We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
The Kidnapping Incident
When I returned to the village with Zan, the women were already preparing dinner.
Ruiseine and Laira were apparently staying at our village again today, and they were busy cooking alongside the Dragon Race people.
Speaking of women.
Speaking of which, I wonder where the twin princesses are. I couldn’t see them among the women preparing dinner.
I can’t imagine princesses doing housework, so I didn’t particularly feel anything odd about it. But when I thought about it, how did they eat when they were with Prince Friel?
They seem to be skilled adventurers, so they should be used to eating outdoors. Probably…
I thanked Zan and started to head back to the longhouse.
It’s a secret that I almost went to Mistral’s family home.
I was sweating a lot, so maybe I should take a bath before dinner. It would be sad if the girls called me smelly.
I met Lyra’s gaze as she was preparing dinner, so I entered the longhouse, waving and saying “I’m home.”
At that time.
Immediately after entering the room, someone wrapped their arms around me from behind and covered my mouth.
“Muguguh.”
The sensation of soft hands. But they were pressed firmly enough that I couldn’t pull them away. And I felt a soft, large sensation on my back.
Could it be?! Before I could even think that, I was blindfolded and my body was restrained.
I was being restrained not by force, but by magic!
Blindfolded, I was carried by two people. With a vague sense, I felt like we exited through the back window instead of the longhouse entrance.
One person held my upper body, and the other held my legs as we were moved somewhere.
“Water Dragon-chan, come out.”
“Water Dragon-chan, it’s time for work.”
Familiar voices. And along with the sound of water, I heard the small voice of the Water Dragon, “Kyuu.”
Uh…
The two people who had taken away my freedom and vision moved onto the Water Dragon and headed somewhere.
Rather than heading somewhere, if we were on the Water Dragon, it meant we were at the southern spring, and there was probably only one destination.
“Water Dragon-chan, it’s a secret that we’re here.”
“Water Dragon-chan, you mustn’t tell anyone.”
To the words of the two with the same voices, the Water Dragon let out an adorable “Kyuu kyuu.”
When did you two tame the Water Dragon?!
After that, the two, still holding me, moved a little further.
The sound of a door opening. And I sensed entering a space surrounded on all sides. The sound of another door closing.
“It’s safe here.”
“No one will come here.”
“No, no, I think we’ll be found very soon?”
Brought into the Dragon Mausoleum, I was finally freed. And I glared at the kidnappers, the twin princesses.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Hau,” I sighed.
“How cruel. We were waiting for an opportunity for just the three of us.”
“How cruel. Elnea-kun doesn’t pay attention to us.”
I put my hand on my forehead and thought.
Yesterday. At the Chicken Dragon’s nest, I reunited with the twin princesses. Like me at first, they carelessly attacked the Chicken Dragon and were in danger. We, who happened to visit, saved them.
After that, a lot of things happened in rapid succession.
At lunch, we introduced ourselves and discussed the future.
On Nimia’s back on the way back, the twin princesses were excited and giddy with their first flying experience.
When we arrived, we drank with Koa and the others and returned late at night.
And this morning. From early morning, I flew around Dragon Peak for Prince Friel, and there was a bit of a commotion.
After I returned, I fled from the battle of maidens and went to the northern plateau with Zan.
Now, did I have time to pay attention to the twin princesses?
…No, right?
“Elnea-kun doesn’t understand women’s hearts.”
“Elnea-kun, you don’t love us enough.”
Saying that, the twin princesses pulled me close and hugged me.
Oh dear, if Mistral and the others saw this situation, it would be a disaster again.
I tried to resist, but I noticed that the twin princesses’ embrace was gentler than usual, and I hesitated.
“We want you to tell us Elnea-kun’s secret soon.”
“We are friends who confide our secrets to each other.”
I don’t recall becoming friends like that, but perhaps it’s better to talk to them properly here.
The twin princesses seemed to know a lot, but there’s a difference between not saying something because you know it, and explaining it properly when you know it.
But what should I convey? About myself. About Dragon Peak. About Mistral and the others. And about the Dragon Forest.
There are many things to convey, and many things that must be kept secret.
Held in the embrace of the twin princesses, I pondered for a while.
Should I keep secret things that I haven’t even told Hero Listea? Conversely, should I say things that Keyri and Inea might already know?
In the center of the Dragon Mausoleum, silence flowed as the twin princesses and I were in close contact.
The twin princesses did not rush me, and waited for my move.
Perhaps the sun had begun to set, as the sunlight streaming through the Dragon Mausoleum window was turning to a twilight hue.
When dinner time comes, Mistral and the others will quickly notice that the twin princesses and I are not there.
Now, what shall I do? As I was thinking that.
The area around us suddenly began to shine golden.
“Yufi-nee-sama, what is this?”
“Nina, be careful.”
“Ah, this is!”
The twin princesses’ tension transmitted through our contact.
And as the two of us, whose bodies stiffened with tension, and I were surrounded, the golden radiance intensified.
Multiple 3D Magic Circles appeared.
“It’s alright,” I said into their bosoms, and the twin princesses, though surprised, ceased their attempts to resist.
Well, even if they tried to resist, a human wouldn’t be able to against it anyway.
The golden light intensified, and we closed our eyes from the excessive brightness. Then, as the light subsided, we slowly opened our eyes.
“Yufi-nee-sama…”
“Nina…”
The twin princesses were speechless.
The evening air, slightly dimmed in brightness. Nevertheless, the moss carpet spread out, showing a lush green radiance. The ancient trees, already containing darkness, and the canopy of branches and leaves of the spirit tree spread out to block the evening sunlight.
It was a scenery I was already accustomed to, but the twin princesses gasped at the magnificent view they were seeing for the first time.
And they were so stunned by the sight of the mountain-sized giant dragon, Sleigsta the Old Man, lying calmly in the Moss Garden.
Sleigsta the Old Man, who was the size of a small mountain, watched us quietly.
His golden eyes were faintly shimmering with the afterglow of the spatial transfer dragon arts.
Perhaps it looked terrifying to the twin princesses, as they trembled at my feet and clung to me.
Why did Sleigsta the Old Man summon not only me, but also the twin princesses to the Moss Garden? And why did he transfer us at this evening hour?
Sleigsta the Old Man continued to gaze at us quietly, the twin princesses trembling and me tilting my head.
“Hello.”
When I greeted him, Sleigsta the Old Man blinked once.
“E, Elnea-kun, what is that?”
“It’s much bigger than Nimia-chan.”
Even the giant Nimia looked like a small animal in front of Sleigsta the Old Man. The twin princesses were overwhelmed by its sheer size.
“Well, you see…”
At this point, should I tell them about the Dragon Forest and Sleigsta the Old Man?
Before I could open my mouth, Sleigsta the Old Man moved.
He lowered his long neck and brought his giant face in front of me. The twin princesses were completely terrified by the silent pressure of Sleigsta the Old Man and hugged me tighter, screaming.
The twin princesses could no longer bear to look at Sleigsta the Old Man, and turning their faces away, they shut their eyes tightly.
What is it? I also sensed a slightly different aura from Sleigsta the Old Man than usual and became tense.
Sleigsta the Old Man looked down at us with his golden eyes from far above.
And.
“Achoooooo!!”
“I knew it!”
“Kyaaaa!!”
I should have understood. Sleigsta the Old Man has this kind of personality!
Blown away by the blast and the flood of snot, we were sent flying back to the edge of the ancient forest.
We were tossed about by the torrent of snot and the gale of sneezes. Covered from head to toe, I took the twin princesses’ hands and managed to escape the snot pool.
“Grandpa, what are you doing?!”
Every single time, you play such pranks. It’s one thing for me, but the twin princesses couldn’t keep up with the situation of a sudden spatial transfer, and they were already terrified by Sleigsta the Old Man’s immeasurable presence.
“U-umm, don’t worry about it.”
“No, no, you are worrying too much. If you play too many pranks, I’ll tell Mistral.”
“Hmph, I’m not afraid of a little girl like that.”
Even as he said that, his fingertips were fidgeting.
“E-Elnea-kun. What is this all about?”
“Are you acquainted?”
Even though I was pulling their hands, the twin princesses were reluctant to return to the center of the Moss Garden.
“Well, it’s really alright. That person is my master.”
“Eeeh?!”
The twin princesses’ eyes widened in astonishment. They had the same face and gestures, identical without any coordination.
Honestly, I can’t tell which one is Yufilia and which is Nina right now.
“Elnea-kun is well-versed in dragon arts, so I figured he had some secrets.”
“We could infer that Elnea-kun, being called the Dragon King, had a deep connection with the Dragon Race.”
“But I never imagined that such a giant and terrifying dragon would be your master.”
“Just what exactly are you, Elnea-kun?”
For the first time, the twin princesses looked at me with awe.
But I’m not that scary of a person, am I? You should have already experienced that, twin princesses.
After all, I’ve never gotten angry at your unrestrained actions, have I?
As much as I hate to admit it myself, I think I’ve been quite tolerant of your words and actions.
As I stopped and gently explained about myself, the twin princesses finally let out a smile.
“Yufi-nee-sama, we were right after all.”
“Nina, it’s decided with Elnea-kun.”
“Eh, what is?”
The twin princesses hugged me tightly.
I have a bad feeling about this.
“Hmm, as the little girl’s prediction foretold, it’s the third and fourth.”
What are those numbers?!
I imagined the interrogation from the women later and trembled with fear, forgetting the joy of being buried in their bosoms.
Just then, Mistral appeared via spatial transfer.
“…Elnea?”
Yikes, Mistral’s eyes are shining with a terrifying glint!
Sleigsta the Old Man, why are you transferring Mistral in this situation?!
“Hmm. The representative of flat-chested and the representative of augmented breasts.”
“Wha-?!”
At Sleigsta the Old Man’s rude remark, I felt an even greater sense of danger.
