Chapter past-arc-19: Past Arc 19

Past Arc 19

Dragons are the supreme race. Regardless of whether or not that’s actually true, that’s what the dragons themselves believe. And so, there is no way that such supreme dragons would not be dissatisfied with the current situation where Sariel is restraining them. In the past, Gyurie was the same. At the same time, the dragons are staying on this planet for a particular objective, not due to charity. They couldn’t let the humans take actions that were contrary to that objective without responding. Even if that would result in hostilities with Sariel.

「So, you have been tasked with stalling me then?」

「It seems so.」

With Sariel staring right back at him, Gyurie self-consciously turns his gaze away. The location is the reception room at the orphanage. Gyurie was a frequent visitor to the orphanage, and would normally simply enter rather than wait at the reception. However, sensing something wrong, the receptionists guided Sariel to where Gyurie was. Anyone could tell that Gyurie’s state was strange at a glance, not just Sariel. With him making such suspicious behaviour, even someone slow on the uptake like Sariel could guess that something had happened. And then, while half-interrogating him, she got information about the dragons’ movements from Gyurie.

「So, what are you going to do?」

「I will obstruct them of course. That is my mission after all.」

To Gyurie’s question, Sariel gave an immediate reply. As normal.

「Is that really your mission?」

「Figures.」

Gyurie hadn’t expected that words alone would be enough to untangle the blockage in Sariel’s heart. However, from Sariel’s behaviour, he could see that the result was better than he had expected.

「However, that does not change what I must do.」

If there was one miscalculation, it was that what Sariel wanted to do from the bottom of her heart and stopping the dragons were in alignment. Gyurie’s words of wanting her to live as she likes certainly did resound in Sariel’s heart. Precisely because they did resound, they blew away the faint doubt that had been born in her heart. Because what Sariel wanted to do was to protect the people. That blew away her doubts about whether her actions were really the optimal way to carry out her mission.

「Wait!」

「Gyurie. I have taken the liberty to consider you a friend. Therefore, please do not do something that will make me kill you.」

Gyurie was surprised by those words. Both the fact that Gyurie was called her friend, and that despite that fact that she still intended to kill him if he got in the way. Then, while Gyurie was stiff with shock, Sariel left him behind in the reception room.

「While I am away, please take care of the orphans.」

While leaving, she made that selfish request. Gyurie silently stared at the closed door. With a confounded expression. As a dragon, as Sariel’s friend, and as a man who was fascinated by Sariel’s heart, Gyurie was unable to decide what actions he should take. The correct actions to take as a dragon, would be to stall Sariel at risk of his life. Even though there was an overwhelming difference in power between them, Gyurie would at least be able to stall for time. For example, by taking the children hostage or something. However, from the moment when he silently allowed Sariel to leave, he couldn’t accomplish that. Then, should he stay by Sariel’s side? That would mean betraying the dragons. For Gyurie who had prided himself on being a dragon until now, that wasn’t an option. In the end, Gyurie did nothing, a terribly half-baked and passive option.

A large-scale attack by dragons occurred simultaneously all over the world. That would normally have instantly resulted in severe damage to mankind. However, Sariel took prompt action. And above all, by using MA Energy there was a desperate resistance made by mankind using the many weapons that Potimas had designed, leading to the war becoming more bogged down than the dragons had expected. The dragons attacked mankind while escaping from Sariel, and until Sariel arrived at the scene the humans could withstand the attacks. That’s how the situation developed.