Chapter 111
Vaje opened his heavy eyelids and the rising morning sun spread across the horizon before her. She could tell from the sight, smell, and noises slowly filling up her senses that she was lying on her back in a meadow. Under her head was something soft to the touch. Liu Yuu or Ryoukichi had probably collected a blob of water for her as a cushion.
For this Water Dragon Emperor and her daughter, morphing this fragment of water such that it did not wet those in contact with it was child’s play to them. Just as Vaje could toy with fire and emit flames, Water Dragons could easily cause others to be drenched in water or even drown.
Beyond the blue sky and white clouds that entered the Crimson Dragon’s vision, she caught sight of the cheeky Liu Yuu looking back at her and the majestic Water Dragon Emperor’s beauty.
Even after Vaje had found out that Liu Yuu was the daughter of the Water Dragon Emperor, the two had often squabbled when they met. Presently, a worried expression was on Liu Yuu’s face as she regarded Vaje who had fainted. Seeing that Vaje had regained consciousness, a sigh of relief escaped her. This pair was the epitome of getting closer through fights.
「Ms. Vaje, you’re finally awake. How are you feeling? Do you feel unwell?」
In response to Liu Yuu’s question, Vaje slowly sat up and muttered out an answer drowsily.
「Oh, I’m fine. I don’t feel… unwell.」
After Vaje sat up, she used his tail to push the rest of his body off the ground and stood up.
As Vaje slowly got back up, Liu Yuu gradually released the bubble of water she had morphed into a temporary cushion. Her eyes were filled with worry as she watched Vaje shake her head and clear her mind.
Finally having regained her consciousness entirely, Vaje realized that there were others besides Liu Yuu and Ryoukichi around her. These included Lenia, as well as Christina, Selina, and Dramina who were seeming far less abominable now.
「Oh, why was I sleeping? Hm… I see. So, that’s what happened. Hohohoho.」
The moment Vaje burst out laughing, Liu Yuu had to suppress the bubbling urge to ask Vaje if she had lost his mind. Instead, Liu Yuu weaved the same question differently as words left her lovely lips which were the color of cherry blossoms.
「Ms. Vaje, are you feeling unlike yourself?」
Liu Yuu was not the only one with these thoughts. Selina, who tended to worry about others, was also scrutinizing Vaje’s disposition right now. However, Vaje simply turned back to look at Liu Yuu with a refreshing smile on her face.
This smile was so bright that it made Liu Yuu even more convinced that Vaje had lost her wits. After all, Liu Yuu had only ever seen the haughty and ambitious Vaje.
「Hohoho. It’s nothing. I just had the most ridiculous dream. Liu Yuu, laugh at me if you want to. After all, not only did the representatives of the seven primordial dragons, Lord Alexander and Lord Leviathan descend upon us, Dran was even the human reincarnation of Lord Dragon. Hoho, it sure was too terrifying and absurd to be called a mere daydream. It’s true that Dragon’s soul has yet to be located in this entire world, but how did my dream end up with his human reincarnation? Goodness, my imagination is incredible. Hahahahaha.」
That sure was an empty laughter deprived of joy. Every single person who heard it would no doubt imagine the coldness of a barren wilderness overcast with clouds.
When Selina, who was standing a distance away from Liu Yuu, heard the dry laughter, she was almost on the verge of tears. Certainly, the sight of Vaje now was pitiful as she denied reality and insisted everything before her was just a dream.
「Hahahahaha. Come on, Liu Yuu. Laugh. I won’t flare up at you if you laugh at me this time. After all, I’m the fool right now. Hahahahaha.」
「Ms. Vaje, you have my pity and sympathy. Over there, Ms. Vaje. Please steady your heart.」
Liu Yuu’s heart ached terribly, as though she had just given an order for someone’s execution. However, she hardened her heart and chose to nudge Vaje toward the truth.
In the meantime, I—an existence that my beloved mother would even admit as insignificant—was made to wait.
At the very least, Vaje was not particularly bothered by being saved, nor did she express any rage. Otherwise, Vaje would be bent on vindicating Liu Yuu and Ryoukichi.
Despite this progression of events, Liu Yuu simply did not understand that her actions would only serve to trouble the one she had left waiting. Moreover, she was only acting due to her rather compulsive nature.
「Hm? Over there? Where? This side? There? Haha. Ah… Here…? Over here…」
Vaje turned to look in the direction that Liu Yuu had pointed in with tears in her eyes. It was time for Vaje to face the reality she had condemned to be a dream out of self-defense.
In Vaje’s heart, a single statement keep repeating itself.
Ah!!!! If only everything was just a dream!!
Even though Vaje’s heart was yelling at her to stop looking over—that she should not face up to reality—she still turned to look at the truth.
Alexander was grinning widely as she entwined her right arm with Dran’s left arm. The majestic Leviathan was standing on the other side of Dran. Between the two, Dran was carrying himself with his usual calm demeanor.
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「Fumu. You’ve finally woken up. Vaje, it may be hard for you to believe all these, but there’s really no need to faint.」
When I spoke to Vaje, my tone was akin to that of a father chiding a strong-willed daughter. However, my gaze was gentle as I regarded her.
Alexander, who had conveyed her thoughts about me clearly, was grining from ear to ear with no intention of speaking. Perhaps this was a lucky matter for Vaje that Alexander was not the slightest bit bothered by the pitiful Crimson Dragon.
「Dragon, or should I call you Dran instead? Well, Dran, you’re at fault for keeping the truth hidden too. Is it not cruel to be chiding your juniors like this?」
Unlike my younger sister who saw me as her world, Leviathan berated me lightly in a bid to defend Vaje.
Leviathan was probably lenient in her scolding because she had remembered that she, as well as her comrades in the Dragon Realm, had little interaction with those on the earth. Hence, she had likely taken into consideration the differences in natures of both parties.
「I don’t mean to reprimand you, so I’m sorry I ended up sounding like that. Vaje, don’t mind me. I’m not blaming you.」
「Eh, ah… Oh… Ah.」
I spoke to Vaje with a gentle voice and demeanor in a bid to avoid scaring her. However, Vaje seemed to have forgotten how to breathe the moment she was spoken to, her mouth gaping open and close several times.
I probably seemed approachable to Vaje, yet the two dragons beside me were different. Alexander and Leviathan were transcendent existences of the dragons, and their domineering presences probably left Vaje frozen in place. Moreover, Vaje was witnessing Alexander and Leviathan interact with me like relatives, and in reality, we were even closer than that. This sight before Vaje forced her to acknowledge the truth no matter how much she was resistant to it.
Vaje had assumed that I was just a reincarnation of a supreme White Dragon. However, I was more than just a White Dragon. I was a creature of legends and a pillar of the seven primordial dragons—Dragon.
「Okay…」
「Ms. Vaje, please calm down. Lord Dran isn’t bothered by such matters, so please be reassured.」
Liu Yuu repeatedly coaxed after she had regained her composure, as though reassuring a terrified child. Meanwhile, she had also hurriedly supported Vaje, who was about to collapse again with beady tears in her crimson eyes. Even Ryoukichi came over to wrap her arms around Vaje’s shoulders to calm Vaje down gently.
I might be the origin of the entire species and the greatest of the seven primordial dragons, but Vaje’s reaction was so exaggerated that even Leviathan turned back and looked at me. In Leviathan’s eyes, I was absent-minded and bumbling, but I was still the one who had spent the longest time on earth with both my lives combined.
「Hey, Dran, is it normal for those on earth to react like this when they see us? Besides crying, Vaje is about to faint too. She doesn’t seem to be afraid of us, but it’s hard to think that this is the result of being nervous.」
「I don’t interact with our comrades on the earth frequently either. To them, we’re probably the equivalent of what humans call nobles. I’m pretty sure everyone else will react in the same way as Vaje. She was already extremely nervous before Ryoukichi, but she’s meeting us who are in an even greater position. It’s not entirely shocking, though I didn’t expect her to faint.」
「Fumu. We need to consider further plans to deepen our relationship with our comrades on earth. It’s too late to do anything this time, but there may be even more misfortunate incidents in the future. Vaje, relax. Ryoukichi and Liu Yuu are already used to interacting with us, though Liu Yuu still seems a little jittery.」
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