“Aah — I’m beat.”
I flopped down in the grass, sprawled spread-eagle. The sun rising in the east was bright. Already morning, huh.
After we’d downed the black dragon, we’d hustled all over the village. Linze made the rounds putting out fires with water magic; Elze and Yae searched the village for any wounded; I kept casting healing on the wounded they brought back. (Later it hit me: I could’ve just searched “wounded” on the map and cast healing en masse — done in one shot.)
Luckily there were no fatalities, but the village was nearly destroyed. Heavy damage…
“Lord Touya, here you are.”
“Ah, Lyon-san — good work.”
Lyon-san walked over to where I was sprawled. Looks like things have settled down. The smell of a field kitchen drifted in from somewhere.
“Still — for four people to take down a dragon… past surprise, I’m half-stunned.”
“Apparently it was a young one, not particularly strong. That’s probably why.”
I gave Lyon-san the gist of what the red dragon had said, fuzzed out. Galun-san the wolf captain came over too.
“Oh, Lord Touya. About that dragon — what’ll we do?”
“Do, as in?”
“That much material — sold, it’d come to enormous money. But how to transport…”
“Sold? The dragon’s body?”
The scales, claws, horns, fangs, bones — processed into weapon and armor materials; the meat, delicious, edible. Apparently nothing was wasted, all of it sold high.
The rights belong to us, the killers; supposedly the others had said up to me. Hmm… right.
“Then — give that to the people of this village. It should help with rebuilding.”
“The dragon!? All of it!?”
“Lord Touya, do you understand? It’s enormously valuable material. In money, no less than ten King-Gold!?”
Ten King-Gold… eh — over a hundred million yen!? Maybe wasteful after all, I started to reconsider — and the villagers came into view. Ah — they heard, this is…
”…If iiit helps the village, it’s nothing. Please, put it to good use.”
Couldn’t say never mind now; I answered with a stiff face.
”…On behalf of Mismid, my thanks. Thank you, Lord Touya.”
“Haaa… as Father said — a man of large measure. I’m humbled.”
Eyes of gratitude and respect on me — no, I just bluffed for face, that’s all… Will the others forgive me…
We took Origa-san, Arma, and Yumina back via the bogus transfer mirror. First, Origa-san thanked me. For killing the dragon and saving the village — but the no-fatalities was thanks to the guards, I think.
The guards were now exhausted, sleeping around the carriages. Honestly, I want to sleep too. Just as the thought hit, a beastfolk elder with a cane approached us.
“Solm, the village headman. For defeating the dragon that struck our village, and beyond that for tremendous aid in rebuilding… thank you.”
Aid meaning the dragon’s body, no doubt. Maybe shouldn’t have given it after all… But the village is in this state — they’ve got hardships ahead. …Can’t be helped.
The headman had villagers bring something. A black, conical object about a meter long… ah, that.
“This is one horn from that dragon. Please take at least this.”
“Eh, but…”
“You damaged a weapon, I hear. With this horn, you can either use it as material for a new weapon, or sell it and buy a new one.”
I see. Then I’ll take it. I received the horn from the headman and was startled at how light it was. Apparently far harder than steel for all its lightness. Now I get how a beast that size could fly. Things harder than this: only Hihi’irokane, mithril, orichalcum, supposedly.
I gratefully accepted the horn and stepped away.
Honestly — I was at the limit of sleepiness.
I made it to our carriage and looked in: Elze, Linze, and Yae were asleep.
I couldn’t sleep with them, so I lay down on the grass beside the carriage.
“Touya-san, here — a blanket.”
Yumina came over with a single blanket. Nice timing. I thanked her — fighting eyelids about to close — and wrapped myself in the blanket. Warm. No more. I closed my eyes and slipped into doze.
When I woke up, against the sky I saw Yumina’s face. Eyes still hazy, I gazed up at her looking down at me.
“Have you woken?”
A soft sensation under my head. Hm? Uh — this state — lap pillow…?
I rolled over the ground and got out of it. Hold on — since when?
I sat up sharply. The villagers and the already-awake guards all turned their gazes on me — grinning warm-eyed. Aaaagh…! What is this embarrassment! Lap pillow from a girl in front of a crowd! I won’t lie that I wasn’t a little glad — but the embarrassment beats the gladness!
“Oh, awake then?”
”…You really slept.”
“Looked very comfortable~.”
A chill. I felt it at my back, turned slowly. There, with smiles on, three girls stood quietly. Faces very gently smiling — but eyes not smiling. …Eh? They’re… mad?
“Uh — did something happen…?”
"""Nothing in particular~?"""
Lie. Then why are you all sulking?
“All right, that’s enough? Janken is a sacred contest — no resentment, remember?”
“I know…”
”…Mngh…”
“Most regrettable…”
Yumina clapped and stepped in; the three averted their eyes and quieted. …You guys had a contest?
“Lord Touya, time to ready for departure. We must report on the village to the capital.”
Origa-san and Galun-san came over to push us along. Glad of the chance, I made for the carriage. Looks at my back — but I’ll pretend not to notice.
«Kōhaku, did anything happen while I was asleep?»
I sent a mind-message to Kōhaku — apparently around the carriage. Might know something.
«Aah, well… how to put it… a battle of women, one might say…»
«?»
Don’t follow, but every one but Yumina is in a bad mood. Have to do something about that… Ah.
A small idea hit. I made for the headman’s house and negotiated to obtain that.
In the rocking carriage, the three were finally cheered — to my relief. Silver bracelets glinted on Elze’s, Linze’s, Yae’s, and Yumina’s wrists.
I’d made them with [Modeling] from a few silver pieces I’d bought from the headman (paid properly). Gifts of everyday gratitude.
The girls had been startled at first, then accepted them happily. They kept glancing down at the bracelets — looked like they’d taken to them. The occasional grin is a little unsettling, but…
“Origa-san, how long to the capital?”
“To Belju, a bit over two more days. At a town along the way, it might be good to procure a weapon, Touya-san.”
Mmm — true. Galun-san had said for forging a weapon from the dragon horn, the capital was best. But going weaponless until then… I can fight magic-only, but it feels thin.
Hmm — wait, I could use [Modeling] to make my own? No — too costly to fail…
“Two days — magic should cover it.”
Buying a stopgap weapon for two days is silly. Belju will have better weapons anyway. I answered, and Origa-san seemed to remember something — pulled something cloth-wrapped from her bag.
“Ah — speaking of, I’m carrying this from the headman.”
She handed me a single cloth-wrapped knife. Single-edged, about twenty centimeters of blade, slightly curved, black.
“This is?”
”? It was stuck in the dragon’s eye, I heard… Yours?”
Ah — the one that hit the eye then. He retrieved it. I took it from Origa-san, rewrapped it, and tried to hand it to Yae.
“Here, Yae.”
”? Not mine, indeed?”
Eh? Then Elze… also no? Definitely not Linze’s. Eh — then whose is this knife? Or — was someone there? Someone watching the scene who helped us? They helped, so not enemies, but…
«Kōhaku. Was there anyone besides us back then?»
«Yes. I sensed presence in the trees. Two, perhaps. No killing-intent toward us, so I assumed villagers.»
I confirmed by mind. Someone watched our fight with the dragon. Why?
Come to think of it — back in Langley, Yumina and I were being watched too. The same person?
No idea, even thinking about it. I examined the knife — looked entirely ordinary.
Better stash this. Inconvenient with no sheath.
…Who exactly.