[Luna POV]

The next morning, I sat up in my bed and stretched.

 

“Ugh, my neck hurts.”

 

{Did you lay down weird?}

 

“Seems like it.  Nothing some healing magic can’t fix though.”

 

I placed my hand on the spot that hurt and started using healing magic on it.

 

“Mmmmm.  That feels way better than I expected it to.”

 

{Oh?}

 

“It’s like the feeling you get when you first sit down in a hot spring and you feel all the stress leave you.”

 

{I love that feeling.}

 

“I know you do.  Anyway, I think it’s time for all of us to go back to the Dwarf Country.  There are a few more things I want to see before we move on from there.”

 

{What do you want to see?  Also, isn’t this too early?  Don’t you usually stay in whatever capital city of whatever country you go to until you participate in a festival and get a new tail?}

 

“I realize that that’s how the pattern has been so far, but I by no means have been doing that on purpose.  Things just aligned in such a way for that to be a regular occurrence.  Also, I want to see the scenery that we ran through the other day.  It’s been in the back of my mind.  Other than that, there is the promise I made with Soleil about letting her shout things off the top of a mountain and finding a volcano.  After that we can move on to other things.”

 

{The other things after this are the merfolk, right?}

 

“Yeah, unless something else comes up, which knowing my luck, will probably happen in spades.”

 

{That’s not all bad since it keeps things exciting.}

 

“True.”

 

I stood up and changed my clothes before turning to the door.

 

“Oh, and Cerberus, be good.  I know Tamamo will take good care of you and if Atmos ever shows up, be nice to her.  But if she tries to prank you or something, feel free to get back at her.”

 

I heard Cerberus bark in the background.

 

{I’ll even provide extra treats if you do that.  But ONLY in retaliation, never be the one to start something, especially with Atmos.}

 

Another bark was heard which cause be to chuckle.  Once I was out of my room and walking through the hallway, I saw Mio leave her room as well.

 

“Morning, Mio.” (Luna)

 

“*Yawn*  Morning nya.  How was your nyight nya?” (Mio)

 

“Good and relaxing.” (Luna)

 

“Nyice nya.  By the way, do you have anything that helps with tails of the not thick and fluffy type nya?  For some reason recently mine haven’t been up to the standard that I like nya.” (Mio)

 

“Mind if I take a look?” (Luna)

 

“Go ahead nya.  The gods knyow how many times I’ve felt yours nya, so you touching mine is fine nya.” (Mio)

 

I walked up to Mio and gently grabbed onto one of her two tails.  I stroked it for a few seconds before moving onto the second one.

 

“Hmmm.  Have you been neglecting them recently?” (Luna)

 

“Nyo nya.  I’ve been taking extra care of them nya.” (Mio)

 

“Then you might be taking too much care of them.  You need to find the perfect balance if you want to maintain the maximum fluff to silkiness ratio.  For tails like yours, I’d say you should brush them once every other day followed by a moderate scrub with your preferred product every three days with the exception of if you are in a fight and get dust, dirt, blood, or other battlefield grime on yourself.  Same applies to your hair.  Also, don’t use copious amounts of it since too much can have the opposite effect you want.” (Luna)

 

“I see nya.  I guess I’ve been a bit overattentive since I got together with Fen nya.” (Mio)

 

“A completely understandable predicament.  You’re always striving to be just that little bit better for your partner.” (Luna)

 

“Indeed nya.  Nyow, I’m hungry nya, so what do you say to food nya?” (Mio)

 

“My sentiments exactly, my eternal friend.  Let us eat till we’re full before journeying forth.” (Luna)

 

“Nyahaha!  Let us go, my eternal friend nya.” (Mio)

 

After laughing for a bit, we made our way to the dining room.  There, I pulled out some food from my inventory.  It seems that everyone else was just as hungry as we were since they all soon joined us in the dining room.  Over breakfast I went over what I was planning to do in regards to the Dwarf Country.

 

“All in all, we’ll be doing whatever there for a week or two more, did I get that right?” (Skadi)

 

“Depends, is that how long it takes to reach a volcano?” (Luna)

 

“I mean, it’d be easy to find one if we just walked on the surface.  When Ophidia and I went to the city to report, I saw several long tubes that, when I asked someone, go to the surface.” (Skadi)

 

“Those were weird.  Honestly, the whole city looked weird.  It felt kind of hot, but not in the way summer is, but more like the forest after rain.  What’s the word for it?” (Ophidia)

 

“Humid.” (Velvet)

 

“That’s it.  It was a very humid place, especially in the areas where there were a lot of those metal pipes.” (Ophidia)

 

“Hmm.  So a lot of the capital is steam powered.  Interesting.” (Luna)

 

“You know about this kind of stuff?” (Velvet)

 

“Not as much as some other people, but I can tell some of the most barebones of basics.  Basically, the dwarves in the capital use steam to power stuff.  I wouldn’t be able to go into too much detail until I actually see the place, but if the dwarves ever export this stuff outside of the country, then the world will probably start to develop on a technological level.  Though I can also see this as something that probably would only work in the Dwarf Country.” (Luna)

 

“Then let’s finish up here.  I’m excited to see what this place is going to be like.” (Soleil)

 

“Let’s.  Oh, and I have a request as well while we’re in the Dwarf Country.” (Skadi)

 

“What’s up?” (Luna)

 

“I’d like it if we could find somewhere that sells orichalcum.  I need some so that I can repair my sword.  I haven’t had is serviced in about 100 years now, so I think it’s about time I do so.” (Skadi)

 

“You know, I forgot this is where we’d have the best chance to get orichalcum.  I’d like some as well in case I ever come up with something that Blake can help me make.” (Luna)

 

“Honestly, I kind of want some now so I can upgrade my sword.” (Velvet)

 

“Then why don’t I commission Blake to make you an orichalcum whip-sword and Ophidia some gauntlets?  I want my Apostles to have the best of the best equipment after all.” (Luna)

 

“What about me?” (Soleil)

 

“Some magic catalysts maybe?  Since you mostly use magic, but not wands or staffs, I can only think of some rings and maybe a necklace or something to amplify your magic.” (Luna)

 

“Hehehehe.  I must be popular if big sis is offering to give me a ring.  Too bad I’m already spoken for.” (Soleil)

 

“…” (Luna)

 

“…” (Velvet)

 

{…}

 

“Yeah, that sounded better in my head.  Please ignore my words and forget I ever said that……*sigh*” (Soleil)

 

“Oooookkkkk, so shall we go then?  Things to do, places to go, things to see.  Let’s finish this trip to the Dwarf Country.” (Luna)

 

Everyone stood up and gathered around either me or Ophidia.  We then teleported away.

 

Chaos Realm:
Atmos: I don't know how I feel about this.

About which part?

Atmos: About how Cerberus was given permission to retaliate against me.

Order: You should have expected that though.

Atmos: I did, but hearing it from both Luna and Tamamo still shocks me.  Well, not from Luna, but definitely from Tamamo.

Astraea: Tama!  Luma!  Atmus!

Order: So close, Astraea.  It's Tamamo, Luna, and Atmos.

Astraea: LuuuMA!  Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehe!

...!

Order: Payto, code I.

Already on it.

Crisis: I'M BBBBBBAAAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKK!  And I bring Evelyn!

Astraea: Evelyn!

Evelyn: Astraea!

Crisis: Oi!  What's with this annoying barrier around my head?

Order: It's there to keep your yelling from being too loud.  It'll be removed when you stop yelling everything.

Crisis: Psh.  Me, loud?  Perish the thought.  Everyone else's ears are just too sensitive.

Atmos: Exactly!  Finally someone else gets it!

*Snap*

Atmos: OI!

Order: Hehehehe.

Kukukuku.

Evelyn: Heh.

Crisis: Oi, not you too, Evelyn.