Vol 10 Epilogue (2/2)

Staring atinto each other's eyes in sweet silence

”—That's as far as you'll go”

I heard a voice overhead

”What?”

I looked up in surprise

Since ere on the clock tower's top floor, there was no need to care about as outside the ever, Kili was currently hovering there, glaring at us with displeasure

”Fufu, did I scare you? Last tiht This is payback”

Kili laughed with delight and looked down at the stunned Ariella

”What When did you start—”

”Starting when you were asking Yuu to touch your dragon mark Fufu—How does it feel to be interrupted at the most wonderful moment?”

”Y-You—”

Red in the face, Ariella stared at Kili, but at the saing area

”Tia wants to bathe with Yuu too!”

”mE tOo! mE tOo!”

”S-Since Zwei is going, as her guardian, I must with the Captain—”

”My friend! Young maidens! Bathe with me!!”

Tia, shi+on, Jeanne and Charlotte's voices could be heard

Jeanne had been unconscious while shi+on was sleeping, but they must have woken up due to Tia and Charlotte's return

”Mm~~! No way!”

Ren desperately resisted them but was evidently outnumbered

At this time, Kili smiled fearlessly outside the

”In that case, I shall join in the bath too”

She left theafter saying that Since the bathroomcould not be opened very far, she was probably planning to enter from the room's balcony

”Looks like we'd better get out before the others barge in”

Sested to Ariella, but for so my arm, her hand applied even more force

”Ariella?”

”I don'ta bath with everyone So—let's stay a while longer”

Unable to refuse her blushi+ng request—I gatheredstorm

Although Mononobe Mitsuki was quite curious about the bathroom commotion, she went to the balcony to cool her body that felt like it was on fire

—My body has been very hot ever since Nii-san touched me

In the beginning, Mitsuki thought she had stayed in the hotspring for too long, but the symptoms worsened over time

”Did I catch a cold?”

If that were the case, exposing herself to the wind outdoors would be counterproductive, but even so, Mitsuki still felt like staying in a cooler place right now

Also—

In trepidation, Mitsuki touched the back of her neck with her hand The skin felt very hot against her fingertips The heat source causing her body's anoon mark on the back of her neck

If that was really the case, then this was no cold What she should be considering were the effects brought by transfor into the same kind

”But why just me—”

None of the others looked like they had experienced a sie

Hence, this almost seemed like her transformation was the only failure Was it because she was not worthy of becoan to feel very worried

”So hot”

The heat becaon mark, so Mitsuki moved her hand away However, she was shocked when she looked at that hand

”What is, this—”

The hand's outline was shi+ertips turned black one after another—

”Kyah!?”

Mitsuki screamed and shook her hand Next, the unstable outline and blackness disappeared Mitsuki's hand went back to normal

Was this an illusion?

Although this was not the only possibility, Mitsuki then heard a dissenting voice next to her ear

”I see—So this is the situation Now 'tis finally clear to me”

”Vritra?”

Vritra had opened the ithout her noticing and was now staring intently at Mitsuki

”Previously, when I attee That was probably an instinctive act as Neun As the ninth counterdragon, that person already knehat he should be doing”

”What are you talking about? Are you speaking of Nii-san?”

Mitsuki asked in confusion Next, Vritra looked at Mitsuki sharply

With intense hostility, she then said:

”Indeed—That person is protecting thee in order to obey a counterdragon's instinct 'Tis because the ninth cala destruction to the world, is within you”

Afterword

This is Tsukasa

With the release of Unlimited Fafnir X: Invisible Successor, this series welcomes its tenth volume

”X” What a cool letter Using roman numerals to label volumes is really wonderful

Now that we've reached the its, no easy task, this time, let me talk about the series' creation environment which I haven't really mentioned so far

The first volume of Unlimited Fafnir ritten on my old desktop computer back home As for how old, the version of Word still had the ”97” in its name

Since it was too ancient, that computer could not open new versions of Word and Excel docu quite a lot of hassle The rundown hard drive wouldup Anyway, it was really annoying

However, this computer had been in the house before I entered university Using it all along to write my inferior essays, I've always treasured it with love and care Personally, I planned to keep using it until it broke down completely

However, because it was hard to transport it when I moved to the capital (which is true too as part of the desktop ), this ancient desktop machine was left back home

After that, what took over was the laptop I had been using at the same time To be honest, it's not as easy to type as on the desktop, but since I was

When editing Volu cardboard boxes as a table, putting my laptop on top to do ht to be delivered)

Word had advanced to the latest version all at once, so I could now open new files However, because the increase in functions was too

But then again, did I use the laptop too roughly? One day, when I was opening the display, the hinge broke with a snap

Luckily, the computer's functionality was not coht a new one—And right now, I' it to write this afterword

Co environer

However, I have no plans to change the mood and themes in my works

In this Volume 10, I wrote out to my heart's content all the scenes I've alanted to depict

It feels like I've overcoe mountain

However, the real cli hard until then If possible, I hope all of you dear readers could accompany Yuu and his buddies to the very end

Now for acknowledgements

Korie Riko-sensei, thank you for drawing such a cool cover featuring Yuu and Major Loki!

Iris, Ariella and the rest of the girls are super cute in both the color and monochrome illustrations Too awesome Please continue to look after me!

Editor in charge, Shouji-sa your work seriously and swiftly despite your busy schedule I think you are definitely overworked so please take care of your health!

Finally, let ratitude to all of you, dear readers

Well then, see you next volume