Chapter 134
Meanwhile, around that time.
Asil was heading to the training ground with Bjorn, not even dreaming of the situation back in the drawing room.
It was to see if Dylan and the other knights were doing well.
The knights were hard at work training today as well.
They were in the middle of basic physical training, striking wooden dolls with wooden swords; Asil now knew that such actions weren’t meant for gathering firewood to earn money.
This was because she had learned about human culture at school.
‘I know everything now.’
She was a smart Black Dragon who knew everything, after all.
Just as she was looking around the training ground with a proud expression and her hands behind her back, something strange caught her eye in the distance.
‘What is that?’
It was hard to see clearly due to the reflected sunlight, but it looked like some kind of statue.
However, the feeling of that statue seemed very familiar.
Asil waddled over toward it.
And the moment she confirmed the statue’s identity, her mouth hung open involuntarily.
The statue was in the shape of a majestic black baby dragon standing with its belly poked out.
The only problems were that the form was closer to a lizard than a dragon, and that baskets of strawberries were placed at the statue’s feet.
Bjorn, seeing Asil frozen, asked.
“What’s wrong?”
“W-what is this!”
“This? It’s the former Divine Beast here, the one who had the same name as you.”
That’s not someone with the same name as me; it’s just me.
However, since she couldn’t say that, Asil held it in and simply swallowed hard.
Anyway, why is my statue here?
And what are these strawberries!
“Seven years ago, when Starafit’s Divine Beast Fear went on a rampage, ‘Divine Beast Asil’ sacrificed themselves to stop the rampage. This statue was made to commemorate that Divine Beast.”
Since it was a famous story in the Empire, Bjorn explained it fluently without hesitation.
“The Monlepe ducal house seems to call it the Legendary Divine Beast. Didn’t you know? Did that happen only after you went away for recuperation?”
“…….”
Lost for words, Asil’s mouth hung open once again.
No wonder, when she went to the human camp as a messenger, the Monlepe knights were going on about a Legendary Divine Beast this and that.
‘They were talking about me.’
Her face flushed bright red from embarrassment.
And that embarrassment doubled when she saw a knight who looked like a new recruit respectfully offer a basket of strawberries at the feet of the statue and bow his waist.
“Legendary Divine Beast, please allow me to become a strong and righteous knight today as well……”
“Huaaaaang!”
Don’t say things like that to a living beastman!
Asil, letting out a shriek, covered her face with both hands.
While the recruit and Bjorn looked at Asil with faces that didn’t understand the reason, a presence was suddenly felt from behind.
It was Dylan, who had finished his training.
At the sight of Asil standing in front of the ‘Divine Beast Asil’ statue, he wore an expression as if he were holding back a laugh for a moment.
However, it vanished so quickly, and since Asil was groaning with her face covered, no one saw it.
Dylan, letting out a fake cough, spoke up while feigning innocence.
“Is this not Lady Erzébet? Have you come to watch the training ground?”
“……Yes……”
“Speaking of this statue, it is the statue of the Legendary Divine Beast who saved our family from crisis. There is a legend that if you offer strawberries at the feet and make a wish, they will grant what you want.”
Why does such a legend even exist.
Asil pouted her lips and raised her head.
She was still embarrassed, but it was clear she would look strange if she stayed like this.
Whether he knew Asil’s heart or not, Dylan continued his praise.
“They were a great being. They were someone who provided great strength just by their existence.”
“I’ve also heard a lot about Monlepe’s lizard Divine Beast. Although I didn’t see it personally, they say they blew away a million rebellious vassals with a single flick of their tail.”
Bjorn, who was beside her, also chimed in.
No, I didn’t blow them away with one tail flick. I did front-paw punches, and back-kicks, and roundhouse kicks too…….
Even for a strong Black Dragon, I wasn’t that strong yet. Asil nodded sulkily.
“I’ve heard of it too. They said it was a super strong Divine Beast.”
“Although they left us early due to an unfortunate incident, I still believe that being is by my side even now.”
Having finished speaking, Dylan stared intently at Asil.
W-what. Why are you looking with those eyes! Surely you don’t know that I am the Black Dragon beastman?
Feeling a guilty conscience, Asil hurriedly clenched both fists and shouted.
“Yes, they’ll be by your side. Fighting!”
“Kkurururuk.”
It was then that a strange sound was heard from Dylan.
It was a very small sound, but Asil, whose five senses were developed as a predator, heard it clearly.
‘What is it?’
It sounded like an animal’s cry.
She reflexively looked around, but there were only humans here.
Did I hear wrong? But it was a fairly clear sound for that to be the case.
“Kkurururuk.”
The cry was heard from Dylan once more.
Because it was a bit louder than before, this time Bjorn heard it too and wore a puzzled expression.
As Asil looked at Dylan, Dylan hesitated slightly and took something wrapped in a handkerchief out from his bosom.
“Actually, there was something I wanted to ask the Young Lady for help with.”
What he took out was a small snake of dainty size. Curiously, a pair of small wings were attached to its back.
Saying it was no good to have many listening ears, Dylan led Asil and Bjorn to the knights’ duty room.
Then, as he brought out strawberries for a snack, he explained the circumstances of how he ended up carrying the snake in his bosom.
“It was when we were withdrawing from the Beastmen’s Forest after the combat ended. Suddenly this snake appeared and hovered around; no matter how much I tried to chase it away, it stuck close and
followed me everywhere I went.”
The winged snake would fly lightly and hover around Dylan no matter what obstacles were placed in its way.
It was a relief that he had overcome his phobia of reptiles thanks to Asil; otherwise, he would have fainted unsightly long ago.
“I was carrying it in my pocket because it seemed it might cause unnecessary misunderstanding in the capital.”
Even if he had overcome his phobia of reptiles, carrying a snake in one’s pocket was not an easy task…….
Still, it was better than being questioned about why he was dragging a winged snake around.
Even in the midst of that, the snake was hovering near Dylan and crying busily as if appealing for something.
Dylan, who was staring at the snake, spoke again.
“I heard that the Young Lady understands the hearts of animals well. Do you perhaps have any guess as to why this snake is acting like this?”
“It says to find its mommy.”
“Pardon?”
“Mommy?”
Dylan was slightly surprised by the unexpected words, and Bjorn, who had been listening quietly, adjusted his posture.
“Asil, by any chance, can you understand the words of snakes?”
“Uh— no, I just felt it.”
Since she was a beastman, she could understand the language of all animals,
But since she couldn’t tell the truth, Asil swallowed the strawberries that filled her mouth and quickly made up an excuse.
“I get the feeling the snake friend is looking for its mommy.”
“Kkururururuk!”
The snake, delighted that someone had finally appeared who understood its words, suddenly turned to Asil and began to hop here and there with its body coiled like a spring.
And it cried busily without taking a breath.
“Kkuruk! Kkururuk! Kkururururuk!”
“It says it was living happily with its mommy in the forest, but some human came and took its mommy away. It feels its mommy’s energy nearby and is asking for help to find its mommy.”
She felt Bjorn staring intently at her, but for now, she translated all the snake’s words.
He wasn’t the kind of human who would go around telling others even if he knew she could talk to animals.
‘By the way, how does Dylan know I can talk to animals?’
When the story finished, the snake buried its face on Asil’s lap and began to cry loudly.
Meanwhile, Dylan, who realized the culprit behind it at once, frowned.
“Is it the work of the Marquis of Skya’s side? No wonder they kept making excuses to drag out time during the withdrawal—”
It was then that the door to the duty room burst open.
Asil, Dylan, and Bjorn reflexively turned toward it.
Edenber, Snowa, and Todori, who had come to reclaim the disappeared Asil, were at the door.
“Human—!”
Snowa, who was about to give Bjorn a fierce piece of his mind for taking Asil away, fell silent for a moment.
Then, seeing the snake stuck closely by Asil’s side, he shouted with a pale face.
“Why, why has one more male been added!”
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