MISTERLP
"Hal, do you know you're a meathead?"
"Huh? Yeah, I'm aware, but when you say it that bluntly, it pisses me
off." Sure enough, he looked angry.
I sighed and told him, "Poor thought is akin to no thought. With your
brains, you're not going to come up with anything decent, so don't waste
your time thinking. Also, one thing is clear: While you're being indecisive
about what to do, you aren't making either Kaede or Ruby any happier."
"Urkh..."
"Besides, you're more of a doer than a thinker, right? If you have time
to worry about if you're being insincere, use it to show the two of them
some sincerity."
"Don't worry and show them with my attitude, huh... You're right."
With that, Hal stood up, scooping Kaede up in his arms.
"Eek!"
"It's not like me to waste time mulling things over," he said. "I may not
have really come to terms with it all yet, but I'm gonna do everything I can
to make both Kaede and Ruby happy."
That was the simplemi... er, sincere Hal for you. Once he decided not to
think too much, he found his resolve. It was pretty cool that he could scoop
her up in his arms and then say a passionate line like that while sober.
Kaede's face was bright red, too.
"Okay... then. Please, do your best, you know, Hal..."
With how embarrassed she was, it seemed that was all Kaede could
force out.
Haha, looks like Hal got back at her, I thought and was smiling, but
then...
"Since you said it, you do your best, too, Souma." Liscia grinned.
"Oh! Oh! Sire! The princess and I would like to be carried, too!" Aisha
added.
Getting that from both sides, I shrunk into myself.
Then...
A dragon priestess suddenly appeared and told us, "Sir Souma, Sir
Halbert, the preparations are complete."
"Souma, this is her big day, so keep your act together, okay?" Liscia
said.
"Go for it, sire!" Aisha cried, sending me off.
"You, too, Hal," Kaede added. "Don't disgrace the House of Magna."
"What, no kind words for me?!"
Kaede sent Hal off, too. She was like a wife in the Edo Period, sending
off her husband by striking a firestone so that the sparks fell on his back.
Now, then... it was time to go. Naden and Ruby were waiting.
There were two reasons why I came to the Star Dragon Mountain
Range.
The first was Madam Tiamat's request to help deal with the storm
bearing down on the Star Dragon Mountain Range. The other was to form
a dragon knight contract, binding Naden, the one who could fly in that
storm, and me together. For that reason, I had been asked to participate in
the Contract Ceremony which was held between the dragon knights of the
Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom and the dragons of the Star Dragon
Mountain Range.
However, because events developed so quickly, the order of events had
gotten all mixed up, and with the earlier storm having caused damage in
Dracul, due to flooding, among other things, the Contract Ceremony that
the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom would have been invited to was
canceled. Even so, Naden and I, and Ruby and Halbert, had already
essentially formed contracts. That was why it was decided that a Contract
Ceremony would be held today with just us two couples.
When Hal and I were transported to the great hall, Madam Tiamat was
already there in dragon form, and we were surrounded by dragons in
human form. Naden's friend Pai and Ruby's former flunkies Sapphire and
Emerada were there, too.
While we were still nervous, having been cast into the center of
attention, Naden and Ruby appeared wearing a black and a red dress,
respectively.
Ruby was a beautiful girl to begin with, but Naden was given a
makeover by Liscia, so she shone just as brightly. The dresses looked like
they'd been interwoven with metallic fiber, and the contrast between
Naden's black and Ruby's red was stunning.
Meanwhile, Hal and I were in our usual military outfits. Mine was
black, and Hal's was green.
They walked over to us, took a knee, and brought their left hands to
their chests while reaching out to us with their right hands.
Ruby was the first to open her mouth.
"My knight, my partner. I wish to form a riding contract with you."
Hal inhaled sharply. "Accepted!" He took her hand, pulling her to her
feet.
I heard this from Naden later, but the order contracts were formed in
was decided by the status of the people becoming dragon knights. The
highest ranked knight was saved for last, and after that it went in order of
rank. That was why Naden went last, but with only two couples present, it
didn't really feel all that special being saved for that.
Well, that aside, next, Naden opened her mouth.
"My king, my partner. I wish to form a riding contract with you."
"I accept." I took Naden's hand, pulling her to her feet.
I was surprised when she called me her king, but she was right; I
wasn't a knight, I was the king of a nation.
Once she was standing, Naden and I clasped both our hands together.
We were in the perfect pose for high society dancing. At the same
moment, music began playing in the great hall. Quietly at first, but
gradually growing louder. The dragon priestesses in front of Madam
Tiamat had started playing musical instruments. It was a slow rhythm, a
relaxed melody.
"Huh?!" I exclaimed. "This piece..."
"What is it, Souma?" Naden asked.
"...No, nothing."
I began stepping in time to the music.
I danced with Naden, matching the melody. Hal and Ruby started
dancing, too.
As we danced, I leaned in and whispered in Naden's ear, "Do they
always use this piece for the dance at the Contract Ceremony?"
"I don't think so. I've never heard this piece before."
"I see..."
In that case, Madam Tiamat may have arranged this. The piece they
were playing was one that had come from my world. It was the main
theme from a movie where a beauty danced with a beast. Naden and I
danced to the famous piece that played during the dance scene that was the
highlight of the film.
Seeing Naden's face up close, it made me wonder: Which of us was the
beauty, and which of us was the beast? If you saw this as a human-animal
marriage tale, as a ryuu, that would make Naden the beast, but she also
deserved to be called a beauty. The girl in front of my eyes was truly a
beautiful beast.
"What a fancy dance partner I have..." I murmured.
"Hm? Did you say something?"
"No, nothing. I was just thinking how lucky I am."
While we were dancing, I looked over to see Hal and Ruby. Hal must
not have been used to this sort of thing, because his moves were a little
awkward, but Ruby was doing a good job of leading him.
"You can actually dance, Souma," Naden said to me. "I thought you'd
be bad at this sort of thing."
"I was, but I worked desperately to learn how to get better. I was being
called to a lot of social functions, after all."
"Ahaha! You've got it rough, huh."
"Yeah, kinda. For all the practice you skipped, you're doing pretty well
yourself, Naden."
"I-I only started skipping recently. I was practicing like I was supposed
to before."
I looked fondly at Naden as she made excuses, when...
"Naden." Madam Tiamat's voice suddenly came into my head.
"Lady Tiamat?" It seemed Naden could hear the voice, too.
Oh, yeah. She'd been calling Naden, so of course she could.
While we continued dancing, Madam Tiamat's gentle voice echoed in
our heads. "Naden. There's something I have to apologize to you for."
"Huh? Apologize?"
"When you were troubled by the fact you looked different from other
dragons, I was unable to tell you, 'You are a ryuu.' That you were born in
this era meant that one who knew your value would appear. I hid your
nature so as to not get in the way of that meeting, and for that I apologize."
"Don't!"
While still dancing, Naden turned just her face toward Madam Tiamat.
The music was already past the midway point, and was rising. Our
emotions rose along with the melody.
Naden shouted, with tears in her eyes, "You were always there to
encourage me, Lady Tiamat! 'Eventually, one who knows your value will
appear,' you said! When I heard it, I only half believed it... No, I hardly
believed it at all... But I really did meet Souma!"
Big teardrops rolled down Naden's face.
"So... I'm grateful. Thanks... 'Mom.'"
It felt like Madam Tiamat smiled when she heard Naden's words of
gratitude. "Take care, my beloved daughter."
The music was close to ending. I held Naden, whose face was messy
with tears, close.
"Naden, I know I'm not the most reliable guy, but let's work together
from now on."
Naden sobbed. "Yes. Yes!"
Here, today, Naden and I formed a contract as partners.