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Chapter 12
“Time to go in… this feels uncomfortable.”
“Since it all happened because of them, I’ll ask if I can use the shower facilities.”
“The shower facilities?”
Reiden pointed at a lavish carriage adorned with the Imperial flag. Two knights stood guard around it. Even the carriage doors looked like they had been gilded with money. It was obvious that multiple layers of magic, including cleansing spells, were cast on it.
“You know they’re from the Belpeffer Empire School, right?”
The Belpeffer Imperial flag was common knowledge, but the emblem painted on the tent canvas was unmistakable—the mark of the Empire School’s top contender. A man looked out the carriage window with a displeased expression. With the rain falling and an incident happening, he frowned deeply, lips pressed tightly together.
“That’s the crown prince.”
“…Who?”
“The second in line to the Belpeffer imperial throne—Crown Prince Shubren. He’s probably the owner of the prize the emperor put up.”
I glanced briefly at his face and then studied it carefully. The furrowed brow showed traces of anguish, and his sharp, luminous eyes, full of resolute dignity, were examining the unconscious wild Odeltos as if trying to understand the truth of the incident.
“You just had a weird thought, didn’t you?”
“Nope.”
Reiden looked at me as if to see the truth, then, realizing I shouldn’t get any colder, ran toward the prince’s knight. I felt uncomfortable but could bear it; seeing him explain that cleanliness was important and make that request on my behalf, I felt apologetic.
I brushed my hair from my water-soaked cheeks and entered the tent where the dragons were staying. The Tess Nigella dragons, excited by Odeltos’ fight, were puffing and huffing. Professor Reed’s face lit up when he saw me, and he asked for help. The dragons finally purred after I stroked their backs in turn.
“Have you heard exactly what happened?”
“Yes. One of Belpeffer’s dragons, Odeltos, caught a cold during transit and got separated from its group. It happened to enter the territory of a wild Odeltos.”
“Oh, so…”
“The dragons that went ahead were left alone. But since the sick one was of the same species, the wild Odeltos probably saw a chance and attacked. Earlier, Lensher…”
I raised both hands as if to cover my mouth in shock, and Professor Hachiner hurriedly did so for me. The rain was heavy, and it was fortunate that there were no other people nearby—it had gotten scary after the dragon incident. Besides, the dragon-riding students were busy setting up tents.
“How did you know!”
Whispering, I asked, and Sir Asha, who had been checking the dragons’ temperatures with Veterinarian Jera, sheepishly scratched his cheek and raised a hand.
“I… accidentally overheard while talking…”
I felt my heart drop. Once again, I grabbed my chest, as if my heart had popped out near my ribs.
“By the way, Professor Hale, you said you’ve known Count Lensher since childhood?”
Professor Reed whispered “Lensher” carefully, eyes shining. These dragon handlers had no secrets. Sir Asha avoided my gaze, claiming it was unavoidable.
“…Just… like childhood friends.”
“So you have a connection with the Lensher family.”
“Yes. Something like that.”
A transcendent being eventually reaches mastery over mana, so young Reiden, with permission from Count Lensher and Duke Gingerbell, practically lived at the Gingerbell house filled with wizards. When I was little, I sometimes thought Reiden might be my twin—but, of course, that was not true.
“…It’s a secret, okay?”
Having been saved once by Reiden, I knew the torment all too well. I warned again that we—and certainly Chental—would be in an uproar if the secret got out. Professors Reed, Hachiner, and Jera all nodded. Somehow, I felt it would be revealed soon anyway.
“This is really serious. Even with a cold, it could knock out a wild Odeltos.”
“But even if it wins, isn’t that a problem too? Looks like the crown prince wants to give the egg to the crown heir.”
“Indeed. A hybrid of Rotten Crombel and Kryptondia would be strong, even if only inheriting the lesser traits. It’s not something you casually give to another country. Clearly, this is a top-ranked competition.”
“After the competition, they won’t be banned from entering the country, right?”
Everyone seemed to think alike. I shook my head.
“The queen will block it.”
And we all quietly chanted:
“Long live Her Majesty the Queen.”
Once the conversation ended, Reiden called me. I put the hood of my raincoat back on and went out. The handlers’ eyes lit up with a cheerful “Oh!” Apparently, they had no intention of keeping secrets.
Reiden, with the hearing of a transcendent being, seemed to have overheard everything. He looked at the people inside the tent, raised a single index finger to his lips. Politely, it meant “shh”; firmly, it meant “silence.” Amot’s handlers and the veterinarian nodded quietly.
“So, how did it go? Aren’t the shower facilities only for the crown prince?”
Thinking I would probably be refused, I looked at Reiden apologetically. He smiled and pointed to a small carriage.
“It’s actually a food supply carriage. Apparently, part of it has been converted into a shower. They solved the water supply problem with magic. The crown prince conceded because cleanliness is important to a doctor. Also, the Odeltos handler earlier heard about your skill, so he allowed it even more willingly. He was impressed that you knocked out a wild Odeltos instantly. Talented people are always treated well.”
“Classic empire. They can instantly gauge a transcendent’s identity.”
Joking, I nodded, and Reiden laughed, saying a servant would come when the shower was ready and to bring a change of clothes. I happily ran to my carriage.
Indeed, it was a facility fit for royalty. I had a slight prejudice, thinking it was just a food storage carriage, but it was far from that. The smell of wealth was everywhere. Considering the Empire School’s location, they might only sleep there once or twice, yet they brought such an amazing shower carriage. Truly, a grand empire. I indulged in facilities I’d hardly get to use twice in my life.
I couldn’t stay long, so I finished washing quickly. Using magical tools was convenient, with no discomfort. After emptying the bathtub and changing clothes, I casually touched my flat stomach. I couldn’t believe there was a child inside. I stroked it a few times, sighed deeply, then put on my raincoat and carried the waterproof bag with my wet clothes out of the carriage.
The next morning, the rain had stopped and the sun shone brightly. Even if I tried to find a dry spot, it was still a forest, and puddles remained across the base camp. But with the sun blazing, they would evaporate by noon. Yesterday, in the dim light of lamps, I had been mistaken—the Empire School group seemed larger than ours. The dragon Reiden had knocked out wasn’t visible, so it must have been returned to its nest at dawn.
Watching the handlers load two cooked pork pieces onto a cart for breakfast, I went to check on the patients. Dr. Ren was examining wounds, so I gave the medicine to be taken after the meal.
“Did you hear? The crown prince is accompanying them.”
“Yes. I heard he’s participating in this competition. Not sure which category, but it’s probably dragons.”
Tying up my messy hair and finishing breakfast, the compensation issue seemed resolved. I didn’t hear the details, but apparently, sufficient compensation was given, including high-end lodging and meals to aid quick recovery before the competition. Fights with wild dragons were unexpected accidents, not intentional, so normally the Empire wouldn’t offer this level of compensation—but, of course, it was the Empire.
The crown prince’s group, following the original plan, should have arrived in the next city a day ahead without encountering us. The delay was due to one sick Odeltos.
A dragon’s “cold” is actually a fever. Normally, if a dragon’s body temperature suddenly drops, it raises its heat to restore itself. If this system malfunctions, it’s called a high or low fever. Either way, the dragon’s condition worsens, with headaches and irritability.
A high-fevered dragon, no matter how intelligent, becomes sharp and reckless, causing conflicts among dragons and slowing the schedule.
The sick Odeltos from yesterday scratched at a discarded piece of wood nearby, clearly irritated. The handlers looked on, nearly giving up.
“Don’t even think of going over there.”
“Why would I do that? I know the value of my life.”
“Exactly. That’s right.”
Reiden handed me the blueberry I had murmured about, half-left in my soup. I didn’t expect him to get it, and was even more surprised that he had. Can a transcendent being even make blueberries? Reading my expression, Reiden gestured toward Belpeffer’s tent.
“I just asked while passing by; saw some blueberries.”
“Wow, Reiden. Long may you live.”
“Well… longevity is already planned.”
Transcendent Reiden smiled bitterly.
After breakfast, we departed first. We arrived in the next city shortly after noon. Belpeffer attendants had arranged decent lodging. Injured students were given the second-best rooms. The crown prince, I assumed, would stay at a lord’s castle, but since there was none, he used the inn’s finest room.
After loosening my stiff body on the bed, I went outside to find the crown prince’s group had arrived. Despite being seventeen, he seemed remarkably serious. Compared to his carriage, the inn room was modest, but he showed no complaints and was not picky about meals. He seemed to like dragons, occasionally asking the handler about the sick Odeltos. As expected, the handler was a professor from Belpeffer Empire School, and although the crown prince couldn’t use formal honorifics, he spoke carefully. Reiden had already seen through his abilities.
Feeling proud, I watched Reiden converse with Sir Roche, then moved toward the door. Just as I was about to step out, Reiden looked back at me. I silently mouthed that I’d just get some fresh air, then opened the door.
