"Please be sensible. Isn't it enough that we've managed to necromance the dungeon's boss?"
"Tch! Stronger than me yet so unambitious."
Hearing their conversation, I was dumbfounded.
That martial artist was stronger than Cineraria?
The witch with a giant scythe and the martial artist with an axe both leaped onto the shoulders of the former dungeon boss, the minotaur-like creature.
"Well, at least I achieved my goal. I owe you one," Cineraria said.
"Then, until we meet again, if fate allows it," the martial artist added.
With that parting remark, they, along with the minotaur, leapt away, making a swift exit.
Neither Iris nor Saffron attempted to pursue them. It was a two-on-two situation, but they seemed to sense that the opponent's single combatant was more formidable. Was it a matter of experience?
"Looks like the Transfer Sword wielder and the Hades Sword wielder are collaborating. I can't fathom their objective, but they're certainly not to be underestimated."
"So... who are you? You're not Crow, right?" Saffron looked at me quizzically.
"Could it be... are you Holly?" Iris guessed.
"Yes, that's correct. This is the second time I'm speaking to you like this, Iris. Last time, I regretfully let you beat up Crow."
"I thought so... Crow's manner of speaking changed because of you back then."
"Haha. Well, anyway, our initial goal of investigating the cause of the water shortage and addressing it is complete, thanks to me. Be grateful, human girls."
Both Iris and Saffron visibly recoiled, clearly repulsed by Holly's remarks.I really wonder why Holly can't get along with anyone.
Also, I'm curious when I'll get my body back. It's just a side thought, though.
Sighing, I submerged my naked body in the hot spring, battling the excruciating muscle pain that plagued me. It had been about a month since we'd survived the dungeon and Cineraria's attack, but we were still in Blue Dragon.
The water shortage in this remote area, known as Blue Dragon, had been resolved with the disappearance of the dungeon. It seems the dungeon's emergence had blocked the water source, disrupting the supply to the surrounding area. Normally, you'd expect a slight change in the flow of water if a building obstructed a water source, but it appeared all water flowing through the dungeon vanished.
I couldn't explain it, and it was beyond my understanding. But historically, every time a dungeon appeared, natural disasters and geological changes occurred in the vicinity. The hero's role was to prevent the spread of damage caused by monsters until they could locate and defeat the Demon King. Once the Demon King was defeated, all dungeons would disappear.
However, dungeons had been built even though there was still time before the Demon King's revival. Cineraria's comments suggested there were more. The zombie dragons and monsters we'd seen before must have been from the dungeons she'd conquered.
"Does the early emergence of dungeons mean the Demon King's revival is happening in stages?" I wondered aloud.
"Well, who knows? This is an unprecedented situation, so even my experience may not be very helpful," Holly replied, soaking in the hot spring next to me.
"Why are you in the hot spring, anyway? You're a spirit, right? Does it make any sense for you to soak in one?"
"It's just a matter of feeling. I can materialize momentarily, although I only have a minimal sense of touch."
"Hmm... Anyway, I never imagined I'd be immobilized for a whole month with muscle soreness."
"You're quite neglectful of yourself."
"No, it's because you possessed me. Though I can't say much since it was dangerous without your possesshion."
I decided to stay in the hot spring inn, focusing on healing from the muscle soreness that gripped my entire body.During this time, Iris went back to her hometown, and Saffron decided to go sightseeing.
However, letting them act alone was dangerous, considering the possibility of another attack from Cineraria and her group. So, I advised them to stick together as much as possible.
"Soon, I should be able to move without any trouble. Maybe it's time to return to Pendragon," I mused, getting out of the hot spring and reaching for a towel.
Just then, Holly took the towel from me, applied soap, and began scrubbing my back. It seemed she intended to wash my body, but to anyone watching, it would look like a towel moving around me on its own. A bit creepy, I suppose, but since no one else was around, it was fine.
The owner of the hot spring inn had made the spring available exclusively for us, grateful for having removed the cause of the water shortage.
"Crow, your body has become more muscular, hasn't it?" Holly remarked while scrubbing me with the towel.
Indeed, I noticed my abs had become more defined, and my limbs more muscular. However, I hadn't trained at all, and my physique had always been rather slender. The rapid muscle growth, without any training, was honestly a bit alarming.
"Is this change in my body also because of your possesshion?" I asked.
"Blame? You should say 'thanks' instead. Without any training, you've become a lean, muscular man. You should be grateful," Holly retorted.
"But I'm honestly worried about the aftermath. Right now, it's just muscle soreness, but what if I die from your possesshion? You said non-heroes would die if possessed by you, right?"
"That's correct. Even those with the potential of a Saintly Sword wielder would die, so an ordinary person would instantly perish if I possessed them."
"I still don't understand why I can survive your possesshion. If you keep possessing me, I might really die."
"That's unlikely. If you were to die, it would happen instantly."
"Has anyone you possessed ever died before?"
I asked Holly, who was still washing my back, a difficult question.
"If you can possess and kill anyone, can you kill anyone if you wanted to?"
"I've told you before... I can only possess someone who consents. So, anyone I've possessed knew they would die and consented to it."
Holly stopped washing my back and started gazing off into the distance."At that time, the hero was still young and inexperienced. The Demon King wouldn't wait for a hero to grow up, as he's not so lenient. The weak hero frequently faced attacks from monsters."
"There was a Saintly Sword wielder who constantly protected this young hero. It was a rare case, but she was the hero's older sister."
"Really? There have been female Saintly Sword wielders since the old times?"
"Yes. She was a wielder of the Thunderclap Sword, quite skilled too. I was optimistic that with her around, the hero could be protected until he grew up."
"Were there no other companions?"
"Just the two siblings, constantly fleeing from monster attacks. However, one day they were attacked by a creature that the two of them couldn't handle alone. It was a demon, one of the Demon King's close aides."
I had never heard the term "demon" before, but I said nothing, anticipating where the story was going and not feeling like interrupting.
"The hero's sister asked me for power to defeat it. Although she couldn't see or hear me, she must have known about my existence from her brother."
"Why didn't you possess the hero? Like how Shion briefly became an adult, even though he was a child."
"Shion is an exception. In fact, there hasn't been a hero who could use me as proficiently as him at such a young age."
I felt annoyed at myself for saying something unnecessary. If there had been another way, Holly wouldn't have hesitated to take it.
"I possessed the hero's sister. Considering her high aptitude as a Saintly Sword wielder, I thought she might survive using my power for a short time. But... after defeating the demon, her internal organs burst and she died. It was too late by the time the battle ended. I killed the hero's sister."
"It's not your fault... You did it to protect the hero from the demon..."
"Yes. As long as the hero survives, there's hope. I'll sacrifice anyone else to ensure his survival. But still, the death of the hero's sister was my fault."
I was at a loss for words. Surprisingly, Holly seemed sentimental over someone other than the hero."And even Holly, who dislikes women, showed her sentimental side."
"What happened to the hero then?"