The Dragon's Gift and Wayward Brothers
[What a tragedy. It seems the gods have burdened you with too heavy a load……]
“It’s not all bad news. Please take a look at this.”
[What kind of sword is it?]
“The dragon took a special liking to me and gave me this sword as a token of our promise to meet again in twenty years. It’s a symbol of our friendship.”
Our Magi, I wonder if he’s sleeping well, or if he’s eating while wiping his mouth. I also worried whether he’d smashed something in the lair again and just patched it up sloppily.
[Truly? You’ve formed a friendship with a dragon?]
“Yes, Your Highness. Moreover, this isn’t an ordinary sword. It contains scales from a gold dragon, giving the blade an indescribably beautiful golden sheen. Would you like to see it?”
You got a dragon friend? Well, I do. My friend’s a dragon.
The King nodded with his mouth agape, as if entranced.
Normally, drawing a blade before the King would be a grave offense, but since this was a magical communication and he himself had permitted it, there was no issue.
With a triumphant expression, I proudly showed off the blade that would further brighten my life.
The true value of this sword lay in its golden blade, which also appeared in Dmitry’s founding myth. It was the perfect visual to captivate the tastes of Dmitry’s royal family.
[Oh, heavens, it’s dazzlingly beautiful! A dragon…… it contains gold dragon scales?]
“Indeed. Even to my untrained eyes, it looks magnificent enough to be called a legendary blade.”
[Incredible. Truly remarkable…… and to think it was a gift from a dragon……]
A hint of greed flickered in the eyes of the King who ruled over part of the continent. He was a swordsman himself, and his gaze clearly showed he coveted this famed blade. Fortunately, I was wise enough to know when to offer a gift.
Acting as if it were nothing special, I spoke cheerfully.
“I don’t know how to wield a sword, so I’d like to present this blade to Your Highness. Please accept it.”
[……You’re giving it to me?]
Dikel III wore a dumbfounded expression that even his closest aides had probably never seen, and it took him several seconds to compose himself. He clearly hadn’t expected me to hand it over so readily.
“Yes. Did you really think I’d show it off just to boast?”
[Well, that’s true, but…… won’t the dragon be displeased? It was given to you, so if I keep it, he surely won’t be happy.]
“Not at all. I’ve already received the dragon’s permission, so don’t worry. I know full well that presenting this sword to Your Highness is the way to truly let it shine.”
Behold my eloquent tongue that could even charm a dragon!
Joy that couldn’t be hidden spread across the King’s face. Though Dikel III had received countless gifts, he had surely never received a sword given as a symbol of friendship by a dragon.
A famed blade gifted by a dragon—where else could one find a national treasure of this caliber? If the item I presented became a national treasure, it wouldn’t be bad for me either.
“I’ll send it safely through Sir Hansen. I hope it pleases you.”
[How truly blessed I am! No amount of gratitude would suffice for you. I shall make this sword a treasure of our kingdom and preserve it for all eternity! Of course, your name will be remembered alongside it.]
I could hear it—the sound of my future unfolding brightly. The sound of my back growing ever more secure!
[That you were born in this country is truly my blessing, and a light to the people.]
“It is an honor to hear you say so.”
[I swear it here and now with all sincerity. I, Dikel III, will become a king worthy of the loyalty that comes from your heart.]
Normally, I’d be the one saying the opposite. Still, I didn’t dislike our King.
His dreams were a bit grand, but I decided to cheer him on anyway.
“May Dmitry’s glory last forever.”
[Blessings upon you.]
I’d been lounging by the small fountain across from the mages’ tower for thirty minutes when more than three vagrants approached me asking for alms.
“Grrrrr.”
I scared them off from a distance by flashing Rai’s gleaming fangs.
As Lox had said, the streets were indeed swarming with vagrants, and I couldn’t deny it was partly because I’d freed the slaves.
Honestly, I hadn’t thought that far ahead when I did it.
Since Grack had provoked me, I wanted to kill every last slave trader, but Endairon’s power wasn’t something I could perfectly control, and the slaves would have only gotten in the way of the massacre.
I freed them simply because there was no reason to kill them too.
Justice? Is that edible?
[Master! Look at me!]
“Hm?”
[How about it? My wolf impression is perfect now, isn’t it? Looks real, right?]
Rai let out another fierce growl. He seemed pleased that the vagrants had fled in terror at the sight.
[I thought it was a dog impression.]
[It’s a wolf! Look at this dignity! Grrrawr!]
No matter how proudly he stood on all fours while making sound effects with his own mouth, he still just looked like a pitiful spirit to me.
Fine, if that’s what you want to call it.
While I was nodding halfheartedly, I saw Hansen running toward me in a hurry after I’d sent him on an errand to the mages’ tower.
“My lady!”
“What took you so long?”
“My apologies! The line was long. The freed slaves are all crowding inside to send telegrams to their hometowns.”
“What? How are slaves sending telegrams with money?”
A telegram’s base fee alone cost as much as three nights at a mid-tier inn. For poor travelers, telegrams were a luxury.
“The tower staff said an anonymous donor came by last night. They paid a large sum and told the slaves to use it to contact their families. Whoever it was, they must be a person of fine character.”
For some reason, that anonymous donor sounded like someone with a very ordinary face named Ash.
I’d seen him leaving with a hefty-looking money pouch last night.
“Hmm. So, is there a reply for me?”
“There’s one. It came from Crowell territory. Here.”
It was from home. I was glad I’d received the reply before leaving the city.
I hadn’t sent telegrams to many places to begin with. Mia and Iruse had replied through Hansen, and I’d had a video call with the headmaster yesterday, so I’d basically wrapped up all my communications.
Now that I’d contacted my family too, I felt completely unburdened.
In a good mood, I unfolded the telegram.
Alive. Joy. Thanks to God. Trouble. Appeared. Brothers. Dragon. Searching. Left. Three. All. Missing. Return. When. ?. Love. Always. Waiting.
It was just a string of words, but it was enough to understand. It also sounded familiar, like something I’d seen before.
Iruse’s letter had said something similar.
It was the tragic news that Bright Keniyan, the original follower of Jeanie Crowell who had started trailing after me faster than anyone, had taken leave to search for me.
Honestly, weren’t they all idiots?
“Oh no…… It looks like my brothers left to find me.”
“Pardon? You have brothers?”
“I forget sometimes, but I have three.”
My childhood memories were mostly hazy, but the memory of my three brothers doting on me was crystal clear.
When I was proven to be a genius and left for Drike Academy, the sight of three little boys crying and chasing after the carriage was one of the longer-lasting memories.
They were also the ones who sent letters more often than my parents. Maybe it was because of these brothers that I never got butterflies over older men.
They were just too annoying.
I couldn’t stand it. How dare they dote on me!
“When you say they left…… surely you don’t mean what I’m thinking?”
“Exactly what you’re thinking. They seem to be making a fuss about catching a dragon.”
What on earth did the men of this world think dragons were?
There was a saying that dying to a dragon wasn’t shameful, but that didn’t mean they were crazy enough to want to die.
“……Is that really all right?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“My lady! Aren’t you worried?”
“What can I do when I don’t even know where they are right now?”
Bright and my brothers were all equally reckless and unprepared.
How were they supposed to find a dragon when they didn’t even know where it was? If they ran into Magi, that would be lucky. If they met a different dragon, they wouldn’t even leave behind bones.
Honestly, it wasn’t that I wasn’t worried. It was just that worrying wouldn’t change anything.
I roughly folded the telegram and tucked it into my clothes, clicking my tongue.
“How troublesome…… Once rumors start spreading that I’m alive, they’ll come home on their own. Just leave them be. They’re not children anymore.”
“Even so……”
“More importantly, do me a favor. I need to send a reply to the main house.”
Hansen turned around with a stiff expression at my words. Before I knew it, the line outside the mages’ tower had grown long.
It seemed the slaves who’d heard about the patron were gathering one after another to contact their hometowns.
“Right now, here?”
“Yeah.”
“Couldn’t we send it after returning to Dmitry? It already took quite a while just to find the reply. Sending a telegram will take even longer……”
“No. My parents must be waiting anxiously for news. I need to reply as soon as possible.”
If it were something I had to send myself, I would’ve put it off without hesitation, but right now there was someone right in front of me I could order around.
And I was very good at ordering people around.
“If that’s what you wish, then I have no choice but to obey. What would you like me to write?”
“Tell them returning will take some time, so they shouldn’t wait too long.”
“……Knowing they’re waiting…… sending a reply like that……”
What?
I couldn’t hear you well because I have no conscience.
Leaving the reply to Hansen, I leisurely browsed the market.
Since Einy would be leaving for Dmitry with Hansen tomorrow, I planned to buy some necessities and send them with her.
“What did I need for the academy again……?”
[A cute and adorable Rai?]
“I told you to get a grip.”
[Tch, Master is too cold-hearted!]
I left Rai, who was spouting nonsense, behind and looked around the market.
The reason nothing particularly caught my eye was because Drike Academy was an extremely well-provided place.
They supplied everything from underwear to single socks, and even gave out textbooks and pocket money. Since most students were nobles, it was hard to find anything lacking.
I could just give Einy all the money my sister had entrusted to me.
With Jeanie Crowell as her guardian, no one would bully her…… but if someone did, there was nothing I could do. Overcoming it would be entirely up to Einy.
Just as freeing the slaves was all I could do, getting Einy enrolled was as far as my responsibility went.
[How about that? Snacks!]
“Stewed fruit? It’s nice, but I wonder if it’ll spoil.”
[There’s candy too.]
Since the academy didn’t give out many sweets, I used to go crazy for them when I was younger.
The reason I became close with Iruse was purely because of chocolate, and I used to blow most of my allowance on snacks.
I lingered in front of a street vendor selling piles of candy before moving on.
I found myself facing an unfamiliar dilemma. What would make a good gift for a girl about to enter the academy?