We Live in Dragon's Peak

Anemone-san, unrecognizable from her brimming vitality, steps out of her bed. Slowly, she stands up. In a fluster, I go over to help her, but Anemone-san doesn’t need any. She, with her thin legs, stands firm.

“It’s a miracle. Energy is bursting from my body.”
“Nyan, the Dragon’s Gem is spirit, nyan.”

Nymia happily flies around the now standing Anemone-san.

“I have to tell nii-san.”

With those words, Anemone-san leaves the room with hearty steps. Then, with Nymia perching atop of my head, I follow behind her.

Anemone-san passes through the living room, opens the door for the outside, and leaves. Stepping outside immediately leads to the village plaza. There, Anemone-san’s onii-san, Laniceam,is surrounded by the villagers as he explains the situation to them.

“Onii-san!”

Anemone-san’s robust cry gets everyone in the plaza to look towards her.

Laniceam-san gets confused upon turning around and rushes towards Anemone-san. “Yo-You, what happened?”

“Because of the dragon,” Anemone-san smiles as Laniceam takes her within his hands and lifts her up. “Because of the dragon, I have become healthy.”

The tears that have accumulated in Anemone-san’s eyes overflow as she presents a blooming smile.

“What the heck…?” The men look at me with troubled expressions. I then explain what happened inside to the gathered men and villagers.

“Something like that… Unbelievable.” Words of astonishment come out of everyone’s mouth. In their disbelief, they all touch Anemone-san. She stands firm and unwavering despite their number and all their doubts clear away.

“Although I’ve heard that dragons in their final moments gift Dragon’s Gems to their most cherished ones, I never imagined they’d carry such a miraculous power.”

Looks like the dragon tribesmen aren’t that knowledgeable about dragons. They can be called tribes that are both close and far. Even so, I’m realizing now that even though the dragon tribesmen and the dragon tribes both live together on Dragon’s Peak, they’re by no means on good terms with each other. The dragon tribe will attack the dragon tribesmen and vice versa.

“Nyan, humans split into spirit tribes, mazoku tribes, and human tribes and fight with each other too,[1] nyan. It’s the same, nyan.”
“Conversely, we of the human tribe are being one sidedly oppressed.”
“Nyan, doesn’t really get it, nyan.”

I wonder if there are no people near Nymia’s home? I was told she protects an old capital. No doubt it’s in an unexplored region that has little contact with people.

“People live in the old capital, nyan.”
“Eeh, people are living there?”
“Only woman, nyan. We nyan protect against men from entering, nyan.”

What kind of paradise is this!? I absolutely want to go to an old capital of nothing but woman.

“Will tell Mist-onee-chan, nyan.”
“Ah, hey, hey, you can’t do that. This is our secret.”
“Want to eat something sweet, nyan.”

What a terrifying child. Priscilla-chan has undoubtedly been a bad influence on her.

While I am talking with Nymia, the villagers at some point began to stare at us with surprise all over their faces. One woman covers her mouth and stares with wide eyes. “Just like Laniceam said, the dragon spoke.”

“Amazing, cute!”

Some small children draw closer to me and try to grab Nymia from my head. Nymia flies away in a panic.

“Ah, she ran away. Wait!” The children chase after the fleeing Nymia around the plaza.

Stay strong, Nymia. You’ll be tossed around if they catch you.

“NyaaAaa.” Nymia’s screams can be heard from far away.

“You, just what sort of human are you?” Laniceam-san stares at me in wonder.

Even if you ask what sort, I’m just a boy of the human tribe. I don’t really know how to answer, so I just give a vague smile.

“Are you an honorable envoy of the Dragon God-sama?” An elder woman timidly asks.

“What’s an honorable envoy? I’m just a member of the human tribe.”

Old Sleigstar mentioned something about the Dragon God-sama’s honorable envoy too. That said, I didn’t really get it. At the very least, I am not an honorable envoy.

Well, if I’m forced to say something, I’m the apprentice of Old Sleigstar of the Dragon’s Forest. I’m also the boy who plans on becoming Mistral’s future husband. Well, even though I want to say that, I don’t think I should say it out loud. If I were to say any of that, I get the feeling this small village would be in a huge uproar.

“Please, at least just your name.”

With those words, I realize I never greeted the villagers. I go to introduce myself in a hurry and that spot becomes my place of introduction.

This really is a small village. There are eight able bodied young men and all of them were keeping watch over the Decaying Dragon in the ravine. Only women, children, and elderly are here. The total number doesn’t even reach forty. From what I hear, the dragon tribesmen gather together as clans and that many of their villages are of similar size.

Still, it’s kinda small. I wonder if Mistral also lives in a village like this. If so, her actual lifestyle is quite different from the impression we’ve been given.

Thinking of Mistral makes me feel lonely.

I’m like this even though we only parted early this morning. Maybe I’m tired from all the new experiences that have been arising one after the other since then?

The Dragon’s Gem has peacefully been delivered to Anemone-san. I guess it’s time to start heading back? While I’m thinking such, Nymia is crying out, “Nyaa nyaa,” as she flees from the children.

“Hurry and return home, nyan. Okaa-san is waiting, nyan.”

No way that’s true. She just hates being chased around and wants to hurry and escape.

“Kyuu,” she gives a weak cry as I catch her with my arms.

I feel a bit bad for her torment and I also want to go back. It guess time to leave? When I tell the villagers that we will be heading back, they stop me.

“Please, I must thank you.” Anemone-san says to me with upturned eyes as she grabs the hem of my shirt.

Uuuh, I’m really weak to girls when they act like this. However, when I’m starting to waver, Nymia puts a stop to it.

“Will tell Mist-onee-chan, nyan.”
“Uuuh, forgive me.”

Nymia, she’s got a hold of my weakness.

[1] 人も神族や魔族や人族に分かれて喧嘩する