The Wraith's Unexpected Help
The black dragon—thud…! I ignored the alarm and everything else, snatching up the letter first. It was no wonder; just seeing a letter these days sent a chill down my spine. Raili’s faceless image floated up in my mind unbidden. The mere thought of her name made me furrow my brow and scowl without realizing it.
‘How strange. I don’t even remember meeting her, yet my body reacts first.’ Was it because of all the letters that had reached me so far? Or was it some memory of Raili etched into this body? Either way, the feeling was deeply unpleasant. One thing was certain: I had no desire to face her. Still, there was no way to avoid it now.
‘I suppose I have to read it after all…?’ I couldn’t help the mix of dread and curiosity about what terrifying news it might contain this time.
“Huh? No seal on this one?”
It was exactly as I said. The letter wasn’t sealed with sealing wax. It was simply folded into a neat square, like a four-leaf clover.
—Rustle…! Once I confirmed that, I unfolded it right away. I was even more curious about who had sent it. Whoever it was, they had left the letter without a word… The thought alone gave me goosebumps.
‘If it isn’t Raili, then who on earth could it be?’ I quickly began reading from the first line, desperate to identify the mysterious sender. Sleepiness and fatigue had long since fled.
“To my beloved Breeder.”
“You must have been very tired yesterday, weren’t you? Your sleeping face looked so lovely that I wanted to wake you with a kiss, but I didn’t want to disturb your day off, so I’m leaving this letter instead.”
“What I wanted to tell you isn’t anything complicated. I picked up my pen because I wanted to share the story about the past you were curious about yesterday. If possible, I would have preferred to tell you face-to-face…”
“Unfortunately, it seems that won’t be possible today. There are so many reports to make because of yesterday’s incident that I probably won’t return until late, even after classes end.”
“Anyway, about the past I glimpsed the other day…”
…?! I couldn’t help but be shocked in more ways than one after reading about halfway through the letter. First of all, it wasn’t from Raili at all. Raili? This was Sofia’s letter. Knowing that instantly put my mind at ease. Still, the fact that she had quietly left the letter behind out of consideration for my day off… She truly had the heart of an angel. Any other dragon would have shaken me awake without a second thought for my status as a servant.
‘Ah, and the sun is already high in the sky?’ I set the letter down and glanced at the desk clock.
—Tick, tock…! The hands had already passed 2:15. It was definitely not morning; it was well into the afternoon. Sunlight streamed brightly through the window, confirming it.
“Wh-what the…? What’s going on? Two o’clock…?” At first I thought the clock must be broken. But it wasn’t the clock’s fault. Startled, I had no choice but to look outside.
“It really is two in the afternoon?” The weather outside was perfectly clear. The light was far too bright for morning, and I could even see a few young ladies wandering near the dormitory. What on earth had happened? Then who had rung the morning bell? It wasn’t as if the girls had woken up on time of their own accord. For a moment I felt dizzy. It was as if I had skipped my night-watch duty entirely. Under normal circumstances, this would have been a massive incident worthy of punishment. Yet somehow I had slept soundly until past two in the afternoon without a single problem.
“Nyoro-long……”
While I stood there bewildered, a sudden voice broke the silence.
“Huh? What are you doing all of a sudden?” A black wraith popped out from my body. It turned to look at me, then flew off toward the desk where the alarm button was installed.
—Tap, tap…! It poked the button with its little black cotton-candy fist.
“A-ah, don’t tell me you…?”
“Nyorung-!” So that was why it had appeared without being summoned. It must have pressed the button in my place. The wraith wore a proud expression, as if waiting for praise.
“What’s gotten into you? Yesterday you only listened when I held a knife…”
—Pat, pat… I stroked its head. It felt like touching a fluffy doll. To think I would live to pet a ghost. Thanks to it, I had survived. What a clever little thing.
Maybe it had read my unconscious mind and pressed the bell on its own.
“Nyorong, nyororong…!” Suddenly the wraith dodged my hand and puffed out its cheeks in a sulky display. It didn’t seem to appreciate my praise. It looked like it wanted a more substantial reward.
“Good grief. When you were a monster you tried to kill everyone, and now you’re demanding proper compliments?”
“Nyorong, nyorong…!” It nodded vigorously, its attitude so shameless that I was taken aback. Did wraiths even have a conscience?
“Tch, I really can’t get used to this new appearance.” Maybe because it looked like a ghost, it actually seemed cute. Its behavior was similar to other wraiths, yet becoming a wraith had turned it into something completely different.
“Fine. I’ll grant you a special name.”
“Nyororong…?”
“From today onward, you’re Black Dragon. If I call for you, come running right away. Got it?” Black Dragon. A rough name combining its black color and the “nyorong” sound it made—like naming a country dog back home.
“Nyorurung……!” The cloud-like creature’s small red eyes glowed faintly. It seemed pleased. Giving a name to something that was practically a dead soul was the most extravagant gift it could receive.
The wraith’s loyalty has increased!
Current Loyalty: Favorable
The higher the wraiths’ loyalty, the more faithfully they will follow your commands.
Special rewards will unlock once loyalty reaches a certain threshold.
“Oh? Even wraiths have a loyalty system?” I hadn’t expected something like a loyalty mechanic. And “Favorable” at that… It was basically an affection meter. There were even perks tied to loyalty levels. Well, even if it rebelled, it wouldn’t matter. I could always threaten it with a knife and it would behave. Anyway, that aside…
—Rustle…! I picked up the letter again to finish reading the part I had left off. There was still plenty left to read. The letter had grown long because it contained everything Sofia had witnessed in my memories.
‘Since it’s my day off anyway, I might as well read it slowly.’
—Flop! I returned to bed, lay down, and continued reading the letter in that position.
“…So that really was the case?”
Breeder, lying on the bed, muttered to himself. The letter rested on his stomach. He had just finished reading Sofia’s letter and set it down.
‘A body that had dragon hearts forcibly implanted by the ancestors…’
Breeder reflected on the contents of the letter. His expression was quite serious. No wonder—the past Sofia had revealed was rather shocking. For some reason, they had forced dragon hearts onto an old friend, even at the cost of their own lifespans. And they had done so while turning that friend, who had helped seal the Demon Dragon, into an outcast.
“…Because Breeder’s memories were cut off midway, I couldn’t learn the exact reason. I’m very curious about it myself. So, if we get another chance, would you hold me again?”
“That time, I’ll definitely read your memories properly for you.”
“Anyway, Breeder? Let’s meet again later. And I love you today as well. Enough to want to stay together for a lifetime.”
“From Sofia, who wants to be your one and only light.”
—Rustle…! Only after rereading the final lines did Breeder finally get up.
“…All right.” So everyone was busy because of yesterday’s events? In that case, maybe he should just enjoy his peaceful day off. On such a sweet weekday holiday, what should he do…?
—Gurgle…!
“Hm?” Just as he was trying to make plans for the day, his stomach rumbled loudly. It was no surprise; he had expended a great deal of stamina at dawn.
“They’ve probably cleared away the cafeteria food by now…” Time to get moving. He had to go outside if he wanted to do anything. If he stayed lying down any longer, his stomach would stick to his back.
—Step, step…! After a quick wash, Breeder stepped outside. He was still half-dazed. Even with nine dragon hearts, the nonstop exertion throughout the night had taken its toll. He walked forward in a half-dreamlike state, not even fully aware of where he was headed.
“Hmm? Where am I…?” His footsteps had led him to the back of the dormitory.
“B-but what is this? Wasn’t construction supposed to continue until today…?” Breeder stammered as he arrived at the site of the Rest Lounge behind the dormitory. His mouth hung open in disbelief.
‘I-is this really the Rest Lounge? How did a brand-new building appear overnight…?’