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The Tale of the Wizrain Kingdom

The One Who Lives in Myth

Translated by: S3

Treat me to a Ko-Fi to give me more motivation!!!

*****

「I didn't want to overfish, so I tried to be careful, but I think I caught just the right amount.」

Elna pulled the fish from her pouch and lined them up on a cloth, taking a moment to meticulously dry her feet again with another piece of fabric. She could just hang the wet cloth on a tree branch to dry. The pouch Kyle had given her was packed full of what Kakami called her "Survival Kit°."

「…………」

After straightening her clothes, she sat before the fish. She closed her eyes and remained silent for a short while.

Then, she snapped her eyes open and began processing the fish with practiced, fluid movements. She skewered them and prepared the campfire; she had already gathered the twigs and fallen leaves. Elna pulled out a "Kakami Special" from her bag. It was smaller than the palm of her hand; when she opened the lid and flicked a small, gear-like protrusion labeled a "flint wheel," sparks flew. It was a simple ignition device Kakami had built, though currently, it only produced sparks rather than a sustained flame.

『I made this thinking it would be handy to create fire even with a small tool, but since the Royal Capital just burned recently... well, I haven't quite had the heart to finish the adjustments yet. It’s an incomplete prototype, but please let me know how the exterior feels to use.』

(Sorry, Kakami—I’m going to use it.) Elna sent the thought to her friend in her heart.

Tiny red flames danced to life from the incomplete ignition device (lighter).

Elna’s true power was suppressed by her Dragon-Sealing Ring. However, as they drew closer to the land of Wizrain, the seal had begun to fray slightly, making it possible for her to at least coax a spark into a flame. But without those initial sparks, there would have been nothing she could do.

She roasted the fish and let out a sigh.

The fluffy spirits turned toward the bonfire, their faces glowing with a soft, happy warmth. (Please don't singe your fur,) Elna muttered internally. She sat down beside them to wait for the fish to cook, then decided to ask about a lingering doubt.

「...Hey. Earlier, that guy said spirits don't exist in the Empire. Is that even possible?」

She had thought spirits were everywhere, except for unique locations like Marls. Being told they were nothing but a fairy tale had left her genuinely bewildered.

『There are spirits in the Empire, just like everywhere else, gonsu.』

『Totally, ssu!』

Hearing the two spirits confirm it made her feel relieved in spite of herself.

「Then why did Rigoberto say such a thing...?」

『Those Empire folks don't believe in spirits from the get-go-ssu. You see, spirits only lend their strength once you believe in them and acknowledge they’re there. Words harbor mana, and speaking them becomes power. To not speak of us is the same as us not existing at all-ssu.』

The ferret spoke quite fluently, which brought Elna back to the question of who this creature actually was. Unidentified spirits were multiplying too fast for Elna to handle. (The first one whose purpose I didn't understand being, of course, the hamster spirit.)

Noticing Elna’s gaze, the ferret stood its long body up on two legs and puffed out its chest proudly.

『As you can see, I am a high-ranking spirit-ssu. I come to play near here often. I felt Senpai’s presence, so I just had to fly over-ssu!』

It didn't look high-ranking at all. Since the bonfire was warm, Elna and the hamster spirit simply ignored the ferret and held their hands toward the flames.

『Hmuuuun. As the noble spirit who met you on Mount Vidrast... I insist you call me Vidra-ssu!』

「That clashes with Vaid’s name, so let’s just go with Fere-chan.」

『Fere is fine, gansu.』

『FEREEEEE-TTO!』

Was that a cry of shock? The ferret spirit—now Fere—stood with its short limbs spread wide, gazing toward the heavens. After staying like that for a while, it finally sat down with a heavy *yoisho* to warm itself by the fire.

『If you say spirits exist in the Empire, they treat you like a heretic-ssu. Same goes for demons. Since ancient times, demons and spirits have been in a state of mutual hostility. If you don't acknowledge the existence of one, then the other doesn't exist either-ssu.』

「I see... So that’s what he meant...」

—*Don’t say that; stay with me for a while. O King who still lives within an ancient myth.*

If demons didn't exist and spirits didn't either, then the tale of the founding of the Kingdom of Wizrain would seem like nothing but a lie to him.

The Hero Vaid took the Fire Dragon Elnalfia—whom everyone should have feared—as a companion, and with the Holy Sword Chiarore in hand, he gallantly challenged the demons. This was the story that served as the foundation of Wizrain. Of course, many parts were heavily embellished, so if someone snorted and called it a fairy tale, Elna could only admit that they weren't entirely wrong.

「...Wizrain was originally part of the Empire, too.」

Perhaps the long passage of years had slowly changed the hearts of the people.

(The reason the Empire boasts such overwhelming strength... it lies in its vast territory and its possession of weapons and military might. But I heard the biggest reason for its strength is its fertile land that never suffers from famine...)

This was knowledge gained from Mrs. Brownie’s lessons. No matter how strong a nation or how numerous its people, they cannot survive without food. Being able to sustain itself through domestic production alone, without needing the help of other nations, made it a terrifying entity.

But if the land was that vast and rich, there must be many spirits there.

The spirits of that land likely lived in quiet obscurity, their existence unacknowledged.

Thinking about that... felt a little lonely.

『Delicious ham-ham. Delicious ham-ham.』

「Hey, do you think as long as you attach 'ham' to it, anything goes lately?」

The hamster spirit was munching on the grilled fish, huffing happily. Furthermore, it had produced some dessert sunflower seeds from goodness-knows-where and was shouting 『Berry Delicious!』

「Well, I guess to a spirit, none of that matters...」

『I wanna eat too-ssu! I wanna eat-ssu!』

「Yes, yes. Help yourself.」

Lately, Elna wondered if her own thinking had become a bit too human-centric.

(Hmm...) Elna closed her eyes and crossed her arms in thought. She remembered the man who had pulled her by the arm, telling her she was human and no longer a dragon, and a soft chuckle bubbled up inside her.

(Yes. Pull my arm as much as you like... Cross.)

That was the name of the man she loved. Even if they were only connected by a dragon scale, he was undoubtedly worrying about her.

Right. Elna began to eat her fill of the grilled fish. She offered a polite thanks for the life she was receiving, then peered over at Rigoberto, who was resting in the shade of a different tree.

(Come to think of it, an opportunity like this doesn't come around often...)

When else would she have the chance to speak candidly with the King of another nation?

Actually interacting with him, she felt that Rigoberto was more of a man one could talk to than the rumors suggested. That said, she had no intention of letting her guard down, but if dialogue was possible, that was for the best.

「Can I ask you two to keep an eye on the fire?」

When she asked the two spirits, they saluted with their short hands. They could at least let her know if anything happened.

With that settled, Elna headed toward Rigoberto. He was sitting cross-legged under the tree, staring intently down at the fish. It was, of course, raw. (What on earth is this Emperor doing?)

*GUOOOOOOOOOO.*

Another beast-like growl erupted from Rigoberto’s stomach.

「…………」

Rigoberto grabbed the fish in a firm grip. He opened his mouth and—wait, no.

「Hey! There’s a fire over there! Don't be so stubborn! You’re a human, what are you doing eating it raw? You'll get a stomach ache!?」

「Hmph... Do you intend to prepare such a thing only to swap it for one laced with poison? I have built a tolerance to toxins. Unfortunately for you, your efforts are in vain.」

「The only thing that's unfortunate is your behavior! Wait, have you been doing that this whole time!? At least say something!」

He truly was a pigheaded man. It seemed he was exceptionally bad at asking for help.

Watching Rigoberto eat the grilled fish she brought him out of the corner of her eye, Elna let out a quiet, short sigh.

She felt it once again: men who excel at stoicism are such a pain at times like this.

「Hey. You can keep eating, but I want you to listen. You said spirits were a fairy tale, but they really do exist. No, you don't even have to believe me. Just as you said, if you want to think of my 'Eyes to See' as just a way of understanding the laws of nature, that’s fine.」

What mattered wasn't the fact itself, but the result.

She just needed him to look at the outcome: that Elna could navigate the Forest of Confusion.

「So, won't you trust me and follow? What were you planning to do out here anyway? I know you were heading toward the sound of water, but...」

「...This stream flows from Mount Vidrast. Therefore, if one follows the stream up through the forest, one should reach the mine.」

「...That’s reckless.」

The logic held up, but there was still a great distance to the mine. They didn't know what kind of terrain lay ahead. There might be cliffs, and the areas near the stream were slick and easy to slip on. It might be possible at full strength, but currently, it seemed like little more than a suicide mission.

「Please. I’m not saying this just to make you owe me. I won't poison you, and I swear I will deliver you to your brother. I... I don't want to see even a single person die.」

Rigoberto didn't answer.

Looking at his profile, she could vaguely imagine what he was thinking. He was likely planning to ignore Elna and head for the mine using his own strength.

「...You’re a bit of a contradiction. One moment it seems you think nothing of human life, yet you try to save me. You don't believe in spirits, yet you seek the power of a dragon.」

He probably wasn't even listening to her. It was a meaningless mutter.

However, Rigoberto stopped moving. He tossed away the bones of the fish he’d finished.

「A dragon is power.」

「...Eh?」

「I want power. I desire it; I crave it. No—it is something I *must* possess, is it not?」

Rigoberto stood up, looking down at Elna with eyes full of a strange heat. They were dark, murky eyes, a color slightly similar to Vaid’s.

「—All power should belong to my Empire.」

He spoke as if it were a self-evident truth.

He didn't harbor a shred of doubt; his voice was devoid of emotion, as if he were merely reciting a rule he had memorized.

「...What?」

Bewilderment creased Elna’s brow. What on earth was he saying?

But then, she suddenly noticed. Rigoberto’s eyes were out of focus; he wasn't looking at Elna, but at something far away. His dark eyes turned muddy like silt, and the strength slowly drained from his body.

「...Hey!?」

Elna lunged to catch the man’s collapsing frame, her voice ringing out.

Rigoberto’s forehead hit Elna’s shoulder. The body of an unconscious human felt incredibly heavy. The cloth wrapped around the wound on Rigoberto’s arm was slowly staining a dark, muddy red. Blood seeped through, crawling down his fingertips before a single drop fell—*plip*.