Story 2: Failure Skill and Divine Beasts 【Caller】

「Ugh, ouch......」

「Ah, thank goodness! You're awake!」

I woke up with pain all over my body and looked at the girl in front of me with the unfocused perspective of waking up.

She had beautiful long honey-colored hair, pure white skin, and hollow vermilion eyes that reflected images of me.

......I'm apparently being given lap pillow by this girl.

When I noticed this, I tried to get up quickly, but the girl stopped me.

「Ah, you can't do that yet! Oniichan, I'm afraid you're too injured to move well.」

「I see...... Wait! The Dark Kobolds!? Didn't you see some black wolf-like creatures near here?」

「Don't worry, I took them all out myself. Ehehe.」

The girl pointed to a group of Dark Kobolds lying on the ground, their black body hair are scorched.

I was so surprised that I couldn't help but stammer.

「Even though you're so small, are you a magician?」

In this world, there are magicians, people who could manipulate the magical powers of fire, water, and wind.

Of course, the 【Magician】 skill is essential but...... this child might looks like 11 or 12 years old but she is actually 15 years old.

「No, I'm not. I don't use magic, you know?」

「Then how?」

I asked back to the girl who tilted her head.

The girl then helped me up and leaned me against a tree, then stood up.

「I don't feel anything bad from oniichan, Okay. I'll show you my true form.」

「True form?」

The next moment, the girl's body emitted a dazzling light.

Even though I wasn't familiar with uncommon powers like magic, I knew it by instinct as a living being.

The power that this child is giving off...... are something that can't be describe by word alone.

Then, after the light subsided, the transformed girl said.

「Fufuu, how is it, Oniichan?」

「A dragon, you have to be kidding with me......!?」

The girl had become a dragon, a little smaller than the lodge.

Her scales are a clear honey color, she has four limbs, and wings sprout from her back.

Furthermore, its a dragon that could speaks human language.......

「The fairy tale, a divine beast!?」

「Divine beast?」

I nodded to the girl...... or rather the dragon who asked me back.

「A legendary creature that appears in fairy tales that are simplified versions of myths that are read to small children. Creature that speak human languages or have great powers like dragons are usually called a divine beasts.」

「Hmm. Is that so.」

The dragon said disinterestedly, reverting to her girl form and taking me to her lap once more.

「Oniichan, can you call me Roa instead of dragon or divine beast?」

(T/N: Raw: ローア)

「Oh, your name is Roa. I'm Mug. I'd like to say nice to meet you......, but I think the sooner you get away from me, the better.」

「Why?」

I said to Roa, who was patting the bump on my head in a friendly manner.

「It seems that because of my 【Decoy】 skill, I'm always attracting monsters. If you stay with me for too long, you might be attacked by a monster like the one from before.」

「Muu, oniichan are you trying to tell me that I, a dragon, can be defeated by that thing?」

「No no. That's not what I meant......」

She reacted with a girlish pout that is no different from any normal girl you could find, I patted her head and wondered what I should do.

Then Roa seemed to regain her good mood and she smiled putting me at a bad spot.

「Anyway, when I'm around, monsters will keep attacking me. I'm really grateful when Roa help me earlier, but I don't want to trouble Roa too much. That's why, please go far away.」

「I don't want that.」

Just when I thought Roa was in a better mood, she back to bad mood again.

It's so cute to see her puff up, though.

(T/N: Something like this perhaps, Sagiri from Eromanga sensei:)

「In the first place, even though I was told to go far away, I came here because Mug oniichan's voice called me. It would be boring to go home right after having come all this way.」

「You were called? What does that mean?」

「The skill that oniichan has been calling 【Decoy】 for a while now. That's what called me, right.」

「Eh? Ah, do you mean that the 【Decoy】 attracted Roa who were just happened to be nearby......?」

【Decoy】 is a skill that attracts monsters.

So you're saying that not only it attracted monsters but also divine beast......?

I groaned, and Roa shook her head.

「That's not what I meant! Oniichan earlier you just said, "It's not over yet" and "I don't want to die. I heard those words through oniichan's skills, so I flew over. ......Perhaps you don't understand?」

「......Sorry, I thought the 【Decoy】 skill was supposed to attract monsters......」

When I said that, Roa stand me up and said, "It can't be help".

Then she sat down on my lap and started to explain.

「First of all, the skill that oniichan calls 【Decoy】, we call it 【Caller】.」

(T/N: Raw: 呼び出し手)

「【Caller】?」

「Yes, 【Caller】. This is a skill that allows us to call out to those who are far away to convey our thoughts. Its a skill that has been essential to our connection with humans since ancient times, and that sometimes manifests itself in humans...... that's what I heard from grandma.」

Roa are very good at telling me things I didn't know.

「But why would that 【Caller】 attract the monsters around them......?」

「It's a skill that will allow us, who are far away, to hear oniichan's voice. Of course, other monsters would be able to hear the voice too.」

「That's what this was all about......!」

Roa's story are quite convincing.

If the skill are powerful enough to convey my words and thoughts to a divine beast like a dragon, surely the other surrounding monsters can hear my voice and know where I am.

I see.

So the true identity of the infamous 【Decoy】 was a byproduct of a skill called 【Caller】 that talks to divine beasts!

「But if that's the case, does that mean that the other people with the 【Decoy】 skill so far have also been saved by dragons like Roa in this way? But if that's the case, there won't be any story about people with 【Decoy】 skill being short lived.」

「That's not what happen.」

Roa stated firmly.

Then Roa sighed.

「According to father and mother, the people who possess the 【Caller】 these days have a corrupted hearts. It seems that all they hear is the voice of the heart saying, I want this, I want that, and this happened because of them. Dragons don't help people like that. Ah, but......」

Roa leaned in closer to me and buried her face in my chest.

「Oniichan pass that test.」

「Is that so?」

When I asked her that, Roa gave me a radiant smile.

「Yes! Because you genuinely wanted to continue living. I could really feel your strong desire to live to the fullest. That's why I'll lend you my strength. I like people like oniichan who have a straightforward heart with no lies!」

Roa hugged me tightly and looked at me with her beady eyes.

Her eyes were alive and shining, and I thought she was very beautiful.

I hugged Roa back and said.

「That's right. I'm not done here yet. So, Roa, from now on I hope you could lend me your power!」

「Yes, oniichan. Leave it to me!」

Roa bounced up and down in my arms.

This is how I came to start a new life with Roa.