We Live in Dragon’s Peak – Chapter 48

We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.

The Forest of Strange Beasts.

After walking along the main road for a while, we turned onto a branch road leading to the southern Dragon Forest.

As we headed south, we reached a river that was also one of the water sources for the sub-capital.

The river was wide, but there was a stone bridge spanning it.

It was right next to the sub-capital, so it seemed well-maintained everywhere.

Beyond the bridge was finally the Dragon Forest, and I was surprised to see quite a few people coming and going.

“The bounty of the Dragon Forest is the same for both the capital and the sub-capital,” Ruiseine said.

We entered the forest along with several other people.

However, once inside the forest, everyone went their separate ways deeper into the woods for their own purposes, and before we knew it, we were the only ones walking on the winding path that had formed in the forest.

The Dragon Forest, which spreads out to the south of the sub-capital, is also strictly managed by the kingdom, and logging is prohibited.

However, with many people entering and exiting daily, paths naturally form.

Similar paths had formed in various places in the Dragon Forest on the capital side as well.Even so, they were just animal trails widened and packed down.

Carts are not even allowed in the forest.

It is permitted to gather enough for personal consumption, but commercial quantities are forbidden. Although not stipulated by law, this was an unwritten understanding among those who used the forest.

If too much is taken, even the Dragon Forest might wither.

We proceeded along the path at first, but when all traces of people disappeared, we veered off and began to make our way through the pathless forest.

Priscilla-chan cheerfully waved her hands and walked ahead into the forest, looking happy.

Priscilla-chan is always full of energy, but she seemed even more excited in the forest.

Perhaps it’s because she’s a resident of the forest, a Mimicho.

Ruiseine, her miko’s attire catching on branches, walked with Mistral holding her hand.

Ruiseine looked more childlike than Priscilla-chan.

“Oh my, oh my, Elnea-kun is thinking something improper.”
“I-I’m not, that’s a misunderstanding!”

I must have been grinning while watching Ruiseine, and I hurriedly denied it.

“More childish than Priscilla, nya.”
“Ah!”

Nimia read my mind and blabbed.

“Well, I am childish anyway~”

Ruiseine turned her face away from me with a pout.

“I-It’s a misunderstanding~”

I tried to explain to Ruiseine, but Mistral shooed me away with her hand.

That’s harsh.

Honestly, it’s all because Nimia blabbed.

To get revenge on Nimia, I approached Priscilla-chan.

If I’m getting revenge on Nimia, why am I approaching Priscilla-chan?

It’s because Nimia is, as usual, relaxing on top of Priscilla-chan’s head.

However, my hand didn’t quite reach.

Nimia flapped her wings and flew away.

“Um, it’s tag.”

Priscilla-chan started chasing Nimia, who had flown away.

I also chased Nimia along with Priscilla-chan.

Nimia skillfully weaved through the trees, escaping from us.

“Hey. Don’t go too far.”
“Elnea-kun is much more childish.”

Mistral and Ruiseine looked at each other and laughed.

Mumu. I thought it was incredibly fun, does that mean I’m still a child…

Nimia escaped from Priscilla-chan and flew towards Mistral and the others.

Then, she leaped into Mistral’s chest.

Ah, I’m jealous.

“Jealous, nya? But your chest is small, nya.”

She must have thought she had won against me. But the last part was unnecessary. Nimia was then squeezed tightly into Mistral’s chest.

“Nyaa.”

Mistral gave Nimia, who let out a scream, a cold smile.

You shouldn’t do that, Nimia. Mistral is the kind of person who would even lay a hand on Old Man Sleigsta when she’s angry.

Having uttered a forbidden phrase, Nimia will not be left unharmed.

I joined my hands in prayer for Nimia.

My condolences.

“Priscilla too, hug me.”

For some reason, Priscilla-chan jumped into Ruiseine’s open arms.

“Oh my, oh my.”

Ruiseine caught her skillfully.

“Bigger than Mistral.”

Mistral swayed unsteadily. Ruiseine could only offer a wry smile.

“Th-This is just the beginning!”
“That’s right. This is just the beginning of our growth.”

Mistral and Ruiseine seemed to have tears welling up in their eyes.

As I let out a dry laugh, I felt a presence a little deeper in the forest.

Mumu, this presence.

In the direction I sent my gaze, there was the usual gray Ôkami Majū.

The Ôkami Majū stared at us fixedly.

At my gaze, everyone noticed the Ôkami Majū.

Ruiseine moved before anyone else.

She hid Priscilla-chan behind her and raised her naginata.

Her reaction speed in that moment was truly worthy of being called a Battle Priestess.

“Please be careful, it’s a magic beast.”

Ruiseine, judging the opponent to be a magic beast in an instant, began chanting a sorcery incantation while holding her naginata, taking precautions against any movement the Ôkami Majū might make.

“Ah, it’s a doggy.”
“Eh?”

However, with Priscilla-chan’s unexpected action, Ruiseine’s eyes turned into dots the next moment.

Priscilla-chan leaped out from behind Ruiseine and performed a Spatial Jump.

Immediately after, she was riding on the back of the Ôkami Majū.

“The doggy came to pick me up.”

Priscilla-chan excitedly chattered on the back of the Ôkami Majū.

The Ôkami Majū didn’t show any signs of displeasure and approached us, careful not to let Priscilla-chan fall off its back.

“Eh? …Yes?”

Ruiseine was confused.

“Um…”

Mistral placed a hand on Ruiseine’s shoulder with a troubled expression.

“It’s alright. It’s Priscilla’s underling.”
“Yes? But that’s a magic beast?”

Ruiseine looked back and forth between Mistral and the magic beast, unsure of what to do, raising and lowering her naginata.

“Actually,”

I explained to Ruiseine.

The incident dates back to when we first took Priscilla-chan from the village to the Moss Garden.

At that time, Priscilla-chan repeatedly leaped onto the back of the Ôkami Majū using Spatial Jump. The Ôkami Majū was surprised and tried to shake Priscilla-chan off its back many times.

But this Ôkami Majū. Originally, it was chasing me and seemed to be enjoying the fact that I suddenly disappeared into the Moss Garden.

Perhaps it was curious.

So, even though it was shaken off repeatedly, it seemed to become interested in Priscilla-chan, who would jump onto its back the moment it disappeared in mid-air.

After that, when Mistral went to the village to pick up Priscilla-chan, it began to appear frequently.

And Priscilla-chan, calling the Ôkami Majū a doggy, would jump onto its back every time it appeared without any fear. Eventually, they became accustomed to each other.

The Ôkami Majū was originally afraid of Mistral, so it wouldn’t do anything to Priscilla-chan, who was Mistral’s companion.

And so, the Ôkami Majū became Priscilla-chan’s mount.

Mistral nodded, holding her head, at my explanation.

Ruiseine, with a strained expression, looked at the Ôkami Majū and Priscilla-chan.

“Um, doggies are cute, aren’t they?”

Priscilla-chan innocently bragged to Ruiseine.

You know, Priscilla-chan, a magic beast that looks like a gray wolf twice our size is not cute at all.

“Um, I want to go for a walk.”
“Good grief.”

Mistral let out a big sigh and signaled to me with her eyes.

“Alright, just a little bit then.”

As I beckoned, the Ôkami Majū obediently came to my side and crouched down.

I jumped onto the crouched Ôkami Majū’s back.

Amazing!

This Ôkami Majū, for some reason, allows me and Mistral to ride on its back as well.

It doesn’t show any signs of displeasure.

“Walk, walk.”

As I hugged Priscilla-chan from behind to make sure she wouldn’t fall, the Ôkami Majū stood up and ran into the forest.

“We’re going!”

I wonder if it heard my voice.

In an instant, Mistral and Ruiseine became small and disappeared behind the standing trees.

I caught a glimpse of Ruiseine’s expression, and her face was still tense.

Mistral, please help her recover before we get back.

“Kyakyakya!”

Priscilla-chan seemed to be having a lot of fun.

The magic beast continued to run silently, making no sound.

It was incredibly fast. The scenery rushed by too fast to follow.

I realized that it had been holding back so much when it was chasing me.

Even if I used my Dragon Energy to run away at full speed now, I would never be able to escape the full speed of this Ôkami Majū.

“Don’t go too far.”

The Ôkami Majū cannot speak human language, but it seems to understand it.

It occasionally communicates with Mistral.

In response to my words, the Ôkami Majū let out a bark.

“Fast, fast!”

The sound of wind cutting through the air echoed in my ears.

Perhaps the Ôkami Majū was being considerate of us riding on its back. It didn’t even brush against tree branches or leaves.

The reason Old Man Sleigsta overlooked this Ôkami Majū despite sensing its presence must be because it’s not an evil creature.

The Ôkami Majū, with its hostility gone, had become one of our forest friends.

While running, the Ôkami Majū twitched its ears.

And then suddenly it turned.

It suddenly changed direction, and we, along with Priscilla-chan, nearly fell off.

What happened all of a sudden?

As I stared intently in the direction the Ôkami Majū was running.

“Whoa. A bunny.”

Priscilla-chan threw up her hands in joy.

“No, no, no, that’s impossible!?”

I shouted.

In our line of sight, there was a magic beast in the form of a huge, light brown rabbit, lying down and relaxing with its bulky body.

How did I know it was a magic beast?

Because its body length was twice that of the Ôkami Majū!

There are no wild rabbits this large.

The rabbit-like magic beast noticed us approaching and turned its head towards us.

However, it didn’t seem wary and remained in its resting position.

“Bunny-san!”

Priscilla-chan broke free from my hand and leaped off the Ôkami Majū’s back.

Immediately after, she was buried in the soft fur of the rabbit-like magic beast’s belly.

“Fluffy, fluffy.”

Priscilla-chan rubbed her face against it with delight.

The rabbit-like magic beast’s round eyes widened in surprise at the suddenness of it all, but it didn’t show any anger or agitation.

Then, the Ôkami Majū reached the rabbit-like magic beast’s side.

The two animals rubbed noses and nodded at each other.

“Perhaps you two are friends?”

I asked from the Ôkami Majū’s back. The rabbit-like magic beast nodded vigorously. It seemed this rabbit-like magic beast could also understand human language.

However, in this situation…

I offered a wry smile, looking at Priscilla-chan buried in the side of the rabbit-like magic beast.