Chapter 25

A brief tranquility and the unstoppable rumor.

I was going to return flying to the castle, but as I remembered the female Unicorn I decided to visit Timo’s house.

In the Prince’s group there are injured men, so they’ll go back to a nearby town to give them treatment, then head back to the castle. I could also fly while carrying some people on my back, but that may raise strange expectations so I refrained from doing so.

I think it won’t do to go across the world with just kindness, it’s also important to know when to refuse.

“So, why is the Captain coming along as well?”

Yes, for some reason even the Captain is coming with me. He’s walking beside me with a smiling face. Maybe the length of his legs is at fault but the way he walks looks extremely relaxed compared to me who am walking normally. The difference in compa.s.s is frustrating. But I know that he is willing to match my pace.

“I cannot let Vito alone.”

Aren’t you mistaking me for a small animal?

“Unfortunately, worrying is your useless I am–”

“A Dragon, but I worry even so.”

I think it’s unfair for him to use the generic term ‘Dragon’ without saying ‘The Earth Dragon’.

Won’t I end up having weird expectations? (T/N: that he sees her as more than just the thing he has always admired. This dragon may actually be surprisingly dense xD)

In the first place how can he be so carefree even though he is also an injured person, and he only received first aid treatment.

“Vito”

“Yes?”

“Hm.”

— What’s with this hand. ‘Paw’, ‘give me your paw’ is it, are you asking me to give you my paw!? I’m a Dragon but I don’t have the intention to become the Captain’s pet in the slightest!!

As I was staring at him with a sharp gaze, he grabbed my left hand with a wry smile.

Does this mean he intends to forcefully making me shake his hand!? I was thinking that but, somehow it seems it appears to be a misunderstanding on my part.

His right palm is superimposed on my left hand, and is holding it gently. Whilst I stared at our connected hands dumbfoundedly, we resumed to walk into the forest with me being led by the hand. My train of thought could not keep up with this. I wonder if this is the so-called ‘happily walking hand-in-hand.’ I’d done this before with Chiffon and our younger female coworkers and I didn’t present any resistance to it, but since this is the first time I’ve held hands with a man, I feel, like, perplexed. His hand which is bigger than mine is gently wrapping up mine. Even I can tell that I’ve become tense.

We are not two lovers holding hands but that’s for the best. If it was like that my heart wouldn’t hold on.

By not raising a complaint and saying ‘There is no helping it’ with a sigh, we go walking together like that.

But you know, the truth is, the warmth transmitted to my left hand was really nice and it made me happy.

Subt.i.tle. Because my nature is not ‘tsundere.’ D-Don’t be mistaken!

I get the feeling I ended up making a tsundere imitation. I don’t come across as a tsundere to myself.  In this new life I’ve discovered that what I possess is the pitch-black stomach attribute. Comparing it to a squadron, it’d be nice to be a.s.signed to the amber colored role, huh. (TN: literal translation cause I don’t know what she’s talking about. I guess a supply corps?) In the kingdom-building stories, the easiest is always the supporting role so please make me into that. I say that but, there are no people nor G.o.ds to entrust such a thing to. If there is a G.o.d for discarding things there’s a G.o.d for picking them up, it’s said that there exist myriads of G.o.ds*, but it’s doubtful whether there are such things in this world. Humans created the G.o.d wors.h.i.+ped G.o.d. If so, what kind of existences are the so-called animals that have received divine protection and the sacred great trees? I hadn’t thought of this before but if thought so lately; could it be that those misters Great Trees have been influenced by my existence? Since Lau said that I exist in order to keep the balance of the world. Should I look it up when I have the time? I may be able to figure it out. (*Suteru kami areba hirou kami ari: (idiom) ‘even if you feel that you’ve been abandoned, there’s people who will help you a bit further ahead. Even if unfortunate or things or trouble happen, it is not necessary to be pessimist’. I had to keep it like that and not replace it with a localized expression since she keeps on talking about G.o.ds afterwards, although the part about the ‘myriad of G.o.ds’ [8 million G.o.ds] is also a related idiom.  Further explanation in here (j.a.panese): http://kotowaza-allguide.com/su/suterukamiareba.html )

As we were walking, I let go of his hand because Timo’s house came into sight. Captain seemed displeased but I forcibly let go. Because if Timo sees us like that I’ll be teased so that’s a no.

Sometime after knocking on the door, a girl with both amethyst colored hair and eyes comes out.

“Oh, welcome!”

No matter how you look at her she hasn’t lived more than 10 years. I wonder if in this world your appearance becomes younger the longer you live, as it seems to be for Lord Cleric.

“It’s about the Unicorn? I’m properly looking after them, you know. (T/N: she says ‘kanojo-tachi’, plural for females, so the baby is also a girl winged pony.) …By the way, that person is?  He seems like a Knight from Alvina.”

Timo is scrutinizing the Captain who is next to me, while c.o.c.king her head. It looks like she was able to guess that he is a Knight from Alvina Kingdom by his clothes, but as expected it seems she wouldn’t be able to know where he’s from even if she is truly a self-proclaimed witch. Like this, as I was pondering on wether it was fine to introduce him myself, the Captain saved me by introducing himself on his own.

“I am Alvina Kingdom’s Fourth Knight Corps Captain, Lutoria Beallini.”

I wonder if the Captain is also using polite speech since I told him before hand that she is a witch that has lived for several centuries. Now that he says it, it’s the first time I hear the Captain’s full name. How very late into the game.

Lutoria Beallini, is it. I’ll memorize it. It is easy to remember, unlike the name of a prince from somewhere.

“Are you that Dragon Rider?”

“’That’?” (Vito says this. probably)

Timo opens her eyes wide, and places her hand on her small mouth with a surprised look.

What did she mean by ‘that.’ I’m amazed by Timo’s gaping reaction.

“My bad, maybe you don’t know? When you say ‘Alvina Kingdom’s Fourth Knight Corps’ Captain’, isn’t he the person known as ‘The Flying Dragon.’ Since it still reached my ears even when I live this far out, famous or whatever, of course even the small children in the neighborhoods have heard of it.” (T/N: check note at the end for rant about that name xD)

What’s that? He had such a nickname? If it’s such an embarra.s.sing name I’d politely decline if it was me. Flesh-eating Dragon is enough for me. But how should I say it, the Captain was such an amazing person all along? Certainly his abilities with the sword and when handling the Fire Drakes are great, but I didn’t know he was that famous. I was honestly surprised.

Timo was looking at him with sparkling eyes as is if she had found something interesting, however she suddenly made a strange face.

“But, oh well, the rumor stopped going around some years ago.”

“… Maybe, the cause was the death of my Fire Drake.”

This, did we step on a land mine?

As I looked at the Captain his facial expression was darkening. I wonder if it’s something he doesn’t want to recall too much.

“I see. Dragon Riders can’t let out their true strength if they don’t have a Dragon with a bond. …Is in not enough already? To stop the mourning, and to find a new Dragon soon.”

So, Timo, why are you staring at me now.

I wonder what kind of child was Captain’s Fire Drake. Certainly it pa.s.sed away in a small-scale war one or two years ago, right. It is a lie to say I don’t mind it. And, from now on won’t he have to shoulder the fact that he will be influenced by not being able to exert all of his inherent strength?  Sadly Vice-Captain’s Reina also has an injury in the leg. It’s almost the same as a situation where the top 2 people with the most war potential are absent. …However I don’t want them to fight, if possible.

“Fufu, what’s with standing around and talking, come in.”

Was it because I was deep in thought, but I was startled when Timo spoke.

As we said ‘Excuse me’ and entered the house, the Unicorn was in there. It fit inside the house quite well despite its size. I believe the entrance door is large but isn’t it quite a stretch for her to be able to enter through there? Is the child still sleeping? It was making peaceful sleeping breaths atop the table.

When the Unicorn noticed us, she came closer and made a soft neigh.

[Thou art a lifesaver for my child. We thank thee.] (T/N: I bet my horses don’t speak in shakespearean. Then again, my horses don’t have wings… also:http://lingojam.com/EnglishtoShakespearean. rofl.)

“No, I didn’t do much; actually the one who healed her was Timo.”

I just brought the child here.

[But had thee not found her, about now Our child would be…]

The Unicorn’s line of sight is directed to her child. Her gaze is warm; it is truly the image of a mother watching over her child.

Those people had said, she was disposable. I wonder what did they mean by that, but now what matters to me the most is that these girls are safe; I’m genuinely relieved.

“I’ll have these girls in my care for a while. It’s safe here, and if their pursuers come then I’ll chase them away.”

“Thank you.”

Now that she mentions it what happened to the people who came after the Unicorn? I wonder if they may be lost in the woods. I could reach here safely because I grew accustomed to the forest at the foot of Vizannu Mountains, but people unaccustomed to forests are likely to get lost.

“Ah, right. There’s something I want to ask. Do you happen to know Alvina Kingdom’s Lord Cleric?”

Wondering about it not being strange if she has lived for several centuries, but I ended up watching as Timo’s facial expression turned into one of clear dislike.

“… That guy, about that guy, I don’t even want to remember him!”

“D-Did something happen?”

As I was thinking that maybe she has some unpleasant memories as well, suddenly her hair became wild and she began to speak in a dreadfully menacing manner.

“How many hundreds of years has it been, it was when that guy was still not bound to that place.  The crystallized magical power that I made by giving it my most earnest effort, he swallowed it!! He swallowed it in one gulp!? To think that I had finally succeeded to crystallize magical power! Don’t you think that’s cruel!? Even though it took me a hundred years to achieve it!? I absolutely won’t forgive him!!”

For something you devoted a hundred years to make to disappear in an instant, everybody would get angry, right? I deeply feel for you, Timo. Nevertheless you are scary when angered. I was worrying about whether the Unicorn’s foal would wake up by the loud voice, but it seems everything’s all right.

About that time when Lord Cleric was not tied to that place is, was it previously possible for him to move around? I’m curious about why he became like that, but somehow I feel like I shouldn’t ask so I couldn’t say it.

“…I’m in the mood to say that but, the timing is perfect, could I bother you to bring that guy a message?”

As suddenly as an erupting volcano subsides, Timo returns to her usual tone.

When I nodded, this time she made a serious expression and said.

“— ‘You all may have another enemy.’”

“Enemy, is it?”

When speaking of the enemy of Alvina Kingdom then it is Tiruzoto Country. Or is it that another country could become our enemy? As I said that, Timo shook her head.

“This future is just my own conjecture. That’s why I can’t really tell what will happen, and… there’s only one thing I can say, and it is that one day, and incident that will throw the whole continent into chaos might occur.”

“It will be a war, right.”

“It is not a war. You are not necessarily wrong, but it’s not like a war in between fellow countries, it’s a more devastating and complicated matter. By listening to your story, it makes me think, ‘isn’t the fact that Tiruzoto is trying to rush the war to absorb other countries related to this issue somehow?’ Well, even if we think about it now there’s nothing we can do about it so let’s end it here.”

A complicated and devastating thing, what could it be? I wonder if it means that something worse than a war between Tiruzoto and Alvina countries will happen? Vice captain had said that Tiruzoto might be trying to conquer the continent. And this matter is a.s.sociated with that. I don’t understand this at all.

“The boring talk ends here, I have some delicious pastries so shall we make tea? And I also want to listen properly to what you guys have to say.”

Did you say delicious pastries? Eat eat! I definitely want to eat them!

Turning away completely from what I had been thinking until now, my head was already filled by sweets.

It’s fine if you call me a self-centered person. Candy is the best.

After that Timo inquired about various things but I intend to falsify anything regarding (what happened with) the Captain. You know, like I ate him, for example. But it might have been discovered already, maybe. She frequently stared at Captain’s left arm, so if she said ‘Hooh, so it’s like that,’ with a face full of knowing intent, I won’t say any lie!! Because in the end she thoroughly listened to me. And she always answered to me after all. Although Timo looked satisfied with this, I’m feeling disheartened. Girls sure do like to talk. Though she doesn’t have someone to talk to since she lives at such a place.

Incidentally she also cured the Captain’s wound. Actually it was bothering me a lot but I couldn’t do anything about it, so it was really helpful. I won’t lose to the blood’s temptation anymore!

When we decided to go back because the day began to darken gradually, Timo said to us, “Come at any time, you’ll be welcome here.” As we went out the sun was going down, as expected, but to return to the castle on foot would take too long and I don’t feel like camping either.

Then the answer is only one.

However, I’m fine with that but what to do about the Captain. There is quite a distance from here to the town, and it hurts my conscience to thrust him away after he separated from the Prince and followed me here.

Then, the answer is, only one after all.

I’m really sweet towards the Captain, am I not.

“Captain, will you ride on me to the castle?”(*)

I had forgotten the delicate subject.

The Captain was making a blank face, but when I took on my Dragon form his eyes shone and immediately answered, ‘I’ll ride.’

Lowering my upper body, he rode on my back with the light weight of his body. We don’t have something like a saddle or reins as the Fire Drakes do so if I’m careless in my flight he might fall. Although i was worried and nervous because it was the first time someone rode on my back, it went all right because I flew slowly. The moment I took off was the most terrifying, yet the Captain didn’t fall or anything since he was thankfully firmly holding onto my back.

And also it felt a little good to have the weight of a single human being on my back. Maybe because I’m always flying alone, but I didn’t think I’d be this happy to be able to share this line of sight with someone else.

We fly in the good weather, in a perfectly clear sky and bathing in the sunlight. Feeling very refreshed, my mood became as if I could forget all the bad things.

Looking downwards we can see small villages and towns here and there, and we can see past the lands and mountains.

I wanted to see the many things I usually watch, so I ended up rising in alt.i.tude. I can also fly above the clouds, yet because the oxygen is thin over there I desisted this time. Under normal circ.u.mstances I’d fly at high places with this very body, and I find it natural that it’s hard to breathe over there but if I end up flying above the clouds now the Captain might faint.

Because I became scared by thinking that, this time I decided to continue flying humbly. When my flying becomes unstable a wry laugh reaches me from behind. Even though I’m worrying over here.

I landed at a deserted place in front of the castle, then let the Captain off and took on my human figure.

It’s strange that I feel no resistance to turning into a Dragon or turning into a human in front of the Captain

“Were you alright?”

“I was surprised, because you flew higher, and faster, than the Fire Drakes.”

“Really?”

He’s curiously agitated. While we were flying he was at ease but maybe that was because I was going at a splendid speed so he couldn’t talk; this is considered fast-talking for him.

“Will you let me ride again?”

Because he said so without worrying about his hair that was disordered by the wind, it made me think, ‘He really likes Dragons a lot, huh.’

I replied while standing on tiptoes and using my hand as a comb to fix the tall Captain’s hair.

“If we have the chance, ok.”

After that, the Captain parted with me with much difficulty since the Prince hadn’t gotten here yet and he should go welcome him. He was terribly reluctant to do so, but I was relieved as it seems he will do the work he must do. No, I respect him. As I was thinking ‘with this I can sleep peacefully in my bed,’ ‘were Chiffon and the girls worrying about me?’ ‘it’s fine if I deliver Lord Cleric tomorrow?’ and the like, while I was returning to the room, I wonder from where it was leaked, but the fact that I was the Earth Dragon had been discovered.

— W   H   Y

Translator’s Lair:

有翼飛竜: how the heck i’m supposed to translate that xD Yuu-yoku hiryuu (propably). To have-wings-flying-dragon. If it’s a flying dragon then of course it has wings!! Such a redundant t.i.tle!! Maybe that’s also part of why Vito wanted to retort, apart from it just being embarra.s.sing. Going with The Flying Dragon for now cause it sounds prettier. If you have any suggestions or would actually like for him to be nicknamed ‘The Winged Flying Dragon’, please do let me know.

(*) (T/N: once you’ve read too much of some obscure things, this line can never be innocent to me, I had to write it in a round-about way so that my mind could be at peace… original line was very simple: ‘will you ride me there?’ something like that… 隊長さん、乗っていきますか？ I guess it doesn’t sound odd in j.a.panese… or is it just me? xD)