REFDL 20

There were a few hiccups along the way, but ultimately, Rotol’s journey to the capital was confirmed. And thanks to Rotol’s recommendation (read: sheer stubbornness), Mirim and Odan were also joining the party.

Mirim was no problem.

But when Kaelus and Nitan saw Odan, their expressions froze simultaneously.

“…Sirs? Is there a problem?”

The village chief asked cautiously. Their reaction was unusual.

Instead of the still-frozen Kaelus, Nitan smiled and replied.

“No. He’s just so beautiful. Haha. It might sound strange, but he doesn’t seem like the type to be in a village like this, so I was a bit surprised.”

“……Our Odan does stand out.”

The village chief nodded.

“Is he your son?”

“…No. Odan is…”

“I was found abandoned at the village entrance as a child. A wooden tag placed on my chest had ‘Odan’ carved into it, so that became my name.”

Saying this, Odan looked up at Kaelus with his blue eyes.

Kaelus turned away with an unreadable expression. Eyes demanding explanation turned to Nitan, but he too awkwardly evaded the gaze.

* * *

A few days later.

An army arrived in the village. The villagers felt both restless and relieved.

At least their immediate safety was now assured.

The knights, who had been stranded in the village, quickly packed their belongings. The horses they had requested earlier arrived with the army. Though the number of people was greater than planned, it wasn’t a major problem.

The children and the village chief were going to ride on my back!

“Good idea, but it won’t work without a saddle.”

Kya?!

And so it was rejected.

Instead, it was decided that the children would be divided among Kaelus, Nitan, and the village chief, each taking one child on horseback.

Why these three, specifically?

“We’ll head out first.”

Because the knights, excluding Kaelus and Nitan, had already set off ahead.

Having children in the group would inevitably slow their pace.

They would head toward the capital at full speed, resting only minimally.

In his arms was a lengthy report written by Kaelus himself regarding this incident.

“Then we’ll see you in the capital!”

Kaelus nodded.

And on the day of departure.

Dawn.

Before the day had fully broken.

I slipped into the forest and sought out my crow master.

Caw!

‘Master! Your unworthy disciple must now leave the forest!’

Caw!

‘Kyaa!’

The chicks woke up from their sleep, and I got pecked on the head and chased away.

My master remained cold to the very end.

***

The journey went smoothly

Surprisingly, the children were in good condition. It was thanks to their busy days running through the forest and diligently practicing their skills.

“At this pace, it should take about four days to reach Richmond Castle.”

“And then from Richmond Castle to the capital?”

“Another four days by dragon. This is the southernmost point, after all.”

“Oh…”

Day One.

Nothing unusual happened until they set up their temporary campsite and lit the campfire.

The three adults took turns standing fire watch. The children excitedly gathered firewood. They were thrilled just setting up the tent and roasting jerky, practically bursting with joy.

Kaelus didn’t say a single word. The village chief also kept his mouth shut except for what was absolutely necessary.

Nitan and Rotol, however, were talkative.

More accurately, they efficiently exchanged information they needed from each other.

“So you’re saying you can actually communicate with the Kremlis Dragon to some extent?!”

…But why is he using such formal speech with Rotol?

“It’s nothing special. It’s my dragon that’s impressive, not me. He’s smart and understands most things I say.”

“Huh. Huh. Ah, but you haven’t given him a name yet?”

“I did give him one… but…”

Rotol glared at me.

“He didn’t seem to like it, so I’m considering another one.”

“…He didn’t like it? The name? Wait, so he rejected the name?“

“Yes.”

“Ohooo.”

‘……’

His piercing gaze bore into me.

It felt overwhelming. I pretended to be sleepwalking and turned my head away.

“Most dragons reach adulthood within a year. Up to four months is the hatchling stage, up to eight months is the sub-adult stage, and after a year, they become adults.”

“Correct. Dragons are broadly classified into three types based on habitat and wing presence: winged, terrestrial, and aquatic. Among them, the winged type is the most aggressive…”

“It’s not that only Pensilta can become a dragon knight! It’s just that, considering various factors like physical ability, social skills, and combat prowess, Pensilta were the most suitable candidate.”

Nitan’s knowledge of dragons was remarkable.

His eyes sparkled as he explained, radiating a palpable passion. When it came to dragons, he answered any question Rotol threw at him without hesitation.

Mirim and Odan had long since succumbed to exhaustion and gone to sleep.

Rotol immersed herself in her nightly conversations with Nitan, but she couldn’t keep up indefinitely either.

Even if things were going smoothly, this schedule was still too much for kids who weren’t even middle schoolers yet.

“…Good night.”

Nitan picked up Rotol, who had fallen asleep, and carried her into the tent. The village chief shifted his gaze, seemingly concerned, but didn’t stop him and remained silent.

“Alright, we should head in and sleep too. The first shift is the captain’s, after all.”

Nitan led the village chief into the tent.

……Huh?

Wait a moment.

“…….”

‘…….’

Crackle. Pop!

Across the campfire, where sparks occasionally flew.

Kaelus and me. Just the two of us remained.

Th-this.

Is this okay?

It is okay, right?!

* * *

Maybe because I fell asleep while trembling.

I had a nightmare for the first time in ages.

Surprisingly, Kaelus didn’t appear.

He’s a regular customer in my nightmares, but there’s no rule saying only regulars can come to the shop.

Through the wide-open door, a customer entered, once a regular, but now someone who might come once a year.

It was the bottom of a black, dark lake.

A huge reptile lay curled up, dead.

A mist-like light shimmered over its body, black as crude oil.

I lifted my head.

Across the water.

The night sky above the lake spun rapidly.

Lines drawn by stars formed a surface, covering everything like a white dome.

A very long time passed.

Or perhaps a single night passed.

I jolted awake. I nearly had a seizure.

I grabbed my parents, who had rushed over in alarm, and cried.

‘I want to learn how to swim.’

I repeated only those words. I was almost begging.

My parents, bewildered and clueless, still enrolled me in the pool near our house.

Back then, I acted as if possessed by some spirit.

I wanted to swim.

More precisely, I wanted to get into a lot of water and confirm I wouldn’t drown.

Splash!

Ah!

I opened my eyes wide. Only then did I realize my limbs were flailing as if running through empty air.

I slowed down and curled up, feeling embarrassed. I looked around. It was quiet. Nothing had really changed.

Kaelus was still watching the plains with a terrifying aura.

Then, he turned to look at me.

“…….”

Whether sleep came or not wasn’t important in that moment.

I first closed my eyes and flopped my head down.

I could feel his gaze.

I snored, sweating cold sweat.

Zzzz… zzzz. Zzz.

“……”

His gaze somehow felt subtly different.

It must be my imagination.

I wanted to cry.

I doubted I could sleep while this tense. Staying awake until morning like this would be….I fell asleep before finishing the thought.

And I regretted it.

I would have been better off staying up all night.

A dream even more terrifying than the first nightmare awaited me.

This happened at the new high school I transferred to, after the turbulent conflicts of adolescence.

The day before the winter training camp. I had a huge fight with my parents.

Worried about me, they canceled their overseas trip, which was originally planned to coincide with my camp. They feared losing contact while on the plane.

They worried something might happen to me.

For that reason alone, they didn’t board the plane.

Instead, after hearing my apologetic voice just one day later, they felt relieved.

They found a new domestic travel destination… one they could visit for a shorter time…

Twack!

Kyaa!

My brow stung.

Even after opening my eyes, reality felt distant for a moment. The scent of dry earth and grass. Darkness. A flickering campfire. Darkness. A pitch-black sky with no stars or anything. …Another world.

I looked down at my front paws, which were braced beneath me as I panted. Only then did I remember who I was and where I was.

Clack.

When I uncrossed my legs, a fist-sized stone fell.

‘……?’

I tilted my head, then flicked it aside, knocking it down. Feeling eyes on me, I turned to see Kaelus rising from his spot and heading toward the tent. It was time to shift watch.

Nitan came out with a lively face, waving his hand at me.

I waved my tail back at him and tried to sleep again.

This time, I didn’t dream.