We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Dragons and Dragon Knights.
The day of the ceremony, early in the morning.
Together with Elnea-sama, I arrived at the venue ahead of everyone else.
Carried on Lady Revalia’s back, Elnea-sama and I arrived at the Royal Castle Ruins. Prince Friel and the members of the Wyvern Knight Order were already there, waiting for us.
“Good morning, Prince Friel.”
“Good morning, Laira-san, Elnea-kun.”
“Good morning, Your Highness.”
“Elnea-kun, please stop calling me Your Highness soon. His Majesty is already aware of the relationship between Elnea-kun and me. Please continue as before, except in official settings.”
“Yeah. Then I won’t hold back.”
“Laira-san, if possible, please call me by my name too.”
“Uh, I’ll try my best.”
“Fufu. Laira, that’s not something you should try hard at. It’s about your mindset.”
“But, you are of royal blood…”
“Mistral and I were also distant at first and spoke politely. But I think it’s easier to become closer and friends if we speak in ordinary language.”
“Elnea-kun is right. I want to be friends with Laira-san. So, let’s stop with the polite language.”
“However, Your Highness, you are also speaking politely.”
“Ugh… this is just a habit…”
“Friel speaks like this. But Laira, you’re different, aren’t you? It would be good for Laira to speak in a way that is like Laira.”
Elnea-sama says so, but until recently, I had lived a life with very little conversation with others. Therefore, unlike everyone else, my way of speaking is strange…
“Laira-san”
Prince Friel calls my name and smiles.
“Uh… yes. Fri… Friel.”
If Prince Friel wishes it. If Elnea-sama supports me. I will call His Highness Friel.
When I called out His Highness Friel’s name with a shy smile, the dragon knights gathered around smiled.
I’m glad. I was afraid I would be scolded for calling His Highness by his name.
“Well then, greetings are over. Let’s get to work.”
Seeing Elnea-sama and me smiling at each other, Elnea-sama announces the start of our work.
That’s right.
We had come to the Royal Castle Ruins ahead of everyone else to set up the venue.
The job given to Elnea-sama and me, and Prince Friel, was to deploy the dragon knights’ dragons.
However, it was not to be done in the usual way.
Normally, the dragons of the Wyvern Knight Order are bound by strong contracts. These are bridles, reins, and around their necks. Near the saddle where the dragon knight rides, a dagger with the dragon-slaying attribute is always inserted.
This dagger is bestowed by His Majesty upon becoming a dragon knight and is a symbol of the dragon knight. However, at the same time, it is also a tool to threaten the dragon being used.
By thrusting the dagger into a vital area around the neck and threatening to deepen it and kill the dragon if it disobeys, it is a tool to bind the dragon race…
As long as this dagger is stuck in their necks, the dragons cannot defy their dragon knights. And they are constantly in danger of losing their lives.
However, the kingdom has begun to change.
Under the guidance of Elnea-sama and Prince Friel, discussions are being held to shift towards building friendships and working together for the country, rather than binding them through threats and training.
At this ceremony, His Majesty is scheduled to declare this.
However, even if declared, it is just an empty promise without a demonstration.
No one will believe or obey. In particular, there will be opposition from those whose families have been dragon knights for generations, and those who will act against their will.
Therefore, to show an example before the declaration. We need to show friendship with the dragons!
After discussing with Elnea-sama, we decided on how to stage it.
“From now on, we will release the dragons of the Wyvern Knight Order belonging to the Capital City!”
At Prince Friel’s words, the gathered dragon knights swallowed hard.
Many dragon knights were visibly trembling with nervousness.
“Are you sure it’s okay to release the dragons now?”
One dragon knight asked with a half-doubting look.
“I understand your unease. It’s natural to think that if you’ve been threatening the dragons until now, they might go berserk the moment you release them.”
Elnea-sama looks at the dragon knights with anxious expressions and speaks with confidence.
“However, dragons are also intelligent beings. If we communicate properly and build trust, we will surely understand each other.”
“However, we do not have the ability to converse with dragons like you do.”
“Is the ability to converse that important?”
“What do you mean?”
“This analogy might be disrespectful to dragons,”
Elnea-sama continues after a preamble.
“We get along well with our dogs and cats, right? And we can’t understand their words, but they understand ours and try to befriend us just like we do. In short, I think friendly communication through actions, rather than words, is important.”
“Don’t compare us to dogs and cats.”
Lady Revalia snorts from behind, but she doesn’t sound angry.
“Dragons understand our human language. So, if we show friendliness, that intention will be conveyed properly.”
At Prince Friel’s words, Anya-sama, Media-sama, and Tolkinea-sama, among the gathered dragon knights, nodded emphatically. They are particularly close to their dragons among the dragon knights.
“Anya, Media, and Tolkinea will set an example. Even those who haven’t been friendly with their dragons until now should learn from them and try to make friends with dragons from now on. If you do, dragons will not betray your friendship. I guarantee it.”
At Prince Friel’s words, the other dragon knights begin to agree, thinking, “If the prince says so.”
There is no one among the dragon knights who would doubt the words of Prince Friel, who has befriended Yugra, the legendary dragon, on Dragon Peak.
“Well then, let’s split into three groups and go.”
Following Elnea-sama’s words, the dragon knights split into three groups.
Elnea-sama, with her dragon heart, I, and Prince Friel, went separately. Anya-sama, Media-sama, and Tolkinea-sama, who are friendly with dragons, were assigned to these groups. The dragon knights were divided into pre-determined groups.
Media-sama was assigned to my group.
“Laira-sama, please take care of me.”
“You don’t need to say ‘sama’.”
“Then, Laira-san, please take care of me.”
I bowed back to Media-sama, who bowed politely. And first, we decided to release Media-sama’s wyvern.
Media-sama’s wyvern is an ordinary wyvern. Would it be rude to say so? But to me, who is accustomed to Lady Revalia, Yugra-sama, and Nimia-chan, it still looks like an ordinary wyvern.
“Good morning.”
Together with Media-sama, we approached the wyvern. The other dragon knight in my group watched from behind, holding their breath.
Failure is not an option!
The wyvern had black scales, like Media-sama’s black hair.
As we stared at each other, the wyvern opened its mouth with apparent interest.
“You can understand words too?”
“Yes. I recently obtained a dragon heart.”
“I see. That’s rare for a human.”
“I’m sure it’s because I’ve been friendly with all of you dragons.”
The wyvern snorted at my words.
“So, what do you need from me?”
“Yes. Actually, we intend to release you.”
“What?”
The wyvern looked at me with suspicion.
“Hahahaha… However, if you suddenly quit your job, we humans will be in great trouble. So, if possible, please continue to be friends with Media-sama even after you are released…”
At my plea, the wyvern turned its gaze to Media-sama.
“Shall we be friends? I may be an imperfect human, but I want to be friends with you. And together, I want to protect the Yorttenitos Kingdom.”
At Media-sama’s words, the wyvern purred and they continued to gaze at each other.
“From now on, I want us to be friends, not master and servant. Can I be your friend?”
Saying that, Media-sama gently approached the wyvern and gently pulled out the dagger from its neck.
I immediately applied the All-Purpose Nasal Mucus Medicine that Elnea-sama had handed me to the wound and healed the wyvern.
“Did you pull that out before hearing my answer?”
“Hahahaha! But, if you force us to be friends while threatening us, that wouldn’t be true friendship.”
I smiled at the wyvern’s words.
“Did you not expect me to rebel and go berserk?”
“That would be a problem then. But watching you and Media-sama together, I was convinced it wouldn’t come to that.”
Media-sama has always cherished and cared for her wyvern. Furthermore, she sought advice from Elnea-sama and strived to become even closer. The wyvern, understanding Media-sama’s heart, obediently followed.
Therefore, I was convinced that these two could become friends without any restrictions.
“Fufu. You saw through it all. I see, you are a Dragon Princess.”
Saying that, the wyvern rubbed its head against Media-sama and became affectionate.
I’m glad. Media-sama and her wyvern will continue to be friends.
The dragon knights behind us, who had been watching Media-sama and her wyvern, cheered.
However, the real challenge is yet to come. It’s not the time to be cheering.
Media-sama and her wyvern had a deep bond to begin with. But what about the other dragon knights and their wyverns? I believe some dragon knights had forced their dragons to obey them in an absolute position.
As I had predicted, from Media-sama’s turn onwards, it became truly difficult.
Some had never tried to form a bond. Some thought the master-servant relationship was natural. And some simply regarded dragons as tools. It was not easy for the dragons to open their hearts to such people.
There were also dragons who were forced to obey due to training and the threat to their lives.
It was a matter of great patience to persuade such dragons and make them promise to forge bonds with each other in the future. Asking them to continue working for the Yorttenitos Kingdom was a truly painstaking negotiation.
“Well, well. For dragons, to be unable to form bonds with humans. Besides, the reason you were captured and enslaved is your own lack of competence. Why not train in the human world a little and act in a way that doesn’t shame the dragons of Dragon Peak?”
As the ceremony approached, Yugra-sama flew in and said this to a dragon who stubbornly showed hostility towards humans, and it finally relented.
“What Grandpa says is right. You weaklings who are captured by humans, go back here and train.”
“Gnnn. But you’re also carrying a human on your back!”
“Ku ku ku. The ones riding on my back are the Dragon King and the Dragon Princess. Unlike the dust you carry. If you’re jealous, then give your passengers great achievements.”
Lady Revalia’s taunts left me and Elnea-sama with only bitter smiles. However, perhaps this was the spur they needed. The dragons of the Wyvern Knight Order began to show enthusiasm and pledged to work with the dragon knights for the Yorttenitos Kingdom.
Thus, the dragons and the Wyvern Knight Order took a step forward in their efforts to understand each other. And as proof of this, the daggers around their necks were removed.
However, even after being removed, the daggers still remain proof of the dragon knights. The dragon knights carefully put the daggers into their pockets.
“Everyone, promise me and Lord that you will never draw those daggers carelessly!”
At Prince Friel’s words, the Wyvern Knight Order made a solemn vow.
“We will absolutely not use these to threaten dragons anymore!”
“We swear before His Highness and the legendary dragons.”
“Those who break their promise cannot complain if the dragons betray them.”
“From now on, we will forge bonds with dragons!”
“And we will become role models for the next generation!”
Yugra-sama and the dragons nodded with satisfaction at the dragon knights’ declaration.
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