—Kkyuu?
Akorella stood with her hands on her hips, staring up at the dragon. The creature sat quietly, just tilting its head back and forth. Its temperament seemed relatively docile, but its sheer size was daunting. How in the world are we supposed to manage this thing?
As Akorella calmly began to tear at her hair, the mages poked the dragon with the ends of their pens.
“Don’t you think it’s treating us a little differently than it treated Beric?”
“Maybe it knows? That Beric is on its level.”
“Are dragons normally like this?”
“There are probably some real scumbags out there. But you can’t bring those kinds without an expert.”
“True. That Muffin bastard would’ve been dead before he crossed the border.”
“They must have carefully selected this one to be just controllable enough to properly screw with us. Hmm. Let’s start by analyzing its scales.”
“Scales? You mean, those?”
“Yep. Those.”
“Will you be alright, Captain?”
It was a long time ago, but Akorella had once been on the brink of death from a dragon scale infection. She pulled on a pair of hygiene gloves and looked back at them.
“Besides me, is there anyone else who can do it? Anyone here who’s touched a dragon scale before? No, anyone who even knows how to handle one?”
“…No, ma’am.”
“That’s why I’m always telling you to take an interest in various fields, huh? Do some research, be prepared, you brats.”
“Come on. You only know because you got infected, Captain.”
“If you’ve got a problem with it, feel free to get infected yourself.”
Akorella cautiously approached the dragon and lifted one of its scales. The dragon tilted its head, as if sensing something was off, and the mages immediately went on high alert. They knew how flimsy the chains binding the beast were as a control measure. If it suddenly turned violent, they would have to subdue it instantly.
“Whoa, whoa. Relax. You’re making him nervous.”
“Your neck is going to get bitten off, Captain.”
“My, my. Since when did you all start worrying about me?”
“Please be careful. The scale is about to break.”
“Who’s the captain here, honestly.”
Snap! As Akorella plucked the scale, the dragon’s eyes widened. Grrrrumble. Its snorting grew rough, and saliva dripped from its mouth. It was not a good reaction.
While the mages tensed, Akorella pulled at another scale.
“…Ca-Captain!”
“Why do you keep calling me?”
“It’s crying.”
“What?”
Akorella turned her head, dumbfounded. What she had thought was saliva was actually tears. She noticed the dragon was trembling and, with a sigh, she clutched the two plucked scales in her hand.
“That’s enough. We’ll test with these.”
“Don’t cry, you big lug. Why are you crying?!”
—Kkyuuu!
“This is driving me crazy. Don’t cry. What do you eat? Meat? Fruit?”
“Let’s give it the jerky we were going to give Beric.”
The mages, who had been on guard as if ready to pounce, slowly approached and began to stroke the dragon’s forehead. Seizing the opportunity, the creature flopped onto its back, belly up. The mages, fascinated, began to touch it all over, but Akorella warned them.
“Hands off. No one approaches it until I’ve examined the scales.”
“Aww. You’re so heartless.”
“If you’ve got a problem with it, what happens? You die.”
“But the more I look at him, the more amazing he is. Why does he like strangers so much?”
“He didn’t like Beric.”
“He’s not exactly a person. Anyway, he was docile in front of the Ruswenan delegation, but not like this. Do you think he likes mages because he’s a magical creature? Didn’t Ruswena bring a mage along, too?”
Thwack!
Akorella landed a solid knock on the heads of the mages who refused to back away. “Set up a fence and tie him up. I said no access. If you disobey, I’ll assume you have multiple lives to spare and invite you to my lab.”
“Hah! We’ll keep that in mind!”
Tsk, tsk. Should’ve done that from the start.
Akorella went straight up to her lab and placed the two scales in a transparent glass beaker. It would be better if a defect was found in the dragon. Then they could send it right back via Repin, and depending on the problem, they might be able to expand the imperial justification for action.
‘But the scale incident already happened ten years ago. We have some information now. Ruswena knows this too, so even if it’s an infectious disease, it’s not likely to be the same one. Hmm.’
Swoosh. Akorella pulled down her protective goggles and took a light breath. It was a ritual before a sacred study. This was an important occasion to find out what kind of poison Ruswena had sent via this dragon, so she had to pour her heart and soul into it.
Clink.
BOOOOM!
“……?!”
Ten minutes after the experiment began, a sudden explosion startled the mages of the Mana Stone Research Division, who all looked toward Akorella’s lab. But it was only for a moment. As it was a common occurrence, they all lost interest and slumped over their desks. Replenishing their strength before the coronation was essential.
***
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the banquet hall was quite chaotic. The smell of spilled wine, the laughter of the drunk, and nobles slumping in their seats, smoking cigarettes in comfortable postures. Be it a marketplace or an imperial banquet hall, the true face of a party was much the same.
“Lord Repin.”
“Hnngh?”
“The Prime Minister of Hawan and the Minister of the Ministry of Magic are nowhere to be seen.”
Repin, also thoroughly drunk, stroked his mustache and made a puzzled sound. The Clifford party, from the king down to all but the youngest royals, were still in their seats. It was hard to tell if it was due to their nation’s love of drink, but they had been leading the banquet’s atmosphere for hours in the same tipsy state.
“Didn’t the minister go to rest? I saw the mages rotating in and out.”
“That could be, but the Hawan Prime Minister is also missing, which is worrisome. I fear they may be having a secret meeting.”
“Kek! What can she do, even if they are? She’s just an exile who lost a political struggle.”
“Still, it would be best to check. Hawan is close to Ruswena, so their movements are actually more important to us than Bariel’s. If Shatima returns to her country with Bariel’s backing, it will be a huge headache not only for Hawan, but for Ruswena as well.”
Gulp! Repin, who had been sipping from his glass, felt his expression slowly contort. The more he thought about it, the more plausible the advice seemed. He covered his mouth with his hand and asked, “The dragon?”
“The Ministry of Magic took it away, but there’s been no reaction since. It seems to be fine, ‘for now’.”
“That pink-haired mage who greeted us when we first arrived. The captain, that Accordion something.”
“Captain Akorella.”
“Right, right. Doesn’t she give you the creeps?”
“According to our information, she’s in charge of research at the Ministry of Magic.”
“That’s why she gives me the creeps! The dragon research will be handled by her, won’t it?”
If there was no other suitable person, that would likely be the case. As the attendant nodded, Repin clicked his tongue and muttered, “She’s going to find out.”
“Find out what?”
Just then, the King of Clifford leaned in. His smiling face was so wide that his eyes were bent into straight lines. And his bunched-up cheekbones? The atmosphere he exuded was too warm for the king of a nation. The king swirled his wine glass and offered some to Repin. “Whatever it is you’re finding out, let me find out, too!”
“I-It is nothing of consequence. By the way, Your Majesty seems to truly enjoy your drink.”
“This is basic for a citizen of Clifford! We drink with every meal. Come now, don’t be shy, have another glass! His Highness, Crown Prince Jin, has bestowed upon us some excellent wine, so we must not leave a single drop! Kyokyokyo!”
“Ah, I think I’ve had enough—”
“What? You won’t drink?”
It may be a foreign country, but it’s still a king offering. Are you going to refuse? The King of Clifford stared at Repin with wide eyes, and his entire retinue followed suit. How dare he refuse the wine our king offers?
Repin had no choice but to force a smile and drain his glass.
“There we go, it’s good to see you drink well! But I have one thing I’m curious about.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Cough. Goodness, that’s strong.”
“The dragon. There was an issue with them in Ruswena in the past, wasn’t there? I heard a noble who was exterminated for treason did something with one of your dragons.”
“Ah. The Hyman family?” Repin answered without thinking, then looked around. He had momentarily forgotten he was in the middle of the Bariel Imperial Palace. Fortunately, most people were too drunk to even support themselves.
“The lady of that house was from the Ruswenan royal family, but, well. Our government had nothing to do with that incident.”
“I heard a rumor that they made something called Black Armor with a dragon. I ask you cautiously, is that true?”
“Would that not be a treaty violation? Absolutely not. Ruswena only operates internationally recognized dragon breeding grounds and knows nothing of any other matters. It is truly regrettable to hear such rumors, wherever they may come from.”
To stop himself from saying more, Repin voluntarily drained the rest of his drink. The King of Clifford glanced around, then moved closer to him and whispered, “So you’re saying you know nothing about the Black Armor?”
“Yes, yes. I have never seen it, that is correct.”
“Hmm, is that so? A shame.”
At the King’s mutter, Repin’s eyes narrowed. A shame? About what? He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, thinking. Unable to contain his curiosity, he whispered to the King, “Is there something the matter?”
“Oh, no. It’s nothing.”
“As a delegate of Ruswena, I cannot speak lightly of the Black Armor, Your Majesty. Please, tell me.”
“Ahem. Then, just for a moment.” The King gestured for Repin to lean in closer. There is something! As Repin’s eyes sparkled, the King naturally refilled his empty glass. “It’s nothing much, but the capital of Clifford has been destroyed by the Rift for ten years now. It’s about time we started thinking about rebuilding independently.”
“Yes, yes. Of course. It is a matter of the royal family’s dignity.”
Repin reacted sharply to the word ‘independently.’ Clifford was currently being run with support from Bariel. Did this mean they intended to break away and form a new state of affairs? This could lead to a very important shift in international politics.
“I know that the Imperial Palace confiscated a fair number of Black Armor suits from the Hyman family in the past, but they say they cannot provide any support to Clifford.”
“I imagine so, yes. Bariel probably doesn’t have enough for its own use.”
“That is why I am asking you in secret. Is there any way to acquire Black Armor? Outside of official channels, I mean. We both know very well that trade between Ruswena and Clifford is impossible due to our diplomatic relations, so I was hoping you, Delegate Repin, might be able to arrange something.”
“Black Armor. Hmm.”
“If you can just connect me to a supplier, I will give you a tenth of the transaction fee.”
A tenth? Repin blinked. It was an amount he couldn’t even begin to imagine. A single suit of Black Armor was worth an astronomical sum. Repin lightly slapped his own tipsy cheeks. ‘Get a grip. This is a trap, a trap.’
Where would Clifford get that kind of money to pay him? Even if they did, any Black Armor that flowed into Clifford would surely be passed on to Bariel and used to tighten the noose around Ruswena’s neck. This was a very, very clumsy ploy!
“Pardon me, Your Majesty, but the Black Armor is—”
“The beginning of a refusal. Here, have a drink first.”
“Ah, yes, yes.”
Repin drained the glass, trying to fight the spinning sensation. It was probably best to leave. As he went to wipe his wet mustache, the King of Clifford asked again.
“So Ruswena is preparing Black Armor, I take it.”
“Yes.”
Huh? What just happened? Repin was shocked by his own answer and clamped his mouth shut. But the King of Clifford continued as if nothing was wrong. “Dragon scales are essential for producing Black Armor, and you would need a considerable amount. Is that possible by operating only the official breeding grounds?”
“…No!?”
What is this? Repin bit down hard on his own unruly tongue. He had clearly drunk something he shouldn’t have. The King just laughed as if he knew it all along and winked.
“So, you have another breeding ground, then?”
“Your, Your Majesty?”
“What is the matter? You seem quite drunk.”
Something other than alcohol was controlling Repin’s body. The thought of the Truth Serum suddenly came to mind, but his vision was spinning so violently that he couldn’t think any further.
Damn it. I have to get up, claim it was Truth Serum, and protest… otherwise they’ll just think I misspoke while drunk…
Thud!
Repin finally pitched forward, his forehead slamming onto the table. The King of Clifford let out a shriek of a laugh and patted his back.
“Hey! Someone help Delegate Repin from Ruswena! My goodness, why did he drink everything I gave him when he can’t even hold his liquor!”