A Loose Branch Point

~A little earlier, in a room at the Dragon Embassy~

Fufufuka, fukaka, fufuka.

Before I knew it, the me beyond the mirror was humming in an extremely good mood.

Hmm, when I was a toddler, Mother often said the humming I did when I was in a good mood was cute. I certainly am cute, if I do say so myself. As expected of me.

“Ojou-sama, I am most glad to see you in especially fine spirits today.”

“Mm, you can tell? Fukaka, Naruhito finally did it. Finally, it happened. Look, old man.”

I showed the old man the letter I had placed on the vanity. It was rather high-quality paper, impertinently sealed with the Angel Church’s wax seal.

The addressee was, of course, me. The sender was, of course, my dragon slayer. Fukaka. This was my first time receiving a letter from a friend, but it felt good.

“Oh, this is…… a letter from Dragon Slayer-dono, is it? These characters…… It is written in the ancient language.”

“Mm, he does rather stylish things, does he not? Despite lacking common sense, that fellow often knows strange things. To think he would write a letter in the ancient language. Fufun.”

“However, writing a letter in the ancient language is quite difficult unless one has graduated from an Imperial Capital university and specialized in the ancient language.”

The old man stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes. Perhaps impressed, he hummed to himself several times.

“Fufun, this is Naruhito we are talking about. At this point, I will not be surprised by any little thing that fellow does.”

Why was that? When the old man praised Naruhito, I became happy too. I wanted to boast about him. My chest felt warm, and it was not a bad feeling.

“Hmm. He is someone whom that All-Knowing—no, the Dragon of Human Knowledge—values. Such a thing may be possible.”

“Mgh, do not speak of that old dragon in front of me. That fellow brought Naruhito to my bedroom the other day and said all sorts of things as she pleased. What was that?”

“That is simply what she is, Ojou-sama. Since the days when she fought your grandfather, the Flame Dragon, in the human world, her essence has not changed at all. That manner of focusing only on what seems interesting to her. Perhaps it could be called one form of dragon.”

The old man laughed quietly. Fufun, I know, old man. I know that when you speak of that old dragon, you look a little happy.

“………So, long ago, did you also fall in love with that old dragon?”

This was just a little bit of teasing on my part. Forgive me, old man. Dragons like interesting things.

“Bfwoh!!”

“Hehe, do you have a cold?”

The old man suddenly spluttered loudly. The way his shoulders trembled and his eyes opened wide was not something I had seen often in all our long acquaintance.

“…………Ojou-sama, who told you that story?”

“I heard it from that old dragon. Stories such as how, when you were a young and dashing old man, you sent love letters along with the heads of several dragon hunters, and how you courted her atop the Magic Academy bell tower by saying you would protect her even if the world broke.”

“………………It was the folly of youth, Ojou-sama. Please forgive me.”

The old man muttered with an extremely bitter look. Hehe, old man, you may indeed be one who crossed the line and could no longer remain human, but you still properly have memories from when you were human.

“Hmm. That old dragon may be an existence like boiled-down mud, schemes, and indecency on the inside, but only her appearance is worth evaluating to some degree. It is no wonder you were charmed, old man.”

“Such generous words…… I am truly grateful, Ojou-sama.”

“Even so, that fellow suddenly barged into the embassy, then suddenly left…… Dragons are often such willful creatures, it truly is troublesome, yes, old man?”

“………Exactly right, Ojou-sama.”

Honestly. Even considering that dragons are strongly individual existences, some are truly selfish.

Well, the time spent with that ancient dragon may not have been as bad as I expected. The stories of someone who knew things I did not know were just a little interesting.

But that old dragon.

Usually, she has so little emotion that one could call her a tree or something, yet only when she is with Naruhito does she scatter the scent of female arousal so excessively. I dislike that.

One day, I will burn her to ashes.

“Hmph, very well. Today is the long-awaited day of my promise with Naruhito. Fufun, I shall boast to that old dragon. The one invited to Naruhito’s house was not you, but me.”

Swish, swish.

Oops, that is no good. I accidentally let my tail out. Hmm, it is still rather difficult to control.

“……It is rather late to say this, Ojou-sama, but you truly have taken quite a liking to the dragon slayer.”

The old man muttered while looking at my tail.

“Fukaka, that fellow is my friend, after all. Besides, unlike you or Faran, I can read his heart, so he is interesting. That fellow never lies. Well, precisely because of that, it hurt when he once said he hated me.”

—I hate you.

Just remembering that time, when I first brought him to the Dragon Embassy, made my scales feel like they might bristle.

That fellow’s words and that fellow’s heart are always the same. Unlike other humans, that fellow never lies with his words.

That is interesting, and that is a little frightening. But he is my friend, so it is all right.

“……The fact that his heart reaches Ojou-sama means that he is still within the domain of mortals. That, above all, is excellent. It is very good for humans to remain human.”

“When you say it, old man, it carries a different weight. Now then, it is about time I went to bathe. Prepare the Mobelembembe fragrant oil and clothes for going out.”

Children of change, weak mortals who possess only predetermined life and allotted fate.

Naruhito is different from me.

Humans and dragons are absolutely not the same existence.

Normally, they would never become existences that stand side by side, and that relationship should be one of domination and subordination.

That is the rule, the absolute law.

That was how it should have been.

—Kill, Relic Blade.

But Naruhito broke that rule. On that day, the rules of this world were certainly overwritten by Tooyama Naruhito.

Children of change. Weak, fragile, and fleeting in this world, and precisely because of that, beings who continue to change.

Hume.

I want to know more about that fellow. What he thinks, what he wants, how he laughs, and many, many other things. I find myself wanting to know them.

“Hmm, are you going out?”

“Mfufu, yes. I am going to visit a friend’s house. It is what they call being invited.”

“Is that so? Hehe, that is a fine thing indeed. I shall tell Faran to put more effort than usual into today’s dressing.”

“……Mm. When you say that, it sounds as if I am somewhat excited. Do not treat me like a child.”

“Hoho, my apologies. Then, Ojou-sama, please take your time.”

The old man left the room. As always, he moved without making any sound or presence.

I suddenly looked out the window.

A wavering blue without a single cloud spread out there.

It was a lighter color than the deep blue at the very top of the sky I knew.

Recently, I noticed. Swimming through the sky on my own wings was good, but gazing up at the sky like this was not bad either. The sky that Naruhito looked up at must surely appear like this.

“What fine weather. Hehe.”

Under such warm weather, I would be going to meet a friend, Naruhito.

I simply enjoyed the sensation of the rising joy shaking the center of my chest.

---

Ah, the weather was nice.

Tooyama Naruhito looked up at the sky once and exhaled softly. He let his eyes adjust to the blue that filled his entire vision, escaping reality a little.

Some strange person showed up. What a pain.

Tooyama, who had already started finding everything troublesome, slowly returned his gaze forward and faced reality.

“……No, seriously, what?”

He slowly chose his words and asked the sudden visitor.

“Oh my, I am sorry. I got carried away. I was terribly rude not to introduce myself. Pleased to meet you, one who killed that great being. One who has advanced the world’s stage for the first time in several hundred years, Dragon Slayer-sama.”

Beautiful green hair. It was a hair color like the jewel jade mixed with the green of a beautiful forest untouched by anyone’s hand.

Her expression changed with a constant smile, and on her small face were round, childish eyes. Her somewhat innocent impression was perhaps due to her slightly drooping eyelids.

“……………”

Tooyama observed the sudden visitor.

At this point, the only thing he understood was that this person was not really the type to listen to others.

“My name is Fortuna. This is my first time visiting the adventure city, and as I was strolling about, seeing many unusual things, this mansion happened to catch my eye, so I found myself intruding.”

“……Ah, I see. Sorry, um, we don’t know each other, do we?”

“Yes, I have met you for the first time just now. Hehe, you are more ordinary than I had heard.”

This is bad. The conversation is subtly not getting through.

Tooyama remembered the time long ago when an unknown middle-aged woman on the street had asked him to lend her one thousand yen.

The exhaustion of being spoken to by a dangerous person. Tooyama immediately decided on his response policy.

“Sorry, but I have guests right now. I apologize, but could you please leave?”

“Oh my, how troublesome of me! I am sorry, I…… sniff, sniff. Wow, there is a very nice smell. Are you having a meal in the garden, perhaps baking bread?”

“Yes, well, something like that. Could you please leave?”

He continued treating the green-haired woman, whose eyes were sparkling, curtly. Tooyama knew that with this type of person, he must not show even the slightest willingness to meet them halfway.

“Inquisitor-dono, was she not your acquaintance?”

The gatekeeper who had guided him asked. Perhaps sensing the atmosphere, his voice became slightly heavy.

“Yes. I don’t know her. Fortuna-san. I’m not trying to be cruel, but, well, if you don’t have any particular business……”

He did not want to provoke this woman too much. Though this was supposed to be their first meeting, a sense of discomfort that could already be called disgust was rising from deep within his body.

“Hehe, the Shadow Fang is here too, is he not? I am glad to see that he, beloved by evil deeds, is once again doing well after fleeing.”

“—Huh?”

That statement was the one thing he could not let pass. He had no choice but to react to those words.

Shadow Fang. It was a name deeply tied to Lazaar’s past.

“Oh my, what a frightening face……”

The green-haired woman put a hand to her cheek, tilted her head, and laughed. Her eyes, opened thinly in amusement, were not smiling.

“Who are you?”

Tooyama asked the woman again.

He could no longer leave her alone as a mere bothersome oddball.

“Fortuna. Fortuna Lloyd Armstrong. Please remember me from now on, Dragon Slayer-sama.”

The woman lightly lifted both sides of her long skirt and gave a small bow while winking.

The green hair gathered into a side tail shone complexly under the midday sun.

Her movements were beautiful, so much so that even Tooyama, overflowing with disgust, had his eyes stolen for an instant by her appearance and motion.

He had never heard the name, but if she was someone connected to Lazaar’s past, she was trouble. He would need to handle her carefully.

“……I don’t know this Shadow Fang or whatever. The person you’re looking for isn’t here.”

“Ufufu, those are truly terrifying eyes. Could it be that I have already been disliked by you?”

“Sorry. I’m shy with strangers. It’s scary when someone I don’t know suddenly comes to my house.”

“Oh my, hehe, what an interesting person. It has been a long time since I was disliked at a first meeting. Basically, everyone likes me at first…… As expected of Dragon Slayer-sama. You already possess something dazzling enough not to be blinded by me.”

“Fortuna-san, I’m sorry, but please come back another time. The person you’re looking for isn’t here, and honestly, having someone I don’t know come to my house is creepy and troublesome.”

After peacefully settling this situation, he would consult with Lazaar.

Avoid involvement as much as possible. If necessary, find her again and dispose of her. That was Tooyama’s plan.

“Hehe, those really are fine eyes, Dragon Slayer-sama. You do not think of people as people. To you, existences that become threats or obstacles are no longer human. Hehe. I feel sympathy. Yes, if my luck were even slightly bad, I feel I might be killed. Hehe, hehehehe.”

Entranced.

The woman gazed into Tooyama’s eyes, blushed slightly, and began to laugh.

What is with this woman? Is she invincible? Tooyama recoiled slightly at the reaction he had not imagined.

“Inquisitor-dono, we will handle this from here. My apologies. We should not have called you out carelessly.”

The gatekeeper, having sensed something was off, bowed his head to Tooyama.

“Miss, I apologize, but this is private property. If you are not an acquaintance of the master of the house, please leave.”

The other gatekeeper stepped between Tooyama and the woman. Without even trying to hide his intimidation, he urged Fortuna to leave.

“Oh my, it seems I am about to be driven out. Hehe, that would be troublesome. I want to speak with Dragon Slayer-sama.”

“……This is a warning. If you intend to remain here any longer, we will have no choice but to have you leave by force. Please, peacefully.”

“You are faithful to your duty. Hmm, but I refuse. What I want to do now is visit Dragon Slayer-sama’s home, talk about all sorts of things, yes, and play. ……Will you interfere with that?”

“……Please do not resist too much. We do not intend to injure you.”

The gatekeeper stepped forward. He reached his hand toward Fortuna—

“Oh my, oh my.”

The woman laughed deeply.

——.

Shiver.

A chill like an icicle being inserted into his spine. At the same time, a tingling numbness assaulted Tooyama.

Unconsciously, he grabbed the gatekeeper’s shoulder and stopped his movement.

“—No, gatekeeper-san, wait. Don’t touch her.”

“……But—”

“It’s fine. No. We must not provoke her.”

The reason was not clear. That message had not warned him either.

But something that formed Tooyama Naruhito’s body stopped the gatekeeper who was about to touch Fortuna.

The white snake woman flashed across his mind for an instant. He did not know why.

“……………”

Fortuna did not move, her smile frozen in place.

But there was neither fear nor agitation in her slightly opened eyes.

Those eyes were those of a cat. They sparkled roundly and happily, like a cat enjoying tormenting a mouse.

“You. No, you. You have nasty eyes. Those are irritating eyes.”

“……Oh my?”

“The eyes you’ve been using to look at me and the gatekeeper-san since earlier. You’re smiling, but it’s different. I’m sensitive to that sort of thing. Those are eyes that look down on people. Eyes that think everything will go well no matter what happens.”

“Hehe, Dragon Slayer-sama, you really are interesting.”

“This is a warning. Leave. Don’t get involved with us.”

“Oh, but I am starting to want to get involved with you. Whatever shall I do?”

Her eyes moved with amusement.

The eyes of a strong person. She feared nothing, and nothing existed that could threaten her.

They were somehow similar to the eyes of that dragon when he first met her.

“Those really are irritating eyes.”

“Hehe.”

Fortuna merely laughed in response to Tooyama’s words.

What should he do? While irritated, Tooyama considered his approach—

“Aaaaaah!! You damn airheaded idiot woman! I fiiinally found you!”

A loud man’s voice echoed from behind Fortuna.

Immediately after, a man came charging toward them at tremendous speed. By the time he saw him, the man was already almost right in front of them.

“Oh my, have you found me? That was faster than I expected, Wis.”

“Don’t screw with me, you dumb woman! You left only me behind with that damn woman! Do you have any idea how long that boat trip was?!”

Fiery red hair. In contrast, his eyes were black. Deep black like neatly charred wood. The vertical scar over his left eye strengthened his impression.

Even over his travel clothes and cloak, one could see the perfection of that man’s body. He was tall, and his lean yet bulging body revealed at a glance his strength as a living creature.

And there was one strange ornament at his waist.

A helmet. He had a bucket-like helm hanging there.

He was the sort of man who seemed like a fierce lion transformed into human form.

“Now, now, please do not be so angry. After all, you suddenly started fighting with her. I am sure she disliked you, Wis.”

The people before him started arguing while ignoring Tooyama.

Their exchange was simply unpleasant.

“What are you people…… If this is a lovers’ quarrel, could you do it somewhere else?”

Tooyama murmured in an exhausted tone.

“Oops, sorry, brother. Is this your house……………”

The red-haired man fairly honestly lowered his head toward Tooyama. However, the instant he saw Tooyama’s face, he half-opened his mouth and furrowed his brow.

“Ugh, what are you…… Is that mixed in? Gross.”

His expression was fully exposed disgust, like a person who hated insects encountering a centipede inside the house.

“Huh?”

What was this guy talking about? Just as Tooyama was about to ask the meaning of those words—

“Tooyama!!”

A familiar girl’s voice.

Stolu’s loud voice echoed.

“Stolu? Sorry, I’m being tangled up with some strange people right now.”

“Oh, how sad. I was called a strange person. Sob, sob.”

“No, I think this brother is right, though. Hm? Kid, you’re another weird one. Hey, dumb woman, who the hell have you gotten involved with?”

“Ah, Wis, this is the person who killed the ‘Hoarding Dragon,’ Dragon Slayer-sama.”

“…………Huh? Dragon Slayer?”

“Yes.”

The red-haired man froze with blank eyes. His hands trembled as he closed in on the green-haired woman.

“—Are you stupid?! Ah, right, you were stupid. You really were stupid. ……I see. Well, certainly, if it’s this brother—”

Immediately after shouting, the red-haired man stared at Tooyama. The discomfort was like damp air stroking his cheeks.

“You! Do not move! Do not approach that person any further, dis!!”

“……Heh.”

The instant Stolu’s voice echoed, the unpleasant sensation vanished.

“Stolu, what is it?”

“Tooyama, slowly, slowly come this way. Please move away from that man, dis.”

Stolu’s voice came from behind him; it seemed she had come to check on the situation. Her voice sounded the same as usual, but Tooyama noticed.

Stolu’s voice was trembling.

“……Understood.”

Tooyama obediently followed Stolu’s words. Slowly, he backed away.

“Hahaha, what’s this, brat? You understand?”

And that fear of Stolu’s had apparently been transmitted to the red-haired man too. He raised his brows in admiration and smiled slightly.

“……Monster. I warned you. Please move away from that person, dis.”

Stolu had already drawn her sword.

“What if I say I don’t want to?”

The red-haired man revealed a brutal grin. A lion’s smile, the same strong person’s smile as the green-haired woman.

“—”

Stolu reflexively tried to kick off the ground—

“Wait, Stolu.”

“—”

At the same moment Tooyama’s voice reached her, Stolu stopped moving.

“Phew. Heh, I’m surprised. Brother, you really have this brat properly leashed? She doesn’t reach me, but this brat is someone who crossed a line too. You did well taming her.”

The man whistled and looked amused.

He was vulgar. Tooyama could not get along with this guy. Physiologically, the red-haired man was impossible for him.

“……We never met. We’ll never be involved again. So take your companion and go home.”

Tooyama quietly told the red-haired man.

“Hmm, yeah. No, not bad. Not bad at all, brother. You aren’t someone from this side. But from that brat’s reaction, you suddenly strengthened your vigilance toward me. Not bad. Among the dull masses, that speed in switching gears is one of the better ones.”

Nodding in satisfaction, the red-haired man walked closer to Tooyama.

Tooyama sensed no presence from him. He still did not know why Stolu was so frightened of this man.

“Did you not hear me, dis?! Do not move, dis!!”

But Stolu was different. She was more frightened than she had ever been. She reacted excessively to the man’s every movement.

“Shut up, chick.”

The red-haired man’s voice was directed at Stolu.

“Ah……”

“Brat, you and I are the same kind. But our degree of completion is different. As different as a baby and an adult. You don’t think you can beat me no matter how hard you try, do you? So shut your mouth.”

“I-I am……”

Each time the red-haired man said a word, Stolu grew more haggard. Her hands trembled with a clattering sound, her breathing rose and fell roughly, her eyelids twitched, and her eyes moistened.

Even so, she absolutely did not let go of the hand gripping her sword.

“Hey.”

Tooyama’s voice was quiet.

He took one step toward the red-haired man.

“Ah, sorry about that, brother. Anyway, about what we were saying—”

The red-haired man turned his gaze from Stolu back to Tooyama.

Clink, clatter.

The sound of something shaking. It came from the red-haired man’s waist. The bucket helm hanging there was shaking by itself.

“—Seriously?”

The red-haired man looked down at the bucket helm on his waist. His eyes widened as if he had seen something unbelievable, sweat rose on his forehead, and he looked back and forth between Tooyama and the bucket helm.

“You irritate me too.”

Tooyama murmured.

Shiver.

The instant a passing rain begins.

The instant lightning flashes from within black clouds.

The instant the morning alarm rings when you absolutely do not want to wake up.

There was a moment when something like that switched over.

The red-haired man’s pupils opened, and in an instant he moved one step away from that spot. Naturally, he scooped up the green-haired woman too.

It was a movement like prey escaping from a predator.

“Hoh?”

The green-haired woman, suddenly lifted and having no idea what was happening, blinked.

“Gya, haha. Hey, hey, seriously, Dragon Slayer? You’re many times more disgusting than I imagined. Where did you come from? This cursed shitty bucket reacting to someone other than those of my bloodline is a first.”

“Don’t spout nonsense I don’t understand, trespassers. That green-haired one and you are both clueless nuisances. Please disappear from my sight.”

“Oh my, Wis, it seems we have been disliked. Hehe, what shall we do?”

“No, more than half of this is your fault, dumb princess. Ah, damn it, this is seriously a complete mess. I was thinking of various things, so why did you start stepping on an original route from the first move? This is loose as hell.”

“Now, now, it’s all right, Wis. Let’s not give up and do our best.”

“Hah, what should we do?”

The green-haired woman and red-haired man were carefree.

Tooyama did not look away.

“The conversation is over, right? Let’s decide already. Will we end this peacefully, or will it get rough?”

Tooyama began rolling his shoulders. Whether to handle it peacefully, Lazaar’s matter, and many other things began to fade.

Right now, what mattered to Tooyama was that he disliked the red-haired man’s attitude toward Stolu, who was one of his people. That alone.

“—Gyaha.”

Belligerent. If a beast loved battle, it would perhaps make the same face as the red-haired man did now.

The red-haired man’s face was so powerful and so filled with excitement that it could be called dazzling.

It was the turning point.

Tooyama made his breathing shallow. The pressure emitted by the man grew heavier and heavier, and the corners of the green-haired woman’s mouth rose.

A loose branch point.

Everything began falling apart—

“—Sorry, sorry, Dragon Slayer.”

“Eh?”

“Huh?”

Pop. Like carbonation going flat, the suffocating feeling the man had been emitting vanished.

“No, see, we came to this city for sightseeing. We’re from the Kingdom, and it’s our first time coming to the Empire. We got a little too excited. I’m really sorry.”

The red-haired man showed a messy, one might even say innocent, expression.

“………………”

“Wis?”

“Don’t ‘Wis’ me, dumb princess. No, seriously, sorry. This princess-sama is also a sheltered fool. She’s a fan of the Dragon Slayer and got way ahead of herself. We’ll disappear right away, so could you settle this peacefully?”

The red-haired man’s words came with a frivolous laugh. To Tooyama, they were extremely welcome words.

He should have them leave like this. Settle it peacefully, and then—

“Apologize first.”

“Huh?”

He failed.

The words that unconsciously slipped from his mouth were those.

“Apologize to our Stolu. Were you planning to threaten a kid and just leave it at that?”

He had done it. He should have simply ended things right away.

“Apologize. Right now.”

“……Heh. Gyahaha, those are good eyes, Dragon Slayer. —Yeah, you’re right. Brat. No, you’re called Stolu, right? Sorry. I got a little heated. I won’t do it again, so forgive me.”

The red-haired man lowered his head so easily it was anticlimactic.

“Tooyama……”

Confused and blinking, Stolu weakly called out to Tooyama.

“If you’re satisfied, then that’s fine.”

Tooyama answered quietly. There was something boiling inside him. But it was not something to resolve now.

If he wanted to make this guy apologize from the bottom of his heart, he needed to take a different method. Even Tooyama understood that much.

“Then we’ll be going now. No, really, sorry.”

“Muu, I still want to talk with Dragon Slayer-sama, though.”

The red-haired man, holding the green-haired woman, turned around to leave.

“Idiot. There’s no way we can have a proper talk now, is……”

“Eh?”

He stopped.

“Oh, you wanted to talk with the dragon slayer? Hmm, hmm. However, he has a prior engagement with me…… Right, Naruhito?”

Gold had arrived.

A temporary form for blending into the town through a magical formula.

A golden-haired girl with the appearance of someone in her mid-teens. Her long hair, usually flowing straight down, was now tied behind her like Stolu’s.

She wore a slightly short and easy-to-move-in pants style. With a light-looking hoodie over it, she was unusual in the adventure city, or rather, she resembled someone in modern clothing.

“Oh my…… I am surprised.”

“Damn it, dumb princess…… You ran the loosest possible route.”

Only the girl’s eyes remained the eyes of that great being, a dragon.

“Fukaka, Naruhito. Are you in trouble?”

There stood the dragon who had taken on the form of a girl and had been looking forward to today more than anyone else.

“Very well. Tell me. If it is your wish, I shall grant it, yes?”

The dragon smiled at Tooyama with a mischievous grin.