CHAPTER 56 – DRAGON AND HAUNTED MANSION
Night, when I was relaxing in the mansion’s living room, Mami who was lying down on my side suddenly stood up, and ran towards outside.
「It’s Isaac again huh」
A scene that I’m really used to now, I was like “Yareyare”.
After waiting for a while, Mami returned.
She’s pulling a tied up thing as usual.
「Release me! Who do you think I am?」
「A-re〜?」
I couldn’t help but raise a dumbfounded voice.
The one who was taken to me tied up wasn’t Isaac, but Veronica in her child form.
「Mami?」
「Trespa.s.ser」
Mami answered just as usual.
Her words are not plenty, but she seems proud.
She had an expression saying, “I took out a prey so praise me”.
I patted Mami. Mami got satisfied and returned to her place to continue to lie down and relax.
I removed the ropes from Veronica.
「What was that right now, I was surprised」
「That’s my line. Why did you trespa.s.s? Didn’t you go home?」
「I returned once, but they could not tell it was me when I returned to the mansion, so I was very troubled」
「Well, that can’t be helped right」
It’s a world with magic, but the difficulty of the magic itself is high.
For the previous queen to appear claiming she was turned to a child with magic, it’s not impossible, but it’s something like seeing a white crow.
「I got it, I’ll take off the magic」
「That is not needed」
「Eh?」
I got surprised.
Then, what did she came for?
「Didn’t you come for me to take the magic off?」
「I do not want that. Yes, I do not want that even if I die」
「Then, the reason you came here is?」
「Please let me stay」
「……eh?」
To understand Veronica was saying, it took me quite a while.
The three just came out of the bath, all of them were wearing pajamas.
Sylvia and Nadia’s appearance that I’m used to, and Veronica’s pajama look that I saw for the first time.
「That is?」
I asked Sylvia.
「I lent her a new one. Thank goodness, it fits her」
「Well, your body figure is almost the same after all」
I mean, I made them the same.
When using『Reconnection』, an image for what age would I return her is needed, so I imagined the same age with Sylvia and Nadia who I’m used to seeing.
That’s why right now, Veronica has the appearance similar to the two, about eight or nine.
That three, they stood lined up wearing pajamas.
They were quite cute, and it was a scene that makes me warm.
「Well then, princess, I will guide you to your room」
「Yes」
Sylvia took away Veronica.
I returned to our room with Nadia.
「She’s a very interesting person huh, Vero-chan」
「Vero-chan?」
「Veronica’s Vero-chan」
「You gave her a nickname」
「Un」
We returned to our bedroom, and the two of us climbed on the bed.
When we reached our usual position, Nadia looked at me with a smile.
「Today was very fun, thank you Lucio-kun」
「That’s great」
「We dominated the sky, the sea, and the land. Where should we go next. I wonder what else there is」
「Let me think〜」
I lied on the bed, and thought.
We went to the land, sea, and sky once, so the remaining is underground and s.p.a.ce, but is there an outer s.p.a.ce in this world?
It might be fun trying to test if I can go to the outer s.p.a.ce using magic.
「I’ll think of some」
「Un! Until then, let’s go play in the sea more!」
「Yeah」
When we were talking like that, Sylvia returned.
「Lucio-sama, sorry to keep you waiting」
「Yeah. Her?」
「I guided her to the guest room. And also, I made Mami-chan Coco-chan」
It’s Sylvia’s good decision.
If it’s Mami, she might tie up Veronica again.
I mean, rather than our house’s dog, the cat is more like of a guard dog.
Sylvia closed the door, and slowly came on the bed.
And as if she was waiting for that, Nadia also moved.
Sylvia on my left, and Nadia on my right.
In our usual position, the three of us sleep on top of the bed.
Hand in hands with each other, and slowly sink our feelings.
Today was a good day, today should be a good day too.
「Good night, Lucio-sama」
「Good night, Lucio-kun」
While thinking of that, I slept with the two.
「ーーma, ……sama」
「U……n」
「Lucio-sama」
I awakened with my shoulders being shaken.
I can’t see anything. The surrounding is dark, as if it was deep in the night.
I knew even so, Sylvia was looking down at me from above.
「What happened, Sylvia」
「Lucio-sama……a crying voice」
「Crying voice?」
I sharpened my ears, I could hear a crying voice from somewhere.
It’s a crying voice of a young girl.
This is……probably.
「I’ll take a look for a bit」
I tried to go down from the bed, but I was held on.
Sylvia grabbed my sleeves tightly .
「What is it, Sylvia」
「Lucio-sama……are you going?」
「I can’t check on her if I don’t go right?」
「But……」
My eyes gradually got used to it, and I could finally tell Sylvia’s expression.
Sylvia had the face that was about to cry.
There’s a part of her that is quite cowardly.
She’s scared of c.o.c.kroaches, she wets the bed, and she’s even frightened with the crying voice of a girl right now.
Well, it’s normal to be afraid with the last one though.
「Don’t go, please……」
「Well, that’s fine too though」
After all, the crying voice is probably Veronica; if I’m asked if there’s a need to check on her, well, there isn’t.
If there’s really a bad thing that happens in this mansion, I should be able to sense it.
Since there’s none of that, it isn’t that much.
This is just my guess, but she’s probably home sick.
Then, I should leave herーーwhen I was thinking of that, the crying voice gradually got louder.
No, the voice is getting nearer.
「Lucio-sama……」
Sylvia clings onto me more and more.
「It’s……scary」
「For the meantime, I’ll go check it」
「Please don’t go!」
U〜n, I’m troubled. What should I do then?
I thought, and remembered a certain magic.
I casted it on Sylvia.
「『Silent』」
It’s a magic that erases the surrounding sounds.
「A-re? The voice……」
Sylvia got surprised. It looks like it worked properly, and she couldn’t hear the voice anymore.
The crying voice is still continuing. I can hear it, but Sylvia looks around, and tilted her head with her ears towards it, trying to hear.
I grabbed her hand.
I erased the voice, and held her hand strongly. With that, it looks like Sylvia was relieved quite much.
I should stay like this with her for a whileーーwhen I thought of that.
「Why did you not come!」
*Pa〜n*, the room’s door was opened as if it was. .h.i.t.
Veronica appeared there.
Hugging her pillow on her side, she glared at us with teary eyes.
It looks like she was really the one who was crying.
「Sorry, sorry, I was planning to go later」
「Please come faster!」
Veronica closed the door.
And then, I could hear a crying voice again.
……uhh, do I need to go?
I looked at Sylvia, she saw Veronica’s appearance, but she couldn’t hear her, so she tilted her head thinking of her strangely.
Well, well, what should I doーーwhen I thought of that.
「Why are you not coming!」
The door opened again.
Veronica was more and more teary eyed.
I laughed bitterly.
Sylvia removed her hand from mine.
She smiled beautifully, and pushed my back.
“I’m already alright”, she said with her smile.
I returned with a smile, and went towards Veronica.
「What happened? You can’t sleep?」
「W-What’s happening in this mansion?」
「Mansion?」
「It came out」
「What did?」
「Ghosts」
Yes, yes.
The usual ghost it is huh.
She should just say she’s scared honestly is she is.
Well, she probably can’t say it.
Veronica who became a child with『Reconnection』seems like she’s spoiled.
And also, she became not honest.
She’s an obstinate child, she really feels like that.
「It’s true, it really came out」
「I know, I know」
「It’s true!」
Veronica insists.
「Anyways, please come!」
「Yes, yes」
I left the room with Veronica.
The two of us walked through the dark night hallway.
She grabbed my sleeves tightly. She’s like Sylvia.
While giggling, I came with her to the guest room.
I opened the door, and entered together.
It’s a very typical room.
「See, there’s nothingーー」
「Papa!」
A girl’s face suddenly appeared from the ceiling.
「Kyaaaa! It came out!!」
Veronica left me alone and ran away.
Ah〜, I see.
I’ve completely forgotten. That’s right, “it” comes out in our house.
The existence that materialized from Grimoires.
A ghost that the more Grimoires I read, the more she materializes.
Christina, nicknamed Chris.
「What happened, Papa. You’re making a difficult face you know?」
「I’m wondering how I should apologize to her」
When I returned to the bedroom, Veronica was covering her head with the bedding, and I could see her trembling.
Sylvia and Nadia also got waken up, and was looking at Veronica with a troubled face.
I turned away the beddings, I saw Veronica teary eyed.
Somehow, I really felt bad for her, so I want her to feel relieved.
「……『Transform：Dragon』」
I used magic, and changed into a dragon.
The huge body of the dragon that barely fits the room lied on the side of the bed.
「That, is……?」
Veronica raised her head.
「I’ll protect you, so go sleep well」
「You will……protect me?」
「Ahh」
Honestly, there’s no meaning. There’s no meaning with changing into a dragon itself.
If there was a battle, even if I don’t turn into a dragon, I can use magic after all.
This is only, making my appearance fitting.
The appearance of a dragon that is the symbol of strength.
Did that do its job, Veronica stopped crying.
「Please……always be with me okay」
「Ahh」
I nodded, and Veronica’s expression clearly got relieved.
Well then, we could now sleep with this huh.
「Ne〜, ne〜, Lucio-kun」
Nadia talked to me.
「What is it」
「Can I sleep with Lucio-kun?」
「With me, you say?」
What does she mean?
Nadia went down from the bed, and cuddled her body against mine.
As if to be clinging to a huge cushion, she hugs me.
Of course, I don’t mind, without saying anything, I patted Nadia’s head with my wings.
Sylvia also came. She clung to my side just like Nadia did.
I patted the two’s head at the same time.
「……」
Suddenly, I noticed Veronica looking at me.
Left alone on the bed, she was staring at me intently.
「You want to come too?」
I asked. I thought that she’d become obstinate and refuse, but.
「……」
Veronica nodded, slowly came to my side, and clung onto me just like the two.
「Good night」
Someone said, and after that, there were no more words.
Girls protected by a dragonーーVeronica started to sleep soundly.
Enveloped by the sense of security, in the safest place in the world.