The Capital, Akahagane

The capital, Akahagane. A city carved out of half a massive mountain.

Apparently, the city got its start when a meteorite struck the mountainside and created a crater, which they then developed into a mine. Maybe that's why the air feels a bit dusty and gritty.

The mountain rises up like a sundial, gouged and scraped, and honestly looks like it could collapse at any moment… but the first king supposedly handled that with magic. Magic is amazin'.

The city is, of course, dwarf-sized overall.

On the flip side, shops catering to other races have larger entrances, and since most of the stores facing the main street were like that, this place looks like a normal town to me.

"The gate guards seemed pretty shaken up, huh?"

"It's probably because of the presents Master received from the grandmas. Anyone with an eye for quality would recognize them as masterpieces immediately."

"Hmm, maybe I should take them off to avoid causing a commotion… but they're gifts, and I don't want to!"

These are items the cuties (by my standards) known as the Five Elders handmade for me.

Even though they're mostly unnecessary with Spatial Magic, wearing them at least while we're in this country is the polite thing to do! Probably!

Hm? You're asking if they'll just return to me even if I take them off?

That's a separate issue. Since I'm a higher-level Spatial Magic user than whoever enchanted them, I can take them off without triggering the return mechanism. Like tucking them away while they're still just barely touching my body.

"Uh, Sis. Aishia-san. Please don't forget that you've got a dragon with you too?"

"Oh crap, that's right."

"… I completely forgot, but you are a dragon, Arthur-kun."

Oh yeah, having a dragon with us is pretty conspicuous too.

In fact, a Thunder Dragon had been disrupting the country's commerce as a pest, so it'd be natural for him to attract attention. And this guy here was that very one.

"Dea-kun, am I really that forgettable!? Am I just a small-fry lizard after all!?"

"No, no, you're a dragon, so that's definitely not the case. Yep."

"D-Dea-kun-chaaaan! Whiiine! Whiiine!"

Arthur-kun being comforted with pats from Dea-kun.

He's basically acting like a dog or cat at this point. I thought that, but decided not to say it out loud.

I left Dea-kun and Aishia, plus Arthur-kun as an afterthought, to handle the report to the Adventurers' Guild, the completion report for the delivery quest we'd been doing on the side, and securing an inn.

As for me, I headed straight to the church.

Since outsiders also visit, the church itself was human-sized, but the Siesta who came to greet me was, of all things, a dwarf-sized little girl.

"Welcome, fellow devotee."

"Oh, Siesta's tiny. Cute!"

"Fufu, this size is optimal by dwarven standards."

Regional flair, I suppose. A local Siesta.

"Does the Siesta in the beast kingdom have animal ears?"

"She does. She has rabbit ears."

I absolutely have to see that. Maybe I should head there next.

"More importantly, the Goddess is waiting. Please make your offering quickly."

"Oh right, that's true. There wasn't a church in Aishia's village, just a household shrine."

So I couldn't make my delivery, leaving the Goddess hanging. Her constant pestering was driving me crazy.

I sat in the front pew of the chapel and offered my prayer.

Goddess…

"Divine ☆ Descent! Now then, I've been waiting and waiting, Karina-chan! The Five Elders' Rejuvenated-Female-Embarrassment Socks, hurry hurry!"

"Five Elders' Rejuvenated-Female-Embarrassment Socks!? That's the first time I've ever heard that phrase in my life…"

"Just hand them over already. Otherwise, I, the loli Goddess, will ring the bell and perform a requiem, you know? Is that what you want?"

I don't understand what she's saying, but it sounds terrifying, so I'll make my delivery right away. Yep.