Akira woke up, and the first thing he saw was Princess Ulrika and the blue sky behind her face. His mind was hazy, so it was difficult to process, but then he lifted himself and looked around. The princess graciously helped him.

“Where is everyone?”

“It has been some time already, but they went to the castle. I believe they may take some time since there should be a lot to prepare. Princess Vermillion seemed to have gone too, and said she would stay around to check the city, my brother allowed it.”

“... I hope there won’t be any problems.”

And there was a minute of silence. Akira looked at Ulrika, she was sitting on the ground while he slept on her lap. While she was still like that, they still could talk almost face to face.

“Princess… I don’t-”

“You don’t need to say anything, the fault is clearly mine. If I can still be useful to you, I will be more than glad.”

He remembered what Prince Orlando told him, her job was to attach him to the Kingdom, she was to marry him for that purpose initially, but it seems she didn’t like it, or she didn’t like him at first, but now it felt like that was wrong.

“May I ask the reason why I was treated like that?”

As deeply as she regretted, she told him everything, making it clear that she has no intention of trying to the initial job, but if she may be of help, she will gladly help as much as she can. Akira accepted her apologies, but didn’t know what to say anymore.

“Would you tell me about your journey? I would like to hear the tales of Hero Akira.”

They patched up.

----

A little over an hour later, Vermillion could be seen coming from the sky, she seemed to be holding 2 boxes? As she approaches, they notice that they are actually carriages, just without horses. She lands in the empty field, and carefully places the carriages on the ground.

One of the carriage doors opens, and Anastacia could be seen, now in common clothes instead of her armor, she seemed sick, with an almost dead expression. Princess Ulrika hurries to help her.

“Sorry for the wait.”

A smiling Vermillion was looking at Akira.

[So, I hear you went to a human city.]

“Yes, it was quite fun, at first everyone was prepared to attack, but once they saw Orlando, everyone calmed down. He told them I was an ally, and allowed me to stay nearby, so I didn’t enter, but I got to see a lot… I did cause some damage, when I lied down to see everyone that went out to see me, I noticed I flattened some parts… There were even 2 small holes from my tits… I need to be careful, for some reason, I feel like everything is weaker here...”

[I’m sure that it’s just you that is to strong. So, what’s the plan?]

“I got everything here that belongs to Ulrika and Anastacia, I would like to eat before though, I’m hungry. Does anyone know of any Dragon around here? I haven’t seen any. It would be nice to have some extra food for safety...”

The two locals hear that and start to think, it has been long since they heard about a Dragon.

[I don’t think there is any around here, maybe in the nearby Kingdom, but that would be too far, and dangerous.]

[I also never heard about a Dragon here…]

Both didn’t have a proper answer.

“Then I will have to hunt once we go back, no problem.”

And so Vermillion started to prepare some food for herself, while Anastacia shared some food in between the human trio.

The trio finished first, so Anastacia explained more details of what they are to do. Ulrika is to analyze the situation of the Demon World and its order, and confirm if it’s a valuable ally, observe the local values, like things that can be exchanged, and lastly, learn from the policies. But it seems that Vermillion already warned that the last one shouldn’t go well, it seems that Prince Orlando decided to wait for the report.

“Princess, he also wished you to do your best.”

“I understand.”

“I’m glad to see Ulrika so happy, it has been quite some time.”

Anastacia started to tease her friend, and Ulrika reacted back, they were surely good friends, there was just one problem… Anastacia went to sit by side, to show both her documents written by the Prince, so he was in the middle, and it seemed they were ignoring him.

Akira is still a dwarf compared to everyone…

“Ah, Akira, Orlando answer me about your question.]

[Question? What question]

Vermillion crouched down and picked Akira from between the two, startling both. Akira was already used to it from the time in the Demon King’s Castle.

~The one about the ‘Ralem Setting’~

“Ralem what?”

~He said ‘Commoners rarely do it, and only a King can choose if he wants one or not. But Akira is no King, as a Hero, everyone will want his child, he has no choice, he will have one.’, then he wished good luck for me and my future child.~

“... I see…”

And as Vermillion was placing Akira back on the ground.

“Does that means that I will have Akira’s child?”

Ulrika, who was coincidentally drinking some water at the time, spilled all of it.

[T-That was fast… You want it?]

“... I don’t know... How Mama would react…”

[Certainly, it’s dangerous with her.]

”Right…”

The two human women were wondering who was this Demon Queen...

----

Akira had shared direct communication devices with Ulrika and Anastacia, so there would be no need for the global microphone now. Vermillion finished her dinner, and told everyone she was ready to go. Anastacia, who is the most afraid of going due to her fear of heights, wanted to postpone it.

[Princess Vermillion, it’s getting dark, shouldn’t we postpone this to tomorrow?]

“Hm? I can see in the dark, so it’s not a problem.”

[I-I see.]

Anastacia gave up, the Princess seemed to have remembered the glowing eyes, it shook her a little, but she accepted it soon after.

“Milly, you already spent some time waiting, it would be better for us to not sleep in the Ice Lands, don’t you think you should sleep now and we go full on tomorrow?”

“Hm? I don’t think I need, I feel better than ever.”

[... If you say so.]

Akira was worried, Vermillion says she is better than ever, but that doesn’t make sense.

[You said something like feeling lighter before here, right? That you could fly higher. Wouldn’t that mean that once we cross over, you will be heavier again.]

“That wasn’t really the feeling… But I don’t think it will be a problem. It’s good.”

[I understand, I will trust you on this. At least the luggage is a little lighter than when we departed...]

Vermillion took her thick colds for the cold, and stored her armor, since there was no more risk of attack. Got the backpack that has less food now, and the sack with her equipment. The Human trio also prepared themselves for the cold.

Vermillion asked Akira to prepare the saddle-like thing on her horn, she still wanted his company. The other 2 thought they would stay in the carriages, but due to the possible shaking, it would be better not. Akira said he could try to manage two people in the saddle but, when he looked at Anastacia, wondering if the 2 would want the place, the Knight hastily told them to please go together.

She ask for a place that wouldn’t shake over too much and could still be somewhat secure, possibly without being able to view the horizon. Vermillion looked all around her body… There was no such place, maybe on the neck, but… After packing everything up, she moved a little to check, and she found a place.

Due to the backpack being used on the front, her breasts are firm, so she can ride there, and it will stay closed since she needs to protect herself against the cold, but it’s dangerous, she will have to call for help if something happens. Anastacia considered the idea, although regretful, she couldn’t think of any other place and complied.

----

“Is she alright down there?”

On Vermillion’s horn, Akira was in the front, and Ulrika was holding at him, but her much bigger body forced her to lean too much towards him. Because the communication devices were one way towards Vermillion, they had no communication to Anastacia besides Vermillion herself, who could talk normally, and hear her.

“Ana, is everything ok?”

[I’m fine, it’s too hot though.]

“She said it’s too hot.”

There was a regrettable tone in her voice, but their currently position makes it impossible for her to get any better vision on them, after all, if she moves her head, they move too, she still sometimes made mistakes and moved her head, and Ulrika would hold even stronger at those times.

----

Vermillion continued running at a normal pace, when Akira noticed that the sky was already changed colors, meaning she crossed the border, she slowed her pace.

“... For some reason, like you said, it feels… a little harder now.”

“Think you can still go?”

“... Yeah, I think I can recover, but I’m a little dizzy”

Ulrika’s grip had gotten lighter.

“Hey, Princess, are you ok.”

“... Huh, I’m sorry, for some reason, my body feels heavy…”

“Hold on tight. Milly, call Anastacia, ask how she is.”

“Ana, are you ok?”

[I’m… Fine…]

“She doesn’t seem fine.”

Akira wondered, he didn’t really feel anything, but the other 3 did.

“That’s strange, I feel nothing wrong.”

“It’s probably… The Hero’s blessing… Heroes could fight in any place… Maybe the Demon World has something... ”

Ulrika shared some of her knowledge on the matter, but her guess didn’t make sense, Vermillion was completely fine before leaving, hopefully there will be no big problems on the way, and he will report this to the Demon King, maybe he knows something.

He considered returning, however that would be a problem for Vermillion who can’t hunt in human lands, besides, while they are weak now, he read there were humans accompanying the heroes in the past, so it shouldn’t be deadly nor anything.

Vermillion stops, and she moves to get Anastacia, thanks to her lowering her head to do it, Akira was in plain view of the ground beyond the 2 peaks, he had to hold Ulrika who was feeling bad on his back with all his strength.

“Just to remember, be careful with us here. But it’s already done, focus on searching now.”

Vermillion panicked a bit, in a few seconds, Vermillion was able to pick Anastacia, and found out she was completely nude and sweaty, and almost unconscious. Akira noticed that, and while his mind unconsciously tried to capture all the details, he was still able to warn Vermillion that she may get cold if she stays like that in the open.

With Vermillion herself feeling cold from having to open her clothes, she was worried that if she just returned the bodyguard back inside, she would just get injured like this, and she wouldn’t be able to move due to the worry. Looking around to where she could place her, she panicked and ended up placing her inside her mouth.

“Heh!?”

Akira was the only one well enough to retort, but Vermillion was in complete panic mode, there was no other place, but now she can’t speak, as much as Akira wants answers, she needs to be careful, and just starts running again, the earlier they leave the Ice Lands the better, even if she isn’t feeling 100% herself, she will make sure of it.

Akira kept asking her what she was doing, but due to not being answered, he was also confused, and the situation needed to be confirmed fast, but after he thinking a little more in this rush.

“Milly, Thumbs Up for yes, Thumbs Down for no, let me see your hands when you answer.”

Vermillion hadn’t thought about that, she doesn’t know the meaning of the Thumbs, but she found interesting.

“Did you eat the Knight?” *Thumbs Down*

“Good, Ulrika is not feeling very well, so please be careful with your head. There is another person inside you mouth now, so double that.” *Thumbs Up*

“Do you have a plan?” *... The hand expressed doubt.*

“I see, so you are not sure, I’m guessing you want to leave the Ice Lands as fast as possible.” *Thumbs Up*

“Ok, I don’t have any better idea either, I will take care of the Princess here, will call you if you I need anything.” *Thumbs Up*

Having found a method of communication in this chaos. Akira felt calmer, he held Ulrika’s grip on him, and checked on her.

“How are you feeling?”

“... I feel weak… No pain… Just weak…”

“Can you hold on until we leave? It may take a few more hours. But don’t say you can if you feel you can’t, don’t lie.”

“... I don’t know…”

“Let’s make it temporary, you warn me if you need to stop.”

“... Thank you…”