We live at the foot of Dragon Peak.
A place we can truthfully say “I’m home.”
The autumn in the forbidden territory passes in the blink of an eye.
If we’re not careful, the frigid winter will arrive immediately.
Therefore, before that happens…
We decided to finish the important tasks we needed to attend to.
“So, we’ve come to visit, Grandpa!”
“Achooooooo!!”
“Emergency evasion! Heh heh heh. As messengers of the Dragon God, such pranks won’t work on us, you know?”
“Hmm, it seems you have grown admirably. I am happy about that. Achooooooo!!”
“Gyaaaah, a surprise double blast!?”
“Heh heh heh. However, you are still immature.”
Everyone watching the usual exchange between me and Sleigsta (Old Man) laughed with a troubled look.
Damn it, why am I the only one caught in Sleigsta’s trap!?
“Nyaa. That’s because everyone except Elnea Older Brother expected it from the start and escaped, nyan?”
“W-What did you say!?”
Covered in snot, I slumped my shoulders in defeat.
So, we were visiting the Moss Garden after a long time.
“Hmm. For whatever reason, report it thoroughly.”
As usual, Sleigsta (Old Man) lay on his side in the Moss Garden.
A colossal body like a small mountain. Glossy black scales, and jet black beard and fur on limbs and ankles.
Seeing Sleigsta’s unchanging appearance filled me with a sense of security.
“Well then, I’ll report what happened after you guys returned from the forbidden territory, okay?”
Sleigsta lowered his face onto the moss, looking down at me sitting in front of him.
I looked up at the giant Sleigsta, at least my head had to be lifted high.
“Achoo!”
“Gyaah, a surprise third time!?”
And once again, I was swept away by a flood of snot.
“Honestly, you two…”
Mistral muttered in exasperation as he took care of Sleigsta.
His wives who accompanied him were also helping out.
Only Priscilla-chan, Ares-chan, and Nimia were climbing on Sleigsta’s head and playing.
By the way, Revalia, Fiorina, and Rim were training in hunting in the forbidden territory.
Or rather, when I finally arrived late at the meeting place after getting caught up in Alice’s commotion, they had already left the promised spot and flown off into the depths of the forbidden territory.
We visited the Moss Garden to report thoroughly on the events from summer to autumn, and to attend to a certain matter, leaving those heartless dragonfolk behind in the forbidden territory.
“Hou hou, a large number of shooting stars? Even I, who has lived a long life, have never seen a group of more than thirty shooting stars. And a progenitor race of puppet masters, huh. Oh dear. You always find yourself caught up in trouble.”
The Moss Garden was as beautiful as ever.
Regardless of the season, the moss shone with freshness, and when you sat down, you were enveloped in a fluffy sensation.
It was nostalgic how the well-grown moss swayed like a grassland as Sleigsta snorted happily while listening to my story.
“Astel and Elin (Child) are still staying in the forbidden territory. Because those two have become so friendly, everyone is having a hard time!”
The pranks of the spirits were cute compared to the mischief of those prankster progenitor race members.
Honestly. I told the Puppet King, “If you cause trouble, we’ll break off relations,” but I wonder if he’s starting to forget that promise lately?
It’s a real problem.
And Alice (Female) had also stayed behind in the forbidden territory.
She’s providing various advice and strict training to guide those among the shooting stars who lost their magic power.
“What surprised me was that the training Alice is giving to the shooting stars is all very basic!”
However, Alice was meticulously and strictly instructing the shooting stars, even just in meditation, on posture, mental concentration, mindset, and the state of nothingness.
Furthermore, she kept a close eye on their daily conduct and any slight lapses in their concentration, and pointed them out.
Even from our perspective, or rather from the perspective of Ruiseine and Madrine, the “perfection” of the shooting stars as miko was undeniably refined.
But, from the perspective of Alice, the miko knight, they were still immature.
I wonder what kind of training they underwent in the Sanctuary?
“A miko knight of the Sanctuary. Hmm, I see.”
“Grandpa, you traveled all over the world when you were young, right? So, do you know about the Sanctuary and the miko knight?”
Where the Sanctuary is located and why it is called the “Sanctuary.”
Actually, Alice stubbornly refuses to talk about it.
She wouldn’t tell us, saying, “It’s too early for you.”
“Then, I shall also keep it a secret from you for now.”
“Mumumu. To know about the Sanctuary, we lack knowledge and experience, right?”
“That is correct. Now then, tell me the reason you have come here. Surely you have business with me?”
“Yes, that’s right!”
The reason we, as a family, have come to the Moss Garden, leaving Alice and our guests in the forbidden territory, is, of course, to entrust our weapons to Sleigsta again.
“However, you are looking for the Sword Saint, aren’t you? Are you sure?”
Alice had given us a clue to finding Lady Faruna.
But even so, we can’t go to meet her immediately.
After all, the location of the Sanctuary is still a secret.
Besides, I recalled the shooting stars who were receiving guidance from Alice.
“I’ve been realizing daily lately that the basics are important no matter how much you grow. And my basics come from Grandpa’s guidance. At first, I wasn’t wielding a white sword or a Spirit Tree Wooden Sword but a tree branch. So, even if I entrust my white sword to Grandpa, I can still train properly.”
“Hou hou, so you mean to return to the most fundamental basics and start your training over from the beginning?”
“Yes. Please continue to guide me from now on, Grandpa!”
“Heh heh heh, very well. I will guide you and your family even more strictly than before.”
“In a very natural turn of events, we’ve also been caught up with Elnea-kun.”
“In a very natural turn of events, we’ve also ended up training.”
“Yufi, Nina. Hurry and resume your training before you’re too lazy.”
“Mistral is ‘it’!”
“Mistral is a sadist!”
“Um, tag?”
“Hahahaha! Priscilla-chan is motivated!”
Priscilla-chan, you always want to play tag, don’t you?
There’s no helping it. After all, this is also part of the basic training!
“Therefore, whoever is ‘it’ for the longest this day will be punished by having to attend to Cat Duke and the Puppet Master later, how about that?”
“Ruiseine, that’s a good idea, isn’t it?”
Then, Mistral and Ruiseine began an ominous discussion.
“I like it. It’s really motivated me.”
“Muki! I’ll be sure to win today!”
Sefina’s enthusiasm is scary. And Madrine. What are you intending to win against?
In our usual spot, we began playing tag as usual.
Sleigsta watched us with a warm gaze.
Since defeating the Diamond Mist monster and being recognized by everyone as messengers of the Dragon God, we had been confined to the forbidden territory. But living such an unchanging daily life makes it feel like nothing has changed at all.
However, we still cannot show ourselves to humans.
We cannot return to our hometown for a while longer.
If we were to leave the Moss Garden, the capital city of the Armēdo Kingdom, where our parents and best friends live, would be right before our eyes.
What about Dragon Peak?
Will the dragonfolk accept us?
How will the dragonfolk welcome us, who have risen to the supreme existence for dragonfolk?
When we were being chased by Michelle (Female) and the others. Among the wyverns in the Dragon’s Mausoleum, there was an old dragon who knew me but still attacked.
Perhaps they might tolerate the title “Dragon King” of the dragon race, but there might be dragonfolk who still won’t accept us as “messengers of the Dragon God,” who is their supreme being.
Also, I’m curious about the reaction of the dragon race, aren’t I?
We, the Eight Dragon Kings and messengers of the Dragon God, and all our family. Will the dragon race people still treat us the same as before?
Or will they become distant?
Human lifespans are short, and the commotion we caused might fade into obscurity in a few decades. However, the dragon race has a lifespan several times longer than humans, so we will be involved with familiar faces for a very, very long time to come.
It would be very sad if we ended up with distant relationships.
Actually, I met Mistral’s mother, who is one of the dragon race, when we came to the Moss Garden.
When Mistral cannot come to the Moss Garden, Cornelia (Name) fills in for her until he can.
Mistral’s mother treated us as usual. And as usual, Mistral got scolded by his mother.
That Mistral is still no match for his mother.
It was the same daily life as before.
I hope our relationship with the dragon race people remains unchanged.
Even though we have become messengers of the Dragon God, we are living the same life as before.
I would be happy if everyone showed the same usual reactions when we meet again.
Thinking that, I immersed myself in playing tag.
And I was ‘it’ for the longest time today!
“N-No, it’s not like that! I was thinking about various things, so my reaction was slow.”
“Nyaa.”
“To have your movements dulled by mere distractions, you must indeed start your training from the basics again.”
“Guf!”
As evening fell.
Exhausted, we all lay flat on our backs on the moss.
Gazing at the sky dyed by the setting sun beyond the branches and leaves of the Spirit Tree, I said to everyone anew.
“We’ll have to let go of our weapons again, but everyone, let’s cherish the basics and return to our starting point!”
“Then, your first basic of daily life, waking up early, is what you should start with?”
“Hmph. Mistral?”
“From tomorrow onwards, I will wake you up at the same time Ruiseine wakes up.”
“I’m sorry, Mistral! Please forgive me!”
“Forgive what? Not only Ruiseine, but Madrine and the shooting star miko are also awake, so you should be fine too.”
“Impossible, impossible! Absolutely impossible!”
For some reason, waking up early is my weakness!
The one who laughed the loudest at my scream was Priscilla-chan, who is the most weak to waking up early.
