Chapter 26 part 2
“Found you.”
Because I was pondering so absorbedly while holding my knees, I didn’t notice that someone was approaching at such a close range at all.
Rising my surprised face, the Captain was there.
With his usual figure, with the usual tone of voice, with the usual atmosphere. A big difference with me.
Why is he here. I wonder if he flew here on a Fire Drake, moreover, how in the world did he know the fact that I was here, this place is not supposed to be known by anybody, …but if I recall correctly, the Captain came here once. Still, how did he connect the fact that I ran away from the castle with this place?
The bright green braided cords were shaking. They became two because I ate one. They look delicious after all, or something. Maybe because I was making such a face, suddenly.
“Do you want to eat?”
I heard such a thing. He crouched down as if to fit in my line of sight while I stared at him with an agape look, did I look like I craved it that much? He offered one of the braided hair cords to me.
Oh, it is that, not his body but that, right? I’ve eaten that earlier as well.
Was my train of thought becoming strange now? I said, ‘If you offer it then I’ll take it,’ and put only the disheveled tip in my mouth, stuffing my cheeks. I was nibbling on it lightly while just holding it in my mouth and thinking, ‘I’ll make it sticky with drool!’ but as I felt a pleasant something permeate through my body, when I noticed I was wholeheartedly stuffing my cheeks with it. Since I couldn’t eat very well I changed my teeth into sharp ones so I could tear it off inside my mouth. It took a considerable amount of time, but I ate one whole. Ah, I’m satisfied. Since being hungry is something akin to being unable to do battle, my feelings also calmed down as I became satisfied. (T/n: unsure again~ 腹が減っては戦は出来ぬと似たようなもので…) Although, in the end the Captain’s braid that was born from the right ear became the only one. I’m sorry, but I did not mean to eat it, it was unintentional.
Becoming aware of what I’d done, I glanced at the Captain’s face in a hurry to see his reaction, but it’s the same as always.
“…Don’t you feel disgusted?”
There is no way a girl eating your hair won’t make you feel disgusted. If it happened to me, if someone was eating my own hair right then and there, I’d draw back. This sort of thing is as if I was saying in a round about way; ‘next, I’ll eat you.’
But the Captain shook his head with a curious look.
“Why?”
“Please calm down and consider things again. I’m a girl who becomes a ferocious flesh-eating Dragon, and I ate not only your left arm, I even ate your hair. Even for the Dragon-loving you, I think this is certainly expected to feel wrong.”
“You were also saying that before.”
That’s why, how come, your reaction is different from theirs.
How can you, accept it so obediently.
“How can you, stay this calm…?”
“I’m not calm.”
“Just how are you not calm…!”
He’s no different than usual. Even his att.i.tude, he has some strange sides but he won’t change from before.
As I had yelled out, the Captain said in a soft voice in order to calm me down.
“After learning that the girl I care about, and the Dragon I admire are the same being, I won’t calm down.”
— The girl you care about?
I became perplexed by the answer that completely missed my estimations and came back to me as a curve ball.
Does he mean my human self? The time I spent with the Captain is only the period when I was a.s.signed to the dorms.
“…Is it a joke?”
“It’s not a joke.”
The Captain takes my hand, and brings it up to the left side of his chest. Although because of the sudden movement my body fell forward, the beat transmitted from my palm pressed against his left chest felt to me, somehow, like it was beating a bit fast. The vibration was very comfortable; it was telling me, this is proof that he is alive. It was also telling me, I was glad I didn’t eat him that time.
— But, I can’t believe it, such thing.
“Vito, what happened then?”
He asked me, who was hanging my head down, why had I disappeared so suddenly.
Will I be laughed at once I say the reason, or will he be amazed at it. I’m starting to not care whichever way it goes. (T/N: unsure about this one~ どちらしろなんだかもうどうでもよくなっている。)
“…Within the castle, it was known at some point that I’m a Dragon, and it seems like a variety of rumors are flowing around, so I was a little depressed because of that.”
One can’t laugh at something like getting depressed and shutting oneself in.
“I’ll let LeBlanche know. I’m sure in that in regards to you, he couldn’t remain calm. Besides, perhaps as he shoulders the responsibility of being the Prince of the country, he becomes impatient and loses his cool a little… I’d like you not to atack him, if possible.”
It seems he knew the cause to be the Prince.
Captain, I guess you are skilled at keeping up with me and with the Prince as well. You are an adult, huh. I must come across as a pitiable, childish person, mumbling while troubled like this.
Ah, that’s true. Even if he is a Prince, when learning that the “Legendary Earth Dragon” really existed, it’s a thing to for the country to rejoice. He wouldn’t be able to keep his cool. I’m sorry for having called you a regrettable Prince again, Prince.
Moreover, the reaction of the people at the castle was natural. That’s why I’d I’d feel hurt, overwhelmed and troubled over every single thing, there would be no end to it. Didn’t Timo also say that it’s no use to think about the things that have no answer? And it’s merely one or two rumors. It’s no good to let such things control my feelings. Let’s stop this, already. If my feelings sink the more I think, I’ll cease to think about it. Isn’t giving up on things actually my forte?
“Understood, it’s fine already. And I’m sorry, that you came over to this place for me… I’ve bothered you.”
“It wasn’t a bother, I was worried.”
That’s why, I wonder how come you only say such kind things.
Come to think of it, the Captain was delicious, yeah. When I stared at him with such eyes, I heard once again, ‘Do you want to eat?’ Which part should I eat this time? The last braid? Or his right arm, but replacing it is a ha.s.sle. And I must sacrifice a horn. They don’t grow up again, these things.
But more than that.
“Captain, you know? You are really delicious. Amongst the humans I’ve eaten so far, you are the one with the most abundant magical power, I was surprised since it’d almost be a waste to eat you whole. Because it’d be a waste, I ended up thinking of eating you little by little. But… now I don’t want to eat you.”
During the subjugation instance, I sincerely wanted to eat him, so I helped him with the feelings of not wanting to hand him over to other guys. But, now I do not want to lose him. Because the feeling of wanting him to live is stronger than the feeling of wanting to eat him. Even when confronted with him in my Dragon form, because of these feelings I won’t run away.
“It’s fine. You should eat when you want to eat.”
An immediate OK came my way. Even though I’m talking seriously here.
“It is that, Captain. You said this, didn’t you. That you are a Knight that protects the country, in that case, how can you have the leisure to be eaten by me?”
“I did say such a thing.”
Somehow talking to him is anticlimactic.
“… I, because I was depressed, I said really terrible things.”
“I’m sorry.”
“So why are you apologizing, I should be the one apologizing here. So, —I’m sorry.”
The arcane! j.a.pANESE kowtow!! Since I can’t do that, I simply bow my head a little. It is true that I’ve been a bother to the Captain. If I wasn’t here he would not have lost his left arm, and his life wouldn’t have been in danger twice. These are all, seeds that I’ve sown. If I wasn’t here he may have spent this time more peacefully.
But, I am glad to have met the Captain, from the moment we first met, I have thought so. I think so even now.
To meet someone who stirs my heart this much and makes me behave emotionally, to be able to meet an existence like that, I’m truly delighted. To think such a me exists. My heart is warming up.
The Captain stroked my head once, then held out his hand to me.
“Let’s go home.”
As I was feeling perplexed I placed my hand on his, and he brought me to my feet. Because I had been sitting all along I couldn’t control my steps and almost fell over, but an arm surrounded my hips and supported me from behind.
The Captain was, as usual, smiling gently at me.
I believe it wasn’t just my imagination – his heartbeat sped up within his chest.
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Translator’s Lair:
Nghhhhhh!!! G.o.dd.a.m.nit so sweeeeet!!
Here you have some sweetness before April 1st jokes attack you from everywhere. this chapter was so… I mean, dQQJZBWKZNA. I can’t even.