We live at the foot of Dragon Peak.
Little Devil Priscilla-chan.
“By the way, Lyra, how can you use Dragon Energy?”
“Dragon Energy?”
Lyra’s atmosphere, as if asking what we were talking about, left us dumbfounded.
When she dueled Mistral, she was refining Dragon Energy enough to make it visible. Could it be that she doesn’t know about the existence of Dragon Energy?
“Well, when you were fighting, you were surrounded by a strong green energy, right?”
“Ah, that mysterious power. Is that Dragon Energy?”
“Wh-what? You can refine that much Dragon Energy without any knowledge of it!?”
Mistral’s face twitched.
“How did you learn to use Dragon Energy?”
“No, I’ve felt the power since I was little. But I only learned to control it freely after I started my solo journey.”
“When did you start your solo journey?”
I wondered if she wouldn’t tell me this either, but then.
“About two years ago.”
She told me so casually.
Perhaps the events before her solo journey are what she doesn’t want to talk about.
“Did you learn how to use your power from someone?”
“No, I’m self-taught.”
“Unyaa, that’s amazing if you’re self-taught.”
Everyone agreed with Nimia. Even I, with Old Man Sleigsta’s teachings, only barely learned how to handle Dragon Energy. The fact that Lyra can refine visible quantities of Dragon Energy through self-study makes me wonder if she’s actually an amazing person.
Old Man Sleigsta looked down at Lyra with interest.
“But you only used Dragon Energy to enhance your physical abilities. Can’t you use any other Dragon Arts?”
“Dragon Arts?”
Apparently, she had no knowledge of what she was using. Mistral, as if it couldn’t be helped, explained Dragon Power, Dragon Energy, and Dragon Arts from scratch.
Lyra listened intently with a serious expression.
Meanwhile, Priscilla-chan and Nimia were sleeping soundly on Lyra’s lap.
“Hahahaha, so that’s how it is.”
After Mistral’s explanation, Lyra finally understood her own power and nodded with deep emotion.
“Hmm, it seems you too must study.”
Old Man Sleigsta declared that Lyra must also attend training at the Moss Garden.
Everyone was surprised. We never expected Lyra to train at the Moss Garden.
Since the girl’s living situation for the time being is in Mistral’s village, she could study Dragon Arts from the Dragon Race. Yet, Old Man Sleigsta himself invites her to the Moss Garden.
When Old Man Sleigsta read Lyra’s thoughts, he might have felt something different.
“Well then, from now on, we’ll train together.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Gah!”
I spat out the tea I was drinking.
What is this child saying all of a sudden!
Lyra is obedient to me, who saved her life, and calls me with “-sama,” and tries to take care of me in various ways.
“Elnea-kun, that’s dirty.”
Ruiseine looked at me with a displeased expression, feigning concern.
Ahhh, Mistral’s and Ruiseine’s gazes are painful.
They blamed me for the sudden appearance of a new candidate for my wife. But this isn’t the result I wanted, and Lyra is the one unilaterally insisting she’ll be my wife, so I can’t be blamed.
“Elnea, when your parents return, you’d better have a serious talk with Lyra.”
“Ugh.”
Mistral’s parents haven’t returned since they left to search for Mother Laza. I haven’t even had a proper introduction, so how am I supposed to explain that after they left and returned, I’ve acquired another wife?
Mistral, Ruiseine, and Lyra were laughing, satisfied with my pale face.
Lyra also seems to be able to spend time with us happily, as long as we don’t talk about her past.
Having become quite friendly, we forgot about training and talked until evening.
“If you are to come here again, I will have to call Jiludo back.”
Old Man Sleigsta said as we were leaving.
Jiludo hasn’t been coming to the Moss Garden much while I was traveling Dragon Peak.
He can’t live without carving stone.
We said goodbye to Old Man Sleigsta and were sent off using Dragon Arts.
When we returned to the village, Mistral and the other women started cooking alongside the Dragon Race women.
Incidentally, Lyra had no proper cooking experience and was struggling.
Now, what should I do? As I was wondering, Priscilla-chan tugged at the hem of my clothes.
“Tag.”
I gave a wry smile to the little devil with a beaming smile.
“We already played at Grandpa’s place.”
“That’s because Ruiseine was mean and it wasn’t enough.”
Oh well, she really likes tag, doesn’t she? I can’t help it, I’ll play along.
Besides, it’s my role to take care of Priscilla-chan when Mistral and the others are busy.
So. Since it’s lonely to play tag with just two people and one pet, I decided to involve the men in the village who had nothing to do.
“Hey Zan.”
“What?”
Zan, who was relaxing in the garden, presumably on his day off, was the first to be caught.
“Priscilla-chan wants to play tag.”
“Hah!?”
Zan’s face visibly twitched.
“Of course, you’ll play with us, right? Or perhaps, even Zan can’t keep up with Priscilla-chan’s speed?”
“You’ve got some nerve.”
To my half-joking provocation, Zan agreed to participate, looking at me resentfully.
Once Zan was roped in, it was like pulling a string.
Zan forced other men who seemed to have nothing to do to participate one after another.
And the ten semi-forcibly participating men, excluding us, all had twitching faces.
“Alright everyone, it’s pre-dinner exercise!”
I led the way towards the northern forest.
“Elnea, you’ll regret this.”
“I’ll definitely win Mistral over.”
“Then I’ll take Ms. Ruiseine.”
“This grudge will surely…”
I hear some ominous curses, but I’m ignoring them.
Upon arriving in the forest, we first decided who would be “it.” Normally, no one wants to be “it.” But Priscilla-chan is different. She willingly became “it.”
“There won’t be any pathetic guys caught by a little girl, right?”
Zan’s taunt galvanized everyone.
The reason why everyone’s faces twitched at the prospect of playing tag with Priscilla-chan was an answer to Zan’s words.
As a young male of the Dragon Race, being caught by a young girl of the Mimicho Race or failing to catch her would be a loss of face.
Even Mistral struggles with her, so I don’t think they need to worry that much, but that’s how it is. The Dragon Race men, unaware of the fierce tag games at the Moss Garden, entered the forest with full determination.
I ran too.
And after counting to ten, Priscilla-chan showed her true strength.
With consecutive Spatial Jumps, she instantly caught up to the men who should have had enhanced physical abilities using Dragon Energy.
Priscilla-chan’s movements were still simple enough for a young girl, so the men were saved. A close call. The men who evaded Priscilla-chan desperately fled.
“Kyakkyakkyah.”
Priscilla-chan changed her target and happily chased the Dragon Race men.
The men ran, fleeing as if being chased by something terrifying, with desperate looks on their faces.
I was also occasionally targeted by Priscilla-chan and escaped using Spatial Jump.
Tag in the forest had a different kind of difficulty than at the Moss Garden.
The dense trees obstructed our path, preventing us from reaching our full speed. And there were many places to hide. Both those running and those chasing hid among the bushes or in the branches of trees.
Especially with Spatial Jump, Priscilla-chan’s movements couldn’t be tracked by sight. She would disappear and then be found hiding in the bushes, which was quite vexing.
“Gyaaaaah!”
A scream echoed from deep in the forest.
It seems someone has finally fallen prey to Priscilla-chan.
We continued the brutal game of tag until Mistral called us, saying dinner was ready.
“Um, it was fun!”
“That’s great, Priscilla-chan.”
In contrast to Priscilla-chan’s beaming smile, the Dragon Race men looked emaciated and exhausted.
“You guys, please take care of Priscilla from now on.”
Mistral’s follow-up remark made more screams erupt from the men, while the women laughed.
Perhaps it was because we exercised so much before dinner. I ate significantly more than usual at dinner.
I was a little worried about whether Lyra was getting along with everyone, and when I looked, she was in a strange situation.
“To be able to eat such delicious food to my heart’s content, I am happy.”
Seeing her eat with tears streaming down her face, everyone felt sympathy and kept giving her all sorts of food.
What kind of diet did you have until now?
From her gaunt appearance, I figured she hadn’t been eating properly.
But for some reason, her chest alone…
“I’m going to report to Mistral, nyan.”
“Waaah, wait!”
I hurriedly grabbed Nimia as she was about to fly away.
“Priscilla wants to eat sweet potatoes.”
Priscilla-chan, who was munching on meat next to me, said.
This is coercion, isn’t it?
“Koar-san told me about a village where delicious sweet potatoes grow, so let’s go sometime.”
Riding on Nimia’s back.
Priscilla-chan was delighted, her eyes sparkling, and she hugged me.
No, no, if you hug me with meat-sticky hands, it’ll get on my clothes.
The sun is getting longer, but the sun still sets over the Dragon Peak range relatively early.
As it begins to get dark, dinner time ends, and people return to their homes.
The villagers return to their homes. Visitors like us are assigned a room in a shared lodging.
Mistral headed to her own house, where her parents were absent. Ruiseine, Priscilla-chan, Nimia, and I were in the same room, so we happily returned together. Then, for some reason, Lyra followed us.
“Lyra-san?”
Ruiseine looked at Lyra with a puzzled expression.
Lyra’s was the room used when she was unconscious.
Lyra remained silent but her eyes were moist.
“Oh my, oh my.”
Ruiseine wiped away the overflowing tears.
“Lyra, let’s sleep together too.”
Priscilla-chan’s suggestion made Lyra’s face light up with joy.
Apparently, she was lonely being alone.
Is she surprisingly lonely? I wondered about that, especially given her solo journey, but it would be cruel to exclude Lyra, so we decided to share a room.
The lodging rooms are quite spacious. One room can accommodate about ten people sleeping together, and our room has four large beds, so there’s no problem.
After finishing our preparations for sleep, we all snuggled into our respective futons.
Then, suddenly.
Mistral burst into the room with a loud noise.
“Wh-what’s wrong!?”
We flinched at Mistral’s fierce demeanor.
Mistral looked around the room.
“Why are you leaving me out?”
She said, slumping her shoulders sadly.
She’s so cute.
I was captivated by Mistral’s pout, a rare sight.
“I’ve been charmed, nyan.”
Nimia perched on my head.
“Elnea-kun, it’s a trap!”
“Elnea-sama, you must not be deceived.”
Ruiseine and Lyra pressed me.
“We cannot show you any more of Mistral-sama’s appearance.”
Saying that, Lyra buried my face in her chest.
Oh, what firmness…
“Wh-what are you doing, Lyra-san?”
“Hahahaha!”
Lyra hastily released me at Ruiseine’s accusatory voice.
To be embarrassed after doing it herself.
Is Lyra perhaps shy?
Lonely and shy. I’m gradually getting to know Lyra.
No, that’s not it.
“Elnea, your nose is running.”
“Hieee, it’s a misunderstanding!”
Why are you holding a pillow in your left hand and a blunt weapon in your right? Do you really need a blunt weapon to sleep in the same room?
My scream echoed through the lodging.
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