Chapter 229 (2/2)

Eric shook his head with a face that said that he couldn’t believe it.

Certainly, the Earth Dragons below, they were all making cheerful faces……or that’s what it looked like. Since he couldn’t understand something like a Dragon’s expression, that was just Eric’s guess.

「……Luuty.」

「What is it?」

Being called out to, Luuty, who was staring at Ichika, turned towards Eric.

Eric pointed to the scene below with a serious expression.

「Do you think that we would be able to bring in ones who are equivalent to them even in our country?」

「If you mean equivalent to the Dragons, then I’m sure that is impossible.」

「Fumu?」

Hearing Luuty’s answer that sounded like there was something else to it, Eric nodded and urged her to continue.

「For example, if we were to bring in something to our country……」

「Earthworms are no good.」

「And why is that?」

Luuty raised a dissatisfied sounding voice at Eric who immediately gave her that warning.

「……So it really was Earthworms. Those are too hard to control. If those things were to run along the highways of our country, everything else would be blown away. It’s already enough with just your Steiner.」

「……It isn’t that dangerous if they’re properly controlled though.」

「I see. But that’s no good. I won’t allow it.」

After breathing a sigh while shaking his head sideways, Eric once again turned his eyes towards the scene down below.

Luuty also moved her gaze towards that direction, and opened her mouth sounding like it couldn’t be helped.

「Well, carriages do have their limits. However, it is unknown as to whether or not there would be any merit in implementing it with our government’s management.」

The means of travel within the countries of the current Shutaia Continent, or even the cross-national means of travel, they are generally on foot, by horse, and by carriage.

Those with a lot of luggage would use carriages, and there were even those that would share the ride in those carriages.

Since people like merchants would make requests to the Adventurer’s Guild and hire escorts, there were many cases where travelers would pay money to ride along in the same came carriage as those merchants.

If that were to be implemented with government management, it would probably end up being restricted to personnel transport use. When employing an escort along with the carriage, tt was a question on whether or not there would be a profit that counterbalanced that service every time.

The current Jiol Forest Kingdom was not free enough to implement futile projects, and it wasn’t like they had an excess in money.

It could be said that this means of transportation called the Dragon Service was only viable because the strongest living creature called the Dragon was playing all three roles of driver, horse, and guard.

「I, see……That’s true.」

Ichika quietly called out to Eric who had fallen silent and was looking down at the spectacle on the ground.

「Now then, why don’t we go down now. The sightseeing preparations have been completed.」

「Sightseeing?」

「Yes. A special trip that make one lap around Arkverm has been prepared.」

Eric’s eyes shined with those words.

「Is, is that alright!? Are we going to ride that Dragon!?」

「Yes, we would like you to personally experience the means of transportation that the Zadark Kingdom is proud of.」

「Oh, ohh……」

He could ride a Dragon──Eric trembled in excitement from that fact, and he firmly held back his desire to just break into a run.

「Th, that is a truly wonderful thing. I appreciate the consideration, Ichika-dono.」

「Your welcome. Please enjoy it to your heart’s content.」

「Ahh, ahh. Of course I will!」

Luuty reflexively made a wry smile at how Eric looked like he couldn’t hold down his excitement.

Come to think of it, didn’t Ryuuya also have the same reaction when he first heard the word Dragon?

It seemed that there was just something about Dragons that made men well up with emotion.

「……Eh?」

At that time, Luuty blinked her eyes as if she doubted what had been reflected in her own view.

「Is something the matter?」

「N, no……」

It might be her imagination.

No, it was surely just her imagination.

The high spirited Eric, and, although it was for only an instant, Ichika who displayed an expression that looked like she was vaguely troubled on how to handle him.

She felt like she had seen that scene before……She had that sort of feeling.

「……I wonder if I’m just tired.」

After explaining that faint feeling as being her imagination, Luuty followed after Ichika and Eric and started walking.