After the light dissipated, we returned to my mansion.
It’s the familiar mansion I’m used to seeing, and it feels like it’s been a long time since I came here.
We are standing in the garden, the same place where we left.
「Did we……return?」
「Let’s test it」
I opened my Different Dimension Warehouse and took out my Warp Feather.
Using this item, I can teleport to places that I’ve visited before. However, it looks like it’s limited to each era.
When we came to the past, I couldn’t warp to the places I’ve been in the present.
I wrapped an arm around Io’s waist and invoked to warp to Maraton’s Spring.
The Warp Feather did not show a reaction.
Following that, I invoked to warp to Orycuto’s Valley.
The scenery in front of me changed instantly. I arrived at Orycuto’s Valley together with Io.
There are colorful rocks and boulders created by the surrounding magic powers here. It’s the valley where the monster called Orycuto lives in.
「It looks like……we’re back in the present」
「I guess so. Look, he’s running away」
「Ah! Orycuto」
At the place I’m pointing to, the lord of the valley, Orycuto, was running away from us desperately.
「Since he’s running away like that, then he should know us. In other words, it’s the Orycuto in our era」
「That’s true. How nostalgic」
「Try dropping a lightning on him」
「Eh?」
Io looked at me with a surprised face. “Orycuto didn’t do nothing though……”, was written on her face.
「The power you got from Eleanor, I want to know if you were able to bring it here」
「I see. Understood」
Io nodded and after taking a few steps away from me, she raised her magic staff.
Her magic powers rose, her clothes fluttered in the air.
「Eleanor’s Dark Lightning!」
After she chanted, she pointed her magic staff towards Orycuto.
A dark lightning fell from the sky, landing on Orycuto. Although the lord of this valley is virtually immortal, his only weakness is lightning. With that single stroke of dark lightning, half of its body melted.
「Amazing……」
The one who used the magic was the most surprised seeing its power.
「It looks more powerful than your Hundred Lightning Array」
「Yes……to think that it was such a strong magic spell……is it okay to receive such thing?」
「Just receive it thankfully. The stronger the magic spell, the more it consumes magic power. If you can cast it, then no one would complain even if it’s something you got from another person」
「Yes」
Io nodded submissively. She stared intently at her hand.
She looks as if she could not believe that it was really her own power.
I took her with me and warped back to my mansion.
At almost the same time we returned, there was a knock on the door.
「Master, are you here?」
It’s Miu’s voice. How nostalgic.
「I am. Enter」
「Please excuse me」
Miu entered the room and as soon as she saw my face, she looked blank.
「What’s the matter, Miu」
「Eh? Ah, it’s nothing. There’s a visitor for Io-san. It’s Agnes-san and Julisan」
「Agnes and Julia is here?」
「Let them in」
「I understood」
Miu bowed and after taking another look at my face, she left the room.
What’s up with her? Is there something in my face?
And when I was thinking about that, Agnes and Julia entered the room.
The girls in Io’s party. Agnes is carrying a heavy sword while wearing rough clothes, and Julia looks like a modest and neatly dressed priestess.
「We have been searching for you, Nee-san」
「Onee-sama, you were here」
The two girls quickly ran to Io.
「I’m sorry, Agnes, and Julia too. I’ve been away for a long time」
Because of our time travel, Io apologized to the two since we were out on a wonderful adventure, but the two looked back at her with a puzzled look.
「What are you saying, Nee-san. We met yesterday right?」
「Eh? Yesterday?」
「Yes……we have just finished the quest we received from Her Highness Princess Helene with Onee-sama……」
「Isn’t that, the day before we left……」
「「Eh?」」
Agnes and Julia let out a voice at the same time and tilted their heads.
Io looked at me with a face of confusion.
I see, it was like that huh.
「We probably returned to the time right after we left. It’s time travel after all. It’s a common thing」
「I-It’s something common huh」
「Yeah」
It’s a common thing. Like what happened to Urashima Tarou.
But of course, I didn’t tell her that the opposite is also a common thing.
But, I see. The days we spent on the past doesn’t matter, we just returned as soon as we left.
That is quite, convenient for many reasons.
「Rather than that, Nee-san. We have a quest」
「Quest?」
「It’s an S-Rank subjugation quest from the Guild. We can’t deal with it with just the two of us, so we would like to ask Onee-sama to come with us」
「S-Rank subjugation……that sounds difficult……」
While Io was muttering like that, she glanced at me.
The Adventurer Guild’s quests have different levels of difficulty even in the same rank.
A subjugation quest is literally defeating something, so of course, it has the highest difficulty within the same rank.
And if it is an S-Rank subjugation quest, you could say that it is a quest of the highest difficulty.
I understand why Io would feel worried.
「Go」
「Eh?」
「Go and show your strength」
I said that and gestured a lightning falling from the sky using a finger.
Io saw that and took a sharp breath.
Eleanor’s dark lightning. I told Io to master that skill and show everyone her strength, and Io understood.
「I understood, I’ll go now」
「Alright」
Io took Agnes and Julia with her with a confident face.
Although it’s true that the danger in accepting an S-Rank subjugation quest is high, Io should be fine.
『Even if it was only for an instant, she surpassed me and even learned a skill from me』
Eleanor who was silent ever since we returned said.
『And speaking about skills, there’s another one. Hikari』
『Un, I’ll try it〜』
After Hikari said that cheerfully, her blade faintly shone.
Soon after, one drake was summoned.
「I see, just like how it was with Io, you also brought them here」
『Exactly. Hikari, can you turn its appearance into a human?』
『I can do it〜』
The summoned drake immediately turned into a human, more specifically, a soldier.
It’s a skill that Eleanor taught Hikari in the past, a skill that was also used on the battlefield.
Just like Io, she was able to use the skill that she learned in the past even after returning to the present. Hikari also showed powerups.
I felt happy about that, butーー
『Good job, Hikari. You should be able to do it now』
『What can I do〜?』
『Umu, that is……』
Eleanor’s voice became silent.
The Demon Sword’s voice that echoes inside my head. Is it because I’m not hearing it using my strengthened ears? Unusually, I was unable to hear what she was saying.
『Un, I got it! Otou-san, wait for a while okay〜』
After Hikari said that, she returned to her human form and trotted out of the room.
「Hey, Hikariーーshe left already…… What was that about?」
『You’ll find out soon. I taught Hikari that technique for this』
Eleanor only said that and became silent.
Although I could somewhat tell she’s probably enjoying something, but what is it?
I got curious, but since Eleanor is not willing to talk about it, she probably won’t tell me even if I force her.
And Hikari told me to wait for a while, then that is what I’ll do.
I sat down on the bed.
I might be a little bit tired.
Traveling to the past was unexpectedly exhausting.
Maybe I should rest early today. But when I was thinking like that, Hikari returned.
「I’m back, Otou-san〜」
「Myu〜」
Hikari was carrying Chibi Dragon with a hug.
It’s Hikari and Chibi Dragon’s combination I haven’t seen for a while.
The heartwarming scene of the two of them together is really effective to my tired body.
「Welcome back. What’s the matter, bringing her with you」
「You’ll know soon. O-chan, are you ready〜?」
「Myu〜, myu〜」
Chibi Dragon looked up to Hikari while crying myu〜 myu〜.
“Are they going to do something?”, I thought so I waited.
Hikari put Chibi Dragon on the ground. After that, she got on her knees and matched her eyes with Chibi Dragon.
Chibi Dragon and Hikari stared at each other. Soon after, Hikari’s body released a faint light.
The light repeatedly blinked and enveloped Chibi Dragon.
What’s going on? This feels familiar.
And when I was recalling what it was, Chibi Dragon’s appearance disappeared.
「Hikari?」
「Wait just a bit more okay〜?」
Hikari said that and groaned cutely like “Mumumumu〜”, with closed eyes.
And then, Chibi Dragon was summoned. Just like how the drakes did.
『This is the real part』
「Un! Hikari will do her best〜!」
「Real part? What do you mean」
『I taught that technique to Hikari for this』
Eleanor said that and got silent again.
Hikari’s small body released light once again and that light enveloped Chibi Dragon.
After the light flashed, the one standing there was,
「Huh? This is……arere〜?」
「Olivia?!」
「Human?! But why? It’s still a long time before I grow, why?」
「……it was like that huh」
I looked at Eleanor.
It’s for this that she taught Hikari the Demon Sword’s skill to summon the drake soldiers and change their appearance.
Hikari’s best friend, Chibi Dragon.
The Dragon King Olivia who wished to continue living just to meet me, even becoming a Red Dragon and reincarnate.
She entered the household(kenzoku) of a Demon Sword, enabling her to be able to return to her former form immediately.
「……ah! It was like that huh」
「As expected, you noticed it too」
「I should’ve realized it the instant Hikari learned this skill」
「Sorry〜, Okasan told me to keep it a secret」
『Kukuku, what a nice surprise it is, right?』
Well, yeah. I didn’t think we would get reunited like this.
I looked at Olivia, and Olivia looked back at me.
The Dragon King’s eyes teared up and she looked as if she would cry any time now.
「I really missed you!」
Olivia said and jumped into my armsーーbut.
*Puff!*, there was a sound as if the air leaked, and Olivia returned to Chibi Dragon halfway.
When she entered my arms, she completely returned to Chibi Dragon, and I felt like my pet dog jumped onto me.
「What’s going on?」
「Arere〜? I thought I could return O-chan a little bit longer」
「It lasted a long time with the drake soldiers right?」
『Well, the tens of seconds is the limit since she is a Dragon King. Hikari, you need to work harder』
「That’s why, huh」
『By the way, if it was me, I could make her last long enough to have a “match” with you』
「As usual, you’re really competitive when it comes to Demon Sword’s matters」
I felt that it was a bit funny.
Chibi Dragon……Olivia cried myu〜myu〜 in my arms with a sad face.
I stroked her head.
「Don’t rush, I’m here with you」
I told her that.
Hikari carried Chibi Dragon with a hug and left the room.
After having a contract, she is now a part of Demon Sword Hikari’s household, but their relationship didn’t change.
Hikari and Chibi Dragon, they’re still best friends.
I was left inside my room.
I feel a bit tired after all.
Although it was not even a day in this present era, I had a long journey in the past.
Because of that, my exhaustion appeared all at once.
『You should rest now for today』
「I’ll do that」
“I should just sleep nowーー”, but when I was thinking of that.
There was a light knock on the door.
「Enter」
I answered and Miu entered.
My slave maid is carrying something using a golden platter.
「What’s the matter, Miu」
「This, it’s a fragrance I received from Delfinsama. It really works on fatigue」
「You got something like that from her? I mean, a present from Delfina huh. That sounds expensive」
「Yes. With just this single piece, it looks like it is as expensive as our mansion」
「That much?! What kind of fragrance is that」
「I was told, “keep yourself healthy for your master” when I received it」
「She unexpectedly kind……well, probably not」
『Umu, it’s that Delfina. It’s probably an upfront investment for something』
「She probably wants Miu. I won’t give her though」
And while Eleanor and I were saying that, Miu came to the side of the bed while carrying the platter, and lit the fragrance.
The fragrance quickly dispersed with smoke, delivering a pleasant scent.
「Miu?」
「Uhm, it’s because Master looked more tired than usual」
I was surprised.
I see. That’s why Miu looked at me twice when she left the room earlier.
『An impressive maid. To think that she is able to notice something about you that no one else did』
「Of course. Miu is the best maid in the world」
「Fuee?!」
Miu who can’t hear Eleanor’s voice let out a surprised voice.
And that Miu looked so lovely.
I gestured to her to come near me while sitting on the bed.
「Come here, Miu」
「But, Master is tired」
「That’s why. I’ll MofuMofu you while lying on the bed」
「ーー! Yes!」
Miu waved her tail and came to me happily.
I embraced her and dropped down onto the bed.
The fragrance quickly filled the room, and while feeling my body relax,
I continued to MofuMofu Miu.