REFDL 138
* * *
“So.”
Crunch, crunch.
“So the conclusion is that it’s a total waste of time.”
Tortan mumbled as he ate a desert-grown fruit with a yellow pulp.
If speaking in such an irritating way counted as a skill, then he certainly had one.
For the record, the chieftain had given us that as a parting gift; it had the texture of an apple and tasted like a mix of mango and pineapple. It was sweet and juicy, and above all, it was something unheard of in Firmus.
Rare meant valuable. Valuable meant expensive.
“I brought back the exclusive distribution rights for a new fruit variety, and you call it a waste of time?”
“It’s called an ‘exclusive’ precisely because distribution isn’t possible without a Kremlis in the first place. Plus, the round trip alone takes nearly a month.”
“……That may be true for now, but we’ll find a way eventually. More importantly, this isn’t just about securing a fruit supply. What matters is that we’ve opened the door to a positive relationship with them.”
“Hmm.”
……This bastard why is he being so sullen today of all days?
The attendant behind Tortan wore a Buddha-like smile. He mouthed the words without making a sound.
His Highness Erdion. Vacation. Residing at the Academy. Busy. Senior class.
“…….”
[…….]
It was only a few words, but it was enough to grasp the situation.
My business was mostly done anyway. There was no need to stick around and deal with the supreme ruler when he was in such a foul mood.
I extended my front and back legs one by one on the table. Kaelus scooped me up from underneath my belly and slowly rose to his feet.
“Well, we’ll be on our way then.”
“Wait a moment. Actually, I’ve been worrying about something lately…”
“Ah. I’m on leave for the time being, so even if you contact me, there’s a high chance I won’t be able to answer.”
“…No, that’s the main point! Lately, there have been dilapidated buildings in the capital! Illegal reconstruction!”
Kaelus slipped out of the office without looking back. His stride from the sofa to the hallway was almost like teleportation.
A voice squeaking like a newborn dragon echoed down the hallway, but Kaelus didn’t look back even once.
***
After that, it was pure tranquility.
“Ah, Lord Yuram. Can’t you just not ride the swing?”
[No. This is a matter of pride.]
Yuram puffed out his chest, which was about the size of a sparrow’s.
[What would the servants think of me!]
……What would they think? They’d think you’re a walking slipper.
Donon answered only in his mind. He knew that the moment he said it out loud, Yuram would jump up and down in protest. Of course, with a chest that size, even if he did jump up and down, he’d just look like an excited goldfish.
In any case, since Yuram was his superior, the loyal, capable, and young servant kept his mouth shut.
[And you said you’ve finished all the repairs.]
“That is true, but….”
When asked about the broken swing, Kaelus, uncharacteristically, fell silent for about three seconds before saying, “Fix it.” His tone betrayed his reluctance.
In any case, the subordinates who received the order did as they were told. They did fix it. However, no one had verified its stability.
Should I tell him now?
Donon, who had been feeling anxious, pondered this.
Meanwhile, the red slipper, who was particularly brave when ignorant, had already climbed onto the swing.
He swung skillfully, using his own momentum to keep it going.
Donon watched for a moment, but saw no problems. He was relieved.
Right. Since the rope has been replaced, it should be fine now…
Snap.
Ah.
The footboard, warped and corroded by wind and rain, snapped in half.
Squeak!
“Lord Yuram!”
Upon hearing the news, Kaelus remained silent for about three seconds before simply ordering them to remove it and install a new swing. But Yuram, who had been betrayed twice, wouldn’t even look at the swing for a while.
***
“Lord Yuram! I told you not to steal jerky, just ask for it! Especially when the kitchen is chaotic! What if someone steps on you?”
Kya-kya.
For the first time in a long while, Yuram was genuinely scolded. The days when the servants condoned and even encouraged his jerky theft were long gone.
The dragon, smaller than an adult man’s palm, had only managed to avoid trouble so far because of his color; one wrong move and he would have been trampled. When things got busy, even his color was useless.
After a near-miss where the dragon was almost stepped on, the servants were terrified and issued a strict “no jerky theft” order to Yuram.
Of course, even though he had shrunk, his original form was the size of a small fortress, and since he was a Kremlis, getting stepped on might not be a big deal.
……But that didn’t mean they could actually step on him to find out. Right?
The servants simply chose to err on the side of caution. In the process, Yuram’s opinion was completely ignored.
Kya!
[But it tastes so good when I sneak a bite……]
“Shh. Are you going to say such childish things? You’re five years old now. In dragon years, five is considered a full-fledged adult.”
[……!]
Yuram was shocked.
Counting his past life, he was on the verge of turning thirty.
He knew it, but he hadn’t felt it because he was so caught up in the reactions of those around him and his own cuteness. In an instant, all the things he had done up until now, using his small body as an excuse, flashed before his eyes.
Yuram felt ashamed.
‘Right. How old am I?!’
[Starting today, I’m going to be a mature dragon!]
…Was that something you could just decide to be?
The servant, who had been mimicking a stern instructor with his arms crossed, paused, but didn’t let his surprise show.
However, he couldn’t help but be appalled by Yuram’s next statement.
[First off, I’m giving up jerky. If I don’t eat it, I won’t have any reason to steal it!]
The problem wasn’t just the jerky, he’d given up meat entirely.
He claimed that eating meat made him crave jerky?
The servants were in a panic.
When coaxing and pleading failed, they even placed a basket full of jerky right in front of him, but…
[I’m a mature dragon!]
Maturity has nothing to do with jerky. But the dragon, who had jumped to that conclusion, held back even as he drooled profusely.
Instead, he munched on fruit as if it were meat.
“…….”
The servants had no choice but to send out an SOS.
To Kaelus.
Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t have dared to even speak to His Grace, but this was an emergency.
After hearing the situation, Kaelus thought for a moment and said,
“Just leave him be…”
He couldn’t bring himself to add that Yuram wouldn’t last more than a few days anyway. This was because the servants were all staring at Kaelus with the same look one might give to trash that can’t even be recycled. They belatedly realized what they were doing and immediately bowed their heads.
“……”
Kaelus quietly rose from his seat.
He grabbed Yuram (who, claiming he was sick of fruit, was now devouring cookies) and said just one thing.
“I like people who eat everything without being picky.”
[……!]
“The same goes for dragons. I like dragons that aren’t picky eaters.”
It was the moment his artificial, selective eating habits came to an end.
Yuram decided to just live without a care in the world.
……And still, no one understood the correlation between growing up and jerky.
***
Today was the day of the decisive battle.
Yuram sharpened his claws against a rock. They were much smaller than a human’s fingernails.
Donon, who saw them firsthand, thought to himself.
‘They look like the tip of a toothpick……’
He didn’t voice his thoughts. It was obvious that an enraged Yuram would jump at him and bite the top of his head off.
[I’ve gotten stronger.]
You were always strong. You’re a Kremlis.
[I’m not who I used to be. I can beat a six-year-old giant dog any day!]
You don’t need to say it so solemnly, beating a giant dog is a given. You’re a dragon.
But for Yuram, at least, it wasn’t a given.
That intense first encounter, where he could do nothing but run helplessly from the giant yellow dog that had charged at him with gleaming eyes the moment it saw him. It had been five years since that experience, and he’d been getting beaten by the giant dog ever since.
Yuram had still never beaten that huge, yellow thing. It he were to face it in his true form, that would be a different story…
[That doesn’t feel like winning! I don’t think it’ll even recognize me in the first place!]
Yuram tapped the ground with his front paws and grumbled.
[I’d only feel like I’ve won if that dog knows it’s me and still loses!]
I don’t know what he’s saying, but I think I get the feeling.
Donon felt a slight wave of dizziness, but he managed to shake it off. The days when he’d jump at the slightest thing were long gone. To put it bluntly, Donon had become used to it
There were now only a few servants left whom he could call his “superiors.”
Now far more skilled at concealing his emotions, he displayed a picture perfect smile.
“Of course. You’re absolutely right, Lord Yuram.”
[……]
The young dragon, who had been throwing uppercuts into thin air as if filming a boxing movie all by himself, turned to look at his attendant with narrowed eyes. The attendant, who had become as slippery as an old snake, didn’t bat an eye and continued to smile cheerfully.
It felt a bit suspicious, but Donon wasn’t the important thing right now.
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