Jared, leaning on Olivier’s shoulder, arrived at the dining hall to be greeted by the relieved expressions of Yeny Daum and Pfeil.
“Older Brother!”
Yeny, who had been glaring as if about to attack the red-haired girl with pigtails, Rio, who was happily munching on baked goods, noticed Jared and rushed over.
In her arms, she held the sword Jared had used when he fought Pfeil. Jared, who had seen his cousin’s true strength with his own eyes rather than hearing about it from Olivier, felt guilty for causing them worry. At the same time, he realized that Yeny’s feelings for him were stronger than he had imagined.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine. Sorry for making you worry.”
“But… if you have to lean on Older Sister Olivier’s shoulder to move, then… I’ll defeat that Dragon Girl!”
“Wait, wait, wait! You don’t have to do that. Here, give me the sword.”
“Ah, please wait! Now that they’re off guard, I can quickly…”
“You don’t have to. Here.”
While breaking out in a cold sweat inwardly at Yeny’s dangerous words, Jared snatched the sword away. Even if she possessed genius swordsmanship, she had only received the minimum amount of training. There was no way she could win against a Dragon.
He worried if she was hiding a knife under her clothes like he did, but he couldn’t possibly search a young girl’s body like that.
“Yeny, I told you not to fight, didn’t I?”
“…Yes.”
“Then, keep your promise. At least, you’re protecting the Dragon Girl. So it’s strange for you to be arming yourself.”
“I apologize.”
“If you understand, then sit down and behave. I know well that you cherish Jared. But for now, be patient.”
Olivier, who spoke not only with reproof but also with a gentle word, managed to get Yeny to obediently sit on a chair.
He lightly waved to Pfeil, who had been watching them, and Pfeil nodded. Somehow, their gaze seemed to say, “This is tough,” but Olivier decided not to acknowledge it.
He thought his relationship with Pfeil, a candidate for successor of Waalthe, the Assassination Organization hailed as the strongest on the continent, was complex but interesting. They had once tried to kill each other, fought together a second time, and now Pfeil was concerned about his well-being. He decided to repay the favor he owed this time at some point.
“Well then… this child is so engrossed in sweets, it’s as if I’m not even in her sights.”
Jared smiled wryly as he looked at Rio, who had baked goods in both hands and was continuing to talk with her mouth full, while Hannelore, sitting next to her, wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief.
The hostility he had felt earlier was now completely gone. Had she judged him as someone unworthy of her hostility after being knocked unconscious with a single blow? More than that, he couldn’t help but wonder how Pfeil managed to carry him and escape in front of a Rio who had been openly hostile. However, since Rio was now accompanying them, the word “escape” felt somewhat inaccurate. He wanted to hear what happened, but more than that, he needed to ask Rio why she attacked him.
As he hesitated on how to approach her, her gaze flickered towards him while she chewed.
“Munch. Phew. That was delicious. Oh, you’re awake, Jared Murphy… surprisingly tough.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
As if their first meeting were a lie, he was met with a friendly smile, which left him slightly taken aback. He didn’t want to fight here, but he certainly hadn’t expected to be met with a smile.
“Sorry to interrupt while you’re eating, but can you explain why you attacked me?”
“…You still claim to have no idea, do you?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t. It’s not that I don’t have any acquaintances among Dragons, but I don’t think I’ve done anything to be hated.”
“Is that so?”
Rio put down the baked goods on her plate and brushed away his hand, her smile disappearing. There was no hostility. No intimidation, but his caution heightened. He didn’t know when she might attack, and simultaneously, he knew he would be defeated without being able to lift a finger if she was serious. It wasn’t just about himself; he didn’t want to involve the unrelated people present. In the worst-case scenario, he was prepared to sacrifice himself to get Rio away from this place.
“If you say you don’t know why you were attacked, I’ll tell you. I came all the way to the Human Kingdom to take revenge on you, who killed my Older Brother!”
All eyes turned to Jared. Pfeil, in particular, was speechless.
“Jared… are you a Dragon Slayer?”
“No, no, no! I’ve never killed a Dragon!”
Jared’s vehement denial made his head ache. If he had killed a Dragon, he would be a Court Mage by now. Dragons, the strongest race on earth, possess the power to easily destroy a small kingdom if even one adult Dragon exists. No matter how much Magic Power Jared possessed or how many magic elements he could use, killing a Dragon was impossible, and furthermore, he wanted nothing to do with fighting one. The thought of fighting such a creature sent a chill down his spine.
Even Court Mages are not Dragon Slayers. The Dragon Kingdom, where Dragons reside, and the Wethered Kingdom are in an alliance. Killing a Dragon would be treated as murder by humans. *If* one could kill it, that is. Dragons are also subject to the laws of the Dragon Kingdom if they kill humans without reason. However, there are exceptions.
There are Dragons called “rogues.” The term “rogue” refers to Dragons who do not belong to the Dragon Kingdom or have seceded from it. If one can kill a rogue Dragon, they will not be punished. Although it hasn’t happened in years, Dragons that attack human settlements and become targets for subjugation are usually rogues. And, needless to say, Jared has never killed a Dragon.
“You still feign ignorance! Or have you truly forgotten?!”
While Rio believed Jared had killed her brother, he genuinely had no memory of it. It was possible he had inadvertently, indirectly, driven Rio’s brother to his death, but Dragons don’t die that easily. As everyone watched, Rio, growing impatient with Jared desperately searching his memories, raised her voice.
“Remember already! A year ago, you fought a man at the border between the Dragon Kingdom and this country! That man’s name was Haru. He was my Older Brother!”
“Haru? W-what… A year ago… the border… Ahhhhhhhhhh!”
Jared, finally understanding, let out a loud cry, and Rio looked at him with an exasperated expression, as if to say, “Finally.” No, everyone except Jared had that exasperated look.
“But wait. I remember, but wait. I didn’t kill Haru. I fought him, but he didn’t die. I saw him go home perfectly fine, so there’s no mistake!”
“That’s right. Your Older Brother may have been fine at the time. But, Jared Murphy! After losing the battle to you, even if you didn’t reveal your true form, he was ashamed of himself and stopped being a man!”
“—Huh?”
Jared tilted his head, unable to comprehend Rio’s statement. Pfeil, Yeny, and even Hannelore, who were looking at him, tilted their heads in the same way.
“…Ah… I think I understand. Though I don’t really want to.”
“What do you mean?”
Olivier, who was supporting his shoulder, seemed to understand Rio’s words, but why was her expression so unreadable?
“Well…”
“No, I’ll say it myself. Listen carefully, Jared Murphy! My Older Brother Haru stopped being a man because he was defeated in battle. In other words, my Older Brother has become my Older Sister!”
