***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 154 Royal Capital and Dragon Princess***
What was there was not even a castle wall.
In the watchtower of Fort Pirquet, surrounded by a high fence, stood two men.
"I wonder what was that thing yesterday, Mirke-san."
"Don't ask me, Bigg. How should I know?.
Fort Pirquet, which was built facing the mountains in the northwestern plain of the kingdom, was a historic fort that existed hundreds of years ago to keep an eye on Kreisharana.
However, it was only a surveillance――it was too vulnerable to stop the enemy's invasion.
Even if the opponent was Kreisharana, which was now more like a tribe than a country, the fort would fall in less than a day if attacked.
This fort exists only to raise the signal and announce their movements, and it was more correct to call it a messenger station rather than a fort to hold off an enemy's invasion.
There is no particular movement except for the occasional sighting of Kreisharana’s griffin cavalry flying over the mountains, who are probably here to check on the situation――this was the least busy fortress in the entire kingdom.
It had never been involved in a battle in the past several hundred years.
The unprecedented incident that attacked this fort was yesterday's flash of light.
Scraping away the mountains, piercing the sky――the humans who know the unknown power of magic cried out in terror saying that it was a mass of magical power or something like that.
They told them that it must be the Dragon’s Roar , and panicked that the ancient dragon Yagernaus, who had been silent for a long time, had awakened.
Certainly, looking at the destructive power capable of carving out a mountain, both of them could understand that it was an extraordinary situation.
However, it was too much of an event for them to really sink in.
Although they've been standing watch since morning, the mountain was silent even at noon.
In fact, they were vaguely thinking that yesterday's light was just an imagination, and that a landslide had simply occurred.
The two jumped on their shoulders at the sound coming up the ladder and straightened their posture.
It was too early for them to shift.
However, the number of people who can climb this ladder is limited.
"Is there anything unusual?"
"Y-yes sir! Marquis Giterns"
What appeared was a nobleman with his black hair slicked back.
Argosh Wickel Giterns.
He was not a military nobleman who fought with a sword, but he was the head of the old Giterns house.
He was a noble who settled in Piels, a town not far from here, and ruled over this area.
He was thin, but his eyes were sharp.
Known for his shrewdness, he was not a military noble, but there was something about him that could make his opponents shrink.
The two men nervously put their hands on their chests and saluted.
"Nothing for now. Yesterday I saw the Griffin of Kreisharana flying a few times but..."
"Today there’s no sighting of it huh"
"Yeah. I think it's been reported, but I've been seeing Griffin a lot in the last few days. I don't know the cause and effect of this, but..."
Argosh looked glaringly at the mountains of Arbyagel.
"Something may have happened in Kreisharana. Don’t let your guard down. I've talked with the fort manager, Coles, and we've decided to increase the number of guards. Keep up the good work for a while longer."
"Yes sir!"
Argosh smiled cheerfully and patted them on the shoulder.
"I've arranged for some liquor to be sent here. You can drink it after your shift. Watching is a particularly stressful job."
"! Thank you, Marquis Giterns."
"Don't need to thank me. But be careful to not drink too much."
He softened his stern face.
A serious and shrewd man――Marquis Giterns who was such a person was likely to be hated by the soldiers and the people, but there was no one around here who disliked him as a noble.
He tightens his grip when he has to, but at the same time, he also makes an effort to understand their various dissatisfactions and puts effort into resolving them.
The head of the family himself ran around to various places, and no one said anything bad about him, and his reputation was high.
The two soldiers look at each other, pleased at their good fortune to be assigned to this fortress.
Argoshe smiled at them, but then looked up at the sky and frowned.
"…That is"
"…something is?"
Where Argoshe looked up——something seemed to be flying above the mountain.
It was not a griffin.
It was far away and looked far more massive than that.
And as he looked at it, the figure was getting even bigger.
The three people who were there and those who had climbed the other towers stiffened.
When something beyond their comprehension appears before their eyes, human beings freeze.
A giant wing that could swallow an entire village.
The huge body that was like a fortress.
"...A, dragon?"
Argosh muttered dumbfoundedly.
No one answered. Everyone was thinking the same thing.
It didn’t pass by this place, but slowly descended.
One ri away, the turret shook with the flap of its wings.
The accumulated snow fluttered up like a storm.
In front of that huge body, this small fortress looked like a sand castle, and even soldiers could be seen falling on their back.
"Tell everyone not to move. I'll go."
"But..."
"Tell Coles that too. That’s not an opponent you can manage with force."
Argosh's legs were shaking as well, however he was a noble.
If it wanted to, it could blow up this little fort with a single flap of its wings.
And yet, they had gone to the trouble of landing a ri away――perhaps it meant no harm.
Feeling as if he were clinging to that speculation, Argosh jumped down from the tower onto the snowy plain outside the fence.
He had mastered the art of handling magic, and as a noble, he has had the minimum amount of training.
However, it’s meaningless in the face of the dragon in front of him.
To show that he meant no harm, he left his heirloom long sword in the snow and walked forward alone.
The dragon shook the earth just by landing.
Argosh was half-prepared for death.
Otherwise, he would not be able to walk.
The closer he got, the more he realized the extent of its massive size and that he would never be a match for it.
Its long neck was taller than the towers built in the fortress, and its jaws could swallow a hut whole.
The figure of a dragon that was only known through myth——should he be happy that he was able to see it before he died?
Even from a distance, the enormous amount of magic power was apparent, and he understood that it was definitely this dragon that scraped away the mountain.
As he got closer, he could see that its wings were torn here and there, and its scales were covered with patches of flesh.
It seems to have been wounded in some way.
However, this did not make him feel that this dragon was weak.
Rather, he was growing fearful at the possibility that It might be irritated increased――
"!?"
――Argosh froze completely when he saw something leaping down from its back.
A girl with silver hair swinging left and right like two tails came down.
"Hmmm, it's a bit of a tough and uncomfortable ride, that's a bit of downside"
*"If you think so, you should have peeled off the scales on my back a little more."*
"Well, that would have stained Krische’s clean clothes with blood."
Then one――a huge tiger followed after her.
Green body hair, that huge body.
At first glance, he understood that it was a Suiko, but the information in front of him had already exceeded Argosh's processing limit.
He remained rigid, looking at the back of the girl talking to the dragon――at the fur cloak.
"Also Regalave-san mustn't say things like that, even if it’s a joke. That's maybe Regalave-san's hobby, but Regalave-san should take better care of your body."
Intermittently wave of magic, the girl told the dragon to wait a moment and then turned around to face him.
Purple eyes peeking out from her silver hair.
She approached with a trot and spoke to Argosh.
"Nn... you look like a noble. Hello."
"Y-you are..."
"Krische Alberinea Christand. Krische stopped by for a little request."
"Christand..."
Argosh repeated dumbfoundedly, and immediately fell to his knees and lowered his head.
"I-it’s an honor to meet you, Alberinea, I’m Argosh Wickel Giterns."
"...Giterns? Ah, could it be Anne's... come to think of it, Anne's parents' house was in Piels, it’s right nearby."
"T-thank you for taking care of my daughter."
"Ehehe, what a coincidence, to meet in a place like this. Nice to meet you, Anne is...well, um...yes, she’s doing her best."
Why was he greeting her daughter's employer, a hero of the civil war, in a place like this?
Why did this girl come down from the dragon?
Why was a Suiko here as if it’s normal?
What he had here was a barrage of information that even the shrewd Argoshe could not handle.
Shivering, the Suiko scattered the snow from its body and rubbed its nose against the girl in front of him, who was petting its head as if it was a cat or something.
The fur cloak she wore, and the dress inside it, wad tattered.
Bandages were wrapped here and there around her body, and the dragon, also covered in scars, and the words that echoed in his head earlier.
That flash may have been caused by this girl――his brain was deriving the correct answer itself, but his confused head couldn't even put together a sentence to ask it.
"T-thank you very much. I was worried that that poor girl was causing trouble for Her Majesty the Queen, Alberinea, and Margrave Christand."
"Y-yes... it's okay. Uhh, she’s really doing her best and... she’s doing her best."
What came out of his throat was social pleasantries that didn't fit the occasion.
What came to mind in her confused head was a letter from a silly girl who boasted something like, ‘I made the right choice to leave the royal territory, and now I'm becoming a first-class servant, and sometimes I'm even entrusted with the care of Her Majesty the Queen.’
He understood that his head was spinning out of control with confusion, but he could not get Anne's face out of his mind.
He didn't even notice Krische’s indescribably subtle reaction.
"That...that's good to hear. I know she’s a clumsy girl, but please take care of her too from now on."
What was he talking about in front of the Dragon?
He wanted to punch himself in the face, but it was Krische who responded in a normal manner.
In the face of such an unbelievable threat, Argosh was afraid to cut in on the conversation, and the words just came out of his mouth.
Krische was the first to change the subject.
"Well, we can greet each other at some point when you come to the capital. ...Krische has a small favor."
"Hg, what is it, Alberinea? I will risk my life to do your bidding, whatever it takes."
"No, you don't need to risk your life, but..."
Krische pointed to Mount Arbyagel, from which the dragon flew.
"The people of Kreisharana are supposed to bring Krische’s horse to here at a later date. Krische would like someone to take it to the royal capital from here."
"Yes ma’am. ...yes?"
Argosh was willing to accept whatever it was, but the words he heard brought new confusion.
He quickly reacted with a dumb reaction and held his mouth.
Kreisharana added to the already numerous questions.
Kreisharana was a country with which we have a non-aggression treaty and even diplomatic relations have been severed.
Why did the word Kreisharana come up there?——Krische, who tilted her head, clapped his hands to Argosh, whose head was filled with such questions.
"Look, this Gururun——Suiko can ride on the back with Krische, but it is difficult to ride on the back of a dragon with a horse's body, so Krische had no choice but to go back separately. At first Krische thought of having it hang on Regalave-san’s hand or something but......"
——Bururun transportation plan.
The plan was to hook Bururun on the fingertips of the Regalave and transport it to the royal capital. It was an air transport plan that was drawn up in Krische after only a blink of an eye to solve the difficult problem of how to get it back to the royal capital and was almost implemented.
Krische was trying to make a hanging cloth to hang Bururun from, using the blankets and other materials she had brought with her so as not to burden the large Bururun's body.
However, the moment the plan was discovered, Lira and the others stopped her and she had to abandon the project.
That the Holy Spirit had allowed it.
They were willing to look the other way and let Krische and Suiko ride on the Holy Spirit’s back, but they begged her to at least pardon them seeing the Holy Spirit in such a silly way.
Neither Regalave nor Krische particularly cared about it, but they seemed to be very concerned about it, so she reluctantly responded to it――As a result, it was planned that they would carry Bururun all the way here.
She came down here on purpose to tell him that.
Even though she was trying to make it as comfortable as possible for Bururun, who had worked so hard to carry the spear all the way up there, she was disappointed that her lips pouted.
"They said no, so it became this..."
"N-no, more importantly...why are the people of Kreisharana?"
"...?"
Krische thought again for a moment and clapped her hands again.
"Oh, right. Since Krische had become friends with Regalave-san, Kreisharana wants to reconcile with the Kingdom. It's a good thing."
*yeah yeah* She nodded and put up her finger with a straight face.
"Ah, but it's still a private matter, so you can't spread it around here and there. If Kreisharana decides on their relationship with the Kingdom (decide on the banner they will wave = decide their affiliation), it would be terrible for them to get caught up in the future battles... it seems that they will send some messengers at a later date, but the details will be after that."
The magical power rippled intermittently, and Argosh looked up at the dragon behind her in fear.
*"Even though the banner they will wave is already obviously decided. You’re really not very perceptive huh, Krische. It even makes me think, "I understand you, the human race more than you."*
"Muu... As expected, Krische thinks Krische has a better understanding of human society than Regalave-san, who is of a different race."
*"That's just what you think right."*
Disgruntled, Krische puffed out her cheeks and glared at the dragon.
Argosh stiffened at her and the Dragon, a bizarre relationship.
What did it mean to be friends with a dragon?
Why would Kreisharana propose such a thing now?
His doubts kept growing.
"Calm down Selene-sama!"
"But...!"
In the mansion, Selene, who heard the dragon's attack with Kreschenta, immediately grabbed her sword and went outside the Royal Capital to go to the training ground where the dragon descended.
The dragon that appeared in the royal capital had its scales peeled off and its wings torn――why did the dragon appear in the royal capital, and why was it injured?
She knew the reason.
This was probably what it means to have one's mind go blank.
The enormous amount of magic power, the huge body that rivaled the royal castle itself.
Serene drew her sword against that opponent, who she had no chance of winning and just by looking at it made her feet tremble.
She was stopped by Eluga, who had also come out from the royal city.
While all the soldiers were frightened and stiffened, Eluga held back Selene, the only one who exudes hostility and hatred.
The flash that pierced the clouds the other day——Krische was probably killed by this dragon.
Selene's feelings were painfully understandable, but Eluga was not young enough to surrender to his emotion.
A dragon that left the densely packed area and landed on an open training ground.
Eluga, who thought that the Dragon had no intention of burning the royal capital right now, held back her desperate rampage.
At least he had to avoid her being the trigger for it.
The Dragon's intentions should be investigated——no, rather than that, calming down Selene, was what Eluga thought, but,
"…Hm?"
"Eh...?"
The girl and Suiko jumped on the dragon's shoulders and descended through its arms.
Seeing that, the two stiffened.
She trotted through the snow and tilted her head as she saw Selene being held down by Eruga.
"... Um, what are you doing?"
Wearing her fur cloak, her body covered in bandages.
Silver hair wrapped in a white hat and a muffler——Krische asked the two curiously.
"Could it be, before Krische knew it, the two of you became really good friends——ughu!?"
"Krische!"
Eluga's strength loosened.
Serene immediately threw away her sword and pushed Krische down onto the snow.
"You idiot! I was so worried, you left so suddenly... what if..."
Despite the strong pain from the pressure on her injured body, Krische stared at Serene dumbfoundedly.
Her shoulders were shaking and her eyes were downcast as Serene pressed her face against her own chest in a tearful voice.
"……sorry"
"If you think you can get away with just that, you’re making a big mistake, geez, really…"
Krische stayed like that for a while, stroking Selene's head as she hugged her and cried.
Two soldiers, including the Black Flag Special Force, were staring at the dragon from afar, but without worrying about the gaze, Krische hugged Selene’s head and raised her body.
"Sorry, if Krische told Selene, Krische thought Selene would definitely stop Krische."
"...Of course, you idiot. What do you think of your body, really, you don't think about anything... you idiot."
Hearing Selene reply, Krische stroked her back as if to soothe a crying child.
Selene, whose face was crumpled with tears, glared at Krische.
Krische troubledly wiped Selene's tears with the sleeve of her dress and repeated, ‘I’m sorry’.
"Do you think if you say...sorry you'll be forgiven."
"Is...it, no good?"
"Even if I apologize, I will be preaching all night today."
"Uuu..."
Selene finally smiled at that reaction and pressed her forehead against hers.
She stared at her purple eyes, almost her nose, and repeated, "Idiot."
Then she wiped her tears with her sleeve.
She hid her face in her hands for a while to catch her breath——and then finally looked at the dragon behind Krische, furrowing her brow and looking at Krische.
"Haa... For now, I'll leave my anger for later. So, what does this mean?"
"Ehehe, yes. Uuu, you see..."
‘Should Krishce start from the beginning or?’
Krische pondered for a moment, and then a wave of magic resounded.
*"That person single-handedly challenged me to battle and demonstrated her power. Thus, I have allowed her name as one who is equal to me, and exchanged a covenant——I am here according to that person's wishes."*
It was that strange voice that echoed in their head.
A strange sensation that shook the magic in their body.
Just by uttering a voice, just by being there was a strange intimidating feeling.
*"I have no interest in the world of yours, little one. I will only respond to the covenant with that person, and once that is done, I will leave here. There is no need to be frightened, there is no need to panic."*
‘Ohh’, Krische nodded satisfactorily and looked up at the dragon.
"Regalave-san is quite good at explaining things."
It's just to the point, and from Krische point of view, it's an easy to understand explanation.
It wasn't easy for others to understand, but Cliché nodded and looked at Selene for the time being.
"It's like that. Krische asked Regalave-san to help Bery, and Regalave-san accepted. Regalave-san said that if Regalave-san use its own blood, she'll be fine."
"Eh, uh...I, I see..."
She understood that there was no malicious intent when she saw that The Dragon was bringing Krische, but it went beyond her expectations.
Selene agreed for the time being while feeling indescribable.
"Um, so Krische is thinking of bringing Bery here but"
"You are really……"
"...?"
"... Enough, go ahead."
"Yes"
Krische started running happily, riding sideways on the back of the Suiko that was chasing her, and ran towards the royal capital.
Not only soldiers, but also many people gathered in the distance, and there was a commotion in the surroundings.
After all this commotion There is no need for a gag order. Serene sighed.
Behind her, more murmurs spread, and when she turned around, she saw Kreschenta with Kilik and the others.
As if troubled by her dress, she pinched her skirt and ran.
She looked left and right, stood next to Selene, and she looked up at the dragon and whispered to Selene.
"... As expected even if it’s Onee-sama, I never thought that Onee-sama would really come back and become friends with a dragon."
"... Who would have imagined that, really."
Even though Kreschenta looked stunned, after just saying that she took a step forward.
As she swayed her white dress on the snow, she bowed her head politely.
"It’s an honor to meet you for the first time, Holy Spirit Yagernaus-sama. My name is Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan, Queen of the Kingdom of Alberan."
With a graceful bow, she raised her face to look at the dragon again.
Purple and reddish-purple intermingled, shaking quietly as magic rippled through the air.
*"You look more like a Bazariche, though different in appearance. 'O chief of the little ones."*
"My, it's an honor to be compared to the great founding king."
Kreschenta smiled and tried to continue her words——but the voice of the dragon preceded her.
*"Like I said earlier, I have no interest in you guys. As promised in the past, you don't intervene with me, and I don't intervene with you. I’m here now because of the covenant with that person, Krische——As long as you understand that you can spin whatever words you like. While waiting for that person, I will play along with you as much as you want."*
Kreschenta tightened her smile a little, and then she deepened her smile even more.
"Of course, I understand your position, Yagernaus-sama. I just wanted to say a few words of thanks to Yagernaus-sama, who came here for my sister's sake, just out of friendship."
Selene looked suspiciously at Kreschenta.
It was clear that she had expected the dragon to be in favor of Alberan, but even before they exchanged a word, this vicious Queen's true nature had been seen through.
She didn't know what kind of person the founding king Bazariche was, but the dragon's words of her resemblance was definitely not a compliment.
*"No need. The covenant was exchanged between me and that person, an individual named Krische. No more no less. That's what the covenant is."*
This was what it means to have nothing to cling to.
Kreschenta’s inner self, who continued to smile, was the complete opposite of what she looked like on the outside.
If she were inside the estate, she would have puffed her cheeks out and behaved like an indignant child.
"Just with those generous words, you can know the depth of Yagernaus-sama's heart. Nevertheless, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart."
With a smile on her face, Kreschenta lowered her head.
Serene endured a wave of laughter that came unexpectedly, as Kreschenta quickly changed from indignation and tension.
There was public attention. She couldn't let herself burst into laughter here.
But what resounded was an intermittent wave of magical power that was indescribable.
The echoes echoed around without a voice, was it the laughter of a dragon?
*"You're the complete opposite of that person, which is fun in its own way...even though you’re quite similar, you’re also quite different, it's quite interesting."*
"…Is it okay if I take that as a compliment?"
*"Take it as you will. You little ones, is like that isn’t it?*
By her side, Selene could see Kreschenta eyebrows twitching.
But she never loses her smile——the thickness of the skin on her face always impresses her.
"I will do so, Yagernaus-sama. ...and one more thing"
For the third time she repeated.
Again Kreschenta bowed her head and sighed quietly.
"This is just for me as an individual. No matter what kind of covenant was exchanged with Onee-sama, Yagernaus-sama granted that wish... As an individual, I would like to thank you for that. Anyway, Onee-sama’s wish is also my wish after all."
Selene looked at Kreschenta with a bit of surprise, she smiled quietly and bowed her head, and Eluga followed suit.
The soldiers around them had no idea what her words meant, but as long as Her Majesty the Queen was bowing, they could not ignore it.
The shaken soldiers finally got on their knees and lowered their heads.
Kreschneta looked up and smiled.
"As a mere individual, would you accept my thanks in this way?"
*"If that makes you happy, do as you like. Even if you call out to a stone, it won't respond, but if there is someone that would be satisfied with it, I won't deny it."*
The beautiful golden eyebrows glittering in red swayed with a twitch.
Kreschenta kept her smile.
"I won't say thank you to a stone. Words only have meaning when they are communicated with each other——and now that we understand each other, I don't think it's meaningless."
Magical power shook intermittently.
The dragon narrowed its eyes and looked at her.
*"After all, you’re quite similar. …That’s right, if you really want it then."*
Then he brought his large face close to hers.
*"Before you die, if you don't change your mind, you should show up with that person. …At that time, I will accept your gratitude. I'll take it as entertainment."*
In short, he wouldn’t receive it now, and he wouldn’t have anything to do with it.
Words with such connotations.
Kreschenta’s intention to somehow borrow the power of the dragon was completely seen through.
"…………Yes, Yagernaus-sama."
Thinking about it normally, it was the most honorable invitation for the people living in this world, but there were two exceptions.
As long as she can get through it now, she didn't have to care about this unpleasant lizard-like, Kreschenta.
The dragon's lure was of no great benefit, and all she could feel was discomfort and trouble.
Magical power rippled intermittently as if seeing through Kreschenta, who seemed to be deeply displeased with a smile on her face.
