Chapter 60

Two days later.

I, along with Eifa, set off from Rodnea in a carriage with the prince and his escort.

The Kingdom of Astiria is even farther than the Lamproug territory.

It’s going to be a long journey.

Eifa, sitting next to me, asks with a worried look.

"Seika, are you okay? Do you feel sick?"

"Yeah, I’m getting used to it now."

I answer with a wry smile.

After riding so many times, I guess it’s only natural. The ride isn’t particularly comfortable, though.

Eifa continues.

"If you don’t feel well, you can sleep. I’ll wake you up if anything happens."

"I’ll do that if I need to, but I’m not really sleepy yet."

"Oh, right... It’s only the first day..."

"Huh?"

"No, it’s nothing."

Eifa shakes her head and smiles softly.

"Seika, when we rode in the carriage together before, you stayed awake at the inns, right? I thought maybe you slept in the carriage during the day because of that."

"Oh... You noticed."

Inns in small towns and villages are mostly large rooms where everyone sleeps together.

Thanks to that, it’s hard to get a good night’s sleep. If you have valuables or a young woman with you, it’s even more difficult.

So when I left the territory last year, I had to stay vigilant at the inns all night... but that’s not why I stayed awake. I could have entrusted everything to my shikigami.

I stayed awake because I didn’t want to get motion sickness and preferred to sleep during the day.

I never got used to it even after seven days, partly because of that.

"Don’t worry about it. Back then, staying awake in the carriage was more exhausting."

"Yeah... Thanks, Seika."

Eifa smiles and says.

It’s true, but I doubt she really doesn’t care.

That’s probably why she’s liked by many students in the girls’ dormitory.

"But this time, we don’t have to worry about the inns. There are so many guards, and they must have made arrangements in advance."

After all, it’s the prince.

Even if we camp, it should be more comfortable than staying in a rural inn.

"It’s not often you get to travel to another country under such good conditions. Thanks to the dragon."

"…A dragon, huh. But it’s amazing, living together with humans and dragons."

Eifa looks up and says with a smile.

"Can you ride on their backs like dragon knights?"

"Dragon knights are just fairy tales. Eifa, you like that kind of thing... but in reality, it’s impossible."

"But they are friends, right?"

"No, it’s not a matter of friendship..."

Like yokai, it’s difficult to ride on something with wings.

When I ride a yokai, I choose one that can fly using only spiritual power, like a jiang.

As I’m wondering how to explain, Eifa suddenly says,

"By the way, before we left, Prince Cecilio invited me to ride in his carriage."

"Huh!?"

"He said he wanted to talk about the dragon in detail."

"O-oh..."

That prince... didn’t even say a word to me about talking about the dragon?

I understand. The dragon is just an excuse, and the real goal is Eifa. But shouldn’t he at least show some courtesy to me?

Is this even the time for such things given the current situation?

I ask with a strained face,

"S-so... what did you say?"

"Of course I declined. I said I’m Seika’s attendant."

Eifa says with a wry smile.

"It’s a bit awkward, isn’t it? I don’t think he really wants to add me to his harem."

"No... I think he was serious."

"Really? If so, I might be a little happy."

Eifa says with a slight blush.

With a lingering feeling of unease, the carriage continues on.

****

Nine days later.

The city, our destination, surrounded by walls, came into view.

The old capital of the Kingdom of Astiria, Protoasta.

A city standing in a peaceful location, backed by mountains and surrounded by grasslands.

Although it seemed a bit small for a former capital, it had a dignified and historical presence.

The carriage stopped quite a distance from the city gate.

"What’s going on?"

"Hmm... It seems the city gate is congested."

I answer, sticking my head out the window.

The carriages waiting to enter seemed to be those of merchants. We might have arrived during a busy time.

However, there are quite a few of them. It seems the imperial road does pass through here, and it’s a major city.

"Lord Seika."

A voice calls from outside the carriage.

Looking out, I see the prince, who has gotten out of his carriage, walking over with a few guards.

"I apologize. It seems it will take some time. Would you like to get some fresh air in the meantime?"

"Yes, let’s do that."

I turn my head and call to Eifa.

"Shall we get out?"

"Sure, let’s do that."

Eifa gets out of the carriage first and stretches.

"Wow, this is a nice place."

She walks on the grassland with a cheerful look.

She seems more energetic than me, but she must have been tired from being in the carriage for so long.

I talk to the prince, who is watching Eifa from nearby.

"It’s a pleasant place."

The prince smiles.

"Yes, it is. I like it here. However... it’s not as peaceful as it used to be. The congestion at the city gate is also due to that."

"Is something happening?"

"It seems the merchants’ horses are frightened. It’s been happening since a while ago..."

At that moment,

I feel a powerful presence all over my body.

A large shadow glides over the ground.

Looking up at the sky, I can’t help but widen my eyes.

"...That’s..."

A huge monster is flying in the sky, spreading its wings.

Its silhouette is similar to a winged lizard.

But its presence is as overwhelming as a dragon.

That’s a dragon.

I’ve seen illustrations in documents many times, but this is the first time I’m seeing one in real life.

There are such powerful creatures in this world too.

"...It hasn’t left yet."

The prince mutters with a look of disgust.

Noticing my gaze, he begins to explain.

"It seems to have started flying around here recently. The merchants’ carriages are probably on high alert because of it. The horses are frightened too. However, as long as we don’t provoke it, it won’t attack us."

"I see..."

Indeed, I don’t feel much hostility. It seems they really do live together with humans.

I ask while preparing just in case.

"It’s quite large. I don’t remember many documents mentioning such a large size."

From head to tail, it’s at least ten zhang (about thirty meters) long.

"It seems to be a species of that kind. It’s called a Great Dragon."

"...Is that so?"

I wish you had told me that beforehand. If I had known, I could have researched it more thoroughly. But it’s fine.

"By the way, you said it’s on high alert because of the carriages. Is it okay? Our arrival has increased the number of carriages."

"There’s no need to worry. We might have stimulated it a bit, but..."

At that moment,

the dragon, which seemed to be flying away to the mountains, suddenly turns in the sky.

It descends in altitude and approaches us.

"Hey, it’s coming this way."

"Yes, it seems to be on high alert."

The prince says calmly.

The other guards also seem unperturbed. It must be a common occurrence.

The dragon descends further, and its rough face and black-scaled skin become visible.

It then flies past us.

A gust of wind hits the carriage’s canopy, and the frightened horses neigh.

Eifa, who was standing a little away, falls on her bottom, saying, "Whoa!"

I watch the dragon’s retreating figure and say,

"It’s big, but what it’s doing is no different from a crow protecting its nest."

"...Lord Seika, you are quite bold. Even seasoned adventurers used to scream when they first encountered it."

The prince says with a slightly surprised tone.

"However, you are right. If we do nothing, it will eventually leave."

The dragon turns in the sky again.

But this time, it’s at a slightly higher altitude. As the prince said, it might be planning to leave after one more show of force.

The dragon approaches again.

At that moment,

I feel a clear flow of power from the ground.

"---Come forth from the land of scorching heat, [Lava Tiger]."

A man’s voice echoes.

Suddenly, a red-black beast, taller than a person, appears from nowhere.

The huge beast gallops across the grassland, scattering heat waves, and leaps high. It attacks the approaching dragon.

Its claws and fangs barely reach the dragon in the sky.

However, the dragon flaps its wings in fright and flies away towards the mountains.

Seeing the beast roar in frustration at the fleeing enemy, I narrow my eyes.

It has the appearance of a lava beast.

The red-black skin is a suit of armor made of minerals and lava. The round face, the cat-like flexible body, and the barely recognizable tiger-like stripes in red and black are the only things that remind one of a tiger. But its body is nearly three times the size of a regular tiger.

That’s a Lava Tiger... a monster that should live in a volcano.

"Trouble..."

I mutter.

The lava beast is still excited even after the dragon has fled.

It growls with anger, its body trembling, and then, as if to vent its frustration, it attacks Eifa, who is standing a little away.

Eifa stands frozen, eyes wide open.

She shows no sign of fleeing or resisting.

I frown and form a seal with one hand.

《Earth Phase --- Obstruction Technique》

A cluster of translucent pillars blocks the path of the lava beast.

The Lava Tiger lunges at the pillars, but they are as thick as trees and don’t budge.

However, upon closer inspection, the surface seems to be melting from the heat.

The quartz of the 《Obstruction》 should withstand the heat of lava... but that armor seems to be hotter than I thought.

Leaving the prince behind, I step forward.

I don’t know what’s going on, but I need to get rid of that thing since it’s dangerous.

The lava beast, sensing my presence, turns its gaze towards me.

It kicks the grassland with its scorching legs and charges at me.

Its fangs are bared.

At the same moment, as I prepare to cast a spell from my invisible human form, the Lava Tiger suddenly arches its body as if pulled by an invisible rein.

"Easy there... really, this one is always so unruly."

The man’s voice echoes again.

Looking in the direction of the voice, I see a magician in a black robe walking over with a few followers. He has a large hood covering his head and is holding a book open in his right hand.

Is that... a grimoire?

"Hey, calm down. That’s a breach of contract."

The Lava Tiger struggles, but its movements are restrained.

The magic binding the Lava Tiger seems to be connected to that grimoire.

"Alright, that’s enough. Return."

The magician closes the book with a snap, and the Lava Tiger turns into particles of light and is absorbed into the pages.

I finally realize.

That man is a summoner.

A support class that makes contracts with monsters and freely summons them to fight.

The Lava Tiger was probably his summoned creature.

"Phew, that was close. Are you alright, Prince Cecilio?"

The summoner, with a light tone, walks over to us.

"Zekt!! What do you think you’re doing!!"

The prince, in response, distorts his face and shouts.

"You should have known the dragon wasn’t a threat! Why did you send that summoned creature after it!? You almost endangered the guests from the empire!!"

"Well, Your Highness, we helped, didn’t we?"

Zekt shrugs.

"Can you really say it wasn’t a threat? You called us, Your Highness. If the client dies, we’re in trouble. Besides, I’d rather you didn’t wander outside the city walls so carelessly. And the situation has changed while you were away."

"The situation has changed?"

"In the past few days, the frequency of the dragon’s flights has decreased. But it’s become much more agitated. Several residents have been roared at when it landed nearby. Understand? It was dangerous just now too."

The prince falls silent.

What’s going on with this guy?

"Your Highness, who is this person?"

I ask, and the prince turns to me and speaks.

"My apologies, Lord Seika. This is Zekt, the leader of the mercenary group I called, the Zekt Mercenary Group. Zekt, this is Seika Lamproug, the envoy for the dragon investigation. He is also the son of an imperial viscount. Please be respectful."

"Ah, just a kid... Oops, my apologies. To be an envoy at such a young age, you must be quite the talent."

I ignore the condescending attitude of the man and ask my question.

"A mercenary group? Why did you hire one?"

The prince hesitates for a moment and then answers with a somewhat bitter tone.

"To slay the dragon."

What?

※Obstruction Technique

A technique that creates quartz pillars. The main component, silicon dioxide, has a melting point of 1650°C, is chemically stable, and has excellent strength. It is also the most abundant molecule in the Earth's crust.