V1C1 Part4

Translated by 64990022, Dcambur Edited by Aiya

Chapter 1

Part 4

It took the dragon three days to fully heal.

The night of departure, the dragon plucked his scale and gifted it to his daughter.

[Ingest the scale and you will be able to transform into a dragon.]

Without delay, she sloshed down the scale. The effect was immediate, her body twisted into that of a small dragon.

The dragon and his younger counterpart, side by side. They looked like a real father and daughter.

Together, they took off from the island, to the land of men.

Their destination was the capital of an empire called Norveland, the glamorous city of Nibelungen. Although they could not land there, for his wings stood out in the night sky. They veered from the city and landed a distance away from the city.

Two dragons landed. No one raised an alarm.

The dragon conjured and he became a young man, short, silver hair, the same color as his scales. He also turned the girl back to human form.

The two were naked.

The girl crouched down and covered her private parts immediately. Her face was also flushed deep red.

[Don’t look…]

The dragon didn’t understand the reason behind the girl’s reaction, but he still decided to turn away. He was her foster father and certainly the girl thought of him as one. If that was the case, was their nakedness something they even have to be shy of?

He walked towards the shade of a boulder nearby. A large bag had bounced off during the transformation and lied there. Inside it contained supplies for the journey.

He tossed some clothes to the girl without looking. From behind, he could hear the hasty rustling. In the meantime, the young man had also put his garments on. It was a simple yet comfortable garb of the bourgeois of the Norveland Empire.

[You can turn back already…] the girl said.

In contrast to the confidence the girl seemed to regain with her clothes on, the dragon was more nervous than ever.

In human form, he couldn’t harness even ten percent of his power. And with the girl in tow, he could do even less. Worse, it was said that some humans possess eyes which can discern a transformed dragon. In an unlikely event of being attacked, protecting the girl would prove to be a difficult task.

Fields upon fields unfolded before them. In the far distance behind them lie mountains clad in darkness. In front of them was a stone-built bridge and the road which led to the capital.

The girl darted here and there, looking around at the scenery. He pulled her close.

[Don’t leave my side]

Though unlikely, if there were bandits lurking around, a lone girl in the middle of the night was the last thing he wanted them to see. And even if it came to that, then he would protect the girl with his life.

Girl’s cheek turned red, but the cause of blushing was entirely different from simple embarrassment. She pulled herself so close that not only their hands, but even their bodies touched each other.

They hiked through the night. When they finally reached the capital. If there were normal humans, then their legs would turn to lead. Fortunately, there weren’t.

They walked past Nibelungen’s boulevard, right through the archway that was engraved with the city’s name. Finally entering the place known as the capital, the dragon in the silver-haired man form stopped.

He looked straight at the girl and cautioned her with a strained voice. [At last we are entering the capital of humanity. I want you to promise me something.] he searched her eyes. When she nodded, he continued, [Please observe your surroundings without any prejudice. Kind people do exist. I believe that things which can bring you joy are certainly here too]

Without a second thought, the girl nodded her head.

The dragon failed to decipher the meaning behind the nod, because the girl had already found her happiness. Just by walking with him, merely having his hands to lead her throughout the empty nighttime countryside roads was enough to delight her.

[TN: I’m not sure if this is a 3rd person omniscient or Brunhild’s 3rd person limited narrative now.]

Her heart was racing. Once again, she took his hand. Contrary to the previous time, this time she desired for him to draw her closer.

Simply holding hands was enough. She had decided to bury this feeling in the depth of her heart for the fear of what would happen if she opened her mouth and said what she meant won over her. She still wanted to stroll with him more.

They decided to stop at an average looking inn, not luxurious nor shabby. After tucking the luggage away and taking a breather, they headed out to the streets. The city was befitted the title of capital. Its streets were bustling and brimming with vitality.

However, it was only to that extent.

Nothing in that town brought joy to the girl.

The bliss like one she felt by walking through the countryside with the dragon, she didn’t feel here at all.

The reason was, her surroundings were overflowing with everything related to [The Dragonslayer].

People spoke of the Evil Dragon Fafnir, the one whom the Hero slayed. Or Lucifer, The Dragon of Deceit, his tale rang through the park. The Gods decreed his fall and only Hell awaited down below.

For heroes, bards sang praises. Of dragons, only shame they propagate.

Copper statues decorated the main plaza. Among them are the statues of shining bronze knights whose ornate spear pierced the dull iron dragon. Nearby, the children played together in [Dragon Slaying]. The children spared no effort in bickering over who got to play the Slayer.

In the end, the one who seemed a lot like what the son of a soldier should be took the slayer’s role, while the role of the evil dragon was pushed on the timid-looking one.

Books were put on sale. The one that was said to be a bestseller among women was about a prince who saved a princess from the claws of a dragon and eventually marries her.

Street food stalls were grilling young dragons by using their own fats. The girl thought of it as some kind of a sick joke.

Was this the bustling and beautiful city of Nibelungen? Was this the city where she could find joy and meet kindhearted people? To her, the nightmare was what this place embodied, nightmare and nightmare alone.

Still, the girl continued strolling.

In front of the archway, the dragon had told her not to judge based on preconceptions. She was planning to do that to the very end.

On the third day of their stay, they came across an organization dedicated to saving dragons. Although it would turn out to be another disappointment the city brought to her. The organization spoke about euthanasia being the best way to wipe out dragons. No one was actually intending to save dragons.

That was the last straw. Three days was enough.

The food at the inn also tasted like sand. Eating was a chore, human food was nowhere near the delicacies of Eden.

–Walking through the countryside was far more entertaining than this.

She speared the roasted fowl with the fork and cut it into fine pieces. She was taught how to use human utensils, long ago. But that didn’t amount to her being able to use it. The process was awkward.

The dragon noticed and said, [Knives are to be used like this.]

He pressed the blade and the meat parted. He was elegant, the sliced meat was beautiful.

She had reached her limit.

A clatter sounded before she noticed that she had thrown away the utensils. Her hands were now balled into fists. She even trembled a little.

She couldn’t take it anymore.

The opera, the statues, the kids, the novels, the stalls.

And above all, the white haired man in front of her.

She couldn’t stand how he watched those atrocities nonchalantly.

[Don’t you feel anything?] she demanded.

[Feel what?] he continued slicing placatingly.

[Dragons are being slaughtered. People were feasting every time one was taken down. Hell, you could even eat one at a barbeque. Don’t you feel anything?]

They were using True Voice, so they could talk with no fear of being overheard.

[Do not let the flame of hate obstruct your vision. Even if we met untimely deaths like these, if our hearts are pure, surely, we would meet again in the Eternal Kingdom] He chewed and gulped down. [This is the teachings of God. We must never harbor hatred towards anyone.]

She bit her lip. [Don’t you feel sick watching this?]

[What if I don’t]

[Then why not? Don’t you want to fight for them, avenge their deaths?] Her lips curled in anger, she put even more force in biting it. [Don’t you want to raze this city to the ground?!]

[You will bleed, stop biting.]

[They don’t care! They won’t mourn your death!]

[There was no need to care, nor the need to mourn. Death is freedom. The Eternal Kingdom awaits, nothing shall be mourned.]

In the end, humans were human, dragons were dragons.

Their beliefs hopelessly contradicts one another, but,

–Why wouldn’t he understand?

The feelings behind their words were the same.

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