The 5000-year-old Herbivorous Dragon

Chapter 76 - First mortal battle with the envoy

“You can’t. Doesn’t matter what you say, the answer’s still no. Look Rēko, aloofness itself is the Evil Dragon’s essence. Trying to get cooperation from humans would sully my reputation. How about we treat it like nothing happened and try going somewhere else?”

“Yes, naturally I won’t ask for cooperation. I’m going to threaten them and demand 80% of their country’s wealth.”

“Don’t just raise the level of maliciousness so casually.”

“Being able to present gifts to the Evil Dragon Lord, I’m sure the foolish humans will rejoice.”

After Haizen passed the reply and left, I sat down in front of the door like an unwavering boulder in order to not let Rēko out of the room. However, Rēko didn’t give up. Releasing a tremendous amount of pressure she slowly but steadily drew near me.

“I, I think it’s too early for you. You’re still a child, right? When it comes down to it, they’d send out a hardened veteran negotiator. What’s necessary there will be life experience, you know?”

“It’s okay Evil Dragon Lord… I’ve assimilated the Lord’s 5000 thousand years’ worth of experiences as nourishment. I will make sure to annihilate the opponent’s negotiator by using Evil Dragon Lord’s style of negotiation techniques.”

“As a start I’d like you to remember that negotiation techniques aren’t about decimating your opponent…”

Guessing by her usual conduct, she planned on spouting flames instead of words. Probably.

“Besides there’s a saying: if you love your children, send them out into the world. Evil Dragon Lord has previously mentioned that he thinks of me as a child or a grandchild. I would like to properly live up to those expectations. I’ll act brazenly and return with a triumphant success.”

“I thought you were awfully enthusiastic about it, so that was your motive huh.”

“I’m nothing but grateful for Lord’s concern over my safety. However there’s no need to worry. A country may perish but I am indestructible.”

“It’s not your safety I’m particularly worried about.”

No matter what trouble might happen I couldn’t see her doing anything else than coming back safely. The target of my concern were the innocent bystanders that would suffer when Rēko would go wild and take care of any trouble. There was even a possibility of Rēko returning safely while the horizon behind her is going up in flames.

“Anyway no means no, it doesn’t matter what you say.”

“… I see. I finally comprehended what Evil Dragon Lord is trying to tell me. If I were to summarize it concisely this is what it means right?”

“Hm?”

“I am still too weak―― Is that it?”

“You’re wrong. Rather your approach of wanting to solve everything by force is the real problem you know?”

Rēko wasn’t listening, as usual. She clenched her fists in frustration trembling all over.

“Certainly in comparison to the Evil Dragon Lord I’m as powerless as a baby. Still, the fact that I grew rapidly as kin in a short period of time is true. I thought you’d have somewhat trusted me…”

“I trust you. But it depends on the time and situation. I only can’t approve sending you out on a case like this.”

“It means you judged I’m inadequate to completely destroy a single country, right?”

“At last this child even started to naturally declare wars…”

I took a deep breath and strengthened my defensive posture in front of the door, almost clinging to the floor.

“I appreciate your feelings and I also trust you, but I won’t yet let you go as an envoy by yourself. It’s an absolute order from me, the Evil Dragon to you, his kin. If you’re dissatisfied, defeat me to pass through.”

Of course it was a bluff. I guessed there was no way for Rēko, who was idolizing me for some reason, to go through with it. In some sense one could say that also was a kind of trust.

However, turned out I made a serious miscalculation.

“… You will cross blows with me?”

Glitter, Rēko’s eyes sparkled. That shine made me feel a perforating chill in the pit of my stomach.

“Ermm, no, you aren’t serious right? You wouldn’t really fight me, would you?”

“So it has finally come… I thought that it was high time for Evil Dragon Lord to check on my growth, but to think Lord also thought the same. I can’t believe you told me ‘How much stronger have you become, show me your power directly.’”

“I didn’t say that. I didn’t say even a single word like that.”

I objected swinging my head left and right, but it had already been assimilated as truth inside Rēko. She nimbly lifted me up like it was the most natural thing to do and said in a delighted tone of voice.

“Well then let us change places. I shall show you my strength on some plain where we won’t have to worry about burning it to the ground.”

“Noooooo―! Let me doooown! Someone save meeee! I’m being kidnaaapped―!”

I kicked and struggled frantically but there was completely no sign of escape from Rēko’s arms.

When I was calling for help at the depths of despair, we came across Sheina at the mansion’s entrance. She still had the spirit on her shoulders, but unlike me she was very calm.

“… Umm, is that some kind of game?”

She inquired with her brows furrowed and her neck tilted to the side.

“We’re not playing. I’ll exchange blows with Evil Dragon Lord in order to assess my strength.”

“It’s not true Sheina. I definitely don’t want that.”

I sought help with my eyes while shaking like a lamb before slaughter, but for some reason she returned a gaze full of doubt. Then she pondered for a little while and said,

“Say, could I also watch you two going at it?”