Kay: I was trying to write a Flowered Metal Chapter to write along side this, but I forgot it was spring break :[
Following Lester-san, I left the dining room and went down to the basement floor. This is basically the living space of the maid and servants, and the storage room, laundry room, and other workshops are also gathered here.
The port city of Amar and the royal capital of Kurtmerga are not directly connected by the transfer magic circle. For that reason, I have placed a transfer magic circle that I owned, and secretly connected it to a room in the transfer circle control building in the royal capital. I cleaned out the warehouse at the back of the basement floor and placed a transfer magic circle and a copy magic circle there, but on the map floating in my field of vision, there were two dots floating in that one room.
“Family Head, I have brought Schwartz-sama.”
“Thank you, Lester.”
“Mama!”
Ashley and Ymir were waiting for me in front of the faintly glowing transfer magic circle. Ymir, who was having its throat scratched by Ashley, squealed happily when it noticed that I had entered the warehouse, and it approached me and nuzzled its nose to me.
“Ymir, did Ashley treat you well?”
“Kyu~”
Ymir purred and wrapped its long, thin tail around my leg.
“Welcome back, Schwartz. Have you finished your business with Malta-san?”
“It’s done. I had Malta-san arrange for Ymir’s meal. Before I fly to Torint, I want you to receive it from the Marida Company in the royal capital.”
“Food!”
“Thank you. In Torint, I don’t think we can get enough food to feed Ymir-chan… so we’ll have to rely entirely on the supply transported from the royal capital.”
“I have paid a large sum of money to Marida Company in advance. Malta-san will continue to prepare magic stones for Ymir.”
“Understood…. I’ll wait with Ymir in Torint for you to come directly to deliver it.”
Ashley doesn’t need to say goodbye anymore. Last night――I don’t think I was able to resolve all of her fears, but Ashley still agreed that I should take the lead.
After defeating the Labyrinth Dragon, I will return to where Ashley is waiting. I hadn’t decided whether that place would be Amar or the royal capital, but it seems that at this moment, the place was decided to be Torint.
“Ashley is waiting for Mama?”
“Yes, Ymir. Let’s wait together for Schwartz’s return.”
“Kyuu!”
Ashley also moved from in front of the transfer magic circle to my side, and we looked at each other while scratching Ymir’s eyebrows.
“Nhoon!”
At the moment when we were standing over Ymir’s head and the distance between us was almost zero, I heard Lester-san, who was watching the situation behind me, clearing his throat in a deliberate manner.
“Family Head, if we don’t teleport soon, there will be a delay in preparations for acceptance on the other side.”
“Y, yes…”
“Y, yes, that’s right…”
The distance that was supposed to be zero suddenly became far away, and Ymir blinked repeatedly, tilting its head as it realized that something was about to happen above its head. I regained my composure and locked eyes with Ymir.
“Ymir, Ashley will now take you to a new land.”
“Kyu?”
“It will be your new home.”
“Home〜?”
“That’s right――Ymir, let’s make another promise to me. I want you to become the guardian dragon of this country…Kurtmerga Kingdom, and protect the world where humans live from all kinds of malice, disasters, and violence.”
“Promise! Understood!”
Ymir’s cries became words that echoed in my brain, and I could see that Ashley and Lester’s expressions relaxed as they accepted my words――I guess it was echoing in their brains as well.
However, a promise also means vowing something to each other.
“Mama also promise! Mama will always be Ymir’s mama!”
The moment I heard that voice, I felt like something ran through my brain, pierced the core of my body, and drove a wedge deeper into my heart.
“Y-yeah… I understand. As long as Ymir continues to keep your promise, I will continue to be Ymir’s mama.”
When I responded to Ymir, I felt as if a wedge had been driven into the abyss of my heart and melted into my entire body――
“Sch, Schwartz-sama… what is that brilliance…?”
Lester-san muttered from behind me――as if Ashley had noticed some change in me, she was looking at me wide eyed.
“I don’t know…but I may――I may have made some kind of contract with the dragon just now.”
“I once read a story like that in an old picture book… A crimson dragon living in the far east makes a promise with a small village deep in the mountains to become the village’s guardian deity…”
“Is it because of the promise.”
Ashley stroked Ymir’s neck and told me an old story.
A story of a small village that existed far to the east――that village left the protection of the eastern countries and lived a self-sufficient life deep in the mountains. However, because the mountain had a magical mine with abundant resources, the powerful people of the eastern countries sent troops to drive the villagers from the mountain. But at the same time――a young red dragon descended onto the mountain, lured by the magic power of the mine.
In response to the two forces that visited the mountain, the village asked for help from a larger and greater being, the dragon. I want you to repel the soldiers from the eastern countries and protect the safety of the village and mountain.
Despite the reckless request, the red dragon agreed to help the village. In return to just one promise―― In this way, the soldiers from the eastern country and the dragon clashed, and the peace of the village was preserved.
The red dragon built a nest in the magic mine, and the village dug up magic stones and dedicated them to the dragon. In accordance with the promise they made in return to the dragon protecting the village, each year they sacrificed one child with the highest internal magical power in the village.
What was the result? If a small village continues to sacrifice one young child to the dragon every year, it will be impossible for the village to survive. It took about ten years for the promise to last, but the village, which could no longer prepare sacrifices, was instantly burned to the ground by the red dragon’s heavy fire. The red dragon, which had learned the taste of humans, devoured and ravaged the eastern country, burning it to the ground. .
The story of the picture book ends there. This folklore was a cautionary tale about the dragon, the ruler of the natural world――and the lesson not to easily make promises to powerful beings.
I wonder if the promise between me and Ymir was an easy one――
The old story took up a lot of my time, but I’m glad I listened to it. Then, I watched as Ashley and Ymir left on the transfer magic circle――
“I’ll be waiting for you in Torint.”
“Yeah, I’ll be heading there soon after defeating Labyrinth Dragon. Until then, please take good care of Ymir. Ymir, listen carefully to what Ashley has to say and don’t forget your promise to me.”
“Kyu!”
These words should be enough to send them off. I looked on as Ashley and Ymir were teleported away in a curtain of light, leaving Lester-san and I alone in the basement room.
“Schwartz-sama, please excuse me earlier. Do you feel anything wrong with your body?”
“There’s no problem. Besides, I’ll be leaving soon.”
“As you wish. The head chef has prepared a wrapped lunch sandwich for you. Please take it with you.”
“Thank you.”
“It is my pleasure――Schwartz-sama will become our master someday. We are at your service.”
Lester-san straightened his posture and slowly bowed his head, just as he usually did to Ashley and Chancellor Zephanel.
“I think it’s still a little early… Still, considering that Lester-san and the others have acknowledged it, it’s not too bad.”
“All those who serve the Zephanel family welcome Schwartz-sama. I look forward to the day when I can serve you as your master.”
“I’m a little embarrassed. In that case… please send to Torint, some delicious tea leaves and a tea set. After I finish this big job, I’d like to enjoy some tea while looking at Torint’s nature.”
“As you wish. We will prepare the best for you and look forward to your return.”
Torint is located in a basin surrounded by steep mountains. The view of the mountain ridge from there is a very sacred and majestic landscape, and it is said that it envelops the hearts of those who see it with its overwhelming presence and beauty. Drinking tea while admiring such scenery would be especially delicious.
After defeating the labyrinth dragon, I would like to enjoy it. While thinking about this, I went up from the basement floor, received a basket full of sandwiches from the head chef, and left the Zephanel mansion. The goal is to sail to the southern waters of the port city Amar, take on the labyrinth dragon, and settle things once and for all.
Burning Feathers 