'Hey, Cry-chan. Hey, do you want to go slay the hot spring dragon with me? I think there's a nest nearby.'

'Yeah, I'm not going ...... but ......'

I was relaxing in my room when Liz's sweet voice instantly brought me back to my senses.

What's a hot spring dragon? ...... The person who named it is too appropriate.


The rooms were spacious, the bedding was soft, and the food, while not enough for the hunter's reeds, was sumptuous, with plenty of delicacies from the mountains and sea.
The hot spring water seems to be flowing from the source, and although there are large baths, each room is equipped with an open-air bath, and although I haven't taken a bath yet, if I wanted to, I could spend a whole day in comfort without leaving my room.

Why do I have to slay a hot spring dragon on the first day?
Perhaps it's because of Citri's lap pillow, or perhaps it's because I've had a good night's sleep, but my energy has been restored. But that's the energy I need to get into the hot springs. It's an important energy.

'What? You're such a big fish. ...... Cry-chan, what did you come here for?

I've been thinking lately that every time I go outside, there are too many big ones. .......

I'm sure you've moved around a lot more than I have by strolling around town during the day, but this little childhood friend of mine is full of energy.
Liz puckered her lips and grabbed my arm, shaking me. Without Luke and the others, I'm the only one she can play with. I've got Tino for playthings, but...

'Just so you know, I'm not planning on doing anything meaningful here at all! I'm just going to sit in a hot spring for two weeks, eat and sleep and wait for the right moment.

'So you've already done that, is that it?

'What? ............ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's all going according to plan.

Sitri quickly follows up on my pathetic declaration.

I think I've done my part. ...... Well, a lot has happened, but generally my vacation hasn't deviated too much.
The hot springs. The hot springs are right in front of me. I don't care about anything else. I'll forget about Arnold, the gathering of the White Swords, and the request for nominations for now. I'll leave that to the future.

Before I knew it, Sitri had changed from her usual robe to a blue yukata with a floral pattern.
The amount of exposure was not greatly increased, but her appearance was fresh and somewhat s*xy, perhaps because of the thick robes she usually wore. Her posture was good, and she looked as good as if she had been tailor-made.

Citrine was undoubtedly the most burdened person on this vacation. I hope he will stretch his wings at least at the end of this vacation.

Incidentally, there was also a yukata for men, but unfortunately I can't wear a yukata because I have a treasure device embedded in my body. Life comes first. I wear a ring when I take a bath, you know.

'Shito, when did you change your clothes? What? Where's my stuff? You're not going to change your clothes and pester my sister, are you?

'Don't do that with my sister! I'm not going to do that! You can get a yukata from the innkeepers, so why don't you get one?

'...... Liz, you can't kick me if I'm wearing a yukata, can you?

At Citry's rebuttal and my pointing out, Liz looked at me as if it would be difficult. Regardless of whether there is an opportunity to kick in a hot spring or not, she has always hated wearing clothes that are difficult to move in.
Her apprentice, Tino, was looking around nervously, as if he wanted to try it on.

'There don't seem to be many people here today, so I'm sure the hot spring will be reserved for us.

'That would be great.

I don't mind if there are other people here, but if there are no people here, I might be able to swim in the ......!

More importantly, fewer people means less chance of Liz getting tangled up. Since Liz and Sitri are pretty girls, there is a high probability that they will be invited to stay at such an inn (and Liz will beat them up). Well, in a way, it's the other party's own fault, but the less damage the better.

Then, I remembered that I had to check with Sitri.

'Oh, by the way, what happened to Black and the others? They weren't around when we were eating. ......'

'We've taken their rooms, as ordered by Mr. Cry. They should have eaten. I don't care about the rest.'

That's dry, ...... but if you're staying at the same inn, you'll probably see each other later.
Then I'll take off their collars and let them go.




'Mastera...... how about that......?'

Tino spun around with a determined look on his face and asked cautiously.
She is wearing a dark blue yukata. The ribbons that usually bind her hair have been removed, and the contrast between her white skin and the dark blue fabric is glamorous. Perhaps she had help from Citri, but she was dressed beautifully.

When we came to the Imperial Capital as adults and met Tino, she was only ten years old. That's why we tend to look at her as if she were a child, but when you look at her like this, she's a fine adult no matter how you look at her. In some respects, she is more developed than Liz.
I'm sure you'll be surprised to learn that they're only about four or five years apart in age. .......

You'll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. When I was observing them closely, Tino blushed.

'Yes, it looks good on you. It's cute, it's cute, it's cute, it's cute, it's ...... too good for me to look at alone.

I've given Tino a lot of trouble. I'm sure you'll agree that it's a great idea to have a little bit of fun.
His lips are tightly pressed together, but it's clear from his expression that he's pleased with the compliment.

Liz doesn't praise people very often, so maybe it's just as well that I give her a lot of praise.

'Sonnya,............'.

'Cry-san, no matter how cute Tee-chan is, it's too rude to stare at her.

'!



Is that how it is? ...... No, it might have been rude. You can understand Tino's feelings better if you are a woman than if you are a man.
Tino is not only my junior, but also Citly's junior. Sitri is younger than me, so she's closer to Tino and is practically like a sister to him.

'Um, ......, Sister Sitri, I'm not--'

'Are you okay? I don't mean to offend you, Cry. Tee-chan. I'll protect you. Besides, Cry-san, don't you have something to say to ...... me before you say anything to Tee-chan?

...... You're very clear.

I'm sure it was just a joke, but it's true. There's a polite way to get to know each other. Check Citri's whole body again.


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It would have been different if I'd been prepared, but by the time I realized, it was too late. I'm already a coward. His courage and spirit of defiance have all been shattered. Even if he made it out alive, he'd never be able to get into the rough stuff.

But black and white are different. Even though they'd been beaten to a pulp, they sharpened their claws and sharpened their fangs.
I have no intention of rebelling against the Thousand Transformations. Even if they made a surprise attack on Level 8, they would be subdued with a single pinky finger. The only reason I've been making preparations is so I can escape alive.

The collar was the main obstacle.
It was difficult to destroy, and no matter how far away you got, you couldn't disable its ability to broadcast electric shocks. It was truly an invisible fetters.

The key was first held by the "worst of the worst" and is now worn by the "most varied".

'I've got no choice. Heero refused. If we give him some time, he might warn us.

White swallows his spit as Black appeals to him with bloodshot eyes.
Their way out was now blocked. Even if he postponed the plan, the fact that he had planned it would remain. There was no way to predict how the "Thousand Transformations" would react to that fact.

'He said he would only be here for a week or two. The sooner we get going, the better. We'll succeed. It's going to work.

'...... Oh, okay.'

There's so little we know about the Thousand Transformations. That he just looks like a nice guy. That he hardly ever works. That what he says is pathetic. That he's full of holes. There's no sense of intimidation. And--and yet he makes life-threatening choices that everyone avoids.

And even with those few things, you can't tell if they're real or just an act.

But there's one thing we do know.

'The Thousand Transformations' is careless. Stealing is our specialty. As far as keeping the key is concerned, Citri was better than that guy.

Citri, that horrible woman, was aware of her overwhelming superiority, but she never showed off the key to the collar in front of Black and the others.
He had no idea where she kept it. And that was exactly the right thing to do when binding slaves.

But the Thousand Transformations is different. That man is overwhelming, but he has the conceit of an overwhelmingly powerful man.
He took out the key right in front of Black and the others, perhaps to nip any rebellion in the bud, or perhaps because he really wanted to let them go. And now I have an idea where it is stored.

The key is worn by the Thousand Transformations. Then we can definitely steal it.
That man's not wary of Black and the others. Just like people don't usually pay attention to insects crawling on the ground.

The Thousand Transformations is certainly the strongest. Even if he didn't have a collar, he'd be overpowered in a head-on collision.
But at the same time, that man was human. He's not a perfect god. Then there's something we can do.

Fortunately, this is a hot spring. There's a changing room. White says under his breath.

'I've seen the locker key. It's a little complicated, but I can open it in a minute. It's a rich man's inn, I don't think there'll be any clothes thieves.

'............ All right, let's do this.

Black and White are scoundrels. But no matter how bad they are, they're not petty enough to just sit back and wait to be crushed.

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