The 5000-year-old Herbivorous Dragon

「Oh, I am not crying. I am not crying at all. I just yawned a little.」

「Is that so? But you looked really sad, you know?」

「I am really okay…but thank you. You are really kind.」

When I praised her, she smiled like a blooming flower. And then she straightened her back.

「Yup! I have to be kind to people in need!」

「Well, I am a lizard though.」

「Eh, is that so? Aren’t you a child dragon?」

「Well I am not really a child. Even if I look like this, I am more like a grandfather.」

I didn’t say my actual age, but my tone of voice seems to have convinced her. She started to look around my body while saying “Hee—” and “Hoo—”. Maybe a lizard like me is unusual to her.

She started to poke my tail, but I don’t really have a problem with it so I just let her.

More than that, I was more concerned about this girl’s clothes. If she is wearing a nun outfit, she must be one of the church’s officials— or maybe a Shrine Maiden candidate.

And I have other reasons than the clothes that make me think so.

My eyes, which have worked for this once in a while, can see the faint magical power emitting from this girl.

She is a “young maiden with magical powers”, which means she meets the requirement.

「By the way, are you a Shrine Maiden candidate?」

「Eh? How could you know!?」

And my deduction is completely correct.

Pyon, surprised, the girl jumped up and down. I am a little softened by her childish reaction.

If she was Rēko, she probably wouldn’t be surprised, and only have an expressionless face.

「One will be able to know that much if one lives long enough, but you are really a Shrine Maiden, huh? I see, I see.」

What good luck. This might be a one in a thousand chance.

There is no possibility that the three airhead people (me, Rēko, and Yoro-san) will be able to infiltrate as a Shrine Maiden candidate. However, our purpose is not to become a Shrine Maiden in the first place. I just want to convey the message of “ We are not your enemy” to the gods of this country.

In that case, all I have to do is have a real Shrine Maiden deliver the message.

「Un, that’s right! That girl and that girl over there too!」

Cheerfully, she swung her finger all over the place.

「Eh~」I muttered while I followed where her finger is pointing with my eyes,

「Ah…what. I thought it was too convenient for me to be able to meet one, but turns out there are so many of them. Or rather, just how many Shrine Maiden candidates there are in total?」

「I think there are hundreds of people. When we first got together the place of worship in the cathedral was packed.」 𝘧𝘳𝐞𝚎𝑤ℯ𝘣𝗻𝘰ѵℯl.c𝐨𝚖

「Th, that’s a lot of people…」

The situation is getting worse now. Out of all those hundreds of people, only one is qualified to speak with the god. In that case, even just sending a message won’t be easy.

「Some people have returned back to the countryside saying “I won’t get chosen” already. But, I am going to do my best…um, but is it impossible after all? What do you think, Lizard-san?」

「Is that so…」

I take a quick look at the magical power of the candidates that is walking around in the square. I won’t know for sure because there are probably some people that are hiding their magical power, but there are many people that have more magical power than the girl in front of me. The selection criteria is unknown, but it is probably more advantageous to have a strong magical power.

However, it would be terrible for me to say that to such a child.

「Well, I don’t know what the world is like. There are times when a totally normal girl becomes awakened overnight. You may still be a little immature, but if you devote yourself to it, God will surely think that you are suitable to be a Shrine Maiden.」

「For real?」

The girl’s eyes shined. I nodded to encourage her.

「And well, if you are chosen as a Shrine Maiden, would you please send a message from me to God? Well, it’s not that big of a deal—it’s just that a companion of mine did something rude to the god of this country, and we just want to tell them that “We are sorry and we didn’t mean to offend you,” or something like that.」

「If it that much, won’t it be good to confess at the cathedral?」

「Well, it is a level of rudeness that a simple confession just won’t do. It’s a situation that’s a little complicated, so… please don’t ask too much about it.」

Well then, I decided.

In this case, I have no choice but to ask all the candidates walking around to send the message. With full use of my eyesight, and even asking Rēko to cooperate, then we ask the people that have high magical power with impact.

「Well then, do your best. I’m sure you’ll be fine.」

「Thank you! I don’t know if I will get chosen or not, but if I did, I’ll properly tell the God your message!」

Carrying a feeling of guilt for lying to such a good girl in my chest, I left that place.

But then,

「—Don’t know whether you will be chosen or not? What are you talking about, human. You are already “Evil Dragon-sama’s chosen one”. Chosen as our messenger that is. Then, the future of any other candidates being chosen as the Shrine Maiden is already impossible.」

There is a young voice that I am very familiar with. From above.

Rēko stood proudly on top of the fountain in the square.

Her appearance with the sun behind her casting a shadow gives a somewhat mysterious feeling.

However, that view only lasted for a few seconds as she jumped to the ground.

「Rēko? Have you sent Yoro-san back?」

「I have confirmed that he arrived at the bar safely. Well then, Evil Dragon-sama. Are you planning to raise this girl to be our assassin?」

「Why do you have such a dangerous idea?」

She’s mistaken. I didn’t plan to make such a one way bet, but I plan to entrust a wide but shallow message to the candidates.

「Evil Dragon-sama?」

The girl tilted her head when hearing my name.

「It’s, it’s not like that! Evil Dragon-sama is just my nickname. Look, I have black scales and blue eyes, right? That’s why I am called Evil Dragon-sama because I look like the Evil Dragon Rēvendia. I am not a real evil dragon or something like th—」

The girl is just staring at me like she doesn’t understand why I am flustered and in a hurry. But she doesn’t seem to be scared of me for the time being.

「Are~?」

Suddenly, the girl floated up in the air.

Rēko lifted her up from behind and hugged her.

「I ask you. You—do you really want to be the Shrine Maiden?」 𝗳𝙧𝐞𝚎w𝗲𝚋n𝚘𝙫𝑒𝘭.𝑐om

「Eh? Un, I do! I will do my best to be one!」

「Is that so, then be prepared. Evil Dragon-sama has already chosen you.」

Rēko then closed her eyes and laughed coolly.

「How nostalgic. This feeling…It is just like looking at myself before I became a kin… Evil Dragon-sama. Please leave the training of this girl to me. I’ll show you that I’ll make her to be a Shrine Maiden that can kill god.」

「Rēko, calm down. Let go of the girl. What you are trying to do is definitely a crime—」

Before hearing the end of my word, Rēko ran out of the square with a fierce dash.

While holding the little girl in her arms.