(127) A different world … after all.

Translator: Tseirp

I would be lying if I said I didn’t hope for an extraordinary victory.

I defeated an enemy, that needs a party of B-rank Adventurers to defeat, with a single attack. We defeated a monster that makes even the army take pa.s.sive action just on our own. I was hoping that we could achieve such an impossible feat.

However ―

The 「Slash」 I released hit the Dragon’s right flank, causing a few scales to fly off and dyed the surrounding gra.s.s red with the blood spray but it was not a mortal wound.

The one released by Haru was aimed at the Dragon’s belly but it was blocked by its forefoot and it didn’t suffer any damage.

d.a.m.n it, I was too conceited.

“Amazing nya! Even though in theory one should aim for the thinner scales at the center of the belly because the scales on the back are tough, you actually even sliced through the scales!”

Stella excitedly shouted from within the bush she was hiding in.

Ah, so I was originally supposed to aim for the weak belly.

That was an oversight.

“Master, here it comes!”

At the same time Haru shouted that, the Dragon extended the enormous wings on its back ― and somehow lifted that huge body.

(Oi oi oi oi! No matter how you put it, having those wings support such a large body is against the laws of physics!)

You might ask ‘What’s the point of the wings on its back if it can’t fly?’ but I frankly didn’t think that those things on the Dragon’s back were wings.

Unlike the Wyvern that doesn’t have front legs, the Dragon has two front legs and two hind legs. Given that’s the case, I thought that the wings on its back were not wings that had evolved from its front legs ― but instead evolved shoulder blades.

No, I was lying. I wasn’t thinking about that all.

Nevertheless, it’s true that I thought that they were just useless appendages that can at most kick up some wind.

(It has considerable speed.)

I thought of something as the Dragon rose up to a certain alt.i.tude and swooped down.

I then took a large leap and rode on the back of the Dragon.

“I have to be careful since the scales on its back are hard ―”

I said as I swung my blade down onto the back of the Dragon that was rising up into the air.

A couple of scales were sliced off and my sword stabbed deeply into the Dragon.

The Dragon rampaged as to fling me off but it couldn’t shake off the sword that was deeply embedded in it and I did not release that sword from my grip.

I pulled the sword towards me with brute force.

It wasn’t to cut it since I would have to pull sideways if my aim was to slice it as the sword was stabbed sideways.

“Master!!!!”

I could hear Haru’s voice but her voice was gradually getting further.

The Dragon was rising up in the air. It was aiming for a distant height in the sky.

The Dragon flew over the forest canopy and into the cloudless sky, giving me the sensation that I had the sun all to myself.

Past the forest, vast gra.s.slands were spread across on one side ― the territory of Dakyat while on the other side, probably the territory of Korat, there was a vast land with red soil. I couldn’t see any further beyond that due to the mist.

(This place is … a different world after all, right? This place is the Otherworld.)

Lately, I’ve been acting strangely. No matter how it is for a friend of Malina, I seriously wonder what am I doing challenging a Dragon, moreover for the sake of Silver Vine.

And in order to dispel my that sense of discomfort, I thought about why I’m taking such actions and why I am in such a place.

“I ― what do I wish to do in this world ―”

I muttered to myself as I felt the wind on my skin.

Lately, there has been days where, not to mention j.a.pan, I have not even thought of Miri who I consider to be more important than myself similar to how I feel about Haru.

My wish is nothing but for Haru and Carol, and now including Malina and Pionia also, to live a peaceful life.

But, why did I involve myself with an incident like this?

Why did I poke my nose into other people’s affairs?

Including the incident this time and the feud between Stella and the Nyanto Six Stars, I predict that there will be some kind of event.

What kind of action do I wish to take in response to that?

Will I allow myself to get involved in it again?

I looked at the Dragon below my feet and smiled slightly.

Then, believing in the Dragon’s ability, I spoke.

※※※

The Dragon slowly descended and landed on its original location. Haru took a stance prepared for battle but I restrained her with a wave of my hand.

After confirming that I had gotten off, the Dragon slowly ascended and flew off into the sky.

“Is it alright to not chase after it? Even though you said that you were planning to use the Dragon materials to make weapons.”

Haru asked as she saw off the Dragon. I shook my head sideways.

“Well, it dropped a few scales and more importantly, that Dragon fought me fair and square.”

At that time, the Dragon was only looking at me. Even though it noticed the presence of Haru who was beside, Marina who released the arrows and Stella who was hiding, it focused its attention on me and challenged me to battle.

“That Dragon looked like it was quite intelligent from the way it fought at first but after my attack, it had an honest one-on-one fight with me. Furthermore, it also let me see the best scenery I’ve seen.”

That’s why I tried to negotiate with the Dragon when we were in the sky.

You should clearly understand the difference in our abilities, right? If I was serious, I could have pierced your neck the moment I leaped onto you.

If you accept your defeat then slowly land at your original location. I’ll let you go if you do so.

That was how it went. Then, the Dragon really descended slowly. If my words didn’t get through, I thought that I would have to make it land by force.

I smiled lightly as I watched the Dragon fly off.

I thought of many things but in the end, I want to be happy. I believe everything is alright as long as I can be happy.

I’m content as long as I am happy together with Haru, Carol, Marina and Pionia … with all the ones I care about.