The first dragon we encountered in the Dragonkin’s village wasn’t Simone.
Clad in shimmering silver scales, the creature was breathtakingly beautiful—but this wasn’t the time to admire its elegance. Dragonkin were known to attack humans, and if this dragon turned hostile, we’d all be in serious trouble.
Everyone came to the same conclusion and assumed a battle-ready stance.
As we awaited the dragon’s response, it spoke.
「You’re a cautious bunch, aren’t you? There’s no need for such tension. I won’t harm you.」
The dragon’s tone was slightly exasperated, and its words instantly defused the tension. A collective sigh of relief escaped our group.
「Judging by your reaction, it seems you’re not very familiar with Dragonkins. Ah, but those two over there… they’re the same as me, aren’t they?」
The dragon’s gaze shifted to Eselda and Vinessa, both in their human forms. Yet, the dragonkin had seen through their guise with ease, recognizing them as kin.
「You don’t attack humans?」
「No. Long ago, I owed a debt to a human man who… Hmm?」
Mid-sentence, the dragon suddenly focused its attention on me, its piercing eyes scrutinizing my face.
「Is something wrong?」
「You remind me of that man I knew. There’s something about your demeanor that’s similar. Of course, he was much older—what humans might call an ‘old man.’」
「Oh, I see…」
It was hard to tell if this was a compliment or not. Shaking off the uncertainty, I took the opportunity to ask about Simone.
「Have you seen a Water Dragon named Simone around here?」
「A Water Dragon, you say…? I knew one long ago, but the name Simone doesn’t ring a bell. I’m not from around here, though. My home lies on a different continent. I only stopped by this place while out on a walk.」
Eselda then chimed in with a question of her own.
「Do you know anything about the Dragon King Selection Battle?」
Her question caught me off guard, but it seemed Eselda, as a fellow Dragonkin, was naturally curious. The silver dragon’s reaction showed it was just as interested.
「So, the Dragon King Selection Battle has begun…」
The dragon’s eyes narrowed, its tone thoughtful.
「Did you participate in it before?」
「I did, though I wasn’t particularly interested in becoming Dragon King. I joined forces with some of my kin to protect the humans I cared for. Those were good times… how nostalgic.」
A serene expression crossed the dragon’s face as it reminisced. But just then, a rustling noise emerged from the nearby underbrush.
We all turned toward the source of the sound, and as I stepped closer to investigate—
「Bale-san!? And everyone too!?」
A familiar voice called my name.
Emerging from the bushes was none other than Simone.
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