To the Imperial Capital

I guess I'll have to collect 100 GP sooner rather than later or get Haku-san to approve of it through some other method… alright, I've given around a hundred bribeshamburgers to Misha, so let's go! On to studying abroad!

"Still though, being able to move Niku and Ichika using the dungeon functions is convenient."

"Yeah. Slaves are items, after all."

"Yep!"

That's the story we're going with, anyway. Haku-san didn't say much on the topic of Niku and Ichika being transferred either though, so it might've been ordinary.

Given that I never asked to have Aidi's group moved this way, Dungeon Cores probably can't be moved by another core's [Establishment]. Maybe it's different for subordinates like Mikan, though?

By the way, as far as anyone else was concerned, we were picked up by way of Haku-san's [Teleport] (separately from Aidi's pick up).

"Alright, we're off."

"I'm leavin' everything to you, Rei."

"Yes, Instructor Ichika, Niku-senpai! Leave it to me! Master, Rokuko-sama, take your time!"

Within the Master Room, Rei and the fairies under her gave us a crisp salute.

Rei immediately started delegating tasks to the fairies.

"Alright, Rokuko. If you would."

"Ye～p."

Rokuko tapped the controls, and we instantly moved to the beach.

A pink slime with tentacles similar to a sea anemone's… a tentacle slime named Ten-san welcomed us.

Him waving his tentacles was him welcoming us. We're going straight to the imperial capital, though.

Ten-san hoisted me up with his tentacles, like a victory toss.

"Hey, oioi, cut～it～out～. Rokuko's watching, yeah?"

"(Wiggle wiggle♪)"

I pet Ten-san like he a good dog. He reluctantly separated from me.

I returned to Rokuko and the others while using [Purify] to remove Ten-san's slime.

Hmm? What's up with Rokuko? Her face is all red.

"Kehma, you're on such familiar terms with Ten-san…?"

"Huh? Yeah. I mean, I come here every so often to play with Ten-san."

Sometimes when I feel like taking a nap while listening to beach sounds, I come here to sleep.

Whenever I do, I end up hanging out with Ten-san, sleeping on his body like a water bed, and throwing a ball to play with him.

… When I said that, I saw Niku wagging her tail in an envious manner. Yeah, I'll play with Niku next time as well. Yep.

"Well, we have to head straight to the imperial capital, so see you next time."

Ten-san waved a tentacle slowly when I said that.

"What a cute boy, hahaha."

"Goshujin-sama, ya understand what Ten-san's sayin'…"

"Of course? He's easy to understand. Like Niku's tail."

"… To me it just looks like it's wrigglin' around, though."

After that sort of thing happening with Ten-san, we appeared next in [White Secret].

It was a hut-shaped dungeon built on a sandy beach, one of Haku-san's villas.

"I've been waiting."

A silky, the caretaker, bowed her head. We'd be renting a carriage here and head for the Imperial City.

As expected, using [Teleport] on four people would consume too much magical power… it wouldn't have been strange to be picked up by Haku-san, but she seemed to be having her hands full with things relating to our trip.

"I wonder if Haku-san already knows we've arrived?"

"Yes. She is busy with work and can't make it here. Will you be leaving now?"

"Yeah. Let's hurry up and head to Haku-san."

And so we rode a fairly upper-class aristocratic carriage to the imperial capital.

… Actually, isn't this an imperial carriage? It's such a great ride. Maybe I should lie down and get some shut eye?

Our coachman was the silky… Haku-san should be able to send her back when we reach the capital via her dungeon functions. Yep.

"Kehma, want a lap pillow?"

Rokuko suddenly spoke up as I was sitting with her, Niku and Ichika all facing each other. Hoh.

"You sure? Alright the — oh, wait, let's not. This is Haku-san's carriage."

"No need to worry… it's like an extension of a hug, yeah! Actually, it's less intense than a hug!"

"Lap pillows seem more intense than hugs to me, though… Ichika, what do you think?"

"Ya're passin' that one to me? I think ya're a coward, is what I think."

That's not it. That's not the point, and nobody asked whether I'm a coward right now.

"What's Niku-senpai think?"

"The solution is for me to be the pillow."

The seating's too small for a hug pillow, even laying down…

"Then let's take the middle ground and have Ichika give the lap pillow. I'll sit across from you and watch your face as you sleep. Niku, come here."

"Yeah～. C'mon, Goshujin-sama, want some～?"

"Understood."

"Sorry, please wait. First off, I don't think that's what middle ground means here and how am I supposed to sleep with you staring at my face? Are we really doing this?"

Even while saying that, I changed seats in the carriage and went with putting my head on Ichika's thighs… Oh, this is comfy. More so than I expected.

"… You look pretty comfy there."

"No, well, yeah… it's nice."

Just the right firmness, and just the right amount of body warmth. And she smells kind of nice, too… the way she smells sort of but not entirely like curry is part of the charm.

"Niku, let's do a lap pillow too!"

"Understood."

With that, Rokuko had Niku sit facing Ichika and put her head on Niku's lap.

Facing me down on the lap pillow, our eyes met perfectly… Rokuko giggled.

"Ah～… this is good. Niku, you smell pretty nice. I wonder if it's because Kehma's smell has soaked into you from being his pillow for so long?"

"Eh, do I smell that bad? I'm getting in the onsen and using [Purify] every day though?"

"It's soaked into your bed, so of course your hug pillow would be like that too."

"… That so? Well, uhh, sorry, Niku?"

"I'm proud of being marked by Goshujin-sama though?"

Oh, she really thinks that, doesn't she… Her tail's quivering, squirming between her butt and the chair.

"Hey, hey, Goshujin-sama. Can I ask somethin'?"

"Hm? What is it, Ichika?"

I couldn't see her face, but she spoke while petting my head.

"Does this count as sleepin' together? I mean, if you don't count us slaves, ya two're alone, and you're facing each other on your lap pillows, all pillow-talk-like."

I didn't think of that!?

"No, our seating is properly separated!"

"Oooh, ya shouldn't stand up. The carriage is movin', so ya might fall if ya get up～?"

Ah, I can't move… she's holding my head down…? Why does Rokuko look so happy about it?

"Ufufu, sleeping with Kehma…♪ Ichika, just keep on holding him down."

"Understood～"

"Oi, Ichika, weren't you supposed to be my slave?"

"If ya give me an order, yeah, Goshujin-sama… But Goshujin-sama doesn't actually hate it either, right? … Ya can make an excuse sayin' we forced ya to. That's why ya're a coward, yeah…?"

Ichika spoke in a whisper that only I could hear.

Kuh, I can't argue with that logic!

"Well, I guess it's fine for now…"

"Ichika? Did you say anything?"

"Hm? I didn't really say anythin' in particular, Rokuko-sama. Just Goshujin-sama bein' shy, that's all."

"Oh? Fufufu, sleeping with Kehma～"

"I keep saying we're not sleeping together…"

… Ah, I made sure to wake up before reaching the imperial capital.