Someone wants to fight the dragon Part 2「Ara? Roomate-san I see a ship.」
After breakfast Yggdrasil said so to me who was about to sculpt the totem pole again today.
When I looked at the direction she indicated [karachapon] sound could be heard from my stomach.
Yesterday’s determination was in vain, I had without reserve enjoyed Yggdrasil’s sap this morning.
Fighting against the desire is very hard in this hollow where the mellow fragrance of the sap drifts when I wake up.
And without thinking I drink the sap because it had been carved into the soul of mine.
Until I move to my new nest dieting will be absolutely impossible.
Maa, setting that aside I looked hard in the direction Yggdrasil indicated.
One small boat was taking the ocean current and was drifting towards this island.
There was no human on the small boat. Only one bug box was placed.
Ohh? What’s that? When I looked into the memories of the preceding dragon I immediately found what it was.
That was a ship with a human sacrifice.
It was approximately 300 years ago when humans tried to conquer this land and led a large fleet to this island.
The late dragon didn’t voluntarily attack human countries on his own but it was a different story if the other party attacked.
He alone with roars, claws and flame annihilated the human fleet.
Afterwards the dragon flew over to the continent and a city was burned to the ground so that humans would never think of doing it again.
The humans who feared the power of the dragon promised that they would once a year offer seven virgins as a sacrifice and so the island wasn’t interfered with a second time.
And every year during this season humans would offer the sacrifices on ship to this island.
The sailors were afraid of approaching the island so they came close with a medium ship and put the sacrifices into a box on the small boat which was then put down during the high tide.
The sacrifices in the box were eaten by the dragon in the light of the next day.
. . . fumu. Who had done this . . . ?
Currently I wasn’t lacking any food and I couldn’t such a cruel thing to a living being with intelligence and eat a human girl which was full of futures.
I should send the girls back to their families and inform the humans that such sacrifices aren’t necessary anymore.
After I told Yggdrasil so I flew towards the small boat which floated on the sea.
I should help those poor girls fast which are trembling while being confined . . . I thought.
The small boat floating on the sea advanced straight with the high tide.
For the time being I raised the small boat onto the beach. And according to my memory there was no human other than those in the box on the ship.
The sacrifices were confined in a roughly three meters oblong box and its purpose was to prevent the humans from running away and throwing their bodies into the sea, so it was severely sealed with chains from the outside.
I didn’t hear voices from the inside, while usually the chosen seven would be frightened.
I cut off the chain with my nail and took off the lid. I was thinking on how to call out to the girls without surprising.
As expected there was one girl inside the box.
While I was wondering a little I opened my mouth to call out to the girl.
At that moment my heart was pierced by a flash of light.
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「There are two reasons why a human can’t win against a dragon.」
The snakelike eyes ominously shook in the candle light.
Here was the human capital 1000 kilometer away from the dragon’s island. In the pope’s private room the low voice of the sorcerer resounded..
「One is its roar. That was the reason why the fleet of 100.000 soldiers were sank in the great war 300 years ago. The dragon’s roar acts directly on the human mind. There is no meaning in covering the ears or defensive walls by magic. Be it tens of thousands or millions of soldiers when faced with the dragon’s roar they are powerless like ants which fell into the ocean.」
The audience of the speech was only one man. The man wore a vestment of purplish red and sat at the head of the table and repeatedly nodded with a solemn face
「Another reason are its scales that defends the dragon’s body which no human can pierce. Neither iron nor steel can injure the scales of a dragon. Moreover it had a high magic resistance. It is impossible for the human race to injure a dragon with sword and magic. After all a dragon is an invincible creature. However during the age of myths there existed humans called hero which certainly have accomplished killing a dragon. How did the ancient heroes destroy dragons? Your majesty the Pope.」
「With ancient weapons . . ?」
The man asked by the sorcerer painfully answered.
The only audience of the solo performance of the sorcerer was the Pope Pius II (Pius the second). In other words the person considered the head of the Holy City.
He had no ambition and was known as a human with only pure faith. He was called the man closest to a saint. To the historians of the future generations he was described as a man who combined the greatest virtues and faults as a pope.
「That’s right. With the ancient G.o.d weapons two of the dragon weapons, the roar and the scales are invalidated. The Spear of Valkyria which boast the highest offensive power of the ancient weapons that can easily pierce the scales of a dragon. And about the problem with the roar . . .」
「Those whose mind was already broken, the dragon’s roar won’t reach . . .?」
To the words of the pope which didn’t conceal the hint of regret the sorcerer gave a short laugh.
「A sacrifice is necessary to evoke a miracle of G.o.d. Though what was done to the girl was pitiful but that lost life could fulfill our long-cherished ambition to save the world tree. We must prevent the realization of the prophecy at all costs. 『A calamity will arrive from beyond the world, the sh.e.l.l will break and all the stars will be devoured . . . 』」
The sorcerer recited the prophecy from the miko of clairvoyance.
Ten years ago the words from the miko of clairvoyance shook the senate of the Holy City.
Who is it? The unimaginable dreadful existence that suddenly appeared and the prophecy that it would destroy the world.
At that time the twelve cardinals were thrown into a commotion and following the words of the miko everyone offered prayers to the Holy Tree.
「『. . The Holy tree reverses fate. The blood that flows from the star becomes the blood of the Holy Tree and the death of the start changes to the death of the Holy Tree. And humans will receive eternal prosperity from the fertilizer from the remains of the Holy Tree』was it?」
Pius continued the following phrase. The Holy Tree bleeds instead of the star. In other words outcome of the prophecy would be the collapse of the Holy Tree Yggdrasil which subst.i.tutes for the world.
The end of the lifespan of the dragon, the expression of breaking the sh.e.l.l from that the senate guessed that a new true dragon would be born soon.
Pius II which was known to be more pious back in then would stand up to protect the world tree, the pillar of faith when necessary.
For the world tree it was necessary to destroy the dragon with the power of humans.
However the remaining eleven cardinals objected to it.
There was only one reason. The last line of the prophecy 『And humans will receive eternal prosperity from the fertilizer from the remains of the Holy Tree』it was this sentence.
The world would lose the world tree but the promise to greet a time of long prosperity became a gospel for the corrupted faith tied with politics.
Even if they didn’t lift a hand the Holy Tree would protect the world.
Though it would be a great lost to lose the Holy Tree but originally because the dragon was living on the island it was impossible to worship the appearance of the world tree not to mention a pilgrimage.
Even if that place was lost it wasn’t a great obstacle to the faith.
Because of the existence that risked its life to save the world the religious community of the world tree would gather further faith.
Additionally if it advanced as prophesied the calamity, which was the dragon would surely vanish from this world.
As long as the dragon perished it was easy to conquer the island of the world tree.
The island of the world tree had a large quant.i.ty of minerals like gold and silver and it was even said that magic stones could be found.
And humans will receive eternal prosperity from the fertilizer from the remains of the Holy Tree; that line certainly meant that humans would obtain the island of the world tree.
Praying to the world tree every day and not meddle with the dragon, wasn’t that the mission of a religious community?
These were the opinions of the cardinals except Pius II and the decision.
Only piety was Pius II merit and he didn’t have the political ability to overturn it.
One Year pa.s.sed, then two years pa.s.sed and the cardinals prepared for the near future and concentrated their power to lay the groundwork for the territory distribution of the island of the world tree but still Pius II hadn’t given up on saving the world tree.
And then five years pa.s.sed. On a certain morning a pigeon arrived at the room of Pius II.
One piece of letter was tied to the foot of the pigeon. And written down in the letter was this.
『To save the world tree do you wish to destroy the dragon by the hands of man?』
The letter to the pope was a secret but it was possible to make arrangements.
And so to the place where only the pope had the key the sorcerer was led to the room where the ancient weapons lay.
And there the Spear of Valkyria shined with a gray light.
And now at the first month the sorcerer according to the promise he had created a user for the Spear of Valkyria with strong magical power.
For several decades a user for the Spear of Valkyria hadn’t appeared.
Furthermore the user was still a young girl and Pius II couldn’t hide his surprise.
And while shedding tears for the girl 「Sorry, sorry」 but even when the pope repeated it the eyes of the girl who had lost her mind didn’t move
「Still, do you regret it? Your majesty the pope.」
Pius II was woken up from his deep recollection by the voice of the sorcerer.
「Ancient weapons aren’t things that could be handled by normal people. I’m fascinated by all the users of ancient weapons. However it wasn’t possible to fight against the dragon’s roar. Losing the mind and soul that was the only way for small existence to fight against powerful enemies.」
That was the reason why since ancient times the ancient weapons were rarely used.
The ones who can use the ancient arms if they didn’t have strong magical power then 「Fusion」 happens and it was their fate to continue fighting as a weapon until the day their magic and life were exhausted by the weapon.
In other words the selected person was sacrificed like a chess piece.
「 . . The soul that was consumed by the ancient weapon, is there no way to return it?」
The pope asked the sorcerer. Though he knew that the answer didn’t exist.
The pope who was too gentle and couldn’t world tree and also the girl be saved? He still kept worrying.
「Your majesty the death of the soul is more decisive than physical death. Even the world tree can’t heal the soul. Not to mention any magic or medicine could return the girl to normal. Though the story would be different if it was the elixir which existed in ancient times . . .」
The sorcerer repeated the denial who knows how many times already.
Those words meant that the means to save the girl didn’t exist anymore. The only thing Pius II could do was pray for her soul to be loved by the G.o.ds up in Valhalla.
The pope prayed for save travel for her soul to heaven and connected the three points head, heart and navel with three fingers.
「The strategy is perfect. If it advances light arranged then she and the dragon will meet soon. The Spear of Valkyira has to pierce the heart of the dragon without fail.」
The sorcerer looked into the western direction. Even if his eyes couldn’t see it, that was where the island of the dragon should be.
「(Nee-san . . . I will clear your regrets)」
The small mutter of the man didn’t reach the ears of the pope.
The pope didn’t know it.
More than 20 years ago, a certain beautiful girl was chosen as the sacrifice for the white dragon.
The younger brother of that girl only lived only for his belief in taking revenge for his older sister.
Therefore he had bought a salve in a certain village, a girl who had talent and overflowing magical powers and brought her up as the user of the spear.
The younger brother imagined the scene on the far away island where his elder sister died that the dragon would cease to breathe right now.
The dragon fell to ruin by the weapon the created, that sweet imagination.
He closed his eyes. There was the disgusting dragon struggling in an ugly sea of blood.
And inside the dream of the man the Spear of Valkyria blew off the dragon’s head.