As I regain consciousness, I feel the odd sensation of sitting upright. That's weird. Last I remember, I went to sleep next to Nina.
Focusing my vision, I notice that I'm sitting in a chair. What the hell? I survey the surrounding area, and a realization makes me go stiff.
No, no! Oh god, please, kill me. This can't be happening.
I'm sitting in the front row of what looks like a school auditorium, and my least favorite god in the whole cosmos is sitting center stage – Dio. He's sporting a smirk like he knows exactly how much I don't want to be here.
"Well, hello again, Mizuki! Miss me?" (Dio)
"Dio…I see that Earth's nuclear holocaust hasn't happened yet." (Mizuki)
"What?" (Dio)
"Oh, nothing. I meant that you look well." (Mizuki)
Dio narrows his eyes at me suspiciously, but quickly shrugs, as if deciding it isn't worth his time. What an ass, even my insults don't matter to him.
"Dio, why the hell did you bring me here? Also, I thought that godlings can't interfere with other planets? I wonder how Azazel will feel when I tell him you abducted me from Azura." (Mizuki)
Dio makes a 'hmm' sound while putting his finger on his face, like 'who me?'.
"Oh? What do you mean, Mizuki? I didn't abduct you. You're just sleeping safely on Azura is all. What was it that you said before, about how dreams aren't real? So, you're just dreaming about me, and I'm not really interfering." (Dio)
He casts me a knowing glance, like a little sibling that just got away with framing you in front of your parents. That smug bastard is trying to loophole me!?
"If that were true, then why am I in this same stage setting as before?" (Mizuki)
I cast my accusations at him with a glare. I thought I was done with him when I moved to Azura.
Dio smirks at my question.
"Oh, that? You see, you're just so lacking in imagination that I didn't want to overwhelm you with a new environment, so I figured that I'd make your dream like that other place where we shared so many fond memories." (Dio)
His sadism truly knows no bounds. For the sake of moving this along, I'm going to ignore that.
"What do you want, Dio?" (Mizuki)
Dio makes an annoyed face, like his toy broke and he can't play with it anymore.
"What's the big idea with you making a contract with that pesky dragon? Don't get me wrong, I'm impressed a bit, too. I mean, the same day after you nearly killed her and she's already kissing you? Still, I'd urge you not to bed the dragon yet. After all, it's bad to disappoint women so early on." (Dio)
Dio's face seemed determined to get to the bottom of something when he first started talking, but then he looked off thoughtfully as he spiraled into insulting me, as if getting distracted by a philosophical question and debating it with himself.
Also, how the hell does he know about all of that!?
"Dio, have you been spying on me!? How!?" (Mizuki)
My shrill questions snap him back to attention, and he seems to remember that he was upset at me about something.
"Oh, yeah, exactly! You've got some real nerve making a contract with that dragon. Mixing your essences like that disrupted the connection I embedded in you to watch your journey. Do you have no gratitude at all, Mizuki!? Why do you think I arranged this for you, huh? You're supposed to be my own original isekai story to enjoy!" (Dio)
His voice gets progressively shriller as he interrogates me. On one hand, I'm quite happy to see him so upset. On the other hand, I'm furious about this absurd violation of my privacy. Thankfully, it sounds like Nina making that contract with me foiled his voyeurism. I'm definitely going to pay her back for that.
"Sorry to disappoint you, I guess you'll just have to go back to looting manga off corpses." (Mizuki)
I try and pour as much sarcasm into my response as possible.
Hearing my response, Dio clicks his tongue and starts shaking his head at me.
"Tch…oh no, Mizuki, this is all your fault, so you're going to be the solution. From now on, you're going to tell me about everything that happens on your adventures. Now, start from after you finally felt the lips of a woman for the first time in your life!" (Dio)
I'm sure that my expression reflects my sincerely dumbfounded state of mind. There's no way he actually expects me to comply with that, right? I look at him, and he's leaning forward expectantly, like 'hurry up with it'. Oh, no, he's totally serious.
"First of all, I'll have you know that I've had girlfriends before. Just because I'm still a virgin doesn't mean I have zero experience with women. I didn't go through most of college without my fair share of intimacy, I just never crossed that line." (Mizuki)
"I'm not interested in hearing you wax poetic about your tissues, lotion, and anime posters. Tell me what happened on Azura!" (Dio)
Ignoring his interjection, I continue.
"Second, I refuse. I'm never going to sit here and bare my soul to you every night about my personal life for your entertainment." (Mizuki)
Dio looks taken aback, like a child who was just told he can't eat dessert anymore.
"That's not fair, Mizuki! It was the tradeoff for your new life!" (Dio)
"Not one I consented to. Plus, my obligation to you ended when I became a resident of Azura. I don't have to yield to your demands, and there's nothing you can do about it." (Mizuki)
Hearing this, Dio's expression turns uncharacteristically dangerous.
"Oh…you think so? I don't need your permission to enter your dreams, Mizuki. If you don't comply, I will enter your dreams every night as soon as you fall asleep. Then, I will conjure replicates of myself, and we will line dance naked on this stage while you're forced to watch until you wake up. I'll keep doing this, never giving you any rest, until you break and tell me what I want to know." (Dio)
What in the actual hell is the matter with this psycho!? He just said that with a straight face! Psychological torture, seriously?
I might have miscalculated here. I could always call his bluff and wait it out until he gets bored, but I don't want to engage in mental warfare with someone as clearly unhinged and depraved as Dio.
I'll have to try negotiating something bearable. I really hate him for making me do this. I make a show of sighing deeply like I'm dealing with a child throwing a tantrum, pretending to be unbothered.
"I mean, you're welcome to try it, but it will probably take a while to break me. Think of all the better ways you could have spent that time. Can you really hold out that long? Plus, who knows if I'll be that interesting of a protagonist anymore after developing PTSD." (Mizuki)
Dio seems to be considering my words carefully. It doesn't seem like he's giving up, just re-strategizing. I better capitalize and give him an out before he recovers.
"However, as a show of my…gratitude…I'll make you a deal. I'll meet with you once every month and catch you up, and you can ask whatever questions you want. In exchange, you must answer a single question of mine in return every time, and you are not allowed to enter my dreams otherwise. If you break our deal, I'll commence with looking for a way to shut out your dream interference permanently, either by magic, a contract, pleading to Azazel, or something else. So, do we have a deal?" (Mizuki)
I nearly choke on the word 'gratitude', but I power through. Dio is obviously conflicted, and his eyes are darting back and forth rapidly as he tries to think of a countermeasure. However, he eventually hangs his head and lets out a whining sound. Then, he looks back up me with a pouting face.
"Fine, I accept. You're mean, Mizuki, you should really be nicer to your benefactors, you know." (Dio)
You, a benefactor!? That's ridiculous. Also, calling me mean is rich coming from the guy who threatened to torture me.
"Great, then I'll catch you up quickly." (Mizuki)
I proceed to tell Dio about all the events that happened after he lost his peeping privileges today. I conveniently leave out my personal time with Nina after the meeting with the elves, and just say that I updated Nina briefly by thought communication, then I read some and went to bed early. He listens intently, then nods with satisfaction after I'm done.
"I see, I see. So, what are you going to say if the elves ask for your help as well?" (Dio)
"I doubt that will happen – I've hidden my strength from them. Also, the elves hate humans, right? Even if they wanted me to, I couldn't help out in their country." (Mizuki)
"Oh…I wouldn't be so sure about that. Best to give it some thought, just in case." (Dio)
Dio gives me a knowing smirk, then he looks like something just occurred to him.
"Well, I guess time's up. What a pity. See you in a month, Mizuki. Try and do something interesting for me! Later!" (Dio)
Before I have a chance to speak, the auditorium fades from my vision in a white light, and I am enveloped in darkness and become conscious of a pressure on my chest. After a moment, I realize that the darkness is from me having my eyes closed – I'm back in bed at the inn.
Stirring from my sleep state, I open my eyes. I can see that it's still dark outside, but the faintest light suggests that sunrise is not too far off. I move my attention to the pressure on my chest, and I see Nina soundly asleep. She rolled over in the night, and her body is partially sprawled over me.
I sigh internally. Is this what she calls keeping her hands to herself? I go to wake her with my free hand, but I see her face peacefully resting on my chest and hesitate.
She's pretty cute like this, and I also can't forget that I owe her for putting a stop to Dio's peeping. I drop my hand with a smile – I'll let her rest some more and call us even. She doesn't ever have to know.
When Nina eventually wakes up and sees how she's on top of me, she looks up at me like she wants to take advantage of it, but then she sighs and gets off me. She respected my wishes…I appreciate that.
I quickly get out of bed and ready my gear. Nina, already dressed magically, stands off to the side observing me. She gives me a warm smile, and I return it.
[Alright, Nina, I can take you back whenever you're ready. Clear on the plan?] (Mizuki)
She nods patiently, then walks over and jumps on my back.
[Ready! Let's do this, roomie!] (Nina)
I cut her a glare over my shoulder at the implication, but she pretends to not notice. Ah, you want to play it like that, huh? I let out a slightly sadistic smile.
I teleport us back to her lake clearing in the forest without warning…but make sure we're 20 meters in the air. We begin falling and she lets out a startled cry.
"Mizuuuukiiiiii!" (Nina)
I laugh out loud at her, then activate my gravity spell to slow our descent to a gentle landing. After our fall has stopped for a few moments, I feel her grip on my back relax and she looks around in confusion.
She dismounts and walks around to give me a glare, inferring what happened. I put on my best poker face.
"My bad, I guess my aim was a little off because of the extra cargo." (Mizuki)
Her glare transitions into a pouting face, and she looks down at the ground.
"Jeez, you could've just said you didn't want me around all the time, Mizuki." (Nina)
Hmm…I could've, but where's the fun in that. I wanted to spring something on you, like you did to me with that comment. Although…
"Actually, I'm not opposed to the idea. I want to focus on adventuring and other stuff soon. I was thinking about asking you to join me, but I wasn't sure how much that would interest a dragon. How about we discuss the idea after this is all over?" (Mizuki)
Her expression instantly changes to one of surprise, then she smiles and nods approvingly. I can sense happiness and gratitude from her.
"I'd like that. Now, get going! The sooner this is done, the sooner we can go have fun!" (Nina)
Well, that's not a bad attitude to have, I guess. I do hope that she takes this seriously, though. I'd hate to have any screw ups.
I nod and wave goodbye, then teleport back to my inn room.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Nedonera the Elder Dragon of earth, or Nina to Mizuki, has spent the last several centuries in excruciating boredom. On Azura, the Elder Dragons tower above all other creatures as the pinnacle of strength, and it is not in their nature to empathize with or value the other relatively weak creatures.
Consequently, Elder Dragons are limited to one another's company. On Nina's home planet, most would mate and form families. However, there are only four Elder Dragons on Azura. One of them, Cerilia of ice, Nina holds neutral feelings towards. Cerilia is hermitic by nature, however, and she typically isolates herself in the abandoned polar continents of Azura.
The other two, Halzar of wind and Veyron of fire, are loathed by Nina. She considers them boisterous, conceited, and obsessed with strength. On at least one occasion each, they attacked Nina over disagreements or just for sport, and left her suffering in a pitiful physical state. Then, they mocked her for her weakness.
While she values strength like every dragon, strength alone isn't appealing to her. So, the idea of their company is intolerable to Nina. Frankly, she wonders if Cerilia lives in isolation solely to avoid them.
Nina finds the personalities of some other races to be much more interesting. However, they are weak and short-lived, and in the case of humans, an attempted invasion in the forest several centuries ago left her with a poor impression. The exceptions were two strange humans she met – Azazel's travelers from different worlds. She considered them amusing and more agreeable than local humans.
Unfortunately, while they were much stronger than normal humans, they were still significantly weaker than her. So, being a dragon, she found it hard to meaningfully connect with them. Still, she appreciated the modest enrichment they brought to her life. Alas, the last of them had passed on several centuries ago.
Thus, she'd spent a frustrating several millennia without friends or prospective mates, and being treated poorly by her own kind, and the loneliness had finally started to weigh on her. This was the irritable state of mind she'd found herself in when Mizuki came to her nest and disrupted her monotonous existence.
Initially, Nina mistook him for a regular human and attacked him. To her complete shock, however, he easily evaded her attacks, and he remained calm friendly towards her. When she ignored his attempts at peaceful discussion and tried to kill him, he overwhelmed her in combat. Nina was shocked by the sheer decisiveness of his abilities – she'd never been so outmatched.
It appeared that the defeat would cost her life, and she became bitter upon having her weakness once again brought to her attention. Much to her surprise, however, Mizuki intervened and saved her life.
Unlike Halzar and Veyron, who mocked her as lesser after such altercations and left her to suffer, Mizuki tended to her wounds and treated her kindly. Nina was as shocked by this kindness as she was intrigued by it, and her hostility towards him evaporated in an instant.
When she regained consciousness after their fight, she noticed that Mizuki had the eyes of one of Azazel's travelers, and her curiosity deepened. She was also surprised to hear that a member of elven royalty had requested his help in locating her, and that he'd earned their trust without even revealing his strength. Instead, he resorted to seemingly whimsical scheming.
As she spoke with Mizuki, Nina realized that she thoroughly enjoyed his company, his playful and gentle nature, and the chaos he'd infused into her otherwise boring existence. Mizuki's short visit had already made her life more exciting than it had been in millennia. What's more, ever since he'd offered her his friendship, the loneliness that had been plaguing her was nowhere to be found.
When Mizuki asked Nina to join him in his scheming with the elves, she reveled in thoughts of what delightful surprises awaited her. She was all too happy to accept his offer, and she also took the opportunity to secure a favor in exchange. She had no specific request in mind, but she knew it would bring her even more entertainment.
After Mizuki secured Nina's help and she noticed him preparing to depart, the crushing loneliness from before began to reemerge. She was shocked to admit that she dreaded his impending absence. Furthermore, when she considered the possibility of never seeing Mizuki again…she despaired. After the enjoyment of Mizuki's visit, Nina couldn't bear the thought of returning to her isolated existence.
Fueled by a fear of this outcome, Nina implored Mizuki to delay the end to their time together. She was fearful when he rejected her request to accompany him, but relieved when he offered to stay with her in the forest longer. To her surprise, he also promised to spend a later day with her doing whatever she desired. Nina was overcome with joy by the guarantee that they'd see each other again, and she hugged him on impulse.
When Mizuki later expressed an interest in acquiring her so called 'thought communication', she recalled the Dragon Bond. Normally, Nina would have already formed the bond with her mate. The bond was not romantic in nature, per se, but it was almost exclusively used by mated dragons. However, she had no interest in the male dragons on Azura, and therefore no prospects for such a mate.
Imagining the constant connection between two people that the bond offered, Nina eagerly proposed the so-called 'contract' to Mizuki. The thought of being able to communicate with and visit him freely brought Nina a rush of happiness, and she also rejoiced at the strength she might acquire.
To her surprise, Mizuki seemed nervous about the bond. Now that she'd considered all the benefits, she loathed the possibility of not being able to make it with him. When he finally agreed, she was overcome with relief, and compulsively embraced Mizuki out of gratitude.
As they prepared for the bond's ritual, Nina was filled with anticipation. Though it wouldn't be with a mate, she was ecstatic about finally making the bond with someone, and the constant companionship that it would bring. However, as she sat down across from Mizuki and studied him closely, Nina was struck with a realization.
She found Mizuki…appealing…physically. She was shocked and confused by the inclination. She'd never even considered such a thing for a human before, but she realized she didn't really view Mizuki as human anymore. His absurd strength, entertaining personality, and kindness…at some point in their brief encounter, he'd earned her respect. She viewed him as an equal, just like the other Elder Dragons.
Nina simply pushed the confusing feelings from her mind and proceeded with the bonding ritual. During the mixing of their magic, she felt Mizuki's warm aura embrace her, and the sensation reassured Nina to her core that she'd never feel loneliness again as long as he lived.
Along with this sensation, Nina felt an inexplicable familiarity towards Mizuki take root as she looked at him, like he'd been a fixture in her life for decades instead of hours. Amidst those new feelings, Nina was reminded of her previous attraction towards Mizuki, and found that it had intensified and no longer confused her.
Staring at him, as the Dragon Bond strengthened their connection, Nina had felt an increasing curiosity about him as a potential mate. As the ritual concluded, and Nina's curiosity about Mizuki peaked, she'd kissed him in the heat of the moment. Mizuki's inference that it had been premeditated was, in fact, incorrect.
Breaking away from the kiss, Nina had been deeply satisfied with the experience. After tens of millennia without any romantic interests, this development with Mizuki was exhilarating. She was uncertain about whether he could be her mate, but she had no doubts that she wanted to explore her attraction to him more.
Nina was a little surprised to find that Mizuki didn't seem as enthused by their kiss as she did. However, she was not too concerned about his lack of enthusiasm, and she was quite confident in her appeal. So, she dismissed the kiss as a part of the ritual to avoid pressuring Mizuki, confident in her ability to pursue him later.
Content with the day's developments, and her new connection with Mizuki, Nina had sent him on his way happily. After his departure, while their bond prevented the feeling of loneliness she'd once endured, she wasn't immune to boredom or an impatience to see him again.
To distract herself, she resorted to training and testing the new power she'd acquired from her bond with him. That was the source of her determined emotions that Mizuki felt before his meeting with the elves.
Later that night, she was waiting impatiently to hear from Mizuki after his meeting. She passed the time by reading his emotions through their connection, and she noticed Mizuki's strong attraction to another woman. Sensing this, Nina felt doubt erode her confidence about her newfound connection with Mizuki.
She knew that he wouldn't have viewed the Dragon Bond as a romantic declaration. Upon reflection, he'd never even demonstrated attraction towards her in their time together. Neither when he saw her naked after their battle, nor when they kissed. Moreover, she hadn't considered that he might already have a mate…she'd never asked him.
The more Nina considered the possibilities, the more nervous she became. It hadn't escaped her notice that he'd likely only live for a few more decades at most – her time with him was finite. It was far from ideal, but she could tolerate sharing him with another woman if it was her only option.
However, what if another woman meant she couldn't pursue her attraction to him at all? Worse still, what if it limited even her friendship with him? These were the possibilities that Nina found truly disturbing.
It was with this in mind that she'd decided to see Mizuki again that night, if possible. While Mizuki finished meeting with the elves, she thought of how she'd address the matter, and worried over what his feelings would ultimately be. This was the source of apprehension he later sensed after his meeting.
When Mizuki suddenly came to pick her up, Nina was overjoyed. Earlier, he had refused her company further until she met the elves, so she was surprised by his change of heart. When they got back to his inn room, Nina was pleased to learn about the item he called a tub. While a hot bath sounded nice, she was more curious about how Mizuki might react to her in it.
Unfortunately, she sensed only traces of attraction from Mizuki during her bath. If that was the best response that she could get from such a direct approach, compared to the elven woman who he'd only seen in a meeting, she felt that he held no romantic desire for her. Accepting this was very difficult for Nina, and she grew bitter every time he mentioned the elf.
After more time with him, she was embarrassed to learn that he could feel her insecurity. Even if she couldn't have a romantic relationship, she still wanted to be friends with him – he'd already helped curb the loneliness she's long felt. She dreaded the possibility that telling him how she felt might mar their friendship. Still, she resolved herself to be honest with him, so she'd have no regrets going forward.
To her complete shock, Mizuki insisted that her jealousy of the elf was unfounded, and that Nina had misunderstood how he felt about her. When he approached Nina in the bath, and confessed his attraction for her, she kissed him from the sheer joy of the realization.
At that point, Nina fully intended to show no restraint going forward, but she sensed hesitation from Mizuki. He revealed to her a desire to simply maintain a friendship with her for the time being.
In truth, the nature of Nina's existence made this quite difficult for her to understand. Since she'd lived for tens of thousands of years without feeling these impulses for another person, she had no doubts about her desires. Similarly, she knew just how brief her time with Mizuki would be in the context of her lifespan, and she balked at the idea of wasting it.
Despite her difference of opinion on the matter, she wanted to reciprocate the reassurance he'd provided her with that night. So, she accepted his feelings and resolved herself to enjoy as much of their relationship as he was comfortable with. Feeling that it was only a matter of time before their relationship was as she wanted it to be, she slept soundly next to him that night with a strong sense of satisfaction.
Currently, Nina is reflecting on the morning after that sleepover.
She'd been worried that Mizuki might want to avoid letting her stay with him at night on a regular basis, which she found unappealing. Now that she knew how they both felt, she was willing to maintain the current state of things for a time, but she had no desire to regress in their relationship. Her use of the word 'roommate' before departing had been her way of testing the waters.
She is buzzing with excitement, because Mizuki has not only agreed to them living together, but he has also asked her to accompany him on adventures. Nina smiles widely at the memory.
She doesn't care what they're doing on these adventures, and she considers them traveling together alone for an unknown amount of time a wealth of possibilities. As Nina is busy planning her time alone with Mizuki, a thought communication from him interrupts her.
[Hey, Nina, we'll be arriving in a minute. Show time!] (Mizuki)
Hearing this message, Nina transforms into her dragon self. Thinking it best to appear unprepared, she curls up in a similar position to how Mizuki found her yesterday.
A few moments later, she detects the presence of three people near the forest's edge. Looking over, she sees Mizuki, an elven man that looks like a soldier, and a young elven woman. When Nina examines the trio, she goes stiff.
The elf is shockingly beautiful, this much is obvious to Nina. She has long silver hair, pale grey eyes, and a figure that even Nina feels a twinge of jealousy towards. However, Nina believes Mizuki's explanation of his feelings, so this observation does not bother her.
Instead, the elven girl's behavior elicited Nina's reaction. The elf has her arms wrapped around Mizuki with her head against his chest, and he is experiencing a mix of discomfort and amusement.
Much to her embarrassment, Nina already feels a bit possessive over Mizuki due to their bond. If the elf were already a mate, Nina feels that would be one thing. However, knowing that Mizuki expressed his feelings towards Nina first, she can only see the elf's familiar handling of Mizuki negatively.
Nina's initial inclination is to kill the elf, but her lethal impulse is kept at bay by her promise to Mizuki. However, she notes that he didn't say anything about scaring the elf to death.
If Nina were in her human form, she would be smiling.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
After dropping off Nina and teleporting back to my room, I make my way to Ilina's and Klaus's room. After a few moments post-knocking, Ilina opens the door with a smile that looks somehow both tense and genuine.
She's wearing her standard outfit and weapon, but also has a simple pack like mine slung over her shoulder. Klaus emerges from the room after her and closes the door behind him. He seems to be similarly equipped.
Klaus flashes a cool smile at me.
"Hey, Mizuki, good morning! Despite some bold statements of yours last night, I've got to admit that I'm pretty excited to finally see this big reveal." (Klaus)
Yeah, maybe I was unnecessarily hard core with them.
"Well, my apologies. I just wanted to be direct with you both, but I guess that came off a little intense and maybe even threatening. However, let me reassure you…" (Mizuki)
I turn my gaze to Ilina and give her warmest smile I can manage. She seems shocked by the friendly reception. I continue while making eye contact with her.
"…if you follow my instructions, and you don't attack the dragon, I promise you that no matter what happens you'll return here safely." (Mizuki)
Ilina seems to study my expression for a while when I speak, but then sighs in relief and smiles.
"Glad to hear it, Mizuki, please lead the way." (Ilina)
I nod at them, and then we make our way to the forest's edge south of the city. There, I stop and turn around to face them, and they raise their eyebrows at me expectantly.
"Alright, so I'm sure you're both wondering, one, how we'll find the dragon, and two, how we'll get all the way there in this massive forest the same morning." (Mizuki)
They both nod, like 'obviously'.
"Well, it was quite a lot of effort to prepare for you yesterday, so I ask that you don't tell anyone about it. Seriously, nobody. The answer to both questions, is this…" (Mizuki)
I dramatically reveal one of the worthless blue marbles that Percivil gifted me. While they're inspecting it, I shoot a quick message to Nina.
[Hey, Nina, we'll be arriving in a minute. Show time!] (Mizuki)
After, I continue with my explanation.
"This is a one-of-a-kind magic item that will instantly teleport us to the nearest Elder Dragon." (Mizuki)
Both of their eyes go wide in shock, and Ilina's mouth is agape. I can't help but chuckle internally. I bet the truth would shake them even more. I'm thoroughly enjoying my acting career, though.
"Now, there are two Elder Dragons in this forest, so while I can be sure that we will be teleported to one of them, obviously this doesn't guarantee it will be the dragon of earth. However, based on historical records of encounters with them, I think the earth dragon nests closer to Elmesia than the dragon of wind. So, this item should take us to it. In the unlikely event that I'm wrong, we just ask the dragon of wind where the dragon of earth is and hike there." (Mizuki)
Klaus is shaking his head in disbelief with an exasperated smile. Ilina seems to have recovered, but she is eyeing the marble intently. I'm not sure if it's suspicion, interest, or both, but I'm glad I told Nina to back me up. Klaus responds first.
"Wow, in the unlikely event you're wrong, huh? You sure seem confident about a coin toss." (Klaus)
I shoot back a good-natured smile to him.
"Well, you know, I'm not very good at being calculating like that. I prefer wild optimism." (Mizuki)
Ilina snorts loudly at that statement. She's wearing an expression that says, 'bullshit'. So, you're not buying it, huh?
"That aside, teleporting is unprecedented, Mizuki. Are you absolutely certain this is safe?" (Ilina)
She gives me a very serious glare, but I hold her gaze with a confident smile.
"Yes, as long as you follow instructions." (Mizuki)
She sighs deeply, looks at Klaus, then returns my gaze.
"Okay, so what do we do now?" (Ilina)
"Whenever you're ready, get as close to me as you can, make sure we're physically touching, and don't move until I teleport us there with the item." (Mizuki)
Klaus immediately walks over and throws his arm around me like he's congratulating me. I look for Ilina, and I am startled to see her standing in front of me. She makes eye contact nervously, then steps in and hugs me. I think I see her cheeks turning red, and Klaus gives a surprised smirk.
"Okay, Mizuki, go already!" (Ilina)
Ah, right, that threw me for a minute. I hold up the marble in my free hand and say my fake incantation, then focus on teleporting us to Nina's location.
We arrive at the clearing, and Ilina speaks first. Her head is still buried in my chest nervously.
"Mizuki, is it over yet? Is it safe for me to move?" (Ilina)
I suppress the urge to laugh. That's so cute…she was terrified of the spell.
"Yup, we're here, take a look for yourself." (Mizuki)
Ilina and Klaus both step away from me, and Ilina's face is quite flushed. She won't make eye contact with me either.
Shortly after, Ilina looks to the clearing and her eyes go wide in amazement. She's noticed Nina in her dragon form.
As Ilina observes her, Nina stands up and focuses her gaze on us. Suddenly, I feel a cold sensation down my spine, and my connection to Nina is telling me…she's pissed. I mutter 'shit' under my breath.
[I am Nedonera, the Elder Dragon of earth! Explain your presence in my territory, creatures, or perish!] (Nina)
I see Klaus and Ilina go pale, and Klaus is white knuckling his sword handle. I sense amusement emerge alongside Nina's anger.
[Uhm…Nina, you know I can feel that, right? You need to talk to me about anything?] (Mizuki)
[Hmm? Oh, no, I just hadn't realized that you were in the habit of letting that little elf get so familiar with you, Mizuki! Care to explain?] (Nina)
I can't help but chuckle at her thinly veiled jealousy, and I try to share my feeling of affection towards Nina.
[Oh, I see. That's a little bit my fault. I told them to stay close to me for teleportation a little too sternly, and she obviously was terrified. Could you tone it down just a bit? They already nearly fainted.] (Mizuki)
I make sure to end my message to her by forwarding my feelings of amusement, so she knows that I'm not mad.
[Fine…but let me remind you that I don't like sharing, Mizuki.] (Nina)
[I understand, Nina, and I meant everything I said last night.] (Mizuki)
I sense Nina's anger dissipate, and it's replaced by satisfaction. Thank goodness, one bullet dodged.
At this point, Ilina collects herself enough to respond to Nina's initial message. I can see her trembling as she does so, but her voice comes out clearly.
"Great Dragon, I'm terribly sorry for intruding on you in such a manner, and we beg your forgiveness! My name is Ilina Ophelle, Second Princess of the Elven Kingdom, and I've come to request your aid. Will you hear my plea?" (Ilina)
Nina makes a show of walking forward and lowering her head to look more closely at Ilina, who breaks out in a cold sweat. She makes a low growling sound that seems like the dragon version of 'hmm'.
[Perhaps, elf. However, as a show of good faith, and as an apology for such an intrusion, I have a demand of you first.] (Nina)
Ilina gulps nervously, but she responds clearly again.
"Of course, Great Dragon, if it's within my power! Please, what would you ask of me?" (Ilina)
[I see that you have traveled here with the Dragon Pearl. I do not know how you knew about, much less came to be in possession of, such a legendary relic, but it is not fit for elven or human hands. I'd see it returned to its own kind immediately.] (Nina)
I barely suppress my laughter. Dragon Pearl? Legendary relic? Wow, impressive ad lib work, Nina. I shouldn't have doubted you.
Processing the request, Ilina's face contorts in shock. After a moment, she looks over at me pleadingly. She's obviously begging me to hand over the 'legendary relic'.
Hmm…I wasn't planning on Nina hyping it up so much, but now that she has, I might as well take advantage of it. I direct a raised eyebrow at Ilina, like 'are you kidding?', then let out a dramatic sigh like I'm deeply inconvenienced. I pull out the blue marble, and I hold it out to Ilina.
A look of pure gratitude flashes across her face, and she holds her hand out to accept the marble. I match her gaze and hold the marble over her open palm, then…
"You're going to owe me another one over this, you know?" (Mizuki)
…I let the marble drop into her palm dramatically. She nods solemnly, then turns back to Nina.
"Great Dragon, please accept this relic as our thanks for your hospitality. We hope you'll hear our plea." (Ilina)
Ilina bows her head slightly, then goes to a stump several meters away. It sounds like she says something quietly, then she places the marble on the stump and returns to where Klaus and I are standing.
She mutters 'thank you' under her breath, but I also see shock and suspicion on her face as she glances at me. What's that about? As far as she's concerned, I just did her a favor.
[Mmm, very well elf, I will hear your request. Speak.] (Nina)
Ilina's face floods with relief, and then it hardens again in determination.
"Thank you, Great Dragon. I'll be straightforward in my request. We have reason to believe that within a year's time, the Elven Kingdom will be invaded by the demons. We would ask you to help us defend our country." (Ilina)
I'm sure the shock I feel registers on my face for a moment. Holy shit…if true, that's very cliché of the demons. I guess it's refreshing of them to go after the elves instead of the humans, though. That said, I obviously feel bad for Ilina.
[This is surely troubling, young elf, but you should know that Elder Dragons do not interfere in the squabbles of weaker races. Why should I lend you my aid over something that I have no knowledge of or vested interest in?] (Nina)
"As you said, Great Dragon, due to the Elder Dragons' neutrality we'd normally never make such a request. However, our county's intelligence reports suggest that Veyron and his dragonkin have allied with the demons and plan to join in the invasion. We were hoping that you'd act as a direct countermeasure to Veyron." (Ilina)
I feel a surge of fear and anger from Nina at the name Veyron. I haven't heard that name before, but based on the context, I'm guessing it's the Elder Dragon of fire. I wonder what her beef is with him.
[Impossible! How could you know this, elf?] (Nina)
Yeah…I'd kind of like an answer to that, too.
"In our surveillance of the minor continent off our western coast, our initial scouts observed fire dragonkin among the camp of the demon soldiers. Our understanding was that the dragonkin on that continent were devoted to Veyron, and so we fear that he has allied himself with the demons. Why the demons wish to invade, and why an Elder Dragon would involve itself, we cannot say." (Ilina)
Nina's emotions have now transitioned to shock and apprehension. So, there might be some validity to Ilina's claims, huh? An Elder Dragon joining a war…that doesn't sound good for the elves.
[Hmm…if what you say is true, that's very troubling indeed. I will consider lending you aid, but I have questions.] (Nina)
She leans a little closer to Ilina as she says this, seeming to glare at her. Ooooh, scary, Nina. Ilina appears terrified but determined.
I'm somewhat surprised by Nina's receptiveness to the aid plea, and I am wondering if she means it. I feel a twinge of sadness at the idea of her going off to the Elven Kingdom, but I did promise to support her decision.
"I will do my best to answer your questions, Great Dragon." (Ilina)
[First, your companions. The large elf is obviously your guardian. What is your relationship with the human accompanying you, though? I was under the impression that elves loathed humans, and yet you seem so familiar with him.] (Nina)
What the hell, Nina!? This is so not part of the script!
I hear Klaus chuckling to my left. Glancing at Ilina, I see that some color has returned to her face, and she is in shock. After a moment, she recovers enough to respond.
"Uh, n-no, Great Dragon. It is true that elves loathe humans, and I'm ashamed to admit that I'm no exception. However, this human, Mizuki, has proven himself trustworthy, so we employed him for our journey to find you. In truth, we met only recently, so any apparent familiarity was just a lapse in decorum on my part. I apologize." (Ilina)
Ilina finishes her apology with something like a curtsy, and she seems to have fully regained her composure. I mean, props to her for handling Nina's weird ass questions with such grace. I make sure to glare at Nina about her outburst, but she pretends not to notice. However, I can sense satisfaction from her through our connection.
[Ah, I see. So then, will this human be accompanying you back to your kingdom or assisting in its defense?] (Nina)
Ilina seems confused by the question. Then, her face becomes thoughtful. However, Klaus answers first.
"Great Dragon, your poor opinion of humans is well known to history. It is also as you say, and the citizens of the Elven Kingdom distrust humans immensely. For both these reasons, we have no intention of bringing…" (Klaus)
Before Klaus can finish speaking, Ilina glares at him and cuts him off with a sharp tone.
"Klaus, silence! I apologize, Great Dragon, my attendant spoke out of turn." (Ilina)
Hearing Ilina's sharp tone and noticing her glare, Klaus casts back a confused expression. Ilina continues, ignoring his confusion.
"In truth, I've decided that, if possible, I want Mizuki to escort me on my travels back to my kingdom and lend me his aid when the time comes. However, I have not discussed this with him yet. If Mizuki were to accept my offer, would you still be willing to lend your aid, Great Dragon?" (Ilina)
Klaus is in a state of complete shock, and he looks like he's desperately fighting the urge to speak out. I sense agitation building from Nina at the words 'escort me on my travels', and then she turns to me after Ilina's question.
[Well then, tell me, Miz…human, will this elf be taking you home with her? The Elven Kingdom is quite the distance from here, and I imagine that your journey together would take months.] (Nina)
Ilina seems a little puzzled by the strange questioning, but I can sense Nina's agitation through our connection and her meaning is clear. It's 'will you be gallivanting off to her homeland with this sexy elf instead of going on adventures with me like you said earlier?'.
Klaus looks bewildered and seems to be in his own existential crisis, but Ilina and Nina are watching me intently, waiting for my response. I groan internally.
Why the hell is this the first time I'm hearing of this request from Ilina!? I glare at her, and she subtly shrugs in response. I have no idea what brought about this sudden change in her thinking, so I decide to be noncommittal. I need time to think things over.
"As Ilina said, Great Dragon, this is the first I'm hearing of this. As such, I cannot respond to an unexpected request of such magnitude…" (Mizuki)
I glare at Ilina again to emphasize my displeasure with being put on the spot. She smiles apologetically, and I continue.
"…at first pass. I will need some time to think it over. Regardless, it doesn't sound like Ilina needs my answer immediately. If the anticipated invasion is almost a year away, I doubt she intends for me to live in the Elven Kingdom until then. Even if it takes two months to travel there, I should still have several months to give you a decision. Correct, Ilina?" (Mizuki)
I turn my gaze to Ilina as I voice the final question. She nods and responds.
"Yes, I'm sorry for springing this on you suddenly, Mizuki. You are correct, arranging for you to live in the
Elven Kingdom for an extended period would not only be far from ideal for you, but it might also be problematic for my people. I have other matters that I'd like to address before returning to my kingdom, so I don't mind if you take some time to think it over." (Ilina)
Ilina turns back towards Nina.
"In that case, having heard Mizuki's thoughts, may we have your answer on the subject, Great Dragon?" (Ilina)
As Ilina asks this, she has a thoughtful expression on her face. She directs a suspicious glance towards me, then focuses back on Nina.
[Hmm…I also share the human's thoughts on the matter. Veyron's involvement is troubling, but all the same, my decision to engage in war should not be made lightly. I will also need time to consider the situation before deciding.] (Nina)
Ilina nods towards Nina, as though agreeing that such a decision is reasonable. Then, I see a wry smile form on her face, and she addresses Nina once more.
"Very well, I appreciate your consideration. May I assume that you and Mizuki will both give me a decision at the same time...since you're working together?" (Ilina)