The day after the formation of the anti-terror team "D×D."
In the living room of the Hyoudou household.
"Issei, you free this weekend?" Mom asked, catching me off guard.
She'd just returned from shopping, and the table was cluttered with groceries spilled from her bags. My eyes drifted to her hands, where she held what looked like a magazine—no, a pamphlet. And was that a ticket clutched in her grip?
I raised an eyebrow. "A hot spring trip? What's the deal?"
Mom grinned. "Well, on my way back, I entered a raffle at the shopping district. And guess what? I won! A one-night, two-day hot spring getaway."
"You hit the jackpot again?" I said, half-impressed, half-exasperated. "You've got some crazy luck, Mom."
She puffed out her chest. "That's what you get for living a virtuous life!"
Yeah, she totally just said that about herself.
Mom's got a knack for winning raffles like this. She even snags small lottery prizes—ten thousand yen or so—almost every time. Sometimes I wonder if her luck is some kind of supernatural gift.
"Didn't you win a hot spring trip before?" I asked.
"Yep! So this time, I'm passing it on to you. What do you say?"
I blinked. "Well, I mean, I'm free, but… let me see that."
I took the pamphlet and ticket from her, scanning the details. Let's see… seafood cuisine, nice. Oh, crab! Crab hot pot, baby! The rooms are traditional Japanese-style with private open-air baths. Ocean views? That's a win. And the group size… four people.
"Four people, huh?" I muttered. "If I go, that leaves three spots. Who should I invite?"
Mom tilted her head. "What about Alice? She hasn't had much chance to explore since coming here, right?"
Good point. Alice pops over to the Underworld now and then, but a proper trip in the human world? Not really. The next town over is about as far as she's gone. This could be the perfect opportunity.
"Yeah, Alice is a must," I said. "She's probably free anyway."
"Excuse me?" a voice piped up from behind. "'Probably free,' huh? What's that supposed to mean?"
I turned to find Alice glaring at me, her eyes half-lidded with mock indignation. Guess she overheard my little comment.
I held up the pamphlet, trying to smooth things over. "Mom won a hot spring trip. It's for four people, and since you haven't had a chance to check out places like this in our world, I figured it'd be a great time to invite you."
Alice's expression softened as she peered at the pamphlet. "A hot spring, huh? Ooh, this food looks amazing. Alright, I'm in. Don't mind if I tag along."
Her eyes sparkled at the vibrant photos of the dishes. One down, two to go.
As for the other two…
Alice, still flipping through the pamphlet, spoke up. "So, it's up to four people, right?"
"Yeah. You and I are set, so we need two more."
She snapped her fingers. "Why not invite Miu and Rayvel? That makes four—our whole Red Dragon Emperor crew. It'd be a great way to bond, don't you think?"
Not a bad idea. With "D×D" keeping us busy, especially with all the interdimensional cases we'll likely face—three of us are tied to other worlds, after all—a trip like this might be a rare treat. Plus, we've never really hung out as just the four retainers. A bonding trip sounds perfect.
"I'm in," I said. "I want you three to have a chance to relax, too."
Just then, as if on cue, Miu and Rayvel walked in.
"Hey, Alice, about this cosplay outfit—" Miu started.
"Issei-sama, I wanted to discuss an event in the Underworld—" Rayvel added.
I froze. Wait, is that a risqué maid outfit in Miu's hands?
"W-Wait, Miu! Not now!" Alice snatched the maid outfit from her, her face flushing. Hold up, is that Alice's?!
Alice in a maid outfit? Oh, I need to see that. I'll have to ask her later.
Focus, Issei. Back to business.
"You two showed up at the perfect time," I said, explaining the hot spring trip.
Both agreed instantly.
And just like that, the Red Dragon Emperor retainers' hot spring bonding trip was a go.
The Morning of Departure
"Everyone here?" I called out, standing in front of the garage.
Miu, Alice, and Rayvel were gathered, ready to roll. Alice and Rayvel, especially, looked thrilled—this was their first big human-world outing. Though, judging by the faint bags under their eyes, they hadn't slept much from the excitement. Miu and I, on the other hand, were well-rested and raring to go.
"Alright, we're taking this to the hot spring," I said, patting the beast behind me.
My pride and joy: a massive, futuristic motorcycle, nearly three meters long, with sleek, sci-fi curves and a metallic red finish that screamed "Red Dragon Emperor." The emblem of the Red Dragon was etched on the side, tickling every chuunibyou bone in my body. This was Sleipnir, a custom bike built by Azazel-sensei himself, named after Odin's mythical steed.
And its specs? Insane. It could break the sound barrier, fly through the air, skim across water, and even slip into dimensional rifts. This thing was a monster in both looks and performance. Not exactly your average high schooler's ride.
I mean, I don't even have a large motorcycle license. This beast is definitely in the "large" category, and riding it in Japan is probably illegal. When I pointed that out to Azazel-sensei, he just laughed and said, "Human laws don't apply to demons!"
Yeah, I'm still not sure how he gets away with living in this town.
Miu stared at the bike, wide-eyed. "It's… really flashy."
"No kidding," I said. "It's huge, loud, and breaks the sound barrier. But don't worry—Sensei's got it covered." I pointed to a few buttons on the dashboard. "This one makes it invisible, and this one keeps humans from noticing it. Pretty much makes it untraceable."
Miu blinked. "That's… way too high-tech."
"Right? And this is the toned-down version. The original had a missile launcher. I told him to take it off—along with the satellite weapon system."
Miu's jaw dropped. "Satellite weapon?!"
"Yeah, it had a radar pop-up and a voice saying, 'Allied forces, evacuate a one-kilometer radius.' I screamed at him to remove it. Who puts a satellite weapon on a bike?"
Rayvel tilted her head. "I assumed we'd use a teleportation circle."
She had a point. A magic circle would be faster and more reliable. Even Sleipnir's bonkers speed couldn't beat instant teleportation. But this was my one indulgence.
"Sensei built this as a promotion gift," I said. "I've been dying to take it for a spin. Plus, I got him to add a sidecar for all four of us."
I gestured to the sidecar, designed to match Sleipnir's sleek aesthetic. Honestly, I couldn't help but think, This is so freaking cool.
Miu frowned. "Feels a bit unfair to the others, going on a trip without them."
She wasn't wrong. Rias and the rest had given us some jealous looks. But before I could respond, two familiar faces appeared: Rias and Akeno.
"Don't worry about it," Rias said with a warm smile. "Bonding with your retainers is important. Go have fun."
Akeno giggled. "We'll hold down the fort. But…"
Rias's eyes glinted. "Next time, you're taking us."
"Deal," I said, chuckling as both girls blushed happily. Great, now I'll probably owe Asia and Xenovia trips, too. Where am I gonna take them?
I glanced at my watch. Time to move. "Alright, ladies, sidecar or behind me? Your call."
The second I said it, their eyes lit up with a dangerous spark.
"Alice, Rayvel," Miu said, her voice low.
"I know," Alice replied, narrowing her eyes.
"I'll join in, if I may," Rayvel added, her tone resolute.
And then—
"Rock, paper, scissors!"
A fierce rock-paper-scissors battle erupted. I'd seen this before—back at the sports festival, when they fought over who'd pair with me for the three-legged race. The intensity was unreal, round after round ending in ties.
"Miu, you're not winning this one!" Alice growled.
"I've never ridden behind Onii-chan, so I'm not backing down!" Miu shot back.
"I'm always a step behind, but today, I'll take the lead!" Rayvel declared.
Man, they're fired up. This was supposed to be a chill trip, but their eyes were blazing.
After a solid five minutes of rock-paper-scissors warfare, a victor emerged.
"I did it!" Rayvel cheered, thrusting her scissors hand skyward with a radiant smile.
Miu and Alice, defeated, grumbled at their paper hands, looking genuinely crushed.
I laughed. "Don't sweat it, guys. I'll give you a ride another time. For now, Miu, Alice, hop in the sidecar."
"Yes, sir," they sighed, climbing in as I handed them helmets.
Rayvel moved to mount the bike but struggled. Sleipnir was massive, and with her petite frame, it was a bit of a challenge. She was trying so hard it was almost adorable—until I realized she might tip over.
"Hold up, Rayvel," I said, stepping in. Without thinking, I scooped her up in a princess carry.
"What?!" Rias and Akeno gasped in unison.
Was it that shocking?
I gently set Rayvel on the seat and handed her a helmet. "Wanna practice riding next time?"
"Y-Yes…" she mumbled, her face beet red. Whether it was from struggling with the bike or the princess carry, I couldn't tell. Either way, Rayvel's too cute.
Then I heard it. "Rock, paper, scissors! Tie! Tie!"
I turned to see Rias and Akeno locked in their own rock-paper-scissors duel.
"This is non-negotiable, Akeno!" Rias said.
"Right back at you!" Akeno countered.
"It's the princess carry or nothing!"
Guys, seriously? It's just a princess carry! I hadn't even planned a trip with them yet, and they were already fighting over this?
"Let's keep the destructive magic and lightning in check, okay?" I called out, eyeing the faint aura leaking from them. "It's leaking! It's totally leaking!"
Miu smirked. "Girls have their reasons, Onii-chan."
"Right… reasons," I muttered, still baffled by the mysteries of the female heart.
I pulled on my helmet and swung onto Sleipnir. The engine roared to life with a deep, satisfying rumble.
"Rayvel, hold on tight."
"Y-Yes!" she squeaked, wrapping her arms around my waist. And, uh, let's just say her generous assets pressed against my back. Morning energy levels: through the roof.
"Alright, we're off!" I waved to Rias and Akeno, then gunned Sleipnir down the road.
And so begins the Red Dragon Emperor retainers' hot spring adventure! Azazel's custom-built bike, Sleipnir, steals the show. Stay tuned for part two!
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