'Princess!　Head down, please!
'Heathcliff, if we don't do this, we're both done!

　The carriage had no driver, and seemed to be running by itself.
　A blue-haired princess was being guarded by a knight - a guard named Heathcliff.

''It's unlikely to hold any magical power, and if we continue like this...''

　The Trifaal is a magical tool.
　Its power source is magic.

Humans!　Don't think you can steal my treasure and get away with it for free.

　Their expressions grew more and more serious at the low, brazen voice coming from outside the carriage.
　Then the roof suddenly blew off.

'Come on, let's get the treasure you stole from me back.

　A fiery face peeked out from just above the carriage.
　They froze at the countless fangs and their sharp, large eyes.

''Wow, I won't give it to you!　We can't give them away!　For me, this is what I need!
Oh, is that more important than life? The dragon looked into his eyes.
'Princess!　Please step back!

　Heathcliff pointed his sword point at the dragon and stepped in front of the princess.

"You don't mean to challenge me with that stick, do you? "You don't mean to challenge me with a toothpick, do you?

　Sweat poured from Heathcliff's forehead. His arms trembled slightly and his sword made a little noise.

'Truly trivial. I'm only here to get back what was stolen from me.'
We can't give it back!　This is something Artemias needs!

　The next moment, the dragon blocked his path with his massive right arm, forcing the carriage to stop.

'Stupid. Humans are truly stupid creatures. After all the mercy I've shown you, you are still the same people, no matter how many hundreds of years have passed.

　The dragon stops the carriage, arms raised wide and ready.

'Princess!　Please run!

　The moment my arm was about to be swung down with great force--
　-- The figure of a man flying kick with great vigor towards the dragon's huge body passed through the sky -- out of the princess's line of sight.

''Dragon Slayer Kick!''

　It was an energetic call, as energetic as the dragon's trembling roar.

　Heathcliff couldn't believe his eyes.
　He couldn't believe his eyes, because the dragon, huge enough to stomp down a carriage with one hand, twisted and lost its balance and flew like a shape-shifting sandbag.

''Goooooo!''

　The dragon screamed at the sudden impact and pressure and was taken out of its body.
　It scraped the ground significantly as it rolled and then fell limp as it stopped moving.

''Ggh ... what ... what ... What happened?''
That's a dragon. Can't kill it like this.

　With the carriage beside him, Masamune looked at the huge body in front of him, and at this moment, he understood the lack of status.
　He didn't expect the dragon to get up, not with his full strength, but he had put a good amount of effort into it, and he didn't expect it to get up.
　In other words, I understood that it was related to the differences between species such as humans, beastmen, and demons, and that status did not express the nature of each creature in numbers.

''You........are you a human?''
What if it's a human being?

　The dragon's snort raised the sands of the earth and created a small gust of wind.
　But for little Masamune, it was a bit of a storm.
　A swipe of his right hand. Masamune created a gust of wind and chased the dust away.

'You. Is that disrespectful, knowing that I am the Red Dragon - Hardy de Stein Van Gogh!
'Rude? ...I don't know about you, but stop attacking. That's all I'm trying to say.
You must be mistaken. They did harm you first. I'm a sober man, you see, and I can't help myself in the world below. We are not the kind of dragons that mortals dream of.
'You say so, but what about it?' he looked at the two men hiding behind the fallen carriage. 'Did you get to it first?'

　The princess was lost. And then she became impatient. Heathcliff held out his right arm, still trying to protect her.
　But the princess did not rely on it at all.

'I don't know who you are, sir! The princess appears from her carriage. 'Help me!　That dragon has attacked us!
'Please step back, Princess,' said Heathcliff, red-faced and upset.

　The princess wore a white dress.
　Behind her is that extravagant carriage.
　Masamune is immediately convinced it's royalty.

'You say so, but what about it? What exactly did they do to you?
"They stole the Dragon Jade. The Dragon King gave me the Dragon's Treasure. It's not worthy of a human's possession.

　A red dragon and a blue-haired princess.
　Masamune compared them. Which one should he help?
　He was also curious about the dragon's treasure. But he suddenly realized.
　He was lost in his thoughts, and the dragon never touched him.

'What. What are you looking at, human?
No. You're not attacking me at all.
Hm. I told you, I'm not gonna hurt you.
Hmm. Well, if possible, I don't want to kill a dragon either. Killing a fantasy is a ridiculous thing to do, and that's only natural when it's a good guy.

　Masamune turned back to the princess.

''Hey, will you give back what you stole from this dragon?
What!　Silly.......... Do you believe the words of the dragon!　The words of a dragon, not a human!
'Basically, it's the humans I don't believe in,' Masamune muttered in a whisper.
''Well...'' the dragon snickered at those words.
'I'm sorry, but I can't hear you!'

　The princess didn't really hear him.

'I mean, stop goofing around and get it back to me. You're going to get killed if you don't.　That country you see over there could be destroyed along with it. It's your country, right?
I've heard good things about it. The treasure was all we had on hand. Let's just destroy it a little and then go home.

　The dragon knew Masamune's flirtation.
　They looked at each other and laughed.

'Let me tell you, this dragon is serious. Or rather, is it someone you can't handle in the first place?　You can't. You've got to give up the jewels, and if you're a princess, you've got to protect your country. I won't tell you anymore. I won't tell you anymore.
Your Highness. Please take your treasure and run away to the city walls.

　Heathcliff wore a grim expression.
　The princess, on the other hand, was calm.

''...............I understand. I'll return the treasure back to you.''
Your Highness?
'Heathcliff. If the legend is true, it's the Red Dragon. It is already too much for us to handle. If we don't return it, as he says, Artemias will be destroyed.
Did Grandma Magi tell you that?
"...it can't be helped. And the omens are not absolute, it's a possibility.

　The treasure was then returned to the dragon.
　But Masamune was skeptical.
　He sighed in dismay from the bottom of his heart at the sight of the princess taking the treasure ball out of the carriage.

''My bad.''
"You don't have to apologize for that.
Hey.
Yeah.
I need a ride on my back.
"...no.
What the f*ck?

　Masamune and Hardy gave a toothy grin.

'We got our treasure back safely. Anyway, who the hell are you?　He's the first person to kick me in the face since.
I'm just an adventurer. I have a more important question. Are you still a dragon?
How true. I'm a dragon. I'm known to most people as the Red Dragon. Perhaps you've forgotten how seldom I'm seen in the human world.
'Well..... I'm Nito.
Nito?　That's an unusual name.
I didn't know dragons had names.

　Masamune questioned the dragon who was staring at him intently.

'What?'
"...you remind me of the old days.

　The dragon unfurled its massive wings.
　They were wings bigger than its own body.
　Then it flew up into the sky.

'Farewell then, human. I will pay you back for this one day.
"You never know when you'll see me again...

　There were no more words, and the dragon flew away.
　Then he remembered the princess hiding in her luxurious carriage. Masamune turned around.

'Hey, it's time to go,' Masamune's voice made them appear.
'The treasure is...' said Heathcliff.
The treasure is gone. It was his to begin with.
'Heathcliff. It's all right.

　The princess approached Masamune without a hint of alarm.

My name is Sufilia Artemias. The fortress city you see over there, Artemias, is my country.
Oh, I see. So she's a princess.
Did you understand?
'Sort of. She's got the kind of good looks that would suit a luxury carriage.
Lady Sufilia! Then Heathcliff intervened between them. 'Do not be careless in revealing your identity. We have not yet decided that we can trust you.
'This is Heathcliff. He's my bodyguard.

　Sufilia ignores Heathcliff, who is looking tense by himself.

I'm Nito. By the way, why would the princess of a country steal from a dragon? And from a dragon.
''It's...'' the princess seemed hard to say.
''That's something a common man like you doesn't need to know.
That's a terrible thing to say. Is that what you would say to a man who saved your life?　Are all the nobles of Artemias like that?　Ahhhh, I'm so disappointed....

　The princess looked down at her words.
　Then the carriage with the Toa and the others arrived.

'Masamune!　Are you hurt?

　The Toa popped up first.
　Then came Nem and Sierra.

'Ah. He was a very understanding dragon. He was a far cry from the knights and princesses of some other country.
I understand! The princess, who had been gloating, looked up vigorously.
''........What?　What?
If you insist, I would like to invite you to the castle.
I don't know what "if you say so" means, but does that mean I can have my people with me?
Heh....

　Sufilia didn't notice the Toa and the others because she was looking down. I thought that it was just Masamune alone.

''Of course!　All of you are invited to the castle!



*



　The fortress city of Artemias.
　This is the royal castle owned by the House of Artemias - Barfarek Castle.

Father. Father, we're back.
You're back, Sufiria. So how did it go?

　The sunlight shining through the stained glass windows illuminated the hall with a series of flags at both ends.
　But that was just what he could see behind the throne.
　While spacious, it felt to Masamune like it was closed off.

'I didn't get the treasure ball,'
Okay. And who are they?

　The four of them kneeled down on one knee behind the Sufiria.
　Masamune felt a tightness in his heart.
　But he did not show it on his face because he was being reminded by Sierra.

''Let me explain.''
"Hmm.

　To the king, who nodded, Sufilia told him what had happened earlier.

''Thank you very much for helping Sufilia at this time.
And then Sierra poked him in the shoulder.
"Masamune. It's a good idea to be careful what you say. No matter how trivial it may be, if you cross King Artemias' scales, we will be instantly put to death. I ask that there be no rough edges.
"Thank you," he heard Sierra's advice.
'By the way, father, where is Grandma Magi?
We're here.

　An old woman appeared from the corner of the hall.
　She bent at the waist and looked like she was having difficulty walking.

''I'm sorry, Old Lady Magi, I'm sorry. The treasure ball has been stolen by a dragon.

　Masamune sighed at her words.
　Once again Sierra poked his shoulder.

''Nuh-uh!'' Suddenly, the one who is the Magi old lady caught my eye. There were four figures in the corner of her eye.
The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that you have to be able to get your hands on some of them.
"Sufilia, it's him!　It was him I saw!
What, me?

　The old woman pointed emphatically at Masamune.