Chapter 93: To Save The Heavenly Dragon Egg I Hugged The Shrine Maiden And Slept With Her

Chapter 93: To Save The Heavenly Dragon Egg I Hugged The Shrine Maiden And Slept With Her

“I’m a bit of a fool, but I look forward to working with you, big brother.”

Iris sat upright on the floor and bowed her head deeply.

It was Rafilia’s direct way of getting down on her knees.

We were in my room.

It was night of the day when Shiro hatched.

Iris, in her white nightgown, was on the floor, looking at me with a nervous expression.

Iris was in the same nightgown as everyone else, since she was supposed to be treated as a slave of mine. The nightgown was similar to the yukata of my previous world, where the cloth was folded in front of the body and fastened with an obi (sash).

It looked good on Iris, who had a sleek figure. But perhaps she didn’t like it too tight, so she loosened the sash a bit. That was why I could see the wide area below her collarbone.

“Iris, we will try to interfere with the Heavenly Dragon Egg and find out the cause of Shiro’s nightmares.”

I touched the Heavenly Dragon Egg that I had placed on my bedside table.

“You remember what I said earlier, right?”

“Yes. I will kiss, hug and sleep with my brother. And everything will be fine right?”

“Don’t forget to use your [Dragon Empathy LV4] and I will also use [Mind Linkage].”

“If you remain so focused on work, the maiden in me will cry.

Iris clasped her hands together in frustration.

Then I tied the sash of my nightgown back on, adjusted my collar, and nodded to myself that I was ready.

I tugged on Iris’s thin arm and got her to her feet.

I laid a nervous Iris down on the freshly washed and fluffy (Aine’s good work) sheets.

Iris was stretching out her arms and legs as if to say, please do whatever you want, but then, perhaps embarrassed by being stared at, she grabbed the collar of her nightgown and turned to the side.

“… This is a job that only I can do, isn’t it?”

Iris muttered, while her earlobes turned bright red.

“I have always thought it was embarrassing… that I was the only one with Dragon’s blood in my veins. But thanks to that, I became my brother’s. So this power is also for my brother to use…”

‘Thanks, Iris.”

“That’s not very polite, is it? There is an Ilgafa proverb that says “Those who cross the stormy sea in the same boat are the closest … to each other, and their love is as close as a family …and…and…”

Bop.

Perhaps at her limit, Iris turned away and covered her face.

“Well, our party is like a family.”

“Ugh. Big brother …”

“That’s why I’m not going to force you to do anything. If you feel like you’re at your limit, don’t hesitate to tell me.”

When I said so, Iris nodded her head.

***

“Iris will use [Dragon Empathy] and I will use [Mind Linkage] on Irus to link with Shiro in her Egg form.”

I explained to everyone.

But just as I was about to go to my room with Iris after dinner…

“But first, I have to clean up!”

Aine objected.

“Atmosphere is important. You never know what might happen. We have to make sure that Iris will have a good memory! As everyone’s big sister, it is my duty to create a good environment for everyone!”

That’s why my room was cleaned earlier by everyone, with Aine as the leader.

***

The sheets and pillows were freshly washed, and the lamp by the window was glowing with a magical, dim red light.

On the table was warm milk and herbal tea to warm the body and help one sleep.

Even my nightgown was washed by Aine, and dried by Cecile and Rafilia using magic.

After Iris took a bath with Rita, she had her hair done.

The Heavenly Dragon Egg was on the bedside table.

It was on a cushion behind a pillow that could hold two heads.

Shiro didn’t react, but when I touched it, it was warm.

I could feel that the Egg was alive.

“… This is Shiro’s main body … In short, it’s the same as Reggie, right?”

To rewrite Reggie’s skills, I had to touch her body (the cursed sword).

So, I guessed by linking to Shiro’s body (the Egg), I might be able to get closer to helping her.

I didn’t know if Iris and I could manage a Mythical-level problem with our skills, but I wanted to give it a try.

“Then, Iris, see if you can link with Shiro in this state.”

“Yes. Activate [Dragon Empathy LV 4].”

Iris touched the Heavenly Dragon Egg and activated her skill.

*

[Dragon Empathy LV4]

A unique skill to Iris Hoffimier who has Dragon blood.

It allows her to communicate with Dragons and Wyverns.

The ability to empathize becomes stronger the closer you are to the target.

This ability is also the reason why her scales change color when she comes in contact with the Sea Dragon Hero, and why she can call the Sea Dragon Kerukatoru.

*

“I can feel it. Shiro is dreaming. I can see it when I get this close. If we sleep together, we’ll have the same dream.”

“Okay. Please share your consciousness so that I can dream too.”

“Yes, yes.”

Iris squeezed the chest of her nightgown and closed her eyes.

‘… Don’t get nervous. This is my second time.’

“Activate [Mind Linkage]”

“… hah. Ha, ah, ah.”

The moment our faces separated, Iris, who had been holding her breath for a long time, took a breath, holding her chest.

“Now all I have to do is sleep with my brother, right?”

“You will be the only one who will sleep, Iris. I have to observe your dream.”

“… huh?”

Iris’ eyes widened in a pouting sort of way.

“Huh? Didn’t I explain that?

“Will you stay awake?”

“Yes. I’m more of an observer of dreams.”

“Will I be the only one sleeping?”

“Don’t you feel comfortable with me?”

“That’s not what I meant… Brother!”

Poof, poof

Iris hit the pillow with her small palm.

“So, then, I will show you my sleeping face, dreams, and everything else while you won’t show me anything, big brother?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s not what you said…”

Iris was getting teary-eyed.

“If I fall asleep, there’ll be no one to interfere with Shiro’s dreams, right?”

We couldn’t all be asleep together.

“… Ugh.”

“I won’t do anything strange.”

“That’s fine, but … big brother.”

Iris got up and grabbed me by the shoulders.

“Will you believe when I say that whatever I say or see in my sleep tonight in front of or about you, has nothing to do with the real me and is all fictional?”

‘Don’t be absurd.

‘But, well, I guess it can’t be helped.

‘Because this “Heavenly Dragon Larva Rescue Quest” is my work.

‘I’ll do whatever Iris wants if I can.’

“All right, Iris.”

“It can’t be helped, can it? It would be easier for you to share your dream with Shiro if you sleep too.

“This time, the goal is not to ‘talk to the Dragon’ but to ‘dream with the Dragon’, don’t forget that.”

Iris agreed with me on that.

But the fact that she turned away, curled her body up and shut up indicated that she was reluctant.

“──── but what should I do?”

Iris was squeezing the sheets.

“My sleeping face is bad. My scales come out when I sweat during the night and they sometimes rub my sleepwear. My pillow’s name is also ‘Big Brother Nagi’ and I hug it while sleeping!? Aah!”

‘… Yeah, I knew it. It seems that there is resistance.’

“Oh, and when I was a kid I could sleep calmly if my head was patted, just as my mother used to…”

“Yes.”

Headpats

“Oh, big brother?”

Nudge, nudge, nudge.

“We are sharing consciousness. You can’t do that, big brother. I can’t expose my embarrassing appearance in front of you…”

Nudge, nudge, nudge, nudge.

“No, no, no. …”

Nudge, nudge

“… Suu”

Iris fell asleep while complaining.

‘Okay, that completes the first step.’

I brought the Heavenly Dragon Egg close to Iris’ body.

Then, just to be safe, I held hands with Iris, but didn’t lie down and close my eyes, as I was sure that I would sleep if I did so…

“────ggaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ────────!”

I could see the images that flowed directly into my mind.

It was dark and gloomy, like the depths of the earth.

A huge stake was stuck into a pure white Dragon that was lying on the ground struggling.

“Oh, big brother!”

Iris, who had entered the dream earlier, hugged me.

The combination of [Dragon Empathy] and [Mind Linkage] seemed to be a success.

“Are you okay, Iris?”

“I am fine because you are here. But this is the dream … that the ‘Heavenly Dragon Egg’ is seeing, right?”

It was a pitch-black world.

The sky was covered with black clouds and thunder was rumbling in the distance.

The surrounding area was a basin covered with black rocks, and a white Dragon was lying at the bottom of it.

Long neck, horns, huge wings

The pearly horns were the same color as the one growing behind Shiro’s ear.

I guessed it to be the Heavenly Dragon Blansharka - or perhaps the mana of the previous Heavenly Dragon.

Even though I was not a Magician, I could feel the powerful mana ripping through me.

It was truly a transcendent being.

“Where’s … Shiro?”

“There.”

She was sleeping on the edge of the basin, holding her knees.

She was surrounded by rocks that seemed to block out the Dragon’s voice and magic.

“You know a lot about legends and stuff, don’t you, Iris? What do you think the meaning of this dream is?”

“Yes, yes.”

Iris looked up from her hug on my chest.

“I once heard a similar legend about a man who connected with God in a dream.

“The person was connected to a transcendent being through magic and borrowed power from him. And he was negotiating with the transcendent being so that he could see his dreams and borrow his power.

“If this situation is similar to that, Shiro is connected to the mana of her predecessor Heavenly Dragons in reality, and this dream is a kind of residual … consciousness of the previous generation’s mana flowing into her.”

I agreed with Iris’ reasoning.

Raijika, the mummy Wyvern, said that the Heavenly Dragon Egg would absorb the mana of Heaven and Earth, then hatch. And the most suitable place for that was the location of the previous Heavenly Dragon’s death.

I guess that was referring to the mana of the previous generation of Heavenly Dragon.

And since we carried the Heavenly Dragon Egg to the designated place, it was connected to the mana of the previous Heavenly Dragon.

I guess it came out as a dream to Shiro.

“Then again, what is that?”

‘The Heavenly Dragon was supposed to be the Guardian Deity of people and Dragons, so how can it be in this state?

‘It’s as if an… Evil Dragon is sealed in there.’

“Heavenly Dragon is humanity’s ally, right?”

“Yes, that’s what many legends say, and that’s what’s recorded in history books.”

I could tell by looking at Shiro that Heavenly Dragon was a good guy.

If that were the case, did that mean the seal was bad?

I heard a voice.

It was from a stake in the Heavenly Dragon.

“You are a Heavenly Dragon”

“Humanity’s ally”

“Then work more efficiently”

“No need for will or body”

“I don’t want any uncertainty”

“You are just a tool”

“Do everything you can”

“And work efficiently.”

‘…Wow.

‘That line makes me want to cover my ears…”

I was connected to Iris, and Iris was connected to Shiro, so I could directly feel the thoughts that were too black.

Iris was hugging me.

The reason why I could feel her hugging me was because the real Iris is also hugging me.

I put my hand on Iris’ back and rubbed it.

“I can wake you up with [Heart Healing Hug] if you are reaching your limits.”

“It’s all right. As the Sea Dragon’s Shrine Maiden, I can’t leave the Heavenly Dragon in trouble alone.”

“To the Heavenly Dragon Blansharka!”

So I shouted at the fallen Heavenly Dragon.

“This is the Hero of the Sea Dragon and the maiden who is the descendant of the Sea Dragon! We have been entrusted with the Heavenly Dragon Egg by Raijika the Wyvern!”

I chose and said some heroic lines.

Gigi

At the bottom of the basin, Heavenly Dragon opened its eyes.

It had purple eyes, just like Shiro’s.

“And then I heard about this nightmare from the Larvae and entered the dream for redemption. What happened here? Tell us!”

“The Sea Dragon … related to that little snake… Is it …?

It noticed.

‘The Sea Dragon Kerukatoru is a small snake?

‘From the point of view of the Heavenly Dragon of that time, that may be true.’

“… my child was … entrusted to the … care of Ancient Bloods. What is …?”

“Are you sure you’re the Heavenly Dragon Bransharka?”

“… I’m just a residual thought inhabited by the mana of the Heavenly Dragon. Heavenly Dragon died and returned to the earth.”

“But your wings are still on the ground.”

“At the moment of death, the Heavenly Dragon also left a residual thought on his wing, to ask for help.”

“Shiro is the Heavenly Dragon’s Larva. The mana of the previous Heavenly Dragon is sealed somewhere.”

“After I died, someone put a seal on the land that contained the mana.”

That seemed to be the true identity of the stake in the body.

Heavenly Dragon was a transcendent being, but after it died, there would be a time period without any Heavenly Dragon.

Taking advantage of that time period, someone put a seal on the Heavenly Dragon’s mana.

That was what held the ‘mana of the previous generation of Heavenly Dragon’ that was supposed to be absorbed by Shirou, from doing so.

In reality, it should be a monolith or an object.

The residual thought said that the mana that had been sealed away was probably being used by someone else on their own.

“Who is that someone …?”

“I don’t know.”

‘That’s understandable. Heavenly Dragon is dead, after all.’

“I remember that my wings were cut off and I gave the Egg to my attendant Raijika and took off for my final destination. I don’t remember… what happened after that.”

“What should I do… big brother?”

Iris took my hand in hers.

“I don’t want to see my Dragon friends being used like this.”

“I agree with you.”

‘Don’t try to make others work for you after you’re dead.

‘In the first place, why should Heavenly Dragon even consider efficiency when he’s trying to take the side of the humans?’

“…I was just helping people because they were cute. …”

Heavenly Dragon blurted out.

“Humans are tiny, cute and unrelieved, so I just acted as their Guardian Deity. Why was I ordered to work more efficiently? The next Heavenly Dragon… will do whatever it wants. Whether to help humanity or destroy it, it’s their wish. Even so, using mana to force such thoughts…”

“I think so, too.”

“As the Heavenly Dragon, I try to keep my emotions in check, but this incident has made me angry. I hope this anger doesn’t change the mana in reality and doesn’t affect the surrounding…”

“What effect will that have?”

“Monsters will go Berserk.”

“Berserk?”

“The monsters will take actions they normally wouldn’t. Like, attack and occupy human fort…”

“Huh…”

The story sounded somewhat familiar.

“If this situation continues for a long time, I myself may lose my … mind. … If it is transferred to the next generation of Heavenly Dragons, they may become Evil Dragons that attack people… …If you are on the Dragon’s side, please … help …”

Heavenly Dragon’s eyes were so gentle as it looked up at me.

It looked like it was about to cry.

I didn’t know who made the seal, but it was only natural that the Heavenly Dragon would be upset if they did so to him even after he died. The anger of a transcendent being was strong enough to affect everyone around it. In the worst case scenario, the anger could be transferred to Shirou as well.

‘… I don’t like it.

‘Shiro was so good to Rita and Aine. I don’t want to see her go berserk and attack people. Or rather, why should she have to go through that right after she was born?’

“Listen, Heavenly Dragon. I have a few questions for you, if you don’t mind.”

I asked.

“As many … as it takes to redeem my child.”

The one in the shape of a Heavenly Dragon looked at me and nodded slowly.

“First question. You’re saying that the ‘residual mana of the Heavenly Dragon’ is connected to the Egg, right?”

“Yes.”

Leaning its head back, Heavenly Dragon nodded lightly.

“The closer you get to the place where I died, the stronger the connection to the Egg will become.”

‘Okay, the first condition is met.’

“Second question. If you and the Heavenly Dragon’s Larva are connected, is it safe to assume that the ‘seal’ is also connected to the Larva?”

“The answer to that question is ‘yes’ as well. Otherwise, the Egg would not have been affected.”

“Third question. The seal that’s stuck in you is something that interferes with your magic. In other words, is it some sort of ‘Locked Skill’?”

“I’m not sure exactly what you mean, but it’s close enough …, if you ask me.”

I thought it was.

Rita had also received the Divine Power Seal before.

And the Bad Luck Invitation that was on Raphilia was the same way.

“If so, then I can take care of it.”

“Um, you’re the Sea Dragon Hero …, right? You are related to the Sea Dragon, aren’t you?”

“I am also a visitor, though.”

“… If Raijika entrusted you with the Egg, there’s no problem. I know I can trust her. Beside…”

The figure saw Shiro sleeping beside it.

“I feel the Larva is at ease by your side. …”

“It’s just the way things go. I’ll do what I can.”

“It seems that the blood relatives of the Sea Dragon also believe in you.”

“Yes. Of course!”

Iris raised her hand in a shooing motion.

“I Iris Hoffimier have been given a second life by my brother. I desire to be with my brother for the rest of his life. If my brother wants to help Shiro, I will do everything in my power to save her.”

“Shiro …, is that the name of the Larva…?”

The Heavenly Dragon flapped lightly with its now one-sided wing.

“Very well. The residual thoughts of the Heavenly Dragon Blansharka believe in you fully. Is there anything else you wish to ask?”

“Is there such a thing as a ‘Dragon Ship’ in this world?”

“What…?”

Heavenly Dragon opened his mouth in disgust.

I had never seen a Dragon go blank before. It was my first time.

“No, there is no such thing. … What about it?”

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to ask.”

“The Heavenly Dragon has occasionally taken human form and lived in communion with people.”

The Heavenly Dragon made a small motion with his mouth and said.

“It was because the little humans were cute and I wanted to help them. Sometimes they would turn on me, but I could understand most of them and the demi-humans. Just like you. I once collected things to learn more about such people, but the Dragon Ship, which is …”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m just asking this just in case. … I just want to ask you one more thing.”

That was the last question.

‘Don’t be nervous. … I might offend the Heavenly Dragon’s figure because of it.’

I said to Iris through [Mind Linkage] that if the Heavenly Dragon figure were to get angry, to immediately deactivate her [Dragon Empathy].

I also put my hands around Iris’s back and got ready to activate [Heart Healing Hug LV1] right away.

I took a deep breath and asked…

“Can I make the current Heavenly Dragon’s Larva, Shiro, my slave?