadness. Maybe for her, fulfilling her mission as a maiden is synonymous with breathing.

So I didn't say anything else.

I ate the soup she served me and then we brushed our teeth together with a wooden toothbrush and wrapped ourselves in a blanket.

At the moment of falling asleep, she said, "I heard a prophecy from God.

The moment I heard the divine prophecy, the moment I felt the breath of God, I was so happy. --I am still. It's so comfortable to sleep in front of the fire with a brave soul. I feel a sense of security as if I am protected by a great being.



She said this and quickly fell asleep.

Is it because she's used to adventure that she can sleep in front of people she's never met before, or is it because--

On the other hand, I was perplexed by the fact that there was a woman next to me. I didn't feel the presence of Miria and others naked in my bed, but the thought of Luna Maria next to me made it hard to fall asleep.

I pulled my gaze away from Luna Maria to sleep and counted the wolves.

The 43rd wolf brings me back to sleep, but then I have to count nearly 100 more wolves to fall asleep.

The forty-fourth wolf was a male and female wolf, Schultz and Weiss.

In their marital form, they were very close.

Once again my thoughts turned to Luna Maria, and I managed to shake her off and sleep through my guts.