Chapter 236: 236

The manticore darts out of my field of vision. It’s annoying, but I’ve got no choice but to go along with what she wants.

Looking back, I turn my attention to the mountain of rubble she burst out of. Buried underneath, there should still be a child. Though I have to hope he hasn’t been crushed to death.

I carefully push aside the bricks with my foreleg.

“GuoOOh”

“U, uu…”

When I call out, I hear a moan in reply. I’m glad, he’s still alive it seems. It came from around here. Gently, I sift through the bricks. Through a gap I see flash of skin colour. I glance at my partner.

“Gaah”

With her cry, a light covers the pinned child. His injuries knit closed, and his contorted expression softens slightly. I lift him out with my foreleg and lay him down on the ground.

The child opens his eyes a crack. Tears are running down his cheeks, a faint blush visible. His expression looked like one of adoration.

“Th-th-thank you very much… Dragon-god-sama…”

My own tear ducts are starting to leak. I rub my eyes with my foreleg, feeling a slight wetness.

“Dragon-god-sama just drove away a manticore disguised as a human!”

“Did you see how it fled from him? As expected of dragon-god-sama!”

The villagers who had been watching gather round. The ones who had evacuated must have heard what happened, as they’re also rushing over here in a hurry.

N-no, please. I haven’t been looked at with those sorts of eyes before very much, so it’s kind of ticklish. Just how popular is the position of dragon-god? I’ll just become their dragon-god already. That’ll be fine, right? Uwa, what do I do if the real dragon-god-sama returns.

Hibi walks over to me. Again, she raises her staff, and chants a quiet incantation. [Telepathy], huh. I can understand normal speech just fine, though…

『I would never have expected that the traveller would be a monster. This is my blunder. If dragon-god-sama had not returned, I shudder to imagine what would have occurred…』

More importantly, I’m worried about how I wasn’t able to finish it off. I think she’ll come back to attack again…

『If that’s your worry, then please be at ease. The manticore seemed very frightened. As it will be cautious of dragon-god-sama, I expect that it will not show up near the village for a while. Besides, in that direction… well, we might just be very fortunate.』

Fortunate? Why so…?

『…It is nothing worthy of conveying to dragon-god-sama. In either case, there should be no need to be overly cautious for the time being.』

…Saying that only makes me more curious though. W-well, it’s fine. The Lithovar tribe must have their own circumstances. Hibi’s also making a face as if she doesn’t want to talk about it much.

But that collapsed building… It shouldn’t be too hard for me to rebuild it. My fingers are a bit clumsy, but my size has got to be useful. I get the feeling that I’d be able to mould it into a building shape like clay. It got destroyed because of my mistake, so I should help reconstruct it, right? Nonono, this isn’t the time to be full of myself after being fawned over.

I stretch my cheeks with my foreleg. My partner, attentive as always, shoots out healing magic right away. There was hardly any damage, but thanks all the same.

The wight and treant are waiting for us in the forest. This isn’t the time to be thinking about helping to repair a building. I need to return right away. Quite a lot of time has passed already.

“Get the preparations ready to entertain dragon-god-sama!”

“Y-yes! Which foods should I…”

“All of them! Worry about getting permission after!”

I can see the villagers fussing around noisily.

Hey wait a sec! I’m leaving! I’m sorry, but I have stuff to do! I’m totally grateful for the sentiment though! Hibi-san! I’m sorry, but please tell them I’m leaving!

“Ooh! Dragon-god-sama looked at me!”

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Everyone is clamouring about every little move I make. They’re not calming down at all. A strange sweat appears. No matter where I look, I see feverish gazes looking back at me.

“Gaaa…”

My partner is also shrinking away from them. As she’s normally a carefree ball of curiosity, seeing her this nervous is a first. 

…I see just one person, a woman, glaring at me with thin eyes. Her age looks like she could be in her early thirties, or is about to enter them. Her expression is dark, her cheeks gaunt, and her face haggard. It’s entirely possible that she’s a lot younger than I estimated.

Everyone else is looking at me warmly, so I noticed her right away. Unconsciously, I stop looking around and stare at her. Meeting my gaze, she turns away uncomfortably and goes into a nearby building as if to run away. 

Some of the others look in the direction of the woman with puzzled expressions.

Wh-what is ? Did I do something bad?

『…Please excuse her rudeness. I will ask her to stop it later. So, please, forgive us.』

Perhaps having read my surface thoughts, Hibi sends such a [Telepathy]. She must have thought I was angry, because I sense traces of anxiousness in the [Telepathy] she sent. 

No, that’s fine though… Was it something I did?

『No, that’s not the case. She is… How should I say this… Right, she’s tired. Please don’t think bad of her.』

…It’s something to do with me, right? If so, I’d like to hear it.

『… It is nothing worthy of conveying to dragon-god-sama.』

…That line again. If this keeps up, I’ll feel like I’m being ostracised… From her reaction, there’s no way it has doesn’t have anything to do with me.

I was just thinking casually, but Hibi’s face suddenly pales. Oh no. Did she pick up on that? I wasn’t thinking all that strongly, so I didn’t think it was enough to be transmitted.

N-no, it’s fine if you don’t want to say anything else…

『…Her name is Aino. Aino had a daughter, but she was killed by the manticore.』

From her point of view, it must look like I left on a whim, then came back on a whim. In the dragon-god’s absence, another monster took up residence in the shrine, where it killed and ate children. And then I unexpectedly returned. Well yeah, I can see why she wouldn’t have the best impression of me. The other villagers are welcoming me without reservation, but there’s also an undercurrent of worry about whether I’ll disappear again.

I look up at the sky. Hey, real dragon-god, where did you go? If you have a shrine made for you, and are getting along with them for several years, then at least say something before disappearing.

Did my predecessor only help them in return for the tributes he was given? Since I have memories of my previous life, I might not really understand the perspective of other dragons. From a dragon’s point of view, humans could well be no more than just another species of animals.

…This is no time to lose myself in sentimentality. I should make my exit soon. If I don’t hurry, the wight will… hmm? Could it be? Could the wight possibly be Aino’s daughter?

No, there’s no way right? There must have been lots of people eaten by the manticore. Still, I can’t help but be curious about it. I look back at Hibi. Guessing I want to say something, Hibi closes her eyes.

Aino’s daughter, what was her name?

『The name of Aino’s daughter was Aro. She was a charming young lady, not yet ten years of age.』

Aro, is it… That age matches how old I estimated the skeleton to be as well.

『Dragon-god-sama?』

It’s nothing; thanks for telling me. Well, I have things that I need to do, so it’s about time that I take my leave. Please explain to the others.

『Are you really leaving so soon? Since you’re here…』

I shake my head, turning away from Hibi. My path out is clogged with people, but they move aside when I nudge them with my head. They look a little sad. I’ll come back one day. When the wight is able to fend for herself a little better

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