Our tour of Vanzeld Castle hadn't exactly been without mishap, but it had ended without any actual injuries.
I'd wanted to do a little more sightseeing, but the number of people who'd be living at the house in the highlands had increased, and we'd decided to head straight back.
At present, we were on our way home aboard a leviathan.
While we were relaxing in the dining area, a demon came in.
"I'll be your attendant on your return journey, Fatla. My little sister, Vania, caused all manner of trouble for you during the first half of your voyage."
Oh, that's right. These sisters took their huge leviathan forms in turns and worked as something resembling a sightseeing bus. The one who wasn't driving (?) acted as the tour conductor.
"No, no. Vania was trying her best, I think. Don't worry about it."
"Are you sure? From what I can see, she's practically dead weight for our tribe."
When it came to her little sister, she had a very sharp tongue.
"I'll guide you properly, so please don't worry. I've prepared beverages for you as well, and I'll go get them now."
After about three minutes, Fatla came back with a tray of chilled drinks.
"It's a beverage made by dissolving honey in spring water. It should be just the thing for the fatigue of a long journey."
"You really are good at hospitality."
If Demon King Pecora had had a slightly better personality and we had managed to stay out of trouble, this probably would have been an ordinary trip… Although I guess you could say it was typical of us to get dragged into something like this. It wasn't easy living a laid-back life.
But there was still an accident waiting for us.
Abruptly, the floor pitched and rolled.
"An earthquake? But we aren't even on the ground!!"
"Vania probably made herself laugh by remembering something, and she's shaking! That idiot!"
I see. If you don't stay calm, anybody and anything you're carrying will rock, too.
Then the pitching grew more violent, and…
"Waugh, argh! She's moving so much I can't balance the tray—"
Fatla toppled over.
Sploosh! The honey-water on the tray splashed all over her.
"I-I'm not a klutz! I'm not!"
Fatla had landed on her rear, and tears were welling in her eyes.
"Lady Beelzebub always praised me, saying I did my job well… This is abominable! I swear, I'm going to give Vania such a beating later!!!"
"Hey, calm down! Does anybody have a towel?"
Halkara went and got one, and we dried Fatla off a little.
While we were toweling her down, an announcement echoed through the room.
"This is your pilot, Vania. I'm very sorry about that. A joke from a comedy I saw two years ago just popped into my head…"
So she actually had laughed because she'd remembered something?!
"I am never ever ever forgiving you!"
Fatla was beside herself with fury.
Well, this was a family problem, and I'd let them work it out on their own.
Fifteen minutes later, Fatla brought in some fresh honey-water. Her expression was composed.
She was warm with a vague glow about her, as if she'd just gotten out of the bath.
"I was sticky from the honey, so I washed off and soaked a little. Here are some fresh beverages for you."
"You have it pretty rough, don't you?"
"Yes, it's truly awful."
The honey-water wasn't too sweet. The flavor was perfectly balanced.
As you drank it, it made you feel as though your body was being quietly purified.
My daughters were offering comments like, "This is good, isn't it, Shalsha?!" "Yes, Sister, it's delicious," so by all appearances, it was a hit with the children as well.
"Bring me another glass, please." Halkara ordered seconds. "If we commercialized this, I think it would sell quite nicely. If it's simply water and honey, it should be easy enough to prepare. I'll drink a little more and memorize the flavor."
"You're incredibly business-minded!"
"I caused trouble for you again, so I thought I'd earn money and get a present for everyone…"
Between this and that, Halkara also seemed to be reflecting on her actions.
"Halkara, you don't need to show your consideration that way." As Laika spoke, she sipped her honey-water. "On the contrary, I believe Lady Azusa wants you to use this error to help yourself grow. If you wish to repay us with something concrete, simply treat us to elvish cuisine at the house in the highlands."
Rosalie, who was floating beside her, also nodded. I agreed.
"All right. Thank you very much… Still, this does seem as if it would sell, so I'll keep the honey-water product in mind."
So she hadn't forgotten the business aspect. In a way, that was just like Halkara. Thinking that I wanted her to keep living life her way, I drank down the last of my honey-water.
However, there was still one glass sitting on the table, completely untouched.
"Flatorte, why aren't you drinking? Don't you like it?"
Flatorte was going back to the house in the highlands as well, and she was right there with us. However, for the past little while, she hadn't said a word, and she hadn't drunk or eaten anything.
"Is this some sort of protest?"
Could it be a hunger strike?
"No." Flatorte shook her head, but she was gazing at the honey-water. "You didn't give me permission to drink, mistress, so I haven't."
She gave the rather shocking reason very casually.
Halkara, Laika, and Rosalie all recoiled a bit.
"…You may drink, Flatorte."
When I gave permission, Flatorte took a normal sip and smiled. "It's delicious."
Was the girl a fanatic, or was the blue dragons' submission extreme? Either way, this wasn't good.
"Flatorte, come here a minute."
I took the dragon into an empty room.
"Whatever's the matter, mistress? Have I done something wrong?"
"Listen, does this mean that you won't—or can't—do anything unless you're ordered to?"
"That is the way master-servant relationships are, so yes. There was a time, long ago, when human knights fought astride blue dragons. Back then, if a dragon acted without orders, it would cause a huge incident, and so…"
I see. So the submission was based on a wartime mentality.
"In that case, if I told you to die, would you do it? That's not right, is it?"
"If you tell me to die, I will. That is the pride of the blue dragons."
This was a problem. I was currently clashing with a values system that was different from mine.
"Flatorte, you don't want to die, do you?"
"N-no, I don't, but as a blue dragon, there are things I must protect…"
"Dying when someone tells you to die is pride? But you're just throwing yourself away. I know submission isn't the only thing your people consider a virtue."
Somehow, I'd have to shift Flatorte's mindset into something more decent.
"No. The blue dragons' core value is that 'the strong take everything.' In other words…it follows that a defeated individual who's allowed their horns to be touched must live out the rest of their days in absolute obedience to the stronger party."
As Flatorte told me this, there were tears in her eyes. She hadn't fully accepted the unfairness of the situation, either.
"My parents taught me this as well. The type who would let their horns be touched should lose everything and live on that way. They said it was the punishment for being weak."
"But that's practically slavery."
"In the ancient manuscripts, I hear that dragon knights are defined as 'those who fight by using enslaved blue dragons.'"
Hey, no, I don't want a slave. We're already living pretty happily as a family.
"All right. In that case, Flatorte, I have an order for you."
"Yes, mistress."
"Once we reach the house in the highlands, think and act on your own, without waiting for orders from me. Throw away the sense of submission and live any way you like."
Flatorte didn't seem to understand what she'd just heard, but soon her expression turned anxious.
"But mistress, in that case, I won't know how I should live!"
"Why not? My orders are absolute, aren't they? In that case, obey them. You have to live independently. I'll give you as much advice as you like, but I'm not fond of giving orders."
Flatorte was gazing at me with tear-filled eyes.
Apparently, what I was trying to say had gotten through to her a little.
"Mistress, that order is inconsistent…"
Right: There was something twisted about being ordered to act freely.
"That's fine. After all, I'm the one in charge around here."
When I think something is right, I don't back down.
"You really are kind, aren't you, mistress?"
"If anything, you're too extreme. Take life a bit easier. In a way, if you tried to emulate Halkara, it would be just about perfect."
"Mistress, in that case… May I ask a favor?"
"I'll do what I can. What is it?"
"Would you pet my horns and head, please?"
Huh? Horn-petting again?
"There's no real harm in it, so I suppose it's fine."
I thumped Flatorte's back lightly with my left hand, petting her horns and head with my right.
"Aah… Flatorte is yours, mistress…"
Flatorte sounded happy. Was it safe to consider this matter settled?
"Among the blue dragons, I was always careful not to show weakness…so there was no one I could ask to spoil me, and so…I'm very happy right now."
Come to think of it, this girl had been the leader during that attack.
Like Pecora, she might fall into the "many important people are masochists" category.
"Mistress, Mama, Mama…"
"Huh? Mama?"
True, mothers were the ultimate example of people you could count on to spoil you, but…
This was just a guess, but maybe when your parents stroked your horns, it didn't count as far as submission was concerned. Parents probably at least petted their children's heads.
In that case, the only people who could pet your horns would be your master or your parents. It had probably made her remember her mother.
"It feels nice in your tummy, Mama… It's like when I'm lying down in a warm room…"
It did seem as though her memories were reverting to early childhood. Was she regressing because she sensed something maternal in me—even though I was younger than she was—and wanted me to spoil her? I was in full mommy mode toward this adorable dragon already, so I wasn't picking up on the finer points of Flatorte's emotions.
At this stage, I might be able to raise one more rather odd child.
Just then, the door to the room opened, and Laika came in. Her face was pretty stern.
She yanked on Flatorte's back.
"You're causing trouble for Lady Azusa. I think it's about time you removed yourself!"
Flatorte was pulled away easily. However, when she saw Laika, her fury blazed up. Her regression to infancy evaporated.
"Why did you interrupt us?! Every last thing red dragons do is irritating!"
"You were doing something strange, so I stopped you, that's all!"
"It looks as though I really will have to settle things with you somewhere! I challenge you to a duel!"
So what exactly had they sworn in the presence of the demon king again?! They'd already gone back to fighting?!
"Don't, you two! If you make the demon king look bad, terrible things will happen!"
"Mistress, if we challenge each other in a way that isn't recognizable as fighting, there won't be a problem."
"Lady Azusa, I believe it will be all right if we choose a safe method."
That was a relief. In that case, though, what on earth were they planning to do?
"Wh-what about whoever serves mistress best wins…?"
What was that method supposed to be?!
"A-all right… That will do."
Not only that, but Laika accepted it!
"M-mistress? Are your shoulders stiff?"
"Lady Azusa, I'll massage your back."
"No, both places are fine already!"
I left the room. Having people come at me with that extraordinary resolve only makes my shoulders stiffen up more!
"Once we reach the house in the highlands, we'll have a cooking competition!"
"Perfect. I'll make sweets mistress will find delicious!"
I guess the house is going to get even noisier.