Author: Akashari	Original Source: Syosetu
Translator: Mui	English Source: Re:Library

Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

“Aaaghh, my legs…!”
“That’s the price of thoughtless action. Take some time to reflect.”

Back in a shabby inn room after returning from the guild, Momo lay on the floor, clutching her numbed legs and rolling around. The thorough scolding had clearly sunk in—hopefully enough to curb her impulsive streak.

“Honestly, you even went to the trial and still forgot the church’s location. I’ll be heading there tomorrow myself, so you just sit tight.”
“Huh? Master, you’re going to help too?”
“Reluctantly, yes. If I leave it to you, I have a feeling we’ll end up sparking unnecessary hostility with Astraea.”

The bed creaked as I flopped onto it. It was nothing more than a simple frame with a straw mat draped in sheets, a modest setup befitting the price of the inn.

“Get some rest early tonight. Tomorrow, you’ll be working with Nova.”
“Yes! So we’re finally heading up the mountain!”
“Not quite. We still don’t know if your participation will even be allowed. You’re too quick to jump to conclusions, you know.”
“Ugh… then what’s the point?”
“As I said, you’ll be working. Meeting a dragon and dying on the spot would be far too anticlimactic. I intend to hammer in some basics and strategies for your thick head.”
“P-Please go easy on me…”

✦✧✦✧✦

“Very well. We grant permission to accompany him.”
“Are you sure?”

The next day, as we visited the Astraea church with the sun still high, the priest we met promptly allowed Momo to join. Considering Astraea’s strict commitment to fairness, I’d expected resistance to relying on anyone outside their order.

“After all, her own objections sparked this situation. Thus, she bears a measure of responsibility in this act of penance as well,” the priest explained.
“Fair enough—she should own up to her big words. While I’m here, might I ask a few questions?”
“Of course. It is only fair to dispel any uncertainties.”
“Well, you’re a reasonable one. So let me ask—are you serious about stirring up a dragon’s nest?”
“Hmm. Now that you mention it, you’ve only been in the city a short while, haven’t you?”

The priest stroked his white beard thoughtfully, casting an appraising look in our direction.

“The dragon on that mountain is known for its gentle disposition. Even if a few ants were to trespass, it would hardly rouse from its slumber.”
“Well, lucky for you. A dragon with a different temperament would have wiped this city off the map long ago.”
“Would it, though? I doubt this city holds any allure that would compel a dragon to act rashly.”
“…Is it the ghost ship?”

To a dragon, human settlements were trivial, nothing but dust. If there was any reason to restrain its wrath, my only guess was the ominous curse that hung over this place.

“Indeed. It seems even dragons shun that entity. Destroying Aldebaran along with its walls would only risk bringing that curse into their territory, something they’d rather avoid.”
“Does that curse affect dragons as well?”
“Who can say? Yet it is true that the dragon avoids this city, leaving it in an odd but divine state of balance.”

So long as the townsfolk managed to fend off the ghost ship’s incursions, the dragon’s anger wouldn’t threaten them. From within, that balance felt like an ever-present strain, but from an outsider’s perspective, it served as a deterrent against other threats.

“…We’re talking about a peace thinner than ice—more like the thinnest layer of skin.”
“And yet, Aldebaran maintains this balance. Surely it’s the blessing of Astraea.”

Did this priest know that the so-called balance rested on the Saint’s sacrifices and the covert work of the Umravolf family? If he were simply dedicating his faith in ignorance, I wondered if he would be able to say the same once he learned the truth.

“Well then, anything else you’d like to know?”
“…About the wyverns. The attacks were caused by wyvern saliva, weren’t they? Is it really worth sending criminals to investigate?”
“Indeed. Admittedly, the Saint herself bears much of the responsibility for those unfortunate incidents, but… please, take a look at this.”

With practiced air, the priest pulled out a folded map from his cloak and spread it out. It seemed he’d anticipated someone like me showing up. The map showed the surrounding area of Aldebaran, with several red marks drawn in ink.

“This is Aldebaran, and the mountain range marked in red is the area of concern.”
“…Close. It’s unsettling how the dragon hasn’t been disturbed at this distance.”
“Quite knowledgeable about dragons for your age, I see. Now, how about this?”

The priest focused his magic on his fingertip, drawing a new symbol on the map. He marked the location of the airship we had ridden on, tracing its flight path with a dotted line.

“And this point here is where the Saint burned the wyvern saliva, leading the wyverns to appear.”
“…Odd. That spot is much farther from the mountain.”

The new mark he’d added to the map showed the incident occurred well away from the wyvern nesting area. The Saint had probably burned the saliva some distance from this location, too; at such a range, even a beast’s sharp sense of smell might struggle to pick up the scent.

Even if the wyverns had been drawn in, it was odd that so many had appeared all at once.

“The wyverns left the mountain for a reason that came before the Saint’s foolishness… So that’s what you’re implying.”
“Exactly. That’s why we assigned the investigation to the criminals.”

So basically, they were using them as disposable tools. Mentioning it out loud would probably get me kicked out of the church. Still, this wasn’t an issue we could ignore. If there was some abnormality in the mountain where the dragon resided, it was essential to uncover it.

The deterrence effect from the ghost ship was only a theoretical safeguard, far from guaranteed. If the dragon went on a rampage, humans would be powerless to stop it.

“I see. Understood. Thank you for taking the time to explain.”
“Not at all. May the guidance of the gods be with you as well.”

I almost laughed out loud but managed to hold it back—an achievement worth some praise. “The guidance of the gods,” huh? As if that hadn’t abandoned me ages ago.

“Oh, by the way, mind if I borrow this map for a bit?”
“Not at all. If it can be of use to you, please take it.”

With a modest donation, I received the map he’d used for his explanation. It would be invaluable for planning our next steps. After all, this was a dragon we were dealing with—hardly a foe a human could expect to overcome.

“…Since, after all, I only know of one human capable of killing a dragon.”

With that vivid, unforgettable memory sealed away, I left the church behind. Now, it was time to see if the Saint could lend a hand. If we were to infiltrate the dragon’s domain, every card we could play would be essential.

⇐ Previous

Next ⇒

⌈ Index ⌋