CH 27

Chapter 27: Sword and Shield.

The red dragon that landed in front of Selene, now that she has a close look at it, is really huge. It’s so huge that elephants aren’t even comparable to it. It’s covered with glossy crimson-red scales the size of shields. Its four limbs are as large as pillars, its bat-like wings spread wide, and its two black horns give off a dignified aura, the kind that belongs only to the mighty and powerful.

“Nuwaaaーーーーーーーhhh!”

And the red dragon immediately grabs Selene, who falls on her bottom, with its claw. With Selene’s body being so petite, it looks like she’s being trapped in a claw cage.

“You brutish creature! Release Selene-dono this instant!”

The moment Selene was captured, Kumahachi drew forth his sword, not faltering even in the face of overwhelming pressure, and tried to intercept it with all his might. His greatest technique is the art of sword drawing, called Iai. His sword-drawing slash is unparallel, he can even cut through magic-reinforced steel bars with ease.

『Fuu!』

“Gwah!”

However, he was unable to unleash the full power of his proud technique. Just before the sword made contact with the dragon, Kumahachi’s body was blown backward. He rolls on the grass to dissipate the momentum and manages to get up on one knee.

『You are a hardy one. Normal humans would’ve fainted from that.』

The dragon murmurs so in a surprised tone. The dragon’s attack just now was a very simple move; it merely released its own magic power. If a human did the same thing as it did, it’d simply have been called breathing. But when that breathing is mixed with tremendous magic power, it turns into a dangerous shockwave.

“Kumahachi! Are you okay!?”

“T-, this is nothing! More importantly, Selene-dono is…!”

“I know!”

From behind, Milano and the servants rush toward Kumahachi, intending to help him, but Kumahachi can stand up on his own. Meanwhile, the rest of the servants pick up short swords for self-defense, hammers, and some are even using frying pans as weapons to confront the dragon.

“Stop it you all! Don’t be reckless!”

Milano shouts loudly to stop his servants’ reckless behavior. His servants are not professional combatants; their abilities are limited to self-defense. Despite that, they stand tall against their insurmountable fear purely out of loyalty to Milano. They intend to protect Milano’s beloved Selene at all costs.

『You’re in the way.』

But of course, such a thing doesn’t concern a dragon at all. It swings its long tail lazily, and in one swoop, all the servants are knocked unconscious.

“Hieeeー!”

Selene trembles while still in the dragon’s claw. Sure, she said that she wanted to go home, but she really didn’t expect these turns of events.

“Guh……! Selene! I’m coming to save you!”

As Milano overcomes his fear with the thought of his duty to protect Selene, his brain starts to think frantically. The situation is extremely disadvantageous. How on earth can he save Selene from the dragon? All the servants were knocked unconscious. All that was left that could fight were only himself and Kumahachi.

‘My sword wouldn’t be able to pierce him!’

Milano grits his teeth. He probably wouldn’t even be able to put a dent in the dragon’s scales, as he’s the type of swordsman who uses agility to cover up his weaknesses, not the brute force type. Even if he uses magic for physical strengthening, the only thing that’d be strengthened is his body and not his weapon. His thin sword is going to snap in two before anything else.

Then, what about Kumahachi’s Iai? But he’s not very resistant to magic. Just now, when he was about to strike the dragon, he got blown away by the dragon’s shockwave. No matter how powerful his slash may be, if it doesn’t hit the target in the first place, then it’s meaningless.

――In that case, there’s only one option left for him.

“Kumahachi! I’ll be your shield! And you be my sword!”

“Shield? Sword? ……Understood, my lord!”

Kumahachi immediately understands Milano’s intentions, then Milano charges straight toward the dragon while drawing his favorite thin sword from his waist.

『Again? It’s futile no matter how many times you try.』

The dragon exhales steam out of its nose. Seems like that’s how dragons sigh. The tiny human just rushes forward mindlessly, and this human looks a lot more fragile than the one before.

『Fu!』

In the same manner as earlier, the dragon releases a light magic shockwave. The blonde human then got blown away, the same sad ending as the previous huma―― No, not this time!

“HAAAAAAAAAAAH!!”

Milano’s entire body glows with light. He unleashes his magic to strengthen his body. By wrapping himself in magic power, he uses himself to collide with the shockwave head-on. His body screams, but he does not flinch away and swings his sword down with all his might. Flink, the rigid sound of the sword snapping in two, could be heard. But his sword wasn’t destroyed in vain. It finishes its job as the shockwave is sliced in two.

『Impossible!』

The dragon’s giant eyes widen in astonishment. Sure, the dragon’s not going serious in its attack, but it didn’t expect humans would be able to resist its magic. Still, the real surprise is after this.

“KIEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH!!”

A strange, monstrous warcry erupts from behind Milano. It’s from Kumahachi! He has been charging forward while hiding in Milano’s shadow, and with the shockwave gone, he jumps straight at the dragon’s chest like a tempest. Caught completely by surprise, the dragon’s unable to keep up with Kumahachi’s movements.

“Prepare yourself!”

Kumahachi’s mightiest draw slash, the slash that can cut through even the magic seal of Aquila and tear through the iron door, is now directed at the dragon. His aim is only one spot, and that is the toe of its right front leg. If he cuts there, then the captive princess will be saved―― that is how it’s supposed to go.

『Guh!? Impossible!』

“Impossible!”

Both the dragon and Kumahachi were taken aback. The dragon is surprised that its scale has been slightly chipped, and Kumahachi is surprised that his all-out slash has only slightly chipped its scale.

『This is troublesome. Play time ends here.』

Kumahachi, who went all out just now, is currently full of gaps, but the dragon didn’t counterattack. For both Kumahachi and Milano, their blitz was a deathly suicide attack, but for the dragon it was just mere child’s play.

It’s like watching the ants going about their work when suddenly two stray ants come out of nowhere to bite you. That’s how the dragon feels. Thinking that it’d be stupid to be upset over a matter this small, the dragon kicks the ground and flies up high in the sky.

“SELENEーーーーーー!!”

Milano yells at the top of his lungs. However, before Selene could even reply to his voice, the dragon took off into the sky, rising high to a point that no human could ever reach. And then, as if to show off to the humans below, the dragon lazily turns around before flying off leisurely to the north, far beyond the sky. Looking at its direction, the dragon’s probably heading toward the White Forest.

“Prince! We must chase after it at once!”

Kumahachi sprints up to Milano, not even pausing to wipe away his sweat. Milano takes a look around him. The servants who were knocked out earlier are rising one by one, holding their injured body parts. Fortunately, no one appears to have been seriously injured. If they chase the dragon on horseback right now, they might be able to catch up to it, since it’s flying slowly.

“Guh……!”

Milano has two thoughts.

Follow his instincts. Go. If you don’t go after the dragon right now, you’ll lose Selene forever.

Follow his reasoning. Don’t. If you go on the attack mindlessly right now, you’re going to get everyone killed.

――Milano choose the latter.

“…………We’ll retreat to Helifalte, for now.”

“But Prince! If we don’t chase after it now, we’ll lose track of the dragon for good!”

“I am aware of that! But no one here, not even you, possesses magic. We cannot enter the White Forest in this condition. It’d be like asking my men to die.”

“Guh…… B-, but Prince, are you sure that’s the correct choice?”

“Quiet!”

Milano bit his lips so hard that they started to bleed. He rejects Kumahachi’s opinion outright. Magic is a blessing to those who have it, but a poison to those who do not. Entering the White Forest, which is rich in magical power, is akin to asking them to swim naked in a sea of sulfuric acid.

Not to mention that the purpose of this trip is to go sightseeing, not to fight, so they are not prepared for battle. As a Prince, he must prioritize his people first. Milano believes so.

“Selene, please be safe……”

Without even looking at Kumahachi, who seems to want to say something, Milano orders his servant to return to Helifalte. Milano’s voice, which is wishing for Selene’s safety, sounds as if he’s praying sincerely to God.

◆◇◆◇◆

“S-, scaryー……”

Selene’s body quivers in fear while still in the gigantic dragon’s grasp.

She’s at the altitude where if she fell right now, she’d undoubtedly be sent to the afterlife immediately, not to mention that the one holding her is just a big flying lizard. There’s no way she wouldn’t be scared. The dragon, thinking that she’s trembling due to his presence, speaks in a soft tone, as if to calm her down.

『Do not be frightened. I will not eat you little one. I’m only going to send you back home.』

“T-, thank you……”

Selene manages to force up a smile as the corner of her mouth twitches uncontrollably. If this situation was in a game, she’d probably shouted loudly, “Hoorayー! It’s a big hunt todayー!”, while gleefully hunting it down. But in reality, being captured by a dinosaur-looking monster like this made her feel like she’d already been done for.

I’m sorry that I said we were going to hunt you. Selene reflects on her fault. Really, really reflects on her fault. Well, no matter how much she reflects on it, the reality’s not going to change.

『Princess! Are you safe!?』

“Butler, you here too!?”

Seeing her trusted butler, Selene raises her voice in relief. Butler skillfully runs down the dragon’s scales.

『Please forgive me. There’s nothing I could do with my current power.』

Slipping through the gaps between the dragon’s rugged fingers and hopping to Selene’s shoulder, Butler hangs his head down in frustration. Milano and Kumahachi weren’t the only ones who fought the dragon; Butler, Selene’s most devoted subject, also took part. 

While Milano and Kumahachi were confronting the dragon, Butler sneaked around and climbed onto the dragon from behind and used his fangs to attack it. But even though he’s a Magic Beast, the power difference between a dragon and a mouse is still too great.

『What’s with that mouse? Are you keeping it as your pet? I’m surprised that it can talk.』

Hearing Selene’s shout and noticing Butler’s presence, the dragon that has been flying through the air whispers as if he has seen something rare. Since the dragon’s matching its magical wavelength with Selene’s to talk to her, it can hear Butler’s voice, who has the same magical wavelength as Selene as well.

『O great red dragon-sama. I am Princess Selene’s attendant. Please do call me Butler. It is an honor to be able to speak directly to the ruler of the world such as you.』

Now that the dragon has captured both of them, they have no choice but to look for an opportunity to escape somehow. With that thought in mind, Butler respectfully introduces himself to the dragon so as to not ruin its mood. Being respected by a teeny tiny little mouse is not something to be that happy about, but the dragon’s huge mouth forms a smile nonetheless.

『It is quite a sight to see you praise me so highly. But you are not a butter but a mouse, are you not?』

『I beg your pardon for my silly joke. It is a butl…… a subordinate’s job to make the atmosphere merrier.』

He almost blurted out, saying that he’s actually a butler and not a butter, but he hurriedly corrected his words. If he ruins its mood right now, he might drop dead, literally.

And for a while after that, Selene and Butler cower in the dragon’s palm as it continues to fly to the north. As the ground becomes less flat, more and more trees appear. Selene’s getting anxious as the dragon’s flying in the completely opposite direction of her hometown, so she opens her mouth to tell it that, subconsciously.

“Dragon, here, wrong.”

『Wrong? Ahh, you mean your village is a little further ahead? Be at ease, we’ll be at the White Forest soon. Your sense of direction will surely return when you get there.』

“Village, White Forest?”

『Over there, we can see it now.』

The dragon jerks its head forward, and in that direction is a great sea of white trees.

Until now, the trees in the forest were all green, but as you moved further north, they began to turn white, as if the entire forest was covered in snow. But both Selene and Butler soon realized that those whites were not snow, but the trees themselves turning completely white.

Selene had previously learned from Kumahachi that the White Forest existed, but she had not anticipated it being literally “White Forest.”

『O, Young one of elves. You’re probably terrified of being surrounded by humans. Were you kidnapped when you were lost?』

“Heh……?”

What the hell is this dragon is even saying? Thought Selene as she blinks her eyes rapidly in confusion, but the dragon ignores her and continues to speak.

『Normally, I will not get involved in the affairs of either elves or humans. But I noticed that you have been praying for help these past few days. It just so happens that I’m returning home today and will pass through the White Forest. I’m only doing this on a whim of mine. No need to thank me.』

“Me, elves, not though?”

『What are you on about, young one? You think I don’t know your kin? You have white hair and skin, and red eyes. You are the very epitome of elves, no?』

“Me said, me am not.”

『U-, umm red dragon-sama…… I know this is extremely rude of me but… Princess Selene is telling you the truth.』

Selene and Butler’s objections made the red dragon stop flying in mid-air.

After a while of silence, the dragon asks Selene.

『……Are you speaking the truth?』

“……Un.”

An undescribable, awkward atmosphere looms over one human and two animals.

The dragon brings its right front hand close to its face and stares intensely at Selene with its huge black eyes that are even larger than Selene’s head.

『Hmmm……? Hmmmmm……?』

The dragon knits its eyebrows, squinting hard like a short-sighted person trying their hardest to look at an object from a distance, observing Selene very carefully. And in the next moment, their eyes widen in surprise.

『AHHHH! Y-, you don’t have the ears!?』

The dragon’s body jerks up in mid-air, astonished, as if the sight before its eyes is unbelieveable.

The elves that the dragon knew all had white hair, white skin, and red eyes. Long ears are another feature that they should all share. However, the young girl in front of it doesn’t have long ears.

『Y-, you lowlife! How dare you deceive me!』

The dragon becomes enraged on its own accord, even though the two of them didn’t do anything wrong.