ALL NOVEL chapter 80 - The divine cat, Mii-chan, rides the dragon steed.
80 The divine cat, Mii-chan, rides the dragon steed.
We slowly walk to the city gate with Sumire.
“Nero, don’t worry. A man’s charm is in his demeanor!”
“Mii~”
If you’re talking about charm, shouldn’t it be a man’s courage?
“Ah, charm is important too. Look at Perro. He’s a bundle of charm. He’s loved for his charm!”
“Mii…”
“Nyaa…”
“Gau…”
“What’s this!”
You all always seem so happy; it’s enviable.
We reach the city gate and step outside. Now, it’s time for Sumire to shine. Martin and Elena’s dragon steeds are flying above. We’re told not to worry about them, so we let Sumire run freely. She seems faster now, having passed by the city of Uuri in just a few hours.
We stop for lunch and wave up to the sky. Both of them descend.
“What’s up? Is there a problem?”
“No, just thought I’d stop for lunch.”
Martin and Elena exchanged glances, perhaps puzzled by my casual attitude.
“Nero-kun, you’re so relaxed… suggesting we have lunch right here in the middle of the grasslands,” Elena remarked.
Well, where else would you suggest eating?
After preparing water and feed for Sumire, I laid out the picnic blanket as usual.
Martin plopped down on the ground.
“Seeing you makes me feel like keeping on edge is pointless.”
“Please, help yourself,” I offered.
Martin and Elena accepted the lunch.
“I’ll have some…”
The dragon steeds remained calmly lying down. Mii-chan, while eating, couldn’t stop glancing at the dragons. She kept sneaking peeks at them.
“Is it okay if I get closer?”
“It’s better not to. They might intimidate you.”
“That’s right. We only allow those who take care of them close.”
Still, after finishing her meal, Mii-chan boldly approached the dragons. Despite being stared down by the two massive creatures, she bravely got close and touched their faces, pressing her nose against theirs, just like she did with Sumire.
Mii-chan leaped onto the red dragon’s head with a triumphant look on her face.
Even Martin and Elena were surprised.
“I can’t believe it…”
“To think Baron would be so calm…”
Perro, Sera, and Lu-kun approached but were met with intimidation. However, with Mii-chan acting as a buffer, they were allowed to touch the dragons. I decided to avoid getting too close myself.
“Am I dreaming…?”
“Deputy Commander, it’s real.”
As we prepared to set off, Mii-chan refused to leave the red dragon’s side.
“Oh, does the little kitten want to ride the dragon?”
“Meow~”
“In that case, let’s ride together.”
Elena took Mii-chan and placed her gently against her ample chest. How enviable! If it weren’t for Mii-chan, I’d be quite jealous. Mii-chan peeked out happily from Elena’s embrace.
“Mii-chan, behave yourself now.”
Mii-chan, with a hint of jealousy, remarked, “Meow~” and then added, “It’s unfair that only the princess gets to enjoy that…”
We set off again. The dragons spread their wings and soared into the sky, while Sumire accelerated without a second glance at them. The dragons occasionally flew alongside Sumire, but she seemed determined not to lose speed, despite the added pressure. I hoped she wasn’t overdoing it.
We bypassed the lake town of Nix and continued running. By evening, we searched for a suitable camping spot. Martin found an excellent location: a grassy area with a large rock and a good view.
Sumire looked quite exhausted. I made sure to wash her thoroughly and added a bottle of mineral water to the bucket. She drank eagerly, so she seemed to be recovering well.
We set up the newly purchased tent, struggling a bit at first but eventually managing to get it up. It turned out to be spacious enough for everyone to sleep comfortably.
After removing the saddles, Martin and Elena’s dragons flew off somewhere, presumably to find food.
Mii-chan leaped from Elena to me. Did she have fun?
“Meow~”
“I thought she got along well with the little kitten, but it seems she prefers you, Nero.”
“Meow~”
“Ah, too bad. Looks like she rejected Elena.”
The dragons went off for their meal. Martin and Elena said they wouldn’t need a tent since their dragons would serve as their beds. Quite convenient!
As night began to fall, I took out some firewood from Mii-chan’s bag and started a campfire. There’s something soothing about watching the flames.
I prepared dinner, which mainly involved setting out plates and grilling some meat for Sera and Lu-kun.
Martin commented with a hint of amusement, “Our campsite looks rather shabby, doesn’t it?”
Elena chuckled and replied, “We’re soldiers, after all…”
While we ate, I asked about the night watch. Elena reassured me with a smile, “There’s no monster that would dare attack where two dragons are stationed. They’ll alert us if anything unusual happens.”
Indeed, having dragons around is incredibly convenient. Though Sera is also quite the guard, I appreciate the extra security.
The dragons returned and lay down around the campfire. Martin had wrapped himself in the dragon’s wings and was already asleep.
Elena was surrounded by Mii-chan, Sera, Lu-kun, and Perro, clearly content.
“I didn’t expect that little one to be so fast. I was quite surprised,” Elena remarked.
“She was running with a sense of competition against the dragons. She was quite exhausted,” I explained.
Sera gave a little shiver, as if to protest the comment.
“It looks like we’ll reach Brocken Mountain by tomorrow,” Elena said.
“I think that’s a reasonable expectation,” I agreed.
While Elena and I were chatting casually and I was petting everyone, suddenly Mii-chan, Sera, Lu-kun, Perro, and Sumire, including the flying dragons, all fixed their gaze on one spot with a tense expression.
Even Martin woke up in alarm.
“What’s happening?” he asked, concerned.
“I’m not sure,” I replied.
“Perro?”
“There’s a terrifying presence coming from that direction…” Perro said, indicating the direction of Quint and Quart.
A brief flashback revealed a secluded mountain where numerous Goblin Generals, Goblin Knights, and Goblin Leaders were gathered, staring at a swirling black mist.
The mist gradually began to take shape…
“I, the Sixth Heavenly Demon King, descend upon this world…”
Chapter One: I Became a Guild Staff Member in Another World.
End