Hearing Out Young Agnis's Troubles (1)

"That concludes the 'Demon Lord's Castle Tour.' Thank you for your hard work, Thor-sama."

Several hours later, we returned to our room.

Thanks to Mabel, we had been able to visit almost every room in the castle.

We enjoyed the view of the Demon Lord's Territory from the balcony.

In the kitchen overseen by the dwarf head chef, we were given some steamed potatoes and shown all sorts of cooking utensils.

In the library, we were allowed to read history books about the Demon Lord's Territory.

We stopped by Demon Lord Lukie's office to greet her, and also met the chancellor, Kelv.

I was shown the bathing area available only to the Demon Lord, high-ranking demonfolk, and guests of the Demon Lord's Castle (the bath hadn't been heated yet, so I only got a look around).

Then we returned to our room.

For starters, I had learned that all sorts of Races lived in the Demon Lord's Territory.

As the Demon Lord's direct alchemist, I would probably need to create items suited to the characteristics of each Race. I still had plenty of research to do in that area.

"I learned a lot. Thank you, Mabel."

"You're welcome. If there's anything you don't understand, please let me know."

Mabel said that with a smile.

"The place Thor-sama will probably use most often from now on is... the bathing area, perhaps?"

"That's right. I like baths, so I think I'll use it from time to time."

"Yes. As a rule, you're free to use that place. However, please be careful when the 'In Use' sign is displayed at the entrance. The area immediately beyond the entrance is a spacious lounge, so you're likely to run into other people there."

"I'll be careful. Thank you."

"And, about General-sama and Agnis-sama..."

General Raizenga and his daughter, Agnis-san.

I was concerned about being glared at by the General, but I was also interested in Agnis-san's armor.

"I think I should tell you about them, Thor-sama. Actually—"

Just as Mabel began to speak, there was a knock at the door.

"Excuse me. Thor Rigas-sama. Is Mabel Refrain here?"

"The head maid? I-I'll take my leave, Thor-sama."

When Mabel opened the door, a maid with a horn growing from her forehead was standing in the hallway.

"What is it, Head Maid?"

"The Demon Lord has summoned Mabel. Apparently, there's an important matter to discuss. 'Would it be better if all three teacups matched?' That's what Her Majesty said, but..."

"Oh, honestly, Your Majesty."

Mabel smiled and looked at me.

It must have been about the tea party. The Demon Lord wanted to consult Mabel about whether the teacups for Thor, Lukie, and Mabel should match.

"Go ahead, Mabel. By the way, I think matching ones would be best."

"Understood, Thor-sama."

Mabel pinched the skirt of her maid uniform and bowed.

Then she walked off toward Demon Lord Lukie's office with the head maid.

"Then I'll tidy up the storeroom or—"

I was about to say that, but I was tired from walking all around the castle today.

Perhaps it was because I wasn't used to the place, but I felt strangely worn out. I was sweaty, too.

I wanted to change clothes and relax, but—

"I wonder if I can use the bath."

I remembered the bathing area Mabel had shown me last.

Apparently, I was free to use it.

It was a place used by the Demon Lord and high-ranking demonfolk, but Demon Lord Lukie had a private bathroom, while high-ranking demonfolk—General Raizenga, for example—were content to bathe in the river.

Mabel had said that hardly anyone used it because of that.

I decided to give it a try.

If the 'In Use' sign was displayed, I could just come back.

Besides, Mabel had gone to the trouble of teaching me how to get around the Demon Lord's Castle. I might as well review it before I forgot.

I began preparing a change of clothes and a towel.

The bathing area was on the first floor of the Demon Lord's Castle.

A 'No One Is Using It' sign hung on the double doors. Beside them was a bulletin board listing the hours when bathing was permitted and the names of the people who mainly used the facility.

The bath was available from six in the evening. Before then, only a quick rinse was allowed.

Almost no one used it between six and eight. After eight, the chancellor, Kelv, used it.

When I opened the door, there was a lounge inside. The changing rooms were farther in.

The men's bath was on the left and the women's bath on the right. However, both baths became off-limits whenever the Demon Lord used the facility. That was probably to conceal the Demon Lord's identity.

There were also all sorts of detailed rules: 'No bathing while drunk'; 'Races with scales or hard skin must keep their distance so they do not injure the skin of the person beside them'; 'Merfolk may not remain underwater for more than twenty minutes. Everyone will worry'; and 'No bathing with familiars.'

It was just past six, so the bath was available. There was no 'In Use' sign.

After thinking for a moment, I opened the door to the bathing area.

Beyond the door was a spacious lounge.

There were reclining chairs, and a water station along the wall for people to rehydrate. Two doors stood beyond it, apparently the entrances to the men's and women's changing rooms.

There was no sign of anyone in the lounge.

I let out a sigh of relief.

I thought I might finally be able to relax and wash away my sweat, but when I looked around, I saw armor lying on the floor.

It was fire-resistant armor.

It belonged to Agnis-san, the daughter of General Raizenga.

I could learn more detailed information by looking at it up close.

The 'Earth' attribute had been added to this armor twice. By layering the Earth attribute, it had apparently achieved powerful fire resistance. The material was somewhat soft to make it easier to move in. It was an extremely valuable item.

But, as expected, the armor's clasps were loose.

It had probably been repeatedly exposed to flames beyond what it could withstand.

I wanted to repair it, but its owner was General Raizenga's daughter. If I touched it without permission, I wouldn't get away with it.

Besides, it wasn't just the armor that had been left there.

A helmet lay beside the armor, with gauntlets and greaves behind it.

Where could its owner be?

The bathing area's door had definitely displayed a 'No One Bathing' sign. Besides, the changing rooms were beyond those doors, while this was the lounge. This was not a place to take off one's armor.

As I thought about that and looked around, I noticed a small door in the corner of the lounge.

The open door had a sign above it that read 'Salamander Boiler Room.' Apparently, the bathwater was heated in this room.

Salamanders were subordinates of an Ifrit.

It would not be strange for Agnis-san to have come here.

Besides... judging from General Raizenga's attitude earlier, I had a feeling he'd be angry if I walked past without saying hello.

Since I was being allowed to use the bath, I should at least say hello.

Thinking that, I approached the open door—

"H-hey, cut it out. Don't be naughty. Geez."

A playful voice came from inside.

Three Salamanders were flying around the dim room.

Each Salamander was about a meter long. They were red-scaled lizards with batlike wings on their backs.

They were wreathed in crimson flames, which spurted from their mouths and nostrils every time they breathed.

At the center of the Salamanders stood a red-haired girl.

She moved her body as if dancing, her flame-filled hair swaying around her.

Every time she reached out a hand, flames spurted from her fingertips.

The flames were drawn into a furnace, and steam billowed from a cauldron with a bubbling sound.

A metal pipe extended from the cauldron. Judging by its direction, it was probably connected to the bathing tub. So that's how they heated the bath. That could be useful to know.

When the flames grew too strong, the Salamander in charge of heating the water gently patted the girl's cheek.

The girl smiled and backed away from the furnace. "Sorry. I'm bad at controlling it."

The Salamander perched on her shoulder made a satisfied "gurr."

The flames rising from the girl's hair and those spilling from the Salamander's wings intertwined and became a single flame.

Perhaps pleased by that, the girl hugged the Salamander. Seeing it nestled against her soft chest and tilting its head bashfully, I realized only then that she was naked.

Of course she was.

The girl and the Salamanders were all covered in flames. There was no clothing capable of withstanding the flames of an Ifrit descendant and flame spirits.

The sight of the flame-wreathed girl was so natural that I did not realize for quite some time that she was naked.

I have a bad habit of becoming absorbed in beautiful things—including people, items, and functional beauty... Thinking that, I hurried away from the door.

But I was too late. The Salamanders had already noticed me.

So when I moved, the Salamanders moved, too.

They all turned toward me at once and bowed their heads with a "gurr."

Seeing that, the girl looked toward the door—and met my eyes.

Crimson eyes—the same color as General Raizenga's.

Agnis's skin gradually turned cherry pink. Then vermilion. Then crimson.

Orange, scale-like motes rose from her embarrassment-flushed skin. Her deep-red hair lifted like flames—swayed—and flames began to hover around it—

"────!?"

Flames erupted from Agnis's entire body.

"Grrrr────!!"

Immediately afterward, the Salamanders rammed into the door.

Just before the flames escaped from the boiler room, the iron door held them back.

Even so, some flames spilled out, so—

"Activate 'Ultra-Compact Simple Storage.' Store the flames!"

I took a palm-sized 'Simple Storage' out of my pocket.

I opened the storage door with the tip of my claw, and the flames were sucked inside with a soft whoosh.

The flames continued burning inside the 'Simple Storage' for a while, but there was nothing for them to spread to in the vast storage space, and they soon went out.

"Hmm. It's more useful than I expected."

After creating the 'Simple Storage,' I had made a smaller version as a precaution.

Naturally, its performance was no different from that of the large 'Simple Storage.'

Despite its small size, it contained a vast storage space.

It was more than enough to absorb the flames.

"A-aaaaah! What have I done? I set fire to the Demon Lord's guest! W-what should I do...?"

A tearful voice came from beyond the door.

"I-I have to call a healer right away... Oh, but what will I tell Father...? If he finds out Agnis was playing with the Salamanders, these children will be punished..."

"It's all right."

"...Huh?"

"I was prepared for something like this, so I'm unharmed."

I knocked on the door before speaking.

"Also... I'm sorry. I was so captivated that I forgot to call out."

"...N-no."

"Why don't you get dressed first, and then we can talk?"

"Ah, yes. Um, I... Agnis..."

A flustered voice came from beyond the door.

"The only clothes... are the armor over there."

"Only the armor?"

"Agnis can't control her flames well... Anything without fire resistance catches fire as soon as I put it on... so..."

"I see."

When I said earlier that day that I wanted to repair the armor, I felt I understood why General Raizenga had gotten angry.

Agnis had inherited the blood of an Ifrit, giving her the ability to produce flames. But apparently, she could not control her flames well.

That was why she could not wear ordinary clothes. They would burn up immediately.

The only thing Agnis could wear was armor with fire resistance...?

If that was the case, then I would have to strip her naked in order to repair the armor.

...No wonder General Raizenga had been angry. It was like saying at our first meeting, 'Please let me fiddle with your daughter's underwear.'

"I'll wait outside. Call me when you're done putting on the armor."

"............Yes."

"Grrrr—"

I heard a faint reply and the growl of a Salamander from beyond the door.

Once I had confirmed that, I went out into the hallway.