Chapter 229 (1/2)
At the time that the Sylphid nobles were at Sharl’s shop, Eric and Luuty, and Ichika, were at a place a bit away from Arkverm.
What could be seen from a polished, transparent crystal board was several Earth Dragons.
In exchange for not having the power to fly, the Earth Dragons possessed toughness and bottomless stamina that was uncommon even among dragons.
They were said to be able to send even an Earthworm flying if they were to clash from the front, but there weren’t all that many living in the Shutaia Continent, and there wasn’t anyone that actually saw them.
Also, without being excluded from the precedent of the Shutaia Continent Mazoku, the Dragons were extremely fiendish and ferocious.
Within the heroic legendary tales that the minstrels sung, there were many tales where a Dragon Slayer would defeat the evil Earth Dragon. There was no telling if those heroic legendary tales were true or false though.
「Oh……Ooh. This is……Ooh, ooh!」
In that place where earth tremors were happening, Eric was unconsciously raising shouts of joy.
The place that Eric’s group was at was the top floor of a building that was temporarily named “Dragon Service”. This place was the relay station of the 「Dragon Road Service」 where the Earth Dragons gathered, and once the 「Dragon Road Service」 commenced operations, it was planned to serve as the relay base as well.
Today, Eric and Luuty were specially touring it ahead of time.
「This is……amazing, isn’t it, Luuty! Earth Dragons are so……moreover, they’re standing in a row! The boxes that are placed on top of them, they resemble the box on your Earthworm, don’t they!? No, but there’s a remarkable difference in size! Hahaha!」
「P, Prince Eric. Calm down a bit more……」
「As if I can calm down! Father said that he saw a large thunder of dragons here but……Isn’t this much more amazing!? To ride a Dragon, look……Isn’t it just like the Hero Ryuuya!」
While clinging onto the window, Eric looked down at the scene that was on the ground.below.
The Goblins that held cleaning utensils were polishing the scales of the Earth Dragons that were in the middle of an afternoon nap, while some Beastia were attaching boxes to the Earth Dragons that were about to depart.
At a place that seemed like different lookout platforms, Majins were raising and lowering gigantic red and blue flags, and the Earth Dragons would stop and start moving to match with them.
「Fumu……Ichika-dono. The people over there on those lookout platforms, could it be that they are giving signals to the Earth Dragons?」
「Yes, it is just as you say. Red signifies stop, and blue signifies depart. By installing those platforms at various places, it lowers likelihood of accidents at this base.」
「I see……However, those flags sure do look heavy.」
「That is true, it does end up relying on the Majin’s strength. Currently, the development of a mechanism able to resolve that is being carried out.」
Eric nodded looking greatly interested, and once again looked down outside of the window.
It was just at that moment that the Beastia had taken a box off of an Earth Dragon’s back.
It couldn’t be helped that Eric saw it as what was called a 「box」 for personnel transport use.
However, at the same time, he also felt that it might be something else.
The Dragons that appeared in the minstrel poems were all very proud.
Even for the Holy Dragon Ykslet that was spoken of in the Hero legend, it was said that it only allowed the Hero’s group to ride on it.
The talk of using a Dragon in place of a carriage didn’t appear even in the most absurd of tales.
「By the way, about those boxes……Could it be that, those are boxes for the use of transporting personnel?」
「Yes, it is just as you say.」
「Ohh, as I thought!」
Saying that, Eric’s eyes sparkled……and suddenly, as if having noticed something, he compared Ichika and the scene down below with his eyes.
「Eh? No, in that case……Could it be that, in the Zadark Kingdom……are Dragons used to transport personnel?」
「Yes, it is just as you say.」
She had said that a while ago, and even Eric himself talked with that as a given.
However, having that formally affirmed, and recognizing that as reality, he ended up thinking of something different.
「That’s……ahー, just what kind of transport are they mainly used for?」
「It is the transport of Zadark Kingdom citizens. In short, this is a means of transportation.」
「Mu. I, I see……」
Hearing that it was a means of transportation, Prince Eric pondered.
If he were to think of them simply as a means of transport, Dragons would certainly be the best.
Strong, fast, smart. If they were to carry a box and transport it, it would surely be a means of travel that was safer than anything else up until now.
However, it was impossible to reproduce this in the Shutaia Continent. He didn’t think that the Dragons would tolerate it.
Even if they did tolerate it, just what country would think of using them for the transport of citizens.
If they did succeed in that, they should be use in the transport of the army, the nobles, and the royal family.
Dragons were just that powerful, and if they were able to win them over, they would become a fighting power greater than anything else.
「……I see, so Dragons are used in the transport of citizens……」
To make that possible, Demon King Vermudol must really be a powerful being.
As he was thinking that, Ichika said 「this is just a supplement but」 as if it were nothing and pointed to the Earth Dragons.
「They are all ones who applied to change their assignments to the Dragon Service. They believe that carrying boxes and running to be something to be proud of, and are pro transporters.」
「Th, they asked for it themselves!? The Dragons……they did!?」
「Yes, they applied for it themselves. There was a flood of applicants, and it was a popular post to the point that we couldn’t answer to everyone’s desire for it.」
「Nuu……」