We live in the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Everyone is family.
Why is a human knight deliberately entering Dragon Peak and causing trouble? Without understanding the reason, we head to the eastern village.
The eastern village isn’t far from the suspension bridge. While it would take some time on foot, for Nimia and Yugra, who fly at high speed through the sky, it’s a distance that can be covered in the blink of an eye.
In the plaza of the eastern village that soon came into view, a group of people clearly in the middle of a commotion could be seen.
This requires a bit of a forceful approach.
With the intention of immediately calming the dispute, I’ll have Nimia and Yugra land forcefully in the plaza.
Understanding my intention, Nimia and Yugra plummet into the plaza without losing momentum.
Noticing the emergency situation of two giant dragons approaching rapidly from the sky, the people arguing in the plaza scramble and flee in all directions.
Yugra lands first, shaking the ground. Nimia slows her momentum just before landing, touching down softly.
When Yugra lets out a roar filled with menace, screams are heard from behind several buildings.
“Aren’t you Earl…?!”
“Why are you here…?”
They had scattered and fled once, but upon confirming Yugra’s appearance, the dragon people are gathering.
There are carts and carriages beside the buildings, so they must be merchants gathered from all over Dragon Peak.
The gathered people are surprised, first, by Yugra’s sudden arrival. Then, they are stunned to recognize Friel straddling his neck.
Compared to the attention they attract, we are insignificant.
“What is all this commotion?”
As Yugra rumbles, a dragon person with a dragon heart steps forward.
“I am Mogul, from the village of Bordouard. Actually…”
According to Mogul, who is slightly balding, five human knights arrived at this eastern village early this morning.
Upon arrival, they began asking the dragon people if they were “looking for someone.” However, among the people gathered in this village, none knew the person the knights were searching for.
Speaking of which, no one from Mistral’s village was participating in this caravan.
The dragon people reply that they have no idea. However, the knights are insistent, believing the person must be in Dragon Peak and that the villagers must know. They accuse them of hiding it and threaten to proceed further if they deny knowing. This leads to a scuffle with the dragon people who try to stop them, warning them that Dragon Peak is dangerous.
The knights didn’t know that this village is a sanctuary for people gathered from all over Dragon Peak. And, of course, they didn’t know that there was no one from Mistral’s village among the people here. Furthermore, they attempted to press onward without knowing the true danger of Dragon Peak.
The response of the dragon people is correct. They acted with kindness, giving warnings and trying to stop them. However, they were unaware of the knights’ desperate feelings.
But I understood the knights’ emotions.
Or rather, it was too much that I could relate, and I felt my face gradually contort as I listened to Mogul’s explanation.
Looking around, Friel, who seemed to have a connection, is pale and looking down, while Laira is hiding behind Ruiseine and Mistral with a troubled expression.
Twin Princesses, why are you whispering to each other so merrily?
“Let’s just… call the knights who are currently hiding, for now.”
The story cannot proceed unless the knights show themselves. However, even with my call, the knights hiding in the buildings do not appear.
This is troubling. What should I do? At that moment, Friel raised his voice.
“I am Friel, the fourth prince of the Yorttenitos Kingdom! Knights, you don’t need to be afraid. Please come out!”
A rustle, and the presence of the hidden knights wavered.
“Your Highness?! Could it be…?”
One of the knights, peeking out from behind a building with trepidation, is left speechless upon seeing Friel riding Yugra.
“W-what in the world…!?”
Another knight, with a look of utter astonishment on his face, stumbles towards Friel. The other knights, drawn to him, appear as well, and all are astounded to see Friel.
We can’t stay on Nimia’s back forever either. As the knights approach Friel, who is riding Yugra, with looks of disbelief, we dismount in order.
Friel also dismounts from Yugra upon confirming the appearance of the five knights who emerged from hiding.
“Is this truly Prince Friel…?”
“What a magnificent wyvern.”
“H-how could Prince Friel possibly be able to command such a formidable wyvern…”
Although their tone was perhaps a bit rude towards Prince Friel, the knights are too surprised to notice.
“I’m not commanding him. Earl is my master.”
“Earl…?”
The knights, who haven’t fully grasped the situation, have the crest of the Yorttenitos Kingdom on their shields and chest plates.
They are indeed the Royal Knights of the Yorttenitos Kingdom.
Laira quietly hides behind Nimia.
“Putting me aside. Why are you all here in Dragon Peak?”
It’s necessary to clarify the reason why the knights braved the dangers of Dragon Peak. Were they looking for Friel, or Laira? Or both?
If they are Royal Knights of the Yorttenitos Kingdom, the possibility of them looking for the Twin Princesses is unlikely.
“W-we are…”
The knight who appears to be the captain hesitates.
Hesitating in front of Friel means… yes, that’s it.
Friel, perhaps unconsciously, casts his gaze towards Laira, who is hiding and observing. Drawn by his gaze, the knights follow Friel’s line of sight.
“Princess Ortina!!”
Ortina?!
The five knights rush towards Laira with changed expressions. However, their path is blocked by the Twin Princesses.
“P-Princess?!”
Upon recognizing the Twin Princesses standing defiantly in front of the knights, as if to shield Laira, the knights hastily stop.
“W-what is going on?”
“What is this situation!?”
“The Prince, a Princess, and the Princess of Armēdo too!?”
“I don’t understand…”
“Are we dreaming?!”
It’s no wonder they are confused.
In a distant, foreign land, they have encountered unexpected events and people, and have no idea what’s happening.
“Princess Ortina is not here.”
“You must have mistaken her.”
The Twin Princesses smile pleasantly, but with an undeniable aura of authority.
“N-no…”
“However…”
The knights still try to confirm Laira through the Twin Princesses. But this time, Nimia moves and hides Laira.
“Your Highness…”
“Ortina-sama!”
The knights persist, however.
“We… have been searching for the Princess.”
“We are sorry for not being able to protect our Princess who suffered such unfair treatment…”
“We are truly glad you are alive.”
The knights, one after another, offer apologies and words of relief towards Laira, who is hidden from view.
I can’t help but take a step forward.
“That’s unfair.”
My quiet voice draws the attention of not only the knights but also the surrounding dragon people and Friel.
“I understand the feelings of the knights.”
Surely, they must have been genuinely worried about Laira and searched for her diligently. However, I still can’t hold back what I have to say.
“It’s too convenient. You treated her as dead, but now that she’s disappeared, you search for her? And when you find her, you’re relieved and just apologize – that’s cowardly.”
Their feelings do not take Laira’s feelings into account. It seems like they are only trying to save themselves, and something wells up within me.
“W-who are you?”
The black-bearded knight stares at me.
“I am Laira’s family!”
I declare firmly. Laira is not Princess Ortina; she is my precious kin. Family. And my future bride.
I stare back intently at the black-bearded knight.
Perhaps sensing my clear declaration and strong will, Laira hesitantly emerges from Nimia’s shadow. Then, she comes to stand behind me.
“I… I am Laira. I am not a princess.”
Laira’s faint voice spreads confusion and dismay among the knights.
“There is no mistake. This child is Laira, and she is our family. I state this as a representative of the dragon people.”
“As a miko, I can definitively say that this person is indeed Laira-san. She is our precious family.”
“I’ve never seen Princess Ortina. Laira is Laira. A dear family member.”
“I heard Princess Ortina died long ago. Laira is a dear family member.”
“Um, Laira is a kind older sister.”
“It’s due to the heavens.”
“I don’t know any princess, nyan.”
We all stand, forming a circle around Laira.
Faced with our imposing presence, the knights choke on their words, their mouths opening and closing aimlessly.
The feelings and reasons of the knights are of no concern to us. Their actions are, from our perspective, a thing of the past.
Therefore, I don’t want them to impose the convenience of the Yorttenitos Kingdom on us now. Laira will be Laira, regardless of her status, and I will surely make her happy.
Surrounded by us, Laira sheds tears.
“She is indeed Laira-san. You must have mistaken her. After all, you, my family, and you Royal Knights, have been telling me for ages that my sister died. So, it’s a mistake. However, you must have some business searching for a princess who was supposed to be dead, even to the point of entering Dragon Peak. As a prince of the Yorttenitos Kingdom, I will hear your request.”
Friel steps forward in front of the knights and takes charge of the situation.
The words “Prince of the Yorttenitos Kingdom” seem to remind the knights of their position and duty, and they perform a respectful knightly bow towards Friel.
Their faces are deeply confused, though.
“W-we were ordered by His Majesty the King to search for the currently missing Princess Ortina. Furthermore, we were commanded by Prince Grave to search for Prince Friel, who disappeared from the Armēdo Kingdom’s Royal Capital, and we have come to Dragon Peak, where he might have gone.”
I learned recently that the princess had been searched for throughout both kingdoms for the past year. Then, Friel went missing, and it seems they decided to coordinate the search for both of them. Realizing they might have entered Dragon Peak, they came here.
Perhaps, after entrusting Friel to the wyvern, we should have had the Twin Princesses return to the Capital City once.
There are points we ourselves need to reflect on here, so let’s honestly reflect.
“I understand the circumstances. I apologize for disappearing without informing anyone. However, as you can see…”
Friel directs the knights’ attention towards Yugra with his gaze.
“I am currently studying under Earl Yugra, who is said to have been ridden by the first King of Yorttenitos. I plan to stay in Dragon Peak for a while longer, so if possible, please convey this to my brother and His Majesty.”
“Earl Yugra…”
“The legendary Gold Dragon…”
“Prince Friel, could it be…”
The knights, looking at Yugra, Prince Friel, and occasionally Laira, grow even more bewildered.
The knights must be thinking something like this: Friel, who was considered a failure and couldn’t even participate in wyvern hunting, is now in Dragon Peak with a legendary winged dragon – it’s unbelievable. They must think it’s a mistake. But it’s not a mistake. Friel has changed. No, he is changing. He will surely become a splendid knight worthy of legend.
I wanted to tell the knights about Friel’s efforts and feelings in detail. But it didn’t seem like the right time.
The black-bearded knight, recovering from his shock, straightens his posture and speaks again.
“However, Your Highness. This is an emergency!”
I expected them to withdraw according to Friel’s words, but what is this emergency?
Swallowing once, the black-bearded knight continues.
“His Majesty the King is in critical condition. We implore you to interrupt your training and return to the kingdom.”
This time, Friel’s face turns pale.
“N-no way…!”
Laira also gasps behind me.
“Prince Grave and the Wyvern Knight Order have already returned to the Yorttenitos Kingdom. Please, Your Highness, do the same.”
This is indeed an emergency.
“Elnea-kun…”
Friel looks at me with a troubled expression.
But I don’t think there’s any need to hesitate. Because, even if family matters are complicated, when a father is in critical condition, one should rush to his side. And, fortunately, we don’t have to worry about transportation.
“Understood. I will return immediately. Please return to the Armēdo Kingdom and convey the news of my safety and the Twin Princesses’ circumstances to them, if possible.”
“Your Highness’s command, we will humbly accept.”
Once the course of action is decided, the knights move without hesitation. They prepare themselves without any wasted movements and immediately begin to set off.
“No, no. Human folks. Please calm down a bit.”
Seeing the knights’ movements, the dragon people, who had been observing quietly, start to act.
“You must be in a hurry. It’s dangerous just to return to the capital from here. We happen to be heading to the capital as well. Come with us.”
As expected, the dragon people are all good people.
Now that I look closely at the knights, I realize it must have been a perilous journey.
The armor protecting key points is dented and scratched everywhere. Some have no shoulder guards, and their knee guards are missing. Some even have bandages wrapped around their arms and legs.
“W-we are grateful. Honestly, it was a life-or-death struggle just to get here, and we were unsure if we could even return safely.”
The knights gladly accept the dragon people’s offer.
I know firsthand how difficult their journey was, so I nod that this is the right choice.
“Well then, I need to prepare too.”
Friel approaches Yugra’s face.
While the decision to return was Friel’s own, Yugra doesn’t seem to object. Well, if he had, the choice would have been for us to take him.
Friel begins discussing the journey with Yugra.
Considering meals and aerial routes, it’s a long trip.
“Elnea, I want to see His Majesty too.”
“I was taken care of by him when I was little, so I’d like to meet him.”
The Twin Princesses are kind.
No one says it aloud, but everyone is concerned about Laira. Since we heard the King was in critical condition, we all knew Laira had been acting strangely. However, having declared that Laira is not a princess, we couldn’t say we wanted to go too. So, understanding that the Twin Princesses, who are also royalty and seem to know her, spoke up.
“Yes, that’s definitely a concern. Prince Friel, would you permit the Twin Princesses to accompany us?”
“Of course! If the beautiful princesses of the Armēdo Kingdom come to visit, His Majesty will surely be grateful and regain his strength!”
Friel plays along with my little act.
It’s a long trip, but it can’t be helped, Louisaine and Mistral say pointedly, as if they are reluctantly leaving Dragon Peak due to the emergency.
“Let’s go, let’s go.”
“A trip?”
There are two young girls who are slightly excited, but that’s unavoidable.
We had water and food for several days, which we happened to have to help with the restoration of the suspension bridge. So, there’s no need to worry about hunger on the way. As for aerial routes, Yugra has traveled between the Yorttenitos Kingdom and Dragon Peak in the past, so there should be no problem.
We quickly complete our preparations.
The dragon people praised us for completing our preparations faster than the knights.
Then, as Friel was about to mount Yugra, I stopped him.
“Please wait a moment.”
In front of the Royal Knights of the Yorttenitos Kingdom, I must use polite language.
“There is someone I want to bring along, so please wait just a little longer.”
Who? Everyone tilted their heads in confusion.
“Fio.”
‘Uwaaan. What is it?’
Fiorina, who had been watching our exchange with interest from Yugra’s back, happily flies over.
“Fio, please. Can you summon Revalia?”
‘It’s my pleasure!’
As if delighted by my request, she wags her tail vigorously. The dragon people hastily retreat to avoid being hit by her tail.
“Why the tyrant?”
Mistral asks.
“Yes. To join Prince Friel.”
“With me?”
“Yes. I want Revalia to experience various things and broaden her horizons.”
It might be overbearing of me, a human, but I wanted the “tyrant” who would be working hard in Dragon Peak from now on to know about the outside world and the human’s country. And one more thing. I have something I want to do with the “tyrant.”
I’m sure this will be useful someday.
“Elnea-oniichan is too overprotective, Nyan.”
“Then, from now on, I’ll be strict with Nimia.”
“Nyan. You’re mean, Nyan.”
When Nimia pretends to cry, Fiorina pats her head to comfort her.
You two, who is the elder sister and who is the younger sister?
The adorable dragon gestures lighten the mood.
However, the knights, unaccustomed to dragons, stiffen every time Fiorina flies or Nimia speaks.
