The Chief of the Fire Dragons, Volmeteus.
He was a Dragon Chief like Reagaia, and apparently Saracrim’s parent.
He seemed to be a red Dragon like Saracrim, but his size was more than double.
And since Volmeteus appeared, the temperature rose instantly, becoming hot.
I felt heat so intense that the desert of Roukaku felt cool, and my whole body felt painful as if pricked by needles.
Although Reagaia had exaggeratedly said she would melt if she got close, I understood that it would be difficult to stay here for long even at this distance.
And the Dragon, radiating killing intent so intense that the chill and heat running through my body made me unable to move, had pinned Shiro, who had jumped from above Saracrim toward us, to the ground from above.
「Shi—」
「You bastards! Are you prepared to become charcoal! To think you would dare to touch my cute, cute daughter Sara-chuwan! I will turn your very existence into stains on the flooooooorrrr!」
Shiro! I tried to shout, but the terror of the angry Dragon before my eyes stopped even those two syllables.
「Lord! Run!!」
Th-that was impossible.
In fact, my legs and body were trembling so much I could not move.
I thought everyone present felt the same.
I was reminded that before an angry Dragon, all previous experience and training were meaningless.
I had forgotten that Dragons were objects of terror for everyone.
I had become too accustomed to Reagaia and Cassandra, and that sense had faded considerably, but the presence before me was so terrifying that even if told it was tangible death, I would have thought, “Of course”.
Since it was enraged, it was naturally so scary that the goosebumps on my body would not subside.
Sweat did not stop, my legs and body trembled and could not move, and I did not even know if I was breathing properly.
I never thought I would feel from the bottom of my heart, while alive, that people died of fear.
「Otou-chama…」
「Hai. I am Otou-chama. Please wait a moment. I will immediately destroy the trash that made Sara-chuwan cry.」
For an instant, the baby talk, so out of place, lessened the intimidation.
I might have been able to escape with Point Gate in this gap, but since it was only a moment amidst the terror binding me, and Shiro was pinned, I could not escape either way.
「!!」
But Shiro seized that instant of opportunity, escaped from the floor where she had been pinned, and positioned herself to protect me with her back, holding her knife ready.
「Nua! What is this brat! Do not struggle!」
「Hoo! Hooo!」
「Shiro! Are you okay!?」
「Hmm!」
Shiro was on maximum alert against the Dragon before her, her fur standing on end from her ears to her tail as if to intimidate.
She seemed to have suffered minor burns, but it appeared they could be treated with potions.
「Aina, Sorte, Renge, Shion. Can you move?」
「Ah, ah. My body is stiff, but I can manage. That is the Chief of the Fire Dragons…」
「It is barely manageablessu… Uhee. This guy is dangerous… The shivers will not stopssu.」
「I want to help my lord escape, but… is there such an opening?」
「Should we run? I do not think he will let us escape, but… I want to run!」
「Hmm. Teleportation is no longer possible. If it were only lord, it might work, but…」
Sorry, but that was not an option.
I was so scared I felt like I might soil myself, and it would not be strange if I already had, but I absolutely refused to abandon everyone and live alone.
「Then we have no choice but to fight. Although it is a Dragon, if it is fire, I can mitigate it to some extent. I will absolutely not let it reach my liege.」
「It looks like it will even burn the earth… This seems tougher than Reagaia.」
「Uee… Are you seriously going to do it!? The opponent is a Dragon!?」
「Hmm. It is a chance to unveil the new weapon.」
「Ahahaha… I am happy to have a chance to use it!」
I also… Well, I would just be a burden, wouldn’t I?
Although I had obtained the Spirit Tree as a weapon, I bit my lip, seeing no future other than me causing trouble for everyone.
「…Shiro. Are you okay?」
「Hmm. I am hungry.」
「I bet. …How long can you hold out?」
「Scarlet Swallow is no longer possible. Green Qilin for an instant. White Lion for a few minutes… But we have no choice.」
「Aaaah!? You intend to fight!? With me!? You pieces of trash!? I will kill you in one breath, just as I said!」
…In times like these, one tends to hope for a hero, but they do not conveniently appear.
If it were Hayato and the others, or even Reagaia or Cassandra, I thought we would be saved considerably, but the world did not revolve so smoothly.
If I could create a magic power ball by finding an opening somewhere, perhaps Reagaia or Cassandra would notice, but… could we survive long enough for that?
「Master…」
「Yes. We have no choice but to resolve ourselves…」
「Yes… But let us resist to survive.」
「Of course, we will all return alive!」
「Hmm. It is not that we have no chance of winning!」
「A chance of winning! Do not dream, you fools! Come at me, trash! Burn, burn, burn, burn! Even if you become charcoal, I will burn you to ashesooooo!」
Ah, fighting a Dragon for the third time was just too much bad luck.
However, since the opponent was serious and would not let us escape, we had no choice but to fight.
Just as we thought that and were about to move…
「Stop it, Otou-chama!」
The atmosphere changed drastically due to a small, childish voice raised at the moment when a battle that would not stop once started was about to begin, and both sides stopped and turned their eyes to the source of the voice.
There stood the daughter, directing an angry gaze at her own parent.
「Sa-Sara-chuwan?」
「Stop it, Otou-chama. We lost.」
「Nn— But Sara-chuwan? Otou-chama can make that as if it never happened, you know? If I turn these guys into charcoal, the stain on your honor will disappear.」
Volmeteus spoke in a tone like a strict grandfather soothing his grandchild.
Despite his consistently powerful, low voice, the gap with the baby talk was severe and hard to describe.
「That is not allowed. Dragons are strength. This is absolute for Dragons. Since we lost by strength, we cannot make it as if it never happened.」
「Sara-chuwan… But… It would take only an instant to turn them into charcoal? You are young, and you have a long life ahead. Having a loss—」
「…If Otou-chama does it, I will not talk to Otou-chama anymore. No goodnight kiss, no hug before sleep.」
「Alright, I will stop. You guys were wrong. I will not do it anymore, so rest assured.」
…He told us to rest assured quickly, but he was not a light existence that could be reassured so easily.
However, one thing was clear: this guy was completely a doting parent.
「Aah… Sara-chuwan… You have grown to value the pride of Dragons… Otou-chama is moved!」
「Nn—… Do not hug me! It is hot!」
「Aah… Even a cold Sara-chuwan is cute!」
…What was this?
I felt like I somehow understood why Saracrim wanted to get away from Volmeteus.
「Hm? Looking closely, you have received protection from Cassandra. It would have been a bit troublesome if I killed you without permission, so it is just right! Gahahaha!」
Reagaia had said something similar, but was there some consequence if other Dragons killed someone they had bestowed protection upon?
If so, could you not check carefully before acting!?
Was it because it was “a bit” troublesome? Did he not care much because it was only “a bit” troublesome?
「Hm? No, but you look delicious… Hm… Would I be forgiven if I ate just a little?」
Hey, wait. There is no way that would be forgiven.
Reagaia also said it, but do I look delicious to Dragons!? Why!!
「Otou-chama?」
「Wait a minute, Sara-chuwan. No, seriously, he looks delicious. That’s right, Sara-chuwan lost to that small white one, right? The others are irrelevant…」
「No good! If that happens, Shiro-chan will fight too!」
「That’s right, Vol-chan. Parents should not interfere in children’s quarrels.」
「Hah? ! Y-you, Reagaia!? …Have you lost a little weight?」
Suddenly appeared… or rather, thanks to Saracrim stopping him, the pressure subsided, so I had been forming a dense magic power ball behind my back, and she had come…
He had said to rest assured, but he looked like he was going to eat me, so I was saved.
And Reagaia’s appearance had succeeded in dieting, becoming bon-kyu-bon… no, she remained bon-bon-bon.
She had certainly lost a little weight, but she was still far from that figure… I wanted to see it again.
「Hello, hello, Vol-chan, long time no see. My, that was close. If this child were killed, I would have had to kill you, Vol-chan.」
「Hah? Kill me? What arrogant things are you saying.」
「Well, since I am stronger, I can be arrogant, right? Do you not remember that I won every battle we had since you were young? Have you forgotten apologizing each time? Well, since Vol-chan has lost many times, losing once is no big deal!」
H-hey, Reagaia?
Why are you provoking him?
I feel the temperature rising again; is Volmeteus getting angry?
No, are you also angry?
「You… You yourself. What is that pathetic figure? You have gotten fat and bloated, and there is no trace of your former self. You are like a lizard crawling on the ground. Oh, Earth Dragons cannot fly originally. I do not feel like losing to the current you.」
「Hmm… Want to try?」
「I will do it!」
「Then let us do it.」
Do not do it!
What? Just when help arrived, are you starting an off-ring free-for-all Splatter Dragons!?
Then, as an unpleasant aura erupted from Reagaia, heat rose from Volmeteus as well… Ah, I felt like I was going to collapse normally… but then Wendy produced water, and Aina and the others blocked the heat.
It was fortunate that we could move because the unpleasant auras from both sides were not directed at us… but I felt mentally exhausted, wondering how many times today I had felt such an aura.
「Hey, what is wrong! Come at me!」
「Un. I will go, but… do you know where you are standing right now?」
「! You!」
「A lizard crawling on the ground? You say quite a lot. Do you think you can seriously defeat me while standing on the earth?」
Saying that, she raised one hand, and at the same time, a considerable amount of earth overflowing from the ground entangled and attacked Volmeteus, who had jumped into the air.
Although his flying speed was high, he could not escape and struggled while being caught in the earth. Even though he breathed fire, he could not burn it all away and was dropped to the ground, buried in a mountain of earth with only his face exposed.
In an instant… Or rather, was Reagaia this strong?
Well, she was a Dragon, and a Chief, so she was probably strong, but the opponent was also a Chief… It was over in an instant, wasn’t it?
If a Dragon like Volmeteus could not shake off the earth and was immobilized, the pressure exerted by that earth must have been considerable.
…I had taken such an attitude toward such a strong Dragon.
I should reflect on this. I should interact with more awe.
But Reagaia, could you not be a little more… Please.
「Y-you! That is cowardly!」
「No, you said ‘come at me’, so it is not cowardly. Usually, I would let you start after flying, but you lost your calm due to excessive anger. How about it? Have you reflected on trying to eat my son-in-law, whom Cassandra-chan bestowed protection upon?」
No, I am not her son-in-law, and I feel like we would have been fine without eating Saracrim…
Rather, I cannot help but feel that you provoked him and did something unnecessary?
「S-son-in-law!? That human? Seriously? If I ate such a delicious-looking guy, pgyu!? Ah, it is coming out! The contents of my stomach are coming out! In front of my daughter! I am sorry! I am sorry! Please do not make me show any more disgrace in front of my daughter!」
「O-Otou-chama…」
「Aah! Do not look, Sara-chuwan! Do not look at Otou-chama’s pathetic, ugly state with eyes that say you cannot believe it!」
Baby talk was not pathetic, was it…
Besides, was not Saracrim’s lisp due to Volmeteus’s way of speaking?
「It cannot be helped… So, I have punished him! For thanks, I will take that, okay? That thing you gave me in the Elf village. You know, right?」
…No, did you not just provoke him because you wanted that?
Since I had changed my mind, I was not reluctant to obey quietly, but still!
Somehow, I was not convinced, but certainly, it had become completely safe!
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