Chapter 1

Stopping, I turned around.

I looked up at the building of the guild I had just been expelled from.

The large guild, "Linthvurm."

Until this morning, it was the guild I belonged to.

I had been expelled from here.

"We don't need someone who gets emotionally attached to tools."

"Hmph."

I turned and started walking.

Someone who gets emotionally attached to tools, huh.

I don't remember ever getting emotionally attached to tools.

Because I don't think of dragons as tools.

☆

Dragons have become an indispensable part of daily life.

About a hundred years ago, the first successful breeding of dragons by human hands was achieved, and since then, dragons have been used in various aspects of life.

They are classified into small, medium, and large dragons based on their size and purpose.

Small dragons, despite their name, are mostly much larger than humans, often one or two times bigger.

They are mostly used for transporting people or small amounts of cargo.

They have also been used in wars, and dragon riders have become the superior counterpart to cavalry.

Medium dragons are about the size of a house and are used for transporting large amounts of cargo, playing a crucial role in logistics.

Large dragons are mostly known by their individual names and are used not for civilian purposes but as the core of the military.

Regardless of their size, those who can properly handle well-trained dragons are called dragon knights or dragon riders.

The assembly of these dragon knights formed the Dragon Knights Guild.

☆

As I walked through the streets of Bovarsel, a medium dragon flew overhead.

"Vritra species, huh."

I identified the dragon species by the shadow it cast on the ground and confirmed it by looking up.

They are mainly used for long-distance cargo transport because they can fly, follow dragon riders' orders faithfully, and have excellent stamina.

Compared to other medium dragons like the Nidhogg species, which are also obedient but have a more aggressive nature, Vritras are more valued for transporting "soldiers" in the military.

"Wow, Mom, look, it's a dragon again!"

"Really?"

"Awesome, I'm going to be a dragon knight when I grow up."

"Good luck."

I found the conversation between the young mother and her child walking nearby quite endearing.

For decades, dragon knights have been the top choice for children's "dream jobs."

Especially for boys, dragon knights are so popular that they outpace the second and third choices by a wide margin.

Not only do they look cool riding dragons, but the financial benefits far surpass those of other professions.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, I noticed a small dragon and its partner, a dragon knight, in front of me.

The dragon knight on the back was trying to control the dragon with the reins, but the dragon refused to move.

"Hey, stop standing there and start walking properly."

"Garuru..."

It was a Tarasque species, probably a hired dragon.

They carry passengers to their destinations for a fee.

Tarasques, despite being small, have a special way of walking that is very stable and comfortable for human passengers.

The small dragon was clearly reluctant to move.

"What's wrong with you? What's going on all of a sudden? Hey."

"Garuru..."

The small dragon let out a low growl from its throat and showed no signs of obeying.

The dragon knight was at a loss, and the people around were watching from a distance.

I approached them.

"Hey, can I help?"

"Huh? Welcome! I'm sorry, sir, but it seems we're having a bit of a problem right now."

"No, that's not it. This one has a hurt leg."

"Huh?"

"The right hind leg."

"What!?"

The man jumped off the small dragon and went to the right hind leg I had pointed out.

He crouched down to examine the dragon's feet.

"Try walking a few steps."

The man tapped the dragon's leg and extended his right hand, giving the "signal."

The small dragon stopped growling and took a few steps forward.

"Really! When did this happen?"

The man finally noticed the problem with the dragon's leg after it walked.

"What happened? This is a real problem."

"..."

"Hey, you there. Are you in the same line of work? Thanks a lot."

"Sure, but take good care of it."

"Right."

The man nodded, but I wasn't sure how much he understood.

But there's nothing I can do about it.

"Thanks."

"Sure, take care."

I exchanged words with the small dragon, wished it luck, and left the scene.

☆

"That one is depressed, it's better to let it rest for the day."

"Ha ha ha ha, what are you talking about? I've never heard of a tool being depressed."

"It's not a tool, dragons—"

"Are you getting emotionally attached to tools? You're crazy."

"..."

☆

Since childhood, I've been able to understand the language of dragons.

While other animals' sounds are just that, for some reason, I can understand dragons' words.

This led me to become a dragon knight.

Normally, to control a dragon, you have to train it to recognize specific signals and commands.

But I could communicate with dragons using words, so I would "ask" them to do things through conversation.

This was more effective in making them move as I wished, so I was recruited by the largest dragon knight guild, "Linthvurm."

However, Linthvurm had a strict management and utilization style for dragons, which didn't suit me at all.

Within a month of being recruited, I was branded as "useless" and "needlessly rebellious" and expelled from the guild.

☆

Walking alone down the main street of the city.

Even now, thinking about it makes me angry.

I'm particularly angry at those people who completely treat dragons as "tools."

Being expelled was almost a relief.

I decided I would never have anything to do with them again.

But, that's not the issue.

"I need to find work."

Since I was expelled from the guild, I had to work as a freelance dragon knight.

I went to a building just a little away from the city center.

This city hall collects and distributes requests for freelance dragon knights.

Of course, there are people who do this privately, but I don't have any connections with such intermediaries, and as a newly freelance dragon knight, I don't have a dragon to "own."

On the other hand, if I go to the city hall, I can take on jobs as long as I'm not a criminal, and there are many jobs that can be done with rental dragons.

I entered the building and stood in front of the bulletin board in the corner of the first-floor lobby.

There were various postings on the bulletin board, each containing a request.

I went through them one by one.

Among them, I found one that seemed interesting.

It was a request from a merchant to train a newborn dragon.

☆

In a corner of a high-end residential area in the southwest of the city.

Inside a mansion with a garden, I was facing the middle-aged man who owned the house for a job interview.

"Nice to meet you, I am Patrick Forge."

Across the table, Patrick extended his hand.

I shook his hand and introduced myself.

"I'm Cyril Larose."

"Cyril. Please, have a seat."

After shaking hands, I sat on the sofa.

Patrick smiled slightly and began.

"I'm really grateful. Not many people take on such requests."

"That's true, controlling and training dragons are different."

"Indeed."

Patrick nodded with a slight smile.

"Let me ask you directly, how do you want it trained?"

"It's a gift for my son."

"Really?"

"I heard from my merchant friends that raising a dragon is good when a child is born."

"That was a trend for a while."

I recalled the memory.

Indeed, there was such a trend.

Dragons raised alongside children become important companions in their long lives, good for emotional education and even as bodyguards.

"So I bought a dragon and hired a few trainers, but for some reason, the dragon wouldn't listen to them at all."

"That's unusual."

"That's why I thought it might be better to ask a dragon knight who is on the scene."

"I see, I understand. Can I see the dragon right away?"

"Sure, this way."

Patrick led me out of the parlor, out of the mansion, and into the garden.

In a corner of the garden, a young dragon was chained to an iron chain.

"It's a Tarasque species."

"Yes, it won't grow too large and can easily blend into daily life."

"That's true, they are also used as hired dragons."

"Yet it won't listen to the trainers... Is there any hope?"

"I'll try."

I approached the dragon.

The dragon, which had been lying down, got up and rattled the chain as I approached.

"I'm Cyril, and you are?"

'Sister! Show me my sister!'

"Calm down, sister? What do you mean? Tell me more."

'Huh? Can you... understand my language?'

"Yes."

'No way... If you can, please listen. My sister was with me, but I was the only one bought.'

"Hmm."

'Please, let me be with my sister. If you do, I'll do anything you say.'

"Can you take care of the merchant's son and follow the child's orders?"

'I'll do anything if I can be with my sister!'

"Alright."

I nodded slightly and turned back to Patrick.

"How about it? Is there any hope?"

"Yes, but—"

"But?"

"Where did you buy this dragon?"

"Huh? From a dragon merchant, of course."

"Then please check if a female dragon from the same batch is still available. It's this one's sister."

"Sister?"

"It says it will do anything if it can be with its sister."

"It says?"

Patrick looked at me with a doubtful expression.

"Just try it."

"...Alright."

☆

A few hours later, another dragon was brought in.

It was a female Tarasque, a bit smaller than the one that was already chained.

The female dragon, which had been reluctant at first, immediately tried to run to the chained dragon when it saw it.

'Brother!'

It tried to run, but the dragon merchant's assistant held the chain.

"Let her go."

"Let her go."

I told Patrick, who then told the assistant.

The assistant let go of the chain, and the sister ran to the brother.

The two dragons rubbed against each other, showing their instinctive affection.

'Ah! I thought I'd never see you again!'

'Brother! Brother!'

They stayed like that for a while.

"I'm surprised."

"They seem like just two siblings."

"They're like humans."

"..."

I didn't respond.

If I continued, it would turn into the same kind of talk that got me expelled from the guild, so I said nothing.

Patrick went with the dragon merchant's assistant to discuss payment.

Seeing the Tarasque siblings together, they must have understood that it was better to keep them together, even without understanding the language.

The dragon spoke to me, who was left behind.

"Thank you! Thank you so much for bringing my sister!"

"You're welcome."

'I'll do anything you say.'

"I'm fine, but be nice to the child of this house."

'Right, I understand! I'll do anything if I can be with my sister.'

"Tell them that. Good luck."

'Okay!'

I patted the two dragons and went back to Patrick.

☆

At the entrance of the mansion, I was seen off by Patrick.

"Thank you so much. I'm surprised it became so obedient. I gave up after hiring several trainers. You are amazing."

"More importantly, don't separate them. If you separate them, especially after they grow up, they won't follow any orders and it will be a big problem."

"Yes, yes. I understand."

I nodded, received my payment, and left the mansion.

I glanced at the two dragons in the garden, who were still close together, and left with a slight smile.

☆

I was expelled from the largest guild.

But I don't regret it.

I can understand the language of dragons, and therefore their feelings.

I decided, once again, to always put dragons first.

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