The 5000-year-old Herbivorous Dragon

Chapter 68 - Fatal absence of a mentor

“I’ve finally finished writing a report to the home country. The circumstances aren’t very desirable, but not only do we not know the method of bringing back the gold mountain, it’s not like we can keep hiding it forever. In line with this, I’m sorry for asking you post factum, but I’d also like to report that Sir Evil Dragon is here.”

“Eh?”

When Haizen started the aforementioned conversation I was in the middle of gathering the plucked weeds into a dango made of grass. Grass dango was literally what it sounded like - grass rolled up into a ball.

Naturally, I had no option of eating it because wasting food was currently my motto. However, there was a practical use for the plucked grass. After rolling it up like this, massaging the grass fibres using my body weight and letting it dry for a while on the sun and wind, I’d make myself a soft lump of hay perfect for sleeping.

And so I didn’t really hear all that well what Haizen said because I was busy entertaining myself with the sensation of crushing fibres while rolling around on the grass dango.

“Eerm, what was that? I did what?”

“Yes, the fact that Sir Evil Dragon took control of that mountain with flames and yielded us the mining rights in exchange for erecting a statue―― I’ve written down everything, of course including the disappearance of the gold mountain and the spirit’s arrival. I intend to report all this information to the home country as long as you don’t find anything objectionable.”

“For now maybe let’s erase the passage about the statue. Also if possible the case of burning the mountain. Now that I think about it, could you make it like we were never here?”

Hmm, Haizen groaned.

“That’d be hard. Even without the gold mountain disappearance affair, only the fact that Sir Evil Dragon has visited is big enough of an event for us. But still, if Sir won’t permit the report by any means we’ve no way to go against your wishes…”

“Aah it’s fine, it’s fine. Only thought I’d give it a shot. Either way my fame is like a half-sunken ship at this point. Sorry for making you worry.”

One way or another, it seemed I still didn’t lose my power of insight. Although it was true that he harboured positive feelings towards me, Haizen didn’t appear like someone who’d let his own preferences influence his professional duties. He must’ve intended to report about me without fail as the one charged with the country’s defence.

“You have my thanks. Well then, I’ll at once contact the home country and consider a proper response, so if you could only wait for a while longer.”

“Okay. The longer you take the happier I’ll be so no need to hurry. ”

“Absolutely not, I’ll prepare the bird tamed as a messenger for emergency use. We should’ve the answer by tomorrow.”

Even though I didn’t want to move as much as possible… At least if I stayed in one place the chance of being dragged into some dangerous business should be lower.

When I was secretly sighing in my mind, Haizen lowered his voice in an apologetic manner.

“Also… I apologize if it fouls your mood, but home country may not necessarily welcome Sir Evil Dragon with open arms. Unlike for us frontier guards that respect Sir who can suppress strife just with his authority, for the people used to peace of home country Evil Dragon Rēvendia is an equal to the Demon King symbol of fear. Although by all rights Sir ought to be welcomed by the whole country…”

“Ah it’s okay. I also don’t really want to scare people, so if they won’t have us we’ll just journey to somewhere else, no worries.”

“Is that so… Anything and everything, thank you for your concern… By the way Sheina, just what the hell are you doing up there?”

Suddenly Haizen raised his line of sight. When I followed and looked up, I saw Sheina’s figure trying to hide herself on the roof of the residence.

“I understand that you want to see Sir Evil Dragon’s figure up close, but that’s just like peeping. It’s rude.”

“You’re wrong, papa. Look, it’s only because this spirit seems to like high places. Right? Say something?”

『Now the clouds turned distant.』

“You see! Isn’t she sad that the clouds are far away?”

I didn’t really feel any sadness though. It sounded more like muttering absentmindedly “The clouds are really high lately, huh.”

―― More importantly, was she peeking on me?

Not to mention peeking, the Sheina I knew until now was always relatively friendly when dealing with me. And now her suddenly becoming distant could only mean… Did she start to avoid me?

“Uuu, I’ve scared you after all… But it’s not like that, Sheina. I can’t explain in detail but I had a very compelling reason for wasting that grass. This is…”

In the middle of calling out to her I turned around to the grass dango I made. A bit more time on the sun and it’d turn into a splendid futon for me.

I was using it effectively.

I messed up. I didn’t manage to rid myself of the fixed idea that it’d be a-okay as long as I didn’t eat it. I’d have never made such a basic mistake if I only had my advisor, Lady Saintess here with me. Losing my mentor in the middle came to bite me.

“Wait, what? If that’s the case then wouldn’t there be no reason for her to be afraid?”

“… Hey Evil Dragon Lord, since I finally have a chance I want to ask you something, may I?”

Skid, Sheina slid down from the roof with the spirit.

“Yeah, as long as it’s something I can answer ask me anything.”

“How old were you again?”

“Somewhere around 5000 years. I wasn’t really counting properly so there might be more or less 500 year difference.”

“… I see. Say, your current form is small right? Could you maybe show me your real one?”

“Aah, sorry. I’m sure it’d scare you so I don’t really want to turn into my original form.”

The truth was I couldn’t do it by myself though. Sheina brought her face close to my eyes. With her long white hair swaying on the wind so close that it was touching the tip of my nose, she said like she made up her mind.

“I’ve only talked with you for a day, but Evil Dragon Lord seems to me like a very good-natured person―― Is it really true that long, long ago you’ve done bad stuff? I somehow cannot really believe it…”

“Ah, well, you see… OUCHH!”

An unforeseen rescue came for me who was at a loss for answer due to the sharp question.

Just what the heck did she come to like about my flavour so much? Even though she shouldn’t be hungry anymore the spirit jumped from Sheina’s shoulders onto me and bit herself into the nape of my neck.

Incidentally, I had no idea where she was until then, but roughly simultaneously Rēko chomped down onto my tail as well.

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