Yggdrasil (2)
There are actually quite a few species of dragons. And with that number comes a wide variety of personalities.
Some dragons enjoy transforming into humans and wandering the world. Others appoint themselves as guardians of certain nations and live out eternity hidden underground. The reason they can do this is simple: they're strong. Killing them requires immense sacrifice—ranging from elite armies on the small end to entire nations on the large end. Only by throwing everything at them can you claim their lives.
But no matter how powerful those dragons were, they couldn't even scratch the might of the Apocalypse Red Dragon. A being that would require every last one of them—armies of elite soldiers, grand archmages, nations, and even divine avatars—to band together just to take its final breath.
And yet, this fool proposed negotiating with such an existence? Elenoa simply couldn't accept Revandoh's judgment.
"Th-that's impossible...! If something goes wrong—"
She tried to raise an objection, but...
"—it would be your failure. You're the absolute person in charge of this 'diplomacy,' after all."
Unfortunately, he had already made his decision. As Yggdrasil's supreme authority and true powerholder, his word was final and irreversible. If he said advance, everyone advanced. Naturally, Elenoa had no right to refuse.
Even worse...
"Do you want to refuse? Then refuse."
"—Hic...?!"
"The moment you do, your mother is done for."
He knew her weakness all too well. All she had left was the gold the Red Dragon had given her and her blood kin—her mother. Her assets, her home, everything had long been seized. Revandoh was fully aware he held the perfect leverage to manipulate her at will.
"... "
Elenoa paused, her mind racing with calculations. Could she kill the man before her? Could her arrow slice through the air, pierce his throat, and save her mother?
But it didn't take long for her to realize those calculations were futile.
Revandoh is protected by countless spells. Even if I kill him, the guards holding my mother...
...they'd definitely slaughter her.
Elenoa hated herself. The Red Dragon had saved her. She had thought his mercy meant a new life at last. But because she was weak. Because she was worthless, this was her fate. Self-loathing consumed her, but she soon realized she had no other choice and slowly parted her lips.
"...I understand."
She had to follow him. Even knowing it might burden the Red Dragon. Even knowing it might mean her death.
"...I'll go."
She glared at Revandoh with fierce eyes and spoke.
"So please, leave my mother alone."
A vow to bring tragedy to its end.
"...Very well, Elenoa. Prepare immediately. We'll dispatch the diplomats within days."
And so, Revandoh's plan began.
****
The time I've lived as a dragon isn't short. I don't know the exact years, but it's at least a few decades. In that time, one thing I've realized acutely is that dragons can't sleep properly.
Even when sleeping, it's never restful... It's like drifting off with your mind half-awake. Imagine trying to sleep while hearing every drop of water falling nearby, every footstep entering or leaving, every rustle of leaves outside the cave in the wind. How nightmarish and cursed a life is that?
Always yearning for peaceful slumber but never truly getting it. For someone as innately lazy and sleep-loving as me, it was honestly infuriating.
However...
—Thud, thud.
—Thud, thud, thud.
Sometimes, it proved an advantage.
Numerous footsteps—about thirty people—were slowly approaching this place. The underbrush parted for them, as if welcoming familiar guests. Their distinctive grassy scent wafted to my nose. The smell of those who live in harmony with nature. Elves bearing fairy blood... were heading here.
[Sigh.]
Anger bubbled up once more. Not long ago, one of them—an elf—had disturbed my precious sleep. I'd sent her back with strict orders never to set foot here again.
And yet...
Despite that, they dared show their faces here again. I had no choice but to contemplate how to respond.
But that contemplation didn't last long.
—Swish, swish.
They were nimble elves, their steps like the wind. And leading them was someone who'd visited before. So, naturally, the time it took for them to reach me was shortened.
This was definitely what they meant by "right under my nose."
"I-I am Elenoa, the diplomat s-sent from Y-Yggdrasil."
Finally, the one at the forefront spoke. She held a flag symbolizing Yggdrasil. The other elves were dressed similarly. Awe, fear, greed—countless emotions swirled in their eyes as they gazed at me.
"W-we of Y-Yggdrasil have come here to f-foster mutual friendship with the R-Red Dragon—"
...But she was different. Her eyes held the same mix of gratitude and despair as before. Pure despair and gratitude, unlike the others. The scent of emotions only a dragon could detect. It tickled my nostrils more intensely than their grassy smell.
[Disgusting.]
I found it profoundly unpleasant.
"S-sorry! Red Dragon, sir. I'm so, so sorry...!"
"H-hey! What are you doing?!"
"Tch, fine, I'll read it. Give me the speech!! Haha, apologies. One of our diplomats has been rude. Allow me to continue the explanation—"
I could piece together the situation. She'd said she was a fallen noble caring for her sick mother. She'd promised never to return and to warn the others of my danger.
But seeing this scene before me, it was clear the elves intended to pester me relentlessly. Yet the one who'd received my orders was visibly reluctant to even be here and kept crying? No matter how I looked at it, she'd been forced into this.
"—And so, our proposal is this: If the Red Dragon guards our borders, Yggdrasil will—"
[—Silence.]
"...!"
I cut off that irritating voice sharply. Not just with words.
—Crunch.
My tail smashed down on the one at the front who'd snatched her speech, crushing him.
"Wh-what...?!"
A pool of blood and an unrecognizable lump of meat remained on the ground.
[I do not like uninvited guests. And anyone without my permission is an uninvited guest.]
This was a warning. An old but certain one: a single flap of my wings could kill them all.
No one present failed to understand.
[Do not take a single step. The moment you do, you'll share his fate.]
With that, I turned my head back to Elenoa. And immediately knew exactly why I was displeased.
[Elenoa, did you carry out my orders?]
"Yes. I did."
[Then why have you shown your face before me again?]
"...Because something more important than my life was at stake."
She was cautious. Unlike the others, she was constantly mindful of me. While the rest schemed how to devour me, she pondered how to repay my 'mercy' and atone for her rudeness.
That was it. That made me uncomfortable. Things not going my way. My orders ignored despite being followed. It... stirred my displeasure, my instincts.
[Something more important than your life. Your blood kin?]
She wiped her tears at my question and answered more boldly than ever.
"Yes. That's right."
[Did your blood kin survive?]
"Thanks to the mercy you bestowed, Red Dragon, yes."
[I see.]
I quite liked her demeanor. She had potential. Frail on the surface, but with backbone. If I made her my gatekeeper? She could become a loyal hound, dealing with nuisances on my behalf.
And the way to make such a hound fiercer and more devoted was simple: give her something to believe in... a reason she had to be loyal.
[Your kin ignored my warning. Do you object?]
"No. I do not."
[Do your kin deserve annihilation?]
"Yes. They do."
[And if you brought your blood kin here? Would you have the will to guard my lair?]
Kin, or blood dearer than her own life? The answer was predetermined.
"Yes. I would, Red Dragon."
"Wh-what are you doing?! Betraying us—"
—Roarrr...!!!
"—Guhk...?!"
Fire, and death. The scavengers circling Elenoa vanished in an instant.
[I am fire.]
Ash seeped into the earth, no longer alive.
—Flap, flap.
This was merely the beginning. I do not like those who disturb my sleep. Nor those who reject paths to peaceful coexistence.
[And calamity.]
Thus, I decided to erase that place from the map.
I hated the hassle, but what could be done? Yggdrasil had chosen to exploit me, after all. This was merely collecting the debt.
And so, I headed for Yggdrasil. Spewing flames along the path. Bearing apocalyptic inferno in my maw to burn all to ash.