Chapter 9: A New Inn and Dragon Hunting

We stood in front of the inn we’d just been directed to.

"...Hey, are we seriously supposed to stay here? No matter how you look at it, this isn’t the kind of place for adventurers like us."

The place was clearly far above the rank of any normal adventurer’s inn. It looked like the kind of upscale lodging where wealthy merchants or nobles would stay—people with money or status.

Kazuya quickly pulled out a note and double-checked the address.

"Yeah, this is definitely the right place. They said the room's free, but… is that really okay?"

Apparently, the lord of this city had arranged for us to use this inn.

As we stood hesitating at the entrance of this luxurious place, a staff member—who looked like an employee—hurriedly came out to meet us.

"Sir Hero Marsh and Lady Claire, I presume? We've been expecting you. Right this way, please."

He was dressed in a uniform like a hotel concierge, and his courteous manner was nothing like what you’d find at a normal inn. We were clearly in the right place, so Kazuya and I followed him without protest.

"This will be your room. Should you require anything, please use this bell to call us."

After handing Kazuya the key, the hotel man left.

We were speechless. Back in our previous lives, we were just high school students. Even with our families, we’d never stayed at a high-end hotel—though this was probably beyond even that by the standards of our old world. Still, by this world’s standards, it was definitely a luxury inn.

"A-Alright, let’s go in, Miki."

"Y-Yeah. Let’s."

Kazuya unlocked the door and we stepped inside. Compared to every other inn we’d stayed in so far, this room was on another level—immaculate and spacious.

This part... was it a living room? There were multiple doors leading off it, and beyond them were a toilet, a bath, and a bedroom.

Typical adventurer inns had shared toilets, and most didn’t even have baths. The rooms were usually just a bed in a single, cramped space.

This was clearly in a different league.

The bedroom even had a king-sized bed. It was so big, it felt like it’d be harder to relax in it than a smaller one.

...Wait.

That’s when I suddenly realized—where’s my bedroom?

The hotel man was already gone, so if there were another room, he would've told us. I had just assumed I’d have a separate bedroom from Kazuya.

...No way.

"...Kazuya?"

I turned and asked him. Kazuya avoided my gaze and ran straight into the bedroom, gleefully bouncing on the bed.

"This bed is huge! Is this what they call a king-size? We could totally fit two people here no problem! It’s crazy soft too, Miki!"

...This guy.

"Kazuya?"

"Come on! You said before that you wanted to sleep with me, right? We couldn’t do it before because the bed was too small, but here we totally can! Right?!"

No, not "right?!"

...I walked right into this.

There’s no way we could afford to rent another room at this place. It’d be way too expensive.

"I did say that, but that was a different situation... Ugh, there’s no point complaining now."

As I groaned and held my head, Kazuya stepped in front of me and looked me in the eyes.

"Miki, I’m sorry for deciding this on my own. But I want you to hear me out."

So he had something to say for himself. Fine, I’d listen. I am kind, after all.

But that didn’t mean I’d forgiven him.

I glared sharply at him and replied.

"Alright. I’ll listen."

"Thanks, Miki. —Do you remember when I pulled you into my arms yesterday? That moment made me realize something. Your heart was pounding like crazy. And just for a little bit, I felt like you let yourself lean on me."

That did happen. But his heart had been pounding like mad too.

It was true that I’d felt a weird sense of comfort... but still.

"In that moment, I felt like there was something there—something real. So I made up my mind. If I kept doing things the same way, nothing between us would ever change. I’ve become a hero now—I’ve earned my place. So I decided I’m going to be more direct with you. I’m going to push harder than ever before."

Push harder? You’ve already been pretty aggressive, you know...

"So your answer to that is to just hop into the same bed with me? Isn’t that a bit much?"

"Says the girl who used to sleep naked in the same bed with me?"

Ugh, that hit a nerve.

"But back then, we were just friends. There was that sense of safety between us. This is different now."

Kazuya shook his head.

"No, it’s not different. We are still friends, right? And it’s because we were friends that I fell for you. And I swear—if you ever say you don’t want this, I’ll never lay a hand on you. That’s a promise I make as your friend."

"You’ll really stop if I say I don’t want it?"

Without answering, Kazuya stepped closer and gently embraced me.

In that moment, I was wrapped in his scent, and then in the warmth and softness of his arms.

The comfort made me want to melt into him, but I pulled myself together.

"I-I don’t want this."

I pushed him away with both hands, and Kazuya quietly let go.

"See? Just like that."

"Th-That doesn’t prove anything. I can push you away anytime!"

"Even so, I want you to believe me. Sure, I want your body too. But even more than that, I want your heart, Miki. I want you to fall for me. I know this is kind of a forceful way to go about it, but when it comes to winning over an elf... I felt like I had to be this bold."

...Yeah, I guess he’s right. I’ll admit it. Yesterday—and even just now—when he came on strong like that, something inside me shifted. Just a little.

When I was in his arms, I felt... at peace.

Up until now, I’d always responded to Kazuya’s feelings like it was all part of our usual playful friendship. I’d treated it like just an extension of what we’d always had.

But now I finally understood—Kazuya was serious. He was coming after my heart for real.

And I needed to face that.

I wasn’t ready to share a bed with him. But... it couldn’t be helped.

Like Kazuya said, I hadn’t thought anything of sleeping naked next to him before. And now, my feelings had changed—at least a little.

It’s not like sleeping in the same bed meant we had to do anything.

Besides, it’s a king-size bed. Unlike before, we wouldn’t have to be touching the whole time.

"Fine. I’ll let the bed thing go. I’ll sleep with you. But from now on, you better tell me these things, alright? Because... I’m going to start facing your feelings properly too..."

When I said that, Kazuya smiled in pure delight.

...I think I’m weak to that expression.

"Yeah. Thanks."

Kazuya opened his arms wide, beaming—

"Nope. Don’t push your luck."

"...Yes, ma’am."

And just like that, he settled down.

---

We left the inn and headed to the guild.

As soon as we arrived, one of our fellow adventurers called out to us.

"Hey, Hero! What kind of quest are you taking today? Gonna start off with a dragon, maybe?"

He said it half-jokingly, teasing us.

Personally, I wouldn't mind a dragon at all—but the question is, what will Kazuya do?

"Don’t tease me. But yeah, I mean... if we’re talking heroes, then dragon slaying’s kind of the standard, right?"

"That’s more in the realm of a legendary hero, not just a plain one."

I chimed in with a jab.

"Eh, either way’s fine. It’d be a good way to make a splash for our first outing—and a great chance to impress the lord who went out of his way to prepare that fancy inn for us, don’t you think?"

So while the adventurer who'd been teasing us stared in disbelief, Kazuya was already dead serious about going dragon hunting.

Well, I suppose he's right. Making a good impression on the lord is important, especially after getting a place like that.

I glanced over and saw a quest to slay a pack of Lesser Dragons.

"Ah, this one looks perfect for a first A-rank quest, don’t you think?"

I called out to Kazuya.

"Huh? A pack might be pushing it a little, isn’t it?"

Kazuya looked slightly unsure. But—

"It’s fine. I’ve got experience dealing with Lesser Dragons. Though I didn’t exactly report it."

"You’ve fought them before...? You really are an incredible mage, Miki."

"You think so? I mean, they said I had the most potential in the entire elf village, so this much is nothing. Let’s take this one."

"That’s... actually really impressive, isn’t it...? Alright. If you’re recommending it, I’m in."

And so, Kazuya’s very first quest as a hero turned out to be dragon slaying.

Lesser Dragons or not, it was an A-rank quest because of the numbers involved. No ordinary B-rank party could pull it off, so it was more than enough to make a statement.

---

We arrived at the designated area for the Lesser Dragon pack.

A broad hilltop dipped slightly like a basin, and the place was crawling with them.

From what Kazuya could make out, there were around twenty Lesser Dragons, and behind them, two full-fledged dragons.

Not quite what the guild report said, but apparently that’s common at this rank. Bringing back reliable intel is difficult, and uncertainty like this is part of what makes a quest A-rank.

After going over our plan, I began chanting a grand spell from a distance where I wouldn’t be spotted.

A large barrier. Dozens of slicing blades, like magical scythes. The image was clear. That should do it.

I poured in magic power and released the spell toward the center of the horde.

A bright light flared from the tip of my staff, and a huge dome-shaped barrier formed at the heart of the group.

Inside it, countless magical scythes tore through the Lesser Dragons. The blades ricocheted off the barrier walls, slashing through them again and again.

Against scales as soft as a Lesser Dragon’s, the scythes cut easily.

In an instant, only four Lesser Dragons and the two larger dragons remained—those had been outside the range of the spell.

"Alright, go! Kazuya!"

"Y-Yeah!"

Kazuya dashed forward immediately, and I cast support spells on him—enhancing his physical abilities and giving him a layer of defensive magic to deflect minor attacks.

Beyond that, I held back. This was his fight now.

He easily took down the four remaining Lesser Dragons, now in a panic, and then squared off with the two full-fledged dragons.

Each dragon was about ten meters long, from head to tail. Their main attacks were breath weapons and those long tails.

As they attacked in coordination—one using breath, the other swinging its tail—Kazuya dodged while searching for an opening.

When one of the dragons swung its tail and turned to face him, Kazuya closed the gap and delivered a diagonal slash to its underside.

The blade pierced through its abdominal armor, sliced it open, and after a brief pause, he leapt high into the air and cut clean through its neck.

Better than I expected. Honestly, just the way he handled those four Lesser Dragons already proved he’s A-rank material.

Besides, dragon scales on the back are thick and nearly impervious to both swords and magic—but the front, especially the underbelly and neck, are much thinner and easier to penetrate. He clearly knew that and planned accordingly.

Really, he’s grown even more dependable in these past six months. Sure, I gave him some magical boosts, but still—he’s come a long way.

With one dragon down and no more coordinated attacks to deal with, the other should’ve been a pushover.

But just when I thought he’d finish it off easily, the dragon made a desperate final move—swinging its tail with all its might. Kazuya blocked it with his sword, but the impact snapped the blade clean in two.

I quickly began casting an attack spell, but Kazuya, after only a split second of shock, launched a lightning spell straight at the dragon.

I followed up with another spell of my own, and together we brought it down.

And so, twenty Lesser Dragons and two dragons—completely wiped out.

Kazuya let out a victorious roar, overjoyed.

He ran over to me and raised his hand for a high five.

Expecting a hug, I’d braced myself—but he only wanted a high five, and I gave it to him with a bit of relief.

Still buzzing with excitement, he said,

"Miki! That spell was insane! What the hell was that? Total cheat move!"

"Ah, that was a grand spell. Explosive types aren’t great since the effect can be vague, and the noise could attract more monsters. Plus, some creatures have heat resistance. But blades like those? They can easily shred something like a Lesser Dragon once trapped in a barrier."

"Grand spells, huh... That one alone took out most of the horde! You’re a full-on grand mage, Miki!"

He laughed, completely unguarded.

"You were amazing too, Kazuya. If your sword hadn’t broken at the end, even those two dragons wouldn’t have stood a chance. You made it look easy, but you know, even high-end B-rank parties would’ve struggled."

"Really!? Getting praised by you like that makes me so happy!"

He spread his arms, ready to hug me again.

"You get carried away so fast. No. I don’t want that."

Kazuya’s shoulders slumped dramatically at my flat rejection.

His dejection was a little too pitiful, and I couldn’t help but feel a little bad.

Well, we did just win. Maybe I can let this one slide. I’m too soft…

"Sigh… Fine. Just for a bit."

Kazuya exploded with joy and pulled me into a hug.

H-Hey! Too tight! That hurts!

"Ow, ow! You’re hurting me!"

"Ah! Sorry!"

He immediately loosened his grip, softening his hold.

And after a few seconds, he gently let go.

"Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah. You’re such a kid, getting all excited like that."

Even as I said it, I realized—I felt a little lonely when he pulled away.

Ugh, come on. That doesn’t count. It doesn’t count.

…Could it be that I’m weak to Kazuya’s hugs?