What Does That Evil Dragon Live For?

“Even if I die and only bone fragments remain, will Rabes notice?”

 

[Isn’t it already a bit early to think like that?] 

 

“For me it may be a long time, but for Rabes, it may only be a moment.”

 

Since last time, Rabes had been worried about Elaine who kept talking about death.

 

Elaine wasn’t wrong that a human lifetime is but a moment to a dragon, but the memory of five hundred years ago, when he couldn’t be with Lancer for the rest of his life, still haunted him.

 

‘Seeing things like this, I doubt I could handle eternal life.’

 

Rabes sighed slightly. He seemed to have picked up the sighing habit from Elaine.

 

[I can recognize it.] 

 

“Even though I don’t have Rabes’s magic core?”

 

Rabes almost started to tremble because he could clearly see his magic core shining inside Elaine’s body, but he managed to keep his expression and answered.

 

[The fact that I have allowed you to use the ‘Rekuro’ magic means that you too have my magic power.]

 

“really? It’s not because of me that Rabes is in pain or having a hard time, right?”

 

[Why don’t you ask me that after borrowing my magic power? I have teach you to use my magic]

 

“Well, if I really need it someday, I’ll borrow it gratefully.”

 

Elaine smiled. She looked somewhat relieved.

 

“I’m only your second contractor, but I will be the first contractor to have stayed with Rabes until the end.”

 

[Never forget that thought.] 

 

Rabes climbed on Elaine’s shoulder and patted the top of her head with his tail.

 

The thought of taking out the magic core and taking revenge as soon as he granted her third wish wavered in his mind.

 

* * * 

 

It was around that time that her roommate Debbie became somewhat kind to Elaine.

 

“My family sent me some chocolates and cookies.”

 

Debbie carelessly placed a small box on Elaine’s desk and casually changed her clothes, leaving Elaine behind, who was tilting, not knowing what it meant.

 

“therefore…What is that?”

 

“I told you earlier. Chocolate and cookies.”

 

“You’re sharing with me what your family sent you?”

 

“They told me to share it with my roommate.”

 

She couldn’t see Debbie’s face because she was turned around, but she could see her earlobes were red.

 

“Thank you.…”

 

“you’re welcome.”

 

To be honest, I wanted to ask why she was suddenly like this, but I kept my mouth shut because I thought I would feel bad if I heard people say that they were up to something even after handing out chocolate and cookies.

 

‘What’s wrong with her, she was never nice to me in my previous life…’

 

Of course, the current situation was very different from her previous life.

 

Elaine was no longer the easy prey of Lorina’s group, and there were several saints who admired her because she never missed first place in catechism or scripture recitation.

 

After teaching several saints how to make potato puree, the method became popular among the saints, and many of the saints even greeted Elaine casually.

 

‘Is that really why Debbie’s attitude has changed?’ 

 

Debbie was not Lorina’s close friend. Rather than being her friend, she was a saint who tried to please Lorina.

 

But what if she gave up on that path this time and chose to be friendly with her roommate, Elaine?

 

Just that assumption made Elaine’s heart pound.

 

‘I might have more friends!’ 

 

‘I decided to become friends with Sergey, but this is my first time having a female friend.’

 

She wondered if it was a bit immature to hope for the friendship of 17-year-old girls with the mentality of a 26-year-old, but her expectations that she might be able to fill in what she had been lacking throughout her past life gradually increased.

 

‘But don’t expect too much.’ 

 

The years that Elaine had lived were not easy to conclude everything based on a single favor.

 

Still, Elaine accepted Debbie’s favor anyway. She hopes that they can have a better relationship in the future.

 

And when Elaine gratefully accepted the chocolate and cookies, Debbie gained a little more courage, and the next evening, she quietly approached her and made an offer.

 

“Why don’t we help each other practice reciting scriptures? Of course, you probably memorized it all.”

 

“Okay.”

 

‘I was already thinking about memorizing the scriptures one more time for the next day’s test.’

 

Elaine opened the scripture and told Debbie to go first.

 

“Lord Bara, established a precept on the earth, and Alumisha, the first servant of Bara, said, ‘Believe not in any god but Bara.’ The second servant, Katrimisha, said, ‘Do not profane the name of God’….”

 

Debbie closed her eyes tightly and began to recite what she had memorized.

 

At first, it flowed smoothly, but by the fourth precept, she started to stutter and say, ‘Uh, uh…’The number of things I pause for has increased.

 

Debbie eventually gave up on the seventh precept.

 

“I memorized everything until yesterday…”

 

“Hmm, it’s easier if you group the name of the species and the keywords of the precepts and memorize them in order. That is the method I use.”

 

“Uh, how…?”

 

“Alumisha – the one God, Katrimisha – the name of God, Damates – the family, Oren – murder, Lithemis – theft.… Something like that. There are a total of ten precepts, so think of them as engraving one on each finger. If you memorize them while inserting your fingers, it will be easier to recite them later.”

 

“There was a way like that.…”

 

Elaine helped Debbie with her recitation since she had already memorized it anyway.

 

And at the end, Debbie, who had memorized the part perfectly, shook her body and looked helplessly in all directions before blurting out,‘Thank you’.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“you’re welcome.”

 

Nothing else was said, but that was enough for Elaine.

 

[Hmm… She’s not a very bad girl after all, is she?]

 

“I guess so. I mean, she’s only seventeen, how could she possibly hate a friend of her own age to death?”

 

[You said it was like that before you returned?] 

 

“Yes…Because I couldn’t create this opportunity. Debbie must have been cruel to me in order to impress Lorina out of her sense of duty for her family.”

 

Elaine felt truly fortunate that she could change the past this time.

 

[But don’t relax. There are really bad people in this world.] 

 

“Yes, and Rabes is by my side.”

 

[That’s right.] 

 

Rabes hoped that Elaine would heal some of the wounds from her past life, but he was worried that she might suffer other wounds.

 

One day, as Elaine and Debbie became closer, Debbie suddenly gave an invitation to Elaine.

 

“what’s this?”

 

“Don’t open it now! Open it after I leave. It doesn’t matter if you refuse…Still, I want you to come.”

 

With those words, Debbie quickly ran out of the room. She seemed quite embarrassed.

 

Elaine chuckled, opened the off-white envelope, and took out an invitation.

 

「Dear Saint Elaine. 

 

On August 20th, you are invited to a picnic on the shores of Lake Cher to bid farewell to the end of summer.

 

All you need to bring is light clothing for the picnic and a wide-brimmed hat. Baron Mason will provide the rest.

 

I look forward to creating some fun memories together before this beautiful season is over.

 

– Debbie Mason.」

 

Unexpectedly, it was a picnic invitation.

 

And Elaine clearly remembered that picnic.

 

Debbie, who had gone to a picnic, boasted about it all evening, and Elaine was so curious about picnics that were popular among nobles that she could only imagine them.

 

But she was invited to that  picnic.

 

“Woah…!”

 

[why? What?] 

 

“I really don’t think much will change. I can’t believe I’m invited to this picnic.…”

 

[Is this a good thing?] 

 

“yes! It’s a picnic I really wanted to go to in my past life. At that time, Debbie said, she went boating and drank cold soda on Lake.…she said they also ate cucumber sandwiches and peach pie, and they played tag and made wreaths with each other. Is this going to be like that again this time?”

 

Perhaps because it was the first time, she felt envious and she remembered all the little things that Debbie boasted about.

 

[Are you going?] 

 

“Umm…Shall I take a look?”

 

[She might invite you in and harass you even more.] 

 

“I’m not scared at all because Rabes will be by my side.”

 

[Didn’t you flatter me too much last time?] 

 

Although Rabes spoke sarcastically, he could not hide his smug expression and shrugged his shoulders.

 

And when Debbie returned to the room that evening, Elaine said she would gladly accept the picnic invitation.

 

“But are you sure all I need to bring is a hat, nothing else?”

 

“My house will provide all the food and drinks, including picnic mats and towels and everything.”

 

“Who else is going besides me?”

 

“There are four of us, me, Avril, Danae, and Melina.”

 

All of her friends that Debbie mentioned were in ambiguous positions within the temple. Elaine would say they are just like Debbie.

 

Although they were not powerful families, they were not families that were greatly left out in any corner.

 

‘In my previous life, they were kids who tried to impress Lorina, but In the end, they couldn’t join Lorina’s group.’

 

* * *