Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 7 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 1===

Three years ago on that day, I was sitting by the river in a bad mood after an argument with Mitsuki over something trivial.

Grumbling while muttering to myself, I vented my emotions of annoyance while trying hard to calm myself.

My efforts bore fruit. By the time the evening breeze turned cool, my mind was already calm.

"—Please, stop following me."

Just as I was getting up, intending to return home, I heard a girl's voice.

Then a kitten purred and went "meow~", wanting to be doted upon.

I looked up at the river embankment, only to see a young girl walking on the road along the riverside, troubled by a kitten that insisted on following her.

"I only fed you once on a whim just now. There won't be a second time even if you follow me. I can't keep you either."

The girl looked the same age as me. She was talking seriously to the kitten, trying to convince it. She had a well-proportioned face and long black hair. Dressed in a chic and black one-piece dress... She was neither a girl I had met before nor a student at the same school as me.

"You'd better leave this town instead of begging food from me if you want to live. Otherwise—"

The girl continued to persuade the kitten seriously, but she stopped talking as soon as she noticed my gaze.

"...Anyway, don't follow me anymore."

The girl ended her speech halfway and quickly left the kitten. However, the kitten did not learn its lesson and ran after the girl on its short little legs.

I could not help but feel curious, following the girl and the kitten with my gaze. They seemed to be crossing the nearby bridge up ahead. Blocked by the bridge fencing, the kitten was out of sight.

At this moment, a large dump truck sped past along the riverside road. The cloud of black exhaust drifted over, making me cough a few times.

With heavy engine noise, the dump truck turned towards the bridge.

"Ah—"

After that, a small shadow jumped onto the fencing.

It was the kitten from just now.

It was unclear whether it had been frightened by the giant vehicle or it was trying to escape the truck's black emissions—From the riverside, I could not tell.

Having ascended to an unsteady footing, the kitten was apparently blown by the wind caused by the truck's passing. It lost balance and fell into the river.

The instant I saw that happen, I reflexively ran out. But when I ran, I witnessed an even more shocking scene.

As though chasing after the kitten, the girl from just now jumped from the bridge.

"What...!?"

I gasped, only to see a pillar of water rise with a splash. Although the river's surface was wide and the current was gentle, the water was very shallow. Jumping from the bridge and not getting injured was unlikely.

I took off my shoes and entered the river in search of the girl who had sunk into the water.

Immediately, some distance away, the girl stood up with a splash. Despite getting all drenched, she did not look injured. She was holding the kitten against her bosom too.

"Hey, are you okay!?"

I pushed through the water to head over to her. The girl cocked her head in puzzlement.

"...What are you doing?"

"What am I doing...? Well, I saw you fall into the river, so I came to rescue you."

"Really? So you're one of those nice guys."

The girl remarked with disinterest. Then she handed the kitten to me.

"Huh?"

"I'm leaving this cat in your care."

Declaring unilaterally, the girl walked to the shore.

"Hey... How can you decide on your own—"

I frantically called out but the girl simply looked back and said in a calm tone of voice:

"Take the cat and leave this town, because Hekatonkheir is coming tomorrow."

"Huh...? But the news this morning said that according to the current route, this town is safe—"

I asked in confusion but the girl shook her head.

"Human predictions are unreliable. All it takes is a change in a dragon's whims and this town will be destroyed."

"What...? Why do you know something like that?"

"Because—I am a dragon too."

The girl smiled, instantly causing a chill to run along my back and my legs to stiffen and shake nonstop.

While I was unable to move, the girl walked along the riverside and departed. On the other hand, I was standing in daze in the middle of the river, carrying the wet kitten, curled up in my arms—