Translator: Luk2048

Editor: Ghost Ape

“For some reason I’m feeling really great, so why don’t we go and defeat the Demon King?”

That was the first thing I heard in the morning, as though she was talking about going on a picnic . My brain wasn’t working well since I was in the middle of waking up, so I almost slipped up and said “Yeah, sure . ” I noticed what exactly she was saying and dodged a bullet by a hair’s breadth .

It was the day after we were driven out of the town . We were wandering the plains without any particular aim . The very moment I thought that if it was possible, I’d like us to wind up in some town and this time stay there peacefully―― this happened .

“Rēko, no matter how you look at it, isn’t it rus.h.i.+ng things too much?”

“It’s okay, the current me absolutely won’t become a burden . After all, I’m the Evil Dragon Lord’s kin . Nothing is impossible . ”

Sitting in seiza in front of me, Rēko reclined haughtily, full of confidence . My apprehensions turned out to be true . She originally was overflowing with a strange power, but I ended up adding endless confidence to the mix . It was like dumping oil on a blazing fire .

“At least could we first eat breakfast? You must be hungry, right?”

“I see . Demon King’s flesh and blood will no doubt turn into a wonderful feast . ”

“I’d prefer some common gra.s.s though . ”

Secretly, my tears scattered in the wind . Rēko probably thought my eyes watered due to yawning, but it was a result of genuine sorrow . I didn’t feel like I’d be able to stop this momentum of hers . It was already hopeless . She’d no doubt drag me to the Demon King’s castle or something, and I’d be the only one dying in the aftermath of the fight .

“Opening of the third eye『Evil Dragon’s Clairvoyance』―― Come now Demon King, reveal your stronghold before my sight . ”

Rēko’s eyes s.h.i.+ned blue conspicuously . Come to think of it, she had that move . She was making them up as she pleased, so I didn’t bother remembering each and every one .

“―― Hm?”

Nevertheless, after a while the blue light dwelling in Rēko’s eyes grew dim . It didn’t seem like she found the Demon King’s hideout . As a proof of that, Rēko was racking her brains with a puzzled look . I bent myself forward in faint hope . Before I knew it I was waiting in antic.i.p.ation . Maybe, just maybe――

“… I am sorry, Evil Dragon Lord . It seems I got carried away . I was not able to reveal the Demon King’s hiding place with my strength . Although I have felt a vague presence…”

Thank you Demon King . Long Live the Demon King .  Cheers reverberated in my mind . I was so moved I nearly turned into a Demon King’s follower . It meant that there was still an existence in this world which wouldn’t let this child do as she pleased . I was filled with hope .

“Ah, but please wait a minute, Evil Dragon Lord . I feel like I saw a glimpse right at the end of my clairvoyance . Could I give it one more try and go all out? This time I will surely succeed . I mistakenly underestimated him and during detection used a tenth of my power――”

“That’s no good Rēko . Trying once again after not being able to decide victory in one shot is a taboo amongst taboos . It doesn’t matter whatsoever if you used 10 percent of your power or not – once you lose in a real fight your life will end, right? It’s the same thing . If you don’t constantly stay on your toes, you’ll lose the match . I won’t allow shamelessly trying again after failing once . It’s unbecoming for the Evil Dragon’s kin . ”

I put my arms on Rēko’s shoulders and swayed her back and forth . Given she saw a glimpse using only 10 percent, if she went all-out she’d strip him stark-naked, wouldn’t she? It seemed the phrase “unbecoming for kin” worked, since Rēko vexingly curled her lips and gave up on searching out the Demon King .

“Indeed, I might have been too imprudent, given the opponent is a Demon King who even Evil Dragon Lord dares not underestimate . We should never allow the excitement to get the better of us, and instead steadily pile up our strength, is that right?”

“Yeah, that’s it . ”

I’d prefer if you stopped making me bottle up my real thoughts though . For the time being we’ve gotten over the bloodbath and could get to breakfast . I started munching on some gra.s.s nearby, while Rēko fished out some random preserved food from the luggage . It looked like she choose smoked cheese and hard biscuits today .

“Oh, right . The provisions and travelling expenses we received from Ariante won’t last long . We’ve got to somewhere find a regular means of making money soon . You also eat a lot . ”

“Please do not worry, Evil Dragon Lord . Once the provisions we have on hand run out, I will catch rabbits and feed on their flesh and blood . ”

“Please do not worry, Evil Dragon Lord . Once the provisions we have on hand run out, I will catch rabbits and feed on their flesh and blood . ”

“Stop saying such scary things . Make sure to properly cook it first or you’ll upset your stomach . ”

Although I said that, I didn’t want to let Rēko live like some lion . She’d just get more and more disconnected from the human life . Hunt G.o.d might get mad at me for that, saying something like “Hunting is respectable human culture”, but I really didn’t want to let a little over ten years old young girl partic.i.p.ate in it .

“But, earning money, huh… I don’t really have good memories with that…”

In my distant past, when I was treated as a spectacle, in the end I didn’t master the art of balancing on a ball . I was also whipped and made to jump through the fire ring countless times, so I wouldn’t want to do that ever again either .

“As expected of the Evil Dragon Lord . In your lengthy lifetime, you must have seen a great number of greedy humans fall to ruin from drowning in their own avarice . ”

“No, I wasn’t talking about anything so sophisticated . Anyway, what should we do…”

There mustn’t be many places which would employ an elderly dragon (falsely accused as an Evil Dragon) and a little girl of tender age (a dangerous article) . Supposing there was one, we’d just get turned down . Besides, I had no idea what mess Rēko would end up causing .

A possible option was to go after demons with a bounty on their heads, but I’d feel bad completely depending on Rēko, and that town’s peace would most likely disappear . The rumours about an Evil Dragon and his kin would spread in an instant .

“Aah, come to think of it, there was one time where my scales were sold as a medicine . Maybe we should go with that . But would they really have any effect…”

“Aah, come to think of it, there was one time where my scales were sold as a medicine . Maybe we should go with that . But would they really have any effect…”

“You don’t mean the Evil Dragon Lord’s miraculous scales, capable of healing all kinds of sickness…? However, Evil Dragon Lord, in the past a war broke out each time you circulated them…”

“Is that so, they work? Then let’s give it up . ”

I felt like it’d turn into a scam of extreme scales due to the deceptive advertising . Or Rēko would unconsciously end up making them effective and I’d be hunted as an origin of precious medicine . In which case, Rēko would make hunter’s blood rain down .

“Incidentally, Evil Dragon Lord, if it is raising money I may have a suggestion . Although it may not amount to anything but a paltry sum to you――”

“Hm? What’s is? Even a little is better than nothing now . ”

“When I surveyed the land with my clairvoyance, I found an intact vein of gold nearby . A colony of demons seems to be living there, but I should be able to sweep it clean in about half a day . ”

Rather than being happy, I immediately shuddered with all kinds of fears .