Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

Chapter 270 "Risir. You don't need to worry. We're fine." "Lady Karoer...!" "Even if you were human and not a demon... we're prepared to accept you." Risir was moved. But as he was being moved, something felt strange. 'Isn't it... usually the opposite?' Why were they talking as if it would be easier to accept him being a demon? -Isn't it because Master's status among those pointy-ears has reached such lofty heights that mere mortals cannot aspire to it!?! 'I... understand that's what it means, but I can't help feeling strange about it.' -I agree as well!!! To think Master would be lumped together with such ugly things! How about becoming a chief god instead!? 'I appreciate the suggestion, but it's not something I can decide as easily as a day of farm experience...' Risir suddenly felt the irrationality of this world. 'With demons being so active, where did the angels go...' The irrationality of this world where the concept of angels didn't even exist. If there had been a concept like good demons(?), at least they would have treated him as an angel. 'Well, that would have been uncomfortable in its own way-' Thus, Risir somehow reached the conclusion that the elves' current treatment was something to be grateful for. "I'm newly aware of it, but Lady Karoer. Thank you for always trying to treat me as human." "...The conversation is a bit strange." "Right?" The elves gradually regained their composure while being confused by the traces left by the Nad'ga curse. In fact, the reason they were confused wasn't just because of the 'Risir human theory.' "I'm ashamed before you. In this situation, I should be helping you, but I'm too busy taking care of myself..." "No, no, Lady Lunadien! You've already helped me enough! Without all of you, I couldn't have faced those Nad'ga with my power alone!" "Indeed, truly a kind man." To the point where one could never think he was that woman's inheritor. Lunadien added with a small murmur. "Pardon?" "Nothing at all. Anyway, I'll gratefully accept your kindness. Certainly, it seems I need to rest a bit more..." "...Is my being human that shocking?" "Ha ha. Would it be just because of that? You're still young, so you wouldn't know. How long we've regarded the Nad'ga - those terrible monsters - as guardians of the world and admired them." "Ah...!" Risir's expression was colored with shock. He realized once again from Lunadien's words. The curse of the Nad'ga. How terrible its power was. "Roughly hundreds of years... A curse that affected the entire world for such a long time. So such a thing is really possible." "Those terrible monsters aren't impressive." "Alenza?" Could she not tolerate even a trace of awe toward the Nad'ga? The dragonkin girl Alenza intervened with a firm tone. "Any race could do the same thing as them. But no one did. Do you know why?" "Why?" "Because they're probably the only race foolish and ugly enough to sacrifice their entire race's fate to commit such acts." "..." Though it was a short time, Risir and the elves who had intensely experienced the Nad'ga's power couldn't completely agree with Alenza's words. The power of that higher-status race that had threatened the dragons' position couldn't be dismissed as mere foolishness. Nevertheless, they didn't bother to refute Alenza's words. The Nad'ga. The ones who understood that race's terrible power most deeply would be none other than them, the dragons. "Alenza. To carelessly discuss the Nad'ga in front of you - I was too reckless. I'm sorry." When Risir genuinely apologized, Alenza, who had been worked up, was startled and waved her hands. "No, no! I'm the one who's sorry - getting worked up on my own..." Did I upset you? The dragonkin girl stammered while reading the mood. Her habitually shrinking posture naturally hid her dragon elements. It clearly showed what kind of life she had lived as a dragon. "Alenza." "Y-yes!?" Risir bent his knees to match eye level with the young dragonkin girl. Looking directly at her face, he created a playful smile. "You know. It's all over now." "Over...?" "Yes. Now there's no need to be cautious anymore, no need to hide." "...!" Alenza's posture, which had been shrunk like a lizard hiding in a small hole, gradually changed. "That's right... yes... it's all over now..." The young dragon who had tried to maintain her dragon pride despite long humiliation and persecution. Her eyes immediately regained their brilliant glow as if she had been waiting for this moment. Alenza exchanged glances with Risir once and nodded. Then, a strong gale arose in the area. The young dragon had spread her hidden wings and soared high into the sky. "Huff... huff..." Alenza's breathing became labored. Along with the air resistance pushing against her entire body, memories of the past came flooding back. The burning city. In front of countless people watching, that young dragon was crossing the sky above the city. Every time the dragon landed in the city with powerful wingbeats, thick smoke billowed out. It was something only Alenza could have done at that scene. She saved countless lives with those wings. It was truly something deserving of everyone's praise. -Kyaaaah!!! Disgusting!!! -D-dragon!!! -That monster set fire to our city!!! But what came back was resentful blame. Contemptuous looks. That incident triggered mercenaries and adventurers calling themselves dragon hunters to begin pursuing Alenza. Because of that incident, the young dragon no longer spread her wings where eyes and ears could see. Alenza unconsciously shut her eyes tight. Yet she could still feel their contemptuous gazes. She could still hear their resentful voices. The shadows of humiliation and persecution pursued the dragon. "Alenza!!!" It was a voice that pushed away those shadows. Alenza unconsciously opened her eyes. Then she saw a man looking up at her with a bright smile. Risir. He moved his head alternately left and right. Alenza's vision, which had been fixed on Risir, slowly expanded following his movement. "...Ah." Thus the young dragon discovered. "Oh..." "Amazing..." "What a majestic sight this is-" Humans and elves were looking up at the dragon with wonder. "...!" Alenza soared even higher with surging emotions. Higher. Even higher. The young dragon who had shrunk her body so no one could discover her now flew high enough for the entire world to see her. "Kyaaaaaaaaaah~~~" The young dragon's flight literally continued until she got tired of it. *** "She adapts quickly." Risir said this looking at the dragon who had conquered the camp's sky and then descended to earth. "Hehehe." After finishing her flight, Alenza had become a completely different person. No. She had become a completely different dragon. Look at these fully spread wings! Look at this raised tail! Look at these armor-like scales! The dragonkin girl who had hidden herself from surrounding gazes was no more. She proudly showed off as if her existence was a treasure of the century. "Well, I'm a dragon, so of course?" Her appearance, eager to show off, naturally blended with her youthful looks and brought out Risir's smile. "But what's with that expression? As if I'm some kind of child-" Even being young while disliking being treated like a child! She was truly a girl in her prime. Risir wore a pleased smile thinking how remarkably this child had endured until now. "Stop! Stop looking at me like that! How dare you look at a dragon with such eyes!!!" "Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't realize." "Ah! But don't apologize like that...!" When Risir showed genuine regret, Alenza was startled and waved her hands. Those eyes that had been full of dignity now shook precariously as if they had never been that way. Inside them, a wounded young monster and a proud dragon coexisted unstably. "Ah, fine! I'll forgive you! I'm specially forgiving you because it's you, got it!?" After saying that, Alenza carefully watched Risir's reaction. When he playfully bowed as if honored, the image of the wounded young monster finally faded. "Hm?" Just then. A group of humans approached Alenza. They were those who had once persecuted Alenza while being with her as followers of the Nad'ga. They took in Alenza's appearance up close and fell into shock. "Such a young child..." As if they couldn't forgive themselves for having blindly hated and despised her until now. "Lord Ares!?" As a member of the Dibrien Knight Order serving that great bloodline, a knight cried out in surprise. Ares ye Dibrien. That great noble was about to kneel before the dragon. "Stop." "...!" The one who stopped him was none other than Alenza herself. "It's not something you need to apologize for." "But-" "This is ultimately a matter between us dragons and the Nad'ga. You humans were just caught up in it. So, you don't need to apologize." Ares' group felt something familiar from that young dragon. It was like when they faced the Nad'ga. That loftiness as if dealing with beings of lower status than herself. If there was a difference, it was that the dragon's loftiness toward humans contained gentle consideration. They newly realized. The Nad'ga. That higher-status being had been looking at them like insects. Thanks to the dragon's gaze, like looking at fragile sprouts, they could know for certain. "..." The great noble who had pitied the young girl corrected his attitude. He looked at Alenza with proper respect and awe. "I express respect for your great magnanimity." "Oh..." Is this the dignity that higher-status beings are born with? 'To naturally earn awe from that great noble and the group of humans.' Risir, who had been watching from the side, expressed admiration. Then the elves also approached and bowed to that higher-status being, showing respect. "..." In such an atmosphere, the young dragon's naive identity matured. "The respect you've shown to me... to our race. I will never forget it." Alenza spoke with a more lofty attitude. No one present considered it arrogance. It was a position naturally granted to a higher-status being. "Especially. Risir." "...!" Risir instinctively straightened his posture. The dragon's eyes gazed at him. "The kindness and tolerance you've shown. Above all, that help. Your name will be praised together with our dragon names for all eternity." I promise. She chanted calmly. Risir thought 'oh no.' Alenza's previous naive appearance came to mind. 'If I look at Alenza with that expression in this atmosphere-...' It was a needless worry. 'Hm?' Contrary to Risir's worry, his expression remained calm. Only then did Risir feel something strange about Alenza. Her eyes were emitting a golden glow. 'This is...' The dragon's presence was overwhelming not only others but also the dragonkin girl - herself. Right now she wasn't the dragonkin girl Alenza. The dragon that had reigned as Guardian of Harmony and Balance. That higher-status being spoke loftily to those around her. "I shall grant you prosperity - will you accept that fate?" It was an obscure sentence that hindered understanding. However, the dragon's attitude in saying that sentence was full of conviction. The dragon's status that the Nad'ga had stolen. If it had regained its place, and thus they had remembered about dragons, they would surely be able to understand the meaning contained in this sentence. Thus the dragon calmly looked at Risir. She waited for his answer. "...What does that mean?" That was Risir's answer. He blinked his eyes in confusion. "What do you mean what does it mean... don't you naturally know?" "Pardon?" "Eh?" "...Pardon?" "...You don't know? Really?" "..." Risir awkwardly scratched the back of his head and looked at Karoer and Lunadien. They shook their heads. So Risir also looked at Alenza and shook his head. "Uh, huh...?" The dragon. That higher-status being gradually returned to the appearance of a naive girl. *** Early the next day. The elf expedition, the human group, and the dragon gathered once more. It was to discuss a problem that had emerged belatedly. "Lady Karoer, is that really true!? That the dragon's status might have - vanished!?" The High Elf and the green Archmage had reached such a conclusion after discussion. "That's right. Status is another form of divinity. Alenza. If what she says is true, then the dragon's status has been robbed by the Nad'ga and continuously denied. Considering that time, it wouldn't be strange at all if the status vanished." "That's... that's ridiculous...!" The dragonkin girl sobbed in despair. "The dragon's status vanished? Th-that can't be! It's only been a few hundred years!?" "..." Risir nodded. More than enough time to make rice cakes. "Above all, the Nad'ga's power vanished!!! Then shouldn't the status they stole return to its place!?" "You must vaguely understand, but it's not such a simple matter." The green Archmage's words struck like a wedge. "Waaaah!!! What is this...!!! How can I face our ancestors with this-" Alenza clung to Risir's arms as if collapsing. He gently patted the dragonkin girl's head. Beside them, Ratsil silently pushed her head forward. What. Risir pushed her head away with his index finger. Then, Lunadien spoke to Alenza, who was wailing as if the world was ending. "Girl. Still, it's too early to completely give up hope." "Yes?" "Yesterday, I investigated the Nad'ga's power together with Lunadien." Karoer continued. "You investigated the Nad'ga's power!? Wasn't it completely destroyed?" "Do you remember that relic the Nad'ga used?" "Ah! Yes! I remember! That egg-shaped-" "Perhaps because it was such a powerful relic, traces of that power still remain in this entire area. We preserved it and investigated based on that. As a result. We were able to reach the conclusion that the influence of that power, though weak, still remains." "...Could you explain it simply so I can understand?" Karoer organized his thoughts calmly and then spoke. "Perhaps, we might be able to exercise that Nad'ga's power in a limited way." "You mean...!" "Yes. Perhaps, with that power, we might be able to restore the dragon's status. By bringing back the status that the Nad'ga had stolen-" "What, what should I do!?" Alenza jumped up from her spot and said. "It's not certain. It's just a matter of possibility, so keep that in mind." "Yes! Yes! I understand!" "Can you inspire awe in us?" "Awe!?" "Yes. As you know, currently, one very large status has lost its owner. That's the Nad'ga." "I know! Of course I know!" "In such a situation, if the dragon gathers more awe than the Nad'ga-" "The dragon might be able to claim the masterless status!?" "Yes. That's our hypothesis." "Good!" The dragon girl who had been wailing as if she had lost the world was nowhere to be found. She beamed with joy. To inspire awe in humans as a dragon. With the Nad'ga's curse gone, it was an incredibly simple task. "Good! I'll start lightly, so don't be too surprised!?" She raised both her hands to show them. "Oh, ooh...!!!" Instantly. Wonder erupted among the human group. Magic and divine power had blossomed in each of the dragon girl's hands. Dragons. General laws and standards don't apply to those higher-status beings who are incarnations of power. The multiple powers that Alenza displayed like warm-up exercises were proof of that. "Hey, what if you're already surprised. This is just part of the authority we dragons possess-... hm?" While saying that, Alenza was intoxicated by the humans' reaction. When she then checked the elves' reaction, she was struck speechless. Had she unknowingly used 'word magic'? Don't be too surprised. They weren't too surprised, as Alenza had said. No. They weren't surprised at all. They were still blankly staring at the dragon's hands. As if nothing had happened yet. As if watching a play still in progress! "Hm? Ah!" Then. Ratsil seemed to realize something about Alenza's appearance and opened her eyes wide. She hurriedly moved her hands to applaud Alenza. Like responding to a ruined play! The dragon girl didn't know. That for some reason, the elves' senses were seriously distorted. The masterless status was wandering around them like a specter. Alenza was overwhelmed by vague anxiety.