CH 189

As we ride Seilook down to the surface, we start to see people gathering.

People look up, and scream towards us.

I can see Seilook doesn’t know where to land at first, but ends up choosing the space in front of the main office.

People gather there, and among everyone, Kalin’s red hair stands out the most.

Apparently she’s giving instructions to open a space where we can land. We have an opening where we can land right away.

Did Seilook search for Kalin because it knew this would happen? Did its intelligence evolve too?

We keep getting closer to the ground as I think about this.

Seilook reduces its speed, flaps its six wings widely, and shifts into a landing position.

The wind this creates runs through everyone on the ground, but the people of the Admiral dominion are used to this much, so they’re all unfazed.

Some people stagger, but I don’t recognize their faces. They’re probably Princess Lily’s attendants.

I can’t help wondering if they’re all right, if this amount of wind is enough to make them stagger. I look at Princess Lily, and she has a grim look on her face.

Seilook gently lands, and brings us its tail so we can get down.

We hop on Seilook’s tail, and stand on the ground for the first time in a while, before we’re quickly surrounded.

In my case, Kalin leads the way before Ahri, Roa, Master Halhammer, and the people of the Kagero Institute gather around me.

Princess Lily is bombarded with questions by her followers.

“Rust!”

“Master Rust!”

“Good grief, you…”

Everyone’s talking, and I don’t understand anyone.

“Stop stop! Sorry for worrying you all, but speak one at a time.”

They look at each other, and decide Kalin should speak first.

“I’m sorry Kalin. I couldn’t say no to Princess Lily’s request.”

I preemptively apologize.

“What happened up there, Rust? A huge cloud vanished all of a sudden, and there was a big light in the sky. Seilook’s face looks different too… And there’s something adorable on top of it.”

Kalin’s eyes are on the undead dragon looking down at us from the top of Seilook’s head.

I guess it is cute when it’s in miniature size, but it’s still a bone dragon.

First Princess Lily, and now Kalin. I don’t get their standards for what’s cute.

“Ah, cute.”

Ahri also whispers that as she sees the undead dragon. Taula isn’t here, but she’d probably react the same way. Roa and Shellrule on the other hand are calmly observing it. Master Halhammer is also looking at the undead dragon intently, but probably for different reasons.

I look around at everyone, and explain only the inoffensive parts.

We went up to that cloud because Princess Lily said we should, found a dragon tomb and the undead dragon there, and were attacked.

And Seilook fired a dragon breath at the enemy to take it down.

As I talk, every member of the Kagero Institute except Master Halhammer cheers and sounds surprised at various points.

“Wow. I want to ride a dragon too.”

“That’s our chief. He has two dragons under his command now.”

“Going out on an adventure with the princess sounds lovely.”

Ahri and the others I’ve known for longer have a bewildered look on their faces, like they’re thinking ‘again?’. Roa looks at the excited members of the Kagero Institute like she feels sorry for them.

Honestly, this was a pretty draining experience for me too, so all I can do to respond to their excitement is awkwardly smile. I also decide not to say anything because I don’t want to ruin their fun.

But Kalin is looking at me like she’s telling me to explain everything in more detail in private.

I nod, and we tell everyone it’s time to go back to what they were doing before.