Chapter 77

Thank you for your congratulatory comments!

Huh!? Is that Elna's mother?

I leaned forward in my seat, eyes wide open, and stared at the girl on stage.

"You're really surprised by that actress's big chest, aren't you?"

"Sure, it is big, but that's not what I'm surprised about right now!"

I slapped the cheek of the pervert sitting next to me and turned my gaze back to the stage.

I could hear a muffled protest from beside me, but I ignored it.

Standing boldly at the entrance was the girl called Elna.

Seeing the girl, I recalled Elna's mother, whom I had met yesterday.

Elna's mother always had a smile on her face, was gentle and kind, but could be scary when angry.

She loved sweets and tea and had a somewhat childish side.

She would say things like "Move a bit" or "This is delicious" with a smile, and was very laid-back.

—But.

"Didn't you hear?"

She glared sharply at the fake and the man, with not a trace of her usual soft smile.

I had heard that she used to be an adventurer, but this was a bit different from what I had imagined.

I had always thought of Elna's mother as a soft and gentle woman.

"What's wrong with you?"

I had never thought that she could be so sharp.

...It's almost like Elnor, my sister...

Indeed, in the gentle Slowlett family, I had often wondered whose personality Elnor's resembled. But I never thought it would be Elna's mother.

Many people say that I and Elna's mother are similar, but that's not true at all. The one who most resembles her is Elnor, my sister.

"...Ah, ahn!? Don't get in the way!"

The man, who had flinched for a moment, regained his composure and reached out to grab Elna by the collar.

But the fake twisted his arm.

"Ouch!"

"Grabbing a girl by the collar is not a good thing."

"Ugh!"

The man, whose arm was twisted behind his back by the fake, groaned in frustration.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. If you hadn't held him back, I would have burned him."

"That's a bit extreme, isn't it?"

The fake smiled wryly at Elna's words.

This was how Nord's father and Elna's mother met.

◆

As they completed more and more quests, they eventually became famous adventurers in the capital.

The fake was not wearing the common adventurer's armor but a light and sturdy armor made from special minerals.

The fake, wrapped in a silver armor and blue cape, looked like a holy knight.

"Good to see you back safely."

"Yes. I want to get home and take a bath as soon as possible."

Elna, who walked beside the fake with a lazy voice, wore a robe that didn't seem to have changed, but a necklace that looked like a magical device hung around her neck.

Her staff had also grown longer, and the gemstones on it were very clear.

"Let's go and report to the guild quickly."

"Yes."

Her voice, compared to the beginning, had become much softer. It showed how much closer she and the fake had become.

Does that mean that if I get closer to Elnor, I'll become as soft as Elna's mother? No, I can't even imagine that.

After reporting to the guild, they were about to return to their respective inns when—

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of bells echoed through the capital.

"What's this?"

"The sound of bells. Has something happened outside the capital?"

The loud sound of the bells made them both look puzzled.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

Then, a man who looked like a guard ran by, shouting.

"Is it an attack from a neighboring country? Or a horde of monsters?"

The fake caught the man and tried to get information from him.

"No! That would have been better! It's over! The country is finished!"

"Then what is it? Speak quickly. You're a man, yet you're so pitiful."

The guard, who had fallen into a panic, pointed to the sky after being hit by Elna.

He opened his mouth and let out a scream.

"It's a dragon! A dragon has come to this country!"

"...A dragon?"

As Elna spoke in surprise, a thunderous sound shook the air in the theater.

'Gaaaaaaah!'

A red dragon appeared on stage, its body covered in countless scales.

It slowly descended, flapping its large wings.

For a moment, I thought it might be a real dragon, but upon closer inspection, I could see several joints on its body.

However, thanks to the soft joints and the use of magic and magical devices, it skillfully moved its neck and wings, reproducing the lifelike movements of a dragon.

It was as if a real dragon was standing right in front of us.

The excited voices of the children, who were seeing the dragon for the first time, could be heard from the audience.

"A dragon!?"

"Why would it come here!?"

As Elna and the fake exclaimed in surprise, the dragon landed gracefully on the ground.

Then, it twisted its neck and spread its wings, letting out a roar.

'Gaaaaaaah!'

"Ah, ah!"

"Run!"

The guards and people nearby panicked and fled, disappearing from the stage.

The dragon, with its mouth open and revealing sharp fangs, spewed flames indiscriminately.

The audience let out "Oh!" at the powerful flames created by magic.

It's no wonder this is the most popular play; they've really put a lot of money into it.

The flames spewed by the dragon turned the stage lights orange, and the sound of burning could be heard.

"Elna! I will fight the dragon to protect everyone!"

The fake, with a tense voice, drew his sword from its sheath, holding a beautiful long sword that shone silver.

"Are you crazy!? The opponent is a dragon!? It's not like a goblin or an orc!"

"Yes, I know. Even standing here, I can feel the dragon's terrifying presence."

"Then!"

The fake turned to Elna, who had raised a voice to stop him, and slowly said,

"But I am an adventurer!"

"..."

By the way, the dragon is now waiting in a lifelike pose. It seems that even in this world, certain conventions are strictly followed.

"What are you going to do? An adventurer who doesn't go on adventures, what's the point? This kind of adventure doesn't come around often. What about you, Elna?"

The fake asked with a smug smile.

After a moment, Elna replied,

"The answer is obvious! I'm an adventurer too! Besides, Nord would die without me!"

She puffed out her chest and raised her staff.

The Elna of the past was so manly.

"...I see. Thank you, Elna."

The fake's smile made Elna turn away, blushing. Her face was red, not from the light of the flames, but from her acting skills.

"Hey, are you done with your couple talk? We're all ready here!"

The warm atmosphere was broken by a man's voice.

"Who said we're a couple!?"

Looking in the direction of the voice, Bors appeared from the top of a building.

Then, many adventurers, armed with various weapons, appeared at the edges of the stage and on other buildings.

"Bors! Everyone!"

"Hehehe, we're adventurers too. You two can't take all the credit!"

And so, the battle between the dragon and the adventurers began.

◆

On the stage, many adventurers fought against the dragon.

"Breath attack coming!"

"I know!"

Flames lit up inside the dragon's mouth, trying to burn the adventurers at the front. As the adventurers retreated from the range of the breath attack, the dragon's mouth spewed flames.

"I seek the flowing water's protection!"

The flames that were about to burn the adventurers were blocked by a wall of water created by Elna.

By the way, the actor can use magic too.

This is a battle scene unique to a world with magic.

When the dragon's breath attack stopped, the fake quickly approached the dragon's face.

Then, he swung his sword in one swift motion.

Kiiin!

A high-pitched sound echoed through the theater. I thought it was a sound effect, but the blade actually hit the dragon's fangs.

The dragon, blocking the fake's sword with its fangs, tried to pierce him with its fangs.

The high-pitched sound of clashing blades echoed, and I leaned in to Eric.

"Hey, that's not a fake, right? It's actually hitting?"

"Yeah, the dragon's fangs are made of a strong mineral. Even a full swing won't damage it."

"...That's really serious."

"Try doing a fake hit after all this. The audience would be disappointed."

"...You might be right."

Indeed, with such a grand dragon, it would be disappointing if the actors just pretended to hit each other.

In a world with many kinds of magic, some stunts are possible.

On top of the buildings, adventurers with bows were positioned.

The tips of their arrows were not rounded but sharp.

What? Are they really going to shoot?

As I was surprised, the arrows were drawn and shot at the dragon.

They really did shoot!

The arrows, aimed straight at the dragon, were deflected to the ground by the dragon's flapping wings.

'Gaaaaaaah!'

Looking closely, a whirlwind of wind was swirling around the dragon's wings.

"Is there a mechanism in the wings?"

"Yeah, I heard they use a wind magical device. It's an expensive item that important people carry for protection. With it, they can block surprise attacks like arrows."

They really put a lot of money into this. Well, it's thanks to the noble who runs this place.

On the stage, the intense battle continued.

Men with shields were blown away by the dragon's tail sweeping across the ground.

With the front line significantly weakened, the dragon focused on the fake, who was wielding a sword in front of it.

Then, the dragon's mouth turned red, and it spewed flames in one go.

Just as the burning flames were about to engulf the fake, a dome of water rose around him.

"Elna!"

"Thank goodness I prepared this. It's really dangerous! 'I seek the pure water, gather and pierce!'"

The water wall lost its power and collapsed, but the water reformed into a large spear, flying towards the dragon's face.

'Gaaaaaaah!'

The spear pierced the dragon's large eyes, causing it to let out a cry of pain.

"Now!"

Reacting to Elna's sharp voice, the fake's sword glowed.

It was the enhancement of the blade by magic.

The fake, wrapping his feet in magic, raised his sword and leaped.

He approached the dragon, which was shaking its head in pain from the water spear.

However, the dragon, recognizing the fake as its target, focused its eyes and attacked with its powerful fangs.

"Uaaaaaah!"

The two shadows clashed, and the dragon's head was cleanly severed.

They really cut off the head! I've heard stories about nobles cutting off heads at social gatherings, but it's true!

The dragon's head fell to the stage, and its massive body followed.

At the same time, the adventurers on stage and the audience erupted in cheers.

"Elna!"

"Nord!"

The fake and Elna, moved by the moment, embraced each other amidst the cheers of the crowd.

◆

After their remarkable performance, the fake and Elna were summoned to meet King Misfil.

The stage changed to the audience chamber, where the two faced the king, seated on a luxurious throne.

King Misfil was a blonde man with a crown on his head, and he looked similar to the suspicious man I saw in the sky earlier.

Is that suspicious man really the king?

"Raise your face."

"Hai."

The fake immediately responded to the king's voice and slowly raised his face.

"Your bravery is commendable. The skill with which you cut off the dragon's head that flew into the capital is impressive."

"Thank you."

"Thanks to you, many citizens of the capital were saved. As the king of a nation, I express my gratitude. Now, I will reward you. Is there anything you desire?"

"Then, a land where I can live peacefully with my beloved wife."

◆

"Haa, I'm tired."

I sat down on the steps in front of the theater, taking a deep breath of the fresh air outside.

The sky was dyed by the sunset, and many audience members were returning home with smiles on their faces.

The conversations of the people walking by were all about the play they had just seen. They were talking happily. It was just the right time for dinner, and the vendors were calling out to attract customers.

It was effective, and many people were entering the shops.

If I were an adult, I would want to do the same, but as a child, I