「……Should I fish for it?」
「Yes?」
「All right. Let’s hook that thing.」
Aside from Noie, who remained on high alert toward the large dragon, my only conversation partner was Lutte.
I wanted to ask why she was staring at me with such suspicious eyes.
「Argusta-sama?」
「Hm?」
「……Are you sane?」
「Relatively.」
「Then how exactly do you plan to fish that thing up?」
Don’t point. What if it notices us?
Noie had regained her composure and started launching magic attacks… but they didn’t seem very effective.
She could slaughter small dragons in one hit… but perhaps its thick hide made the size matter.
「It’s fine. From ancient times, dragons can usually be caught with alcohol and a girl.」
「Haa…」
「If we use Lutte as bait, it should come closer, right?」
「If it gets that close, I’ll be crushed flat in one step and die!」
「It’s okay. If any bones are left, I’ll pick them up.」
「……」
Her eyes filled with tears, body trembling violently, she looked like the victim of some cruel bullying.
But in Japanese folktales, dragons are supposed to be vulnerable to sake and maidens, aren’t they?
No helping it. Time for a different plan.
「By the way, where are the royal guards who are supposed to be protecting me?」
「Ah, yes. Um… over there.」
「……Why?」
「Konsuro-san is saying something, but… they’re completely backing away. Well, new recruits are always like that in any unit. Especially when the captain is around, they just throw everything to her～」
Lutte released her blessing with the weary tone of a veteran and opened her eyes.
Ever since joining Noie’s squad, she had been forced to the front lines every day. Her real combat experience far surpassed that of most seasoned soldiers.
「So in the end, it’s still up to us to handle it?」
「Yeah.」
「By using Lutte as bait.」
「Aren’t you treating me way too much like Mische-senpai?!」
「You’re the same species, right?」
「No way! I’m not asking for luxury, I just want to get married normally and live a normal life!」
「‘Normal’ is actually an incredible luxury, you know?」
Do you have any idea how desperately a prince like me longs for that kind of ‘normal’?
GUOOOOOOOOOH!
We all turned toward the massive dragon’s roar at the same time.
Perhaps irritated by Noie’s continuous barrage of magic, the large dragon spewed an enormous volume of water from its maw.
Noie leaped high to dodge the bombardier-fish-like attack.
「Is that water stored in its stomach or something?」
「I’m honestly shocked at how thick your nerves are, Argusta-sama, to be pondering that right now.」
Thanks to Noie carefully directing the water away from us, none of the dragon’s spray reached our side.
For some reason I could hear men screaming in the distance, but soldiers who fail to prepare for an enemy attack on the battlefield have only themselves to blame.
Even while taking Lutte’s jab, I desperately racked my brain for ideas, yet no brilliant plan emerged at all.
Above all, if it’s a giant monster, shouldn’t it follow the usual pattern and come ashore? Why is it still standing waist-deep in seawater?
『It’s sucking seawater in through its tail while spraying it out from its mouth. That’s why it can’t leave the ocean. At first glance that type of large dragon looks formidable, but it’s only the outer hide that’s tough. Its attacks are limited to that seawater blast and trampling.』
Honestly… don’t just pop into my head uninvited. Are you a mosquito larva?
Lutte shot me a startled glance.
Her face had gone completely bloodless, pale as paper.
The lines are crossing again?
『It doesn’t bother me. As long as “that child” doesn’t hear it, the only one who’ll be troubled if others overhear is you.』
You can hate me all you want, but don’t dump the cleanup on me too.
「Lutte. If you tell anyone about this… you understand what happens, right?」
「……I didn’t hear a thing～」
She covered her ears and crouched down.
Even covering them, that voice echoes straight inside your head.
『I’ll teach you a good method.』
Pass.
『All you have to do is use the blessing. There, problem solved.』
Ah～. I didn’t hear a thing～
It’s really infuriating. I don’t want to use this power.
『Why not? If you do, that child won’t have to fight the dragon. If people try to use it in their conflicts, you can just crush them with the authority you hold. It’s simple.』
Yes, it is simple. But… after spending so much time with Noie, I’ve come to realize something.
『What is it?』
She doesn’t want to lose that power.
『……』
In fact, she treasures it. There are even moments when she seems happy that she can use it.
『That’s your imagination. There’s no way….』
Don’t mess with me!
『……』
That power is surely something precious to Noie.
Even if it takes the form of a “spell formation”, it’s something Noie holds dear.
I won’t forgive anyone who speaks ill of it, no matter who they are.
Lutte collapsed onto the sandy beach, on the verge of fainting.
She must have reacted that way precisely because she knows who I’m shouting at.
『…Foolish. Truly a foolish child.』
If that was an insult to Noie, I won’t let it slide.
『…Then what about the things you said to me?』
That’s different, and it still pisses me off.
『Use your blessing on one of the small dragons lying on the beach.』
……
『Then have her throw it at full strength. Large dragons can be temperamental. Being pelted with the corpse of a smaller one would be such an insult that it will come out of the seawater.』
Wouldn’t just throwing a dragon work?
『It would tear apart before it reached. Think of it as reinforcement for the impact. A light one should be enough.』
And… what’s with the sudden mood?
『…I saw something nostalgic. That’s all.』
The voice vanished one-sidedly.
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