Prologue

What’s going on in there…?

Could it be something that would be awkward if others found out?

Should I force it open and risk ruining our relationship?

As I hesitated in front of the door, I could hear labored breathing coming from behind me.

“Hec… Hee…”

Iris’s small shoulders rose and fell as she struggled to catch her breath.

That’s it!

It must have been so hard for her to climb all the way up here!

Just open it!

And Rote is just a spider, so what’s the big deal?

“Iris! Step back a bit!”

“Ah… Okay!”

Here goes nothing!

“Eh!”

Clang!

The sound of metal shattering rang out as my fist struck the doorknob, slightly opening the door.

At that moment.

A pungent smell pierced my nostrils.

“Ugh! What’s that smell?”

It was a sharp, acrid odor.

The chemical stench burned my throat with each breath, making my head spin.

“Ugh…!”

Turning around, I saw Iris covering her nose and mouth with her hands.

Her large eyes were wide with distress, and her face was growing paler by the second.

This smell…

It was unpleasant, but somehow familiar.

I haven’t smelled it in this world, but it reminds me of something from my past life.

What is it…

Aha!

It smells like a gas station!

Suddenly, a wave of nostalgia washed over me, and the unpleasantness faded away.

Gas station smells can be addictive once you get used to them!

But why does Rote smell like a gas station?

Did she drink some oil or something?

I slowly pushed the door open.

My breath caught in my throat.

“Huh…”

The room was filled with Rote’s metallic webs, covering the ceiling, floor, and walls densely.

It looked like an elaborate trap set by a giant spider to catch its prey.

The geometric patterns formed by the intersecting webs were both intricate and eerie.

It felt like something straight out of a science fiction movie.

What was she doing here that smells so bad?

Looking back, Iris’s face had turned white.

Her shoulders were hunched, and she had unconsciously taken a step back, hiding behind me.

“If you’re scared, you can wait outside.”

Iris shook her head, her lips tightly closed, and pressed herself against my back.

It felt like we were in a horror house…

“Let’s go in.”

We stepped cautiously inside.

The interior was much larger than expected.

It seemed to occupy the entire top floor of the annex.

However, the vast space was filled with a maze of webs, making it impossible to see Rote anywhere.

Through the gaps in the webs, I could faintly see some areas, but the darkness made it hard to see deeper into the room.

Ugh!

Do I have to search through this?

“Sorry!”

Suddenly, Iris buried her face in my head.

Huh?

“What are you doing?”

She clung to my hair, trying to catch her breath.

“Haa… It’s… The smell here is so strong… But Rote’s hair smells nice…”

Am I a mobile air purifier?

“Hoo… It’s really nice… I want to stay like this…”

Iris began to sigh lazily with her nose buried in my hair.

She seems a bit off…

I need to find Rote quickly and get out of here!

“Radiance!”

A warm golden light emanated from me, illuminating the dark room.

Then, in the corner of the room, a massive cocoon came into view.

“Th-that… Isn’t someone trapped in there?”

Iris exclaimed, her voice trembling and an octave higher.

Indeed, the cocoon looked like it had someone wrapped inside.

The metallic web was tightly wound around it, giving it an artificial and eerie appearance.

Its smooth, glossy surface made it look even more unnatural.

『 ☆☆☆☆☆ 【Rote】 Proten Cocoon LV303 』

The status window confirmed that it was Rote.

Crazy…

Is that really an alien?

Will it evolve and come out of there?

“That cocoon is Rote.”

“R-really…?”

For a moment…

The atmosphere felt strange, but Rote was an idol trainee!

She should naturally be a top-tier beautiful girl!

Now I’m excited to see her!

How long do I have to wait for her to hatch?

I wish I could see her now!

Oh!

Wait!

Maybe my Penetration Radar can see through it!

“Polymorph!”

A crimson fog enveloped me, transforming me into a flower.

With the Domain Control Radar, everything around me became clear.

I could see through the complex web structures and into every corner of the room.

Heh!

Let’s take a sneak peek!

And finally, the interior of Rote’s cocoon came into clear view.

Huh?

Inside was a strange, shimmering liquid mass.

I expected a beautiful girl to be sleeping inside, but there was only this cold, metallic liquid!

It looked like mercury, glistening but formless.

It quivered slightly, but there was no sign of Rote’s spider form.

Crazy!

What is that?

And the gas station smell was coming from there!

I quickly transformed back into my human form.

“Rote’s complexion…”

Iris looked at me, her face pale.

Her small hand clutched my sleeve, trembling.

Phew…

Was that liquid really Rote?

Well, since Rote is made of metal, she would need to melt to change shape…

And then reform into a beautiful girl…

Hmm…

“It feels like I’ve seen some terrifying red drug.”

“R-really…?”

“Well, whatever. Rote will be fine. Let’s go…”

We closed Rote’s door roughly and began descending the spiral staircase.

“Is it okay to leave it like that…?”

Iris asked worriedly, constantly looking back at the annex.

“Yes, Rote will emerge from the cocoon after some time.”

Iris still looked curious, her eyes filled with unspoken questions.

She opened and closed her mouth several times but didn’t ask anything, simply nodding silently.

Good.

The past life of an idol and VTuber can’t be revealed so easily!

After walking for a while, we returned to the main building, where Walter was waiting in the lobby.

“Rico, the carriage is ready.”

“I’ll go right away!”

Following Walter’s guidance, we headed toward the entrance of the estate.

As we stepped through the crystal gates, my carriage, which I hadn’t seen in a long time, sparkled under the sunlight, waiting for me.

“My carriage!”

The largest, most luxurious carriage in the kingdom, pulled by eight horses!

The golden ornaments glistened in the sunlight, and the intricate carvings on the carriage surface were as exquisite as ever.

The horses, once fat and sluggish, were now muscular and sleek.

Their elegant posture, with their heads held high, looked every bit like the royal horses they were meant to be.

“You’ve all become horses again!”

The horses turned their heads and neighed in response, as if greeting their long-awaited master.

“Ah, Rico!”

The coachman emerged from among the horses.

But…

“Hey! Why are you still like that?”

The coachman was still fat.

Or maybe even fatter?

“Y-yes?”

“You too! I told you to lose weight!”

“I-I… I did lose weight! About 10 kilograms!”

“What!?”

I stared at the coachman, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

He looked the same as before, if not even fatter.

“I-I’ll lose more, I promise!”

“Can you do it in a week?”

“A week?”

He dared to argue back?

My hand instinctively reached for the Crimson Bind at my waist.

“Of course! A week is plenty of time!”

The coachman’s voice rose an octave.

“Fine, let’s depart.”

“Understood! I’ll guide you to the Geomun Gorge!”

I entered the carriage, and it began to move smoothly.

Usually, I would be accompanied by others, like Cecil and Belez, but being alone made the spacious interior feel even larger.

It was like a moving small palace.

And Walter had prepared tea and various desserts on the table, all arranged elegantly.

From small macarons to elaborate cakes, everything was perfect.

The carriage started gently and soon picked up speed, moving across the vast plains like a bullet.

At first, the scenery outside was enjoyable.

The blue plains, the occasional small villages, and the distant mountains…

But the same views soon became boring.

Car rides are dull enough, but alone, it’s even worse.

“Hey, fatty! How much longer till we arrive?”

I opened the window and shouted.

But there was no response.

“Hey, fat coachman! Are you talking?”

“…Ah! Yes! About an hour more!”

He seemed to jump up, sounding flustered.

…?

Was he sleeping?

Has he become as lazy as his appearance?

What if he falls asleep while driving?

I thought about scolding him but decided to let it go.

After all, drowsy driving might be common in this world…

And with my luxurious carriage, others would surely get out of the way.

I lay back on the soft cushions, eating the desserts one by one to pass the time.

“We’ve arrived.”

Finally!

Now I can meet the Guardian Dragon Lord!