Dragon-san Wants a Friend

Volume 5 Chapter 5: Dragon-san and Sleeping Village

Translator: Mii

Editor: [QueenieZhuz]

I told Aru that Nectar and I will go out for a while, and the next early morning, we flew off to the problematic village.

As a precaution, I asked grandpa to stay as close as possible to Aru, so it should be okay.

With that, I turned into my dragon appearance, and went sightseeing with Nectar riding on my back.

「Nectar, you’re not cold?」

《It’s okay. Towa’s clothes make the wind blow over my body, but now is currently summer, plus your back calms me down. 》

「That doesn’t even have any connectio…… Hyahhh, Nectar! Stop stroking me like that!」

《Do you dislike it?》

「I don’t, but I can’t help but get chills from it!」

《Then, I’ll do it when we reached the ground.》

「You’re still going to do it, eh?」

It was really calming when I am talking about silly trifling things like this.

《Lava, the project that master is doing now is probably creating an automatic instrument to keep the seal, right?》

I nodded towards his words that he casually said like small chat.

「That’s really amazing, yeah? Moreover, other than the automatic instrument technique, he is also working on the technique to overwrite the seal.」

《Yeah, the approach is completely different from now, and from a glance, it is also something worthwhile to study. However, he doesn’t look like he is preparing for specific resealing, so I wonder what is he going to do with that.》

「Maybe, grandpa is worrying about how he could only wait for 5000 years. But then, since he should have thought that there would be something like this happening, so I guess he had prepared a sealing technique from the beginning.」

《Is that… so?》

「Yeah, yeah. He told me since he haven’t decided the tune, he want to choose a good music or instrument when the time comes, since he will have his own liking by then.」

My mind is filled with anxiety, and as I thought, Nectar already knows about it. I can’t help but make a wry smile.

Our conversation is paused for a while.

Now then, the village Carla-san told us should be nearby.

《Lava……》

「Ah, isn’t that’s the aforementioned village? I’ll land down now, then.」

《……Please wait, if you approach it like this, then…!》

「Pikyaahh!?」

Almost at the same time as when Nectar’s warning reached my ears, I noticed that there are a barrier was being swept toward us.

I couldn’t avoid it in time, and hit my head.

Hwurts.

＊

We carefully come down to the thick road with large rice fields around them, which is outside the village.

Suddenly, there were a young beastman dressed in a simple work uniform and a human maiden shrine who came towards us and kneeled down while earnestly apologizing.

『I’m really sorry. I didn’t think that you would come from the sky, so I made a barrier since there was an epidemic going on. considering that it was an epidemic going on…』

『I’m sorry, I’m really sorry! What a rude thing that we had done to dragon god-sama…』

『Un, it’s okay, really. It’s my fault for being careless.』

Since Carla-san had notified the people from other side about us, I completely forgot that the village’s shrine maiden would to take defensive stance against unidentified creatures to protect the village.

There are small round ear on the top of the youth’s head and a plump tail coming out from the waist.

When I’m wondering what kind of race the beast is, the shrine maiden who is no longer crying fixed the barrier that had been smashed by my head.

The shrine maiden is called Haruna-san, a human girl that is around the late twenties.

She has a loose black hair and looks somewhat fragile. When I looked closely, she is one of the shrine maidens who had put up the barrier when I met the emperor.

Since she could hold out the white mist of erosion, she should be pretty good.

Furthermore, I feel like I have seen the young man with working uniform next to her somewhere …

Nectar turns his gaze towards the young man.

『Sakuma-san, are you dispatched to investigate this case?』

『Yes, long time no see.』

『Who is this?』

『He is a caster working for the emperor. He also helped me during the production of the ‘Gate’.』

When I look at him properly, I feel like he is familiar, like I have seen him somewhere. Sakuma-san then shook his tail and lowered his head as if embarrassed.

『My name is Sakama, I’m from the Tanuki clan. Thank you very much for restoring the magical disaster before. I’m very grateful that you are willing to give your support in this investigation.』

『We managed to pass that disaster because all of you have the dedication to protect your country and important people. You don’t have to be that humble.』

I can’t help but feel unused to the scene of Sakuma-san who bowed deeply with Haruna-san.

「Lava, since you take part on that matter too, obediently accept their gratitude is also considered as kindness, you know.」

「Even if you say so, I feel embarrassed, and it’s also awkward…」

When I was mumbling and replying to Nectar in the west continent language, Sakuma-san raised his face, his expression hazy.

『I’m really grateful that reinforcements are coming to help in this mysterious sleep disorder. Since, this is my hometown.』

『So it’s like that.』

He looked at the village with a sad look, and Nectar and I instantly recalled our original purpose and tighten our expression. There are no way one’s mind will stay calm after their family and acquaintance won’t wake up.

Furthermore, Haruna-san gripped her cane tightly, her eyes swayed in anxiety.

『Plus, there are new symptom appeared this morning … I couldn’t predict the cause.』

『Is it related to the absence of the third investigator?』

Haruna-san only answered with a nod towards Nectar’s question.

『Anyway, it will be faster if you take a look directly.』

Guided by Haruna-san and Sakuma-san, we stepped into the village.

＊

It looks like Sakuma-san hometown, Sakumma village, is a small village with the majority of Tanuki clan living there.

Because the village is far from the urban area, the information exchange is always too slow. While we are walking, Sakuma-san told us that he knew about this incident probably after the end of the white ghost rebellion.

He described the village as a lively and rich village, the rice-making was flourishing, and the children were usually playing in the streets with loud voices.

But, that village is now completely quiet.

At midday, despite the clear blue sky, the village is engulfed in a mysterious, hazy atmosphere.

It’s different from being sluggish, more like it’s somewhat stuffy, like, it’s too clear and you can’t help but to feel a sense of oppression.

It may be because of the thin, white haze.

……No, wait a minute.

『This morning, there are white haze appeared like this. At first I thought it was the fog from the mountains, but…』

『Usually, there won’t be any fog coming out at this kind of time, and it also won’t disappear even after the sun is already high. What’s more, this morning, the guards who went to the survey the area together slept, and couldn’t be woken up.』

『What about both of you?』

After Haruna-san and Sakuma-san being unanimously asked to explain by Nectar, Sakuma-san answered.

『We also felt very sleepy at the morning, but after we left the village to meet both of you, everything become normal.』

『I also brought the amulet of protection I made, just in case……』

Looking from the faces of both of them, it seemed like they’re not very effective.

『I see, so there’s no doubt that the fog is related, huh.』

『Hey, did both of you ever make an oath with demons or gods?』

Standing next to Nectar who is thinking deeply, I asked both of them, and Haruna-san shook her head, her black hair swaying, while making a strange face.

『In the previous disaster, I made a contract with one of god’s pillar, but it was only temporary. What is the connection with that?』

『I’m also the same.』

Sakuma-san also answered contrary to my expectations, but Nectar seems like he already understood what I was thinking, and his complexion changed.

『Lava, do you think that this is an erosion?』

『It’s quite different from the erosion I had encountered before, but it seems so.』

At the same time, both of the Towa people, Haruna-san and Sakuma-san, turned pale.

The negative thoughts that I felt each time I met this kind of case was not mingled, and I also don’t know why Haruna-san and Sakuma-san, who were investigating this case earlier, are still safe.

But, I’m sure that this haze and erosion have the same nature.

Perhaps because the haze is so thin, so the effects on living things might have changed.

Anyway, since it was a bit awkward, I asked Nectar using the west continent language, while accustoming myself to the two Towa people in front of me.

「Nectar, can I make a temporary contract with both of them?」

「……It’s alright, it’s not like I’m heartless, and it is also the most reliable method.」

Nectar heaved a sigh while seemed a bit unwilling, but it can’t be helped.

「Thank you, I will strengthen my connection with you later.」

Although I and Nectar have been tied together with vows, they’re not the same with the one to oppose erosion.

At the time of the erosion disaster, I didn’t do it because I had to use all of my power, but I applied the Towa’s treaty method to him.

Without that, if Nectar touched the erosion too much, he could be endangered.

「That’s right, I also need it! Since it can’t be helped let’s do it.」

Both of the Towa people bulged at us when they looked at our actions.

I kissed Nectar whose mood already getting better, well, it’s only an activation key kiss, okay!

Even though physical contact and symbolic action are more convenient than contracting, I’m wondering why he is always so happy even though we already did it so often.

「What are you saying, I’m always welcome to the act of confirming our affection! Truly!」

「You don’t really have to emphasis it that much!」

As I felt my cheeks getting hot, I received the leaf cane that Nectar pulled out from the subspace, and I inserted the technique and my magic on it.

『Alright. Let’s establish a good relationship with both of you until the foliage dies! Please call me by my name, Lava.』

While making the oath, I picked the leaves from the cane and handed it to them.