The 5000-year-old Herbivorous Dragon

Chapter 124 - Intentionally breaking through from the front

I was trembling.

Even though we had gained permission to enter the country, this was actually so that they could get their hands on a lab rat.

「Please wait for a moment. We’ll contact the research centre and prepare a horse carriage to head straight for it.」

According to what I heard, this horse carriage is prepared for VIPs and it was even hauled by horses that can fly into the sky. They were probably familiars of magicians. Since this country was specialized in magic, it should be one of their means of transportation.

Normally, my heart would be racing to experience something new but to me right now, any means of transportation would be a one way ticket to the grim reaper.

No, wrong. I never wanted to go to their research centres in this way. What I had hoped for was to visit as a guest and not as a lab rat.

As we were waiting in a luxurious reception room, I was shrinking down with a disturbed heart while I made conversation with the inspector that looked as if he were a guard.

「Hey, we would like it if we didn’t directly go to the research centre but look at the various places around the country, is that possible?」

Rather than being directly shipped off to be bred into a specialty, I’d feel that going out our own pace would feel like we’re treated like humans.

「I apologize. We have said earlier but our country is currently in the middle of performing an important ritual. This matter is our utmost priority so it will not be possible for any town to accept any guests.」

「Is, is that so…」

We were directly rejected and I felt dejected.

As I roamed around the room searching for any kind of solution, Rēko, who was sitting seiza on the sofa, spoke with a small voice.

「Fufu, as expected of the Lord Evil Dragon. We could easily gain entrance into the country so simply. Lord Evil Dragon’s performance as a “experiment lab rat who’s fearing his end” is without flaw. Despite being one without equal, performing this role to such perfection, I can only express my greatest admiration.」

「I’m just showing off my natural self though…」

「So performing to as your natural self is the true pinnacle of acting I see.」

I could only sigh at the usual performance of Rēko.

Coming to this point, I think it would be better if we just escaped. If I gave Rēko just one order we could easily escape our current predicament.

This inspection facility doesn’t have much in terms of military capacity and it won’t come down to any fights—

「Ahrya?」

Thinking up to this point, I tilted my neck.

Despite the possibility of hidden armed immigrants, is it fine to have such weak defenses?

Hearing my voice, the inspector looked in my direction.

「Is there anything wrong?」

「Ah, ehh, you see, I noticed that even though this is an important harbour town, there’s a lack of manpower around.」

I barely churned out a question. Even if they really lacked manpower here, they could possibly think that I would make trouble if I asked such a blatant question.

「It’s because the ports are currently closed. Also— If there were any unscrupulous people attempting to land, it would not be so easy.」

The inspector looked at me and laughed. I feared that maybe I was seen through, as expected of a pro. An amutaurs act in front of a professional is useless.

「In our Olivia Theocracy, there are many national divine guardian beasts that act as kin to our nation. The ocean in this area is protected by an extremely powerful divine whale.」

「So that’s the case.」

I pretended not to know anything. I couldn’t possibly say that that divine beast challenged me to a race of speed. It was what you would call a speed junky.

「But, if that’s the case then I understand. When we came to this country, we were told “You must not go by flight”, it turns out that there must be a divine beast in the sky too.」

「…Do you have a method of flight?」

「Ah, no. It was just an example. I’m just a simple lizard and I can’t suddenly grow wings and fly away. Ahaha」

When the inspector heard my awkward lie, his eyes sharpened.

However, they probably couldn’t see through my true identity(There was time where I was mistaken for Evil Dragon Revendia and due to that, the powers of the kin awakened and we forcefully flew away) and it was left with merely a suspicious look.

It’s for certain, there couldn’t possibly be a human who could see through an identity carrying such complicated circumstances. It was so complicated it left me in tears.

The inspector who softened his eyes then looked out the window of the reception room and at the blue sky outside.

「That’s correct, what is out in the skies is not a divine beast but one that could be said to protect even better than one. Since it is the one who controls all the divine beasts, our country’s highest god.」

It all made sense. In other words, if we had flown into its territory, then it would be the same as flying through the saintesses barrier and the god would attack us.

I’m really glad we didn’t come by flight. If we suddenly received such an attack, Rēko would get enraged and a fight would commence.

「Then, the ritual that the country is currently performing is related to that god too?」

「That would be the case.」

What floated up from the back of my mind was the festival of mud enforced at the Saintesses place.

So all the people of this country are going through such an event huh. It feels a bit uncanny.

At that moment, the door of the reception room was knocked on from the outside. After greeting once, the inspector opened the door and received some kind of communication from the person standing outside talking with a low voice.

「…What did you say?」

The inspector’s expression turned into one of confusion as I took a step closer.

「Are there any problems?」

「No— I must apologize. The VIP horse carriage that we spoke of earlier, due to various circumstances, is unable to be prepared.」

「Circumstances? Has something happened?」

「Thats…」

When I asked back, the inspector’s words turned muddy.

Well, there must have been other schedules planned. We had come so suddenly so it wasn’t impossible that they couldn’t prepare it.

「Then we can only go by land right? In that case, we won’t need a horse carriage. Even if it took a little longer, we can go by walking. Can we just get the introduction letter?」

「…I understand」

I felt a load off my back. There was a big difference in my mentality when comparing being shipped off in a horse carriage to be treated as livestock and using our own feet to knock on the research centres gates. Furthermore, we can receive an introduction letter then it would look even more like we’re guests.

「Haha, I feel like it’s smooth sailing as soon as we landed. It seems like luck has finally come round to me.」

I watched the inspector walk off to write our introductory letter as I swung my tail while I crouched down next to Rēko.

「By the way Lord Evil Dragon, for one such as Lord Evil Dragon, just what could you possibly want to investigate by borrowing the hands of humans? Without even borrowing the hands of humans, with just my clairvoyance I can see through most things.」

I suddenly froze up. I couldn’t just tell her “I’m finding a way to turn you back into a normal girl.”

「Ehh, that’s right, lets see. As I thought, it’s about the Demon King. When you had used your clairvoyance before, you couldn’t find much details about the Demon King, so it remains an uncertainty. So I thought to rely on the information of the humans.」

「So that was the case… I have no excuses for my lack of power.」

Well, truthfully, I also wanted to investigate the Demon King too. If I became the true Evil Dragon, then I would have to shoulder the responsibility of defeating the Demon King.

If there was a simple way to seal off the Demon King then it wouldn’t hurt to obtain it.

As we talked about this and that, the inspector returned with a map to the research centre and an introduction letter.

「Thank you for waiting. If you just hand this introduction letter to the guards at the gates of the capital then they will lead you to the research centre.」

「Thank you.」

With Rēkos guidance, we wouldn’t be lost on our way to the destination but I was still thankful for the map.

I slung the luggage on my back and with Rēko riding on my back, we departed from the inspection facility.

「Now then, we’ve been in your care for many things. Rēko, say some words too.」

「You’ve worked hard.」

「Hahh, why must you always talk like you’re looking down from above.」

As we received the warm looks from the inspectors as we left, I stepped forward towards the capital.

I looked at the map given out earlier and it would take about a whole day or more to reach our destination.

-Or so that was what I thought.

When we had created quite the distance from the inspection facility, wings suddenly sprung from my back.

「Eh? Rēko? Did you listen to the conversation before? There’s a god in the sky-」

「Yes, Lord Evil Dragon. If it’s just for that simple reason then there’s no need to fold our wings.」

「It certainly is a reason.」

However, when Rēko has come to this, there’s no stopping her. It’s always like this. I want to cry.

「After coming all this way, we should show the god or whatever of this country the heroic figure of the Lord Evil Dragon so that our progress from now on will be smooth.」

「Instead of progress, I think it will have completely the opposite effect.」

Of course, the words I spoke while half giving up were ignored.

Well, this is fine. We’ve already gained permission to enter the country so the god of this country shouldn’t just attack for no reason.

We rose up into the sky as Rēko’s tension kept increasing.

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