Departure

  It was very important that we went around and installed the magic tools at the other mansions.

  And we had to do it as soon as possible.

  However, we could go after the three of us had finished strengthening Danton’s mansion.

  That way, all three of us could go to the other mansions as well.

  I said this to the others.

  But Mors shook his head.

  “But aren’t you all going to go by riding on Her Majesty’s back?”


  “We intend to……”


  “I cannot ride on her back.”


  “Huh? But I don’t mind at all. Why?”


  “No, I surely could not…… It would be too disrespectful.”


  Mors said with a deep bow.

  I didn’t know much about dragon culture. But apparently, this was the way things were.

  “But Kathe says she doesn’t mind? What’s the problem?”


  “No, I really cannot do it.”


  “I see.”


  I suppose for dragons, riding on the back of royalty was a big deal.

  Still, if I asked a little more harshly, perhaps he would agree to it.

  But I didn’t think it was right that I should ask it of him, since I didn’t know much about their culture.

  “Well, I suppose I can understand how you feel. Very well. You may as well stay here then.”


  “Understood.”


  Said Kathe, and Mors bowed.

  “Alright, Mors. You should continue to strengthen the mansion.”


  “Yes, leave it to me.”


  And then I turned to Danton and said,

  “If you could assign someone to us who knows where the mansions are……”


  “Oh, right. Wait one moment.”


  And then Danton went and called Shia. Nia and Serulis came as well. They were covered in sweat.

  “Shia will take you there.”


  “Yes, leave it to me!”


  She smiled as sweat dripped from her.

  She had probably been training with Serulis, Nia, and the children.

  Kathe looked at her with a serious expression.

  “Hmmm. Perhaps you all better take a bath first.”


  “We’re fine!”


  Shia said cheerfully. But Kathe replied calmly.

  “No. It is very cold up in the sky. And there will be a lot of wind.”


  “I don’t know if a bath is necessary, but you should wipe yourselves off and get changed. You might catch a cold.”


  Kathe and I said. And so they finally agreed.

  They ran back to their rooms. And they came back immediately.

  They had dried themselves and changed clothes.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting.”


  “I’m excited to be able to see the other mansions!”


  Serulis said, as if she had been invited to come with us. Not that I had any reason to reject her.

  “We’re just going there to install some devices. It’s not going to be very fun……”


  “That’s simply not true! Besides, it will be good to know where all the mansions are located.”


  The mansions of beastkin chiefs were places that would become the final fortresses if there was a vampire attack. It was good to know about their locations.

  “All right, we’ll all go then. Kathe, when you’re ready.”


  “I know. Just wait one moment.”


  Kathe said as she ran away.

  As she was going to turn into a dragon, she had to go somewhere else and take her clothes off.

  The rest of us waited outside of Danton’s mansion.

  And then a short distance away, Kathe appeared in the form of a dragon.

  “Wow!”


  “Amazing!”


  The kids who had been training said happily as they saw her.

  Children liked her better when she was a dragon.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting!”


  “Yay!”


  “Hahaha!”


  The kids swarmed around her when she returned.

  “Hey, hey! Children. I cannot walk if you do that.”


  Still, Kathe’s tail wagged up and down as if she were happy.

  “.……How nice.”


  Serulis muttered with a hint of jealousy.

  She wished that she were that popular with children.

  “Hey! You are disturbing Miss Kathe!”


  “Yes, you kids. Settle down and get out of her way.”


  Shia and Danton scolded them. And so the children moved away from Kathe.

  Kathe suddenly looked a little sad.

  “I am ready now. You can all get on my back.”


  “Yes, thank you. Grulf, you coming? You don’t have to……”


  “Groof-groof!”


  Grulf quickly jumped up onto Kathe’s back, as if to say that there was no way that he was being left behind.

  Kathe sounded amused as she said,

  “Ah! So it is Grulf who was the first to climb on top of me.”


  “Groof!”


  “Lord Gerberga, please come into my jacket. It will protect you from the wind.”


  “Cluck-cluck.”


  Upon hearing those words, Lord Gerberga jumped into my jacket.

  And then the rest of us all climbed onto Kathe’s back.

  I had to help Luchila get up, but Shia, Nia, and Serulis could manage it alone.

  Once we were all on, Kathe rose up into the air.

  “Miss Kathe, the closest one is over there……”


  “Ah, yes. I can see it with my own eyes from here!”


  Kathe said as she started to fly towards it.

  “You must have really good eyes then.”


  “Of course, I do. Your eyes tend to improve if you look down at the ground from high in the sky.”


  “I don’t know if that’s true. Well, eagles do have good eyes.”


  “Yes.”


  Kathe’s tail swayed happily as she flew.