Chapter 136
Chapter 136
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: Special Training for the Super Cool True Dragon
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The threats from other adventurers began to take on a clear, tangible form the moment they entered the Third Finger.
One moment, beast heads would be menacingly impaled along the road; the next, scarecrows made of beast fur would be riddled with spears and swords.
If the threats had only come from adventurers, things might have been easier. But this remote wilderness, where civilization's light was pathologically despised, harbored many dark and insidious traits.
"The quietest times are when you need to be most on guard."
Normally, the rustling of hardy vegetation or the cries of beasts adapted to this harsh land filled the air, but occasionally, it would cut off abruptly.
Eldvihi said that meant a powerful magic beast was prowling nearby.
Each time, a sinister, chilling gaze was definitely felt from somewhere, but its direction couldn't be pinpointed.
"Well, even if they came out, they wouldn't stand a chance against you. They seem to know that, since they rarely show themselves."
Eldvihi clearly acknowledged my skills, warning of threats one moment only to end on a note like that.
And as dusk fell and twilight spread in the evening, he would vanish somewhere, just like now.
Once Eldvihi was gone, my routine was to erect a barrier of fire around the beastkin and tend to the wounded with the healing incantations Alakishi had taught Kasena.
"Hm?"
That day, I visited the Durankus tribe after a long while. More precisely, Chief Beduel.
"What brings you here?"
Beduel welcomed me warmly, just as before. That made it possible to force out the words stuck in my throat.
"Um... what’s the first thing parents should teach their baby...?"
I felt like I could die of embarrassment. If only there were a library nearby, this would’ve been so much easier.
Beduel tilted his head for a moment, then spotted Aki sleeping soundly on my back and smiled warmly.
"I learned the same thing from my mother, and her mother before her. Just remember three things: praise, example, and love."
"Praise, example, and love?"
"Praise helps the child grow into a positive person brimming with self-esteem and confidence."
I'd already pulled out 'Lin's Notebook' and a fountain pen from my pocket to jot it down when Beduel gently took my hand and lowered it.
"It's not something you need to write down. And example means you don't have to teach anything specifically. Just set the example as a parent."
"An example, huh... Then what about love?"
"That's the easiest and hardest of all. Just hug them a lot and cherish them."
Listening to Beduel, a pang tugged at my chest for no reason. When I taught Tureina, I'd done the exact opposite.
I could have done better.
Regretting it now wouldn't change anything—but no, it could. As long as I didn't repeat those mistakes.
"Take this."
"What's this?"
"It's a baby sling. I should have given it to you sooner. I was too thoughtless."
"Like a blanket to wrap around your back? How do you use it?"
"You carry the baby in it. Having Lady Alakishi's child dangling from your back like that must be hard on both of you."
True enough... Aki dug his claws into my back whenever he fell asleep. An instinctive move to avoid falling, no doubt.
My clothes were wearing out fast, and my back ached like hell, but Aki must have had it the worst.
I wanted to test this sling's performance right away, but there was work to do today—no, starting today.
"Attention, everyone. Super Cool True Dragon Training begins now."
No sooner had I peeled him off my back than Aki woke up, glaring at me sleepily before snapping to attention with a spirited shout.
"Awoo!"
Too cute...
No, don't waver, Lin.
"First, watch the demonstration from our expert assistant instructor. Pipi Assistant."
"Assistant, assistant, assistant."
Pipi puffed out his chest and raised one wing in a salute, and Aki beamed innocently, mimicking the motion clumsily.
"Good attitude. Now, Pipi Assistant, sit."
This was a training method I'd fused from what I'd seen growing up at the Bellwin estate and what Beduel taught me.
Start with bonding!
Pipi sets the example first, and if Aki follows correctly, I praise him.
It was such a perfect method that I'd smacked my forehead when I thought of it. Flawless in theory, at least.
"Pipi, what are you doing? Sit."
"?"
"I said sit. Aki's watching."
Whispering urgently, Pipi stared up at me blankly, then—not only did he not sit, he went into protest mode.
"Corn, corn, corn."
"How are we supposed to get corn here right now? Sit, quick!"
"Corn~ Corn~ Corn~!"
Aki, watching us, started waving his hands wildly and copying it.
"Ooh-doo-doo! Ooh-doo-doo!"
"Pipi, you... don't mess around. Do it right."
"Corn, corn, corn!"
"Ooh-doo-doo! Ooh-doo-doo!"
Bad habits stick fast, as they say—Aki learned nothing good from Pipi, only the bad.
The infamous Pipi Dance: circling wildly around the campfire while food cooked, driving everyone mad.
As Pipi scampered around the fire where my special charcoal skewers sizzled, Aki crawled after him on all fours, laughing brightly.
"...So you want me to do that?"
In the end, I had no choice but to call on my most reliable ally for backup.
Kasena Page.
After hearing my brief explanation, Kasena shot me a look of utter disbelief.
"I know you don't get along with her much, but it's still your benefactor's child. Help out a little."
"No, that's... true, but what you're trying to do now! It's that thing kennel masters use to train puppies!"
"Uh, then do you have a better idea?"
Kasena couldn't think of anything either (she'd never had kids, and as an only child, not even siblings), so she reluctantly went along with my plan.
"Alright, Aki trainee. Stop copying that fake assistant and watch the real assistant's demonstration."
"Awoo?"
"Kasena Assistant, sit."
Kasena bit her lip hard, her face flushing beet red. She was truly, utterly mortified...
"Miss, hurry."
"Ah, damn it! Fine! I got it!"
Letting out a sigh that was practically a yell, she squatted down on the spot, and Aki's eyes sparkled as if he'd figured something out.
"His eyes are sparkling!"
"He gets it?!"
"Let's keep the momentum and add one more move! Miss, get down on your belly!"
"What?"
"Quick!"
Is this really a training method?
She's not just messing with me on purpose, is she?
Calming her explosion of embarrassment, she lay prone—and Aki narrowed his eyes briefly before nodding vigorously.
"He nodded!"
"Really?!"
"Really, really, really."
"Aki, sit!"
Aki sprang up, seeming about to sit just like Kasena had demonstrated.
"A-woof!"
He bent his knees halfway, then stood and planted both hands on the ground to go prone instead.
"Da-at!"
But even that was a feint—he slapped the ground with both hands, propelled himself up, and finally squatted fully.
"He mixed in a fake?! Why?!"
"Is he a genius or an idiot?!"
"Ge-ni-us, ge-ni-us, ge-ni-us."
As if our bewilderment was all part of his plan, Aki smugly crawled toward me.
What... the hell?
Should I praise him? No, won't that just teach him to mess with people?
"A-doh!"
Right then, a acrid burnt smell started wafting from the skewers, which had been giving off a savory, meaty aroma over the coals.
Crap—I yanked them from the fire in a panic. Luckily, just the edges were lightly charred; still edible.
The real problem was Aki, drawn by the scent, who'd climbed my leg to my belly and was flailing for the skewers.
"Awoo, awoo, awoooo!"
My special charcoal skewers were Aki's favorite food.
Well, I couldn't offer much variety, so "favorite" wasn't precise, but he definitely went crazy for them.
A dizzying pride surged through me, but now was the time to enforce discipline.
"No, bad, wait, not now... Right, Miss! Let's teach him something important now!"
"Huh?"
"If I hold this out to you and say wait, you absolutely won't eat the skewer."
No time to wait for Kasena's reply amid Aki's frantic grabs, I thrust the skewer toward her.
Kasena stared blankly at it. Saliva flooded her mouth as she remembered she hadn't eaten since lunch.
So she ate it... By the time she snapped out of it, she'd devoured all but one.
"Awoo, awooo."
Looking up, I saw Aki gleefully munching away, following her lead.
"......"
Rain groaned, pinching his brow as if scolding Kasena, while Pitch circled his head, yapping.
"Ge-ni-us, ge-ni-us, ge-ni-us."
In the end, we taught Aki nothing that day.
Not just that day—the whole journey to the Extreme West Branch was the same, constant failures.
Was it sheer arrogance for a mere human to try teaching a true dragon?
Still, some good came of it.
Kasena fully bonded with Aki along the way; now she came to train him on her own without asking.
"Aki, hungry?"
"Awooo!"
"Aki says he's hungry! Rain, grill some skewers!"
"Not that you want some yourself?"
"Just do it!"
Of course, that routine wasn't all peaceful.
Deeper into the Third Finger, presences and murderous glares from others grew constant—not magic beasts, but people, adventurers.
At first, just one or two teams, but more and more as days passed.
"I'm gold-rank adventurer #246, Otukan. I'll execute you Empire traitors... Gah!"
"I'm gold-rank adventurer #445, Durka. Offer your traitorous head to the imperial court, and I'll jump straight to platinum... Gah!"
"I'm the heroine of heroines who'll one day rank in the gold top 10... Gah!"
Even after scorching them with fire (without killing), reckless teams kept charging. Bizarre...
They also faced sneakier attacks: traps on the path, night raids on the beastkin column.
Bloody clashes between beastkin and adventurers were absolutely forbidden, so I had to stay awake day and night, maintaining the fire wall. I was dying of sleepiness.
"Aside from that first Ilhong guy, it's all small fry."
Eldvihi said this was decent. The real powers at Trident Point hadn't emerged from the depths, apparently.
Kasena seemed dissatisfied with that(?). She'd been excited to meet famous adventurers... Kids gonna kid.
One day, two, three, four, ten, half-month, full month.
"Starting to come into view."
Finally, at the end of the hills, Eldvihi halted and pointed to where the eternal wetlands ended and the sea began.
"The Alliance Extreme West Branch."
* * *
"By the laws of the Barrier, I sentence you—the perpetrators of an unprecedented crime—to decapitation."
Over fifty wolves, shackled hand and foot, were dragged atop the Barrier.
They were knelt one by one before the execution platform, and for the ringleader, Kiran Wolf Blado, the one drawing his sword was Barrier Vice-Commander Juran.
The Blado Marquess house represented the North among the great magic houses; even for execution, minimal honors were required.
"We've notified His Imperial Majesty, Duke Duren, and the Blado Marquess house... and received replies. They're deeply disappointed. Execute per Barrier law."
"......"
"I'm the same. To think you'd do such a thing... You had all the makings of a future Commander-in-Chief."
Despite the massive treason, Kiran—who'd been captured with eerily little resistance—smiled bitterly amid his flowing crimson hair.
"I've only ever disappointed my parents. But not this time. The gods and history will judge."
His parents' judgment was indeed reasonable. Harboring him could brand the entire house as enemies of the Empire.
"That all for last words?"
After a moment locking eyes with the young mage's spirited gaze, Juran raised the sword high in both hands, its blade glinting coldly in the dim light.