"Splash!"
Hey, who threw water on me?
"Kaela, wake up. It's already morning."
The sun rose over the horizon, and a bird landed on my head.
"Good morning, Xiu!"
Xiu has long black hair, unlike mine, which is short and white. On top of that, she has a beautiful pair of breasts. I'm as flat as a board.
"What's wrong, Kaela? Do you like my hair? Or are you looking at something else?"
That's not it...
Is everyone else still asleep?
"Ah, Mortar, you have the softest arms I've ever touched. Hold me tight—I don't want to wake up from this wonderful dream."
Dorian has no love for his own life. How can he sleep while hugging her?
"What's all this noise so early in the morning? I don't like being woken up before noon while I'm sleeping with my wife."
Cement had slept in the middle of the battle arena, right on top of the spikes.
"Mortar, leave Cement and run away with me."
"See, my love? That brat wants you to run away with him. Hahaha! But you'll never leave me."
"My love?"
". . ."
"Where's my wife? You're not her."
"Mortar, I love you!"
"Whoosh!"
Cement let go of the log he had been hugging.
"Chokehold."
What incredible speed. I didn't even see Cement leave the arena and appear behind Dorian.
"I... can't... breathe."
Dorian's face turned as red as a tomato.
"How dare you sleep hugging my wife in front of everyone? She's shy, Dorian. You should do that in secret."
Huh? That's what Cement is worried about?
"I swear I won't hug Mortar when other people are around. Let me go."
And just like that, the day began.
"What's that bottle in Cement's right hand?"
"That's vodka. Last night, I heard the sound of a bottle clinking and someone laughing."
Xiu tied up her hair.
"So I used my illumination spell and saw that bald old man drinking."
I see!
"Kaela, go wake up your friends. You have to go to Asterium. Or did you forget what we talked about yesterday?"
No, I remember. I wonder what that city is like. What kind of people live there? How will my friends and I obtain powers?
"Dorian, come with me and help wake everyone up. We're heading to Asterium soon."
"Asterium? When I stayed at Xiu's place, she mentioned that city, but she never told me the important details."
So Dorian already knew.
"Kaela, why do we have to go to Asterium? Are we going to meet new girls?"
Dorian's neck was still covered in bruises from the chokehold, yet he hadn't lost his appetite for women.
"We're not going there to meet women. Our goal is to gain powers."
"Powers?"
We stopped beside Seraphine, who was sleeping like a rock on top of Xiu's bear.
Look at her drooling without a care in the world.
"Yes. You're coming with me to defeat the Demon King. Wake up, Seraphine. I'll go wake Lyra and Donkey."
Kaela, I never agreed to defeat the Demon King... but if it'll help me get a girlfriend, I'm in.
"Okay!"
"Kaela, don't ignore me."
Sorry, Dorian. I'm dragging you into this adventure, but what we're about to do is more important.
"My goodness... How am I supposed to fight the Demon King with Lyra and Donkey?"
I don't know whether to give up already or laugh at this ridiculous sight.
"Good morning, Kaela! Did you like the way I sleep? My ultimate sleeping style, just like a bat, is divine."
Divine? No. Your stupidity is. It's so rare that only you possess it in this world.
"Get down from the tree. We're traveling to Asterium."
"What?"
"Crack!"
Careful, Lyra...
The branch snapped, and Lyra fell right on top of me.
"Ow! My stomach, you crazy girl!"
"Kaela, what kind of city is that? Is that where the Demon King lives?"
"Lyra."
"What is it, Kaela?"
"Would you mind taking your hands off my chest?"
"Squeeze!"
Lyra squeezed my chest.
"Are these really boobs? I thought they were two little rocks."
"Hahaha! You're as flat as a board too."
"Kaela, I'm still growing."
Lyra blushed in embarrassment.
"Listen, Lyra. We're going to Asterium to gain powers."
At that moment, I realized the huge mistake I'd made by telling Lyra.
"Really?"
"Hey, wait!"
Lyra hugged me.
"Kaela, my master says that if someone does something nice for you, you should thank them with a hug."
I blushed. I thought she meant something else.
"Kaela."
"What is it, Lyra?"
"I still haven't washed my hands."
Aaaaaah, come on!
"I was finally clean, and now I stink again."
"I'm going to get a power that turns demons into chickens."
Lyra, you're such an idiot.
"Just imagine it, Kaela. I'll have an army of chickens made from the Demon King's own demons, and I'll march against him."
Hahaha!
"I can already picture the look on the Demon King's face. He may have beaten me last time, but now I'll have an army!"
"Thump!"
"Ow, Kaela! Why did you flick my forehead? That hurt!"
A nice bump appeared on Lyra's forehead.
"Stop daydreaming and let's wake up your brother... I mean, Donkey."
"Hahahaha."
How did Donkey manage to hang from a tree and sleep like a bat?
"Hey, Kaela, are you all ready to leave?"
Don't rush us.
"Ah, Cement, we're trying to wake Donkey up."
"Good morning, everyone! How are we getting to another city?"
Now that Seraphine mentioned it, I hadn't even thought about that.
"Kaela, we can walk there. Along the way, we'll defeat every demon we find and collect relics like the ones I gave you to cover your embarrassingly naked body."
Walk? Not a chance.
"Lyra, we don't even know how far Asterium is."
"It's a three-day walk. You all seem awfully excited about traveling on foot. Why?"
"Hic!"
The drunk showed up.
"A three-day walk? Forget the trip. I'm not going anymore."
I never even liked walking to the bakery near my house. Imagine hiking for three whole days.
"Hahaha! I knew you'd say that. That's exactly why we found transportation for you. There's just one little problem."
"Hic!"
"What?"
We all asked in unison.
"Look over there!"
". . ."
"No! I'm not pulling a wagon!"
Donkey woke up in a panic, still hanging upside down like a bat.
His dream was over.
From that moment on...
he officially became the team's horse.