To Esterium
And so we left the northern snowfields that had grown so dear to us and set out on the journey toward Esterium, deep in the heart of the continent.
Of course, with the continent’s strongest mage and the Dragon Lord traveling together, I assumed our means of transport would naturally be spatial transfer magic.
Blink and we’d be there, raid the Magic Tower in record time, and take Bertolt’s head—an efficient little operation.
But that was only my delusion… or rather, my wishful thinking.
“Oh my, what are you talking about? A proper date means a train trip!”
“That’s right, Oppa. This lady—no, Sera—has always dreamed of riding a train and peeling boiled eggs.”
Faced with the two women’s iron will—and their equally iron physical insistence—we ended up buying tickets for the continental express.
And not ordinary seats, either. We rented out the entire first-class VIP car.
Clack, clack.
The scenery outside the window raced backward to the steady rhythm of the wheels.
A luxurious velvet sofa, a mahogany table, a soft chandelier overhead—this entire car was ours alone, and conversation bloomed freely inside it.
Just using a VIP suite like this would have easily run over ten thousand dollars back home…
“Woooow… it’s so fast! Oppa, look! The snowy mountains are flying past!”
Serapagnia plastered herself against the window and bounced up and down like a child.
The Dragon Lord, of all people, was marveling at the speed of a mere steam locomotive.
By her flying standards a train was slower than a caterpillar.
“Is it different from the view when you fly?”
“Totally different! From the sky everything looks like beans, but down here I can see the trees and the flowers!”
She huffed little clouds of breath onto the glass and drew pictures while giggling, every bit as if she really were a little girl discovering the world for the first time.
I couldn’t help the way the corner of my mouth lifted at that pure delight.
That little… no, that woman was the Dragon Lord?
It was hard to believe the same transcendent who had toyed so casually with an Outer God only days ago could pull off such a perfect one-eighty.
“The scenery is lovely. There’s a charm here that transfer magic simply can’t give you.”
Kyra, seated across from me, lifted her teacup with elegant grace.
“Is that so? Well… I suppose taking it slow every once in a while isn’t bad.”
“Who you travel with is what matters. Before, I only ever teleported alone. I never even knew what a real journey felt like.”
Kyra smiled softly and looked at me.
“I’m learning so many things because of you, Erevan.”
“Ah… y-yeah. Same here.”
Just as the atmosphere was turning sweet—
Rattle—!
The cabin door slid open and a uniformed attendant wheeled in a cart.
“Your premium dinner set, as ordered.”
Lavish dishes began to fill the table: a thick T-bone steak, fresh grilled lobster, the finest wine, and an array of desserts.
The result of wealthy Kyra and treasure-laden Serapagnia both saying, “Bring us everything you’ve got.”
“Thanks for the meal!”
Serapagnia grabbed her knife and fork and started sawing into the steak.
Her cheeks puffed out round as she chewed.
“Mmm~! Oppa, this is seriously good! Say aah!”
She speared a piece of meat and thrust it toward my mouth.
“No, I can feed myself—”
“Hurry up! My arm hurts!”
I had no choice but to open my mouth and accept it.
Juices burst across my tongue.
“Good, right?”
“…Yeah. Definitely worth the price.”
“Hmph. Just meat.”
Jealousy flared in Kyra. She carefully extracted a piece of lobster and held it out.
“Here, Erevan. This came all the way across the ocean. I bet it’s even better.”
“Ah… thank you.”
“Huh? Kyra, you—! That’s so unfair! Oppa, try the dessert too! Strawberry cake!”
“Erevan, have a glass of wine. I’ll pour for you.”
Steak and cake flew in from the left; lobster and wine from the right without a moment’s rest.
In the end, for the sake of the train’s continued existence, I had to keep accepting every bite even as my stomach threatened to burst.
Outside the window a crimson sunset was sinking; inside the car the air was filled with the scent of fine food and bright laughter.
A peaceful dinner hour in which the threat of Outer Gods and the Magic Tower’s schemes could be set aside for a little while.
Well… it was certainly better than the days I’d spent scraping by at the Academy just trying to survive each day.
Endless main quests, countless minor sub-quests, quietly cleaning up the residual messes the Outer Gods left behind after every invasion—being isekai’d into a novel had left me no room to actually enjoy the fantasy world. Now it finally felt like I was being compensated for all of it.
Yeah… for now, let’s just enjoy the present.
Time passed and night deepened.
Even the rhythmic clatter of the train had become a lullaby by the late hour.
We moved to the sleeping compartment.
Being first-class, it came with a king-sized bed, yet somehow it still looked a little tight for one adult man and two women.
“Um… I’ll just sleep on the sofa.”
I tried to read the room and slip away, but both women grabbed my arms at once.
“Where do you think you’re going? The bed’s plenty big.”
“Yeah. It’s cold out there. Oppa has to be our heater.”
“Won’t it be cramped? You’ll be uncomfortable.”
“Not uncomfortable at all! It’s perfect for us.”
In the end I was frog-marched into the middle of the bed and laid down flat.
The result:
“Mmm… so warm…”
On my left Serapagnia pillowed her head on my arm and casually hooked one leg over my thigh.
“Good night, Erevan…”
On my right Kyra rested her head against my chest and wrapped both arms tightly around my waist.
Perfect restraint.
No—perfect full-body contact.
Soft, warm body heat radiated from both sides, and the two women’s even breathing played in stereo around me.
Haah…
I stared up at the ceiling and smiled.
My body couldn’t move an inch, yet somehow my heart felt completely at ease.
Starlight from the night sky streaming past the window poured into the cabin.
…I can do this, right?
Tomorrow we would arrive in Esterium.
I had no idea what new fights awaited us there, but at least for tonight I was allowed to savor this sweet, heavy happiness, wasn’t I?
Carefully I slipped my arms around both women’s shoulders and slowly closed my eyes.
Leon… so this is how you felt. Thanks to you, at least, I got to achieve the dream of falling asleep with a woman on each arm. Appreciate it.
Back when I’d been working so hard to protect the Academy I never even got a glimpse of the first letter of the word “girl.”
The moment I offered the Academy as a sacrifice I somehow ended up with two girlfriend-adjacent women and three yandere stalkers. The more I thought about it, the more ridiculous it was.
More than that… I wonder how Leon and the others are doing right now…
With that idle thought drifting through my mind, I sank into deep sleep.
At that same hour, in the grand banquet hall of House Kentaret in the south.
The Argentina Revenge Alliance, composed of the Academy’s survivors, was holding a heated strategy meeting, planting dozens of flags across a large map.
“All right, listen up!”
Leon rapped the map with a pointer.
Dark circles hung heavily under his eyes.
The shock of losing the holy sword Levatein, the mysterious decline of his sacred power, and several sleepless nights spent as student council president cleaning up the aftermath had all taken their toll.
“Let’s pool the intelligence we’ve gathered. Intelligence Division first!”
“Yes, sir! Reporting now.”
A student from the intel team shot a hand up.
“Sighting Report A. Approximately two weeks ago, a massive platinum-colored dragon was spotted flying over the northernmost snowfields of the continent.”
“A platinum dragon? The White Dragon Emperor?”
“Yes. What’s strange is that the dragon was combing the entire snowfield as if searching for something. And a few days ago an enormous magical explosion was detected in that same area.”
Murmurs rippled through the room.
“A magical explosion? Don’t tell me that bastard KJH is up there?”
“Or he’s fighting the White Dragon Emperor!”
Leon nodded and planted a red flag on the northern part of the map.
“Good. The north is definitely suspicious. Next report?”
This time a noble girl from a fairly influential Roelina Empire family raised her hand.
“Imperial intelligence. According to a messenger from my house, Her Majesty Empress Serene has recently been combing the entire southern region as thoroughly as if she were hunting for lice.”
“The south?”
“Yes. And apparently without success—there’s a rumor she’s now leading the entire search force and the elite Imperial Knights northward. Destination unclear, but the prevailing analysis is that she’s heading toward Esterium.”
“Esterium, huh…”
Leon propped his chin on his hand, deep in thought.
Traces of the White Dragon Emperor in the north; the Empress advancing from the south with her sights on Esterium.
The trail had split into two.
“What should we do, President? It looks like we’ll have to split our forces.”
Vice President Chloe asked.
Leon stared hard at the map for a long moment, then clenched his fist as if reaching a decision.
“We split. If we chase only one lead and lose him, it’s over.”
He pointed the pointer at the north and the center.
“Northern Expedition first. Professors and upperclassmen, please take charge. With the White Dragon Emperor involved the danger level is high, and the snowfield terrain requires experience.”
“Leave it to us. The bastard who blew up my laboratory—once I catch him he won’t even have bones left to bury.”
“Calm yourself, Professor Manterne. Our sole purpose in capturing that man is to offer him intact to the Transcendents.”
The Magic Faculty department head ground his teeth and raised his staff; murderous mana shimmered at its tip.
“And the Southern Pursuit Team. Chloe and I will lead, along with students who have solid combat experience. We’re heading for Esterium.”
“Esterium? Why there of all places?”
“Her Majesty the Empress doesn’t move without reason. And… the place with the densest, most chaotic mana on the continent would make an attractive hideout for him.”
Leon’s deduction was sharper than expected.
Of course he had no idea that KJH was actually heading there to hunt the Tower Master—and he never would.
“All right. That’s the plan.”
Just then—
“Hold on. Mind if I join?”
The banquet hall doors opened and a sharp-eyed woman in form-fitting black leather walked in.
Her appearance set the students buzzing.
“Huh? Isn’t that…?”
“The Assassin Guild Master, Rine?”
An external collaborator of the Academy and one of Leon’s lovers who had shadowed him like a second shadow from the moment they first met.
She approached Leon with her trademark cool smile.
“Long time no see, Leon. You’re looking rough.”
“Rine-noona? How did you—?”
“Heard the rumors. My cute boyfriend—sorry, partner—lost his school and was crying his eyes out.”
She spun a dagger once between her fingers and winked.
“Besides, I’ve taken an interest in this KJH guy myself. He had the nerve to mess with Argentina—my turf—and then vanish. My pride’s a little bruised.”
She tapped the flag marking Esterium.
“I’ll join the Esterium team. I own every back-alley contact in that city.”
“Ooooh…!”
Her arrival was like a thousand cavalry reinforcements; color returned to Leon’s face.
“Perfect! With Rine-noonim joining us, we’re complete.”
He looked around at the Revenge Alliance with a resolute expression.
“Our goal is one and only one: capture KJH alive and demand full compensation for damages!”
“Waaaaaah!!!”
“For our diplomas!”
“Give me back my items!”
And so the Argentina Revenge Alliance split into two forces and began their advance.
The Northern Expedition led by the professors.
And the Central Pursuit Team led by Leon and his heroines.
“Just you wait, KJH. You’re going to pay dearly for my holy sword!”
Leon clenched his fist and glared in the direction he believed KJH would be found.