There’s no time to think. Go by instinct.
I took the next day off to fly to Vizannu Mountain.
Rather than a day off, it was more of a sick leave. If you get technical, however, its an unexcused absense because my boss, the Captain, is absent.
Either way, I was rushing to get to the mountain. I flew quickly and at a high alt.i.tude so I won’t be spotted. I’m pretty sure that my white body served as camouflage with all the white clouds.
The captain had said that they would spend the night somewhere before going to subjugate the man-eating dragon, so I might be able to make it in time. What would happen if I met the subjugation group in my dragon form? Well, I would be exterminated, no doubt.
I don’t care if you can call me an idiot, or a moth that is drawn to the flame! That’ because I’m worried!! If the captain got eaten by another dragon, I wouldn’t be able to stand it! ―――I’m the one who will eat the captain!
Just for that reason, I escaped from work and took the risk of being seen in dragon form to go to the mountain. Even I wonder why I’m so obsessed with this idea. But do you really think that you would allow someone to steal the luxury food in front of you if you could help it? Yes? What a stupid question!
I have already sworn to eat the captain no matter what happens.
I have felt, somewhere deep inside of me, that a being like the captain is rare and that I wouldn’t meet another like him in my whole life.
I, at that time, didn’t even consider what this obsession might mean.
After flying for a few hours, Vizannu Mountain came up to view. To search for them I flew at a lower alt.i.tude and scoured the mountain. Empty.
In the end, I found them in an unlikely place.
―――At Tienu village.
At the village at the foot of the mountain, several Firedrakes could be seen.
I was relieved to find that they haven’t set off yet, but it seems like the situation is a bit different. The village is noisy, and there are villagers escaping from the village.
When I flew lower to see, I found that dragons I have never seen before were attacking the village.
Their wings were small and regressed, meaning they could not fly, and it had large round body with a tiny head that really didn’t suit the rest of the body at all. It had tiny hands and feet, and crawled on the ground like a lizard. They were much smaller than the Firedrake, but were large in number.
The soldiers on Firedrakes were engaged in battle, fighting while protecting the villagers, but they seemed to be struggling with their enemy’s overwhelming numbers. It seems that there were some victims as well as some injured, because I could spot a few people who had fallen down. It was just as I suspected, another dragon on the mountain. I don’t know if they are a dragon or a snake, but it seems that they have taken over the mountain after I left.
I, very sincerely, feel that it was a really good idea to have South look after Lau and the group.
But I don’t have the time to be thinking about that right now.
I wonder, should I help them?
Perhaps it’s because they are used to war, but the Captain and his group had no wasted movements. But the battles they’re used to are against humans, not a horde of dragons. It seems that since they are fighting againts a new enemy, the Firedrakes cannot exert their full ability. While they were struggling, many little dragons took the opportunity to attack.
Wha, Stefano, stand firm! Rance is … working with the Vice-captain to help get the villagers to safety. Aa—the rest of the dragons are attacking the Captain! Aagh, I can’t take it anymore!
―――I don’t have time to think!
I quickly lowered my alt.i.tude while sucking in air. Crushing two dragons underfoot with vigor, I landed on the ground and let out a large fire-y breath. The fire, mercilessly killing many of the dragons on the field. Next, I blew fire at the other half of the herd in the opposite direction. The smell isn’t that great, but it’s more efficient than fighting them one by one.
While making sure I don’t burn the Firedrakes by mistake, I breathed fire multiple times. I ended up setting fire to the roofs of several houses, whoops. I don’t know how to hold back yet. My priority is to not burn the people and Firedrakes, and I don’t have enough concentration to think about the houses too.
I continued to breathe out fire for as long as my lungs would let me. The area around me is an inferno, and the squad members who can use magic quickly get into action, making it rain to put the fires out. I’m thankful that the fire didn’t spread. Also, sorry about the mess.
Finally there was only one enemy left. As I got off of the dragon I had been stepping on, it immediately leapt at me.
I quickly bit its neck before it could attack and killed it, before dropping it onto the ground.
―――Ah, finally some peace of mind.
I turned my head to see what happened to the squad.
“Brad, be quiet!” ”Calm down!” “Ow, stop being violent!”
It seems that my sudden arrival has startled the Firedrakes, and they had gone into a paniced rampage. The knights had been thrown off and were laying on the ground. Ouch, that looks like it hurt.
It seems I might need to intervene. Breathing in like I’m going to breathe fire, I squeeze out the air from the bottom of my throat, resulting in a roar. To humans it sounds like I just cried out, but if you translate it…
“Calm down! You’re actions are very disgraceful!”
What am I, a mother?
With that one roar, all of the Firedrake freeze and instead began quivering in fear. This time the knights had to comfort the Firedrakes that were backpedaling away.
I might have shouted a bit too tightly. Sorry.*
―――Rather than that, the Captain’s well-being・・・！
It seems that the Vice-captain was tossed off further away and was not near me, but the captain was tossed off nearby and was sitting there staring at me dumbfoundedly. It’s not just the captain, the rest of the squad members were staring at me surprised too, as if they finally remembered my presence since the Firedrakes finally calmed down.
Could I have done something outrageous…?
Wait, I only did this because there was no other option! The thought of the Captain being eaten by another dragon just makes me really anxious.
I never imagined that I would move based on emotion! I don’t know what’s going on anymore!
I lower my long neck and look at the Captain a little closer.
―――But he really does look delicious. When I’m in my dragon form, he looks even more appetizing. To a dangerous point. I can barely suppress my urge.
Its also my first time seeing the Captain from a dragon’s perspective. Its somewhat strange because I’m used to looking up at him, but now I’m looking down at him. His calm, bright green hair and his figure that is slender for a man, his supple hands and down to his toenails, the Captain that is seen through the pupil of a dragon is really irresistible. I felt as if I would never have an opportunity like this again.
―――Aa, it’s no use. I can’t resist it.
And conveniently, I’m hungry right now.
Slowly I bring my face closer. As I get closer, my mouth gradually opens as well. That head, those arms, those legs, and that body, just thinking about it makes my mouth salivate.
The captain did not move. He didn’t even try to escape. He looked like his usual self, whatever he did having come undone, and his usual three braids wavering in the wind.
“Captain!” The Vice-captain called out but I didn’t hear him.
The captain still wasn’t moving and was just looking up at me. I can’t see his expression.
Hey, I’ve waited long enough, right?
You just look so delicious.
You will die, no, might die in the upcoming war, so rather than living on with that possibility wouldn’t it be better to be eaten by me?
Loud heartbeat, an overwhelming sense of ‘want’.
I, at this time, had fully and completely had become a simple ‘beast’.
――――――Ah, just eat it.
I bit the Captain’s arm with a large bite.
*TN: shouting ‘tightly’ is a reference to how she made such a loud ‘shout’, when she squeezed the air tightly to make her voice into a roar. No idea what the author is trying to say, but apparently in dragon anatomy, to shout you squeeze air. And perhaps it also signifies strength/anger? So she shouted a bit too fiercely (aka tightly) which terrified the Firedrakes.