Chapter 970: How to Spend the Year-End and New Year Holidays 39
Inside the 「Dragon Roof」, where a black and a silver dragon had intertwined their wings across each other’s backs. Seeing the people around me, my associates and the elves who knew of the dragons’ presence and accepted it, as well as the Naron and the tavern owner and his wife, who were taking the lead in guiding everyone, begin to dance one after another, even the residents, who had nearly frozen in shock at first, began to timidly crawl under the dragons’ bellies. On the contrary, the rowdy kids completely ignored the dance and started touching Laila’s legs, trying to climb up on her.
“Dragon scales are slippery, it’s dangerous!”
Maia quickly pulled them away.
“Kids don’t know what’s scary, do they……”
Johnny, who had been watching, shrugged his shoulders. But then again, if those around them don’t treat it as something to be afraid of, maybe that’s just how it is. Maybe they saw it as a sort of test of courage, or perhaps they just thought of it as something like a cow or a horse. When you’re used to it, you don’t think twice about it, but even those large livestock have power that humans can’t possibly handle if they get angry. But when it comes to safety, even children will confidently take care of them and play with them. That’s ultimately why I stopped being needlessly afraid of giant dragons, too. ……But this isn’t limited to dragons or livestock, it might apply to relationships between people as well. Whether it’s foreigners, different races, or simply different cultures……the intangible fear born of mere misunderstanding can sometimes make even a neighbor seem like a monster. It’s a common story that a child’s innocent interaction can help break down those barriers. ……Though, maybe not being afraid of dragons at all is a bit dangerous, too.
“Maia!”
“……?”
I called out to Maia, invited her to dance, and laid out my plan.
“It’s already dusk now, so it’s a bit late, but tomorrow should be fine, right? You could even let the kids climb on your back. ……Please promise them you’ll let them climb on you tomorrow”
“……If Andy-sama says so, then fine”
Maia looked puzzled. ……I guess she didn’t expect things to go this way, me trying to get friendly with the town’s kids.
“We’ve finally reached a point where the townspeople are starting to accept us dragons as part of the community. It’d be unreasonable to expect adults to be overly familiar with us right away, but I think it’s fine if the kids feel comfortable around us”
“……Hmm. Got it”
I briefly worried, what if she refuses, saying, 「They’re not even a Rider, how can you just let them ride me like that?」 but then again, she’s been letting people ride on her back since the Phaser days, and she does it quite often when transporting female slaves and the like. Guess I worried for nothing.
“I’ll do the same tomorrow morning”
“……Ah, yeah, that’s great. Count on you, Emma”
Emma cut in, taking my place on the dance floor, and declared that. While I appreciated the offer itself, I couldn’t help but smile wryly, thinking I’d have to gradually help her work on not getting so competitive so quickly. She probably hasn’t fully come to believe that her place is by my side yet, so she gets anxious about not letting Maia, who has similar abilities, steal her spotlight. She’s elegant, quick-witted, and a dragon to boot. From an outsider’s perspective, she’s the kind of person who shouldn’t need to compete over such trivial matters, but the fact that she acts this way toward someone she’s identified as a rival probably stems partly from her lack of a strong sense that I love her. I could just chalk it up to her being a newcomer and believe that time will solve it, but. ……Maybe I should have a long, thorough talk with her and show her plenty of affection before long. But now isn’t the time to point out her shortcomings.
“But you know……this is pretty lavish, isn’t it?”
“Huh……?”
“Both Laila’s scales and Leda’s scales are sparkling……and they’re glistening with lighting magic. It’s almost like a decorated space, isn’t it?”
I lift my gaze slightly and survey the dreamlike space. The dragons’ scales show no signs of dirt or damage; Laila, with her obsidian-like luster and Leda, gleaming like precious metal, each cast a complex shimmer into the space. ……That said, this is a view of the legs and flanks of the world’s mightiest behemoths, so thinking casually, 「It’s all sparkly and beautiful」, is the height of complacency.
It’s not often I get to admire a silver dragon’s scales like this. ……And as I look up again, I realize just how truly beautiful these creatures are.
“……It’s second nature to us, of course. But for you, my Lord……that’s how it feels, doesn’t it?”
“Though part of it might just be because I’m a blacksmith”
Silver scales. Scales with a mysterious hue, seeming almost like a mirror, or perhaps like the crystals of an unknown metal, now reflect only the light from the lamps and the black of the black dragon. Blacksmiths, to a greater or lesser extent, find beauty in the very texture of metal. There’s probably no one who feels nothing when faced with refined, high-purity rare metals. The silver dragon’s scales are similar to that.
“The others here might tell me this is completely out of line, but……I think dancing against the backdrop of a dragon’s shimmering scales is the ultimate luxury. It’s so wonderful that I find myself wishing it could always be like this”
Every time I shift my stance slightly, dozens or even hundreds of expressive scales shimmer in unison. The girl dancing with that backdrop behind her looks even more radiant. If anyone other than me wished for something like this, they’d probably be ignored or thought to be crazy. But I, for one, can honestly express this innocent and luxurious feeling.
“……I’m proud of that”
Emma is genuinely happy to hear that. We confirm our feelings to each other as she twirls around. And then.
“Well, then, you should just call us”
……We take each other’s hands and look to the side, where I see Corti and Leyla, all dressed up.
“It’s not like we’re destroying a dragon, if it’s just to show off our scales, we’d be happy to do it anytime”
“Haven’t your standards gotten a little too lax lately, Corti?”
“I, I’m just bored, that’s all!”
Corti blushed slightly at Emma’s remark, while Leyla gave a wry smile. That said, I had no intention of questioning their standing over such a trivial matter.
“If I’m in the mood to do something like this, I’ll rely on another silver dragon. ……You two have other duties, don’t you?”
“…………”
I grinned and whispered in a deliberately teasing tone, causing Corti to blush even more. ……Nice reaction. I won’t say any more, I can’t let everyone hear this. Even when a beautiful girl they’re not used to seeing barges in, the townspeople don’t say a word anymore. ……Yeah. It’s because it’s me, isn’t it? I know.