Chapter 7

"Earlier, I was rude. Since my presence here is supposed to be unknown to everyone, I was on guard. Black Dragon, my name is Kail. I am grateful for saving and protecting my friend."

After that, the young man, who had just rebooted, quickly exchanged information with Nectar and then introduced himself.

I could hear words like "contract" and "language" from ancient times here and there, so he must have talked about the contract we made. The fact that the magician spoke about the content of the contract means that Nectar must trust this young man a lot.

Moreover, despite Nectar's translation, he spoke slowly and didn't call me by name, which is a significant point. He might be a good and excellent magician.

"Thanks to you, I was able to meet Nectar. Thank you.

I'm sorry for hurting you. Are you okay?"

"Ah, yes. I appreciate your concern.

...Hey, Nectar. Is this really that evil black dragon? The impression is completely different."

"According to Lava, at that time, he was maintaining the ley lines and was unconscious, so his body was acting on its own. I don't fully understand it, but apparently, he could change the defense settings and only drove it away to the extent of repelling it. That's why there were hardly any casualties."

"...Really? It seems the country was just beating its own drum.

But more importantly, let's talk about the ley lines. I know your research, but there's more to it, right?"

It seems there were various shocking things included, but Kail seemed to have regained his composure and proposed an information exchange, so I agreed to learn about the country's situation through Nectar's translation.

According to him, the country is currently preoccupied with frequent monster attacks and doesn't have the resources to deal with the evil dragon. That's a relief.

On the other hand, Kail, who sat on the ground like Nectar, frowned and even held his head as he listened to the existence and functions of the ley lines and the role of dragons.

"...I see. I can hardly believe it, but this explains everything."

What surprised me was that he didn't deny anything at all.

I expected him to say something like, "That's ridiculous!" or "There's no way!"

'Do you believe it? To you, I must seem like an unknown entity.'

'Lava is a wonderful dragon, so please don't belittle yourself!'

'Ah, sorry, sorry. I understand. Please translate. My friend looks like a pigeon that's been hit by a pea shooter.'

Kail looked at Nectar, who seemed dissatisfied, as if he were looking at something strange but decided to put it aside for now.

"I'm a magician, even if I'm in the military. I immediately noticed that the magic here is not ordinary. By the way, I've researched everything about dragons since the Black Dragon appeared ten years ago. Since they are legendary creatures, there were many confusions, but it was interesting.

After the dragons left, the areas they inhabited became prosperous, but before they settled, they were either regions with frequent appearances of monsters or areas with depleted magic, places unsuitable for human habitation.

Even if the dragons were driven away, the barren land wouldn't become fertile in just a few decades, and the monsters wouldn't decrease on their own.

From this, I deduced that certain types of dragons, consciously or unconsciously, have the power to interfere with the land or the core of magic.

Is this what the Black Dragon means by the ley lines, the paths of magic?"

It was a brilliant logical deduction. I almost applauded but realized it was inappropriate.

Wait, did he say ten years?

I remember Nectar entered the royal research institute after serving in the military for ten years.

I don't know how long the magic school takes, but it seems unlikely that he was sent to the battlefield at a young age, so he must be over 30.

'...Sorry to interrupt, but how old are you both?'

'Age? I entered the magic school early, so I'm just a few years over 40. Kail is a bit older, right?'

"Age...?"

He looked back and forth between Nectar and me, confused. When Nectar asked again in modern language, he hurriedly replied.

"Yes, that's right. But in the story you just told, is that the part you're concerned about...?"

The last words were spoken quickly, and I couldn't quite catch them in Dragon Years, but Nectar explained that he was roughly the same age as me. However... both of them looked like they were in their early twenties.

I mean, I've heard that more magic extends one's lifespan, but to stop aging altogether... what kind of magic is this in another world?

Even if I'm the same in terms of not aging, I was just left in a random place, but I was moved by the mystery of life in this world when Kail cleared his throat, looking somewhat exasperated.

"Let's get back to the topic. Most importantly, this fool fully believes and acknowledges the Black Dragon's story. He's one of the top minds in our country. He's sharp and can spot danger. The fact that he's attached to the Black Dragon leaves no room for doubt. I didn't think dragons could actually understand language, though..."

The background for his quick acceptance was his complete trust in Nectar.

To risk his own safety to come and help is not something everyone can do.

...I envy that. It's dazzling for a loner like me.

Still, I felt a bit awkward as I looked at Nectar, who seemed to fit the description of "innocent."

Is this the top mind, really?

I can tell he's smart just by talking to him, but he doesn't seem particularly brilliant, making it hard to believe.

It's more like the line between a fool and a genius is thin. He seems to be far from the type who asserts his research and gathers authority. From spending time with him, I can tell he's the type who would rather be left alone in a corner of the laboratory than be imprisoned. I wonder if his research content was just bad, or if he really did something serious?

"...I can understand what the Black Dragon means.

When it comes to magic, he loses all sense of boundaries, but he never crosses the line.

This execution was the result of him rushing his research and the irresponsible bastards taking all the blame for the collateral damage."

Kail, with a grim expression, said something that made Nectar, who had been silent, speak anxiously.

"No, Kail. It was because my research wasn't complete and I couldn't minimize the impact on the ecosystem."

"That was because the greedy bastards gave an order to make the theoretical spell practical! Moreover, all the research materials were stolen by their puppet magicians, and I was forced to do the most dangerous magic adjustment, which broke my staff!"

"..."

I could only watch as they suddenly started arguing and glared at each other.

Kail seemed to be more convinced as he looked at Nectar, who remained silent and bowed his head.

"...I knew something was off.

Usually, you would do anything to continue your research, so why did you let yourself be taken away without any explanation? If you had been left alone, you would have been under house arrest for life, but the country would have kept you alive to continue your magic research. There was no benefit for the country to execute you.

—Unless a few nobles, led by the head court magician who had a grudge against you, went to your special cell and, as revenge for you upsetting them, forced through an execution in the name of academic research on dragons."

"......If you understood that much, why did you come to see me?"

Kail laughed lightly in response to Nectar's stunned expression.

"I was thinking a lot, but seeing your face made me forget everything. You look so alive with that gloomy face, and you're attached to that dragon like a puppy. I feel like an idiot for being so prepared."

"Kail...?"

"Thanks to the Black Dragon, the enslavement curse is lifted, right? It's perfect. The country has no time to deal with dragons, so they won't come to check after we leave. Stay here and be a nuisance. We'll share the extra food we brought."

"But the monster attacks haven't stopped, and the magic is still leaking from that land."

"Finally, the country has realized the seriousness of the situation. Our unit will be sent as reinforcements. It will be a full-scale battle. The research team led by the head magician is working day and night to find a solution to the hole. They'll do their best.

So, the border security will be lax for a while. Even without your staff, you can come and go freely now. When you finish your contract with the Black Dragon, take care of yourself. Don't come back here."

"Then I will join the extermination...!?"

Nectar, who was about to speak harshly, was silenced by Kail's sharp glance.

"Listen. You're already dead. There's no place for you in this country. So, whatever happens from now on, it's none of your business. Got it? ...Since the Black Dragon won't understand, translate it for me."

With that, their conversation ended, and the translated content was shorter than the actual conversation. I understood that Nectar was falsely accused and is now considered dead, so he won't be pursued by the country anymore.

However, I wanted to know the reason for the heavy atmosphere between Nectar, who had a stiff face, and Kail, who remained calm.

Kail then looked up at me with a sincere expression.

"I sincerely apologize for trying to harm the Black Dragon according to our principles.

I am well aware that the Black Dragon's kindness has saved Nectar. I would be grateful if you could protect him for at least two more weeks. He is the hope of our magicians. Please, I beg of you."

'Even without being asked, the spirit-mediated contract is absolute. I still have a lot to learn from Nectar. Two weeks will pass in no time.'

Kail straightened his back and pulled out the staff he had strapped to his waist, holding it with his right arm behind his back and placing his left fist on his abdomen—the highest form of salute for magicians, as defined by the ancient magic empire. The way he showed respect was just as I was taught by my grandfather, and it hasn't changed.

"Thank you."

'That...'

"Captain! Are you okay!"

"More importantly, is the head of the department hurt!?"

"Wow, you've lost so much weight... and your hair is all cut off!"

Just as I was about to ask for the reason behind all the determination, his comrades finally came out and surrounded them, making it impossible to speak.

"Yes, finally. You're late, you guys."

"No, don't compare us to the strong-hearted captain. We faced hell! How can you be so calm?"

"It's fine. You can understand me better than the country's fools. Try talking to them. By the way, he's apparently a user of ancient magic, so try to get some wisdom from him."

"Really!?"

Kail, who was encouraging his subordinates, who were looking up at me nervously, didn't show any sign of the determination he had just displayed.

His ability to switch gears so quickly was impressive.

It might be a reflection of the harsh environment they were in.

"Well, Nectar."

Nectar, who was happily reuniting with his comrades, shuddered as Kail grabbed him by the collar with a strangely good smile.

"What is it?"

"I was supposed to bribe the guards and put a message in the carriage with food and camping gear, but you didn't read it, did you?"

"Well, that's..."

"It should have said to escape to the border if the guards were lax, and to at least contact us if you couldn't. But you couldn't, right, with the magic-sealing restraints during the escort?"

"After the Black Dragon freed you, it should have been different! No excuses! I even used an unfamiliar exploration spell to find you while I was unconscious and living a slow life! And you were even learning ancient magic! I'm so jealous, you'll regret this!!"

"Wait, please! Give, give, give, give!!"

I was the only one left stunned as Kail and the others started a commotion, pinning Nectar down and applying joint locks.

The rest of Kail's unit, who had been surrounding them, were now a bit away, watching with a mix of amusement and exasperation. I decided to talk to them.

"Is this usual between Nectar and the captain?"

As expected, they flinched and looked at each other, but one of them, a bearded man in his 50s, stepped forward.

"That's right. Whenever the head... Nectar does something careless or brings trouble, the captain disciplines him. Even though Nectar could escape, he accepts it, so it's part of their communication."

The bearded man's expression, which was a mix of exasperation and amusement, easily conveyed their close relationship, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You have a good relationship."

"Yes."

Even though the dragon's smile might be scary, the man wasn't afraid and agreed.

But this man might also be in his 70s or even 80s.

I felt a bit sentimental as I thought about it, and a timid voice came from the group that had been huddled together.

"Black Dragon."

The one who spoke was a woman with light brown hair. Oh, there's a girl too.

"What is it?"

"Th, the magic barrier in this forest only reacts to directional magic and doesn't block it, but how is the spell constructed? Could you at least give us an overview?"

She said it all in one breath, and her friends cheered her on with "Good job, well said!" and "As expected, special attack Bel!!" Special attack...?

Well, to a dragon, selecting and manipulating magic is a standard skill.

Even though it's something I can do in the corner of my mind, it's a bit troublesome, so I incorporated the algorithm into the spell to make it easier. But how do I explain it?

"...Hmm"

"!!! I'm sorry, please spare my life...!"

I was thinking, but when I noticed, her freckled face was extremely tense, and some of the soldiers were already bowing in apology. No, this is just my normal face! I'm not glaring!

"I was thinking about how to explain it using only the words I know. It seems like they'll be busy for a while, so I'll write the formula and you can all try to solve it. Can you read ancient language? A little? If you don't understand any words, please ask."

I started writing the spell in the air with light spirits, and they watched in amazement, then became engrossed, exchanging information with each other, just like Nectar when he found an unexpected hint in our conversation. I felt a bit of kinship.

However, the conversation between the young man and Nectar kept nagging at the back of my mind, and I couldn't forget it.