Watching Xellos and Merlin get ready to fight all of a sudden left me completely perplexed.
They’re both looking this way with threatening looks on their faces, but I don’t really see enmity in their eyes, it’s more like fear.
And just as I’m wondering why, Tiltue peeks out from behind me.
“Who are they?”
“We found them collapsed by the shore today. They’re people from outside the island, that Reina knows.”
“Hou, Reina knows them? That means more tasty food for us, right?”
““…””
The moment Tiltue says that, their faces twitch even more.
What about that made them react that way? Just as I’m thinking that, Xellos raises his voice while shrinking back.
“Hey! Why did you bring that monster here!?”
“That magic energy makes the hellfire dragon that took three of us to defeat look cute. This might be pretty bad…”
“…I get it.”
Tiltue is what’s scaring them so much.
“Calm down you two. She’s not a bad girl… Hn?”
I put her down and step in front of them, but the moment I do, I feel a different pressure than usual behind me.
I turn around, and see Tiltue looking like an evil boss with black magic energy shaking around her.
She’s baring her canines and laughing. It’s clear to me she’s making fun of those two.
“Kuh… What sinister magic energy… And this much!?”
“T-this monster is raring to go!”
“…”
My senses are kind of numb, so I can’t really tell just what kind of being Tiltue really is.
She holds back her magic energy intentionally so Reina can be around her normally, so now that she’s actually showing off her strength to a third party, it really highlights how dangerous she is.
“F-fufufu… I am having a lot of fun! I really do need to be revered and feared as an ancient dragon once in a while.”
““…!!””
Tiltue takes a step forward, and the other two take a step back.
It looks like Tiltue is happy with their reaction. Although from my point of view, tormenting someone like that isn’t my idea of fun.
“Hey, Tiltue… I don’t like girls that act like that…”
“!?”
I say while glaring at her with a little bit of anger, and she quickly makes her magic energy disappear and walks towards them while faking a smile.
“Sorry about that visitors! Welcome to this boring empty island!”
Xellos and Merlin freeze, unable to keep up with this sudden change, and Tiltue shakes their hands wildly while looking this way.
She’s really trying to emphasize that she’s being friendly with them.
I honestly just think this sort of thing is cute, and end up smiling awkwardly.
“Darling… I’m being friendly, see?”
“Yes, they’re Reina’s acquaintances, so I’m glad you are.”
She sees I’m not mad anymore, and breathes a sigh of relief.
As for the other two, they’re caught in Tiltue’s vice-like grip and are unable to escape, and their faces turn pale like they’re captives about to be executed.
“Anyway, I’ll say it again, she’s not a bad girl.”
“…Y-yes…”
“I understand, so… Can you please let go of my hand? To be honest, it doesn’t make me feel like I’ll live.”
“Tiltue, come here.”
“Yes!”
Tiltue has lost interest in them, and comes running towards me.
She crashes into my chest, but she always does that, so I’m used to it.
“Darling…”
“Yes yes.”
She rubs her head against my chest, and I lightly comb her hair with my hand.
Reina might get upset at me for doing that, because she says I spoil her too much… But this is the sort of thing you’d do to a neighbor’s kids.
“Are you serious…”
“I can’t believe what I’m seeing…”
They say as they look this way with dumbfounded expressions.
I feel like they were only looking at Tiltue before, but now for some reason they’re also looking at me like I’m a monster.
“Ah, I know. “
Then I remember that Tiltue is an ancient dragon, but also a loner.
And considering how withdrawn she was, I’m sure she wants friends.
And here we have two people who don’t know Tiltue very well. If they become friends now, I’m sure they’ll get along.
And so, I smile at them.
“Anyway, you see what she’s like, but please be friends with her.”
“…Y-yes.”
“All right… Just don’t kill us.”
How did that word get mixed in there…
“Come on you two, what did I say?”
“Ah, Reina.”
Reina comes out from the tent behind them, looking exasperated.
She walks past them, and towards me.
“I’m sorry. I told them about this island, but they didn’t believe me.”
“I didn’t think it was actually for real!”
“…I also thought for sure you were exaggerating.”
“I see…”
So Reina did tell them about the island while I was out for a walk, but it was all so unbelievable in the continent where they came from, that they didn’t take it at face value.
But facing an ancient dragon like Tiltue changed their minds.
“Oh? Then why are they scared of me too, if you explained everything?“
“…”
Reina silently turns away.
…What kind of explanation did she give them?
“Nevermind. So, what are you two going to do now?”
“…I guess explore around and build a base.”
“That was the idea… But if something like this is lurking around in this island, we can’t be that careless.”
I turn to Reina, as if asking if we can’t work something out, and after looking a little troubled, she lets out a big sigh.
“Ahh… You’re too nice, Arata.”
“Am I? I think it’s normal to help people in need…”
“I like that about you, darling.”
“Ahaha, thanks Tiltue.”
But there’s just too much I can’t do anything about, and I end up relying on Reina.
And if she can work something out, she’s the nice one here.
“Well, they’re smaller, but I do have spare tents, so you can have them. Neither of you can use storage magic, right?”
Asks Reina, and Xellos and Merlin nod.
“How am I gonna use something that nonsensical?”
“It hurts me to agree with this idiot, but I can’t use it either.”
“…Although there is someone incredible enough to learn it just by watching it.”
Whispers Reina, but only I hear it.
It looks like storage magic really is something incredible.
The fact that I can use these cheats really is unfair.
“Well, that’s fine. You don’t have any food, do you? I’ll give you a few days worth of food, so try to get your own after that.”
“…Sorry.”
“Thank you Reina.”
“It’s fine… I wouldn’t feel good about people I know dying off somewhere… That’s all.”
She sounds like a tsundere.
It feels strange, because she’s always so sincere with us.
“Well, if anything happens, tell me. We’ve been on this island for about a month, and we already know quite a few people.”
“…You sure are a nice guy.”
“True. We will rely on you if it comes to that.”
They sound moved, but what I’m saying just feels to me like it’s the natural thing to say, so that kind of tickles.
Apparently they’ve already heard everything from Reina, so they get the spare tents and food from her, and then move a little far away from this tent.
As I watch them go, I feel like it’s a little strange,
“Why aren’t they living closer to us?”
“Well, I think being shown compassion by someone who is lower rank might be sitting a little badly with them.”
“Hm… They ended up on an island where they have no obligations or anything like that, so they really should take it easy.”
I say, and Reina looks exasperated.
“The only person who could be calm enough to think that here is you.”
“Am I?”
Anyway, it looks like they’ve decided to camp near the river, so they’re setting up their tents there.
Did they choose a position that’s not immediately visible from here out of consideration for Reina?
In any case, we have neighbors now. I can find out more about them later.
“I’m kind of excited about it.”
“Only you could feel that way about two of the seven great mages… But it’s fine. That title doesn’t matter on this island anyway.”
Says Reina with a light smile. I feel like she’s feeling a lot less tense.
“Darling! What are you doing today!? I want to go hunting or something!”
“Haha, that sounds nice…”
“Then bring me good ingredients and I’ll make something nice. I’m counting on you two.”
“Yes, leave it to us!”
Reina sounds like she’s joking with us, and I smile awkwardly.
It’ll be pretty embarrassing if we don’t hunt anything now, so I fire myself up, and leave with Tiltue.
Join my patreon to support me and read ahead.
