In my first visit to the Demon Realm, I encountered an extraordinary being…… The world’s largest being, the Dragon King, far exceeded my expectations.
Even from a distance, he looks incredibly large, but when he gets close enough, it was already a sight that can be considered as a joke.
I mean, are you telling me that the thing I’m looking at now is just his leg!? No, no, it looks like a giant dark brown wall already, and I can’t even look up above his feet anymore!!!
Is he one of those so-called earth dragons? Even one of his quadrupedal feet had exceeded through the clouds.
Thereupon, the Dragon King came to a stop in front of Lillywood-san and I, along with the shaking earth.
If we were close enough, there would apparently be a gale blowing towards every direction by its steps, but Lillywood-san seemed to be defending for that, so I didn’t feel anything aside from the earthquakes.
The Behemoth that had been trying to intimidate Lillywood-san a while ago was also trembling, as if frightened by the Dragon King’s tremendous physique.
Thereupon, the Dragon King slowly brings down his huge face, but like his other body parts, his face alone still has a ridiculous size, as his face alone is about the size of a normal mountain.
Even one of its eyeballs is bigger than the Behemoth…… It’s size really far exceeds the realm of common sense.
“……What is it? Is this an eyesore rattling out here?”
He just said it with a carefree tone, but because his size was out of the norm to begin with, just the volume of his voice made the air tremble, as if the heavens were about to descend.
And slowly, the Dragon King moved his gaze to the Behemoth……
“Leave! Child!”
[ ! ? ! ? ]
Just before he let out that voice, tree roots grow in my vision like a wall, and immediately afterward, that voice loudly vibrated.
W- What the heck is with this volume!? The wooden walls are shaking like a bomb just exploded!?
The Dragon King’s roar instantly extinguishes the Behemoth’s fighting spirit, and with a tremendous speed, the Behemoth flees far away.
After looking at it and moving his face as if to let out a sigh, the Dragon King turns towards us.
“It’s been a while, Lillywood.”
“Yes, it’s been a while, Magnawell. It’s unusual for you to be out and about outside of the Festival of Heroes.”
“What, I just came here to see the rumored otherworlder. However, it’s really tricky to walk around without stepping on the Demons’ cities.”
After greeting Lillywood-san with a deep voice that reminds me of someone who lived for a long time, the Dragon King turns his huge eyes towards me.
“So, you’re the otherworlder I’ve been hearing of?”
[ ! ? ]
H- He’s outrageously intimidating…… The combination of his voice and magic power, as well as the visual magnitude, makes my body tremble, as if I’m being crushed.
However, even so, it’s not as bad as when I first encountered Isis-san.
I think it was quite rude to greet him while I’m trembling, so I closed my eyes once, took a deep breath, suppressed the trembling of my body, and looked at the Dragon King straight at his eyes…… just one of his eyes.
[Nice to meet you, I’m Miyama Kaito.]
[……Hoohhh… It seems that youngsters these days know how to be polite……. Good. You introduced yourself, and I will also do so. Magnawell Baskus Lardo Kurtzvald…… I am called the Dragon King.”
[I- I’m in your care.]
“Umu. I have heard rumors about you from the Phantasmal King, and wondered what kind of youngster you are…… and you’re even more than I expected, quite the good expression you have there. Alright, Miyama Kaito. I allow you to call me by my name just like the other members of the Six Kings, omitting the honorific titles.”
[Thank you very much. Magnawell-san.]
He has a dignified way of speaking, a way of speaking that’s fit for a king.
And that king told me that he’s allowing me to call him by his name, just as I call Kuro and the others. I thought it would be rude to call him with “-sama” by his name here, so I followed what he said and called him Magnawell-san.
Thereupon, a huge pterosaur descends near Magnawell-san, flapping its wings.
Another huge dragon that was about a hundred meters long arrived, but it really does look small in front of Magnawell-san’s size.
[Are you sure? You’re allowing him to call you that?]
He spoke!? Ah, no, Magnawell-san had just talked too, so I guess high-ranking dragons can talk.
“Umu, I can see why the others like this guy……. It looks like you don’t understand huh. Good, Miyama Kaito, I’m going to ask you a question.”
[Eh? Ah, yes!]
“Just now, you closed your eyes and caught your breath before introducing yourself to me…… And why is that?”
[Errr, I- I thought it was rude to greet people while shaking.]
“Umu. It’s sometimes disrespectful when one shows reverence. Especially if it’s to someone who’s trying to see your true worth, it’s only polite to be respectful and speak for yourself…… It’s easy to put into words, but there aren’t many people who can do it in front of me. He has courage, and a good heart.”
Hearing Magnawell-san’s explanation, the pterosaur nodded once as if he was convinced, and then, flapped his wings and disappeared in the skies.
“Good grief, youngsters these days lack that kind of temperament. All they do before me is tremble and throw out offhanded compliments…… Even back in my youth, there are hardly such people too……”
“……Magnawell. Please cut to the chase. If you keep Kaito-san around too long…… It will make Isis angry.”
“Unnn? What is this, are both of you heading to Isis?”
[Yes, I’m on my way to visit Isis-san’s castle.]
“……Visit her castle? To Isis? How unusual……”
Hearing what I said, Magnawell-san looked a little surprised.
However, he quickly regained his expression, and facing towards me, he spoke.
“Well then, let’s talk on the way…… Get on, I’ll take you there.”
[……Huh?]
“Fumu, I suppose it’s certainly easier to see the scenery above your body.”
[Eh? Wait!?]
I feel like the situation is turning outrageous, but Lillywood-san doesn’t seem to mind either, as she floated me up and above Magnawell-san’s head…… between where his eyebrows would be if he’s human.
Thereupon, Magnawell-san slowly raises his face and his gaze switches at once.
The view above his head certainly is quite the picturesque scenery.
The majestic nature spreading out below me looks as if I was looking down from the top of a mountain, unconsciously making me overwhelmed.
I didn’t notice it from below, but there was a large number of dragons flying around Magnawell-san, making me see why he was rightly called the King of Dragons.
Thereupon, Magnawell-san started walking. His gait looked quite slow but…… To begin with, with his tremendous size, each of his steps is outrageously large, making the scenery quickly pass by.
[……The Demon Realm is a really beautiful place.]
“Is this your first time seeing the Demon Realm? Miyama Kaito.”
[Yes, it’s amazing.]
As I unconsciously voiced out my impressions as I looked at the beautiful greenery of this vast prairie, Magnawell-san reacted.
“That’s right, the land around here has changed a lot over the years…… about 20,000 years ago, that area used to be……”
“……So, he’s started huh…… Kaito-san. Magnawell’s story of the past would take a long time.”
[……Ehh?]
When Magnawell-san began to speak in a somewhat nostalgic tone, Lillywood-san muttered with a sigh.
Errr, what is this…… I guess he’s like those old men who like to tell stories huh? If that’s so, it really might take us a while for him to finish.
“……And so, the beings living in that area have changed.”
[I see, then, the greenery in this area is really influenced by Lillywood-san’s presence here huh.]
“Umu, that is so, it is the earth that is…… Hmmm? We can finally see it huh.”
[Eh? Whoa!?]
And then, Magnawell-san’s stories were really long, and we ended up talking about the past along the way.
Nearly an hour into the storytelling, I was starting to feel tired of the story……. But right just in time, I saw the land covered in ice out of the corner of my eye.
I’ve never been to those places before, but I feel like it would be like the North Pole or the South Pole, as the land covered in ice is beautiful, yet it somehow makes me feel lonely.
I mean, it really looks like it’s cold here…… Eh? Wouldn’t I freeze to death here wearing thin clothes……
“It’s alright. Kaito-san, you have Shallow Vernal-sama’s blessing.”
[A- Ahh, I see……]
Apparently, Shiro-san’s blessing will keep the cold out too…… Seriously, it seems like my blessing has just about everything huh……
As I was exchanging such words with Lillywood-san, Magnawell-san muttered as if he found something strange.
“……What is this? Is something wrong with that Isis fellow? The magic power of death around her has become really thin……”
“It’s the other way around. Isis is in an incredibly good mood right now……. She has been like that for hours, feeling happy as she restlessly waited for Kaito-san’s arrival.”
“Fumu, she really likes him huh.”
“Yes, that is so……”
It seems that Isis-san was looking forward to today, and I was somewhat happy and embarrassed at the same time when I heard that.
And just when we were near the icy land, Magnawell-san slowly stopped.
“……This is as far as I can go. If I take another step forward, the ice on that patch of ground will crack.”
“You’re right.”
Nodding at Magnawell-san’s words, Lillywood-san levitates me again and lowers me to the ground, before looking back at Magnawell-san.
“Thank you very much. Magnawell.”
[Thank you very much. I’ve learned a lot from your stories.]
“Hohoho, you’re quite the diligent one huh. I see why the other members of the Six Kings like you, you’re a pleasant young man.”
Magnawell-san smiles somewhat happily as I thank him.
“Alright, youngster. I’ll give you an allowance.”
[……Huh?]
Then, just like a grandfather who has just met his grandson, he moved his face…… and placed in front of me an enormous scale that could easily have been over five meters high.
“It’s my scale, you can sell it or make it into armor, you’re free to do whatever you want with it.”
[Ah, errr, thank you.]
“That’s great. Kaito-san, with Magnawell’s scale, you could easily build a castle or two if you sold it.”
[ ! ? ! ? ]
He just gave me something extraordinary!? I- Indeed, just hearing that this is called a “Dragon King’s Scale” makes it feel like an extraordinary object.
I- I honestly want to politely refuse, but it would be rude not to accept it here, so I thanked him and put it away in the magic box.
“Miyama Kaito, next time you’re around south, you should come to my home. I’ll be able to tell you many more stories.”
[Y- Yes. If I have the opportunity, I’d love to come.]
“Umu. Farewell, and give my regards to Isis.”
Happily smiling one more, Magnawell-san slowly moved his body…… and along with the earth rumbling once again, he left.
Dear Mom, Dad——- Generally speaking, Magnawell-san is humongous, with a kingly dignity, and a wealth of knowledge that showed the long years he lived. How should I say this, among the Six Kings I’ve met, in a way—— he might be the most kingly of them all.
<Author’s Notes>
Isis: “Kaito is coming…… he’s coming soon…… I want to pick him up…… but…… I also want to say…… welcome…… I can’t wait to meet Kaito…… Kaito…… Kaito……”
…and she’s been repeating this for several hours now.
T/N: 9/90