Chapter 100
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Good News (2)
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"How the hell did you fit a tail that big in there?! Geez, doesn't it rip?"
"...Indeed. A daughter of House Zahav."
Without any introduction, Igni figured out exactly who Yuria was after just one word.
I debated whether to lament this as some kind of self-praise or clear up the misunderstanding, but in the end, I just nodded.
Anyway, the self-introduction was done. Good enough!
Did it show that I was just enjoying the situation? Igni shot me a sharp glare, then soon opened her mouth toward Yuria with an awkward smile.
"You seem to have the wrong idea. This body's tail is a real tail."
"Ah, that kind of setup?"
"......"
Igni flinched, her smile frozen on her face, and finally let out a short sigh.
"Sigh."
Flames naturally slipped out from between her lips with her breath and vanished.
Yuria stared at it with utter confusion.
"W-wait a second. Big bro. No way... this person—no, this lady... is she...?"
"Huh? What're you on about? If you've got something to say, spit it out properly so I can understand."
I deliberately played dumb and asked back casually, but Yuria only grew more flustered.
"No way that could be... but what I'm sensing is... clearly..."
Yuria mumbled to herself. I forced down the slight thrill of wondering when she'd reveal her identity and asked Igni—whose inner thoughts were plain as day.
"By any chance..."
"Correct. I am precisely..."
"The dinosaur beastkin that supposedly vanished ages ago?!"
"......"
Igni, who'd puffed up her chest with air, suddenly deflated like a balloon.
Then she puffed out her cheeks and started glaring at me.
"Misunderstanding. I didn't put her up to it. Yuria's just... well, pretty ignorant..."
"What, big bro? Sneakily hitting your cute little sister with facts? You gotta push with bold agitation and fabrication!"
"Even lying, don't call her ignorant?"
"Exactly that!"
"I'm no good at lying, so that's tough."
"And that's a lie too? I know all about it!"
Yuria couldn't recognize who Igni was, but her instincts were spot-on for the weird parts.
Shaking my head at her antics, I finally gave a normal explanation.
"Don't tease her too much. She might look like this, but she's a grand duke just like me."
"...Huh?"
"Grand Duke Ignatus. Ruler of the West and master of the Magic Tower. And now that Wild Hunt's gone, just an unemployed dragon."
"......"
Yuria creakily turned her head toward Igni.
Igni shrugged lightly at her and released the polymorph on one arm just a bit.
Crunch.
Her slender arm suddenly burst outward from within, swelling up until it was covered in red scales—a massive leg and claw.
"Hieeek!"
Yuria jerked back reflexively. Satisfied with the reaction, Igni spoke.
"As Enoch says. I am Ignatus. The last dragon on the earth and grand duke of the West."
"......"
Yuria—who'd basically swallowed the dragon beastkin's red pill(?—froze solid for a good while before whispering to me in a shaky voice.
"Big bro. I was super rude, wasn't I?"
"Looks like it. She screams dragon from a mile away. How'd you miss that?"
"Big bro... There's only one dragon on the continent! How was I supposed to know?!"
Tsk. Fair point.
I have memories from Earth, so I instantly linked Igni's crown-like horns and plump tail to a dragon...
But folks in this world only see dragons in history books unless they're with the Magic Tower.
And Yuria's the furthest thing from a bookworm—a pure physical knight.
Not clocking something unfamiliar right away was only natural.
Yuria continued, her eyes trembling.
"Even if I say I'm innocent, got circumstances... they won't buy it, right?"
"I'd try, but I wouldn't hold my breath."
"Hng... But the vibe she gave off seriously didn't feel strong at all."
"Igni doesn't go leaking her aura everywhere anymore."
"Not like that—it's my gut... no wait, big bro, you strut around radiating danger and say that?!"
"Never felt aimed at you, though."
"Even if not at me, I can feel it right next to me."
Her flustered reaction told me plenty.
Igni had hidden her presence too perfectly for Yuria to recognize her.
Igni had grown a ton while catching up on lost sleep. Probably focused on reining in her power.
I knew the feeling well—having powered up fast multiple times since leaving Calypso Territory.
...Though for me, with mana piling up faster than I can process and still overflowing in my body, perfect control like that is a pipe dream.
Needing spirit medicines so often is a good problem, but sometimes even diligently refining into aura feels pointless.
Probably got too used to my own vibe, and House Zahav's whole style is flaunting power over hiding it—so no wonder Yuria got mixed up.
Yuria still mumbled in disbelief.
"Even so, first time meeting, that level gap... how's she not the least bit threatening..."
"Enoch's little sister. What's your name?"
"Yuria Zahav, Your Excellency Grand Duke Ignatus. Sorry for my rudeness earlier..."
"No matter. It's fine. I knew right away it wasn't malice toward me. Seems like you, Yuria... see the world a bit differently. A truly nostalgic way."
"......"
"Oh. A secret? Then I won't pry further. Enoch. You pretend you didn't hear that either."
"Eh, doesn't bother me..."
Was Yuria hiding something? With my own secrets, I had no choice but to nod.
"Good. Issue settled. Time to move along? Don't sweat it, Yuria."
"But..."
"Enoch's the one I gave my fang to and permitted a nickname for. How could I mistreat a guest he brought? If you couldn't tell from my face, of course you wouldn't know. I only just revealed my name, after all."
"...!"
Rarely did Yuria look so deflated. But Igni's words slowly brought the life back to her.
Her eyes sparkled as she asked.
"You permitted a nickname? For big bro?"
"Indeed."
"Whoa... so how many sisters-in-law does that make..."
Yuria started counting on her fingers. She paused to stare right at me, her eyes oddly gleaming with pride and respect.
"What?"
"What do you mean, what. Just struck me again how amazing big bro is."
"Thanks, I guess... But is the nickname that big a deal? The fang's been super useful."
"...Big bro. You're joking, right?"
"Nope. Genuinely clueless."
"For real?"
"For real."
That got a pouty reaction from Igni this time.
"Didn't I tell you to look it up when you got back...?"
"Uh... Not sure if you heard, but there was a huge mess right after I got home. Totally slipped my mind. Sorry."
"What could possibly be so important you'd forget my words?"
"The eldest son we thought was dead came back and threw a fit demanding the patriarch seat?"
"...Yeah, that's definitely huge."
"That's partly why I came today—to talk about it."
"Perfect timing. I have some important talk too. Looks like it'll be a long chat... If you get bored, wanna suck on my tail like old times?"
Igni wagged her plump tail, slyly nudging the tip toward me.
Yuria, watching intently from half a step away, lit up.
"If it's not gear but a real tail... that's a monster! And big bro getting utterly wrecked by a monster... could be fun."
"...Yuria. No talking for the next hour."
"Outta nowhere?!"
"Patriarch's order... no, wait."
Won't stop her like that. Whether it's her unique worldview like Igni said, or her freakish knack for toeing the line... she tap-dances right up to it nonstop.
"That kind of play, huh."
"Gasp!"
Good. Quieter now.
Me nodding in satisfaction, Yuria clamping her mouth shut with both hands.
Igni watched us and snickered.
"Still, at this level, the current generation of Zahavs all have solid character."
"???"
Where exactly was that heartwarming?
Dragon sensibilities were tough to grasp.
The Magic Tower I revisited was similar to before, yet changed in many ways.
It had that outpost efficiency, but now decorative, inefficient spells dotted the once barren vibe.
The mages passing through inside looked way brighter than before, too.
Clear signs of leisure in their lives.
Ah, exceptions existed, of course...
From my weeks staying there before, I knew they were grad student types under elder mages, dreaming of the next realm—so I excused them.
Grad students being zombie cousins is just common sense, right?
Anyway, crossing the tower brought us to a spot safe from interruptions.
Igni's bedroom.
Yuria bounced around excitedly, but I couldn't let her hear what was coming, so I rolled her up in spare blankets and shoved her outside.
She'll be fine on her own. Wall's a bit weird, but she's got a good personality.
Finally alone, I started explaining the recent events one by one.
Sharkan's return, his dying words about that being's existence, what happened in the capital, the black mages' attempt to steal a divinity, the divine power dwelling in my body, my birth secret, and even the possibility that Zahav's original sin held the power of sin.
"...That's how it went down. We scour the dungeon to the bottom and take it out before its bindings fully snap. Simple plan, right?"
"Indeed. With the era's Swordmaster, me, and you joining forces—even with the dungeon interior penalty—our odds are plenty good."
"Yeah, something like that."
In truth, dungeon interiors weren't a penalty for me, so I'd never considered it that way, but I nodded anyway.
"I see... One slip, and the south could've turned into another eastern shitshow."
"Maybe it's fine for now. But if Sharkan's right, it'll blow before I kick the bucket."
"Smart thinking. Stuff like this, you strike first even if it's risky. Otherwise, the powerless end up spilling blood."
Igni nodded, her voice a mix of the innate arrogance and pity of one born strong. She gave a soft smile.
"Don't worry. The West regained stability thanks to you, and I escaped fated ruin to ascend to adulthood because of you. Sure, sleeping too long made me grow a bit... quirky... but I'm way stronger than before."
She thrust out her chest proudly as she spoke. Short stature, but those mana sacks had such presence that her proportions looked wrecked.
But that imbalance only amplified her appeal.
My gaze locked unconsciously. Igni slyly curled up the corner of her mouth.
"Aren't we at the nickname stage? Naturally, I'll help you."
"...Right. Forgot the timing and only asking now, but... what does permitting a nickname even mean for a dragon?"
"Sigh. Hoped you'd figure it out yourself, but no helping it."
Igni shrugged. Even that tiny motion sent her mana sacks jiggling wildly.
A bit self-conscious, perhaps, she crossed her arms to prop them up and continued.
"For dragons... no, precisely for all races with two or more true forms, a name other than the true name is......"