The 5000-year-old Herbivorous Dragon

Chapter 47 - Book I Epilogue: Survivor’s Support Group

“Sheesh, those guys… it’s almost like they don’t listen to what I’m saying at all.”

Ariante, who finally managed to slip out from the festival’s crowd, was outside the town, whistling while going to meet up with her favourite horse. Even though she said the real Lady Saintess, totally separate from her, played an active role in the events, everyone seemed to not hear her. Actually, she felt the bunch of adventurers heard her, but deliberately blocked their ears. They probably just wanted all the glory directed at her, thinking they might get a piece of it.

Be that as it may, she wondered what the trigger to her escape―― what that mysterious object which came flying from the sky was. That flying object wrecked the festival stage like a meteorite and created an opening for Ariante to escape. It didn’t come across as evil and there didn’t seem to be any injured, but still, considering the strangeness of the situation she was slightly worried. In the end, she decided that even if something happened, it should be fine with all the adventurers gathered there. Setting aside their character, their skills were all right.

“… So, why are you following me?”

Riding on her favourite horse, she looked up at the skies. There was the figure of the silver dragon with his wings covering the sky.

“It’s not ‘you’. Call me Doradora.”

“Just what made you become so servile? No matter how I look at you, you don’t seem like the adorable type.”

“That so, you want to know. The reason why I call myself as Doradora…”

“No, not really.”

Ariante ordered the horse to quicken the pace. Not wanting to lose, the self-proclaimed Doradora also sped up his flight. At the speed that the wind felt like a wall, the silver dragon started flying within inches to the surface.

“I was defeated by that girl. Thoroughly, at that. Naturally, even I’ve known defeat before. However, it was the first time―― losing so utterly to such a young child, with no ability to resist at all.”

“Sheet, he started chattering even though I don’t care. Oi, run faster and shake him off.”

The horse sent a resigned look, as if he was saying “Racing against a dragon is a little…”. Ariante believed that it was possible to cross the barrier of human and horse relationship and communicate with a long-time partner of hers, at least to some extent.

“And then I was branded as Doradora. My feelings of that time are… an embodiment of disgrace. I, Dragon of the Fierce Winds, was denounced like a harmless pet, stuck with an indifferent, ill-natured nickname. Moreover, I haven’t felt any significant malice from her. Most likely, I was to her a being not even worthy of sarcasm or spite.”

“Stop lamenting just because of that. After all, there’s a more miserable dragon in this world.”

“I see… Was that dragon also done in by her?”

“In some sense, yes.”

“So he’s the same as me, huh. Somehow, I can’t think of it as someone else’s problem.”

Gliding through the air, Doradora closed his eyes in a silent prayer. And then he abruptly opened them,

“I swore. That I mustn’t forget the disgrace, in order to one day make her call me by my true name. Until the day I fulfil that vow, I decided to wear the name of Doradora.”

“Is that so, do your best. Well then, take care.”

“Wait.”

“No. You’re tiresome.”

The still chasing after Ariante silver dragon gave her nothing but a bad feeling.

“However, it won’t be easy. I saw the battle before in its entirety, but I’d never have thought that small dragon’s true identity―― the one originally called as Doradora, would actually turn out to be that Evil Dragon Rēvendia. Even though she beat me to the ground one-sidedly, he easily suppressed her berserk state. After seeing such dragon in close proximity, I was forced to deem treading a thorny path necessary…”

“Haa, your consciousness was hazy so you only saw the convenient part. If you really saw everything, you wouldn’t know how to express your feelings.”

Actually, that was exactly how Ariante felt. However, Doradora was completely immersed in his own world and didn’t hear a thing.

“Human warrior, you’re somewhat stronger than me. Surpassing me of the dragon kind, despite having a human body, you surely must have endured a harsh training. Alas, I was born with my strength, so I know nothing of the way how humans temper their strength. Therefore, could you please consider training me?”

“Why would I help out a demon?”

“As a matter of course, I won’t attack humans ever again. Rather I can help subjugate the evil ones. I can even substitute for that horse and act as your mount.”

“Stop it, he’ll pout.”

The favourite horse glared sharply at Doradora, so Ariante had to pat his mane in order to soothe him.

“It’s a rare chance to subdue a demon like me. Human warrior, are you going to waste it?”

“That’s not the problem…”

After letting out a deep, long sigh, she said,

“I’m not going to be your support group… one is already more than enough for me.”

And yet, the silver dragon stubbornly followed her.