The 5000-year-old Herbivorous Dragon

Chapter 80 - Evil Dragon Lord’s imprint

The plan goes like this. On the surface I’ll appoint Rēko, saying I’m leaving the duty of an emissary to her.

However, Sheina will accompany her taking the Spirit along with them. Next we’ll say that Spirit is “the Evil Dragon’s kin”, while Rēko will be made into “a spirit hiding tremendous power”. As for the support negotiations, Rēko will stand by in a different venue eating some delicacies while Sheina and Spirit deal with it.

Sheina and I sat face to face in the mansion’s parlour, quietly refining our strategy.

“… Will it really work? It’s true this way we can avoid Rēko making unreasonable demands, but won’t she find it suspicious if she doesn’t get to participate in the negotiations at all?”

“It’s fine. We’ll first have our cute Rēko make a flashy demonstration of power once, right? So, after that we’ll just tell her that home country’s guys got scared of her enormous power and submitted completely to Evil Dragon Lord, so the negotiations were unnecessary. With that development even if there are no negotiations she won’t think it strange, don’t you agree?”

“Isn’t that particularly bad? Won’t she end up getting more and more carried away, eventually making some awful demands?”

“That’s why, here.”

Sheina pulled out a box with gold ornaments from the locked cabinet.

“What’s that?”

“It’s my personal jewel box. I think of handing it to her and say it’s the home country’s supreme national treasure, valued higher than everything else.”

“… Will that fool her?”

“If she’s suspicious I’ll say: ‘Just carry it to the Evil Dragon Lord. He’ll understand its value.’”

Oooh, I exclaimed in admiration. This way she’d first carry it back to me, no matter how suspicious she might be. At that time I’d exclaim ‘This is magnificent!’ and give it my endorsement. That way even Rēko should swallow it.

“After that you can just secretly return the jewel box to me. You can’t take it, okay?”

“Ah, so you won’t give it to me after all. Well, I’d feel sorry taking it anyway.”

“… At any rate…”

Trying to peer into my face, Sheina narrowed her eyes.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, but for some reason Evil Dragon Lord’s really kind, huh? You’re even worrying about the home country.”

My cheeks stiffened in fright and I shrunk back with a strained smile.

“W-Well, yeah. I got tired of battle. Being an unrivalled-under-the-heavens evil dragon is not a lie, but I’m trying not to lose my caring heart for others as much as possible. I’ll repeat - it’s definitely not a lie.”

“S-Sorry, sorry. It’s not like I doubt you. After all, you got out without a scratch fighting with Rēko, right? Being able to take an attack like that and be all right, you must be strong enough.”

As if she panicked a bit too much, Sheina tried to smooth it over. She probably got worried whether she dampened my mood. In reality, it had nothing to do with my feelings though.

“Anyway sorry for troubling you. I want to live peacefully, but Rēko has an all-around dynamic personality. She won’t really stop even if I tell her to…”

“That’s quite mysterious, isn’t it? Rēko’s a kin, right? Doesn’t she obey Evil Dragon Lord?”

“That girl has a habit of trying harder than necessary… She’s not a bad child and I know she does it for my sake. But her assumptions are a little intense…”

Sheina tilted her head. I don’t blame her. There’s no way she’d think that Rēko moves completely of her own free will.

“I don’t really get it, but whatever. I also somehow know that Rēko is a good child. We’ll return safely, don’t worry too much Evil Dragon Lord.”

“Y-Yeah. You’re really the only reliable one here, I’m counting on you Sheina. Also, you too Spirit.”

In response to my bow, Spirit who was placed atop Sheina’s shoulders chomped her teeth at me. She likely treated me as prey, but I preferred to interpret it as a show of consent.

“Just leave it to me. By the way Evil Dragon Lord, once I follow through well, is there a chance to get some of that sweet power of yours?”

“That’d be difficult.”

“Darn, as expected my talent’s lacking eh?”

“It’s rather that Rēko is a special case. It’s best you don’t use her as reference. I don’t think I’ll ever come across a case like that again.”

It looked like Sheina wasn’t exactly satisfied, but she seemed to have mentioned it casually in the first place. She gave up saying “that sucks―” and stood up from the parlour’s couch with Spirit still on her shoulder.

“Then I guess I should prepare. Horse, baggage, and also…”

“Ah, wait a moment Sheina. Umm, I already feel bad about this, but can I ask you to move on foot?”

“On foot? But even the nearest checkpoint is 2 days on horse? Walking’s such a pain in…”

“Please. In the unlikely event Rēko does something weird, I don’t want to take any chances.”

“… Walking on foot will be safer?”

“That’s right. I’ve set special measures for that.”

Sheina wrinkled her brow, but shortly after she just nodded casually.

“Oh well, fine. As long as we settle it peacefully getting a bit tired is no biggie. So, what are those special measures?”

“Fufu. That’s a secret, Sheina. As the saying goes, to deceive your enemy deceive your allies first, right? Rēko might discover something if you were to possess that knowledge. Well then, let us both put our preparations in order.”

Wishing Sheina good luck, I left the mansion through the rear entrance. There the grass dango I created the other day could be seen, still neglected and scattered about.

For the sake of my secret plan, I lied down on it with my whole body’s weight and set about squashing it flat.

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The next day. While Sheina and Rēko were leaving the garrison, I didn’t come to see them off.

Amidst the grass right outside of the garrison. I clad my body in the blanket camouflage made of flattened grass dango, covertly examining the two departing figures.

On the off chance that Rēko would go berserk, I couldn’t afford to separate from her. My ultimate secret measure was to follow both of them with my body concealed.

“Sir Evil Dragon… ? What might you be doing?”

When I was hiding, Haizen’s sudden voice made me jump in fright. On closer inspection, the majority of gazes were faced toward me, including soldiers seeing them off. As expected, it was impossible to fool these trained soldiers’ eyes.

“My sincere apologies. Invitation of merely your kin has caused you dissatisfaction after all?”

“No no, that’s not it. It’s just that honestly, I’m really worried about sending only Rēko as an envoy. That’s why… couldn’t I accompany them at least half of the way? Of course, as that letter stated, I’ll make sure to not enter the home country.”

“If Sir Evil Dragon says so, we have no means of stopping you… However, this guise… Sir, if I may be so bold, just by putting on some grass you are still in plain sight from the outside. I believe Lady Kin has already realised.”

At that time, a hand grasped Haizen’s shoulder. It turned out to be Sheina’s, who had noticed me and turned back. Rēko was made to wait a bit further away.

“What’s wrong Sheina?”

“Well, it’s actually about the Evil Dragon Lord here. Rēko has started saying weird things.”

“Sir Evil Dragon?”

“Yep. When I said that Evil Dragon Lord seems to be coming along with us, she said…”

Sheina continued while staring at me.

“That’s not Evil Dragon Lord. It’s a materialization of Lord’s sincerity who thinks of me, his kin. The real Evil Dragon Lord waits, believing in me.”

“Oh yeah, then let’s leave it at that.”

While I was relieved from the usual exceedingly convenient Rēko-like interpretation, as if she was a merchant confirming her goods, Sheina lightly poked my side. Just like the other day, an embarrassing “ehe” sound escaped from my mouth.

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