Chapter 52 : Bath

Four dragons looking down at Minho’s letter.

“Minho…”

“Our youngest… ran away…?”

Albi and El had expressions of disbelief.

“…Was I not enough…? Hic…”

“S-Sis… no, it’s because of me.”

Emila’s eyes welled up with tears, and Yuri comforted her.

They began speculating why Minho had left.

“Was yesterday’s festival boring?”

“El, that can’t be it. Minho is honest, and the letter says she had fun.”

“That’s right, Mom!”

“…Minho looked happy.”

El’s theory was dismissed since it didn’t match Minho’s behavior.

With El’s idea rejected, Yuri spoke up.

“C-Could it be… kidnapping…?”

“Kidnapping?”

Minho had been kidnapped once before, making it a plausible guess.

But El countered.

“Minho is stronger than her own dad. Who could possibly kidnap her?”

Albi cleared his throat, his face flushing, perhaps embarrassed that he was weaker than his own daughter.

Seeing this, Emila clenched her fists in a “stay strong” pose.

Yuri scratched her head.

“Th-Then what could it be…?”

A heavy silence filled the air.

Emila clasped her hands together and wished to see Minho again.

She was small, precious—what if she was in danger?

They knew their god was watching over them, but their faith wavered because their god often seemed… useless.

But as Emila sincerely prayed—

[Searching for the Apostle of the Moon’s location!]

[Searching…]

[…]

[Search complete!]

[Location will be updated in real time!]

The passive ability of the Moon’s Saintess had activated.

A dangerous ability that streamed Minho’s location directly into Emila’s mind.

“…Minho…! I can feel where she is…”

“What?”

“E-Emila, are you serious?”

“Yes, Mom…!”

“H-How…?”

Only Minho and Emila knew Emila was the Moon’s Saintess.

The family stared in confusion as Emila beamed, threw open the door, and left the room in her pajamas.

The rest of the family followed.

A royal walking around in pajamas?

If the head maid saw this, she would faint.

But who cared about etiquette now?

Their small, precious, adorable, soft, and lovely youngest had disappeared! Now was not the time for formalities!

“I’ll go see the captain of the royal guards.”

“Then, Albi, head to the military. We’ll follow Emila.”

El lifted Emila, who was about to rush outside in a trance, and smiled at Albi.

Albi, who had seemed anxious, steeled himself and sprinted toward the royal guards.

El watched him go and smiled slightly.

“…He may be weaker than me, but he still swore to protect us.”

A brief memory from the past surfaced, making El blush as she left the castle with the others.

—Meanwhile—

Their clueless and adorable youngest, Minho…

“Hehe, let’s go, Elf Elf!”

“What are you even saying, Minho… Are you treating me like a mount?”

“Hehehe.”

“Can’t you wait until I finish washing up?”

Minho floated around the head of Ramir, who hadn’t even properly dried her hair, unintentionally annoying her.

[The king clutches his chest at the sight!]

[Your cuteness made the GM cough up blood!]

[M-Minho, stop! The moon is dying!]

[The GM prepares to leave their final words.]

[H-Hey!!! B-Breathe!!]

Even the gods protecting Minho were suffering.

“…When will you be ready, Ramir?”

“Minho, I’m still in the bath.”

“Uuuuh~”

“If you’re that bored, do you want to bathe with me?”

“?!”

What was this young lady saying?!

They weren’t family!

How could she so casually invite someone to bathe together?!

“What… what are you even saying, Ramir?!”

“Why are you just standing there outside the door?”

“Because I’m bored…”

“Then let’s bathe together.”

“N-No…”

Honestly, I still wasn’t fully used to having a girl’s body.

I could bathe with Yuri, Emila, or even Mom.

They were family, and I was just a child.

But Ramir wasn’t family.

It just felt… embarrassing.

Maybe it was because she felt like a peer—like someone my age, like a fellow 30-year-old.

“Minho, do you hate me?”

“Eh?!”

“…You must hate me, if you won’t even bathe with me…”

“Ugh!”

Her voice was dripping with obvious desire.

But I couldn’t bring myself to refuse her.

And so…

“Ugh, geez…”

—Bloop, bloop, bloop—

“Pfft! Are you sulking? What’s with that face?”

—Blub, blub!—

I had submerged myself in the bath, up to my lips, sulking and releasing tiny bubbles into the water.

I never expected her to actually pick me up and just toss me in.

Before I even registered what was happening, my clothes had been stripped away, and I was wrapped in a white towel, already soaking in the bathwater.

And so, I remained sulking.

“Minho, I’m sorry~ Let’s just bathe together, okay?”

“Hmph.”

“Hehe.”

Ramir, now with her hair tied up and a towel wrapped around her, sat next to me.

The way she had wrapped herself up made it look almost like a white dress.

As she relaxed into the bath, her entire body melted into a state of bliss.

“Aaaaah… This is so nice…”

“It’s refreshing.”

“Minho, you even know how to describe it like that? You sound like an old man.”

She was the one sounding like an old man, yet she had the nerve to call me one?

My eyebrows furrowed into a v-shape, and my cheeks puffed out.

It was true, but still.

I wasn’t an old man anymore.

Besides, 30 wasn’t even old.

It was a prime age!

…Right?

Ahem.

Yuri was 34, and she was still beautiful.

She even regained her youthful looks, practically back to her prime at 20.

So 30 was still young!

Having convinced myself, I nodded.

“What? Are you admitting you’re an old man?”

“…Uuuh… No, I’m not?!”

“Then why did you nod?”

She started giggling uncontrollably, like a brat.

Immature.

I can’t play along with this.

“Sigh…”

“Wait. Did you just sigh at me?”

“…No? It’s just hot, that’s all.”

“…Really?”

Ramir looked at me suspiciously.

Of course she would.

I had heat immunity—I never turned red from heat or broke a sweat.

“Hmmmmm?”

“…Hehe…”

“Hmmmm…!”

Then, suddenly, a mischievous smile spread across her lips.

“Minho, are you feeling hot~?”

“Ramir…?”

“Ufufufu…”

“What are you planning?”

“Take this!”

—Splash!—

“Ahhh!?”

“Hehehe.”

“W-What the heck?!”

“How about that? Water magic! You can’t do this, can you?”

Magic?!

Ramir made a finger-gun shape with her hand and started shooting cold water at me from her fingertips.

“Ahhh!”

—Pew pew!—

“Argh!”

“Hehe.”

“It’s cold! Stop it!”

“No way! How dare you tease your big sis?!”

So childish!

I had no choice but to fight back.

‘Ugh! She’s too strong!’

What should I do?

None of my skills seem suitable for a counterattack.

Then, a particular skill flashed through my mind.

If I use that skill, I can use magic…

“Pew! Pew pew!”

“Bang bang!”

“Hu!”

-Crack!

Honestly, I was a little worried that Ramir might get hurt, but seeing her act so childishly made it impossible for me to hold back.

How could a person… no, an elf, be this ridiculous?

When I played games, elves were always depicted as noble beings who looked down on inferior humans.

But the elf in front of me right now?

Giggling while pretending to pee with her magic.

If the ancestors of the elves saw this, they’d probably slap their foreheads and faint.

“Ramir! You might get hurt!”

“Sh’ not gonna get hurt~”

Even my final warning was ignored.

“Sorry!”

I had no choice but to use magic.

-Hop!

“Minho?”

I jumped out of the bath and then…

[Freeze!]

I used Dragon Speech.

-Crack crack crack!

The bathwater rapidly froze.

“Huik?!?!”

“Heh, divine punishment, rookie!”

“C-Cold!!”

Ramir’s face turned pale blue.

“Aaahhh!!”

“How is it? Cold, right?”

“M-Minho…!!”

Contrary to my expectations that she’d just be annoyed…

“…Huh?”

“I-I’m sorry… Take me out of here…”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

For a moment, my mind went blank.

“I-I think I’m really gonna die!!”

“S-Sorry!”

Ramir started crying loudly.

Startled, I quickly used Dragon Speech again to warm the water.

“Hic… Hic…”

“R-Ramir…”

I got back into the water and checked on her.

Thankfully, she didn’t seem to be hurt.

Still sniffling, Ramir suddenly turned and glared at me.

“Minho…!!”

“Eek!”

I shrank back, fearing what kind of revenge she had in mind.

But instead of an attack…

“You’re so mean!!”

“R-Ramir?”

She threw herself at me with a powerful hug.

“Won’t you call me ‘big sis’?”

Her words were slurred from crying.

I gently patted her back and whispered into her long, pointed ear.

“…Okay, big sis.”

“Little sibling!!!”

Overcome with emotion, Ramir hugged me even tighter.

I spent the rest of the bath comforting her.

[The King sighs, saying Dragon Speech wasn’t meant for things like this.]

[The King also demands to be called ‘big sis’ quickly.]

[She threatens to punish the GM if she doesn’t get her way.]

‘Big sis, be quiet.’

[Hehe.]

Just as I had calmed down even my golden-haired “big sis”…

-BOOM!!!!!

“Huh?!”

“W-What?!”

A huge explosion came from the front entrance of Ramir’s house.

“Minho, are you here?!”

“Minho! I’m sorry!”

“Minho! Over here!”

One by one, I heard the voices of my mom, Yuli, and Emilia.

“…Ramir, I should probably apologize in advance.”

Tears started welling up in Ramir’s eyes again.