Volume 2 Chapter 9

Volume 2 Chapter 9: Exchange with a long-time familiar hero

The hero of magic, Saki, was rubbing her head on me while hugging.

「Ufufu, the smell of the real Axel, not a fake one. It’s been several months since I’ve last done this, it was about to turn ugly without my refill.」

She said with red cheeks and a happy expression on her face.

In the old days, when I still was a dragon knight, she often would do this, through casual clothes or even on the armor. While I was recalling the past with nostalgia—

「Oh my, your body was always kept in a cleansed state by the power of that helm, so the smell was much weaker… And now that that thing is gone. Marvelous. Haa……I’m getting excited……!」

With her face tightly pressed onto me, she started to take deep breaths. Furthermore—

「I must go with this flow and confirm the smell of the underwear as well……」

「Hey, don’t pull my pants.」

「Hyan.」

She put her hand on my pants, so I stopped her by grabbing her head.

「Uuuh, you meanie…」

「That’s because you are trying to strip me in public. Look around, no one knows how to react.」

Looking around, Lilac was standing there in complete shock with her eyes wide open, Marion was gaping in astonishment, and Berzelia deeply furrowed her eyebrows and was puffing her cheeks.

And all three of them were silent. That was a pretty awkward silence.

「It’s fine. I simply move according to my desires. Axel is the most important.」

「Aah, really? You didn’t change at all.」

Only when I said that the freeze on Marion was finally released.

「E-Ehm, sorry to interrupt your passionate exchange but, can you introduce this girl to us, Axel-san?」

「Ah, yes. Sorry for showing you something strange. She is the hero of magic called Saki.」

I pull Saki away from myself and show her face to Marion and others.

Then, she turned to them with a cold smile and spoke—

「Hello. Saki Lysnoir. Axel’s best partner. Thank you for looking after my husband.」

Saying that she lowered her head in a bow. Berzelia was the first one to react to those words.

「Haha, you are good with jokes, Hero of Magic Lysnoir. I’m the one who knows master the longest, and he has never been your husband.」

「Ufufu, oh no. Bronze Dragon Monarch Hydra. I wasn’t joking at all. All of it will come to pass in the future.」

「Hahahaha, you leave so much room for a retort, it’s really funny.」

「Ufufufu, there is nothing funny about the truth.」

And after Berzelia and Saki laughed they started some kind of a fight.

After seeing that, I turned to Marion and Lilac—

「——Well, as you can see, we are old friends.」

When I explained so, Marion showed a stiff smile.

「Well, you certainly seem to know each other, but I kinda see dangerous sparks from these two, scattering around, is it my imagination? Also, Saki and you don’t look like simple comrades……」

「Hm, well, a lot happened between her and me, so we now have a pretty complicated relationship. And their argument will stop soon enough by itself. —Here, look at that.」

When I looked at Saki again, it seemed that the argument was mostly over.

「But well, for bringing Axel this far, you have my gratitude, Dragon Hydra.」

「Thank you for your praise, Hero Lysnoir.」

They switched to glaring at each other with expressions that appeared like smiles yet not quite.

「……They seem to get along, or rather, quite in a sync.」

「Right? …Well, they just got a bit too excited this time.」

I notice the black magic power scattered around. This faintly chilly thing was one of the skills that the hero of magic possessed. Matching her emotions, heat or coldness can be given to that magic power, allowing it to affect the surrounding environment, but—

「Saki, it’s about time you do something about the emission of this magic power. People will start complaining about coldness soon.」

This store isn’t hot enough to require a cooler. So when I tell her that, she agrees apologetically.

「You are right. I’m sorry. I was too happy so my magic went out of control. I’m still unskilled in controlling my emotions… But well, it can’t be helped. Upon meeting Axel and sniffing your smell I abandoned all reason required for control.」

「What a great self-analysis. Anyway, from now on don’t just throw away your reason.」

「I will persist to the best of my ability!」

I have received a reply that showed no signs of possible improvement, but that’s how she was since the old days, so I will just continue to tell her off.

While thinking that, I turn to Lilac.

「My friends caused a commotion. Sorry about this.」

「Ah, yeah, well, this much is not a big deal. I also saw something pretty interesting, like a conversation between heroes and their comrades. So don’t worry about it.」

For a moment Lilac was confused by my words, but soon she donned a sly smile and shook her head.

「Thank you, Lilac.」

While appreciating her being such a broad-minded person I give a bow. Then—

「So, Saki. What did you come here for? It seemed like you had some business with me…」

I asked the main cause of this commotion about her business. Then, she looked at me with almost sparkling eyes—

「The wish to meet you is my only reason! After defeating the Demon Lord, I could not get my fill of your smell, so I was suffering all this time. And I also heard that you resigned as a dragon knight! They call you a carrier, but surely this is but a camouflage. So I also was curious about the job the Temple of Job Change assigned to you. Anyway, I wanted to meet Axel and talk a whole lot!」

Upon hearing that, I remembered the face of the hero at the City of Stars. Then, I deemed that we should calm down and have a talk.

「……Well, I don’t mind telling you. However… Lilac. Can we talk in this store?」

She already caused troubles with the chill from her magic power, so I asked Lilac if it’s still okay to use the place, to which she made a strained laugh while scratching her cheek.

「Well, no problem. Or rather, there is a private room at the back, so if you are about to have a confidential conversation, you can use it. However, in regards to the manifestation of that magical power, I would like to ask you to keep it in moderation.」

「I’m of the same opinion, so I will persuade her, —— Then, I will take you up on your offer and we will use the private room. Can we also ask for food and drinks?」

「No problem. Or actually, being able to display my skills to the heroes is a great honor, leave it to me. I’ll make it so delicious that you won’t be able to concentrate on your talk.」

「Haha, please do. Well, let’s go, you two.」

Thus, in a new city, we were about to have a great chat with an old friend.