TL/Editor: raei
Status: 5/week mon-fri
Illustrations: none
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"[Your jokes have improved since I last saw you, Longtail.]"
Ian grumbled lightly, but Longtail's eyes widened in surprise.
[You mean that woman isn't your mate?]
"[Well... let's just say she's someone I'm interested in for now.]"
[Huh. It looked like you two were about to start mating any second.]
"..."Ian rolled his eyes slightly.
Just like a beast, their thoughts always seemed to lead to sex.
"[Anyway, how have you been, Longtail?]"
[Haha. Every day's been happy thanks to you, my friend!]
That was obvious even to non-wizards.
Longtail just looked... really fucking happy.
He had his own home, a pretty(?) wife.
The drake couple was even preparing to lay eggs.
What more could one ask for in life?
Setting up a small family and living happily until death - that's what life's all about.
In that sense, you could say Longtail was living a truly fulfilling life.
[This is my wife, Sharpteeth.]
She must be the drake that nearly got NTR'd before.
Seeing how she settled in as soon as Longtail got the house, she seemed to like him quite a bit.
Ian exchanged brief greetings with Sharpteeth.
Though not a summoned beast contracted to Ian, she didn't seem to dislike him particularly.
She just seemed unhappy about the sudden visit.
Longtail asked Ian on Sharpteeth's behalf:
[So, friend. Why didn't you let us know you were coming? Is there some urgent matter that brought you here in such a hurry?]
"[I'll be honest.]"
Ian briefly summarized the current situation.
"[I need your help, Longtail.]"
[...]
"[You know about monsters called dragons, right?]"
[I do. They're rough and violent thugs.]
"[A dragon... is after my girlfriend's land.]"
Ian pulled Lucy in front of him.
Lucy blinked in confusion, not understanding a word Ian was saying...
[I see. It must be difficult for humans to face a dragon alone.]
Longtail empathized greatly.
So that's why Ian had suddenly shown up...
To protect his mate's territory!
Longtail knew how important land was to humans.
Just as drakes build nests, humans farm the land to survive.
Vast lands and big houses!
Aren't those essential for having cute little babies?
If a dragon was after the land, it must be an extremely serious situation for Ian.
Longtail thought with an extremely beastly mindset.
Ian needs to mate quickly and produce Ian Jr. and the 3rd...!
But a dragon is after Ian's nest!
What a terrible situation!
'It's just like what happened to me before...'
Drake Longtail had almost lost Sharpteeth to another male over nest issues in the past.
It seemed like no one would be able to solve his problem.
But at that time, the human who turned that hopeless situation around was Ian.
Ian had saved Longtail's nest with magic.
And now, Ian was in the exact opposite situation as Longtail back then.
If Ian loses his land to the dragon, his dream of starting a family would be shattered (though he had no such dream)!
'So that's why he hasn't taken that female as his wife yet.'
[I'll help you.]
Longtail answered coolly.
Ian, who thought some persuasion might be needed, was caught off guard by the immediate acceptance.
"[Really? Are you sure, friend? We're talking about a dragon here.]"
[Haha! I can't just ignore a friend's trouble because I'm scared of some thug!]
Longtail spoke sincerely.
After all, Ian was... a friend who had given him a home.
Who in the world would coldheartedly refuse a request from a friend who gave them a house?
Such a person would surely be as evil as the Golden Rule Society.
"[Longtail...]"
[Haha! You can repay me later with that drink called 'alcohol'!]
He was saying to buy him a drink when this was all over.
Ian was slightly touched.
It really pays to make good friends!
[Sharpteeth. So I'll have to go away for a bit.]
Longtail tried to get the final hurdle of 'wife's permission' to help his friend.
All married men face trials from their wives.
Longtail was no exception.
[Are you kidding me? You're going to fight a dragon alone, honey?]
[Well... ahem.]
Longtail squirmed in front of Sharpteeth.
As expected, the wall of a wife was high and treacherous!
[Of course I'm coming with you!]
[...You too?]
Longtail was surprised, but Sharpteeth was serious.
[If you go alone, you'll obviously get beaten up by the dragon.]
[No I won't! I'll be the one doing the beating!]
[Haaa. Anyway, let's go together.]
---
[The number of summonable drakes has increased!]
[Summoning: Drake Summon]
[Number of summonable drakes - 2]
---
'Oh.'
Though temporary, Sharpteeth had also become Ian's summoned beast.
He now had two drakes.
Ian felt full just looking at that hearty, reliable force.
"Now then..."
Ian was about to plan the route to the Talian domain.
That's when it happened.
Snap!
Ian's travel belt broke, and Arcana cards spilled out everywhere!
"Ah."
Ian started to hurriedly gather the cards but then hesitated.
He recalled the teachings of Pyra, the northern shaman.
'There are no coincidences in divination. Everything is the will of Lady Hrundal!'
"..."
His belt breaking at this exact moment.
And the Arcana cards spilling out?
Ian had also learned the shamanic art of talking with Hrundal.
The iron rule of mystery users:
Never ignore the signals the world sends you!
Ian calmly observed the spilled cards.
"What are you doing, Ian?"
"I think a pagan god sent an omen."
But he couldn't find anything unusual.
If anything was strange, it was that all the cards had fallen face down in harmony.
But that could be explained by them falling in the same direction.
'Was it just my imagination?'
Just as Ian was about to gather the cards again.
Suddenly, a card appeared right in front of him.
It was a card Lucy was holding out.
"Ian! This fell by my feet!"
"..."
It was the [18th, Moon] card.
A card symbolizing madness, chaos, and anxiety.
Ian made his judgment as soon as he received the card.
The mystery never speaks frivolously.
This was a warning Hrundal was sending to Ian!
"Damn it."
"W-What's wrong?"
"Did something happen?"
Lucy and Belenka were startled by Ian's sudden reaction.
His belt broke, he stared at a card...
It seemed like Ian had suddenly realized something!
"We're not walking anymore!"
"What?"
Though they didn't understand the situation, the two women trusted Ian's intuition.
Ian's ability to handle mysteries was, without a doubt, the best.
'Was this what you predicted, Gerard?'
Ian unfolded the space movement scroll he had been saving.
He recalled Gerard's words.
'How you use this is up to you. But it's an item that can create a branching point capable of altering world lines, so I recommend using it carefully.'
Gerard had spoken as if giving Ian a choice.
He had indeed given him a choice.
Ian could have torn it up pretending to be crazy when he didn't feel like walking!
Gerard probably knew various futures.
For example, futures like [Ian met the drakes but didn't arrive in Talian in time].
So to twist such futures.
Or in space-time wizard terms, to 'alter the world line', he had given Ian the space movement scroll.
Of course, this was just speculation.
Even if they teleported to Talian right now, there was a high chance nothing would happen.
In that case, Ian would have overreacted.
But...
If a battle was unfolding, Gerard had likely artificially created [a future where Ian arrived in time].
'Gerard. Just who are you...'
Ian shook his head.
There would be plenty of time to think after arriving in Talian.
Hoping that nothing had happened.
"Everyone! Gather round!"
Ian tore the space movement scroll.
------
Salvador viewed the situation positively.
'We have enough soldiers and morale is high.'
Talian's main force consisted of Baron Damon's troops, hardened by(?) banditry.
Added to that were volunteer militia from among the refugees, plus the Knights of Santiago.
They had a clear motivation to protect the land from the dragon's attack.
'And we have wizards too.'
The absence of the wizard Ian was certainly regrettable.
But no matter how friendly Ian seemed, a wizard was still a wizard.
Salvador had no way to stop him from going wherever he pleased.
He was just a retired mercenary after all.
Though Ian wasn't on the battlefield, a woman claiming to be Ian's teacher had joined.
Eredith Manskal, the Rising Star of Drawald.
As an excellent fire wizard, she worked with the wizard Kira to block the dragon's breath.
Whoosh!
A column of scorching flames poured down.
But when Eredith and Kira shouted in magical language, the pillar of fire shattered in midair.
"Whoa, whooooaaa!"
"The wizards blocked the dragon's breath!!!"
Eredith shouted to Salvador.
"We can't keep blocking forever! We need to attack first!"
"Understood!"
Salvador called for the giant Jubal.
"Big friend! It's your turn!"
"My turn it is!"
Jubal appeared wielding an enormous dragon-slaying spear.
Without a proper ballista, they had to resort to throwing spears.
Salvador used Jubal as a 'dragon-slaying spear launcher'.
Jubal charged towards Predius, mixed in with the Knights of Santiago.
[Yes, come! You insects!]
Predius stood majestically before the knights.
Slaughtering humans was also an essential joy of plundering!
Predius exhaled a deep breath at the humans.
"Lady Eredith! One more time please!"
"Understood!"
Eredith and Kira stepped forward once again to block the dragon's breath.
In that moment.
Jubal, who had approached the dragon, hurled the dragon-slaying spear!
Crunch!
The dragon-slaying spear did its job.
The spear Jubal threw lodged itself right in Predius's chest.
An earth-shaking roar of pain echoed across the battlefield.
"Graaaaaaahhhhh!"
The battlefield momentarily froze at the ear-splitting scream.
[You... lowly humans...!]
'Tch.'
Though clearly stabbed in the chest, Predius wasn't dead.
Killing Predius without dragon-slaying spears would be extremely difficult.
Even for Salvador, called the 'Sword Master'.
Before a dragon, he was just a quick human.
'We need to retrieve that spear!'
Salvador immediately sprang into action.
If they could pull out the spear and throw it again, even Predius would have to retreat!
Salvador swiftly approached the black dragon.
A group of orcs blocked Salvador's path.
"Out of my way!"
The Sword Master cut down the orcs with ghostly swordsmanship.
... But he couldn't dodge the incoming tail in time.
The massive dragon's tail sent both orcs and Salvador flying.
"Gah!"
"Sir Salvador!"
Salvador flew through the air and slammed into the ground.
"Kuk!"
He felt bones breaking and tasted blood in his mouth.
'... I must be getting old.'
He was once a legendary swordsman, but now he was over 50 years old.
Considering it was the medieval era, it wouldn't be strange if he dropped dead at any moment.
"Protect Sir Salvador!"
The Knights of Santiago rushed over urgently.
Salvador squeezed out his remaining strength to shout:
"Deal with the dragon first!"
"B-But...!"
"You lot! Have you forgotten why you took up the sword?! Wasn't it to protect humanity from great evil?!"
"...!"
"Now's our chance while it's wounded! Attack!"
The Knights of Santiago scattered.
Salvador closed his eyes and felt the vibrations in the ground.
'It's coming.'
For monsters, their massive body itself was a weapon.
Predius was undoubtedly attempting a simple body slam using its huge mass.
The knights would dodge safely.
But Salvador, with broken bones, couldn't avoid the dragon's attack.
'It's been quite a good life.'
With his eyes closed.
The man once called Sword Master smiled faintly.
Born as a fisherman's son, he had stood shoulder to shoulder with the Emperor wielding just one sword.
As a man, wasn't that quite a successful life?
"Graaaahh!"
The wounded Predius rampaged madly.
A dark shadow loomed over Salvador.
Bang!
"...?"
He heard a heavy collision.
Salvador was still alive...?
Confused, Salvador slowly opened his eyes.
And his jaw dropped.
'What is that? Am I dreaming?'
"Kyaaaaaak!"
"Grrrrrrr...!"
Two massive drakes standing guard in front of Salvador.
Salvador narrowed his eyes.
The sun made it hard to see clearly, but...
Someone was riding on the drakes' backs!
"Predius!"
When he heard a young man's voice, Salvador couldn't help but chuckle.
'Ian, you bastard...!'
There had been rumors about Ian being [a wizard who controls drakes].
Salvador had thought it was just a false rumor.
But it wasn't.
Ian really was a wizard who controlled drakes.
He had just appeared on the battlefield with two massive drakes!
---
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