The carriage we'll be riding in is not going to the Touahade territory, but to the royal capital.
　The reason for this is that I have to explain about the demon race from my own mouth.
　I've already sent a letter using a carrier pigeon.
　In that report, I wrote about the demon tribe in detail and how I defeated them.

Since it wasn't something to hide, I also wrote about the [Demon Slayer]'s magic, and I blurred out the [Railgun].
As for how I obtained 【Made-Killer】, I assumed it was given to me by a goddess in a dream.
　The features and appearance of that goddess are described in detail of that goddess who sent me.
　Even if it is a goddess. There is a high probability that some lore of that goddess remains, and if so, it increases the credibility.

I want to spread this [Demon Slayer], so it's convenient to make it a god-given magic.
　It's easier for it to spread when it's a foil like that.
　Besides, this is also a fishing hook.
　Hopefully, we'll catch what we want.

On the way, we stopped in a large town.
　We could sleep in the carriage, but we're treated as VIPs and they take care to make us as comfortable as possible.
　The best inn in town, each of us is given a special room at that inn.

We ate a good meal that was commensurate with the inn's rank and cleansed ourselves with plenty of hot water.
　We left our clothes at the inn and borrowed some loose-fitting loungewear.
　It is said that the clothes I left at the inn will be washed and returned before departure. As is to be expected of an expensive hotel, the service is thorough.

After dinner, I went back to my room. It is very generous of them to reserve a private room for their servant, Tart.
　I heard a knock at the door, and as I answered, Tart came into the room.

I'm not sure if it's because of the thin loungewear that makes it easy to move, but it makes me more aware of Tart's attractive limbs than usual.

''Lug-sama, well, good evening,''
'Have you decided what your reward is going to be?'
Yes, that's what I'm here to tell you.

The sweet smell from the tart makes me dizzy.
It's because of the side effect of 【Beastification】.
After doing 【Beastification】, the tart is out of sorts for about a day.
　The aftermath of the rut loosens up his own reasoning, and there's a sweet scent and pheromone-like substance that makes a man cringe.

On the day of the [Beastification], he decided to never leave Tart alone with another man.
When he trained [Beastification], he experimented with his father and Ronaha as well, but they both said they were hit by Tarto's pheromones and lusted after Tarto.

In other words, any man would want to attack Tart. Tart's body is in danger.

However, it seems I'm the only one who wants to pounce on the tart.

I can say that's a relief. If they were going to attack a man without a care in the world, I was going to have to block [Beastification].
　If the other side just attacked me, then Tart would be able to return the attack, but if it was the other way around, it would be the worst thing that could happen.

Right now, I'm alone with Tart.
　Dia is in the room next to me, making new magic.
　Tart said that he wanted to be alone with her during the day when he asked for a reward, so Dia had been clever enough to give him the benefit of the doubt.
　Tart squirms and laces his fingers together in front of his chest.
　Looking at the tart makes me thirsty, my heart is loud. Oh man, I'm getting pretty tart and the pheromones are getting to me.

'I won't get mad at you for saying something weird, and you don't need to panic. So just say it in your own time.
"Yes, sir.

A haze of thought has come over me. It's pretty bad.
　I wait for Tart's words.
　I'm tempted to rush her, but she's afraid to do so, so I wait patiently.
　After a couple of minutes, Tart opens his mouth to speak.

"Kiss me, Master Rouges!

The tart turns bright red and teary-eyed, to the point of being pitiful, he says.
　I blanch.
　A kiss.
　I'm disappointed. I thought I was going to ask for something more.
　It's allowed me to be myself again.
　But you know what it is when a tart asks for something like that.

"Oh, I don't mind.

He stands up and hugs the tart to him and brings their lips together.

'Mmmm.'

The tart responds to that.
　I can't help but love it.
　The tart looks even cuter than usual.
　There may be pheromones that are overflowing from the side effects of 【Beastification】, but more than that, there's something that comes overflowing from inside my heart.

My feelings for Tart are filling up, and it's not just about the kiss, I think that's where it goes from there.
　But.....

It's over.
Thank you, ma'am.

I didn't have the tart's throat.
　He was staring at me with dull eyes.
　I'm sure that Tart will accept me if I try to do this next.
　I don't blame Dia for that.

But that's about as good as it gets for now.
　It's too soon for Tart to go on from here.
　She has her own pace.

'No need to thank me. It's a reward, and I enjoyed kissing Tart. But it would be a pity to end the treat with this, we'll go to the market tomorrow before we leave. I'll get you something.
'Shit, no, not even a kiss would have been enough for me to do that.
'I'd like that. The tart needs to be a little more fashionable. You're a pretty girl.
It's cute.

The tart was overheated.
　She has a really interesting reaction.
　Tomorrow, I'll try to find an accessory that will make the tart even cuter.

Right now, I need a break for my mind as well as my body.
　If I go to the royal capital, I'm going to get in trouble.
　While we're at it, me, Tart, and Dia must heal our bodies and minds after the battle against the demon race.

◇

The next day, we were at the market in the time before we left.
　Dia was teasing the tart.

In Dia's case, she can read the air and she doesn't do anything that Tart really doesn't want to do.
　Dia cares for Tart as her best friend.

'So what did you ask Roug to do?'
Shit, that's a secret!

Tart is busy grinning and reddening as he reminisces about yesterday, and he looks somewhat happy.
　He really wanted to show off and was glad to be heard.
　Finally, he says in a whisper that he asked for a kiss, and smiles at Deer for being so nice.

It's fun to watch them both.
　A larger market was open today, and it was busy.
　There are many stalls, and we stop in front of one stall that deals in silversmithing.

The craftsmen have good taste and skill. This one will bring out the charm of the tart and it looks like it will last a long time.
　I talk to the owner, who works at a well-known workshop. He's not yet ready to display his creations in his shop, so on his days off he sells his creations from his practice and buys the materials and ingredients he needs to study and see how his customers react.
　He's a keen student, and with such good taste and skill, I'm sure it won't be long before his creations are on display in his workshop.

'Tarts, which one do you think is the prettiest one here?'
'Yes, I think I'd like this white flower hairpiece.
'It's a tart, apparently. I've got something fancy for you.

The tart chose a small, white, floral hair ornament amidst the more brightly colored, larger, uniquely shaped and decorated ones, as Dia had said.

'I thought this one was gentler, prettier and better.

I look again at the hair ornament that Tart had chosen.
　A silver hair ornament with pretty flowers made of ceramic.
　The decoration is minimal, but the sense of style shines through. It's precisely because it's minimal that the cuteness of the white flowers stands out.
　It's elegant.
　This hair ornament is very similar to the tart. The tart is not a flashy girl, but it's properly cute and comforting.

I'll take it, owner.
A present?　I could put a ribbon on the packaging.
No, I'll keep it that way. I'll use it right here.

She bought a hair ornament and tucked it into the tart's hair.
　The casual cuteness suited the tart well.

Thank you. I'll take good care of it.

Lovingly, the tart strokes his hairpiece.

'Do so. ...And don't be so sulky, Dear.
'I'm not sulking. I'm not as sulky as Tart, but I don't feel sad that I don't get praise for my successes or that Tart got two rewards and I don't have one.

Despite his words, he shows that he is deliberately sulking.

'I've got a gift for Dear, too. That one needs some preparation.
'Yeah. I'm looking forward to it. If you forget, I'll be mad at you.
How could I forget? I'm in love with Dear.

I nodded.
　I'm sure Dia would be happy if I gave that to her.
　It took me a bit of time to arrange the materials. Before I came here, I had received word from Maha that she had gotten it, so it would have arrived by the time I got back to Touahade.

◇

When we got back to the meeting place at the appointed time, we found a carriage next to ours, one size larger, made by a top-notch blacksmith.

And pulling it was a demon that had hardened the skin of a rhinoceros and enlarged its muscles.

However, this is the first time I've seen the real thing.

I can tell at a glance. That rhino's stamina and power is several levels above that of a horse, and with that thing, it can get to its destination several times faster than a carriage.
　The door to that demonic rhino's carriage opens.
　There was a man of noble appearance, just like a nobleman.

''Holy Knight-sama, you have done a splendid job in defeating the demon race this time. There are already preparations made in the royal castle to honor your achievements. We are preparing a grand feast. Please join my carriage, Sleipnir.

Grudgingly, the nobleman curtsied.
　I know him. The Marquis of Grandvallen.
　As the heir to a baronial family, he's a figure on a cloud.
　And this man is quite capable.
　You can tell how strong he is just by looking at his behavior, but he's one of the best users in the country.

A person of such a position and ability took the trouble to come for you?
　And that's with such a big, special carriage?
　More importantly, you're going to honor him for defeating demons?
　The fact that those in the royal castle decided that they had killed a demon tribe based on that letter alone, that would be impossible under normal circumstances.
　There's definitely something going on.

"Marquis Grandvallen, we can't let them get away with it. Let's go, Dear Tart.
Yes, Master Rouges.
I'm afraid of these carriages.

Now, what's the trick?
　Are there spotters who can slip past my scouts?

Or is there a system in place to confirm the death of the demon tribe?
　And there are other mysteries as well.
　I don't know why they even prepared this special carriage to bring us to King's Landing as soon as possible.
　The reason why a man of his stature has come is surely to bring us to the capital, but the reason is also unknown.
　There are many things we don't know.

One thing we do know is that we won't find out anything until we step into it.
　One after another, the mysteries keep piling up.

But we shouldn't get desperate here. Let's solve the mystery one by one.
　What will be waiting for us at the castle?
　I climbed into the carriage, considering every possible situation.
　From here on out, if I make a wrong choice, I'm out for one shot.
　However, if I do the opposite, I can proceed with the job the goddess asked me to do.
　I had a premonition that this was the case.