Chapter 6

Having finished a job, I returned to the government building on Louise. I stopped in front of the main gate and jumped off Louise’s back. I gave a quick report—

“…”

“Louise?”

“…”

Louise seemed to be acting strange.

I called out to her, but there was no response.

“What’s wrong, Louise?”

“…I’m sleepy.”

“Huh? Oh.”

I see.

Upon closer inspection, Louise’s eyes were half-closed. Her face looked exactly like that of a child just before they fall asleep.

The job took a bit longer than expected, so it can’t be helped.

“Can you hold on—no.”

I started to say that, but stopped myself. Sleeping is a promise with Louise. I shouldn’t break that promise, and it’s not right to make her hold back her sleep and literally whip her into working.

I thought for a moment and said,

“Louise, can you make it back home on your own?”

“I can go back.”

She was almost asleep already.

“Then you can go ahead and return.”

“Is it okay?”

“Yeah, good job today.”

“…Mm.”

Louise responded and started walking in the direction of home, swaying as she went. If she were a dog, a cat, or a child, I might worry about letting her go alone, but she’s a dragon in the middle of the city.

I thought nothing would happen, so I let her go alone.

This is something only I can do. Other dragon knights couldn’t let a sleeping dragon return alone.

It’s because of the power of words. Because we can communicate, I can tell her it’s okay to go home and sleep.

It’s only possible because we understand each other.

“…They probably wouldn’t do it even if they could understand.”

I chuckled. The people in Rintvurm only see dragons as tools; they wouldn’t do something like this even if they could understand.

“…Hmm.”

Suddenly, something flashed through my mind. A spark.

A burst of white light raced through my brain.

What was that? What did I just think of?

“Oh…”

I tried to grasp the fleeting thought and brought it into clear focus in my mind.

I imagined the scene. Yes, it’s possible.

It’s possible. This is exactly the next level of approach.

But… it won’t work with a rented dragon. A rental is just a temporary thing; you have to keep it “with you” while you have it. That’s the rule.

So—I need my own dragon.

“There’s a new dragon…”

I muttered, thinking about what to do.

☆

I arrived at the dragon merchant’s. As before, the slender merchant greeted me.

“Welcome… Oh!”

“Thanks.”

“Thank you for the other day. How is the little one doing?”

“Yeah… Hmm.”

I nodded, but felt something was off. The merchant’s face when he asked about “the little one” seemed to have a certain intensity, as if he was trying to emphasize something.

That’s not the kind of intensity you’d use in casual conversation. I thought for a moment and realized—

“It’s not a complaint or a return. It’s not that kind of thing.”

I explained. Louise is a “special item.” When I bought her, I was warned that I couldn’t return her.

The merchant’s intensity was because he thought I was coming to complain or do something similar, so he was showing that intensity under his smile.

“No, no, nothing of the sort.”

The atmosphere clearly changed. I didn’t say, “You were thinking that, weren’t you?”

“Louise is doing fine.”

“That’s a relief.”

“I came today not because of Louise— I want another dragon.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Is there any more good deals?”

“Hmm…”

The merchant stroked his chin, thinking.

That’s right. I don’t have much money right now.

I’ve gathered all my savings, which amount to a few hundred reals.

An average adult earns about 1000 reals a month, and a sandwich costs 1-2 reals.

I’m not in dire straits, but I don’t have enough to buy a dragon.

So, I asked if there were any good deals, just in case.

The merchant thought for a moment.

“Well, a dragon like that one is quite rare.”

“I see.”

I smiled wryly. Yeah, I figured.

To me, it’s not a big deal, but for the store, “special items” like that are rare.

Meeting Louise was lucky.

So, I wasn’t too disappointed.

“If you find one, let me know.”

I said this and reached into my pocket to take out a note I had prepared. I had anticipated that there might not be one, so my purpose was to give them a way to contact me if one appeared.

As I reached for the note—

“Oh!”

A piece of cloth fell. It fluttered to the ground—it was the handkerchief the princess gave me.

The merchant saw the handkerchief on the ground and said,

“T-That is…”

“What’s wrong?”

I picked it up and asked.

“Is that the crest of the princess?”

“Oh, yeah.”

I nodded.

“I helped the princess with a job a while back. She gave this to me then.”

“—!”

The merchant was surprised again.

I looked at the handkerchief.

This… I thought it was a way to connect with the princess and contact her in the future. But does it have some other effect?

“The princess gave this to you…”

“…?”

“…Sir.”

The merchant, who had been looking down in thought, suddenly looked up at me.

“We don’t have any good deals right now, but if you’re interested—”

“Hmm?”

“Would you consider a payment plan?”

“A payment plan?”

“Yes.”

“Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

The merchant leaned forward.

This was different from when I mentioned Louise. Then, it was a rejection. Now, he’s clearly leaning in.

What’s going on? …Oh.

I thought for a moment and understood.

He’s the same as me.

I try to complete jobs to build connections with “higher-ups” because those connections can lead to better jobs.

And for this merchant, it’s the same.

I have a connection to the princess, so he wants to build a connection with me. That’s why he’s offering to help.

I glanced at the handkerchief.

It’s a late bonus for helping the princess. Thinking about that—

“I’ll take the payment plan, then.”

I gratefully accepted.