After accepting the request, Mika and the others decided to return to their home in this world first, having sold the dragonfish to the guild. They would meet up with Gatt, Zurah, and Flower.

They also planned to leave behind the souvenirs they had bought for everyone.

When they arrived at the small house with its adorable red door, Papa’s eyes sparkled with joy.

“Mama, mama, it’s so cute! Look, it’s just like a house from a picture book!”

Mika nodded absentmindedly, quickly slipping off her shoes and stepping inside.

“Heeey, even though it looks foreign, you still take off your shoes here?”

From inside the house, Flower came padding out.

She was fully dressed, even wearing pants, just in case of unexpected visitors. However, she wasn’t wearing her hood, so her soft, curly hair partially revealed her cute round ears.

“Ah, umm, h-hello. Thank you for letting me live here.”

Clutching Zurah’s hand tightly, she spoke nervously to Mika.

“As I thought, we really shouldn’t live apart,” Mika muttered lightly, feeling a bit down, before introducing her husband.

“Flower-chan, this is my husband. His name is Mamoru. Nice to meet you.”

“So you’re Flower-chan? The Yellow Flower of Spring, huh? You’re adorable. I’m Mamoru. Nice to meet you.”

Her husband smiled warmly and patted Flower’s head. Not to be outdone, Mika tried to pull out the presents from their luggage to show off—

…But Dada stopped her.

“There’s no time for that. Gatt and Zurah, get ready to head out. It’s an urgent request. Flower, you’re coming too.”

“Well, I guess that’s how it is. We’ll leave these here, so open them when we get back, okay?”

Mika and her husband’s backpacks, now much lighter after unloading most of their luggage, were stuffed with a fishy-smelling towel wrapped in a plastic bag. They’d probably need it again later.

Since they expected to catch a large number of fish, they borrowed a cart from the Adventurer’s Guild. Zurah also brought a freezing magic tool.

Flower was securely hooded and carried in Mamoru’s arms.

“Flower-chan, let’s go out now, okay?”

“Papa, don’t forget your shoes. Alright, let’s go!”

And so, they set off—on what was ostensibly a picnic, but in reality, a mission to exterminate the swarming dragonfish!

Passing through the door, they arrived at the cave behind the waterfall.

There were no signs of monsters inside the cave, and even outside the waterfall, a quick glance suggested none were around.

“By the way, Dada, do you know where we are?”

“Ah, I forgot to mention. This is the door we planned to stop by during the previous yeti subjugation. This area is unusually free of snow for this region.”

“Ah, I see. But that forest over there has Bloodsucking Vines—wouldn’t passing through be dangerous?”

“…Is that true?”

Dada seemed unaware of this information.

He muttered to himself that they’d have to warn the nearby residents through the guild when they got back.

Meanwhile, Flower was repeatedly instructed never to enter the forest or go near the waterfall basin before being set down on the ground.

She nodded silently, her face tense.

And then, at last, they came face-to-face with the dragonfish writhing in the waterfall basin.