"Mmm, indeed...! This truly has the tastes of the White Dragon."
"This fizzy sensation is reminiscent of a fierce gale."
Art can truly be terrifying.
The nobles of the Carcel Kingdom assigned anings to Milkis that even I didn’t know existed, trying their best to associate it with the White Dragon.
Their expressions and descriptions were so convincing that even those who initially wore confused looks began to nod in agreent.
If you couldn’t understand it, you’d simply get swept up by the atmosphere and find yourself nodding along...
It felt like I finally understood why modern art ca into existence.
After all, with Orca herself acknowledging it, who among the nobles would dare raise an objection?
Of course, there were still a few who hesitated, their faces filled with confusion, but the following scene made them all fall silent.
"A d-dragon?!"
"Gasp!"
Outside the window, far in the vast sky, a dragon was soaring.
One of the nobles, watching in awe, tilted his head in confusion.
"The White Dragon? No, but the color looks a bit silvery..."
"It is the White Dragon."
"T-The White Dragon!"
"Oh my!"
At my declaration, the nobles finally realized the dragon’s identity, and gasps of shock filled the room.
The previously doubtful noble abandoned his suspicions, joining in the chorus of astonishnt.
For many, it was their first ti witnessing a dragon in person.
They had no ability to discern whether it was a White Dragon or an Ice Dragon.
Even if they did possess the knowledge, the distance was too far, and the event happened in the blink of an eye.
The dragon appeared and vanished beyond the clouds almost imdiately.
But that brief sighting was enough to dispel any doubts about Milkis.
"The White Dragon! This is an on of good fortune!"
The King of Carcel rose from his seat, exclaiming. His amazent naturally transitioned into praise for Milkis.
"Indeed, this drink splendidly embodies the very essence of the White Dragon."
"Thank you."
When it cos to anything, presentation and storytelling are everything.
With both elents perfectly aligned, Milkis earned the recognition of the King of Carcel.
*
"A dragon, out of nowhere... We were really lucky."
"Indeed."
"Nom, nom."
Aria expressed her amazent, I nodded, and Iberkina continued to gnaw enthusiastically on a chicken leg.
"Do you think it was Orca?"
"Who knows? It’s not like Orca is the only White Dragon around."
"Ah, but that wasn’t the White Dragon. It was Ki— mmph!"
I quickly stuffed Milkis into Lilith’s mouth as she shrugged and tried to show off her knowledge.
"Lilith, what were you saying?"
"She was saying it might not have been Orca."
"No, it wasn’t the White Dragon—mmph!"
I cut off Lilith’s protest by pressing another Milkis to her lips. She squird, trying to pull the bottle away.
Aria, montarily puzzled by our antics, decided to change the topic.
"Anyway, now that the contract is all settled, we can finally enjoy ourselves."
The Milkis contract had been finalized without a hitch.
Not only did Orca leave a subtle ssage for the king, but the mysterious dragon that appeared during the Milkis tasting also left a lasting impression on the officials of the Carcel Kingdom.
And that sa dragon was now sitting next to , enthusiastically devouring street food.
"Nom, nom."
’...She really can eat anything, huh.’
Watching Iberkina happily munching on fried scorpions, I couldn’t help but marvel.
As expected of a resort destination, the streets of the Carcel Kingdom were filled with food stalls, and we were having a blast sampling the local delicacies.
"Here, try this. Isn’t it good?"
"Yeah, it’s sweet and delicious."
I nodded as I bit into the fruit Aria handed .
It was a sweet, blueberry-like fruit with a satisfying crunch due to its large size.
"This fruit could work well in a beverage, too."
As we explored and tasted new ingredients, Aria ticulously took notes in her little notebook, not letting a single detail slip by.
"What’s this fruit called?"
"It’s called a Pepple. It only grows in the southern regions of Carcel."
Aria always seized any opportunity for self-improvent.
Whether it was magic or culinary studies, her ticulous nature never wavered, not even on vacation.
Speaking of which...
"Should we head back and make so ran?"
"You already want to go back and rest?"
Aria saw right through my not-so-subtle suggestion. I an, we hadn’t been out for very long.
But honestly, I ca here to relax, not to go sightseeing.
And more importantly...
"It’s ti for the hot springs."
Carcel Kingdom was famous for its hot springs.
And as honored guests, our accommodation featured a stunning open-air bath.
The main reason I ca all the way to Carcel Kingdom for a vacation was because of this hot spring.
’How long has it been since I last visited a hot spring?’
Just imagining myself soaking in the steamy waters made my heart race.
"You’re such an old man."
Aria clicked her tongue at my excitent. Still, she finished jotting down her notes and tucked the notebook away.
"Wait for , I’m coming too."
"You don’t really have to..."
"It’s fine. If I let you go alone, you’ll just get lost again."
"Hmm."
I wasn’t great with directions, especially in new cities. I needed to walk around a few tis before I could rember the paths.
On the other hand, Aria seed to have a ntal map of every place she visited. It was amazing how quickly she morized the streets, making it much more convenient to have her around.
If I went back alone, it would probably take a while.
But what about those two?
"What about those two?"
"They’ll be fine. They’ve been getting around well enough on their own."
Following Aria’s gaze, I looked over at Lilith and Iberkina.
"...Lilith, I want that too."
"Can’t you buy it yourself? Just wait a mont... Where are my coins..."
Iberkina pointed at the fruit Aria was holding, and Lilith fumbled through her coin pouch.
She’s practically a babysitter.
’Can I really leave them alone?’
With a bit of hesitation, I pulled out a generous 100 gold coins from the subspace pouch the Tower Master had crafted and handed them to Lilith.
"Please enjoy so delicious treats with this."
"Th-This is such a large sum... Can I really use it?"
"Yes, you don’t need to pay it back, so please don’t worry."
Lilith, ever the frugal one, stared wide-eyed at the 100 gold coins—a small fortune. But in truth, even that might not be enough.
After all, Iberkina had quite the appetite.
"Well then, I’ll head back to rest."
"Understood. Don’t worry about us, just get plenty of rest."
Leaving Lilith with enough money to cover their expenses, I released the two into the wild.
’As long as they’re only eating, what could go wrong?’
I was a bit anxious, considering the popcorn incident. But that was due to the unlimited popcorn event. Surely, nothing would happen just by wandering around food stalls.
Leaving Iberkina alone might be worrying, but having Lilith with her brought so peace of mind.
"This way."
With the two of them set loose, I followed Aria toward the hot springs.
*
When we arrived at the hot springs, an unexpected encounter awaited us.
"Greetings, Lady Orca."
Orca, who had been cautiously scanning her surroundings, relaxed and spoke up.
"I don’t see her around."
"If you’re referring to Lady Iberkina, she’s still out sightseeing."
"Sightseeing? Ha, more like she’s just wandering around looking for food."
Orca snorted, clearly well-acquainted with Iberkina’s habits.
"It seems you two know each other well."
"I took care of her briefly when she was a hatchling. I teased her a bit with food, and she ended up biting my tail."
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the ntal image of a young, hungry Iberkina chomping down on Orca’s tail.
"It almost got bitten off, you know."
Orca shivered, rubbing her rear, and then suddenly thrust sothing towards .
"I drank it all, so I ca to get more."
"Ah, Milkis."
"Yeah, it was surprisingly good. The fizzy and creamy taste is just... incredible."
So that’s why she showed up so soon—it was all for Milkis.
"If it’s Milkis you want, you’re always welco. I’ll give you as much as you’d like."
"Thanks. You’re such a nice human."
"It’s Yuri, actually."
"Right, Yuri."
There was nothing for to lose here.
If I could build a friendship with a dragon by giving her Milkis, it was a huge win.
I secretly pondered how best to leverage this windfall while rummaging through my subspace pouch.
As I handed her a few cans of Milkis, Orca gleefully disappeared.
"Thanks! I’ll enjoy it!"
Her sparkling eyes showed just how much she loved Milkis.
Well, it made sense—Orca seed to have never tasted a carbonated drink before.
Experiencing processed food for the first ti was bound to trigger a flood of dopamine.
"She really is a cheerful one."
"She’s a White Dragon, after all."
I’d heard that a dragon’s personality often mirrored its elent. Orca was as free-spirited as the wind she commanded.
"Shall we go in?"
"Make sure to co out by dinner. We need to eat."
"Got it."
I barely managed to set my things down at the lodging before heading straight to the hot springs.
Click.
Opening the door to the outdoor bath, I was greeted by a picturesque view.
"Ah, this is the life."
The open-air bath, nestled as if within the mountains, had an incredible atmosphere.
As I subrged myself in the steamy water, my body relaxed on its own.
It felt like every bit of accumulated fatigue was washing away.
"Mmm."
I could easily stay here for ten hours.
I sipped my Milkis as I admired the scenic mountains in the distance.
Splash!
Suddenly, a small head popped up from the hot spring water.
"Phew, enjoying Milkis while soaking in a hot spring is heavenly."
"Pfffft!"
I spat out my Milkis in shock.
"Ugh, what are you doing? What a waste!"
I nearly jumped out of my skin as I saw the unexpected intruder in the water.
"...L-Lady Orca? This is the n’s bath."
"And?"
What in the world? Is this dragon insane?
The head tilting in confusion belonged to none other than the White Dragon, Orca.
She seed utterly unconcerned with gender distinctions.
"Humans used to love mixed bathing back in the day."
"Regardless of your feelings, I’m quite uncomfortable. Would you mind moving to the other bath?"
"You’re so sensitive. Alright, alright."
Orca stood up, completely unbothered, and walked away.
I kept my head turned, staring at the distant mountains until she was fully gone.
"Phew, that scared ."
Though my racing heart eventually cald down, Orca’s fleeting silhouette behind the steam lingered in my mind.
In the end, I couldn’t stay long and left the hot springs.
When I entered the room, already drying my hair, Aria gave a curious look.
"You’re out earlier than I thought."
"Sothing ca up."
"What happened?"
"Nothing, really."
I couldn’t bring myself to admit I’d accidentally shared a bath with a dragon, so I brushed it off.
I gave up on the hot springs and lay down to rest in my room when—
"B-Big trouble!"
Lilith burst in, shouting.
Iberkina followed closely behind, looking just as flustered.
...Uh-oh.
I already had a bad feeling about this.
How could sothing go wrong when all they were doing was enjoying street food?
"W-We need to get out of here! Quickly!"
Lilith stomped her feet, tugging at .
"What exactly did you do...?"
I didn’t need to ask. The answer was right outside the door.
"There! There they are!"
"Milkis! Just one more Milkis, please!"
"Ahhh! It’s the Apostle!"
Citizens of Cartel sward into the accommodation where I was staying like a swarm of bees.
***
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