The 5000-year-old Herbivorous Dragon

I ran wildly all around the fake capital.

The escape exit had already left the building. Now I’m just trying to buy more time and wait for help to come from the outside.

Had I known that it would turn out like this then it would have been a thousand times better to just be taken care of by Sousou like before.

「It’s completely my fault! I beg you to give me one more chance to reconcile!」

「I said that I had already forgiven you, right, Revendia…? Don’t be so mean, you’re acting as if I’m going to do something bad to you…」

「That’s a lie! If you’ve forgiven me, then you won’t be talking about arms and legs! You’re definitely really angry!」

「Hah, Revendia, you’re really a worrywart. I’m really not angry you know? After all, if I was really angry, I wouldn’t just be talking about arms and legs… Just talking about arms and legs is proof that I’m not angry at all…」

Sousou floated in the air above the fake capital, seething with an aura of anger. She looked down upon the scene, first appearing like the sun rising during midday, reflecting the owner of the barrier’s state of mind. Then the scene shifted into a deep dark night with only a crimson moon above, like it had been stained in blood, its dark light pouring down on the fake capital.

The extras placed in their positions have already lost their faces and clothes, turning into mannequins colored in white, chasing after me.

「The truth is that Revendia actually really likes me right? If you really hated me, then you can just break the barrier and leave right? Jeez, you’re not honest…」

「Th, that’s right! This is simply a light banter between you and me, it’s a joke! I really had no intention of leaving!」

「As I thought… Then, let my dolls catch you okay? They’ll properly escort you back to the guest statehouse…」

I took a glancing peek back at the dolls chasing after me.

They were all holding swords or axes, and no matter how you looked at it they were ready to do violence.

「Ms. Spirit! We definitely can’t be caught! Make me run as fast as I can!」 ƒ𝗿e𝘦𝚠𝗲𝚋n𝚘ν𝙚𝗹.𝑐o𝙢

「Affirmative.」

The speed at which I ran was already at a speed that was one just before where I would lose consciousness.

However, from above, Sousou used magic threads to lift the cardboard buildings and moved them to block my retreat path.

So far, I’ve gotten through this by running into another alley but eventually I’ll be blocked in all directions and be surrounded by dolls.

「But if I say so myself, it’s a fortune in misfortune that it doesn’t directly aim for me with its magic threads.」

If the opponent becomes serious and directly aims for me then even with the support of the spirit, I would be caught in a matter of seconds.

The reason why it doesn’t do that is probably because Sousou is being cautious that if “Evil Dragon Revendia” got serious, he could easily break the barrier.

In other words, we’re in a situation where we’re hiding our trump cards and each testing the other.

Though in reality, I’m seriously already at max power.

While thinking those thoughts, I ran out into the main road but it was immediately blocked by building debris.

There were no side roads and a horde of mannequins behind me.

「Jump! Rise over the debris!」

「Affirmative.」

The black claws shifted their shape into springs and compressed for an instant before jumping.

With this, the mannequins behind will be blocked by the debris and won’t be able to chase after me. A brilliant move, shooting down two birds with one-

Is what I was thinking but that was a mistake.

Beyond the debris we jumped over was swarming with mannequins holding weapons.

Aiming for my landing point, they had already started swinging their swords and axes.

「AH」

This isn’t good.

My head became blank like a canvas as I fell into the group of mannequins without being able to do anything.

「Not good! Ms. Spirit, we can’t fall into there!」

The moment I ordered, my black claws changed shape again and they extended longer.

If I was to give an example of what shape they were, they were like extremely tall clogs.

Being supported by the four pillar-like claws, I stood there with my four legs.

「Ehh… Ms. Spirit? What’s this?」

「Mountain fall not.」

「Well yeah we didn’t fall… If possible I didn’t want to stop at such a dangerous area. Ah, that’s right. I can just walk like this.」

I stepped forward unsteadily with my front legs, I wanted to move forward like a stilt walker but the first step almost threw off my balance and I quickly returned back to my stiff pose.

If I fell into this horde of mannequins then I’ll be turned into mince meat in an instant.

「Uuh, what should I do now. A way to escape from thi— Tehgyahh!!」

Suddenly, my legs started wobbling madly.

Looking down, I saw the mannequins with axes trying to chop down the black claw pillars.

「Don’t lose Ms. Spirit! Make it tough, also make it so it won’t wobble and plant it down firmly on the ground!」

「Affirmative.」

The result was immediate. At the very least, the wobbling stopped and the axes could only carve a tiny bit at a time.

However at this rate, the situation will only get worse.

「…Nn? Where is this?」

And now, upon my back, a very bad awakening happened.

It was Raiotto.

「Do-don’t move! If you move carelessly, you’ll fall!」

Until now, the black claws have hooked onto the ground but having to stand still like this, there weren’t any spare hooks.

If we turned over just once, we’ll fall into the horde of mannequins.

I felt the movement coming from my back immediately stop but instead I felt a hand searching for something on my back.

「…Revendia?」

「Uuh, you’re wrong Raiotto… I’m not some Evil Dragon they call Revendia… If it’s about Rēko, then I plan to return her to human settlements someday so that’s why please believe in me for now.」

If he moved abruptly now, I would lose my balance and collapse. If that happens, it’ll all be over.

「Returning Rēko… The only one who can say such a thing is the Evil Dragon that took her.」

「It’s true that I’m currently traveling with her right now but I’m not the Evil Dragon. In fact, the one leading the journey is her, though…」

As he saw me crying tears, Raiotto groaned with doubt.

「Is it this again? That everything is Rēko’s misconception? I heard it in the village too but I can’t believe it.」

「I know right, even now I think that everything is a dream.」

「But, I want you to answer just one question.」

Suddenly the hostility in Raiotto’s voice lessened by a little.

「Why did you tell me not to move when I woke up earlier? To the Evil Dragon, human lives are nothing to you right? Now that you mention it, what the hell is with this situation. Why are you being attacked by demons?」

「That’s why I’ve said it repeatedly until now. I’m a coward so if someone dies closeby, I definitely don’t want that to happen. Furthermore, I have no power to get rid of them.」

Taking the chance to simply explain the situation. About being trapped inside the barrier and how Rēko’s group has already escaped with no hope of rescue from them.

Raiotto turned silent to think. Then he quietly said this.

「I got it, you… I don’t know why but you’ve been weakened temporarily right? Your body has also gotten quite small, it’s as if I’m not afraid of you. That’s why you’re pretending to be virtuous and trying to avoid fights.」

「Unfortunately, that’s wrong - even if I turned big, my strength won’t turn big, either.」

As I was mourning, Raiotto grabbed onto my horn.

「Me too, I don’t plan on fighting right now either. Even if you’re weakened, I haven’t fallen so far as to think I can win against the Evil Dragon. Also, before returning Rēko back to normal, dying here is putting the horse before the cart. I also don’t really want to kill you, I just want to take Rēko back.」

That’s why - promise me, continued Raiotto.

「I don’t know if I’ll be of any help but I’ll cooperate with you to break through this situation. In return, I want you to promise me that you’ll definitely release Rēko.」

「Of course, that’s what I intended from the beginning.」

I didn’t nod only once or twice to that.

Although I couldn’t promise it would happen right away, one day I’ll return Rēko back to the life of a human.

「But, now that I think about it, what do you intend to do about those mannequins?」

「I could at least become a decoy… Being chased around by crazy people with sharp weapons has happened to me a lot recently.」

「You? You said it casually but isn’t there a problem with the way they treat you? Isn’t it too inhumanely? This is a problem that needs to be mentioned when you get out.」

「Even though I said that, that’s the only thing that I can do. I haven’t yet been taught how to fight yet— That’s right, that sword.」

It was the moment when Raiotto muttered it.

In front of our eyes, the steel sword from before teleported in front of us.

It was hovering there on standby as if just waiting for it to be grabbed.

「Raiotto, have you forgotten how you got taken over by that sword?」

「I still remember. The moment I held it, I was swallowed by dark killing intentions and everything in front of my eyes turned dark.」

「Then we can ignore this sword and move on right?」

「No, wait a minute, Revendia. If you and I can’t fight at all then this sword should be our only remaining method of resisting the situation.」

That’s too crazy, it’s too risky.

The curse was dispelled earlier by Sousou’s rabbit punch but if it happens again, I’ll be stabbed to death and Raiotto will be cursed, unable to return.

「Only now that I’ve been cursed once do I know, this thing amplifies the killing intent within me and uses that to take over. But at the moment, I don’t have any intention of killing you. I just want to help Rēko.」

「Is that true? If it doesn’t work out, I’ll be cut down from behind defenselessly.」

「Believe in me Revendia! I’ll show you that I can control this thing…!!」

「It’s not bad to believe in you who believed in me but…」

But, Raiottos tension has already been raised quite high and he didn’t hear what I had to say.

It’s probably the after effects of being cursed that he’s still a bit high right now.

I pray with all my heart that he can remain conscious.

「Let’s do it! I’ll sweep the demons with this sword, so use that opening to escape this encirclement—!!」

「AH! Wait a minute, I still haven’t agreed to that plan!」

And so the sword hovering in the air was grabbed by Raiottos hand.

「HYA, HAHHHH-!! I got this, brats bodyyyyyy—!!」

What’s with this instant death?

The worst development that I had expected could happen, had happened.