Translator: Luk2048

I was dragged into the puddle of water inside the inn’s hallway .  It’s just a puddle of water, why is it so deep―― I was able to think leisurely only for a moment, afterwards I was in a frantic struggle, desperately seeking air .

However, I wasn’t able to float to the surface .

There was nothing surprising about that . Since Lady Saintess clung to my forelimbs with both of her arms, trying to pull me to the bottom . I was suffocating, my face distorted with the pain of impending death, but Lady Saintess’ face looked even worse . No, I should say her face showed her resolve . Once anyone saw it, they’d know . It was an expression of a warrior wanting to defeat his opponent at any cost .

Please stop . Just calm down and listen . There’s no value in giving your all when aiming for someone like me .

“H-H-How’s that―! It hurts, right―! It’s because I’ve gathered here a―ll of the demon repelling water from town! I-If you want to surrender, now’s the chance――!”

I really want to, but nothing except foam is coming out of my mouth . Or rather, the demon repelling water doesn’t matter . Just normal water is plenty enough for me to die .

I’m done for, it happened right when I gave up hope .

Rēko’s dense and dreadful bloodthirst went through the s.p.a.ce filled up with water .

Normally, identifying the person who released his killing intent was an impossible feat for me . Then, if I were to answer why I could a.s.sert it was

Rēko’s bloodthirst, it’d be because I faintly saw a translucent phantom of Rēko thrusting her dagger at Saintess’ neck . Her otherworldly figure, which was aiming at someone’s life with a terrifying expression, looked just like a vengeful spirit .

After being hit directly with the bloodthirst, Lady Saintess fainted abruptly . As soon as that happened, filling the s.p.a.ce water drew back, and what remained was a water level low enough to only cover my claws, exposing the white floor made of stone . Walls were nowhere to be found . The white s.p.a.ce stretched endlessly, no matter how far I looked .

“At the end of the day, I always get saved…”

I was doing nothing but reprimanding her how to use her strength, but now I really was saved . Lady Saintess was still lying on the floor with a pale face, all the while making restless noises . It looked like she was having a nightmare .

Walking up to her timidly, I shook her shoulders using my claws .

“Erm, are you okay? I think there was some misunderstanding, so if you could just calm down and listen…”

“U…Uunn…Ah”

Unexpectedly, Lady Saintess quickly opened her eyes . And then, the moment she met my gaze, her eyes rolled over and she once again lost consciousness .

I didn’t really like to badmouth other people, but putting it mildly, she was a tool . Nevertheless, to escape from this s.p.a.ce, I had no other way than to talk with her directly, so I decided to persevere patiently . If I were too close she’d just faint again, so I drew a proper distance and lied flat on the ground .

.

Maybe because I woke up early, or because of my old age, when I sat still I started getting sleepy .  No, I shouldn’t; while thinking this, my eyelids started closing before I knew it――……

“Please wake up, cute Dragon . ”

I woke up to someone caressing my head .  Are these the yesterday’s children―― when I opened my eyes, what I saw was actually Lady Saintess standing before me and patting my head .

“Eh? Ara?”

Lady Saintess smiled in response to my bewilderment, and for some reason started explaining very quickly .

“You nearly drowned in the town’s waterway . I saved you . That’s why, you being dragged under the water has to be some mistake . ”

She judged that her plan of drowning me failed, so she switched to the excuse mode . I was expressionless; it was too much of an abrupt change in att.i.tude for me, but if I were to argue poorly here, she might again attack me desperately with the intention to bring both of us down .

“Then I’ve to thank you for your help . By the way, where are we? A companion is waiting for me, so I’d like to quickly return to the inn . ”

“Well, this is… Erm… House of a great person . That’s why it’s so big . ”

“I see~, a great person’s house, is it?”

It had an extremely innovative layout . Ordinary people didn’t live in a house like this, where to the horizon was nothing but a brilliant white floor layered with water . Maybe G.o.d or something . Well, in this town Lady Saintess was an existence similar to a G.o.d though .

“Well then, I’m sorry

I’m sorry but could you show me the exit?”

“Ah, yes, of course . Then, please turn around for a little bit . ”

Why did I have to turn around? I had my doubts, but I did as she instructed . During that time, I could hear rummaging sounds coming from behind me and knew she was doing something .

“Okay, you can turn around . The way back is right here!”

I wondered where she got that from . In a place where there was nothing just a while ago, a superficial door has been prepared . Despite clearly being paper-thin and should lead to nowhere, when Lady Saintess opened it, the scenery of the town’s heart was projected .

“This house’s doors are a bit different―― when you pa.s.s through them, you’ll get ejected out of the town’s spring, sort of like a fountain . But please don’t worry, okay?”

“I don’t have the confidence to not worry, but I’ll do my best and try not to . ”

Just how should I explain it to the praying in front of the spring people? I wonder if they’ll accept it if I say I wanted to try playing in water . Although doing that in a sacred spring, I feel I’d be charged with a crime of disrespecting their G.o.d .

I stood in front of the door . After preparing myself to escape at any time, I turned around to Lady Saintess while persistently maintaining a low profile .

“By the way, I heard a stupid rumour, but it isn’t true that this town’s Lady Saintess is a demon, right?”

The moment I looked at her, I knew I screwed up . Lady Saintess opened

Lady Saintess opened her eyes wide, trembling visibly .

“As expected―― that’s right . You also knew it, that’s why you came here . ”

“Erm, excuse me? Umm, I’ve no ulterior motive at all, I was just a bit worried . ”

With a swish, something swirled near my legs . It was the sound of water spread on the floor, which started writhing like a snake and coiled around my leg .

“Eh?”

“But I won’t yield! It doesn’t matter even if I’m a demon! I’ll protect this town”

A big water serpent warped greatly and flung me away from the door . Up high in the air, so high that Lady Saintess looked like a speck of dust .

Most likely, it was simply a throwing technique to keep me from escaping, but if I were to land like this despite not knowing how to break-fall, I’d kick the bucket .

“I’m screwed . ”

If I were to die here, Rēko would go berserk . It’d be nothing but a tragedy, be it for her or for humanity .

Contrary to my agitation, the alt.i.tude of my fall reached its peak and the floor started to rapidly come closer .

And then finally, gathered on the floor water made a large splash .

However, I kept my consciousness . On the contrary, it didn’t even hurt . While striking a slovenly pose on the ground with my limbs spread wide open, I managed to turn my line of sight to face Lady Saintess .

The reason for that spread right under me . The given to me by Hunt useless weapon―― black mist had spread under my body like a cus.h.i.+on .