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Chapter 49 – Part 1

 

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TRANSLATOR: Artemis

EDITOR: Ryunakama

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While Vaje continued to nibble on the pieces of dried pork meat that I gave her, savoring them one by one, she quietly moved her feet forward as we neared the end of our journey.

I thought that she would have eaten the whole pouch of dried meat in one or two bites, but unexpectedly, she was instead eating it slowly piece by piece, truly savoring the taste and eating it with great care.

Maybe she really liked how it tasted, or maybe… it was because it was something she’d received from me?

When I glanced back to observe Lenia and Vaje, who were walking a short distance behind me, I saw Selina next to them talking with the professor and Miss Eliza, and strange-sounding laughter came my way from them.

The professor and Miss Eliza have been talking for some time about how the journey this time felt much easier than any of their previous ones, thanks to our presence. Excluding myself, our party included the imperial and divine dragons, Vaje and Liu Yu. In terms of pure physical threat, it could be said our lineup was mostly invincible, so they would obviously feel more at ease than usual.

「Dran-san, I’ve been thinking this for a while now, but the professor and Miss Eliza get along quite well, don’t they?」

「They’ve known each other for a really long time, after all. That’s how I want to be together with you, Selina」

「If it’s me and you, then we’ve gotten along well since long ago already!」

「Ah, Selina, that’s not fair. My relationship with Dran-sama has always been good too!」

「Hmhmm. That’s right, we get along too, don’t we, Liu Yu. Hahahaha」

As I exchanged this carefree conversation with them, Christina who was walking in the lead spoke under her breath. Her truly astonished mumble reached my ears.

「It’s not good to get too nervous, but it’s also not good to let your guard down too much… At any rate, this can’t be considered as a conversation between fully grown adults. But it does seem fitting for Dran at least」

I thought so too. Especially Liu Yu’s behavior. Compared to how she acted in front of strangers or in the Imperial Palace where her mother’s eyes could see her, her sort of childish side stood out here.

Liu Yu grew up without a father, and from a young age, stood in the shadows of her elegant mother, which put strong pressure on her to fulfill her duties as the future Water Dragon Emperor of the kingdom. Her mother had watched over her and had been there as someone Liu Yu could lean on, but she had never once asked for anything selfishly. Liu Yu was a thoroughly good daughter, or so she acted. That’s what Ryoukichi had somewhat sadly admitted to me before.

That’s how Liu Yu grew up, so she doesn’t have much experience with anyone doting on her and spoiling her. Now, if someone were to spoil her, she probably wouldn’t be able to conduct herself in a way that wasn’t child-like.

Thinking of how Ryoukichi had entrusted me with looking after Liu Yu, I liked this young water dragon girl so much, I couldn’t help but want to spoil her more.

Just by me being there for her, I am able to fill up Liu Yu’s loneliness and her desolate longing for a father figure, even if it’s only a little bit. I think that’s a wonderful thing.

Well, for an old dragon soul like me, talking with a young lady was also pretty refreshing and new.

Our travels continued smoothly, and we were even able to safely finish eating a meal and clean it up without getting attacked even once — but then, Vaje voluntarily offered her help, and without realizing, I ended up thinking 「Vaje wants to help? 」with tears almost spilling. That Vaje, as soon as she was full, puffed out her well-endowed chest with pride as she offered her helpful proposal.

Seeing both of Vaje’s breasts bounce a little from the movement, Liu Yu patted her own chest, and then her beautiful eyebrows lowered darkly. I guess she learned of the vast difference between herself and Vaje.

Come to think of it, her mother was quite large there herself, but Liu Yu was, um… well.

A shadow passed over Liu Yu’s face, but her bitterness went unnoticed by Vaje, who proposed thus:

「If we keep going at this snail’s pace, then we’ll never make it. We’re wasting time. I’ll just carry everyone to that campground or whatever」

The sun hadn’t set yet, but even within this Solania that floats within the clouds, signs of twilight were beginning to show, and the slight gloom that had been lurking in our surroundings was becoming thicker and would soon change into darkness.

I would have thought that it should be time to propose setting up camp here for the night, such as setting up barriers for detection and prevention of attacks, but that was what she’d proposed instead.

「I think Vaje’s proposal is worth considering, but what do you think, Professor?」

「If we were to arrive there immediately, we’d have to spend the night there. If so, we’d be spending the night in a place that we don’t even know if it’s been attacked or not yet. That could be a little dangerous」

As was his habit when he was deep in thought, Professor Edward brought his fingers to his chin, and Miss Eliza beside him added onto what he said with a question for Vaje.

「But, Miss Vaje, how exactly will you take us to Todorokuni’s campgrounds? I know this may be rude to say, but I think it will be difficult for you to carry all of us at the same time…」

Hmm, now then, should I stop Vaje or not… well, whatever. I predicted that whatever actions Vaje took next would be right, so I didn’t stop her. Liu Yu also wasn’t making any moves.

Liu Yu and Vaje being Dragonians, that was just something the professor, Christina and the others had assumed on their own, and Vaje hadn’t once herself said that they were Dragonian.

With an abrupt burst of high heat, the flow of the surrounding air shifted, and the heat warmed my cheeks as if they were being touched by fire. It was a sign that Vaje was about to unveil her transformation.

「If I carry you in my true form, we’ll be there in no time」

＊

「Ahahaha, well, to think I’d be given a ride by a pure blooded ancient dragon, this sure is an amazingly valuable experience! Maybe I’ll give a report on the comforts of flying to the school」

Vaje had been laughing while in a great mood since a while back now, and riding in her palm was Professor Edward.

Professor Edward had accepted Vaje’s plan, and decided to fly all the way to the campgrounds in one, quick trip.

Vaje wasn’t the only one to expose her true form, Liu Yu also revealed herself as an Imperial Dragon, but instead of riding in her hands, we hung from her back while holding onto her neck.

Vaje had said earlier that she could carry everyone by herself, but then she took it back and said she definitely did not want Christina, and seriously refused to let her on.

Christina looked like she had already expected that response, but she still looked a little bit hurt by it anyway.

Vaje was carrying Selina, Professor Edward, and Miss Eliza. Selina was still glaring at me with a face that said she was upset and dissatisfied by this turn of events, but there was no other choice but for her to put up with it for now.

And then riding on Liu Yu’s back was me, Christina, and Lenia.

I couldn’t not say that the most troublesome lineup of people were stuck here on this side.

Christina-san, who was leaning against the back of Liu Yu’s dorsal fin, spoke to Liu Yu apologetically.

「Liu Yu, I’m sorry. You went out of your way for me」

「Oh, please don’t worry about it. It’s Vaje’s fault for speaking so selfishly and troubling Dran-sama. There is nothing for you to blame yourself for. Vaje probably understands already inside that head of hers, because she is a person who is always true to her own heart」

「You know her well. Maybe you fight because you two get along so well?」

「It is not anything like that. She and I are fire and water. We are just incompatible」

Liu Yu announced as such, her answer cold because of her worsening mood. Christina looked back at me, and she seemed to ask me with her eyes if what Liu Yu said was really the case between them. I replied with a shrug of my shoulders.

It meant that I was of the same opinion as Christina. Lenia had no interest in our exchange, as she entrusted her body to Liu Yu’s fin, and silently closed her eyes to try to sleep.

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