Tanimaki and the Dragon Hunt (Part 1)

Tanimaki and his companions arrived in a town called Lapis Labuli Infonia.

Mayutan had insisted that they stop there.

“This town has tons of books written in ancient scripts. Some are about magic, some about monsters—you name it.”

Mayutan continued eagerly, his nostrils flaring with excitement.

“Before we face Undo, I want to gather as much information as I can. So I’d like to stay here for a little while. Is that okay?”

Since Mayutan was effectively the leader of the group, and he wanted to deepen his knowledge before their battle, the others had no reason to object.

So Tanimaki and his companions set out to find an inn.

But something about the town seemed strange. The streets were filled with frightened-looking children, yet there wasn’t a single adult in sight.

“Why are there only kids here, meow?”

Tanimaki asked curiously, swishing his tail.

“Probably just a coincidence. Oh, look. There’s an inn,” Debiru said.

The inn was an elegant brick building that looked rather prestigious. The walls of the guest rooms were painted a subdued orange, giving the place an understated yet dignified atmosphere.

By contrast, the white walls near the entrance symbolized the intellect and purity that the town aspired to, lending the building a clean and refined appearance.

When they stepped inside, they found an impressive front desk—but no receptionist.

“Hellooo! You’ve got customers!”

Tanimaki shouted at the top of his lungs.

A moment later, a fluffy, floppy-eared kitten came padding toward them on tiny paws.