The 5000-year-old Herbivorous Dragon

「So? Just from the name “Possession” what kind of power is it?」

『Originally, dolls are used as substitutes to “house something.” With this role, its power is taken a step further- to take in someone else within its body and “house” them. This time, it’s dealing with Lord Revendia so it would not send a pawn but rather the main body.』

「Even the Evil Dragon can’t escape?」

The kin immediately denied this.

『If Lord Revendia became serious, he could easily tear through the doll’s body. In the first place, it can only act as a sort of binding to buy time against stronger demons. If you had the will to resist and have a sufficient power level, then Sousou would have no choice but to spit you back out. If you had eaten something and it wreaked havoc in your stomach, you would spit it back out right?』

「That’s a strange way to put it.」

『I apologize. Well, with that reasoning, Sousou would usually not use it on something with consciousness. Something like a spirit with a weak ego will have less resistance, so it can easily be sealed though.』

Spirit? So thought Raiotto but he let it slip from his mind. Now wasn’t the time to care about other issues.

「So then why can’t the Evil Dragon and Rēko come out? Didn’t you say that you can escape as soon as you resist?」

『Sousou could have made it so that they wouldn’t resist.』

「What kind of schemes…?」 𝐟𝗿𝚎𝐞𝓌e𝒃𝑛𝒐ѵ𝒆𝑙.c𝚘𝓶

『For example, making the interior of the barrier resemble the real world and not even letting them realise that they’re in the barrier. With just this, the resistance of the captured prey will fall greatly.』

「What’s with that? Is it performing a play to distract them? Can’t the Evil Dragon even see through that? Unexpectedly the Evil Dragon is full of holes.」

『I would like it if you would not insult my master.』

Raiotto could feel a cold chill run through his back.

After all this time talking crap like this, as soon as the Evil Dragon came up, a tremendous pressure could be felt from over the communicator.

『…Excuse me. I have a habit of becoming excited when it comes to my master. This isn’t exactly an excuse but my master, Revendia, should have long ago noticed Sousou’s play.』

「In that case, he should come out right?」

『That’s so, but the fact is that he hasn’t. So I believe that the reason does not lie with Lord Revendia but with Rēko』

「With Rēko…?」

『Exactly, I believe she’s become a burden and they can’t come out.』

That reason didn’t really hit Raiotto hard. If the Evil Dragon just realized “This is inside a barrier” and ordered Rēko to escape, that would be the end. Looking back to the time at the village, Rēko had awakened to quite a lot of power as a kin.

Even with that and still being considered as a burden, Raiotto couldn’t imagine it.

The kin continued…

『From what I’ve seen, Rēko is a kind hearted girl who wishes for peace. Don’t you think so too?』

「…What’s with you so suddenly.」

『For example, within the barrier, Rēko saw the image of a “peaceful village,” then due to her original kind personality, she would like the environment even knowing that it was fake.』

「……!」

Raiotto then opened his eyes wide. He didn’t know what the situation there was like but this sounded like it could happen.

Rēko was a girl kind enough to sacrifice herself to the Evil Dragon on her own accord.

Raiotto didn’t think that Rēko had the aptitude to be the kin of the Evil Dragon.

Being shown a peaceful illusion within the barrier, Rēko’s heart as a normal girl would be daunted.

『Lord Revendia will also watch over her and wait for her to throw away her human heart but if Rēko, after waiting a long time, still can’t throw away her humanity and continue to act unbecoming of the Evil Dragon’s kin then…』

「I understand.」

Raiotto then immediately left the communicator and pulled out the sword stabbed into the wall.

「Before the Evil Dragon becomes disappointed in Rēko, I just have to pull Rēko back to reality right? If not, Rēko would be deemed to be unusable as a kin and- be put down by the Evil Dragon.」

『That’s the right way to think.』

「Sorry for my rough speech, it’s strange to say this to a demon but, thanks.」

That demon didn’t only think of the Evil Dragon but also cared for the wellbeing of Rēko.

Leaving aside the other points that couldn’t be trusted, that was the only point that he could thank.

『To be thanked by the descendant of a hero, it is my honor. Then this may be against the rules as a Demon King Commander but I’ll send you within Sousou’s barrier. Once again, do not speak about me being involved in this.』

「Alright, I’ll leave it to you.」

It’s not as if he’ll be fighting, if it’s just persuading, then Riotto thought he would be enough.

However just in case he encountered Revendia, he took the sword and gripped it tightly. 𝘧𝔯e𝗲𝙬ℯ𝙗𝓷o𝘷e𝗹.𝐜𝑜𝒎

『Lastly one final thing, may I say?』

「Hmm?」

『Inside the barrier, if you encounter my master Evil Dragon Revendia, do not lay a hand on him. Make sure to remember.」

Raiotto didn’t know why but he smiled faintly after hearing that.

As if he desired from his heart to do so or not.

Without even having the time to respond, the light of magic spread from under his feet and in the next moment Raiotto’s vision warped.

-

「Waaashooi!! Waaaashoi!! All hail Rēko! All hail Lord Evil Dragon!」

「Our nation of Granard will swear to walk the same path as the Evil Dragon!」

「From this day onward, this country will be renamed to the Divine Lord Evil Dragon Empire!」

As soon as we entered the capitol covered in fog, this kind of parade began, it’s already been two weeks and it’s still continuing.

Being carried on a portable shrine, everyday Rēko made a satisfied expression, she was filled with the feeling of accomplishment for being able to surmount her first mission.

On the other hand, staring at her from afar.

「Welcome Lord Evil Dragon!」

「Please feel free to stay in this city for as long as you desire Lord Evil Dragon!」

Receiving an never before seen amount of welcome, my eyes watered from the deep emotions I felt even after staying for two weeks.

If I requested, the people would bring me any amount of hay I desired and on top of it all, no one was afraid of me.

Even though my appearance has shrunk due to the potion, receiving this type of treatment even after knowing my identity, this is in fact the peace that my heart desired and the peace that I couldn’t stop longing for.

Looking at us with the spirit riding on her shoulders was Sheina, who had cold eyes.

「Lord Evil Dragon… I think this is probably not the capital. Other than the parade route, everything else is hollow like paper mache. Most of the residents, if you spoke to them, they only say the same things. I’ll just say it, this is… a diorama with shoddily made details.」

「I know… Even I know that this city’s details are strange. I secretly snuck behind the royal palace and it was all just plywood…」

「In the first place, the faces of all the people here are unfamiliar. Even when I went back to my home, no one was there - no, it was also made of paper mache. Coming this far already, it feels like a horror show.」

「I have no excuse for letting you experience such a scary thing.」

「Well, it’s fine. If I had to say so, everything is so shoddy that it’s funny. Apart from that, Lord Evil Dragon, isn’t it about time that you get serious and solve the problem? It’s already been two weeks, you know? If we don’t go back soon, there’s going to be a commotion outside.」

Being encouraged by Sheina on my back, I started to face the problem straight on while crying tears inside. There’s a deep and complicated reason that we can’t exit this fake capitol.

Within my sight, Rēko was continuously receiving a thunderous applause which heightened her sense of accomplishment of having completed her first mission. Her intoxicated expression was like one who had just conquered the world.

「So from here, how do we lower Rēkos tension down to a safe level…」

If Rēko approached the real capitol with this type of tension it would be like the approaching ruin of the country.