Translator: Luk2048

When the sun started to set and children scattered to their homes, I noticed my grave mistake . I didn’t know where the inn was .

Now the guards, who were attentively keeping their eyes on me when I rode the carriage, were also gone . It was likely that Rēko made everyone stay behind, saying something like “Despite the Evil Dragon Lord saying he’d like to take a stroll alone, you intend to obstruct him?” .

For crying out loud, I wanted you to have a bit more pride as guards . Then you could’ve guided me .

To begin with, this was an agricultural town lacking entertainment venues . When it started to darken, the walking around humans would pretty much disappear and finally I was going to be at my wit’s end . I’ve had no psychological resistance against yelling out that I was lost and seeking help, but if I, an Evil Dragon, revealed that much of a pitiful appearance, the fact that I was weak might get exposed by Rēko .

“No helping it . Let’s sleep outside . ”

It was good enough to say I just got too much into walking and have forgotten about returning to the inn . When the sun has risen, I was going to call Rēko out by having a random guard deliver her a message . Then, making something up, I would have her guide me to the most suitable inn .

Besides, as far as I was concerned, sleeping outside was an

everyday thing for me . Instead of sleeping in a tiny house, feeling cramped—— tiny?

“Not good . If I wait till morning, the medicine’s effect is going to wear off . Once I take a nap defenceless, considering the bounty on my head, a reckless adventurer might just go for it . ”

I take back what I said . It was after all better to sleep in a safe inn .

Staying up till dawn wasn’t an option . Last night, I’ve received Hunt’s gruelling training throughout the whole night, so I didn’t get any sleep . At my age, not sleeping two nights in a row was too hard . After a few more hours I wouldn’t be able to fight off the drowsiness and would fall asleep on the street . At this rate I might lose my neck, not being able to wake up ever again .

And were that to happen, a real evil dragon would be born inside the inn .

Now the world’s fate was hanging on my proper sleep .

“Having said that, I can’t find it…”

Despite it not being a tourist town there were many inns stretching out, maybe to welcome the intending to buy crops merchants . It was impossible to pinpoint from them the one Rēko was staying at .

—— In that case, there was only one thing I could rely on .

The place I came to by dragging my aching feet was the Saintess’ shrine, which was empty in the night . Even though it was veiled

veiled in darkness, just with the stars light the welling up water was glistening adequately .

‘Please Lady Saintess; I implore you to guide me to the inn . Once I peacefully sleep one night, I promise to leave this town . ’

I tried praying sincerely . Other than the ever present stillness, I couldn’t see any significant response from the spring .

And yet when I continued to wait for a while, I suddenly noticed something .

Not inside the spring, but behind it . There was only half of a person’s figure sticking out from the shrine pillar’s shadow while peeking over here . The figure’s size was small . It had to be a young child .

“Who is it?”

In response to being questioned, the figure jolted with surprise and showed her face from behind the pillar . It was a young girl with beautiful eyes and swaying long hair like the crystal clear water .

“E, erm, Dora, right? Look, it’s me . We just played, didn’t we? Remember? I fed you fish, you remember right?”

I’ve had absolutely no recollection of a girl with such characteristic hair colour, besides I haven’t eaten a fish in several hundred years . After all, I was basically a herbivore .

“L-Look, well, because Dora seemed to be troubled I secretly followed you… I’m sorry, please don’t get angry! Ah, it’s fine, right—— he’s gentle with children . If it’s this form, it’s okay, right? No, it’s nothing . Anyway Dora, please tell me if there’s anything troubling you, because I’m

because I’m a gentle, pure and kind child——”

Since the explanation was too desperate, I understood everything . And I decided to definitely not reveal anything I perceived .

“That’s right . I don’t know the location of the inn my companion is staying at . If it’s fine, could you guide me?”

“Sure! My intuition is rea~lly good, so I’ll probably find it immediately! You can rest easy, Dora!”

Well you’re a Saintess, you probably can see through the whole town .  But I kept such thoughts to myself .

“Much appreciated . Then, let’s go . ”

“Yes! So after you properly arrive at the inn, leave first thing tomorrow morn―― No, it’s nothing!”

The disguised as a little girl Lady Saintess briskly showed me the way . We went through the town’s shortcuts as if under a spell, and despite my snail-like speed, we arrived at the inn in mere minutes .

“We’re here! Your companion is staying in the room at the end of this inn’s hallway―― I think . It’s my intuition . ”

“Un, thanks . It’s likely right, so it’s fine up to here . As promised, we’re going to leave this town tomorrow morning, so you don’t have to worry . ”

When I bowed to Lady Saintess before the inn’s entrance, tears copiously welled up in the corners of her eyes .

“Hooray―! I won―! I protected it―! Everyone in the town―!”

Once more I lowered my head to her, who was basking in the afterglow of victory, and entered the inn . The guard seemed to have pa.s.sed the message and

the message and the innkeeper quietly led me to the room .

What greeted me when I opened the door, was the sitting in seiza and waiting Rēko .

“Welcome back, Evil Dragon Lord . How was the preliminary inspection of the town?”

“Not an inspection but a walk . I don’t think it’s good to have an expectant expression, as if we’re about to do something . ”

‘More importantly’, I changed the topic .

“Have you been properly keeping to yourself? You didn’t cause any trouble for the guards or the innkeeper?”

“It’s fine . According to the Evil Dragon Lord’s command, I kept still with all my energy . ”

“Did it really take up that much effort?”

My anxieties were usually proving to be right, in a bad way .

“I’m terribly sorry . Because of my incompetence, getting the hang of it took me a bit of time . However, just as Lord wished,『stillness』―― that is, I finally succeeded in casting away the idle thoughts and reached the untrodden limits of my consciousness . ”

“Did I really say something grand like that? Untrodden limits?”

“Yes . The future . ”

It seemed like Rēko was doing something big by herself . I deliberately didn’t want to ask too deep and intended to let it go, but the following remark was no doubt the very bomb itself .

“Although belatedly, I also managed to comprehend it . The Evil Dragon Lord has already seen through it, right? That the true form of that Saintess is a water demon―― a member of the Demon King’s army . ”