Waking up hurt more than I had expected it to. It wasn’t a sharp pain exactly, more like my entire body had been thrown down a mountain while I slept.

My chest still felt tight underneath my ribs and every deep breath carried pressure with it like the mana inside me still hadn’t settled after everything that had happened last night.

For a few seconds I just laid there. Staring at the ceiling while my brain caught up with the rest of me. Sunlight pushed through the curtains near the window. Somebody had moved most of the armor into a pile beside the door during the night. One of the blankets had even ended up halfway on the floor near the bed too.

The second I pushed myself upright another wave of soreness rolled through my chest and shoulders hard enough to make me stop moving halfway through sitting up.

Even my arms hurt. Carrying the princess all the way into town apparently counted as a full body workout and I was paying for it now.

"You’re finally awake!" Celeste said from near the table while tightening fresh bandages around one forearm, her hair still damp from the bath last night. The princess sat beside her wearing one of Celeste’s shirts with the sleeves rolled unevenly around her wrists.

Neither my clothes nor bandages were the same ones I remembered wearing before blacking out. "That’s slightly concerning," I muttered while pulling lightly at the clean shirt somebody had changed me into during the night. "You guys did this?"

"You were convulsing and then you passed out, it was terrifying to watch..." Celeste replied while setting the bandage roll down beside her before reaching for one of the waterskins near the table. "Nobody was going to leave you covered in blood and vomit."

"That makes me feel worse, you were forced to deal with me..." I said as I rubbed the back of my neck, it was somehow sore everywhere I touched. "My body feels like it’s been run over repeatedly... thank you for taking care of me though, what about our new friend?"

Across the room Valka tightened another strap back into place on her armor before glancing over briefly. "You also kept trying to sit up while unconscious. Reika got bitten twice trying to stop you."

"I did not bite anybody," Reika mumbled from underneath the blanket while her tail twitched hard enough to knock the waterskin onto the floor before Valka caught it without even looking up from the armor resting across her lap.

"You threatened to bite him twice," Valka said while pulling the buckle tight enough the leather audibly whined underneath her hand before tossing the waterskin back toward the bed.

"Because he grabbed my ears." She argued, her facing growing more red by the moment. "My ears are very sensitive..."

"You climbed onto his chest while he was convulsing," Celeste replied from beside the table while tightening the wrap around one forearm before biting the loose end free. "That’s not helping."

She reached down afterward and shoved another bundle of supplies deeper into the travel bag sitting open beside her chair.

"Reika was helping emotionally." She finally pushed herself upright enough for only one eye to peek out over the blanket before immediately pulling it back over her head again.

I rubbed a hand slowly across my ribs while the argument kept moving around the room, still trying to work feeling back into my shoulders after sleeping however long I’d been unconscious.

Near the table the princess sat beside Celeste quietly while watching the rest of us move around the room. The oversized shirt Celeste lent her hung low enough around one arm that she kept absently pulling her hand back out from the sleeve whenever it disappeared again.

"You’re staring again," Celeste said while pushing the travel bag shut before finally glancing over toward me.

"I’m literally just sitting here." I shifted slightly on the edge of the bed before another wave of soreness rolled through my chest hard enough to make me stop moving again halfway through it. "You’re acting like I’m doing it intentionally."

"You are doing it intentionally." Celeste reached over afterward and adjusted the loose fabric slipping off the princess’s shoulder before standing back up from the chair. "You’ve looked over here six times already."

Valka snorted quietly while setting another piece of armor down beside her boots.

"So..." I rubbed absently at the side of my ribs while looking back toward the princess again. "Do you actually have a name we can call you or are we just sticking with princess forever? I mean it works i guess..."

The princess hesitated while her fingers tightened slightly around the oversized sleeve covering one hand before she answered quietly, not making full eye contact. "Astra." Celeste rested a hand lightly against her shoulder for a second beside her chair.

"Well Astra, I’m Adrian and these are my companions," I said confidently, hoping it would help her relax a bit more. "I can tell you this... you can’t stay dressed like that forever." Calling for my bag of coins to appear. "We can fix that though... getting up, that’s a different problem."

"I could carry you!" Valka blurted out loud, her dark skin turning a beautiful rosy red at the realization of how zealous she had come off. "I mean... I could carry you, little man..."

I laughed a little too hard sending surges of pain through me. "I’m fine Valka, Thank you. What do you say Astra, would you like to go explore a bit and get you some clothes?"

She nodded shyly in agreeance, the rest of the girls got excited at the idea of shopping. This trip into town would benefit us all, restock on supplies and get some good food in our bellies.

"Sounds like it’s a plan then," I said, forcing myself upright. "Everyone get ready... we’re heading into town!" As soon as I finished my sentence my penis shaped panel popped up a new quest.

[ QUEST RECEIVED ]

[ A DRAGON IN TOWN ]

[ Escort Astra safely through town and acquire suitable clothing for her current humanoid form. ]

[ Optional Objectives: ]

[ Feed the starving dragon princess. ]

[ Rewards: ??? ]

"I was already planning on it, you dick."