Kathe’s Father

  Kathe’s father followed me to the drawing room.

  On the way, we could hear the cheerful voices of the others.

  “Gahaha! What a thing to do, Eric! Changing the name of the currency to ruck!”


  “Hehe. Still, it turned out to be quite right.”


  “Yes, I can see that! Ruck is too reserved! We dragons will also have to do something for him.”


  “He won’t like it when he finds out. So you have to ensure that it’s too late when he realizes it.”


  “Ah, Eric. You are so wise!”


  The two rulers seemed to be enjoying a conversation.

  Dorgo stopped.

  “That is my daughter’s voice, isn’t it?”


  “Yes. She happens to be staying here at the moment.”


  “I hope she hasn’t been disturbing you…”


  “No, not at all.”


  “I would like to see her…”


  “Yes, of course…”


  Dorgo continued through to the dining room.

  Kathe and the others had stayed here after breakfast so they could talk.

  I heard Goran’s voice just as Dorgo started to walk.

  “Eric, you’re going to the palace to work now, aren’t you? I have business at the palace as well. Should I go with you?”


  “Ah, I don’t mind… But wouldn’t it be better to have your entrance recorded?”


  “Oh…you’re right.”


  As the grand master of the guild, his visits to the palace were public affairs.

  And so it was recorded every time he visited.

  If there was no record, it would suggest that management had made some mistakes with the documents. Which would mean the department managing the entrance of the palace were not doing their job.

  “It’s troublesome, but I suppose I will have to go through the front by carriage. …So troublesome.”


  Goran grumbled. He really didn’t care for the hassle.

  “Gahaha! Why don’t you just drop in from the sky!”


  “That’s not how you do things here.”


  “Being a human seems so hard.”


  Kathe said as she sipped her tea.

  “Isn’t it hard being a dragon as well? Don’t you have work to do after returning to the palace?”


  “Gahaha! There is nothing that is hard for a dragon!”


  “Then I am very jealous of you.”


  “It is known! I just ignore the work that I do not want to do, and dad will do it for me!”


  Apparently, Kathe called Dorgo, dad.

  It wasn’t very kingly, but it was like her.

  “I see.”


  “Indeed! It is quite good, you know? …Huh?”


  Kathe turned around and realized that her father was standing there.

  Her face became tense.

  “Dad… Uh, father. What are you doing here?”


  “What? Perhaps I have to take my foolish daughter away, as she has been neglecting her public duties.”


  “N-no, that’s not what this is.”


  “Oh? Tell me thenl, how is it different? Great Wind Dragon Ruler, Kathe Celeste.”


  “Uh… The dark…ones…”


  “Dark ones?”


  “They are running wild. And so I have been thinking about forming an alliance with the humans.”


  Kathe explained this with awkward pauses.

  Her tail was swinging side to side.

  It seemed to go up and down when she was happy and side to side when she was nervous.

  “Hhhh…”


  Dorgo sighed.

  “So, you want to form an alliance with the humans.”


  “Yes.”


  “And? How is that related to you neglecting your responsibilities?”


  “Uh…”


  Dorgo maintained his smile as he stared hard into Kathe’s eyes.

  His eyes were not smiling at all.

  Honestly, he was a little terrifying.

  “…I’m sorry.”


  “You must understand that you are the Wind Dragon Ruler.”


  “Yes.”


  Her tail drooped limply on the floor.

  Then Dorgo turned to us and bowed.

  “I am sorry that you had to witness such a scene.”


  “No, no. Please don’t worry about it.”


  I said with a smile.

  Eric then stood up and approached Dorgo.

  “I am Eric Mendilibar, king of the humans. I am pleased to finally meet you.”


  “Ah, so you are the Hero King. Your name is known far and wide, even among us dragons.”


  After Eric, Goran also introduced himself.

  Dorgo also knew about Goran.

  “I have heard that you are the greatest Warrior of this generation.”


  “Greatest? Well, we are only a humble race among many.”


  “Don’t be so modest.”


  Then Kathe said,

  “Dad, this one is Ruck.”


  “What! Isn’t his name Locke?”


  “He is Grand Duke Ruck Locke Franzen!”


  “Really?”


  Dorgo looked at me intently. I could not lie to him.

  “Yes. I am.”


  “That is a surprise! It’s an honor to meet you.”


  “The honor is mine…”


  “Will you shake my hand?”


  “Of course.”


  “Also, if you would give me an autograph…”


  “I don’t mind, but…”


  Dorgo said pretty much the same thing that Kathe had.

  “Kathe. Why didn’t you tell me?”


  “…Tell you what?”


  “That you were staying at Ruck’s mansion!”


  “But I did write a report, remember?”


  “You wrote something about a Locke.”


  “Oh. Maybe I did.”


  “You are not very reliable!”


  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry!”


  Kathe apologized to her father.