“This kind of treatment is just not acceptable! Wouldn’t you so, Solan-kun!?”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Solan answered disinterestedly.

Listen properly! This unbearable treatment that’s been forced upon me…!

I’m happy that the Knights talk to me, but they keep calling me Miracle Girl, the Last Hope, the Commander’s Conscience, and the Savior of the Knights…

Every single one of them was in on it.

In particular, I’ll need to do something about that one Knight who put up the banner saying the Commander’s wife.

Sure, he helped me break the ice with the Knight Commander, but I will still definitely need to correct him!

The Knight Commander had simply laughed and did not do anything about his subordinate…

The Magicians were also becoming more and more distant now.

“Ahhh.”

“Huh?”

Bang!

“Gaaah! Hey, Solan-kun!”

“Ah, sorry. Are you alright, Ria?”

I inhaled the strange smoke that had suddenly appeared and sighed.

He gave me a heartfelt apology after confirming that I was alright.

I’m okay!

But what the hell was that!?

“I messed up. I messed up… I thought this combination would…”

Solan began to mumble on.

So, he doesn’t need my reply? Is that so… Was he even really my friend?

Solan-kun, surely you’ve been listening to my story, haven’t you!?

“This… What are you doing?”

“Hmmm? Irene asked me to try and improve a new variety of soybean.”

Huh… And that meritted this dangerous experiment that caused an explosion?

I mean, shouldn’t refrain from doing this kind of thing when I’m around!?

Solan quickly cleaned up his equipment with a wave of magic.

“So? Did you want something?”

Uhm… Well, yes…

He saw right through me, this Solan!

“Wanna eat in the cafeteria? With me?”

“…In the cafeteria?”

That’s right. Solan was the upcoming Magic Division Leader. With him by my side, none of those Knights will dare to call me weird nicknames!

…Probably!

Hey! Help me out. I’m your friend! Come on, Solan-kun!

“No way.”

“Huuuh!? Why nooot!?”

I didn’t expect to get turned down so easily!

Wasn’t that a bit too harsh!?

“I don’t have time to waste in the dining hall… But we can eat in here if you want?”

“Huh…” I said as I looked around.

A suspicious-looking medicine bottle on the back shelf, some brightly colored, seeming poisonous plants on the window sill…

Huh… Something’s moving… That ivy’s… Huuuh…

Many chemical vials were lined up on the table in front of me. There was also a bundle of papers lay disheveled on the sofa.

This room was, quite… Simply… It’s dirty. Truly disgusting.

Much dirtier than when I had tea here earlier… I’m not sure if I can handle eating anything here.

But Solan-kun always managed to eat here somehow… I kind of respect that…

It seemed as though Solan’s defensive operations had failed.

Solan moved closer to my disappointed and distressed self.

“Here you go… But I hope you won’t need it.”

“Huh? What’s this?”

A blue magic stone plopped out of his bag… Huh? What’s with that?

“When the temperature gets too high, the stone automatically cools its surroundings magically.”

Really…? Well, thanks… I guess

But I thought Sara-chan already got the heat countermeasure covered…? What’s going on?

“Well, think of it as insurance, so you don’t have to worry, Ria.”

Having said that, Solan became immersed in his work again.

Huh? Huuuh!?

What’s with that? What’s with this? I’m scared!

Someone please tell me what’s going on!?

---

I’m standing around aimlessly in the Training Grounds. Next to me was the damned Dragon who was basking in the sun.

Whatever was happening, Solan-kun didn’t tell me anything at all.

Or maybe he was just too focused on his work?

For now, this corner of the Training Grounds was reserved for me. Well… It was mainly for the Dragon.

They had a tent set up with a carpet, chairs, and even some drinks and snacks.

…I get the impression that this was so I wouldn’t call any servants over. Yeah, I get it…

I can see the Knights training waaay over there.

They really were far away.

“Kyuruuu?”

The Dragon occasionally grumbled to confirm I was still there.

And I, already used to this, was, of course, there. Reluctant as I am, I’m used to it.

…Ahhh. I keep feeling an intense gaze on me, but at least the weather’s nice.

Feeling the gaze grow stronger and stronger, I couldn’t bear it anymore and turned around to face it.

The Chief Magician was hiding behind a pillar, while the Head Priest was hiding behind another one.

…Those two really are good friends, huh?

By the way…

There’s nothing to do around here, but His Majesty still told me to ‘enjoy my time here‘.

I brought my sewing kit, so maybe I should embroider something.

“Hey, my lady!”

“Hold on, Lady Rururia.”

…I guess I can’t ignore them.

They’re calling out to me, so there’s nothing I can do. Nothing at all.

I reluctantly turned around… I had hoped they’d be gone by the time I turned, but they were still there.

It was the Chief Magician and Head Priest… Still behind the pillars.

They were intensely beckoning me over, so I gave the Dragon some honey and hesitantly approached.

Come to think of it, why can’t those two just come over here?

“…What do you want?”

The two greeted me with friendly smiles as I drew close.

…I have a bad feeling about this.

“My lady…”

“Lady Rururia…”

The two were speaking over each other. Immediately they glared at one another.

Oh, but I really don’t care.

Ah, the two were stepping over each other.

Weren’t they supposed to be adults…?

“In times like these, the younger man should defer to his elder.”

“You get mad at everything I do. It’s always about what’s convenient for you, isn’t it?”

I wondered if I should step in, or observe whatever the two had going on between them.

I decided to turn around and leave.

But then, I felt someone grab my shoulder.

The two of them sighed as if they couldn’t help it.

No, no. The one who needed to sigh here was me. I felt like sighing and cursing right now.

“Lady Rururia, this is a journal on Dragon Growth.”

“And from me, a Dragon Observation Record.”

The two presented the thick books they had been holding.

They’re for me!? So, this whole thing was about that damned Dragon!?

What kind of journal is this? It’s like 10 cm thick.

I didn’t hide my feelings of annoyance and did not want to either, but the two tried to emphasize their importance.

“This is the first time in history that a Dragon has been in a human settlement like this!”

“That’s right. It seemed to be fond of people, but there’s no record of such a thing in our literature!”

“Huh…”

“That being the case, this is a great opportunity for us to learn all about the mysterious Ecology of Dragons!”

“Yeah, we can’t miss out on a chance like this!”

“Huh…”

Their eyes shone as they explained all this to me, but their enthusiasm didn’t rub off on me.

And then I realized. Does it really have to be me?

“So then, the two of you are going to keep a Growth Diary and an Observation Record?”

“…”

“…”

The two began to fidget at what I had said.

Huh? What’s with them? Wasn’t this something they’d typically do themselves?

…Why are you blushing and twirling your hair with your finger, Chief Magician?

…And why are you clenching your robes, Head Priest?

“Well… It’s just… Well… Interacting with the Dragon directly is…”

“That’s right! We… Well… We haven’t prepared our hearts for such a thing!”

I don’t get it. I thought they were Dragon Enthusiasts?

They’re acting like boys afraid to ask out a crush… Both were too old to be acting like that…

“Well then, why not ask someone else? I’m too much of an amateur to be making such observations.”

I tried my best to get out of this.

I mean, they’ll make me write everything in such detail. It would be such a pain to do so daily.

There’s no way I’m doing that.

“No, that would be…”

“Exactly, if anyone else tried to get near the Dragon, it would be problematic.”

That’s it! This damned Head Priest! Even his smile irritated me now!

I don’t even get all these theories they want me to learn!

Due to these geezers, I’ll get stuck doing all this troublesome work!

“Fine, I’ll do it.”

The Chief Magician handed over a blue magic stone… What’s this for?

“You can store all kinds of things inside this. Isn’t it easy to carry?”

He was filled with pride as he said it, but I still don’t understand him, this Head Magician.

“And I… It’s just a stone, but I’ll give you this.”

The Head Priest handed over a delicate fountain pen.

He removed his gold necklace and gave it to me.

“You can attach that magic storage stone to this.”

Yeah, the Chief Priest has a friendly smile. A very nice smile.

“…Uhm, well… Can you remove the Temple Crest engraving from it?”

“….Oh, my apologies. I forgot to remove it.”

The Chief Priest let out a dry laugh, which I returned.

When I glanced at it, it looked like the Head Priest’s Temple Crest!

If I were walking around with that, It would look like I was under his sponsorship. As if I was on my way to becoming a nun!

What a terrible thing to do to such a defenseless woman!

“Well then, I’ll put this in.”

…Oh! That’s right! I haven’t actually agreed yet!

“Uhm, well for me; the burden would-“

“Oh, Chief Magician! There you are!”

A cheerful voice cut off my resistance.

I glared as I saw the high-spirited Magician who called him out, allowing the Chief Magician to escape.

Thanks a lot for that.

But I guess that’s just the way a cookie crumbles.

The Chief Magician turned his head a bit when he saw me glaring at him.

But that’s just them being adults, greeting me.

…They did that, and as a lady, I had no choice but to return their greeting…

“Chief, you seem to be finished here, so could you come back to work with me?”

“Oh, I see… Well then, my lady, I left all the notes you’ll need inside the book.”

Having said so, the Chief Magician slipped his Dragon Observation Record into the magic storage stone, handed it to me, and then left.

…Hmmm?

“Head Priest! How long have you been here?!”

“I’ve just been here, Azeal.”

An elderly, friendly seeming priest arrived, out of breath… The same Priest was about to rescue the Chief Priest from any kind of obligation.

So… Thanks a lot for that.

His face turned blue as he looked at me.

“Oh, I see! You’re bullying this poor little girl!!”

“…Not at all. What are you talking about, Azeal?”

No, no. He really was trying to coerce me! This darned Priest!

Although I tried pleading with my eyes, the Priest seemed assured by the Chief Priest’s words.

…But I’m being coerced! The Chief Priest easily strong armed people as if he was just breathing!

“Oh, that’s right. It’s about time for a sermon, Head Priest.”

“Ah, was it that time already…? Well then, Lady Rururia, I trust I’ll have your cooperation?”

The Head Priest put both the pen and Dragon Growth Diary into the storage stone and left.

…Hmmm?

He left me holding the storage stone in one hand and the gold chain in the other.

Ahhh!

I couldn’t get out of it!

I’m such an idiot!

---

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