No, why do you have to admit it so shamelessly? I can’t even bring myself to curse at a ‘being’ whose age gap from me is as big as the dimension of space and time, someone beyond being my elder. My fists simply clench and unclench.
I looked at the ‘being’ with a frown. I don’t know why this is happening, but somehow this being is friendly to me. Time to gather information.
“Let me make a few things clear.”
<Sure. Do you have questions?>
A lot. There were too many, actually.
“First, why am I here?”
<That’s an easy question. This is a subspace I created. It is the world of consciousness. Kanut flew you here.>
“… … Second, how is it possible for Kanut to do that? He doesn’t seem to have much power.”
<My blessings rest on Kanut. My guardians are free to enter and leave this subspace I created. However, perhaps because he is smart, he has learned to use it to send others in and out.
So he wasn’t totally a useless piece of trash in terms of his ability.
I raised my eyebrows and looked at the ‘being’. Unlike Kanut, who pretended to be a god, this one was the real deal. It was exuding an unmistakable mystique beyond humans.
“Third. You are a dragon, right? Dragonas of the Desert.”
Gentle-spoken and friendly to humans. The sand-coloured hair and eyelashes, among other things, made it clear. Dragonas nodded slowly and gave an affirmative answer.
<Yes, I am Dragonas. I’ve been waiting for you.>
Huh, me? Why me?
The attention of a transcendental being often has a very negative impact on a comfortable and peaceful life. I might end up on an unexpected journey or become a hero. I looked at Dragonas warily. Then Dragonas responded with a faint smile.
<I wish to give you three gifts.>
“Why me? There are others who have suffered more.”
<Their lives will be happy from now on. I have collected the souls of all the children* who have died and arranged for them to be reborn in better places. At least in their next lives, they won’t suffer and be unhappy.>
*(Dragonas called humans, children, so the was referring to everyone here, not just children.)
Uh, that’s a little unnerving. Does he mean I won’t be happy here?
<You… … you are peculiar>
“What?”
<You are a child who should already be dead and have become a soul, so how is it that you are still alive?>
“… … !”
Oh, sh*t. Dragonas knows about the changes from the original work. It must seem strange since things aren’t following the predetermined fate.
‘Could it be that he’s going to kill me now?’
No way. That would be a crazy plot twist so bad it would make everyone ask for a refund. Dragonas chuckled as if he knew what was going through my mind and then spoke kindly.
<Humans who could stop Kanut were needed. That child doesn’t listen to me anymore. The key who will lead the people who can stop Kanut. That was you.>
“Oh… why me…?”
<Fate has many twists and turns, and you could have chosen not to come. But fortunately, you did, bringing others with you. I can only be grateful.>
So that’s why he’s giving me gifts? Since I grew up being taught to be careful when someone is offering you something for free, I didn’t really like the idea of suddenly being given something. However, Dragonas, being quite insistent, ignored my displeasure.
<The first gift is this.>
He snaps his pale brown fingers. At the same time, I gasped for air.
My heart hurts. My heart ached so clearly and precisely. I grabbed my chest with both hands and arched my back. It felt like an invisible hand had reached into my body and grabbed my heart. Thinking I was going to die if things continued like this, I tried to resist, but it was a force I couldn’t break.
<Don’t resist. I’m not trying to harm you.>
Dragonas slowly approached me and twirled his index finger. To be honest, as I was already wet with cold sweat, all I could think was, ‘what the hell is this dragon saying?’ But fortunately, the intense pain subsided after a while.
“Huff, huff… … What did you do… … .”
<There’s a little evil spirit attached to you. It’s gnawing away your life, making it drain faster and also stopping your life force from replenishing.>
I was breathing heavily and was about to get angry when I saw something that looked like a burnt roast salamander being held in the Dragonas’ hands.
“Well, what the heck is that… sir?”
<A little evil spirit. They are the demon’s minions. It seems like there’s already a demon hovering around you.>
Demon? I wiped my forehead and tried to regain my composure. I wanted to smack the dragon in the back for hurting others without prior explanation, but seeing the evil spirit writhing and turning to ash, I realized I should be grateful.
“How did that thing get on my body…”
<Well, not long ago, the demon stabbed the Sun God descendant who was on your side. It seems it transferred from him to you.>
“… … ah.”
<By nature, the Demon of the Scales is not allowed to harm a painting wizard directly. That was agreed long ago… It seems like they came up with this tactic instead.>
Oh, so the thing inside that guy named Giogio was a demon? Is that also the demon of the scales?
I watched the evil spirit in Dragonas’ hand turn to ash and felt extremely uneasy.
“I’m just asking, just in case. Does the demon of the scales have a name?”
<They say humans are given names by their parents. We, on the other hand, have a name assigned to us from birth.>
So what is it?
It’s only natural for me to feel mad and want to stick my fist in the demon’s face right now. I can’t help but let my pouty demeanour show. Dragonas scratched his head with an awkward expression and jogged his memory.
<It was probably… Aragorn.>
“… … !”
<I think it was that kind of name.>
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