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Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Chapter 1

2014-02-15T06:15:02Z

はじめ: Whoops! Made a minor mistake.

== Chapter 1 - Eco the Dragon Girl ==
=== Part 1 ===

Ash's body shuddered. He clearly felt the presence of someone sneaking into his room and crawling onto the bed.

—''You aren't letting me off tonight, too''......?

In the pitch black darkness, the girl's hair and skin had a piercingly cold radiance.

The full moon outside the window overhang the horizon.

Ash remembered clearly that he had closed the curtains before sleeping.

"Fufu...... it's a beautiful night, don't you think so?"

The girl looked at Ash disdainfully with the eyes of a conqueror. Her lips showed a bewitching smile.

"Uuu!"

Ash, who was lying on the bed, suddenly could not move.

The girl had sat on Ash's abdomen with her legs spread out. Instead of oppression, Ash could feel warmth coming from the part of his abdomen that was in contact with the lower half of the girl's body.

A faint aroma permeated the room.

What a bewitchingly beautiful girl.

She had waist-long pink hair with a silver shine, snow-white skin and ruby-coloured eyes.

She was only wearing the bare minimum of clothes and was almost naked.

The two big bulges on her chest in front of Ash's face shook slightly.

On each side of her head grew a horn that was no different from a dragon's.

"Who are you? Why are you always...... uuuuu!"

Ash's question was forcefully interrupted. The upper half of the girl's body slowly approached and hugged Ash tightly.

Her white and smooth skin came into contact with Ash's body with nothing in between.

Her luscious lips whispered into Ash's ear.

"I will also dote on you well tonight."

After letting out a hot breath of air, the girl nibbled Ash's earlobe. <nowiki>*</nowiki>Kaa—* The sound was similar to that of biting the ear's bone.

“N-no...... Don't do that......!"

Ash's body trembled non-stop as if struck by lightning.

The girl greedily devoured Ash's body. Neck, chest, waist, arms……the numbness of the skin from her tender tongue and sparkling teeth sliding across the skin almost made Ash lose his mind.

As usual, the girl shifted her body as she pleases in that position tonight. It was like a dance.

It has been seven days since the appearance of the mysterious girl.

The girl who appeared at Ash's bedside every night, spending every moment teasing him playfully.

Who on earth is she?

And what motive does she have?

Why are there two horns growing on her head?

The girl never answered questions.

She always danced on Ash's body and left taking light steps slowly.

The girl's teasing was in full force. Ash would always end up lying on the bed exhausted after the ordeal. Currently sitting by the window, the girl was lifting her slender and beautiful legs with a composed expression.

According to his experience from the past six days, the girl was now going to disappear before Ash's eyes.

—''After all, this is only a dream''......

When he opens his eyes, he would be seeing the usual morning.

At least, it has been so for the past six days.

"My name is Navi."

Ash was shocked from suddenly hearing a name that he did not recognise.

This was the first time hearing the girl say her own name.

Ash gathered the last bit of his strength and barely managed to lift up the upper part of his body.

"Navi...... Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

"To entrust myself, who is about to be born soon, to you…… consider it a form of ritual."

"I don't get what you mean."

"See you, until next time when we meet in real life!"

Navi's figure became countless silver particles and disappeared in the bright moonlight.

=== Part 2 ===
<nowiki>*</nowiki>—Dong*

At dawn, Ash was abruptly woken up by the sound of a large cannon being fired.

A few seconds later, he then realised that the huge sound was actually from the releasing of fireworks using Oracles.

Ash was at Apollo House.

The dormitory where male students of the Advanced Course<ref>There seems to be another name for the courses such as Yunios for Basic Course as seen in the manga, since my raws used the terms "Basic Course" and "Advanced Course", I shall leave it be</ref> lived at.

A few months earlier, after completing three years of basic courses, Ash had successfully become a first-year student of the Advanced Course and earned the qualification to live in Apollo House.

The biggest difference between Apollo House and other dormitories was the one-person, one-room system. Compared to the past whereby three people had to squeeze into one small room, life in Apollo House was like heaven.

"Uuu......it's cold!"

Ash's shoulders shivered the moment he got out of bed.

The dawn of early spring still carried a deep chill. Bearing with the impulse to rush back into bed, Ash pulled open the curtains.

Ash's room was on the third floor. One could see the whole field by standing at the window.

There were many students in the field at dawn carrying out preparation work for the "celebration". There were also a lot of riders on their dragons.

Teams of Stradas<ref>Literally air/winged dragon (second interpretation was from my translation from Chinese), the only dragons other than Maestros that can fly</ref> swept across the horizon, in preparation for the celebration that was about to start.

The giant lizards running back and forth on the field were the brilliant Asias.<ref>Literally land/earth dragon, it's pronounced as "Aahsia" instead of the way we pronounce the name of that particular continent</ref>

"It is about to start."

The field of such a size was shrouded in a mysterious and unusual atmosphere. Ash started to get nervous.

"Yo, Ash! Time to get up!"

At that moment, Ash heard his friend's voice accompanied by the sound of door knocking.

"Raymond? Give me a moment!"

Ash frantically took out the bandage from the first-aid box.

He wrapped the bandage around his left hand to cover up the «Seikoku»<ref>"星刻", literally star-marked/carved</ref> on his arm.

The pattern on his arm was the proof of a Breeder.

At the age of seven, Ash took part in the «Orphan Ceremony» held in Albion Forest and had a dragon larva put in his body.

Unfortunately, Ash's memories of that time were foggy with a lot of parts missing.

Since he obtained the «Seikoku», by logic he should have seen Mother Dragon within the deep parts of the forest. However, Ash did not even have the slightest impression of having any memories of that scene.

''I really messed up'', Ash thought in self-mockery.

Compared to other students, the «Seikoku» pattern on Ash's arm was especially big.

Similar to a tattoo of unique design, it extended from his elbow to his wrist like a jet-black snake.

"......Sorry to keep you waiting."

Finished with wrapping up, Ash opened the door to his room.

His good friend, Raymond Kirkland, was standing at the door with a hearty smile.

"The bandage again? Why don't you try something new?"

"Hmph, a normal person like you won't understand my feelings at all."

Ash was displeased. Raymond could not help but shake his head with a bitter smile.

"Sorry, it's my fault...... Hnn? Your face is red. Do you have a fever?"

"No. Actually,......I had weird dreams for the past week."

"Weird dreams? What kind of weird dreams?"

"A beautiful girl crawled into my bed, then......she did a lot of things......"

It was really embarrassing to speak about this sort of things. Ash blushed while recounting what happened.

Raymond could not resist laughing.

"Are you ''that'' desperate for a girl? That is too exaggerated!"

"Are ''you'' any better? We are in the same situation!"

"Nonono, I am different from you. It's not that I'm not popular with the ladies; it's just that I have not yet found someone suited for me."

Raymond took out a small mirror and started admiring himself.

Almost all the students of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy knew that Raymond had severe narcissism. To be fair, everyone acknowledged that Raymond was a handsome young man. However, people did not dare to get close to him due to that personality of his, destroying the great impression he gave due to his looks. It was like ruining your own image the moment you speak.<ref>This is a more literal translation of the expression used</ref>

"......What are you visiting me for so early in the morning?"

Ash said unhappily. Raymond walked into the room as if that did not concern him.

"Did you forget? The competition that we were looking forward to for so long starts today. Talking about the competition, you must not forget about flirting with girls!"

"What has flirting got to do with the competition? You should also get out there and enter the competition!"

The righteous Ash raised his volume, but Raymond had an evil smile.

"If I didn't remember wrongly, you should be the first Advanced Course student since the founding of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy to still have the larva in his body?"

"Uuu......"

Even if he did not wish for it to be so, Ash could not deny that fact. That's right, Ash's dragon companion was still sleeping in his body without a single sign of waking up.

There was not a single change since that year when he was chosen to be a Breeder at the age of seven.

To the students of Ansarivan, to rouse the dragons in their bodies from slumber was the most basic mission.

Other students had obtained their pals in the first year of basic lessons. All except Ash.

—Pal.

This was a very sacred word, representing "the dragon nurtured by the Breeder himself". A larva still sleeping within the Breeder's body cannot be addressed as a pal.

"Ash, to participate in today's competition, you seem to need something?"

"Yeah, I need a dragon."

"That's right. So, do you want to borrow my pal?"

Raymond's pal was called Brigid.

Borrowing Brigid was, of course, one of the options Ash was considering. Actually, Ash already knew that Raymond was planning to skip the competition this time.

However, just accepting Raymond's suggestion like that really hurt Ash's dignity so Ash decided to refuse tactfully.

"I can also borrow Arianrhod<ref>A goddess from Celtic mythology, "arian" meaning silver and "rhod" meaning wheel, many names used in the series are related to Arthurian legends or myths of the same culture</ref> from Max. He's a member of the Student Council and thus cannot take part in the competition."

Student Council members made up the executive committee of the competition and were unable to participate. Max also stated clearly his intention of not participating in the competition.

"You're too naive, Ash. Do you think that Max would lend you his pal?"

"What is it about me?"

"Uohh!"

Raymond jumped in surprise. Turning around, Max was there leaning on the side of the door in perfectly good condition.

"Good morning, Max."

Ignoring Ash's greeting, Max silently adjusted the position of his glasses with his hand.

Maximillian Russell. Ash's classmate, honour student bestowed the title of Dragner by the Paladin, and also the Student Council's treasurer.

"You two being so noisy early in the morning, what happened?"

"Ash was crying and begging me to lend him Brigid to participate in the competition."

"Who's crying and begging you?! Max, can you lend me your Arianrhod? It's just for today."

Yes, for a particular reason, Ash had to participate in today's competition no matter what.

"You want to borrow my pal? In your next life."<ref>Chinese expression meaning that it is impossible to do or achieve it.</ref>

"There's no need to be so ruthless, right?"

"Let's not discuss about this matter for the moment......"

Max sized up Ash with his sharp eyes.

"You should see for yourself the state this room is in! Didn't I remind you again and again that you must keep your own room clean?"

The overbearing Max walked into the room with big strides and immediately started cleaning. Ever since moving into Apollo House, there has never been a day when Ash's room was clean and neat.

"This scene sure brings back memories."

Gazing at Max working hard at cleaning, Raymond could not help but shake his head with a bitter smile.

—Ash, Raymond, Max.

When they were still Basic Course students, they had gone through sentimental times together at Merk<ref>Couldn't really find a name with a mythological reference, so I chose one that had Scottish links, do tell me if you found the right name that sounds the same</ref> House. At that time, having a room to yourself was still a faraway dream and the three of them had to squeeze into a small room. Ash and Raymond had a hard time dealing with Max, who was a neat freak almost to the point of it being an illness.

"......I have always wondered."

Done with cleaning, Max turned around and looked at Ash.

"Why can you ride other people's pals?"

"Well......how should I say this......"

"By logic, dragons only allow their own masters to ride them. There have been many Breeders in the past who have tried riding other people's dragons but they all failed."

"That is indeed true, but I have obtained consent from the teacher, so it should be all right?"

"Why are you still so indecisive when doing things, just like in the past? Sigh, if you really intend to participate in the competition, just borrow Brigid. I'll inform the Student Council president."

Ending with that authoritative tone, Max left without turning back.

"I wonder who's the one that hasn't changed at all."

Raymond shook his head with a bitter smile once again.

Ash suddenly drew close to Raymond.

"You will lend me Brigid, right?"

Raymond nodded his head, his eyes having a peculiar glow.

"Of course, you must make that princess change her impression of you!"

Hearing that, Ash's expression instantly became serious.

"I have that intention, too."

=== Part 3 ===

The grand fireworks was dazzling.

There was a tense atmosphere in the academy, accompanied by excitement in the air.

The "race" Raymond spoke of was one of the names it was commonly known by. The official name was "Aries Dragon Riding Festival". An annual grand event held in the month of Aries (fourth month).<ref>The names of months in the story are taken from the names of the horoscopes in order.</ref>

It was also a springtime activity held by Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy.

Ash, having changed to a Dragsuit,<ref>Term for the clothes worn when riding a dragon</ref> arrived at the academy's sports field.

It was a cloudless sunny day, weather suitable for a race.

Many students on dragons had already gathered on the sports field.

By a rough estimate, there should be around fifty plus people.

Ash was riding on Brigid, which he borrowed from Raymond, using the reins in his hands to guide Brigid towards the middle of the field.

"You're in a good mood today, Brigid."

Brigid replied Ash's greeting with a low cry like a spoiled child.

Brigid was an Asia fancied by Ash. Having four greatly developed legs and no wings, Brigid did not look like a dragon but more like the large types of lizards.

Cheers suddenly arose from the students on the field.

"A good morning to all students."

The radiant Student Council president appeared at the centre of the temporarily constructed stage.

The Student Council president did not have a loud voice, but her words were full of confidence and had a penetrating power.

Fiery red hair, elongated eyes, her beautiful body emitted the cold radiance of a marble statue and terrifying killing intent. Even the petals dancing in the wind paled in comparison.

Rebecca Randall.

The «Scarlet Empress».

Her red hair, bold personality and unparalleled strength were her attractive points as the school idol of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy.

Even the academy's combat skills instructors could not beat Rebecca on her Maestro Cú Chulainn.<ref>An Irish mythological hero. Do google it if you are interested.</ref> When talking about the strongest student of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy, 99 percent of the students would immediately think of Rebecca.

"The weather is great today— sorry, I don't want to talk about such nonsense."

The students on the field lowered their heads snickering. "The weather is great today" was the principal's pet phrase, but the festival was an event held by the Student Council, thus the principal did not have to go on stage to deliver a speech.

"Students of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy, not only is the Aries Dragon Riding Festival a sports competition, it is also Ansarivan's fine tradition with the results of the race included in the official records. Since you all have decided to participate in the race, then you should aim to stand on the victory podium.<ref>The place medalists in sports competitions stand on when they received their medals.</ref> However, I'm aware that fine tradition and official records are not enough as reasons to motivate you to achieve victory."

The students started snickering again, but the snickering stopped quickly.

"So I decided to award the winner a day-long date ticket as a prize. As for the person you are dating, that will be me, Rebecca Randall."

The moment Rebecca finished speaking, cheers immediately arose from the students.

"Silence!"

Rebecca roared. Instantly, the students were quiet like before.

"Next would be a speech by the representative of the participants. Advanced Course first-year, Princess Silvia Lautreamont."

At Rebecca's signal, a female student's figure appeared at the other side of the stage.

Ash subconsciously clenched his fists.

"The princess is actually the representative of the participants......!"

Silvia's dazzling golden hair was tied up at the back of her head. Wearing a Dragsuit with the royal coat of arms sewn on it, she leapt off her pal— Maestro Lancelot<ref>One of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend</ref> and slowly walked up the stage.

The Lautreamont Knights royal family's fourth princess Silvia.

The «Ice Blue Princess».

She was the daughter of the ruler of Lautreamont Knight Country, who holds the title of Paladin.

Ash, whose pal still had not been born after such a long time, had always borrowed the pals of other students during practical examinations.

Otherwise, he would have been retained for the year.

To other students, riding other people's pals was suicide; but to Ash, not only was it not dangerous, it was something natural to him.

No matter how short-tempered the dragon was, it would obediently allow Ash to ride on its back. Whether was it a Strada, Asia or Hydra,<ref>Literally water dragon</ref> he could control it with ease.

Unknowingly, the "Genius Dragon Tamer" Ash's reputation increased, becoming a famous figure of the academy.
[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi v1 027.jpg|thumb]]

That accident happened a few days ago.

Ash borrowed Raymond's pal Brigid to participate in dragonback combat training. Being skilled in combat, Ash defeated his classmates one by one in a short time.

It would be a lie to say that he did not feel proud of that.

Concentrated on combat training, Ash did not notice Lancelot walking behind him at that moment.

Not only was physical contact between dragons very dangerous, it was also a situation the academy did its best to avoid.

Everytime before class, the instructor would always patiently remind them.

Fortunately, Brigid's butt only bumped gently into Lancelot's left leg. Both dragon and rider did not suffer any injuries. However, Ash's presumptuous actions infuriated Silvia.

"What do you take combat training for? If you come to the lesson thinking that it is just a game, you will get into trouble sooner or later!"

Other than her special status, Silvia's strict and hardline way of dealing with things was one of the reasons for her being one of the academy's famous people.

Her serious attitude in class and her feat of letting Lancelot grow into a Maestro in only a short time undoubtedly gained her the admiration of many. Her unreasonable demeanour, on the other hand, was widely criticised.

Everyone acknowledged that Silvia was a born beauty but not even one student was willing to be friends with her.

"Urk......sorry, it is my fault."

Ash jumped down from Brigid's back and bowed his head respectfully, apologising.

If this was the usual Silvia, she would have calmed down. Facing an opponent who had admitted his mistakes, Silvia had always been forgiving. It was said to be one of the knight family's precepts.<ref>Basically a set of principles that family members have to abide by. You usually see this in families with prestigious backgrounds</ref>

However, it was not the same this time.

Silvia, still angry, examined Ash from head to toe, not intending to let him off yet.

"You should think with that pea-sized brain of yours! Who exactly is paying the fees for your schooling, uniform, food, accommodation and teaching materials?"

"......Are you talking about the palace?"

"Of course not. Though the one paying is the palace, but the money used comes from the people's taxes. If you continue to have that mindset that this is just a game, then you should just quit school as soon as possible so that you would not continue wasting the hard-earned money of the people!"

"What? Quit school? Are you serious?"

"There is no free lunch in this world. That is one of the Lautreamont family's precepts!"

There was contempt in her ice blue coloured eyes. At that moment, Ash realised why Silvia was called the «Ice Blue Princess». There had been almost no points of intersection between Ash's and Silvia's paths during the phase of Basic Course. This was the first contact between the both of them.

Even if she was a princess, Ash's pride did not permit him to give in.

"The Lautreamont family's precepts are none of my business! I have already apologised. What else do you want me to do?"

"This is not a problem that can be solved by just an apology! You still do not have your own pal, right?"

"Uu......"

A sensitive issue of his having been mentioned, Ash was rendered speechless. It seems Silvia also knew some things about Ash.

"Hmph, like master, like dragon, maybe it died long ago!"

Hearing that, rage burned in Ash's heart.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Let it be, Ash. She is the princess, you cannot win against her."

Behind him, Raymond tried to stop him but Ash ignored him.

This was not the first time that he suffered such humiliation. It was no wonder that Ash was the target of humiliation from everyone since he still did not have his pal.

If the insults were directed toward him, Ash could still bear with it.

However, if it was an insult directed towards his pal, he would not let that go easily.

Ash would fight back with all his strength till the other party apologises.

Similar situations having occurred several times, Ash, who should have been the victim, slowly became the problem child in everyone's eyes.

Talking about the most troublesome person in the academy, ninety-nine percent of the students would think of Advanced Course first-year Ash Blake.

"Take back what you said immediately."

Even if she was the princess of the kingdom, she should not humiliate others as she pleases.

So, Ash took a step forward, having no intention to hide his anger.

The lesson was interrupted. Everyone's attention was on Ash's confrontation with the princess.

=== Part 4 ===
Silvia, who had ascended the makeshift stage, observed the students whom had assembled in the sports field. 

Finally, her blue pupils stopped abruptly at one place. 

“………” 

It was evident where Silvia was looking. She was, obviously, staring at Ash. 

That day, Silvia had not withdrawn her words. If the other party had been a boy, at that time Ash would’ve clouted him. However, as expected, even if he wanted to, Ash couldn’t hit a girl. Moreover, she was a princess in the palace circle. 

Instead, he had, reluctantly, proposed an condition. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> If I am victorious in the race in a few days, you will take back the words you said a while ago! 

Silvia, nonchalantly, had commented: “That would be fine” and agreed. 

That was the answer that Ash wanted. 

Silvia, once she stopped staring at Ash, opened her mouth. 

An icy voice shook the atmosphere, reminding everyone of the winter that had just passed. 

“You must try your best in any competition. That is my family’s motto <nowiki>------</nowiki> no less” 

Silvia then descended quickly from the stage and, riding smartly on Lancelot, returned to the sports field. 

After a few seconds of silence, only a sparse amount of applause arose from the sports field as everyone was taken aback by Silvia’s haughty attitude. 

“What?” 

“It is obvious that Lancelot is the outstanding one, not his owner.” 

“What is so great about his master?” 

“Wasn't the first paladin originally a knight of the Chevron Kingdom. In other words, only just a fortunate soldier, nothing more. Definitely not royal.” 

“As expected of that brother’s sister”<ref>Chinese phrase that basically refers to the fact that brothers and sisters are the same ... something along the lines of that</ref> 

Ash nonchalantly glanced at a few same grade female students, who were murmuring quietly behind him. 

At first, Ash had taken no notice of their conversation, however: 

“That brother’s sister.” 

That part of sentence caught his attention. 

The ‘brother’ that the female students had said, obviously referred to Prince Julius. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Dragon Slayer Julius. 

Although he was the eldest son of the Knight family, he violated the biggest taboo. 

No one knew why he would slay his dragon, as he was publicly executed for breaching the taboo before he could disclose his motive. 

To bring his name up at this occasion, really wasn’t thoughtful. 

Even if he had shamed the Royal Knight Family, that was ten years ago. There really wasn’t any good in bringing up these old matters. 

“…… She really doesn’t have an easy life.” 

Ash, suddenly, began to sympathize a little for Silvia’s plight. 

=== Part 5 ===
The competition was about to start. 

The row order of the contestants had been sequenced according to the results of the mock competitions that had occurred during training class. 

Usually, the fastest riders were placed at the front. 

However, this year’s dragon riding competition was different. 

The players who were placed at the front, were the worst scoring students of the mock competitions. 

Apparently, it was Rebecca’s suggestion; her reason being that the competition would be more exciting. 

As a result, based on the new rules, Silvia, who had scored top in the mock competitions, had no choice but to be placed in the last row. 

Aside from Silvia, Ash was also in the last row. 

Although the student council had made an exception to the rule to allow him to use another student’s pal to participate in the competition, just to be fair, his starting position had been purposely positioned in the last row. 

Without doubt, this type of order doubled as a safeguard against a sudden surge of contestants once the race had started. 

Nevertheless, despite these new rules, this situation could be said to be favorable to him. <ref>Chinese phrase. Basically the equivalent of "play into the hands of (Ash)" </ref> 

To be allowed to participate in the competition, was already a one in ten thousand chance <ref>In other words, very lucky</ref>. Furthermore, to be placed beside Silvia, was the perfect opportunity to execute their showdown. 

With every minute and second that passed, he gradually became more and more focused <ref>Chinese phrase that literally translates into "retracted his state of mind"</ref>. 

Silvia didn't talk to him. 

Likewise, he felt that there wasn’t a need to converse with her. 

Finally, the preparations before the race were finished. 

The cheers coming from the audience around the sports field’s boarder had reached a climax. 

All around, a unique sense of tension filled the atmosphere. 

Ash clearly felt his own heartbeat gradually quickening. During the mock competitions, he had never felt so nervous. 

“On your marks!” 

Rebecca’s voice emanated from mid-air. 

Clad in a uniform, she was riding on her pal’s back. Essentially, this was breaching the school rules, however, as today was the annual Dragon Riding Festival, no one had raised that issue. 

Arms akimbo, she now stood majestically on top of Cú Chulainn’s head. Her high-spirited heroic bearing immediately attracted everyone’s attention. 

This was her riding position. 

As Cú Chulainn’s body was too big to find a suitable saddle, and also, because she had publicly expressed that she did not want to restrain her beloved pal with a rein and saddle, this evolved into her current unique riding position. 

A suffocating silence enveloped the audience, as she lifted a magic carbine <ref>A carbine is a gun used by horsemen, do Google it!</ref>. 

Only the sound of one’s own heartbeat and the deep breathing of the dragons could be heard. 

“Get set ------” 

The carbine’s muzzle was aimed at the sky. 

Then, when the flash of an Oracle illuminated the horizon, the gun let out an enormous bang. 

Around fifty dragons, at the same time, started to run, leaving behind a cloud of dust. 

The Stradas, whose tails a smoke bomb had been tied to, formed into a column and, at the same time, flapped their wings and flew. While that was happening, the smoke from the smoke bombs formed a seven-coloured rainbow in the sky. 

=== Part 6 ===
Brigid did not betray Ash’s expectations. After his flawless start, he ran flat out, hot on Lancelot’s tail. As they moved around the academy’s sports field, the competitors maintained a distance between each other. 

Then, in the midst of loud cheering, they passed through the school gate that led to the city district. 

“Full speed ahead!” 

At Ash’s urging, Brigid let out a roar. 

Ash intended to, with all his strength, rush through the avenue leading St. Durham Square. 

Maestro Lancelot, possessed an astonishing speed. Within a blink of an eye, he had already overtaken many competitors. 

Brigid tailed closely behind Lancelot’s body, where the effect of air friction was the least, ascending the ranks with him. However, when Lancelot was about to enter a narrow city road, which was connected to St. Durham Square, he suddenly slowed down. 

“……… That’s odd.” 

Ash, who had been following Brigid, raised his head and looked ahead. 

“Them ………!” 

Four competitors, side by side in a row, had obstructed the way ahead. Upon closer inspection, Ash immediately realised that they were the same four female students who had slandered Silvia before the competition. 

Ahead, the narrow city road meandered endlessly, plagued with numerous challenging turns. It seems that until I have exited the city district, I will have to be patient, Ash thought to himself. 

All of a sudden, he grasped their intentions. 

“Those people ………” 

They were probably here to target Silvia. 

Whenever other competitors approached from behind, they would, at once, automatically create a small gap to allow them to pass. 

Bit by bit, Silvia’s ranking was deteriorating. Soon, she, along with Ash, would be last. 

Ash was at a loss. 

Overtaking Silvia wouldn’t be hard. The female students obstructing the way ahead should let him pass. After all, he was a bystander to them, so there wasn’t a need to make things hard for him. 

“You people really have taken things too far!” 

Infuriated, Ash couldn’t help but shout at them. 

“Do you really not care?” 

He exclaimed, in a loud voice, as he spurred Brigid to Lancelot’s side. 

Due to the difference in height between the Maestro and Asia, Ash had to look up at Silvia. 

In contrast, Silvia glanced down at Ash, her face etched with contempt. 

“……… There is nothing that can be done about this, whether it is blocking our way or working together, it doesn’t violate the rules of this race.” 

“Now is the time to act noble! Could it be that you aren’t angry at all?” 

“I don’t want to talk to enemies! Go away, it’s none of your business!” 

“You excessively prideful person, no wonder you can’t make any friends!” 

“Y-You, what did you say!” 

Ignoring Silvia’s protests, Ash spurred Brigid ahead, quickly leaving Lancelot behind and approaching the four female students, whom were blocking the way ahead. 

As expected, as soon as one of the four girls noticed him, she promptly shifted over, creating a gap on her right. 

Ash, without looking at any of them, spurred Brigid straight towards the gap that she had created. 

They probably had thought that he was just going to pass through. 

“Fu ……… you are wrong!” 

With a flick of the reins in his hand, Brigid’s enormous body immediately moved to squash the female students beside him. 

They were now extremely close together, almost reaching the point of breaking the competition’s rules. 

“Hey, what are you trying to do?” 

One of the girls paled <ref>Chinese phrase 花容失色. 花容 - Literally means flower colour / radiance [And it referrers to a beautiful girl] and 失色 - means to lose colour</ref>, due to fright. 

Due to turmoil caused by Ash, the four riders who had been in an orderly row, were now shortening the distance between themselves. Soon they would collide into each other. 

There was only one option to prevent this; to relinquish their positions. However, if they did so, they would destroy their row formation. 

Without doubt, this was the goal Ash had aimed to achieve, and, after achieving the upper hand, he didn’t overlook the chance to gibe at them: 

“I’m very sorry for the trouble I have caused. This dragon was borrowed from someone and it seems to be a little disobedient!” 

The expression of one of the girls, suddenly changed. 

“You are Ash Blake!” 

Whether it was luck or not, Ash’s name seemed to have an profound effect on them. 

“It’s the Number One Problem Child in the academy!” 

“Uhh! Stay away from me!” 

“Kyaaa!” 

The four female students promptly broke formation and, after a brief period of turmoil, they all fell hopelessly at the side of the road. 

Their high-pitched shrieks, along with the roars of the dragons, reverberated endlessly in the narrow city road. 

Silvia, who had been behind, deftly dodged the female students and dragons, and quickly picked up speed. 

“W-Who told you to meddle in other people’s business!” 

In spite of her brusque tone, her cheeks, however, turned slightly red. 

=== Part 7 ===
After leaving the city district, he journeyed north on the main road, arriving at Fianna Forest. 

The forest was also a part of the competition’s course. The skills required were now, were vastly different from the ones needed to navigate through the city roads. 

After just entering the forest, a strange thing happened. 

“……… Brigid?” 

Brigid, who had been tailing Lancelot the whole journey, suddenly slowed down. 

Silvia, obviously, took advantage of this opportunity. In a nick of time, she had disappeared. 

“What’s wrong ………?” 

Brigid, finally, stopped walking. 

He was breathing heavily and his expression was one of great pain. 

Ash, now, had finally realised the mistake he had made. 

“I was too careless.” 

While Ash had been preoccupied with following Silvia, he hadn’t noticed that Brigid had run out of stamina. 

From the start, Brigid had always maintained the same speed as Lancelot, in spite of the difference of stamina between a Maestro and an Asia. Generally, in order to successfully finish the competition, the pace to complete it at, should have been determined from the stamina of the dragon. 

“………Sorry, Brigid.” 

After he had apologised, Brigid let out a soft snort, as if he was ashamed of his physical strength. 

Now, groups of competitors, bit by bit, had caught up. One by one, they raced past Ash’s side. 

The sound of thunderous rumbling shook the earth, as the air filled with dust. 

The sight of a group of Asias running in the forest was spectacular to behold. Ash could sense the ground incessantly rocking. For a very long time, it didn’t subside. 

Ash’s competition, at his point of time, had concluded. 

Between him and Silvia, a winner had been determined. His goal to force Silvia to take back her words, in the end, wasn’t achieved. 

If this was described as unfortunate, it would be a lie. Ash had really wanted to complete the competition. For the entire time, he had made a bee line for the finish line. 

However, oddly enough, Ash’s mood was rather carefree. 

“It turns out that competing with the princess is quite interesting.” 

No matter how reluctant, he couldn’t deny this fact. 

Then, at this moment<nowiki>------</nowiki> 

A rustling noise, without warning, came from behind. 

“<nowiki>------</nowiki>!” 

Ash instinctively looked back, staring at the forest behind him. 

“………Who is it?” 

For safety reasons, Ansarivan’s security guards would, during the race, patrol the forest. 

In the forest, to sense another person’s presence, wasn’t something to make a big fuss out of. 

However, whoever it was, hadn’t replied. If it was really a security guard, he should have already appeared directly before Ash, who had been eliminated. 

Ash heightened his awareness and cautiously surveyed the surroundings. 

Although he hadn’t discovered any suspicious figures, he felt as though someone was watching him.
He could feel a sense of foreboding growing within himself. 

“Wait for me here.” 

After leaving Brigid there, Ash walked into the depths of the forest. 

=== Part 8 ===
Fianna Forest, bordered on the west by Rubina Lake, was located northwest of the city Ansarivan. It’s one of the largest forests within the borders of Lautreamont Knight Country. 

As Ash ran in the forest, so as to not trip over the tree roots that crawled over the earth like a web of intricate blood vessels, he constantly looked down at his feet. 

Then, once again, he sensed the presence of someone else. 

“Found you!” 

Trusting his own intuition, Ash threw a stone at the bushes in front of him. 

The bushes rocked left and right, making a rustling sound. 

“Your intuition is quite keen. It really is one of your talents” 

Stated a voice that possessed both the vitality of youth and the staid of seniority. 

“You are ………?” 

From the bushes, a tall thin man emerged. In his left hand, he held the very stone that Ash had just thrown. 

Though he was dressed in a traveller’s garb, which wasn’t out of the ordinary, Ash was shocked into silence. 

This was because that man was wearing a silver coloured mask on his face, which covered everything except for his nose and mouth. 

In addition to this, his gleaming sliver hair was streaked through with strands of crimson hair, which brought to mind an image of silver silk slowly shedding blood, as well as the blood used to write cursed scripts. 

In his right hand, he held a black object that emitted light. 

“A mechanical weapon from ……… the Empire<ref>Although the sources don't say so, this 'empire' refers to the Zepharos Empire</ref>?” 

Ash, dumbfounded, stood on the spot, unable to move. 

It’s not like he didn’t know about it. 

On the other side of the steep mountain range, lacking the blessing of dragons, the Empire, nevertheless, had a highly developed civilisation based on machinery. 

The weapon that the masked man held in his hand probably was the product of mechanical engineering. If he remembered correctly, it was a ‘short machine gun’, a gun that combined the portability of a pistol and the rapid fire of a machine gun. Ash didn’t dare to act rashly. He knew that man could easily, at a moment’s notice, riddle him with so many bullet holes that he would look like a honeycomb. 

Perhaps it was because he had perceived Ash’s wariness, the corners of the man’s mouth twitched faintly upwards. 

“Young man, you are very bright.” 

“You are ……… a soldier of the Empire?” 

“Do I look like one?” 

Ash didn’t know what to decide. 

That object in the man’s hand was a weapon manufactured by the Empire. 

However, that man didn’t have an Empire accent. Instead, he had a strong Chevron Kingdom accent. Aside from that, the way he spoke was highly refined. To be more precise, he was speaking so-called ‘King’s Chevrish’. 

Ash realised that he was in a precarious situation. 

If the masked man was from the Empire, why would he be lurking around the outskirts of Ansarivan for? 

Maybe, he was an Empire spy. 

The Chevron Kingdom and the Zepharos Empire, the two great powers of this continent, had been in a Cold War which had, already, lasted five decades. 

Sandwiched between those two countries, was the Lautreamont Knight Country, the Chevron Kingdom’s child country. 

Initially, the Knight Country was part of the Kingdom<ref>Kingdom here refers to the Chevron Kingdom</ref>, therefore, the relationship between these two countries would, naturally, be much closer than any of their allies. 

Currently, should armed personal from the Empire appear within boarders of Knight Country, this country could, and would, interpret this as a military operation of the Empire. 

However, Ash’s strength was finite. He was definitely incapable of opposing the man before his eyes. 

“Young man, how old are you?” 

The masked man’s unexpected question distracted him for a moment. 

“……… Sixteen. Is there something wrong with that?” 

“That’s strange. Why do you still have larva within you?” 

Ash, astounded, subconsciously retreated a few steps. 

“H-How do you know?” 

“The curse on your body allowed me to clearly perceive that.” 

“Curse ………?” 

Ash frowned. He never would never have expected to hear, from the mouth of a person from the Empire, words so unscientific. 

Unfortunately, he didn’t have the time to ask what those words truly meant. 

“Get away from Milgauss-sama” 

A tender, yet commanding voice resonated in his ears. 

Reflexively, he looked back and saw a petite figure moving towards him. Then, immediately after pulling an object from its left bracer, the shrill sound of air being sliced sounded by his ear. 

“Argh!” 

Moving his body quickly, Ash awkwardly dodging the surprise attack. A pitch-black serpent passed through the space where his head had been. Actually, upon closer inspection, the pitch-black snake was actually a long whip, the preferred weapon of the Tantalos Tribe. 

Those who master this weapon are said to have an unpredictable attack. Even soldiers armed with swords, guns or cannons, aren’t a match. 

Ash dived onto the ground and began to roll, attempting to distance himself. 

Although his attacker was also wearing a mask, from their exposed eyes, he determined that it was most likely a young teenage girl. 

Her beautiful jet-black hair was fixed at the back of her head and, despite her petite stature, her eyes were filled with murderous intent. 

Ash, improvising on the spot, got up from the ground, grabbed a handful of dirt, threw it at the girl, turned and ran. 

“Argh ………!” 

The girl flinched and, for a brief moment, shielded her eyes. Then she began to pursue Ash. 

Ash, sprinting, plunged into a nearby thicket. 

“Damn ……… why am I so unfortunate!” 

Upon rushing out of the forest, his field of vision immediately widened. 

Above him, a dazzling blue sky stretched as far as the eye could see, forcing him to narrow his eyes. 

Barren rocks, big and small, littered the ground. 

Ash swallowed. This situation wasn’t good. Ahead of him there was a ravine. Its edge was around ten steps away. Ash looked around but couldn’t find a bridge. 

“Obediently accept your fate!” 

The girl appeared from within the forest. 

Ash, with his back to the cliff, confronted her. 

“When did I ever wrong you?” 

“Meeting us. This was your greatest misfortune.” 

The girls tone was flat, lacking any rise or drop in pitch, making her sound emotionless. 

“That’s absurd!” 

“War needs no reason.” 

“Isn’t there an armistice?” 

“Armistice? That nothing more than something we pretend to adhere to. In reality the war between the Empire and the Kingdom hasn’t ended!” 

The girl kicked the ground, and, brandishing the whip in her hand, slowly forced Ash towards the edge of ravine behind him. 

Though Ash scored quite well in the class of fighting techniques, this girl’s movements were too fast. He could only, step by step, retreat backwards. 

In a few more steps, he would fall into the ravine. 

“Hmph ……… I wonder how long you can continue to struggle for!” 

She sounded irritated. In fact, she was most likely an impetuous person. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Now! 

Ash grabbed the end of the whip, which had missed him, and then, with a great pull, broke her balance. 

“Uooo!” 

He grabbed her by her collar and, using her own momentum<ref>Do google Aikido !!!</ref>, hurled her away. Her body traced a parabola in the air. Ash was surprised, as he hadn’t expected her body to be so light. 

“Kawaa!” 

Falling heavily, the girl gave a painful cry and her right hand involuntarily realised the whip. 

“Uguu ………” 

Still conscious, tears of misery appeared her eyes. Aside from that, she was constantly squirming, as if in great pain. She probably wouldn’t be able to stand for a quite a while. 

Steading his breathing, Ash slowly extended his right hand towards the mask on her face. He wanted to see what she looked like. Then, just at this moment. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Bishi! 

A peculiar noise, similar to that of an object fracturing, could be heard. 

“Eh ………?” 

Ash could hardly believe his eyes. 

The outcrop <ref>Exposed bedrock</ref> supporting their weight, unexpectedly, had begun to collapse. 

This was most likely due to a geological fault in the rock. This fight should never have been performed in this kind of location. Then he noticed it, a warning sign labelled “Beware of Collapse”. 

“Ku ………!” 

Ash had no time to ponder. He lifted the girl and threw her forwards. 

She landed safely on a stable piece of outcrop. 

However, in doing so, he didn’t have enough time to escape. Instead, he fell along with the rocky debris into the ravine. 

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!” 

The immense drag of the wind almost tore his skin. 

Ash was scared of falling into a bottomless ravine. Then, at this moment, he felt his left wrist heat up. 

“Eh ………?” 

A flash of light burst through his clothing. The «Seikoku», which extended from his elbow to his wrist, suddenly began to emit heat and scarlet light. 

The shrill sound of the wind was silenced. 

In fact, all sound was silenced. 

“Ugh ………!” 

Ash felt an excruciating pain within his chest, as if it was being torn in half, as though something was trying to break out of his body. 

The pain almost caused him to lose consciousness. 

While bearing the pain, he looked down at his chest and found that it was exuding a dazzling radiance. 

“Guaaaaaaaaaaaah!” 

Ash gave a great scream as his consciousness gradually began to fade. 

However, within his hazy vision, he saw something clearly. 

A girl was floating in mid-air. 

Completely naked. 

With her eyes tightly closed and her arms open, she floated next to him. 

Subconsciously, Ash reached out with both his hands towards her petite body. 

She slid with no resistance into his arms. 

Around them, a blinding light had, unbeknownst to them, enveloped their bodies. 

Not only that, but their descent had slowed down. 

Hugging the girl, Ash slowly floated down, like one would within a child’s fairy tale. 

Before long, they landed on a rock beside a creek. 

The ball of light, which had protected them, instantly turned into countless particles and disappeared without a trace. 

“Am I safe now ………?” 

Ash mumbled to himself, as he looked down at the girl in his arms. 

The breathing of the girl, whose eyes were still closed, sounded rather peaceful. 

“Uwaa!” 

Ash felt a little ardent as he realised that the girl was naked. 

Her dainty figure, along with her slightly bulging chest, and her smooth and delicate white skin was definitely something that was hardly ever seen within this world. In fact, it gave rise to the illusion of an angel descending into the world of mortals. 

Her age was probably around fourteen or fifteen. 

Gently laying her on the ground, Ash swiftly took off the coat of his Dragsuit.[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi v1 055.jpg|thumb]] 

Just this coat, he was able to sufficiently cover her petite body. 

“Fuu ………” 

With this done, Ash feeling relieved, sat on the ground. 

Yet again, he looked at the face of the girl. 

“Could she be ……… Navi?” 

Within his mind, an image of the girl who had, since the start of this week, been teasing him within his dreams, surfaced. 

“No, you are similar for sure ……… but still a little different.” 

“No, you are similar for sure ……… but still a little different.” 

To draw an analogy, Navi would be a succubus from a Gothic novel, possessing a face that retained the innocence of childhood and also the charm of a mature woman. 

On the other hand, the girl before his eyes was just a girl. Ash couldn’t feel any mature charm from her. 

“……… eh?” 

Ash frowned. Something small, circular and ivory coloured, protruded from top left and right of sides her head. 

“What is this?” 

With his fingertips, Ash gently probed the mysterious protrusions. 

It was soft and a little flexible and seemed to be made of some kind of cartilage. 

The mysterious protrusions had a peculiar feel to it, making him want to touch it again after touching it. However, Ash resisted the urges to touch it again, as it would be impolite. 

Looks like those mysterious protrusions weren’t accessories but part of her body. 

“Could it be ……… horns?” 

The little protrusions on top of her head, indeed, seemed to be identical to the horns of a young dragon. 

Ash couldn’t help but recall the details of the events, that had happen prior to now, in his mind. 

The girl had emerged out of his body and she had two horns growing from top left and right sides of her head. 

As a result, there could only be one conclusion. 

“……… this young girl is my pal?” 

Ash was dumbfounded. 

He had always wished to rouse his pal from sleep, however, why was his pal a girl when everyone else’s were dragons? 

“Uuu ………nnn ………” 

The girl’s long eyelashes quivered a little. 

“Huwaaa ………” 

The girl, in contrast to her beautiful appearance, gave a great yawn. 

One of her double eyelids slowly began to open. 

Ash, subconsciously, leaned forwards and looked at her face. 

Her ruby coloured pupils were very fascinating. 

Bleary eyed, she suddenly opened her eyes wide and her facial expression became one of shock. 

“Hugiyaaaaaaaa!” 

“Oooof!” 

Ash, receiving a slap on his cheek, fell backwards and his head became immersed in the creek. 

Fortunately, the stream wasn’t deep, so aside from his sorry figure, he wasn’t hurt. 

“S-Such great strength ………” 

With blood trickling from his nose, Ash struggled to get up. 

“To go so far as to take advantage of a sleeping lady really is too much! Don’t you know who I am?” 

Blushing hard, she suddenly stood up. 

The jacket that Ash had draped over her body, slid off. 

Her dainty naked body was clearly visible. 

However, she made no move to cover herself. 

“P-Please put on your clothes first before you talk!” 

Ash quickly looked away. 

“Clothes? Ridiculous! Clothes are just items humans create to hide their ugliness.” 

“What?” 

“That’s right, a proper dragon doesn’t need clothes!” 

“I don’t care whether you need clothes or not, just put them on!” 

After saying that, Ash turned his back on her. 

“I know that you are a dragon! Well ……… strictly speaking I’m not sure. However, even if you’re a dragon, right now, you are a girl!” 

“So what?” 

“That ……… naked girl standing in front of me ……… is making me lose my calm” 

“Hmph! Such a useless guy. Like I said, humans are really <nowiki>------</nowiki>” 

At this moment, a strong gust of wind blew through the ravine. 

Though it was now spring, it still felt chilly when a gust of wind blew on the body. 

“A ……Ahchoo!” 

Compared to her arrogant attitude just then, her sneeze was extremely cute. 

After her sneeze, an unimaginably huge gust of wind headed towards Ash. 

“Uoo!” 

Immediately, Ash clung onto the rock next to him and, like this, prevented himself from getting blown away. 

“A dragons’ sneeze is turns out to be quite formidable ………” 

After calming himself down, with his back towards the girl, Ash proceeded to defend his opinion: 

“You’re right, clothes make people look better. However, apart from that, they also protect against the cold!” 

“Muuu ………” 

The girl pouted, as if she didn’t quite agree with Ash’s point. However, in the end, she accepted his opinion. 

Before long, there was a rustling sound. 

Cautiously turning his head around, Ash saw that she had obediently put on the jacket. 

As her body was very petite, just the jacket was enough to cover her important parts. However, her legs were still exposed. 

Her white tender thighs caused Ash to hold his breath. Wearing just a male jacket, her current appearance, compared when she was naked, caused one to fantasize even more. 

After directing his gaze away from her thighs, Ash sighed a few times. 

“There is something I want to confirm. You should be the dragon that was within me.” 

“Strictly speaking, I was only temporarily borrowing your body.” 

“Weren’t you within my body for too long? I’ve already become a first year Advanced Course student!” 

“What did you say?” 

The girl eyed Ash with an ominous glint in her eyes. 

Her expression, as sharp as a sword, rested on Ash’s chest. 

“N-Nothing ………” 

Ash, a little overwhelmed by the girl’s reaction, could only reply like this. 

“I am not an ordinary dragon. Do not lump me with the others.” 

“Whaa?” 

Clearly displeased, the girl planted both her hands on her hips and looked at Ash. 

“Listen carefully, I do not think that you think that you are my master at all! Who cares about the secret agreement of Albion ………” 

Ash was a little surprised when the girl mentioned that historical term. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki>The secret agreement of Albion 

Long ago, confronted with the crisis of extinction, the dragons stipulated a treaty with humans who wanted their magic. 

“……… That being said, you and I share a common destiny. Although you cannot see it, we are bound together by an invisible thread.” 

What she was talking about was probably the so-called Astral Flow. 

“After combining with humans, dragons are able to get a supply of the Astral. As a result, dragons obtained the strength to survive, thus overcoming the crisis of extinction.” 

This knowledge was taught during the Basic Course. The Astral was something similar to “qi”<ref>Look it up here! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi</ref> and was the source of greatly-needed strength. 

The history of the dragons was far longer than that of humans. With each new generation, the Astral contained within their bodies decreased. 

Due to the lack of the Astral, before becoming fully grown, many young dragons died prematurely. 

If young dragons were unable to mature into adult dragons, sooner or later, dragons would go down the path of extinction. 

Concerned by the current situation, the dragons decided to combine with the humans who possessed the most Astral Flow, thus avoiding extinction. 

“Quite so. However, even so, I don’t believe the dragons owe humans one. Instead, humans should feel honoured.” 

“No, shouldn’t you at least feel a little thankful?” 

Having just finished speaking, Ash’s abdomen received a blow from the girl’s elbow. 

“Gah!” 

“By the way …” 

After glancing at Ash, who was writhing in pain, the girl, thinking about something, suddenly turned away. Her vigour, that she had displayed just then, disappeared and was replaced by bashfulness and embarrassment. 

“M-My name ……” 

“Ehh?” 

Ash, puzzled, frowned. The girl turned a shade of bright red and shouted. 

“My …… name, my name! Give me a name! T-This is a, somewhat, very important thing!” 

“Do you really want me to give you a name?” 

“It can’t be helped! Although I don’t approve of the secret agreement of Albion, I too, cannot break the rules! You must give me a name for the contract to be complete!” 

“Is that so? The dragons also have so many difficult rules.” 

“I-I don’t need things like your sympathy!” 

Faced with the girls extremely attitude, Ash made a bitter smile. 

“If that’s how it’s going to go, relax. I have already thought of your name” 

Ever since he had become a Breeder, he had always remembered this name. 

“Your name is Eco” 

Compared to Lancelot and Cú Chulainn, it was a little out of fashion. However, it was a rather historical name, frequently appearing in historical or religious textbooks. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki>First year of A.S.B (After Saint's Birth) 

For the first time in human history, a young maiden succeeded in rousing the larva from its slumber. 

Her name was Rosa Maria. 

After her death, people referred to her as a saint, as she was the primogenitor of Breeders. 

At that time, her pal’s name was Eco. 

“Eco ……” 

The girl looked distracted and her dangerous expression eased up. 

“Nnn, not bad. Eco …… congratulation for thinking up this name. Fine, for now I’ll spare you!” 

“Phew, luckily you quite like this name.” 

If the name chosen had been deemed unacceptable, perhaps he would have become a victim of violence. Coming to this conclusion, Ash could feel cold sweat starting to form. 

“Oh, by the way, although you had just awoken, you seem to be quite knowledgeable about the secret agreement of Albion and Astral Flow.” 

Although Ash didn’t say this with the intention to flatter, she, nevertheless, puffed out her chest in pride. 

“This is the greatest difference between wisdom-filled dragons and the stupid, ignorant humans.” 

“Seriously, humans aren’t that bad, are they?” 

“<nowiki>------</nowiki>Dragweiss” 

“Ehh?” 

Eco suddenly began to stare off into the distance, taking Ash by surprise. 

“In order to survive, the still slumbering larvae will automatically inherit relevant knowledge. As this inherited knowledge is beyond generations, there is no need for others to teach them.” 

“Wow, that’s amazing …… By the way, since you are a dragon, why do you take the appearance of a human?” 

“This ……” 

Eco lowered her head in thought. After a while, she could only helplessly shrug her shoulders. 

“It’s no good, the Dragweiss doesn’t contain records pertaining to this …… No, there should be related records, except they cannot be accessed. Forget about it, I don’t know! Don’t ask about it anymore, or I’ll crush you!” 

“That’s no good ……? I still want to live for a few more years!” 

Thinking about Eco’s unordinary strength, Ash shuddered. 

At this moment, Ash suddenly remembered something, he still hadn’t introduced himself! 

Thus, he calmed his wild heartbeat, and extended his right hand towards Eco. Regardless, Eco would always remain his pal. 

To obtain his own pal had been his wish for many years. 

“Muu …… what are you doing?” 

“I’m called Ash, from this day on, I am your master!” 

“What?” 

Eco not only refused to accept Ash’s goodwill, but also widened her eyes and stared at Ash. 

“W-what’s the matter?” 

“You seem to have misunderstood something, I think I’d better clear it up. You are not my master.” 

Straightening her runway-like chest, Eco’s eyes began to emit a strange aura. 

“I’m the one who is your master!” 

Once again, a bone-chilling icy wind blew through the ravine. 

=== Part 9 ===
…… A few hours later. 

Sure enough, Silvia didn’t betray people’s expectations, with a manner befitting of the Jedi in ‘Return of the Jedi’, she claimed first place and<nowiki>------</nowiki> 

Security guards within the forest found Brigid, decided that the rider must have encountered a mishap, and immediately formed a rescue team, and began to search for the rider. 

The rider was called Ash Blake, a first year Advanced Course student who rode his friend’s pal to compete, the Number One Problem Child of the academy. 

The student council president, Rebecca, and many other students all joined the rescue team. 

As Fianna Forest covered an extensive plot of land, at first, they believed that the rescue operation wouldn’t succeed; however, before long, they found Ash and Eco. 

Cú Chulainn, with Rebecca riding on its head, without turning back, flew straight towards the ravine bordering the forest, as if attracted by some sort of force. 

Afterwards, Rebecca commented: 

“Today was the first time Cú Chulainn disobeyed my order.” 
 

''“The Awakening of Sleeping Beauty ~A.S.B.1365.4~” is closed.''

<noinclude>
==References and Translation Notes==
<references />

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| Forward to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
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</noinclude>

Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi:Registration Page

2014-02-15T06:07:04Z

はじめ: /* Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi */

To re-iterate the registration procedure:

*You are required to register which chapters you wish to work on. One portion of text per translator, please.

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*The Registration page is not a binding contract, and translators are encouraged to negotiate between themselves which portions to register for.

*Anonymous Translated Contributions are required to inform [[User:Thelastguardian|thelastguardian]] and the designated Project Supervisor of the intend Chapters as shown on the corresponding Registration page before any major contribution.

*Portions that are not updated for a significant time may be taken over by another translator after getting permission from the Project Supervisor. The new translator is encouraged to start over to maintain consistency, but the old translation will not be deleted at least until the new translation is finished (and probably not for some time after that). More information is available [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1433 here].

== ''Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi'' ==

=== Volume 1 ===
:*Prologue - [[User:Zakashi|Zakashi]] - '''Completed'''
:*Chapter 1 - [[User:Kenji|Kenji]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 2 -
:*Chapter 3 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big></big>'''
:*Epilogue -

=== Volume 2 ===
:*Prologue - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 1 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 2 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 3 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 4 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Epilogue - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''

=== Volume 3 ===
:*Prologue - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 1 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 2 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 3 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 4 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Epilogue - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''

=== Volume 4 ===
:*Prologue - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 1 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 2 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 3 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 4 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 5 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 6 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 7 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Chapter 8 - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''
:*Epilogue - [[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]]-'''<big>COMPLETED</big>'''

=== Volume 5 ===
:*Prologue -
:*Chapter 1 -
:*Chapter 2 -
:*Chapter 3 -
:*Chapter 4 -
:*Epilogue -

=== Volume 6 ===
:*Prologue -
:*Chapter 1 -
:*Chapter 2 -
:*Chapter 3 -
:*Chapter 4 -
:*Chapter 5 -
:*Chapter 6 -
:*Epilogue -

=== Volume 7 ===
:*Prologue -
:*Chapter 1 -
:*Chapter 2 -
:*Chapter 3 -
:*Chapter 4 -
:*Chapter 5 -
:*Chapter 6 -
:*Chapter 7 -
:*Epilogue -

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[[Category:Registration Page]]

Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi

2014-02-15T06:00:05Z

はじめ: /* Volume 1 */ ~may as well finish it!

[[Image:Seikoku cover.jpg|280px|thumb|Volume 1 cover]]

'''''Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi''''' (星刻の竜騎士, lit. ''The Star-Marked {{furigana|Dragon Knight|Dragner}}''), also very well known as '''''Seikoku no Dragner''''', is a Japanese light novel series written by Shiki Mizuchi and illustrated by Kohada Shimesaba. The series has currently 12 volumes and is published by [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/MF%E6%96%87%E5%BA%ABJ/MF_Bunko_J MF Bunko J].

== Story Synopsis ==
Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy is for boys and girls who had made contracts with dragons. Ash Blake had a Seikoku on his hand, a proof of being a contractor, but he didn't have any dragons for his partner. One day, a dragon within him wakes up from a certain incident. However, the dragon that appeared was different from other dragons. It wasn't in a form of a dragon but had a form of a girl!?

"''You'' are not my master; ''I'm'' the one who is your master," she says.

Courtesy of FairGame

=== Story Arcs ===
Story Arc 1: '''The Knight of Eco'''
* Volumes 1–5
Story Arc 2: '''The Avalon Knight Dragner'''
* Volumes 6–10
Story Arc 3: '''The Ancient Bloodline'''
* Volumes 11–present

== Translation ==

=== [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi:Registration Page|Registration]] ===

'''Translators are asked to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi:Registration Page|register]] for chapters they want to work on'''

===Format Standards===

'''Every Chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Names and Terminology Guidelines]]
'''All edited translations are to be in British English.'''

===Appreciation===

'''If you appreciate the efforts of the translators/editors of the Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi Baka-tsuki Project, why don't you thank them in this [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5457 forum]'''

===Feedback===

'''If you enjoyed the teaser, why don't you tell us in the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5484 Feedback thread]'''

== Updates ==
:*27 October, 2013 - Volume 4 '''completed'''
:*27 October, 2013 - Volume 4 Epilogue completed
:*24 October, 2013 - Volume 4 Chapter 8 completed
:*15 October, 2013 - Volume 4 Chapter 7 completed
:*23 September, 2013 - Volume 4 Chapter 6 completed
:*11 September, 2013 - Volume 3 '''completed'''
:*11 September, 2013 - Volume 3 Epilogue completed

== The ''Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi'' series by Shiki Mizuchi ==

=== Volume 1 ===
[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Prologue|Prologue]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Chapter 1|Chapter 1 - Eco the Dragon Girl]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2 - The Streets of Ansarivan]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Chapter 3|Chapter 3 - Necromancia's Attack]](35% Complete)
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Epilogue|Epilogue]]

 

=== Volume 2 ([[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 2|Full Text]]) ===
[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi v2 p001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 2 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 2 Prologue|Prologue]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 2 Chapter 1|Chapter 1 - Silver Knight]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 2 Chapter 2|Chapter 2 - Ironblood Valkyrie]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 2 Chapter 3|Chapter 3 - Veronica and Silvia]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 2 Chapter 4|Chapter 4 - Avdocha the Convicted]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 2 Epilogue|Epilogue]]

 

=== Volume 3 ([[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 3|Full Text]]) ===
[[Image:SnRK V03 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 3 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 3 Prologue|Prologue]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 3 Chapter 1|Chapter 1 - The Month of Gemini's Selective Training Camp]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 3 Chapter 2|Chapter 2 - Rebecca's Dangerous Command]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 3 Chapter 3|Chapter 3 - The Lakeside Vacation]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 3 Chapter 4|Chapter 4 - The Battle at Willingham Mausoleum]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 3 Epilogue|Epilogue]]

 

=== Volume 4 ([[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 4|Full Text]]) ===
[[Image:SnRK V04 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 4 Novel Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 4 Prologue|Prologue]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 4 Chapter 1|Chapter 1 - Knight Princess's proposal]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 4 Chapter 2|Chapter 2 - Fontaine City, the capital of the Knights]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 4 Chapter 3|Chapter 3 - Paladin Oswald]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 4 Chapter 4|Chapter 4 - Beowolf's conspiracy]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 4 Chapter 5|Chapter 5 - Mordred's tombstone]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 4 Chapter 6|Chapter 6 - Ancient palace's abandoned garden]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 4 Chapter 7|Chapter 7 - Masquerade]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 4 Chapter 8|Chapter 8 - Avalon's Imperial Princess]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 4 Epilogue|Epilogue]]

 

=== Volume 5 ===
[[Image:SnRK v05 004.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Novel Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Prologue|Prologue]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Chapter 1|Chapter 1 - Tragedy of Apolo house and Mirabel's decision]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Chapter 2|Chapter 2 - Ash's and Silvia's study group]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Chapter 3|Chapter 3 - Navi's visit and practical skill test]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Chapter 4|Chapter 4 - Lost memories, Albion Forest]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Epilogue|Epilogue]]

 

=== Volume 6 ===
[[Image:SnRK V06 004.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi:Volume 6 Novel Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 6 Prologue|Prologue]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 6 Chapter 1|Chapter 1 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 6 Chapter 2|Chapter 2 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 6 Chapter 3|Chapter 3 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 6 Chapter 4|Chapter 4 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 6 Chapter 5|Chapter 5 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 6 Chapter 6|Chapter 6 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 6 Epilogue|Epilogue]]

 

=== Volume 7 ===

[[Image:SnRK V07 004.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi:Volume 7 Novel Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 7 Prologue|Prologue]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 7 Chapter 1|Chapter 1 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 7 Chapter 2|Chapter 2 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 7 Chapter 3|Chapter 3 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 7 Chapter 4|Chapter 4 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 7 Chapter 5|Chapter 5 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 7 Chapter 6|Chapter 6 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 7 Chapter 7|Chapter 7 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 7 Epilogue|Epilogue]]

 

=== Volume 8 ===
[[Image:SnRK V08 000b.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi:Volume 8 Novel Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 8 Prologue|Prologue]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 8 Chapter 1|Chapter 1 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 8 Chapter 2|Chapter 2 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 8 Chapter 3|Chapter 3 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 8 Chapter 4|Chapter 4 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 8 Chapter 5|Chapter 5 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 8 Chapter 6|Chapter 6 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 8 Chapter 7|Chapter 7 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 8 Chapter 8|Chapter 8 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 8 Epilogue|Epilogue]]

 

=== Volume 9 ===
[[Image:SnRK V09 003.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi:Volume 9 Novel Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 9 Prologue|Prologue]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 9 Chapter 1|Chapter 1 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 9 Chapter 2|Chapter 2 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 9 Chapter 3|Chapter 3 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 9 Chapter 4|Chapter 4 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 9 Chapter 5|Chapter 5 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 9 Chapter 6|Chapter 6 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 9 Chapter 7|Chapter 7 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 9 Chapter 8|Chapter 8 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 9 Chapter 9|Chapter 9 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 9 Chapter 10|Chapter 10 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 9 Epilogue|Epilogue]]

 

=== Volume 10 ===
[[Image:SnRK V10 003.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi:Volume 10 Novel Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 10 Prologue|Prologue]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 10 Chapter 1|Chapter 1 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 10 Chapter 2|Chapter 2 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 10 Chapter 3|Chapter 3 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 10 Chapter 4|Chapter 4 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 10 Chapter 5|Chapter 5 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 10 Chapter 6|Chapter 6 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 10 Chapter 7|Chapter 7 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 10 Chapter 8|Chapter 8 ]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 10 Epilogue|Epilogue]]

 

=== Volume 11 ===
[[Image:Seikoku_No_Dragner_11_001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 11 Novel Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 11 Prologue|Prologue]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 11 Chapter 1|Chapter 1 - Ash's decision and new Student Council system]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 11 Chapter 2|Chapter 2 - Rebecca's graduation ceremony]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 11 Chapter 3|Chapter 3 - Ash's little sister]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 11 Chapter 4|Chapter 4 - Linda's "Star Mark"]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 11 Chapter 5|Chapter 5 - Aries's party aboard a warship]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 11 Chapter 6|Chapter 6 - Linda's miscalculation]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 11 Chapter 7|Chapter 7 - Darkness Princess and mechanical dragon]]
:*[[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 11 Epilogue|Epilogue]]

 

==Project Staff==

*Project Administrator:
*Project Supervisor:

===Translators===

'''ACTIVE'''

*[[User:TJYYEO|TJYYEO]] 
*[[User:Kenji|Kenji]] 

===Editors===

'''ACTIVE'''
*[[User:ClavelSangrante|ClavelSangrante]] ([[User talk:ClavelSangrante|talk]])
*[[User:Alviam099|Alviam099]]
*[[User:Tjobbear|Tjobbear]]
*[[User:JesseAlexander|JesseAlexander]]
*[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]]

== Series Overview ==

:*星刻の竜騎士（ドラグナー） (June 25, 2010) ISBN 978-4-8401-3420-0
:*星刻の竜騎士 II (September 24, 2010) ISBN 978-4-8401-3508-5
:*星刻の竜騎士 III (January 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-3696-9
:*星刻の竜騎士 IV (April 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-3895-6
:*星刻の竜騎士 V (July 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-3975-5
:*星刻の竜騎士 VI (October 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-4271-7
:*星刻の竜騎士 VII (January 25, 2012) ISBN 978-4-8401-4374-5
:*星刻の竜騎士 VIII (April 25, 2012) ISBN 978-4-8401-4548-0
:*星刻の竜騎士 IX (July 25, 2012) ISBN 978-4-8401-4645-6
:*星刻の竜騎士 X (October 25, 2012) ISBN 978-4-8401-4847-4
:*星刻の竜騎士 XI (January 25, 2013) ISBN 978-4-8401-4960-0
:*星刻の竜騎士 XII (April 25, 2013) ISBN 978-4-8401-5157-3
:*星刻の竜騎士 XIII (July 25, 2013) ISBN 978-4-8401-5246-4
:*星刻の竜騎士 XIV (November 25, 2013) ISBN 978-4-0406-6072-1

[[Category:MF Bunko J]]
[[Category:Genre - Action]]
[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Shiki Mizuchi]]

Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Chapter 1

2014-02-15T05:56:08Z

はじめ:

== Chapter 1 - Eco the Dragon Girl ==
=== Part 1 ===

Ash's body shuddered. He clearly felt the presence of someone sneaking into his room and crawling onto the bed.

—''You aren't letting me off tonight, too''......?

In the pitch black darkness, the girl's hair and skin had a piercingly cold radiance.

The full moon outside the window overhang the horizon.

Ash remembered clearly that he had closed the curtains before sleeping.

"Fufu...... it's a beautiful night, don't you think so?"

The girl looked at Ash disdainfully with the eyes of a conqueror. Her lips showed a bewitching smile.

"Uuu!"

Ash, who was lying on the bed, suddenly could not move.

The girl had sat on Ash's abdomen with her legs spread out. Instead of oppression, Ash could feel warmth coming from the part of his abdomen that was in contact with the lower half of the girl's body.

A faint aroma permeated the room.

What a bewitchingly beautiful girl.

She had waist-long pink hair with a silver shine, snow-white skin and ruby-coloured eyes.

She was only wearing the bare minimum of clothes and was almost naked.

The two big bulges on her chest in front of Ash's face shook slightly.

On each side of her head grew a horn that was no different from a dragon's.

"Who are you? Why are you always...... uuuuu!"

Ash's question was forcefully interrupted. The upper half of the girl's body slowly approached and hugged Ash tightly.

Her white and smooth skin came into contact with Ash's body with nothing in between.

Her luscious lips whispered into Ash's ear.

"I will also dote on you well tonight."

After letting out a hot breath of air, the girl nibbled Ash's earlobe. <nowiki>*</nowiki>Kaa—* The sound was similar to that of biting the ear's bone.

“N-no...... Don't do that......!"

Ash's body trembled non-stop as if struck by lightning.

The girl greedily devoured Ash's body. Neck, chest, waist, arms……the numbness of the skin from her tender tongue and sparkling teeth sliding across the skin almost made Ash lose his mind.

As usual, the girl shifted her body as she pleases in that position tonight. It was like a dance.

It has been seven days since the appearance of the mysterious girl.

The girl who appeared at Ash's bedside every night, spending every moment teasing him playfully.

Who on earth is she?

And what motive does she have?

Why are there two horns growing on her head?

The girl never answered questions.

She always danced on Ash's body and left taking light steps slowly.

The girl's teasing was in full force. Ash would always end up lying on the bed exhausted after the ordeal. Currently sitting by the window, the girl was lifting her slender and beautiful legs with a composed expression.

According to his experience from the past six days, the girl was now going to disappear before Ash's eyes.

—''After all, this is only a dream''......

When he opens his eyes, he would be seeing the usual morning.

At least, it has been so for the past six days.

"My name is Navi."

Ash was shocked from suddenly hearing a name that he did not recognise.

This was the first time hearing the girl say her own name.

Ash gathered the last bit of his strength and barely managed to lift up the upper part of his body.

"Navi...... Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

"To entrust myself, who is about to be born soon, to you…… consider it a form of ritual."

"I don't get what you mean."

"See you, until next time when we meet in real life!"

Navi's figure became countless silver particles and disappeared in the bright moonlight.

=== Part 2 ===
<nowiki>*</nowiki>—Dong*

At dawn, Ash was abruptly woken up by the sound of a large cannon being fired.

A few seconds later, he then realised that the huge sound was actually from the releasing of fireworks using Oracles.

Ash was at Apollo House.

The dormitory where male students of the Advanced Course<ref>There seems to be another name for the courses such as Yunios for Basic Course as seen in the manga, since my raws used the terms "Basic Course" and "Advanced Course", I shall leave it be</ref> lived at.

A few months earlier, after completing three years of basic courses, Ash had successfully become a first-year student of the Advanced Course and earned the qualification to live in Apollo House.

The biggest difference between Apollo House and other dormitories was the one-person, one-room system. Compared to the past whereby three people had to squeeze into one small room, life in Apollo House was like heaven.

"Uuu......it's cold!"

Ash's shoulders shivered the moment he got out of bed.

The dawn of early spring still carried a deep chill. Bearing with the impulse to rush back into bed, Ash pulled open the curtains.

Ash's room was on the third floor. One could see the whole field by standing at the window.

There were many students in the field at dawn carrying out preparation work for the "celebration". There were also a lot of riders on their dragons.

Teams of Stradas<ref>Literally air/winged dragon (second interpretation was from my translation from Chinese), the only dragons other than Maestros that can fly</ref> swept across the horizon, in preparation for the celebration that was about to start.

The giant lizards running back and forth on the field were the brilliant Asias.<ref>Literally land/earth dragon, it's pronounced as "Aahsia" instead of the way we pronounce the name of that particular continent</ref>

"It is about to start."

The field of such a size was shrouded in a mysterious and unusual atmosphere. Ash started to get nervous.

"Yo, Ash! Time to get up!"

At that moment, Ash heard his friend's voice accompanied by the sound of door knocking.

"Raymond? Give me a moment!"

Ash frantically took out the bandage from the first-aid box.

He wrapped the bandage around his left hand to cover up the «Seikoku»<ref>"星刻", literally star-marked/carved</ref> on his arm.

The pattern on his arm was the proof of a Breeder.

At the age of seven, Ash took part in the «Orphan Ceremony» held in Albion Forest and had a dragon larva put in his body.

Unfortunately, Ash's memories of that time were foggy with a lot of parts missing.

Since he obtained the «Seikoku», by logic he should have seen Mother Dragon within the deep parts of the forest. However, Ash did not even have the slightest impression of having any memories of that scene.

''I really messed up'', Ash thought in self-mockery.

Compared to other students, the «Seikoku» pattern on Ash's arm was especially big.

Similar to a tattoo of unique design, it extended from his elbow to his wrist like a jet-black snake.

"......Sorry to keep you waiting."

Finished with wrapping up, Ash opened the door to his room.

His good friend, Raymond Kirkland, was standing at the door with a hearty smile.

"The bandage again? Why don't you try something new?"

"Hmph, a normal person like you won't understand my feelings at all."

Ash was displeased. Raymond could not help but shake his head with a bitter smile.

"Sorry, it's my fault...... Hnn? Your face is red. Do you have a fever?"

"No. Actually,......I had weird dreams for the past week."

"Weird dreams? What kind of weird dreams?"

"A beautiful girl crawled into my bed, then......she did a lot of things......"

It was really embarrassing to speak about this sort of things. Ash blushed while recounting what happened.

Raymond could not resist laughing.

"Are you ''that'' desperate for a girl? That is too exaggerated!"

"Are ''you'' any better? We are in the same situation!"

"Nonono, I am different from you. It's not that I'm not popular with the ladies; it's just that I have not yet found someone suited for me."

Raymond took out a small mirror and started admiring himself.

Almost all the students of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy knew that Raymond had severe narcissism. To be fair, everyone acknowledged that Raymond was a handsome young man. However, people did not dare to get close to him due to that personality of his, destroying the great impression he gave due to his looks. It was like ruining your own image the moment you speak.<ref>This is a more literal translation of the expression used</ref>

"......What are you visiting me for so early in the morning?"

Ash said unhappily. Raymond walked into the room as if that did not concern him.

"Did you forget? The competition that we were looking forward to for so long starts today. Talking about the competition, you must not forget about flirting with girls!"

"What has flirting got to do with the competition? You should also get out there and enter the competition!"

The righteous Ash raised his volume, but Raymond had an evil smile.

"If I didn't remember wrongly, you should be the first Advanced Course student since the founding of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy to still have the larva in his body?"

"Uuu......"

Even if he did not wish for it to be so, Ash could not deny that fact. That's right, Ash's dragon companion was still sleeping in his body without a single sign of waking up.

There was not a single change since that year when he was chosen to be a Breeder at the age of seven.

To the students of Ansarivan, to rouse the dragons in their bodies from slumber was the most basic mission.

Other students had obtained their pals in the first year of basic lessons. All except Ash.

—Pal.

This was a very sacred word, representing "the dragon nurtured by the Breeder himself". A larva still sleeping within the Breeder's body cannot be addressed as a pal.

"Ash, to participate in today's competition, you seem to need something?"

"Yeah, I need a dragon."

"That's right. So, do you want to borrow my pal?"

Raymond's pal was called Brigid.

Borrowing Brigid was, of course, one of the options Ash was considering. Actually, Ash already knew that Raymond was planning to skip the competition this time.

However, just accepting Raymond's suggestion like that really hurt Ash's dignity so Ash decided to refuse tactfully.

"I can also borrow Arianrhod<ref>A goddess from Celtic mythology, "arian" meaning silver and "rhod" meaning wheel, many names used in the series are related to Arthurian legends or myths of the same culture</ref> from Max. He's a member of the Student Council and thus cannot take part in the competition."

Student Council members made up the executive committee of the competition and were unable to participate. Max also stated clearly his intention of not participating in the competition.

"You're too naive, Ash. Do you think that Max would lend you his pal?"

"What is it about me?"

"Uohh!"

Raymond jumped in surprise. Turning around, Max was there leaning on the side of the door in perfectly good condition.

"Good morning, Max."

Ignoring Ash's greeting, Max silently adjusted the position of his glasses with his hand.

Maximillian Russell. Ash's classmate, honour student bestowed the title of Dragner by the Paladin, and also the Student Council's treasurer.

"You two being so noisy early in the morning, what happened?"

"Ash was crying and begging me to lend him Brigid to participate in the competition."

"Who's crying and begging you?! Max, can you lend me your Arianrhod? It's just for today."

Yes, for a particular reason, Ash had to participate in today's competition no matter what.

"You want to borrow my pal? In your next life."<ref>Chinese expression meaning that it is impossible to do or achieve it.</ref>

"There's no need to be so ruthless, right?"

"Let's not discuss about this matter for the moment......"

Max sized up Ash with his sharp eyes.

"You should see for yourself the state this room is in! Didn't I remind you again and again that you must keep your own room clean?"

The overbearing Max walked into the room with big strides and immediately started cleaning. Ever since moving into Apollo House, there has never been a day when Ash's room was clean and neat.

"This scene sure brings back memories."

Gazing at Max working hard at cleaning, Raymond could not help but shake his head with a bitter smile.

—Ash, Raymond, Max.

When they were still Basic Course students, they had gone through sentimental times together at Merk<ref>Couldn't really find a name with a mythological reference, so I chose one that had Scottish links, do tell me if you found the right name that sounds the same</ref> House. At that time, having a room to yourself was still a faraway dream and the three of them had to squeeze into a small room. Ash and Raymond had a hard time dealing with Max, who was a neat freak almost to the point of it being an illness.

"......I have always wondered."

Done with cleaning, Max turned around and looked at Ash.

"Why can you ride other people's pals?"

"Well......how should I say this......"

"By logic, dragons only allow their own masters to ride them. There have been many Breeders in the past who have tried riding other people's dragons but they all failed."

"That is indeed true, but I have obtained consent from the teacher, so it should be all right?"

"Why are you still so indecisive when doing things, just like in the past? Sigh, if you really intend to participate in the competition, just borrow Brigid. I'll inform the Student Council president."

Ending with that authoritative tone, Max left without turning back.

"I wonder who's the one that hasn't changed at all."

Raymond shook his head with a bitter smile once again.

Ash suddenly drew close to Raymond.

"You will lend me Brigid, right?"

Raymond nodded his head, his eyes having a peculiar glow.

"Of course, you must make that princess change her impression of you!"

Hearing that, Ash's expression instantly became serious.

"I have that intention, too."

=== Part 3 ===

The grand fireworks was dazzling.

There was a tense atmosphere in the academy, accompanied by excitement in the air.

The "race" Raymond spoke of was one of the names it was commonly known by. The official name was "Aries Dragon Riding Festival". An annual grand event held in the month of Aries (fourth month).<ref>The names of months in the story are taken from the names of the horoscopes in order.</ref>

It was also a springtime activity held by Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy.

Ash, having changed to a Dragsuit,<ref>Term for the clothes worn when riding a dragon</ref> arrived at the academy's sports field.

It was a cloudless sunny day, weather suitable for a race.

Many students on dragons had already gathered on the sports field.

By a rough estimate, there should be around fifty plus people.

Ash was riding on Brigid, which he borrowed from Raymond, using the reins in his hands to guide Brigid towards the middle of the field.

"You're in a good mood today, Brigid."

Brigid replied Ash's greeting with a low cry like a spoiled child.

Brigid was an Asia fancied by Ash. Having four greatly developed legs and no wings, Brigid did not look like a dragon but more like the large types of lizards.

Cheers suddenly arose from the students on the field.

"A good morning to all students."

The radiant Student Council president appeared at the centre of the temporarily constructed stage.

The Student Council president did not have a loud voice, but her words were full of confidence and had a penetrating power.

Fiery red hair, elongated eyes, her beautiful body emitted the cold radiance of a marble statue and terrifying killing intent. Even the petals dancing in the wind paled in comparison.

Rebecca Randall.

The «Scarlet Empress».

Her red hair, bold personality and unparalleled strength were her attractive points as the school idol of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy.

Even the academy's combat skills instructors could not beat Rebecca on her Maestro Cú Chulainn.<ref>An Irish mythological hero. Do google it if you are interested.</ref> When talking about the strongest student of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy, 99 percent of the students would immediately think of Rebecca.

"The weather is great today— sorry, I don't want to talk about such nonsense."

The students on the field lowered their heads snickering. "The weather is great today" was the principal's pet phrase, but the festival was an event held by the Student Council, thus the principal did not have to go on stage to deliver a speech.

"Students of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy, not only is the Aries Dragon Riding Festival a sports competition, it is also Ansarivan's fine tradition with the results of the race included in the official records. Since you all have decided to participate in the race, then you should aim to stand on the victory podium.<ref>The place medalists in sports competitions stand on when they received their medals.</ref> However, I'm aware that fine tradition and official records are not enough as reasons to motivate you to achieve victory."

The students started snickering again, but the snickering stopped quickly.

"So I decided to award the winner a day-long date ticket as a prize. As for the person you are dating, that will be me, Rebecca Randall."

The moment Rebecca finished speaking, cheers immediately arose from the students.

"Silence!"

Rebecca roared. Instantly, the students were quiet like before.

"Next would be a speech by the representative of the participants. Advanced Course first-year, Princess Silvia Lautreamont."

At Rebecca's signal, a female student's figure appeared at the other side of the stage.

Ash subconsciously clenched his fists.

"The princess is actually the representative of the participants......!"

Silvia's dazzling golden hair was tied up at the back of her head. Wearing a Dragsuit with the royal coat of arms sewn on it, she leapt off her pal— Maestro Lancelot<ref>One of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend</ref> and slowly walked up the stage.

The Lautreamont Knights royal family's fourth princess Silvia.

The «Ice Blue Princess».

She was the daughter of the ruler of Lautreamont Knight Country, who holds the title of Paladin.

Ash, whose pal still had not been born after such a long time, had always borrowed the pals of other students during practical examinations.

Otherwise, he would have been retained for the year.

To other students, riding other people's pals was suicide; but to Ash, not only was it not dangerous, it was something natural to him.

No matter how short-tempered the dragon was, it would obediently allow Ash to ride on its back. Whether was it a Strada, Asia or Hydra,<ref>Literally water dragon</ref> he could control it with ease.

Unknowingly, the "Genius Dragon Tamer" Ash's reputation increased, becoming a famous figure of the academy.
[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi v1 027.jpg|thumb]]

That accident happened a few days ago.

Ash borrowed Raymond's pal Brigid to participate in dragonback combat training. Being skilled in combat, Ash defeated his classmates one by one in a short time.

It would be a lie to say that he did not feel proud of that.

Concentrated on combat training, Ash did not notice Lancelot walking behind him at that moment.

Not only was physical contact between dragons very dangerous, it was also a situation the academy did its best to avoid.

Everytime before class, the instructor would always patiently remind them.

Fortunately, Brigid's butt only bumped gently into Lancelot's left leg. Both dragon and rider did not suffer any injuries. However, Ash's presumptuous actions infuriated Silvia.

"What do you take combat training for? If you come to the lesson thinking that it is just a game, you will get into trouble sooner or later!"

Other than her special status, Silvia's strict and hardline way of dealing with things was one of the reasons for her being one of the academy's famous people.

Her serious attitude in class and her feat of letting Lancelot grow into a Maestro in only a short time undoubtedly gained her the admiration of many. Her unreasonable demeanour, on the other hand, was widely criticised.

Everyone acknowledged that Silvia was a born beauty but not even one student was willing to be friends with her.

"Urk......sorry, it is my fault."

Ash jumped down from Brigid's back and bowed his head respectfully, apologising.

If this was the usual Silvia, she would have calmed down. Facing an opponent who had admitted his mistakes, Silvia had always been forgiving. It was said to be one of the knight family's precepts.<ref>Basically a set of principles that family members have to abide by. You usually see this in families with prestigious backgrounds</ref>

However, it was not the same this time.

Silvia, still angry, examined Ash from head to toe, not intending to let him off yet.

"You should think with that pea-sized brain of yours! Who exactly is paying the fees for your schooling, uniform, food, accommodation and teaching materials?"

"......Are you talking about the palace?"

"Of course not. Though the one paying is the palace, but the money used comes from the people's taxes. If you continue to have that mindset that this is just a game, then you should just quit school as soon as possible so that you would not continue wasting the hard-earned money of the people!"

"What? Quit school? Are you serious?"

"There is no free lunch in this world. That is one of the Lautreamont family's precepts!"

There was contempt in her ice blue coloured eyes. At that moment, Ash realised why Silvia was called the «Ice Blue Princess». There had been almost no points of intersection between Ash's and Silvia's paths during the phase of Basic Course. This was the first contact between the both of them.

Even if she was a princess, Ash's pride did not permit him to give in.

"The Lautreamont family's precepts are none of my business! I have already apologised. What else do you want me to do?"

"This is not a problem that can be solved by just an apology! You still do not have your own pal, right?"

"Uu......"

A sensitive issue of his having been mentioned, Ash was rendered speechless. It seems Silvia also knew some things about Ash.

"Hmph, like master, like dragon, maybe it died long ago!"

Hearing that, rage burned in Ash's heart.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Let it be, Ash. She is the princess, you cannot win against her."

Behind him, Raymond tried to stop him but Ash ignored him.

This was not the first time that he suffered such humiliation. It was no wonder that Ash was the target of humiliation from everyone since he still did not have his pal.

If the insults were directed toward him, Ash could still bear with it.

However, if it was an insult directed towards his pal, he would not let that go easily.

Ash would fight back with all his strength till the other party apologises.

Similar situations having occurred several times, Ash, who should have been the victim, slowly became the problem child in everyone's eyes.

Talking about the most troublesome person in the academy, ninety-nine percent of the students would think of Advanced Course first-year Ash Blake.

"Take back what you said immediately."

Even if she was the princess of the kingdom, she should not humiliate others as she pleases.

So, Ash took a step forward, having no intention to hide his anger.

The lesson was interrupted. Everyone's attention was on Ash's confrontation with the princess.

=== Part 4 ===
Silvia, who had ascended the makeshift stage, observed the students whom had assembled in the sports field. 

Finally, her blue pupils stopped abruptly at one place. 

“………” 

It was evident where Silvia was looking. She was, obviously, staring at Ash. 

That day, Silvia had not withdrawn her words. If the other party had been a boy, at that time Ash would’ve clouted him. However, as expected, even if he wanted to, Ash couldn’t hit a girl. Moreover, she was a princess in the palace circle. 

Instead, he had, reluctantly, proposed an condition. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> If I am victorious in the race in a few days, you will take back the words you said a while ago! 

Silvia, nonchalantly, had commented: “That would be fine” and agreed. 

That was the answer that Ash wanted. 

Silvia, once she stopped staring at Ash, opened her mouth. 

An icy voice shook the atmosphere, reminding everyone of the winter that had just passed. 

“You must try your best in any competition. That is my family’s motto <nowiki>------</nowiki> no less” 

Silvia then descended quickly from the stage and, riding smartly on Lancelot, returned to the sports field. 

After a few seconds of silence, only a sparse amount of applause arose from the sports field as everyone was taken aback by Silvia’s haughty attitude. 

“What?” 

“It is obvious that Lancelot is the outstanding one, not his owner.” 

“What is so great about his master?” 

“Wasn't the first paladin originally a knight of the Chevron Kingdom. In other words, only just a fortunate soldier, nothing more. Definitely not royal.” 

“As expected of that brother’s sister”<ref>Chinese phrase that basically refers to the fact that brothers and sisters are the same ... something along the lines of that</ref> 

Ash nonchalantly glanced at a few same grade female students, who were murmuring quietly behind him. 

At first, Ash had taken no notice of their conversation, however: 

“That brother’s sister.” 

That part of sentence caught his attention. 

The ‘brother’ that the female students had said, obviously referred to Prince Julius. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Dragon Slayer Julius. 

Although he was the eldest son of the Knight family, he violated the biggest taboo. 

No one knew why he would slay his dragon, as he was publicly executed for breaching the taboo before he could disclose his motive. 

To bring his name up at this occasion, really wasn’t thoughtful. 

Even if he had shamed the Royal Knight Family, that was ten years ago. There really wasn’t any good in bringing up these old matters. 

“…… She really doesn’t have an easy life.” 

Ash, suddenly, began to sympathize a little for Silvia’s plight. 

=== Part 5 ===
The competition was about to start. 

The row order of the contestants had been sequenced according to the results of the mock competitions that had occurred during training class. 

Usually, the fastest riders were placed at the front. 

However, this year’s dragon riding competition was different. 

The players who were placed at the front, were the worst scoring students of the mock competitions. 

Apparently, it was Rebecca’s suggestion; her reason being that the competition would be more exciting. 

As a result, based on the new rules, Silvia, who had scored top in the mock competitions, had no choice but to be placed in the last row. 

Aside from Silvia, Ash was also in the last row. 

Although the student council had made an exception to the rule to allow him to use another student’s pal to participate in the competition, just to be fair, his starting position had been purposely positioned in the last row. 

Without doubt, this type of order doubled as a safeguard against a sudden surge of contestants once the race had started. 

Nevertheless, despite these new rules, this situation could be said to be favorable to him. <ref>Chinese phrase. Basically the equivalent of "play into the hands of (Ash)" </ref> 

To be allowed to participate in the competition, was already a one in ten thousand chance <ref>In other words, very lucky</ref>. Furthermore, to be placed beside Silvia, was the perfect opportunity to execute their showdown. 

With every minute and second that passed, he gradually became more and more focused <ref>Chinese phrase that literally translates into "retracted his state of mind"</ref>. 

Silvia didn't talk to him. 

Likewise, he felt that there wasn’t a need to converse with her. 

Finally, the preparations before the race were finished. 

The cheers coming from the audience around the sports field’s boarder had reached a climax. 

All around, a unique sense of tension filled the atmosphere. 

Ash clearly felt his own heartbeat gradually quickening. During the mock competitions, he had never felt so nervous. 

“On your marks!” 

Rebecca’s voice emanated from mid-air. 

Clad in a uniform, she was riding on her pal’s back. Essentially, this was breaching the school rules, however, as today was the annual Dragon Riding Festival, no one had raised that issue. 

Arms akimbo, she now stood majestically on top of Cú Chulainn’s head. Her high-spirited heroic bearing immediately attracted everyone’s attention. 

This was her riding position. 

As Cú Chulainn’s body was too big to find a suitable saddle, and also, because she had publicly expressed that she did not want to restrain her beloved pal with a rein and saddle, this evolved into her current unique riding position. 

A suffocating silence enveloped the audience, as she lifted a magic carbine <ref>A carbine is a gun used by horsemen, do Google it!</ref>. 

Only the sound of one’s own heartbeat and the deep breathing of the dragons could be heard. 

“Get set ------” 

The carbine’s muzzle was aimed at the sky. 

Then, when the flash of an Oracle illuminated the horizon, the gun let out an enormous bang. 

Around fifty dragons, at the same time, started to run, leaving behind a cloud of dust. 

The Stradas, whose tails a smoke bomb had been tied to, formed into a column and, at the same time, flapped their wings and flew. While that was happening, the smoke from the smoke bombs formed a seven-coloured rainbow in the sky. 

=== Part 6 ===
Brigid did not betray Ash’s expectations. After his flawless start, he ran flat out, hot on Lancelot’s tail. As they moved around the academy’s sports field, the competitors maintained a distance between each other. 

Then, in the midst of loud cheering, they passed through the school gate that led to the city district. 

“Full speed ahead!” 

At Ash’s urging, Brigid let out a roar. 

Ash intended to, with all his strength, rush through the avenue leading St. Durham Square. 

Maestro Lancelot, possessed an astonishing speed. Within a blink of an eye, he had already overtaken many competitors. 

Brigid tailed closely behind Lancelot’s body, where the effect of air friction was the least, ascending the ranks with him. However, when Lancelot was about to enter a narrow city road, which was connected to St. Durham Square, he suddenly slowed down. 

“……… That’s odd.” 

Ash, who had been following Brigid, raised his head and looked ahead. 

“Them ………!” 

Four competitors, side by side in a row, had obstructed the way ahead. Upon closer inspection, Ash immediately realised that they were the same four female students who had slandered Silvia before the competition. 

Ahead, the narrow city road meandered endlessly, plagued with numerous challenging turns. It seems that until I have exited the city district, I will have to be patient, Ash thought to himself. 

All of a sudden, he grasped their intentions. 

“Those people ………” 

They were probably here to target Silvia. 

Whenever other competitors approached from behind, they would, at once, automatically create a small gap to allow them to pass. 

Bit by bit, Silvia’s ranking was deteriorating. Soon, she, along with Ash, would be last. 

Ash was at a loss. 

Overtaking Silvia wouldn’t be hard. The female students obstructing the way ahead should let him pass. After all, he was a bystander to them, so there wasn’t a need to make things hard for him. 

“You people really have taken things too far!” 

Infuriated, Ash couldn’t help but shout at them. 

“Do you really not care?” 

He exclaimed, in a loud voice, as he spurred Brigid to Lancelot’s side. 

Due to the difference in height between the Maestro and Asia, Ash had to look up at Silvia. 

In contrast, Silvia glanced down at Ash, her face etched with contempt. 

“……… There is nothing that can be done about this, whether it is blocking our way or working together, it doesn’t violate the rules of this race.” 

“Now is the time to act noble! Could it be that you aren’t angry at all?” 

“I don’t want to talk to enemies! Go away, it’s none of your business!” 

“You excessively prideful person, no wonder you can’t make any friends!” 

“Y-You, what did you say!” 

Ignoring Silvia’s protests, Ash spurred Brigid ahead, quickly leaving Lancelot behind and approaching the four female students, whom were blocking the way ahead. 

As expected, as soon as one of the four girls noticed him, she promptly shifted over, creating a gap on her right. 

Ash, without looking at any of them, spurred Brigid straight towards the gap that she had created. 

They probably had thought that he was just going to pass through. 

“Fu ……… you are wrong!” 

With a flick of the reins in his hand, Brigid’s enormous body immediately moved to squash the female students beside him. 

They were now extremely close together, almost reaching the point of breaking the competition’s rules. 

“Hey, what are you trying to do?” 

One of the girls paled <ref>Chinese phrase 花容失色. 花容 - Literally means flower colour / radiance [And it referrers to a beautiful girl] and 失色 - means to lose colour</ref>, due to fright. 

Due to turmoil caused by Ash, the four riders who had been in an orderly row, were now shortening the distance between themselves. Soon they would collide into each other. 

There was only one option to prevent this; to relinquish their positions. However, if they did so, they would destroy their row formation. 

Without doubt, this was the goal Ash had aimed to achieve, and, after achieving the upper hand, he didn’t overlook the chance to gibe at them: 

“I’m very sorry for the trouble I have caused. This dragon was borrowed from someone and it seems to be a little disobedient!” 

The expression of one of the girls, suddenly changed. 

“You are Ash Blake!” 

Whether it was luck or not, Ash’s name seemed to have an profound effect on them. 

“It’s the Number One Problem Child in the academy!” 

“Uhh! Stay away from me!” 

“Kyaaa!” 

The four female students promptly broke formation and, after a brief period of turmoil, they all fell hopelessly at the side of the road. 

Their high-pitched shrieks, along with the roars of the dragons, reverberated endlessly in the narrow city road. 

Silvia, who had been behind, deftly dodged the female students and dragons, and quickly picked up speed. 

“W-Who told you to meddle in other people’s business!” 

In spite of her brusque tone, her cheeks, however, turned slightly red. 

=== Part 7 ===
After leaving the city district, he journeyed north on the main road, arriving at Fianna Forest. 

The forest was also a part of the competition’s course. The skills required were now, were vastly different from the ones needed to navigate through the city roads. 

After just entering the forest, a strange thing happened. 

“……… Brigid?” 

Brigid, who had been tailing Lancelot the whole journey, suddenly slowed down. 

Silvia, obviously, took advantage of this opportunity. In a nick of time, she had disappeared. 

“What’s wrong ………?” 

Brigid, finally, stopped walking. 

He was breathing heavily and his expression was one of great pain. 

Ash, now, had finally realised the mistake he had made. 

“I was too careless.” 

While Ash had been preoccupied with following Silvia, he hadn’t noticed that Brigid had run out of stamina. 

From the start, Brigid had always maintained the same speed as Lancelot, in spite of the difference of stamina between a Maestro and an Asia. Generally, in order to successfully finish the competition, the pace to complete it at, should have been determined from the stamina of the dragon. 

“………Sorry, Brigid.” 

After he had apologised, Brigid let out a soft snort, as if he was ashamed of his physical strength. 

Now, groups of competitors, bit by bit, had caught up. One by one, they raced past Ash’s side. 

The sound of thunderous rumbling shook the earth, as the air filled with dust. 

The sight of a group of Asias running in the forest was spectacular to behold. Ash could sense the ground incessantly rocking. For a very long time, it didn’t subside. 

Ash’s competition, at his point of time, had concluded. 

Between him and Silvia, a winner had been determined. His goal to force Silvia to take back her words, in the end, wasn’t achieved. 

If this was described as unfortunate, it would be a lie. Ash had really wanted to complete the competition. For the entire time, he had made a bee line for the finish line. 

However, oddly enough, Ash’s mood was rather carefree. 

“It turns out that competing with the princess is quite interesting.” 

No matter how reluctant, he couldn’t deny this fact. 

Then, at this moment<nowiki>------</nowiki> 

A rustling noise, without warning, came from behind. 

“<nowiki>------</nowiki>!” 

Ash instinctively looked back, staring at the forest behind him. 

“………Who is it?” 

For safety reasons, Ansarivan’s security guards would, during the race, patrol the forest. 

In the forest, to sense another person’s presence, wasn’t something to make a big fuss out of. 

However, whoever it was, hadn’t replied. If it was really a security guard, he should have already appeared directly before Ash, who had been eliminated. 

Ash heightened his awareness and cautiously surveyed the surroundings. 

Although he hadn’t discovered any suspicious figures, he felt as though someone was watching him.
He could feel a sense of foreboding growing within himself. 

“Wait for me here.” 

After leaving Brigid there, Ash walked into the depths of the forest. 

=== Part 8 ===
Fianna Forest, bordered on the west by Rubina Lake, was located northwest of the city Ansarivan. It’s one of the largest forests within the borders of Lautreamont Knight Country. 

As Ash ran in the forest, so as to not trip over the tree roots that crawled over the earth like a web of intricate blood vessels, he constantly looked down at his feet. 

Then, once again, he sensed the presence of someone else. 

“Found you!” 

Trusting his own intuition, Ash threw a stone at the bushes in front of him. 

The bushes rocked left and right, making a rustling sound. 

“Your intuition is quite keen. It really is one of your talents” 

Stated a voice that possessed both the vitality of youth and the staid of seniority. 

“You are ………?” 

From the bushes, a tall thin man emerged. In his left hand, he held the very stone that Ash had just thrown. 

Though he was dressed in a traveller’s garb, which wasn’t out of the ordinary, Ash was shocked into silence. 

This was because that man was wearing a silver coloured mask on his face, which covered everything except for his nose and mouth. 

In addition to this, his gleaming sliver hair was streaked through with strands of crimson hair, which brought to mind an image of silver silk slowly shedding blood, as well as the blood used to write cursed scripts. 

In his right hand, he held a black object that emitted light. 

“A mechanical weapon from ……… the Empire<ref>Although the sources don't say so, this 'empire' refers to the Zepharos Empire</ref>?” 

Ash, dumbfounded, stood on the spot, unable to move. 

It’s not like he didn’t know about it. 

On the other side of the steep mountain range, lacking the blessing of dragons, the Empire, nevertheless, had a highly developed civilisation based on machinery. 

The weapon that the masked man held in his hand probably was the product of mechanical engineering. If he remembered correctly, it was a ‘short machine gun’, a gun that combined the portability of a pistol and the rapid fire of a machine gun. Ash didn’t dare to act rashly. He knew that man could easily, at a moment’s notice, riddle him with so many bullet holes that he would look like a honeycomb. 

Perhaps it was because he had perceived Ash’s wariness, the corners of the man’s mouth twitched faintly upwards. 

“Young man, you are very bright.” 

“You are ……… a soldier of the Empire?” 

“Do I look like one?” 

Ash didn’t know what to decide. 

That object in the man’s hand was a weapon manufactured by the Empire. 

However, that man didn’t have an Empire accent. Instead, he had a strong Chevron Kingdom accent. Aside from that, the way he spoke was highly refined. To be more precise, he was speaking so-called ‘King’s Chevrish’. 

Ash realised that he was in a precarious situation. 

If the masked man was from the Empire, why would he be lurking around the outskirts of Ansarivan for? 

Maybe, he was an Empire spy. 

The Chevron Kingdom and the Zepharos Empire, the two great powers of this continent, had been in a Cold War which had, already, lasted five decades. 

Sandwiched between those two countries, was the Lautreamont Knight Country, the Chevron Kingdom’s child country. 

Initially, the Knight Country was part of the Kingdom<ref>Kingdom here refers to the Chevron Kingdom</ref>, therefore, the relationship between these two countries would, naturally, be much closer than any of their allies. 

Currently, should armed personal from the Empire appear within boarders of Knight Country, this country could, and would, interpret this as a military operation of the Empire. 

However, Ash’s strength was finite. He was definitely incapable of opposing the man before his eyes. 

“Young man, how old are you?” 

The masked man’s unexpected question distracted him for a moment. 

“……… Sixteen. Is there something wrong with that?” 

“That’s strange. Why do you still have larva within you?” 

Ash, astounded, subconsciously retreated a few steps. 

“H-How do you know?” 

“The curse on your body allowed me to clearly perceive that.” 

“Curse ………?” 

Ash frowned. He never would never have expected to hear, from the mouth of a person from the Empire, words so unscientific. 

Unfortunately, he didn’t have the time to ask what those words truly meant. 

“Get away from Milgauss-sama” 

A tender, yet commanding voice resonated in his ears. 

Reflexively, he looked back and saw a petite figure moving towards him. Then, immediately after pulling an object from its left bracer, the shrill sound of air being sliced sounded by his ear. 

“Argh!” 

Moving his body quickly, Ash awkwardly dodging the surprise attack. A pitch-black serpent passed through the space where his head had been. Actually, upon closer inspection, the pitch-black snake was actually a long whip, the preferred weapon of the Tantalos Tribe. 

Those who master this weapon are said to have an unpredictable attack. Even soldiers armed with swords, guns or cannons, aren’t a match. 

Ash dived onto the ground and began to roll, attempting to distance himself. 

Although his attacker was also wearing a mask, from their exposed eyes, he determined that it was most likely a young teenage girl. 

Her beautiful jet-black hair was fixed at the back of her head and, despite her petite stature, her eyes were filled with murderous intent. 

Ash, improvising on the spot, got up from the ground, grabbed a handful of dirt, threw it at the girl, turned and ran. 

“Argh ………!” 

The girl flinched and, for a brief moment, shielded her eyes. Then she began to pursue Ash. 

Ash, sprinting, plunged into a nearby thicket. 

“Damn ……… why am I so unfortunate!” 

Upon rushing out of the forest, his field of vision immediately widened. 

Above him, a dazzling blue sky stretched as far as the eye could see, forcing him to narrow his eyes. 

Barren rocks, big and small, littered the ground. 

Ash swallowed. This situation wasn’t good. Ahead of him there was a ravine. Its edge was around ten steps away. Ash looked around but couldn’t find a bridge. 

“Obediently accept your fate!” 

The girl appeared from within the forest. 

Ash, with his back to the cliff, confronted her. 

“When did I ever wrong you?” 

“Meeting us. This was your greatest misfortune.” 

The girls tone was flat, lacking any rise or drop in pitch, making her sound emotionless. 

“That’s absurd!” 

“War needs no reason.” 

“Isn’t there an armistice?” 

“Armistice? That nothing more than something we pretend to adhere to. In reality the war between the Empire and the Kingdom hasn’t ended!” 

The girl kicked the ground, and, brandishing the whip in her hand, slowly forced Ash towards the edge of ravine behind him. 

Though Ash scored quite well in the class of fighting techniques, this girl’s movements were too fast. He could only, step by step, retreat backwards. 

In a few more steps, he would fall into the ravine. 

“Hmph ……… I wonder how long you can continue to struggle for!” 

She sounded irritated. In fact, she was most likely an impetuous person. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Now! 

Ash grabbed the end of the whip, which had missed him, and then, with a great pull, broke her balance. 

“Uooo!” 

He grabbed her by her collar and, using her own momentum<ref>Do google Aikido !!!</ref>, hurled her away. Her body traced a parabola in the air. Ash was surprised, as he hadn’t expected her body to be so light. 

“Kawaa!” 

Falling heavily, the girl gave a painful cry and her right hand involuntarily realised the whip. 

“Uguu ………” 

Still conscious, tears of misery appeared her eyes. Aside from that, she was constantly squirming, as if in great pain. She probably wouldn’t be able to stand for a quite a while. 

Steading his breathing, Ash slowly extended his right hand towards the mask on her face. He wanted to see what she looked like. Then, just at this moment. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Bishi! 

A peculiar noise, similar to that of an object fracturing, could be heard. 

“Eh ………?” 

Ash could hardly believe his eyes. 

The outcrop <ref>Exposed bedrock</ref> supporting their weight, unexpectedly, had begun to collapse. 

This was most likely due to a geological fault in the rock. This fight should never have been performed in this kind of location. Then he noticed it, a warning sign labelled “Beware of Collapse”. 

“Ku ………!” 

Ash had no time to ponder. He lifted the girl and threw her forwards. 

She landed safely on a stable piece of outcrop. 

However, in doing so, he didn’t have enough time to escape. Instead, he fell along with the rocky debris into the ravine. 

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!” 

The immense drag of the wind almost tore his skin. 

Ash was scared of falling into a bottomless ravine. Then, at this moment, he felt his left wrist heat up. 

“Eh ………?” 

A flash of light burst through his clothing. The «Seikoku», which extended from his elbow to his wrist, suddenly began to emit heat and scarlet light. 

The shrill sound of the wind was silenced. 

In fact, all sound was silenced. 

“Ugh ………!” 

Ash felt an excruciating pain within his chest, as if it was being torn in half, as though something was trying to break out of his body. 

The pain almost caused him to lose consciousness. 

While bearing the pain, he looked down at his chest and found that it was exuding a dazzling radiance. 

“Guaaaaaaaaaaaah!” 

Ash gave a great scream as his consciousness gradually began to fade. 

However, within his hazy vision, he saw something clearly. 

A girl was floating in mid-air. 

Completely naked. 

With her eyes tightly closed and her arms open, she floated next to him. 

Subconsciously, Ash reached out with both his hands towards her petite body. 

She slid with no resistance into his arms. 

Around them, a blinding light had, unbeknownst to them, enveloped their bodies. 

Not only that, but their descent had slowed down. 

Hugging the girl, Ash slowly floated down, like one would within a child’s fairy tale. 

Before long, they landed on a rock beside a creek. 

The ball of light, which had protected them, instantly turned into countless particles and disappeared without a trace. 

“Am I safe now ………?” 

Ash mumbled to himself, as he looked down at the girl in his arms. 

The breathing of the girl, whose eyes were still closed, sounded rather peaceful. 

“Uwaa!” 

Ash felt a little ardent as he realised that the girl was naked. 

Her dainty figure, along with her slightly bulging chest, and her smooth and delicate white skin was definitely something that was hardly ever seen within this world. In fact, it gave rise to the illusion of an angel descending into the world of mortals. 

Her age was probably around fourteen or fifteen. 

Gently laying her on the ground, Ash swiftly took off the coat of his Dragsuit.[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi v1 055.jpg|thumb]] 

Just this coat, he was able to sufficiently cover her petite body. 

“Fuu ………” 

With this done, Ash feeling relieved, sat on the ground. 

Yet again, he looked at the face of the girl. 

“Could she be ……… Navi?” 

Within his mind, an image of the girl who had, since the start of this week, been teasing him within his dreams, surfaced. 

“No, you are similar for sure ……… but still a little different.” 

“No, you are similar for sure ……… but still a little different.” 

To draw an analogy, Navi would be a succubus from a Gothic novel, possessing a face that retained the innocence of childhood and also the charm of a mature woman. 

On the other hand, the girl before his eyes was just a girl. Ash couldn’t feel any mature charm from her. 

“……… eh?” 

Ash frowned. Something small, circular and ivory coloured, protruded from top left and right of sides her head. 

“What is this?” 

With his fingertips, Ash gently probed the mysterious protrusions. 

It was soft and a little flexible and seemed to be made of some kind of cartilage. 

The mysterious protrusions had a peculiar feel to it, making him want to touch it again after touching it. However, Ash resisted the urges to touch it again, as it would be impolite. 

Looks like those mysterious protrusions weren’t accessories but part of her body. 

“Could it be ……… horns?” 

The little protrusions on top of her head, indeed, seemed to be identical to the horns of a young dragon. 

Ash couldn’t help but recall the details of the events, that had happen prior to now, in his mind. 

The girl had emerged out of his body and she had two horns growing from top left and right sides of her head. 

As a result, there could only be one conclusion. 

“……… this young girl is my pal?” 

Ash was dumbfounded. 

He had always wished to rouse his pal from sleep, however, why was his pal a girl when everyone else’s were dragons? 

“Uuu ………nnn ………” 

The girl’s long eyelashes quivered a little. 

“Huwaaa ………” 

The girl, in contrast to her beautiful appearance, gave a great yawn. 

One of her double eyelids slowly began to open. 

Ash, subconsciously, leaned forwards and looked at her face. 

Her ruby coloured pupils were very fascinating. 

Bleary eyed, she suddenly opened her eyes wide and her facial expression became one of shock. 

“Hugiyaaaaaaaa!” 

“Oooof!” 

Ash, receiving a slap on his cheek, fell backwards and his head became immersed in the creek. 

Fortunately, the stream wasn’t deep, so aside from his sorry figure, he wasn’t hurt. 

“S-Such great strength ………” 

With blood trickling from his nose, Ash struggled to get up. 

“To go so far as to take advantage of a sleeping lady really is too much! Don’t you know who I am?” 

Blushing hard, she suddenly stood up. 

The jacket that Ash had draped over her body, slid off. 

Her dainty naked body was clearly visible. 

However, she made no move to cover herself. 

“P-Please put on your clothes first before you talk!” 

Ash quickly looked away. 

“Clothes? Ridiculous! Clothes are just items humans create to hide their ugliness.” 

“What?” 

“That’s right, a proper dragon doesn’t need clothes!” 

“I don’t care whether you need clothes or not, just put them on!” 

After saying that, Ash turned his back on her. 

“I know that you are a dragon! Well ……… strictly speaking I’m not sure. However, even if you’re a dragon, right now, you are a girl!” 

“So what?” 

“That ……… naked girl standing in front of me ……… is making me lose my calm” 

“Hmph! Such a useless guy. Like I said, humans are really <nowiki>------</nowiki>” 

At this moment, a strong gust of wind blew through the ravine. 

Though it was now spring, it still felt chilly when a gust of wind blew on the body. 

“A ……Ahchoo!” 

Compared to her arrogant attitude just then, her sneeze was extremely cute. 

After her sneeze, an unimaginably huge gust of wind headed towards Ash. 

“Uoo!” 

Immediately, Ash clung onto the rock next to him and, like this, prevented himself from getting blown away. 

“A dragons’ sneeze is turns out to be quite formidable ………” 

After calming himself down, with his back towards the girl, Ash proceeded to defend his opinion: 

“You’re right, clothes make people look better. However, apart from that, they also protect against the cold!” 

“Muuu ………” 

The girl pouted, as if she didn’t quite agree with Ash’s point. However, in the end, she accepted his opinion. 

Before long, there was a rustling sound. 

Cautiously turning his head around, Ash saw that she had obediently put on the jacket. 

As her body was very petite, just the jacket was enough to cover her important parts. However, her legs were still exposed. 

Her white tender thighs caused Ash to hold his breath. Wearing just a male jacket, her current appearance, compared when she was naked, caused one to fantasize even more. 

After directing his gaze away from her thighs, Ash sighed a few times. 

“There is something I want to confirm. You should be the dragon that was within me.” 

“Strictly speaking, I was only temporarily borrowing your body.” 

“Weren’t you within my body for too long? I’ve already become a first year Advanced Course student!” 

“What did you say?” 

The girl eyed Ash with an ominous glint in her eyes. 

Her expression, as sharp as a sword, rested on Ash’s chest. 

“N-Nothing ………” 

Ash, a little overwhelmed by the girl’s reaction, could only reply like this. 

“I am not an ordinary dragon. Do not lump me with the others.” 

“Whaa?” 

Clearly displeased, the girl planted both her hands on her hips and looked at Ash. 

“Listen carefully, I do not think that you think that you are my master at all! Who cares about the secret agreement of Albion ………” 

Ash was a little surprised when the girl mentioned that historical term. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki>The secret agreement of Albion 

Long ago, confronted with the crisis of extinction, the dragons stipulated a treaty with humans who wanted their magic. 

“……… That being said, you and I share a common destiny. Although you cannot see it, we are bound together by an invisible thread.” 

What she was talking about was probably the so-called Astral Flow. 

“After combining with humans, dragons are able to get a supply of the Astral. As a result, dragons obtained the strength to survive, thus overcoming the crisis of extinction.” 

This knowledge was taught during the Basic Course. The Astral was something similar to “qi”<ref>Look it up here! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi</ref> and was the source of greatly-needed strength. 

The history of the dragons was far longer than that of humans. With each new generation, the Astral contained within their bodies decreased. 

Due to the lack of the Astral, before becoming fully grown, many young dragons died prematurely. 

If young dragons were unable to mature into adult dragons, sooner or later, dragons would go down the path of extinction. 

Concerned by the current situation, the dragons decided to combine with the humans who possessed the most Astral Flow, thus avoiding extinction. 

“Quite so. However, even so, I don’t believe the dragons owe humans one. Instead, humans should feel honoured.” 

“No, shouldn’t you at least feel a little thankful?” 

Having just finished speaking, Ash’s abdomen received a blow from the girl’s elbow. 

“Gah!” 

“By the way …” 

After glancing at Ash, who was writhing in pain, the girl, thinking about something, suddenly turned away. Her vigour, that she had displayed just then, disappeared and was replaced by bashfulness and embarrassment. 

“M-My name ……” 

“Ehh?” 

Ash, puzzled, frowned. The girl turned a shade of bright red and shouted. 

“My …… name, my name! Give me a name! T-This is a, somewhat, very important thing!” 

“Do you really want me to give you a name?” 

“It can’t be helped! Although I don’t approve of the secret agreement of Albion, I too, cannot break the rules! You must give me a name for the contract to be complete!” 

“Is that so? The dragons also have so many difficult rules.” 

“I-I don’t need things like your sympathy!” 

Faced with the girls extremely attitude, Ash made a bitter smile. 

“If that’s how it’s going to go, relax. I have already thought of your name” 

Ever since he had become a Breeder, he had always remembered this name. 

“Your name is Eco” 

Compared to Lancelot and Cú Chulainn, it was a little out of fashion. However, it was a rather historical name, frequently appearing in historical or religious textbooks. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki>First year of A.S.B (After Saint's Birth) 

For the first time in human history, a young maiden succeeded in rousing the larva from its slumber. 

Her name was Rosa Maria. 

After her death, people referred to her as a saint, as she was the primogenitor of Breeders. 

At that time, her pal’s name was Echo. 

“Echo ……” 

The girl looked distracted and her dangerous expression eased up. 

“Nnn, not bad. Echo …… congratulation for thinking up this name. Fine, for now I’ll spare you!” 

“Phew, luckily you quite like this name.” 

If the name chosen had been deemed unacceptable, perhaps he would have become a victim of violence. Coming to this conclusion, Ash could feel cold sweat starting to form. 

“Oh, by the way, although you had just awoken, you seem to be quite knowledgeable about the secret agreement of Albion and Astral Flow.” 

Although Ash didn’t say this with the intention to flatter, she, nevertheless, puffed out her chest in pride. 

“This is the greatest difference between wisdom-filled dragons and the stupid, ignorant humans.” 

“Seriously, humans aren’t that bad, are they?” 

“<nowiki>------</nowiki>Dragweiss” 

“Ehh?” 

Echo suddenly began to stare off into the distance, taking Ash by surprise. 

“In order to survive, the still slumbering larvae will automatically inherit relevant knowledge. As this inherited knowledge is beyond generations, there is no need for others to teach them.” 

“Wow, that’s amazing …… By the way, since you are a dragon, why do you take the appearance of a human?” 

“This ……” 

Echo lowered her head in thought. After a while, she could only helplessly shrug her shoulders. 

“It’s no good, the Dragweiss doesn’t contain records pertaining to this …… No, there should be related records, except they cannot be accessed. Forget about it, I don’t know! Don’t ask about it anymore, or I’ll crush you!” 

“That’s no good ……? I still want to live for a few more years!” 

Thinking about Echo’s unordinary strength, Ash shuddered. 

At this moment, Ash suddenly remembered something, he still hadn’t introduced himself! 

Thus, he calmed his wild heartbeat, and extended his right hand towards Echo. Regardless, Echo would always remain his pal. 

To obtain his own pal had been his wish for many years. 

“Muu …… what are you doing?” 

“I’m called Ash, from this day on, I am your master!” 

“What?” 

Echo not only refused to accept Ash’s goodwill, but also widened her eyes and stared at Ash. 

“W-what’s the matter?” 

“You seem to have misunderstood something, I think I’d better clear it up. You are not my master.” 

Straightening her runway-like chest, Echo’s eyes began to emit a strange aura. 

“I’m the one who is your master!” 

Once again, a bone-chilling icy wind blew through the ravine. 

=== Part 9 ===
…… A few hours later. 

Sure enough, Silvia didn’t betray people’s expectations, with a manner befitting of the Jedi in ‘Return of the Jedi’, she claimed first place and<nowiki>------</nowiki> 

Security guards within the forest found Brigid, decided that the rider must have encountered a mishap, and immediately formed a rescue team, and began to search for the rider. 

The rider was called Ash Blake, a first year Advanced Course student who rode his friend’s pal to compete, the Number One Problem Child of the academy. 

The student council president, Rebecca, and many other students all joined the rescue team. 

As Fianna Forest covered an extensive plot of land, at first, they believed that the rescue operation wouldn’t succeed; however, before long, they found Ash and Echo. 

Cú Chulainn, with Rebecca riding on its head, without turning back, flew straight towards the ravine bordering the forest, as if attracted by some sort of force. 

Afterwards, Rebecca commented: 

“Today was the first time Cú Chulainn disobeyed my order.” 
 

''“The Awakening of Sleeping Beauty ~A.S.B.1365.4~” is closed.''

<noinclude>
==References and Translation Notes==
<references />

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| Back to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Prologue|Prologue]]
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| Forward to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
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</noinclude>

Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Chapter 1

2014-02-15T05:51:27Z

はじめ: Undo revision 323361 by Aoi uchuu (talk)

{{Incomplete}}

== Chapter 1 - Eco the Dragon Girl ==
=== Part 1 ===

Ash's body shuddered. He clearly felt the presence of someone sneaking into his room and crawling onto the bed.

—''You aren't letting me off tonight, too''......?

In the pitch black darkness, the girl's hair and skin had a piercingly cold radiance.

The full moon outside the window overhang the horizon.

Ash remembered clearly that he had closed the curtains before sleeping.

"Fufu...... it's a beautiful night, don't you think so?"

The girl looked at Ash disdainfully with the eyes of a conqueror. Her lips showed a bewitching smile.

"Uuu!"

Ash, who was lying on the bed, suddenly could not move.

The girl had sat on Ash's abdomen with her legs spread out. Instead of oppression, Ash could feel warmth coming from the part of his abdomen that was in contact with the lower half of the girl's body.

A faint aroma permeated the room.

What a bewitchingly beautiful girl.

She had waist-long pink hair with a silver shine, snow-white skin and ruby-coloured eyes.

She was only wearing the bare minimum of clothes and was almost naked.

The two big bulges on her chest in front of Ash's face shook slightly.

On each side of her head grew a horn that was no different from a dragon's.

"Who are you? Why are you always...... uuuuu!"

Ash's question was forcefully interrupted. The upper half of the girl's body slowly approached and hugged Ash tightly.

Her white and smooth skin came into contact with Ash's body with nothing in between.

Her luscious lips whispered into Ash's ear.

"I will also dote on you well tonight."

After letting out a hot breath of air, the girl nibbled Ash's earlobe. <nowiki>*</nowiki>Kaa—* The sound was similar to that of biting the ear's bone.

“N-no...... Don't do that......!"

Ash's body trembled non-stop as if struck by lightning.

The girl greedily devoured Ash's body. Neck, chest, waist, arms……the numbness of the skin from her tender tongue and sparkling teeth sliding across the skin almost made Ash lose his mind.

As usual, the girl shifted her body as she pleases in that position tonight. It was like a dance.

It has been seven days since the appearance of the mysterious girl.

The girl who appeared at Ash's bedside every night, spending every moment teasing him playfully.

Who on earth is she?

And what motive does she have?

Why are there two horns growing on her head?

The girl never answered questions.

She always danced on Ash's body and left taking light steps slowly.

The girl's teasing was in full force. Ash would always end up lying on the bed exhausted after the ordeal. Currently sitting by the window, the girl was lifting her slender and beautiful legs with a composed expression.

According to his experience from the past six days, the girl was now going to disappear before Ash's eyes.

—''After all, this is only a dream''......

When he opens his eyes, he would be seeing the usual morning.

At least, it has been so for the past six days.

"My name is Navi."

Ash was shocked from suddenly hearing a name that he did not recognise.

This was the first time hearing the girl say her own name.

Ash gathered the last bit of his strength and barely managed to lift up the upper part of his body.

"Navi...... Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

"To entrust myself, who is about to be born soon, to you…… consider it a form of ritual."

"I don't get what you mean."

"See you, until next time when we meet in real life!"

Navi's figure became countless silver particles and disappeared in the bright moonlight.

=== Part 2 ===
<nowiki>*</nowiki>—Dong*

At dawn, Ash was abruptly woken up by the sound of a large cannon being fired.

A few seconds later, he then realised that the huge sound was actually from the releasing of fireworks using Oracles.

Ash was at Apollo House.

The dormitory where male students of the Advanced Course<ref>There seems to be another name for the courses such as Yunios for Basic Course as seen in the manga, since my raws used the terms "Basic Course" and "Advanced Course", I shall leave it be</ref> lived at.

A few months earlier, after completing three years of basic courses, Ash had successfully become a first-year student of the Advanced Course and earned the qualification to live in Apollo House.

The biggest difference between Apollo House and other dormitories was the one-person, one-room system. Compared to the past whereby three people had to squeeze into one small room, life in Apollo House was like heaven.

"Uuu......it's cold!"

Ash's shoulders shivered the moment he got out of bed.

The dawn of early spring still carried a deep chill. Bearing with the impulse to rush back into bed, Ash pulled open the curtains.

Ash's room was on the third floor. One could see the whole field by standing at the window.

There were many students in the field at dawn carrying out preparation work for the "celebration". There were also a lot of riders on their dragons.

Teams of Stradas<ref>Literally air/winged dragon (second interpretation was from my translation from Chinese), the only dragons other than Maestros that can fly</ref> swept across the horizon, in preparation for the celebration that was about to start.

The giant lizards running back and forth on the field were the brilliant Asias.<ref>Literally land/earth dragon, it's pronounced as "Aahsia" instead of the way we pronounce the name of that particular continent</ref>

"It is about to start."

The field of such a size was shrouded in a mysterious and unusual atmosphere. Ash started to get nervous.

"Yo, Ash! Time to get up!"

At that moment, Ash heard his friend's voice accompanied by the sound of door knocking.

"Raymond? Give me a moment!"

Ash frantically took out the bandage from the first-aid box.

He wrapped the bandage around his left hand to cover up the «Seikoku»<ref>"星刻", literally star-marked/carved</ref> on his arm.

The pattern on his arm was the proof of a Breeder.

At the age of seven, Ash took part in the «Orphan Ceremony» held in Albion Forest and had a dragon larva put in his body.

Unfortunately, Ash's memories of that time were foggy with a lot of parts missing.

Since he obtained the «Seikoku», by logic he should have seen Mother Dragon within the deep parts of the forest. However, Ash did not even have the slightest impression of having any memories of that scene.

''I really messed up'', Ash thought in self-mockery.

Compared to other students, the «Seikoku» pattern on Ash's arm was especially big.

Similar to a tattoo of unique design, it extended from his elbow to his wrist like a jet-black snake.

"......Sorry to keep you waiting."

Finished with wrapping up, Ash opened the door to his room.

His good friend, Raymond Kirkland, was standing at the door with a hearty smile.

"The bandage again? Why don't you try something new?"

"Hmph, a normal person like you won't understand my feelings at all."

Ash was displeased. Raymond could not help but shake his head with a bitter smile.

"Sorry, it's my fault...... Hnn? Your face is red. Do you have a fever?"

"No. Actually,......I had weird dreams for the past week."

"Weird dreams? What kind of weird dreams?"

"A beautiful girl crawled into my bed, then......she did a lot of things......"

It was really embarrassing to speak about this sort of things. Ash blushed while recounting what happened.

Raymond could not resist laughing.

"Are you ''that'' desperate for a girl? That is too exaggerated!"

"Are ''you'' any better? We are in the same situation!"

"Nonono, I am different from you. It's not that I'm not popular with the ladies; it's just that I have not yet found someone suited for me."

Raymond took out a small mirror and started admiring himself.

Almost all the students of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy knew that Raymond had severe narcissism. To be fair, everyone acknowledged that Raymond was a handsome young man. However, people did not dare to get close to him due to that personality of his, destroying the great impression he gave due to his looks. It was like ruining your own image the moment you speak.<ref>This is a more literal translation of the expression used</ref>

"......What are you visiting me for so early in the morning?"

Ash said unhappily. Raymond walked into the room as if that did not concern him.

"Did you forget? The competition that we were looking forward to for so long starts today. Talking about the competition, you must not forget about flirting with girls!"

"What has flirting got to do with the competition? You should also get out there and enter the competition!"

The righteous Ash raised his volume, but Raymond had an evil smile.

"If I didn't remember wrongly, you should be the first Advanced Course student since the founding of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy to still have the larva in his body?"

"Uuu......"

Even if he did not wish for it to be so, Ash could not deny that fact. That's right, Ash's dragon companion was still sleeping in his body without a single sign of waking up.

There was not a single change since that year when he was chosen to be a Breeder at the age of seven.

To the students of Ansarivan, to rouse the dragons in their bodies from slumber was the most basic mission.

Other students had obtained their pals in the first year of basic lessons. All except Ash.

—Pal.

This was a very sacred word, representing "the dragon nurtured by the Breeder himself". A larva still sleeping within the Breeder's body cannot be addressed as a pal.

"Ash, to participate in today's competition, you seem to need something?"

"Yeah, I need a dragon."

"That's right. So, do you want to borrow my pal?"

Raymond's pal was called Brigid.

Borrowing Brigid was, of course, one of the options Ash was considering. Actually, Ash already knew that Raymond was planning to skip the competition this time.

However, just accepting Raymond's suggestion like that really hurt Ash's dignity so Ash decided to refuse tactfully.

"I can also borrow Arianrhod<ref>A goddess from Celtic mythology, "arian" meaning silver and "rhod" meaning wheel, many names used in the series are related to Arthurian legends or myths of the same culture</ref> from Max. He's a member of the Student Council and thus cannot take part in the competition."

Student Council members made up the executive committee of the competition and were unable to participate. Max also stated clearly his intention of not participating in the competition.

"You're too naive, Ash. Do you think that Max would lend you his pal?"

"What is it about me?"

"Uohh!"

Raymond jumped in surprise. Turning around, Max was there leaning on the side of the door in perfectly good condition.

"Good morning, Max."

Ignoring Ash's greeting, Max silently adjusted the position of his glasses with his hand.

Maximillian Russell. Ash's classmate, honour student bestowed the title of Dragner by the Paladin, and also the Student Council's treasurer.

"You two being so noisy early in the morning, what happened?"

"Ash was crying and begging me to lend him Brigid to participate in the competition."

"Who's crying and begging you?! Max, can you lend me your Arianrhod? It's just for today."

Yes, for a particular reason, Ash had to participate in today's competition no matter what.

"You want to borrow my pal? In your next life."<ref>Chinese expression meaning that it is impossible to do or achieve it.</ref>

"There's no need to be so ruthless, right?"

"Let's not discuss about this matter for the moment......"

Max sized up Ash with his sharp eyes.

"You should see for yourself the state this room is in! Didn't I remind you again and again that you must keep your own room clean?"

The overbearing Max walked into the room with big strides and immediately started cleaning. Ever since moving into Apollo House, there has never been a day when Ash's room was clean and neat.

"This scene sure brings back memories."

Gazing at Max working hard at cleaning, Raymond could not help but shake his head with a bitter smile.

—Ash, Raymond, Max.

When they were still Basic Course students, they had gone through sentimental times together at Merk<ref>Couldn't really find a name with a mythological reference, so I chose one that had Scottish links, do tell me if you found the right name that sounds the same</ref> House. At that time, having a room to yourself was still a faraway dream and the three of them had to squeeze into a small room. Ash and Raymond had a hard time dealing with Max, who was a neat freak almost to the point of it being an illness.

"......I have always wondered."

Done with cleaning, Max turned around and looked at Ash.

"Why can you ride other people's pals?"

"Well......how should I say this......"

"By logic, dragons only allow their own masters to ride them. There have been many Breeders in the past who have tried riding other people's dragons but they all failed."

"That is indeed true, but I have obtained consent from the teacher, so it should be all right?"

"Why are you still so indecisive when doing things, just like in the past? Sigh, if you really intend to participate in the competition, just borrow Brigid. I'll inform the Student Council president."

Ending with that authoritative tone, Max left without turning back.

"I wonder who's the one that hasn't changed at all."

Raymond shook his head with a bitter smile once again.

Ash suddenly drew close to Raymond.

"You will lend me Brigid, right?"

Raymond nodded his head, his eyes having a peculiar glow.

"Of course, you must make that princess change her impression of you!"

Hearing that, Ash's expression instantly became serious.

"I have that intention, too."

=== Part 3 ===

The grand fireworks was dazzling.

There was a tense atmosphere in the academy, accompanied by excitement in the air.

The "race" Raymond spoke of was one of the names it was commonly known by. The official name was "Aries Dragon Riding Festival". An annual grand event held in the month of Aries (fourth month).<ref>The names of months in the story are taken from the names of the horoscopes in order.</ref>

It was also a springtime activity held by Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy.

Ash, having changed to a Dragsuit,<ref>Term for the clothes worn when riding a dragon</ref> arrived at the academy's sports field.

It was a cloudless sunny day, weather suitable for a race.

Many students on dragons had already gathered on the sports field.

By a rough estimate, there should be around fifty plus people.

Ash was riding on Brigid, which he borrowed from Raymond, using the reins in his hands to guide Brigid towards the middle of the field.

"You're in a good mood today, Brigid."

Brigid replied Ash's greeting with a low cry like a spoiled child.

Brigid was an Asia fancied by Ash. Having four greatly developed legs and no wings, Brigid did not look like a dragon but more like the large types of lizards.

Cheers suddenly arose from the students on the field.

"A good morning to all students."

The radiant Student Council president appeared at the centre of the temporarily constructed stage.

The Student Council president did not have a loud voice, but her words were full of confidence and had a penetrating power.

Fiery red hair, elongated eyes, her beautiful body emitted the cold radiance of a marble statue and terrifying killing intent. Even the petals dancing in the wind paled in comparison.

Rebecca Randall.

The «Scarlet Empress».

Her red hair, bold personality and unparalleled strength were her attractive points as the school idol of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy.

Even the academy's combat skills instructors could not beat Rebecca on her Maestro Cú Chulainn.<ref>An Irish mythological hero. Do google it if you are interested.</ref> When talking about the strongest student of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy, 99 percent of the students would immediately think of Rebecca.

"The weather is great today— sorry, I don't want to talk about such nonsense."

The students on the field lowered their heads snickering. "The weather is great today" was the principal's pet phrase, but the festival was an event held by the Student Council, thus the principal did not have to go on stage to deliver a speech.

"Students of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy, not only is the Aries Dragon Riding Festival a sports competition, it is also Ansarivan's fine tradition with the results of the race included in the official records. Since you all have decided to participate in the race, then you should aim to stand on the victory podium.<ref>The place medalists in sports competitions stand on when they received their medals.</ref> However, I'm aware that fine tradition and official records are not enough as reasons to motivate you to achieve victory."

The students started snickering again, but the snickering stopped quickly.

"So I decided to award the winner a day-long date ticket as a prize. As for the person you are dating, that will be me, Rebecca Randall."

The moment Rebecca finished speaking, cheers immediately arose from the students.

"Silence!"

Rebecca roared. Instantly, the students were quiet like before.

"Next would be a speech by the representative of the participants. Advanced Course first-year, Princess Silvia Lautreamont."

At Rebecca's signal, a female student's figure appeared at the other side of the stage.

Ash subconsciously clenched his fists.

"The princess is actually the representative of the participants......!"

Silvia's dazzling golden hair was tied up at the back of her head. Wearing a Dragsuit with the royal coat of arms sewn on it, she leapt off her pal— Maestro Lancelot<ref>One of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend</ref> and slowly walked up the stage.

The Lautreamont Knights royal family's fourth princess Silvia.

The «Ice Blue Princess».

She was the daughter of the ruler of Lautreamont Knight Country, who holds the title of Paladin.

Ash, whose pal still had not been born after such a long time, had always borrowed the pals of other students during practical examinations.

Otherwise, he would have been retained for the year.

To other students, riding other people's pals was suicide; but to Ash, not only was it not dangerous, it was something natural to him.

No matter how short-tempered the dragon was, it would obediently allow Ash to ride on its back. Whether was it a Strada, Asia or Hydra,<ref>Literally water dragon</ref> he could control it with ease.

Unknowingly, the "Genius Dragon Tamer" Ash's reputation increased, becoming a famous figure of the academy.
[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi v1 027.jpg|thumb]]

That accident happened a few days ago.

Ash borrowed Raymond's pal Brigid to participate in dragonback combat training. Being skilled in combat, Ash defeated his classmates one by one in a short time.

It would be a lie to say that he did not feel proud of that.

Concentrated on combat training, Ash did not notice Lancelot walking behind him at that moment.

Not only was physical contact between dragons very dangerous, it was also a situation the academy did its best to avoid.

Everytime before class, the instructor would always patiently remind them.

Fortunately, Brigid's butt only bumped gently into Lancelot's left leg. Both dragon and rider did not suffer any injuries. However, Ash's presumptuous actions infuriated Silvia.

"What do you take combat training for? If you come to the lesson thinking that it is just a game, you will get into trouble sooner or later!"

Other than her special status, Silvia's strict and hardline way of dealing with things was one of the reasons for her being one of the academy's famous people.

Her serious attitude in class and her feat of letting Lancelot grow into a Maestro in only a short time undoubtedly gained her the admiration of many. Her unreasonable demeanour, on the other hand, was widely criticised.

Everyone acknowledged that Silvia was a born beauty but not even one student was willing to be friends with her.

"Urk......sorry, it is my fault."

Ash jumped down from Brigid's back and bowed his head respectfully, apologising.

If this was the usual Silvia, she would have calmed down. Facing an opponent who had admitted his mistakes, Silvia had always been forgiving. It was said to be one of the knight family's precepts.<ref>Basically a set of principles that family members have to abide by. You usually see this in families with prestigious backgrounds</ref>

However, it was not the same this time.

Silvia, still angry, examined Ash from head to toe, not intending to let him off yet.

"You should think with that pea-sized brain of yours! Who exactly is paying the fees for your schooling, uniform, food, accommodation and teaching materials?"

"......Are you talking about the palace?"

"Of course not. Though the one paying is the palace, but the money used comes from the people's taxes. If you continue to have that mindset that this is just a game, then you should just quit school as soon as possible so that you would not continue wasting the hard-earned money of the people!"

"What? Quit school? Are you serious?"

"There is no free lunch in this world. That is one of the Lautreamont family's precepts!"

There was contempt in her ice blue coloured eyes. At that moment, Ash realised why Silvia was called the «Ice Blue Princess». There had been almost no points of intersection between Ash's and Silvia's paths during the phase of Basic Course. This was the first contact between the both of them.

Even if she was a princess, Ash's pride did not permit him to give in.

"The Lautreamont family's precepts are none of my business! I have already apologised. What else do you want me to do?"

"This is not a problem that can be solved by just an apology! You still do not have your own pal, right?"

"Uu......"

A sensitive issue of his having been mentioned, Ash was rendered speechless. It seems Silvia also knew some things about Ash.

"Hmph, like master, like dragon, maybe it died long ago!"

Hearing that, rage burned in Ash's heart.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Let it be, Ash. She is the princess, you cannot win against her."

Behind him, Raymond tried to stop him but Ash ignored him.

This was not the first time that he suffered such humiliation. It was no wonder that Ash was the target of humiliation from everyone since he still did not have his pal.

If the insults were directed toward him, Ash could still bear with it.

However, if it was an insult directed towards his pal, he would not let that go easily.

Ash would fight back with all his strength till the other party apologises.

Similar situations having occurred several times, Ash, who should have been the victim, slowly became the problem child in everyone's eyes.

Talking about the most troublesome person in the academy, ninety-nine percent of the students would think of Advanced Course first-year Ash Blake.

"Take back what you said immediately."

Even if she was the princess of the kingdom, she should not humiliate others as she pleases.

So, Ash took a step forward, having no intention to hide his anger.

The lesson was interrupted. Everyone's attention was on Ash's confrontation with the princess.

=== Part 4 ===
Silvia, who had ascended the makeshift stage, observed the students whom had assembled in the sports field. 

Finally, her blue pupils stopped abruptly at one place. 

“………” 

It was evident where Silvia was looking. She was, obviously, staring at Ash. 

That day, Silvia had not withdrawn her words. If the other party had been a boy, at that time Ash would’ve clouted him. However, as expected, even if he wanted to, Ash couldn’t hit a girl. Moreover, she was a princess in the palace circle. 

Instead, he had, reluctantly, proposed an condition. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> If I am victorious in the race in a few days, you will take back the words you said a while ago! 

Silvia, nonchalantly, had commented: “That would be fine” and agreed. 

That was the answer that Ash wanted. 

Silvia, once she stopped staring at Ash, opened her mouth. 

An icy voice shook the atmosphere, reminding everyone of the winter that had just passed. 

“You must try your best in any competition. That is my family’s motto <nowiki>------</nowiki> no less” 

Silvia then descended quickly from the stage and, riding smartly on Lancelot, returned to the sports field. 

After a few seconds of silence, only a sparse amount of applause arose from the sports field as everyone was taken aback by Silvia’s haughty attitude. 

“What?” 

“It is obvious that Lancelot is the outstanding one, not his owner.” 

“What is so great about his master?” 

“Wasn't the first paladin originally a knight of the Chevron Kingdom. In other words, only just a fortunate soldier, nothing more. Definitely not royal.” 

“As expected of that brother’s sister”<ref>Chinese phrase that basically refers to the fact that brothers and sisters are the same ... something along the lines of that</ref> 

Ash nonchalantly glanced at a few same grade female students, who were murmuring quietly behind him. 

At first, Ash had taken no notice of their conversation, however: 

“That brother’s sister.” 

That part of sentence caught his attention. 

The ‘brother’ that the female students had said, obviously referred to Prince Julius. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Dragon Slayer Julius. 

Although he was the eldest son of the Knight family, he violated the biggest taboo. 

No one knew why he would slay his dragon, as he was publicly executed for breaching the taboo before he could disclose his motive. 

To bring his name up at this occasion, really wasn’t thoughtful. 

Even if he had shamed the Royal Knight Family, that was ten years ago. There really wasn’t any good in bringing up these old matters. 

“…… She really doesn’t have an easy life.” 

Ash, suddenly, began to sympathize a little for Silvia’s plight. 

=== Part 5 ===
The competition was about to start. 

The row order of the contestants had been sequenced according to the results of the mock competitions that had occurred during training class. 

Usually, the fastest riders were placed at the front. 

However, this year’s dragon riding competition was different. 

The players who were placed at the front, were the worst scoring students of the mock competitions. 

Apparently, it was Rebecca’s suggestion; her reason being that the competition would be more exciting. 

As a result, based on the new rules, Silvia, who had scored top in the mock competitions, had no choice but to be placed in the last row. 

Aside from Silvia, Ash was also in the last row. 

Although the student council had made an exception to the rule to allow him to use another student’s pal to participate in the competition, just to be fair, his starting position had been purposely positioned in the last row. 

Without doubt, this type of order doubled as a safeguard against a sudden surge of contestants once the race had started. 

Nevertheless, despite these new rules, this situation could be said to be favorable to him. <ref>Chinese phrase. Basically the equivalent of "play into the hands of (Ash)" </ref> 

To be allowed to participate in the competition, was already a one in ten thousand chance <ref>In other words, very lucky</ref>. Furthermore, to be placed beside Silvia, was the perfect opportunity to execute their showdown. 

With every minute and second that passed, he gradually became more and more focused <ref>Chinese phrase that literally translates into "retracted his state of mind"</ref>. 

Silvia didn't talk to him. 

Likewise, he felt that there wasn’t a need to converse with her. 

Finally, the preparations before the race were finished. 

The cheers coming from the audience around the sports field’s boarder had reached a climax. 

All around, a unique sense of tension filled the atmosphere. 

Ash clearly felt his own heartbeat gradually quickening. During the mock competitions, he had never felt so nervous. 

“On your marks!” 

Rebecca’s voice emanated from mid-air. 

Clad in a uniform, she was riding on her pal’s back. Essentially, this was breaching the school rules, however, as today was the annual Dragon Riding Festival, no one had raised that issue. 

Arms akimbo, she now stood majestically on top of Cú Chulainn’s head. Her high-spirited heroic bearing immediately attracted everyone’s attention. 

This was her riding position. 

As Cú Chulainn’s body was too big to find a suitable saddle, and also, because she had publicly expressed that she did not want to restrain her beloved pal with a rein and saddle, this evolved into her current unique riding position. 

A suffocating silence enveloped the audience, as she lifted a magic carbine <ref>A carbine is a gun used by horsemen, do Google it!</ref>. 

Only the sound of one’s own heartbeat and the deep breathing of the dragons could be heard. 

“Get set ------” 

The carbine’s muzzle was aimed at the sky. 

Then, when the flash of an Oracle illuminated the horizon, the gun let out an enormous bang. 

Around fifty dragons, at the same time, started to run, leaving behind a cloud of dust. 

The Stradas, whose tails a smoke bomb had been tied to, formed into a column and, at the same time, flapped their wings and flew. While that was happening, the smoke from the smoke bombs formed a seven-coloured rainbow in the sky. 

=== Part 6 ===
Brigid did not betray Ash’s expectations. After his flawless start, he ran flat out, hot on Lancelot’s tail. As they moved around the academy’s sports field, the competitors maintained a distance between each other. 

Then, in the midst of loud cheering, they passed through the school gate that led to the city district. 

“Full speed ahead!” 

At Ash’s urging, Brigid let out a roar. 

Ash intended to, with all his strength, rush through the avenue leading St. Durham Square. 

Maestro Lancelot, possessed an astonishing speed. Within a blink of an eye, he had already overtaken many competitors. 

Brigid tailed closely behind Lancelot’s body, where the effect of air friction was the least, ascending the ranks with him. However, when Lancelot was about to enter a narrow city road, which was connected to St. Durham Square, he suddenly slowed down. 

“……… That’s odd.” 

Ash, who had been following Brigid, raised his head and looked ahead. 

“Them ………!” 

Four competitors, side by side in a row, had obstructed the way ahead. Upon closer inspection, Ash immediately realised that they were the same four female students who had slandered Silvia before the competition. 

Ahead, the narrow city road meandered endlessly, plagued with numerous challenging turns. It seems that until I have exited the city district, I will have to be patient, Ash thought to himself. 

All of a sudden, he grasped their intentions. 

“Those people ………” 

They were probably here to target Silvia. 

Whenever other competitors approached from behind, they would, at once, automatically create a small gap to allow them to pass. 

Bit by bit, Silvia’s ranking was deteriorating. Soon, she, along with Ash, would be last. 

Ash was at a loss. 

Overtaking Silvia wouldn’t be hard. The female students obstructing the way ahead should let him pass. After all, he was a bystander to them, so there wasn’t a need to make things hard for him. 

“You people really have taken things too far!” 

Infuriated, Ash couldn’t help but shout at them. 

“Do you really not care?” 

He exclaimed, in a loud voice, as he spurred Brigid to Lancelot’s side. 

Due to the difference in height between the Maestro and Asia, Ash had to look up at Silvia. 

In contrast, Silvia glanced down at Ash, her face etched with contempt. 

“……… There is nothing that can be done about this, whether it is blocking our way or working together, it doesn’t violate the rules of this race.” 

“Now is the time to act noble! Could it be that you aren’t angry at all?” 

“I don’t want to talk to enemies! Go away, it’s none of your business!” 

“You excessively prideful person, no wonder you can’t make any friends!” 

“Y-You, what did you say!” 

Ignoring Silvia’s protests, Ash spurred Brigid ahead, quickly leaving Lancelot behind and approaching the four female students, whom were blocking the way ahead. 

As expected, as soon as one of the four girls noticed him, she promptly shifted over, creating a gap on her right. 

Ash, without looking at any of them, spurred Brigid straight towards the gap that she had created. 

They probably had thought that he was just going to pass through. 

“Fu ……… you are wrong!” 

With a flick of the reins in his hand, Brigid’s enormous body immediately moved to squash the female students beside him. 

They were now extremely close together, almost reaching the point of breaking the competition’s rules. 

“Hey, what are you trying to do?” 

One of the girls paled <ref>Chinese phrase 花容失色. 花容 - Literally means flower colour / radiance [And it referrers to a beautiful girl] and 失色 - means to lose colour</ref>, due to fright. 

Due to turmoil caused by Ash, the four riders who had been in an orderly row, were now shortening the distance between themselves. Soon they would collide into each other. 

There was only one option to prevent this; to relinquish their positions. However, if they did so, they would destroy their row formation. 

Without doubt, this was the goal Ash had aimed to achieve, and, after achieving the upper hand, he didn’t overlook the chance to gibe at them: 

“I’m very sorry for the trouble I have caused. This dragon was borrowed from someone and it seems to be a little disobedient!” 

The expression of one of the girls, suddenly changed. 

“You are Ash Blake!” 

Whether it was luck or not, Ash’s name seemed to have an profound effect on them. 

“It’s the Number One Problem Child in the academy!” 

“Uhh! Stay away from me!” 

“Kyaaa!” 

The four female students promptly broke formation and, after a brief period of turmoil, they all fell hopelessly at the side of the road. 

Their high-pitched shrieks, along with the roars of the dragons, reverberated endlessly in the narrow city road. 

Silvia, who had been behind, deftly dodged the female students and dragons, and quickly picked up speed. 

“W-Who told you to meddle in other people’s business!” 

In spite of her brusque tone, her cheeks, however, turned slightly red. 

=== Part 7 ===
After leaving the city district, he journeyed north on the main road, arriving at Fianna Forest. 

The forest was also a part of the competition’s course. The skills required were now, were vastly different from the ones needed to navigate through the city roads. 

After just entering the forest, a strange thing happened. 

“……… Brigid?” 

Brigid, who had been tailing Lancelot the whole journey, suddenly slowed down. 

Silvia, obviously, took advantage of this opportunity. In a nick of time, she had disappeared. 

“What’s wrong ………?” 

Brigid, finally, stopped walking. 

He was breathing heavily and his expression was one of great pain. 

Ash, now, had finally realised the mistake he had made. 

“I was too careless.” 

While Ash had been preoccupied with following Silvia, he hadn’t noticed that Brigid had run out of stamina. 

From the start, Brigid had always maintained the same speed as Lancelot, in spite of the difference of stamina between a Maestro and an Asia. Generally, in order to successfully finish the competition, the pace to complete it at, should have been determined from the stamina of the dragon. 

“………Sorry, Brigid.” 

After he had apologised, Brigid let out a soft snort, as if he was ashamed of his physical strength. 

Now, groups of competitors, bit by bit, had caught up. One by one, they raced past Ash’s side. 

The sound of thunderous rumbling shook the earth, as the air filled with dust. 

The sight of a group of Asias running in the forest was spectacular to behold. Ash could sense the ground incessantly rocking. For a very long time, it didn’t subside. 

Ash’s competition, at his point of time, had concluded. 

Between him and Silvia, a winner had been determined. His goal to force Silvia to take back her words, in the end, wasn’t achieved. 

If this was described as unfortunate, it would be a lie. Ash had really wanted to complete the competition. For the entire time, he had made a bee line for the finish line. 

However, oddly enough, Ash’s mood was rather carefree. 

“It turns out that competing with the princess is quite interesting.” 

No matter how reluctant, he couldn’t deny this fact. 

Then, at this moment<nowiki>------</nowiki> 

A rustling noise, without warning, came from behind. 

“<nowiki>------</nowiki>!” 

Ash instinctively looked back, staring at the forest behind him. 

“………Who is it?” 

For safety reasons, Ansarivan’s security guards would, during the race, patrol the forest. 

In the forest, to sense another person’s presence, wasn’t something to make a big fuss out of. 

However, whoever it was, hadn’t replied. If it was really a security guard, he should have already appeared directly before Ash, who had been eliminated. 

Ash heightened his awareness and cautiously surveyed the surroundings. 

Although he hadn’t discovered any suspicious figures, he felt as though someone was watching him.
He could feel a sense of foreboding growing within himself. 

“Wait for me here.” 

After leaving Brigid there, Ash walked into the depths of the forest. 

=== Part 8 ===
<noinclude>
Fianna Forest, bordered on the west by Rubina Lake, was located northwest of the city Ansarivan. It’s one of the largest forests within the borders of Lautreamont Knight Country. 

As Ash ran in the forest, so as to not trip over the tree roots that crawled over the earth like a web of intricate blood vessels, he constantly looked down at his feet. 

Then, once again, he sensed the presence of someone else. 

“Found you!” 

Trusting his own intuition, Ash threw a stone at the bushes in front of him. 

The bushes rocked left and right, making a rustling sound. 

“Your intuition is quite keen. It really is one of your talents” 

Stated a voice that possessed both the vitality of youth and the staid of seniority. 

“You are ………?” 

From the bushes, a tall thin man emerged. In his left hand, he held the very stone that Ash had just thrown. 

Though he was dressed in a traveller’s garb, which wasn’t out of the ordinary, Ash was shocked into silence. 

This was because that man was wearing a silver coloured mask on his face, which covered everything except for his nose and mouth. 

In addition to this, his gleaming sliver hair was streaked through with strands of crimson hair, which brought to mind an image of silver silk slowly shedding blood, as well as the blood used to write cursed scripts. 

In his right hand, he held a black object that emitted light. 

“A mechanical weapon from ……… the Empire<ref>Although the sources don't say so, this 'empire' refers to the Zepharos Empire</ref>?” 

Ash, dumbfounded, stood on the spot, unable to move. 

It’s not like he didn’t know about it. 

On the other side of the steep mountain range, lacking the blessing of dragons, the Empire, nevertheless, had a highly developed civilisation based on machinery. 

The weapon that the masked man held in his hand probably was the product of mechanical engineering. If he remembered correctly, it was a ‘short machine gun’, a gun that combined the portability of a pistol and the rapid fire of a machine gun. Ash didn’t dare to act rashly. He knew that man could easily, at a moment’s notice, riddle him with so many bullet holes that he would look like a honeycomb. 

Perhaps it was because he had perceived Ash’s wariness, the corners of the man’s mouth twitched faintly upwards. 

“Young man, you are very bright.” 

“You are ……… a soldier of the Empire?” 

“Do I look like one?” 

Ash didn’t know what to decide. 

That object in the man’s hand was a weapon manufactured by the Empire. 

However, that man didn’t have an Empire accent. Instead, he had a strong Chevron Kingdom accent. Aside from that, the way he spoke was highly refined. To be more precise, he was speaking so-called ‘King’s Chevrish’. 

Ash realised that he was in a precarious situation. 

If the masked man was from the Empire, why would he be lurking around the outskirts of Ansarivan for? 

Maybe, he was an Empire spy. 

The Chevron Kingdom and the Zepharos Empire, the two great powers of this continent, had been in a Cold War which had, already, lasted five decades. 

Sandwiched between those two countries, was the Lautreamont Knight Country, the Chevron Kingdom’s child country. 

Initially, the Knight Country was part of the Kingdom<ref>Kingdom here refers to the Chevron Kingdom</ref>, therefore, the relationship between these two countries would, naturally, be much closer than any of their allies. 

Currently, should armed personal from the Empire appear within boarders of Knight Country, this country could, and would, interpret this as a military operation of the Empire. 

However, Ash’s strength was finite. He was definitely incapable of opposing the man before his eyes. 

“Young man, how old are you?” 

The masked man’s unexpected question distracted him for a moment. 

“……… Sixteen. Is there something wrong with that?” 

“That’s strange. Why do you still have larva within you?” 

Ash, astounded, subconsciously retreated a few steps. 

“H-How do you know?” 

“The curse on your body allowed me to clearly perceive that.” 

“Curse ………?” 

Ash frowned. He never would never have expected to hear, from the mouth of a person from the Empire, words so unscientific. 

Unfortunately, he didn’t have the time to ask what those words truly meant. 

“Get away from Milgauss-sama” 

A tender, yet commanding voice resonated in his ears. 

Reflexively, he looked back and saw a petite figure moving towards him. Then, immediately after pulling an object from its left bracer, the shrill sound of air being sliced sounded by his ear. 

“Argh!” 

Moving his body quickly, Ash awkwardly dodging the surprise attack. A pitch-black serpent passed through the space where his head had been. Actually, upon closer inspection, the pitch-black snake was actually a long whip, the preferred weapon of the Tantalos Tribe. 

Those who master this weapon are said to have an unpredictable attack. Even soldiers armed with swords, guns or cannons, aren’t a match. 

Ash dived onto the ground and began to roll, attempting to distance himself. 

Although his attacker was also wearing a mask, from their exposed eyes, he determined that it was most likely a young teenage girl. 

Her beautiful jet-black hair was fixed at the back of her head and, despite her petite stature, her eyes were filled with murderous intent. 

Ash, improvising on the spot, got up from the ground, grabbed a handful of dirt, threw it at the girl, turned and ran. 

“Argh ………!” 

The girl flinched and, for a brief moment, shielded her eyes. Then she began to pursue Ash. 

Ash, sprinting, plunged into a nearby thicket. 

“Damn ……… why am I so unfortunate!” 

Upon rushing out of the forest, his field of vision immediately widened. 

Above him, a dazzling blue sky stretched as far as the eye could see, forcing him to narrow his eyes. 

Barren rocks, big and small, littered the ground. 

Ash swallowed. This situation wasn’t good. Ahead of him there was a ravine. Its edge was around ten steps away. Ash looked around but couldn’t find a bridge. 

“Obediently accept your fate!” 

The girl appeared from within the forest. 

Ash, with his back to the cliff, confronted her. 

“When did I ever wrong you?” 

“Meeting us. This was your greatest misfortune.” 

The girls tone was flat, lacking any rise or drop in pitch, making her sound emotionless. 

“That’s absurd!” 

“War needs no reason.” 

“Isn’t there an armistice?” 

“Armistice? That nothing more than something we pretend to adhere to. In reality the war between the Empire and the Kingdom hasn’t ended!” 

The girl kicked the ground, and, brandishing the whip in her hand, slowly forced Ash towards the edge of ravine behind him. 

Though Ash scored quite well in the class of fighting techniques, this girl’s movements were too fast. He could only, step by step, retreat backwards. 

In a few more steps, he would fall into the ravine. 

“Hmph ……… I wonder how long you can continue to struggle for!” 

She sounded irritated. In fact, she was most likely an impetuous person. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Now! 

Ash grabbed the end of the whip, which had missed him, and then, with a great pull, broke her balance. 

“Uooo!” 

He grabbed her by her collar and, using her own momentum<ref>Do google Aikido !!!</ref>, hurled her away. Her body traced a parabola in the air. Ash was surprised, as he hadn’t expected her body to be so light. 

“Kawaa!” 

Falling heavily, the girl gave a painful cry and her right hand involuntarily realised the whip. 

“Uguu ………” 

Still conscious, tears of misery appeared her eyes. Aside from that, she was constantly squirming, as if in great pain. She probably wouldn’t be able to stand for a quite a while. 

Steading his breathing, Ash slowly extended his right hand towards the mask on her face. He wanted to see what she looked like. Then, just at this moment. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Bishi! 

A peculiar noise, similar to that of an object fracturing, could be heard. 

“Eh ………?” 

Ash could hardly believe his eyes. 

The outcrop <ref>Exposed bedrock</ref> supporting their weight, unexpectedly, had begun to collapse. 

This was most likely due to a geological fault in the rock. This fight should never have been performed in this kind of location. Then he noticed it, a warning sign labelled “Beware of Collapse”. 

“Ku ………!” 

Ash had no time to ponder. He lifted the girl and threw her forwards. 

She landed safely on a stable piece of outcrop. 

However, in doing so, he didn’t have enough time to escape. Instead, he fell along with the rocky debris into the ravine. 

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!” 

The immense drag of the wind almost tore his skin. 

Ash was scared of falling into a bottomless ravine. Then, at this moment, he felt his left wrist heat up. 

“Eh ………?” 

A flash of light burst through his clothing. The «Seikoku», which extended from his elbow to his wrist, suddenly began to emit heat and scarlet light. 

The shrill sound of the wind was silenced. 

In fact, all sound was silenced. 

“Ugh ………!” 

Ash felt an excruciating pain within his chest, as if it was being torn in half, as though something was trying to break out of his body. 

The pain almost caused him to lose consciousness. 

While bearing the pain, he looked down at his chest and found that it was exuding a dazzling radiance. 

“Guaaaaaaaaaaaah!” 

Ash gave a great scream as his consciousness gradually began to fade. 

However, within his hazy vision, he saw something clearly. 

A girl was floating in mid-air. 

Completely naked. 

With her eyes tightly closed and her arms open, she floated next to him. 

Subconsciously, Ash reached out with both his hands towards her petite body. 

She slid with no resistance into his arms. 

Around them, a blinding light had, unbeknownst to them, enveloped their bodies. 

Not only that, but their descent had slowed down. 

Hugging the girl, Ash slowly floated down, like one would within a child’s fairy tale. 

Before long, they landed on a rock beside a creek. 

The ball of light, which had protected them, instantly turned into countless particles and disappeared without a trace. 

“Am I safe now ………?” 

Ash mumbled to himself, as he looked down at the girl in his arms. 

The breathing of the girl, whose eyes were still closed, sounded rather peaceful. 

“Uwaa!” 

Ash felt a little ardent as he realised that the girl was naked. 

Her dainty figure, along with her slightly bulging chest, and her smooth and delicate white skin was definitely something that was hardly ever seen within this world. In fact, it gave rise to the illusion of an angel descending into the world of mortals. 

Her age was probably around fourteen or fifteen. 

Gently laying her on the ground, Ash swiftly took off the coat of his Dragsuit.[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi v1 055.jpg|thumb]] 

Just this coat, he was able to sufficiently cover her petite body. 

“Fuu ………” 

With this done, Ash feeling relieved, sat on the ground. 

Yet again, he looked at the face of the girl. 

“Could she be ……… Navi?” 

Within his mind, an image of the girl who had, since the start of this week, been teasing him within his dreams, surfaced. 

“No, you are similar for sure ……… but still a little different.” 

“No, you are similar for sure ……… but still a little different.” 

To draw an analogy, Navi would be a succubus from a Gothic novel, possessing a face that retained the innocence of childhood and also the charm of a mature woman. 

On the other hand, the girl before his eyes was just a girl. Ash couldn’t feel any mature charm from her. 

“……… eh?” 

Ash frowned. Something small, circular and ivory coloured, protruded from top left and right of sides her head. 

“What is this?” 

With his fingertips, Ash gently probed the mysterious protrusions. 

It was soft and a little flexible and seemed to be made of some kind of cartilage. 

The mysterious protrusions had a peculiar feel to it, making him want to touch it again after touching it. However, Ash resisted the urges to touch it again, as it would be impolite. 

Looks like those mysterious protrusions weren’t accessories but part of her body. 

“Could it be ……… horns?” 

The little protrusions on top of her head, indeed, seemed to be identical to the horns of a young dragon. 

Ash couldn’t help but recall the details of the events, that had happen prior to now, in his mind. 

The girl had emerged out of his body and she had two horns growing from top left and right sides of her head. 

As a result, there could only be one conclusion. 

“……… this young girl is my pal?” 

Ash was dumbfounded. 

He had always wished to rouse his pal from sleep, however, why was his pal a girl when everyone else’s were dragons? 

“Uuu ………nnn ………” 

The girl’s long eyelashes quivered a little. 

“Huwaaa ………” 

The girl, in contrast to her beautiful appearance, gave a great yawn. 

One of her double eyelids slowly began to open. 

Ash, subconsciously, leaned forwards and looked at her face. 

Her ruby coloured pupils were very fascinating. 

Bleary eyed, she suddenly opened her eyes wide and her facial expression became one of shock. 

“Hugiyaaaaaaaa!” 

“Oooof!” 

Ash, receiving a slap on his cheek, fell backwards and his head became immersed in the creek. 

Fortunately, the stream wasn’t deep, so aside from his sorry figure, he wasn’t hurt. 

“S-Such great strength ………” 

With blood trickling from his nose, Ash struggled to get up. 

“To go so far as to take advantage of a sleeping lady really is too much! Don’t you know who I am?” 

Blushing hard, she suddenly stood up. 

The jacket that Ash had draped over her body, slid off. 

Her dainty naked body was clearly visible. 

However, she made no move to cover herself. 

“P-Please put on your clothes first before you talk!” 

Ash quickly looked away. 

“Clothes? Ridiculous! Clothes are just items humans create to hide their ugliness.” 

“What?” 

“That’s right, a proper dragon doesn’t need clothes!” 

“I don’t care whether you need clothes or not, just put them on!” 

After saying that, Ash turned his back on her. 

“I know that you are a dragon! Well ……… strictly speaking I’m not sure. However, even if you’re a dragon, right now, you are a girl!” 

“So what?” 

“That ……… naked girl standing in front of me ……… is making me lose my calm” 

“Hmph! Such a useless guy. Like I said, humans are really <nowiki>------</nowiki>” 

At this moment, a strong gust of wind blew through the ravine. 

Though it was now spring, it still felt chilly when a gust of wind blew on the body. 

“A ……Ahchoo!” 

Compared to her arrogant attitude just then, her sneeze was extremely cute. 

After her sneeze, an unimaginably huge gust of wind headed towards Ash. 

“Uoo!” 

Immediately, Ash clung onto the rock next to him and, like this, prevented himself from getting blown away. 

“A dragons’ sneeze is turns out to be quite formidable ………” 

After calming himself down, with his back towards the girl, Ash proceeded to defend his opinion: 

“You’re right, clothes make people look better. However, apart from that, they also protect against the cold!” 

“Muuu ………” 

The girl pouted, as if she didn’t quite agree with Ash’s point. However, in the end, she accepted his opinion. 

Before long, there was a rustling sound. 

Cautiously turning his head around, Ash saw that she had obediently put on the jacket. 

As her body was very petite, just the jacket was enough to cover her important parts. However, her legs were still exposed. 

Her white tender thighs caused Ash to hold his breath. Wearing just a male jacket, her current appearance, compared when she was naked, caused one to fantasize even more. 

After directing his gaze away from her thighs, Ash sighed a few times. 

“There is something I want to confirm. You should be the dragon that was within me.” 

“Strictly speaking, I was only temporarily borrowing your body.” 

“Weren’t you within my body for too long? I’ve already become a first year Advanced Course student!” 

“What did you say?” 

The girl eyed Ash with an ominous glint in her eyes. 

Her expression, as sharp as a sword, rested on Ash’s chest. 

“N-Nothing ………” 

Ash, a little overwhelmed by the girl’s reaction, could only reply like this. 

“I am not an ordinary dragon. Do not lump me with the others.” 

“Whaa?” 

Clearly displeased, the girl planted both her hands on her hips and looked at Ash. 

“Listen carefully, I do not think that you think that you are my master at all! Who cares about the secret agreement of Albion ………” 

Ash was a little surprised when the girl mentioned that historical term. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki>The secret agreement of Albion 

Long ago, confronted with the crisis of extinction, the dragons stipulated a treaty with humans who wanted their magic. 

“……… That being said, you and I share a common destiny. Although you cannot see it, we are bound together by an invisible thread.” 

What she was talking about was probably the so-called Astral Flow. 

“After combining with humans, dragons are able to get a supply of the Astral. As a result, dragons obtained the strength to survive, thus overcoming the crisis of extinction.” 

This knowledge was taught during the Basic Course. The Astral was something similar to “qi”<ref>Look it up here! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi</ref> and was the source of greatly-needed strength. 

The history of the dragons was far longer than that of humans. With each new generation, the Astral contained within their bodies decreased. 

Due to the lack of the Astral, before becoming fully grown, many young dragons died prematurely. 

If young dragons were unable to mature into adult dragons, sooner or later, dragons would go down the path of extinction. 

Concerned by the current situation, the dragons decided to combine with the humans who possessed the most Astral Flow, thus avoiding extinction. 

“Quite so. However, even so, I don’t believe the dragons owe humans one. Instead, humans should feel honoured.” 

“No, shouldn’t you at least feel a little thankful?” 

Having just finished speaking, Ash’s abdomen received a blow from the girl’s elbow. 

“Gah!” 

“By the way …” 

After glancing at Ash, who was writhing in pain, the girl, thinking about something, suddenly turned away. Her vigour, that she had displayed just then, disappeared and was replaced by bashfulness and embarrassment. 

“M-My name ……” 

“Ehh?” 

Ash, puzzled, frowned. The girl turned a shade of bright red and shouted. 

“My …… name, my name! Give me a name! T-This is a, somewhat, very important thing!” 

“Do you really want me to give you a name?” 

“It can’t be helped! Although I don’t approve of the secret agreement of Albion, I too, cannot break the rules! You must give me a name for the contract to be complete!” 

“Is that so? The dragons also have so many difficult rules.” 

“I-I don’t need things like your sympathy!” 

Faced with the girls extremely attitude, Ash made a bitter smile. 

“If that’s how it’s going to go, relax. I have already thought of your name” 

Ever since he had become a Breeder, he had always remembered this name. 

“Your name is Eco” 

Compared to Lancelot and Cú Chulainn, it was a little out of fashion. However, it was a rather historical name, frequently appearing in historical or religious textbooks. 

==References and Translation Notes==
<references />

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| Back to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
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</noinclude>

Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Chapter 1

2014-02-15T05:50:57Z

はじめ: Undo revision 323365 by Aoi uchuu (talk)

{{Incomplete}}

== Chapter 1 - Eco the Dragon Girl ==
=== Part 1 ===

Ash's body shuddered. He clearly felt the presence of someone sneaking into his room and crawling onto the bed.

—''You aren't letting me off tonight, too''......?

In the pitch black darkness… The girl's hair and skin had a piercingly cold radiance.

The full moon outside the window overhanging the horizon.

Ash remembered clearly that he had closed the curtains before sleeping.

"Fufu...... It's a beautiful night. Don't you think so?"

The girl looked at Ash disdainfully with the eyes of a conqueror. Her lips showed a bewitching smile.

"Uuu!"

Ash, who was lying on the bed, suddenly could not move.

The girl had sat on Ash's abdomen with her legs spread out. Instead of oppression, Ash could feel warmth coming from the part of his abdomen that was in contact with the lower half of the girl's body.

A faint aroma permeated the room.

What a bewitchingly beautiful girl.

She had waist-long pink hair with a silver shine, snow-white skin and ruby-coloured eyes.

She was only wearing the bare minimum of clothes and was almost naked.

The two big bulges on her chest in front of Ash's face shook slightly.

On each side of her head grew a horn that was no different from a dragon's.

"Who are you? Why are you always...... Uuuuu!"

Ash's question was forcefully interrupted. The upper half of the girl's body slowly approached and hugged Ash tightly.

Her white and smooth skin came into contact with Ash's body with nothing in between.

Her luscious lips whispered into Ash's ear.

"I will also dote on you well tonight."

After letting out a hot breath of air… The girl nibbled Ash's earlobe. <nowiki>*</nowiki>Kaa—* The sound was similar to that of biting the ear's bone.

“N-no...... Don't do that......!"

Ash's body trembled non-stop as if struck by lightning.

The girl greedily devoured Ash's body. Neck, chest, waist, arms…… The numbness of his skin from her tender tongue and sparkling teeth sliding across the skin almost made Ash lose his mind.

Tonight, as usual, the girl shifted her body as she pleased while maintaining that position. It was like a dance.

It's been seven days since the appearance of the mysterious girl.

The girl, who appeared at Ash's bedside every night, spending every moment teasing him playfully.

Who on earth is she?

And what motive does she have?

Why are there two horns growing on her head?

The girl never answered questions.

She always danced on Ash's body and left slowly taking light steps.

The girl's teasing was in full force. Ash would always end up lying on the bed exhausted after the ordeal. Currently sitting by the window, the girl was lifting her slender and beautiful legs with a composed expression.

According to his experience from the past six days. The girl was now going to disappear right before Ash's eyes.

—''After all, this is only a dream''......

When he next opens his eyes… He would be seeing the usual morning.

At least, it has been so for the past six days.

"My name is Navi."

Ash was shocked from suddenly hearing a name that he did not recognise.

This was the first time hearing the girl say her own name.

Ash gathered the last bit of his strength and barely managed to lift up the upper part of his body.

"Navi...... Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

"To entrust myself, who is about to be born soon, to you…… Consider it a form of ritual."

"I don't get what you mean."

"See you, until next time, when we meet in real life!"

Navi's figure became countless silver particles and disappeared in the bright moonlight.

=== Part 2 ===
<nowiki>*</nowiki>—Dong*

At dawn… Ash was abruptly woken up by the sound of a large cannon being fired.

A few seconds later… He then realised that the huge sound was actually from the releasing of fireworks using Oracles.

Ash was at Apollo House.

The dormitory where male students of the Advanced Course<ref>There seems to be another name for the courses such as Yunios for Basic Course as seen in the manga, since my raws used the terms "Basic Course" and "Advanced Course", I shall leave it be</ref> lived at.

A few months earlier, after completing three years of basic courses, Ash had successfully become a first-year student of the Advanced Course and earned the qualification to live in Apollo House.

The biggest difference between Apollo House and other dormitories was the one-person, one-room system. Compared to the past whereby three people had to squeeze into one small room, life in Apollo House was like heaven.

"Uuu...... It's cold!"

Ash's shoulders shivered the moment he got out of bed.

The dawn of an early spring morning still carried a deep chill. Bearing with it the impulse to rush back into bed… Ash pulled open the curtains.

Ash's room was on the third floor. One could see the whole field by standing at the window.

On this dawn; There were many students in the field carrying out preparation work for the "celebration". There were also a lot of riders on their dragons.

Teams of Stradas<ref>Literally air/winged dragon (second interpretation was from my translation from Chinese), the only dragons other than Maestros that can fly</ref> swept across the horizon. It was in preparation for the celebration that was about to start.

The giant lizards running back and forth on the field were the brilliant Asias.<ref>Literally land/earth dragon, it's pronounced as "Aahsia" instead of the way we pronounce the name of that particular continent</ref>

"It is about to start."

The large field was shrouded in a mysterious and unusual atmosphere. Ash started to get nervous.

"Yo, Ash! Time to get up!"

At that moment… Ash heard his friend's voice accompanied by the sound of door knocking.

"Raymond? Give me a moment!"

Ash frantically took out the bandage roll from the first-aid box.

He wrapped the bandage around his left hand to cover up the «Seikoku»<ref>"星刻", literally star-marked/carved</ref> on his arm.

The pattern on his arm was the proof of a Breeder.

At the age of seven; Ash took part in the «Orphan Ceremony» held in Albion Forest and had a dragon larva put in his body.

Unfortunately, Ash's memories of that time were foggy with a lot of parts missing.

Since he obtained the «Seikoku», by logic, he should have seen Mother Dragon within the deep parts of the forest. However. Ash did not even have the slightest impression of having any memories of that scene.

''I really messed up'', Ash thought in self-mockery.

Compared to other students, the «Seikoku» pattern on Ash's arm was especially big.

Similar to a tattoo, of unique design, it extended from his elbow to his wrist like a jet-black snake.

"...... Sorry to keep you waiting."

Finished with wrapping up… Ash opened the door to his room.

His good friend, Raymond Kirkland, was standing at the door with a hearty smile.

"The bandage again? Why don't you try something new?"

"Hmph. A normal person like you won't understand my feelings at all."

Ash was displeased. Raymond could not help but shake his head with a bitter smile.

"Sorry. It's my fault...... Hnn? Your face is red. Do you have a fever?"

"No. Actually...... I've had weird dreams for the past week."

"Weird dreams? What kind of weird dreams?"

"A beautiful girl crawled into my bed. Then… She did a lot of things……"

It was really embarrassing to speak about this sort of things. Ash blushed while recounting what happened.

Raymond could not resist laughing.

"Are you ''that'' desperate for a girl? That is too exaggerated!"

"Are ''you'' any better? We are in the same situation!"

"Nonono. I am different from you. It's not that I'm not popular with the ladies; It's just that I have not yet found someone suited for me."

Raymond took out a small mirror and started admiring himself.

Almost all the students of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy knew that Raymond had severe narcissism. To be fair… Everyone acknowledged that Raymond was a handsome young man. However. People did not dare to get close to him because his personality destroyed the great first impression he gave due to his looks. It was like ruining your own image the moment you speak.<ref>This is a more literal translation of the expression used</ref>

"...... What are you visiting me for so early in the morning?"

Ash said unhappily. Raymond walked into the room as if that did not concern him.

"Did you forget? The competition that we're looking forward to for so long starts today. Speaking of the competition… You must not forget about flirting with girls!"

"What has flirting got to do with the competition? You should also get out there and enter the competition!"

The righteous Ash raised his volume, but, Raymond countered with an evil smile.

"If I didn't remember wrongly… You should be the first Advanced Course student, since the founding of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy, to still have the larva in his body?"

"Uuu......"

Even if he did not wish for it to be so… Ash could not deny that fact. That's right, Ash's dragon companion was still sleeping in his body without a single sign of waking up.

There was not a single change since that year when he was chosen to be a Breeder at the age of seven.

To the students of Ansarivan; Rousing the dragons, growing within their bodies, from slumber was their most basic mission.

Other students had obtained their pals in the first year of basic lessons. All except Ash.

—Pal.

This was a very sacred word… Representing "the dragon nurtured by the Breeder himself". A larva still sleeping within the Breeder's body cannot be addressed as 'pal'.

"Ash, to participate in today's competition, you seem to need something?"

"Yeah, I need a dragon."

"That's right. So. Do you want to borrow my pal?"

Raymond's pal was called Brigid.

Borrowing Brigid was, of course, one of the options Ash was considering. Actually, Ash already knew that Raymond was planning to skip the competition this time.

However. Just accepting Raymond's suggestion like that really hurt Ash's dignity so Ash decided to refuse tactfully.

"I can also borrow Arianrhod<ref>A goddess from Celtic mythology, "arian" meaning silver and "rhod" meaning wheel, many names used in the series are related to Arthurian legends or myths of the same culture</ref> from Max. He's a member of the Student Council and thus cannot take part in the competition."

Student Council members made up the executive committee for the competition and were unable to participate. Max also stated clearly his intention of not participating in the competition.

"You're too naive, Ash. Do you think that Max would lend you his pal?"

"What is it about me?" Max was there leaning on the side of the door in perfectly good condition.

"Uohh!"

Raymond jumped in surprise. Turning around.

"Good morning. Max."

Ignoring Ash's greeting… Max silently adjusted the position of his glasses with his hand.

Maximillian Russell, Ash's classmate, honour student bestowed the title of Dragner by the Paladin and also the Student Council's treasurer.

"You two being so noisy early in the morning… What happened?"

"Ash was crying and begging me to lend him Brigid to participate in the competition."

"Who's crying and begging you?! Max. Can you lend me your Arianrhod? It's just for today."

Yes, for a particular reason, Ash had to participate in today's competition no matter what.

"You want to borrow my pal? In your next life."<ref>Chinese expression meaning that it is impossible to do or achieve it.</ref>

"There's no need to be so ruthless. Right?"

"Let's not discuss about this matter for the moment......"

Max sized up Ash with his sharp eyes.

"You should see for yourself the state this room is in! Didn't I remind you again and again that you must keep your own room clean?"

The overbearing Max walked into the room with big strides and immediately started cleaning. Ever since moving into Apollo House… There has never been a day when Ash's room was clean and neat.

"This scene sure brings back memories."

Gazing at Max working hard at cleaning, Raymond could not help but shake his head with a bitter smile.

—Ash, Raymond, Max.

When they were still Basic Course students, they had gone through many sentimental times together at Merk<ref>Couldn't really find a name with a mythological reference, so I chose one that had Scottish links, do tell me if you found the right name that sounds the same</ref> House. At that time, having a room to yourself was still a faraway dream and the three of them had to squeeze into a small room. Ash and Raymond had a hard time dealing with Max who was a neat freak almost to the point of it being an illness.

"......I have always wondered."

Done with cleaning, Max turned around and looked at Ash.

"Why can you ride other people's pals?"

"Well...... How should I say this......"

"By logic; Dragons only allow their own masters to ride them. There have been many Breeders in the past who have tried riding other people's dragons but they all failed."

"That is indeed true, but, I have obtained consent from the teacher, so it should be all right?"

"Why are you still so indecisive when doing things, just like in the past? Sigh. If you really intend to participate in the competition… Just borrow Brigid. I'll inform the Student Council president."

Ending with that authoritative tone Max left without turning back.

"I wonder who's the one that hasn't changed at all."

Raymond once again shook his head. This time with a bitter smile.

Ash suddenly drew close to Raymond.

"You will lend me Brigid… Right?"

Raymond nodded his head with his eyes having a peculiar glow.

"Of course. You must make the princess change her impression of you!"

Hearing that, Ash's expression instantly became serious.

"I have that intention too."

=== Part 3 ===

The grand fireworks were dazzling.

There was a tense atmosphere in the academy accompanied by excitement in the air.

The "race" Raymond spoke of was one of the names it was commonly known by. The official name was "Aries Dragon Riding Festival". An annual grand event held in the month of Aries (fourth month).<ref>The names of months in the story are taken from the names of the horoscopes in order.</ref>

It was also a springtime activity held by Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy.

Ash, having changed into a Dragsuit,<ref>Term for the clothes worn when riding a dragon</ref> arrived at the academy's sports field.

It was a cloudless sunny day and was decent weather suitable for a race.

Many students on dragons had already gathered on the sports field.

By a rough estimate… There should be over fifty people.

Ash was riding on Brigid, which he borrowed from Raymond, using the reins in his hands to guide Brigid towards the middle of the field.

"You're in a good mood today, Brigid."

Brigid replied to Ash's greeting with a low cry like a spoiled child.

Brigid was an Asia fancied by Ash. Having four greatly developed legs and no wings Brigid did not look like a dragon but more like the larger types of lizards.

Cheers suddenly arose from the students on the field.

"A good morning to all students."

The radiant Student Council president appeared at the centre of the temporarily constructed stage.

The Student Council president did not have a loud voice, but, her words were full of confidence and had a penetrating power.

Fiery red hair, elongated eyes, her beautiful body emitted the cold radiance of a marble statue with a terrifying killing intent. Even the petals dancing in the wind paled in comparison.

Rebecca Randall.

The «Scarlet Empress».

Her red hair, bold personality and unparalleled strength were her attractive points as the school idol of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy.

Even the academy's combat skills instructors could not beat Rebecca on her Maestro Cú Chulainn.<ref>An Irish mythological hero. Do google it if you are interested.</ref> When talking about the strongest student of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy, 99 percent of the students would immediately think of Rebecca.

"The weather is great today—, sorry, I don't want to talk about such nonsense."

The students on the field lowered their heads snickering. "The weather is great today" was the principal's pet phrase, but the festival was an event held by the Student Council, thus, the principal did not have to go on stage to deliver a speech.

"Students of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy; Not only is the Aries Dragon Riding Festival a sports competition… It is also Ansarivan's fine tradition with the results of the race included in the official records. Since you all have decided to participate in the race then you should aim to stand on the victory podium.<ref>The place medalists in sports competitions stand on when they received their medals.</ref> However. I'm aware that fine tradition and official records are not enough as reasons to motivate you to achieve victory."

The students started snickering again, but the snickering stopped quickly.

"So I decided to award the winner a day-long date ticket as a prize. As for the person you are dating, that will be me. Rebecca Randall."

The moment Rebecca finished speaking… Cheers immediately arose from the students.

"Silence!" Rebecca roared.

Instantly. The students were quiet like before the announcement.

"Next would be a speech by the representative of the participants. Advanced Course first-year… Princess Silvia Lautreamont."

At Rebecca's signal a female student's figure appeared at the other side of the stage.

Ash subconsciously clenched his fists.

"The princess is actually the representative of the participants......!"

Silvia's dazzling golden hair was tied up at the back of her head. Wearing a Dragsuit with the royal coat of arms sewn on it, she leapt off her pal— Maestro Lancelot<ref>One of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend</ref> and slowly walked up the stage.

The Lautreamont Knights royal family's fourth princess Silvia.

The «Ice Blue Princess».

She was the daughter of the ruler of Lautreamont Knight Country and who also holds the title of Paladin.

Ash, whose pal still had not been born after such a long time, had always borrowed the pals of other students during practical examinations.

Otherwise, he would have been retained for the year.

To other students, riding other people's pals was suicide; But to Ash, not only was it not dangerous, it was something natural to him.

No matter how short-tempered the dragon was, it would obediently allow Ash to ride on its back. Whether was it a Strada, Asia or Hydra,<ref>Literally water dragon</ref> he could control it with ease.

Unknowingly, Ash's reputation increased with the title of "Genius Dragon Tamer", he was rapidly becoming a famous figure of the academy.
[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi v1 027.jpg|thumb]]

He remembered… That accident happened a few days ago.

Ash borrowed Raymond's pal Brigid to participate in dragonback combat training. Being skilled in combat… Ash defeated his classmates one by one in a short time.

It would be a lie to say that he did not feel proud of that.

Concentrated on combat training, Ash did not notice Lancelot walking behind him at that moment.

Not only was physical contact between dragons very dangerous, it was also a situation the academy did its best to avoid.

Everytime before class. The instructor would always patiently remind them.

Fortunately, Brigid's butt only bumped gently into Lancelot's left leg. Both dragon and rider did not suffer any injuries. However, Ash's presumptuous actions infuriated Silvia.

"What do you take combat training for? If you come to the lesson thinking that it is just a game… You will get into trouble sooner or later!"

Other than her special status… Silvia's strict and hardline way of dealing with things was one of the reasons for her being one of the academy's famous people.

Her serious attitude in class and her feat of letting Lancelot grow into a Maestro in only a short time undoubtedly gained her the admiration of many. Her unreasonable demeanour, on the other hand, was widely criticised.

Everyone acknowledged that Silvia was a born beauty but not even one student was willing to be friends with her.

"Urk...... Sorry. It's my fault."

Ash jumped down from Brigid's back and bowed his head respectfully, apologising.

If this was the usual Silvia she would have calmed down. Facing an opponent who had admitted his mistakes Silvia had always been forgiving. It was said to be one of the knight family's precepts.<ref>Basically a set of principles that family members have to abide by. You usually see this in families with prestigious backgrounds</ref>

However. It was not the same this time.

Silvia, still angry, examined Ash from head to toe, not intending to let him off yet.

"You should think with that pea-sized brain of yours! Who exactly is paying the fees for your schooling, uniform, food, accommodation and teaching materials?"

"......Are you talking about the palace?"

"Of course not, though the palace distributs it,
the money used actually comes from people's taxes. If you continue to have that mindset, that this is just a game, then you should just quit school as soon as possible so that you would not continue wasting the hard-earned money of the people!"

"What? Quit school? Are you serious?"

"There is no free lunch in this world. That is one of the Lautreamont family's precepts!"

There was contempt in her ice blue coloured eyes. At that moment… Ash realised why Silvia was called the «Ice Blue Princess». There had been almost no points of intersection between Ash's and Silvia's paths during the phase of Basic Course. This was the first contact between the both of them.

Even if she was a princess. Ash's pride did not permit him to give in.

"The Lautreamont family's precepts are none of my business! I have already apologised. What else do you want me to do?"

"This is not a problem that can be solved by just an apology! You still do not have your own pal. Right?"

"Uu......"

A sensitive issue of his own was mentioned and Ash was rendered speechless. It seems Silvia also knew some things about Ash.

"Hmph. Like master, like dragon, maybe it died long ago!"

Hearing that, rage burned in Ash's heart.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Let it be. Ash. She is the princess. You cannot win against her."

Behind him, Raymond tried to stop him but Ash ignored him.

This was not the first time that he suffered such humiliation. It was no wonder that Ash was the target of humiliation from everyone since he still did not have his pal.

If the insults were directed toward him… Ash could still bear with it.

However, if it was an insult directed towards his pal, he would not let that go easily.

Ash would fight back with all his strength till the other party apologises.

Similar situations having occurred several times, Ash, who should have been the victim, slowly became the problem child in everyone's eyes.

Talking about the most troublesome person in the academy… Ninety-nine percent of the students would think of Advanced Course first-year Ash Blake.

"Take back what you said immediately."

Even if she was the princess of the kingdom… She should not humiliate others as she pleases.

So, Ash took a step forward, having no intention to hide his anger.

The lesson was interrupted. Everyone's attention was on Ash's confrontation with the princess.

=== Part 4 ===
Silvia, who had ascended the makeshift stage, observed the students whom had assembled in the sports field. 

Finally, her blue pupils stopped abruptly at one place. 

“………” 

It was evident where Silvia was looking. She was, obviously, staring at Ash. 

That day… Silvia had not withdrawn her words. If the other party had been a boy, at that time, Ash would’ve clouted him. However, as expected, even if he wanted to, Ash couldn’t hit a girl. Moreover. She was a princess in the palace circle. 

Instead he had, reluctantly, proposed a condition. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> If I am victorious in the race in a few days, you will take back the words you said a while ago! 

Silvia, nonchalantly, had commented: “That would be fine” and agreed. 

That was the answer that Ash wanted. 

Silvia, once she stopped staring at Ash, opened her mouth. 

An icy voice shook the atmosphere, reminding everyone of the winter that had just passed. 

“You must try your best in any competition. That is my family’s motto <nowiki>------</nowiki> no less” 

Silvia then descended quickly from the stage and, riding smartly on Lancelot, returned to the sports field. 

After a few seconds of silence, only a sparse amount of applause arose from the sports field as everyone was taken aback by Silvia’s haughty attitude. 

“What?” 

“It is obvious that Lancelot is the outstanding one… Not his owner.” 

“What is so great about his master?” 

“Wasn't the first paladin originally a knight of the Chevron Kingdom. In other words; 'only just a fortunate soldier' nothing more. Definitely not royal.” 

“As expected of that brother’s sister”<ref>Chinese phrase that basically refers to the fact that brothers and sisters are the same ... something along the lines of that</ref> 

Ash nonchalantly glanced at a few same grade female students, who were murmuring quietly behind him. 

At first, Ash had taken no notice of their conversation, however: 

“That brother’s sister.” 

That part of sentence caught his attention. 

The ‘brother’ that the female students had said, obviously referred to Prince Julius. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Dragon Slayer Julius. 

Although he was the eldest son of the Knight family he violated the biggest taboo. 

No one knew why he would slay his dragon as he was publicly executed for breaching the taboo before he could disclose his motive. 

To bring his name up at this occasion… Really wasn’t thoughtful. 

Even if he had shamed the Royal Knight Family that was ten years ago. There really wasn’t any good in bringing up these old matters. 

“…… She really doesn’t have an easy life.” 

Ash, suddenly, began to sympathize a little for Silvia’s plight. 

=== Part 5 ===
The competition was about to start. 

The row order of the contestants had been sequenced according to the results of the mock competitions that had occurred during training class. 

Usually the fastest riders were placed at the front. 

However. This year’s dragon riding competition was different. 

The players, who were placed at the front, were now the worst scoring students of the mock competitions. 

Apparently… It was Rebecca’s suggestion; Her reason being that the competition would be more exciting. 

As a result, based on the new rules, Silvia, who had scored top in the mock competitions, had no choice but to be placed in the last row. 

Aside from Silvia. Ash was also in the last row. 

Although the student council had made an exception to the rule to allow him to use another student’s pal, to participate in the competition, just to be fair, his starting position had been purposely positioned in the last row. 

Without doubt, this type of order doubled as a safeguard against a sudden surge of contestants once the race had started. 

Nevertheless, despite these new rules, this situation could be said to be favorable to him. <ref>Chinese phrase. Basically the equivalent of "play into the hands of (Ash)" </ref> 

To be allowed to participate in the competition was already a one in ten thousand chance <ref>In other words, very lucky</ref>. Furthermore, to be placed beside Silvia, was the perfect opportunity to execute their showdown. 

With every minute and second that passed… He gradually became more and more focused <ref>Chinese phrase that literally translates into "retracted his state of mind"</ref>. 

Silvia didn't talk to him. 

Likewise he felt that there wasn’t a need to converse with her. 

Finally the preparations before the race were finished. 

The cheers coming from the audience around the sports field’s boarder had reached a climax. 

All around… A unique sense of tension filled the atmosphere. 

Ash clearly felt his own heartbeat gradually quickening. During the mock competitions he had never felt so nervous. 

“On your marks!” 

Rebecca’s voice emanated from mid-air. 

Clad in a uniform she was riding on her pal’s back. Essentially this was breaching the school rules, however, as today was the annual Dragon Riding Festival, no one had raised that issue. 

Arms akimbo<ref>A human body position in which the hands are on the hips and the elbows are bowed outward. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akimbo<ref/> she now stood majestically on top of Cú Chulainn’s head. Her high-spirited heroic bearing immediately attracted everyone’s attention. 

This was her riding position. 

As Cú Chulainn’s body was too big to find a suitable saddle, and also, because she had publicly expressed that she did not want to restrain her beloved pal with a rein and saddle, this evolved into her current unique riding position. 

A suffocating silence enveloped the audience, as she lifted a magic carbine <ref>A carbine is a gun used by horsemen, do Google it!</ref>. 

Only the sound of one’s own heartbeat and the deep breathing of the dragons could be heard. 

“Get set ------” 

The carbine’s muzzle was aimed at the sky. 

Then, when the flash of an Oracle illuminated the horizon, the gun let out an enormous bang. 

Around fifty dragons, at the same time, started to run leaving behind a cloud of dust. 

The Stradas, whose tails a smoke bomb had been tied to, formed into a column and, at the same time, flapped their wings and flew. While that was happening, the smoke from the smoke bombs formed a seven-coloured rainbow in the sky. 

=== Part 6 ===
Brigid did not betray Ash’s expectations. After his flawless start he ran flat out… Hot on Lancelot’s tail. As they moved around the academy’s sports field the competitors maintained a distance between each other. 

Then, in the midst of loud cheering, they passed through the school gate that led to the city district. 

“Full speed ahead!” 

At Ash’s urging, Brigid let out a roar. 

Ash intended to, with all his strength, rush through the avenue leading St. Durham Square. 

Maestro Lancelot also possessed an astonishing speed. Within a blink of an eye, he had already overtaken many competitors. 

Brigid tailed closely behind Lancelot’s body, where the effect of air friction was the least, ascending the ranks with him. However, when Lancelot was about to enter a narrow city road, which was connected to St. Durham Square, he suddenly slowed down. 

“……… That’s odd.” 

Ash, who had been following Brigid, raised his head and looked ahead. 

“Them ………!” 

Four competitors, side by side in a row, had obstructed the way ahead. Upon closer inspection, Ash immediately realised that they were the same four female students who had slandered Silvia before the competition. 

Ahead, the narrow city road meandered endlessly, plagued with numerous challenging turns. It seems that until I have exited the city district, I will have to be patient, Ash thought to himself. 

All of a sudden, he grasped their intentions. 

“Those people ………” 

They were probably here to target Silvia. 

Whenever other competitors approached from behind, they would, at once, automatically create a small gap to allow them to pass. 

Bit by bit, Silvia’s ranking was deteriorating. Soon, she, along with Ash, would be last. 

Ash was at a loss. 

Overtaking Silvia wouldn’t be hard. The female students obstructing the way ahead should let him pass. After all. He was a bystander to them so there wasn’t any need to make things hard for him. 

“You people really have taken things too far!” 

Infuriated. Ash couldn’t help but shout at them. 

“Do you really not care?” 

He exclaimed, in a loud voice, as he spurred Brigid to Lancelot’s side. 

Due to the difference in height between the Maestro and Asia Ash had to look up at Silvia. 

In contrast, Silvia glanced down at Ash, her face was etched with contempt. 

“……… There is nothing that can be done about this, whether it is blocking our way or working together, it doesn’t violate the rules of this race.” 

“Now is the time to act noble! Could it be that you aren’t angry at all?” 

“I don’t want to talk to enemies! Go away! It’s none of your business!” 

“You excessively prideful person! No wonder you can’t make any friends!” 

“Y-You! What did you say!” 

Ignoring Silvia’s protests Ash spurred Brigid ahead quickly leaving Lancelot behind and approaching the four female students whom were blocking the way ahead. 

As expected, as soon as one of the four girls noticed him, she promptly shifted over, creating a gap on her right. 

Ash, without looking at any of them, spurred Brigid straight towards the gap that she had created. 

They probably had thought that he was just going to pass through. 

“Fu ……… you are wrong!” 

With a flick of the reins in his hand he used Brigid’s enormous body and immediately moved to squash the female students beside him. 

They were now extremely close together, almost reaching the point of breaking the competition’s rules. 

“Hey, what are you trying to do?” 

One of the girls paled <ref>Chinese phrase 花容失色. 花容 - Literally means flower colour / radiance [And it referrers to a beautiful girl] and 失色 - means to lose colour</ref>, due to fright. 

Due to turmoil caused by Ash the four riders, who had been in an orderly row, were now shortening the distance between themselves. Soon they would collide into each other. 

There was only one option to prevent this; To relinquish their positions. However, if they did so, they would destroy their row formation. 

Without doubt, this was the goal Ash had aimed to achieve, and, after achieving the upper hand, he didn’t overlook the chance to gibe at them: 

“I’m very sorry for the trouble I have caused. This dragon was borrowed from someone and it seems to be a little disobedient!” 

The expression of one of the girls, suddenly changed. 

“You are Ash Blake!” 

Whether it was luck or not, Ash’s name seemed to have an profound effect on them. 

“It’s the Number One Problem Child in the academy!” 

“Uhh! Stay away from me!” 

“Kyaaa!” 

The four female students promptly broke formation and, after a brief period of turmoil, they all fell hopelessly at the side of the road. 

Their high-pitched shrieks, along with the roars of the dragons, reverberated endlessly in the narrow city road. 

Silvia, who had been behind, deftly dodged the female students and dragons, and quickly picked up speed. 

“W-Who told you to meddle in other people’s business!” 

In spite of her brusque tone her cheeks, however, turned slightly red. 

=== Part 7 ===
After leaving the city district, he journeyed north on the main road, arriving at Fianna Forest. 

The forest was also a part of the competition’s course. The skills required were now, were vastly different from the ones needed to navigate through the city roads. 

After just entering the forest, a strange thing happened. 

“……… Brigid?” 

Brigid, who had been tailing Lancelot the whole journey, suddenly slowed down. 

Silvia, obviously, took advantage of this opportunity. In a nick of time she had disappeared. 

“What’s wrong ………?” 

Brigid, finally, stopped walking. 

He was breathing heavily and his expression was one of great pain. 

Ash, now, had finally realised the mistake he had made. 

“I was too careless.” 

While Ash had been preoccupied with following Silvia, he hadn’t noticed that Brigid had run out of stamina. 

From the start Brigid had always maintained the same speed as Lancelot in spite of the difference of stamina between a Maestro and an Asia. Generally, in order to successfully finish the competition, the pace to compete at should have been determined from the stamina of the dragon. 

“………Sorry, Brigid.” 

After he had apologised, Brigid let out a soft snort, as if he was ashamed of his physical strength. 

Now, groups of competitors, bit by bit, had caught up. One by one, they raced past Ash’s side. 

The sound of thunderous rumbling shook the earth as the air filled with dust. 

The sight of a group of Asias running in the forest was spectacular to behold. Ash could sense the ground rocking incessantly. It didn't subside for quite a while. 

Ash’s competition, at his point of time, had concluded. 

Between him and Silvia, a winner had been determined. His goal to force Silvia to take back her words, in the end, wasn’t achieved. 

If this was described as unfortunate, it would be a lie. Ash had really wanted to complete the competition. For the entire time, he had made a bee line for the finish line. 

However, oddly enough, Ash’s mood was rather carefree. 

“It turns out that competing with the princess is quite interesting.” 

No matter how reluctant, he couldn’t deny this fact. 

Then, at this moment<nowiki>------</nowiki> 

A rustling noise, without warning, came from behind. 

“<nowiki>------</nowiki>!” 

Ash instinctively looked back staring at the forest behind him. 

“………Who is it?” 

For safety reasons Ansarivan’s security guards would, during the race, patrol the forest. 

In the forest, to sense another person’s presence, wasn’t something to make a big fuss out of. 

However, whoever it was, hadn’t replied. If it was really a security guard he should have already appeared directly before Ash who had been eliminated. 

Ash heightened his awareness and cautiously surveyed the surroundings. 

Although he hadn’t discovered any suspicious figures he felt as though someone was watching him.
He could feel a sense of foreboding growing within himself. 

“Wait for me here.” 

After leaving Brigid there… Ash walked into the depths of the forest. 

=== Part 8 ===
<noinclude>
Fianna Forest, bordered on the west by Rubina Lake, was located northwest of the city Ansarivan. It’s one of the largest forests within the borders of Lautreamont Knight Country. 

As Ash ran in the forest, so as to not trip over the tree roots that crawled over the earth like a web of intricate blood vessels, he constantly looked down at his feet. 

Then, once again, he sensed the presence of someone else. 

“Found you!” 

Trusting his own intuition, Ash threw a stone at the bushes in front of him. 

The bushes rocked left and right, making a rustling sound. 

“Your intuition is quite keen. It really is one of your talents” 

Stated a voice that possessed both the vitality of youth and the staid of seniority. 

“You are ………?” 

From the bushes, a tall thin man emerged. In his left hand, he held the very stone that Ash had just thrown. 

Though he was dressed in a traveller’s garb, which wasn’t out of the ordinary, Ash was shocked into silence. 

This was because that man was wearing a silver coloured mask on his face, which covered everything except for his nose and mouth. 

In addition to this, his gleaming sliver hair was streaked through with strands of crimson hair, which brought to mind an image of silver silk slowly shedding blood, as well as the blood used to write cursed scripts. 

In his right hand, he held a black object that emitted light. 

“A mechanical weapon from ……… The Empire<ref>Although the sources don't say so, this 'empire' refers to the Zepharos Empire</ref>?” 

Ash, dumbfounded, stood on the spot unable to move. 

It’s not like he didn’t know about it. 

On the other side of the steep mountain range, lacking the blessing of dragons, the Empire, nevertheless, had a highly developed civilisation based on machinery. 

The weapon that the masked man held in his hand probably was the product of mechanical engineering. If he remembered correctly, it was a ‘short machine gun’, a gun that combined the portability of a pistol and the rapid fire of a machine gun. Ash didn’t dare to act rashly. He knew that man could easily, at a moment’s notice, riddle him with so many bullet holes that he would look like a honeycomb. 

Perhaps it was because he had perceived Ash’s wariness… The corners of the man’s mouth twitched faintly upwards. 

“Young man. You are very bright.” 

“You are ……… A soldier of the Empire?” 

“Do I look like one?” 

Ash didn’t know what to decide. 

That object in the man’s hand was a weapon manufactured by the Empire. 

However, that man didn’t have an Empire accent. Instead, he had a strong Chevron Kingdom accent. Aside from that… The way he spoke was highly refined. To be more precise, he was speaking so-called ‘King’s Chevrish’. 

Ash realised that he was in a precarious situation. 

If the masked man was from the Empire… Why would he be lurking around the outskirts of Ansarivan for? 

Maybe he was an Empire spy. 

The Chevron Kingdom and the Zepharos Empire, the two great powers of this continent, had been in a Cold War which had, already, lasted five decades. 

Sandwiched between those two countries, was the Lautreamont Knight Country, the Chevron Kingdom’s child country. 

Initially. The Knight Country was part of the Kingdom<ref>Kingdom here refers to the Chevron Kingdom</ref>, therefore, the relationship between these two countries would, naturally, be much closer than any of their allies. 

Currently, should armed personal from the Empire appear within boarders of Knight Country, this country could, and would, interpret this as a military operation of the Empire. 

However. Ash’s strength was finite. He was definitely incapable of opposing the man before his eyes. 

“Young man, how old are you?” 

The masked man’s unexpected question distracted him for a moment. 

“……… Sixteen. Is there something wrong with that?” 

“That’s strange. Why do you still have larva within you?” 

Ash, astounded, subconsciously retreated a few steps. 

“H-How do you know?” 

“The curse on your body allowed me to clearly perceive that.” 

“Curse ………?” 

Ash frowned. He never would never have expected to hear, from the mouth of a person from the Empire, words so unscientific. 

Unfortunately… He didn’t have the time to ask what those words truly meant. 

“Get away from Milgauss-sama” 

A tender, yet commanding, voice resonated in his ears. 

Reflexively, he looked back and saw a petite figure moving towards him. Then, immediately after pulling an object from its left bracer, the shrill sound of air being sliced sounded by his ear. 

“Argh!” 

Moving his body quickly… Ash awkwardly dodged the surprise attack. A pitch-black serpent passed through the space where his head had been. Actually, upon closer inspection, the pitch-black snake was actually a long whip. The preferred weapon of the Tantalos Tribe. 

Those who master this weapon are said to have an unpredictable attack. Even soldiers armed with swords, guns or cannons weren’t a match. 

Ash dived onto the ground and began to roll, attempting to distance himself. 

Although his attacker was also wearing a mask, from their exposed eyes, he determined that it was most likely a young teenage girl. 

Her beautiful jet-black hair was fixed at the back of her head and, despite her petite stature, her eyes were filled with murderous intent. 

Ash, improvising on the spot, got up from the ground, grabbed a handful of dirt, threw it at the girl, turned and ran. 

“Argh ………!” 

The girl flinched and, for a brief moment, shielded her eyes. Then she began to pursue Ash. 

Ash, sprinting, plunged into a nearby thicket. 

“Damn ……… Why am I so unfortunate!” 

Upon rushing out of the forest his field of vision immediately widened. 

Above him a dazzling blue sky stretched as far as the eye could see forcing him to narrow his eyes. 

Barren rocks, big and small, littered the ground. 

Ash swallowed. This situation wasn’t good. Ahead of him there was a ravine. Its edge was around ten steps away. Ash looked around but couldn’t find a bridge. 

“Obediently accept your fate!” 

The girl appeared from within the forest. 

Ash, with his back to the cliff, confronted her. 

“When did I ever wrong you?” 

“Meeting us. This was your greatest misfortune.” 

The girls tone was flat, lacking any rise or drop in pitch, making her sound emotionless. 

“That’s absurd!” 

“War needs no reason.” 

“Isn’t there an armistice?” 

“Armistice? That nothing more than something we pretend to adhere to. In reality the war between the Empire and the Kingdom hasn’t ended!” 

The girl kicked the ground, and, brandishing the whip in her hand, slowly forced Ash towards the edge of ravine behind him. 

Though Ash scored quite well in the class of fighting techniques, this girl’s movements were too fast. He could only, step by step, retreat backwards. 

In a few more steps, he would fall into the ravine. 

“Hmph ……… I wonder how long you can continue to struggle!” 

She sounded irritated. In fact, she was most likely an impetuous person. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Now! 

Ash grabbed the end of the whip, which had missed him, and then, with a great pull, broke her balance. 

“Uooo!” 

He grabbed her by her collar and, using her own momentum<ref>Do google Aikido !!!</ref>, hurled her away. Her body traced a parabola in the air. Ash was surprised, as he hadn’t expected her body to be so light. 

“Kawaa!” 

Falling heavily, the girl gave a painful cry and her right hand involuntarily realised the whip. 

“Uguu ………” 

Still conscious… Tears of misery appeared her eyes. Aside from that she was constantly squirming as if in great pain. She probably wouldn’t be able to stand for a quite a while. 

Steading his breathing, Ash slowly extended his right hand towards the mask on her face. He wanted to see what she looked like. Then, just at this moment. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki> Bishi! 

A peculiar noise, similar to that of an object fracturing, could be heard. 

“Eh ………?” 

Ash could hardly believe his eyes. 

The outcrop <ref>Exposed bedrock</ref> supporting their weight, unexpectedly, had begun to collapse. 

This was most likely due to a geological fault in the rock. This fight should never have been performed in this kind of location. Then he noticed it… A warning sign labelled “Beware of Collapse”. 

“Ku ………!” 

Ash had no time to ponder. He lifted the girl and threw her forwards. 

She landed safely on a stable piece of outcrop. 

However, in doing so, he didn’t have enough time to escape. Instead he fell, along with the rocky debris, into the ravine. 

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!” 

The immense drag of the wind almost tore his skin. 

Ash was scared of falling into a bottomless ravine. Then, at this moment, he felt his left wrist heat up. 

“Eh ………?” 

A flash of light burst through his clothing. The «Seikoku», which extended from his elbow to his wrist, suddenly began to emit heat and scarlet light. 

The shrill sound of the wind was silenced. 

In fact, all sound was silenced. 

“Ugh ………!” 

Ash felt an excruciating pain within his chest, as if it was being torn in half, as though something was trying to break out of his body. 

The pain almost caused him to lose consciousness. 

While bearing the pain, he looked down at his chest and found that it was exuding a dazzling radiance. 

“Guaaaaaaaaaaaah!” 

Ash gave a great scream as his consciousness gradually began to fade. 

However, within his hazy vision, he saw something clearly. 

A girl was floating in mid-air. 

Completely naked. 

With her eyes tightly closed and her arms open she floated next to him. 

Subconsciously… Ash reached out with both his hands towards her petite body. 

She slid with no resistance into his arms. 

Around them a blinding light had, unbeknownst to them, enveloped their bodies. 

Not only that, but their descent had slowed down. 

Hugging the girl, Ash slowly floated down, like one would within a child’s fairy tale. 

Before long… They landed on a rock beside a creek. 

The ball of light, which had protected them, instantly turned into countless particles and disappeared without a trace. 

“Am I safe now ………?” 

Ash mumbled to himself as he looked down at the girl in his arms. 

The breathing of the girl, whose eyes were still closed, sounded rather peaceful. 

“Uwaa!” 

Ash felt a little ardent as he realised that the girl was naked. 

Her dainty figure, along with her slightly bulging chest, and her smooth and delicate white skin was definitely something that was hardly ever seen within this world. In fact. It gave rise to the illusion of an angel descending into the world of mortals. 

Her age was probably around fourteen or fifteen. 

Gently laying her on the ground, Ash swiftly took off the coat of his Dragsuit.[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi v1 055.jpg|thumb]] 

With just his coat he was able to sufficiently cover her petite body. 

“Fuu ………” 

With this done Ash, feeling relieved, sat on the ground. 

Yet again, he looked at the face of the girl. 

“Could she be ……… Navi?” 

Within his mind, an image of the girl who had, since the start of this week, been teasing him within his dreams, surfaced. 

“No. you are similar for sure ……… But still a little different.” 

To draw an analogy Navi would be a succubus from a Gothic novel with a face that retained the innocence, of childhood and yet also possessing the charm of a mature woman. 

On the other hand… The girl before his eyes was just a girl. Ash couldn’t feel any mature charm from her. 

“……… eh?” 

Ash frowned. Something small, circular and ivory coloured, protruded from top left and right of sides her head. 

“What is this?” 

With his fingertips Ash gently probed the mysterious protrusions. 

It was soft and a little flexible and seemed to be made of some kind of cartilage. 

The mysterious protrusions had a peculiar feel to it, making him want to touch it again after first touching it. However. Ash resisted the urges to touch it again as it would be impolite. 

Looks like those mysterious protrusions weren’t accessories but part of her body. 

“Could it be ……… horns?” 

The little protrusions on top of her head, indeed, seemed to be identical to the horns of a young dragon. 

Ash couldn’t help but recall the details of the events, that had happen prior to now, in his mind. 

The girl had emerged out of his body and she had two horns growing from top left and right sides of her head. 

As a result, there could only be one conclusion. 

“……… this young girl is my pal?” 

Ash was dumbfounded. 

He had always wished to rouse his pal from sleep, however, why was his pal a girl when everyone else’s were dragons? 

“Uuu ………nnn ………” 

The girl’s long eyelashes quivered a little. 

“Huwaaa ………” 

The girl, in contrast to her beautiful appearance, gave a great yawn. 

One of her double eyelids slowly began to open. 

Ash, subconsciously, leaned forwards and looked at her face. 

Her ruby coloured pupils were very fascinating. 

Bleary eyed, she suddenly opened her eyes wide and her facial expression became one of shock. 

“Hugiyaaaaaaaa!” 

“Oooof!” 

Ash, receiving a slap on his cheek, fell backwards and his head became immersed in the creek. 

Fortunately, the stream wasn’t deep, so aside from his sorry figure, he wasn’t hurt. 

“S-Such great strength ………” 

With blood trickling from his nose… Ash struggled to get up. 

“To go so far as to take advantage of a sleeping lady really is too much! Don’t you know who I am?” 

Blushing hard she suddenly stood up. 

The jacket that Ash had draped over her body, slid off. 

Her dainty naked body was clearly visible. 

However, she made no move to cover herself. 

“P-Please put on your clothes first before you talk!” 

Ash quickly looked away. 

“Clothes? Ridiculous! Clothes are just items humans create to hide their ugliness.” 

“What?” 

“That’s right. A proper dragon doesn’t need clothes!” 

“I don’t care whether you need clothes or not! Just put them on!” 

After saying that Ash turned his back on her. 

“I know that you are a dragon! Well ……… Strictly speaking I’m not sure. However, even if you’re a dragon, right now, you are a girl!” 

“So what?” 

“That ……… naked girl standing in front of me ……… is making me lose my calm” 

“Hmph! Such a useless guy. Like I said, humans are really <nowiki>------</nowiki>” 

At this moment, a strong gust of wind blew through the ravine. 

Though it was now spring, it still felt chilly when a gust of wind blew on the body. 

“A ……Ahchoo!” 

Compared to her arrogant attitude just then… Her sneeze was extremely cute. 

After her sneeze an unimaginably huge gust of wind headed towards Ash. 

“Uoo!” 

Immediately Ash clung onto the rock next to him and, like this, prevented himself from getting blown away. 

“A dragons’ sneeze is, it turns out to be, quite formidable ………” 

After calming himself down, with his back towards the girl, Ash proceeded to defend his opinion: 

“You’re right… Clothes do make people look better. However, apart from that, they also protect against the cold!” 

“Muuu ………” 

The girl pouted as if she didn’t quite agree with Ash’s point. However, in the end, she accepted his opinion. 

Before long, there was a rustling sound. 

Cautiously turning his head around, Ash saw that she had obediently put on the jacket. 

As her body was very petite, just the jacket was enough to cover her important parts. However, her legs were still exposed. 

Her white tender thighs caused Ash to hold his breath. Wearing just a male jacket, her current appearance, compared when she was naked, caused one to fantasize even more. 

After directing his gaze away from her thighs Ash sighed a few times. 

“There is something I want to confirm. You should be the dragon that was within me.” 

“Strictly speaking. I was only temporarily borrowing your body.” 

“Weren’t you within my body for too long? I’ve already become a first year Advanced Course student!” 

“What did you say?” 

The girl eyed Ash with an ominous glint in her eyes. 

Her expression, as sharp as a sword, rested on Ash’s chest. 

“N-Nothing ………” 

Ash, a little overwhelmed by the girl’s reaction, could only reply like this. 

“I am not an ordinary dragon. Do not lump me with the others.” 

“Whaa?” 

Clearly displeased, the girl planted both her hands on her hips and looked at Ash. 

“Listen carefully, I do not think that you think that you are my master at all! Who cares about the secret agreement of Albion ………” 

Ash was a little surprised when the girl mentioned that historical term. 

<nowiki>------</nowiki>The secret agreement of Albion 

Long ago, confronted with the crisis of extinction, the dragons stipulated a treaty with humans who wanted their magic. 

“……… That being said, you and I share a common destiny. Although you cannot see it, we are bound together by an invisible thread.” 

What she was talking about was probably the so-called Astral Flow. 

“After combining with humans dragons are able to get a supply of the Astral. As a result. Dragons obtained the strength to survive thus overcoming the crisis of extinction.” 

This knowledge was taught during the Basic Course. The Astral was something similar to “qi”<ref>Look it up here! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi</ref> and was the source of greatly-needed strength. 

The history of the dragons was far longer than that of humans. With each new generation, the Astral contained within their bodies decreased. 

Due to the lack of the Astral, before becoming fully grown, many young dragons died prematurely. 

If young dragons were unable to mature into adult dragons, sooner or later, dragons would go down the path of extinction. 

Concerned by the current situation the dragons decided to combine with certain humans, who possessed the most Astral Flow, thus avoiding extinction. 

“Quite so. However, even so, I don’t believe the dragons owe humans one. Instead, humans should feel honoured.” 

“No. Shouldn’t you, at least, feel a little thankful?” 

Having just finished saying that… Ash’s abdomen received a blow from the girl’s elbow. 

“Gah!” 

“By the way …” 

After glancing at Ash, who was writhing in pain, the girl, thinking about something, suddenly turned away. Her vigour, that she had displayed just then, disappeared and was replaced by bashfulness and embarrassment. 

“M-My name ……” 

“Ehh?” 

Ash, puzzled, frowned. The girl turned a shade of bright red and shouted. 

“My, …… name, my name! Give me a name! T-This is a, somewhat, very important thing!” 

“Do you really want me to give you a name?” 

“It can’t be helped! Although I don’t approve of the secret agreement of Albion, I too, cannot break the rules! You must give me a name for the contract to be complete!” 

“Is that so? The dragons also have so many difficult rules.” 

“I-I don’t need things like your sympathy!” 

Faced with the girls extremely attitude, Ash made a bitter smile. 

“If that’s how it’s going to go, relax. I have already thought of your name” 

Ever since he had become a Breeder, he had always remembered this name. 

“Your name is Eco” 

Compared to Lancelot and Cú Chulainn, it was a little out of fashion. However, it was a rather historical name, frequently appearing in historical or religious textbooks. 

==References and Translation Notes==
<references />

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 1 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Kenshin no Keishousha:Names and Terminology Guideline

2014-02-06T10:35:11Z

はじめ: Created page with "This page serves to supplement the general format/style guideline page to minimize inconsistencies in formatting, style, naming, etc., among different tra..."

This page serves to supplement the general [[Format guideline|format/style guideline page]] to minimize inconsistencies in formatting, style, naming, etc., among different translators and editors. Please go through [[Format guideline|that page]] before this page if you have not done so yet. Any new suggestions or disagreements with the guidelines are welcome. '''When using the talk pages, please sign your posts using the signature button.''' The project supervisor (if he/she exists) shall have the final say. Before suggesting a change, do bear in mind the impact of the change to already translated content and weigh that against the value and importance of the change.

'''Warning: This page contains possible spoilers!'''

=Names & Terminology=
Translators who encounter a '''recurring''' term or name not listed here are encouraged to update this list. If in doubt, discuss on the talk page or in the forums for input from other Japanese raw readers.

Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo

2014-01-30T08:04:32Z

はじめ:

[[Image:mondaiji_cover.jpg|250px|thumb|Volume 1 Cover]]

Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai Kara Kuru Sou Desu yo? (問題児たちが異世界から来るそうですよ? lit. Problem Children are Coming from Another World, Aren't They?) also known as Mondaiji (問題児) for short is a Japanese light novel series written by Tatsunoko Tarou and illustrated by Amano Yuu. An anime adaptation by Diomedea aired from January 11, 2013 to March 15, 2013, covering the first two volumes of the novel.

The Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai Kara Kuru Sou Desu yo? series is also available in the following languages:

:*[[Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo - Français|French (Français)]]

== Story Synopsis ==

Sakamaki Izayoi, Kudou Asuka, and Kasukabe You have tremendous powers and are bored with the regular world. An envelope arrives for each person, and when each opens their envelope, they are stunned to see the scenery around them change to a world they had never encountered before. They've been summoned by Black Rabbit to help the community "No Name" to overthrow the Demon lords.

== Translation ==
=== [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Registration Page|Registration]] ===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to first notify a supervisor beforehand.

'''Translators are asked to [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo:Names_and_Terminology_Guidelines|Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology]]

===Feedback / Discussions===
* Since Vol.1 Chapter 5 I (Firebird) will put a link to a public Google docs document beside the chapter link that anyone can comment on. I think this makes it easier to have a discussion about certain parts of the text. If you find any part of the translation strange, badly worded or simply unclear, then don't hesitate to leave a comment.
*[http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5178 Forums]
*[http://www.reddit.com/r/mondaiji/ Reddit r/mondaiji]

== Updates ==
*January 30th, 2014
**Volume 5 Afterword completed
**Volume 5 completed
**Volume 3 Afterword completed
*January 29th, 2014
**Volume 5 Chapter 8 completed
**Volume 5 Epilogue completed
*January 25th, 2014
**Volume 5 Chapter 7 completed
*January 21st, 2014
**Volume 5 Interlude 2 completed
*[[Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo:Project Updates|Older Project Updates]]

== Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai kara Kuru Sou Desu yo? series by Tatsunoko Tarō==

===Volume 1 - Yes! Kuro Usagi called you!===
[[image:mondaiji_cover.jpg|thumb]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_1_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_1_Prologue|Prologue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_1_Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_1_Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_1_Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_1_Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_1_Chapter 5|Chapter 5]] [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WPV2r36G3lqScE8Hr_7k0PrWn0dr_p18nZOfZTruQ-U/edit?usp=sharing (Commentable version)]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_1_Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_1_Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_1_Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_1_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_1_Afterwords|Afterwords]]

 

===Volume 2 - Oh dear, a Declaration of War by a Demon Lord? ([[Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo:Volume 2|Full Text]])===
[[image:Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo v02 000a.jpg|thumb]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Prologue|Prologue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Interlude|Interlude]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_2_Afterwords|Afterwords]]

 

===Volume 3 - I see.. Dragon summoning===
[[image:Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo v03 000a.jpg|thumb]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Prologue|Prologue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Epilogue 2|Epilogue 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_3_Afterwords|Afterwords]]

 

===Volume 4 - Defeat the 13th Sun===
[[image:Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo v04 000a.jpg|thumb]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Prologue|Prologue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Interlude 1|Interlude 1]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Interlude 2|Interlude 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Interlude 3|Interlude 3]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Interlude 4|Interlude 4]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Interlude 5|Interlude 5]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Interlude 6|Interlude 6]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Interlude 7|Interlude 7]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Interlude 8|Interlude 8]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_4_Afterwords|Afterwords]]

 

===Volume 5 - Supreme Ruler of the Blue Waters Descends ([[Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo:Volume 5|Full Text]])===
[[image:Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo v05 000a.jpg|thumb]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Prologue|Prologue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Interlude|Interlude]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Interlude 2|Interlude 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_5_Afterwords|Afterwords]]

 

===Volume 6 - Flag of the Ouroboros Alliance===
[[Image:Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo v06 000a.jpg|thumb]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Prologue|Prologue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Interlude|Interlude]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_6_Afterwords|Afterwords]]

 

===Volume 7 - Setting Sun and Falling Moon===
[[Image:Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo v07 000a.PNG|thumb]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_7_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_7_Prologue|Prologue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_7_Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_7_Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_7_Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_7_Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_7_Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_7_Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_7_Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_7_Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_7_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_7_Afterwords|Afterwords]]

 

===Volume 8 - Tyranny of the Three Headed Dragon===
[[Image:Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudeso yo Vol8.jpg|thumb]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_8_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_8_Prologue|Prologue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_8_Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_8_Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_8_Interlude|Interlude]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_8_Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_8_Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_8_The Off-topic Gossip|The Off-topic Gossip]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_8_A Tea Gathering|A Tea Gathering]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_8_Lily's Big Adventure|Lily's Big Adventure]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_8_The Off-topic Gossip 2|The Off-topic Gossip 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_8_Afterword|Afterword]]

 

===Volume 9 - Yes! Everyday life in Little Garden===
[[Image:Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo v09 000a.PNG|thumb]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_9_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_9_Prologue|Prologue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_9_Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_9_Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_9_Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_9_Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_9_Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_9_Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_9_Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_9_Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_9_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::* [[Mondaiji-tachi_ga_isekai_kara_kuru_soudesu_yo:Volume_9_Afterwords|Afterwords]]

 

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator:
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Firebird|Firebird]]
=== Translators ===

'''ACTIVE'''
:* [[User:Firebird|Firebird]]

'''MIA'''
:* [[User:Primus_de_Pedos|Primus de Pedos]] (Chinese Translator)
:* [[User:Mizuho|Mizuho]] (Proxying Aphraelyn)
:* [[User:Drinkingwater|Drinkingwater]] (Chinese Translator)

'''KIA'''

=== Editors ===

'''ACTIVE'''
:* [[User:Code_06|Code 06]]
:* [[User:Trigger91|Trigger91]]
:* [[User:Flowers-LavDai|Flowers-LavDai]]
:* [[User:Draconic|Draconic]]

== Series Overview ==
* ''Volume 1: Mondaijitachi ga Isekai kara kuru soudesu yo? - Yes! Kuro Usagi called you!'' (Published April, 2011, ISBN 978-4-04-474839-5 )
* ''Volume 2: Mondaijitachi ga Isekai kara kuru soudesu yo? - Oh dear, a Declaration of War by a Demon Lord?'' (Published July, 2011, ISBN 978-4-04-474848-7 )
* ''Volume 3: Mondaijitachi ga Isekai kara kuru soudesu yo? - I see.. Dragon summoning'' (Published November, 2011, ISBN 978-4-04-474854-8 )
* ''Volume 4: Mondaijitachi ga Isekai kara kuru soudesu yo? - Defeat the 13th Sun'' (Published March, 2012, ISBN 978-4-04-100182-0 )
* ''Volume 5: Mondaijitachi ga Isekai kara kuru soudesu yo? - Supreme Ruler of the Blue Waters Descends'' (Published July, 2012, ISBN 978-4-04-100357-2 )
* ''Volume 6: Mondaijitachi ga Isekai kara kuru soudesu yo? - Flag of the Ouroboros Alliance'' (Published December, 2012, ISBN 978-4-04-100585-9 )
* ''Volume 7: Mondaijitachi ga Isekai kara kuru soudesu yo? - Setting Sun and Falling Moon'' (Published April, 2013, ISBN 978-4-04-100759-4 )
* ''Volume 8: Mondaijitachi ga Isekai kara kuru soudesu yo? - Tyranny of the Three Headed Dragon'' (Published August, 2013, ISBN 978-4-04-100936-9 )
* ''Volume 9: Mondaijitachi ga Isekai kara kuru soudesu yo? - Yes! Everyday life in Little Garden'' (Published November, 2013, ISBN 978-4-04-101060-0 )
[[Category:Sneaker Bunko]]
[[Category:Genre - Action]]

Kenshin no Keishousha:Volume 2 Prologue

2014-01-28T12:05:26Z

はじめ:

== Prologue ==

The pale blue sky stretched for miles, with not a single cloud to be seen.

It was already past mid-May, the sunlight being glaringly bright and warm winds blowing about.

“Looks like it’s going to be summer soon.”

A youth in a school uniform was looking up dreamily at the sky while he walked on.

The monotonous sky seemed to be the only one ignoring approaching summer’s presence, its appearance as normal as it always was.

Looking at the scenery in the sky, the youth— Kurou felt a sense of relief.

Recently, he had been observing weird phenomena in the sky. However, those phenomena would only last for the briefest of moments, and at this moment in time he hadn’t spotted anything out of the ordinary. Halcyon days were the best.

Kurou was currently in one corner of the academy he was attending as a student, a vibrantly viridian garden. There was a grove of trees in the deepest part of the garden, and that was the location of the small cottage in which he resided.

Although it looked shabby on the outside, the inside of the cottage was clean, and well furnished with electronic appliances and furniture. Most importantly though, since it was within school grounds commuting to school was a breeze.

Because of a certain incident that had occurred, Kurou had only been in the academy for two weeks when he was hospitalised. Today was the day he was discharged. He hadn’t lived in the cottage for very long, but he was already starting to get attached to the place.

“…?”

Kurou suddenly came to a halt, placing his hand on the katana strapped to his waist. Moving his head slightly, he scanned his surroundings.

He had already passed the garden and was now entering into the grove. The trees weren’t particularly densely clumped together, but there were still numerous places for someone to hide themselves in.

For a brief second, he felt someone’s presence.

He didn’t think he was mistaken. Being hospitalised meant his body had deteriorated somewhat, but it couldn’t have dulled to the point where he would mistake something like a person’s presence.

“What was that…?”

Kurou took his hand off his katana.

This was the Sword Academy— a place for people who chased after all aspects of the sword. It wouldn’t be strange for someone to be radiating a dangerous presence.

Deciding the situation was fine after all, Kurou resumed walking.

Of course, his state of mind was prepared for anything to happen. The alert phase Kurou was in now could be said to be his default mode.

“Hm?”

This time around, he felt it clearly. Or rather, he could hear it.

Swishing sounds could be heard, as if someone was slashing at the air with a sharp sword. A sound like that was something Kurou was extremely familiar with.

Proceeding forward slowly, just as he reached the front of his house— Kurou stopped dead in his tracks.

“Hah!”

Where the grove opened up into a clearing, there was a girl who was putting her spirit into swinging her sword.

The sunlight streamed through her golden hair, which was tied in a sidetail, she was wearing a pale beige blazer, and the hem of her miniskirt was flapping about.

The blade of the sword she was wielding was broad and thick, and it was roughly as long as she was tall. Just once look at it and it was clear that this sword was a genuine broadsword-esque blade. To a normal person, there was no way a slender girl like her would be able to handle such a large object. Even a fifteen year old male like Kurou, who had an average constitution, would find lifting something like that up tough, to say nothing of swinging it about.

However, the blonde girl was handling it lightly—even wielding it single-handedly on occasion. Her practice swings were stirring up wind in the grove, causing the trees to sway and their trunks to bend. It was scenery that didn’t look rooted in reality at all.

She was an alien, a being from another world known as a Swordie. Swordies could crush rock with their bare hands, and sprint faster than the wind. From the moment they were born, Swordies possessed speed and power that were superior to normal humans.

Above all else though, Swordies were a race that was proficient with the sword from the time they were born into the world. She wasn’t just swinging her sword using brute force, but with a graceful swordsmanship that belied her age of fifteen. Her sword looked like it could easily cut through iron.

A human like Kurou was completely different. Although appearance wise humans and Swordies looked alike, they were two completely different living organisms.

“Rou…?”

“Yo.”

The blonde girl— Sefi stopped her swinging, staring blankly at Kurou in surprise.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“Just now. More importantly Sefi, what are you doing here?”

Sefi was also a student of the academy, but her residence was at the girls’ dormitory.

“It’s fine, isn’t it? Today’s a Sunday. I’m free to do whatever I like, wherever I like.”

Sefi wasn’t being honest as she replied, sheathing her sword in its scabbard, which was propped up against one of the trees nearby. Sheathing a sword that big should have been troublesome, but she did it with an ease that suggested she was used to this motion.

“Speaking of which, you’re finally discharged. I was wondering how long you were going to spend being cooped up in there.”

“I’m a human, you know. I got a deep gouging wound on my shoulder, not to mentioned I was slashed in various other places. The doctor remarked that the fact that I could be discharged in two week was already a miracle of sorts.”

Kurou lightly patted his left shoulder. There was some stiffness left in it, but it had roughly healed from the incident two weeks ago.

“Humans are such inconvenient creatures. Well, in anycase… W-w-w-w-el-co…”

“Oh, it’s Kurou. I thought you’d only be back in the afternoon.”

A carefree voice spoke, drowning out what Sefi was trying to say.

He wasn’t sure when exactly she had arrived, but a girl with long black hair was now standing next to the both of them.

Sakurai Hinako. Kurou’s housemate, and due to certain circumstances he was also her bodyguard.

“… wait, what’s with that outfit?!”

Kurou’s eyes widened in surprise.

He was looking at something he had gotten used to seeing recently— actually, that wasn’t exactly right.

When he had been hospitalised, he hadn’t even seen something like this once before.

[[File:Kenshin_v02_015.PNG|thumb|right]]

Currently Hinako was wearing a nurse uniform that was an eye-catching pink colour. Rather conscientiously, her nurse cap was pink as well.

Her skirt was dangerously short, till the point it barely concealed her panties.

Above all else though, because the uniform was tightly fitting to her body, Hinako’s ample bosom stood out, revealing just how well stacked she really was.

If nurses actually wore such titillating uniforms, male patients would deliberately injure themselves to receive attention.

“… Hinako, what happened to your maid uniform?”

“I got sick of it.”

Hinako spoke without hesitation.

Before Kurou had been hospitalised, Hinako had worn a maid outfit and pledged to serve him, and now Kurou wondered what had happened to that pledge.

“You hadn’t recovered yet Kuro, so I thought I’d wear this and nurse you back to full health.”

“That would have been some fine service, but… hang on. Where did you even get that nurse uniform in the first place?”

“It was inside the closet of clothes Manaka gave to me.”

“That woman… Such a needless souvenir to leave behind.”

Kurou felt a headache coming on.

Manaka was his master’s younger sister, as well as his former boss. As someone who lived life acting on whims, she was also the one who dressed Hinako up in an excessively erotic maid uniform in the first place.

She was currently missing, but even when she was gone she was still causing Kurou problems.

“I tried to stop her as well, but as you can see… In any case, why don’t we enter the house first?”

“I guess you’re right.”

Kurou nodded at Sefi. There was no point in continuing to stand outside the house and talk. Lightly shaking his head, he started to walk. However, before he could even take a step, he finally noticed his house.

“Huuuuuuhhhhhh!?”

He let out a cry of surprise.

Disregarding what the inside looked like, the cottage Kurou lived in looked shabby on the outside, and was a nondescript building.

However, the building in front of Kurou was a brand new two storied house that looked like it had been prefabricated.

“What has my house become…”

“Ah, that’s right, I didn’t tell you.”

Resting her giant sword on her shoulders, Sefi looked up at the small cottage— or rather, big house.

“While you were hospitalised, I had your house renovated. To be honest, it was just completed yesterday.”

“But why was it even renovated in the first place…?”

Because of his assignment as her bodyguard, Kurou and Hinako both lived in the small cottage together. Although it was a little cramped, it wasn’t as if the place was hindering them in any way.

“It’s not good for a boy and girl of the same age to be living together. I did it so as to maintain public morals and also so that Rou wouldn’t do anything perverted to Hina.”

Sefi glanced over at both Kurou and Hinako with a meaningful look in her eyes.

“So, I’ll be living here with the both of you from now on. I won’t accept any protests.”

“Eh…”

Sefi beamed happily at the speechless Kurou.

Hinako seemed to have already been informed of this arrangement, as she was adjusting the position of her cap with a look on her face that suggested she was fine with anything.

“I requested the academy to build it. In the future, it will be used for the security guards in the garden to rest.”

Kurou nodded, chuckling wryly on the inside. It was hard to the academy to refuse any of Sefi’s requests. She was a Swordie with that much influence and power after all.

Living together with Hinako was something that was unavoidable and he couldn’t cancel, but now that Sefi was living together with them…

“So in other words… It’s an all I can sexually harass Sefi buffet from dawn to dusk?!”

“Like hell it is!”

Sefi yelled back at him in a rough tone.

It was a pity she had denied his request, but there was no denying that Sefi was now going to live with them.

Well, it wasn’t like he was going to raise any objections in the first place. Kurou’s hand lightly touched the katana that was by his side.

Other than wondering what would happen to this sword, it was far less troublesome to just accept whatever fate had in store for him.

This was a lesson he had learnt from the various incidents that had occurred before being hospitalised.
<noinclude>
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User talk:Thatsjustpeachy

2014-01-28T12:05:21Z

はじめ: Yeah, cleaning up this 'wall of text'. Should be done within another 24 hr.

==Editing 剣神の継承者==
===Prologue of Vol 2===
* The pale blue sky stretched for '''miles, with not a single cloud to be seen'''. --> The pale blue sky stretched for miles, '''without a cloud in sight'''. I guess that captures the 'feel' better?
* It was already past mid-May, the '''sunlight''' being glaringly bright and warm winds blowing about. --> It was already past mid-May, the '''sun''' being glaringly bright and warm winds blowing about.
* However, those phenomena would only last for the briefest of '''moments, and at this moment in time he''' hadn’t spotted anything out of the ordinary. --> However, those phenomena would only last for the briefest of moments '''and, until now, he''' hadn’t spotted anything out of the ordinary. (Just a suggestion) 'until now' seems to make the sentence 'flow' better compared to 'at this moment in time'.
* Kurou was currently in '''one corner''' of the academy he was attending as a student, '''a vibrantly viridian garden'''. --> Kurou was currently in '''a corner''' of the academy he was attending as a student, '''a vibrant viridian garden'''. I guess vibrant viridian[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viridian (Viridian is a blue-green pigment, a hydrated chromium(III) oxide, of medium saturation and relatively dark in value.)] garden makes more sense.
* There was a grove of trees in the deepest part of the garden, '''and that was the location of the small cottage in which he resided.''' --> There was a grove of trees in the deepest part of the garden, '''and that was the location of the small cottage where he resided.''' --> There '''were''' a grove of trees in the deepest part of the garden, '''which marked the location of the small cottage where he resided.''' (Though I prefer this suggestion more, it seems to change the meaning a little)
* Most importantly though, since it was within school '''grounds, commuting''' to school was a breeze. Coma there?
* Kurou suddenly came to a '''halt, placing''' his hand on the katana strapped to his waist. --> Kurou suddenly came to a halt'''and placed''' his hand on the katana strapped to his waist.
* Of course, '''his state of mind''' was prepared for '''anything to happen'''. --> Of course, '''he was mentally''' prepared for anything. 'His state of mind' sounds somewhat weird when used in that context.
* Where the grove opened up into a clearing, there was a girl who was putting her '''spirit''' into swinging her sword. Maybe instead of 'spirit' how about 'whole'?
* The sunlight '''streamed''' through her golden hair, which was tied in a '''sidetail, she''' was wearing a pale beige blazer, and the hem of her miniskirt was flapping about. --> The sunlight '''filtered''' through her golden hair, which was tied in a '''sidetail. She''' was wearing a pale beige blazer, and the hem of her miniskirt was flapping about.
* The blade of the sword she was wielding was '''broad and thick, and it was roughly''' as long as she was tall. --> The blade of the sword she was wielding was broad, thick, and roughly as long as she was tall.
* Just '''once''' look at it and it was clear that this sword was a genuine broadsword-esque blade. --> Just '''one''' look at it and it was clear that this sword was a genuine broadsword-esque blade.
* However, the blonde girl was handling it lightly—even wielding it single-handedly '''on occasion'''. --> However, the blonde girl was handling it lightly—even wielding it single-handedly '''occasionally'''.
* Her practice swings were stirring up '''wind''' in the grove, causing the trees to sway and their trunks to bend. --> Her practice swings were stirring up '''air''' in the grove, causing the trees to sway and their trunks to bend.
* It was '''scenery''' that didn’t look rooted in reality at all. --> It was '''a scene''' that didn’t look rooted in reality at all.
* Swordies could crush '''rock''' with their bare '''hands, and''' sprint faster than the wind. --> Swordies could crush '''rock(s?)''' with their bare hands and sprint faster than the wind.
* Above all else '''though, Swordies''' were a race '''that was proficient with''' the sword '''from''' the time they were born into the world. --> Above all''' else, Swordies''' were a race '''proficient in''' the sword '''since''' the time they were born into the world.
* Although appearance wise humans and Swordies looked alike, they were two completely different living organisms. --> Although, appearance wise, humans and Swordies looked alike, they were two completely different living organisms.
* “Speaking of which, you’re finally discharged. I was wondering how long you were going to '''spend being cooped''' up in there.” --> “Speaking of which, you’re finally discharged. I was wondering how long you were going to '''spend cooped''' up in there.”
* “I’m a human, you know. I '''got a deep gouging wound on my shoulder, not to mentioned I''' was slashed in various other places. The doctor remarked that the fact that I could be discharged in two week was already a miracle of sorts.” --> “I’m a human, you know. I '''got a deep wound gouged on my shoulder, not to mention that I''' was slashed in various other places. The doctor remarked that the fact that I could be discharged in two week was already a miracle of sorts.”
* '''There was some stiffness left in it''', but it had roughly healed from the incident two weeks ago. --> It was still a little stiff, but it had roughly healed from the incident two weeks ago. (Makes more sense & a flows a little better)
* “Humans are such inconvenient creatures. Well, in '''anycase'''… W-w-w-w-el-co…” --> “Humans are such inconvenient creatures. Well, in '''any case'''… W-w-w-w-el-co…”
* Her skirt was dangerously short, till the '''point it barely''' concealed her panties. --> Her skirt was dangerously short, till the '''point where it barely''' concealed her panties.
* “That woman… '''Such a needless souvenir to leave behind'''.” --> “That woman… leaving such an needless souvenir behind.”
* She was currently missing, but even when she was gone she was still causing Kurou '''problems'''. --> She was currently missing, but even when she was gone she was still causing Kurou '''trouble'''.
* However, the building in front of Kurou was a brand new '''two storied''' house that looked like it had been prefabricated. --> However, the building in front of Kurou was a brand '''new two storey''' house that looked like it had been '''prefabricated'''. There should be a better word choice than 'prefabricated' ? How about preconstructed?
* Kurou nodded, chuckling wryly on the inside. It was hard '''to''' the academy to refuse any of Sefi’s requests. --> Kurou nodded, chuckling wryly on the inside. It was hard '''for''' the academy to refuse any of Sefi’s requests.
* Living together with Hinako was something that was unavoidable and he '''couldn’t cancel,''' but now that Sefi was living together with them… --> "Couldn't cancel"? There should a better phrase ...
* Kurou’s hand lightly touched the katana '''that was by his side.''' --> Did he take his katana off? Wouldn't "strapped to his side" (something like that) make a little more sense?
[[User:はじめ|はじめ]] ([[User talk:はじめ|talk]]) 01:32, 27 January 2014 (CST) Guess I finished editing the prologue (for now). Well, (once again) the above are just my suggestions.[[User:はじめ|はじめ]] ([[User talk:はじめ|talk]]) 01:32, 27 January 2014 (CST)
===Chapter 1 of Vol 2===
* Wearing the uniform of the academy, both hands were gripped tightly onto his sword as he lifted it into a '''raised position'''. Just my thoughts, but doesn't 'raised position' sound a little weird?
* Returning the sword to the raised position, he '''repeated swinging his sword'''. --> Returning the sword to the raised position, he '''repeatedly swung his sword'''. or maybe '''again he swung his sword'''?
* Within the Seven Swords, the '''most brilliant''' of them was given the title of Sword Saint. How about 'strongest' ?
* Kurou swung his '''blade''' down even harder. Wouldn't 'sword' make more sense instead of blade?
* There was a fine line between training and '''ruining his body'''. --> How about 'overexerting himself'?
* He could hear Sefi’s stream of '''abuse''' from behind the closed door. --> He could hear Sefi’s stream of '''insults''' from behind the closed door.
* ... with all his might as well as continued to stay inside the '''toilet''', the fact that Sefi hadn’t resorted to violence was a reflection of her kind nature. Wasn't he in the '''washroom'''?
* When he '''finally noticed his surroundings''', Hinako was already standing next to him, staring at Kurou intently. Wouldn't 'came to his senses' (or something like that) make a little more sense?
* Kurou was sitting right in front of the table '''at''' the center of the room. --> Kurou was sitting right in front of the table '''in''' the center of the room.
[[User:はじめ|はじめ]] ([[User talk:はじめ|talk]]) 06:38, 22 January 2014 (CST) Yeah, haven't quite finished editing this chapter. Well, the above are just my suggestions. Would you (Thatsjustpeachy) happen to be translating from a Chinese raw? There are a few sentences that seem to be a little awkward ... that aside, thanks for the effort you put into your translations and I hope that you continue to translate this LN. [[User:はじめ|はじめ]] ([[User talk:はじめ|talk]]) 06:38, 22 January 2014 (CST)

==Kenshin no Keishousha==
I just wanted to say thanks for the work your putting into your translations.

Thanks TJP for taking this project again. :) --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 01:05, 12 November 2013 (CST)

I'll upload the image of volumes 2,3 after thursday (Due to important exam ) --[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]] ([[User talk:Yoyoyo5678|talk]])

Thanks for picking Kenshin no Keishousha again and while I'm at it, making the volume 2 current content readable. :D [[User:Zeikuu|Zeikuu]] ([[User talk:Zeikuu|talk]]) 12:54, 14 November 2013 (CST)

I'm done with V2 but I am very sorry I messed up a little with the names of the Image --[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]] ([[User talk:Yoyoyo5678|talk]])

I'm done with V3 too --[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]] ([[User talk:Yoyoyo5678|talk]])

== Hoping to support your work as a editor ==

Hello thatsjustpeachy my user name is Tjobbear I am a inexperienced editor in baka-tsuki and yours translations are top notch I hope I can have permission to support you in your translations (even if it maybe only a little) on kenshin as a editor in the project.

== Editing For Kenshin no Keishousha ==

I would like to register to be an editor. Are there any kind of requirements to meet? [[User:LT|LT]] ([[User talk:LT|talk]])

Thank You!

== Editing Kenshin ==

Hi I love your work on kenshin. I was just wondering, how do I become an editor? I promise my english good.--[[User:Hayashi s|Hayashi s]] ([[User talk:Hayashi s|talk]]) 18:51, 15 August 2013 (CDT)

Kenshin no Keishousha:Volume 2 Chapter1

2014-01-28T12:03:54Z

はじめ:

=There can Only be One Victor!=

{{Incomplete|percentage=80}}

The day after Kurou had been discharged.

Kurou was standing inside the grove of trees about a hundred metres away from his new house.

Wearing the uniform of the academy, both hands were gripped tightly onto his sword as he lifted it into a raised position.

Without giving off any fighting spirit or vigour, he suddenly brought the sword down in a flash. Returning the sword to the raised position, he repeated swinging his sword.

Obviously, he wasn’t able to practice his swordsmanship while he was in the hospital. Also he had spent the whole of yesterday moving his things around in the new house, so other than cleaning he hadn’t been able to do anything else.

Because he hadn’t been able to do rehabilitation, this training was essential. As expected, his current state was much weaker than normal.

Even so, Kurou didn’t feel like he would lose to Sefi now. Although it might seem a little rude to Sefi, he had confidence that if they were to fight a hundred battles he would win every one of them.

This is your loss, Kurou—

How many times had the Sword Saint Hyouka, who was also his master, said those words to him?

The Seven Swords was a title given to the strongest amongst the Swordies.

Within the Seven Swords, the most brilliant of them was given the title of Sword Saint.

Kurou had spent the better part of seven years crossing blades with her on a daily basis. And each time he had been beaten by her. For the strongest swordswoman amongst the Swordies, there was no way a human brat like Kurou could ever win against her, and Hyouka’s victories were all but a forgone conclusion.

However, he didn’t plan on losing to anyone else other than the Sword Saint. No matter what the circumstances.

Even if his physical ability had gone down, or his body had dulled, Kurou wasn’t going to use those as excuses to lose.

Kurou swung his blade down even harder.

Again, and again, he repeated the motion.

After reaching two hundred repetitions— Kurou stopped.

Tilting his neck slightly, he slowly sheathed his sword. As he had just been discharged from the hospital, it would be best if he didn’t exert himself any more than this. There was a fine line between training and ruining his body.

Using a towel to wipe his sweat, he returned back home.

As today was a Monday, he obviously planned on going to school, but there was still time. Taking a shower now would be a hassle, but felt he should at least wash his face.

Previously, home was just a small cottage with very little floor space, but now it was a two story building, so the number of rooms had increased.

The living room, kitchen, bath, toilet and Kurou’s room were located on the first floor. Sefi’s and Hinako’s rooms were on the second floor, Kurou being forbidden up there. As this moment, Kurou didn’t feel like breaking that particular restriction. If he was going to sneak up there, it would only be after he had meticulously planned and prepared beforehand.

Entering the house, he headed to the washroom.

A nice smell wafted over, which probably meant Sefi was in the kitchen cooking breakfast. Cooking was one of her interests, and she was a pretty good one at that. The proof of that was the meal she had prepared yesterday, which had satisfied Kurou.

“It’s great I get to eat good food every day from now on!”

Kurou and Hinako both couldn’t cook. Especially Hinako, who couldn’t even do something as simple as preparing instant ramen. Now that Sefi was here, Kurou felt relief over his eating arrangements.

While imagining what was for breakfast, Kurou opened the door to the washroom.

“…”

“… Hm?”

Kurou tilted his head slightly.

It had totally slipped his mind, but the washroom in the new house also doubled up as the changing room for the bath.

“R-Rou…?”

And because of that, there was nothing strange about Sefi being in the washroom in a stage of undress.

On the contrary, Sefi was the one with a strange look on her face as she stared at Kurou, who had justed entered the washroom.

“Good morning, Sefi.”

“Good morning… Wait, why are you even entering in the first place!?”

Sefi looked like she was just about to take her shower, because she was wearing nothing but a pair of white panties.

As soon as Kurou had entered she had quickly covered her chest with her hands, but the rest of her skin was almost fully exposed. Sefi’s breasts were reasonably big and nicely shaped, and with them wobbling like jelly they looked soft to the touch.

“Well, I was thinking I might as well take a shower.”

“If that’s the case then do it after I’m done!”

“But if we shower together we can save on the water bill, right?”

“I’ll pay for my portion of the water bill, so let me shower alone!”

There was no real need to appeal to him like that, but Sefi was in a panic so she had just blurted out something that didn’t make sense at all.

“By the way, I can’t really see your chest very well so would you mind moving your hands away?”

“I’m keeping them there so you can’t see them!”

She had already removed her bra, so other than her chest being covered by her hands, Kurou had a clear view of everything else. Even so, his selfishness made him unsatisfied even though he was already seeing her hands bra.

“Ah, enough! Why are we talking normally like nothing’s wrong!? Hurry up and get out! If you don’t leave in three seconds, I will smash this changing room and you!”

“So you’re going to go wild again, huh…”

Kurou murmured like it was someone else’s problem.

The truth was, with Sefi’s power, she could easily destroy the whole house, to say nothing of a single room.

“Guess it can’t be helped then…”

Kurou spent two seconds burning the sight of Sefi’s chest into his eyes, before fleeing out of the washroom like a frightened hare in the last second remaining.

It was only because Kurou possessed amazing physical ability for a human that he was able to move that quickly.

“Idiot idiot idiot—!”

He could hear Sefi’s stream of abuse from behind the closed door.

Considering that he had stared at her half-naked body with all his might as well as continued to stay inside the toilet, the fact that Sefi hadn’t resorted to violence was a reflection of her kind nature.

Although, if he did go too far with his sexual harassment, who’d know what Sefi might do then.

“Still, I did get to see something nice this early in the morning…”

“Good for you…”

“Woah!”

As Kurou was having a lewd look on his face, a voice suddenly cut him off.

When he finally noticed his surroundings, Hinako was already standing next to him, staring at Kurou intently.

“As always Kuro, you’re up to your sexual harassment again…”

“Wouldn’t it be an insult to a beautiful lady if I saw her naked figure but turned and ran away? It would make it seem like I had just seen something weird.”

“Kuro, that was a fantastic excuse to give…”

From the bottom of her heart, Hinako was left dumbfounded by Kurou.

Today Hinako was wearing that nurse outfit again. Having said that though, she hadn’t nursed him yesterday. She was just a girl who liked wearing particular outfits without doing any work in particular.

“Hm? If Sefi’s in the bath, why is there such a nice smell of food? Did she already cook breakfast?”

“I made breakfast this morning. It will be ready soon, so please head to the living room.”

“Ehhhhhh, Hinako cooked!? That’s impossible!”

“There’s no reason for you to be surprised to that extent…”

No, there is, thought Kurou as he gazed at Hinako suspiciously.

Based on Kurou’s experience, Hinako could not even discern how to use a vacuum so it was certainly possible that she had never cooked before.

“What happened to this world during my stay at the hospital……”

“Please don’t mention a drastic change occurring to the world just because I mastered a skill. Even a person like me will mature.”

Hinako swiftly turned around and headed back towards the kitchen.

“Uh……”

Hinako cooking, huh————

I should probably have an antacid on hand, thought Kurou as he unexpectedly began to panic.

The living room of their new home was carpeted. Other than the TV, table, and a small cupboard, there were essentially no other pieces of furniture or appliances. It was a quite plainly adorned room.

Kurou was sitting right in front of the table at the center of the room.

“Hey Kuro, please eat while it’s still hot.”

“……”

Hinako emphatically placed a plate down on the table.

The dish consisted of rice, eggs, as well as thinly sliced pork meat. It had been cooked with onions and carrots, plus it was seasoned————in essence it was char siu rice.

Although Sefi had not returned from the shower room yet, it was probably best to eat now before it became cold.

“Thank you for the meal.”

Kurou politely pressed his hands together and proceeded to slowly scoop up some of the char siu rice with a spoon, placing it in his mouth.

“Eh? Not bad.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, nothing at all.”

Upon noticing Hinako’s teary eyes looking his way, Kurou immediately began denying that there was anything to it.

To have dabbled in the thought of an antacid seemed to be very disrespectful. Hinako performed far beyond expectations in creating an edible dish, thus he stated as such.

Even its rich flavor suited Kurou’s taste. Kurou did not utter a word as he moved the spoon around and scarfed down the char siu rice.

“……Mmm, tasty. Thank you for the meal.”

Kurou set his spoon down and pressed his hands together once again.

“That said, why were you continuously making char siu rice since morning?”

“Jeez, to be questioning me now after you’ve already eaten.”

“Hey Sefi, you done showering?”

Sefi, having exited the showers, entered the living room and sat across from Kurou.

“You live such a sloppy lifestyle Kurou. Having food prepared and served right to you really makes you look like an imbecile. Didn’t you used to say no matter what you eat, it will taste delicious?”

“Whatever do you mean?”

Kurou chuckled as he shook his head.

“Something more delicious than Sefi, such a thing cannot possibly exist in this universe……”

“Now you’re asking for it.”

Sefi tightly clenched her fists while staring him down with an austere expression.

Kurou wanting to someday eat Sefi, that was indeed the truth.

“I’m glad that you like it Kuro. Also, here’s a bento.”

“Huh?”

Kurou was handed a bento box from Hinako, his eyes flickered in surprise.

That slightly larger than usual bento box was jam-packed with char siu rice.

“By the way, for dinner we are having more nutritious char siu rice that is laden with pork.”

“Eh——, that sounds pretty good.”

“Are you serious!?”

Sefi shouted at the top of her lungs while Kurou and Hinako took a glance at each other.

“To think I thought Rou was more ridiculous! Hina, you can’t even make anything else!?”

“Well, for her to be able to make one dish, isn’t that still amazing? If it were me, this cutting, cooking, steaming and such, I could never accomplish such tasks.”

“Then again, Rou is also way too lax about this……”

From the looks of it, Sefi was also quite unpleased with Kurou’s response.

In regards to Kurou’s eating habits, he was not particularly picky when it came to taste.

“For now, Hina and I will just alternate cooking every other day. However, even that is quite unfavorable.”

“How so?”

“My taste buds are quite delicate. I could never eat something as oily as this early in the morning.”

“In that case, couldn’t you just teach Hinako how to cook?”

“Of course, did you think I was going to let her make the same thing every time!?”

Hmm, Kurou pondered as he drank a sip of tea.

He noticed it ever since yesterday. It seemed Sefi and Hinako had already gotten along quite well. With the endearing nickname, “Hina”, it probably served as a proof of friendship.

With the exception of being a bit over the top when making the char siu rice, Hinako’s cooking appeared to be learned through Sefi.

The situation had certainly become quite perplexing.

Sefi and Hinako————who would have ever known that their relations would reach the point where they would live under the same roof. For them to even be conversing was quite unfathomable.

Seventy years ago, at that time the whole world was enveloped in war.

The Great War was at a point where neither side would budge and as each nation exhausted their resources, an extraordinary change suddenly occurred——

Countless portals that were connected to another world had their gates opened up. Following that, the entire world was trampled upon by the Swordies who swarmed in————

The victor of the Great War was the Swordies.

To add to that, the portals disappeared just as instantaneously as when they first appeared. Having lost access to their homeworld, the Swordies decided to turn Japan into their new homeworld and implemented a new government system.

For the Swordies who prevailed and became the dominant ones, they governed the humans————specifically the Japanese. With the prevalence of discrimination, there clearly was a rift between the two sides.

Sefi was the daughter of the four rulers who were at the pinnacle of the Swordie government————she was the princess of the four generals.

On the flip side, Hinako was a human. The difference in status between her and Sefi was poles apart.

Normally speaking, two people like them————wait, including Kurou, having the three of them eating the same meal under the same roof was just unimaginable.

“……Even so, you’re such a good person for eating the char siu rice after all.”

“What nonsense. If it were left aside as such it’d be a huge waste!”

As Sefi was wolfing down the char siu rice, she loudly shouted at Kurou.

“More like if it were Sefi’s leftovers, it would fetch a high price from Kuro……”

“That wasn’t necessary you know!”

It appeared that their relationship had turned for the better. Kurou’s eyes filled with warmth as he gazed at the two girls.

In present day Japan, the way Swordies treated human was always filled with prejudice to some extent.

However, Sefi was a notable exception. Sefi, who was at the zenith of status, had no issues with the lower class humans. Furthermore, she had been friends with Kurou since childhood, so perhaps that contributed to it as well.

No matter how one looked at it, it was great that Sefi had no intentions of behaving in such silly discriminatory ways.

Hinako, because of the unique conditions she was raised under, was unfamiliar with the customs of modern day Japan————such as the discrimination between humans and Swordies. Kurou thought it was also nice that Hinako was not the type to be obsequiously acting inferior.

“Rou, what are you fixated on? Hurry up and finish eating, then let’s go to school————“

“Hmm? What’s the matter Sefi?”

Sefi’s gaze was honed onto one spot. Kurou turned his head and followed her line of sight.

“What a pleasant aroma wafting around this early in the morning. I truly envy your dietary lifestyle, Kurou.”

“……Deputy?”

Kurou muttered.

When did she arrive? A woman was standing at the entrance of the living room.

She was tall and had her gleaming brown hair tied behind her. She wore a black blazer over her white shirt, a tight fitting miniskirt, and a red overcoat draped on as usual. Like a samurai, she had her longsword and dagger hanging by her waist.

“What is a deputy?”

Hinako was not in the least surprised with the intruder as she nonchalantly questioned.

“The deputy is just the deputy. She’s a prestigious member of the Sabers, second only to the director.”

Kurou appropriately answered.

The so-called Sabers was the name of the public security force that Kurou was affiliated with.

The black blazer and overcoat which the deputy was wearing was the uniform of the Sabers.

Within the capital of Japan————Tokyo Swordia, the police would investigate ordinary criminals while the Sabers were responsible for terrorist activities. The cops primarily consisted of humans. In contrast to that, members of the Sabers were practically all Swordies. However, Kurou was the sole human member within the Sabers.

“It’s just as Kurou explained. Oh that’s right, Sefi-sama, this is our first time meeting each other. I’m the Sabers’ deputy, Sabina.”

“……I’m Sefi. Since I’m just a student, there’s no need to be so formal.”

“Understood.”

Despite her nodding, the deputy still had not changed her courtesies. It was a sharp contrast from her perfunctory tone towards Kurou.

“Well, it doesn’t really matter. Deputy, why are you here?”

“Things have gotten quite riled up, I’ll explain later. Just follow me, and Sefi-sama, would you please join us as well?”

“Umm, sure.”

After Sefi nodded, the deputy departed from the living room without waiting for Kurou’s response.

Of course to Kurou, since she was his superior, if she had said to “come with” then he would be obliged to follow.

Kurou and Sefi glanced at each other, and then nodded towards Hinako.

“Will you be ok by yourself Hinako?”

“I believe so.”

Hinako stoically nodded.

Due to certain circumstances, she was now guarded by Kurou. However, Kurou was also hospitalized for two weeks. During that time, there was not a chance that she would be left without a replacement bodyguard.

Although it was not visible, there was someone protecting Hinako from somewhere unbeknownst to them————

Even Kurou knew about that and Hinako probably heard about it too.

“Time to go Kurou.”

Of course, Sefi understood as well.

Right now, there would not be any problems even if Hinako was left alone. Kurou stood up from his seat and walked towards the door along with Sefi.

Surprisingly, the place the deputy brought them to was nearby.

Within the Sword Academy, excluding the main campus that encompassed all grades, there was an additional secondary campus that contained a group of special classrooms and teacher facilities.

“It’s right here.”

The deputy halted right in front of a conference room on the second floor of the secondary campus building.

Stationed in front of the conference room door were two girls that stood like soldiers. Upon seeing the two of them, Sefi revealed an astonished expression.

“Romis, Remis, why are you two……I guess there’s no point in asking.”

The girl standing on the left side of the door nodded in silence to Sefi.

The two known as Romis and Remis possessed nearly matching outer features. One swift look and it was obvious that they were twins. Whether it was their facial complexion or their body type, it was all identical. They were approximately twenty years of age. Appearance-wise they looked a bit inanimate, perhaps due to their stoic expressions. However, they could be considered as pure beauties as well.

Both of them had silver hair extending to their backs. They were wearing a thin, white-toned shirt that had silver lines throughout along with a similar style white miniskirt. Even the scabbard and hilt of their slender swords were white. The only piece that was different was the black mantle draped over their shoulders.

Their attire was the formalwear of the Sword Princess.

Before a Swordie reached eighteen years-old, they can attain the title of Swordsman. The Swordsman title was conferred to them by their masters or school teachers. Kurou was given the title by his master——Sword Saint Hyouka. With the title, one could enlist in the army or enter a police-related occupation that required the use of a sword.

Furthermore, the position that surpassed the Swordsman was the Sword Princess.

Those who are able to attain the title are few and far in between and needless to say, those who did were all exceptional with the sword. Their numbers were scarce, yet Romis and Remis are two Sword Princesses. To add to that, the deputy was one as well.

Kurou’s line of sight shifted away from them as he began sprucing himself up. He used his hands to straighten out his hair and button up his unbuttoned shirt. Kurou understood that the two twin Sword Princesses served as bodyguards for a certain someone.

The person awaiting them was not someone you could just show up all disheveled for.

“Excuse us.”

As Kurou deftly straightened out his appearance, the deputy knocked on the conference room door.

As soon as the “please come in” response was heard, the deputy entered the conference room. Sefi and Kurou followed her inside.

The conference room seemed unusually spacious.

Normally there would be tables and chairs lined up around the room. Here however, there was only one table in the depths of the room. On the table there lay a laptop and a pile of documents spread across it.

The young woman that was sitting there stood up and smiled.

“Welcome Sefi.”

Although she was calm, her voice was quite resounding. She maintained a stern appearance and exuded an intense willpower from her eyes. Her radiant blonde hair was trimmed into a short hairstyle. Her dark blue dress resembled military attire, yet the style was also quite evident from the uniform.

“It’s been a while Onee-sama.”

Sefi walked towards the center of the room and politely lowered her head.

Indeed, the person wearing the dress was a woman named Sylphy, Sefi’s older sister.

She was the eldest daughter of the supreme four generals and she was their successor, hence the reason she wore a military style dress. Moreover, due to the four generals’ pedigree, that family tradition had been kept even until now.

Sylphy was twenty-six years old and although she was still very young, she had assumed the role of a government official.

The four generals were the zenith of the Swordie government and ranked below them were the government officials and the general populace. In fact, the government’s powers consisted of making practically all of the important legislation decisions and the four generals who were above them only handled the more serious cases.

In other words, Sylphy had already become the backbone of the country and it was established that she would be the one to hold the supreme position.

With a well-behaved attitude, Kurou stayed near a window in the room and waited. As a human, he could not act all grandiose and be talkative in front of Sylphy. Even as a Swordie and being in charge of the Sabers organization, the deputy stayed a step behind Sefi.

Of course, Sefi had also discerned this level of subtlety. As a result, only she could engage in conversation with Sylphy. She faced her sister and spoke up.

“Onee-sama, why did you come to the academy?”

“So I could see Sefi……that’s what I would like to say. However, this is not the case. The incident this time even requires the government to set up a committee of inquiry and I was elected as a member.”

Sylphy shrugged her shoulders. She sighed as she sat back in her chair again.

“Of course, it’s Manaka’s————the incident involving the Blazes. It was also determined that the academy where the incident spawned should have an investigation office established. Thus, we’ll be borrowing this conference room.”

As she spoke, Sylphy smiled towards her sister.

Such a smile and that bright, beaming voice would surely bring about an uplift in mood. Sylphy possessed what seemed to be the qualities of a natural born leader.

However, Kurou also knew that Sylphy carried other traits as well……

“Well then, please let me hear the report Kurou.”

“Yes.”

Despite suddenly hearing himself called upon, Kurou did not waver. Since he would not be invited without intention, he predicted that it was bound to happen. He also realized that the deputy probably summoned him to give the report while Sefi was to provide supplementary explanations if needed.

Kurou began explaining the chain of events.

First of all, in the human residential areas of the Outer Human Region of Tokyo Swordia, there were numerous tsujigiri incidents. The criminals of those incidents were first-year students from the Sword Academy who were the first and second ranked academically in the school. Although the victims of the crimes were deadbeats, murder was still murder.

Originally, punitive measures were to be taken for these criminals. However, it was no longer possible.

Migune, the number one ranked student, was found dead on the side of the road. Following that, the second ranked Freya was also killed during the elimination tournament that was set for every grade.

“The person who murdered both of them was a first-year student from the Sword Academy. Her name is Neena.”

She was Sefi’s friend who had braids tied together and wore glasses, which was a rare sight for Swordies.

No, Neena was not an ordinary Swordie. She was————what was known as a Blaze, a race that especially craved combat even among Swordies.

The Blazes and Swordies had hostile relations. However, Neena’s assassination of Migune and Freya was unrelated to the Blaze incident.

Neena’s reason for killing the two was quite meager. Neena could not forgive Migune and Freya who engaged in such trifling matters such as murdering those hooligans. Moreover, to Neena, who was a Blaze, none of the first-years were on par to be her opponent.

“However, from her statements and actions, Neena’s true objective was to kill Sefi.”

“That’s right Onee-sama, Neena truly exuded killing intent towards me.”

“What a dangerous situation.”

Sylphy, who had been tacitly listening to Kurou’s report and then heard Sefi’s supporting claim, changed her expression for the first time. Although Neena was unsuccessful in killing Sefi, there was no way she could just turn a blind eye towards her sister’s perilous encounter.

“Well then, that means the person who assigned her the target was————Sword General Manaka?”

“Yes, Sylphy-sama.”

Sword General Manaka————was someone who Neena looked up to and she referred to her as “Onee-sama”. Having directed Neena to engage in covert operations, Manaka was the mastermind behind it all.

To Kurou, she was his master’s, Sword Saint Hyouka’s, little sister as well as the director, thus making her his superior.

For a human, Kurou was already extremely formidable. Despite that, it was nigh impossible for him to match up against Sword General Manaka in combat. For him to be able to fend her off was already a miracle. At the expense of just a two week stay at the hospital, it must have been a fluke.

“My report concludes here.”

“I see, thank you very much Kurou.”

Sylphy nodded extensively. With Sylphy’s pinnacle status, such displays of gratitude were practically unthinkable towards a human like Kurou.

Perhaps it was because Kurou was affiliated with the Sabers, or maybe it was due to him being the Sword Saint’s disciple?

“So you were immediately hospitalized afterwards, that means you’re not clear on what ensued after that right?”

“Indeed, everything I know from then on was from TV news broadcasts.”

Kurou mannerly nodded.

According to the news, Sword General Manaka had already been stripped of her title.

Manaka and the anti-government faction were in cahoots, she killed Sabers members, and then fled————that was the extent of the reporting. It refrained from disclosing the existence of the Blazes.

“Of course, we are also investigating. Within the members of the Seven Swords, two government chambers, business directors, the wealthy, and within the upper echelons of society, the Blazes who may have infiltrated have been practically left unhindered despite background checks. Not only do we want to uncover the Blazes, we are also forced to examine Swordies and humans who have had relations with Blazes as well as the flow of people and money.”

“Sounds like a headache……”

Such endless investigating would make one feel aggravated just from thinking about it.

“Tell me about it. Of course, we investigate any Blaze related incidents. Although they reside within their so-called ‘refuge’, there are quite a few whose whereabouts are unknown. However, it’s unclear whether or not those untraceable Blazes have been in contact with anti-government organizations. Furthermore, because the Blaze population significantly decreased after the war, it’s unclear how many were confined within the refuge. A lot of records are missing from that place as well.”

Although Kurou had predicted such an outcome, it was still hard to imagine carrying forth that kind of investigating.

“There are plenty of things I’m unsure of, particularly Manaka’s whereabouts. Despite our utmost efforts to track her……”

Sylphy casted a glance towards the deputy who began to speak.

“Even though the Sabers also fielded a small investigative unit to track down our former director, ever since her escape from the Sword Academy we haven’t been able to find her trail. Even if we do encounter her……”

“Containing Manaka would be a daunting task and let’s not even get into arresting her. Assuming we can confirm her place of residence, we’ll come up with countermeasures.”

Sylphy sounded quite exasperated as she ruffled her cheeks.

Specifically what should be done, that was what Kurou had the hardest time grasping. Although she was a traitor, Manaka was undoubtedly selected as a Seven Sword based on her strength. It would still be a massive struggle even if a couple Sword Princesses were utilized in capturing her.

“The Sabers have also added more female members to reinforce our combat squad. Originally, we anticipated Kurou to return to us.”

“Kurou has his studies as well. Even if Manaka is a traitor, she definitely ordered the protection of the daughter of the sun cult founder. Kurou has to continue protecting Sakurai Hinako. Of course, he should also be able to continue going to school without an issue.”

“Are you sure that’s ok?”

Kurou was slightly caught off guard by this.

With the appearance of a Blaze traitor group, Kurou had also considered the possibility of being recalled as a member of the Sabers, especially since Kurou and Manaka’s fates were deeply linked.

“Honestly, even the government is uncertain at to what measures should be taken.”

Sylphy sighed as she continued to ruffle her cheeks.

“I believe we should determine our course of action as soon as possible. However, despite being a member, I’m still quite young. I certainly don’t have the credibility to make such irresponsible remarks towards a situation like this. The situation has clearly altered already.”

“Altered? What’s going on Onee-sama?

Sefi questioned her with a serious expression. From the looks of it, even Sefi was unfamiliar with the details of the situation.

“During these past two weeks, five Swordie officials, or perhaps they were business directors, have been killed.”

“Five people……were they all important individuals?”

“It’s not exactly like that. They all have some sort of status, but it’s not like they’re irreplaceable. Well, I guess you can say the gears of society are now shifting.”

Kurou thought that was quite an overstatement, however he did not voice his opinion. Voicing such thoughtlessness was impermissible.

“And, there’s one peculiar incident out of the five deaths.”

“A peculiar incident?”

Kurou tilted his head.

“Out of these five incidents, four of them were clean one-hit kills. However, in one of those incidents, the corpse was crudely cut apart. I’ve seen the autopsy report as well, it’s akin to an outsider’s swordsmanship. Perhaps they might not even be affiliated with the Blazes.”

“I see……”

Kurou only knew two Blazes. However, those two were exceptional sword wielders who were strong beyond words. It was difficult to imagine the Blazes using such unnecessary sword maneuvers.

“However, there’s another bizarre occurrence. Everyone who was slaughtered was apparently frozen or electrocuted, with that being the last attack they suffered.”

“……Perhaps the murders are all independent from one another?”

“Besides the sword wounds, there were traces of impact wounds from being hit by a truck as well. Basically this one incident is quite shrouded in mystery……however, this was written in the report you submitted before your hospital stay correct?”

“Those were mystic arts.”

Kurou slowly nodded his head.

It was said that in the past, there were three reasons why Swordies attained victory.

One was of course a Swordie’s overwhelming physical capabilities and sword prowess.

The second was mystic arts————controlling flames, ice, and lightning, that sort of magical ability. To be able to attack from afar, they assisted the Swordies in their piercing attack.

Even though practically every Swordie was able to use this sort of power during the Great War, for some reason countless individuals lost their mystic art abilities once the portals closed and their contact with their homeworld was severed.

The generations of Swordies born after the war were innately unable to use mystic arts and could never learn to use them at all.

However, Manaka and Neena, both of whom had battled against Kurou, were able to manipulate the powers of the mystic arts.

“It was said that the mystic arts were originally passed along to the Swordies by the Blazes. For that group to be able to use mystic arts in the present era isn’t really inconceivable. Compared to this, to specifically use mystic arts as their final strike, it’s understandable that this was clearly meant to provoke us. However, this is really what’s concerning. It’s like they are saying ‘come get us.’”

Kurou felt very impressed. For Sylphy to have contemplated about it to such extent, no wonder she became a government official at such a young age. Even Kurou did not really read much into the use of mystic arts. Despite the danger factors, overall this was emblematic of the Blazes.

“Well, that’s why I’m saying that the Blazes are on the move again. Because of that, we must determine suitable measures right away. However, the only thing we are capable of doing right now is just investigating the incident involving Manaka.”

“……Umm, Onee-sama.”

Sefi apprehensively raised her hand.

“Yes Sefi?”

“Why was Neena so intent on killing me? Although, she didn’t seem quite sure herself since she was probably just ordered to do so.”

“Ah, I don’t know but I can deduce a reason.”

Sylphy once again rested her elbows on the table and crossed her hands in front of her face.

“Do you know about the genocide and isolation of the Blazes?”

“Yes.”

Kurou had also heard about this matter. Even among Swordies, the Blazes were particularly adept in battle and were extremely dynamic during the Great War. After the war, they were rejected by the government for their thirst for battle and being too powerful, thus leading to their cleansing.

To add to that, the survivors of the cleansing resided in an isolated area. They were not permitted to wield swords in an effort to curb their dangerous disposition.

“Seventy years ago, the greatest proponent of the cleansing and isolation policy was one of the four generals of the past————Lanafi. Known as the great strategist————she was our great grandmother.”

“Eh? Our great grandmother————so there’s still people carrying a grudge from way back then!?”

Sefi was greatly astonished. In reality, being the one whose life was sought after, it was unthinkable how someone could carry a grudge from over seventy years ago.

“Although it’s regrettable, our great grandmother departed from this world thirty years ago. Hence, it’s very possible that they would target her great grandchildren. Presently within our family, the one whose security measures are the most lacking would be Sefi.”

That statement was understandable, yet confusing at the same time.

The Blazes had been isolated even till now and although they were Swordies with a penchant for swords, they were unable to wield swords or enlist in the police department and military battle squads.

Getting revenge due to the current state of hate and suffering, Kurou could understand such a notion. However……

“You have a puzzled expression there Kurou. You are a notable swordsman, but it seems as if you will never understand a person’s emotions.”

“I apologize, that’s because I’ve been in the mountains every day until a year ago……”

During the seven years he grew up there, he lived together with the Sword Saint and his fellow disciple, Lars. Although they would occasionally be paid a visit by those seeking the Sword Saint, Kurou basically had no interactions with other people.

“Listen up Kurou.”

Sylphy calmly began to speak.

“Grudges don’t necessarily dissipate over time. Just like how you rigorously hone a technique, the fangs of revenge are sharpened over a long period of time. Even among those Blazes who experienced the cleansing seventy years ago, there will be those who will never let go. Perhaps the mastermind behind planning these treacherous acts is that sort of person. These so-called emotions———are unexpectedly unyielding objects.

Sylphy, who had stated as such, appeared to be pretty excited.

Perhaps she too possessed an unyielding heart————Kurou was pretty sure of that.

The door to the conference room opened.

Since the deputy mentioned that she still had work to attend to, she decided to return to Sabers headquarters. With the disappearance of the director, the deputy inherited her responsibilities so the work that she had to do was probably a mountainous task.

If it were possible, Kurou also wished to go back. However, Sylphy still had things to say.

“Sefi-tan!”

“Eh!?”

The moment Kurou directed his eyes towards the door, a peculiar change occurred. He turned his head and noticed that Sylphy was tightly hugging Sefi while frenziedly rubbing against her cheeks.

“W-Wait a sec Onee-sama!”

“Ha——, onee-sama has been really lonely. Despite clearly being able to go to school from our house, Sefi-tan chose to dorm at the school.”

She was unmistakably a sis-con.

Kurou was particularly surprised when the successor of the four generals revealed such a nonsensical expression.

Sylphy was the Sword Saint’s friend. In the past, Sylphy would head to the mountains to visit the Sword Saint. The only reason Kurou and Sefi met back when they were just little kids was because Sefi tagged along with Sylphy.

Of course, when it came to Sylphy’s heavy case of the sis-con syndrome, Kurou was also very knowledgeable on that matter.

“I-I’m already 16, I should be more independent!”

“Huh——, Sefi-tan is maturing so remarkably. It makes me feel both excited and lonesome. I definitely wish I could let you rest on my lap for another ten years.”

“T-Ten years is a bit……”

Sefi’s face stiffened.

How can a person even call ten more years of that independence? It would not be surprising to see a person marry at that age. Sylphy’s overprotection had gone past the deep end.

“Say Sefi-tan, there are no strange cretins eying you right?”

“……O-Of course not.”

Kurou was probably conscious of the minute pause in Sefi’s response.

Rather, that strange cretin was still within the conference room. Of course, Kurou was going to avoid saying anything unnecessary.

“Sefi-tan must retain her purity till marriage. Actually, even if you do get married you must still retain your beauty.”

“……Onee-sama, that’s outrageous.”

“As long as you stay a virgin I won’t mind anything else they do to you ok?”

Of course, Kurou kept silent. If his sexual harassment of Sefi was revealed to Sylphy, things could get hairy.

Just by utilizing her authority, Sylphy could probably put a human like Kurou to death with ease.

“Oh yeah Kurou, allow me to thank you.”

“Eh?”

After being suddenly called upon, Kurou was startled.

“You protected Sefi-tan from the Blazes right? Thank you so much.”

“……Y-You’re welcome.”

Kurou politely responded. In reality, this was not really something he should have been thanked for. To Kurou, Sefi is a very important girl so guarding her was a given.

“So humble. If possible I wish to express my gratitude somehow, so a personal thanks is the least I can do.”

“Then, may I ask a question?”

Kurou instantly responded.

It was something he wished to ask from the very beginning.

“If that’s all you want then that’s totally fine by me. So go ahead, what’s your question?”

“The matter regarding the Sword Saint……how do you plan on dealing with it?”

Kurou’s master, Sword Saint Hyouka.

She disappeared approximately a year ago. Being the older sister of Manaka who was a Blaze, it obviously meant that Hyouka herself was also a Blaze.

If she was untraceable, the government would probably become suspicious. As for the Sword Saint, Kurou obviously knew that the government would be unable to capture her, but his question was not in regards to that.

“For Hyouka, we have not decided on any course of action yet.”

Sylphy offered a simple reply.

“For the time being, the police are currently investigating. However, it isn’t an official search and it’s not because of the Blaze incident either. The search started ever since her disappearance. It’s true that Hyouka hid her Blaze identity, but there’s no evidence that she has done anything.”

“In other words, in regards to whether or not she will be arrested……”

“It won’t happen. Of course, even though you guys are Hyouka’s disciples, you and Lars won’t be tied to the case. It’s also understood that you guys have no relations with the Blazes. Rather, if they were to arrest anyone with relations to Hyouka, even I would be arrested as her friend.”

“Phew……”

Sefi was relieved as she sighed.

She must have been concerned with that matter as well. Although she puts up a tough front, Sefi would always become anxious due to her overly caring nature.

“Furthermore, if a friend of hers like me is permitted to say something on the subject……I don’t think Hyouka has anything to do with the rebellion or whatever. She definitely wouldn’t have interest in such mundane affairs.”

Kurou felt the same way in regards to that.

Sword Saint Hyouka was a woman whose life completely revolved around the sword.

Even though she was discriminated as a Blaze and segregated, it was hard to imagine that she would hold a grudge and point her sword because of it.

“So you don’t really need to concern yourself with Hyouka’s situation. We don’t place much emphasis on it either. In addition, there are countless things that we still don’t know, such as ——this.”

Sylphy returned to the front of her desk and retrieved a photo.

What was captured and enlarged on the photo was the vast blue sky————and a pure black split running down a part of it.

The portal————

After seventy years, the portal that connected directly to the Swordie homeworld had finally opened again, and then it instantly closed afterwards.

That portal was witnessed by numerous residents within Tokyo Swordia.

“Kurou, you guys don’t know the cause of the portals opening right?”

“Yeah, it’s because during that time I was battling against Manaka.”

Kurou replied with a stern expression.

Actually, in regards to the cause behind the portal’s opening, it was not like he was completely clueless.

However, if he were to mention it————it was possible that those who were close to Kurou may get enveloped by danger. Even though Sefi knew as well, it seemed she was going to remain silent.

“I can’t take it anymore. If this continues, our inability will have no ends. If we aren’t able to at least catch Manaka and Neena……”

Sylphy spoke as if she was frustrated. In fact, it most likely was pure frustration.

At this stage, there was practically nothing that Kurou could assist in. Even if he were to battle against Manaka again, the thought of retreating was quite enticing after contemplating the difference in their strength.

Right as he thought there was nothing else to be said, someone knocked on the door.

“Please come in.”

At some point Sylphy’s sis-con expression had vanished and she reverted back to her resolute manner of speaking.

Following that, the door was opened.

“Nice to meet you Sylphy.”

It was said in a very clear tone.

The person who came in was a girl wearing the Sword Academy’s uniform. Based on the color of her tie, she appeared to be a third-year student.

She had long, light green hair knotted behind her. Her neat appearance exuded a sense of warmth. Indeed, it gave her a gentle complexion. Although her chest was lacking, her body could be described as belonging to that of a model.

How can a beauty like her be in this school————?

Kurou could not help but be captivated by the girl who walked past him as she headed towards Sylphy. However, he instantly realized that he was being glared at by Sefi as he frantically averted his gaze.

“I’m the Sword Academy’s student council president, Isyuto.”

“Ah, the student council president? It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Sylphy smiled during her reply as the two of them shook hands.

“It may be quite rash of me, but there’s something I wish to have your approval for. Would you mind taking a look at this?”

Isyuto handed some documents to Sylphy. After receiving them, Sylphy quickly browsed through the papers————

“I see, but did this really need an outsider like me to grant approval for? It’s just this right? Well, seems fine to me.”

“Thank you very much.”

Isyuto politely bowed.

Sylphy warmly smiled as she returned to the front of her desk and stamped one of the documents.

“This should be fine right?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Upon retrieving the document from Sylphy, Isyuto smiled.

Just what topic was the student council president and Sylphy, a government official, discussing?

Kurou and Sefi were unable to comprehend, hence they just blankly stood there.

“Hey, Isyuto-san, can you explain the situation to those two?”

“Of course, since it will soon be released anyways.”

This time Isyuto stood facing Kurou and Sefi.

“You two are first-years right? How unfortunate, who would have known that the first elimination tournament after you guys enrolled into the school would be suspended.”

Kurou tilted his head.

Due to Freya’s death, the Sword Academy’s first-year elimination matches were suspended. Kurou had no particular interest in those grade based matches so he could have cared less.

“As a result, the students will participate in a substitute event. However, it’d be boring to just restart the elimination matches so that’s why we decided on something that is a bit more stimulating. Since it’s a school competition, I needed Sylphy’s permission.”

As she stated, Isyuto quickly glanced at Sylphy.

“Despite requesting an additional matter, that’s something you guys can look forward to later.”

“I see, well that doesn’t matter. As for this activity, what exactly is it?”

Sefi inquired from Isyuto. She was ranked number three when she enrolled into the academy and originally she had planned on earning the number one spot during the elimination matches. After being told there would be a replacement for it, there was no way she could just ignore this piece of news.

“It sort of has a game aspect to it, well, basically————“

Isyuto once again smiled. As expected of the student council president to have such a captivating smile.

“It’s going to be a battle royal.”

Through the directing of the student council, the replacement event for the suspended elimination matches was set to take place.

The first battle royal bout was going to start in three days from when Kurou and Sefi were first informed of the matter.

Although the situation progressed unexpectedly quick, if they were too lax it may affect future elimination tournaments.

Currently, it was the day of the battle royal.

The first year students gathered at the sports ground of the academy.

There was a giant tent propped up on the sports ground where all the activity officials, which included teachers and upper grade students, could be seen hurriedly running around inside.

Kurou stood quite a distance away from the tent while awaiting the commencement of the event. He was wearing his school uniform as usual. As for the event, the Sword Academy treats the school uniform as formalwear and wearing it was mandatory in order to participate. Since the academy’s uniforms were made from a material that was battle convenient, it would not become a hindrance. Kurou was also ecstatic since the female participants were all wearing their miniskirt uniforms.

The equipment everyone was supposed to use was their wooden sword from practice.

He was surrounded by students and they were practically all girls.

Swordie and human societies were alike. They all went through elementary school, middle school, high school, and college for their studies. The Sword Academy’s educational system was similar to a high school equivalent. However, the Swordies were a race whose life revolved around the sword. As one would expect, that topic would be incorporated throughout their studies within the Sword Academy.

The Sword Academy that Kurou and Sefi both studied at was described as the pinnacle of the Swordie educational system.

Furthermore, Swordies were different from humans. Females possessed exceptional physical capabilities and were more proficient with their swordsmanship.

Swordies also wielded light, which was a powerful source of life energy hidden within their bodies. The greater the quantity of light, the stronger the body. Due to females having a greater quantity of light compared to males, females reigned supreme whether it was in strength or speed.

As a result of the Swordie race being characterized as such, all the notable individuals gathered at the Sword Academy were naturally all girls.

Setting aside gender differences, Kurou was a human that ranked lower than a Swordie male. In most cases, standing on the sports ground of the Sword Academy like this would be unthinkable.

In fact, the girls would cast glances of contempt at Kurou for his inferior strength as a human. With that, they would sometimes also view him with curiosity, akin to having seen a rare animal.

Kurou sighed to himself.

Kurou’s existence within the Sword Academy should have become gradually more apparent. Even so, being casted a peculiar gaze sure had to be annoying……

However, as a human who was raised by a Swordie and wanted to live within Swordie society, Kurou was already accustomed to this.

He was determined to live among the Swordies in the future. In Japan, Swordies were the supreme race and held many privileges. In order to receive the status of a Swordie, he decided to study at the Sword Academy.

A human can attain a Swordie’s status in society. However, normally humans had to buy out the status.

Instead, he planned on using his swordsmanship abilities to become a recognized member among the Swordies. Nevertheless, if it was only exceptional swordsmanship, it would be impossible for him to be conferred the emblematic symbol of Swordie status, an engraved Dagger. The Emblem Management Institution, which was responsible for issuing these daggers, imposed the prerequisite of graduating from a Swordie school.

Of course, in order to live his days in peace after graduation, he had to diligently participate in the battle royal. If he were to attain a respectable grade, he would be very pleased.

Earning Swordie status and having a stable and comfortable lifestyle, that was all Kurou wished for.

“Kuro.”

“……Hmm?”

He saw Hinako rushing over right in front of him. He had pondered whether or not she would stay home, but it looked like she had come to spectate. Although she was a human, it felt as if she had already assimilated into the Sword Academy.

“Haa, haa, I’m exhausted……I’m terrible at running……”

Hinako stopped right in front of Kurou, panting as she tried to catch her breath.

Today Hinako was wearing a cheerleader outfit. That ripe yellow sleeveless shirt was paired with a revealing miniskirt. Not that it was bothering him, but her panties could be seen while wearing this sort of thing. However, did Hinako know?

“……Although it doesn’t matter to me, why are you wearing this outfit?”

“This seemed to be the appropriate attire for cheering people on, so I thought it would be perfect.”

Hinako unwittingly lightly wiggled her miniskirt as she spoke. After Kurou took a quick glance at those sensuous legs, he once again thought about the contents within that miniskirt.

“You’re right, but even if you didn’t specifically wear these clothes, you can still……”

“Nevermind that, Kuro went too far by heading out in advance. Are you already tired of me?”

“Stop mentioning these unpleasant things. It’s not like that. I called out to you when I was about to leave but weren’t you busy with something? Plus I’d be screwed if I was late.”

“Lately I’ve been getting the feeling that Kuro is sort of tossing me aside.”

“About that……”

Kurou began to explain to Hinako.

After conversing with Sylphy, the deputy sent out a formal notice.

It said to discontinue the job of protecting Sakurai Hinako. Furthermore, he was to allow Hinako the freedom to move about within the Sword Academy.

It would be bothersome guarding her if she ran all over the place, but after the incident involving Manaka, the level of security for the school’s defense system increased. The reasons for Kurou to be closely guarding her could be said to have lessened.

None of that was bad news to Kurou though.

Sakurai Hinako had been locked up in a room ever since she was a child. Until she was fifteen years-old, she had never witnessed the outside world.

Kurou felt that having Hinako freely move around within the Sword Academy’s domain would be a good influence for her.

In addition, if Kurou were to always tightly guard her, it might become unbearable. No matter who it was, there must always be some time for privacy.

Hinako recently seemed————to possess only a sliver of common sense. Kurou believed that if possible, he should make the effort to not interfere with her freedom.

“I now understand why you have been setting me aside. However Kuro, I have a question.”

“Just like old times, saying whatever comes to mind. What is it?”

“What’s a battle royal?”

“……Hmm.”

That’s right, because of Hinako’s caged up lifestyle, her knowledge was extremely limited. She would surprisingly not know about certain matters that were common knowledge.

“In short, it’s not a one versus one, rather it is numerous people battling at once. This time it will be all first year students, with approximately 200 total. Everyone will simultaneously fight. Those who lose will be out of the fight and it will continue till the last person standing.”

“I see……in that case, wouldn’t people target the strongest individuals from the start?”

“That’s the usual convention.”

“Kuro will probably receive the brunt of the attacks. Regardless if it is Kuro being the Sword Saint’s disciple or being able to repel Manaka, everyone should know that by now. May luck be on your side.”

“Don’t pray for me!”

Since Hinako was stoic as always, it was hard to tell whether she was serious or just kidding around.

It was just as she said, the chances of Kurou being sought after was pretty high.

The thought of losing to a human like Kurou would be very shameful. As a result, the number of people to retreat from and cross swords with will probably be numerous. However, the battle royal was practically a festive event————a game rather.

If it was a game, then losing to a human could be excused by just saying “because it was a game, I only did him a favor” by many individuals. That would not be shocking at all.

“Specifically, what are the rules of engagement?”

“After this, everyone has to go to their designated spot. Once we all disperse to our location, then it begins. Whether you run around or stay in one spot, it’s fine either way.”

“So basically there won’t be spectators like there were during the elimination matches. If no one else will witness this, then I get feeling that the number of people who will challenge Kurou will increase immensely.”

“Exactly.”

From the area of the Sword Academy, the 200 students will probably be spread out in a somewhat large scope of space. Who will lose to who, it would be hard to discern from those outside the battle.

“The students will have these number tags attached to their chest.”

Kurou retrieved a round number 96 golden sign from a bag and attached it to his chest.

“To take down another student, you just have to get them to surrender and take their number tag from them. However, if their tag breaks, then that student loses his right to participate. So it seems it’s alright to directly cut their tag as well.”

“I see.”

Hinako gently nodded.

“In other words, in pretending you are taking their tags, you can freely grab their breasts.”

“Ah, Hinako understands as well.”

“What the heck are you teaching her.”

“Hey deputy.”

At some point, deputy Sabina’s figure appeared alongside Kurou and Hinako.

“What do you mean ‘hey’? Are you belittling your assignment?”

“No, it isn’t like that……”

Hinako learned some excessive matters from Kurou. However, Kurou swore an oath to not lay a finger on Hinako. Being fifteen years-old and living independently, Kurou also had to pay the school’s tuition fee. If he were to engage in some brazen encroachment, he would be expelled and be unable to attain Swordie status. In order to avoid that kind of outcome, he had to go against his desires and put reason first.

“Sakurai Hinako is under your protection, you need to make sure she wears proper clothing.”

“That was the problem!?”

Kurou disrespectfully chided the usually stern deputy.

“I didn’t do anything. In regards to exercising restraint, even I know that.”

“Really? Well, if you can’t contain yourself then just let me know. If it’s just the chest, then I can let you rub mine.”

“Eh, really!?”

Up till now, his relationship with the deputy had not been really close————Rather, they practically never conversed before and he never knew that she could be so straightforward.

“No problem. Even a human girl wouldn’t be flustered from being licked on the cheeks by her own dog.”

“……I suppose.”

Even if at first glance she seemed pretty frank, the deputy was still a Swordie, an existence that scorned humans like Kurou. Conversing only because he was her subordinate, that was all he should expect.

“Speaking of which, what are you doing here deputy?”

“Sending Sylphy-sama her periodic report.”

The deputy pointed in the direction of the tent. Sylphy was currently sitting on a steel chair and enthusiastically conversing with Sefi. Sylphy seemed to have come to spectate.

“Sylphy-sama doesn’t want a written report and wishes to listen to it instead, hence I came.”

“As expected of Sylphy-sama……”

The eventual successor of the four generals was currently assiduously going about her work. Even if it seemed that she was already a well-known, capable government official, she would be able to serve the people to an even greater extent if she were to attain the pinnacle role.

“Oh right, Lars is also nearing the end of his hospital stay.”

“Eh, that’s surprisingly early.”

Lars was a fellow tutee alongside Kurou as well as his partner from the Sabers.

A Swordie’s recovery abilities far outmatch that of a human. As a result, the underlying reason behind Lars’s recuperation time was very simple. Based on the grave wound he received during his battle versus Manaka, even death would not have been shocking.

“Lars will most likely continue to go to school here. You two better not cause trouble here since the daughter of an important figure will be present.”

“Understood.”

After Kurou nodded, the deputy walked off towards the tent. Her weariness was reflected in her footsteps. Being suddenly forced to take over the role of the director, even a Swordie like her appeared to be showing signs of exhaustion.

“Speaking of which Kuro……”

“What is it?”

“What are you going to do about the clothing issue?”

That conversation just now, Hinako appeared to be not paying attention, however it turned out she was.

“……About that, when the time comes I’ll let you know.”

“Nonsense, then how about I ask Sefi?”

“Don't do it!”

Sefi would probably misunderstand the situation. Kurou was not a masochist, so he wished to avoid getting beat and scolded.

At this time, a large batch of numbers were broadcasted, Kurou’s number included. It appeared that they were to head towards their designated spots.

“Well, I’ll be back shortly.”

“Wait, hold on. Take this.”

Hinako handed him a small package.

“This is char siu rice. Please eat this if you get hungry.”

“So this was what you were doing back at the house, thanks.”

Apparently he was not a stickler for char siu rice. However, who knows how long it will take for this to end. Therefore, he rejoiced having something that would ensure he could replenish his energy.

“Kuro, goodluck——”

For the first time, Hinako said something that resembled a cheerleader. However, cheering him on stoically while blankly standing there did not make it much more enthusiastic.

Kurou wryly smiled. He then waved his hand and headed off.

The sharp broadcast reverberated throughout the campus.

As scheduled, the curtains for the battle royal were raised at 10am.

Kurou also heard the broadcast. His assigned starting location was near a conspicuous fir tree located in the forest where he lived.

The moment the broadcast sounded, Kurou left the fir tree that was adjacent to him and started sprinting through the forest.

Although the battle royal had just started, he did not wish to instigate any trouble. When the sounds of wildlife vanished, there was nothing but silence.

However, the students participating in the battle royal all braced themselves. They were all probably acutely sensing the breathing and footsteps of the other two hundred students on the move. Undoubtedly, the students were keyed in on various sounds. Of course, Kurou was no different.

The rules for the battle royal were simple. In short, cutting apart the opponent’s tag was all that was needed. Even staying at one’s starting location and not moving at all was acceptable.

Kurou was inferior to the Swordies when it came to physical capabilities. In order to avoid expending his energy, staying in one place was a viable option. However, he was resolute in heading out.

In regards to a battle royal and such, Kurou had never experienced anything like it. What is in store, how will it turn out, he had no clue at all. Nevertheless, he felt that if he could knock out any students he saw, then everything would be smooth sailing. As opposed to staying at his original location, moving around was the only way for him to dispel any overthinking.

“Well, it’ll work out in the end.”

Kurou was not under the impression that it was ok to lose. However, the battle royal had no impact on grades and was merely a game. Based on the rules, the strongest might not even prevail.

After traversing the forest, he entered the courtyard. The sound of wooden swords clashing came from a certain direction. It appeared there were people who had already started much earlier.

I suppose I’ll spectate the match a bit, just as he was thinking along those lines……

“Kurou!”

“……Hmm?”

A girl came running to him from afar.

“……You——are……”

“I’m Lima! Did you already forget!?”

“Ah, I see.”

She had short hair and was very energetic.

She was part of Sefi’s entourage————one of her friends who nagged about Kurou before.

“Have your wounds healed already?”

“That wound had already healed long ago.”

Lima’s shoulder was injured by a rifle during the first day of the elimination matches when the sun cultists invaded the school. After that, she likely stayed at the hospital.

“A gunshot wound healed that fast? I do not wish to battle against someone who is hurt.”

“I said it has already healed. See, right here!”

Lima removed her shirt and pulled on her blouse to reveal her shoulder. Although a small remnant of the bullet marking remained on her fair, white flesh, the wound indeed appeared to have completely healed already.

“What a feast for the eyes. Thank you very much for going through all that trouble just so I can have a look.”

“……Huh? Q-Quit scheming!”

Lima’s face turned red as she put her clothes back on. Although her breasts were completely exposed to him as a result, it seemed that she was unaware that things would end up like that.

“Well, it’s great that the wound has healed. As to be expected of a Swordie.”

A Swordie’s recovery abilities far surpassed that of a human’s. It was the same for Lima who was wounded by a powerful .30 caliber rifle. Her injury had essentially vanished after two weeks. It was said that it was the same during the Great War when the Swordies were attacked. As long as a Swordie survived, they could instantly return to the front lines. For the humans, that would probably be intolerable.

“W-Whatever, I’m fine. Hurry up and let’s go.”

“You’re so impatient. You seem to really want to get it on with me.”

Lima centered her wooden sword while Kurou displayed the same stance.

“And besides, I still owe you a favor. So of course I have to do something about it.”

“Eh……”

Indeed, Kurou was the one who repelled the people that assaulted Lima. However, for her favor, it was to knockout Kurou rather than just expressing gratitude. To humans, this was absolutely baffling.

“By the way, have you heard about Neena?”

“I heard. There’s a lot of things I wish I could say to her.”

Kurou was certain that would be the case. Neena was Sefi’s friend and Lima’s friend as well. However, she was a Blaze who used a fraudulent personal record to infiltrate the academy. Plus, her goal was to murder Sefi.

“Betrayal is betrayal, that I don’t care about. However, disappearing without leaving a word is impermissible. The least she could have done was mention something to us before taking off.”

Exactly, a Swordie’s reasoning was difficult to comprehend, but perhaps Lima was just an oddball.

“Those matters can be saved for later. For now, you’re the main focus.”

“What, you’re still going to be like that?”

There was no telling how many people he would have to battle in the end. Furthermore, just nonchalantly conversing would not suffice either.

“Prepare yourself!”

As soon as Lima shouted, she stormed off in his direction.

While planting her foot heavily against the ground, her wooden sword slashed across at light speed. Her agility and the speed of her sword in that attack were hard to capture for the eyes of a human————however……

Kurou was not an ordinary human. He had received training from the Sword Saint and lived to tell the tale after crossing swords against the strongest of the Seven Swords.

Although Lima was also very talented, she was still just an immature first-year swordsman. Her powerful swing just whiffed by Kurou————

“……!”

Lima uttered a quiet yelp. While Kurou was dodging, he swung his wooden sword across, hitting Lima on the side of her head.

For a human, it would not be surprising if they were to die from a strike like that. However, the wooden sword could not possibly deal a life threatening wound to the light powered body of a Swordie.

“Kurou……!”

Lima eyed Kurou as she helplessly fell over. Despite it not becoming a life threatening wound, a powerful jolt to the head would render even a Swordie unable to stand back up.

“Sorry.”

Kurou stated as such towards the fallen Lima, who was faced up towards the sky. He used the point of his wooden sword to sever the tag on her chest.

One down.

Regardless, Lima will likely awaken soon and the staff will probably rush over to check in on her.

“Up next……”

Kurou mulled over where to go, but just as he was heading back……

“……Eh?”

Surrounding Kurou was a couple————rather, dozens of other female students.

Each held up their wooden sword while emitting their killing intent towards Kurou.

“I must be quite well received around here.”

Kurou wryly smiled as he positioned his wooden sword.

They wanted to take out the strongest members first. Perhaps they were going to attack Kurou en masse.

Regardless, this would probably be challenging for him to escape from.

Well, it saved him the trouble of contemplating where to go next————while thinking as such, he revealed a slight smile.

Kurou sprinted into the school’s backyard and sat down with his back against the school walls.

The courtyard was adorned with a plain flower garden and a few trees. There was a sense of stillness since there also appeared to be a garbage dump here as well. The place was devoid of the aura of anyone else and seemed like a place where he could rest a bit.

His breathing was erratic and the shirt to his uniform felt heavy due to being soaked with sweat.

It had not even been one hour since the battle royal started.

However, he probably had already taken out thirty people.

Swordies despised a one versus many battle and a proper swordsman would practically never perform any surprise attacks or attacks from behind. Although it was a different matter when it came to war or his Sabers missions, such underhanded methods would not be used otherwise.

Truthfully speaking, Kurou had never encountered a time where he had been swarmed by a large group of people thanks to the Swordies’ idiotic habits.

However, because he had to go through thirty one versus one battles, his weariness would of course accumulate. If he were to stay in one place he would be facing one battle after another, hence it was necessary for him to be on the move.

Kurou, whose physical capabilities were twelve out of ten for a human, was still somewhat lacking in stamina after staying in the hospital for two weeks.

He retrieved the rice balls that Hinako made for him from his shirt pocket and wolfed them down. Who knows how many more times he would have to battle.

When contemplating over his level of exhaustion, it was probably best for him to bide his time.

“……Hmm?”

There was another student running towards the backyard like Kurou did.

The person’s breathing was even more spastic than Kurou’s was. The person was indeed a boy.

“Tough work out there——“

Although Kurou calmly greeted him, the other guy gave no response. He was also a Swordie. Was that a look of disdain directed at Kurou? Or was he fatigued to the point where he was unable to spare a greeting?

Even if it was within the Sword Academy, there were still a couple male students. However, most of them did not rely on their swordsmanship ability, rather it was their exceptional family history that facilitated their enrollment to the school. This student was likely one of those types.

The guy jogged right past Kurou and disappeared as he headed towards the opposite side of the building. He must have wanted to rest a bit for him to swing by here.

Perhaps he got into some trouble as well? Kurou wryly smiled at the thought.

“Guh!”

A sudden cry was heard. The boy from not too long ago tumbled across the ground. He was completely knocked into a daze and the tag on his chest was already in tatters.

Kurou directed his gaze upwards from the boy and prepared his stance.

This time it was a girl that slowly came into view.

“……?”

Kurou tilted his head slightly.

The girl that appeared was wearing the same uniform and holding the same wooden sword as the other contestants, but why was she wearing a mask around her eyes? It honestly seemed quite suspicious.

“……What’s with the mask? Did the theme change?”

“……”

The girl remained silent towards Kurou’s joke.

The masked girl approached Kurou————and then instantly closed the distance as she swung her sword.

“……”

That precise strike was barely avoided by Kurou when he saw the sword’s tip.

The masked girl pressed on, unleashing attacks one after another. Each strike was carefully and exquisitely measured. Although he dodged them, the power exuded in those attacks numbed his skin.

However, Kurou saw through the whole thing while most humans would most certainly be unable to even capture the afterimage of the attack.

As for the masked girl, she was not surprised by the fact that a human evaded her strike. She swiftly charged forth and put everything she had into aiming for a fatal thrust.

“Eh?”

Suddenly, Kurou stopped in his tracks. He was unwittingly close to the flower garden. By the garden was a fence————in which his foot bumped into the short twenty centimeter fence.

“Huh!?”

That particularly sharp blow brushed the side of Kurou’s face.

Even though he suddenly halted his footsteps, Kurou leaned back as he once again barely dodged the attack.

“That’s quite dangerous.”

Kurou left the flower garden while maintaining his distance from the masked girl.

He felt a faint sense of heat on his face. After rubbing his hand against it, he noticed there was bright red blood.

Despite intending to avoid the strike, the wooden sword appeared to have slightly grazed him.

“Having been grazed along the face, my girl will surely cry.”

“……”

The masked girl once again went without any reactions towards Kurou’s joke.

“Ignoring me? Well, whatever, I did do something a bit cruddy to you as well.”

“……?”

Although the masked girl revealed her suspicions based on the movements of her lips, Kurou offered no reply.

Kurou did not respond. Instead, he closed the distance between them.

The masked girl was flustered only for a moment as she reset her stance.

Kurou continued to push on brazenly————

“……!”

At the moment when Kurou rushed by the masked girl’s body, his sword flashed by, sending the girl down on her knees.

“What just happened……?”

“Ah, so you finally decide to talk.”

Kurou excitedly spoke as the mask gently peeled off and fell to the ground. It must have fallen due to Kurou striking her head region.

“What a beauty. It’s a shame you had to wear a mask.”

Kurou surveyed her while speaking. However, he had not seen her before.

Her face revealed her complete astonishment. Did she really think that Kurou was not planning on doing anything as he charged past her?

“How could I lose to the sword of a human……”

“Have you been listening to what I’m saying? My sword is a tad out of the ordinary.”

Regardless if it was a Swordie or a human, it was possible to predict the path and speed of an opponent’s sword based on their hand movements. Especially for Swordies, a human’s sword could have its start to finish, the strength of swing and such determined in an instant.

Nevertheless, Kurou’s sword was different.

His sword was able to depict a different path and speed from his opponent’s predictions. For those who cross swords with Kurou, their timing would be disrupted by his unpredictable sword, resulting in a loss to a simple attack.

“At least, this isn’t just the sword of any ordinary human. Even if you lose it’s nothing to be surprised about.”

“……What was the bad thing that you mentioned before?”

“It’s just that I slightly underestimated you. To have my foot get caught in the fencing, that was too careless even for me. There’s no way I would have room for such carelessness for an opponent as strong as you.”

Indeed, the masked girl could not even be compared to the thirty students he eliminated earlier today. She was not an opponent where he could just ready his stance for an instant win against.

“Really……well whatever, it was at least a unique experience for me.”

After the girl that had lost her mask unsteadily stood back up, she removed the tag on her chest and tore it apart. It seemed to be a forfeiting indication.

Once she threw away her tag, she simply left.

“……What the, she is……”

“A second year student.”

“Hmm?”

Kurou turned around. In that direction————it was Sefi.

While holding the wooden sword in her right hand, she slowly approached Kurou.

“Were you not paying attention? The color of her tie was green.”

“Haha, I didn’t notice……my only impression was that her breasts were huge.”

“That’s not anything attention worthy!”

“No problem, Sefi’s are still larger compared to hers.”

“Keep that to yourself!”

Sefi replied in a growling manner. Just like always, she could never take a joke.

“By the way, why are there second year students? Only first-years can participate in this battle royal right?”

“I get the feeling that there’s quite a few upperclassmen participating, not just second-years. I’ve also seen third-year students and took out three of them.

“I see……”

The battle royal was an entertainment activity. It was not meant to be used for ranking the first-year students. Although, it would not be out of the ordinary to see surprise activities planned for the upperclassmen. That second year student must have worn that ridiculous mask while participating in the activity since she thought it would be funny.

“However, Kurou beating that girl was much more impressive. The abilities of these participants range all over the place.”

“If there are many more individuals of the same caliber as the one I faced, then all the first-years probably have no chance of winning.”

Or perhaps the upperclassmen would conveniently pull out after battling a couple rounds. In the end, the battle royal was an activity conducted for first-year students.

“Regardless, the number of people has dropped drastically. How many did you take out Rou?”

“In a certain sense, I’m really quite a popular around here.”

Based on Sefi’s inquiry, she must have also eliminated a lot of people.

The end of the battle royal appeared to be surprisingly fast approaching.

“Speaking of which, Sefi……”

“Yes?”

“Why is your face all red?”

Kurou noticed it from the start. The moment Sefi appeared, even her ears were flushed red and her eyes were a tad moist.

“T-That’s because it feels quite hot from battling so many times!”

“But it seems there’s not a drop of sweat on you……”

“Shut up! Enough, let’s just start already!”

Sefi shouted as she displayed a stance with her wooden sword held up.

Although she was an impatient person, Kurou pretty much understood why Sefi’s face was thoroughly red.

Swordies and humans were largely similar, except when it came to physical capabilities and a a few other aspects.

One of which was————the Swordies were a sword loving race.

The desire for a strong swordsman was a Swordie instinct. Being drawn in by a strong individual, they were basically captivated. For Swordie girls going through puberty, this was especially true. It was said that they were particularly prone to being captivated.

Sefi fit the criteria perfectly.

She must have witnessed the battle between Kurou and the mask wearing second year student and got hooked on Kurou’s swordsmanship. There was an instance of that before.

However, was this “love” real, or was it a temporary infatuation? Kurou probably feared it was the latter.

“I’m coming!”

Sefi rapidly charged in and swung her sword down.

With that wind ruffling clash, the wooden sword sent a ferocious gale that passed by Kurou’s sides.

“……!”

Brushing past his skin, Kurou sensed the pressure of an even stronger sword compared to that second year student.

Sefi’s sword was not reliant on tricks, rather she was someone who would unleash everything in one strike. Forget humans, even some Swordies were probably unable to contain Sefi’s all-out attack.

The Starbreaker————Sefi possessed the brawns to be able to effortlessly swing around that sword which resembled a chunk of steel. Although it was a wooden sword, wielding it at full strength would probably shred a person’s body apart.

“Not good, so dangerous, oh so dangerous.”

Kurou instantly separated from Sefi as he spoke in jest.

However, Sefi offered no response towards Kurou’s joke. This time she slashed horizontally, but Kurou simply just slightly stepped back to avoid that air splicing sword.

During that evasion, Kurou was sure of it.

It was back when he returned from the hospital and saw Sefi swinging her Sword.

After the portal opened while battling against Manaka, a type of change occurred within Sefi.

Kurou was able to make sense of these two moments.

Following that————Sefi’s third strike once again aimed at the upper body.

“……?”

Kurou prepared his stance. He used his own wooden sword to repel Sefi’s crushing attack and sidestepped from the path of her sword.

Despite her body on the brink of collapse, Sefi was still able to withdraw the wooden sword and reset her stance.

“My sword……was blocked?”

Sefi’s face clearly surfaced an expression of shock.

She was very familiar with Kurou’s sword, the so-called Olden Style. Precisely because of this, she felt astonished.

Kurou’s father was a Swordie researcher. He investigated the Swordies who appeared on earth one after another through tiny portals since ancient times as well as the samurai who fought against them. He secretly composed his findings.

The findings were not for the sake of defeating the Swordies, rather it was simply a scientific interest.

Although Kurou was just a child when his father lost his life, the result of his findings were passed down through him.

After his dad died, the Sword Saint, who took in Kurou as her disciple, used the result of his dad’s research to teach him the technique to battle against the Swordies————the Olden Style.

The foundation of the Olden Style started with evading the sword of a Swordie which could even sever steel.

For humans whose vision capturing and reaction speed cannot overcome a Swordie’s swing of the sword, they were forced to read the path of the sword in order to dodge. It was essential that they mastered this future prediction-esque skill.

Ever since he was young, Kurou was constantly faced with the attacks of the Sword Saint’s sword. With that, he was now able to forego sword to sword combat and just use his body to dodge normal swordsmen using his sword prediction.

“You’ve become strong Sefi. If I were to carelessly evade, there’d be no way I could completely dodge your sword.”

“Me……?”

Against truly powerful opponents, Kurou had the option of dodging the enemy’s sword. If he was unable to, he would use his sword to repel his opponent’s sword and then dodge. Of course, if he contacts a Swordie’s sword, Kurou’s arm would probably break along with his sword. For him, it was not about having a greater sword momentum in comparison to his opponent, rather it was utilizing his opponent’s force against them to parry their sword.

If Kurou’s sword clashed against the sword of his opponent, it meant that his opponent could not be dealt with through his usual means.

“Maturing within such a short time frame……If only your body development could quickly reach maturity, that’d make me even more excited.”

“Quit adding in all this nonsense!”

“Of course, I feel that Sefi’s breasts are quite adequate as it is.”

“Just shut up! Enough of this breast talk!”

Sefi yelled as such.

“Tch, I’m clearly praising you. Well, there’s no way I’d be mistaken about your strength increase.”

“……I saw your two battles against Neena, and the battle between you and Manaka. During Rou’s stay at the hospital, I continuously contemplated over what methods would defeat you.”

“Normally speaking, one does not become stronger just by spectating. It’s probably just your raw talent. Furthermore……have you noticed it yourself?”

In the midst of the battle against Manaka, a portal opened————after that, Sefi’s light received an explosive increase. Although she did not instantly notice the impact, the change was already as clear as day. It would be strange if she had not realized that was the case during Kurou’s stay at the hospital.

The greater the amount of light within a Swordie, the greater their strength and speed will be. Sefi’s physical capabilities are likely to be sharply different from before.

“Light, it is something that increases with a long duration of training. So how come it changed so suddenly, do you know?”

“No……I don’t understand. Although, something certainly did take place back then.”

As expected, Sefi also seemed to have detected some connection between her and the portal.

However, she appeared to be in the same boat as Kurou in not knowing its cause. It was just like Sylphy stated before, the portals were teeming with mysteries.

“Well, what we don’t know doesn’t really matter. Right now the most pressing matter is……my battle against you.”

“It always turns out like this.”

As Kurou wryly smiled, Sefi once again swung her sword.

So forceful, yet its speed surpassed what the eyes could capture. After using the Olden Style to parry her sword, he backed off.

She truly became stronger————

If Kurou were to make one mistake, his body would be shattered by her wooden sword in the exchange. He chuckled as he realized that the opponent he had been fighting against since they were both just children had been slowly catching up to him. He was overjoyed about it.

Once the exceptionally powerful sword was deflected, Sefi stopped in her tracks.

“It seems that Kurou is quite strong as usual……tch.”

“Don’t click your tongue! Well, there are still inadequacies to you.”

“Inadequacies……”

“It’s simple really, it’s your lack of real battle experience.”

Sefi never had a designated teacher.

Within her residence of the four generals, there came and went many powerful and talented swordsmen. It would appear that battling against them was Sefi’s daily routine.

However, in the end it was just practice. The swordsmen who faced Sefi, the four generals’ daughter, would probably never display their true abilities.

“Sefi has never experienced a fight where lives were at stake. Do you think that the attack from Neena counts? Of course not. One can’t get stronger if they don’t know the value of life.”

“Then……what about you?”

“I used to train with my master in the mountains. It wasn’t just living the mountain lifestyle either. Since the amount of guests was more than expected, there were many idiots who wanted to challenge my master to determine a victor.”

If they wanted to fight against the Sword Saint, they first had to overcome her disciple————who knows how many times that occurred. Needless to say, those were all genuine sword battles where both lives were on the line. The Sword Saint would watch the opponent who came to battle and would only send the ones that her disciple had a chance to defeat for him to fight against. From that, there were practically no opportunities for the Sword Saint to be matched against an opponent.

“Swordies, humans, both are only able to become stronger through life and death battles.”

“I see…….I haven’t killed anyone before.”

In other words, if Sefi were to accumulate experience in battling to kill, she would certainly become stronger. For Swordies, as long as it was swordsman versus swordsman, taking away one’s life was not taboo.

“I’m grateful that you have explained these things to me. That said, there’s something I’ve wanted to ask you. May I?”

“Go ahead.”

“I can very clearly discern that you are powerful. Indeed, I seem to have become stronger. However, that second year student just now was also a difficult opponent. Even so, it’s hard to believe that Kurou would take a wound to the face from her sword. Furthermore, I get the feeling your movements have become a tad sluggish.”

“……Eh.”

He never imagined that it would be noticed. Kurou was stunned.

After leaving the hospital, he noticed it as well while he was swinging a sword. He felt that his sword techniques lagged in both speed and force. In addition, his agility was not the same as before. Except, even if he was sluggish, it was only to a tiny extent. To be able to see through that bit was truly quite exceptional.

“Is it because of your injuries? Even though Manaka was a traitor, her abilities earned her the title of one of the Seven Swords. For a human to be slashed by Manaka like that and only spend two weeks recovering is quite unthinkable.”

“Sefi, there’s two things wrong with your statement.”

Kurou cut Sefi short and proceeded to speak in a elucidating manner.

“First, my wound is really already healed. If the wound was vulnerable to tearing, then I wouldn’t have been allowed to leave the hospital.”

“I suppose so…….”

“And I have already explained to you about the light body right?”

Humans did not possess the powerful source of physical power known as light, that was common sense.

However, when facing the powerful light of the Seven Swords, humans would probably crumble and their bodies would incessantly shake. Hence, humans also recognized the presence of light.

If humans could retain light, then they should be able to unleash it————only Hyouka would deliberate over something as silly as that.

“My master possessed light power that went beyond Manaka, to heights unimaginable. Furthermore, she was able to expertly control her light. She must have detected that there was a miniscule amount of light within humans as well. Anyhow, I also realized the light within me was enough to be used. That’s great and all, but humans seem to be unable to bear light energy.”

Kurou was unable to control the light and that was why the light poured over his entire body.

However, the light wrapped around his entire body, resulting in his body being reinforced. Despite it not being on the same level as a Swordie, it allowed him to surpass his strength and speed for battle. This was known as the light body.

“While the light body is activated, all wounds will quickly heal. Thanks to this, the shoulder wound had healed long ago. However, there was a side effect on my body————basically, my body movement was temporarily disabled afterwards.”

“I see……but, are you sure you’re fine!? If that’s the case, isn’t that an unanticipated weakness of yours!? Are you ok with telling me something like that!?”

“Indeed……if I’m attacked by Sefi after I’m weakened through the use of the light body, my purity will be instantly taken by you.”

“Why would I do that!?”

It was hard to say but he would probably still wish for it to be taken away anyways. However, Sefi, who was prone to embarrassment, probably would not grant his wish.

“All in all, I understand, you’re not in your best condition. For you to say that I’ve gotten stronger under these circumstances————“

“That would be your second mistake.”

Kurou extended out his pointer finger and middle finger as he spoke.

“Right now because of the influence of the light body, my movements have become sluggish. That’s true and all but……I’m clearly able to battle and still had the free time to come to the battlefield.”

While wryly smiling, Kurou repositioned his wooden sword.

Battling when one has a winning chance——that would be the norm during combat. He had battled against Manaka of the Seven Swords before, but that extremely reckless situation was an exception.

Kurou believed that every battle was a winnable battle.

That was also a notion his master, Sword Saint Hyouka, instilled in him.

“Ah……haha, I see, I see. Looks like I’m clearly wrong.”

Sefi’s face was flushed red as she incessantly nodded her head. Although Kurou originally wanted to instill a slight amount of killing intent to his smile, in terms of the forcefulness of adding such a meaning, Kurou was no match for Sefi.

“T-Then I guess I won’t be holding anything back. Fufufu!”

Sefi unleashed an odd laughter as she once resumed swinging her sword. Compared to before, this was a more extreme and intense attack.

From the looks of it, Sefi was probably more excited than afraid towards Kurou’s intimidating smile.

Jeez, Swordies are so hard to understand. Kurou dodged and parried Sefi’s ferocious jabs while in astonishment. He maintained his distance while backing off at the same time.

The two of them were engaged in battle, traversing across the backyard as they made their way to the parking lot. For a school, the large parking lot was rather large and could probably hold up to fifty vehicles. Their numbers were sparse, perhaps due to everyone wanting to avoid any damages today.

“What are you doing Kurou! If you don’t counterattack, even a person like you will lose! Alright, hurry and give me everything you got! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!”

It appeared that Sefi’s excitement levels had substantially increased.

The sword-loving race, with such an instinct unleashed, her character would certainly somewhat change.

It was not as if Kurou could not counterattack. However, his curiosity was piqued upon seeing the state of Sefi’s sword.

Sefi truly became stronger and was able to control that rapid upgrade in strength and speed quite exceptionally. Her swordsmanship also improved and any negligence on his part would likely lead to him being eliminated in one hit.

Sefi’s acute swordsmanship could be felt within each of her strikes. From the start, Sefi was always very talented. Precisely because she had not matured yet, she still had great potential for development. To be able to witness the maturity of a swordsman, it was quite valuable for Kurou.

“By the way Sefi.”

“What is it!?”

Sefi kept moving her hands, continuing her frenzied attack as she spoke.

“When facing such a chaotic attack, I’m not going to have the leisure to kiss you right?”

“I’ll be sure such a leisure gets smashed into pieces!”

Because of Kurou’s frivolous speech, Sefi’s swordsmanship was thrown slightly off.

In the past, Sefi had attacked Kurou because she became aroused from Kurou’s sword. Furthermore, she used a real sword that time. In order to not hurt Sefi and have her stop————Kurou kissed her, with such an attack making her return to her senses.

“I had clearly intended to forget about that matter……don’t bring up the past!”

Kurou calmly evaded Sefi’s crazed swinging of the sword.

From the looks of it, Sefi was wavering excessively. The majority of her sword maneuvers were completely lacking in order.

It is about time that I put an end to this————after Kurou parried Sefi’s wooden sword, Sefi jumped backwards. With Sefi’s stance being compromised, one strike should be able to take her out right now.

Sefi was forced to prepare her wooden sword, but it was already too late. Just as Kurou was setting himself up to charge in————

“......!?”

Kurou was absolutely baffled.

“What was that just now……!”

“Eh?”

Sefi’s eyes were also opened wide in surprise as she planned on swinging her sword downwards.

Kurou raised his brows, staring at his own wooden sword. The front part of his sword had already been fractured.

“What——what happened?”

Actually, Kurou had a general idea that something did happen. However, he did not know why such an event occurred.

Sefi was compelled to swing her sword downwards, but there was quite a stark difference in the timing of it. Although Kurou was able to brace the hit, grazing him or his sword should not have even been possible.

For a split second, he saw a black object suspended mid-air. It appeared to be a tiny————portal-like split that came only from the blade of Sefi’s wooden sword as it severed Kurou’s wooden sword.

In fact, that was all Kurou was able to discern. However————

“What’s going on……!”

Kurou swung his fractured tip sword horizontally while in a perplexed state.

“Huh?”

An expression of bewilderment once again surfaced on Sefi’s face————it appeared to be overly mundane in terms of the speed and path of the sword. In general, it was a very basic style of swordsmanship.

“Ha……!”

Nevertheless, in the very next moment that Kurou swung his blade in front of her, the tag hanging on Sefi’s chest ripped into tatters.

“What!?”

Sefi uttered lightly and seemingly confirmed to herself that the tag was destroyed by placing her hand on her chest.

The result of the battle was————Kurou being the victor.

“What was that just now……”

“A neat little trick of the Olden Style called the Waning Crescent————in other words, it was faking a basic attack on the first offensive when the real attack was going to come in during the second offensive.”

“......Then, isn’t that just a feign?”

“Don’t call it that.”

Kurou chuckled a bit.

Such a technique would only be effective against those who were familiar with Kurou’s unpredictable attacks. Precisely because he displayed a human-like strike, Sefi was stupefied and caught off guard. During that, he would then revert back to his usual aggression————that was all there was to it. It would never work a second time so it really was just a little trick.

“Guh…...I lost, you won’t be hearing any excuses from me.”

It appeared that Sefi returned to her usual self. Despite her having calmed down, it probably happened because of her losing from being struck down by such a stodgy technique.

“However……”

Kurou had also taken somewhat of a blow. Just what was that inconceivable strike from Sefi……?

“What do you mean ‘however’? That should be my line. As expected, I probably wasn’t under my usual state of mind. Even so, your sword was severed by me.”

“......Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter since I won.”

It seemed that Sefi still had not noticed what was behind that mystical strike. It was obviously an abnormality, but perhaps it was due to her excitement.

“You’re right, there’s no excuses as the loser of the battle. Here you go Rou.”

“Haha, thanks.”

After Kurou received the wooden sword, Sefi approached Kurou. She extended out her hand and lightly caressed the wound on Kurou’s cheeks.

“Due to your flurried movements, that wound opened up again.”

“It’s not too bad. Don’t be crying now Sefi.”

“Your girl, so that was referring to me wasn’t it!?”

Based on that, it seemed Sefi had definitely overheard the conversation between the second year student and Kurou.

“......Idiot, it’s probably not even possible.”

“Eh——what is?”

“Of course. It’s obvious…...I can’t even reach the soles of your feet. Alright, please wipe the blood off with this.”

Once Sefi handed her handkerchief over, she swiftly left by herself.

“......Well, I see, based on Sefi’s personality……”

Since she always loses to Kurou, she was probably reluctant to just leisurely get along with him.

Nevertheless, there was no way Sefi did not reach the soles of Kurou’s feet in terms of strength. It would not be too far-fetched to say that she had nearly caught up to Kurou.

There was a discernible increase in power and that oddity from her sword, yet Sefi had a great amount of room to mature more. Certainly she will become very powerful.

“Ah——, hahaha, very amusing.”

Kurou suddenly turned around.

There was a large four-wheeled vehicle and————sitting on the hood of the car was a girl clapping her hands.

She possessed light green hair and the slender figure of a model. To add to that, she wore the tie of a third year student.

That would be the student council president of the Sword Academy, Isyuto.
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User talk:Thatsjustpeachy

2014-01-27T07:32:20Z

はじめ:

==Editing 剣神の継承者==
===Prologue of Vol 2===
* The pale blue sky stretched for '''miles, with not a single cloud to be seen'''. --> The pale blue sky stretched for miles, '''without a cloud in sight'''. I guess that captures the 'feel' better?
* It was already past mid-May, the '''sunlight''' being glaringly bright and warm winds blowing about. --> It was already past mid-May, the '''sun''' being glaringly bright and warm winds blowing about.
* The monotonous sky seemed to be the only one ignoring approaching summer’s presence, '''it’s''' appearance as normal as it always was. --> The monotonous sky seemed to be the only one ignoring approaching summer’s presence, '''its''' appearance as normal as it always was. (Grammar it's stands for "it is")[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/it%27s Wikipedia - it's]
* However, those phenomena would only last for the briefest of '''moments, and at this moment in time he''' hadn’t spotted anything out of the ordinary. --> However, those phenomena would only last for the briefest of moments '''and, until now, he''' hadn’t spotted anything out of the ordinary. (Just a suggestion) 'until now' seems to make the sentence 'flow' better compared to 'at this moment in time'.
* Kurou was currently in '''one corner''' of the academy he was attending as a student, '''a vibrantly viridian garden'''. --> Kurou was currently in '''a corner''' of the academy he was attending as a student, '''a vibrant viridian garden'''. I guess vibrant viridian[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viridian (Viridian is a blue-green pigment, a hydrated chromium(III) oxide, of medium saturation and relatively dark in value.)] garden makes more sense.
* There was a grove of trees in the deepest part of the garden, '''and that was the location of the small cottage in which he resided.''' --> There was a grove of trees in the deepest part of the garden, '''and that was the location of the small cottage where he resided.''' --> There '''were''' a grove of trees in the deepest part of the garden, '''which marked the location of the small cottage where he resided.''' (Though I prefer this suggestion more, it seems to change the meaning a little)
* Most importantly though, since it was within school '''grounds, commuting''' to school was a breeze. Coma there?
* Kurou suddenly came to a '''halt, placing''' his hand on the katana strapped to his waist. --> Kurou suddenly came to a halt'''and placed''' his hand on the katana strapped to his waist.
* Of course, '''his state of mind''' was prepared for '''anything to happen'''. --> Of course, '''he was mentally''' prepared for anything. 'His state of mind' sounds somewhat weird when used in that context.
* Where the grove opened up into a clearing, there was a girl who was putting her '''spirit''' into swinging her sword. Maybe instead of 'spirit' how about 'whole'?
* The sunlight '''streamed''' through her golden hair, which was tied in a '''sidetail, she''' was wearing a pale beige blazer, and the hem of her miniskirt was flapping about. --> The sunlight '''filtered''' through her golden hair, which was tied in a '''sidetail. She''' was wearing a pale beige blazer, and the hem of her miniskirt was flapping about.
* The blade of the sword she was wielding was '''broad and thick, and it was roughly''' as long as she was tall. --> The blade of the sword she was wielding was broad, thick, and roughly as long as she was tall.
* Just '''once''' look at it and it was clear that this sword was a genuine broadsword-esque blade. --> Just '''one''' look at it and it was clear that this sword was a genuine broadsword-esque blade.
* However, the blonde girl was handling it lightly—even wielding it single-handedly '''on occasion'''. --> However, the blonde girl was handling it lightly—even wielding it single-handedly '''occasionally'''.
* Her practice swings were stirring up '''wind''' in the grove, causing the trees to sway and their trunks to bend. --> Her practice swings were stirring up '''air''' in the grove, causing the trees to sway and their trunks to bend.
* It was '''scenery''' that didn’t look rooted in reality at all. --> It was '''a scene''' that didn’t look rooted in reality at all.
* Swordies could crush '''rock''' with their bare '''hands, and''' sprint faster than the wind. --> Swordies could crush '''rock(s?)''' with their bare hands and sprint faster than the wind.
* Above all else '''though, Swordies''' were a race '''that was proficient with''' the sword '''from''' the time they were born into the world. --> Above all''' else, Swordies''' were a race '''proficient in''' the sword '''since''' the time they were born into the world.
* Although appearance wise humans and Swordies looked alike, they were two completely different living organisms. --> Although, appearance wise, humans and Swordies looked alike, they were two completely different living organisms.
* “Speaking of which, you’re finally discharged. I was wondering how long you were going to '''spend being cooped''' up in there.” --> “Speaking of which, you’re finally discharged. I was wondering how long you were going to '''spend cooped''' up in there.”
* “I’m a human, you know. I '''got a deep gouging wound on my shoulder, not to mentioned I''' was slashed in various other places. The doctor remarked that the fact that I could be discharged in two week was already a miracle of sorts.” --> “I’m a human, you know. I '''got a deep wound gouged on my shoulder, not to mention that I''' was slashed in various other places. The doctor remarked that the fact that I could be discharged in two week was already a miracle of sorts.”
* '''There was some stiffness left in it''', but it had roughly healed from the incident two weeks ago. --> It was still a little stiff, but it had roughly healed from the incident two weeks ago. (Makes more sense & a flows a little better)
* “Humans are such inconvenient creatures. Well, in '''anycase'''… W-w-w-w-el-co…” --> “Humans are such inconvenient creatures. Well, in '''any case'''… W-w-w-w-el-co…”
* Her skirt was dangerously short, till the '''point it barely''' concealed her panties. --> Her skirt was dangerously short, till the '''point where it barely''' concealed her panties.
* Above all else though, because the uniform was tightly fitting to her body, Hinako’s ample bosom stood out, revealing just '''how well stacked''' she really was. --> Above all else though, because the uniform was tightly fitting to her body, Hinako’s ample bosom stood out, revealing just '''how well-endowed''' she really was.
* “That woman… '''Such a needless souvenir to leave behind'''.” --> “That woman… leaving such an needless souvenir behind.”
* She was currently missing, but even when she was gone she was still causing Kurou '''problems'''. --> She was currently missing, but even when she was gone she was still causing Kurou '''trouble'''.
* However, the building in front of Kurou was a brand new '''two storied''' house that looked like it had been prefabricated. --> However, the building in front of Kurou was a brand '''new two storey''' house that looked like it had been '''prefabricated'''. There should be a better word choice than 'prefabricated' ? How about preconstructed?
* Kurou nodded, chuckling wryly on the inside. It was hard '''to''' the academy to refuse any of Sefi’s requests. --> Kurou nodded, chuckling wryly on the inside. It was hard '''for''' the academy to refuse any of Sefi’s requests.
* Living together with Hinako was something that was unavoidable and he '''couldn’t cancel,''' but now that Sefi was living together with them… --> "Couldn't cancel"? There should a better phrase ...
* Kurou’s hand lightly touched the katana '''that was by his side.''' --> Did he take his katana off? Wouldn't "strapped to his side" (something like that) make a little more sense?
[[User:はじめ|はじめ]] ([[User talk:はじめ|talk]]) 01:32, 27 January 2014 (CST) Guess I finished editing the prologue (for now). Well, (once again) the above are just my suggestions.[[User:はじめ|はじめ]] ([[User talk:はじめ|talk]]) 01:32, 27 January 2014 (CST)
===Chapter 1 of Vol 2===
* Wearing the uniform of the academy, both hands were gripped tightly onto his sword as he lifted it into a '''raised position'''. Just my thoughts, but doesn't 'raised position' sound a little weird?
* Returning the sword to the raised position, he '''repeated swinging his sword'''. --> Returning the sword to the raised position, he '''repeatedly swung his sword'''. or maybe '''again he swung his sword'''?
* Also he had spent the whole of yesterday moving his things around in the new house''', so other than cleaning''' he hadn’t been able to do anything else. --> Also he had spent the whole of yesterday moving his things around in the new house '''so, other than cleaning,''' he hadn’t been able to do anything else.
* Although it might seem a little rude to Sefi, '''he had the confidence''' if they were to fight a hundred battles he would win every one of them. --> Although it might seem a little rude to Sefi, '''he had confidence that''' if they were to fight a hundred battles he would win every one of them.
* The Seven Swords '''were a''' title given to the strongest amongst the Swordies. --> The Seven Swords '''was a''' title given to the strongest amongst the Swordies.
* Within the Seven Swords, the '''most brilliant''' of them was given the title of Sword Saint. How about 'strongest' ?
* Even if his physical ability had '''gone down''', or his body had dulled, Kurou wasn’t going to use those as excuses to lose. How about 'decreased'?
* Kurou swung his '''blade''' down even harder. Wouldn't 'sword' make more sense instead of blade?
* There was a fine line between training and '''ruining his body'''. --> How about 'overexerting himself'?
* Taking a shower now would be a hassle, '''but at the very least he felt he should wash his face'''. --> Taking a shower now would be a hassle, '''but felt he should at least wash his face'''.
* '''Previously home''' was just a small cottage with very little '''floor space''', but now it was a two story building, so the number of rooms had increased. --> '''Previously, home''' was just a small cottage with very little '''floor area,''' but now it was a two story building, so the number of rooms had increased.
* He could hear Sefi’s stream of '''abuse''' from behind the closed door. --> He could hear Sefi’s stream of '''insults''' from behind the closed door.
* ... with all his might as well as continued to stay inside the '''toilet''', the fact that Sefi hadn’t resorted to violence was a reflection of her kind nature. Wasn't he in the '''washroom'''?
* When he '''finally noticed his surroundings''', Hinako was already standing next to him, staring at Kurou intently. Wouldn't 'came to his senses' (or something like that) make a little more sense?
* No, there is, thought Kurou as he gazed '''as''' Hinako suspiciously. --> No, there is, thought Kurou as he gazed '''at''' Hinako suspiciously.
* I should probably have '''an antacid''' on hand, thought Kurou as he unexpectedly began to panic. --> I should probably have (some?) '''antacid''' on hand, thought Kurou as he unexpectedly began to panic.
* Other than the TV, table, and a small cupboard, there '''was''' essentially no other pieces of furniture or appliances. It was '''quite a plainly adorned room.''' --> Other than the TV, table, and a small cupboard, there '''were''' essentially no other pieces of furniture or appliances. It was a '''quite plainly adorned room'''.
* Kurou was sitting right in front of the table '''at''' the center of the room. --> Kurou was sitting right in front of the table '''in''' the center of the room.
[[User:はじめ|はじめ]] ([[User talk:はじめ|talk]]) 06:38, 22 January 2014 (CST) Yeah, haven't quite finished editing this chapter. Well, the above are just my suggestions. Would you (Thatsjustpeachy) happen to be translating from a Chinese raw? There are a few sentences that seem to be a little awkward ... that aside, thanks for the effort you put into your translations and I hope that you continue to translate this LN. [[User:はじめ|はじめ]] ([[User talk:はじめ|talk]]) 06:38, 22 January 2014 (CST)

==Kenshin no Keishousha==
I just wanted to say thanks for the work your putting into your translations.

Thanks TJP for taking this project again. :) --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 01:05, 12 November 2013 (CST)

I'll upload the image of volumes 2,3 after thursday (Due to important exam ) --[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]] ([[User talk:Yoyoyo5678|talk]])

Thanks for picking Kenshin no Keishousha again and while I'm at it, making the volume 2 current content readable. :D [[User:Zeikuu|Zeikuu]] ([[User talk:Zeikuu|talk]]) 12:54, 14 November 2013 (CST)

I'm done with V2 but I am very sorry I messed up a little with the names of the Image --[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]] ([[User talk:Yoyoyo5678|talk]])

I'm done with V3 too --[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]] ([[User talk:Yoyoyo5678|talk]])

== Hoping to support your work as a editor ==

Hello thatsjustpeachy my user name is Tjobbear I am a inexperienced editor in baka-tsuki and yours translations are top notch I hope I can have permission to support you in your translations (even if it maybe only a little) on kenshin as a editor in the project.

== Editing For Kenshin no Keishousha ==

I would like to register to be an editor. Are there any kind of requirements to meet? [[User:LT|LT]] ([[User talk:LT|talk]])

Thank You!

== Editing Kenshin ==

Hi I love your work on kenshin. I was just wondering, how do I become an editor? I promise my english good.--[[User:Hayashi s|Hayashi s]] ([[User talk:Hayashi s|talk]]) 18:51, 15 August 2013 (CDT)

User talk:Thatsjustpeachy

2014-01-27T07:28:51Z

はじめ:

==Editing 剣神の継承者==
===Prologue of Vol 2===
* The pale blue sky stretched for '''miles, with not a single cloud to be seen'''. --> The pale blue sky stretched for miles, '''without a cloud in sight'''. I guess that captures the 'feel' better?
* It was already past mid-May, the '''sunlight''' being glaringly bright and warm winds blowing about. --> It was already past mid-May, the '''sun''' being glaringly bright and warm winds blowing about.
* The monotonous sky seemed to be the only one ignoring approaching summer’s presence, '''it’s''' appearance as normal as it always was. --> The monotonous sky seemed to be the only one ignoring approaching summer’s presence, '''its''' appearance as normal as it always was. (Grammar it's stands for "it is")[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/it%27s Wikipedia - it's]
* However, those phenomena would only last for the briefest of '''moments, and at this moment in time he''' hadn’t spotted anything out of the ordinary. --> However, those phenomena would only last for the briefest of moments '''and, until now, he''' hadn’t spotted anything out of the ordinary. (Just a suggestion) 'until now' seems to make the sentence 'flow' better compared to 'at this moment in time'.
* Kurou was currently in '''one corner''' of the academy he was attending as a student, '''a vibrantly viridian garden'''. --> Kurou was currently in '''a corner''' of the academy he was attending as a student, '''a vibrant viridian garden'''. I guess vibrant viridian[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viridian (Viridian is a blue-green pigment, a hydrated chromium(III) oxide, of medium saturation and relatively dark in value.)] garden makes more sense.
* There was a grove of trees in the deepest part of the garden, '''and that was the location of the small cottage in which he resided.''' --> There was a grove of trees in the deepest part of the garden, '''and that was the location of the small cottage where he resided.''' --> There '''were''' a grove of trees in the deepest part of the garden, '''which marked the location of the small cottage where he resided.''' (Though I prefer this suggestion more, it seems to change the meaning a little)
* Most importantly though, since it was within school '''grounds, commuting''' to school was a breeze. Coma there?
* Kurou suddenly came to a '''halt, placing''' his hand on the katana strapped to his waist. --> Kurou suddenly came to a halt'''and placed''' his hand on the katana strapped to his waist.
* Of course, '''his state of mind''' was prepared for '''anything to happen'''. --> Of course, '''he was mentally''' prepared for anything. 'His state of mind' sounds somewhat weird when used in that context.
* Where the grove opened up into a clearing, there was a girl who was putting her '''spirit''' into swinging her sword. Maybe instead of 'spirit' how about 'whole'?
* The sunlight '''streamed''' through her golden hair, which was tied in a '''sidetail, she''' was wearing a pale beige blazer, and the hem of her miniskirt was flapping about. --> The sunlight '''filtered''' through her golden hair, which was tied in a '''sidetail. She''' was wearing a pale beige blazer, and the hem of her miniskirt was flapping about.
* The blade of the sword she was wielding was '''broad and thick, and it was roughly''' as long as she was tall. --> The blade of the sword she was wielding was broad, thick, and roughly as long as she was tall.
* Just '''once''' look at it and it was clear that this sword was a genuine broadsword-esque blade. --> Just '''one''' look at it and it was clear that this sword was a genuine broadsword-esque blade.
* However, the blonde girl was handling it lightly—even wielding it single-handedly '''on occasion'''. --> However, the blonde girl was handling it lightly—even wielding it single-handedly '''occasionally'''.
* Her practice swings were stirring up '''wind''' in the grove, causing the trees to sway and their trunks to bend. --> Her practice swings were stirring up '''air''' in the grove, causing the trees to sway and their trunks to bend.
* It was '''scenery''' that didn’t look rooted in reality at all. --> It was '''a scene''' that didn’t look rooted in reality at all.
* Swordies could crush '''rock''' with their bare '''hands, and''' sprint faster than the wind. --> Swordies could crush '''rock(s?)''' with their bare hands and sprint faster than the wind.
* Above all else '''though, Swordies''' were a race '''that was proficient with''' the sword '''from''' the time they were born into the world. --> Above all''' else, Swordies''' were a race '''proficient in''' the sword '''since''' the time they were born into the world.
* Although appearance wise humans and Swordies looked alike, they were two completely different living organisms. --> Although, appearance wise, humans and Swordies looked alike, they were two completely different living organisms.
* “Speaking of which, you’re finally discharged. I was wondering how long you were going to '''spend being cooped''' up in there.” --> “Speaking of which, you’re finally discharged. I was wondering how long you were going to '''spend cooped''' up in there.”
* “I’m a human, you know. I '''got a deep gouging wound on my shoulder, not to mentioned I''' was slashed in various other places. The doctor remarked that the fact that I could be discharged in two week was already a miracle of sorts.” --> “I’m a human, you know. I '''got a deep wound gouged on my shoulder, not to mention that I''' was slashed in various other places. The doctor remarked that the fact that I could be discharged in two week was already a miracle of sorts.”
* '''There was some stiffness left in it''', but it had roughly healed from the incident two weeks ago. --> It was still a little stiff, but it had roughly healed from the incident two weeks ago. (Makes more sense & a flows a little better)
* “Humans are such inconvenient creatures. Well, in '''anycase'''… W-w-w-w-el-co…” --> “Humans are such inconvenient creatures. Well, in '''any case'''… W-w-w-w-el-co…”
* Her skirt was dangerously short, till the '''point it barely''' concealed her panties. --> Her skirt was dangerously short, till the '''point where it barely''' concealed her panties.
* Above all else though, because the uniform was tightly fitting to her body, Hinako’s ample bosom stood out, revealing just '''how well stacked''' she really was. --> Above all else though, because the uniform was tightly fitting to her body, Hinako’s ample bosom stood out, revealing just '''how well-endowed''' she really was.
* “That woman… '''Such a needless souvenir to leave behind'''.” --> “That woman… leaving such an needless souvenir behind.”
* She was currently missing, but even when she was gone she was still causing Kurou '''problems'''. --> She was currently missing, but even when she was gone she was still causing Kurou '''trouble'''.
* However, the building in front of Kurou was a brand new '''two storied''' house that looked like it had been prefabricated. --> However, the building in front of Kurou was a brand '''new two storey''' house that looked like it had been '''prefabricated'''. There should be a better word choice than 'prefabricated' ? How about preconstructed?
* Kurou nodded, chuckling wryly on the inside. It was hard '''to''' the academy to refuse any of Sefi’s requests. --> Kurou nodded, chuckling wryly on the inside. It was hard '''for''' the academy to refuse any of Sefi’s requests.
* Living together with Hinako was something that was unavoidable and he '''couldn’t cancel,''' but now that Sefi was living together with them… --> "Couldn't cancel"? There should a better phrase ...
* Kurou’s hand lightly touched the katana '''that was by his side.''' --> Did he take his katana off? Wouldn't "strapped to his side" (something like that) make a little more sense?
===Chapter 1 of Vol 2===
* Wearing the uniform of the academy, both hands were gripped tightly onto his sword as he lifted it into a '''raised position'''. Just my thoughts, but doesn't 'raised position' sound a little weird?
* Returning the sword to the raised position, he '''repeated swinging his sword'''. --> Returning the sword to the raised position, he '''repeatedly swung his sword'''. or maybe '''again he swung his sword'''?
* Also he had spent the whole of yesterday moving his things around in the new house''', so other than cleaning''' he hadn’t been able to do anything else. --> Also he had spent the whole of yesterday moving his things around in the new house '''so, other than cleaning,''' he hadn’t been able to do anything else.
* Although it might seem a little rude to Sefi, '''he had the confidence''' if they were to fight a hundred battles he would win every one of them. --> Although it might seem a little rude to Sefi, '''he had confidence that''' if they were to fight a hundred battles he would win every one of them.
* The Seven Swords '''were a''' title given to the strongest amongst the Swordies. --> The Seven Swords '''was a''' title given to the strongest amongst the Swordies.
* Within the Seven Swords, the '''most brilliant''' of them was given the title of Sword Saint. How about 'strongest' ?
* Even if his physical ability had '''gone down''', or his body had dulled, Kurou wasn’t going to use those as excuses to lose. How about 'decreased'?
* Kurou swung his '''blade''' down even harder. Wouldn't 'sword' make more sense instead of blade?
* There was a fine line between training and '''ruining his body'''. --> How about 'overexerting himself'?
* Taking a shower now would be a hassle, '''but at the very least he felt he should wash his face'''. --> Taking a shower now would be a hassle, '''but felt he should at least wash his face'''.
* '''Previously home''' was just a small cottage with very little '''floor space''', but now it was a two story building, so the number of rooms had increased. --> '''Previously, home''' was just a small cottage with very little '''floor area,''' but now it was a two story building, so the number of rooms had increased.
* He could hear Sefi’s stream of '''abuse''' from behind the closed door. --> He could hear Sefi’s stream of '''insults''' from behind the closed door.
* ... with all his might as well as continued to stay inside the '''toilet''', the fact that Sefi hadn’t resorted to violence was a reflection of her kind nature. Wasn't he in the '''washroom'''?
* When he '''finally noticed his surroundings''', Hinako was already standing next to him, staring at Kurou intently. Wouldn't 'came to his senses' (or something like that) make a little more sense?
* No, there is, thought Kurou as he gazed '''as''' Hinako suspiciously. --> No, there is, thought Kurou as he gazed '''at''' Hinako suspiciously.
* I should probably have '''an antacid''' on hand, thought Kurou as he unexpectedly began to panic. --> I should probably have (some?) '''antacid''' on hand, thought Kurou as he unexpectedly began to panic.
* Other than the TV, table, and a small cupboard, there '''was''' essentially no other pieces of furniture or appliances. It was '''quite a plainly adorned room.''' --> Other than the TV, table, and a small cupboard, there '''were''' essentially no other pieces of furniture or appliances. It was a '''quite plainly adorned room'''.
* Kurou was sitting right in front of the table '''at''' the center of the room. --> Kurou was sitting right in front of the table '''in''' the center of the room.
[[User:はじめ|はじめ]] ([[User talk:はじめ|talk]]) 06:38, 22 January 2014 (CST) Yeah, haven't quite finished editing this chapter. Well, the above are just my suggestions. Would you (Thatsjustpeachy) happen to be translating from a Chinese raw? There are a few sentences that seem to be a little awkward ... that aside, thanks for the effort you put into your translations and I hope that you continue to translate this LN. [[User:はじめ|はじめ]] ([[User talk:はじめ|talk]]) 06:38, 22 January 2014 (CST)

==Kenshin no Keishousha==
I just wanted to say thanks for the work your putting into your translations.

Thanks TJP for taking this project again. :) --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 01:05, 12 November 2013 (CST)

I'll upload the image of volumes 2,3 after thursday (Due to important exam ) --[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]] ([[User talk:Yoyoyo5678|talk]])

Thanks for picking Kenshin no Keishousha again and while I'm at it, making the volume 2 current content readable. :D [[User:Zeikuu|Zeikuu]] ([[User talk:Zeikuu|talk]]) 12:54, 14 November 2013 (CST)

I'm done with V2 but I am very sorry I messed up a little with the names of the Image --[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]] ([[User talk:Yoyoyo5678|talk]])

I'm done with V3 too --[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]] ([[User talk:Yoyoyo5678|talk]])

== Hoping to support your work as a editor ==

Hello thatsjustpeachy my user name is Tjobbear I am a inexperienced editor in baka-tsuki and yours translations are top notch I hope I can have permission to support you in your translations (even if it maybe only a little) on kenshin as a editor in the project.

== Editing For Kenshin no Keishousha ==

I would like to register to be an editor. Are there any kind of requirements to meet? [[User:LT|LT]] ([[User talk:LT|talk]])

Thank You!

== Editing Kenshin ==

Hi I love your work on kenshin. I was just wondering, how do I become an editor? I promise my english good.--[[User:Hayashi s|Hayashi s]] ([[User talk:Hayashi s|talk]]) 18:51, 15 August 2013 (CDT)

User talk:Thatsjustpeachy

2014-01-22T12:38:17Z

はじめ:

==Editing 剣神の継承者==
===Chapter 1 of Vol 2===
* Wearing the uniform of the academy, both hands were gripped tightly onto his sword as he lifted it into a '''raised position'''. Just my thoughts, but doesn't 'raised position' sound a little weird?
* Returning the sword to the raised position, he '''repeated swinging his sword'''. --> Returning the sword to the raised position, he '''repeatedly swung his sword'''. or maybe '''again he swung his sword'''?
* Also he had spent the whole of yesterday moving his things around in the new house''', so other than cleaning''' he hadn’t been able to do anything else. --> Also he had spent the whole of yesterday moving his things around in the new house '''so, other than cleaning,''' he hadn’t been able to do anything else.
* Although it might seem a little rude to Sefi, '''he had the confidence''' if they were to fight a hundred battles he would win every one of them. --> Although it might seem a little rude to Sefi, '''he had confidence that''' if they were to fight a hundred battles he would win every one of them.
* The Seven Swords '''were a''' title given to the strongest amongst the Swordies. --> The Seven Swords '''was a''' title given to the strongest amongst the Swordies.
* Within the Seven Swords, the '''most brilliant''' of them was given the title of Sword Saint. How about 'strongest' ?
* Even if his physical ability had '''gone down''', or his body had dulled, Kurou wasn’t going to use those as excuses to lose. How about 'decreased'?
* Kurou swung his '''blade''' down even harder. Wouldn't 'sword' make more sense instead of blade?
* There was a fine line between training and '''ruining his body'''. --> How about 'overexerting himself'?
* Taking a shower now would be a hassle, '''but at the very least he felt he should wash his face'''. --> Taking a shower now would be a hassle, '''but felt he should at least wash his face'''.
* '''Previously home''' was just a small cottage with very little '''floor space''', but now it was a two story building, so the number of rooms had increased. --> '''Previously, home''' was just a small cottage with very little '''floor area,''' but now it was a two story building, so the number of rooms had increased.
* He could hear Sefi’s stream of '''abuse''' from behind the closed door. --> He could hear Sefi’s stream of '''insults''' from behind the closed door.
* ... with all his might as well as continued to stay inside the '''toilet''', the fact that Sefi hadn’t resorted to violence was a reflection of her kind nature. Wasn't he in the '''washroom'''?
* When he '''finally noticed his surroundings''', Hinako was already standing next to him, staring at Kurou intently. Wouldn't 'came to his senses' (or something like that) make a little more sense?
* No, there is, thought Kurou as he gazed '''as''' Hinako suspiciously. --> No, there is, thought Kurou as he gazed '''at''' Hinako suspiciously.
* I should probably have '''an antacid''' on hand, thought Kurou as he unexpectedly began to panic. --> I should probably have (some?) '''antacid''' on hand, thought Kurou as he unexpectedly began to panic.
* Other than the TV, table, and a small cupboard, there '''was''' essentially no other pieces of furniture or appliances. It was '''quite a plainly adorned room.''' --> Other than the TV, table, and a small cupboard, there '''were''' essentially no other pieces of furniture or appliances. It was a '''quite plainly adorned room'''.
* Kurou was sitting right in front of the table '''at''' the center of the room. --> Kurou was sitting right in front of the table '''in''' the center of the room.
[[User:はじめ|はじめ]] ([[User talk:はじめ|talk]]) 06:38, 22 January 2014 (CST) Yeah, haven't quite finished editing this chapter. Well, the above are just my suggestions. Would you (Thatsjustpeachy) happen to be translating from a Chinese raw? There are a few sentences that seem to be a little awkward ... that aside, thanks for the effort you put into your translations and I hope that you continue to translate this LN. [[User:はじめ|はじめ]] ([[User talk:はじめ|talk]]) 06:38, 22 January 2014 (CST)

==Kenshin no Keishousha==
I just wanted to say thanks for the work your putting into your translations.

Thanks TJP for taking this project again. :) --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] ([[User talk:Chancs|talk]]) 01:05, 12 November 2013 (CST)

I'll upload the image of volumes 2,3 after thursday (Due to important exam ) --[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]] ([[User talk:Yoyoyo5678|talk]])

Thanks for picking Kenshin no Keishousha again and while I'm at it, making the volume 2 current content readable. :D [[User:Zeikuu|Zeikuu]] ([[User talk:Zeikuu|talk]]) 12:54, 14 November 2013 (CST)

I'm done with V2 but I am very sorry I messed up a little with the names of the Image --[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]] ([[User talk:Yoyoyo5678|talk]])

I'm done with V3 too --[[User:Yoyoyo5678|Yoyoyo5678]] ([[User talk:Yoyoyo5678|talk]])

== Hoping to support your work as a editor ==

Hello thatsjustpeachy my user name is Tjobbear I am a inexperienced editor in baka-tsuki and yours translations are top notch I hope I can have permission to support you in your translations (even if it maybe only a little) on kenshin as a editor in the project.

== Editing For Kenshin no Keishousha ==

I would like to register to be an editor. Are there any kind of requirements to meet? [[User:LT|LT]] ([[User talk:LT|talk]])

Thank You!

== Editing Kenshin ==

Hi I love your work on kenshin. I was just wondering, how do I become an editor? I promise my english good.--[[User:Hayashi s|Hayashi s]] ([[User talk:Hayashi s|talk]]) 18:51, 15 August 2013 (CDT)