Ch.116Special Side Story – To Another Continent (Complete)

It was pandemonium.

The screams of panicking people gathered and echoed like a massive roar. There was little chance that proper protocols had been established for such an unprecedented disaster.

Most people were fleeing in terror into the palace, though it was uncertain whether this would provide any visible protection against the calamity.

“Let’s go, Irefi!”

“What about Rishecrate?”

“I’ll take care of her.”

Irefi accepted without objection. However, Rishecrate, whose own will had been excluded from this decision, gasped and protested.

“W-wait a minute! You said we’re going out?! I don’t want to die…!”

“It’s okay. You’re safest by my side. Besides, when else would you get to see a dragon up close?”

“Nepy? That last comment will only increase her anxiety.”

Irefi pointed this out calmly, then added a bit more.

“But it’s true that you’re safest by Nepy’s side. If you find it hard to trust Nepy, then trust me.”

“Ugh…”

By the looks of it, Rishecrate’s mind seemed to be holding a fierce internal vote. Given the circumstances, the results were announced extremely quickly.

“Alright… but you have to protect me, okay…?”

Rishecrate’s teary eyes resembled those of a lovable puppy.

Enchanted by her pitiful state, I burned with an unfounded sense of duty and answered vigorously.

“Of course!”

With Rishecrate’s permission granted, hesitation was unnecessary. Now it was time to carry her like a princess and run.

As we quickly crossed the corridor, the voices of terrified people pierced our ears.

Unlike how Irefi and I viewed the situation, objectively speaking, this was a serious crisis. In Eld Empire terms, it would be like a Chainlich Phenomenon occurring openly in the system.

“What should we do, Irefi?”

“Communication comes first. Dragons are highly intelligent creatures capable of conversation.”

“So you’re not resorting to violence first.”

“What kind of person do you think I am, Nepy?”

My wife, who could contort her body into letters when pushed too far, asked for my opinion, but I maintained complete silence. This momentarily upset Irefi, causing fear. Still, I was safe for now, having secured Rishecrate as an excellent shield.

“I think Nepy is having bad thoughts…”

“Oh my.”

Irefi was one thing, but how did Rishecrate know?

While pondering this trivial question, our view reached beyond the imperial palace, and we revealed ourselves before an enormous presence.

Soon, Rishecrate let out a shrill cry at the familiar sight.

“Father?!”

“Why are you here…”

Rishecrate probably hadn’t expected to see the emperor confronting a dragon in front of the main palace.

About a dozen knights surrounded him in formation, but fear was evident in the eyes of the armed guards.

“Get away immediately! No, rather, why do you have that child…?!”

“I understand how you feel, but first…”

I was about to make some excuse.

A mysterious voice echoed throughout the gathering, pressing down with a strange pressure.

[So you are the leader of these humans.]

The vertically slit pupil rolled toward the emperor. The emperor trembled as if his soul had been damaged.

Of course, the dragon wasn’t gentle enough to be considerate about this.

“Yes… What brings you here, O Dragon?”

[I have come to collect payment for sins.]

“Sins…?”

[Payment for ignorant greed…]

Everyone gathered here failed to understand the dragon’s intentions. In a scene where no one dared to speak freely, the human leader showed courage befitting his position.

“What greed have we committed?”

[Do you truly claim ignorance of invading and damaging my nest without knowing your place?]

A quiet anger trailed the dragon’s words. Simultaneously, my past conversation with Rishecrate flashed before me like a dream.

‘I’ll admit it now… we actually came here to see dragons.’

‘What?!’

‘This was the last continent discovered, right? And quite recently too.’

‘Hmm, yes, that’s right. A village in the west was completely destroyed. Fortunately, there were no casualties.’

‘Is that possible?’

‘The dragon wasn’t hunting; the village just happened to be in its path.’

From the dragon’s statement, I could roughly piece together the outline of the incident.

Literally, some people had invaded the dragon’s nest and either stolen something or caused damage of some kind.

In retaliation, the dragon had destroyed a village connected to the intruders.

Perhaps following the principle of an eye for an eye.

[I administered some punishment directly, but humans are a species that quickly forgets the past. So I’ve come to personally engrave an unforgettable memory.]

The emperor’s eyes widened as he understood the predator’s intentions. Meanwhile, the dragon continued, its eyes forming crescents with an evil glint.

[If the nest of the human leader collapses, wouldn’t that remind you of your place for generations to come?]

“O Dragon!”

The emperor cried out desperately, but he was too small and hollow to attract the attention of the massive being before him.

Faced with this urgent development, I had no choice but to change my mindset.

‘This… isn’t a situation where we can leisurely sightsee.’

At this rate, Rishecrate’s home would be reduced to ashes. We needed to intervene with force immediately.

“Irefi…”

[Burn.]

WHOOSH!

In an instant, a pillar of fire rose. The dragon seemed to have reduced the magical firepower to let them slowly savor their despair. Even without direct communication, its malicious eyes conveyed its intentions.

“Ah…”

The burning area was a room with a terrace that offered an excellent view of the imperial palace. It was a place typically assigned to distinguished guests because of the beautiful scenery visible just by drawing the curtains.

“Ha… insane.”

Additionally, Irefi’s family was a resource magnate with enormous wealth. It was significant enough that Rishecrate’s father wanted to establish connections with them.

What did this have to do with the current situation?

“This is truly maddening…”

It meant that our room, where we were being treated as distinguished guests, was on fire.

“…Hmm.”

I casually rolled my eyes to the side.

I wanted to observe Irefi’s reaction.

However, she had lowered her head so much that her flowing white hair completely covered her face. The only minor information I could gather was that Irefi’s hands were ominously fidgeting.

“How dare…”

“Irefi…?”

I cautiously called her name, but what came back was a storm of numbing, dark emotions.

“How dare… this lizard who doesn’t know its place…!”

By the time I reached out, it was already too late.

BOOM!

The explosive sound raised goosebumps, triggering my trauma.

It was the distinctive sound of Irefi’s irrational angular momentum creating a leap.

In an instant, Irefi’s blurred afterimage was now clearly standing right in front of the dragon.

Probably before the echoes of Irefi’s thunderous voice had even faded.

That’s when a merciless impact sound vibrated through the air.

[What… is this…?!]

“Shut up.”

WHAM!!!

The small fist of the charging woman created an impossible scene. With a single punch, Irefi blew away the dragon’s jaw, and the impact flipped the dragon onto its back.

It was a surreal mount position given the extreme weight difference. Irefi trampled relentlessly across the dragon’s belly. Using the scale-covered abdomen as her runway, she marched to the dragon’s jaw with the dignity of a noble queen.

“W-what, no, what, what’s happening…?”

In this reality that had lost all sense of reality, the emperor of the era showed a significant decline in linguistic ability, and

“Eeeek…”

Tremble tremble tremble tremble…

Rishecrate embodied vibrations that easily surpassed a modern smartphone alarm with her entire body.

[Y-you…! My carelessness ends here. Humans who reject mercy shall all…!!!]

“Reject?”

WHAM!!!

Once again, the vast earth groaned deeply.

It was the devastation created by Irefi kicking the dragon’s jaw.

Along with this, two massive fangs from the dragon’s widely opened mouth soared into the sky. Befitting the dragon’s size, the fangs were much larger than a human’s height.

[You, you…! I will never forgive…!]

At that moment, Irefi glared with a sharp look.

Her fiercely distorted eyes, like blue lakes, met the vertically slit eyes of the beast.

As their eye contact lengthened, the fiercely burning fighting spirit disappeared, leaving only a forcibly tamed beast.

[W-who are you…? Could it be the Demon Lord disguised as a human…]

“…”

[Oh, not that?]

Indeed, overwhelming violence had the effect of awakening a creature’s conscience. Moreover, perhaps due to being hit in the jaw, the dragon seemed to have temporarily regressed in intelligence.

‘There was a time worse than the Demon Lord…’

Irefi had experienced a time when the world would have ended if not for the help of the host plant.

I stroked Rishecrate’s head as she trembled in fear, sharing a sense of fellow suffering.

“I understand you might be upset about the trespassing.”

[Y-yes… I mean, yes, I am.]

“But you know what.”

[Yes…?]

“There’s no reason for us, who aren’t even involved, to suffer…!!!”

WHAM!

Irefi swung her fist with all her might, venting her pent-up emotions. Despite the weight difference, the sight of her pinching and pulling what could hardly be called a collar was terribly frightening.

WHAM! WHAM!

[Ugh…]

WHAM!

[Grrrk…]

CRACK, SMASH!!!

[Kahrgh, kehuk…]

With each accumulating pound from Irefi, the dragon’s screams became increasingly diverse. Today was the first time I realized that beasts could make different sounds when being one-sidedly beaten.

The eyes of the emperor and Rishecrate, who were supposed to be the victims, showed sympathy for the dragon, indicating just how dreadful the scene of violence was.

[I-I’m sorry. I was wrong! Please just spare my life!]

“…”

Finally, the dragon’s massive front paws rubbed together like a fly’s. Despite such a cowardly display, not a single person laughed.

Even to me, who had no veterinary qualifications, the dragon’s condition looked serious.

Blood splattered everywhere and teeth with clear cracks. The scales that had been bumpy were now flattened by the tremendous force. It was clear that even if it survived and left, there would be permanent aftereffects.

I imagine anyone in that position would have reacted the same way.

[I-I apologize. No, I beg for forgiveness. I will beg for forgiveness.]

“Forgiveness?”

[I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry…]

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to…”

Irefi turned her head toward us indifferently. More precisely, she was looking at Rishecrate, whom I was holding like a princess.

“Actually, I don’t mind about the room being burned. Strictly speaking, it’s not my actual home.”

[If, if that’s the case…?]

“What you burned… was this small child’s gift. So the one you should apologize to is someone else. Not me.”

Only then could I understand Irefi’s neurotic violence.

Past conversations and current reactions interlocked, solving the puzzle I had overlooked.

‘Irefi, what do you think? Isn’t it nice?’

‘…What?’

‘The Clock Flower, don’t you like it?’

‘Oh, no! That’s not it. It’s a really wonderful gift. I’ll cherish it, Rishecrate.’

‘Hehe, thank you.’

I had already noticed that Irefi was fond of Rishecrate. And the reason she became attached to Rishecrate was probably the same as mine.

If we had had a child, they would have been just about Rishecrate’s age. Even while strictly aware that she wasn’t, it would have been difficult to erase the thought that she was like a daughter.

Her anger could be seen as the result of a kind of maternal love.

Even if that emotion was an illusion…

At the time she received the gift, Irefi’s strange silence had been puzzling. But now I understood clearly.

“So it was emotional.”

“Nepy?”

“I mean that Rishecrate is so cute it’s moving.”

“W-what are you saying…! In this situation…”

“Haha.”

Perhaps it was similar to how parents feel when receiving carnations. At least, that was my shallow guess.

If we had had a child… would Irefi have unexpectedly become a strict and blunt mother? Such a supposition painfully slid down my throat.

What brought me back from these inappropriate thoughts was the dragon’s trembling apology.

[I’m sorry… I’m truly sorry…]

“Um… Mr. Dragon…?”

Rishecrate seemed bewildered at receiving an apology from a dragon as a human. The dragon, perhaps anxious about Rishecrate’s lukewarm response, acted preemptively out of fear.

[Urgh… kuhh… heeeack… ptooey.]

The sound of dry heaving was similar whether from a human or a dragon. At this point, I thought the dragon was just dry heaving as an aftereffect of being beaten by Irefi.

Shortly after, an amber-colored mineral emerged, covered in viscous fluid.

Irefi and I frowned, not knowing what it was, but the emperor and Rishecrate gasped with wide eyes.

[This is… the crystallization of my magical power… kerlok! A Dragon Heart. I offer this as a token of my apology.]

“…”

“…”

While many eyes were fixed on the amber-colored Dragon Heart, only Irefi and I looked into each other’s eyes.

Sharing a single sentiment…

‘The Dragon Heart is disgustingly dirty…!!!’

I was a bit put off by Rishecrate, who was gazing ecstatically at the gem covered in sticky phlegm. Honestly, I wanted to cover her eyes.

[Will you… forgive me?]

“Ah, y-yes! Yes…!!!”

[Thank you.]

It was a request from a dragon whose character had improved in proportion to the accumulated violence.

Rishecrate sought silent permission from Irefi, and Irefi nodded silently.

“Okay.”

[I understand. Then I shall, kehek, take my leave…]

The dragon’s spine, which curved like a letter as it stood up, troubled me again. I hoped it would quickly spread those huge wings and fly away, disappearing from my sight.

WHOOSH!

With a gust of wind, the dragon’s massive body rose. Its body wobbled in the air as if caught in turbulent currents, increasing people’s anxiety.

Fortunately, without any major accidents, the dragon soared through the sky, gradually hiding its pitiful figure.

“Phew!”

I sighed in relief as the letter-curved figure disappeared. Apart from the trauma, it was also a sigh of relief that the major incident in Rishecrate’s country had been properly resolved.

Meanwhile, Irefi gracefully walked toward us.

The crowd along her path parted into two, like the parting of the sea in mythological stories.

“Are you alright, Rishecrate?”

“Y-yes! Yes, Irefi!”

“I’m glad.”

In the garden stained with dragon blood, only the elegant Irefi smiled brightly.

While the commotion caused by the dragon was being settled, we stayed in a temporarily assigned room.

It was refreshing to see Irefi unable to look me in the face out of embarrassment for her belated unseemly behavior. Until her face sank again, she was truly a living button of shame.

She had jumped onto the bed and stomped her feet, even with just a crude imitation of speech.

‘From the time I imprisoned her until the dawn when she confessed, I’ve seen all sorts of unsightly behaviors anyway.’

That must be Irefi’s charm. Sometimes, Irefi squirming in self-loathing is just too cute.

When a period of stability approached and her mind had somewhat calmed, Irefi casually said:

“We should leave.”

“Indeed.”

Though it was an abrupt statement, I readily agreed.

Having shown the one-sided beating of a dragon, we couldn’t stay here normally anymore.

For some, the object of fear would have shifted to us, and others might devise all sorts of schemes to keep us here.

For now, only Irefi would be the target, but the longer we stayed, the more my presence would also stand out.

“It was fun.”

“Yes, it really was…”

“The most fun part was finding out that Irefi actually adores Rishecrate.”

“That’s not particularly true, you know?”

“Sure, sure.”

When I added a small snicker, Irefi’s face flushed red again.

“If it’s not true, then it’s not…”

“I got it, really.”

I stroked the back of Irefi’s hand as she sat demurely beside me.

“Rishecrate will be sad if we disappear without a word.”

“Perhaps.”

“Actually, I’ll be sad too.”

“I know that all too well.”

The warmth from the stroked hand was a medium for sharing our feelings. Without needing to say it first, we were confident that we felt the same emotion.

“This won’t do.”

“Nepy?”

“We should leave before Rishecrate clings to us too tightly.”

“Hehe, indeed.”

The body heat that had overlapped like one body separated and spread hotly into the air.

I carved a small design on the table’s surface with magical power, and Irefi concentrated her aura to engrave words next to it.

One way or another, the single sentence we left was exactly the same.

“Shall we go then, Nepy?”

“Yes, let’s go home, Irefi.”

To our daily life.

To our home that would remain in that place forever.

Hoping that what we see and feel will continue for a long time.

At the end of a dream savoring bubbles popping, she and I held hands.