The 5000-year-old Herbivorous Dragon

I have many questions, but right now the top priority is to resolve the misunderstanding about me in the capital.

Fortunately, we have Ria here that can persuade the church members with 「Evil Dragon-san is not a bad person」.

「…but it could go to the point where they’ll think we threatened her to say that.」

This is where it starts being painful.

The persuasive power would have been up to the roof if Kami-sama possessed her and persuaded them himself, but I feel like the power of Ria’s claim alone is insufficient.

When I was wondering what I was going to do, Rēko and Ria walked towards me after their strategy meeting.

「Evil Dragon-sama, we have an idea that has been finalized for the time being, is it okay to present it to you?」

「Oh, I’m counting on you. What’s the idea?」

「First of all, I propose we burn all opponents with fire breath to calm down the situation…」

「That is not calming down, that is ending them.」

Then I will be given a stigma as an Evil Dragon all over the world, both in names and reality.

「Yes.」Rēko said while she hung her head.

「The Shrine Maiden girl did point that out…And she proposed this one idea instead.」

Judging from our exchange so far, there is no doubt that she is a kind child. I’m sure she won’t propose a strategy that would harm the people of the city.

「Fierce attacks from all directions will surely come if Evil Dragon-sama stepped into the capital. So, this girl said that「She wants Evil Dragon-sama to show mercy deeper than the sea, and endure the barrage」.」

「Ah, I see. That way the people in the city will be okay then…」

In the middle of saying that, blood drained from my face.

「Wait, that’s not okay! I’ll evaporate to dust with that strategy…*cough*!」

I stop my words and clear my throat, and then I bring my voice close to Ria and whisper to her.

「Umm, Ria. Please keep this a secret from Rēko, but I am not exactly confident that I can withstand those attacks…」 ｆ𝓇𝘦ℯ𝙬𝑒𝐛n𝐨νe𝙡.c𝑜𝗺

「There is no need to worry. Dragon-san is Kami-sama’s prospect, so if Dragon-san gets into trouble… Kami-sama’s miracle will surely happen to save you. Maybe.」

「I don’t want to bet my life on a chance of miracle though.」

「It will be okay if you pray to Kami-sama. Then, let’s believe in Kami-sama. 」

Ria’s eyes are shining as she puts her hand together in prayer. She is not a bad girl, but as she is the Shrine Maiden, she just has too strong a sense of trust in that Kami-sama.

And other than that, even if she told me to “Believe”, I honestly can’t believe in that Kami-sama too much. I had just a bit of conversation with him, but I can already tell that he has a really messy personality.

Then, Rēko clapped her hands and partitioned me from Ria.

「Shrine Maiden girl. I believe I rejected that idea already.」

「Ah… that’s right! I’m sorry!」

「Eh? Is that so?」

When my eyes were blinking with surprise, Rēko knelt down and bowed to me.

「Yes. If we take that strategy, even if Evil Dragon-sama exerts mercy deeper than the sea, I won’t be able to stand it. I will impulsively destroy the capital. That is the reason I rejected it.」

「U, un… I don’t think it’s okay to praise you too much, but this time I want to thank you for that.」

「I’m honored to receive your compliment.」

Rēko, a little happy, raised her knees from the ground and stood up…

「That’s why for the final plan, I’m thinking of using them.」

`「Them?」

Rēko turned around and pointed at the holy beasts that were just milling about. It feels like they lost their motivation after Kami-sam went to take a nap and were just lounging around like a pet after lunch.

「Those beasts are, for the time being, the guardian deities of this country. And if Evil Dragon-sama walked to the capital with them beside you, Evil Dragon-sama could show them your authority.」

「Ah, that one might work…but still, I think it is a little bit unimpressive.」

The line up of holy beasts on both of my sides as they follow me…

I want to give a more calming impression so that we won’t attract repulsion though.

「Here, I would like to use the “Sacred Evil Dragon-sama Empire’s National Anthem” that I taught to those beasts earlier. We’ll let the beasts dance to the song and claim the fact that they are under our command.」

「Umm Rēko, they’ll get an even worse bad impression of me If I do that.」

Hm? I tilted my head.

「Nee Rēko. The lyrics of the national anthem are pretty dangerous, but can you do it without the lyrics?」

「An off vocal performance is of course possible.」

The beasts dancing to the song stimulated my old memories.

It is a story when I was less than 100 years old, a story when I was sold off as a rare animal and kept in a spectacle show.

Riding a ball and passing through a ring of fire— I couldn’t master any of them until the end, but I do remember that the spectacle show at that time was doing a trick of making animals jump to musical instruments.

I didn’t have a good sense of rhythm back then, so I wasn’t allowed to participate.

But what about now?

Through the journey with Rēko so far, I have grown to be able to fly as long as I have magical power.

Compared to the sense of balance while flying in the air, riding on a ball might as well be breakfast.

「If I were to play music and ride a ball…Well I don’t think it will be great.」

I imagined the scene, but it is just an animal parade no matter how you look at it. It won’t give people a proud impression, and it could probably show that you were not hostile.

「Okay then Rēko, let’s go with that plan.」

「I am sorry to have involved you.」

After I said that, I made the black claw of the Hunt God inflate into a ball shape.

Because transforming it consumes my strength, I’m planning to have Rēko make the ball again after this, but for the time being, I’d like to ride it once to check the feeling.

「I’m going to ride the ball like this, so can you take a look?」

I smiled at Rēko and Ria, and jumped on top of the ball.

I don’t feel uneasy even a little bit. I definitely progressed from what I was 5000 years ago. I can even fly in the sky(as long as I have magical power). Maybe this plan will succeed—

—Zube.

There is a feeling that I slipped as much as one could, and the world became upside down.