The 15th day of the Tree month. I was riding on Bell’s back as we dash through the streets of the royal capital.
[Bell, slow down a bit.]
[Gao!]
The reason why I’m traveling while riding behind Bell is simple. Bell is much faster than a carriage.
The place I’m currently heading to is quite a distance from Lilia-san’s mansion, and it would normally take quite a bit of time to arrive there even with a carriage, but I guess it’s as expected from Bell, as the place I’m heading to is already in sight.
A vast garden that could already be called a ranch, and a rather large building standing in it…… In the entrance, there’s a signboard that says “Flying Dragon Services”.
The reason I visited her today is to meet the baby dragon that was quite attached to me before. It’s already quite late to visit her because I was quite busy with Megiddo-san’s incident, Alice’s incident, and the other things I’ve been busy with.
As I stepped off Bell at the entrance, I was greeted by someone familiar…… It’s the driver that I met when I went to the Sacred Tree Festival.
[Welcome, Miyama-san…… That’s…… quite the terrific entrance you have there.]
[Ah… haha…… I’m sorry, he may be a big guy, but he’s a docile boy.]
[……To have a Behemoth as a means for transportation, I guess that’s to be expected from Miyama-san huh…… Shouldn’t Miyama-san be a Flying Dragon Pilot after all? You can aim for the world’s best pilot, you know?]
[I- I will consider it.]
While looking at Bell with a startled expression on her face, Driver-san, who was usually around the monsters stood in the entrance. She doesn’t seem shaken at all, and just lightly tosses a few words of scouting to me.
As I was chatting with Driver-san about other trivial matters, I heard the sound of flapping wings.
[Kyuuk~~!!!]
[Ahh, it’s the baby…… wait, stop right there!? You’re too fast!? Slow down, will—– Bfueeehhh!?]
The little dragon that was attached to me before was flying towards our direction, and I smiled for a moment when I saw its cute little flap of wings but…… when the baby dragon saw me, it increased its speed and rushed towards me with frightening speed.
I tried to flusteredly stop it, but the baby dragon didn’t slow down at all…… She flies straight at me and sticks to my face, and the impact sends me flying back.
[Kyuukuii! Kyuukuii!]
[……I thought my neck was about to snap there.]
The baby dragon seemed to be in high spirits and was happily clinging to my face, but after a few moments, she noticed Bell and turned her gaze towards him.
[Kyuii?]
[Garuu?]
[Kyuu…… Kyuuk……]
It doesn’t seem like she’s scared of Bell, but it feels like she has a shocked expression on her face, as the baby dragon looks at me and Bell in turn.
[Kyuukkuaahh!!! Kyuu! Kyuuuaahhh!!!]
[Eh? Ouch, hey, it hurts!?]
And for some reason, she somehow looked angry this time, as she began smacking my face with her wings.
What the heck is with this situation…… My Sympathy Magic can’t clearly read someone and make me understand what they’re saying as words, but it can help me somehow understand the baby dragon’s emotions.
If I had to describe it in words, it’s like she’s angry at me while saying “Cheater~~”…… Why?
[She’s probably feeling jealous because of the Behemoth. This child likes you “as the opposite gender” after all.]
[Ouch…… Eeeehhh!? I- Is that so?]
As if she could guess my doubts, Driver-san muttered, and I asked her back while trying to escape the baby dragon’s wing attacks.
[Yes, you remember when this child play-bitten Miyama-san’s neck twice before we parted ways?]
[S- Speaking of which, I also don’t know why she did that……]
[That’s the “courtship action” of the dragonkin, you know?]
[Wha!?]
I remembered being play-bitten twice on the neck by the baby dragon when we were parting ways before but…… Eh? That’s how they court others!? W- Why!?
[The reverse scales on the neck of the dragonkin are the part that they least want others to touch. Play-biting that reverse scale once, if a dragonkin accepts their second play-bite without avoiding the one courting…… Then, the courtship is established.]
[……Seriously?]
[You’re asking if I’m being serious? Yes, I’m serious. I was also quite surprised too.]
I’ve been told that the act of play-biting the neck twice is the courtship action of the dragonkin.
Apparently, it’s like the baby dragon confessed to me, and I unknowingly responded by telling her I like her too…… That’s quite a great surprise out of nowhere.
And while I was receiving an explanation from Driver-san, the baby dragon had turned towards Bell and was squealing with excitement.
[Kyuu! Kyuukuii! Kyuuiikuukyuuiii!]
[Gao, garuaa.]
[Kyuii!? Kyuuk! Kyuaahhh!]
[Gao, garuaaguaa?]
[Kyuukuaaahhh!!!]
Unnn, it feels like they’re talking about something…… And to be honest, I’d like to think that the conversation I just read with my Sympathy Magic and felt from their movements was just my imagination.
Unnn, it’s all just in my head, right? I mean, what they’re talking about was……
“It’s unfair! Why is it just you!? That can go together with that human!”
“That’s because I’m a pet.”
“Pet!? That’s unfair! That is unfaaiiirrr!”
“Then, why don’t you just also become a pet?”
“That’s right!!!”
—or something like that…… No, “that’s right!” your face. How come you’re ignoring me and was already talking about having more pets?
However, it seems like I was right with my bad premonition, as when the baby dragon finished its conversation with Bell, it snuggled towards me and…… she was looking at me with an expression that seems to tell me that there’s no way she’s letting go.
[Hey! You’re causing trouble to Miyama-san!]
[Kyuuu~~~~~~!?]
Driver-san seems to have also figured it out and tried persuading her, but the baby dragon is adamant that she won’t leave. If she tries to force her away, my clothes will be in trouble.
How troubling…… This is very troubling. The baby dragon is desperately clinging to my clothes, and is turning its lonely eyes to me as if it is about to cry.
Stop, please stop……. I’m weak to those eyes……
[U- Ummm…… I know it’s unreasonable for me to ask, but this baby dragon…… Can you give her to me?]
[Kyuu!?]
[W- Well…… Since it’s Miyama-san who was asking, and this baby dragon also seems to be quite attached to you, it’s fine, is what I’d like to say but…… We don’t have that much dragon children these days, so parting with a white dragon is kind of……]
[Kyuuaaa……]
In a way, receiving that response can be said to be inevitable.
It is said that white dragons are the number 1 earners of the Flying Dragon Services, and since they’re so rare that they’re hard to come by, and the white dragon in this branch is only this baby dragon and her parents.
Incidentally, the baby dragon’s parents have been looking our way since a while ago, but they haven’t said…… well, roared anything in particular. I guess they’re going to respect what the baby dragon wants huh?
What do I do? I can’t ignore the baby dragon that has become completely depressed, and even though it’s something I didn’t know about, it’s not like there’s no problem for me who accepted her courtship action.
[……It’s just for example…… If I were able to prepare another or perhaps, an even faster dragon than a white dragon…… Is it possible to trade with her?]
[Eh? Yes, if that were the case, we wouldn’t have any problems with it…… But talking about dragons faster than the white dragons, wouldn’t you need to find one from the Demon Realm?]
I was quite reluctant, but I guess it can’t be helped since it’s already like this…… I would need to consult with that person about this.
After convincing the baby dragon that was looking at me expectantly, telling her that I’ll be back soon, I started moving to bring Bell back to the mansion first.
[……How should I say this…… Kaito-san, you’re really soft-hearted, aren’t you~~?]
[Unnn. Well, it can’t be helped since things were already like this…… But I thought I could talk to Magnawell-san about it.]
After returning Bell to the mansion, I passed through the gate to the Demon Realm with Alice who I asked to guide me.
We’re not going to the North this time, but towards the South…… Towards the “Dragon’s Mountain Range” where the Dragon King, Magnawell-san lives.
I thought the best thing to do would be to consult with the Dragon King, Magnawell-san about matters regarding dragons, but it seems that the Dragon’s Mountain Range is quite far from the gate, and there are many monsters on the way.
[I’m sorry, but I’ll be relying on you, Alice…… I don’t think I’ll be able to get there on my own.]
[Yes, yes. Roger that~~ Well then, let’s go through it with a bang…… Oopsy daisy!]
[……Wait a sec, oi. Why are you carrying me?]
I was asking Alice for directions, but just when I thought it was time for us to go, she easily lifted me…… and held me aloft.
[W- Wait right there!? Alice!? What the heck are you doing!?]
[It’s alright. I’ve properly enclosed you in a barrier after all……]
[I don’t see anything alright with what you just said, you know!?]
[The angle is OK, the distance…… Well, it should be adequate enough!]
[Adequate!? Did you just hecking say it’s adequate!? Stop right at this ins—— Uwaaaaahhhhhh!?]
I may be repeating myself, but it seems that I was right with my bad premonition…… As after Alice greatly brandished my body, she just threw me up to the skies.
All at once, the scenery blows away and my body soars high into the sky…… Amazing. I’m flying…… is not I should be saying here!!! That freaking idiot!!! There must have been some other way to get around, right!? Why the heck does she have to choose to throw me!?
I can’t feel the wind pressure thanks to this barrier she placed on me, but I know I’m moving at a tremendous speed. However, no matter how I think about it, all I’m feeling about is how I’m going to fall while being sent flying.
As if to affirm such fears, I feel my altitude gradually decreases and my body begins to fall towards the ground.
But in a way, that expectation was betrayed in the worst way possible.
As my body was on the way down in the air, my body was caught by Alice, who appeared before I knew it, and as my body was held in her grip, my vision rotated again.
[And once more~~]
[Gyyaaaahhhhh!?]
Alice, who caught me in the air, as if she’s making an incredible feat for a certain book, threw my body up in the air one more time…… Please just tell me if you want to kill me.
It’s really like I’m feeling the experience of riding a roller coaster with my own flesh, and my body soars high into the sky again.
Dear Mom, Dad—— To take custody of the baby dragon, I decided to visit Magnawell-san’s residence and consult him. And that’s why I asked Alice to guide me, but how should I say this—— I asked the wrong person!
<Author’s Notes>
Although Kaito is famous among the nobles, most of the public doesn’t know that he’s acquainted with the Six Kings.
T/N: I’m starting to feel like Bell is actually a girl too.