Translation We Dwell at the Base of the Dragon’s Peak

28. Puppy and Kitty

Nmmtto, this is Priscilla’s first time leaving the village!”

“Nya~”

Mistral and I head out into the forest together with Priscilla-chan and the fake kitten. Priscilla-chan places the fake kitten on her head and smiles happily. On the contrary, Mistral and I only feel bewildered. The fake kitten purrs and meows together with Priscilla-chan’s carefree humming.

Once dusk is almost about to fall on us, we hasten our pace. At any rate, I should get home before the sky becomes dark. Mistral and Priscilla-chan looks like they will stay at the moss-covered plaza today.

I wonder, what the heck is this fake kitten? Actually, we vaguely sensed the Long Eared Tribe’s implication already, but without hearing it directly from Old Sleigstar, we won’t be able to confirm our own thoughts. After all, this is the forest of the ancient Dragon Tribe that Old Sleigstar protects.

In any case, we need to hurry. Still, we won’t be able to reach the moss-covered plaza without him bringing us in, so we can do nothing but walk around.

In front of Mistral and I who walk alongside each other with little to no conversation, Priscilla-chan walks with nimble feet. She looks like she is enjoying herself.

“Ah, wanko[1]!”

Priscilla-chan stops and points into the forest’s depths. What Priscilla-chan point at is a big, wolf demon, beast that looks at us with great interest.
This guy hasn’t learned his lesson, eh? Why is he appearing here now?

With increased vigilance, Mistral calls Priscilla-chan back to our side.

“Nuh huh!”
“Nyaa, nyaa~”

But Priscilla-chan looks very interested in the demon beast and refuses to return.

“Big puppy!”

Demon beasts are not a puppies, okay? They are keen, nimble, and dangerous, you know?

Mistral breathes out a troubled sigh and goes to Priscilla-chan’s position.
But she is too late.
The squealing and happily laughing Priscilla-chan vanishes.

“Wanko is so fluffy~”

The next moment, Priscilla-chan rides on the demon beast’s back.

Mistral and I, moreover the demon beast, become shocked at the same time. Especially the demon beast, Priscilla-chan suddenly appearing on and snuggling his back makes it leaps from surprise. Its strength sends Priscilla-chan flying from its back. I can only watch in daze as Priscilla-chan is thrown across the air.

But at the next moment, Priscilla-chan disappears. And then, she’s straddling the demon beast again.
W-What is happening here?
My mind can’t comprehend the situation. The demon beast is again shocked and leaps once more. And Priscilla-chan gets flung away too.
Then, at that moment, she disappears and appears straddling the demon beast’s back, again.

“H-H-How is this happening…?!?”

I shout unconsciously.

The demon beast also starts to struggle in confusion. And Priscilla-chan is again flung away only to then straddle the demon beast’s back as if nothing had happened.

“Seriously…”

Only Mistral looks like she can comprehend the situation. She goes to the demon beast and Priscilla while sighing again.

“You shouldn’t play with demon beasts.”

Mistral instantly catches Priscilla-chan as she’s once more sent soaring by the demon beast.
The demon beast who is finally released from Priscilla-chan’s straddle disappears in panic back into the forest.
Ah, the fake kitten’s eyes at the top of Priscilla-chan’s head is spinning.

“That was fun~”

Priscilla-chan has a huge smile on her face.
I’m just confused, with no idea to what the heck just happened.

“If you play with demon beasts, we won’t be able to reach the old man’s place.”
Nmmtto, the dragon grandpa?”
“Yeah, we are going to see him now.”
“How exciting!”

Priscilla-chan obediently holds Mistral’s hand and walks together with her.

“W-Wait for me…!”

I follow them in a hurry.

“What happened just now?

I ask Priscilla-chan after catching up to them.

Nmmto…”

Priscilla-chan puts a finger to her cheek and starts to ponder.

onii-chan also wants to try it?”, Priscilla-chan says after turning around and taking my hand.
“Ahー”

It happens the moment I hear Mistral’s voice.
My vision changes into something different and I see Mistral standing a distance away from me.

“Ueeeeghhhhh”

Feeling a sudden horrible nausea, I can’t help but vomit. My head is hurting and pounding, and I feel dizzy. With the violent heartburn, I vomit once again.

“Hey! Priscilla, what do you think you’re doing to someone that is not used to do those kinds of things?!”

Mistral scolds her as she hurries towards us.

Nmmtto, I’m sorry…”

Priscilla-chan pats my back. My heartburn lessens a little bit, but my headache and dizziness doesn’t stop. This should be that kind of feeling, yeah? Like when you ride on a carriage for long hours and end up feeling motion sickness.

By the why, I wonder what just happened just now. Just as Priscilla-chan held my hand, I’m suddenly farther from Mistral.

“Ernea, are you okay?”

While I’m drinking some water from the thermos, Mistral looks at my condition with worry.

“For those who aren’t used to it, air jump will make them feel sick. Priscilla-chan, you should be more careful.”

Priscilla-chan become downhearted after being scolded by Mistral.

So what happened just now is called air jump, huh? Now I remember. The Long Eared Tribe can do short distance teleportation. So it’s actually that.

“So that is air jump? So amazing. To be able to do it, Priscilla-chan is amazing, eh?”

With my praise, Priscilla-chan’s eyes start to sparkle in delight.

“Hey. Don’t pamper her.”

For Mistral it might look worrisome, but I actually feel very excited. At any rate, it is a very precious experience, too. I’m sure that not even the hero Ristia has experienced this kind of thing.

After cleaning my mouth, I dance in joy with Priscilla-chan. Mistral only sighs in defeat and looks at us as if she were watching children. Even until now, the fake cat still hangs on Priscilla-chan’s head, though. Like this, after we finish sharing our happiness, we move again into the forest.

Before long, there are the usual signs that the atmosphere is changing.

Tadaima.[2]
Tadaima, we’re back.”
Nmmtto, good afternoon?”

We enter the moss-covered plaza.
Old Sleigstar also greets us from his usual spot.

“Hoho, so this is the Long Eared Tribe’s daughter. This one is at loss.”

Old Sleigstar looks at Priscilla-chan who came together with us and smiles.
As I thought, cuteness is justice to every tribe. There are no living things that will think Priscilla-chan is not cute.

“Hmm, so you have that kind of hobby, eh? If that’s the case, Mistral’s age already surpassed beyond your liking then.”

“Ha?”

Mistral’s face turns stiff.

“Grandpa, what are you talking about… I’m not a pervert…”

I quickly explain in a flustered way.

onii-chan is a pervert?”

Priscilla-chan, please don’t ask those kinds of things again so innocently. Mistral’s cold gaze is hurting me…

“Kakaka. You don’t have to worry about it. I’m open-minded towards the human tribe’s tastes.”

Old Sleigstar laughs. Priscilla-chan gets affected by his laugh and start to squeal in delight.
I have to quickly change the topic. If not, I will soon be sent flying by Mistral’s blunt weapon… It’s scary…

“T-That’s right, grandpa.”

I hold the fake kitten that even now still hangs to Priscilla-chan’s head and show it to Old Sleigstar.

“This kid appeared in the village of Long Eared Tribe. Do you know what it is?”

As if just realizing the fake kitten’s presence, Old Sleigstar stares at the kitten in wonder.

“Ooh, why does this one come to the forest?”

It looks like he knows the true identity of the fake kitten.
Old Sleigstar stares fixedly at the fake kitten.

“Put it down, and then, all of you, step away from there.”

Old Sleigstar instructs us with an unusually serious tone. I put the fake kitten down on the moss covered ground as per his instructions and move farther away with Mistral and Priscilla-chan.

After confirming that our distance is already far enough, Old Sleigstar’s eyes start to shine gold.
M-Maybe we brought along something dangerous here?
We watch attentively while holding our breath.

“Fuuuuuuuu!!”
“Ahhhhhhhh”
“What are you doing!!”
“The nyanko…”

Now he did it. This old grandpa. Just like last time, he blows away the fake kitten with all of his strength. The fake kitten lets out a scream and disappears within the forest of old trees.

“Gahahahahaha”

Old Sleigstar bursts into laughter.

Damn, we were deceived. He was pretending and purposely created an air of tension, making us look like idiots.

“Nyanko…!”

Priscilla-chan dashes into the old forest after the cat.

“Ah, wait a minute!”

I follow behind Priscilla-chan.

“Old man, you have to fix that.”

Mistral is filled with bloodthirst as she pulls out her jet black hand rod and holds it with both of her hands.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait, don’t jump to conclusions.”

Old Sleigstar becomes flustered. Even though you know this will happen, why are you always doing stupid things?
Without any sympathy towards him, I chase after Priscilla-chan. Meanwhile, the fake kitten returns from the old forest.
It comes back by flapping the wings on its back. It’s fling towards us.

“The nyanko is flying!”

Priscilla-chan stares in surprise filled wonder.
Etto, doesn’t it have wings on its back? Maybe, Priscilla-chan really thinks it’s a kitten…?

“L-Look. The young female already returns. This is not the time to do that kind of thing.”

Behind our back, Mistral and Old Sleigstar’s offence and defense starts to unfold.

“Big grandpa, the nyanko came back!”

Priscilla-chan happily hugs the fake kitten and runs back to Old Sleigstar.

“L-Look, Mistral. This is not the time to do that.”

Old Sleigstar somehow avoids Mistral’s blunt weapon attack and the conversation continues.

“Now, Long Eared Tribe’s daughter. Put that young female down once more.”
“Please don’t do weird things again.”

Old Sleigstar immediately nods at Mistral’s threat. He really has no dignity.
We once again take a distance from the fake kitten.

“Then, this charade is over. Young girl, return to your original appearance.”

This time, Old Sleigstar’s words are full of dignity. They vibrate throughout the moss-covered plaza.

“Nyaan~”

Old Sleigstar and the fake kitten exchange stares for a short while. Then, the fake kitten starts to purr in a voice close to cat’s howl.

And then.

The fake kitten’s body start to grow into gigantic proportions.
Its wings expand on a grand scale while its tail extends in proportion to its body’s growth. The sheep-like horns become sharper and tougher while its round face takes the form of a dragon’s.

As we are staring in dumbfoundment, the fake kitten changes into a big pterosaur.


[1] Wan is woof in Japanese.  Slang for puppy the same way nyanko is slang for kitty.
[2] We’re back

<27. The Little Girl and Kitten
29. Nyan>