We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Wyverns bark in the sky high above.
Between the steep mountains, a village shaped like a ring appeared, with the southern half being a spring and the northern half a village.
First, Nimia, carrying us, slowly descended into the village and landed. After letting us off and shrinking down, the Tyrant landed fiercely in the village square.
“Welcome back.”
“Huh? Didn’t Mistral go to Lady Carnela’s village?”
We were surprised to see Mistral among the villagers who came out to greet us upon our return with Prince Friel.
Perhaps we hadn’t departed yet?
“Fufufu. I’ve already been.”
Mistral said so and pointed to the dragon mausoleum.
“Did Grandpa give you a ride, perhaps?”
“Yes. I took advantage of the old man’s willingness to help. That’s why I went there.”
Mistral landed in the center of the square and glared menacingly at the Tyrant.
“My uncle wanted to meet the Tyrant, so I thought I’d go together.”
“I see. But how did you contact Revalia?”
“I used the alliance you built.”
“So you asked the Dragon Race to deliver the message.”
“That’s right. How I did it is a secret for now.”
Perhaps she asked the wyverns that fly freely in the sky. Wyverns could easily deliver messages to the Tyrant. Everyone knows that the Tyrant’s recent activities have been to interfere with wyvern hunting in the wyvern hunting grounds.
“So, why does my uncle want to meet Revalia?”
“It’s probably about the Tyrant’s recent actions. My uncle has retired and lives quietly deep within Dragon Peak, but he still shows considerable interest in Dragon Peak.”
It seems Yugra had wanted to meet the Tyrant since he started rampaging at Dragon Peak. However, the Tyrant, not wanting to be lectured or directly threatened by a legendary dragon, had brushed off any attempts to contact him.
Yet, this time he responded to Yugra’s summons, probably because the Tyrant had undergone some change of heart.
I intended to convey what was necessary to Yugra about the Tyrant’s reformation, while looking at the Tyrant.
The Tyrant was now growling at Laira.
The Tyrant, who had been intimidating everyone in the center of the square, retreated at Laira’s approach.
“Hey, you little girl. Don’t come any closer to me.”
We and Mistral, interrupted in our conversation, watched to see what was happening.
“Um, I have a favor to ask.”
As the Tyrant took one step back, Laira advanced forward.
And behind Laira, Prince Friel followed, looking terrified, as if acting as an interpreter.
“Please carry me on your back to my uncle’s home.”
At Laira’s words, Prince Friel behind her’s eyes widened in surprise.
To him, the Tyrant was still a terrifying being, and he probably felt it was insane to want to ride on his back.
“I refuse! Why don’t you ride on that Snow Dragon’s back!”
The Tyrant roared.
To those without dragon hearts, it would only sound like a threatening roar. But Laira, who had Prince Friel translate, clasped her hands together in front of her chest, pleading.
“Nimiah-chan is a wonderful ride. However, if you say you’ll go together, I’d like to ride on your back one more time.”
“Grrr. Are you commanding me with that terrifying power of yours?”
Prince Friel, unaware of Laira’s abilities, accurately translated while trembling and tilting his head in confusion.
“It’s not a command. It’s a request.”
As the words said, Laira’s eyes weren’t shining. She was just looking at the Tyrant with a serious gaze.
The Tyrant had understood Laira’s abilities from the beginning. He must have known that her abilities were not currently active. However, even when Laira, who possessed the ability to dominate, said “request,” it probably sounded like half a command to the Tyrant.
“Um, I want to ride too!”
As she said that, Priscilla-chan spatially jumped onto the Tyrant’s back.
“Little girl, get off.”
The Tyrant twisted his body, trying to shake Priscilla-chan off. But to Priscilla-chan, it felt like just playing.
Priscilla-chan called Ares-chan over and frolicked on the Tyrant’s back with a smile.
The Tyrant lowered his head in frustration, glaring at me as if to say, “Do something about it.”
“I think it’s fine. If you carry the girls on your back, the other party will be less wary.”
I believe word of the Tyrant’s reformation has reached Lady Carnela’s family and uncle. However, even if they know, it is evident that the Tyrant’s arrival will cause some disruption, just as the dragon race is still afraid.
If he were to show up with adorable young girls and beautiful, buxom girls on his back, wouldn’t that make the other party a little less wary?
The Tyrant, at my persuasion, rumbled in his throat.
“…If it’s your command, then so be it. But only this time.”
I didn’t command anything.
I gave a bitter smile. Then, Laira and Priscilla-chan, who learned through the translation that permission had been granted, rejoiced.
“Th-that’s amazing! To tame such a terrifying wyvern!”
Prince Friel, looking impressed, rushed over to me.
“No, no, I’m not taming him. There are many in the Dragon Race who can be reasoned with.”
“Yes. I’ve learned that over these past few days.”
Mistral seemed a little surprised as she watched Prince Friel approach and firmly grasp my hand.
She was surprised by how much stronger he had become, seemingly a different person from the prince before we parted.
“I want to ride too.”
“It’s not fair if only you guys get to ride.”
When the twin princesses insisted they wanted to ride too, the Tyrant, overwhelmed, hurriedly fled into the sky.
Of course, with Laira, Priscilla-chan, and Ares-chan on his back.
Despite his grumbling, the Tyrant is surprisingly caring. When he took off, he subtly made sure that those riding on his back wouldn’t fall off, which I noticed.
“Nyanko is unpopular, nyan.”
Nimiah, having detached from Priscilla-chan’s head, flew over looking a little lonely.
“That’s not true. Nimiah, don’t you sometimes want a different treat even when your favorite sweets are right in front of you?”
“Nyan!”
Perhaps understanding my explanation, Nimiah’s spirits returned, and she happily hopped onto my head.
“Now, Your Highness. Let’s change your clothes before we depart.”
Since Laira was suddenly whisked away into the sky and the person diligently taking care of her was gone, Ruiseine took over the care of Prince Friel.
“Ah, I can do it myself.”
Prince Friel replied with a smile and ran to his room in the inn where he had stayed for one night.
Indeed, he has changed.
Before we parted at the wyvern’s nest, there was a slight atmosphere of expecting to be taken care of, but now there was a sense of self-reliance.
“I wonder what happened. He’s changed so much,” Mistral mumbled curiously.
Once Prince Friel was ready, the rest of us boarded Nimia, who had grown giant again.
And finally, we were to head towards the depths of Dragon Peak where Yugra lived.
Even though it’s the depths of Dragon Peak, there isn’t actually a special place there.
From us humans living at the foothills of Dragon Peak, Mistral’s village is already quite deep within, and crossing multiple peaks would make anywhere seem like the depths.
Still, the reason many of the Dragon Race refer to it as the “depths of Dragon Peak” is because it is recognized as a sacred place.
It is said that to the south of Dragon Peak, there is a valley surrounded by deep greenery. For the Dragon Race, who cannot fly over clouds, reaching it requires navigating through complex and deep ravines, and in some places, one must walk on the ground, as it is a steep and high location.
Furthermore, that steepness indicates that it is a challenging journey even for the Dragon Race.
It is an extremely difficult place to reach, and therefore, the surrounding area consists only of villages inhabited by Lady Carnela’s family.
The unexplored deep forest surrounded by steep mountains, the sparse population where only one clan lives, and the fact that Yugra, a winged dragon treated as a hero at Dragon Peak, resides there, is why it is called the “depths of Dragon Peak” or a sacred place.
Mistral explained to us from atop Nimia’s back.
“Then, it must be difficult for the Tyrant to travel too.”
Even the Tyrant, amazing as he is, cannot fly above the clouds.
Nimiah might be able to do it easily, but since we’re bringing the Tyrant along, we have to match his capabilities.
…To use the Tyrant, who is nearly twice Nimia’s size and whose abilities should be on a completely different level, as the baseline. Nimiah, you are truly amazing.
“Nyan.”
Nimiah, sensing my praise, happily tried to ascend.
Then, the Tyrant, flying beside her, let out a low, threatening rumble.
That’s right. Currently, Nimiah and the Tyrant were flying side-by-side.
Or rather, the Tyrant disliked being flown over by someone so much higher than himself. Well, of course, someone confident in their own abilities wouldn’t feel good about seeing someone else easily surpass them.
Therefore, I’m sorry Nimiah, but you’ll have to fly at the same altitude as the Tyrant.
On the Tyrant’s back, Laira and the others were happily feeling the wind.
Although not as much as Nimiah, the Tyrant was properly casting wind-blocking dragon arts on those riding him.
This is likely out of consideration from the Tyrant, who usually flies with the young dragon Rim on his back.
The Tyrant and Nimiah flew on tirelessly, but those riding them could get surprisingly tired.
Especially Laira and the others riding the Tyrant, who flies roughly, might not be able to endure long flights. Therefore, with breaks in between, we descended south of Dragon Peak.
Steep, sheer mountain faces. Deeply gouged canyons. Bare rock faces or covered in green. The scenery of Dragon Peak transformed with each peak we crossed, not unlike Mistral’s village or the northern Dragon Peak landscape.
Along the way, we saw several villages of the Dragon Race and dragon nests.
We looked down from the sky at the figures of humans and dragons scurrying about on the ground and smiled bitterly.
Someday, when things settle down, I want to travel extensively to various places in Dragon Peak. And I want to meet all sorts of people and dragons, I thought, enjoying our journey in the sky.
And after taking yet another break in the early afternoon, we finally reached the mountain range shrouded in clouds.
From now on, we’ll all be walking.
The Tyrant seemed to agree to walk, and without any complaints, he began searching for a place to land.
However, the situation changed suddenly.
“Meooow.”
Nimiah’s innocent meow.
“Y-you! What are you doing!!”
And the Tyrant’s panicked and angry, complex roar.
To our surprise, Nimiah grabbed the base of the Tyrant’s wing and ascended rapidly, rising above the clouds. And then, without regard for the struggling Tyrant, she easily crossed the high mountain range.
Nimiah, didn’t you read my thoughts just now!
“It’s hard for wyverns to walk on the ground, nyan. This is consideration, nyan.”
Even with consideration, one-sided actions are not good, you know?
But Nimiah is kind, so there’s nothing we can do.
The Tyrant clearly understood that Nimiah had no ill intentions. Yielding or giving up mid-way, the Tyrant calmed down and moved over the clouds while still being held by Nimiah.
“Heh. A view from above the clouds. Well, it’s not bad.”
“Right? You should be grateful, it’s a precious experience.”
I grinned at the Tyrant, and he glared at me.
“Nothing good happens when I’m with you.”
“Are you sure?”
Yes, it’s just my imagination. And the sight of the Tyrant being carried by Nimiah, holding onto the base of her wings, is secretly quite amusing.
Laira and the others right on the Tyrant’s back probably wouldn’t know, but we looking down from above were struggling to hold back our laughter at the sight.
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