Volume 3 Chapter 11

Somehow, we managed to conquer the Golden Pyramid. After solving the mystery of the pyramid, we entered the treasury which was being protected by the Sphinx. The first time I attempted to solve the mystery, I had answered incorrectly and got thrown down into the basement.

[Youya, treasure~~] (Luna)

[This. Is the most amazing treasure chest in the world isn’t it?] (Til)

Although they were completely exhausted with hollow eyes earlier, the two children, Til and Luna who were dragging their feet lifelessly had become energetic again.

[Ah. It’s a treasure chest with a higher ratio of rare items as compared to a normal chest. It will always be here in the Golden Pyramid and it respawns here every week. Well, more importantly, let’s retrieve the necklace.] (Youya)

The necklace was a necessity to increasing our party’s limit to five. From the beginning, I had always hoped that we would be having a five-men party as the experience values gained from hunting monsters would always increase by 1.1times depending on how many additional party members there are. Furthermore there are also recovery spells and enchantment spells which only benefit the whole party. There is a variety of other benefits but essentially a five-men party would be much more efficient.

Within Flaregard, there was also a boss monster which I would like to challenge and in order to defeat it, it’ll be easier to be familiar working as a five-men party. Regardless, we’ll be the underdogs in the contest for the boss monster as we will have to get past the obstruction of other adventurers plus be the first to arrive at the boss room.

I grabbed the necklace with a rusty chain and an impression large enough to fit a jewel. I took out the Thread of Bond from my bag which we obtained from the Minotaur and brought it close to the chain. The silver thread began glowing as it wrapped itself around the rusty chain, turning the chain silver with a beautiful silver shimmer. Then, the light concentrated itself into the impression as a blue jewel with a unique emblem appeared in the impression. After confirming the item was completed, I equipped the necklace.

[Everyone, leave your current party at once.] (Youya)

The girls nodded as our current 2 men and 3 men parties were cancelled. Then, I invited everyone to my party.

[Uhn! We’re finally a party with five people!] (Luna)

[With this we have the best possible party members!] (Til)

[It feels like we can do anything with this party.] (Selene)

[Once again everyone, please take care of me from now on.] (Phil)

[Speaking of which, I forgot something important. We have to think about our party name from now on. It’ll be much more convenient for us to accept quests as well as for nominated quests to reach us if we had one.] (Youya)

To a certain extent, nominated quests can only be issued once we have a party name. As for the clients of the quests, they would only arrange a nominated quest for urgent matters or quests with an extremely high difficulty for a trustworthy party rather than wait for a random adventurer to accept it. Nominated quests often had extremely high nomination costs and it was even more attractive as there aren’t any competition for the quest. The one quest I had accepted was a quest asking me to head over to Selene’s kingdom, the Laluzulu Kingdom. Aside from these there are other convenient reasons to have a party name.

[Youya-niisan. We’re in trouble if you were to suddenly ask us that. We won’t be able to decide that in this situation.] (Til)

[Uhn! It’s our precious party name. It’s something we should decide properly.] (Luna)

Luna and Til were unexpectedly giving mature responses.

[About that. What was Youya-ojisama old party name?] (Selene)

I hurriedly closed Selene’s mouth with my hands

[Muguu.muguu?] (Selene)

With a red face, Selene continued to struggle.

[Uh. About that, when we are deciding on our party’s name, be sure not to come up with a strange name. It’s better to avoid any strange impressions with our name.] (Youya)

It was a mistake in my youth. Back when it was just Leonard and Phil, I came up with a strange name while we were drinking. It is a name that I absolutely do not want to tell the girls.

[Waaaa. Uwahh. I understand so please release me Youya-ojisama.] (Selene)

[If you understand then that’s fine.] (Youya)

Because of this, I recalled the name of my previous party.

[Have you decided on a name for the Magic Pet? Once we enter the hot springs, the monster is ready to be born.] (Youya)

[Uhn. Perfectly!] (Luna)

[Everyone has thought about it properly!] (Til)

[Yes. We have a nice name prepared. It’s a cute name, and it is appropriate regardless of its gender.] (Selene)

Looks like I was just worrying excessively. Once we return, we’ll go ahead and enjoy the hot springs.

[In that case, let’s hurry up and return. Luna, it’s up to you.] (Youya)

[Leave it to Luna.] (Luna)

Luna began unlocking the treasure box. It was Luna’s job to open any chest we come across as thieves had a special skill, Lockpicking which allows them to disable any traps that may activate after opening the chest. This was important as there is a slight possibility of having the contents of the box damaged from the trap. Furthermore, this wasn’t just a normal treasure box, but a rare treasure box. I’m excited to find out what is inside the box. Luna managed to unlock the chest safely as she opened the chest.

[What is this?] (Luna)

Luna held a cool-looking bell in her hand.

[Hou. That is a pretty nice item. It’s a Repel Bell. Once you shake the bell, it makes it difficult for monsters to approach us whenever we are exhausted, making it pretty useful.] (Youya)

(Note: I don’t know any appropriate names for the item so… If anyone dislikes it then offer a suggestion to me! 魔除けの鈴)

[Hurray! Treasure!] (Til)

It’s a convenient item and a well-sought after item by merchants who travel from town to town. I’m going to place it in my bag, however I will definitely be selling it afterwards. For materials transaction, it would be better to pay a commission fee and leave the sales to the guild, however it would be better to sell this item directly as it was an extremely expensive item.

Luna and Til have not experienced attending an auction yet, it may be a good experience to bring them to the auction. Even as a buyer, participating in an auction is an unique experience.

[Now then, let’s return to the city. Cold ale and hot springs are waiting for us there.] (Youya)

[Uhn!] (Luna)

[Cold drinks!] (Til)

We obtained a bunch of rare items, however everyone is already exhausted. Let’s return soon.

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After exiting the dungeon using the magical vortex in the treasury, since they couldn’t tolerate their dirty bodies more than their hunger, the girls decided to head for the hot springs rather than the inn. We headed towards the hot spring recommended by the guild as the natural hot springs in Flaregard were a huge success, becoming one of their main specialties.

[Dear customers, females please head to the left while males head towards the right.] (Receptionist)

WIth this, it’s farewell. There are other hot springs in the town that had mixed bathing, and I wished to enjoy the springs with the girls, however I couldn’t tolerate the idea of exposing the girls’ skins to other guys, so I chose a normal public bathhouse.

[No way. Luna wants to be with Youya.] (Luna)

Luna inflated her cheeks as she clung to my arm.

[Luna, don’t place too much burden on the clerk lady. Have a little patience.] (Youya)

[That’s right you know. If you were to follow Youya-niisan, you’ll be exposing yourself to other people.] (Til)

[So long as it’s with Youya, then it’s fine.] (Luna)

As usual, I didn’t feel uncomfortable with this, however it is a little troubling. What should we do…

[Dear customers. If that is the case, then you could use our private bathhouse service for families with a seperate bath from the general bath. However, it will be much more expensive. You’ll be able to enjoy it with your party members if you wish to, and if five people were to use it then there will be plenty of space. Since it is a private bath, you will also be able to relax much more freely.] (Receptionist)

For a moment, the receptionist’s eyes scanned over our equipment, especially at me and Phil. She was probably seizing the opportunity to advertise their expensive private bath towards an adventurer who looked wealthy based on their equipment. She was quite experienced at doing business as Luna’s eyes began shining.

[Youya, now we can be together!] (Luna)

[Aside from Luna and Phil, what about Til and Selene?] (Youya)

In the oasis, we were in our underwear, however it does feel like going in the bath nude together is a little too far. Til and Selene were also in a bind.

[Dear customers. We are also selling and renting swimsuits for adventurers! Since adventurers and other people often host parties using the hot springs, there is also a high demand for swimsuits here! We have prepared several swimsuits for our dear customers to try out!] (Receptionist)

The receptionist took out several swimsuits of various designs and sizes and placed them on the table. I can’t believe she was prepared to this extent. Although we will have the increased price for a private bath and the swimsuits, it was a tempting offer to be able to enjoy the hot springs together with everyone. Above all, it could be much safer for us to hide the fact that we were preparing to hatch our Magic Egg.

[Youya-niisan, it’s no problem if we have a swimsuit on! Be sure not to be entranced by the cute me.] (Til)

[I’m okay with it too. Since its Youya-ojisama, then it should be fine.] (Selene)

(Note: I don’t know if its my mistake or the author’s, but Selene sometimes interchanges between sama and san. I’ll stick with sama from this point on since it feels more fitting.)

[It’ll be more enjoyable if we are all together.] (Phil)

Everyone aside from Luna also agreed with the idea.

[In that case, let’s do it. I’ll head over to the bath first. You girls take your time and choose a swimsuit. If you like any of their swimsuits then you can go ahead and buy them. It’ll be convenient for us to have a set whenever we head to a water dungeon.] (Youya)

Since I’m not really interested in the men swimsuit, I’ll just pick a comfortable pair of swimming trunks and head directly to the bath. Meanwhile, the girls were taken to a seperate location to choose their swimsuits. I’m looking forward to seeing what swimsuits they pick.

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The private bath for families were surprisingly spacious. Our bathtub was an outdoor bath surrounded by trees and is made of stones, capable of fitting up to 10 people. The bath also gave off a warm atmosphere which felt nice to relax in. Furthermore, it had a peculiar smell which was evidence of the natural ingredients present in the water. The spring is also warmed by the Sacred Flame, providing a magical effect to the water.

[It feels selfish of me to enjoy the springs first, but I’ll be entering now.] (Youya)

At this rate I will catch a cold. I began washing myself with hot water before entering the bathtub, enjoying the hot water as it released the fatigue built up in my muscles. Every year as I grow older, I find myself enjoying hot springs much more than before. Then, the thing I’ve been waiting for finally arrived.

A tray flowed into the tub with a mug filled with fruit wine. A unique feature of this bathhouse was that we could enjoy cold drinks while relaxing in the hot spring. I stretched my body, loosening the muscles in my body. After returning from the desert, entering a hot spring with nice cool liquor is the best way to enjoy oneself.

[Delicious!] (Youya)

Just as I was wondering how long it would take the girls to catch up, I began hearing footsteps.

[Sorry for the wait Youya!] (Luna)

[How is it? Cute isn’t it.] (Til)

The first two people to appear were the two children. Luna who was wearing a childish swimsuit which wrapped around her whole body while Til was wearing a bikini inappropriate for her age. However it was quite easy to tell that she was much larger than Phil.

… Wait what am I thinking about a fourteen year-old girl.

[Youya-ojisama.. Your eyes are all over Til. I wondered if I should had experimented more.] (Selene)

[Please stop there. Comparing yourself with another person is a pitiful act.] (Phil)

Selene and Phil finally arrived. The two of them were wearing a one piece swimsuit. Their chests weren’t very large, however their styles were good. Although Phil had went with a slightly adventurous outfit as her swimsuit had exposed a little in the middle of her body.

[I think that everyone has their own charms. Ladies, hurry up and enter the hot spring, it feels great.] (Youya)

[Youya, I saw your nose flaring up when you were looking at Til. As expected, guys prefer big breasts after all.] (Youya)

Phil’s smile was a little terrifying. That was how men are. Everyone began entering the hot springs after lightly washing themselves with hot water.

[Youya!] (Luna)

Luna immediately swam towards me, slipping her small body between my legs and leaned backwards onto my body. Since she was wearing a swimsuit, the sensation of her skin was transmitted much more than usual. It was a cute gesture as I hugged her from behind. It felt comfortable to embrace Luna.

Phil approached me too as she sat next to me, leaning onto my shoulder. Not just my body, but my mind felt relaxed as well.

[Hot springs feel great~] (Luna)

[This is a nice thing isn’t it.] (Til)

It looks like Luna and Til were both enjoying their first experience in a hot spring. Trays began flowing in one after another as the girls sent their orders and enjoyed their drinks.

[Entering the bath and enjoying a nice cool cup of sake is something I would never be able to do in the castle.] (Selene)

[Does it feel nice?] (Youya)

[Yes. I like it very much.] (Selene)

[Youya. It’s about time for today’s main event!] (Luna0

Luna exits the bathroom and headed towards the changing room. Then, she returned with a gigantic egg. One of the main goals of the hot springs was to relax, however it was also to hatch our Magic Egg. Magic Eggs hatched by absorbing magical power from their surroundings. Luna entered the hot springs while holding the egg. Then, everyone continued to observe the state of the egg. Once I felt my body begin to overheat, I exited the bath to enjoy the cool air before returning to the bath and continuing to look at the egg.

Times like this I am extremely grateful to the bathhouse for preparing a chair to cool your body. Since it is hard to notice any sudden changes when it is in the bath, we had to attend to the egg while it is submerged in the egg. Otherwise, the monster born might immediately drown right after being born.

[The egg has started to move!] (Phil)

Phil voice echoed through the room as it was her turn to look after the egg. Everyone began heading towards the bath. The egg at the bottom of the bathtub began bouncing back and forth until the shell cracked. Phil carried the egg out of the bathtub and placed it on the ground.

[Everyone, it’s about to be born.] (Youya)

After saying so, I heard the sound of someone gasping as the egg broke. What came out was..

[Youya. It’s cute.] (Luna)

[Uwaa. It’s so fluffy.] (Til)

[Is this child a dragon?] (Selene)

It was a small dragon with fluffy light blue hairs around its body. It flew around with it’s small blue wings and landed on the top of Luna’s head.

[KUII.KUI!]

Then, it screamed out in joy.

[Hou. It’s a Faerie Dragon.. That is an excellent pet for us.] (Youya)

Dragons were a powerful species of monsters. Faerie Dragons were small but they aren’t exempted from that fact. I was surprised that we managed to get a Faerie Dragon with a single try. It was probably because of the girls’ mana and hearts that we managed to get a Faerie Dragon. Let’s be sure to have this guy play an active part in our next adventure. Having a Magic Pet increases the efficiency of our hunts.

[This child is so fluffy`.] (Luna)

[It’s so cute right.] (Til)

[It’s friendly too. It’s large red eyes are captivating as well.] (Selene)

Luna, Til and Selene were pretty much in love with the Faerie Dragon.

[Luna-chan, Til, Selene-chan. Everyone please call it with the name that you decided on.] (Phil)

Following Phil’s instructions, the girls nodded and called out the name together. Then, the Faerie Dragon cried out happily as if it liked its name.