Lupel was the name of the Empire’s capital. And what Ray was looking at was a book explaining about the Empire’s capital. He thought it was probably a book produced for the convenience of people coming to tour from other countries. The content was almost entirely about attractions worth seeing in Lupel.
“It was in Naro’s bookshelf.”
“Really? Was there such a book? I probably got it from somewhere and forgot about it.”
“There are many fascinating places in the capital. Look at this.”
Ray opened to a certain page and showed it to Naro. Below a picture of a grand building with a static feeling was written <Lupel National Library>.
“Is the capital so wide that it has many things like this?”
“…”
“Naro?”
Seeing Naro not answering, Ray tilted his head. Naro was staring blankly at the library Ray had shown him.
[Lupel National Library]
[The largest library in the Erwin Empire, and the amount of books and materials stored here is truly vast. Is there someone who wants to learn various knowledge and find out information they’re curious about? Then go to Lupel National Library. Its other alias is the living and breathing museum of history.]
Naro’s eyes were busy reading the content written in the guidebook letter by letter.
It felt like seeing a clue for the first time. Right, why hadn’t he thought of this before? If there was no information, he just needed to go around investigating. And indeed, information doesn’t gather in small villages like this.
The capital, Lupel. A place with vast territory where countless people lived and where prominent noble families had taken root.
In this capital where various people gathered and departed, there might be information about dragons. Moreover, 25 years ago, the place Ray had attacked was precisely the capital.
He’d asked the villagers about the attack incident as if testing the waters, but none of them knew anything more detailed than what Naro already knew. They all just knew that a dragon attacked, the Empire was in danger, and fortunately they won.
Perhaps because it was an incident related to dragons, or maybe because there was content that shouldn’t be revealed externally during the battle process, he’d been troubled thinking not much information would remain, but he’d discovered a possible lead.
“The Empire’s capital… Lupel…”
He had a strong premonition that if he went there, he would somehow be able to learn information he didn’t know.
“Naro, what’s wrong?”
As Naro just quietly muttered while looking at the book, Ray tilted his head. Naro, who had thought of a new method, closed the book and looked at Ray.
“Ray, listen carefully.”
“Yeah. I always listen well to what Naro says.”
“I think I… might have to leave here for a few days.”
Ray silently listened to Naro’s words. After staring at empty space for a moment, he nodded.
“Okay, then I should leave together too.”
“No, I’d prefer if you didn’t come along.”
At Naro’s words, Ray’s pupils shook slightly. As if he’d received a tremendous shock, he couldn’t speak for a moment.
“Why? Naro, are you trying to leave me?”
“No. It’s not like that. I’m doing this to continue being with you. It’ll just be a few days. I’ll just go to the capital for a few days.”
Naro’s desire to go with Ray was just as strong. But the capital was incomparably wider than this Rodelus Village and a place with many people. Above all, the Imperial Knights’ headquarters was in the capital. Whatever the reason, in this situation where the Knights had issued a wanted notice for Ray’s egg, going to the capital together might be dangerous in many ways.
“I don’t want to.”
“Ray, this isn’t something that can be resolved by being stubborn…”
“You think I’m being stubborn?”
Naro flinched. A slight crack appeared in Ray’s brow.
“The problem Naro is worrying about now is about me, right?”
Naro couldn’t help but be surprised. He’d only explained to Ray that he was troubled by Jerian’s proposal and thought Ray had been convinced by that excuse. But he wasn’t. Ray had noticed what Naro was worrying about right now.
“The paper Naro had before. What was drawn on it was my egg. That wasn’t something Naro drew.”
Ray had clearly seen the paper Naro had at that time. Not only that, but Naro had continuously mentioned lost memories and things about his kin from before.
“Ray…”
Naro had no intention of telling Ray the truth until he’d gathered information to some extent. It would be best if Ray’s memories returned, but he couldn’t just keep waiting until then, and he didn’t want to burden Ray.
“You said the reason Naro is leaving is to be with me. But why are you leaving me behind? If that’s the reason, shouldn’t you go with me even more?”
Ray was frowning slightly, but it wasn’t because he was angry. Ray was also thinking seriously in his own way, and everything he was saying was correct.
“Sorry… my thinking was shallow.”
Naro let out a deep sigh.
“Actually, I want to look into Ray’s lost memories and things about the Dragon Tribe. You did say you were fine without such things, but still, I think we can’t just stay like this forever.”
Naro confessed the truth, excluding the content about the incident 25 years ago.
“Because Naro is human and I’m a dragon? So you’re saying we can’t continue like this?”
“…I don’t know well. About the problem of species. But Ray, didn’t I say earlier? I’m trying to act to continue living with you. That thought hasn’t changed. And it won’t in the future either.”
“Then I’ll go too. I absolutely won’t let Naro go alone. If things related to me are needed to be together, I’ll search for them together too.”
Naro fell into thought for a moment. But the time for thinking wasn’t very long.
“Yeah, okay. Then let’s go to Lupel together.”
* * *
Naro moved busily from this morning. He put necessary items in the luggage bag he’d bought before and carefully checked if he’d forgotten anything. Naro and Ray were leaving Rodelus Village for the time being. The place they were going to was the Empire’s capital, Lupel.
“Ray, come here.”
“Okay.”
When Naro called, Ray, who had been waiting on one side for preparations to finish, approached Naro in one bound.
“When we get to the capital, you have to stay by my side no matter what, okay?”
The purpose of this journey was to go to the capital where much knowledge and information gathered and investigate the history of the Dragon Tribe and related incidents. But that action also carried risks, which was that the Imperial Knights’ headquarters was also in Lupel.
So he’d tried to make excuses to Ray and leave alone, but through their last conversation, he realized that wasn’t the right choice. This was a problem related to Ray’s memories, so leaving the person concerned behind didn’t make sense in a way. So Naro decided to accompany Ray.
Fortunately, Ray could humanize, and the picture drawn on the wanted poster was only the egg, so there might not be much to worry about. Still, there was nothing wrong with being careful.
But Ray was quiet.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“Because I like that Naro says such things.”
“Huh?”
Ray lifted Naro’s bangs and kissed him briefly again. Like last time.
“I’m always by Naro’s side.”
As Naro was startled and didn’t know what to do, suddenly a knocking sound was heard.
“Naro-ssi, Ray-ssi, it’s me!”
Jerian’s voice flowed in through the closed door. Naro and Ray hurriedly each picked up a luggage bag and went outside.
“Good morning.”
Jerian’s luggage was also quite substantial. Since it was a situation of returning to the capital completely, he apparently had a lot to pack.
“The carriage I called is waiting by the plaza. Let’s hurry.”
“Yes.”
The three people moved together. Ray naturally took the luggage bag Naro was carrying and slung it over his remaining shoulder. Naro said it was okay, but Ray didn’t return the luggage.
“By the way, I thought Naro-ssi would refuse.”
“Ah… I thought about it a lot, but I thought it might be a good opportunity for me too.”
The other day, Naro had read the content about Lupel National Library that Ray was looking at in the guidebook and decided to go to the capital. But he didn’t know how long the investigation would take, and he thought if he just recklessly left the house and pharmacy he’d lived in, it might look unnatural from the outside.
Perhaps he’d become more sensitive because Ray’s egg was wanted. But at that moment, the proposal Jerian had made came to mind. If there was a justification, no one would think it strange for him to be away in the capital for a while.
In fact, when he said he’d be away from the village for a while for this reason, Garnet was very pleased. After all, he’d always told Naro to seize good opportunities if they came, to go out to a bigger place instead of this rural village.
Since the pharmacy had to be closed for a while, he told the villagers about this just in case, and he and Ray stayed up all night to finish preparations in advance for orders that had been placed beforehand, resolving that issue.
“I think so too. Naro-ssi has that much skill.”
