We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
The Dragon Race and the Demon Race.
Dragon Peak is a very deep mountainous region that divides the Armēdo Kingdom from the countries ruled by the Demon Race, separating east from west.
The Dragon Race lives in several villages scattered throughout this generally harsh land, with its towering mountains that reach higher than the clouds, living in tribes.
There were frequent conflicts between the Demon Race and the Dragon Race until about five hundred years ago.
After that, some Demon Lords who ruled the regions adjacent to Dragon Peak changed, and those Demon Lords suppressed the other Demon Lords, leading to a gradual decrease in conflicts in recent times.
Nevertheless, radical demons still invade Dragon Peak and are in conflict with the Dragon Race and Dragonfolk, which is the current situation.
Mistral, while placing small objects on a makeshift map laid out on the table we surrounded, explained.
“Among the Demon Race’s countries bordering the west side of Dragon Peak, the Demon Lord in the central part has changed.”
“Yes. A Demon Lord called the Giant Demon Lord. He is immensely stronger than the surrounding Demon Lords.”
“Hmm. So that’s why the radical Demon Lords are in the north, still rampaging?”
“Oh dear, oh my. There are all sorts of Demon Lords, aren’t there.”
“As the demons said yesterday. Just as there are good and bad people among the Human Race, the Demon Race isn’t entirely evil.”
“Judging by how you say that, perhaps Mistral knows some good demons?”
“A little.”
Mistral showed a complex expression.
“Relations with the region ruled by the Giant Demon Lord are improving. That’s why we have some limited interaction.”
“Wow. That’s kind of mystical.”
“Yes. I had this prejudice that demons were utterly wicked beings with whom we couldn’t even have conversations.”
My and Ruiseine’s nods echoed each other.
“Some of the older Dragon Race members also hold that belief, so it can’t be helped.”
Mistral gave a wry smile.
“So, within the Dragon Race, there are those who are colluding with the Demon Race.”
“Apparently, that’s the case. Just like with the Human Race and the Demon Race, there are good and bad people within the Dragon Race as well.”
“I wonder who is doing such wicked things.”
“It’s not an individual. Dragon Peak is complex and treacherous. Also, since several tribes live in small villages in various locations, it’s impossible to secretly cross Dragon Peak with individual strength without being discovered.”
“Does that mean they are acting wickedly as tribes?”
“I am very sorry for causing trouble for you humans.”
As Mistral bowed her head, I extended my hand.
“It’s not Mistral’s fault. So don’t apologize.”
“That’s right. Mist is not at all to blame.”
“Fufu, it helps to hear you say that. But this is a problem for the Dragon Race’s people. As the Dragon Princess, I will properly resolve it.”
“Oh, please be lenient!”
It’s scary to enrage Mistral, you know. Do you understand that, Dragon Race people?
“Once the problem is resolved, I’d like to visit Dragon Peak once.”
“Uwah. Ruiseine, you’re so proactive.”
“I wonder if Elnea would like to visit?”
“Of course, I’d love to visit too. I’d like to see the village where Mistral lives.”
“When we get married, I’ll have to introduce you to my parents and the tribal chief.”
“Grumble. Y-yes, that’s right.”
My face twitched.
“Oh my, oh my. Elnea-kun, you must properly introduce yourself to my parents too.”
“Guh, i-it will be like that, won’t it.”
I broke out in a cold sweat all over my body.
What kind of people are Mistral’s parents? Are they scary, or kind?
I also have to introduce myself to the tribal chief.
But that’s natural, isn’t it? After all, I’m going to marry the Dragon Princess, whom the Dragon Race boasts of.
In that case, should I also introduce myself to the villagers of the Dragon Race?
Elder Sleigsta said that Mistral was popular and had many suitors, so the men there might seem intimidating.
Ruiseine’s parents are definitely strict people.
Anyone watching Ruiseine’s words and actions can tell.
Kiri, a candidate for Listea’s bride and also a Miko like Ruiseine, said that Listea wouldn’t easily approve of another bride.
I’m sure it will be the same for Ruiseine.
Will I be able to persuade Ruiseine’s parents?
Before Mistral and Ruiseine’s sweet married life, I faced an extremely difficult challenge.
“Elnea. Before introducing yourselves to my parents, you must first make us fall in love with you.”
“That’s right!!”
Exactly, that’s the real difficult part. How can I make Mistral and Ruiseine fall in love with me?
“Or rather, don’t Mistral and Ruiseine like me now?”
“Asking that is against the rules.”
“Do your best, Elnea-kun.”
Mistral and Ruiseine smiled and stroked my head together.
After that, we chatted about various random things until the meeting ended.
“Good night, Elnea-kun.”
“Yeah, good night.”
“Elnea, don’t do anything strange to Priscilla. Nimia, keep a proper watch.”
“Nyaa.”
“Whaaat, I won’t do anything strange!”
Smiling at my flustered reaction, Mistral and Ruiseine returned to their rooms.
“Nimia, you were awake.”
“Nyan.”
I thought she was sleeping with Priscilla-chan.
Before leaving the room, Mistral carefully tucked Priscilla-chan into her futon.
She also left enough space for me to sleep soundly.
I turned off the lighting fixture that was the light source in the room and wriggled into the futon.
Nimia moved onto my and Priscilla-chan’s futon and curled up there.
“Good night.”
“Good night, nyan.”
And so I fell asleep.
Or so I thought, when Priscilla-chan hugged me.
“Fufu. Together with Onii-chan.”
“Uwah, Priscilla-chan, you were awake too!”
Was she pretending to be asleep until now?
“Um, I just woke up.”
“Oh my. Did I wake you?”
Priscilla-chan clung to my arm as I lay on my side and giggled.
“Priscilla-chan, go back to sleep again.”
“Um, I’m energetic now.”
“No, no, no. It’s still night, and morning is still a long way off, so you have to sleep.”
“Nono.”
“Even if you say it so cutely, it won’t work, no, no.”
“Muuu, Onii-chan is mean.”
“Haha. Look, if you don’t really sleep, you won’t be able to wake up tomorrow morning.”
“Um, I’m not sleepy, so I’ll stay like this for a little longer.”
“Can’t be helped.”
Since there was no sign of her getting out of the futon, I decided to indulge Priscilla-chan’s stubbornness.
“Tell me a story.”
“Eh, a story? What kind?”
“Mist will tell you a fairy tale.”
“Mumu. That’s difficult.”
Mistral is good at coaxing children.
In such situations, I get flustered because I don’t know how to interact with small children.
“I want to hear Onii-chan’s story.”
Priscilla-chan’s warmth was against me as she snuggled closer.
“Uuuhm, let me see…”
I told a story, recalling a human folk tale that my mother used to tell me.
As soon as I did, Priscilla-chan started to breathe rhythmically in her sleep.
Ugh. Was it not interesting?
Should I be relieved that she fell asleep so quickly? As my emotions became complex, I too drifted into dreams.
The next morning.
I was woken up by Mistral shaking me.
“Ah, good morning.”
“Good morning.”
Seeing me sleepy, Mistral gave a wry smile.
“Elnea, you must lock your room properly. It’s too careless.”
“Ah, I forgot.”
As I tried to get up abruptly, the weight of an arm pulled me back into the futon.
I saw that Priscilla-chan was still asleep, hugging my arm.
Is this what they call good sleeping posture?
“You’re loved.”
Mistral looked at me blankly.
“I-it’s not like that. It’s a misunderstanding.”
I panicked, but she casually brushed it off.
“Come on, Priscilla, wake up too. If you don’t wake up, there’s no breakfast.”
“Muuu, sleepy.”
Hearing the word “meal,” Priscilla-chan woke up.
“Oh my, oh my. Elnea-kun and Priscilla-chan, your hair is all over the place.”
“Uwah!”
Seeing my messy bedhead, I blushed.
“I can’t help it. Today, I’ll fix it for you specially.”
“I-it’s okay, I can do it myself.”
My scream-like refusal was ignored, and Mistral brought a comb and started to untangle my hair.
“Ah, I’ve been deprived of the delicious task. Then, shall I untangle Priscilla-chan’s hair?”
Ruiseine gently separated Priscilla-chan from my arm and also began to comb her hair.
And yet.
Since I slept with Priscilla-chan hugging me, I shouldn’t have been able to roll over properly, and Priscilla-chan shouldn’t have moved much while she was hugging me, but why did I get such bad bedhead?
“Priscilla woke up in the morning and hugged me again, nyan.”
Nimia, who had woken up at some point, walked over to my feet and told me the truth.
Oh, so that’s what happened.
Well, that makes sense. It’s impossible for both of us to sleep while hugging each other all night.
Still, it feels nice when someone touches my hair.
I sometimes doze off during haircuts, but I’m dozing off again now with Mistral touching my hair.
Priscilla-chan has already fallen asleep.
“You two, really…”
Mistral sighed with a look of exasperation, while Ruiseine smiled.
Soon after, we finished preparing and left the inn.
As we stepped out of the inn, the patrol soldiers were already waiting with a carriage stopped at the side of the road.
We greeted each other, and invited the patrol soldiers to have breakfast with us.
Priscilla-chan was very hungry from the morning, which surprised the patrol soldiers as well.
Then, with our stomachs full, we boarded the carriage and continued the rest of our journey.
Wow, horse-drawn carriage travel is comfortable.
When I poked my head out of the canopy, the scenery flowed past.
Priscilla-chan seemed to like the passing scenery, as she sat quietly next to the patrol soldier on the driver’s seat, gazing at the view.
And inside the canopy, it became just me, Mistral, and Ruiseine.
“Did you sleep well last night?”
“Did you not do anything strange to Priscilla-chan?”
“Ugh. I slept fine, and I didn’t do anything strange!”
To be doubted by a Miko, how little trust do I have?
Ruiseine, seeing my dejection, laughed and said it was a joke.
“That girl is strong.”
I tilted my head at Mistral, who was smiling similarly.
“Even though she’s far from her own village, traveling with us whom she hasn’t known for long, she doesn’t fuss.”
“I see, that’s true.”
“For a child of that age, they would normally be more of a handful, wouldn’t they?”
“Is it because she’s from the Mimicho Race?”
“It might be Priscilla herself, rather than her race. I just hope her immense curiosity doesn’t cause problems later.”
“Priscilla-chan has a Great Spirit watching over her, so she’ll be fine unless something truly extraordinary happens.”
“Even so, don’t forget that she is still a child.”
“Priscilla-chan is a spirit user, isn’t she?”
“That’s right, Ruiseine. She’s amazing.”
I told Ruiseine about Priscilla-chan’s spirits.
Ruiseine knew much more about spirits and Mimicho Races than I did, but she listened to my story with apparent enjoyment.
Incidentally, Ruiseine, as a Battle Priestess, apparently studies spirits and various races extensively as part of her temple education.
In that case, wouldn’t the lectures at school just be repeating what she already knows and not be very helpful?
When I asked, she replied:
“School is also enjoyable as there are various things to learn there.”
“When the location changes, even with the same study content, you can make new discoveries.”
“Wow, is that so?”
As I nodded deeply, Mistral interjected, changing the topic.
“On our way back, we’ll use the Dragon Forest.”
“What’s with the sudden change?”
The Dragon Forest has no proper roads. Even the animal trails are difficult. The main road is far easier to walk and travel on.
“I already told Ruiseine last night, but I’ll introduce her to Sleigsta (Old Man).”
“Ah, so that’s it.”
If she’s going to be my bride, it would be more convenient to meet Elder Sleigsta.
Thinking this, my face twitched.
Before I can marry her, I have to make her fall in love with me.
For some reason, this has been bothering me since yesterday.
Mistral and Ruiseine watched me with wry smiles as I suddenly clutched my head and groaned.
And so, our third day of travel proceeded smoothly, and by evening, we had finally arrived at the Sub Capital.
Click the heart to easily convey your support. (Login required)
Support
Login if you have an account
Learn more about the reading experience available on Kakuyomu
