Suna

I can’t believe I am having a stroll with a princess. Back in my old world, the royalties are pretty strict with their securities. So, the royal family members rarely interact with commoners on normal ground. It’s either for political purpose, or to look good in front of the media. I too, didn’t get the chance to see the royal princess in flesh back in my old world, even from afar.

But right now, now that I am in this world, not only did I save a princess, I also got the chance to have a stroll with them!

Mielle tried to hold in her yawn. For someone so small and cute, she looked adorable, especially when she’s sitting on my shoulders as I walked.

“Pardon me.” She covered her mouth and paused a bit, before putting her hand down. “I’m sorry for sitting on your shoulders. Do tell me if your shoulder gets tired.” Mielle then said.

What are you talking about~?

You are too light for my shoulders, there’s no way that my shoulders would get tired. Though, the back of my head might bleed if Clairmont continued on staring daggers at me.

“What do you want?” I turned around and shot him a pointy gaze.

Clairmont immediately shrugged. “Nothing. You’re pretty laid back, happily grinning like that while chatting with the princess despite the current situation.”

“Wha-!?” I flinched backwards. Then, I held my jaw as I pondered.

“Did I grin too much?” I asked him curiously. I guess I brought along my bad habit—which is grinning happily all by myself upon seeing something enjoyable—with me. I do admit I look like a madman if I grin too much, proven by the fact that I have recorded myself reading the novel to post it on social media for review purpose, but ended up not posting it because my grin looks a little bit too much for the eyes. They look demonic to say the least.

Clairmont stared at me, before rolling his eyes and sighed. “That’s not what I mean. Just grin all you want if you wanted to. It’s not a wrong thing to do.”

“Oh.” I blinked my eyes. Well, what do you know, Clairmont can actually compliment someone without putting in much effort. I do think that he wasn’t that bad of a persona, apart from his arrogant attitude.

“But do grin when I’m not with you. Your grinning is hurting my eyes.” Clairmont added, while massaging his temple.

I bit my lower lips.

Lemme just…

Take back what I just said about him not being that bad.

“The two of you looked like you had known each other for a long time.” Mielle commented and smiled at us.

“Well…” I met him just a few days ago, Mielle. “You can say that.” I answered and scratched my chin awkwardly. Clairmont who was beside me maintained his nonchalant face.

“By the way, where are we going, exactly?” Mielle looked around. “This place is pretty far from the celebration hall. And it’s pretty quiet.”

I too, looked around like what Mielle did. Indeed, an empty and dimly lit corridor near the inner garden and far away from people feels pretty quiet and creepy, and a cause of good question as to why Kuzan went here in the first place after his speech. If I weren’t a dragon with heightened sense, I wouldn’t even come here to look for Kuzan.

Kuzan’s figure appeared within our sight, halting me from my walking.

“Clairmont.” I reminded.

“I know.” Clairmont replied, while also looking in the direction of my gaze.

“Hm?” Mielle remarked while tilting her head upwards, probably trying to look at the thing that both me and Clairmont looked at.

Kuzan was standing at the middle of the inner garden, nearby the gazebo. He seemed to be talking with someone else, given the existence of another voice apart from his. For a few minutes, me and Clairmont hid ourselves behind a pillar as we waited for Kuzan to finish his conversation. Because, while Kuzan was talking to that other person, the assassins that we sensed were dormant.

A few minutes later, a person walked away from Kuzan. That person looked like an old male elf, dressed in an outfit similar to what the country’s administrative worker would wear. I etched my eyes longer to that old elf. I’ve never seen him before, but he oozed bad vibes. Also, by the time the old elf went away, he sneaked a glance at a certain direction, and the assassin began to move again.

“One dozen, two dozen…”

“I would say fifty.” Clairmont suggested. “Fifty assassins are following the king while hiding using a high-tiered spell. They seem to want to end him tonight.”

Fifty assassins. That number is a bit too much just to kill a person. But they were probably preparing for the situation if a battle were to take place. Kuzan is a pretty skilled battle mage.

“Can you handle the assassins, Clairmont?”

Clairmont looked taken aback by my request. “Well, of course I can. But won’t you join in on the massacre also?”

“I can’t.” I then subtly raised my hand to point at my shoulders. “I forgot that I brought her with us.”

Clairmont’s gaze narrow down. “Can’t you just tell her that we’re here to save the king from assassins that tried to kill him?”

“For what?” I shot him a look as if he just said something crazy. “We don’t want to risk putting Mielle in danger after what we did. Mielle might be targeted by those hostiles if they knew she was with us.”

“Did you forget already?” Clairmont heaved a sigh.

“About what?” I scowled a bit.

“We’re a being several times more powerful than these mere mortals. Sure, your concern is plausible, if, we’re facing other dragons, or a Fenrir, or an Argus Mentus, but come on, it’s just some assassins. Get a bone, will you?” Clairmont blurted.

My scowl died down a bit, replaced with an empty look. Clairmont words literally meant that I should throw my reason out of the window, but is that really okay? Will we be okay with the consequences?

“I could tell that you’re confused.” Clairmont said, and ruffled his raven hair. He then stepped in front of me. “Come with me, and watch and learn.”

“Suna?” Mielle turned to look at me. I could tell from her expression that she was a bit lost from the bits of the conversation between me and Clairmont.

“Mielle.” I then turned to Mielle. “Would you believe me if I said that we’re here to save Kuzan from being killed?”

Mielle fell silent. “What… What do you mean by that?”

I heaved a weak chuckle, while I followed Clairmont’s lead. We seemed to be walking closer to Kuzan, who seemed like he was staring far in the distance.

“It’s exactly as I said. There are about 50 assassins around us who tried to kill him. We will now try to apprehend them.”

Mielle went silent again. I felt sorry that she had to listen to all this, but she was here with us, so she had to know what we’ll be doing.

“…Just who are you guys?” Mielle spoke, sounding strangely calm.

I decided to follow her pace, because well, what’s the best thing to do than being calm in an unexpected situation, right?

I started. “The two of us are dragons who comes to this country to try to save the king. It’s because of a promise that I made with someone from this country, you see.”

Or more like, I would be sad if a kind girl like Elfina lost her homeland. Besides that, Kuzan became distant with people right after his country was destroyed. I couldn’t really understand why Kuzan was so cold and unfriendly, but his little sister died and the whole country got destroyed, and he couldn’t even do anything about it, so maybe that’s the reason.

Mielle’s eyes glinted in fascination. “You guys are dragons?”

I nodded.

“Wow!” She clasped both of her hands and exclaimed. “I have never met a dragon in my life before. As they are a rare being, I thought I will never meet them in my life. But here I am, meeting not one, but two dragons!” She then fell into a daze, as if still mesmerized.

Eh?

“Aren’t you, like, suspicious of us? What if I lied to you?” I said. Isn’t it normal to be suspicious in this situation? If it were me, I would put up my guard when someone unknown suddenly slap me with this fact. But I’m not the one to say. I’m the one who didn’t kick out those people who intrudes my house and even listened to their story, after all.

Mielle shook her head and smiled. At the same time, I heard Kuzan’s confused words of ‘who are you?’ when Clairmont stepped near. Clairmont glanced at Kuzan for a bit, before shifting his face to the side and went silent.

“Greetings, my king.” I curtly greeted. It’s obvious that Clairmont won’t greet a mere king of elves, so at least, I had to. There should be someone reasonable in this group, right?

Kuzan nodded, but still wear that lost look on his face. “Who are the two of you?”

Clairmont began channelling his power to the ground. While he did, I answered Kuzan, “Oh, we are just taking a stroll around. I am accompanying her highness princess Mielle for her walk.” I motioned to Mielle on my shoulders.

“Princess Mielle…” Kuzan widened his eyes.

Mielle bloomed a wide smile, before standing up and curtly bow down in an elegant and noble manner. “Greetings, then sun of Rustaval, King Kuzan Rustaval.”

“Greetings.” Kuzan’s lost look was completely replaced with a smile. “I’m sorry if I didn’t greet you earlier. I saw you at a distance, but the advisor suddenly called me out to go to this garden after my speech. I was about to head back to the hall after this.”

So, the old elf is the king’s advisor, I see. This is slowly getting into that internal dispute plot. I’m not the one to complain, because internal dispute as the cause for a country’s destruction is better than a dragon following its random whim and destroyed a country.

No, I’m not talking about Clairmont.

I’m not talking about him. @_@

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard cries from the distance. Clairmont had completely overpowered all the assassins; by channelling his powers to the ground and apprehend all the assassins only by his magic. He then brought them all to gather at the inner garden, all while the assassins floated freely in the air.

“What… is the meaning of this?” Kuzan looked at the assassins in disbelief.

“The assassins that tried to off you.” Clairmont paused. His face then contorted into an unexplained look before he added, “…Your majesty.”

Both Kuzan and Mielle shared the same astounded look. But unlike Mielle, who was still astounded, Kuzan’s face instantly darkened.

“To think I was this hopeless…” He muttered. He then shifted his gaze to both me and Clairmont as he said, “Thank you for helping me, honourable adventurers. I will call the guards to apprehend them, so you people should head back to the hall and enjoy yourselves.”

Clairmont narrowed his eyes lazily. I could tell from his expression that he’s about to do something bad.

“We’re here to help you save this country-”

“Ah!” I immediately covered his mouth. The surroundings became quiet soon after that.

“W-Well… Then we’ll excuse ourselves.” I stuttered, trying to break the silence.

Kuzan blinked his eyes, and stared at the two of us long.

“Are the two of you really here to try to save this country?” It might be just me, but his tone of voice sounded hopeful, and somehow desperate.

“I…” I hesitated.

“Yes.” Clairmont replied. “We want to help you clean this country and all those bastards who tried to kill you.”

I shot him a glare. His statement wasn’t entirely wrong, but the timing wasn’t quite right.

Kuzan fell silent again.

“Then…”