REFDL 19

Kaelus sighed.

Nothing about the situation was to his liking right now.

Not the situation where he had to tolerate a non-imprinted Kremlis among humans.

Not the dragon that didn’t have a single dragon-like trait to his name.

…Not even the fact that he’d received help from that dragon.

“……”

He still found the dragon repulsive.

He believed all those beasts that pretended to be tamed, deceiving humans, deserved to die.

‘……But.’

He didn’t intend to deny the facts that had occurred.

After all, that Kremlis had saved the village. Protected the people and stood against the Denos army. The creature’s actions in battle were clear.

It was proof he’d formed an attachment bond with the village girl he’d befriended. Without any imprinting.

“……I won’t kill that creature. But I can’t just leave him here either.”

Nitan brightened.

“Then……!”

“Since you’ve gone to such lengths to protect him, you must have a plan to take him away, right?”

“…….”

Ah.

Nitan’s eyes rolled back. Cold sweat trickled down his temple.

As the vice captain began agonizing over the decision, someone tapped his leg.

“Excuse me.”

The village chief’s daughter.

The bold little brat who hadn’t lost her spirit even after getting beaten by the soldiers. The child placed one hand firmly on her hip.

“I couldn’t say it last time, but you guys are knights, right?”

“……That’s right.”

“Then you must be friends with the Dragon Knights?”

“……I suppose?”

“Then introduce me!”

“……Huh?”

“Help me join the Dragon Knights.”

The girl, standing on one leg, pointed with her thumb at the Kremlis Dragon still clucking away.

“That’s my dragon. That one.”

“……?!”

* * *

Kaelus sat across from Nitan in their assigned lodgings.

He asked in a noticeably lower voice.

“……The report?”

“I sent it immediately after the battle ended.”

Kaelus nodded. The report, sent via magic carrier bird, would have flown to Tortan in the capital. While it had the disadvantage of extremely limited character count, it was more useful than a normal carrier bird in this situation.

Soon, the army Tortan sent would arrive here.

“We must remain here until the army arrives.”

“Yes.”

Nitan nodded, his tone turning serious.

“We were very nearly in grave danger.”

“…….”

The villagers were unaware, but the knights who had wandered through the forest knew. Denos’s second and third reinforcements were crossing over with supplies.

They were exceptional knights, but five men alone couldn’t possibly hold back such a force.

It would have been different if their partner dragon had been with them.

What they had yesterday wasn’t their Pensilta, but a single non-imprinted Kremlis.

“……”

Anyway, thanks to that, the worst was avoided.

“……This isn’t war.”

“I agree.”

Preparing for war isn’t something you can do in secret. No matter how hard you try, it’s bound to show.

“Then what exactly were they after? Messing with us half-heartedly would have been like poking a hornet’s nest……”

Nitan stopped mid-sentence, realizing something.

Kaelus had spoken the truth.

“Plunder.”

“……!”

“They were after Richmond’s dragon breeding facility.”

Richmond Castle.

It was the stop they made before coming here, the castle where each of them had left their dragons.

It was also home to one of Firmus’s most renowned dragon breeding facilities.

Unlike Firmus, which had successfully bred over eight types of dragons, Denos had only succeeded in breeding Knum. They had failed to tame even the versatile ‘Batu’, let alone the representative military dragon, Pensilta.

Therefore, Denos had consistently coveted Firmus’s breeders and dragon breeding secrets. But this was the first time they had made such a blatant move.

Judging by their actions, it seemed they were prepared to go to war.

“……”

“……”

The two were silent for a moment.

Nitan was repressing his anger.

Kaelus was sorting out his thoughts.

‘If those Denos bastards are truly preparing for war.’

……Just one Kremlis could yield immense benefits.

The danger posed by that creature.

And the external threats it could prevent……

The knight captain’s wavering scales quickly stabilized.

“I admit it.”

“…….”

“That creature is at least favorable toward certain humans. Slaughtering wolves without even eating them, it must have been for the villagers’ sake. Perhaps it’s due to high intelligence. That’s how intimacy forms with those capable of mutual understanding.”

Nitan’s face, which had been picturing the Emperor of Denos hanging upside down from a spire, suddenly brightened.

“Then…!”

“He couldn’t have forgotten us.”

“……”

“He must remember everything we… no, everything I did.”

Kaelus, who had been raising his hand to his throat, paused and lowered it again.

Nitan opened his mouth to say something, but seeing that look, he ultimately said nothing.

“If that creature shows even the slightest sign of aggression or attempts to harm a human, I will kill him. Do you agree?”

Nitan nodded readily at this question.

He hadn’t seen him long, but he could be certain. That Kremlis was completely different from other dragons. Even different from other Kremlis.

He was special.

Even the word ‘special’ felt inadequate.

‘…Yes.’

He was astonishing.

Seeing Nitan grow dazed and mesmerized, Kaelus clicked his tongue. It was the exact same expression he’d worn during battle when he had lost his composure.

“Secure his vessel before he reaches adulthood. If it fails, kill him then too. Do you agree?”

“Captain, that’s…!”

“Do you agree?”

Nitan bit his lip.

The vessel.

It was a part of the dragon’s body they voluntarily surrendered to the dragon they would become mates with.

Because of this, the already fierce dragons often displayed terrifying violence when it came to the vessel.

Only an imprinted partner could even attempt to secure it.

Even the imprinted partner sometimes got bitten to death during the acquisition process.

But it was worth it.

Because once processed into an artifact, it could control a dragon!

This very method of processing the vessel was the top-secret technology Denos coveted so fiercely from Firmus.

Incidentally, a mandatory requirement for the Dragon Knights was also wearing their partner dragon’s ‘vessel artifact’.

Nitan recalled the peculiar Kremlis.

That dragon helped children and saved people without imprinting. He emotionally bonded with humans.

Nitan dared to guarantee it.

A dragon so favorably disposed toward humans had never existed before, nor would it ever again.

‘If it’s that kind of dragon…’

Maybe it was possible to obtain a vessel without imprinting?

“Yes. I agree.”

There was no choice.

If he refused, the rigid captain would try to kill the Kremlis.

Not now, but later.

By any means necessary.

‘So, let’s trust.’

That creature’s ‘wonder.’

* * *

……And the Kremlis dragon, with his exceptional hearing, had been listening to every word!

‘…….’

“Ugh. He keeps shaking. Does it still hurt?”

“Do we have any numbing herb left? We should mix it into his food.”

“Anesthetic herbs are fine, but we’re out of jerky.”

The poor reincarnated soul thought, trembling.

Le-Let’s think positively.

You aren’t imprinted? Then die!

……Unlike the past, they’re at least letting me live for now. Even if it’s closer to a death sentence with a suspended execution!

As long as I’m good, it’ll be fine.

The vessel too. I have no idea what it is, but judging by the vibe, it seems to be made from me.

Does something new grow out?

Horns, scales, wings…… .

My guess is horns are most likely.

I rubbed my smooth crown with my front paw. There was no feeling of anything sprouting.

‘…….’

Whatever it is, if they want to take it, I should just hand it over willingly.

Alright.

Decided.

Operation Poor Mutt.

Proceeding!

* * *

Kaelus met with the village chief.

“As you likely already know… I am indeed from Denos.”

He explained he had been a knight under a family researching dragon breeding, but his family had fallen from grace after backing the wrong side, leading to his exile and infiltration into Firmus.

After that, he met his wife in the Forest Village. Once she became pregnant with Rotol, his regular reports back to his homeland were filled with routine, mundane details…

“Enough of that nonsense.”

“…?!”

“You know your daughter is heading to the capital to join the Dragon Knights, right?”

“…Huh?”

“Her admission is confirmed. She’s still young, so she’ll start at the academy first, but find her a suitable guardian. What will you do? Stay behind? Or go with her?”

“…Huh?!”

“……”

A moment later.

“Rotoooooool!”

A lion’s roar erupted from the sickbed.