Disclaimer: I do not own High School DxD and Fate and do not gain profit from this writing.

Chapter 8

Issei had a nice dream.

Lancer, or rather Artoria, had finally told him the truth of her burden these months, and answered his feelings.

He also lost his virginity to her, even though he had yet to regain his human form.

Issei never expected his knight to be that bold, but it was a welcome characteristic nonetheless.

The dragon woke up to the sound of the water. He turned his body around, and when he looked at the bathroom he knew who was using it.

"So… it's not a dream…"

A fuzzy and warm ball spun around inside him. Issei couldn't believe it, he actually did it! They made love last night! The blanket was still full of the scent of their love-making, and Issei could still feel the warmth of Artoria in it.

"But still…"

Issei would be lying if he said that he was absolutely not upset when Artoria told him she had exploited him in the war. That the time they spent together was a woven lie in order for her to accomplish her wish.

He didn't find an excuse to hate it, because lies or not, she did save his life multiple times. Therefore it was just natural that he must use everything at his disposal to help Artoria to get the holy grail.

"Yet there is a flame of displeasure in me…"

While it was true that if Artoria said nothing he wouldn't know her falsehood, now that he had learned the truth Issei found it difficult to overlook the fact that he was used by Artoria, regardless of her intention. Their relationship wasn't that of partner to partner, and Issei was deceived by her.

"No… I mustn't think like that. Before she had a duty on her shoulders as a king. One cannot blame her for using every methods she knows to save her homeland. If I were in her position I wouldn't know what I could have done differently."

Artoria had also sworn an oath to Issei, and he understood that this was a big deal for knights of her age. If she was a knight who would die for her kingdom before, now she was the knight who would die for him. The knowledge pleased Issei, and he had suppressed any dissent to forgive her. Besides if he was to lash out at her in anger their relationship would be soured.

If Issei had to choose, then he would let Artoria use him again, so that they could be together now.

He would never trade her for a grail.

"Hm?"

There was a sweet smell… and it was leaking from the bathroom. He could feel his head becoming blank, and blood starting to rush toward his lower body.

Issei unconsciously swallowed saliva in his mouth. He took a deep breath, and began to walk toward the source of the smell.

The sound of falling water had ended, and Artoria was walking out of the bathroom. Issei stood there, stunned by the sight before him.

Since his bathroom had no towel Artoria's body had yet to be dried. Droplets of water trickled down from her luscious golden hair, which stuck on her shoulders and back. More importantly the knight didn't cover her breasts with her hair, like those anime he had watched. They were on full display for Issei to ogle. His eyes took in everything hungrily, from the white fatty meaty breasts to the pinkish areolas and nipples.

Decades of fighting had given Artoria defined abs, but they weren't overwhelming like those body-builders. This was because she used both physical and magical strength, therefore she had an athletic body, and not a lump of rough muscle-bound. It was the ideal body for a female knight.

Down below there was a thin layer of wet golden hair on her girl. Issei could feel his breath ragged when he stared at it, and even when he knew it's rude he couldn't help but be mesmerized by it.

"Good morning, Artoria."

Artoria had noticed him, and she licked her lips thirstily. It was so swift that it made him wonder whether his eyes were playing with him or not.

"Good morning, Ise."

The sweet smell intensified.

"Are you hungry, Ise?"

"Yeah…" He longed for it. Her breasts, her smell, her fragrance, her fluid, her love… He wanted to consume them all.

"Me too."

Artoria knelt down, she began to crawl under his belly, and licked the tip of his hardened dick.

A stream of electricity shot through his body from below. The knight then used her slender fingers to run on the throbbing shaft, and cup the balls.

"Hmm, this big boy down here is quite lively, even though it has pillaged me last night."

Issei could feel a warm layer of flesh covering his dick, but Artoria couldn't take in even half of it due to his size.

'Even still…!'

The inside of her mouth was different from the sensation he felt last night from her vagina. Since he couldn't see it the pleasure was even greater than he expected.

His body shook when Artoria lightly bit his meat, with her tongue dug into his urethra.

"Don't worry about it, Ise. Just enjoy it, if you can't hold back then feel free to come inside my mouth."

However the dragon didn't intend to let the knight play with him like this. Issei turned his long neck down to under his belly. He could see Artoria's moist vagina, and he started to licked it.

Instantly he could feel her body jump to his assault, but he had no reason to stop.

The two of them began a battle of endurance, to see who would lose to the pleasure and come first. Artoria had the advantage with her hands, but Issei's tongue was longer and more flexible.

"D… Don't…"

However Artoria was the first to give up. Her body vibrated, and then sexual fluid flushed out from her vagina. Issei didn't anticipate this, but he quickly slurped it all.

"No… Don't drink it…!"

But Issei refused to listen to her, to which Artoria responded by increasing her speed to force him to cum when his guard was down. Unlike Issei she didn't drink the semen, and let it out onto the floor.

"Hmpt! You can't just do that out of the blue!" Artoria pouted, her face red from embarrassment. "I know I'm yours now but there must be an order in bed! You have to ask me first!"

'Agh, she's so cute even when she's angry.'

"I haven't heard your answer, Issei." She continued to glare at him.

"I'm sorry, I won't do it again."

"Good. Now we need to clean up and prepare for a meeting with Tannin." Artoria touched the floating water above her which fell on both of them.

"W-We don't continue it on the bed?"

"No, there is one thing we must sort out first." Artoria became serious. "Issei, tell me: Do you have feelings for lady Gova? Do you wish to impregnate her?"

"She certainly looks beautiful… but I don't think we're compatible, nor I will manage to impregnate her on time, since it took Tannin a millennium to have 4 children."

"Then we must announce our intention to Tannin today. Our agreement is that you will give Gova a child, but now you have declined you should tell Tannin in person."

Issei nodded. Artoria's words made sense. They were in the territory of a Dragon King and while dragons didn't share the same values as humans, it was still rude to stay here without fulfilling their agreements.

"Alright, then we will tell Tannin my answer."

Artoria nodded. "We should start thinking about what to do afterward too."

"Sooooo… another Holy Grail War?"

"We could ask a devil for a solution to your problem, but we should be careful about the price."

Artoria was right. Besides fighting for a grail they could also use the devil's service. They would need to summon one for the transportation back to earth anyway.

"We can think about it later. Here, let me wash your body."

She did it like that day when they took a bath at the river. However this time Artoria didn't play around. It looked like they needed to hurry to meet Tannin.

The two of them had a quick meal after bath. Unfortunately there was no clothes for Artoria in Issei's house, so she had to cover her body with the blanket.

'Luckily dragons don't care about the body of a female human.'

Issei turned his house back into a stone and carried Artoria on his back. Their first location was Artoria's house since she needed to change into a proper attire.

Issei had learned that it took Artoria a whole day running to get to him, but since he could fly the time required was cut short. It only took them half a day to reach the rock house. The pair got themselves a short break, before their meeting with the lord of this land.

The sun had set when they arrived at Tannin's. The guards didn't ask them to stop so they could report to their master, but told them to go in immediately.

It was proof that Tannin had been expecting them.

Issei steeled himself, with Lancer a step behind on his left.

Inside the chamber the Dragon King sat imposingly on his seat. His daughter was next to him. Issei didn't see the other three sons so they must be somewhere else. Nonetheless they were here now, and Issei needed to settle this.

"Good evening, descendants of Ddraig." Came the booming voice of Tannin.

"Good evening, Lord Tannin."

It was like what Lancer had told him. Issei was certain that Gova had told Tannin everything, so now it was Issei's turn to tell the dragon king.

"Lord Tannin, first please let me thank you for letting us stay here. I really appreciate that." Issei slowly said. "I know we have an agreement, and your daughter is indeed a beautiful dragon. However I must decline your request of blessing her with a child."

Issei bowed down his head. "I am sorry."

He turned to Gova and apologized. The female dragon puffed at him, but otherwise said nothing.

Tannin didn't reply to Issei. Instead he glanced at Lancer, which she returned with a quick nod.

"I see. I do not mind that, but I want to ask you this: What made you change your mind?"

The answer was clear to Issei, his eyes turned to Lancer before returning to Tannin.

"It is because I have found my own dragon mate."

Perhaps it was fate, or his actions that brought them together, yet Issei didn't care about that.

He was glad that he could be with Lancer now.

Tannin burst out a laughter, which bewildered them both. Gova however wasn't startled by this, she had seemingly been used to her father's antics.

"Well, Merlin? It's time to fulfill our agreement."

The name of the wizard surprised Issei, but what surprised him even more was the appearance of Merlin in the chamber in a storm of flower petals.

"Indeed it is." The wizard smiled. "Good evening to you, Issei and Lancer. I'm happy that you have finally found love. Congratulations."

His appearance gained him a glare from Lancer, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Before your arrival." Tannin pointed at Merlin. "The white half-demon had come and told me about your circumstance. Originally I wanted you two to stay here and pop out a whelp or two for a few centuries, but Merlin gave me another proposal."

"That is, to have Issei impregnate Gova. The Dragon King is fine with either, but in case Issei declines and makes Lancer his mate, then I shall provide him a gift in exchange for the method to shapeshift into a human." Merlin continued.

"... You do like your games, Merlin." Lancer retorted.

"You got what you want now, why should you complain?" Merlin smiled back at her.

"... You are right." Lancer closed her eyes. "Thank you for helping me."

Issei didn't really understand what happened between them, but he too thanked Merlin for looking out for him and Lancer.

"Now then, Lord Tannin, please guide me to where you want your gift to be."

"Follow me. Oh and you two are free to come."

Issei, Lancer and Merlin began to follow Tannin. Lancer was on Issei's back and Merlin just floated after them. Gova said that she was done and retreated to her home.

The place Tannin took them wasn't too far from his palace, but it was rather heavily guarded, with multiple types of barriers and a number of dragons living nearby.

"Now then."

Merlin started to wave his staff. In the center of the plain the ground sank into a hole, and then water gushed out. Even standing from afar Issei could feel the rich magical energy in the water.

Merlin kept going until the area became a lake.

"The water will keep coming out as long as it absorbs the mana from the surrounding, so you should have enough for a thousand dragons. Keep in mind that you can only pick up the water with a bowl made from the apple tree. If you touch it with anything else, even magic, it will taint the source and dirty the entire lake."

Tannin nodded at the explanation, and used the bowl given by Merlin to have a taste.

"Indeed this is what I drank that day, when I snuck into the garden of the gods."

"Thank you for your compliment. Although this is merely a replica. The real Fountain of Youth will not be tainted by anything, in fact it will purify any filth or corruption."

"Even so this is good enough for my land. With this water I can turn the dragon apples into the golden apples of divinity."

'The golden apples of divinity!? They must be the same in Greek myth!'

Merlin was more amazing than Issei thought. To think that he could replicate the Fountain of Youth.

"Then my job is done here." Merlin gave the Dragon King a bow. "Goodbye. Issei and Lancer, I wish you had a happy life."

The wizard disappeared in a gust of flower petals, just like how he appeared.

"Alright, then I shall assign a dragon with the knowledge to teach you how to shapeshift into a human." Tannin looked at Issei. "You are free to stay here as you like."

"Thank you, Lord Tannin."

"It will be great if your mate has a child before you leave."

"Ah, about that..."

Issei felt his face hot by Tannin's words. Next to him Lancer didn't show any reaction, but he could feel that she was also embarrassed.

"Well if there's nothing else then we will take our leave." Issei quickly said.

"Sure, knock yourself out."

Issei and Lancer bowed one last time, then the dragon carried the knight back to their rock houses.

The night wind calmed down Issei, but he couldn't find an opportunity to talk to Lancer.

"Hey, Ise."

"Yes?" He was caught off guard.

"Do you… want to continue what we did this morning?"

"Oh? Oh that…" Issei couldn't see Lancer's face, but he was sure that hers was red right now. "Yes, I would love to."

If Issei had to describe this period of his life, then he would say this was his and Artoria's honeymoon.

After Tannin gave him the permission to learn how to shapeshift he was sent to live in an area where a dragon who was specialized in magic stayed. Due to the fact that he was previously a human Issei didn't have a hard time learning the shapeshift method, so he could take it easy.

The rest of the days he and Artoria just played around in their new house, or went on a trip in Tannin's land.

Issei had no doubt that Merlin had predicted this, because when he and Artoria put their houses together they merged into a single two-story rock house. The rooms inside were changed. Now there was only a single master bedroom, which was big enough for Issei in his dragon form and Artoria. The bathroom now had a huge bathtub, which looked like a small pool for both of them to get in. The rest was similarly modified to accommodate a large creature and another person, notably the living room and toilet. There was no TV in the house though.

In the morning Issei would wake up, have a quickie with Artoria before leaving for his lesson. Then in the afternoon he would go home and take a bath with her, before having sex the rest of the day, usually between their meals too. When Issei was out for lessons Artoria would hang out with Gova. The daughter of Tannin was more friendly than Issei had expected, but Artoria was closer to her than Issei. Sometimes Artoria would pin him down the whole day so Issei had to skip his lesson, not that he complained about it.

They didn't use any protection either. Artoria had told Issei that she would be honored to bear his child, and because it usually takes dragons a long time to conceive they should do it at every chance. Issei was not ready to be a father when he was still a highschooler, but the idea of coming raw inside his goddess turned his brain into mush. So they just kept doing it again and again.

He knew his libido was unusual for boys his age, but Artoria definitely could keep up with him, and there was nothing that could make Issei happier than that.

Issei flew across the sky, with Lancer on his back.

Last night she had told him about a huge tavern northwest from their house called the Smoking Drake, which she had heard from Gova. They had agreed to meet there today so Issei was taking his knight there.

Issei had an idea of what a tavern looks like, but it wasn't anything like he saw now.

For a 'tavern' it looks more like a massive outdoor restaurant the size of a town, with a shimmery silver lake the size of a stadium in the middle. There had to be hundreds of huts with roofs here, each was no smaller than a house, on top of a huge public space for the rowdy drinkers. Even when he was still on the air Issei could smell the thickened alcohol in the wind.

Dragons of all sizes came and enjoyed the drinks. The ones who took places around the lake just slurped up from the source, while others used barrels, no less than a dozen, to scoop up the wine and bring them to their places. Some even used comically large and long straws to drink directly while staying a distance from it.

'There is something strange here…'

Issei landed on the barren ground when he saw Gova and her brother Bova, and walked toward them into the town of drunkards.

"So you have come." The son of Tannin asked, a hint of discontent in his voice.

"Obviously I have to come with my girlfriend." Issei shot back.

"No fighting here." Gova interjected. "Everyone will pounce on you if you start a fight. If you want to dust it out then do it outside."

Gova then led them to their private room, or private hut. It had a similar size to Issei's rock house, except it had nothing but two floors, a table in the middle and lined up empty barrels.

"Alright boys, go get us some drinks." Ordered Gova.

"I'd like everything on the menu, Ise." Said Lancer.

The two male dragons carried 40 barrels to the lake, and while Issei knew it was chock full of alcohol he wasn't sure how he could get multiple flavors from it.

"Don't worry, just fill them all up." Bova began to put the barrels above the lake, the liquid, as if it had its own will, flown into their holes. "The taste will change when it gets into your jaws."

Issei did so, and they returned to the room where Gova had been chatting merrily with Lancer. There was no food served here. If one wants to eat then he must bring his own food. Since Issei and Lancer had had their meal they were here for drinks.

"Cheer for our friends Lancer and Issei!" Gova bumped her barrel into the other three.

"Hm…!"

It tasted like the Shochu he stole a cup from his father that one time in their vacation. Issei chugged down the whole barrel without trouble. The fire lingered in his throat when he exhaled a breath, amazed by the fact that the lake could indeed turn into any alcohol he wanted.

Opposite to him Lancer had also drunk a barrel, satisfied by it.

"How is your training, Issei?" Asked Gova.

"It's going well."

Issei demonstrated by turning into a humanoid dragon. His neck shortened, and the quadrupled body of a dragon returned to the shape of the bipedal human. Issei still had his tail, wings and scales all over his body, but this was a good progression.

"Never understand why you need to learn how to shapeshift into one." Bova voiced, his eyes shot a dirty look at Lancer. "The dragon is the perfection, it is an insult to turn into anything else."

Issei kept silent. He doubted they knew the truth that he and Lancer were previously humans, and there was no need to reveal to the twins.

"Bring out the snacks, Ise." Lancer changed the topic.

Issei pulled out two boxes of crackers, a big bag of chips and a jar of beef jerky and put them on the table.

"These are human snacks!" Bova raised his voice annoyingly. "When dragons drink you chew on these!"

He showed them a rectangle metal box with various gold coins. Not waiting for anyone Bova picked up one to go with his next barrel.

"You eat metal while drinking?" Issei asked curiously. He noticed that there was a 'pop' sound when Bova did that.

"Gems are also fine." Now it was Gova's turn to show her collection. "I find them more tasteful than rare metal."

[It is fine. Your dragon body can consume them. Back then I also ate a lot of gold bars.]

Issei picked up a gold coin from Bova's box. It had no face nor words.

[The trick here is to use your fire to melt the gold coin into liquid before the drink.]

Issei decided to give it a try. First he built up a fire inside his mouth, it must be hot enough that when he put the gold coin in it would melt instantly. When the heat was ready Issei tossed the coin into his mouth. It melted not unlike chocolate. However when he tried to drink the wine burst into steam. The explosion filled out his mouth and throat, and when he swallowed everything it gave a unique taste.

If he wasn't a dragon this would blow up his head, but the supernatural resilience allowed him to taste the mixed metal and wine at the same time.

"This is not bad, but I don't think I will get used to it." Issei commented, wondering if he should try the gems or not. Could gems even be melted?

"Hah! I know that you can't be a true dragon!" Smoke came out from Bova's nostrils when he laughed. He continued to chunk down more gold coins, showing his 'superior dragon heritage' to Issei.

Lancer refrained from snacking on metal. Issei guessed that she didn't have the refined capability to control the fire to melt it like him. Although he could help her melt the metal outside it's best that he did nothing. On the other hand Gova did give the snacks they brought a try, and she seemed to like it. The two female dragons continued to chat and enjoyed their drinks. Bova and Issei didn't really have anything to say, so they just kept to their drinks.

Issei looked outside the window. The scene of various dragons carousing was a sight to behold. He could even find a dragon the size of a whale drinking to his content, and the barrel where he chugged down from was bigger than Issei himself.

There was a table where four dragons were playing mahjong. Although it was too far for him to see their progression. There were multiple chests with them, so they must be betting money on their game. It was rather amusing to see such a scene.

"Hey."

Issei turned his head to Bova. The delinquent-like dragon had downed his 6th barrels yet he didn't seem to be drunk.

"Did you, you know, and your mate…?" Bova stole a glance at Lancer who just went to get more wine with Gova.

"Yes we are in a relationship. What's this about?"

"I heard from my father that you're living together now, but I have never seen her dragon form. So you two did it… just like that?"

Issei was annoyed by Bova's question. "Yes. Yes, we did it. What's wrong with it?"

"I-I see… You are a true deviant..." Gova took a big gulp anxiously. "You've got guts. Not even my father or brothers have done it with someone in a human form..."

Issei raised his eyebrows. While he was proud of his relationship with Lancer and he had no problem telling everyone Bova was acting weird here.

Then it clicked in his head.

"H-Hey what's with that smug!? Wipe that off your face or I will break your jaws!"

"Oops sorry, I got a little tipsy here."

Yet Issei still had a big smug on his face when he put a beef jerky in his mouth.

The mighty Bova who threatened and intimidated Issei when he just arrived here is a virgin! 16 years being one allowed Issei to recognize one effortlessly. Now Issei had one over the musclebrain son of Tannin, and he couldn't stop grinning at that thought.

'Still I can't believe this. I got to see a hundred years old virgin, and a dragon to boot!'

[It is normal for dragons to be virgin.] Ddraig stressed. [Don't look down on him because of that.]

Bova tried to hide his secret by turning away with his back facing Issei but the loud shout outside grabbed their attention. When Issei looked out he could see Lancer and Gova at the lake, and the surrounding dragons cheering on them.

"5 tons of gold for the little lady in blue!"

"My diamond collection for Gova!"

The bet was becoming more and more outrageous when Issei and Bova got closer, obvious to the cause of it.

At the edge of the lake Lancer was standing next to Gova, a big straw in her mouth, and she was drinking at an incredible speed. Gova on the other hand didn't use any straw but dive her head directly into the lake and drink it up.

Undoubtedly these two were having a drinking contest, but Issei was panicked, because Lancer's belly would bloat up like a balloon if she tried to beat Gova, who was still the bigger dragon.

[Don't worry about them. The key here is to convert that magical wine into raw mana inside your body.]

'Oh you're right. I forgot about that.'

[Of course, though Lancer was a servant before so she should have an easy time converting physical food.]

That relieved Issei a little, but still he was worried about Lancer when she boldly went into a challenge like this.

They continued their contest without care. For a straight hour Lancer and Gova drank nonstop. The content of the lake never lowered down once. Issei suspected that it shared the same mechanism of the Fountain of Youth, that it would continue to create new wine as long as there's mana around it.

The straw dropped from Lancer's hands, and she tightened her lips while holding her body with her arms. Issei quickly came to her aid, and he let Lancer lean on his body.

"The little lady lost!" Some dragons claimed.

"No wait! Look at Gova!"

Bova instantly came and dragged Gova's neck out of the lake.

"What the flaming hell were you thinking!? You know you have the worst stomach among our family!"

Everyone could see that she had lost her consciousness, and droplets of wine were coming out of her nose.

"She lost! Gova lost! Now give me your treasures!"

"No you bet on the loser one! You should be giving me yours!"

The dragons around them began to fly out of the 'tavern' hastily, then the explosions and roars erupted from outside.

"..." Bova looked at Issei, a hint of embarrassment in his eyes.

"Let's go home. Thanks for drinking with us." Issei put Lancer on his back.

"Yeah, I'll take my sister home."

Lancer was still conscious, abeit barely, so it was easy putting her on his back. With her sense of balance she wouldn't fall, and even if she fell Issei would still be fast enough to grab her.

When Issei flew out of the tavern he looked back once.

"I see. So that's why…"

Dragons are extremely resistant to poison, but then how can they be drunk?

The answer is simple: This entire town is a giant magical circle which lowers their alcohol tolerance. That's why both Lancer and Gova could be drunk from the silver lake.

'Still I better look out for Lancer so that she won't get into trouble again.'

Issei continued to fly toward their home, which should take him a few hours at max speed. His mind was absent from the flight, until a sweet smell mixed with alcohol entered his nose.

"Hey, Ise…"

For an hour and a half Artoria had been silent, but now she began to whisper into his ear.

"Are you having a boner now? Wanna have sex here?"

Yet she didn't wait for his answer. Artoria jumped to the side of his neck and pulled him down. Her strength was beyond Issei's because she was drunk now.

They fell and dragged on the grassland below. With one hand Artoria casually rolled Issei over on his back. The sweet smell from her body intensified.

"Hmm…"

Issei's dick quickly became rock hard under the hands of Artoria. Her hot breath on it didn't help either.

It was not possible for him to stop Artoria from fucking him right now, for he also lust after her.

His knight undressed her pants, and climbed on his lower body, with his dick rubbing against her belly.

"You are such a perverted boy, Ise." Artoria licked her lips. "Getting a boner in public because of my scent."

Even though they had been going like rabbits this was still the first time Issei had sex outdoor, so he couldn't help but felt flustered. He wasn't really worried about unwanted bypassers since dragons respected privacy, and the land was large enough that unless they actively sought after him no one would know they were naked here.

"I can't help it, Artoria. I'm always horny for you." He confessed.

"Good boy. I will reward you for being my mount."

Artoria lifted her body and lowered down on his dick. They both let out a moan when they became one. Artoria wordlessly began to move up and down, her eyes locked on Issei's, and her hands held onto his hind legs.

Sweat formed and rolled on Artoria's face, and she would let out a small moan every time her ass hit Issei's balls.

"How do you like my A rank Riding skill?" Artoria undid her shirt, showing her bouncy breasts under the moon. "Well since I'm riding an actual dragon it should be Riding Ex now."

Issei moved his head toward Artoria who grabbed it and sucked on his tongue. Her mouth was chock full of alcohol, and it made Issei dizzy with pleasure.

His neck wasn't that long so it was the only way he could touch Artoria.

The knight began to speed up, causing even more pleasure for the dragon. He tried to pump his hip back into Artoria, but her strength pushed him down so much that he could only let her do whatever she wanted.

With one mighty slam Issei blew his load inside Artoria. They breathed out exhaustively, but satisfied. The knight however fell to sleep on the dragon's front, with his dick still inside her.

"Hah… hah… hah?"

There was something else besides semen leaking out of Artoria, and Issei was familiar enough to know it was not her sexual fluid.

"Uh oh."

The yellowish liquid continued to flow onto his body, and only stopped after the surroundings wetted by it. The smell assaulted his nose, and he was absolutely sure of what was happening.

Issei bit his lower lips. After a few minutes of consideration he carefully and slowly removed Artoria off his body, and hurriedly carried her back home.

"Ise, did something happen yesterday?"

"You were in a drinking contest with Gova-"

"I remember that, what I mean is what happened afterward."

"Well, we had sex out there on the way home." Issei scratched his face.

"I remember that too." Artoria's face reddened a little. "But did I do something very, very disgracefully and unfitting for a lady back there?"

"... I think having sex in public is very embarassing."

"I see…"

Artoria didn't push the matter, and Issei knew he would take this secret to his grave.

"Why do my clothes smell strange?"

"How!? I made sure that it is out of the urin-"

He immediately shut his mouth, but it was too late. Artoria's eyes had turned into bullets, and they aimed straight for his head.

Issei had to sleep outside for a night after that.

It had been half a year since they arrived at the Reverse Side of the World.

Many things had happened, but what Issei was happy the most was that he had finally got Lancer to be his girlfriend.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah." Issei replied. He had now returned to his human form. Although his hair was red, and his eyes were still of a dragon, that was fine. He could explain the red hair via dye, and use a pair of glasses or shades to avoid unwanted attention.

What he didn't like, however, was the fact that he was shorter than Lancer. The blond knight stood behind him at 180cm, and he was only at 170cm.

'Well it is great that when we hug my face is closer to her breasts.'

It was possible for him to be taller than Lancer, but it also came at the cost of everything on his body being bigger, so Issei would look like a huge European and not a Japanese.

"It has been a long time since I dressed properly."

"Obviously, you were naked all the time in your dragon form."

Issei had to borrow clothes from Lancer since he had none. Luckily she had some menswear, otherwise Issei would stay in his dragon form until he got actual clothes. He was scared when she reminded him that he was naked on four after the bath. If this happened on earth he would be charged with a public disturbance fine.

"Thanks for seeing us off, Tannin."

They were standing at the teleport site. Issei and Lancer had packed up their stuff, and now they're about to leave the dragon land.

"Here, a gift from me."

Tannin presented them a barrel, but from what he smelt it wasn't alcohol.

"... The Fountain of Youth?" Lancer asked in astonishment.

"Correct. While us dragons are immortal this would still be a great gift for other creatures. Use it well."

They both bowed down to Tannin. Besides this one they had already got a chest of gold from Bova, and a box of jewels from Gova.

"If you have a chance, feel free to visit my country again."

The last gift from Tannin was the same gold tablet that Merlin gave them before.

The gate flashed up, and Issei said goodbye to his 'honeymoon'.

The land they appeared on wasn't so different from the endless plain of Tannin's land.

"Now it's time to use this."

Issei pulled out the devil summoning circle Merlin gave him before.

They had decided to summon the Gremory like before, and they did have a barrel of the Fountain of Youth now to pay for the price to return to earth. Although it should be the last resort, since Lancer wanted to keep it to be used for other things later on.

The magic circle lightened up on the ground, and a devil appeared from inside of it.

Unlike the redhead she-devil this one had black hair, and Issei was certain that she was also a Japanese like him from her features, perhaps only a few years older than him. The kind of college older sister who would be a good housewife. Like Rias she also wears a luxurious kimono.

"Greetings, my name is Sakura Gremory. How may I help you?"