“Say, you plan to travel around the world, huh…? I don’t know what’s going on, but are you sure you’ll be alright?”
—
“Well, most problems can be solved with brute strength. And if things get tough, we could always ask for help from the Temple of Life, right?”
—
That’s right! You’re a Dragon! There’s no way anyone besides a hero could be stronger than a Dragon! So yeah, brute force should totally solve everything!
—
And… asking the Temple of Life for help? Hmm… Is that just lip service, or do they really have some kind of connection?
—
Eh, not my problem anyway.
—
Still, I was kinda curious about what Priest and Tia were talking about, so I eavesdropped… But it seems like nothing particularly interesting or substantial came out of it.
—
Maybe I should’ve just gone to bed.
—
“So, you’re planning to travel and see other places too, huh.”
—
“Yeah. I want to observe how the people of this world live.”
—
“If that’s the case, there will be merchants coming to the village in two weeks. How about traveling with them? They’re trustworthy.”
—
Tia shook her head slightly at the priest’s suggestion.
—
“There’s no need to impose on them. Plus, I’d like to explore the world quietly, on the same level as everyone else, if possible.”
—
“I see… If that’s the Lady Priestess’s wish, then there’s nothing more to say.”
—
The priest nodded slightly and then looked at Tia’s horns while speaking.
—
“But if you want to stay low-key, it might be better to hide those horns somehow. There might be others who’d recognize you as the Dragon Priestess like me.”
—
“Hmm… Is that really necessary?”
—
“Yes. The tale of the Dragon Priestess who adventured alongside the Hero is well-known. Anyone with even a little knowledge would easily figure out who you are if they saw your face. Even I recognized you immediately.”
—
At the priest’s words, Tia nodded slightly.
—
“I see. Then… maybe covering up with a hat or hood would work?”
—
“Can you make the horns disappear entirely?”
—
Tia shook her head slightly.
—
“They can be hidden, but doing so weakens my power. If I push myself too hard, the concealed horns will reappear… So, I’d rather avoid it if possible.”
—
“That makes sense. If you dislike hiding them, then there’s no helping it. However, since wearing a hat or hood all the time isn’t practical either… What about making something that looks like a decorative hair accessory?”
—
“A hair accessory?”
—
“Yes. Create one that covers both your head and horns, making it seem like the horns are part of the decoration. Unlike hats or hoods, people won’t find it strange if someone wears a hair ornament.”
—
After pondering for a moment, Tia snapped her fingers, and an illusionary hair accessory appeared on her head, enveloping her horns.
—
“Something like this, perhaps? It’s made using Illusion Magic.”
—
Illusion magic? Magic can do THAT?! It looks completely real!
—
“Wow… I’ve heard the Dragon Priestess can freely use all kinds of magic, but this is impressive. Creating illusions that look so real… Incredible.”
—
“Hmph. I must at least be capable enough to live up to the title of Dragon Priestess.”
—
So even Dragons can pull off stuff like this…
—
Hmm… Did the Hero really defeat such an amazing magical creature? I’m starting to feel skeptical.
—
No, wait. Maybe the Hero didn’t fight an actual Dragon but some sort of Dragon-like monster instead?
—
No, no, no. The story clearly said “Dragon.” There’s no way the Hero would lie about that.
—
“But the horns are still too big compared to the hair accessory. At this size, it’s obvious, and the disguise won’t hold.”
—
“True. Making them too large would indeed be inconvenient.”
—
“That’s true. I’m not sure if a small hair accessory like this could fool others…”
—
“Hmm. Leave that to me. I’ll cast a spell to subtly guide people into believing the horns are part of the ornament without directly controlling their thoughts.”
—
Guide thoughts? Can she control minds now too?!
—
Is there anything this Dragon CAN’T do?!
—
“Thought-guiding magic, you say… I wasn’t aware such magic existed. Still… manipulating others’ thoughts doesn’t seem right.”
—
“Why not?”
—
“All life forms deserve freedom over their own lives,” said the God of Wind and Freedom. “Such magic interferes with that freedom. No matter how noble the intent, it’s wrong to infringe upon others’ autonomy, even for someone as esteemed as the Dragon Priestess.”
—
After hearing the priest’s words, Tia thought deeply before nodding slightly.
—
“You’re right. In that case, how about a spell that induces a harmless illusion instead, making people believe the horns are part of the ornament?”
—
“An illusion… Hmm… That might actually be acceptable.”
—
Wait, so illusions are fine but thought manipulation isn’t? Isn’t that just semantics?
—
Do all priests studying theology end up like this? This logic baffles me…
—
“By the way, are you planning to travel alone?”
—
“Yeah. I intend to leave tomorrow.”
—
“In that case… wouldn’t it be wise to bring a companion along for your journey?”
—
“Companion? Hmm… Sounds troublesome.”
—
“It’d be better to have someone around. Even someone as exalted as you could benefit from having assistance during the trip.”
—
“So, are you volunteering?”
—
“No. My knees were injured by an arrow long ago, so walking long distances is difficult for me.”
—
“Ah, I see.”
—
Hmm? Was that true? But the priest walks around just fine, faster than me even…
—
“Instead of me, why don’t you take the young Beastman who accompanied you today? Maybel.”
—
“That rat-Beastman kid?”
—
Me?!
—
“Yes. She’s clever and will surely be helpful.”
—
“Hmm… Helpful, you say. But only if she agrees to come along.”
—
At Tia’s words, the priest shook his head.
—
“She’s already expressed a desire to leave the village. Asking her to accompany you would likely make her happy. Besides…”
—
The priest pulled something from within his robes and placed it on the table.
—
“There’s also a reason she needs to leave.”
—
“This is?”
—
“It’s a letter sent last year by her mother, who entrusted her care to me before leaving.”
—
Upon hearing the priest’s words, I instinctively burst into the room where they were speaking.
—
“A letter from Mom?!”
—
“Maybel? Were you unable to sleep?”
—
“Does sleep matter right now?! There’s a letter from Mom?! Why didn’t you show it to me?!”
—
I TRUSTED YOU! I trusted the priest!!!
—
“Maybel… Calm down.”
—
“Do I LOOK calm right now?! A letter from MOM?! From Mom, whom I haven’t heard from in YEARS?!”
—
All these pent-up emotions erupted from deep within me.
—
Feelings I usually kept buried.
—
“How could you keep such a letter from me?! WHY?!”
—
“Maybel.”
—
“I trusted you! After my mom left me here, I considered YOU as my parent! How could you betray me like this?!”
—
Betrayal. Sadness. Despair. Yet amidst it all, a glimmer of hope. Hope that Mom hadn’t abandoned me. Hope that she’s alive.
—
A storm of conflicting emotions raged inside me.
—
“Let me explain step by step. Please calm down first.”
—
“Could YOU stay calm in my situation, Priest?! Huh?!”
—
I opened my mouth again to shout…
—
“Enough.”
—
A single quiet word froze me solid.
—
“I understand why you’re upset, but let’s hear the explanation first. Calm down and sit.”
—
Tia’s voice weighed heavily upon me, filled with an authority that couldn’t be defied. The overwhelming emotions I had been venting were instantly suppressed.
—
And so, with my bottled-up feelings forcibly sealed away, I silently sat down in the nearest chair without another word.
—
“That’s better. Sometimes, expressing raw emotion isn’t the best solution. Let’s talk it through. Let’s discuss.”
—
Seeing me seemingly calmed, the priest slowly began to speak.
—
“I planned to tell you when you became an adult. It was for your own good.”
—
“For my own good?”
—
“Yes. For your protection. To keep you safe from danger.”
—
Danger? For me? What could possibly be written in that letter that would put me in danger?
