Raidorl Seiken Senki

Chapter 222: Descending the mountain

Translated by SoundDestiny

Edited by SoundDestiny

After the battle with the black dragon Fernigesh, Raidorl and Neferte returned from the mountain range.

Raidorl was not so exhausted, but Nephelthe seemed to be very fatigued. As soon as they returned to the position they had set up at the foot of the mountain, he sat down on the ground as if in a crumpled heap.

Although he did not suffer any noticeable wounds, he must have lost the threads of tension that had been stretched by the fierce battle.

A deadly battle with a dragon that outstrength even the apostles of witches. It was a little early for a boy who had just set out on the path to heroism.

“Good work, you’ve done well.”

“Your Highness Raidorl…..”

“Thanks for your help. I’ll get you a drink and a place to sleep in no time, so you can get some rest.”

Raidorl speaks words of praise towards Neferte, who is sitting on the ground.

Neferte’s performance in this battle was significant.

Even if it had been Raidorl alone, if he had used his trump card, the Holy Armour, he might have been able to win. He might not be defeated.

However, it was Neferte’s achievement that he was able to defeat the Black Dragon while preserving his trump card.

This allowed Raidorl to put the power he had kept within him before going into the battle against the witch Osman.

The timing of the reverse invasion of the Kingdom of Athena could also be brought forward considerably.

“Your Highness Raidorl….are you sure that was a good option?”

“Nn……what?”

“That dragon……you didn’t finish him. Did you purposely miss your swing?”

Neferte asks a new question, while accepting a drink brought by one of the soldiers.

Raidorl defeated Fernigesh but for some reason he overlooked it without taking the life of the defeated Black Dragon.

Neferte wondered why he spared the life of the monster he had just defeated, but at…..that time he read the atmosphere and could not ask.

“Dragon slayers is the strongest title for a warrior. It sounds like an honour and something to be proud of, but I’m afraid of what comes after……It’s best to avoid trouble.”

Raidorl shrugs and answers Neferte’s question.

“Dragons……are monsters who live in a world of reason that is very different from that of humans. It is tempting to think that because they understand human languages humans can talk to them, but even if they can communicate, their logic does not match ours. They do not behave in the way we expect them to.”

Raidorl recalls Fernigesh.

That black dragon was making a gesture of anger since its underlings were killed and its dwelling place was destroyed. However, immediately afterwards, it spat a strong acid breath at them, destroying its own underling’s corpses and the mountain where they lived.

To the human eye, this seems unreasonable but that is the nature of dragons.

In a sense, their behaviour is even more unreadable than that of the 『Six Witches of Doom』, who are always in the way of being adversaries of humans. It was hard to see where the scales were against them.

“I could have killed Fernigesh, but…..in the first place, dragons are immortal beings. Even if I kill it, it will eventually come back to life. I don’t know if it will be ten years later or a hundred years later, but it will always return. Since we don’t know when they will come back, they are much more troublesome than witches, who appear every three hundred years.”

“………..”

“And……he can’t touch humans anymore. Dragons can’t break on a promise they made to humans. That’s because it’s an absolute rule made by the 『Eight Great Dragon Kings』, the chiefs of dragons”

Although dragons do not follow human reason, it is said that rule exists even for them. One such rule is the code set by their higher-ups, known as the Dragon Kings.

According to the rules set by the『Eight Great Dragon Kings』, dragons could not disobey their promise to humans. No matter how unfavourable the promise may be, it must be kept because an oath has been made.

In return for letting Fernigesh off the hook, Raidorl forbids any hostile action against humans, whether direct or indirect. Fernigesh and its underling will no longer attack human settlements.

“On the contrary, killing Fernigesh here might cause trouble later on. Because other dragons might take notice of him or the revived Fernigesh might retaliate against the humans in this kingdom. It would be best if he would accept a pledge not to touch humans while alive.”

“I was wondering……how much Your Highness Raidorl knows about dragons?”

“Ah?”

Raidorl raises an eyebrow at Nefertae’s abrupt words.

“No, you said you’ve met a dragon before, but…..I never thought you were very knowledgeable about their affairs for a mere acquaintance. Were you that close to these dragons?”

“………..”

Raidorl fell silent at the curious look on Neferte’s face.

He had no intention of doing so, but in Neferte’s eyes, it must have looked as if Raidorl had formed a friendship with a dragon.

“….. that’s very much mistaken. Displeasingly so.”

Raidorl frowned and uttered abhorrently.

“It’s true that I know some of them, …… but as I said before, dragons can’t be reasoned with. I wouldn’t be friends with them.”

Raidorl shook his head and continued.

“The only reason I know about them is because a maid of mine has wasted so much time for living so long. Well, that’s right……”

With Neimilia’s face in his mind as she went to the border to warn of the undead, Raidorl became bitter.

Neimilia gets angry when he mentions her age.

If she gets angry and hits Raidorl, he can deal with it any way he wants, but if she forces him to play a good game, he can’t stand it.

“Doesn’t matter, now we don’t have to worry about the dragons and their underlings getting on our backs. We can concentrate on the Osman and her undead army.”

“…… Finally, we can take back my homeland. It’s been a long time”

Although Raidorl was blatantly changing the subject, Neferte was easily on board and looked nervous.

It had not been a year since the Athena Kingdom had fallen, but for a boy who had only lived for about thirteen years, it was too long a time.

The emotion in Neferte’s eyes is eighty percent anger. Sadness and regret were ten percent each. There was no hint of fear.

After the battles with the knights of the apocalypse and the dragon, Neferte has also grown up.

Not only had he learned to handle the holy sword well, but he had also been trained mentally through experience.

“It’s about a month until we can scrape up food and other supplies and get the army ready. As soon as we are ready, we will launch the invasion of Athena. You should sharpen your blades with that in mind.”

“…………!”

Neferte’s eyes widened at Raidorl’s declaration.

Perhaps unconsciously, his right hand naturally gripped the holy sword at his waist, and a pale aura leaked out from the sword in its scabbard.

He doesn’t need to be told, Neferte is ready.

How many nights have he spent turning his back on his family, fleeing his homeland and wailing in…..tears?

The decisive battle against the witch Osman.

The time for the march on the Kingdom of Athena was fast approaching.