REFDL 37

I asked the thing I was most curious about first.

[Village Chief. You said you were coming together. So why isn’t he here?]

“Oh, my dad’s here.”

She pointed with both hands at a handsome, tall young man.

……Huh? Who?

The man rubbed the back of his neck. His face was expressionless, but his earlobes were slightly red.

I was so startled I slipped off Rotol’s shoulder. I splattered onto the floor like a half-baked pancake. Startled, Rotol scrambled to pick me up.

“Are you alright?!”

Rotol looked at Mirim.

“He’s broken?”

[…….]

Fortunately, I recovered quickly.

I tapped my still-dizzy temple with my front paw.

No way. He just shaved his beard and got a haircut… How is this possible?!

…No wonder Rotol’s face was beaming.

A young, handsome dad is definitely better than a messy, dirty one. 

Rotol lowered her voice to express how popular her dad was with several teachers at the academy.

The redness in his earlobes eventually spread to his cheeks and neck.

The academy closed for the three-day festival period. The reasoning was that trying to hold classes during this time would be ineffective, with poor concentration and low efficiency. Rotol chuckled, saying it was an educational institution that made more sense than expected.

“Anyway, I heard from Uncle Nitan. He said you’re training hard too. That’s great. Just wait a few more years. Let’s meet again as a dragon knight and partner dragon who won’t ashamed of each other!”

As she said something straight out of a youth manga and lifted me up, I gave Rotol a nervous smile.

Strangely, my heart fluttered. I couldn’t easily answer.

Anyway.

That brief reunion ended.

Kaelus, who had been watching from nearby, approached. Leaving behind the regretful faces of my Forest Village acquaintances, I boarded the carriage.

The destination was the imperial palace.

* * *

Today, the main guest at the imperial palace banquet was, of course, the Emperor.

And the second main guest was me.

[……?!]

You’re joking, right?

“No.”

Unfortunately, it was true. I was led into a prepared room within the palace. After waiting here for several hours, I was told I would enter the banquet hall alongside the Emperor.

……But do I really need to come this early? It’s not like I’m getting some kind of training, right?

They wouldn’t certainly demand etiquette from a dragon.

“We need to try on some jewelry. If anything suits you, we’ll have you wear it.”

Kya?!

“While doing that, I’ll explain the precautions for the banquet hall.”

Kya?!

“There’s also information you should know beforehand. Pay attention and listen carefully.”

Kya…

A few hours later, a man burst through the door and entered.

His blond hair was frighteningly dazzling, and his eyes were the color of blue water.

His expression was gentle, and cheerful; positive energy radiated from his entire body. It felt exactly like seeing Rotol.

He wore a splendid uniform with a white base accented with gold here and there, and the white suited him well.

A fairy…?

I was so stunned I lost my senses when my tail was suddenly yanked.

Kyak?

Startled, I turned around to see Kaelus, looking oddly sulky, holding my tail with one hand while slipping a mother-of-pearl ring onto it with the other.

It was the thirty-fifth ornament candidate.

I looked at Kaelus with tired, weary eyes.

A man with sparkling eyes approached and lifted me up.

Kya?!

“Finally meeting you!”

I instinctively opened my eyes wide and gathered my front and back legs together. With my tail tucked in too, I glared at the man who’d picked me up without a shred of courtesy, even on first meeting.

Only Kaelus and Rotol can pick me up like this.

Actually, Donon could do it too, but since he doesn’t want to, let’s exclude him.

Grrr.

I was already in a foul mood after being thoroughly tormented by Kaelus.

When I bared my teeth and growled, the man froze, his face still grinning.

He turned his neck, which looked like it might creak, toward Kaelus.

“…Is he dangerous?”

“…You should’ve asked before grabbing him.”

“…Spare me.”

Kaelus sighed, set down the tail ring made of white mother-of-pearl, and approached.

“Be good.”

[…….]

In that instant, something soft and fluffy filled my chest.

I felt I truly ought to be good when I heard those words.

I hid my teeth and nestled quietly into his embrace. The golden flower-like man gaped. Was this really something to be so shocked by?

But Kaelus, who had paused, belatedly called out to the man with an awkward expression.

“Your Majesty.”

……Wait a minute.

Your Majesty?

I just rolled my eyes and looked at the man.

Come to think of it. Someone dressed so splendidly, who could just barge into the duke’s chambers in the imperial palace…

Only the Emperor.

…So I just disrespected the Emperor? Could this possibly be considered as insulting the imperial family or treason?

Kyu… kyu.

“Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”

“……”

Kaelus seemed to have noticed, but said nothing.

“Anyway, the preparations seem to have gone smoothly.”

“Yes.”

I couldn’t agree with that, but my agreement didn’t matter to either of them.

Kaelus picked up the golden bowtie, the thirty-sixth candidate. The Emperor rubbed his chin, then recommended a tail ring instead, white with gold and ruby-encrusted edges.

Kaelus silently put the ring on my tail. The Emperor nodded.

“Hmm, not bad. Let’s go with this.”

Looking in the mirror, I understood why he’d recommended it. It looked like a matching couple’s item with the Emperor. Kaelus’s eyebrows twitched slightly, but he didn’t object.

“Bwahaha. Oh my, how pretty! So pretty I just want to pop you right into my mouth!”

Then, before anyone could stop him, he lunged forward kissed me.

Kyaaaahhh!!

“Ugh…”

The volume, louder than a siren, made the Emperor stagger. It looked like blood was coming out of his ears.

Kaelus seemed startled by the reaction too. He hurriedly grabbed me and pulled me away from the Emperor.

Still fuming, I kept grumbling.

Grrr!

Grr!

What, just because you’re the Emperor? I’ve got a duke backing me too! …Quick, tell him it’s okay, Kaelus.

“Hahaha… Right, right. You said no, so I won’t do it anymore. So please, calm down. If you keep this up when we enter later, I’ll be in a terrible bind.”

As the Emperor flustered and waved his hands, a heart-wrenching cry pierced the air, making anyone listening outside feel their chest tighten.

“Your Majestyyyy!”

“Where are youuuu!”

“Ah, please grow up, just grow up……!”

“If I don’t submit my resignation this time, I’m not a human, I’m a Knum, a Knum!”

“……”

Kaelus and I made eye contact, our gazes as cold as ice.

The Emperor cleared his throat awkwardly. Then, with the most dignified expression he could muster, he commanded Kaelus.

“Then I leave the rest to you, Duke. Given the nature of the matter, I feel ashamed to burden you with such menial tasks…”

“Your Majesty.”

“Hmm?”

“Stop wasting time with useless chatter and just go already.”

“…….”

The Emperor was shooed away.

My grooming ended there.

If you were going to pick this easily, why didn’t you just call the Emperor from the start…

Of course, I only thought that to myself.

Kaelus seemed apologetic too, averting his gaze before explaining the points to note as briefly as possible.

“First, you must not speak in the banquet hall.”

Hmm. That goes without saying.

“Other than that, there’s nothing major to worry about. However, if possible, I’d like you to… pretend to be close to His Majesty.”

That’s the gist of it.

I can understand it as roughly keeping the Emperor’s dignity intact.

I rubbed my chin with my forepaws and nodded, and Kaelus’s expression turned strange before quickly returning to normal.

There wasn’t time to hear the full details.

[The nobles are ostracizing him? Poor thing.]

“……”

[I’ll. Work. Hard.]

“……Alright. Thanks.”

Kaelus seemed to have something he wanted to say, but ultimately kept it to himself.

And so.

The time had come.

* * *

“……Am I mistaken?”

The Emperor tilted his head.

“This fellow. He seems to be looking at me with quite an insolent gaze…….”

“You are mistaken.”

Kaelus answered immediately.

…He answered too quickly.

The Emperor eyed him suspiciously. The duke, feeling a pang of guilt, preempted the question.

“Let’s go in. Even if the main figure arrives late, you’re far too late.”

“……Alright.”

Since he was indeed late, the Emperor pushed aside his unease and accepted the Kremlis dragon.

The dragon, who had briefly looked sullen, deftly climbed up the emperor’s arm and settled onto his shoulder.

His claws dug into the expensive fabric, but no one seemed to mind. Tortan, in fact, was impressed.

“How clever. You made sure your claws didn’t touch my skin.”

Kwa-gu-kwa-gu-kwa-kwa!

“…… What’s he saying?”

“…….”

He didn’t know why he naturally expected translation, but Kaelus, who could roughly guess, reluctantly relayed the message.

“He’s saying, ‘Stop the nonsense and hurry inside.'”

“……Did you just make that up?”

“No, I didn’t. So please stop the nonsense and hurry inside.”

“…….”