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

55.1 Asher-san’s Melancholy

“What a relief,” I stroke the heads of Priscilla-chan and Nymia. The two of them then cling to me and cry.

Uuumu, as the issue is resolved, the fainted Ruiseine begins to stir.

Old Sleigstar reads my heart and makes a reserved expression. “Wrong, the issue has not been resolved.”

Mumumu, there’s still something to work out? Nymia and Priscilla-chan aren’t being separated. Despite what Asher-san thinks, she isn’t trying to take Nymia home anymore.

“Should Nymia’s timidity not be corrected, Asher won’t be able to return with home with peace of mind either.”

Ah, right.

Nymia is a timid-chan. She was so terrified of arguing against her mother that she ran away from home. Even though Asher-san found Nymia, she won’t be able to return home with peace of mind until something is done about it. After all, even though Nymia can be taken back, the possibility she’ll run away again still exists. On the other hand, if she isn’t taken back, can something even be done?

“Truly a conundrum.”

Just want can be done about Nymia’s timidity? I mean, I’m pretty sure little kids aren’t that timid. Can’t the heart be tempered as a kid by showing interest in various things and challenging them? Nymia is timid, but she’s curious and full of vim and vigor. She even ran away from home all by herself. I’m pretty sure something like that requires a strong heart.

“Such doesn’t consider her fear over facing combat dragons.”

Ah, Asher-san just mentioned that. Nymia is afraid of fighting. Well, she is just a little kid. She’s also a girl.

Nyan, I don’t like pain, nyan.”
“Injuries will heal right away.”

Or more like, are there really that many who can even hurt a dragon? Mistral whacks Old Sleigstar with her blunt weapon, but she’s special. She’s the Dragon Princess.

“I don’t want to hurt others, nyan.”

Really? Nymia sure is gentle. Even though she doesn’t like getting hurt, she also doesn’t want to hurt her opponents.

Someone being hurt or getting wounded isn’t something I like seeing either. I don’t hesitate whenever a crisis draws closer to myself or the people around me, but I hate it during normal times. Nymia is probably more sensitive to others than me.

Fumu, you dislike it when you and your opponent get hurt?”

Nyan.”

Old Sleigstar’s question is met with a firm nod from Nymia.

“When thy time comes, display power.”
“I don’t want a battle of power, nyan.”
“Such is not the case. Display overwhelming power and thine’s opponent will submit without struggling.”

“For a kid like Nymia to do that is harsh. It doesn’t matter what kind of ability she has, she won’t gain any power without stacking up fighting experience and Nymia doesn’t want to practice that.”

In order to overcome something she hates, she needs to do what she hates. Isn’t that just too harsh for a little kid?

“If thy are a combat dragon, if thy are a dragon with the instinct for combat, then thy will improvement by watching.”

What is Old Sleigstar saying? Learn by watching battles? Is such a thing even doable?

“A snow dragon would be able to do such.”

Old Sleigstar looks between Nymia and Asher-san with those words.

“Certainly, thou won’t say thy doesn’t want to watch.”
Old Sleigstar pointing that out seems to be his compromise. It’s unpleasant, but the situation is one where something even worse can be said.

Nymia, recognizing this, can only groan,“Ugh,” as she nods.

Asher-san says, “Even if you say that, jii-san, there’s no one to show her a fight with.”

Aaaah, that’s also true. Finding an ancient dragon tribe member to show Nymia a fight isn’t simple. No, it’s something I’d have trouble with.

Are Old Sleigstar and Asher-san going to have a match?

A great battle between gigantic dragons. The forest’s barrier is going to absolutely get blown away. Wouldn’t two massive dragons suddenly appearing from the forest throw the royal capital into huge danger? If Old Sleigstar and Asher-san fight, I’m positive they wouldn’t care about anything else. Wouldn’t all that remains afterwards be a massive disaster?

Ahh, My King, forgive me. Everyone in the royal capital, forgive me. Father, mother, please make sure to get away.

I’m overcome by despair.

“Good grief, thine’s imagination always escapes thou in the most extraordinary of manners.”

Old Sleigstar sighs at me in shock. Asher-san too looks at me as though I’m a foolish child.

“Even so, what should we do? jii-san, do you have any good ideas?”

Asher-san voices her uncertainty to Old Sleigstar.

Fuhahaha, with the wisdom of myself, such an impasse is of no concern.”

Old Sleigstar’s throat quivers as he laughs.
Yeah, I’m getting a bad feeling about this.

“A worthy opponent just right for this situation is nearby.”

He wouldn’t…

“A decaying dragon has appeared at Dragon’s Peak and is causing trouble. Thou should take thine’s daughter to exterminate it.”
Ha?”
Gaah, I knew it.”

Due to it being too far away to do anything, he’s sending Asher-san as a substitute. He must be laughing, “A useful person has appeared,” to himself.

“A decaying dragon you say, jii-san……”
Nyaa, a decaying dragon is scary, nyaa.”

Nymia quivers, furu furu, within Priscilla-chan’s arms.

“For us of the dragon tribe, decaying dragons are the foremost opponent we don’t want to get involved with. Why should I have to go exterminate such a thing?”

Asher-san glares at Old Sleigstar with reproach.

Fuhahahaha, What, this one is weaker than the decaying dragon king. Thou has nothing to worry about.”
“This isn’t an issue of strength.”
Haa,” Asher-san sighs out.

Could the dragon tribe be bad at fighting against decaying dragons? What could it be?

Even if they’re cursed, they were dragons just like them at first. For example, among us humans, the idea of showing mercy to people cursed by a demon sword doesn’t exist except among members of the clergy. This prevents us from feeling sympathy for them during battle.

That’s how it was when I confronted the demon sword users back at the ruins. I would have wavered if I thought they were originally human; that would have put my life in danger.

Could the dragon tribe have different values? With such thoughts in mind, I turn towards Old Sleigstar and Asher-san.

“When a decaying dragon is created, its resistance against dragons rises by an order of magnitudes. A dragon who may have originally been a small fish[1] becomes an overwhelming opponent for those of the dragon tribe.”

Old Sleigstar reads my thoughts just like always and provides me with his guidance.

Fun, unless the decaying dragon is highly resistant to attacks from dragons, it will be slain by other dragons in the area upon turning.”

I see, so it’s like that.

Do decaying dragons and the dragon tribe have poor compatibly with each other?

Ahh, then even though the dragon tribe and dragon tribesmen weren’t able to take down the decaying dragon king, the twins of the human tribe, Aurmad and Jortenitos, could? I feel like a scholar upon learning the cause and effects between history and facts.

Eetto, then wouldn’t asking Asher-san to deal with the decaying dragon be a heavy burden?”
Gahaha, Asher! A human fears for thee! How about thou displays thine’s might?”
“I refuse to go along with jii-san’s cajolery. I decline on exterminating the decaying dragon.”

Funn, Asher-san turns her face away.

“I see, thou too appears to be cowardly[2]. In that case, thy’s daughter timidity is of no surprise, nee, Nymia?”
Nyan nyan.”

“Right, right,” Nymia gives a strong nod. However, Asher-san sends a sharp glare at Nymia, causing her to curl up in an instant. She’s afraid of her mother, after all.

“Overcoming an opponent thy is disadvantaged against would be a true display of strength. Should the young lass be watching from nearby, she would discover the strength to triumph over her timidity.”
“While I understand what jii-san is saying, this is getting annoying.”


T/N: Asher clearly doesn’t like humans. How do you think she’ll react upon finding out Nymia has decided to marry Ernea in the future?? Actually, that sounds really creepy, especially considering the speed with which she ages. She’ll still be a child by the time everyone else is an adult. Although, maybe the next few years for dragons her age is a time of repaid growth and development. Being an infant for 100 years out of a 1000 year life span is 1/10 the life span. That’s quite long…

[1] I know it’s small fry, but small fish fits more in line with his speech patterns
[2] Timid and coward are the same word in Japanese

<54.2 Nymia’s Melancholy
55.2 Asher-san’s Melancholy>