It has been a few days after the...interesting feast we had here in the castle.

Don't worry, the food was a great success! A super success! Everyone liked it!

"My, one would think that they would be all muscle, but look at you, Kris, they sure are big and supple."

"S-stop staring at them, Gabrielle! Y-you have your own! Geez…!!"

"Oh dear, aren't we flustered now? Ohohohoho!"

"Aaaagh! Stop it! You know I don’t like that laugh of yours!”

Of course, some dishes were more favored than others by different people, but that is how life is!

Even more so, that is one thing I’m very happy to not check off my isekai list.

You know, the one about all the food of the MC's world being liked by everyone with the same intensity? Yeah, that one.

"Dog, you are cute. Can I touch you?♢"

"K-keh?! What are you saying you…you Cat?! Of course not! "

"I will let you fluff my tail."

"No!"

Like, for example, Kris loved the ceviche, but Evangeline preferred the lasagna over it.

Meanwhile, Kara loved the spicy chicken with veggies we made more than the pulled pork...grrr...heresy…

"...?! Awawa...what is t-this chill?"

...ahem…I mean, everyone can like what they want.

Really! I’m just glad that everyone loved the food in general! Although, when the time for desserts came things got quite wild...

"Ufufu…doesn't it feel good, Luca?"

"Mhm. Head massage...hair wash...relaxing..."

"Hehe, you look so cute with your hair pulled back. And I am sure you would look even cuter if you opened your eyes…”

"Soap...eyes...no good, Allegra."

“I suppose you are right.”

There were lots of different cakes, sweet breads, ice creams, gelatos, chocolates, puddings, sweet rice porridges, cookies, churros, and many more.

Yet, they were all gone in just instants.

Even Mary and Sylvie used speeds I never thought they were capable of to just get ahold of some of them.

Though, there was someone who was left out from this part of the feast, and that was Maevis. As part of her punishment by Gail for the cookie dough incident, she was not permitted to have dessert.

She cried while watching us eat.

It was...pitiful to say the least.

Still…and I hate to say this because I do feel for her…she brought it upon herself.

Even Lucy resisted the temptation to do something like that because she knew that Mika would do something similar to her.

She liked the crème brulee by the way.

Moving on, Ludovica, Celesia, and Sam fought for the same Sacher torte cake.

Yeah, you heard that right, not for a piece of it.

They 'fought' for the whole cake.

My adorable Celesia won, but she still shared the cake with everyone in the end.

She is such a good girl.

Cute too.

"Bertia, can you pass me the soa—?! Oi! Your…your…!!"

"What? Oh, my towel fell! Hehe, like what you see, Evangeline?"

"Tch...you…! Just...pass me the soap...!"

"Hahaha, you don't have to make that scary face, it's just a joke!"

Of course, I didn’t miss out on eating various desserts, but as Nerinne, Erevain, and Gabrielle were quite set on feeding me themselves, it ended up being quite embarrassing...

Also, Nerinne seriously loved both the rum and almond fruit cake and the cassava cake. She was having so many repeats that I had to stop her before she devoured the whole thing.

Haa…she even threw a fit telepathically, saying that I could just summon more, which is true, but still…

And don't get me started on her bringing out her divine wine much later into the feast and giving a sip to some of the maids and guests.

Amongst those fortunate or unfortunate enough were Bertia, Evangeline, Max, Greese, and, of course, Kris. Greese and Bertia were completely out after that one sip, while Max managed to resist until she got a whiff of the second one and fell. As for Evangeline, she actually was able to down another two whole sips before commenting on how ‘fucking good’ it was and then falling. Lastly, Kris did what we all thought was impossible and drank the whole cup at once, she then started laughing before fainting with a big smile on her face.

Now, I said it was unfortunate because you can imagine how bad the hangover was for them the next day. Let’s just say the words ‘divine punishment’ were uttered more than once and with no rebuke.

Seriously...

Anyways, going back to the sweetness, Ilya loved the cookies me and the maids baked, specially the orange cookies, as in the fruit not the color.

She looked so cute eating them while wearing her bunny hoodie!!

Meanwhile, Erevain loved the cheesecake with chocolate crust and strawberries on top. Like, she really LOVED it. The face she made when she ate it was just so beautiful! It screamed ‘delicious’!

"Huh, now that I look at ye better, ye look quite fit but modest, Erica."

"Hm? Well, this is how I imagined I would look if I had been born a woman, Roxxy. Is your case not the same?"

"Haha, ye ask that knowing how I looked before. Nay, it’s actually a mixed bag. Ye see, I grabbed what I would’ve looked like if the coin had fallen on the other side, mixed it with a pair of nice hands that can caress someone softly but also handle a hammer just as well, and put it all into a solid medium frame body with radiant, welcoming features. This is the end-product. If ye ask me, I think I did a good job with the little time we had.”

"For a moment there it seemed that you were talking about a weapon."

"Oho, but don't ye agree that these bodies are weapons in many ways?"

"Certainly, there is some truth in that."

In Gabrielle’s case, she took a liking to the apple strudel with hot cocoa on the side, so much so that she ate at least six big pieces of it.

For Gail, Licht, and Roxxy, the puddings were their most liked ones, to the point that they were pretty much single handedly responsible for the ones on the dessert table disappearing so quickly.

With Countess Pyr, Mika, and Josie the several flavors of ice cream were their top choice, while Max and Patricia loved the gelato.

What about Erica, you ask? Well, not only did she love the tiramisu, but she seems to be on the bittersweet side of things when it comes to desserts in general.

On the other hand, Louise loved the churros, even more when I told her that it was alright for her to add chocolate to them.

"Are you not enchanted by my beauty, the cool beauty of my type, Sam?"

"...I would be if it wasn't you inside, Jules. Now, can you not bring food here? We are in Master's outdoor bath. It’s not something elegant to do."

"Oh, but it’s only a light snack. Perfect for these occasions. Also, you look almost as good as me with your hair down."

"Gee, thanks for the compliment then...but in my opinion, I look more refined than you who only stopped at 'cool' and didn't dare to venture beyond."

Locke-chan, Lyra and Luca loved the sweet rice porridge. Seriously, a touch of cinnamon was all it needed to make them go ham on it.

But they were not the only ones, as Kris and Kara were doing the same with the gulab jamun, eating them one after the other until there was only one, and Kris ended up challenging Kara to a drinking contest for it. Of course, I made more appear right then and there and saved Kara from that losing battle.

Lastly, Sophie, oh dear Sophie...remember when I said that I saw Mary and Sylvie using a speed I didn’t know they were capable of? Well, Sophie was part of that battle.

The prize being the trays that held cupcakes and brownies.

It was truly a battle of speed and wits.

"Uwaah...so nice, this water is so nice, right, Gail?"

"Mhmmm, on point, Maevis."

"Also, look, look! They float! It's just a bit, but they float! Do yours...ah...sorry."

"M-m, don't worry. I like them as they are."

"You also liked thighs more, right?!”

"Mhm, yep!"

Oh, what is that? That I should already acknowledge where I am? Is that what you are saying?

"My Lord, this outdoor bath is quite relaxing...how do you refer to it?"

"Onsen, Erevain, it’s a type of bath from Auros'...homeland. One thing though, I thought you would be more embarrassed about being in the nude."

Homeland...heh, yeah, as in world.

"Not at all, Miss Nerinne. There are similar shared baths in the capital, so I grew accustomed to this early on. Besides...My Lord has already seen everything, as I am sure Miss Nerinne knows."

"Fufufu~~, indeed."

Back on topic though. You are telling me that I should acknowledge that I’m in the onsen with all the Maid-Knights? That Nerinne is sitting on my right while Erevain is on my left? Or that Gabrielle is slowly but surely walking towards me in a really hot way while clearly having something daring in her mind?

WELL THEN, I SHALL DO SO!!

BECAUSE IT’S TRUE!! IT’S ALL TRUE!!

AS PROMISED!!

A FULL-ON FAN SERVICE SCENE WITH ALL THE MAID-KNIGHTS!!

FREE OF ANNOYING LIGHTS OR VAPOR CENSORSHIP!!

AND NO MINORS IN SIGHT!! WHY?! BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL PLAYING IN ANOTHER PLACE!!

As in, Sylvie is currently playing with Ilya and Celesia in the forest area. She volunteered to do so since she was the only one who had already taken a bath. Thank you, Sylvie! Also, Lorelei didn’t want to join us, so she went to the other baths.

Oh well…

ANYWAYS, YOU SHOULD THANK SYLVIE TOO! THANK HER A LOT! WITHOUT HER, THIS SCENE WOULD HAVE BEEN FAMILY FRIENDLY!!

BUT YEAH!! HERE IT IS!! SO MUCH HOTNESS! SO MUCH CUTENESS! SO MUCH…BEAUTY!!

A BREAST MOUNTAIN RANGE!! A THIGH PARADE!! A FEET GALLERY!! AN ARMPIT PARADISE!! A NAPE FESTIVAL! AN ABS BUFFET! A BACK EXPO! AND A BUTT HEAVEN!!

NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND!!

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!

"Come on, Mika! You don't have to be embarrassed! Didn't we have shared baths back in the Order's base?"

OH! LUCY IS TRYING TO BRING MIKA IN!! BUT SHE IS NOT BUDGING!! FURTHERMORE, SHE IS TRYING SO HARD TO LOOK AWAY!

"T-that is not the s-same as this! Being fu-fu-fully nude, with other women...it’s s-so....so embarrassing! A-also! Cover yourself! That is no way to—wah!"

She slipped!

"Fueeh!"

Mika slipped and...!

*pomf*

"Hyan!"

She fell on Lucy!! Her towel also fell along the way!

"Ahahaha…I know I’m cute Mika, but to jump at me like this...my heart is not ready for it yet, you know…?"

OOOOOOH WHAT IS THAT OBVIOUSLY FAKE YET SUPER CUTE MAIDENLY PURE FACE THAT LUCY IS MAKING WHILE SAYING THAT?! SHE IS EVEN LOOKING AWAY TO BOOST THE EFFECT!!

"Eh…? AAH! I-I’M SO-SORRY!!”

MIKA IS BLUSHING SO HARD RIGHT NOW!! OH, OH!! SHE IS SO FOCUSED IN TRYING TO APOLOGIZE THAT SHE HASN’T NOTICED THAT SHE IS RISING HER HEAD!

“SO SORR—!!"

AND THERE IT IS! SHE FINALLY SAW ALL OF US!! AHAHAHAHAH!!! SHE IS SO RED!!

Hm? Ara? Is she focusing on little ol’ me? Oh, nice, very nice, you have a good eye, Mika. Wait…that’s not it…ah, I see, I see…ehehehe…

Since I still have the towel on, she is focusing on me while trying to slowly walk away...

Ah…it would be a shame if a certain Goddess would pull on it with the hand that she has underwater and the krakens are released, ruining that plan.

"Fufufu~~~."

*towel off*

*bOOboing*

Oops.

"....!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

HAHAHAHA, SUMANAI, MIKA!! I COULDN’T HELP IT!! AHAHAHAHA, SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE IS ABOUT TO BURST!! HAHAHAHAHA!!

I BET THE SCENE IS REPEATING ITSELF OVER AND OVER IN HER MIND!!

AAAH, I WANT TO ACTUALLY LAUGH WITH MY MOUTH, THOUGH!!!

"...so big...gah…"

Mika.exe has stopped working. She is now in autopilot and is being led by Lucy to get her hair cleaned.

"Oh my, that was quite the well-timed accident, my dear Master. But I suppose Mika does need to grow accustomed to seeing all of us like this.”

"Hmph, I do not know what you are talking about.”

“Why, of course you do not, my dear Master. Ah…this position is quite comfortable by the way.”

Obviously! You are now sitting on my legs with your head resting on my chest! That’s arguably the best place possible! If you can't be on either side, be on the center! So smart of you, Gabrielle!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy the view from here and the feeling of your body over mine.

Ahh…so good…so firm yet soft…still I gotta say something so…

"Heh, it certainly should be.”

Nodding at my words, Gabrielle glances at Erevain and makes a smug smile, but not any kind of smug smile, no, one of victory.

And Erevain counterattacks with an unshaken smile and—OOF!! I MEAN, A VERY DARING ADVANCE TOWARDS ME AND MY LEFT ARM! SHE IS HUGGING IT AND I CAN FEEL EVERYTHING!

EVERYTHING!!

THIS PRINCESS!! SHE IS GETTING BETTER AT THIS!!

*DIVINE HUG*

YOU TOO, NERINNE?!

“Fufufu~~.”

THIS GODDESS!! DID YOU JUST PUT MY HAND ON YOUR INNER THIGH?! GNNNNN SO SOFT…!!

“My Lord…”

HNNNNN!!! AND NOW EREVAIN IS WHISPERING IN MY EAR?!

“My dear master…”

NNNNNNNGH! AND GABRIELLE IS LOOKING UP AT ME WITH THOSE GORGEOUS EYES OF HERS FULLY OPEN AND FILLED WITH LOVE WHILE MAKING SURE I FEEL HER SHAPELY BOTTOM IN A VERY DISCREET MANNER?!

“This is…”

...PARADISE!! A GLORIOUS PARADISE!!! ISEKAI SAIKOUUUUU!!!

__________________________________

Aaah...so refreshed...

I feel so refreshed now...

So much softness…and so varied…

And the asmr…

If we had been alone in the onsen, I would have…no, let’s stop here, I don’t want to get turned on right now…

Ahem…

After having a really good time in the onsen, we are all now in one of the meeting rooms inside the bath's facilities.

Yes, it has a meeting room.

Sí, we are all sitting on the floor.

Ja, it has sliding doors and tatamis.

Hai, I’m a weeb that walks the thin line between it and being a massive weeb...nah, I go back and forth repeatedly like a madwoman.

You know it fully well by now.

Heh.

By the way, we are all using the proper yukatas, which means one thing and one thing only…cleavage fest.

Yeeeeeees, hehe.

Also, more posters and merch designs!

You’re welcome.

Now, back to the room, in the center there is a big table and on it, there’s a map. That’s going to come in handy in a bit, so don’t forget about it.

"First, I want to congratulate all of you, once again, for a work well done in the Capital."

I say with a serious, yet proud edge alter tone.

"My Lord, I think that I speak for everyone here when I say that none of what happened here would have been possible without you taking us out from the dark pit we were in and Miss Nerinne’s support. And for that, we sincerely thank you.”

So says Erevain before standing up and bowing deeply, with the rest doing the same immediately after and…

""""""""Thank you."""""""""

…saying that in unison.

Everyone...I can’t help but smile for a moment, but…we still have things to do, so I immediately make that smile disappear and move on.

"Hmph, then let us look towards our next step as an Order. In a week from now we are to attend the coronation ceremony of Erevain's sister, Euphemia, as per the invitation of not only her, but also the people of the Kyrie Kingdom."

As I say that, I put a beautifully adorned already-opened invitation on the table, one that states what I just said and is literally signed by 'The People of the Kyrie Kingdom'.

The story behind it is kind of funny, as the people kept telling Ludovica on her morning service to contact us and invite us to the ceremony, it got to a point that she stopped what she was doing right there and then, and wrote the letter with everyone who was in the morning service at the time, turning the thing almost into an arts and crafts project, which is why it is beautifully adorned with lots of different drawings and stuff from those same people. 

And now that I think about it, it really suits Ludovica to do something like that, given her gyaru side…

Then, she came here and delivered the invitation while saying 'I already promised everyone! So you totes need to come!'. Also, Nerinne gave her a [Key] back at the feast...

I guess it’s revenge...but also for security reasons? I guess…?

"Indeed, My Lord. And I personally thank you for accepting to attend.”

“There is no need, Erevain. Invitation or not, I was going to make sure that at least you were able to attend. It is your younger sister’s big day after all.”

“…! Thank you, My Lord…”

She blushes and smiles lightly as she says that with a softer tone, a heartfelt tone, but just as I did a few moments ago, she too makes such smile disappear before continuing with the following:

“On the subject of invitations, we have also received them from all the allied countries. They are all formally requesting our presence. It is highly likely that they plan to ask for our assistance with problems that cannot be mentioned in these sorts of communications and prefer them to be discussed face to face.”

Right...those...they were completely filled with nice and polite language, and I sure want to explore the world and see its wonders, but…my isekai senses couldn’t stop tingling when I read them…specially the one that came from the Rosar Empire, which pretty much means that we should visit them next…

The thing is…

I don't want to!

I have a strong feeling that they will really be like the typical isekai cliché empire! Well, except the slavery since Nerinne banned it...

Although serving the Church sounds similar...

No, it is not Dear.

Really?

Yes! Mou…serving the Church as a criminal sentence means that they have committed acts that can only be forgiven by penitence and redemption. In simpler terms, they did a bad thing, so they now must do a good thing of equivalent scale, value, and must really mean it. They are not tortured, mistreated, or hurt on any way, shape, or form, as it would be hypocritical of those that follow my teachings to act like that, and I have been very clear about that. Those who serve in this way are given appropriate quarters, food, and even payment for their work outside their area of expertise. Like helping with the maintenance of shelters, public housing, hospitals, and so on. If it is their area of expertise, then it is considered part of their redemption. Of course, some of the people decide to not receive any payment as part of punishing themselves. Like Licht. In that case, money is deposited in a savings account, and it is given to them at the end of their sentence, which helps them get back on their feet. The penitence comes in the shape of having their magic monitored or sealed, with the worst offenders even having their skills sealed. They also can’t leave of their own free will until the end of their sentence, or they redeem themselves. Most people redeem themselves after some time and change for the better. Those that do not, keep trying until they do.

Wow...that...was a lot of telepathical exposition…it felt like a wall of text was just downloaded into my brain, but I guess it is my fault for saying such an ignorant comment...

Indeed, it was, dear.

Ouch...you are right, but ouch...

"And we have the Dragon Lords to be concerned about too. One of their Chosen has been slain, they will not stay quiet about it."

So says Erica, joining the conversation completely unaware of what just happened to my poor, innocent mind.

In any case…

"They shall not be a problem, Erica."

…I say that with confidence while slightly raising my hand to take back the mic, so to speak.

Of course, everyone reacts to my words with either puzzled or outright confused expressions, and that is all to be expected. After all, they have seen what the dragon lords are capable of doing for less, so this should cause a very strong response from them and yet…my instinct is telling me that I am right.

Why? Well, keep listening.

"Erevain."

“Yes.”

She nods after I turn to her, showing me that she already knows what’s on my mind without actually reading it, then she faces everyone, ready to explain what I meant.

"We have slain one of their Chosen and through that, we have delivered to them their first true defeat in this war. A fool would simply respond by throwing a stronger force at their enemy in hopes of defeating it. But let us remind ourselves of the following facts, there is no stronger force for them to throw at us for now and they are not fools. We know this. Violet Death, their oldest, their strongest, underestimated us and was defeated. They know that they cannot afford to repeat the same mistake. So, they will try to gather enough information about us and then..."

"...crush us."

I interject, slowly turning my hand into a fist to illustrate the point…and look cooler.

Also, I feel kind of happy that we are finishing each other's sentences. Anyways...got to talk now.

"For that, they need ways to make us take action and I can assure you that they shall use the next country we visit for it. That is why we shall make them wait, we shall make use of that cautiousness and take care of something else in the meantime. Something of equal importance."

With that, I pull everyone’s attention to the map on the table.

It is a zoomed-in map of a certain area outside of both the Kingdom’s and the Empire’s territories.

One where various mountains make something akin to a square and inside it there is an uncharted area with ‘Lost Forest’ written over it, sounds familiar?

"All of you should already know the importance of this area, as it is the place that Nerinne here designated as the location of our ‘nation’. As such, exploring that area will be our next goal. But that is not all, we shall also make a base there. And if there are people living there, then we shall take them in or establish a cooperative relationship with them. As for the main reason for all this, Nerinne shall be the one to tell us."

So I say, passing the metaphorical mic to Nerinne, who lifts her head from my right shoulder where she was so casually resting on and smiles at everyone before…

"In that uncharted area you will find the sealing chamber of an Emissary of the Evil God."

“““““““““““…!!!”””””””””””

…dropping that bomb like it's nothing and making everyone’s eyes go wide in shock. Oh and she is not done.

“Worse of all, its seal is weakening due to the constant resistance of the particular Emissary sealed inside it, one whose wrath has kept it awake all this time. And it is thanks to that weakening that its influence has started to leak out and corrupt the dungeon that one of the previous Knights of the Ever Burning Will created to protect the chamber. I had my reasons to not mention this before, but one of them is that the risk is low for now, as there are still a few years before the corruption reaches the outside and the Emissary’s seal is broken.”

If that last part sounded as if she was answering someone’s question to you, then you are right, because some of them probably asked that in their minds, judging by the surprised expressions they made just as she said that.

Also, for those wondering, this Knight did tell her where the sealing chamber was, so she is able to oversee it by focusing on it unlike the one under the Kingdom, which was kept secret from her.

"Having said that, with the matters related to the Kingdom almost settled, I ask you to chart the area that was lost in time for you, purify the dungeon and take the sealing chamber away from this world."

So she says as she goes full divine grace mode for a moment and yes…that last part was meant for me.

I mean, it is quite the effective measure if you think about it. Even if that thing were to break out from its seal, they would still be inside a cage that is inside another cage. The cages being the [Locked Space] and the [Mirror Space].

Simply put, there is no escaping.

ALSO, A DUNGEON! ISN'T THAT AN ISEKAI CHECK?!! YES, IT IS!! AND I’M SO HYPED ABOUT IT!!

"The Knight that sealed the Emissary of the Evil God and created the dungeon left someone there to guard it as its first line of defense. They are still alive, so please…reach out to them, as they shall be of great help in this mission.”

With that, she turns to me, as if telling me ‘say the other thing’ with her eyes and I oblige.

"The base that we shall build there will enable us to respond to anyone trying to free the Emissary in a more immediate manner. Of course, that same Emissary would be long disposed of, but they do not need to know that."

Heh, Kris just chuckled at that. Evangeline too.

"It shall also serve as the first step for something much, much bigger…the ‘nation’ we have told everyone that is there. And for that, we need a city.”

OH YES! WE ARE DOING THAT ISEKAI CLICHÉ!! NATION BUILDING ARC INCOMING!! LET’S GOOO!!

“““"""""...?!!!"""""”””

Heh, they are quite surprised at that...wait…they are actually shocked…so much so that some have turned into statues…oh dear….

I think you just broke whatever little remained of their common sense, dear~.

Uuu…I didn’t mean to…

"Fufufu~~, Ludovica is already aware of this plan, and she shall provide assistance for it, but first..."

Yes, Nerinne, do your thing, that will pull them out of their shock!

"...I ask this of you, oh Knights who bear the same name as those who fought beside me, Knights of the Ever-Burning Will, do you accept this quest and the dangers it implies?"

Oh yes, it’s working! Some are starting to glance at each other before smiling and…

"…heh…ahahaAHAHAHA!! Ya’ got it, Miss Nerinne! And that goes everyone here! No need to ask!! Hahahaha!!"

…there it is!! Well said, Kris!!

I CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS ARC! BUT FOR NOW…ROOOOOOLLL THE GACHA! I MEAN, THE CREDITS!!

_____________________________

At the same time as such a meeting took place, deep in a cavern located in the white mountains where Violet Death’s castle could be found, a Dragon Lord could be seen pouring massive amounts of mana into a magical circle.

Its horns had a strange dark luster to them and were similar to those of a buffalo. Meanwhile, the small scales that could be seen below his chin were of a very dark grey color, like graphite.

He also seemed to be quite the powerful Dragon Lord and yet…his expression was one of exhaustion, with bags hanging under his weary eyes, and sweat dripping down his face.

Not only that, but as he continued pouring even more mana into the magical circle, his breathing turned heavier and heavier, to the point that he had to hold back a coughing fit before...

"Argh…! I have been doing this for days now!! Come out, dammit!"

…he screamed that, clearly frustrated by not having the results he wanted from whatever he was doing, but then he mouthed a very annoyed and relieved ‘finally’ as the magical circle started to spin around.

“Nngh! So…b-bloody c-c-cold!!”

Sadly for him, his frustration and annoyance was far from over, as a freezing wind began to pour out from the spinning magical circle immediately after, and while being in such mountains meant to be exposed to an incredibly harsh cold, the cold he was experiencing was something much, much worse, for it was enough to instantly cover all his surroundings in a thick layer of ice and fog.

“Gah! My eyes, dammit! I really, really hate doing this!!”

But the cold was not the end of it, as a flash of light followed right after it, one so bright that it managed to completely blind him for a moment, much to his chagrin.

"Kaff...kaff…hngn…"

Still, as both his vision returned and the fog created by the sudden drop of temperature began to clear out, he was able to see something, no, someone, right where the magical circle had been.

Someone who was now down on their knees, coughing heavily, clearly having problems to breathe.

Although that was not going to stop the dark horned Dragon Lord from going off on them for all the trouble ‘they’ put him through. Indeed, it would not.

"About time! You know how hard it’s to take our kin out from their damaged spaces?! Too bloody much!! Now get up you waste of it!! I said get up!! Not only did you fail to obtain both the amount of Blood we need and the Emissary, but you also lost to a human! If I was in charge, I would kill you right here, but Master has need of you! So you now belong to him!  To Master Xetant! The Leader of the Chosen! And consider yourself lucky, because he shall provide you with the power to avenge your fallen failure of a Master, that old hag Sca—gurgh?"

And so…he did, he let out his frustrations on the still down someone and more, uttering things he truly should not have said. That is…until he was stopped cold by the icicles that had suddenly pierced his chest, leaving him to look down at them in confusion.

'When...?! I…?! How…?!'

Having lost his cool completely, such were the only things that were coursing through his mind as his entire body began to freeze…from the inside.

"Avenge...her? There is nothing...to avenge...hnn. She fought...a true battle…and lost...haa. My…Master…she…died on…gnn…her terms. She…was…fulfilled and that…brings me…joy."

As this someone filled the now quiet cave with their pained, melancholic voice, the eyes of the Dragon Lord trembled in terror, for he could feel it, the ice making its way towards his mouth, and worst of all…the maddening absence of any feeling on the rest of his body.

"I…on the other hand...was not even able to die...so pathetic of me…nghh. Even after losing in my own...true battle...I…did not…die.”

They–no…she stood up, regardless of how much her legs trembled or how hurt they were.

“Then again…she did not die in our first encounter either...”

Then, she willed herself to start walking, regardless of her doing so limply.

“Ah…yes…Master had a term for this…hngh…it was ‘friable tie’. Heh...it fits..."

With each frail step she took, she got closer and closer to the now frozen Dragon Lord.

“I shall…become stronger…to fight her again…to break it…and for that…”

And the moment she got to him, she placed her hand on his frozen head and crushed it without even glancing at it.

"...I do not need...him or his disgusting…help to do so..."

The rest of the Dragon Lord’s body followed suit soon after that, cracking and crumbling into pieces as she walked past it.

One of her horns was gone.

The other was missing its upper half.

Her right arm hanged from her shoulder, broken and healing very, very slowly.

Her armor was in tatters, pieces of it falling with every step she took, leaving most of her torso completely exposed and putting in plain view…a large vertical scar that went from her left shoulder to the very end of her stomach.

Her lance was broken, its tip having lost half of its beautiful and powerful blade.

But she was still alive.

And her eyes were now filled to the brim with a strong conviction, one that burned brightly for the sake of her goal, even in the blizzard that was her heart.

"Until...we fight again...oh worthy opponent of mine...Erevain…"

Such were her last words before she disappeared into the eternal winter of the mountains.

_____________________________

Meanwhile, in a grandiose government office in the Rosar Empire, a group of six people could be seen waiting for someone.

The place had an architecture that would remind a certain self-proclaimed protagonist of the Roman Empire of her former world.

Although, it was not completely identical, as the influence of magic and other resources only found in Arte bathed it with enough difference to stand on its own.

For example, the lighting came from walls themselves, or rather from the beautiful carvings on them, which formed a design that if followed it led to a majestic rose-like pattern in the cupule of the place

Of course, such carvings were not the only things on the walls, as both the flag of the Empire and the coat of arms of the Emperor also adorned them.

Regarding the colors that dressed the place, reds, golds, and whites were the most predominant, as they were a clear tribute to the faith of the Goddess and the Goddess herself.

The floors were so lustrous and unblemished that one could clearly see their reflection on them.

And carved on the magnificent pillars that supported the ceiling, there were moving figures, perfectly painted with a texture that resembled that of oil paintings, those figures told the glorious history of the Rosar Empire.

A history its citizens were not permitted to forget nor ignore, as the place they were in, the ground they walked in, all of it, was supported by the strong pillars of the past.

Such was one of the ways of the Empire of Rosar, one of the oldest countries of Arte, which was only matched by the elven kingdom, Deamis.

Truly, it was a place that oozed majesty…and might from any angle.

“I really hope this job is going to pay nicely! Everyone back at home would be very happy!”

So said one of the six people who were still waiting for someone, a muscle-heavy person who at first looked like an intimidating adult, with a scar that went all the way from his forehead to his chin, but his voice and the gleam in his eyes put both his age and attitude in doubt. Regardless of that though, he was carrying a massive axe on his back that was still dwarfed by his own size.

"Hshhhh…of courssssse the pay isssss going to be good. Thesssse guyssss don't call ussss unlesssss it issss something big, like you."

Answering to his words, was another member of such group of people, a disturbingly scrawny woman, one that many would underestimate as weak, feeble, and sickly due to her almost emaciated complexion. Her hair, which was supposedly black, looked dead and dry, only adding to sickly image. But the way she was sitting on the couch made it that she had no openings, at least to those who knew what to look for, those…experienced in battle.

That…and the couple of custom bladed scepters that were strapped to each of her legs.

"Hey! You know I don't like it when people make fun of my size!"

So exclaimed the scarred young one with a tone that showed that he was both annoyed and hurt by his comrade’s words.

"There they go again, aren't you going to stop them, babe?"

Leaning on the wall close to the sofas of the waiting area, an elven roguish-looking woman with red braided hair, a bow and a quiver on her back, and daggers on her hips, said that as she watched her two comrades start ‘fighting’ with each other, pointing at them with her chin to the human woman who was next to her.

A woman that was clearly annoyed not only by how the elf referred to her, but also by her flirtatious demeanor in general.

An annoyance that she made very clear with the cold tone she used as she…

"Psht, why? I don't care about them. I only joined you because I thought my brother could be in the Empire and that it would be easier to find him this way while also making a living. And for the nth time, I’m not your ‘babe’. Besides, they’re not going wild, they’re just butting heads as always. They know the Boss will scold them if they push it past that.”

…she said that while only giving a passing glance to her ‘fighting’ comrades, who were indeed butting heads, with the big one trying to push the scrawny one off the sofa, but the latter was not having it and was pushing back. It was truly quite the childish ‘fight’. One that did not even merit the attention of the guards posted all around the place.

In any case, the human woman had brown eyes and light brown hair, which was tied in a ponytail that went over her left shoulder. As for her weapon, or weapons, of choice, they were on her hands, as they were a set of lean, yet armored gauntlets with four retractable claws placed at the back of her hand, their tips being able to be seen through the exit holes located there. Meanwhile, the guard that protected her forearm had something engraved on it, a drawing of two birds in the same nest, with the bigger one protecting the small one from a strong wind, and on the chest of each one there was a letter.

The bigger bird had a ‘C’ on it while the smaller one had a ‘M’.

"Oh, come on, Carol, babe, don't be like that."

"Tch...there you go again."

Even more annoyed at the elf, Carol decided to leave her side and go to one of the sofas, but of course, the elf followed right behind her, not helping with her annoyance.

"Grrr…I’m getting reaaally impatient here. Boss knows I hate Imperial State buildings, so why is she taking so long?"

And sitting on one of them, was an impatient and clearly irritated male Kobold that could not stop tapping the floor with his right foot, all as he said that while snarling at the sight of some passing guards.

"Not even twenty minutes have passed since she entered the Sentinel’s office, Gran. Please, relax, it should not take that much longer anyway."

So said someone leaning on the back of that same sofa while never taking their gaze off the massive marble doors that were at the bottom of the lobby they were in, their voice was as androgynous as their entire body, their skin was a lighter shade of green and their hair looked like leaves…no, they were actual leaves, for that person was a dryad.

A couple of minutes later, the massive marble doors opened and a woman who seemed to be in her late twenties or early thirties came out, proving the dryad right. The woman had dark brown curled hair, cinnamon skin, and dark brown eyes. And while her well-built figure shined through her formal imperial clothes, they were gone in an instant, as she immediately equipped her clearly battle-tested heavy armor with magic, letting out a sigh of relief immediately after, clearly finding such formal clothes asphyxiating.

And just as her armor, two big, curved swords had appeared on each side of her hips, hanging from a belt.

As for her overall demeanor and expression, it could be described as intimidating yet strangely open, seeing as how she mouthed or waved hello to many of the guards and personnel she passed by with a friendly attitude.

Walking beside her was an old but strong looking man dressed in clothes that denoted quite a high military ranking and he was not fazed at all by the complete lack of etiquette the woman had showed. Instead, he just kept talking calmly with her after chuckling once, thinking ‘popular as always, heh’. After all, not only was she more than worthy of being exempted from such formalities, but such was usual with her.

Anyway, it did not take long for them to reach the waiting area and the group that was there, and when they did, the old man handed over two things to the heavily armored woman as he said the following:

"Here is the first half of the payment as previously agreed and the second half will come when the mission is accomplished, as always.”

First was a heavy bag of coins, so heavy that it would serve well as a weapon…

“Now, since I lost the coin flip with your Boss here, I shall be the one briefing you on the details of your mission."

“Heh.”

…and second was a map, which the now smugly smiling woman passed to the dryad, who proceeded to hold it in a way that everyone in the group could see, all while the old man activated a magical tool that prevented any sound and clear image to leave a certain area around it, making them all look like a silent mirage.

Then, after confirming that it was working, the old man started with his briefing.

“What you are seeing now is the area where our Wargs, Summoners and Priests have confirmed to be the place where an Emissary of the Evil God was sealed back in the Age of Legend. Something our long spanning records also agree.”

“““““…!!!”””””

“Oi, oi, oi, that true?! The fuck?!”

“Calm down, Gran. Let Sentinel Garcés here finish before you go off.”

“But Boss…!”

“Gran.”

“Grrr…fine.”

Gran’s outburst was more than understandable, as opening with such kind of information was bound to shock everyone and it did. Still, Sentinel Garcés was not over yet, just like the group’s Boss had said.

“As I was saying, it took some time, but the records are there. And as you all know, our motherland of Rosar is one of, if not the oldest and largest country in Arte. Because of that, we have the Goddess-given duty of guarding those sealed within our lands, a duty we proudly take on, regardless of who is on the Emperor’s seat. Still, after the events that transpired in the Kyrie Kingdom and some strange feelings of dread they have been recently having, our Emperor has decided to take a more…proactive approach.”

““““““…””””””

Everyone on the group already knew where such briefing was going, and it was showing on their faces, but the Sentinel still had to say it.

“Thus, your mission is simple, chart this uncharted land, this ‘Lost Forest’, find the sealing chamber, and check its status. If it is a worst-case scenario, you shall be a part of a larger operation to secure it at a later date.”

And he did, just as everyone expected.

That is…

“But…if you were to find her country before reaching the chamber, then you are to return immediately and report your findings. Emperor's orders."

…until he said that with an extremely serious tone, emphasizing the already obvious importance of such orders.

“Wait a second. So we are not actually looking for that chamber, but for that…Nightmare’s country, huh. It’s just that it wouldn’t look very nice on the report if the other thing was put as a secondary objective, right? That’s strange, because you didn’t mention that in our little talk and waited just after I took the money to say it. Kuku…and now that I think about it, it’s very convenient for you to have lost the coin flip, almost as if you lost on purpose.”

“Oh, please, it is not as if I used a modified coin for our little game. Now that would be quite dishonest of me and inappropriate of someone in my position, right?”

“You are being quite ballsy here, old man.”

“Ha! Do remember that I’m still a Sentinel, try and punch me, if you dare.”

With that, both the groups’ Boss and Sentinel Garcés glared at it each other while clenching their fists, the tension increasing as neither of them seemed to back down, and yet…none of the other members of the group seemed too preoccupied, rather…they all seemed strangely relaxed.

And the reason for that was…

"Ha! You got me good this time you old fox!"

"Heh, what can I say? This was the only way to get you to do this. Besides, I wanted to get back at you for that time when you left me alone in front of the whole Senate.”

“Hahaha, sorry about that one, you know I hate being stuck in those clothes for hours.”

“Yes, I sure do.”

…that such exchange between their Boss and the Sentinel was usual occurrence as those two were close friends.

“Anyways, formalities being formalities I still must ask you the following question. Do you accept this mission, Honorary Sentinel and Titanotite Rank Adventurer, Natalia Silver?"

Then again, the old man’s tone changed as he asked such question, gone was the shrewd and somewhat swagger-y friend and in its place was the man worthy of his rank, a man who followed the will of the Empire.

“…”

Before such question, Natalia glanced at her group, her party, gauging their expressions and looking for any sign of them disagreeing with what she was going to say.

There was none.

Not even from the Kobold, who simply went ‘do whatever you want’ when he felt Natalia’s gaze fall on him.

And so, she grinned and looked back at the old man before raising two fingers at him.

"Two things. You know damn well not to call me by that name when I am on the job. I am Argent. Second, adventurer is just a cute name for the kids to call us, we are mercenaries. And this Silver-Gold Mercenary Company never rejects a job after receiving the money, Sentinel Garcés. So yes, we accept."

With that, Natalia gave the old man a firm handshake, a very firm handshake, which he reciprocated.

"Amm…those were three things boss."

Said the big guy, sheepishly interjecting.

"What did I tell you about interrupting when adults are talking, Thomas?"

"Eeek! I’m sorry!"

_______________________

Unaware of everything that was happening in the lands outside of the natural rampart that were the mountains isolating their home, a certain creature descended from the heavens, landing in a clearing in the middle of what could only be described as a sea of trees.

The creature’s scales had such a lustrous shine and vivid color that they not only stood out even amongst the many shades of green found in such place, but it could be said that they could easily be mistaken as gemstones, as…jades.

Meanwhile, their wingless, serpentine body was both graceful and strong.

Truly, they were an exemplar variant member of their race.

They were…a dragon.

And behind them was a massive gate of stone carved into the foot of the mountain itself, a gate with the symbol of the Knights of the Ever Burning Will.

“My Rider…please endure. Help is on the way.”

 

To be continued...in Volume 2: DDD Gift.

 

 

(This is it! We have finally reached the last Epilogue of volume on—hm? What…? "Epilogue #?∳⌶┬ℌ⟱Ⅸ≙⤀▆"? This is…AH! RIGHT! THAT ONE! Sorry about that, but it seems we have one more left! And not only that, but the first half of this epilogue’s title is a hint for next one! As for what it’s about…well…there’s a very evil elephant in the room yet to be addressed, right? Heh. Anyways, you can also look forward to Auros’ stat sheet finally releasing with that epilogue and after that…OMAKES, AND NOT ONE, BUT TWO SIDE STORIES! LET’S GOO!!)