When I wake up, Bisha and Misaro are sleeping in the same bed as me.
「…So this is why I dreamed of being crushed…」
Honestly, we rented a four-person room, so there was no need to sleep in the same bed. Were they cold?
「Well, it is already winter now」
The room temperature is in the single digits. It’s the kind of morning where you turn on the air conditioner the moment you wake up.
「More importantly, why are you both naked? Are you followers of sleeping nude?」
I quickly pull the blanket back over them.
Believe in whatever lifestyle you want, but there’s a man here, so at least wear something. That kind of thing gives me a shock.
「Does this other world have too many nudists?」
I quietly slip out of bed, gather my underwear and equipment, and enter Home. Leaving the switch on.
I cover my lower half with the bath towel kept by the entrance and head to the central room. I let out a sigh of relief when I see that Ladarion and Miriel aren’t there. Proper appearance is required in the central room.
I take a shower, put on fresh underwear, and change into gear for the Pioneer.
「There’s quite a pile of laundry building up」
The plate carrier, chest rig, and gun belt are dirty too. I need to clean the guns as well.
「No matter how much I work, my life never gets easier」
I forget who said it, but those words perfectly describe me right now. The more I work, the harder life becomes. Haaaaaah.
Now is not the time for sighing. I need to restock food and ammunition. I never know when something might happen.
After replenishing the essentials, I bring some food outside.
The two of them are already awake, and they have evolved from nudists into civilized people.
「Bisha, lend me the heat sword」
Mishinie will probably glare at me again, but I draw the heat sword from its sheath, set it to one hundred degrees, and warm the room.
Once the room reaches around twenty degrees, I stop and pour water into a washbasin, heating it with the remaining warmth.
「Bisha. Wash your face with this」
「…………」
Bisha seems to be in a bad mood. She ignores me and starts washing her face. Is this her rebellious phase?
「Misaro. You can go take a shower in Home」
「You really are in serious condition」
「Hah? What do you mean?」
「I’m going to take a shower」
Misaro looks completely exasperated. At least explain yourself before going into Home!
「Honestly, I can’t keep up with women’s whims」
Maybe a real man would be able to deal with that, but I don’t have that kind of room right now. Peace takes priority over romance.
Even moody Bisha is in a better mood after breakfast, and once we prepare our gear, we leave the inn.
When I bring the Pioneer out of Home, the branch chief appears.
「Give this to Cyrus-sama」
He hands me a rolled-up sheet of parchment.
「Understood. Please look after Kainzel-san and the others when they arrive later」
After saying that, I start the Pioneer.
「…No wonder Rodos lost to this…」
Even while being shaken by the rough road, Misaro sounds impressed by the Pioneer’s speed. Come to think of it, does the Demon King’s army travel on foot? If they tell me they move around on dragons, I’ll force myself to buy an RPG-7.
「It’s the result of exterminating goblins」
That must be unpleasant for Misaro to hear, but it doesn’t change the truth. I can’t survive unless I exterminate goblins.
「It would help if you support us from inside Home. Though staying inside all the time would wear on you, so feel free to go outside now and then and refresh yourself」
「I’d appreciate that. I’m not good at fighting, and if I stay under the sun too long, my skin burns」
「So that’s the genetic abnormality the useless goddess mentioned」
When she said genetic abnormality, I thought it meant something like damaged organs or a short lifespan.
「People like us can’t live past twenty」
Us? That means there are others like Misaro?
「──Hm? Not past twenty? Misaro, how old are you now?」
「Seventeen」
「Buuuuuuu!!」 I spit out as I slam the Pioneer to a sudden stop.
「Haaah!? Seventeen?! Seriously?!」
That outrageous body is the kind a twenty-five-year-old would have! Underage is out of bounds! What kind of growth leads to that?!
「I developed slowly, so I’m poorly built」
No, no, no, you’ve developed more than enough! If that is poorly built, then what happens when fully grown? My poor imagination cannot even picture the finished form!
「…W-well, if the recovery medicine will fix it, then there’s no need to feel so down…」
Yeah. Let’s ban nudism inside Home. If Ladarion and Miriel start looking at me like I’m filth, my life bar will hit zero.
Pulling myself together, I start the Pioneer again. With a calm and empty mind, I head for Lasagna Village.
「Master!」
Just before reaching Lasagna Village, I spot Marg pedaling a mountain bike.
He has completely mastered riding it. Do six-year-olds really grow this fast?
「I’m back! How’s the village? Are people worried?」
「It’s fine! The adults are staying calm!」
Is that because this kind of thing happens often? Well, I’m glad they’re not panicking. We did send their husbands off to battle.
「Gorg and the others are safe! Tell Romy and the others!」
「Got it, leave it to me!」
Marg pedals off at full speed. He’s an honest and good kid.
「You make a gentle face」
「Seeing children able to laugh is something heartwarming, isn’t it?」
That is exactly the kind of world I want. I’d like to spend my old age in a world like that.
When I circle around to the manor, perhaps having noticed the Pioneer’s engine sound, the remaining staff, Sierra, and Cyrus-san all come outside.
「Thanks for holding things down while I was gone. The Demon King’s army has been wiped out. Not a single person died」
I step down from the Pioneer and tell everyone that.
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