At That Time, I Shall Welcome You

“…I am”

“Yes.”

“I am merely… a human who happened to obtain an incomplete Dragon Crown.”

At that answer… Volcanion said nothing.

Even so, Kikori did not avert his gaze from Volcanion.

Because he felt that he must not do that.

After a long… very long silence,

“Ha… HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

Volcanion burst into hearty laughter.

As if to say it was too absurdly funny to bear.

“I see, I see! HAHAHAHA! You just saved your life, Kikori!”

“H-huh?”

“If you had been speaking as though you thought yourself a dragon, I would have burned you where you stood for such insolence!”

Kikori broke out in a cold sweat, certain that Volcanion had meant those words completely seriously.

But somehow, it seemed he had managed to give the correct answer.

“Kikori. Remember this well. Dragons are lumps of ego.”

“Ego…”

At that all-too-familiar word, Kikori could not help but repeat it.

“Is it because we are dragons that we are so, or are we dragons because we are so? We live exactly as we wish to live. That is how we are made. And we possess the ‘capabilities’ to see that through.”

“Because dragons are the strongest species, able to adapt to any environment, right?”

“Exactly. To put it another way, we are…”

creatures that can do nothing but impose their own ego.

Kikori’s words overlapped with Volcanion’s, and Volcanion burst out laughing again.

“HAHAHAHA! What is this, Kikori? Could it be that you met some dragon somewhere before meeting me!?”

“No. But I am a berserker. Berserkers are creatures that charge straight ahead to accomplish what they have decided on, no matter what.”

“I see, I see. That way of life is admirable, but… let us return to the matter at hand.”

“O-okay.”

“Listen well. When one dragon tries to force upon another dragon an opinion the other dislikes, know that it becomes a struggle staking the existence of both.”

Kikori did not ask, Even though they are your own kind?

Humans fight among their own kind too. There was no reason that would not apply to dragons.

“However, you asked me for concession as a human. Put into words, that is unforgivable in its own way… but well, in your case, I will let it pass.”

“T-thank you.”

“Yes. Let me say it once more: I will, without exception, feast any human who enters this place to my flames. If humans dislike that, then tell those in power among them not to enter this place. And tell them this as well: they are not to try negotiating with me through you.”

It was probably consideration on Volcanion’s part so that Kikori would not be used by the Fortress City, even by some remote chance.

Sensing that somehow, Kikori found himself staring intently at Volcanion.

“Thank you. Thank you very much, Volcanion. You are… truly an incredible dragon.”

“I shall accept your praise. And now, return the way you came. That fairy will be undone by fear at this rate.”

“Huh!? Ah—”

He had realized the reason Orphe had not said a word for some time was because she was terrified, but he had not realized she was that close to her limit.

“Orphe! We are leaving now! Um… Volcanion, then until next time!”

“HAHAHA! You intend to come again!? Very well, then hear this: at that time, I shall welcome you!”

Calling that out to Kikori’s back as he turned and ran with Orphe cupped in both hands,

Volcanion watched them pass through the Transfer Gate and disappear… then raised his neck, and his gaze… toward the heavens.

“An incomplete Dragon Crown. Then when it becomes complete… Kikori, where will your place be, I wonder?”

That murmur… naturally, never reached Kikori.