After finalizing the purchase of her new mansion with Dargo, Alto and I return to hot spring. When I arrive, I'm stunned to see Alara, Nina, and Zara all soaking together in the hot spring. I immediately turn around so they're at my back, and Alto chuckles at me.
"I'm very sorry everyone, I should have thought to let Nina know before I just dropped in. How much time do you need before I come back?" (Mizuki)
"Fufufufu…what are you being so modest for, Mizuki? This is a daily sight for you." (Nina)
"Nina, obviously you're not the issue here." (Mizuki)
"Mizuki, I honestly don't care – I'm comfortable with your presence." (Zara)
That's…not the point Zara.
"Alara, please don't listen to these two – I was mainly trying to be polite to you. You're perfectly entitled to your own boundaries. How much time do you need?" (Mizuki)
To my surprise, Alara begins laughing at me.
"Fufufu…Mizuki, I've been alive two millennia. I've been with many men, and you are far from the type I'd worry about. So long as you keep your hands to yourself, I don't take issue with you staying." (Alara)
I'll record that one on my list of most shocking things I've ever heard. Oh well, if that's how they feel, I'm not going to complain.
I turn back around to face them and give a placating gesture and sheepish smile.
"Very well, I'm not going to lecture grown women about their own boundaries. Besides, this might be a good thing. We've secured a house, and it's got a huge stone bath the size of a room, with heating enchantments and everything. It's the only one, though, so we will probably be bathing together in shifts at some point." (Mizuki)
Everyone in the hot spring looks at me in surprise.
"You've got a house already, and you even toured it enough to know that? When can we see it?" (Alara)
"Fufufu…yes, I want to see this house of ours as well!" (Nina)
Nina climbs out of the water and begins walking over to her clothes near me at a leisurely pace. I'm so transfixed at first that I don't notice Alara and Zara climb out as well. Once I do, I look off to the side in embarrassment.
"Yeah, it's ours, or rather Alto's, technically. You can see it as soon as you get dressed and we pick out a place around here to put it! It needs a large flat surface with solid foundation. I was hoping Nina could help me reshape the earth around where we want to move it, so that there are no issues." (Mizuki)
"If you plan to keep it here even after we've developed my territory, which is fine with me, then you might want to pick somewhere that you know will remain somewhat private." (Alara)
That's a fair point.
"Oooh, Mizuki, since Nina can reshape the earth, why not put it on top of one of the smaller mountains at the edge of this valley? Maybe the one overlooking the lake over there. That way the foundation would be solid rock, and we'd be somewhere that nobody else could try to build a house or intrude on us easily." (Alto)
"Alto, that's an excellent idea!" (Mizuki)
In my excitement, I turn back towards the group and catch direct site of Alara in front of me – still not dressed. I avert my gaze again quickly.
"Ehem…Alara, do you mind getting dressed if you're not going back in the hot spring? You and Ilina look a lot alike, and the more I see you like this, the more uncomfortable it is for me." (Mizuki)
Alara gives me a surprised look, and seems conflicted about something, then she starts getting dressed.
"There you go, Mizuki. Did that comment just now mean that you find me attractive?" (Alara)
I turn back to Alara in surprise, and she has a puzzled look on her face. I feel the same way about her question. I literally said she looks like the girl I'm romantically involved with, so I think the answer is obvious.
"Well, if you mean physically, then yes, of course. Why do you ask?" (Mizuki)
Alara gives a thoughtful face, like she was just told a fun fact.
"Hmm…I guess you're quite handsome as well, you know? I hadn't thought about it before, since I hate humans." (Alara)
What the actual…is every woman in this country deranged? Is this just a consequence of being long-lived – flippant views on intimacy? Alara keeps eyeing me curiously, and I sigh heavily.
"Well, now that we've established these awkward facts…is everyone ready to get the house set up on the mountain Alto suggested?" (Mizuki)
Everyone seems to be dressed at this point and nods their agreement. Thankfully, Zara managed to do so without me noticing her.
"Okay, Alto and Zara, get everyone in a formation like we did for the wolf-kin village trip." (Mizuki)
They both seem to understand, and nod as they get into position. Zara drags a confused Alara into position as well. Nina walks up next to me and wraps her arms around me happily.
"Uhm…Mizuki, what are you about to…" (Alara)
Before she can finish, I activate my flight spells to bring us over to the other mountain – the peak is about the same height as the hot spring. Alara is…shocked, to say the least.
"Ahhhhh! Wait! Mizuki…you can fly!?" (Alara)
I bring us to hover just above the peak of the mountain we're interested in.
"Fufufu…yup! This is Alto's favorite thing. Nina, you're up! We need enough flat space so that you could easily stretch out head-to-tail in your dragon form in any direction. Can you handle that?" (Mizuki)
Nina smirks at me confidently.
"Fufufu…of course, Mizuki. Just watch." (Nina)
Nina holds out one of her hands, and after a moment the mountain begins to tremble. Eventually, the peak starts to look like mud, and 'slides' off down the side of the mountain, bringing all the trees and foliage along with it.
After a few minutes, it looks like the mountain's top has been cleanly cut off, and there is a roughly sixty meter in diameter plateau left. I set us down on it and inspect the exposed rock – it seems very solid. I think this will work!
"Okay, that's perfect Nina, thanks! Everyone, gather around me again, and I'll teleport you all to the house." (Mizuki)
Everyone obeys, and Alara grabs onto me with a curious look.
What is with her?
I teleport us back to the house, inside the reception hall, and everyone begins roaming around to inspect it.
"Fufufu…this is an excellent choice Mizuki. Fit for a dragon!" (Nina)
"I'm excited to see you move this thing across the country." (Zara)
Alara nods her head silently at Zara's statement.
"Alright everyone, be quiet and don't move." (Mizuki)
I close my eyes and focus on the sensation of my magic flowing out and encompassing the house. I use magic sense to probe around the boundaries of the house, and I fine-tune the perimeter of my magic. Once I'm sure that my magic just barely encompasses the house, including a bit below ground level, I focus on the teleportation spell.
I imagine the spacetime that permeates the house being pushed to meet a comparable space on the mountain where we were, facing the valley. I feel a rush throughout my body that I haven't experienced in quite some time – the sensation of considerable magic drain. I power through the spell, and feel the familiar lurch being magnified considerably, but it's followed by a huge sensation of relief as the spell ends.
I open my eyes, and I can see through the windows of the mansion. Outside, there's a lake visible over a cliff edge. That's it…I did it.
I smile gleefully and notice that I took a decent chunk of my magic with that move. I could probably only do that trip a few times in rapid succession. I know my magic would recover very quickly afterward, but that's still taxing by my standards.
I glance around and see everyone safely beside me, then I walk out to inspect the location and foundation of the house. It seems to have landed safely in the center of our plateau, and I don't see any evidence of cracks in the stone foundation, sinking into the rock, or uneven placement on the rock.
"Okay, I think we're good!" (Mizuki)
The others filter out of the home slowly to stand beside me on the edge of the plateau. I hear a few soft gasps around me. Yeah…I agree. The lush waves of grass across the valley, the shimmering lake below…it's all beautiful.
A smile spreads across my face, and I look over at Nina – we share a warm gaze.
"Welcome home, everyone. I'm looking forward to our time together here." (Mizuki)