The Geek And The Dragon

……

…

After all the chaos at the Church had ended, on the way back.

Inside the Angel Church’s escort carriage—

“Mm, this nababa has quite a rich flavor. Naruhito, try eating this. It is delicious, enough to suit my palate.”

Drako stuffed the curved, stick-shaped fruit flesh into her cheeks in one bite.

In the basket prepared inside the carriage’s passenger cabin, there were many fruits Tooyama recognized.

“Nababa? Huh, that’s a banana.”

The thing offered to him was a familiar tropical fruit wrapped in yellow skin. Nutritious, cheap, delicious—everyone’s beloved banana.

“Mm? It is a nababa.”

Drako blankly corrected the name Tooyama had muttered.

There were many things he wanted to ask, but after using Relic Blade and everything else, his body had quietly reached its limit. Tooyama obediently accepted the banana—nababa—she offered him.

“…Well, whatever. Then I’ll take it… Damn, that’s good.”

The moment he peeled it, the ripe, sweet scent struck Tooyama’s nose.

He put it in his mouth.

It was deeply flavorful. A mellow sweetness spread through him, and a rich, fruity fragrance filled his mouth and nose.

Each time he chewed, he felt as though energy was filling his body.

He finished eating the fruit flesh in no time and let out a breath.

It had been incredibly delicious. The seasoning of this world’s cooking did not suit him much, but perhaps the ingredients themselves were actually good.

“It is a precious fruit that can only be harvested on the isolated islands in the Empire’s southern territories. That money-grubber is earning quite a lot.”

In dragon style, eating even the peel, Drako opened her mouth wide and devoured the banana as if swallowing it.

She was a tall beauty whose blonde hair stood out beautifully. The sight of her usually sharp eyes softening into a grin as she ate fruit produced a strange loveliness.

“Fukaka, even so, that money-grubber’s face is still amusing when I remember it! Naruhito, you fought with that one quite a bit.”

“You say fought, but it felt like she was one step ahead of me the whole time.”

Rumble, clatter.

The hard seat occasionally conveyed the full impact from the stone pavement.

Inside the carriage, whose ride could not possibly be called comfortable, Tooyama Naruhito answered the dragon sitting beside him.

“Fukaka, do not sulk so. That money-grubber may be a money-grubber, but in terms of ability, few humans surpass that woman.”

“That’s an unusually high evaluation.”

“Of course. She continues to exist as the head of the Church in the city where I reside, you know? If she were not an excellent human, she would have touched my reverse scale long ago.”

The blonde beauty snorted proudly for some reason.

“I really can’t tell whether you’re tolerant or intolerant.”

“Hmph. Is there any dragon as tolerant as I? Mm, is that one still asleep?”

Responding to Tooyama’s words with an ever-changing expression, Drako suddenly looked at Lazaar, who continued sleeping while seated across from them.

“Huh? Yeah. When we put him in the carriage earlier, he woke up for a moment, but the instant he saw your face, he said, ‘It’s a dream, a dream dream,’ and went back to sleep.”

That had been funny. Tooyama remembered how Lazaar seemed to wake up, then the instant he saw Drako, he laughed faintly and collapsed.

It also looked as though he had choked himself unconscious, but that was surely his imagination.

“Fukaka, Lizardonians are beings somewhat close to us, like wyverns. Their understanding of me is quicker than other races, which helps.”

“What do you mean?”

Tooyama tilted his head at Drako’s words. Come to think of it, Drako’s pleasant scent had gradually been growing stronger for a while now.

As if she were inching closer to him.

“This is what I mean.”

The citrus fragrance grew even stronger.

“Mmph.”

Her head was pressed against his face. Because Drako was taller, it felt as though he were being buried in golden hair from above.

“…I heard from that old dragon. You stroked that woman’s head, didn’t you?”

“D-Drako-san. Your voice sounds very frightening.”

Tooyama escaped from the golden sea and answered Drako, who was pressing her head against him.

“I do not know what causality exists between you and that old dragon. But that one bragged about it terribly. She is so childish that I cannot believe she is a progenitor like Grandfather.”

“No, wait. Even if you talk about causality, I seriously don’t know that woman.”

“…Strange. There is no lie in your words. But she had your scent thickly on her. Well, fine. For now, it is fine. …Mm.”

More rubbing. As if rubbing her own scent onto Tooyama, Drako pressed her head against him.

“Mmph, what is it, Drako-san? I’m being buried in extremely glossy hair.”

“…You did it for her too, didn’t you? Why will you not do it for me?”

“Huh?”

Did it for her too? What did she mean? Tooyama did not understand what Drako wanted.

As he was struggling to respond—

“M-mnya, Naruhito stroked the Omniscient Dragon’s head, mnya mnya.”

It was Lazaar. Lazaar, who continued sleeping with his head down, muttered something.

“Huh, Lazaar? Did you just talk?”

Are you awake? Looking closely, his face was covered in sweat, and his eyelids seemed to be twitching.

…Are you awake?

“Zzz, zzz.”

“You bastard, don’t tell me you think we don’t know—mgh.”

Just as he tried to complain at Lazaar, who was obviously pretending to sleep, the pleasantly scented head was pressed even harder into his face.

“…Do you dislike it?”

Drako’s expression could not be seen, but the ears peeking through her hair were dyed red, and her voice trembled slightly.

“No, not that. …Do you want me to pat your head?”

Tooyama gave in and abandoned pursuing Lazaar. That bastard was planning to push everything onto him and continue pretending to sleep.

“……………………Yes.”

Apparently, the fake-sleeping lizard’s words had been correct. Drako nodded.

Tooyama stroked the head pressed against him.

Her springy hair bounced back softly when he pressed it.

He moved his fingers through the gaps in her hair as if combing it.

“…Fukaka.”

Apparently, that was the right answer. Drako laughed with satisfaction.

Each time he stroked her head, her strange laughter and refreshing citrus scent grew stronger.

“Come to think of it, that pervert dragon, the Dragon of Human Knowledge, right? What happened to her?”

“Mm.”

“What?”

“Why do you care about that one?”

She stared at him with narrowed eyes.

Her deep blue eyes, with vertically slit pupils, felt like being looked into by a bottomless ocean trench.

“Well, if two people vanish saying they’re going to fight one-on-one, and one comes back, it’s normal to wonder what happened to the other one, isn’t it?”

“Mm, is that how it works? …Infuriatingly, I could not take even one of her lives. Inside a dueling otherworld, she kept dodging and stalling me into a stalemate. I got angry, turned into a dragon, and burned it all away.”

“Huh, you burned it all away? You say that so casually?”

Was that something to say in that tone?

Feeling frightened by the dragon’s values, Tooyama continued listening.

“Hmph, I told you. She did not die. I did not even take one of her lives. She is probably melted by my flames, but she will soon return to her original form. She is my… No, never mind.”

“…I at least understood that both of you are dangerous.”

“Fukaka.”

Drako’s body shook slightly.

“What?”

“No, I just found it a little amusing. For you to say that, Naruhito.”

Inside the carriage, Tooyama and Drako continued exchanging words. Lazaar, continuing to feign sleep, sweated even more heavily.

And those women sitting on the driver’s seat of the carriage—

The supreme leader of the Angel Church and her aide were also eavesdropping on the somewhat misaligned exchange between the dragon and the dragon slayer inside the carriage.

“Ahh… I want to retort so badly.”

“Bishop-sama, it is dangerous to look away, okay?”

Pressured by Drako into seeing them off as coachmen, the bishop and the saint drove the carriage through the adventure city.

………

…

“Oh, so this is Naruhito’s temporary lodging! Kaka! As expected, it is a shabby inn!”

“Why are you so excited? Hey, Lazaar, wake up. We’re here.”

Looking out the carriage window, it seemed they had arrived at the inn while eating bananas and stroking Drako.

“…Ah, yes, oops, sorry. I was asleep. The Hoarding Dragon-dono is… Oh… So it was not a dream.”

Responding transparently to Tooyama’s call, Lazaar woke up. The instant he saw Drako, he placed a hand on his forehead and lowered his head.

“Kaka, Lizardonian. It has been a while. I commend the covert skill with which you evaded pursuit by the full power of the Empire.”

“I-it is an honor, Dragon Shrine Maiden-dono. There is no one in my homeland who does not know your name.”

At the dragon’s words, the lizard man straightened his posture.

He was not frightened, but his tone was stiff.

“Kaka, good, good. …You really are quite clever. …You did well to continue feigning sleep in that carriage. But you saw nothing and heard nothing, understand?”

So Tooyama would not hear, Drako approached Lazaar and whispered.

It was a calm voice, and yet it had an irresistible force.

“H-haha. As Your Eminence says, I-I was asleep to begin with, after all. I know nothing and heard nothing.”

Lazaar nodded up and down furiously. Satisfied by that response, Drako smiled.

“Drako, Lazaar, what are you talking about?”

“No, nothing at all. Right, Lizardonian—no, Lazaar?”

Drako answered Tooyama’s call.

Sadism glittered in her catlike, distorted eyes as she looked at Lazaar.

“Y-yes! Exactly! Exactly right! N-now, Naruhito, please escort the Hoarding Dragon-dono outside the carriage!”

Lazaar responded with a perfect score.

“Are you the mother seeing her son’s girlfriend for the first time?”

Once again knowing nothing of Lazaar’s hardship, Tooyama got off the carriage first and guided Drako.

“Money-grubber, saint, well done. Your handling of the reins was not bad.”

Guided by Tooyama and taking his hand to descend from the carriage, Drako seemed quite pleased. She cheerfully spoke to the bishop.

“Y-yes, your words are far too generous.”

At the bishop’s voice, Drako gave a grin and headed with light steps toward the wooden inn that could not be called luxurious even as flattery.

Left behind, Tooyama suddenly noticed the bishop looking down at him from the driver’s seat.

“What is it?”

Answering her gaze, Tooyama approached the bishop.

“…I will deliver Stolu to you within three days. Also, I will contact you again when I want to request work.”

“Understood, boss. About the house…”

“I do not go back on what I have said once. I will call you again when the contract is complete. Make sure to tell the Dragon Shrine Maiden properly about my devotion.”

The bishop muttered with a sigh.

“Understood, our Bishop-sama.”

“Shut up. Dragon charmer. Haah, my head hurts, truly. Svi, drive us out.”

At Tooyama’s joking, the bishop stuck out her tongue with a grimace.

“…May the angel’s blessing be upon you. Inquisitor Tooyama, Assistant Inquisitor Lazaar.”

“That is not a line I can laugh at.”

“…Hehe, because it is ironic. See you again, junior.”

“Yeah. Take care, Saint-senpai.”

The saint with the mysterious atmosphere took the reins, and the carriage began to leave.

“That was a storm-like moment, Naruhito.”

“Unfortunately, Lazaar, the storm hasn’t left yet. Actually, why did she follow us all the way here? I just want to take a bath and sleep. Ah, wait, there’s no bath.”

While watching the carriage leave, Lazaar spoke to him.

“No, it is already that. Everything related to the Hoarding Dragon-sama is your thing, Naruhito. I am, you know, done.”

Lazaar muttered somewhat carelessly.

“Don’t hold back, Lazaar. Come on, if you get serious, you can do something like a dragon transformation, right? Go get along with her.”

“Naruhito, Lazaar, what are you doing? Hurry up and come here. I want to see your room. Ahh, I also want to see the children of the slums spoken of by Farlan’s hound.”

As the two pushed various troublesome matters onto each other, the troublesome matter herself approached innocently.

In a deserted alley with few passersby and a worn old inn in the background, even in simple boots and a shirt, the blonde beauty stood out too much. Her sense of foreignness was overwhelming.

“…Drako, you’re super famous, right? If someone like you comes to such a shabby inn, you’ll stand out badly.”

“Mm? Is there a problem? Hmm, well, it is true that I unintentionally draw attention. Good, good. I understand that Naruhito dislikes that.”

“Oh, you’re surprisingly understanding.”

Drako nodded. Tooyama was a little surprised by how obedient she was.

“Naruhito, do not say unnecessary things. Dragon, I respect Your Eminence’s generous words.”

Lazaar admonished Tooyama and knelt toward Drako.

“Kaka, Lazaar the Lizardonian. Do not be so frightened. Well, I admit that our meeting was a little intense. Now then, my current form stands out too much, does it? I see, I see.”

“Amazing. Drako is actually being considerate of us.”

“Normally, that would be impossible…”

Tooyama and Lazaar could not hide their confusion at Drako’s unprecedented reaction.

“Hmm, if I recall, Farlan said it was like this… Let’s see, magical formula hypothesis proof beginning—”

“Hm?”

Drako suddenly spun words in a flat voice.

“‘Alteration’ magical formula hypothesis construction. Beginning alteration of appearance, voice tone, and age.”

It was a technology that deceived and violated the laws of the world.

A magical formula—

“Whoa.”

A false technology meant to approach the real thing, usable with aptitude and a special energy source.

“Beginning invasion of world laws. Formula name complete: ‘Disguise.’”

The words Drako spun deceived the world.

It was the execution of a magical formula using the nature of dragons themselves, who possessed immense magical reactors.

Drako used for the first time something she had learned casually from a certain dexterous maid.

It was for walking with humans. It was because she was being considerate of humans.

Drako herself did not realize the meaning of the act: a dragon adapting herself to humans.

Magical power distorted the world, transforming the dragon’s appearance. As if light were refracting, Drako’s form warped.

“Mm, this is my first time trying it, but is it like this? How is it, Naruhito? Quite well done, is it not? I dislike that it is a technology spread by that old dragon, but it cannot be helped.”

She turned, and the tall, gorgeous beauty was no longer there.

Her long golden hair, still marked by prominent curls, remained the same, but her figure had changed into something small and compact.

Her abundant chest became modest, while her narrow waist retained its suppleness. Her height had shrunk, yet her dignity did not change.

Her deep blue eyes remained the same, and her round almond-shaped eyes grinned. She was no longer a beautiful woman, but a beautiful girl. Her age looked around middle school, or perhaps younger.

The sunlike beauty had transformed into a sunflower-like beautiful girl.

“I-I am surprised… A magical formula… The Hoarding Dragon used a magical formula… And including clothing too, which would be quite complex… Hm, Naruhito?”

Lazaar stroked his chin.

Because he understood magical formulas somewhat, he raised a voice of admiration at the advanced act performed so casually before his eyes.

“M-ma, ma, ma, ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma—”

Tooyama was frozen.

His mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.

“Mm, what is wrong, Naruhito? Is something strange?”

Ping.

“It’s magic! Maaaaaaaaagic! Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!! There was something, like chanting! Amaaaaaaaazing! Drako, that’s amaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing!!”

This was no good. Tooyama was the type to get extremely excited by that sort of thing.

During his friendless middle school days, he had been so serious that he completed every book in the library. Of course, that included fantasy works involving magic.

“Hmph, good, be at ease. Praise me more, my dragon slayer.”

“No, Naruhito, you have a grave good. Why are you reacting to magic like that?”

It took quite a while for Tooyama to calm down.

………

…

Clip-clop, clop-clop.

The horses’ hooves struck the stone pavement. Through the city’s bustle, the Church carriage that had carried away the storm slowly advanced.

“It is an Angel Church carriage…”

“Look, it is Saint-sama. What a beautiful figure…”

“Bishop-sama is sitting on the driver’s seat. Why? Normally, she would be inside the carriage.”

“Idiot, Bishop-sama must surely feel pained to make Saint-sama hold the reins. Look at that expression filled with compassion.”

The devout townspeople watching the carriage from a distance instinctively offered prayers at the sight.

“…Bishop-sama, everyone is looking this way.”

“Yes… Well, if the saint and bishop are sitting on the driver’s seat of a carriage, of course they would.”

While occasionally showing the people a perfect fake smile and spreading charm, the bishop answered Svi.

Her public face was entirely calculated. Every action was based on her full understanding of how she should appear to others.

“Hehe.”

“What is it, Svi?”

After finishing her display of charm, she took a thin black veil from her cape and hid her expression.

The people watching from a distance could no longer see the bishop’s expression. No matter how tired her face looked behind that veil, they could not see it.

“No, I just thought Bishop-sama looked like she was having fun.”

“Hah?”

An absurd voice echoed from behind the veil.

The horse was slightly startled by that voice and neighed.

“Hehe. That person. Bishop-sama, while bargaining with the dragon slayer, looked like the old Bishop-sama.”

Saint Svi, smiling brightly, simply directed a warm gaze at her master.

“…Give me a break, Svi. There is no way dealing with a lunatic, greedy maniac like that was fun. Ahh, truly, just remembering it makes my head hurt. …To think he even took the rights to a house from me. Truly, a huge loss. A huge loss.”

“Hehehe, you really do seem to be having fun… I am glad someone you might get along with became your ally.”

“Ugh, stop that, Svi. He is an insane bastard liked by dragons. There is no way he would get along with harmless little me.”

“I do not think a harmless person polishes gold coins in the sacred guest room.”

“…Why? Polishing gold coins is fun, isn’t it?”

The bishop tilted her head blankly. Treating her own special preference as if it were only natural for the world was indeed very similar to someone.

“Yes, I like that part of you, Bishop-sama. You are so careless about yourself.”

“Yes, yes, thank you… Svi, I want your impression after actually seeing dragons. What do you think?”

The bishop’s tone lowered a little. The slow clop of the carriage horses’ hooves was pleasant.

“…Yes, I think it is impossible right now. But when the time comes, maybe I can fight to some degree. I somehow feel that.”

The saint’s voice also grew low.

What they spoke of was the Angel Church’s hidden mission. It aimed at humanity’s survival and the continuation of this world’s control.

It was to conceal the supernatural and incomprehensible existence known as the angel, and to serve as a countermeasure if the irrational beings called dragons bared their fangs at humanity.

“Hmm, if you, the counter to dragons, say so, then that must be true. Well, preventing such a thing from happening is my job.”

“Honestly, I think I could buy time against the Hoarding Dragon-sama. But the other one, the Omniscient Dragon, would be difficult…”

Svi murmured. Having assessed the two dragons, she muttered quietly.

“It is a compatibility issue. That idiot Stolu of Justice would probably be compatible against the Omniscient Dragon. Though the dragon slayer took her away.”

The knight order was the same. Though no one remained who remembered its original mission, the system created by the first bishop still functioned with anti-dragon measures in mind.

Challenging dragons was an honor.

Even in peacetime, knights challenged dragons, and all those results were preserved by the Church and used by the bishop of the age to assess combat power against dragons.

That engraved concept had seeped into the knights according to the first bishop’s order over two hundred years.

By now, it was like a curse—

“Liar, Bishop-sama. You did it on purpose.”

“What, I wonder?”

Behind the veil, the bishop, who had been floating a wicked smile, reacted to the saint’s words.

She did not look at her. Kanosa Tier Field simply kept staring at the cityscape before her.

“Bishop-sama, you knew junior would take Stolu in. Your acting was bad. You were certain junior would not kill Stolu.”

“…Why do you think that?”

The bishop never looked at the saint’s face. Because the answer was there.

“Because if you were in junior’s position, you would do the same. I told you, Bishop-sama and junior are similar.”

“Give me a break, Svi. Me being the same as that thing?”

“You are the same. Because you saved me.”

With a single sentence, Svi denied her false villainy.

Money-grubber, miser, vixen. Kanosa was called many derogatory names, but Saint Svi knew all of her actions.

“…That was long ago.”

“To me, it is like yesterday.”

“…I see.”

Silence piled up between master and servant. It was not awkward, but natural, and somehow comfortable.

The Church carriage advanced through the adventure city’s bustle.

They knew this peaceful time would not continue forever. But making it last even a little longer was their mission.

The bishop suddenly lifted her veil and looked up at the sky.

It had been a long day. The sun was beginning to tilt, and the sky would probably be dyed madder-red in a few hours.

Kanosa exhaled.

A brief rest arrived. It was one of the few short moments when she thought of nothing, despite always thinking consciously and unconsciously of money and the Church while awake.

And usually, in such moments, her talent stirred.

The Star, that sacrament, showed her a new prophecy.

An impossible encounter, an impossible choice, an impossible possibility—only she now knew that it had been born.

“—Ah!”

The information flowed in like light, racing through Kanosa’s blood vessels and nerves.

With a numbness in her body, she let out a small scream.

“Bishop-sama?! Could it be the time of the Archbishop’s Order—”

Svi stopped the carriage and raised a voice close to a scream. She too knew her master’s fate.

“…No, that is not it. It is the other one, The Star… Ahh, how rough. It is so rough being a genius with two sacraments… This is a terrible prophecy. Even I do not understand what it means.”

With cold sweat floating on her skin, the bishop muttered.

She held her aching head because the newly obtained prophecy was far too absurd.

“…What did you hear?”

“Not here. Let us return to our home.”

At Svi’s question, the bishop shook her head. The contents were far, far too stupid.

“…Yes.”

“Is this supposed to be a joke? What is with this prophecy…?”

The bishop muttered to herself. Her worries did not seem likely to end anytime soon.

…………

……

…

“Ah! Welcome back! Welcome back, Big Bro-san and Lizard-san!”

“Big Bro!! You were safe! I believed in you!”

“…Welcome back. We stayed in the inn without going anywhere, just as you told us.”

The moment he opened the door to the shabby inn room, voices spread noisily.

It was a simple room with nothing but a bed that could not be called spacious even as flattery and a shabby chair. It felt as though he had been away from it for a very long time.

“Hey, brats. I’m glad you’re all lively. You even obeyed what I told you. You’re such good kids I have nothing to say.”

Do not leave this inn. That was what he had asked them when he went to the Adventurers’ Guild with Lazaar.

The children had been brought out after clashing with the group called the Crows, and there was no telling where retaliation might come from. Thanks to their obeying his instructions and not leaving the inn, there seemed to have been no trouble.

“I am back, everyone. Did anything change?”

Lazaar’s tone was a little gentle too.

The three children nodded at the same time.

“Yes! Ah, that’s right. Auntie shared so much food with us! She said she did not need it because it was extra!”

“Seriously? That old lady is completely a good hag.”

Tooyama answered Nico, who happily drew closer to him. Despite looking like she could be the leader of sky pirates, she was soft on kids. It would have been even better if she lowered the inn fee a little more.

Tooyama thought fairly shameless things. Seeing that, Nico giggled.

“Yes, truly. Oh? Big Bro-san, is someone behind you?”

Nico suddenly looked at Tooyama, who was still standing at the boundary between the entrance and the room.

“Ah, ahh, well, yeah. …Hey, you’re the one who followed me because you wanted to see them, right? What are you doing?”

Tooyama addressed the one who had been hiding behind his back the entire time.

“N-Naruhito, she is, well, right now, you know.”

Lazaar muttered incoherently.

Sensing something strange, the children came walking over one after another.

“You’re right, Big Bro. Who’s behind you? Hm? Luka, what’s wrong? Why did you suddenly sit down?”

“…No way.”

Rida leisurely peered at whoever was behind Tooyama, while Luka, for some reason, had fallen on his rear and turned pale. Nico tilted her head blankly.

“Hey, come out already! Why are you suddenly acting like this, Dra—no. A-lly!”

Tooyama called her name.

He grabbed the small body hiding behind his back and pushed her into the room.

“…Pu, kaka. H-hello, insignificant specks. F-foolish lower creatures—no, Naruhito’s little ones.”

The girl scratched her cheek while forcing a friendly smile.

She fidgeted with her shoulder-length curled golden hair, and her gaze swam unsteadily.

The white one-piece dress tailored by a magical formula emphasized her fragility even more.

There stood Drako, girl version, who had turned into nothing more than a shy dragon.

“Huh?”

“Ohh.”

“Ugh.”

Nico widened her eyes. Rida let out an impressed voice. Luka grimaced with all his might.

“…I am Ally Frere. Um, I am Na-Naruhito’s friend. …I knew it, I can’t. I’m going home.”

Drako introduced herself using the alias Tooyama had just come up with. Then she turned on her heel and tried to leave the room.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait. What the hell are you? The moment you turn into a little kid, your emotions become unstable. I can’t let you walk outside in that state.”

“Let me go! I do not know why, but the moment I changed my form, everything became unbearably embarrassing!”

Drako struggled to escape Tooyama’s grasp, but the strength did not feel like serious resistance. Apparently, unbelievable as it was, she was simply embarrassed.

A dragon was acting shy around children.

“Perhaps her mind is being pulled by the form changed through the magical formula? My clan’s teachings say dragons have different temperaments in human form and dragon form…”

“Whoa, new information. Wait, not Drako—Ally. I’ll take you home later, so let me rest a little now.”

“Mm, uuu.”

Perhaps giving up due to Tooyama’s stopping her, Drako stopped moving on the spot.

Now, what to do? As Tooyama wondered how he should explain Drako’s unexpected reaction to the children—

“S-she’s cute…! Big Bro-san! Wh-who is she? Introduce us! I have never seen such a beautiful girl!”

“M-me too. I mean, wow…”

“…Wait, Nico, Rida. This girl is… strange.”

Their reactions differed, but all of them seemed interested in Drako.

Good, good. This was good. With this feeling, she could surely get along with them.

Now, Drako, you are normally like that, so have some confidence—

“U-uu, Naruhito…”

“Why are you like that?”

It was no good.

Holding the hem of Tooyama’s robe, Drako remained looking down and did not move.

“My! Big Bro-san, your words to that girl have been harsh for a while now! That is not gentlemanly.”

“Ah, sorry, that just slipped out. Come on, Ally. Don’t cling to me forever. You said you wanted to meet them, didn’t you?”

Nico put her hands on her hips and got angry.

Since she seemed highly sociable, Tooyama pushed Drako toward her.

“M-mm… Wh-what is your name?”

Still holding the hem of his robe, Drako nevertheless timidly answered.

“Me? I am Nico! You are Ally? What beautiful golden hair! Your eyes are blue and look like jewels.”

“K-kaka. It is the same hair as Mother’s, and my eyes are the same color as Father’s.”

“Ah, she’s starting to open her heart.”

Surprisingly, Drako began conversing with Nico fairly quickly. Tooyama watched, thinking it was strange that she reacted to talk about parents.

“My! Your father and mother must be very wonderful! I do not know my parents’ faces, so this feels so fresh! Hey, why don’t you come over here and tell me all sorts of things? This is my first time having a girl friend, so I would be happy if you became close with me.”

“K-kaka… V-very well. Nico, good. I allow it.”

“Amazing. Overwhelming communication skills. So this is what a popular kid is like.”

With a brightness that could be called the incarnation of the sun, Nico rapidly closed the distance with Drako.

Tooyama was genuinely impressed by a response he could never imitate.

“…Nico has been like this since long ago. She gets along with everyone like that. …Welcome back, Big Bro. You have a bandage around your neck. What happened?”

After moving a little away from the chattering Nico-Drako pair, Tooyama was quietly addressed by Luka, the androgynous boy wearing a hat.

“Ahh, I got hurt. It was a bit troublesome. Wait, where are the runny-nose boy and the carefree little kid?”

Nodding at Luka’s fairly sharp observation and pointing to the bandage around his neck, Tooyama realized that Pello and Shiro were not there.

“Ahh, those two are cleaning water buckets in the yard. We had just finished helping clean the room.”

“That old hag is making our employees work for free. No, if she serviced you with food, I guess it evens out?”

Good. It seemed they had not gone outside the inn. Tooyama let out a breath.

“We saved food for you too, Big Bro. Sorry for eating first.”

“No, rather, it was my fault for making growing kids like you go a whole day without food. Sorry I’m so unreliable.”

“A whole day? Haha, stop joking, Big Bro. Food is something you eat once every three days to begin with, right? We ate yesterday, and today too, so it’s kinda hard to move.”

Rida laughed cheerfully, probably without any malice or sarcasm at all.

Tooyama once again understood what kind of life they had led in the slums. It was impressive they had grown up this far without becoming twisted.

“…I need to earn money.”

“That is exactly right, Naruhito. My own will to work has strangely risen as well.”

“Eh, eh? Wh-what happened, Big Bro? You too, Lazaar-san?”

Rida was bewildered, while the two men near thirty had their paternal instincts stimulated in a strange place.

“Hey, hey, hey! Ally, how did you meet Big Bro-san? What kind of relationship do you have?”

“K-kaka. Mm, let me see, where should I begin? To begin with, when I was hunting—”

“…Hey, Big Bro.”

“Hm, what is it, Luka?”

“…That girl is probably not normal, right? Is it all right to bring her here? Wabuh.”

Apparently, he had sharp instincts. Tooyama ruffled Luka’s head along with his hat, as the boy seemed to have noticed something.

“Luka, you’re amazing. You really were part of the action squad. Well, she’s not normal, but, well, you know. She isn’t a bad person.”

“…If you say so.”

Luka seemed to decide to accept that. However, he kept glancing anxiously at Nico and Drako.

“Ahh, it’s Big Bro. Welcome back.”

“Dau!”

“Oh, Pello, Shiro. I heard the hag made you work. Good job.”

Two bright voices appeared: Pello, and Shiro carried on his back.

“Hehe, she praised us a lot and gave us bread, so we were lucky.”

“Dau!”

“Oh, that old hag really is pretty nice after all.”

Just as Tooyama spoke ill of her again while secretly feeling relieved that everyone had safely gathered—

“Ahh, that’s right. This old hag is basically kind to brats. Though she is strict with foul-mouthed adult men.”

“…Since when were you there?”

A huge old woman suddenly appeared.

He seriously had not noticed anything. Judging from Lazaar’s mouth hanging open in shock, it was the same for him.

“I was with these children. Hello, I am the fairly nice old hag.”

The old woman, whose presence had gone unnoticed even by a high-rank explorer and a king’s covert operative, bowed with polite rudeness.

“…Oh no, you can still pull it off, lady.”

“Yes, exactly. That is possible.”

Tooyama and Lazaar answered with trembling voices.

“If you had come up with that line just a little earlier, that would have been nice. Wait, hm?! Did you bring back another new kid?!”

It seemed she noticed Drako in the back. The old woman raised a noisy voice.

“Ah, crap. Explaining this looks troublesome.”

“…Truly, I never get bored with you, Naruhito.”

Noise, chatter, and bustle.

The room Tooyama and the others had returned to was loud, but also filled with somehow pleasant voices.

One thing was certain: Tooyama Naruhito was about to safely end his second day of life in another world without losing a single person.

………

……

…

The water was cold and pleasant.

Tooyama Naruhito was inside mellow water. The surface where his body sank reflected the slanting, madder-red sunlight in glittering fragments.

“Ahh, I’m coming back to life… In a way, this is like a jar bath.”

In the courtyard, Tooyama muttered while soaking in water.

It was an improvised cold bath made by filling a large water bucket with well water.

Pulling out the bucket Pello and Shiro had washed and dried had been the right decision.

Though he could not stretch out his legs, being able to properly submerge his whole body was extremely valuable in this situation.

“Naruhito, I am returning to the room. Also, do not soak in the water too long. Your body will get cold.”

Lazaar, who had wiped himself and changed into simple underclothes, spoke to Tooyama while rotating his shoulder joint.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. A lukewarm cold bath is actually the most dangerous.”

It was about nineteen or twenty degrees. A little lukewarm for well water.

“Heh, a cold bath. You like strange things. Keep it moderate.”

“Yeah.”

While sending a drawn-out answer to Lazaar as he left, Tooyama remained soaking his body in the water.

The lukewarm water slowly cooled his body, which was probably feverish from fatigue.

“…Haah, what a dense day.”

His arm had been chopped off, and then reconnected, but so far there was no discomfort.

He stared at his palm, opening and closing it. No issue with the movement either.

He had not died. He had not let anyone die.

Gripping only that fact, Tooyama dozed in the cold water.

Before he knew it, he noticed that each breath he exhaled felt cool as it passed through his throat.

He barely felt the water’s coldness anymore. It was time to get out.

“There we go. Ahh… I’m tired.”

Splash. He stood up from the water bucket and wiped his body with the rough towel the old woman had prepared.

He put on the trunks he had washed in advance and lay down on the courtyard’s stone pavement.

The ground, warmed by sunlight over the course of the day, felt pleasant against his chilled skin.

Ah, amazing. I could sleep like this.

The warmth of the ground reached Tooyama through his skin. It was far too pleasant.

When he closed his eyes, the sunset seeped through his eyelids into his dark vision. Madder-red, orange, red. As he counted those colors behind his eyelids in the darkness, the world began spinning in circles.

Priceless.

Just as Tooyama was about to drift off from the sheer comfort—

He suddenly sensed someone’s presence.

“Hm? Lazaar? Did you forget something?”

Splash. The sound of someone soaking in water. What, so despite all that, you were interested in the cold bath after all?

Still lying down, Tooyama rolled over, opened his eyes, and looked back—

“Supupu… A strange man I met long ago also liked soaking in water. His name was, if I recall, Daimyō, perhaps?”

“…Oh, seriously?”

She was there. The pervert dragon, the Dragon of Human Knowledge.

Exhaling, she was inside the water bucket Tooyama had been soaking in until a moment ago.

He could see her white, far too white shoulders. She was naked.

“Hello, Tooyama-kun. It is your Dragon of Human Knowledge. Phew. But soaking in water is not bad at all…”

“…There are a lot of things I want to ask, but first, one thing. You were alive. Drako said she did not finish you off.”

Tooyama sat up on the spot and asked the Dragon of Human Knowledge, keeping his eyes averted as much as possible so her skin would not enter his vision.

“Supupu, that was merely play between dragons. Well, that young dragon is quite capable, so it made for a good warm-up. A loosening of the body, perhaps.”

“Loosening?”

“Supu, well, you see, I had not moved this body in a very long time… Hm? Tooyama-kun, why are you looking away?”

The Dragon of Human Knowledge seemed to notice Tooyama’s gaze. She pouted as if displeased that he was looking away from her.

“That’s a normal reaction.”

“Supupu, how cute. …I think I will be a little mean. There!”

“Whoa?! No way?!”

Abracadabra.

The Dragon of Human Knowledge waved her finger. That was the use of an irrational technology: a magical formula.

Normally, that technique could not be established without a hypothesis construction through chanting, but when used by the Dragon of Human Knowledge, it was as simple as this.

Tooyama Naruhito stood up like a marionette and was made to walk to the water bucket. Of course, against his own will.

“Wait, what the hell? How is this working?!”

“Supupu, you will not be hurt. As if I would hurt you.”

He was dragged out before the woman soaking in the water, who was grinning.

“Supupu, come on, look properly. You liked this sort of thing, didn’t you?”

“—Ah.”

The sunset illuminated the woman.

He was drawn to the edge of the water bucket and forced to see the woman’s form whether he liked it or not.

Silver hair—

The woman’s hair, which had been so pitch-black, had somehow changed color.

“I do not remember why, but the transfer of almost all memories concerning you is complete. You like silver hair, don’t you? Supupu, does it suit me?”

“…Seriously?”

Still soaking in the water, the woman played with her hair. Droplets fell, and the sunset shone through the silver hair spreading in the water.

The sunset sank into the woman’s dark eyes. Those eyes stared at only one person: Tooyama Naruhito.

“From that reaction, it seems I was correct.”

The woman, the Dragon of Human Knowledge, smiled with satisfaction. Her eyes softened as she continued looking at Tooyama.

“…I’m trying to move my body, but it won’t listen.”

“Supupu, is it not because Tooyama-kun wants to keep looking at my body? I remade it to suit your tastes, so I am confident.”

Bewitchingly—

Inside the cold water reflecting the sunset, the woman’s supple hand crawled over her own white, porcelain-like body.

Because of the water’s refraction, he could not see clearly, but he could understand the silhouette of that body, far too beautiful and supple.

“U-ah.”

Her narrow waist, her long slender legs.

It was a beauty different from Drako’s sunlike, intimidating beauty.

The Dragon of Human Knowledge possessed an alluring beauty like the moon, something one could gaze upon forever and, before realizing it, become captive to.

“Supupu, if you wish, you may touch me.”

Her eyes narrowed as if seeing through Tooyama’s agitation.

It was a dangerous charm that could easily enchant an ordinary person and violate their mind.

Most inferior creatures would be captivated by the beauty of a superior creature, a dragon.

However, Tooyama Naruhito’s brain was broken.

“…No, I’ll pass. There we go.”

He shook off the charm. Whipping his strength-draining body, he changed position and turned his back to the water bucket, leaning against it.

Apparently, his body’s restraints had been released at some point. He did not know when.

“…Boo. Tch. Why are you looking away?”

The Dragon of Human Knowledge puffed out her cheeks, and Tooyama spat back at her.

Leaning against the water bucket, he continued talking with his back to her.

“What, because of the Church Knights? It is fine. Even if you are arrested for the crime of peeping, I will come save you.”

“What kind of self-made crisis is that?”

Tooyama answered the Dragon of Human Knowledge’s joke with a joke of his own. He was a little bewildered by how oddly well their conversation flowed.

“…Supupu.”

“What?”

She stammered, and her laugh wavered.

“Supu, pupupu, n-no, it is nothing. …Sniff. I just thought that exchange was fun… I was not mistaken.”

“Huh? What are you saying… Wait, why are you crying—”

Her voice turned shrill, and he heard a sniffled sob. He did not turn around, but that voice was clearly—

“Supu, I am not crying. There is no way a dragon would cry. Supu, shupu. Supi.”

“Ehh… What kind of situation is this…?”

Tooyama muttered with the sound of her sniffling behind him.

“Ahh, this is fun. So fun. I always wanted to have such pointless conversations with you. Meaningless conversations, useless conversations that should not produce any insight, forever. …For that, I…”

“…Do not soak in the cold bath too long. You’ll catch a cold.”

He did not really understand what she was saying, but Tooyama told her that for the time being.

“If that happens, I will have you nurse me, so it is fine.”

“Nothing about that is fine. …Hey, Dragon of Human Knowledge.”

“What is it, Tooyama-kun? Will you soak with me?”

“If two people got in, the bucket would break. That’s not it. Seriously, what are you? Why do you know me?”

Yes, what exactly was this dragon?

Something about her sense of distance was strange. Tooyama honestly asked her.

“Supu. I will not tell you. I do not want to say. I do not want to become a heavy woman, you see.”

“Ugh, troublesome.”

Tooyama stated his honest impression of the woman who was already showing heaviness.

“Ah! That was cruel. You said something cruel just now! As punishment, you will become my mate!”

“What kind of punishment is that? You and Drako both really like mates, huh.”

“Well, for dragons, mates are truly special existences… Though I was surprised that this young dragon became so fixated on you.”

Splash. Each time the Dragon of Human Knowledge twisted her body in the water bucket, a suggestive water sound echoed in the sunset.

“What is that young dragon to you?”

“She is my friend. I decided that.”

The Dragon of Human Knowledge suddenly asked him.

Tooyama answered without hesitation to that question, which had a strangely low voice.

“Hehe! You decided, I see. Ahaha! You decided to make a dragon your friend. Ahh, as expected, you are new. A beloved unknown.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“…Hehe.”

“What?”

“No, truly, I just thought this was fun. From now on, I look forward to being with you, Tooyama-kun.”

“I still don’t understand a single thing about the situation.”

Tooyama frowned and muttered at the conversation only the Dragon of Human Knowledge seemed to understand.

“It is simple. You and I will spend a great deal of time together from now on. So, I look forward to it.”

“…I don’t get it.”

He gave up on understanding fairly quickly. Well, for now, she did not seem to be an enemy. He would question her another time when he had energy.

Tooyama abandoned further pursuit.

“That is fine. Ah, but yes. Tooyama-kun, if you get along with me, I can give you something good…”

Perhaps noticing Tooyama’s half-hearted attitude, the Dragon of Human Knowledge leaned over the edge of the water bucket and called to him.

Drops of water falling from her silver hair wetted Tooyama’s shoulder.

“Something good? Sorry, but getting along with someone because they bait me with things is—”

Tooyama, who was the type to rather seek reasons for getting along with people, snorted.

This man was the type to choose his friends.

“Here, this. It is a byproduct of an experiment, but I think you will want it.”

“Pebbles? Give them to one of the Kasukabe Defense Force kids.”

The small pebbles offered to Tooyama had strange patterns carved into them when he looked closely.

What is she saying with just pebbles? Tooyama glared suspiciously at the beautiful face looking down at him from the edge of the bucket.

“They are magic stones completed by applying my technology. If you use these, you can make that. A sauna stove.”

“My name is Tooyama Naruhito. I look forward to working with you from now on!”

There stood the Tibetan sand fox, firmly grabbing the Dragon of Human Knowledge’s hand and shaking it.

Here, the friendship between Tooyama Naruhito and the Dragon of Human Knowledge was established. Friendship!

“Supu, wow. You really are honest with your desires. Your calculating nature is unparalleled. But I like that too…”

“I. Want. Sauna.”

The two gazed at each other with enchanted eyes.

The silver-haired woman stared at the shining face of the man as if burning it into her memory.

The black-haired man stared at the strange stones in the woman’s hand while drooling. To Tooyama, they already looked like sauna stones.

The two were clearly misunderstanding each other, but—

“N-Naruhito?”

But to an outsider, it only looked like a man drooling while staring fixedly at a beautiful woman bathing.

Thud.

The bread packed into the basket fell from her small hands.

“Hm? Ah.”

“Oh my… Supupu. Well, well, you became a cute form.”

Tooyama let out a voice.

The Dragon of Human Knowledge grinned.

“What… what are you doing…?”

“Drako?”

It was Drako. The basket packed with bread was surely something she had gotten so she could eat it with Tooyama.

“Naruhito, you, you, you did not eat much earlier, so Lazaar said you must be hungry…”

“Ah, crap.”

Understanding the situation, Tooyama muttered briefly.

“Tooyama-kun, that young dragon looks clearly younger. The Hoarding Dragon should have been unable to transform except into dragon form… Did someone teach her magical formulas?”

The Dragon of Human Knowledge called out to Tooyama.

“…Stop. Do not talk to Naruhito as if you are close to him.”

It was a deep voice that made the underside of his spine tremble from the pit of his stomach.

“Supupu, young dragon, calm down. This is not like you. Ahh, I see. You are becoming quite close to humans. Naruhito-kun is a sinful man.”

The person at whom it was directed was completely unaffected. Still soaking in the water, she looked at Tooyama in ecstasy.

“Uh, what?”

Tooyama was full of bad feelings. Somehow, this felt dangerous.

“Why? I do not understand myself. Why am I this… I do not understand…”

Drako held her own head and began staggering.

Whoosh, whoooosh.

The air around her began to burn. Golden flames bloomed.

“Oops, today’s most dangerous atmosphere. Please stop. I’m only in my underwear.”

“Even that you is wonderful.”

“Hey, seriously, shut up for a bit.”

That exchange was the final trigger.

“I hate this.”

““Hm?””

Drako’s murmur was short.

“You look close. You look closer to Naruhito than I am… I hate it. I hate it… Naruhito is my dragon slayer… And yet.”

With a tearing sound, it burst from Drako’s back.

Receiving the sunset dazzlingly, golden wings shone.

Proof of a dragon who raced across the world and ruled the sky.

“Hey, hey, hey, Drako, calm down. Wings, wings, wings! Your wings are out!! Hey, silver-haired dragon! What the hell is happening to Drako?”

“Supupu. Hmm, infantile regression…? It is probably a harmful effect of making her form younger. We dragons have a nature where our souls are pulled by our appearances.”

In contrast to Tooyama’s panic, the Dragon of Human Knowledge answered leisurely, as if observing something rare.

“You are leaving me out and talking again.”

That exchange between the two made the Hoarding Dragon even stranger. Her mind was breaking.

With a tearing sound, next was her tail.

It was a remnant of the existence inherited from a greater being, one that devoured beings larger than itself and swept away enemies.

“Whoa, wait, wait, wait, wait. Drako, put those wings and tail away. Seriously.”

There was a dragon.

Though she still retained much of her human shape, that was clearly not human.

Wings, tail, vertically widened pupils, and long claws.

The form of an apex predator appeared beneath the sunset.

“Tooyama-kun, what do you think when you see that?”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, the Dragon of Human Knowledge’s voice came from behind him without any playfulness.

“That young dragon is now beginning to change through her interactions with you. Ahh, she is certainly a dragon leaning toward humanity. But look at those wings, that majesty, those eyes.”

“…”

That voice forced Tooyama to face reality. Their relationship had been short, but intense. Because of Drako’s attitude, he had slightly forgotten.

He had forgotten that she was not human.

“Here is the question. Are dragons and humans truly equals? The answer is simple. No.”

The Dragon of Human Knowledge asked him, and that question did not allow him to look away from the truth.

“No matter how lovely she looks, no matter how friendly she is to you, we dragons are different beings from you. With a slight whim from me or her, you might lose your life. Hey, Tooyama Naruhito, a being far stronger than yourself and beyond your understanding—

Even so, do you call that your friend?”

That question surely was not only about the relationship between the Hoarding Dragon and Tooyama.

Splash. The Dragon of Human Knowledge rested her chin on the edge of the water bucket and wore a faint smile.

Her silver hair was wet and clung to her skin.

“Look at that form. You understand that power, don’t you? We kill humans according to our moods. We choose humans according to our pleasure and displeasure. When there is even the slightest thing we dislike, we become that. That is what we dragons are. Superior creatures born in an era when humans were reaching out toward the stars.”

How dark the eyes peering from there were. Those eyes, as if peering into Tooyama, reflected only the abyss.

A dragon asked a human.

“You do not understand dragons. You merely happened to buy her interest. You merely happened to be liked by her. You are only unusual. Once she grows tired of you, you too will be burned by those golden flames and end. Even so, will you—”

A droplet fell from the Dragon of Human Knowledge’s silver hair.

Her gloomy eyes only watched the greedy man standing still.

Those eyes seemed to be expecting something, yet also preparing for disappointment.

“Can you continue existing as equals with that, greedy adventurer?”

The Dragon of Human Knowledge smiled. That question was twisted, containing her own wishes and expectations.

The Dragon of Human Knowledge tested whether the thing she had prayed and wished for had truly remained the one she sought.

The Dragon of Human Knowledge continued holding an unreasonable and selfish expectation toward Tooyama Naruhito—

Ping.

That skill was a possibility that manifested in any modern person.

In that world, which had accumulated countless histories and still prospered, humanity’s desires had always created high-quality entertainment.

Mere amusement, mere relaxation, mere products of imagination.

However, through the filter called consumers, perhaps someday, somewhere, they would become someone’s answer.

A question from a dragon.

But such a thing did not matter.

Tooyama Naruhito had already obtained the answer to this question, where a mistake could cost his life, from that.

“A great old dragon I know said this: Dovah were originally evil beings. But what matters is continuing to face that evil within oneself.”

That was insight brought to Tooyama through the life of a geek, through games and creative works.

That insight became words.

Those words became poison.

A creative work thought up by someone somewhere now became Tooyama Naruhito’s strength like this.

It arrived as hope for the answer Tooyama Naruhito gave to the existence called dragons.

“I see, Drako. You are a dragon too.”

Tooyama murmured. His eyes looked at Drako, who seemed ready to attack him at any moment.

“Yeah, what?”

The Dragon of Human Knowledge let out a foolish voice. But her expression was somehow excited.

“It is fine. I know a lot about this sort of thing with dragons. Actually, wait. Drako, aren’t those wings absurdly cool?”

“Eh?”

“Yeah, so what?”

At Tooyama’s words, the dragons began to waver.

The Hoarding Dragon was confused by herself, driven by destructive impulses as a dragon and unable to suppress her power.

Normally, he should fear her. He should run.

But Tooyama did none of that. With a somewhat unpleasant heat in his sharp eyes, boiled by intoxication, he stared at the dragon’s wings and tail.

“Heh, hihi. I thought this back then too, but those wings with claws are way too cool. King Ghidorah?”

“Tooyama-kun, do you understand the situation? Right now, the Hoarding Dragon cannot control herself—”

“Shut up! If Japanese geeks flinch every time a mere dragon appears, they can’t do their jobs!”

“Supu.”

The Dragon of Human Knowledge froze with a small cry at the geek’s intimidation.

“Stay down! Blue… no, Drako, stay down!”

In only his underwear, he spread both arms horizontally and stood firm on the spot.

In his stance as he admonished Drako, not the slightest fear or terror could be felt.

“Eh?”

Drako, who had been controlled by the muddled feelings inside herself and had been about to undergo a distorted dragonization, stopped.

“Hey, Drako! I get that kind of mood. Even Jurassic Park dinosaurs get violent right away just because a storm comes. But I will say this clearly: you are not scary at all! Do not think I would be frightened of someone like you now!”

“Someone like me? Naruhito, what did you mean by that? Even if it is you, depending on your words, I will not forgive you.”

Her pressure swelled.

The same killing intent as that time—the dragon hunt when he had killed Drako—attacked Tooyama, scorching his spine.

It was the pressure she had shown at the Guild. A dragon’s privilege that unconditionally rendered those who were not chosen or strong of heart unable to act—

Ping.

Absolute superiority over “human species” activated by “Superior Creature (Dragon).” If the judgment fails, you will faint. …Skill “Happy-Meal Head” and hidden skill “Homo sapiens” have caused a mental resistance roll. “Dragon Slayer” provides a large correction. Mental resistance roll succeeded.

But a dragon’s privilege did not matter to Tooyama Naruhito.

A dragon slayer did not fear dragons.

Tooyama floated a fearless smile. The sight of him laughing in only his underwear made him look like a suspicious person.

Tooyama Naruhito did not fear Alice Dral Flaretail.

Not for some proper reason like because they were friends—

“Because I beat you once.”

That was a foolish reason to the end, yet one that struck the essence.

“…Supupu, wow.”

“Wh-what?”

The dragons lost their words.

At the words of a tiny human.

The Hoarding Dragon’s expression froze, and the Dragon of Human Knowledge pulled her shapely mouth into a crescent.

“The ranking is already decided, golden dragon. You lost to me once. You are only still alive because you happened to be an absurd dragon with multiple lives. Normally, you would have been killed by me and it would have ended there.”

One step.

Tooyama advanced.

One step, Drako—the Hoarding Dragon, Alice Dral Flaretail—retreated.

Ahh, the ranking had certainly already been completed.

Tooyama looked straight ahead, while the dragon averted her eyes and let her gaze swim.

“Uh, ah.”

“Drako, calm down. Calm down. What happened to you so suddenly?”

“I… I… Ahh, I do not understand. I do not understand what I want to do with you… That old dragon is right. One day, I will—”

“Heheheheheh.”

The dragon wavered. The man in underwear laughed.

“I have surpassed countless dragons until now. A dragon called the World Eater, a dragon called the War of Fate. I have surpassed them all—in games.”

“Eh, Tooyama-kun, that is from a game—”

The Dragon of Human Knowledge was confused by Tooyama’s words, but of course Tooyama completely ignored her.

“Do you think I, after all that, would be scared just because a dragon lost her temper a little? Do not underestimate me, Alice Dral Flaretail.”

“Ah, uh.”

“Do not get angry pointlessly. Do not fear recklessly. Relax. I am stronger. So even if you get angry, I will not be killed.”

“…You are not afraid of dragons?”

“It is fine. I am stronger.”

“I am stronger than this when I take dragon form.”

“It is fine. I really like dragons. By the way, are you four-legged? Or wing-legged?”

“…Four-legged.”

“That makes you an extremely powerful real dragon, not the wyvern type. So cool.”

Words flowed, and Tooyama answered the dragon’s questions without stammering even once.

“Fu, kaka, fukakaka. Naruhito, you really are a fool.”

“I’m better than you. …Drako, you are a dragon, and I am a human. I cannot understand you completely. We are not the same living creature.”

“…Is it fine even if we are not the same?”

“Did you take that form to match us? I am happy you were considerate. But I do not want to make a Tyrannosaurus my pet.”

“Ty-tyranno?”

“Yeah, the strongest, coolest, scariest dragon. A Tyrannosaurus is cruel, strong, and terrifying, and that is exactly why it is a Tyrannosaurus. You are the same, Drako.”

“That is the kind of being you were from the start. A living creature different from humans. Dragons are like that too, right? You are cool, strong, selfish, and self-centered. Why is someone like you suffering and worrying so much?”

Drako’s movement stopped.

The golden flames wrapped around her like heat haze, and her swaying tail drooped.

Painfully, she distorted her eyes, held her head, and crouched down. Her appearance was no different from a lost child crying out.

“I… I want to become closer with Naruhito. I want to know about you. And yet, when I see you talking with that one, it hurts… When I see Naruhito talking with a dragon other than me, I feel like I will go mad.”

As if seeking help, the dragon extended her hand toward Tooyama. It was the first emotion that had surfaced in her.

Dragons, essentially solitary existences, sought the heat of the first true equal they had ever obtained. Once they had obtained it even once, they feared losing it terribly.

Tooyama looked at the hand extended toward him.

“I see. Then come at me.”

“Eh?”

“Eh?”

The two dragons let out voices. Voices of confusion.

The human did not waver. Only the dragons wavered.

That was the answer Tooyama had derived for Drako—no, Alice’s suffering.

He did not take the hand seeking help. That was not the relationship between him and the dragon.

That was against his interpretation.

Voices of confusion. The words of a man with a broken head even confused dragons.

And yet the two superior creatures, the Dragon of Human Knowledge and the Hoarding Dragon, could not take their eyes off that man, nor their ears off that man’s words.

Dragons silently listened to a human’s words.

“I cannot understand your way of being as a dragon, nor can I sympathize with it, because I am not a dragon.”

As a human, and out of respect for dragons, Tooyama clearly put that difference into words.

The Dragon of Human Knowledge and the Hoarding Dragon made lonely, sad faces.

“But I can acknowledge it. I can imagine it. That ferocity, that aggression, that arrogance—those too are your desires. Then I will not deny them.”

Tooyama Naruhito placed his hand against his own neck. What he dragged out from there was Relic Blade.

“After not denying them, I will remain your equal in my own way. I will stubbornly refuse to be afraid of you. I will absolutely never submit to you.”

The sad-faced Drako looked up with a start.

She caught the human standing in front of her directly in her eyes.

The power of the mist that had killed a dragon and threatened the Church. It was a power outside the laws of this world, capable of taking even a superior creature’s life.

That thing, which obeyed no one but Tooyama Naruhito, obeyed only to fulfill adventure and desire.

“So every time you go crazy, I will kill you again.”

That was his answer.

“Ah…”

“So you can stay exactly as you are.”

If a dragon was a creature that existed with destructive impulses, he would face it. If spending time together involved danger to his life, then he would instead stop her breath.

“You and I—a dragon—are equals. You are not the only one who kills. I will kill too.”

“Ah, ahh…”

“S-supupu, ahh, yes, as expected, this is good…”

It was an exchange of mad words. A series of words truly beyond understanding.

But with those words, the Dragon of Human Knowledge’s face collapsed in ecstasy.

But with those words, the Hoarding Dragon returned her form to normal.

The boldly spread wings withered and returned to her back.

The thick tail shrank and vanished.

Her fully opened pupils returned to their original size, and the golden flames dancing around her body ceased.

“I… might become like this again.”

“When that happens, I’ll shred you with Relic Blade again, armor bastard.”

“…Fu, kaka. Ahh, I see… This is…”

Drako’s form changed. Her original human form.

Long blonde hair, a rich and tall body, sharp dragon eyes, and an intelligent face.

“Naruhito, you truly are a great fool.”

Drako smiled as if something had been released. It was a smile like a flower blooming in an unexplored land.

“No, that’s wrong.”

For an instant, Tooyama was captivated by it, but his altered brain immediately erased that fluttering.

“Fukaka, hey, Naruhito. Come a little closer. For some reason, right now, I want to embrace you unbearably.”

“No thanks. Your eyes are kind of scary, so no.”

“Fukaka, then you said it yourself. I may remain as I am, like a dragon. Dragons rampage to obtain what they desire.”

Drako narrowed her eyes mischievously. Her gaze was like an evil dragon drooling before treasure.

“And resisting that is a human’s right, yeah?”

Half joking, half serious, the two measured the distance between them.

The Dragon of Human Knowledge watched those two with a bored expression, yet somehow dazzled.

“…Supu. I am jealous… But Tooyama-kun, it seems you will not need to fight that young dragon this time.”

The Dragon of Human Knowledge, who had watched the choice between dragon and human, between dragon slayer and dragon, murmured. Her tone somehow seemed relieved.

“Huh?”

Tooyama tilted his head at that voice.

“My laaaaaadyyyyyy!”

“Wow, My Lady, are you safe? Sorry, I taught you an incomplete formula.”

“It is the appearance of guardians, Tooyama-kun.”

The Dragon of Human Knowledge chuckled.

“Eh?”

Softly—

A ring of light appeared.

A hole opened in space, and guardians appeared from within.

A fine silver gentleman with white hair dressed perfectly in a tailcoat, and a maid with a somewhat absentminded atmosphere appeared.

Transcendent beings always appeared suddenly, like this.

“…A suspicious person?”

“Friend-dono, did you perhaps lay hands on My Lady…?”

The maid and the silver gentleman stared damply at Tooyama.

Unfortunately, from the outside, the scene looked like a man in only his underwear grinning while holding a blade.

“Oops, wait. We can talk this out.”

Still in his underwear, Tooyama spread both arms once more and struck a Jurassic pose.