2-1 Part 2
Ashley, Last in Line for the Throne
- The Evil Dragon and the Strange Book -
I
dug silently. I simply swung my Shovel in silence until the sun went
down. I am a child of the Emperor, but this suits my nature far better.
My
heart feels at peace; it feels liberating. It is much better than the
suffocating court. There is also the dream of finding unexpected treasures.
Well... there are many days when I strike out, though.
Right
now, I am excavating an old residence. A building is, so to speak, a treasure
chest; my objectives are almost always found indoors. I finally dug up a
window, so I kicked through the window of the excavated house and entered.
My
objective is books from another world. I lit my lantern and searched for a
bookshelf as a priority. Instead, I found a staircase going down, so I
proceeded, but it turned out to be a bust.
“Just
one bad thing after another today...”
However,
after a while, I noticed something strange. The upper floor was as good as
empty, but the lower level was awfully vast for a residence.
I
found a door. Curious about what lay beyond, I kicked it open to find a long,
endless corridor continuing deep, deep inside. There was a vast hollow
underground. From the perspective of the other-worldly study known as
Archaeology, this would likely be a major discovery.
I
advanced through the dark corridor lined with white stone pillars. The
underground space, which seemed endless, apparently had an end. An absurdly
vast altar appeared before my eyes, and there stood some kind of gigantic
structure.
Is
it a statue modeled after a god or something? I brought my lantern close and
touched the object, which reflected the light in blue. Then, I felt a strange
warmth.
“No...
it can't be... is this...?!”
Be
it stone or metal, would it possess the warmth of human skin? Would it suddenly
move, shaking the earth as it lifted its body?
It
was not a statue of a god; it was alive. Was it because I touched it? The
gigantic creature sleeping underground opened its glowing eye sockets and
looked down at the intruder from high above. Today really is an unlucky day...
『Do not worry. I do not possess a
hobby of eating humans.』
It
was a Blue Giant Dragon. The dragon, massive as a fortress, brought its
dragon eyes and dangerous jaws close to the tiny human, Ashley. I am not
a very brave man. I panicked, thinking I would be eaten, but the other party
seemed to have no intention of doing so. According to his own claim, at least.
『Ashley, I knew you would come.』
“Don't
startle me like that. Or rather, how do you know me?”
『I saw you digging up the ground from
down here. Now then, Ashley, it is sudden, but let me give you a reward
for finding me.』
“A
reward, huh? That depends on hearing your identity first. Who are you?”
『Well asked. My name is Evil
Dragon Zirant. Well, just watch for a moment.』
He
called himself an Evil Dragon, but I didn't get a very ominous
impression. In the first place, if he were truly an evil existence, he would
likely lie and call himself a God or a Holy Dragon. In that case, is this
dragon suffering from what is called Middle School Syndrome in the
language of the other world?
However,
I couldn't believe it. The massive body of Evil Dragon Zirant suddenly
began to shrink. I rubbed my eyes multiple times, and Zirant vanished;
incredibly, only a woman holding a small book appeared in his place.
“Are
you... Zirant?”
“Indeed.”
That
wasn't all. She was the same as me. A woman possessing the same Dragon Eyes
appeared there, and I couldn't help but feel moved and sense a kinship with
her.
“I
see... A giant dragon turning into a beautiful woman; it’s just like the world
inside a book from another dimension. ...No, you are a bit too young to be
called a beautiful woman.”
“I
must thank you, after all. Here, take this. This is the Tome of the Evil
Dragon Zirant... It is a guidebook that will drastically grow its owner
every time the assignments written herein are fulfilled. From now on, none
other than I shall make you the Emperor...”
So
an Evil Dragon can make jokes too. He says he will make a Seventh Son
who cannot even call himself a Prince—the lowest in succession rank and
shunned by his father—into the Emperor.
“I
appreciate it, but it's impossible. Do you know what the current Emperor
calls me? An abomination. I am the stain of the Imperial Family. The
time I become Emperor will be the time this country falls.”
“I
shall overturn all of that as well. I guarantee it. If you accept this book,
your destiny will change. Now, take it, Ashley... If you do not wish to
end your life as an abomination, accept my power...”
However,
this was right after that incident with Brother Georg. The thought of
refusing didn't cross my mind; I simply stared at the girl who still retained
an air of innocence, gazing into her blue Dragon Eyes.
There
was something I had thought for a long time. That perhaps I am not human. And
that the person before my eyes is the very kin I should be siding with.
I
accepted the small book from her. That was the Tome of the Evil Dragon.
It was an object with a strange sensation, as if the hot, strong power of Evil
Dragon Zirant flowed into me just by holding it.
“Good
boy, Ashley. Although, I am far from fully revived, so I shall borrow
your body for a while.”
I
wanted to be of help to her, who possessed the same appearance as me. Shortly
after, Zirant rested her head against my chest and wrapped both arms
around my back, accompanied by a warm body temperature.
Then,
she vanished. She vanished, and only the Strange Tome, written with
nothing but unreasonable demands, remained. Was it all my imagination? I
thought so, but the book glowing in the darkness denied that.
My
life is one that could be erased at any moment anyway. A life as the pawn of an
Evil Dragon might not be altogether bad.
— Adventure —
- 【Head to the Adventurer's Guild】
- Completion Reward: EXP 100 / Premonition
of an Encounter
- “Do not be picky.”
— Exploration —
- 【Lap the
Imperial Capital 5 times】
- Completion Reward: VIT +50
- “Walk, do not run.”
— Purge —
- 【Bury 1 Villain】
- Completion Reward: EXP 200 / Shovel LV
+1
- “Put an end to the breath of
evil. Acquire the courage to execute justice.”
— Investment —
- 【Spend a total of 10,000 Crowns】
- Completion Reward: EXP 1000 / Premonition
of an Encounter
- “Do not waste money.”
Wait a minute, there are quite a few mixed in there that make me want to retract my previous statement...