Chapter 71-74 (1/2)

Translator: Luk2048

Editor: Ghost Ape

”What did you come here for? I'm not planning on making up with you, you know?”

After retreating inside the barrier first, Lady Saintess studiously put on an angry face.

I'm aware he's not an enemy after getting rescued just a while ago. There was also his achievement of lending a hand when fighting Lady Rēko. However, it doesn't matter; after all I haven't got a proper apology yet.

I intend to never ever forgive him―― Unless he really insists, then it's not like I can't make an exception and allow him to work as a member of the guard protecting the town. Being able to work as a subordinate of an ill.u.s.trious Saintess, this dragon will no doubt shed tears of joy.

”I've no intention of making you reconcile with me. I only want you to hide us for a while.”

”W, what's with this convenient for you story! You won't persuade me with that!”

”I think I paid off my grat.i.tude in advance. Saintess, it appeared to me like you were struggling with a demon just a moment ago?”

”Muu… That's not true. That was a piece of cake.”

Offended, Lady Saintess turned the other way. Yet there was a lot she was curious about, so her gaze returned to Doradora while still sulking.

”By the way that 'we'… What's going on with this boy? Also hide you say, did something happen?”

”It'd be a long story, but… very well. I'll start with the reason of why I decided to call myself Doradora.”

”Ah, it's okay. I don't really care much so you can omit that part please.”

She refused politely, but Doradora ignored her request and started narrating the crux of the matter. Since she couldn't care less, Lady Saintess played around by scribbling pictures on the ground.

”―― And that's why.”

”Must've been hard―”

Of course she wasn't listening.

”Since it's like that, I decided to start from the scratch and become strong. So I've accompanied that red-haired female knight and reached the town of Peryudōna where the capable humans gather.”

”Uh-huh, Peryudōna right? We're arranging for my water to flow there one of these days! Should I tell you all about it?”

”Let's hear it next time. Now's not the time for that.”

What shamelessness. I can't believe it, he talked all he wants and won't listen to what I want to say. It may be too soon to take him in as a subordinate after all. Let's start off by making him plough fields like an ox.

Doradora groaned as if struggling with a bitter memory.

”It was a trap, in a nutsh.e.l.l. That despicable female knight, by making use of the lie that she'd take me in as an apprentice, she managed to lead me onto her own ground, to her town. The moment we arrived I was met with an array of attacks from those adventurers…”

―― It's a dragon! A dragon came!

―― It's okay! Compared to that Evil Dragon it'll be a breeze!

―― Les' hunt it down and turns it into reconstruction funds!

―― Ah, I'll a.s.sist in subjugating it so could you sell me its heart?

”… That cruel female knight only said to me 'Survive for now' and went away leaving no explanation. What else could it be other than a trap?”

”It cannot be helped. You've done so much wrong after all. But if you want to atone and wipe out that stigma no matter what, then become a follower of this pure and selfless Lady Saintess devoting herself to this world and its people――”

At that point Doradora lowered the gold-haired boy to the ground.

”However I still had it good. Considering my past of swinging around my power as the Dragon of the Fierce Winds it's a matter of course. The problem is this brat.”

”Did he do something?”

”I found him by chance at the city's outskirts when I was running around and countering the bunch of adventurers glaring at me, trying to escape. This brat is―― Similarly to me, he was getting the c.r.a.p beaten out of him, surrounded by adventurers…”

”Eeeh, something so horrible?”

Doradora deliberately inclined his head and continued.

”Probably this brat is a demon set up in a trap just like me. I'm worried why he has absolutely no magic power, but it's likely it was sealed so he couldn't strike back and was getting tormented to death. To take for an opponent a demon so small and weak he couldn't possibly do any evil, how inhuman…”

”Wow, so there are demons like that too. He's even more human-ish than that long-haired demon from before.”

”I decided to side with humans in order to become strong, but after suddenly going through something like that my resolve weakened. Just before I ran away I've picked up this brat from pity towards a fellow companion. Saintess, you too originally were a demon. As one bearing the same stigma, please shelter us for a short while from those fiends.”

”Weeell, I certainly was a grand water demon feared as the symbol of dread in the past, so it's not like I don't understand the sorrow characteristic to demons…”

At that time a pained voice rang out and the boy dazedly opened his eyes.

”You woke up brat. There's no enemies here. It seems you went through a greatly terrifying ordeal…”

”Hnn…? A dragon… but it's not that one… a different dragon huh… whatever, let's sleep. Hm?”

The boy who was trying to fall asleep, in the next instant gasped loudly and opened his eyes wide. His eyes looked dead like a rotten fish but they steadily regained their light.

Before long he yelled out in surprise and jumped to his feet, then like a vigilant lion he sharply surveyed his surroundings and instantly drew back.

”W, Where the h.e.l.l's this?! Or rather, a dragon?! Maybe you're that evil dragon's henchman――?”

”Calm down. There's no humans aiming for you here. I'm your ally.”

”An ally…? I see, you want turn me into that kin thing like Rēko was…?”

The boy that kept his guard was glaring at Doradora while baring his teeth. Lady Saintess was intently observing this behaviour, and before long she spun her neck――

”Eiyaa.”

And she threw the water ball she created on her palm at his face hitting right on the mark, leaving him dripping wet.

”Hee-hee, you've got bad eyes Mr Doradora. As you can see I threw the demon repelling water at him and he's not suffering. This child's not a demon but human!”

”… Who the h.e.l.l are you? It can't be, are you that Evil Dragon's ally…?”

The boy turned his gaze full of hostility towards Lady Saintess, whereas she hurriedly retreated behind Doradora's back. His body already looked worn out beyond belief, but he still clenched his fists and tried to poise himself for Doradora.

”What's going on, Saintess. Is that not one of our race?”

”Yes, there's no doubt he's human.”

”But, then why was he getting beaten up by adventurers? … Ah, I see.”

Almost simultaneously to Doradora, Lady Saintess reached an identical conclusion.

”―― In that case you're one of those criminals?”

”Like h.e.l.l I am!”

The boy's bellow of denial was terribly quick.

Translator: Luk2048

Editor: Ghost Ape

”… So that's how it was brat. You also were bound to that girl by fate…”

”Aah, the real Rēko may be a bit weird but she's not evil. After becoming the Evil Dragon's underling she was made into an accomplice of evil, even though there's no way she wanted it…”

Lady Saintess was listening with a triumphant look on her face to the long talk between the gold-haired boy and Doradora.

The narrated content was a tragic story of a 'young girl turned into an Evil Dragon's kin', but Mr Lizard already told me the truth of the matter.

This feeling of superiority is exquisite.

If the truth were to spread Lady Rēko may go berserk so revealing it to others was strictly prohibited―― this is now nothing but a distant worry. The reason is naturally the coaching in wickedness performed by this grand me; the majority of the Evil Dragon's power should've already transferred over to Mr Lizard. When that happens the reason to go berserk will disappear.

That leaves the question of timing - when exactly should I give it away. It'll surely give them a real surprise. And then they'll no doubt be in admiration of this Saintess' information gathering skills. The winner in this information age will be me, the Water Saintess. You all can tremble before me.

Just when she was pondering while grinning to herself Doradora abruptly brought up a topic.

”However Saintess, there's something I don't understand. It looked like the one who stopped that kin girl from destroying this town in the prior battle was Rēvendia. My memory may be vague so… is that what happened?”

”Uh huh regarding that, it's actually――”

There's no helping it. Let's reveal it right now―― Just when she began talking, Lady Saintess unexpectedly realized a certain truth and shut her mouth.

Thanks to embarking on the path of evil Mr Lizard will soon really turn into an unrivalled Evil Dragon. It's not wrong to say that he's weak at the current stage, but before long that fact will become nothing but a false rumour. When that happens naturally I'd be the one criticised by everyone telling me that I'm blind despite being a Saintess.

I won't allow that. That absolutely cannot be allowed to happen.

Lady Saintess choose to change her plans in just a second. She decided to go the route of self-appeal by putting Mr Lizard who would soon become a genuine Evil Dragon to practical use.

”That was because Lady Rēko, who was not yet used to controlling her magic power, has gone out of control. Mr Lizard just admonished her…”

”Mr Lizard?”

Doradora's and the boy's voices had overlapped each other. Lady Saintess inclined her head deeply and continued with an expression br.i.m.m.i.n.g of confidence.

”That's right, by Mr Lizard I mean the Evil Dragon Rēvendia. I ultimately suffered defeat, but the fact still stands that I've once fought a fierce battle with that Evil Dragon Rēvendia. He praised my strenuous efforts and recognized me as an equal, at the same time allowing me to call him casually. The reason why Mr Lizard stopped Lady Rēko, his kin from going berserk was because if he didn't, he feared I might step up and confront her directly――”

While continuing her explanation, Lady Saintess suddenly felt fl.u.s.tered in her heart. One could say there was not even a shred of enthusiasm in the gazes of the two listening to her words. Instead she even felt a bit of pity.

Strange. Originally they should've really got into the record of how my evenly matched battle with the Evil Dragon unfolded.

Doradora closed his eyes while the boy looked up in the town's direction.

”Don't push yourself Saintess. I know you're strong but you couldn't possibly be a match for that Evil Dragon. No need to feel ashamed of defeat. Trying to smooth things over is much more shameful. Live strong, chin up and walk forward…”

”The reason why Evil Dragon b.a.s.t.a.r.d didn't a.s.sault this town must be because he wants to make it into his territory one day…”

There's a limit to being rude. Why don't you guys just obediently believe what I say? What a let-down. Although I did dramatize it somewhat, but me and Mr Lizard going through an equal matched battle is a full-fledged fact.

That was when the boy said ”Now that I think about it” and began talking.

”I got the gist of the circ.u.mstances of this dragon over here, but what about you? He called you a Saintess or something… Could you be this town's clergy?”

”Yes, you were listening well! I'm the guardian deity protecting this town of Seiren! You might not believe me with Mr Lizard, but saying frankly I'm stronger than that Mr Doradora over there!”

”Aaah, I got it. You are an amazing person.”

Even though this time she said the truth, the boy only looked at her with unconcealed sadness in his eyes. No matter how one looked at it she was mistaken as a pitiful person.

”Mr Doradora! Don't stay silent and explain please! Tell him how amazing I am!”

”Sorry but I don't remember losing to you.”

Lady Saintess' face dyed red from her anger.

Did he really forget how he was sent back without breaking my barrier countless times in the past? Since it's come to this I guess I should just leave him unable to move inside the barrier―― Just when she was in the middle of considering her options, the boy let out a long sigh turning his back to them.

”Well whatever, I'm going back. I need to hurry up and return, the penalty for running away is freaking scary.”

”Wait a minute boy. I was able to understand that it's the human's style of tempering trainees but… You serious? You'll die, you know? Or maybe you're into things like that?”

”Say that I like it one more time and I'm gonna send you f.u.c.king flying. It's obviously to become strong.”