Chapter 167: Rat and Dragon (2)

I was dreaming.

A dream where Mom left me behind.

"Mom will go earn money, so you must wait patiently. Understand?"

A lie.

"I'll earn lots of money and make my daughter live like a princess. I'll definitely come back for you..."

A liar.

"So, you must listen well to the priest and stay healthy. Understand?"

The dream of the day Mom left. Leaving me, a small child, in the mountain village, Mom left.

10 years. Not a short time. During that time, Mom didn't send a single letter.

Perhaps, she has forgotten about me.

Watching Mom's retreating back, I cried.

I sensed that we would never meet again.

I couldn't bear the fact that my only family was leaving. I cried like a young child.

After all, I was just a child.

As Mom's figure disappeared from sight, I turned around and opened the door to the temple.

As a small and young child who couldn't live on my own, the only one I could rely on was the priest at the temple.

When I opened the temple door, the first thing that caught my eye was

[Grrrrrr...]

The enormous silver dragon. Its head.

My feet, faced with this giant beast, were frozen like stone.

Not even a small sound came from my throat.

Like a mouse in front of a fierce predator, I was paralyzed with fear.

The silver dragon slowly opened its eyes and looked at me with golden irises.

A gaze that seemed to see through my entire being. A gaze that read my weak self, unable to leave the small village that disgusted me.

The dragon, looking at me as if making me an insignificant existence, slowly opened its mouth.

And then, everything around me - the trees, the temple, the sky and the earth - began to be sucked into the dragon's pitch-black mouth.

And I, too, was swallowed along with everything else.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Hmm? Oh, you've woken up.]

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the giant dragon.

"D-D-D-Dragon...!"

[Yes, a dragon. It's been a while since I've been in my true form, so you might have forgotten what I look like.]

The dragon, spewing some incomprehensible sounds. I tried to crawl away from the dragon.

But.

[Don't try to run away. I waited for you to wake up, and now you want to run?]

"Eek?!"

In an instant, silver chains like shackles entangled my hands and feet, rendering me immobile.

"Are you going to eat me?"

[Eat you?]

The dragon stared at my face.

[Hehe. You're saying some amusing things. A small creature like you wouldn't even fill my stomach.]

"But... the dragons in the stories..."

[I don't know what stories you've heard, but I won't eat you.]

The dragon continued to stare at me.

"Really?"

[In return, I've become curious to see the world from a human's perspective, so I'd like you to guide me.]

Guide... the dragon? The largest house in the village, the chief's, is smaller than this dragon's claws, and the entire village is probably smaller than the dragon itself.

I pondered for a moment, but I had no choice.

Without the dragon's help, there's no way I can get out of here.

Looking around the area illuminated by the light emanating from the dragon's body, it seems the only entrance I came through is the slope I slid down.

No matter how much the dragon's appearance might turn the village upside down, I had no choice but to nod.

"I can guide you to the village I live in, if that's alright."

[Hmm, thank you. I've grown a bit tired of just looking down from above.]

This enormous dragon must have been flying high in the sky.

The world of the gods, where many deities are said to reside, and the sky the dragon has flown through - I wonder which is higher.

Ah, but I shouldn't be thinking about such things, or I might incur divine wrath. No, no, I mustn't.

"But with your huge body, how will you manage to enter the village?"

If it enters the village in this size, the village itself will cease to be a village.

I've always grumbled about the backwater village, but if the village disappears, I'll be in trouble too!

[Of course there's a way. Did you really think I'd enter the village in this size?]

Yeah.

I didn't get the word out.

But just now, your wing flapping blew me away! It hurt! It really hurt!

Well, you healed it all, but still.

[I've always lived in human form before falling asleep, so I'm used to it.]

At the same time, dazzling light gushed out from the dragon's body.

My eyes! My eyes!!! It's so bright!!!!

Even in the dark cave, there was only the faint light from the dragon, and suddenly this blinding light! My eyes!!!! Aaah!

The light that had been gushing out gradually diminished over time.

And then.

"Hmm. This form is more comfortable after all."

In the place where the dragon had been standing, there was a silver-haired girl with horns on her head.

"Ah, could it be... Dragon-sama?"

"Yes, that's right."

Is this also a magic used by the dragon?

Incredible magic... That massive body shrink down to this size.

"Well then... let's go out."

The dragon, now in human form, lightly snapped her fingers, and the surrounding scenery changed in an instant.

Instead of the dimly lit cave with the shining silver dragon gone, it was now a familiar forest landscape.

This is... the forest behind the mountain.

"Huh? How did you do that?"

"I just moved through space. Well then, I'd like you to guide the way. So... what's your name?"

Ah, I haven't introduced myself yet.

"I'm Maybelle Cinder. What should I call you, Dragon-sama?"

"Hmm... I have many names, but... Ah, you can call me Tiamat. No one uses this name, and since I'm a dragon, it suits me."

Tiamat? An unusual name.

"Then I'll call you Tia. I'll guide you to the village."

And so, I accompanied the dragon-turned-girl, Tia, towards the village.