When they came down to the entrance of the square, the carriage Jerian had mentioned came into view. The three people loaded their luggage and officially climbed onto the carriage.
“How long does it take to get to the capital?”
Ray asked.
“It takes quite a while. According to the schedule, we’ll arrive in two days. We’ll rest and move in villages along the way.”
“He says so. Naro, if you’re tired, lean on me and sleep.”
“I’m fine. You’re the one who should rest well.”
Ray originally wandered around in human form, but would occasionally return to baby dragon form. Since that was his true form, it was probably to conserve stamina. But since they had decided to leave for the capital together, he would have to maintain his human transformation for a long time from now on.
Right now Jerian was with them, and it would be the same after arriving at the capital. He would only be able to release his human transformation and return to baby dragon form when alone with Naro, so until that situation came, his stamina consumption would be quite severe.
He had already earnestly asked Ray not to carelessly transform into a dragon, and to definitely let him know if any strange signals came.
“Then we’ll be departing. No one forgot anything, right?”
“No.”
Jerian nodded his head satisfactorily and sent a signal through the window connected to the driver’s seat that they could depart.
The coachman pulled the reins vigorously. The horse made a resounding sound and the carriage lurched once before beginning to race down the well-paved road.
“Have Naro-ssi or Ray-ssi been to the capital before?”
“Ray only briefly when he moved from a foreign country to the Empire. I’ve only been once too.”
Naro faithfully answered according to the setting that Ray was a foreigner who had entered the Empire to go to his cousin’s house.
“I see. The capital is really big and has many things to see. Of course, you’re going for work, but since you’re going to the capital anyway, look around many places. Think of it as a vacation.”
“Yes, I’m looking forward to it too.”
Naro smiled and nodded his head. If it were up to his feelings, he wanted to think of it as a happy trip as Jerian said. But he couldn’t do that given the circumstances. He had a purpose to achieve. He couldn’t relax until he could safely accomplish that purpose.
Naro’s gaze turned beyond the window. The familiar scenery of Rodelus Village quickly passed by. But before long, his vision was soon filled with unfamiliar sights. How long had it been since he’d gone outside this village? Naro tried hard to calm his pounding heart from nervousness.
Inside the carriage heading to the capital. Naro prayed repeatedly to the sky. He wasn’t originally the type to rely on gods, but even so, this time he wanted to.
Please let him achieve what he wanted on this trip and safely return to Rodelus Village together with Ray.
Naro kept repeating only those words inside and conveyed them to the sky.
* * *
A tavern somewhere in the capital, Lupel.
Befitting a tavern, the noisy sounds never ceased. People who were already quite drunk were sprawled on tables, and sweat beaded on the foreheads of staff members carrying multiple glasses at once while serving.
“By the way, why exactly are the Knights looking for this egg?”
“Look here. It says black dragon’s egg! Black dragon! They’re looking for it because it’s a dragon, aren’t they?”
The conversation topics were diverse, but as expected, the hot potato in the Empire these days was none other than the wanted notice issued by the Knights.
The existence of dragons was hazy in people’s memories. From the distant past, the relationship between the two species had been bad, and there was a history of excluding each other to the point of ignoring each other as if they didn’t exist. Moreover, after the incident 25 years ago, dragons were known to be almost extinct, so it might have been natural.
But the wanted notice issued by the Knights clearly had the word ‘black dragon’ written on it, and this drew different reactions from people.
“By the way, dragons. I guess they really do exist. I want to see one at least once. Back then I was just a newborn baby.”
“Me too. If it’s a dragon, it must be really huge, right? Does it breathe fire from its mouth and stuff?”
Most young people who hadn’t experienced that incident first felt curiosity about the existence called dragons.
“Tsk tsk, these young folks these days are in big trouble for having nothing in their heads.”
“Can you blame them when they didn’t experience that incident?”
“Still, look at the way they talk! We suffered such great damage back then. Both me and my parents almost died then! I still sometimes dream about it and it’s nothing short of a nightmare.”
And the generation that had directly experienced that incident long ago was busy getting angry, indignant at the memories of the past that had surfaced due to the wanted notice. The complaints didn’t cease—that they lost their homes, were seriously injured, were separated from family.
“But seeing how they even issued a wanted notice, isn’t it dangerous? What if that incident gets reenacted…”
“Hey! Don’t say such ominous things. Don’t you know words become seeds?”
Yet others were anxious. Due to the long conflict between species and past incidents, most people feared the existence called dragons. Some even expressed ominous opinions that since the Knights had stepped forward, it must not be an ordinary matter, and perhaps a similar incident to the past might occur.
“We have nothing to worry about! When we have the Erwin Magic Knight Order, what is there to worry about? We have the Commander too.”
Someone brought up the topic about the Knights with a confident face. Before long, the conversation shifted in that direction.
“I heard they completely wiped out an organization that was running rampant in the black market last time?”
“Is that all? They also caught a group of assassins sent from that Kortia Kingdom. Whenever the Knights step forward, everything gets solved!”
“Isn’t this all because our, uh? Our great Commander Flens is standing firm like this?”
“Who says otherwise! As long as that person is here, there will be absolutely no problems in this Empire!”
People cheered and poured and drank alcohol. And among them, someone wearing a deep purple robe was quietly drinking alone in a corner without mingling with others.
“Hm? Why are you so tightly covered up with that robe? Isn’t it hot? Ah, you’re shy! There’s no need for that at all. This is an atmosphere where everyone mingles and drinks together. Come, take off that robe and come over here.”
One of the Empire’s citizens who had been excitedly chatting discovered him and spoke to him in a friendly manner. But as soon as the other person spoke to him, the robed figure slowly rose from his seat, placed the payment for drinks on the table, and leisurely left the shop.
The person who left the tavern walked along the road. It was late at night, so the surroundings were dark and utterly quiet. Familiarly entering a back alley and walking through a narrow alleyway, the person took out a small crystal orb from inside their robe.
Soon light flowed out from the crystal orb. Light crackled and sparked on the outside, then a human voice flowed out.
“Yes, it’s me.”
The robed figure began speaking into the crystal orb familiarly.
“No, there’s no harvest. I’ll return now.”
Before long, the light seeping out from the crystal orb gradually faded and disappeared.
* * *
It was after late night had fallen when Naro and Ray got off the carriage.
This was the central area of the capital where the imperial palace, the Knights’ headquarters, and the Lupel National Library were located.
“Still, I’m glad we arrived before midnight.”
After the long journey, Jerian’s face clearly showed signs of fatigue.
“Teacher human, we were delayed because you ate so much at the inn.”
When Ray sniped at Jerian, he made a dejected face.
“Naro-ssi ate with me too…”
“Naro is okay.”
Naro smiled awkwardly while watching the two people exchange words. Come to think of it, was it his imagination that Ray and Jerian’s relationship had become much closer than before?
It was definitely a positive thing that Ray, who had been so wary of others, was building good relationships and getting along well with others besides himself. But why was it? Seeing Ray treat Jerian comfortably with his own eyes didn’t make him purely happy.
Jerian timidly protested that it was unfair while still faithfully guiding them to the inn where the two would stay.
While Jerian confirmed the reservation with the staff, Naro and Ray looked around the inn lobby.
“It seems Jerian-ssi reserved a good inn for us.”
Naro hadn’t stayed at many inns, but there were still things one could tell at a glance. The inn Jerian had reserved seemed to be a high-class inn.
“I like our house better.”
“Ray, aren’t you tired?”
Ray shook his head, saying he was fine. Since he had maintained his human transformation without resting for even a moment during the two days traveling to the capital, Naro couldn’t help but worry.
“Here, you two. Let’s go up together. I got the keys.”
Jerian, who had finished confirming with the staff, stood by the stairs and gestured to the two. Ray and Naro followed him up to the third floor.
“You can use rooms 302 and 303 here. Choose whichever room you’re comfortable with.”
In Jerian’s outstretched palm lay a total of two keys. Noticing this, Naro was quite flustered.
“There are… two keys?”
“Yes, I reserved two since Ray-ssi was coming too.”
Naro had naturally thought they would use one room together. After all, they had always stayed together at home too. But thinking about it, it was natural. No matter how much they were known outwardly as cousins, it wouldn’t be particularly strange even if they each got their own room.
Naro, who had newly realized that he had unconsciously thought he would naturally use the same room with Ray, had to swallow his embarrassment.
