Competition Between Kin
I'd gone to the research institute hoping to pick up some hints on spinning machines or looms...
—Whirrr~!
"Look, look! It's drying super fast, right?"
Akion found himself suddenly dragged to the Eternal Palace, the residence of Seventh Princess Flair, and now he was admiring her floral hair adornments.
—Whirrrrr~!
Of course, it wasn't a bad sight at all.
First off, seeing Flair's attendants making good use of the wave technique Goldie had noted in the manual filled him with a mix of satisfaction and surprise.
Akion resolved to always bundle a manual with any affordable versions he made for the middle class later on.
And second...
"Come on, feel it! It's sooo soft, isn't it?"
Though they'd only met an hour or two ago, watching the Seventh Princess act so casually familiar wasn't half bad—despite the slight burden.
It wasn't for nothing she was called the empire's seventh blessing.
She boasted a beauty that would make anyone look like a fairy by comparison.
"It's like the silk from the eastern continent."
"Hahaha! You're too kind!"
"Not at all."
Just watching was enjoyable in itself, perhaps.
Anyway, Akion was far from displeased.
"What about you? You made this hair dryer and all! You're amazing!"
But despite the praise, Flair's words didn't stir much in Akion.
"It's no different from disassembling and reassembling things I developed long ago."
It was essentially just that—taking pre-developed items apart and putting them back together.
Innovative to others, perhaps... but to Akion, it was merely replicating modern tech.
"I merely implemented on a small scale the phenomena the heavens have arranged, so we could use them."
Deep down, he didn't see it as anything praiseworthy.
So he stayed humble,
—Sparkle sparkle sparkle!!
Akion wondered if eyes could really shine like that.
Flair was gazing at him as if he were some incredible genius.
"That's amazing..."
"I don't think it's that great. It's a field of study anyone can fully grasp starting from the basics, even with no prior knowledge."
"Magitech engineering? Really?! Then if I learn it, will I become a genius like you?!"
Magitech engineering? No, just engineering.
Akion nearly corrected her out of habit, but she was royalty, even if low in the succession line.
He mustered patience and rephrased it gently.
"I'm no genius, but Your Highness's brilliance is widely renowned... You might just become a genius magitech engineer."
"Woooow...!"
Flair lit up like a child seeing a science experiment for the first time.
Ah, I just want to teach her everything.
Akion tamped down his professor—no, science teacher—instincts.
She was the Seventh Princess. The emperor's daughter.
Letting her enroll in his lab of her own accord? Who knew what execution order might drop.
—Grab!
"I want to work in your workshop too!"
"Your Highness!"
"Argh, Bea! I told you rank means nothing when it comes to learning! I wanna live outside the palace for once—"
But how could a professor stand idly by when she was volunteering to be his research slave—no, grad student!!
As Flair wheedled, even grabbing his hand, Akion grew flustered... just then—
—Rooooaaarrrrrr—!!!!!!!!
"Guh?!"
"Eek!"
A massive roar echoed across the palace and the entire capital.
Akion briefly thought some colossal flying demon from ancient texts had arrived,
"This is...!"
"Your Highness!"
But seeing Flair dash out beaming, it clearly wasn't a crisis.
Akion chased after her with head maid Beatrice.
—Flap! Flap!
"Whoa, what the heck is that."
"Ancestor...!"
A gigantic black dragon, the size of a fifteen-story building, circled overhead, casting shadows over the palace.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
'Thanks to the steadfast pillar of the empire holding firm, the empire has reached its thousandth birthday. If it wouldn't be an imposition, might the esteemed elder deliver the noon address on the second day of the Millennium Founding Festival?'
This was when the Ridaside Tower Master had ascended without Akion's knowledge.
In truth, she'd come at the emperor's letter, and upon meeting him, he'd requested she give the second day's address.
Honestly, the Tower Master hadn't wanted the hassle of sneaking away from Akion for this...
'I know His Majesty has shown particular favor to Energies lately. I plan to lend support to that young Count Energies and the Ridaside Magic Tower as well... so I humbly make this request, presumptuous though it may be.'
'Theodore, that boy—still got the silver tongue from his youth.'
Her Ridaside Magic Tower.
And her favorite human, Akion Energies, getting benefits? How could she refuse?
Besides, she wasn't that cold-blooded a dragon to deny her distant great-grandniece's (though very distant) adorable plea.
—Flap! Flap!
And so, at noon on the second day of the Millennium Founding Festival,
the Tower Master made a surprise appearance over the imperial capital in her true dragon form.
"Ooooh...!"
"The dragon...!"
With dragon senses that could see and hear dozens of kilometers away, she beheld countless adorers praising her.
Seeing this... even a dragon who'd lived ten millennia couldn't help but puff up with pride.
Imagine: hundreds of thousands of cute little creatures gazing up with sparkling eyes, adoring you nonstop.
Adorable enough to make you want to burst.
—Fwoosh!!
But that might actually make her burst, so she satisfied herself by spreading her wings and firing a mana pulse.
"Waaaaaaah!!!"
"Long live Khalid!!! Long live the dragon!!"
"Long live His Imperial Majesty—!!"
That was enough to send the adorable things jumping for joy on hands and feet.
The Tower Master felt immensely gratified.
"Ahem."
The speech was short, but it left her throat parched regardless.
As a touch of embarrassment crept in and she prepared to descend to the banquet hall,
"Hm?"
She sensed kin aura from the palace where the royals resided.
Focusing her senses...
"Flair? And..."
She almost didn't recognize him, but it was the emperor's child she'd personally weakened the blessing for over a decade ago.
And beside that one...
"...Akion?"
Why was her cherished human standing there?
That's mine.
—Throb!
Her dragon heart suddenly ached with impulse.
Enchanted, the Tower Master began descending toward the Eternal Palace.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Wh-what?! Wh-whoa!!"
A fifteen-story dragon approaching at 200 km/h—embarrassed or not.
To Akion, who was experiencing it firsthand, it looked exactly like—
"Danger, Your Highness!"
A meteor strike.
Speech-giving dragon or whatever, a collision with that mass would be game over!!
He rushed to shield the princess, but recalled their strength difference and deflated.
At least,
—Shaaaa...
—Thud.
"Eh? Huh? Tower Master?"
The black dragon shrank, landing in the form of someone familiar to Akion.
"Ancestor!"
"Ah, so it is you, Flair."
And they knew each other, at least.
The bad part was...
"Your hair's shorter now. Had some good fortune lately?"
"Yes! Hehe, thanks to young Lord Akion—"
The moment Akion's name came up, the Tower Master glared at him.
Why's she so mad?
The princess didn't know enough about him to warrant teaching like a professor.
Akion couldn't fathom it.
"So... the hair dryer, was it?"
"Yes! This is the one young Lord Akion made himself! Oh right, you said you're researching with him, Ancestor? Did you make this together too?"
"Hm. It is a magic tool with this one's advice incorporated."
The Tower Master took the hair dryer.
For some reason, Akion feared she'd smash it.
But whether from strong patience or otherwise, she handed it back with a kindly smile and approached Akion.
"So, why is Akion here?"
"I wanted to show it in action... hehe."
And hearing Flair had dragged him here...
"Hehe. You've always wanted to show your father your best side. I'm glad it no longer brings you pain."
The Tower Master somehow needed to muster patience.
Unable to bear the persistently irritating throb of her dragon heart...
—Swoop!
"Eh."
"That means your business is done, right? Then I'll be taking my Akion now."
She even linked arms with him!!
"Ah, do you perhaps have some prior arrangement with young Lord Akion...?"
"Mm. Nothing like that, but wouldn't it be good to show those blue-bloods at the banquet whose protection Akion enjoys?"
Here, Flair vaguely caught on.
And head maid Beatrice and the attendants definitely did.
"N-no way... the Tower Master...?"
Akion seemed oblivious in the wrong direction,
but that move from the Tower Master was clear.
"No... then for Her Highness...!"
"Don't jump to conclusions. But still... haa. How to even report this to His Majesty..."
At the very least, the Tower Master... felt something for Akion!!
And Flair, vaguely at least, had been prepped by the emperor.
"If you're okay with it, get close to that Energies lad."
"Yes, Father! Leave it to me!"
She felt more a sense of royal duty than romance,
but after meeting him in the garden, Akion's words and demeanor appealed to her.
Unlike arrogant noble boys who fawned or flattered, he was humble.
So even if not dating or engaged yet—
"Ah! Then!"
—Squeeze!
She instinctively knew she couldn't let this man slip away.
So she grabbed Akion's free arm—the one not hugged by the Tower Master.
"I'll come too!"
"Ha?"
"This way, it'll highlight how amazing young Lord Akion is, right? I'm the farthest from the throne and less mature than Ancestor, but... at least I can lend him imperial support!"
"Haa?"
And for some reason, that irked the Tower Master.
Especially the word "younger."
"...Very well. Let's."
But as the family elder(?), she had face to maintain.
With transcendent patience, the Tower Master held back, showing only a kindly smile.
And Akion, sandwiched between them,
"Well, Akion? Flowers in both hands. You won't refuse an escort from this one and Flair, surely?"
"Hehe, pretty please, young Lord Akion?"
"Ah......"
I wanna go home right now.
One side: the empire's pillar, a dragon who'd crushed a traitorous house equal to a kingdom.
The other: the Seventh Princess, farthest from the throne but still imperial blood.
Whether friendly with the Tower Master or not, heading to the banquet like this... something was bound to explode.
It was obviously going to be exhausting, but...
"I-I'm sorely lacking in etiquette, b-but... I'll do my utmost to escort you both."
Akion had no choice.
He could brazenly refuse, but the fallout later...!!
"Hehe, looking forward to it."
"Yay, thanks!"
This must be what it feels like to have your blood run cold.
Akion wanted to cry.