Chapter 51

I couldn't hide my surprise at the words suddenly engraved behind me and the Dragon Slayer.

I thought only the Dragon Slayer had a romance novel brain, but this isn't any different!

It seems like what was just engraved had been watching us all along.

...I thought it might just be a voyeur.

If it suddenly engraves like this, it seems the Recorder judged that to remove the Dragon Slayer's anchor, we need to kiss.

No, isn't that a bit much no matter how you look at it?

How could we do what's called a 'kiss scene' when we've just met?

Besides, there are eyes watching us openly.

"Uung?"

Even if others have collapsed from exhaustion, Bell is still...

"My body is turning transparent again!"

...Damn it all.

Whether by divine intervention or not, even Bell returned to her original world, and now it was truly just me and the Dragon Slayer alone.

"...Surely you're not really thinking of doing it?"

The Gardener's voice, mixed with bewilderment, was heard.

As if I would.

And the Dragon Slayer originally came down wanting to experience the 'romance' in the human world, right?

I thought it might be better for her to keep living here.

And while at it, ask her to help defend Rondan.

"...Haha, whoever it is, that's a bit..."

Thinking the Dragon Slayer would obviously think the same, I turned my head and couldn't hide my shock.

Wasn't she making that somewhat embarrassed expression, like when I grabbed her horns before?

Hey.

Don't do that.

Get a grip! Hang in there!

Realizing my gaze, the Dragon Slayer startled and then immediately punched the engraved words.

When the Dragon Slayer removed her hand... the words the Recorder had engraved had disappeared.

"...Huh?"

Could this be erased?

Wondering if this was a normal phenomenon, I was in a daze, but.

"...She's reached the level of erasing even the Recorder's words?"

Even the Gardener was surprised.

Right? This isn't normal, is it?

This is the first time I've seen an Outer God erase words engraved by the Recorder!

The Dragon Slayer, after doing such a big thing, breathed heavily and then turned her gaze to me, suddenly making a surprised expression.

Then she abruptly turned her head away.

No, why.

Why are you acting like this?

Perhaps interpreting my surprised stare as having strange intentions, the Dragon Slayer mumbled.

"...right."

"Huh?"

"I-If you want it that much... f-for a moment! It's alright... I said. But give me time to..."

No, you crazy Outer God!

You should be firmly denying it here, why are you affirming it!

I tried hard to ignore the sounds of two Outer Gods exclaiming in shock echoing in my head.

"It's absolutely not because I'm afraid of k-kissing! J-Just! Y-You're human, right? You might get hurt by the fire I breathe out. I'm asking for time to spit that out first... that's what I mean."

The Dragon Slayer's words, thrown out forcefully while pointing at me, gradually decreased in volume towards the end, and the sight of her shrinking at the last moment was spectacular.

No, why go to such lengths if you don't want to?

There's nothing as pitiful as forcing yourself to do something you don't want to do.

Feeling like the Dragon Slayer would continue to go out of control if left alone, I reached out my hand to stop her.

"Calm down! It's obvious the Recorder is just messing with us. It's better for your mental health not to react to everything. Besides, you and I aren't in that deep of a relationship, and we were even fighting just a moment ago."

As I cut her off firmly, the Dragon Slayer's reddened face seemed to gradually return to its original color.

See, if I don't mediate like this, you can't think rationally, right?

I cut it off at just the right timing, huh.

Seeing the Dragon Slayer fall into serious thought, as if reflecting on her actions after my words, I thought the matter was settled.

"We should take care of the collapsed people first. They all seem so sturdy that I don't think they'll die..."

Saying that, my gaze turned towards Asti, who had collapsed.

She was the one who showed such unknown power for my sake.

What on earth was that white hand?

It was certainly not a level of power that a human could wield.

As the Gardener said, is Asti also related to Outer Gods in the end?

Or... is she being threatened with something called a contract by an Outer God?

Even so, that seems like too much of a stretch.

With limited information, there was nothing I could know for sure.

For that, I'd need to go back quickly and do some information gathering.

Thinking that, I stood up to support the people and return quickly, when.

Thump.

Before I realized my wrist was grabbed, at the same time my body was pulled back sharply.

When I came to my senses, I saw the Dragon Slayer close to me, pursing her lips and looking up at me, and just as I was about to say something, the Dragon Slayer's face came closer and.

Tightly closed eyes, snow-white skin.

And above all, the warm sensation spreading in my mouth and a somehow fragrant and sweet scent.

What is this?

This sensation?

What am I doing right now?

"...!!!"

"Woof! Grrrr...."

Once again, a loud noise sounded in my head, and my mind became confused along with it.

My reason didn't realize it, but my instincts seemed to, as my heart started beating wildly on its own, and I felt my face getting hot.

And soon, as I belatedly realized what I was doing and my eyes involuntarily widened, the Dragon Slayer slowly pulled away.

It wasn't just me; the Dragon Slayer also breathed heavily as we looked at each other for a moment.

I thought she would distance herself out of embarrassment, but while maintaining the still close distance, the Dragon Slayer covered her mouth with her hand and lowered her gaze to the ground.

"...Is it not okay... if it's a deep relationship?"

While saying something that made me feel like I was losing my mind.

Ah.

How could this be.

I, Laydan Tanton,

Have become a man who seduced none other than a Greater Outer God.

***

"Wow, to actually ride a real dragon... It's much bigger than I thought. The feeling of the wing bones moving on its back is amazing too."

"The feeling of riding on the back of a being I thought had to be eliminated no matter what. It's indescribable. The whole body being dark purple makes it a bit creepy though."

We were flying towards Rondan, each riding a lesser dragon provided by the Dragon Slayer.

Those people were talking as if they were dragon riding or something.

Wide back, creepy wings up close.

To my eyes, they looked like ruffians riding on the back of fragile dragon maids, but.

"Subordinate, you've been out of it for a while. Did something happen?"

"Ah, no."

"Are you not feeling well? Should I treat you like last time...?"

"Haha, I'm fine..."

When Muyeon and White Mask, who had been looking at me with worried eyes, started looking forward again, I unconsciously touched my lips with my fingers.

'Y-You're the bad one! T-Touching my horns as you please... so... you took my lips too, take responsibility!'

The image of the Dragon Slayer speaking with an attitude of blaming the victim after almost forcibly taking my lips came to mind.

Perhaps because it happened so suddenly, my heart still hadn't calmed down.

This must be 'Laydan Tanton's' body reacting.

Otherwise, there's no way this would happen...

"She says she likes it."

At that moment, a gruff voice was heard in my head.

"Why? Why don't you just go live happily ever after with that romantic?"

The Gardener's tone was unusually sharp and aggressive, making me feel embarrassed.

No, why are you like this?

Usually, you'd just tease and move on, but today you're unusually persistent in picking at me.

"Uung, jealous?"

"W-What?! Why would I be jealous of this guy..."

"I wish humans would pet only me too..."

"Don't lump me in with you...!"

Even getting caught up with Bell to the point of looking confused.

You're especially sensitive today.

Or what, do you want me to do 'that' with you like I did with the Dragon Slayer?

"Ugh... forget it, you playboy!"

With that, the Gardener went quiet.

What an incomprehensible Outer God.

When my head finally quieted down a bit, I looked at Asti, who still had her eyes closed.

Seeing her tired expression, it seemed there were no health issues.

I said it was too much of a stretch earlier, but there were some circumstances.

If so, it would explain the reason for attacking me, and also asking me not to hate her.

"Asti..."

It seemed like there was more and more to think about.

When we get back, there'll be a lot to do again.

I thought that tomorrow, regardless of anything else, I should summon the Chef and get some food.

Wait, would the Dragon Slayer react to that too?

...Ah, I don't know.

Putting something in your mouth is more important than being embarrassed.

If I could eat delicious food from home, it was a risk I could fully accept.

In any case, I just wanted to rest quickly.

The Chef, Candle, the twin Outer Gods... and after just one day of rest, I had an audience with the Imperial Princess and defeated the Dragon Slayer.

Isn't this enough to be called superhuman?

Ah, I was going to sleep when I got back.

My eyes were starting to close.

"...Sorry, I'll lean on you a bit."

"Yes, sleep well, Master."

With the lesser dragon's voice as the last thing I heard.

My consciousness began to fade.

***

"Huhuhu, you're doing well."

There is a woman.

Skin and hair so pale it's almost white, eyes dyed bright red, and a red mark on her cheek that looks like a scar.

It was the same skin color as the giant hand that attacked the Dragon Slayer that Tanton had seen.

In a world dyed as red as her eye color, she was making an ecstatic expression.

"Ah, it's not long now. My time."

The woman said that while holding something in her hand.

One was brown hair, one was pink hair.

"Until then, endure just a little more."

That woman.

With the gentlest tone in the world, she was making the most wicked expression in the world.

***

As soon as we arrived in Rondan, the lesser dragons that had carried us started to become transparent.

It seems that since the Dragon Slayer had achieved what she wanted and disappeared from this world, the lesser dragons couldn't maintain their form either.

The Dragon Slayer herself seemed much stronger than most Outer Gods, but it was quite ironic that her fragments struggled to maintain their existence.

I wonder if there's some kind of power balance among Outer Gods that I don't know about.

"Rest well today. It seems like you fell asleep for a bit earlier too."

"Yes, Master. I'll go in now."

"Take care, Mr. Tanton!"

After waving enthusiastically to White Mask and Muyeon, I quickly ran into the branch office.

"Tanton, I didn't expect you to be away for days. Did the audience with the Imperial Princess take quite long?"

"No, I was dragged away by White Mask to defeat the Dragon Slayer."

"I see... W-What? What did you defeat? Tanton, wait!"

I wasn't in a situation to listen to the Branch Manager's words right now.

I felt like I would fall apart if I didn't lie down on a mattress right this instant.

As soon as I arrived at my room, I locked the door and almost dove onto the bed, not even thinking about washing up.

The bed will get dirty.

I'll wash it right away tomorrow, whatever.

Ria came out of my pocket, holding a flowerpot, and went near the window.

Maybe because it was given by the Gardener, I thought the growth speed of the dandelion was unbelievably fast.

When I first planted it in the pot, all the existing petals had fallen off, leaving only the receptacle.

Now, buds were hanging, about to grow into flowers again.

As it grows this much, I'm starting to look forward to what will come out.

"Anyway... goodnight everyone..."

Although no answer came back, I didn't feel lonely as it seemed many beings had heard me.