The Dragon Soars Over the Koraban Plains
So in the end, was I really going to have my virginity stolen by that terrifying ruler of Korazm, Grand Duke Niberia...?!
I could only tremble in fear. Clack—and the moment the village chief's door in Puyor swung open for the first time in ages, I came face to face with a hulking man.
"Y-you... are you Seira?!"
* * *
Grand Duke Niberia wore nothing but the most extravagant ornaments, yet his features were strikingly handsome. Still, I knew the truth—he was the empire's greatest scoundrel. As the commander of the frontier forces guarding the empire's outermost borders, he held the highest office in the land. On top of that, his personal martial prowess was exceptional. With such looks and status, countless imperial beauties had sent him love letters. But his reputation for womanizing was infamous. He had risen to a position where he could have earned the respect of all by maintaining dignity, even becoming the empire's second-in-command. Instead, to indulge in greater luxury than the king himself, he had taken over a thousand concubines—now exceeding three thousand.
Any beautiful woman he laid eyes on was kidnapped and locked away inside his grand palace, the Black Castle. It didn't matter if she was royalty, nobility, or one of his own subordinates. The moment he spotted a pretty face from his carriage window or heard rumors of a village girl famed for her beauty, he would collect her like a trophy and imprison her within his palace.
In the original story, Seira had caught Niberia's eye and suffered a horrific fate right where she stood. Afterward, she was taken to the Black Castle in Koban City and made one of his six favored concubines.
Damn it, what do I do...?! I hate this!!! He's already here, but why is Dragonai so late?!
I decided to attempt the most insane method acting of my life, fully immersing myself in the role while facing the massive man before me.
"Kyaa~ Who are youuu?!"
* * *
Chirp, chirp, chirp. Dawn was just beginning to break over the vast Koraban Plains. As the sun painted the land in crimson hues, a flock of mountain birds hopped across the grass in search of an early meal. Their eyesight was exceptional; they could pinpoint the location of tiny insects before the creatures even stretched. Then, one bird suddenly flew in and issued an urgent warning cry. The flock quickly hid within the dense evergreen forest.
Thududududu, thudududududu—
That clever bird had been warning them of the impending storm—a massive cavalry charge. Across the grassland, now bathed in beautiful dawn light, appeared a group of men whose presence felt utterly out of place. Kicking up clouds of dust, they cut through the morning mist at high speed.
Flutter, flutter— Their banners bore a terrifying red cross emblazoned with blood-soaked skulls. The knights rode shadow-like black horses known as Katasan Black, clad in full-plate armor gilded with the rare Adamantium. They advanced with the force to crush any living thing in their path.
The Knights of the Black Castle—also called the "Nightmare's Return" or the "Death Knights of Apocalypse." They were none other than Grand Duke Niberia's personal guard, renowned as the strongest force on the eastern continent.
But then it happened. A sound unlike anything the mountain birds had ever heard echoed across the plains.
Hwooooooooor— Hwooooooooor—
A terrifying wind roared through the air, so powerful it seemed to tear the very atmosphere apart. Every knight looked up in shock, desperately searching for the source. What could produce such a heavy, gargoyle-like sound? Yet the noise filled the entire grassland—surely no gargoyle could be that large.
"I-it's not a gargoyle...!"
"But its wingbeats are far too leisurely for a wyvern..."
The realization struck them all at once.
"Vice-captain, surely it isn't..."
"It couldn't possibly be the legendary Red Dragon, could it?"
"Hah, don't say such nonsense. Still—everyone, increase speed!"
The Black Star Knights accelerated, trying to escape the Koraban Plains at maximum speed. But moments later, the nightmare above them revealed itself.
KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH— KUGWAAAAAAAAANG!!
The dragon's earth-shaking roar tore trees from the plains by their roots, sending them flying like pebbles. A colossal dragon had appeared in the kingdom for the first time in three hundred years. Yet despite the despair-inducing sight, the knights maintained perfect formation without a single flinch. They were truly the empire's elite.
Thududududu.
* * *
"Achoo!!"
After sneezing lightly, I turned to Cube, who flew beside me.
"Ahem... It's pretty cold flying above the atmosphere in the morning, isn't it?"
Though I had taken on my massive dragon form, Cube remained in his human butler appearance.
"Hehe, you should have used a warming spell."
"Hmm. A warming spell, huh..."
Just by thinking it, warmth spread through my body and the sneezing stopped.
"Alright! Let's fly even faster!"
"Yahoo! It's been ages since I've gone on a fun kidnapping trip with Lord Dragonai!"
I had no idea where we were headed. Phew... I was pretty sure I had decided on a destination, but it was already slipping from my mind. I distinctly remember something about a 'girl'... a very beautiful one. A girl who felt like my entire world kept appearing in my dreams.
—Please save me, Dragonai. I'm in 'Pu■'.
Wait, what the hell is 'Pu—' supposed to mean?!
In my past life I had been a translator, but now I was possessing Dragonai, the strongest dragon on this planet. And every night, the same girl appeared in my dreams. Her name was something like '—ira,' and according to Cube, she had been my lover hundreds of years ago.
"Hmm. Well, if I see the king again, I'll probably figure out who she was and what she did."
"Yes, that's right!! Hehe. After all, when we reach the imperial capital Lukan, the most beautiful women in the world will be lined up waiting!"
I laughed in delight and said to Cube, "Uhehe, then you can have half of them! I'll take the other half!"
"Krrrrgh..."
Cube's eyes welled with tears of gratitude. "I will serve you with unwavering loyalty until the day I die, Lord Dragonai—!!"
"Haaah..."
I sighed and soared over the vast plains. Even my breath alone uprooted trees and whipped up a tremendous gale.
"Hey, aren't we causing too much damage while flying?"
"Does it really matter?"
"Hmm. I guess not."
In this world, Elemental Dragons were akin to gods. If their flight tore the roofs off castles or devastated cities, repairing the damage was the humans' responsibility. Elemental Dragons owed no compensation. In fact, they regularly raided human tax stores and warehouses. The entire kingdom was essentially one giant feeding ground for dragons—after all, even in the dragons' own kingdom, the Peak of Heavenly Peaks, all transactions were conducted in gold.
Just then, I spotted a disciplined formation of black horses galloping across the plains with great spirit. My dragon eyes granted me vision far superior to any hawk or human. I examined them closely.
"There's a pretty girl among them."
Even with her black helmet on, I could see her extraordinary beauty. She was the most beautiful girl I had seen all day while flying.
"Oho, they're all wearing that rare black metal—Adamantium!"
"Yeah. Should we rob them?"
"Absolutely. How dare they not dismount and pay homage the moment we grace the skies above them."
According to continental tradition, whenever an Elemental Dragon flew overhead, people were required to dismount—even if it meant their palace roofs collapsed, their cities were destroyed, or their clothes were blown away—leaving them in their undergarments if necessary, to show proper respect.