"It’s been a while since we’ve been back at the spring~"

I stretched both my "arms" upward and straightened my "back."

Ever since the Labyrinth Stampede, I’d been stuck traveling around and couldn’t return.

...Well, saying "return" to this place feels a bit weird too!

"Hoowah~ It feels so nice."

Irina was splashing water on her face by the spring.

You’re a Count’s daughter, right? But you’re Irina, so... yeah, it’s fine.

Logan and the others were exhausted from the long journey and were sleeping.

Makes sense since they mostly ran while carrying us.

I’ll treat them to some stall food I bought in Solenarini town as thanks.

The Chicks had been flying the whole way too, so they were resting peacefully now.

I should prepare some of their favorite skewered meat for them.

Chicks eating grilled Earth Bird... well, whatever.

On the way back, I stopped by Deputy Governor Naise in Solenarini town to greet him. I reported the trouble in the fortress city of Felbane and that it had been resolved. I also honestly told him about treating Luciana at the Coluna Frontier Count’s request and how we had to escape because of Lord Fenberg trying to recruit us. Naise held his head in his hands. On top of that, the previous Labyrinth Stampede report hadn’t even been finished before this new terrorist incident happened.

Well, I’ll leave all of that to Naise.

Now then, it’s time to think about building my own home.

The kind of house we could realistically build right now would be... wait! A house is a house... pfft!

Old man joke!

...It’s kind of lonely when I’m the only one who gets it.

Thinking seriously about a house... yeah, a log cabin is the obvious choice.

Cut down trees and assemble them...

But that’s impossible for an amateur like me.

"Maybe I should go ask the village chief of Caso village how to build a house..."

"Good morning, Yabe. We’re finally back to our normal life."

Irina greeted me with a bright smile.

"Hey, Irina. Good morning."

But is living in a tent by the spring really "normal life" for Irina?

Is she going to be okay?

"Now that I think about it, Irina, you’re the daughter of the Lubengel Count family, right?"

"Eh, ah... yeah, that’s right. Why do you ask so suddenly?"

"No, I was just wondering... isn’t living in a tent by the spring hard on you...?"

"What are you saying? I told you before, didn’t I? Right now, being by Yabe’s side is everything to me."

...Sniff. Irina really is a good girl.

"Alright! Let’s build a log house here! So Irina can live comfortably."

"Eeeh!? For my sake...?"

"Yeah. I’m fine sleeping outside, but you’d be better off with a proper bed to rest your body and a warm bath, right? It’ll get cold soon, and you might catch a cold in a tent."

"Yabe...!"

Irina suddenly hugged me.

Maybe because she washes her face and body with spring water, Irina always smells and looks really nice.

"I’m happy, but I’m fine even in a tent, you know? Though... if it’s possible, there is one thing I’d like to ask..."

Irina fidgeted while looking at me.

"As long as it’s not something with Quokka, I’ll listen to anything."

"Since Yabe can change your body size... I want you to get bigger and let me sleep on top of you..."

"...A slime bed?"

"Something like that."

If that’s what Irina wants, I’ll fulfill her request.

I took off my robe and revealed my long-awaited Derone Mr. II form. I made myself one size larger and increased the "derone" level even more. My mental image was a cradle.

"Come on, it’s ready, Irina. Hop on."

"Amazing! Thank you, Yabe!"

Irina immediately plopped down onto me with a poyon. She entrusted her whole body to me like a hammock.

"Waaaah! Yabe, this is incredible! It’s so poyon poyon! It feels really good! Amazing, amazing!"

Irina bounced and swayed happily on top of me.

"Yabe feels so cool and refreshing. It really feels wonderful!"

Irina said with a delighted expression. I’m glad she’s happy.

Come to think of it, I guess I’m cool to the touch. Since I have temperature resistance, I don’t really notice my own temperature. I should consider turning into a hot-water bottle with swirling energy during winter so I don’t get disliked!

"...But Irina, aren’t you scared of me?"

"Scared? Of Yabe? Why?"

"During the Labyrinth Stampede, I absorbed a huge amount of monsters. For example, while you’re resting on my body right now, doesn’t it ever cross your mind that you might melt and get absorbed?"

In response to my question, Irina tilted her head, then suddenly burst out laughing.

"Ahahaha, what are you saying, Yabe?"

She turned around as if it was the funniest thing ever and lay face down. Irina spread both arms and hugged my entire slime body. (Though my slime body was still much bigger.)

"When we first met, you saved my life, didn’t you? During the Labyrinth Stampede too, without Yabe, the whole town might have been destroyed. During the terrorist incident after that, I might have died from poison. After being saved by Yabe so many times, there’s no way I would doubt you now. I trust Yabe with my whole body and soul. If you ever had to melt and absorb me, I’m sure there would be a reason why you had to do it. I would never resent you for it. I’m sure it would be necessary."

Irina smiled brightly. Since she was lying face down hugging my poyon poyon body, I could clearly see her smiling face.

"I-Irina..."

Crap! I’m so moved I feel like crying!

...Not that I know where my eyes even are.

As a little service for Irina who said such wonderful things—plop!

"Hoowah!?"

I enveloped Irina’s body, leaving only her head exposed.

Then, when I stood up, Irina—with only her face sticking out—said:

"Fuwawah! It’s so poyon poyon!"

She bounced around the spring like a teardrop shape.

"Waaaah~ This is so fun, Yabe!"

"Hahaha! This body is exclusively for Irina!"

"I-It’s only for me...? Kuu..."

"There, there. It’s fine, it’s fine."

We bounced around together happily. While the two of us were making a racket, Logan and the Chicks were watching us with warm, slightly teasing eyes.

『It’s spring, isn’t it~』

Hey Garbo. You said it was spring last time too. Is it always spring here?

『Mhm mhm. Boss will be set for life once he marries Lady Irina.』

『Lord Logan might not know, but Boss already has a second wife, Lady Luciana.』

『What!? Where did you get that information!?』

『It’s the young lady from the Coluna Frontier Count’s house where you all were waiting in the garden. After Boss saved her life, Lady Luciana completely fell for him.』

『What!? Boss is quite the sinful one.』

『No no, for someone like Boss, a harem is only natural.』

『『『Indeed.』』』

Hey Four Heavenly Kings, you don’t all have to nod so enthusiastically.

Also, Chick Captain, stop using me to justify your own harem ambitions.

While everyone was getting excited like this, we had visitors at the spring.

"My, my, Spirit-sama, you all seem to be in quite high spirits."

It was the village chief of Caso village along with some young villagers.

"Hey, Chief. Doing well?"

"Of course! Thanks to the blessings of Spirit-sama, I’m healthier than ever."

The chief struck a muscle pose to show off his energy. He really is full of vigor.

The young men behind him were carrying barrels. Are they here to draw the miraculous water?

"We’ve been receiving water blessed by Spirit-sama like this. Thanks to it, the crops are growing vigorously, and the young men of the village carry the water for us."

"You came all the way here yourself, Chief?"

"Of course. Since we are receiving the water from the miraculous spring, I come personally out of gratitude."

"Woooow~ What a commendable attitude!"

The water spirit Wintia popped out. She appears on her own now even without being called! Not that I mind!

"I’ve also been giving blessings around the spring~ So I think the water has become very good~"

The earth spirit Belhia-neesan made an appearance too. So she was giving blessings!

"That’s nice~ Wind is hard to give blessings to..."

The wind spirit Sylphie appeared looking a bit disappointed.

"Yabe, want me to burn you with my blessing?"

There’s one guy who’s completely incomprehensible, so I’ll ignore him.

"By the way, Chief, I want to build a my home here. If there are any carpenters who can build log houses, could you introduce me to them?"

"Ohh! You wish to build a temple for the Spirits here!"

"No, it’s a my home."

"A log-house-style temple! We shall build something magnificent that blends with nature!"

"No, it’s a my home."

"You guys! It’s time to build the Spirit-sama’s temple! We’ll put the whole village into it and build with all our strength!"

"""""Oooooooohhh!!!"""""

"No, like I said, it’s a my home..."

I looked up at the sky and sighed.