CH 104

Chapter 104

When Peaceful Times Cease To Exist : The Fairy And Great Beasts Of The Prairie, Part 14 — A Looming Threat?

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

「You’re talking big again…」

「Is that so? I am, by the way, a person who believes that there is no God, but I’m positive that there have been creatures that are close to it, if not all-powerful. When you think about where dragons came from, I can only imagine that there were creatures higher than dragons!」

「Then there’s a debate about whether the egg comes first or the chicken comes first.」

「Most likely.」

「So Kazas, what are you trying to say in the end…?」

Alfiris asks the question. It seems that Alfiris has managed to get her head around it.

「But first, a little more… Don’t you think it’s strange that no tornadoes have come to this rocky area?」

「Now that you mention it…」

「This is also a hypothesis, but I believe that the tornado itself may be generated by something underground in the ruins.」

「Don’t tell me…」

「But that makes sense for now. Tornadoes are a defensive device, including the magical beasts that are unusually strong only in this northern part of this land. I think Phalanx dares to make it a home because it isn’t good for creatures from the outside to come by here.」

「Not at first… but I realized the dangers here along the way. The main purpose is not to keep me out of this place, but rather to keep what is in here out. But at the very least, if word of the existence of these ruins got out, the humans would come in droves. If that happens, the prairie will be engulfed in flames of war, and the people who come won’t just live there.」

Phalanx replies. He understood. As for him, he would not even want to think about such a thing as his homeland, this prairie, being engulfed in the flames of war.

「So I thought that you might be able to solve this hypothesis, which is currently beyond the realm of speculation. Especially since Alfiris seems to know a dragon who understands human languages.」

「Well, that’s true, but…」

「You want to put this prairie in jeopardy just for the sake of curiosity?」

Miranda and Aerial look grim. But Kazas is totally unfazed.

「No. I’m also a human being, and I am indebted to Phalanx and Aerial that saved us. But I am more than that, I am a person who cares about this world. If there were more creatures than dragons, why are there none today? If they were destroyed, what’s the reason? If we don’t know, won’t humans suffer the same fate? It started with those academic questions, and then I was concerned about what Alfiris and Miranda were saying as a practical matter.」

「We did?」

「I mean that the Archfiends which appears frequently in this world. Even if the direct cause is the people we met in the abandoned city of Zea, we are pursuing the possibility that we may be part of a clue to their purpose or existence.」

「That possibility… We can’t rule it out. It’s just that there’s too little to judge.」

「That’s true I’m not a man of justice, but I do understand that it is extremely dangerous to leave those people as they are. But I can’t pick up a sword and fight directly, so this is my own battle. If there is any clue, even just one, I want to hang on to it.」

「I see.」

Miranda was convinced. At first, Miranda thought that Kazas was more selfish and unsavory, but perhaps he has changed a little as he continues his journey. Miranda was willing to give Kazas a second glance.

「And that’s all you’re going to talk about?」

「Yes, that’s why I wanted to discuss what happens next. My contacts are mainly academics, and I am ashamed to say that there are many people who are only interested in enhancing their own prestige and academic success. Therefore, there are very few trustworthy people. Therefore, Miranda, Fenna needs to summon a trustworthy person. I wanted Alfiris to introduce me to her connection with the dragon.」

「I’ll have to talk to Master Bishop about it… but maybe she’ll give me the go-sign.」

「I don’t mind talking to Gwen about it either, but I’m not sure when. He’s pretty fickle and disappears on a whim.」

「Gwendolph’s is fine if we meet them. Either way, it will take a lot of time just to select the survey team. I wonder if Gwen would come to us if we shouted to the sky?」

「This isn’t some Gold * Cloud thing!」

「Okay, let’s do the drums, then.」

「It’s not Fly* though!」

「Okay, how about the flute?」

「There’s no dirt pipe where the tornado flew you!」

Before long, the conversation was lost in jokes, but we were all aware that the story was of considerable importance. This story will have to be resolved eventually, she’ll have to ask Gwendolph—— That’s what Alfiris thought.

＊＊＊

Location outside—— The prairie is still crawling with tornadoes. The magical beasts that Alfiris and her team had fought so hard against were still holding their breath, just waiting for the tornado to pass by. As one might expect, the fools who put up a fight with a tornado… well, there might be one, or even one more.

At that moment, a black shadow descends from the sky with a high pitched sound. Then, with a loud noise, the shadow hit the ground. The shadow seemed to have been reduced to dust.

「……Ooooooouuuuuccccccchhhhh!!?」

The shadow rose up and held its head with an agonized voice,

「Who did that? The one who hit me～!?」

It was this earth. He would rather be dead usually if he fell from the clouds. What kind of wizard would fall from being hoisted up by a tornado?

「Shiiiiiitttttt, that huuuuuurrrtttssss!! I’m soooooo hunnnngggryyyyy! Where the hell am I!!!!!!!????」

His talk is not coherent at all. Of course, the owner of that voice is Dragleo. But then a huge shadow appears in front of him.

「Gurururu!」

「Gohu, gohu!」

Huge jaws and sharp teeth. A group of Gigantosaurus surrounded Dragleo, drooling as if they were starving. Dragleo fell into the shelter of a Gigantosaurus pack during the Stormy Season. It was a valley surrounded by high walls, and there was no escape.

「」

But Dragleo, surrounded by giant beasts, is in no hurry. He remains seated with a relaxed air. However, the Gigantosaurus were quite upset by the break-in to their nest, and bit Dragleo with or without saying so.

He continues to put his weight on it as if crushing it from above, and swivels its head from side to side in an attempt to bite off the Dragleo, but——

「…What’re you trying to do, you lizard!!!」

Dragleo, still bitten, puts his foot over its lower jaw and his arm over its upper jaw and humphs! And with a dull thud, the jaws of the Gigantosaurus were dislodged.

Perhaps shocked by the dislodged jaw, the Gigantosaurus began to thrash about, spraying drool.

「Shut, the hell, uuuuuuppppppp!!!」

With a roar, Dragleo delivers a fist to the guts of the rampaging Gigantosaurus. The Gigantosaurus slams into a wall, blood spurting from its mouth, and dives into the wall.

As it was, it was white-eyed and comatose, jerking and convulsing in a disgusting spasm. Seeing this, the other Gigantosaurus, thinking that their friend had been killed, became excited, but after a few seconds they had to flee. Because the action that Dragleo took was——

「Nuuuuuuurrrrryyyyaaahhhh!!!」

Boom, boom, boom!

The sound of something tearing echoed through the valley. It was the sound of Dragleo putting his hand on the jaw of the stunned Gigantosaurus and ripping it open. The valley is quickly turning red from the tremendous spray of blood.

「Ha, hahahahha!」

And the high laughter of the Dragleo, bathed in a fountain of blood, echoes through the air.

The other Gigantosaurus were in a state of panic at the sight of the scene, running away from each other and crashing into each other and into the walls, making a mess.

But when Dragleo saw the Gigantosaurus, he had only one thought.

「…You bastards, you’re too noisyyyyy!!?」

If his other companion had been here, he would have surely said,「You’re the noisy one.」But in the valley, where no one could stop Dragleo, this being carried out a horrific slaughter of the dinosaurs, and before long the valley was a sea of blood.

——Then, a few hours later.

All that was left was the bones of a Gigantosaurus. All of it had been eaten by Dragleo, who had eaten it as a meal. In all likelihood, he ate many times his own volume.

「Good, now that I’m feeling full, let’s get going! So, where should I go?」

Dragleo folded his arms and nodded his head. After a few minutes of waiting, he seemed to have an idea and flew over the valley. The valley must have been at least 50 meters tall, but Dragleo climbed to the top with great ease, boasting a physical capacity greater than that of wild dinosaurs.

Once on top, Dragleo looked out over the prairie. And what he saw in his vision was…

「That rocky place… there’s a strong guy there…」

Dragleo stopped to look far ahead—— It was a rocky area that would’ve been well over 100 km away. His superhuman eyesight kept him on target for kilometers.

Of course, there were Alfiris and Phalanx on that rocky area.

「Okay, let’s get over there! Fuhahahaha, my arm is ringing!」

Dragleo flew out of the valley with a mighty leap, but his feet suddenly fluttered in the air.

「Mhm, w–what is this!?」

In his joyous excitement, he seemed to be completely blind to the tornado that was coming up beside him. Dragleo is gradually being hoisted skyward by the tornado.

「Nuuuuhhhh!!! What is this wind!!!」

But natural disasters are not something that can be dealt with by force of arms.

「Shiiiiiittttttt!!! I’ll remember thiiiiiissssss…!!!」

Gradually the screams were drowned out, and finally they were no longer heard. And no one would remember… all that was left was the wreckage that Dragleo had devoured.