“So what is this Yamato country like?”
Asked Yuugo, as he enjoyed the crab tomato cream pasta and salad with his friends.
And it was his brother Phi who answered.
“Like Marcos said, it’s a country east from here. People call it the country of storms and loong dragons.”
“Storms and loong…?”
“Yes. Loong are deified in Yamato, and they coexist with the humans who worship them. It’s said it started when the tempest loong blessed people, so the elements of water, wind, and lighting are special to the Yamato people. That’s why so many people there use magic items with those elements.”
“I see, therefore, the country of storms and loong. So these loong dragons are different from other dragons?”
“They’re a lot different from the monsters we call dragons. Loong don’t have wings, and have a thin silhouette… And basically, loong coexist with people, and dragons don’t.”
I see, thought Yuugo, as he understood the difference.
Dragons summoned by ring wizards were a lot different from loong contracted to knights who had to fight to survive (fighting did not guarantee survival).
And then, Angel chimed in.
“Phi just mentioned that too, but their magic items… Or I guess, weapons in general, are pretty interesting to me. I’d like to see their katanas that are thinner than swords, but tough and resilient, and sharp too.”
“Hoe~! Is Yamato the country of katanas too?”
“Apparently. They have stuff like naginata and amulets too, and all sorts of other magic items that are different from ours. Apparently their creation is tied to loong too. Like they use nails or scales to make magic items with special magic energy.”
“If you use materials from a strong loong, you get a strong magic item to match. But rather than hunt them, they wait until the loong give them a piece of themselves as a blessing.”
“That’s nice. Feels really special.”
“But that’s not all~! Apparently people eat a lot of rice there, and have a lot of recipes to go along with it! I’d love to take this opportunity to challenge them!”
“I heard they excel in martial arts, or rather, sword arts. There is a school using the three elements of the tempest loong, rain, wind, and lightning, and it’s the number one in Yamato. I would like to see it personally.”
At this point, Yuugo knew this Yamato was reminiscent of Japan.
It seemed particularly close to the Edo period, but surely there were no samurai with topknots walking around, thought Yuugo with a dry smile, as Marcos turned to him.”
“I’m sure they don’t want these exchange students to see a student camping in the courtyard. It would bring the character of the Luminous Academy into question. Surely they accepted Mister Castle’s proposal with that in mind.”
“I see. I don’t know what kind of people are coming, but I can see them not wanting someone like me to be seen as the standard of this academy.”
Even with that aside, just allowing a student to be camping outside would be a blemish on the good name of the academy.
Yuugo accepted that the school did not want foreign students to get that impression of them, and that was why he was sent to a dormitory. But he had more questions for his friends.
“So do you know what these people are like? There are lots of samurai and swordsmen there, right?”
“Apparently they’re not like that. We know their background, even if they’re just rumors.”
“I feel like Hercus would know, but he’s not here now of all times.”
It was too bad the one who usually had more information was not present, but they still had some.
And so, Yuugo heard about the exchange students.
“Anyway, there are five of them. Three are from a noted miko family that worships loong.”
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Tokutasu Reference Time~☆!!!
Kamen rider wizard
Wizard’s transformation trinkets were different rings and his most powerfull ones had a western dragon motif.
Kamen rider ryuuki
Ryuuki on the other hand was a rider whose contract creature was an eastern dragon with fire abilities, the phrase “survive” being a reference within the show and also to its opening song lyrics
It’s always nice to see a fantasy setting acknowledge there are different types of dragons from various regions/cultures.
Hercus’ lateness is going to become a punchline, isn’t it?