Gather Divine Coins and Gacha! - Chapter 259

 After finishing the conversation with my father, I quickly left the mansion.

He asked if I needed to rest, but there was no problem.

Since my sleep schedule had flipped, that time of day was when I felt best recently.

And so, I sped towards Riana's territory.

Without the need to challenge a different route this time, I arrived in the city without incident.

I left there around 10 p.m., and it was still dark outside.

If I made it back in the same amount of time as before, it would be around 4 a.m.?

"...What should I do?"

Everyone who works at this mansion starts early, but it's still far too early for them to be awake and working.

Should I pass the time in the hideout or at Alex's place until an appropriate time...?

As I was pondering this, I noticed a flickering light in the direction of Seriana's room in the southern wing of the mansion.

There are lights in the rooms, but they're fixed and don't flicker like that.

Seriana!

With that thought, I quickly ascended to the roof and moved to the window of her room, which she opened immediately.

"I'm back."

"Welcome home. You were quick."

When I entered, Seriana was standing there in her nightclothes, holding a light.

Her voice was as usual, but her slightly disheveled hair suggested she had just woken up.

"Did I wake you? Sorry about that."

I didn't expect her to wake up just because I approached from the sky... I feel bad.

"Don't worry about it. Come inside."

With that, Seriana headed to the bedroom, and I followed her in.

◇

Once inside the bedroom, I handed over the letter from my father and the permit I received, and then I decided to take a bath in the hideout.

Even though it wasn't particularly hot from night until early morning, I hadn't broken a sweat even with my coat on, but... how should I put it? I felt like I had the scent of the outdoors on me, something like dust or grass.

After thoroughly washing my hair and taking a bath, I felt refreshed, but there was still one problem I couldn't solve on my own.

"What should I do about my hair..."

I still hadn't mastered using a warm breeze as a substitute for a hair dryer. Well, it requires a certain level of skill to activate both heat and wind magic, so it's no surprise...

In the past, I relied on Elena or Fiora, and recently on Teresa.

Well, it's not the kind of weather where I'd catch a cold if I left it to dry naturally, but...

"If you're done, come here already!"

Seriana's voice called out from the living room.

She had been reading my father's letter while I was taking a bath in the hideout, and it seemed she noticed when I finished.

...I guess I have no choice. I'll ask her for help.

◇

The hair-drying spell is one that reflects the user's personality. Elena's spell, perhaps adjusted for Seriana, had a stronger wind to blow away the moisture, just like a real hair dryer.

Fiora, on the other hand, alternated between strong wind and evaporating the moisture, depending on her mood. Her ability to showcase such unnecessary variety for a niche spell like drying hair was, in its own way, impressive...

As for Seriana, she used a weak wind to lift the hair while applying heat, somewhat like using a flat iron. It might not be the best thing for hair, but it suited me just fine since it was quiet, and we could talk while she did it.

"Did you read the contents?"

"No? I saw the transit permit, but that's all."

"I see... Well, that's fine. Did anything happen on the way?"

"Nothing at all. There was a wolf-like creature that chased me along the highway, but that's about it."

"Did you stick to the highway?"

"Yeah. I didn't take any routes through the mountains or forests. Well, during the day, I'd probably be fine if I tried, but I thought it wouldn't be wise to do anything flashy and attract attention."

Even without considering the items, my basic strategy relies on a blinding attack followed by a single strike. Even in the mountains or forests, if there were other people around, they might notice.

"Did you encounter anyone?"

"Not a soul. Even when I passed by the town, there wasn't a single guard on the walls... Huaaah."

A big yawn escaped me. Maybe the bath relaxed me too much?

"The various outposts around this town handle the threat of monsters from the demonic region, so they've likely lowered their guard. Well... it's fine. What? Are you tired? It's still early morning, you know?"

Seriana seemed to sense my fatigue even with her back turned to me.

"Being exposed to the wind the whole time really takes it out of you..."

"Your hair's dry now, so let's talk later. Teresa will probably come to check on things, so you can use my bed."

"Mm..."

I'm curious about the contents of the letter, but now that I'm aware of how sleepy I am... there's nothing I can do. I guess I'll give in to it.