The time we spent in Suresh flew by.

After all, vacations are good. I feel as if my mind and body are washed. The food is delicious, and the hot spring feels good. Perhaps it was because of the hot spring dragon incident, but I was fed up with the respectful eyes of the ryokan staff, but I was getting a lot of discounts, so I just didn't care.

At the end of the day, it's fun to think back on the days gone by and regret another wasted day.

The main bath had been destroyed, so there was only the outdoor bath attached to the room, but it was nice to be able to relax without worrying about my surroundings. We were a little wary, but no dragons appeared after the first day.

Our only regret was that Luke and the others couldn't come with us.
Even though they had long since stopped following the party, they were usually with us when we traveled. Perhaps they might complain when they return to the Imperial Capital.

Oh well, we'll just have to go together again next time. I'll brag about it when I get back.

I had heard from Citri beforehand that the hot springs here were also used for healing, and the healing effect was certain.
I don't have any old wounds, but I feel like I could stay in it for a long time. The water was a little hot, but that was no problem if you wore a ring with a treasure of heat resistance.
You can find a lot of people who are looking for a new way to look at the world.

Liz doesn't pull her weight. Even when we went to a hot spring deep in the mountains for a party, she insisted on going into the hot spring with us without any discretion whatsoever. She tries to get in even when I say she can't. She thinks of me as her childhood friend before she thinks of me as a man.
Incidentally, and this is a bit vulgar, but in hunter parties, the barriers between men and women are often rather thin. There are times when equipment is broken, and there is no way to get around it if you are worried about each other's nakedness. However, I think it is different if you don't show even a hint of shame.

I'm actually a man myself, and I'm not as interested in anything other than swords as Luke is, so what I care about, I care about.
I'm used to skin-to-skin contact, but it's a turn-off to have my skin exposed, and it's even more of a turn-off to be hugged. Normally, Lucia would use her magic to keep me away from her, but this time I was full of energy because I had no natural enemy. I knew what to expect when I set out for the hot springs, but my desire for the hot springs was more than enough.

Tino screamed, and the door to the room was opened without pause.

'Masutaaaaahhhh, please run! Or rather, Masutaa, you've been taking too many baths!

'Cry-chan! Hey, I brought some alcohol, want to drink it with me?

I answered the voice of the floating Liz with a big sigh of apathy.

'...... I can't help it, Liz. You should wash yourself properly and then come in quietly.





In the event that you've got a lot of time and energy, you'll be able to make the most of it.
The appearance of the hot spring dragon had apparently shocked the town, and we were treated as celebrities for having defeated it.

We must have stood out because there were almost no tourists in the town to begin with.
The hot spring dragon seems to be a low rank among dragons, but a dragon is still a dragon. To the average person, it is an unruly beast.
In a sense, it was inevitable that I would receive praise for defeating them (of course, I had no right to receive praise for doing nothing), but Tino's expression was a little stiff, as if he wasn't used to this kind of scene.

Tino's expression was a little stiff, as if he was not used to such scenes. It'll pass. It'll go away soon.'

'Ha, yes. Mastaa ......'

I walked around the town, eating a hot spring dragon bun that was given to me for free. As a hot spring town, there was a relaxed atmosphere in the town that I liked.
In addition to the ryokan we were staying at, there were a number of bathhouses in the town. The quality of the water is probably the same, but it's a good idea to try some of them out.

It's also refreshing to see Tino and Liz wearing different clothes than usual.
Although less revealing than usual, the yukata suits them very well, partly because of their slim figures. Her skin was also a little redder than usual, probably due to the steam, and she had an indescribably s*xy look.

By the way, according to Citry, the yukata is arranged on the right front so that he can put his right hand in his pocket and squeeze his chest.
Don't tell obvious lies. There's no such thing as an uncomfortable dress.

Near the perimeter, Sitri was going about his business with several well dressed men.
Smiling in his yukata, he pointed at the low, stomach-deep wall.

'Between scenery and safety, safety is more important. Wards keep spiritual beings away, but they do not keep humans away. Why don't you buy the latest golem? It's a bit pricey, but it can be used for civil engineering as well as combat. It's cheap when you consider the labor cost. You'll never be lucky enough to find a level 8 hunter bathing in your bathtub again, will you? I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who's a fan of your work.

Although he is always hidden by his robes, Sitri's style is quite good compared to Ryz and the others. He is a bit taller, but his chest is incomparable.
The leaders of the town are whispering to each other, their gazes drawn to the beauty of Citry's figure. One billion guilders would be quite heavy for a town of this size.

In the first place, would a golem be able to defeat a dragon?
Why are they doing business when they are on vacation? I don't know anything at all.

'Sitri sister ...... is very shrewd.

'Sito is top-notch when it comes to exploiting weaknesses: ......'

Tino and Lise both looked dumbfounded.
It's too much freedom. Well, Liz is the same Liz who went up the mountain to look for the hot spring dragon on the first day. .......

It's a good idea to keep your eyes on your right front collar.

'...... You're very energetic.

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a bit nervous about this.

A merchant of death, perhaps?

But it's true what Citrie said, this town seems too defenseless. I know it's only temporary, but it's a problem for me since I'm only here now.
But even so, a billion dollars is a lot. At the very least, it's not an amount that I could make a quick decision on. I wonder what the cost is. .......

The bigwigs in town seem to have given up a bit. You can't make a quick decision on a golem you haven't even seen perform.
I hesitated a bit, but then I checked with Citri.

'Citri...... can't you get it a little cheaper?'

'Yes. ............ How much should I charge?'

Sitri rolled his eyes and looked at me.
How much do you want me to charge? That's new. ...... You're not going to make it my price, are you?

I'm not an alchemist and I don't know what a golem is worth. I know I shouldn't interfere with that.

'............ It's for the safety of the town. Well, you could ...... ask them to pay you in goods instead of cash. ............'

'Goods? The only thing this town is famous for is its hot springs. .................. concessions ......?'



'Later, if you're going to sell it, I think it would be better if you saw the actual golem to convince me. ......'

'Yes, that's right: ............'

Sitri looks thoughtful. I'm not asking her to do it for free, and even if I did, she wouldn't.
She respects my opinion as much as possible, but never at the mercy of it.

After a while, Citly smiled and clapped his hands, as if he had reached a consensus.
He approached the townspeople, who were discussing the matter with serious expressions, and raised his voice cheerfully.

'I've decided. If you're troubled--we'll lend you the golem completely free of charge, as long as you stay with us! It's a kind gesture from Mr. Cry. We don't want any more hot spring dragons showing up during our vacation, so it's not too late to purchase ...... after you see its power.''







After finishing the business meeting, which was almost like volunteering, the four of us walked through the town after collecting Citrie.
He didn't have a golem with him, but apparently he's going to manufacture one here. Sitri is a hard worker.

'............ Was it good?'

'Yes. It's for Cry's ...... sake. ......'

For the umpteenth time, Citri nodded without hesitation.

I'm just a layman, but it seemed to me that Sitri was clearly losing out on this business meeting. In the first place, the town of Surs is peaceful. The only discomfort I felt was that it was a bit empty because there were no tourists.
I don't think there will be any foreign invaders during our stay, and I doubt they will sell the golem after all.

I mean, isn't it for the people of the town, not for me?

However, Citry does not answer my question, but closes the distance between us by half a step.
A faint sweet scent wafts from her hair.
Is it the smell of shampoo? I've never said anything about it, but it's a very nice scent that makes me want to put my face close to hers. My head feels a little dizzy.

Then, Liz walked in between me and the smiling Sitri.

'Kry, don't be fooled by this blatant scam! He's definitely going to use today's incident as a loan when the time comes!

'I won't do that. ............ You're too suspicious, sister! Hey, Cry?

'Yes, yes, yes.'

I'm not going to do that. ............ I've had that done to me before. I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I lent you some money.
It's my fault that I owe them money, and for whatever reason, they end up overpaying.

As I watch the Smart sisters arguing, I chew on the peace.
Tino, too, seems to have recovered from the emotional trauma of the battle against the hot spring dragon, and is feeling a little better.

All that was left was to bide our time in the hot springs until the "Gathering of the White Swords" was over. A lot has happened, but all's well that ends well.
It might be a good idea to take care of Lise and Cicely for a while, and let Tino go, who has been getting into a lot of trouble with the two sisters.

As I was leisurely thinking about this, I suddenly saw a large carriage in my field of vision.

It was a raggedy carriage pulled by a skinny horse.
Could it be a new tourist? As I stared blankly, the door opened and a man with an earthy complexion stepped out.

I couldn't help but stare at him.


He looked so different that I couldn't recognize him for a moment, but there was no mistake.

The man who got out of the carriage was Arnold Hale.

A level 7 hunter with the nickname "Thunderbolt Flash". He's the one who came after me for some reason.

His body was bandaged, his hair was shaggy, and his cheeks were thin, but there was no way I could mistake him for the man who had been the source of my troubles lately. Then Arnold's familiar friends and the Gilbert boys came down.

The atmosphere was different. Some of their equipment has changed. They didn't seem to be seriously injured, but their gait was dizzy and they looked like they had wounds.
The fact that I noticed Arnold and the others and they didn't notice me is proof of this. In my usual condition, I would never have noticed them before they did.


A stalker? If you were a stalker, you wouldn't have shown up in such a hapless manner, and you look like you've just returned from a disaster. I know this because I have been lost in the desert myself.

...... What a waste of a vacation. I wonder if God hates me.

Tino rolls his eyes. Liz's eyes meet Arnold's, and a smile appears on her face. This is not a good pattern.
You should leave before they notice. He's probably too busy to see what's going on around him.

He squeezes Lise's hand and steps back.

It was as if they were on opposite sides of the same coin, and Citri stepped forward.
There was no time to stop him. He clapped his hands at Arnold, as if to welcome him.
There was no surprise in Sitri's expression. He had a big smile on his face, as if he had been expecting this development.

'Well, well, well. ...... Welcome to Surus. You're very late, Mr. Arnold. I've waited long enough. Since you're so late, Tee-chan took care of the dragon for you. ......'

'......?

No way, Sitri. ...... Did you see this coming? How did he control Arnold's actions?
I don't understand it at all, but if you had read it, you should have told me. We changed our destination to another spa, but .......

Arnold's eyes turned to Citrie, then to me, and widened to their limits.



Then his huge body swayed, and Arnold collapsed on the spot without saying a word.