Black Iron Magician

Chapter 370 A Date Before the Storm

We found the inn that I had used before, entered the building through the back door, and we decided to stay here for the night. Starting tomorrow, the girls will face against Rimudo, so I let them play while we can now. It’s the same as when we were in Damaya. It’s my motto to let them relax when it’s time to relax, and make them reach their limits when it’s time to impose stress on them.

Just like before, I and Nell will go out together when the girls are having free time (I’ve warned Haru not to attack the dragons). The girls must have guessed that at a time like this is the only time we could enjoy our time as a married couple, so they didn’t say anything in particular and parted ways with us. On the other hand, Lily often interrupts us without reading the mood, but this time, she’s staying at the inn due to lack of sleep. What about Hund-kun, you ask? He was dispirited again when he found out that he couldn’t go into the sea, so he said that he would go with the girls. I’m happy for him that he’s got flowers in both hands. Anyway, we are going to spend our time in our own ways.

―― Or so I thought.

「Deris, Touko will come with us today, so please take care of her!」

「…… Eh?」

「Hey, it’s too abrupt that I and Touko are confused with the situation.」

We’re currently in a cafeteria near the beach, and Touko is with us for some reason. She was supposed to go with Haru and Chinatsu, but she was transferred here. As you can see from our reactions, Nell didn’t tell us anything beforehand.

「So, what is this all about?」

「Touko made a great comeback in the fight against Lily, right? The reward at that time was still on hold, so I was thinking about what would make her happy. And this is the answer.」

No, I don’t understand even if you say ‘this’, you know? Also, Touko is still confused. Just like me and Nell, she’s wearing a swimsuit. We can’t swim here, so it’s just for the mood, though. Ah, by the way, we are prohibited to swim in the swimming area because it will cause harm to other customers. Yeah, it’s a reasonable treatment.

「Come on, why can’t you understand? It’s a date, you know, a date! I’ve been thinking about what Touko wants right now, and I’ve come to the conclusion that a date with Deris would be the most pleasing for her.」

「…… I have a lot to say about it, but before that, are you fine with it?」

Normally, the opponent is Lily, but in that case, Nell will make a scary face and be ready for battle.

「Well, if it was Lilyvia, I would resist to the bitter end. It would lead to lewd things no matter what that thing does after all.」

「…… Well, yeah. So, you’re saying that Lily is no good, but Touko is fine?」

「Not that it’s fine, but…. Hmm, unlike Lily, she’s trying to have a proper relationship. Also, I can’t leave her alone since I see the past me in her. Ah, but, she has to fight me if she tries to cross the line!」

「I-I get it! If I can win against you, you will acknowledge the relationship between me and Danna, right!?」

「Eh?」

「Fufu, if you can win against me, that is. Well, it’s impossible, you know?」

「Eh….」

The two made an outrageous promise without my consent. It’s impossible, but Nell, what are you going to do if Touko really wins? There are times when a miracle happens, just like her victory against Lily, you know?

「Yeah, it’s impossible right now, so I’ll train harder and challenge you! For that sake, I will eat a lot! Danna, for the sake of our future, please treat me to food!」

「Touko, you sure have the nerve to say that in front of Nell…」

「Ara, I don’t mind, you know? Deris, treat her to her heart’s content. Of course, with your pocket money!」

Is that the composure of the powerful? Nell is going to beat Touko. Still, why is it from my pocket money? Well, she won’t eat more than Haru, so it’s fine.

「Now that my Skill has leveled up, I should be able to eat more than Haruna! Hey, waiter! Bring me everything from the menu!」

「C-Certainly!」

Allow me to correct it. She made an order like Haru!

「I will have this Pina cowhatsit.」

「I’ll have the same. Please make it two.」

We decided to have the food that Touko ordered if we got hungry, so we just ordered drinks. By the time we finished our order, Touko has regained her composure.

「Ah….」

「Hm?」

When I was thinking about it, my eyes suddenly met with Touko’s eyes. Then, she remembered that it’s a date. She froze, blushed, and she generated steam due to the heat. Contrary to her lively reaction, the number of her words decreased immediately. …… It seems that Touko is hopeless in this condition.

「Well, I guess I will tell you now about our schedule starting from tomorrow.」

「S-Sure, bring it on! I’ll accept all of Danna’s words!」

She’s too nervous that she acts strange. Where did she leave the brave figure that she had when we first met?

「Tomorrow, we’re finally going to meet Rimudo, the fourth rank of the Great Eight Demons. But on this island, there are various things you have to do to meet him. When we arrived, I said that we have a free pass, but this time, we’re going to follow that custom and go to that rocky mountain.」

「Custom? Ah, you mean the vows that the 『Dragon King』 made with the people of this island?」

「Yeah, it’s one of those vows. If you want to have an audience with Rimudo, you have to go to the eighth island, where the rocky mountain is, through the sixth and seventh islands.」

「It’s like a test of courage. Unlike the first to fifth islands that are inhabited by people, the sixth to eighth islands are so vast and inhabited by dragons. It’s said that even an adult man would be scared to go through there even if he knows that the dragons won’t attack him. Well, I don’t really understand that feeling, though.」

Normally, even a man would be scared to go through a dragon’s nest, which is the top of all beasts in the natural world. But well, Nell is scarier for me. I think it’s a common understanding among husbands all over the world. I want to believe so.

「If you’re going to meet with Rimudo, who is worshipped as a guardian deity by the islanders, you need to show that you have the guts to do so, I think it was something like that. So, tomorrow we’re going to cross the sea and go through the sixth and seventh islands to go to the eighth island. Do you have any questions?」

「Let’s see…. Hmm? When we came here, we didn’t go through the reception desk, right? So, the dragons don’t remember our smell…. Hmm? Danna, correct me if I’m wrong, but unlike ordinary tourists and islanders, we are going to get attacked a lot along the way, aren’t we?」

「Yeah. They will bite us with their vicious fangs and tear us apart with their sharp claws.」

「Yep, they will attack us. It’s not as much as mine, but flames will be flying toward us, and there are also other elements depending on the dragon.」

「I-I see. You have no intention of hiding that, huh….」

It’s good news for Haru and a problem for Chinatsu. Now, I wonder what it is for Touko and Hund-kun?