Chapter Thirty Two: Anything goes in another world

I’m not surprised anymore.
To think I’ve been away from the capital and no one even noticed. I bet those who were assigned to watch over me are pure slackers.
There is one thing that has been weighing on my mind ever since I started this journey—monsters. Why is it that I didn’t meet any apart from the ones I fought in that town? This trip was no different from what I experienced during the Mighty Week.
To avoid drawing attention, I steered my dragon toward the rock on the hill. From there, I pretended to be coming from the mountains before entering the town.
In front of the inn, I tied my dragon down and quickly went inside. Luckily, Leila wasn’t around.
I had left Gagi around early morning and arrived here before midday. Not bad at all—thanks to that dragon. He was as fast and strong as they come.
I think I should give him a name for his efforts. I can’t keep calling him “dragon” forever.
Hmm… how about Draganout? Or maybe Redragon? …Or should I call him Duddul?
Duddul… hahaha! Maybe I’ll go with that one.
Duddul it is!
My body had gotten a little sore from all that riding. I was about to take a deep nap when I heard some commotion outside. Curious, I peeked out the window and saw a large crowd moving toward the gate.
“What could it be?” I muttered, flopping back on the bed.
But something inside told me to go see for myself.
When I stepped out of the inn, I found one of the innkeepers standing near Duddul, feeding him fruit. She was a cat-eared girl with sleek black fur. Her long tail swayed gently behind her, and her lips curved like a feline’s. Even her voice, soft and delicate, carried that catlike quality.
“Umm… is he yours?” she asked, a little too excited.
“Yeah. His name is Duddul,” I replied, waiting for her to laugh at the name. Instead, she beamed.
“That’s a really good name!”
Too excited over a dragon you could find anywhere? I asked her why, and she quickly explained:
“Huh!? Don’t you know how rare pure red dragons are? I’ve only ever seen a few in my lifetime!”
“Rare?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes! Only rich people or nobles can afford them. I was shocked when I saw one right here at the inn. You must be wealthy to have a dragon like this.”
“No, not at all. I didn’t even know they were rare. To think only a few of them exist…”
If she’s only seen a handful of them while living in the capital—the center of wealth and power—then there really must be very few of them. Why did the grandparents give me such a dragon?
She seemed almost childishly curious, and I found myself amused. Her shirt was loose at the collar, and she fidgeted shyly as she spoke.
“Umm… I know a feeding ground nearby. Can I take him there?” she asked, almost cutely.
I hesitated, worried she might run away with him. But she reassured me:
“You don’t have to worry! Red dragons are known for their loyalty. They’ll always return to their master. They won’t let just anyone ride them, let alone steal them.”
She tried to prove it by climbing onto Duddul, but he growled angrily and refused her. She stepped back, flustered.
“You see? He won’t let me get on. If I tried to force it, he’d get violent.”
Yet when I placed my hand on his back, Duddul immediately lowered his body to the ground, obedient and calm.
“…!” I was speechless.
To think a dragon would be this loyal to me. Thank you, grandparents!
Relieved, I handed the rope over to her. “Please take care of him,” I said before turning toward the gate.
As I neared the street, I saw adventurers flooding into town. The streets narrowed under their numbers. Stalls and umbrellas were closed as wagons rolled through—some filled with corpses piled atop one another. Others carried survivors whose bodies were scarred, patched, or missing limbs.
The sight froze me in place.
“These people are the brave warriors who fought a demon lord,” a voice answered from near the gate.
I turned to see him—the hero I could never forget. Swift, humble, determined. Klad.
He was the one who sent me flying the moment I set foot in the capital.
“Hero…” I whispered.
He looked over the adventurers and said firmly, “When you look at them, some see people bested by demons. Not me. I see people who will one day save this world.”
Then he walked past me with a steady stride, determination burning in his eyes.
And just as I was swept up in the gravity of his words—
BAM!
A dropkick smashed me in the face.
I went flying into a flower pot by a house wall.
“Do you know how much I searched for you!?”
Before I even opened my eyes, I knew that voice.
Oh no…
Leila.
Scrambling to my feet, I bolted toward the inn.
“Wait!!” she shouted, chasing me down.
Luckily, the adventurers were headed toward the guild, leaving the inn less crowded. I dashed inside and calmed myself, pretending nothing had happened. Leila stormed in seconds later.
“How could you do that to me!!” she scolded, forcing me to kneel. I apologized quickly—better here than in public.
“You even promised you weren’t going anywhere,” she continued, hands on her waist like an angry mother.
I stayed silent.
After five minutes of nagging, she finally sighed and sat on the bed.
“Where did you even go?”
“Umm…”
“Never mind. I don’t want to know.”
She was about to relax when I asked, “Oh yeah, those people who returned… where were they from?”
She frowned. “Why should I tell you?”
“Please?”
She gave in. “Fine. They came from the human country. A demon lord appeared there, so the heroes went to help. Even now, they’re still fighting.”
“That’s tough…”
“Of course it is! Do you know how hard it is to fight demons, let alone a demon lord?”
She stood abruptly, remembering something. “Oh no! I’m late! Wait here. The shopkeeper should be back today.”
As she rushed out, her silver tail brushed past me. Instinctively, my hand moved and I grabbed it.
“KYAAA!” she yelped, glaring.
But she didn’t have time to scold me—she dashed out the door, leaving me wiping sweat from my brow.
“Phew. I don’t want to get this girl mad…” I muttered, though I couldn’t deny how soft and fluffy her tail had felt.
Normally, I would go report my mission to that man, but after all his lies and the way the old man treated me, I had no interest in dealing with him anymore.
I sat up and walked to the window. There, I sat on the chair and looked outside.
That was when I felt my door slowly opening.
“Hu-hu~” A mischievous laugh echoed as a girl stepped in.
She had brown hair—not nearly as beautiful as Leila’s—and a fluffy brown tail to match. Her clothes were… well, not much at all. She was wearing only a blue shirt that looked rather expensive, though it was barely long enough to cover her thighs.
“Hmm… did you increase the size of that shirt?” I asked.
“Huh? You already figured it out!?” she said in surprise.
This girl who calls herself Leila’s enemy really has no shame.
“So you noticed instantly, huh? My deception powers should have increased after I added some special material to my clothes. I even went through the trouble of buying it just to fool you!”
“Sigh… why bother telling me? Are you sure you didn’t trick the owner, just like last time?”
“I didn’t!!”
“Okay, I get it. You can leave now.”
“What, leave!? After I waited outside for Leila to leave? I won’t!!”
“Huh? Do you have something you need to do here?”
“No… that’s not… it.”
“Oh, I see. Then fine, stay as long as you want. Here, take my seat—I’ll sit on the bed.” I stood and offered her the chair.
Stupidly enough, she actually went for it.
“Gotcha!” I said, grabbing her arm gently and tugging her toward the bed instead. She yelped.
“Kyah!?”
Laughing, I flopped onto the bed beside her. “Hahaha… I’ve been wanting to check out a few things since you barged in. You came here to tease me, right? Don’t blame me if I tease you back.”
“Wha—? N-no fair!” she puffed her cheeks, but she wasn’t resisting.
I leaned closer. “Your ears… I’ve always wondered how they feel.”
Her eyes widened. “I-I’ll scream if you don’t stop!”
“Scream? Relax, I’ll be gentle.”
I reached up and slid my hand into her short brown hair, finally brushing against her furry ears.
“It’s so smooth…” I thought aloud, fascinated.
The ears twitched under my fingers, soft and warm. “Hmm… they’re really attached, just like ours. I thought maybe they could come off.”
She huffed, trying to sound annoyed, but her face was already flushed. “D-don’t play with them too much…”
I ignored her grumble and kept rubbing. Her ears flicked and twitched with every touch, and I could tell she was struggling not to smile.
“They’re amazing,” I muttered. “Bigger than a human’s, and they stand so proudly. You must hear a lot more than the rest of us, right?”
“Hmph… maybe,” she muttered, looking away.
I chuckled and shifted slightly. “And your tail… I’ve been curious about that, too.” Her tail instantly flicked to the side, twitching nervously.
“W-wait, don’t touch it!”
“Why not? I just want to see what it feels like.” I reached out slowly, giving her a chance to pull away.
She hesitated… then sighed, letting me. “Fine… but just a little!”
The moment I stroked it, her tail fluffed up and twitched against my hand.
“So soft…” I grinned. “It’s fluffier than I imagined.”
“H-hey, don’t get carried away!” she said, but she was smiling now, clearly enjoying the attention more than she wanted to admit.
I gently stroked her tail again. She let out a tiny squeak and quickly covered her mouth, embarrassed.
“Hahaha, don’t tell me it’s a sensitive spot?”
“N-no it’s not! Y-you’re imagining things!”
Her bright red face said otherwise.
Before I could tease her further, the door creaked open.
Badump. Badump.
No… who is it? Please don’t let it be Leila!