“Arnolt Theos Rave.  He proposed researching a way to facilitate mutual understanding with dragons so that dragons and humans could respect each other.  It’s a story from ten years ago though.  He was a well-raised prince. Did you know him?”
“I know the name.”

Without meeting Hades’ eyes, Roger laughed.

“Then this’ll go quick.  Even if humans had their doubts, if the dragons could vouch for it, then maybe we could welcome a Dragon Emperor—that kind of political intent was there too.  But I suppose some people found that inconvenient.  In the end, the research couldn’t be done in Rave, and after going round and round, it ended up like this.  Isn’t it too much?”

With those words, Roger left the room with firm steps.  He seemed to be planning to go to city hall alone.  To Hades who had been left behind, Rave spoke in a cautious voice.

“What will you do?  If you don’t return to the Rave Empire, you’re going to miss the opportunity to do anything.”
“Except this isn’t a situation where I can use dragons. If you believe it’ll be too late, then it already is.  Working to end things here would be better.  Besides…”

—I want to stop this.

That profile which gave the impression of resignation, yet refused to abandon hope, strangely stuck with Hades.  And for the name Arnolt to have been brought up, no less.  He strode out into the hallway to chase after Roger’s back, but then covered his ears.  Only because Rave started shouting did he realize it was the flute’s sound.

“Wasn’t this stopped!?  Where’s it coming from!?  This is on an entirely different level—!”

As if in response, the school building’s wall was blown away by the flap of a dragon’s wings.  Roger, who had been just ahead, stared in shock at the multiple dragons.  At their head was a red dragon.  Their eyes were all clearly fixed on Roger.

Roger took a stance, but dealing with multiple dragons, including a red one, in such a narrow space was madness, regardless whether the majority of them were green dragons or not.  In fact, the magic imbued slash Roger had reflexively released was scattered by a dragon’s flames.  Worse, his footing was already starting to collapse.

Kicking off the hallway floor, Hades grabbed Roger’s arm and dragged him to the corner.  A dragon’s claw grazed past, tearing the hem of his clothes.  Roger’s eyes flew wide open.

“Stay back!  I’ll be fine, you—”
“Shut up.”

The dragons were not in their right state of mind, none of them recognized Hades as the Dragon Emperor.  They wouldn’t obey his orders.

Still, they should instinctively, at the very least, understand who was stronger.

“Get lost.”

Seen through by his golden eyes, the dragons faltered.  Perhaps as a result, Hades lowered his guard a bit.  His ability to detect magical power was delayed, and an attack with a needle like precision and something that no ordinary barrier could block, slipped through.

A sniper!?  No, were these dragons a decoy—

It wasn’t a speed that couldn’t be dodged.  It would only grazed him at most.

If only Roger hadn’t leapt out.

A red bead grazed Hades’ cheek.  The gunshot laced with magical power sent the dragons flapping away in shock.

“…You’re safe, right?”

Roger made an awkward smile at Hades whose eyes were wide open in surprise.  Clicking his tongue, Hades caught Roger’s collapsing body.  Then, slinging Roger over his shoulder, he leapt straight out of the school building through the broken wall. The sniper had been able to escape Hades’ notice all that time. There was no guarantee he still wasn’t being targeted.

“You… idiot.  I could have dodged that!”

“…Yeah, probably… haha… but, I jump in anyway…”

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