REFDL 52

Kaelus limped urgently across the outdoor corridor.

Nitan tried to stop him once more, supporting Kaelus, but he paid no heed.

‘…He’s injured.’

While he was receiving treatment and passed out. The Kremlis was hurt.

They said he’d been fighting off a wave of monsters alone and suffered severe injuries.

Kaelus clenched his teeth without realizing it. Nitan kept glancing at his superior’s tense jaw.

His limping stride quickened further.

All the way to the Kremlis, the duke’s mind was filled with chaos.

Every time he thought of that insolent red reptile, his uninjured ribs throbbed.

The full story Nitan relayed was astonishing.

Frustrated by the nobles’ delays in dispatching reinforcements, the Kremlis flew into a rage, storming the State Council meeting and destroying the building.

That wasn’t enough; he hurled a monster at them, wreaking havoc. He even threatened the nobles.

There was only one reason.

It was for Kaelus himself.

“……”

The man couldn’t find words to describe this feeling. It had a name, but it was unfamiliar to him.

Because of it, his mood and his mind were both in disarray.

Kyaaa!

Then, a shrill scream echoed from the opposite end of the corridor.

Kyaaa!

Kyaaa!

“……!!”

Kaelus abandoned Nitan and began running.

“Captain!”

Nitan gasped, shouting desperately for him to watch his leg. Kaelus didn’t hear him.

His face drained white. He flung open the door to the separated dragon ward.

“See, I told you it doesn’t hurt that much!”

[It hurts!]

“No, I’m the expert. I’ve used this medicine too. Stop exaggerating!”

[I’m the patient. I just applied the medicine too. It hurts!]

The Kremlis dragon, his massive rear end facing the door, crouched and whimpered.

The healer sighed.

“Fine. Let’s say it hurts.”

[You’re not supposed to ‘let’s say’. It hurts…!]

“Bear it.”

Then he poured the potion over the dragon’s wound.

Aaargh!

“……”

The treatment was over.

The dragon wept bitterly, tears streaming down like a bucket.

[…The people in the Forest Village were much kinder…! ]

“Ah, then go to the Forest Village and get treated there.”

The dragon specialist replied indifferently while picking at his ear.

Then he paused.

“……?”

After replaying the treatment process in his head, the healer glanced at the Kremlis with an indescribably baffled expression.

Kaelus understood that feeling all too well.

* * *

The situation took a sudden positive turn.

The monsters retreated from Anax and settled to the north.

They made no further attempts to surround the fortress.

Instead, they positioned themselves at the edge of the plains, watching cautiously, and remained still. When hungry, they hunted and devoured weaker monsters.

Kaelus assessed the damage and, with Anax’s cooperation, devoted all efforts to restoring Yuram.

The people of Anax, having witnessed Yuram’s might with their own eyes, nursed the Kremlis, they were determined to conjure medicine from thin air.

“Jerky? Want more jerky?”

“Hey, go get some jerky! Bring back a whole sack of the really tasty, well-dried kind!”

“Let me see your wounds…”

Kyaa!

“Ouch, sorry. Sorry. I have to check if it’s healing though. …Oh! New flesh is already growing. Your recovery really is better than other dragons!”

“Anywhere else hurting?”

[My hind legs feel a bit numb…]

“Hmm. Then you should take a little more medicine.”

[…I suddenly feel better.]

“Your speech is getting more fluent. Is this also the medicine’s effect?”

[It’s just because I’m smart.]

“…Should we try giving you a bit more medicine after all?”

Grrrrr!

The recovery was progressing smoothly.

So despite the name ‘Monster Wave,’ there was no change in the monster horde. Around the time when Kaelus and Yuram were recovering, something happened.

Pwooooh!

Pwooooh!

A majestic trumpet blast echoed across the snow-covered plains.

The banners of each house, held high by the standard-bearers, fluttered in the wind.

The second subjugation force had arrived at Anax.

* * *

I flapped my wings and landed atop the upper section of the fortress wall. Gripping the edge with my front and back legs, I stood proudly, gazing far into the distance at the monsters’ encampment.

Soldiers looked upon me with admiration and awe. I held my head high with dignity, puffing out my chest. Having completed my routine inspection, I descended once more.

I headed back down to the training grounds.

“Ah, Lord Yuram has arrived!”

“Did you complete your patrol?”

Kyaa!

I nodded and circled around the corner of the training grounds, stamping the ground and claiming my spot.

“Ooh.”

I took my seat.

I didn’t forget to puff out my chest, just as I had on the fortress wall. Even seated, I lost none of my elegance!

“Ooooh!”

I spread my wings.

“Ooh! Ooh!”

Crossing my front legs, I opened my mouth wide.

“Wooooo!”

“……”

Kaelus, who had been sparring, looked dazed. The knight facing him didn’t miss the opening while his superior suffered a mental attack.

“An opening……!”

…It closed.

“……Ah.”

Kaelus knocked away the thrusting sword, then lifted his foot to kick the opponent’s exposed side, sending him flying.

I watched this silently, then moved a little further into the corner and stood facing the wall.

I flattened myself against the ground, shielding my face with my forepaws.

“Ah. He’s embarrassed.”

“He really is embarrassed…”

“He enjoyed it so much and now he’s embarrassed… ugh! Dammit, I think I broke a bone! Ah, Irina, stop hitting me! If you think he’s cute, just say he’s cute. Why are you beating me?!”

Thwack! Thwack!

A fellow knight protested.

But Irina didn’t hear him.

“Oooh. So cute…”

That voice sounded familiar. She was the knight who doted on me the most.

...I came because I missed Kaelus.

Lately, my self-esteem has been sky-high, causing me to act overly dramatic.

Like suddenly puffing out my chest.

Or trying to look cool…….

I quietly lowered my front paws and stole a glance at Kaelus. He wasn’t paying me any mind, just organizing his sword. ……This is kind of sad.

I hung my tail down dejectedly.

“…Yuram.”

“Ah!”

“Eek!”

Kaelus glared at the startled knights. They scrambled to cover their mouths with both hands.

I froze in shock.

“Come here.”

As if I had been waiting for this moment, I shrank my size and ran over. But I hesitated just before reaching his feet.

If only I could speak. Unfortunately, the mage had taken back the translation artifact, for routine maintenance, or something like that.

If it’s any consolation, he left the miniaturization artifact behind, saying he’d handle things one at a time…

“……”

Kaelus looked down at me silently.

I flinched for a moment, but that was all.

Huh? This feels better than I expected…?

It was true. I was surprisingly fine.

Perhaps it was because, just before I arrived, I’d heard the news that Kaelus’s partner dragon had died.

Worry outweighed fear. I worried about Kaelus’s heart, though it didn’t show on the surface.

Kaelus stared down at me silently, then knelt on one knee and sat down.

A hand reached out. He lifted my body, and I settled into the palm, familiar with the motion.

He went somewhere.

…It was to a place with a dragon specialist.

Kyek?!

I followed him thinking we were going for a walk, but it was the animal hospital!

Filled with betrayal, I looked at Kaelus.

“You didn’t take your medicine today and ran away.”

His disappointed expression wounded my heart.

In the end, I gobbled it down, even though I was protesting. I hated being seen as pathetic by someone I liked.

‘……?’

Huh?

……Huh?!

* * *

My love ended the moment I became aware of it.

Kyaa……

I couldn’t even bring myself to confess. Not figuring out the mechanism to become human was a secondary issue.

……I know what Kaelus went through.

As long as I was a dragon, it was a problem I couldn’t overcome no matter what I did.

Is there really no way?

It feels awkward to say this myself. But his attitude toward me is definitely different from how he treats other dragons.

There could be many reasons, but surely the biggest ones are that I saved Kaelus when he nearly died this time, and that I can communicate with him?

In that sense, I wish I could get that translator back sooner.

I visited the mage daily to nag him.

Kkyaek!

Kkyaek!

“…It’s almost done. Stop pestering me…”

The mage muttered irritably, looking exhausted and irritable. I pretended not to hear. I was about to start pestering him by calling his name (though he wouldn’t understand) when I suddenly realized I still didn’t know the mage’s name.