After our time with the Petit Devi in the small creature zone, we moved on to the Large Area. The monsters here were all over five meters tall, and their sheer scale was, as expected, overwhelming.
This category included Red Dragons and Fenrirs, much like the ones we had seen during the Monster Race. In fact, looking at the scar on that one Fenrir’s chest—a mark that looked suspiciously like a healed-over puncture wound—I wondered if it was the same one Bell had blasted with his breath.
"There aren’t many monsters in this area that people can actually pet, are there?" I asked.
"No. Most of the monsters here have rather aggressive temperaments. Magic prevents them from harming humans, but their sheer size is enough to terrify most people if they start acting up. Plus, there’s always the risk of them smashing the fences if they go on a rampage."
Apparently, even if the fences were destroyed, barrier magic would keep them contained. Still, given the potential for a full-blown panic, most of these giants remained strictly hands-off.
However, it seemed that a few of the gentler species were available for interaction.
"That makes sense," I agreed. "Not every monster is as well-behaved as Bell."
"...Actually, Behemoths are usually quite savage," Sieg-san noted. "Bell-chan is just so deeply attached to you, Kaito-san, that he makes sure to follow your every word."
Her words reminded me of something. To me, Bell was just a sweet, gentle creature, but a typical Behemoth... well, even Bell had once tried to attack Lilliwood-san. She was vastly more powerful than him, so he’d been acting somewhat out of desperation, but it went to show just how aggressive his species could be.
"I suppose there aren't any Super-large monsters here?"
"Space is an issue at this venue, of course," she replied. "But beyond that, most Super-large creatures are Dragon Species. Unlike the Large Species Red Dragons—which are legally classified as monsters—the Dragon Species classified as demons fall under different rules. Attempting to capture one of them is essentially declaring war on the Dragon King-sama, so capturing Super-large Dragon Species is strictly illegal. Besides, they’re so powerful that even trying to catch one would be nearly impossible. There are a few low-intelligence Super-large Species not classified as demons, but they all fall under the Dragon King-sama’s direct management."
That made sense. I’d seen dragons tens of meters long, but I’d never seen a hundred-meter dragon that wasn’t a sentient demon. I imagine any dragon capable of growing to that size must be intelligent enough to avoid mindless rampages.
"Right. Well, it looks like the interaction tickets for this area are already sold out. Why don’t we finish our loop of the grounds and see what’s next? I’d hate to just head home, and it’ll be evening by the time we’re done. Maybe we could find somewhere for dinner?"
Since we had spent quite a bit of time lining up for the other interactions, the day was getting on. The venue was vast, and it looked like it would indeed be evening by the time we finished our rounds.
When I asked what she wanted to do, Sieg-san hesitated, her eyes wandering for a moment before she spoke up.
"...A-Actually, this event has a Night Session, too. There are a few monsters I was hoping to see then..."
"A Night Session?"
"Yes. Many monsters are nocturnal, after all."
"Oh, you’re right. In that case, let’s grab some food and come back for the night portion. Even if it runs late, we can use a teleportation magic tool to get home in an instant."
"...A-Actually!" Sieg-san blurted out.
"Yes?"
I was already sold on the idea, but Sieg-san looked like she was steeling herself for something. Her face seemed slightly flushed.
"I thought that since we’ve traveled so far, a simple day trip might be a bit too brief... so, why don't we stay the night and head back tomorrow?"
"That’s true. It would be a bit of a rush to head back tonight, and we haven't seen anything else in the area yet. It sounds like fun, but... do you think we can find a room at this hour?"
"Actually... um, I already made a reservation."
"Wait, really? You booked a spot for me, too?"
"Yes. I’m sorry for waiting so long to tell you."
"Oh, don't worry about that. Here, let me pay you for my share—"
I reached for my wallet. Since online booking didn't exist here, she must have come to the city personally to secure the room. Most inns required payment upfront, so she’d likely already covered my costs. However, Sieg-san stopped me with a firm hand.
"No. You’re always doing so much for me, Kaito-san. And since I booked it on a whim, this one is on me."
"...I see. Well, thank you. I appreciate it."
She seemed quite determined, so I figured it was best to accept her kindness. I decided I’d at least cover our dinner to make up for it. As I nodded in agreement, I caught Sieg-san whispering something under her breath.
"...Besides, I only reserved one room..."
"Sorry, what was that?"
"It’s nothing! Come on, let’s go!"
She shook her head quickly and took my hand, practically dragging me along in her haste.
Serious-senpai: "A-Ah... Uwaaaaah!?"
???: "And there it is! Sieg-san is launching a massive offensive. It’s a Guaranteed Sugar Scene!"