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

75.1 The Last Visitor of the Year

“We’ll be going to your osofu-chan’s[1] house tonight.”
My mother says that to me as I help clean up after dinner.

The yearly tradition.
My osofu-chan, from both my tou-san’s house and my kaa-san’s house, are still going strong. As such, at the end of every year, we go out the meet one of them. Of course, both of my obaa-chan are also healthy.

Both sets of my osofu-chan and my obaa-chan live in the royal capital. They are even in the same neighborhood. In other words, my tou-san and kaa-san were in the same academic district. They’ve known each other since they were small.

Once the night wears on a bit more, many people will leave their homes to welcome the new year at the temple. It’s around that time that we’ll leave to head to my osofu-chan’s home.

My osofu-chan and obaa-chan are very kind people. Whenever I visit them, their smiles never die out. They are like the sun.

As I was looking forward to going to my osofu-chan’s house while cleaning up, there is a light knock on the front door.

Who could that be? Not a lot of people would visit on New Year’s Eve. While wondering if it’s an acquaintance of tou-san or kaa-san, I head for the door.

tou-san and kaa-san don’t seem to have heard the light knock. Since I’m often discerning subtle sounds in the forest, I seem to have been able to hear it.

“Yes, I’m opening the door now.”
With those words, I remove the latch and open the door.

Nntto, nntto.”
“Whaa!?”

Standing just beyond the door is Priscilla-chan. She isn’t calm at all, her feet are restlessly fidgeting around. A big cozy looking hat covers her ears and she wears warm clothes that are soft and fluffy. Furthermore, on top of her hat is the disguised, once again energetic, Nymia.

“Wh- wh- wh- why is Priscilla-chan here?”

What’s going on? Why is Priscilla-chan visiting my house at night? I never heard anything about this!? Or actually, how the heck does she know where I live?

Nntto.”
Priscilla-chan looks up at the troubled me, looking like she wants to say something.

“What’s going on?”
My kaa-san, wondering why I’m getting flustered and making a commotion at the doorway, comes over.

“My, what a cute girl. What’s going on? Who is this child?”
Eetto…”

I don’t get what’s going on all that well either. As such, I can’t explain this to her.

Priscilla-chan is shocked by the appearance of my kaa-san and clings to me.

“Do you know each other?”
My kaa-san crouches down and smiles at Priscilla-chan to keep from scaring her.

Eetto, she’s the daughter of a person I often meet in the Dragon Forest.”
I instantly tell a lie.

“I’ll just take her home then.”
“Will you come back right away?”
“I don’t know. If I don’t return, head on to osofu-chan’s house ahead of me.”

I quickly make my preparations, pick up Priscilla-chan, and rush out of the house. Once I’m on the road in front of my house, I search around. Then, I feel a familiar presence.

I rush towards the source of that presence.

“Mistral!”
I’ll ask Mistral who is hiding near my house.

Thinking about it, there’s no way Priscilla-chan could have come all this way alone. Therefore, Mistral absolutely is nearby. This is no different than using Priscilla-chan as bait to lure me out.

Mistral, with a troubled expression, greets me upon rushing up to her.

“Wh- What’s going on?”
I, clueless to the situation, am completely lost.

Mistral said she’d be returning to her village. Priscilla-chan, too, should have returned to her village for New Year’s Eve. Yet, for some reason, they came to my house once it became night.

Nntto, can Priscilla spend New Year’s Eve with onii-chan?”
Nyaa.”

Priscilla-chan, who has quietly been in my arms this entire time, speaks.

“I’m sorry, she had to ask no matter what.”

Upon seeing Mistral’s greatly troubled expression, I wonder if she didn’t just throw a tantrum.

“She seems to have disliked separating from you again so quickly after you returned.”
“So it was like that? Does Priscilla-chan want to be together with me?”
Unn.”

Nyaa.”

Priscilla-chan and Nymia both give vigorous nods.

“I see. In that case, shall we cross this year together?”

Even though I have to go to my osofu-chan’s place, I’m giving Priscilla-chan priority. There is no way I can turn her away after all the trouble she went through to get here.

“Of course, with Mistral, too.”
“Won’t I be a nuisance?”
“You’re not a nuisance at all. More importantly, are Priscilla-chan and Mistral alright?”
“Priscilla went to her village and received permission. I, too, am fine.”
“In that case, there’s no problem.”

Priscilla-chan jumps with delight at my approval.

“Really, sorry about this.”

Mistral acting timid is quite unusual.

“Really, being able to spend New Year’s Eve with everyone makes me happy.”

It’s not something I would have thought of either. That’s why, this makes me incredibly happy. Even though visiting everyone in my family on New Year’s Eve is good, spending time together like this with those important to me is also great.

Nntto, hungry.”
“Well, alright then.”

Mistral and I laugh at the, gururu, sound coming out from Priscilla-chan’s stomach. Priscilla-chan’s face turns bright red and she clings to me.

“Sorry, sorry, well then, how about getting something to eat on our way to the temple?”
“Is there something going on at the temple?”

That’s right, Mistral is a Dragon Tribesman. She wouldn’t know anything about Human Tribe customs.

Eetto, let’s see. Every year, there are valuable things that can only be seen on this day. That’s why, I don’t think going there would be bad.”

Looks like Mistral is interested in the customs of the Human Tribe.

Fuun, in that case, let’s go take a look.”
Nntto, Priscilla will be happy if there is food.”

Are dumplings more precious than flowers? Mistral and I again laugh.


T/N: For real though, how did Mistral know where Ernea lives??  Did she follow his dragon power or something??

~Gandire Alea

[1] grandfather

<74.2 Unwinding at Home for New Year’s Eve
75.2 The Last Visitor of the Year>