Dio's loud laughter did not last long.
"Cough cough, don't underestimate my information network. Although I'm in another world, I know everything about this place like the back of my hand." Dio coughed twice, withdrew his hand from Sein's cheek, wiped away the tears that had overflowed from laughing, and said seriously, "Kono Dio is not a gentle person. My methods won't be as soft as Frieren and the others. Since you can't make a choice, then I have a suggestion for you…"
Directly ignoring other people's feelings—this was the original appearance of Diego Brando!
"Guga!"
At that moment, several small dinosaurs rushed in from the doorway.
"They're here." Dio, standing in front of Sein, immediately reached out and caught the small dinosaurs one by one, stroking the heads of the little dinosaurs acting spoiled toward him, and praised, "Well done, Scary Monsters."
This… could these really be the strongest creatures that dominated the mythical era, the dinosaurs that had torn apart the demons' lifeline of survival?
Sein, seeing dinosaurs for the first time, couldn't help but question it.
This… this can't be right…
These little things acting spoiled toward Lord Dio were actually the Scary Monsters that had terrified the entire continent more than half a century ago…
In his eyes, the famously renowned dinosaurs now looked like an adventurer who, after finishing a day of adventuring, couldn't wait to rush to a dessert shop just to eat a sundae.
Hungry and joyful.
"Your best friend… no, Shadow Warrior 'Blacksmith' Kreis, is hiding in a blacksmith shop in the imperial capital, doing ordinary blacksmith work every day and spending all his income on his 'drunkard' little sister." Dio paid no attention to Sein's thoughts. He glanced at him with a half-smile and said, "Don't get distracted. If you're really curious, you can touch them too."
"N-no, there's really no need for that!" Sein awkwardly averted his gaze, shaking his head rapidly like a rattle drum.
Dio snorted lightly and tapped his fingers on the pebbles at the edge of the hot spring, dispelling the Scary Monsters' ability. After several transformations, the small dinosaurs turned into several sheets of paper.
"What's this?"
"Assassination list." Dio's gaze was sharp as he handed the list to Sein and spoke casually. "The goal of the Shadow Warriors is to make magic completely disappear from the world, or rather…"
"To equally erase the very concept of magic power from both humans and demons."
"This kind of foolish idea of crippling oneself came from the Shadow Warriors' commander Levi. Because his family and hometown were destroyed by magic during the human wars, his post-war trauma actually made him believe that as long as there is no magic, there would be no wars or conflicts. His head was truly kicked crippled by a stupid donkey."
(This cross-world account opening only took the time of one hot spring soak. Why don't you try it too!)
Make magic power disappear?!
How could that possibly be done?!
But… the Lord Dio standing before him didn't possess even a trace of magic power…
In his shock, the corner of Sein's eye also caught several familiar names.
Fern… Miss Methode… Frieren… and Lady Serie?!
"They're not any real trouble. They're just children playing house. To me and Serie, cleaning up the Shadow Warriors organization…" Dio paused, flipped his palm face-up, then face-down again. "is just this easy."
"The reason they're still alive… you understand, right, Sein? This is your chance. If you can't turn your best friend from a blacksmith back into the gorilla warrior before they make their move," Dio's voice was very light, carrying a chill, "I will kill their entire family (the Shadow Warriors who have disguised themselves in the imperial capital)."
These words, upon reaching Sein's ears, had already taken on a completely different meaning.
Lord Dio left him alive for my sake!
For my sake, he even stopped Lady Serie from settling accounts with the Shadow Warriors!!
If I can't make the gorilla warrior change his mind, Lord Dio will return to my hometown and kill all his parents!!!
Sein's breathing quickened for a moment, but he quickly calmed himself. "Huu— Lord Dio, I swear I will bring him back, even if I have to break all his limbs!!"
"Also… thank you for being willing to give me that push…"
Dio showed no particular reaction to Sein's words. Without saying anything, he returned to where he had been soaking earlier, sat down, casually rested his arms on the edge, leaned his head back, and slowly closed his eyes.
Although Dio's expression had not changed at all throughout, Sein inexplicably felt that Dio had smiled.
"Mm… Sein, how long was I unconscious?"
At that moment, Stark woke up and immediately asked the question.
Seeing that Sein didn't respond, Stark was stunned for a second, then turned to look at Dio. Dio was still maintaining the same posture, his breathing steady and peaceful.
"Master… he went back again?"
"Yeah. Probably because the duration of the spirit summoning technique ended." Sein nodded and let out a sigh. "I finally understand why so many people in the northern countries fanatically worship Lord Dio."
An uncle my age—only Lord Dio would give me a push while treating me like a child…
...
Half an hour later, inside the hot spring inn.
Knock knock…
Alicia's room door was knocked on.
Thud thud thud…
Hurried footsteps could be heard from inside the room.
Click…
Alicia, who had been resting in the room, opened the door. Her clear eyes reflected the figures of the three people.
It was Stark carrying Dio on one shoulder, with Sein helping to support him.
"Third Master's Wife, we'll leave Master to you." Upon seeing that reassuring figure, Stark breathed a sigh of relief and handed Dio over to her.
"You two have worked hard." Alicia nodded and playfully winked as she took Dio from Stark's hands and placed him on the bed.
After everything was settled, on the way back Stark hung his head somewhat dejectedly and stammered to Sein, "Sein, you're already a very mature adult, right?"
"Well, that depends on who you're comparing to." Sein smiled and glanced at him sideways for a moment. "Compared to Stark, I should still count as mature. Suddenly asking this question—do you have any troubles lately?"
"It's not really a trouble, just a small question I don't quite understand. After all, I grew up following Master Mabel since I was little, so I'm not very familiar with this kind of thing." Stark scratched his hair, looking a bit embarrassed.
Oh~ Stark finally has teenage troubles? I'm looking at you in a new light!
Sein felt somewhat emotional.
"What kind of question? Speak. I'll answer everything I know." He patted his chest with the confidence of "leave it all to me."
Stark nodded. "Mm-hm, Sein definitely knows. After all, you're a defrocked monk."
"Hey!" Sein's forehead was covered in black lines as he pressed, "What exactly do you want to ask?"
Stark's gaze moved downward toward Sein's crotch area. With great difficulty, he opened his mouth. "Well, Master's clothes weren't put on by us, right? There… um, are normal males like that?"
"..."
After a long silence, Sein reached out and patted Stark's shoulder, comforting him. "Don't mind it. You're still young. You still have room to develop."
But I already have no room left to develop!!!
Why did you have to show me something that destroys a man's confidence like this!!!
"Besides, Lord Dio is number one in every single aspect, right? Hahaha…"
"Haha, you're right. Master is number one in every single thing, hahaha…"
The two of them laughed awkwardly, with great difficulty.
On the other side, inside Alicia's room…
Alicia, with her short tousled hair, sat on the edge of the bed, quietly gazing at this soulless body. Her eye sockets were moist, and the collar around her neck added a touch of loneliness.
It had truly been a very, very long time since she had seen Dio sleeping in such a completely unguarded state.
The last time he slept so peacefully in her arms was when they encountered one of the Seven Sages of Destruction, Miracle Grausam. Everyone had been struck by his Paradise Transfer magic.
Its magic could help those who were hit achieve the dreams they had once believed impossible and had given up on.
But at that time, Dio's expression had been so sorrowful. In the illusion, what exactly had you experienced?
Clearly Miss Sui, Mabel, and Frieren—who had returned from the future—all said they had experienced a beautiful dream. Yet as the only person who had remained awake at the scene, she had been unable to figure out the situation.
Dio, you must have something very painful hidden deep in your heart…
(The goddess's blessing can immunize against the influence of curses)
She held Dio's hand, her voice trembling slightly. "Dio, have you cried properly? In another world, have you rested properly?"
"Whether it's Heavenly Restriction or the fearsome Scary Monsters, the one who bore these identities back then was ultimately just a child who had lost his mother."
"In that case, without crying out loud, without resting properly, even someone called the omnipotent Dio…"
"would also break down…"
Alicia's slender fingers traced across Dio's hand. Her fingertips gently caressed his palm, then slowly tightened, intertwining her fingers with his one by one.
Finally, their ten fingers interlocked.
"I'll tell you, if Mabel knew that Stark handed you over to me to take care of instead of her, she would definitely throw a tantrum, hmhm~" Alicia lay on Dio's chest, softly confiding her feelings.
"Rest well, Dio. I love you…"
I still remember how my heart fluttered the first time I saw you…