The 5000-year-old Herbivorous Dragon

After spending a night in the village, we started walking to the capital city of Olivia.

Because of the need to thank him for our accommodation, along with apologies for Rēko’s rudeness, Yoro-san is now with us.

Toward the Demon King army’s leader—that is, after we (Rēko) knew that he was not the Demon King we (Rēko

) were after— Rēko softened her attitude and no longer acted cautiously around him while trying to attack him.

「…But, I’m worried…」

「Evil Dragon-sama? What’s wrong?」

「Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself.」

Yoro-san’s words last night stuck to my heart like a thorn.

The statement「Rēko is weak」 was shocking.

If Yoro-san was already at this level of strength in three—no, four days after birth, the real Demon King may be way, way stronger.

If there were a lot of beings that are stronger than Rēko, this world would be in danger beyond my imagination.

And, perhaps because he felt my dark feelings, Yoro-san who was walking next to me started talking.

「What’s wrong, Dragon. Your complexion doesn’t look good. Are you in bad condition?」

「You bastard. What are you saying toward Evil Dragon-sama? A body as tough as Evil Dragon-sama’s does not get sick like a human being.」

「…tough?」

Rēko, who is riding on my back, started arguing with Yoro-san while puffing her cheeks a little.

「It’s okay, Rēko. I behaved like a quiet dragon this time to not get in any strange problem, so it is just natural that my complexion worsen a little.」

「I see. It is Evil Dragon-sama’s acting ability.」

「…I am just curious but,」

Then, Yoro-san stared at me.

「You, you have been called “Evil Dragon-sama” for a while now. Are you actually some big shot? In my point of view, you are more of a lizard rather than a dragon.」

「Fuh. Looks like the Demon King has a bad pair of eyes. What a terrible thing. I guess there is no one in the world that could detect Evil Dragon-sama’s camouflage…」

「I’m sorry Yoro-san. “Evil Dragon-sama” is just what this girl likes to call me. Just think of it like a nickname.」

「Seems like there are some troublesome circumstances. Fine, I’ll leave it alone. It has nothing to do with me anyway.」

As expected of a Demon King(even if it’s self-proclaimed). As a king, he is capable of considering other people’s circumstances.

I am surprised by his adult response, since he was just born 4 days ago. He is more mature than the 10 year old Rēko and maybe even the 5000 year old me, I think.

Well, it can’t be helped. I am me. I can’t really change anymore.

「Even so, what kind of festival is happening in this country? I wonder if the capital is covered in mud.」

The only image of a festival with me is the festival in the saintess’s city. In that place, they even served meals for free, so the kind of festival in this country is the exact opposite.

As I walked while mixing some expectations and anxieties within me, I saw a big gate, which should be the entrance to the capital.

The extravagant gate made out of marble gives the impression that it is used to reveal the dignity of the capital, rather than for defense like the one at Peryudōna.

「Rēko, can you give me the permit?」

「Yes.」

Rēko took out an envelope from the luggage and got down from my back. She has an unexpectedly crisp attitude, well she is only like this because I specifically told her to not cause any trouble.

And she walked normally to the gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper’s abilities don’t seem to be very high. Seems like he is here for a ceremonial role.

「Excuse me. This is the permit to the capital that I received at the immigration office, can you examine it?」

「Yes, please wait.」

The gatekeeper who opened the envelope suddenly had a suspicious face.

「Excuse me, but there is supposed to be only one child and a lizard that passed the examination facilities, but that man in armor are?」 f𝓇𝘦𝒆𝘄𝑒𝗯𝑛𝗼ѵ𝙚l.𝒄𝘰𝓶

「I’m with these two people.」

Yoro-san answered briefly. But the gatekeeper’s confused gaze is still on me and Rēko.

「Um, this person is that. An escort that I hired along the way, he is a reliable person, so can we enter the capital together? We are just a child and a lizard you see, so I am very worried if something bad happened.」

「Please wait, Evil Dragon-sama. I am with you, so there is no need for an escort.」

「It’s not the time and place to say something like that now. I understand what you are trying to say, but hold it down for a bit.」

The gatekeeper is looking more and more suspicious of us through our exchange.

「It may be possible during normal times, but this is during the festival. My apologies, but your escort will have to—」

While he is in the middle of talking, “Pashin!”, Rēko suddenly slammed the palm of her hands together. I jumped a little because of the sound.

「Rēko? Why did you suddenly clap your hands?」

「Gatekeeper… Look at the letter again. Isn’t the permit written for “three people”? To allow me, Evil Dragon-sama, and a man in armor, three people through the gate right?」

Rēko spoke slowly in a reassuring tone, and the gatekeeper began to act in a confused manner.

And when he looked like he was not confused anymore, he looked at the permit with no light in his eyes.

「Three people…is it? Ah, right… when I look closely… it said three people…」

「That’s right. That’s right. Believe in your own judgement. Well then, now let us through.」

「Yes…Rēko-sama… I understand…」

「We have passed through here safely, but you will forget our exact exchange. And remember that only Evil Dragon-sama and me passed through here.」

「… Under, stood.」

The gatekeeper slowly nodded his head as his body swayed a bit on the spot. It’s like he is half asleep. 𝒇𝘳ℯℯ𝚠𝙚𝑏𝗻𝑜ѵ𝑒𝙡.co𝑚

「Evil Dragon-sama, I have successfully completed the persuasion. We should be able to pass through here now.」

「Feels like we doesn’t need the permit in the first place.」

We should have passed through the examination facility like this.

「You have interesting little tricks, girl. I was born as a champion who can only walk on a royal road, so I am not good at these tricks. You saved me.」

「What are you saying? Why would you say that Evil Dragon-sama’s great brainwashing technique is mere ‘tricks’?」

「Yes, yes. Stop quarreling right here. For the time being, let’s go through here fast before the gatekeeper regains his sanity. 」

Prompting Rēko, we hurried out through the gate. Behind our receding backs, the gatekeeper immediately stretched his spine and looked left and right as if confused.

As if running away from my internal problems, we quickly distanced ourselves from the gate.

「Ah, shoot. The gatekeeper is supposed to guide us to the institute, but because we went in that way, we have no guide now.」

「Shall I look for it with my clairvoyance?」

「Well, that’s a good idea. But we will probably find it if we do a little sightseeing in the city.」

This capital was more developed than all the cities I know.

FIrst of all, the scale of the buildings are large. All of them were built using stones and each one has a high class feeling to it. And the cathedral-like building that can be seen in the distance is so big that I would be able to live inside it comfortably even if I went back to my original size.

「Then, I will excuse myself. In this short time, you have taken care of me.」

「Ah, I also would like to thank you for yesterday. But please don’t cause any strange uproar, okay?」

「I know. I am not some kind of low ranked demon that attacks people indiscriminately. However—」

「However?」

Yoro-san put a hand on his helmet’s chin and looked around in a mysterious way.

「The shrine over there, and the sculptures in the square over there… All of them have the design of a thunder, is it some kind of trend these days?」

It was a strange sudden question.

And yeah, the tip of the pointed roof of the shrine is decorated with a metal decoration that looks like a lightning bolt falling down from heaven.

「If so, what’s wrong with it?」

Rēko answered while keeping an eye out.

「Even if you call yourself the demon king, it doesn’t seem like you have even this much information. But fine, I’ll tell you about it. Listen carefully. The god worshipped by the people in this country is said to be a god that controls thunder. “ A thunderstorm in the sky is where he resides, and lightning of judgement will be dropped on enemies that invade this land” or something like that.」

「Eh?」

Yoro-san uttered a stupid voice that normally only I would do.

「What’s wrong, Yoro-san? Ah, perhaps you are not good with lightning?」

「Not good with lighting…? Hmm, that is far from Evil Dragon-sama who could pour out thunderstorms even in fine weather.」

However, in spite of Rēko’s provocation, Yoro-san is still somewhat absent minded.

「I am not bad at it, rather, I am good with it…But…」

「Your situation is strange, Yoro-san. Is something wrong?」

When I was worried and poked him a little with my front leg, Yoro-san opened his mouth a little.

I have a lot of questions about his state, but…

「That thundercloud, it 「 be the one that I knocked down the day before yesterday.」