Ah... The scenery is beautiful, just beautiful. I couldnt help but let out a sigh of admiration.
This was northwest of the Kingdom of Friedonia, a small village on the border with the Orthodox Papal State of Lunaria.
Looking out further to the west from the center of the village, the bluish-green peaks of the Star Dragon Mountain Range stood there with an incredible sense of presence. Even though they were still a long ways away, they still looked so big. It was a series of mountains the size of Mt. Fuji, so I could understand why the view was so impactful.
Was Dracul, where the dragons lived, in the middle of those majestic mountains? Just what sort of place was it? I couldnt even imagine.
Whats the matter, Big Brother? Tomoe called as I stared vacantly at the mountains.
Hmm? I was thinking, Those mountains sure are big.
Yeah. Theyre really big.
Seeing Tomoe and gazing at the mountains, Hal objected. Oh, co on. You can see the Star Dragon Mountain Range all the way from the castle.
Hal, you just dont get it, Kaede chided the unsentintal Hal with a wry smile. Both from afar and up close, theyre a breathtaking sight, but in different ways, you know.
Aisha and Carla returned from leaving the wagons horses at the inns stable.
Well then, Sir Kazuma, Aisha said, are we to wait here in this village until they co to pick us up?
...Uh, yeah, I said. Thats how its supposed to work.
Whoops. Because Aisha had addressed as Kazuma there, like in the backstory Id prepared for her, it had taken a mont to respond.
Incidentally, in that backstory, I was the young heir to The Silver Deer, and I was traveling around many countries to find potential trade goods. Tomoe was my little sister, and I had her hiding her wolf ears and tail beneath that hooded robe.
The other four, Aisha, Halbert, Kaede, and Carla, were playing the role of adventurers wed hired to protect us in our travels. For this trip, Id actually talked things over with the adventurers guild and had them registered as such.
In an alternate plan, I would have been an adventurer, too, but it stood out so badly that my skill level was below that of the these four that I had to give up on that one. It was true that I was weak, but they were almost too strong. We had the best fighters in the kingdom with us, after all.
Lets get back to the story.
The arrangent was that we would wait here for our escort from the Star Dragon Mountain Range to arrive. However, there was no set ti for that. It was possible we would be delayed on our trip here, so we could only decide on a vague ti, within a day or two of our arrival.
I said, Well, if we just wait
theyll make contact with... Uh... Wait, what?
I had been responding to Aisha, but suddenly she was gone from my side. Actually, Tomoe, Hal, Kaede, and Carla were gone, too. More than that, everything including the village and its buildings had vanished in an instant.
The next thing I knew, I was standing alone in the middle of a field.
What, why am I in a field?! Where did everyone go?!
It was a desolate field with no sign of people or buildings.
Let... Let tell you what happened! I was in the village, but I sohow ended up in a field. You... You guys think I dont know what Im talking about...
Wait, this wasnt the ti to be joking around.
Unable to believe the situation Id found myself in, I was looking around restlessly, trying to find soone else, when the whole area suddenly went dark. Had it clouded over...? No, that wasnt it! There was sothing massive up in the sky, and it was blotting out the sun. When I looked up to see what it was, there flew a massive dragon, twenty ters in length.
Awhuhwhuh?! I babbled incoherently at the incredible sight.
? ?
Bzzt.
Huh? Just now, for a mont, I felt sothing on my cheek... she thought.
At that sa ti, in her cave on the Dracul Plateau, Naden quizzically tilted her head to the side.
Naden had once again shut herself in today to watch broadcast programs from the Gran Chaos Empire, but she just felt sothing weird in her cheeks. It was small, like a little bug had landed there. However, when she rubbed her squishy cheeks, there was nothing there.
When the light subsided, before stood a woman wearing all-white robes, a square hood over her head, and a thin veil over her face. It was hard to be sure with her face mostly covered, but she was maybe in her forties. Well, in a world with long-lived races, it was basically impossible to rely on how old soone looked, though.
The woman in white walked up to . You are King Souma Kazuya of the United Kingdom of Elfrieden and Amidonia, I presu?
I am... Are you here from the Star Dragon Mountain Range?
The woman brought a hand to her chest and bowed to . I co on behalf of Lady Tiamat, our mother dragon. I will now bring you to the Dracul Plateau in the Star Dragon Mountain Range.
Our mother dragon... Oh, thatd be that Mother Dragon, I guess. Was Tiamat her na...? Wait, huh? Tiamat... Wasnt that the na of the oldest dragon to appear in Earths legends? I vaguely rembered it because the na had shown up in all sorts of things.
For starters, it was said that Mother Dragon had been around since before the people of this continent had ford countries, so she lived up to the na, at least.
I asked the lady in white, And might I inquire as to whom I have the pleasure of speaking with?
Theres no need to be so polite with . I am one of the priestesses in the service of Lady Tiamat.
A priestess?
Yes. The dragons are a race that live a thousand years. However, if a dragons partner leaves this world before they can have children, that dragon lives in solitude for a long ti. Such dragons return to the Star Dragon Mountain Range, becoming priestesses who serve Lady Tiamat. They care for her, maintain Crystal Castle, and look after the young dragons.
In other words, dragons who lost their families returned to the Star Dragon Mountain Range to beco priestesses.
Cant they get remarried to another knight? I asked.
There are so who can, the woman said. However, this is a matter of fate. It is up to the guidance of destiny, and to the blessing of Lady Tiamat who binds the fates of n and dragons.
The guidance of destiny, huh. Was Mother Dragon a god of matchmaking or sothing like that, then?
That aside, I decided to ask the question that had been bothering for a while now.
By the way, where is this? Im pretty sure I was with my companions in the village where we agreed to et just a mont ago...
This field lies five kiloters to the northeast of that village, the woman said. Lady Tiamat used her power to move you here.
Who could have expected teleportation?! Appearing in dreams, instantly transporting people... Mother Dragons power really was off the charts. I could see why people might worship her.
When Naden ca back to her senses, she knelt down, putting a hand over her breast and bowing her head. ...Naden Delal. Here at your behest.
Naden was feigning calmness, but her heart was pounding. She couldnt help but worry about why Mother Dragon might be upset with her.
Is it my skipping practice for the Contract Ceremony? Is it my fighting with the other dragons? Or... is it my having brought a simple receiver made in the Gran Chaos Empire back here? Oh, what am I going to do if she tells to get rid of it...?
Raise your head, Naden.
Naden heard that peaceful voice co from above her head. It had a depth that sounded like three people speaking at the sa ti, as if it were echoing inside the listeners own heart.
When she raised her head like the voice told her to, those sapphire eyes were staring right at Nadens face. In that tense atmosphere, Naden thought she could feel the sweat running down her back.
Um... Er...
Naden tried to say sothing, but her tongue just wouldnt move right.
Tiamat didnt seem angry with her. If anything, it was a soft look on her face.
Shes not going to get mad at ? Then why did I get called here? Why is Lady Tiamat looking at with such gentle eyes?
Those questions sprang to mind one after another, throwing Nadens heart into disarray. Um... Lady Tiamat...?
When she managed to force just those words out, Tiamat began speaking softly.
The furiously moving gear approaches the gear that has co to a stop.
...Huh? Naden had no idea what had just been said to her. Gears? What was she even talking about?
Without any concern for Nadens confusion, Tiamat continued. Eventually, the two gears will sh. The stopped gear will be forced to move, and the gear that spins furiously as if driven by sothing will slow its pace. However, that is nothing to be sad about. It rely ans that they will spin at the sa pace.
U-Um... I have no idea what youre talking about...?
It was too abstract for Naden to make sense of. Had she been called here to hear this? The furiously spinning gear... The stopped gear... The shing of the two...?
Naden.
Y-Yes!
With Tiamats eyes fixed straight on her, Naden stood up straight.
Be prepared. It will soon begin to move.
Prepared? Begin to move? What would, exactly...?
Um... Lady Tiamat... just what is going to start moving? Naden ventured.
Tiamat took on the face of an angel delivering a revelation, or a mother watching over her child, and told her:
Your ti.
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