We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
We found a girl who had collapsed and was on the verge of death.
The goal is to learn how to hide one’s presence.
I am receiving instruction from Jiludo and Mistral in the Moss Garden.
According to the master, one must somehow push one’s own presence into the dragon power.
While puzzling over the vague yet specific explanation, I try again and again.
Incidentally.
Old Man Sleigsta’s existence is immeasurable from the start, so there’s no need to hide his presence. He says he knows how to do it, but he can’t.
Ten days passed as I struggled.
Koa and his two male companions, who had been participating in the merchant caravan, finally returned to the village.
Immediately after, a meeting was convened, with the warriors at its center. Then, three people from this village set out to search for Lady Laza.
Mistral’s parents are among them, and my greetings will have to wait for another day.
Whether this is good or bad…
The three people, including Mistral’s parents, will apparently solicit volunteers in the villages they stop at along the way and conduct a large-scale search around the village where Lady Laza used to live.
“There’s also the matter of Orta. Those who remain, strengthen the village’s defenses.”
Under Koa’s command, the remaining warriors were tasked with guarding not only the village but also the surrounding area.
However, Mistral is excluded from this due to his responsibilities towards us and taking care of Old Man Sleigsta.
I paid my respects to Koa again upon his return.
“Hahaha, so you made it back to the village safely. I thought you’d be alright once you tamed the tyrant.”
Just like when we met at the easternmost village, Koa welcomed me with a gentle smile.
Formally accepted by Chief Koa, I felt a slight burden lifted from my shoulders.
And so, my life in the village and my training in the Moss Garden continued.
To my surprise and praise, everyone marveled at how I had become able to hide my presence, though not at the level of the village warriors, in such a short time.
“As expected of Mistral’s groom.”
“As expected, to inherit the Dragon Jewel from Lord Jiludo.”
The elders praised me sincerely.
“Hmph. Still far from perfect. But, I suppose you’re not bad for a human.”
“I’m still better than him. But I’m more delicate than him.”
The men praised me too, with a hint of playful jealousy.
Being recognized is truly a joy. Especially when it comes from the Dragon Race, who are superior to humans, the joy is multiplied.
“Elnea-kun, it’s amazing that you’ve gained the recognition of the Dragon Race!”
Ruiseine exclaimed, her eyes shining with joy.
But I think. I believe I’ve also gained recognition, but Ruiseine has been praised even more by the Dragon Race.
Ruiseine, with her polite demeanor, seamlessly handles cooking, laundry, and all household chores alongside the Dragon Race women. In her free time, she often looked after the children.
And when in the Dragon Race village, she would engage in martial arts sparring with them.
Many of the Dragon Race warriors were curious about the abilities of a human Battle Priestess.
And when they fought her, they were all astonished.
Ruiseine doesn’t possess superior speed or strength. There are many warriors stronger than her.
Yet, everyone found themselves struggling when fighting Ruiseine.
We know.
It’s the Dragon Eye.
Ruiseine skillfully employed her Dragon Eye without the Dragon Race noticing, fighting valiantly.
It seems she hasn’t told Chief Koa about her Dragon Eye yet.
“Battle Priestesses are difficult to fight against.”
“Yeah, she has a knack for anticipating our movements. Is this what they call sorcery?”
The warriors said in unison, evaluating Ruiseine.
As for me, however.
“You are still forbidden to fight the warriors,”
Mistral had ordered me, so I couldn’t spar with them.
“Why am I forbidden?” I complained.
“It’s not wise to incur jealousy at this time,”
Old Man Sleigsta told me.
Why would I incur jealousy if I fight? Is it because I am a wielder of the Dragon Sword Dance?
The busy yet fulfilling early spring passed by in the blink of an eye, like the clouds flowing over Dragon Peak.
As I became accustomed to the village, I was gradually assigned village tasks.
Although, they were simple things like fetching fruits from the forest or hunting boars.
And still, there was no news of Lady Laza.
“Even more disturbing is Orta’s movement.”
The mysterious Dragon Knight is now believed to be the resurrected Orta within the Dragon Race, a settled matter. However, ever since that Orta made contact with the tyrant, they’ve been uncharacteristically quiet, which is unsettling.
“Orta would not have died even from the tyrant’s fiery breath.”
Everyone’s opinion is that Lady Laza is alive somewhere, the seal is still effective, and Orta cannot act freely.
And then there’s another thing. The people who went on the second caravan of the spring returned with a peculiar story.
“Ah, they were persistent.”
This was said by a man who had gone to sell jade in the capital.
Apparently, when he was selling jade from Dragon Peak in the capital, knights from the Yorttenitos Kingdom appeared and asked him to guide them to Dragon Peak.
“We are searching for someone. We have searched every corner of Yorttenitos and Armēdo, but found no one. Only Dragon Peak remains.”
They then asked the Dragon Race caravan for directions to Dragon Peak.
But it’s not something one can easily agree to. I know well, having traveled through Dragon Peak and actually experienced the hardship.
The caravan members, of course, refused. But they were relentlessly pursued, and it was quite difficult.
“I wonder who they are looking for?”
“Could it be me?”
“I don’t think so, Elnea-kun. you were living in the capital until just recently.”
“That’s right.”
As we were talking in the Moss Garden, I suddenly remembered something.
Last year.
After defeating the magic sword user at the ruins, I was summoned to the royal castle for an interrogation.
On the carriage ride to the royal castle, Listea had mentioned it. Knights from the Yorttenitos Kingdom were operating within the Armēdo Kingdom on a top-secret mission. I wonder if they were searching for someone?
But who would they search for nearly a year? Is that person perhaps very problematic?
“You enter Dragon Peak from the west of the capital, don’t you?”
“Yes, that’s right, Mistral. However, without the King’s permit, you can’t pass through the West Fortress.”
“In that case, wouldn’t they be found there?”
“Just as Ruiseine says. Besides, if you tried to enter from the Dragon Forest, I think the old man would find you.”
“Then, the person they’re looking for isn’t on Dragon Peak, right?”
“Even if they were, the Dragon Race would find them immediately, and it would be impossible for humans to survive there.”
“Right.”
“Indeed.”
A few days after that conversation.
Koa asked me to hunt beasts on Dragon Peak.
The young Dragon Race men apparently do this to gradually take on village tasks and train for venturing out.
Several of us were assigned tasks, and we decided it would be a competition.
Who could hunt more ferocious and larger prey? We would enter Dragon Peak separately and compete.
However, we would not undertake reckless challenges. This is ingrained in the Dragon Race from birth, and I understood it perfectly as well.
We promised each other to do our best not to overexert ourselves, and we entered Dragon Peak.
So, what shall I hunt? If I head east, beyond the steep rocky mountains, there is greenery, and I can hunt various animals, large and small.
To the south and west are steep mountain ranges, where the signs of beasts are significantly fewer, but magic beasts appear.
And to the north lie mountains lower than the clouds, but they are dangerous due to the numerous dragon nests.
“Yes, I’ll head north.”
I decided.
I’m not being arrogant, nor am I trying to hunt dragons.
But I’m heading north.
Hunting is one of my training regimens. Although I’m competing with other young Dragon Race members, I consider that secondary.
The main point is practicing walking through Dragon Peak.
The east side, where we often go boar hunting for food, is becoming a familiar place.
And others went to the west and south.
So, I will head north.
I had been told the locations of the dragon nests in advance. After that, while maintaining my dragon energy and hiding my presence, I decided to search for prey by moving through the mountainous region.
“Are you going to meet the chickens?”
“No. And they’re not chickens, they’re chicken dragons.”
“No way! Pricilla won’t be fooled. Pricilla is going too!”
“No, no, it’s dangerous outside the village.”
“Older Brother is being selfish! Pricilla wants sweet potatoes too!”
Somehow, what Pricilla-chan remembers from my travel stories are chicken dragons and sweet potatoes. Whenever I try to leave the village, she always clings to me.
This time too, I entrusted the clinging Pricilla-chan to Mistral and Ruiseine, and departed.
The Dragon Race village where sweet potatoes are a specialty is apparently far to the south.
I feel like I’ll have to go there someday riding Nimiia to visit the chicken dragon nests and eat sweet potatoes.
Oh, right. Koa said the suspension bridge that I caused to fall will be rebuilt during the summer.
Apparently, people from several villages will be involved in the work, so I had requested to participate.
I felt responsible and wanted to be of some help.
After leaving Mistral’s village, I projected my dragon energy and entered the northern mountainous region.
This hunt, I wouldn’t be back by noon. I might even spend a few days outside the village, so I came prepared with emergency food and water.
After crossing two mountains and avoiding dragon nests, I reached a wide, scenic rocky area where I hadn’t easily found prey for half a day.
Clouds drifted by at a very high altitude.
I thought it was just a rocky mountainous region, but looking down, there was greenery in various places on the peaks.
I could see wyverns flying in the distance, but they showed no signs of approaching.
I wonder if there are any beasts that could be prey.
I channeled dragon energy into my eyes and surveyed the scenic view.
I consider myself to have pretty good eyesight, but by sending dragon energy, I could observe distant objects with more subtlety.
Squinting and looking down below.
I saw something impossible, something other than a beast!
I quickly used spatial jump to race down the mountain.
And then, in the shadow of the rocky area where I arrived.
A girl in a tattered state lay collapsed.
She was emaciated, her hair was stained with mud, and she looked utterly dirty.
For a moment, I wondered if she were dead, but seeing a faint movement in her skeletal thin finger, I quickly called out to her.
“Are you alright?”
“W-water…”
With a weak voice, the girl looked at me and asked for water, so I poured some from my water bottle and gave it to her.
I wonder if she’s a Dragon Race girl? To collapse here like this, perhaps she got lost while practicing going outside the village?
I picked her up and let her drink as much water as she wanted. Then, her stomach growled loudly, so I gave her some preserved food I had brought.
The girl, drinking the dried meat I gave her, mixed with water, ate as if she were starving.
Not only her hair, but her entire body was dirty, and the clothes she wore were patched rags. Her limbs were as thin as branches, and her large eyes looked ill-fitting on her emaciated face.
But for some reason, her chest was ample.
“P-please, take me to a Dragon’s nest or a Dragon Race village…”
If she had collapsed, I could understand wanting to go to a Dragon Race village, but why a dragon’s nest?
Even as I wondered, I decided to help the girl.
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