REFDL 21

Day four.

We arrived in Richmond.

“Open the gate! Open the gate!”

“What? The side gate? Stop talking nonsense and open the main gate! The dragon’s coming in!”

Several strong men pulled together, forcing the massive castle gate open wide on both sides. I barely managed to keep my jaw from dropping.

Everyone was staring at me. For some reason, my neck stiffened. Strangely, I found myself thrusting my chest forward. As I stepped inside, cheers erupted from all sides.

“Whoa!”

“Waaah!”

“It’s a Kremlis! They say it’s a Kremlis!”

People swarmed toward me.

Kya?!

“Huff. Huff.”

“Krem. Kremlis… Krem…”

What the hell?!

I wanted to run away.

Rotol! These humans are weird!

“Richmond is famous for its dragon breeding grounds. Half the people here work in related fields, and even those who don’t can’t help feeling familiar with dragons.. …Of course, that means accidents happen a lot too. Not that often, though. Everyone’s a veteran.”

Stop explaining so calmly and do something!

Help! Help!

“…Why are you panicking when they’re the ones causing the accidents?”

Kaelus spoke, he was baffled. Judging by his immediate pause, the words probably slipped out without him realizing it.

The situation was only resolved when Nitan stepped in.

Leaving the stares behind, we headed for the dragon breeding grounds.

I was trembling.

This is the first time I’ve met a proper dragon besides my siblings and parent.

But I didn’t have high expectations.

Grrrr!

Kyaaaah!

Grrrraaak!

“Whoa… This isn’t going to work.”

“A, A Kremlis is quite something. They all feel threatened… hey, hold it properly!”

“Hmm. Could it be a sub-adult?”

“As far as we know, it’s still a hatchling. It just turned 2 months old.”

“Oh my goodness…”

“W-we’re going to get crushed! Sorry, but please wait outside!”

…This meant they had fully anticipated such a situation.

Some very personal… no, draconic imagination got mixed in, but it wasn’t particularly important, so let’s move on.

Anyway.

Things have rarely gone smoothly so far.

So, chanting the mantra of not expecting anything, I followed the knights inside.

“……”

“……”

“……This is.”

Not a single dragon made a sound.

Their sizes and appearances differed, but their reactions were identical.

They were quietly staring at me.

Beyond the bars.

Countless reptilian eyes were all fixed on me.

Objectively speaking, it was a terrifying situation. My knees should have gone weak at least ten times over.

But the coward’s heart remained still.

…Why am I calm?

Well.

‘…….’

Because it’s only natural.

I am the flame that consumes the impure, the origin of all dragons.

The one who walks again, the oldest watchtower, the one who guards the bolts…… the adversary of all demonic beings.

Therefore, the right granted to me.

‘…….’

But since I gave no command.

The dragons here follow instinct.

Just as they did millennia ago, when they faced the demon race.

They waited for the king’s order…

Wait.

What was that just now?

‘……!’

Just now, something, was clearly strange!

Something vast and immense flashed through my mind, then began to scatter rapidly. I couldn’t grasp it. Like mist, it curled its tail and vanished.

All that remained was a lingering sensation: ‘There’s something here.’

“……I think we need to investigate.”

Nitan muttered.

I completely agree with that opinion.

The breeders were stunned. Kaelus was the first to recover. He ordered the breeders to bring the two Pensilta he had left in their care.

Kaelus’s expression darkened, then returned to normal.

The two dragons approaching slowly stared at me, as if spellbound, just like the others had.

Then, when the saddle was placed on them, they began to snort. As soon as Kaelus hopped aboard, they started moving in earnest.

By then, the breeding grounds had regained its sounds and activity. The breeders marveled, saying it was still much quieter and more docile than usual.

“Now I see why Kremlis is called the King of Dragons! Maybe they recognized him and are showing respect?“

No. It felt a little different from that… Or is it? Is that right?

Me… royalty?

Kekekeke!

Kekekekekeke!

“..We’re departing.”

The village chief and the children split up again, riding on Kaelus’s and Nitan’s dragons respectively.

The Pensilta were bright yellow dragons.

Sparsely dotted across their bodies were vivid blue patches. They were barely half the size of a my parent dragon.

They had only two hind legs. Like a bat, their claws were attached to their wings, which thet used like arms.

Naturally, they wings protruded further forward than those of the four-legged Kremlis. It looked much easier for a person to ride on its back.

Grrr.

Grrr.

The two Pensilta, who had been glancing at me and whispering among themselves, quickly settled into position under Kaelus’s stern gaze.

……Even they are afraid of Kaelus.

Somehow, that felt comforting.

The breeding grounds were shaped like the characterㅁ.  If you wanted to fly, you just had to spread your wings. The two Pensilta took flight first.

I spread my wings and leaped up, not wanting to be late.

Higher.

Higher.

The sky.

Wind blew, and clouds passed right beside me. I flew along with the children’s cheers.

I had a good feeling.

I could see the back of Kaelus’s head ahead of me.

‘…….’

It wasn’t that I had no worries at all…

It means I’ve become worthy enough to be granted the kindness of being woken up if I have a nightmare.

I only realized later how happy that made me.

Because it meant that even that cold-blooded person, who could be considered the greatest threat at this moment, held a little warmth.

Don’t be impatient.

Even if I take it slow, it won’t be too late.

I looked forward to life in the capital.

* * *

Clank.

“……”

I was locked in a cage.

What?!

I thought I was joining the Dragon Knights, but I’m locked up?!

Is this… a job scam?

No. Reality was far crueler.

“I’ll personally manage and protect you at my estate.”

‘……!’

“Move.”

Creak, creak.

Kyaaah?!

* * *

News of the Dragon Knights’ captain’s return reached the emperor immediately.

“Oh. You’ve finally come. Kaelus! My dear knight!”

“…….”

Before he could knock, the reception room door burst open and the emperor jumped out.

The attendant said nothing. The escorting knights accepted it as normal.

This wasn’t the first time the emperor had acted like this.

Kaelus, too, gave him a familiar blank stare.

It was the ‘I’ll hear you out with one ear and let it out the other’ look he reserved for meetings with the emperor.

“Why are your eyes like that?”

“My eyes are perfectly fine.”

“But your soul is absent?”

“I did not realize Your Majesty could see souls. Might I suggest you seek refuge in the temple now?”

The remark was unusual.

With a little embellishment, it could easily be twisted into treasonous plotting.

But, as expected, no one paid it any mind. Because the speaker was Kaelus.

The emperor himself, the man directly involved, patted Kaelus’s shoulder repeatedly.

“Hahaha! You’ve gotten better at jokes since I last saw you. That’s excellent! But…”

The knight captain, his eyes now even more piercing, preempted him.

“You cannot meet.”

The subject was omitted, but the meaning was clear.

“Why!”

“Because it’s dangerous.”

The emperor looked at Nitan.

It was a clash of opinions between a superior he rubbed shoulders with daily and a distant superior he occasionally encountered. The vice captain smiled.

A pitiful twitch ran across his lips.

…This is exactly why I didn’t want to come along!

“Well… From what I’ve observed so far, that Kremlis is special. He’s gentle, intelligent, and friendly toward humans. But that’s precisely why he’s more dangerous.”

“Why is that?”

“Because he’s unpredictable. That’s the nature of variables. So, how about we observe him a bit longer until a certain level of safety is assured? If anything were to happen to Your Majesty…“

”Oh, please. Stop treating me like a glass figurine, you lot! The attendants and that damn Council of Elders already do more than enough of that!”

”Your Majesty. You must watch your language. That damn council of elders?”

Your words and emphasis don’t match. Why repeat ‘damn’ in particular?

Nitan’s eyes clouded over.

The emperor, Tortan, crossed his arms, stifling a laugh.

“Very well. If my dear knight insists, I suppose I have no choice. But I won’t wait long. It must be perfectly tamed by next year’s Founding Festival at the very least.”

Truthfully, there was no need to wait until the next Founding Festival. The dragon was ready even now. Only those present here were unaware of that fact.

Unfortunately for both sides.

Nitan thought.

It had been only a few months since this year’s Founding Festival ended. More than half a year remained until the next one.

‘That much time.’

Instead of Kaelus, who would have said it was impossible whether it took ten years or a hundred, he quickly stepped forward and nodded.

“Yes. I will do my best.”

“Good.”