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C69: THE WELCOMING
“Huh? What’s wrong, everyone?!” said Platy as she appeared out of nowhere.
“Eep! Princess Platy?!”
The three newcomers were trembling with fear from her sudden appearance.
“You’re mistaken, Princess! We weren’t planning to escape this place!”
“I was thinking of showing them around.”
They look like children who had been caught red-handed pulling a prank, so I backed them up without a moment’s delay.
“They just arrived here so they still don’t know their way around. It’s important for them to know what kind of place this is before they work, don’t you agree?”
“Oh, I see. You’re right. I prioritized work so much that I ended up skipping some important phases.”
Platy smiled wryly as she gives herself a little scolding.
What a mischievous wife I have.
“Princess Platy…”
“…Surprisingly has a meek attitude?”
The newcomers were baffled by the exchange Platy and I had.
“…Just who is this human?!”
“If my guess about this place being within the demon’s sphere of influence is correct, then it doesn’t make sense for the human race to be here.”
Or something like that.
“What are you girls talking about? This is not within the demon’s sphere of influence.”
“Huh?!”
“Nor is it within the human or mermaid race’s sphere of influence either. If I dare say, this is a completely independent zone.”
An independent zone.
That sounds like quite a powerful name.
“This is Saint Kidan’s reclaimed land. Be it the humans, demons, or our fellow merfolk, anyone who dares interferes won’t get away with it easily. So, put yourselves at ease about living here.”
“Huh? But Princess…”
“How can there be such a thing as an independent zone even from the human and demon races? What if a dispute happens and they try to invade us, what then?”
True, that is scary.
Really scary.
“Are you going to command those orcs and goblins working in the field right now? Monsters can indeed become a valuable asset in war, but from what I’ve seen so far, there were only about ten of them. There’s no way that small a number can compete with an entire army!” said Lampeye, a former Imperial guard as she stated her opinion distinctive of a pro.
“It’s okay. Orkubo and the others are mutants, so each of them has more than enough combat ability to take down an entire army. They’re super strong.”
“What?!”
“And even if the situation is beyond their capacity to control, we still have that someone…”
At that moment, the sound of flapping wings reverberated from the sky above us.
“Master, I’m back!”
A Dragon came flying in whilst flapping its wings.
“Ahhh!!!”
“A dragonnnnnnnnnnnn?!”
“?!”
All the girls’ knees gave way upon seeing the Dragon’s huge body on their very first day.
Garra Rufa then fainted with bubbles foaming her mouth.
“Hey, Platy. Which one is stronger, a witch or a dragon?”
“Obviously, a dragon is stronger by a long shot.”
Thought so.
I just wanted to ask.
“I’ve been flying all around the place that I’m starving! We’ll have more food than usual tonight to celebrate those ants’ arrival, right?!”
Naturally, this babbling dragon is none other than my wife, Veil.
It’s nice to exercise a bit before eating, but if she’s using up her energy, I’d like for her to use it on doing some more constructive labor instead.
…Oh well.
A dragon is a dragon.
“Princess Platy! I’ll defend you from this fiend in exchange for my life! Please run somewhere far and safe!!!”
A deranged Lampeye stands unarmed in an attempt to block Veil’s way, but…
“Don’t worry. She’s like a pet to Dear.”
“A pet?!”
“Dear also has this Dragon serving him. With her around, she can instantly kill the human and demon races even if they charge altogether. So, rest assured.”
Er, I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to treat your co-resident like a pet.
Sure, Veil doesn’t have any fixed work to do, lives idly, has fickle behavior, and completely ignores you if she’s not in the mood to be loved.
As if that wasn’t already enough, when she feels like playing, she would keep entertaining us, just like now. And the more you pat her head or stroke under her chin at times like this, the more she purrs happily.
…Yeah, okay.
I guess she is a pet.
“But…who is this Dear of yours, Princess?”
“Of course, he’s my husband, who else? He’s the Saint and master of this place.”
Upon hearing this, Puffer and Lampeye trembled violently.
Garra Rufa is still unconscious.
“Husband?! Does that mean you’re married to the Saint, Princess?!”
“Yeah.”
“His wife is the Crowned Witch, and he even has a dragon with him?! Just what kind of person is he?!”
“Why are you still wondering about that when he’s literally right in front of you?”
The moment Platy said that, Miss Bitter Cold and Miss Hellfire were shocked.
Garra Rufa, well…she’s still unconscious.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Isn’t this human some ordinary worker here?”
Just when I was about to accept the fact that my cover’s blown and decide to finally introduce myself to them, I suddenly felt chills down my spine.
“Eek!”
“What’s this chill I’m feeling? Even I, Witch of Bitter Cold, am affected by it!”
This sign means that he must’ve come too.
“Oh, you came at the right time.”
“No, I invited him to. I told him he’s free to come to tonight’s welcome party for our newcomers.”
It’s the Lifeless King.
He visited us again with that ghastly air always surrounding him.
“The Lifeless King is hereeeeeee?!”
“Not just the Dragon, but also the Lifeless King?!”
Maybe it was because of the aura or the ghastly air the King of Death has around him, but Puffer and Lampeye have reached their limit and fainted as well.
Garra Rufa finally rose from her unconscious state at this time, but the moment she saw Sensei, she immediately fainted again.
“Thank you for inviting me here today, Lord Saint.”
“Oh, no, no. We’re neighbors, it’s only natural. They’re unconscious right now, but they are our new residents.”
The Dragon and the Lifeless King are the world’s Greatest Calamities. They are sinister beings you must prepare yourself for, and for the destruction of your nation if you ever encounter either one of them.
I tried to delay their face-to-face meeting with them for the same reasons, but now that one came right after the other, it must’ve been mentally taxing for them.
I should probably plan things better the next time I introduce them to someone.
After Puffer, Lampeye, and Garra Rufa woke up, we held their welcome party.
We served a feast with plenty of vegetables we grew on the farm as well as meat from the monsters we hunted in the mountain dungeon.
“Good! Sooooooo good!!!”
“Who knew the condiments Princess Platy made in her warehouse can produce such a grand feast!”
“I can’t wait to make condiments and learn more about bacteria!!!”
The three ladies voraciously ate their food as they praise Platy non-stop.
…I’m the one who cooked those dishes, though.
But there’s no doubt that Platy’s condiments played an important role in it.
At our welcome party, we had our residents Platy, Veil, Belena, Batemy, Orkubo’s team, as well as our friends Prince Arowana and Sensei. The party was lively and was a great success.
Let’s hope our newcomers will be able to adjust to life here quickly.