Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - Tragedy of Apollo house and Mirabel's decision

Part 1

-Don! Don…! Don!

The sun had just raised but Ash who spent a sleepless night was waken up by a loud knocking sound.

“What in the world…?”

He took that silver watch by his pillow side and noticed that it was just half past six.

After he angrily took a look at the window, he became wide awake.

“Uwaa…!”

There was a huge eye looking through the gaps of the curtain.

It was actually a dragon who was banging its nose against the window.

-Don! Don… Dododododo!”

He was worried that it may break the glass.

“Why is a dragon coming to my room!? Could it be another Necromancia attack!?”

So the Empire had finally shown their true colours and started attacking? Ash tried to leave the bed but he was stopped.

“Zzz…”

Eco rolled over and hugged Ash.

Her hair was all over his shoulders and her arms were around his back.

And also her soft face that was on his chest…

-Mmm…

Ash was shocked by her sudden nibble.

“Hey, Eco… Please don’t bite that spot.”

Recently, her habit of nibbling had gotten less but she still had not gotten rid of her habit of a young dragon. Moreover, she was nibbling on Ash’s sensitive spot which troubled him.

At that moment, there was a crack on the window.

“This is bad… It is not the right moment to let her continue nibbling.”

Ash carried Eco and they leave the bed together. The next thing he knew, the glass was smashed into pieces.

He managed to avoid the glass fragments at the last moment.

At the same time, there were two dragons that were trying to squeeze their heads into the window. Their hard scales protect them from the sharp glass.

By taking a closer look, Ash noticed that one of them was a Maestro while the other was a Hydra. After knowing that he was not attacked by a Necromancia, Ash breathe a sigh of relieve.

“Morning, Ash!”

“Good morning, Ash-sama!”

Finally, he could see the faces of the two riders.

They were the student council secretary Lucca and Jessica of the general affairs. Right beside them were Maestro Gawain and Rhiannon the Hydra.

Ash started to protest after he placed Eco who was still sleeping on the bed.

“Lucca! Jessica! What in the world are both of you doing!?”

Since the time Ash saved Gawain who was in danger of dying, Lucca had become emotionally attached to Ash. In the dragon riding academy, most of the girls are the more aggressive type, it was kind of rare to see someone as quite as Lucca. The beauty that only an Eckbald possessed was out of this world.

Ash was a little surprise to see Lucca acting rashly. Perhaps she was influenced by Jessica.

“Ash… I hoped that you would come with me to the Eckbald village. I want to introduce you to the village chief, my otou-sama.”

Her usual emotionless face had always given Ash a heck lot of trouble.

“Hold on! W-Why must you mention about the chief!?”

“P-Please don’t ask anymore than this.”

Lucca was suddenly blushing.

This time, it was Jessica who pushed Lucca to aside.

Jessica who was usually eyeing at Ash’s sperm, though her actions had always been eccentric, she was still undoubtable one of the few beauties of the academy.

“Ash-sama, I have a request!”

“Hey, wait a minute! This is the third floor! How did a hydra get here…?”

“Well. Climbing wall is not a problem for my Rhiannon.”

“Can’t you sympathize your Pal a little!”

Ash pitied her Pal. Although a Hydra may still be able to move on land, but only when they are in the water they are able to show their true skills. It shouldn’t be its own intention to walk on land. Let alone climbing the walls of the student’s dormitory, which doesn’t seem to fit the actions of a proud dragon.

“Putting that aside, Ash-sama! I am about to leave Ansarivan. What about you? Do you have any plans of returning?”

“Now I remember… today is the start of the holiday.”

-The first day of the month of Leo.

It was the first day of the holidays for Ansaraivan Dragon Riding Academy. Since it was a boarding school, most of the student will return to their hometown.

Of course, not all of the students were going back home. There were also a small amount of students that were forced to stay in for the holidays for certain reasons.

Ash was one of them.

“Nope, I am not going home.”

After hearing, Jessica’s facial expression changes.

“What! If that’s the case, I too will stay back here!”

“Uuh… If I don’t return soon… I will be scolded by my otou-sama.”

Compare to Jessica who was in high spirit, Lucca looks sad. Lucca who carry the hopes of all Eckbald with her probably doesn’t have as much freedom as Jessica has.

“Sorry to disappoint you Jessica, but you must return with me.”

Suddenly, there was another voice.

“Rebecca-san!”

Ash shouted.

There was a sweet smell from her red hair being blown by the winds. She looking like a war maiden in the legends when she was riding on Cú Chulainn.

“Sorry for the trouble that this stupid girl from my house had given you. The Randall family will cover the fees for mending the window. The servants fault is also the master’s fault.”

“Now that you mention it… I remember that Jessica was a servant in the Randall family.”

“Just that since she became a Breeder, she had forgotten about her place.”

Rebecca sighed.

“Hmph! Could stop calling me that? I don’t have the intention of serving the Randall family for my whole life!”

“I never thought of that. You are my important childhood friend. Also, your parents had asked me to take good care of you. That is why I have my duty to bring you back to meet your parents.”

Although her lips were smiling, there was not even a hint of smile in Rebecca’s eyes. After Jessica saw Rebecca’s determination, her elbows dropped in disappointment.

“Haa… I understand. However… I want Ash-sama to see me off!”

Ash gave a wry smile.

“I think that should be alright.”

The moment he answered, Jessica was once again with a big smile. But, she was then blushing and started to mumble.

“T-Then… According to my hometown’s custom…. There should be a parting k-kiss….”

“Hey! Jessica! When does our hometown have such a custom?”

Rebecca exposed Jessica’s lie with a wry smile.

“Hmph! Rebecca! Don’t you know how to look at the atmosphere?”

“I-I too would like you to see me off…”

While Jessica was in rage, Lucca shyly told Ash her wish.

“Of course.”

“T-Then… According to the Eckbald custom…. I want you to give me a princess carry.”

Ash’s heart skipped a beat when he first saw Lucca’s blushing face.

“A-A princess carry!”

Ash was in a fixed but Jessica shouted at Lucca:

“Hey! What are you trying to do in this mess! That must be a lie!?”

“Uuh…”

While Lucca turned speechless, the noise that Jessica made had spread throughout the school.

“Hey, can you believe it! The president and Jessica were making a night visit! And the other person… Could she be Lucca Sarlinen the genius girl from the basic class!?”

Suddenly, a huge number of students were gathering outside of the Apollo House. It was something for three girls to be standing on their dragons beside a window of a boy’s dormitory.

To say nothing of Rebecca Randall who was the most popular person in the entire academy, Jessica was also one of the centers of attentions and let alone Lucca with her Yōsei like looks and her skills as a Dragner.

“I-I am just here to have Ash-sama see me off! Nothing else!”

Jessica tried to settle the misunderstanding by shouting towards the direction of the school.

“Hmm! By saying Ash-kun you mean… The Ash-kun who was knighted yesterday!?”

“The knighting ceremony was awesome!”

“I also want him to see me off!”

Right now all the girls were speaking with s shrill voice.

Rebecca gave him a bitter smile while she was enjoying all of this.

“Seems like your popularity had sky rocketed after you become a Dragner.”

“The situation outside… Somehow, it looks frightening.”

“Yeah. I just saw around thirty dragons flying towards this window.”

Rebecca told him the unthinkable news with a calm face.

“Huh!?”

“Sorry, Ash. Though I have many reasons to help you… But if I show my true skills, the girls would suffer some grave injuries.”

“Hol-! Don’t leave me!”

“You should try to solve your own problem if you are a Dragner. Also… If it is alright, I would also want you to see me off.”

“…Eh?”

Unfortunately, Ash was not able to catch everything Rebecca said. Her voice disappeared behind the loud noise from Cú Chulainn flapping its wings.

“Good luck, Ash.”

Lucca too had reluctantly flew off with Gawain.

Right after that, the Apollo House faced a terrible attack.

“Ash-kun! Please see me off!”

“Ash-kun, you might as well come to my home town with me…!”

“Hey! Don’t cut the queue!”

Most of the girls returning were riders of stradas. They were like bats gathering together for food at the window.

But of course it was impossible for thirty riders of stradas to squeeze into the window at the same time.

Soon, they started pushing around.

“P-Please be patient! Calm down! Please calm down!”

Ash was panicking.

Every single roar from the Strada was enough to shake up this entire old building.

“Hey!...How dare you! Ash-sama is my important- Nooooooo!”

Unlike Rebecca or Lucca, Jessica who stayed until the end was finally pushed off the wall together with Rhiannon.

“W-What should I do?”

Ash retreated until his back was facing the wall while he was watching the girls fighting for a spot.

At that moment, Eco who had rolled herself into a ball while she was sleeping had woken up and was rubbing her eyes.

“Hmmm…. What’s all the noise about?”

“You ! How can you still think of sleeping!”

Eco was looking around in confusion. It seems that she wasn’t fully awake yet and wasn’t able to think properly.

Ash shouted with all his might towards the window.

“I beg you! Could you please not make a mess in front of someone else’s window! I promise to see off every single one of you!”

Too bad for him, his voice was not received by them.

Suddenly, Ash had a bad feeling.

“I couldn’t be…”

His entire body was shivering in fear. Since some time ago, the wall facing the outside was creaking. It appears that the Stradas were putting pressure on it.

“It is dangerous to stay here! Lets run Eco!”

“Huh…! Could you care to explain!”

“Later!”

Ash was running with Eco on his hands.

He ran out through the door and out to the corridor.

Just when he was sliding along the floor…

-Creak…! Eeeeekkkk……. !Do--------------n!

The next moment, there was a loud explosion.

Ash cautiously took a peek through the cracks on the door while trembling. All he sees was dust flying around and even the corridor was affected.

“*Cough *!*Cough *!”

While covering up Eco who was coughing, Ash waited until the dust had settled down.

Just moments later-

After the dust had cleared up, what Ash saw was a clear sky.

The morning rays were shining at the disastrous room.

The wreckage of the wall was all over his room. It was a painful sight.

Right now, with the wall that was facing the academy and the window destroyed, his room looked like a doll house that can be seen from the outside.

“Err… Eco, am I dreaming?”

“I think so?”

Ash and Eco were looking at the room with their mouths wide open.

Part 2

Ash was brought to the director’s office on the first day of the holiday.

As for those girls who were the culprit, it seems that they had ran back home as soon as possible. That is why Ash who was the victim was summoned.

“I see… Now I understand what had happened.”

Mirabel who was acting as the director replied coldly and drank from her cup of tea.

The room was full of the smells of bergamot and the tea.

Just like a robot, Mirabel’s face was emotionless the entire time. Does this princess even have the thing known as feelings…? Ash thought.

“The academy will take responsible for mending the wall. Just some time before, I had asked the builders of this city and they estimated that they will be able to complete it in around two weeks time.”

“Really…! Thank you very much!”

Ash was grateful that she was able to deal with this situation without delay.

“The problem is… During the renovation, where am I to place you and Eco.”

“I see…”

“Can you borrow a room from any of your friends?”

“I don’t think that would be possible…”

Unfortunately, Max and Raymond had gone home. For Ash who doesn’t have many friends, these were the’ only two friends that he could rely on. Although there was an option of using it without asking for their permissions, but Ash couldn’t bring himself to do it.

-Bang!

The door behind him was opened with a slam.

The next time he knew, Silvia and Eco was right beside him.

“How much longer are the two of you going to keep on talking!? Can’t you just give us a new room!”

Eco was pointing at Mirabel in anger.

“Anee-ue! Why do you call for Ash! That incident was caused by a few girls! It had nothing to do with Ash! Aren’t you treating him like the culprit!?”

Silvia on the other hand was trying to speak up for Ash.

“Where are your manners? Don’t you know that it is rude to walk into a room without knocking? You won’t be given special treatment even if you are the descendant of the Avalon Holy Dragons Emperor’s family or my sister. “

Mirabel glared at both of them coldly.

“I am sorry… Anee-ue.”

Silvia stood still on her ground as if she had turned into a stone.

On the other hand, Eco was trying to intimidate Mirabel by showing her sharp teeth.

“Hey you!... How dare you act like that even when you know that I am Avalon’s holy dragons' emperor family's Imperial Princess! Why don’t I try crushing the castle the next time? If I show you my true self, one or two Fontaine Place won’t…”

“Idiot! Stop spurting nonsense!”

Ash’s face was pale white when he was scolding Eco.

Since that incident, the Knight’s government took Eco as a treat. As long as there is the possibility that Mirabel was here to keep an eye on Eco, they have to be careful with their own words.

But to his surprise, Eco calm down with just a single shout.

She turned her head around with her face blushing.

“I-I will listen to you… Just this time.”

Ash was taken aback from seeing Eco making such an expression for the first time. Just as he had expected, it was that transformation that had made a change of her heart. Although the gentle Eco looked a lot cuter, at the same time, it was also a little confusing.

“Ahem!”

Mirabel tried clearing her throat and everyone’s attention was back on her.

“Silvia, you came at the right moment. Right now you are staying in the royal room in the Epona House right?”

“…What about it?”

Silvia was surprised.

“Until the renovation in the boy’s dormitory had been completed, Ash Blake and young dragon Eco will stay in your room for the time being.”

“What!”

“I won’t repeat for a second time. This is an order from your sister. You are not allowed to have any objections.”

Naturally, Silva was enraged.

“What do you mean by this! This is against our family motto where ‘A knight shouldn’t carelessly touch another of the opposite sex’!”

“Hmm… Funny but I remember that I said to let Ash Blake and young dragon Eco stay in your room. When did I ever mention about touching Ash?”

“T-That…!”

Right at this moment, even Silvia’s earlobes were red.

“Right now, if I were to mention the family motto that you love so much, ‘A knight should help those who are in need’. Am I wrong?”

After she replied coldly, Mirabel looked like she had lost interest in the case regarding Ash. She kept on looking at the tea cup on her hand.

“I am done with you- What a pain, now a good cup of tea had turned cold.”

Part 3

Rebecca and Jessica had returned to the land ruled by the Randalls.

Lucca on the other hand had returned to her village.

After seeing them off, Ash and Eco once again returned to his room on the third floor of the Apollo House.

They once again looked at the disastrous room.

A bed full of glass fragments.

A floor full with the remains of the wall.

And the disorganized furniture.

With the wall gone, the room became bright and windy. Looking down from above was a few curious onlookers. When their eyes came into contact with Ash’s, everyone scattered.

“Haa… First of all, I think we should try cleaning up a little. It is better to make it look a little more cheerful before the renovation starts.”

Turning around, Ash noticed that Eco was sulking.

“What’s wrong, Eco?”

“Hey. Do you really want to stay in Silvia’s room?”

“It is not like I have a choice. It was an order from Princess Mirabel. It seems that even Princess-sama did not dare to go against her.”

“I… I hate it.”

“What’s the matter? You don’t look like your usual self. Well, if we stay at Princess-sama’s room, we may be able to eat Cosette’s delicious homemade cooking.”

“That’s not the point! And also, I am not someone who thinks about food for an entire day!”

Eco face was red with anger and embarrassment.

“Is it… Sorry then.”

“It is fine if you understand. Anyway, just if you try to do something weird to Silvia… I will be sure to crush you!”

Eco was glaring at Ash.

“What do you mean by something weird!?”

With her ears fully red, Eco told Ash embarrassedly:

“T-To make it simple…. It is those perverted stuffs.”

“W-What are you even thinking!”

Ash stood still on his ground. He never expects Eco to speak of such a word. It kind of surprise him.

“Even I knew about those stuffs… Don’t look down on me just because I am a young dragon.”

“Could the source of information be…. The Dragweiss?”

“…Some of them were from there, but most of them were from the picture books that Cosette lend to me.”

“Hold on! Are they really… Just picture books!?”

In order to teach her the importance of aesthetic sensibility, Cosette had lent her picture books and books for children. For that, Ash was grateful for Cosette.

However, there is a possibility that she mixed some picture books for adult in them.

“Anyhow, she is still this country’s princess. What you are worrying about will never happen, rest assure.”

In the worst possible case, I will be beheaded… Ash thought secretly.

“A-Alright… I understand.”

Once again, Eco was smiling and she looked at the room around her.

“Then… What can I do to help you?”

“You are trying to help?”

“What? Is it weird for me to help?”

“Definitely not weird, but rare. Ain’t it always me who complete the house work?”

“A-About that… It doesn’t seem like I have a choice. I am a dragon. I don’t really understand how a human acts. But… I just feel like helping for today… Can’t I!?”

Eco puffed up her rosy coloured checks and stared at Ash.

“Why not? I even want to thank you.”

Ash gave a wry smile and tried to pat her head.

But, Eco immediately dodge to a side.

“No! You mustn’t touch!”

“Sorry… I don’t know that you dislike it this much.”

“N-No! It is okay it you are just patting, but you mustn’t touch my horns. If they were just slightly touched, I… will turn weird. I felt like floating in the air when they were touched...”

Ash could calm down after seeing Eco’s face when she tried to explain her feelings.

“I understand. I promise I won’t touch your horns.”

Ash carefully patted Eco’s head.

Her pink hair was fluffy and it gave his palm a nice feeling.

“Nn…”

Even when she was a dragon, Eco was smiling and shrugging her neck like what a cat would do.

Her innocent smile had grabbed Ash’s attention.

To be precise, it was her flower bud like lips.

His heart was beating rapidly.

This was actually the second time he had such a feeling.

The first time was when Eco said that she won’t be satisfied with just being a Pal in the guest room in Fontaine Palace.

“…”

Eco probably felt the change in the atmosphere too and her body suddenly tense up. Perhaps she too was also thinking about the scenario in the Fontaine Palace.

In a short while, just like that time, Eco closes her eyes.

She also tried to purse her lips.

Ash also noticed that her long eyelashes were also trembling.

-Eco…!

The suddenly remembered the word ‘beloved Pal’ in the knighting ceremony.

During that time, Ash was only saying the standard pledge.

But this was totally different.

His feeling of love to Eco was born from deep in his heart. A feeling that could be explained using something a simple as the relation of a Breeder and its Pal had grown.

Right now, they don’t need any words.

Ash placed both his hands on Eco’s shoulders and he closes their distance slowly.

A sweet smell was surrounding them which made him dizzy.

Right now, he felt as if his heart was going to explode.

They were now at a distance where their nose could easily touch each other.

Eco felt like being pierced through by the sunlight while she was waiting for Ash.

Ash made up his mind and closed his eyes.

And then- he kissed Eco on her lips.

Part 4

“~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~!”

Since their kiss, Eco had been working silently with her back facing Ash the entire time.

It seemed that she was too embarrassed to even look at Ash in the face.

And of course, it was the same for Ash.

Ash felt as if his face was a ball of fire.

Although the two of them at a first glance seems to be dusting the room, actually there was zero progress. What they were doing were only messing up the already messed up room.

-What should I do? What should I say at times like this?

Just when Ash was anxious in trying to find the right words…

“Uwaaa…! Cute!”

Eco turned around and showed Ash a round object.

“Isn’t this cute? Where did you find this stuff toy?”

At that moment, Ash felt something was pricking at the back of his neck. I made him wonder what it was.

The stuffed toy that Eco was holding seems to be a dragon. Strictly speaking, its face was clumsily done.

Furthermore, it round body made it looks nothing like a majestic dragon.

However, Eco seems to take it as cute and it made her forget about what had just happened previously.

“Err… Actually I don’t remember much about that when it came into my possession. No matter how I look at it, looked just like a girl’s toy. It is probably not me who bought it.”

It was thanks to the toy that Ash was once again able to speak to Eco normally.

“Hmm… Strange.”

Eco was carrying the stuffed toy while she whipped off the dust on it.

“Hmm… When I move to Ansarivan, I just took it with me without any reason. Perhaps that is a great meaning behind it was what I thought. Actually… There is a blank in my childhood memory.”

“… A blank in your memories?”

Eco was surprised.

“Aah. I was right about when I had my seventh birthday when I visited Albion Forest for the Orphan Ceremony. I just can’t recall my memories during that time.”

“Isn’t that… The time when Mother Dragon bestowed me to you?”

“It seems so.”

“How come you can’t remember such an important event?”

Ash shrunk when he saw Eco started to get mad. Just when they were finally able to speak normally, it seems that Eco’s temper had also returned.

“To be frank, I know nothing of it myself. It was just that I had a hunch that this toy had something to do with my lost memories and that’s the reason why I was reluctant to throw it away. However, because of the recent events, I totally forgot about it.”

“Then, can I keep it?’

Ash was taken by surprised.

“What do you mean by keeping it?”

“It is just like what I had said. Don’t you think it is sad for such a cute being to be left forgotten? I will take the trouble to take care of this kid.”

“How can you take care of it when it isn’t even a living being? Well, whatever suits you then.”

“Really!?”

Eco was full of excitement.

“Well, I don’t really mind.”

“That great!”

Eco was so happy that felt that she could even fly. She then rubbed the stuffed toy with her checks.

Followed by that, she cuddled it like what a mother would do to her baby.

Suddenly, she spoke of something that surprised Ash.

“This somehow looked like our baby…”

Eco suddenly stopped speaking before she could even finish her sentence. She the glared at Ash with her eyes as if they were on fire.

“You heard anything?”

“No, nothing at all.”

Ash spoke with a serious look on his face.

“T-That’s right! N-Nothing happened! Nothing happened at all!”

As if her head was exploding in flames, Eco carried the toy and dashed out from the room.

“Actually, I heard every single word…”

Just when Ash was murmuring as he felt as if his body was on fire…

“Sorry to interrupt, Ash-sama.”

Suddenly, there was a woman’s voice coming from behind.

“Uwaa!”

He noticed that it was Cosette after he turned around. She seems to be wearing that same palace design maid attire today. She then gave a polite bow.

“Cosette-san! How did you get in?”

“To enter such an airy room is like a child’s play to me.”

Cosette smiled when she turned around to look at the blue sky.

“That couldn’t be… This is the third floor! Putting that aside, why are you here?”

“I am here to meet you and Eco-chan. Had you forgotten about Princess Mirabel, Her Highness’s decision?”

Of course, it was impossible for him to forget about it to begin with. However, he still felt a little reluctant.

“Actually, can’t we reconsider about this? Putting Eco aside, don’t you think that it is wrong for a guy like me to enter Epona House where guys are not allowed?”

“For your own sake, I would advise you to follow her decision. Do you know what Princes Mirabel was also known as?”

“No… Actually none at all.”

“Her nick name is actually Argento Magus If we can describe Princess Veronica as a fighter, then Princess Mirabel is a thinker. Compare to Veronica, there were certain things that would made Mirabel a tougher opponent. Please be sure to be prepared mentally, Ash-sama.”

Ash sighed after he heard everything.

“…I understand. Please let me take some belongings with me like my pillow and cloths…”

“Alright then, meanwhile, I will try searching for Eco.”

Eco had not yet return since the moment she ran out from the room.

“Thank you. I think she should be somewhere around the dorm.”

“Huhu. That will be a simple task.”

Cosette ran towards the door nimbly while she was avoiding the disorganized furniture, but then, she suddenly stopped and turned around to face Ash.

“By the way, Ash-sama.”

“What’s the matter?”

When Ash lifted his face, he saw Cosette’s face full of red. Ash was staring at her since it was rare to see her who was always calm to be blushing.

Although she always stayed hidden behind Silvia’s shadow, she actually looked quite beautiful.

With her right hand on her checks, she sighed.

Then she said something outrageous.

“Ash-sama and Eco-chan’s kiss looks very innocent indeed.”

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

This time, it was Ash’s turn to be blushing.

“D-Don’t, Don’t tell me that you saw everything!?”

“It totally felt like an opera show. You looked so cute when you kiss without even needing and words to understand each other. My god, isn’t that wonderful? Don’t Eco-chan looked cute to when she was waiting to receive your kiss?”

“I beg you, please stop saying anymore than this! It is embarrassing!”

Right now, Ash felt like he was sitting on a mountain of needles.

Cosette to had seemed to realized that she over did it replied with a playful smile.

“Rest assure, I won’t tell Princess-sama any of this.”

“How is Princeass-sama related to this!?”

“Hmm… I wonder… Huhu…”

Cosette left the room with her sentence ending with her laughter.

Part 5

The moment Ash finished gathering all his basic daily needs, Cosette was back with Eco. Together, the three of the marched towards Epona House.

Although it was around evening, the sun was still high up in the sky.

After passing through a grove of mixed trees, they were welcomed by a stern looking gate.

Even the cicada had stopped making noise.

Although they were just walking, they were all full of sweat.

By taking a peak beside, Eco looked as if she was suffering from the heat of the high summer temperature. She looked like a Hydra who was looking for water on dry land.

Compare to Ash, Eco was only carrying her stuffed toy.

On the other hand, Cosette didn’t even break a sweat.

“We had arrived.”

She turned around and smiled at both Ash and Eco.

Through the gate, they could see a garden that was separated into two halves by the walk way. It must have been well tended by a good gardener. Even Ash who doesn’t have any interest in gardening was amazed by it.

At the back of the garden stood an elegant looking building.

That was Epona House, the dormitory for advance class girls.

“We had finally arrived…”

Ash placed his baggage which was full of daily needs and clothing on the ground.

How long does it actually take to walk here from Apollo House… Ash couldn’t be bothered to even think about it.

This dragon riding academy where human and dragons coexist had a very large land area.

In it, there were numerous classes, a church, a lecture hall, a library, a canteen, seven dragon houses, four dormitories, a sports ground… It even included an arena that was used during events.

Although there was the shopping district and the housing are beyond the school walls, compare to the size of the academy, they just looked like extras. That the reason why Ansarivan was called an academic city.

Putting that aside, the distance between the boys dormitory and the girls dormitory must had been arranged on purpose by the academy.

“Please enter.”

Cosette pushed opened the heavy looking gate and welcomed both of them in.

Part 6

On the top most floor of Epona House was the room of royal use.

It looked like a high class hotel suit and it even had a large space.

Apart from a heater in the living room, there was also a dining room, a study room, bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, etc. In a room that has everything, it looked as if it was another world compare to the normal student’s room.

Silvia was walking up and down around her room alone, worrying endlessly.

“Argh! What’s wrong with me! Why couldn’t I calm down! Even my family motto stated that ‘Always stay calm, especially in a pinch’!”

Even though she wasn’t even in a pinch, Silvia couldn’t stop worrying. It was about time for Cosette to arrive with Ash and Eco.

“That’s it!”

Silvia stopped in her tracks for a moment and then she dashed into the makeup room and stood in front of a mirror.

She applied a thin layer of makeup on her face.

She tried combing her hair many times.

Her clothings and accessories were chosen by Cosette.

She put on her camisole, a skirt with two layers of frills, her panty socks and a necklace made from bright dragon crystals that acted at jewels.

In front of the mirror, she was just like her usual…. No, she was at least twice as more beautiful than she usually was.

Silvia turned red when she realized how beautiful she was.

“Why would I dress myself up! It is alright by just sticking to what I usually do!”

Ash was about to arrive.

Until the boy’s dormitory was done with its renovation, Ash was going to stay here for two weeks.

Her hearts started to beat rapidly from thinking about it.

“This feeling… It is that same feeling as that time…”

Silvia recalled her memories.

Around the time of her seventh birthday, she met a boy in Albion Forest.

“Why? Why would I have this feeling of returning to the time when I was seven years old whenever I think about Ash…?”

Silvia suddenly regained her sense.

“Stop! Stop! Stop! Doesn’t this mean that I am looking forward for him to arrive!? Right… I should change back into my normal chothing…”

…! Silvia immediately snapped out from the confusion. She just remembered that right now, she was only wearing her undergarments.

Silvia left the makeup room and entered the living room. She swiftly removed all her clothings except for her undergarments. She then walked along the corridor towards the changing room.

Suddenly, the door opened right in front of her eyes.

“Princess-sama, we had returned.”

Cosette walked in with a smile.

“Princess-sama!?”

Ash was standing right behind Cosette with his eyes wide opened. Why is his face red? Is it because of the heat?

“…!”

Silvia immediately snapped out from the confusion. She just remembered that right now, she was only wearing her undergarments.

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Silvia ran and hid behind the door while screaming at the top of her voice.

Part 7

“Hey you! Just until when are you going to keep on staring!”

“Ouch!”

Ash came back to his sense after he was stomped on the leg by Eco.

Just when he had stepped in through the grand entrance, he was greeted by Silvia in only her undergarments. The white coloured lace will forever be imprinted in his mind.

By the way, why was Silvia wearing only those? No matter how hot the weather can be, it doesn’t suit her image.

“I am going to check on Princess-sama. Could the both of you wait here for a moment, please?”

With a happy smile on her face, Cosette disappeared into the corridor. In just a moment-

“No. This definitely doesn’t look natural.”

“No no. It definitely fits you well.”

“But… Won’t this make me look like I am looking forward to their arrival?”

“Huh? Aren’t you?”

Their entire conversation was heard by Ash.

“Come on! This is a disgrace! How dare they make a dragon wait by the entrance!”

Eco who was standing right beside Ash was in rage. The toy that she had with her which had a carelessly made face was further squashed by Eco’s abnormal strength.

Ash pitied the toy. If this continued to keep on, Ash would probably be the next victim.

“Sorry for the wait.”

Just when Ash was about to be surrounded by his fear, Cosette had returned to the entrance with Silvia was hiding right behind her.

Ash’s heart skipped a beat when he saw Silvia’s clothing. It gave a completely different feel compare to the school uniform that she usually wears. A lot of her skin was exposed from wearing the camisole. It had totally grabbed his attention.

“Please come in.”

Ash regained his sense after her heard Cosette’s voice.

“S-Sorry for the intrusion.”

In opposite to Ash, Eco was looking around the room with a hint of worry.

“Even so… You are just a Princess of the Royal Knight’s Family and you get to have such a great room?”

Perhaps she was mad from being asked to wait at the entrance, Eco was saying anything that would sooth her anger.

In truth, even Ash was amazed by the room itself. Just the entrance itself is wider than Ash’s room. There were even expensive looking pictures along the wall and carvings of dragons.

“Please don’t be mad. This room was specially made for the royals, it would be natural if Princess-sama is staying here.”

Ash tried to calm her down.

“But, I am also a Princess of the dragons! Why would there be such a larger difference in our treatment!?”

“It is not like I want to stay in this room either!”

Silvia tried to speak up for herself even when she was being threatened by Eco.

“I even tried telling the academy to let me have the same treatment as the rest of the students, but they never listen…”

Suddenly, Silvia stood still on her ground. There was not even a slightest movement.

“Princess-sama… What’s wrong? You don’t look good.”

Ash was worried about her but she didn’t reply.

She kept on staring at the stuffed toy that Eco was carrying with her with her ice blue eyes.

Silvia then suddenly leaped towards Eco and grabbed her shoulders.

“Eco! Can you tell me how did that toy fall into your possession?”

Eco became confused.

“I-It has nothing to do with you.”

“Please tell me! This is very important!”

Silvia shouted loudly.

“… I picked it up.”

Eco mumbled when she turned her head to aside. It seemed that she did not want to tell Silvia that it was a gift from Ash. Ash was wondering on why she would be insisting on it.

“You picked it up? When? Where?”

Silvia was being persistent.

“Come on! Why do I need to tell you?”

Eco lost her patience and roared.

“…Why can’t you tell me?”

“T-That’s because… I don’t have the obligation to tell you.”

“Now I see, you are playing dumb… It seems I must resolve to this.”

Suddenly, Silvia leaped towards Eco with both of her hands stretched out.

“Hey!... Don’t joke with me!”

Eco dodge with the toy in her arms.

With the royal room as the stage, the two of them started running around like a bunch of kids. In just a blink of an eye, both of them disappeared behind a door.

“Err… What is this all about?”

Ash who was left behind turned around and questioned Cosette.

“Cosette-san?”

To his surprised, Cosette too was transfixed on her own spot. It was rare to see her making a face like that.

Cosette then regained her sense after being called out to by Ash and started explaining.

“I just remember about it… I fear that that stuffed toy…. Is an important treasure to Princess-sama during her childhood.”

Ash was surprised by her answer.

“Wait a moment! That shouldn’t be possible! There should be many more stuffed toys with the same design, no?”

Cosette answered calmly.

“No. There ain’t. That toy is the one and only in this world. It was a limited edition item. It was actually made from a famous artist from Chevron Kingdom called Leonard De Mirabeau and was given to the five year old Princess-sama.”

“Really? That clumsily made toy is…”

“That’s not it… Its weird look was actually Mirabeau-sama’s style. Didn’t people usually say that there was only a silver line that separates a genius and a madman? If that stuffed toy was bought to an antique auction… It should be priced at five million Eccles at minimum.”

Cosette told him the shocking truth with s straight face.

“Five million…!”

Ash turned speechless.

His face had turned pale.

-Five million Eccles!

Ash couldn’t even imagine that amount of money. He just knew that he won’t be able to finish it by living the rest of his days enjoying life. He never knew that such a treasure was hidden in his closet.

“W-We should try stopping them first!”

Ash started searching for them in the huge room.

Part 8

“Finally! You won’t be able to escape!”

Eco who ran into Silvia’s room was now like a rat in the bag. There was only one exit and the windows were too high to jump from since this was the top most floor.

“Tsk… You are being persistent!”

Eco backed off to the wall and like a mother protecting her child, she tried to intimidate Silvia.

For one moment, Silvia was awed by her beauty, but the next instant, she roared:

“You haven’t told me anything yet! I just want to know how this toy came into your possession!”

“Why would you even want to know!?”

“T-That… I had my own reasons! Please, Eco!”

“Hmph… I had mine too. I will never tell you, only you!”

Both of them were glaring at each other with any intention of backing off.

Silvia realized that whatever she said was useless.

“Now you have done it. Although it is not to my liking… I must resolve this by force.”

“What! Who do you think I am! See that if you can do it!”

“Fine with me!”

Silvia leaped forward without mercy.

Although she must avoid Eco’s abnormal strength, Eco’s actions had always been straight forward and were always easy to read.

On the other hand, apart from the Drag Arts, Silvia had mastered many more fighting styles. It is a normal thing to do for something who was born in the Lautreamont Royal Knight’s Family.

After struggling on the ground like brats, Silvia came out as the winner.

“Now you have been captured!”

Silvia was pressing Eco’s tiny body on the floor and without giving her a chance to fight back, she rode on Eco.

“Tsk… Let me go!”

“Is there any idiot in this world that would move off once they are being asked to?”

The winner had been decided. Even when Eco had her abnormal strength, she could never be able to beat Silvia.

But, there was a reason why Silvia could beat her easily.

Eco had never let go of the stuffed toy even after she was pressed down against the floor. If Eco would’ just let go of that toy, the fight could still drag on. No, it could even be Silvia who was pressed down against the floor.

“Please, Eco! This is not an order. Although it was not a long time since the day I met you, I always think you as a friend. That is why… Could you please tell me?’

Just when Silvia was begging Eco with a trembling voice…

“Eco! Princess-sama!”

The door opened with a bang and Ash came running in.

Silvia turned around to look at Ash while she was pressing Eco down against the floor.

“Hold on, Ash! I never have the intention to harm Eco! I just want to ask Eco about it… no matter what!”

“But, Princess-sama doesn’t act like the usual you. Even so, Eco is my Pal, I won’t forgive anyone who try to harm her, even if it is Princess-sama.”

After Ash murmured sadly, he showed her his left arm.

Silvia knew that he had his abnormally large Seikoku covered in a bandage.

“Your Seikoku…?”

Silvia was in lost of words.

The Seikoku under the bandage was obviously blinking with glowing lights. That was a signal given when the Pal was in danger.

For example, even though Silvia did not have any intentions of harming Eco, but Eco felt that she was in danger and sent the signal to her owner Ash for help…

“Sorry, Eco… I am really sorry. I am in the wrong for scaring you…. But, I have my own reasons. Please, Eco! Please tell me for the sake of our friendship!”

Silvia was forcing out an answer from Eco.

“…Eco?”

Eco did not reply. Just as Silvia became confused, Eco was surrounded by a glowing light.

“Hey, Eco! What’s wrong?”

Eco still did not reply. Right now, Eco was like a doll, showing no expression.

Even her eyes seemed to be reflecting nothing.

“Urgh…!”

The next instant, Silvia was being blast of by a string wind.

“Princess-sama!”

Followed by Ash’s shout, Silvia’s back bang against the wall. She almost couldn’t breathe because of it.

Part 9

“Princess-sama!”

Just when Ash was trying to help Silvia out, Cosette arrived.

“I will take care of Princess-sama. Ash-sama, go help Eco-chan! This is no laughing matter!”

Cosette’s voice seemed to be more serious and nervous than usual.

“Understood!”

Ash ran straight towards Eco.

His Sikoku started to hurt.

He remembered that feeling.

He had the similar feeling when Eco was awaken in the capital, Fontaine.

Although the pain was not as strong as that time, Ash knew that this was the sign before her transformation into a dragon.

Eco stood up slowly with the cute stuffed toy dropping on the floor.

Strictly speaking, she was not standing.

There was a gap in between her feet and the floor.

She was actually floating…!

Her limbs were now surrounded by the mysterious light that was so bright that they could not look at it directly.

However, Ash continued to move forward.

“Stop, Eco! If you are to be awaken here…”

In the worst possible case, this Epona House will be destroyed. No, it could even be related to the city’s survivability…

Eco had long been label as an element of danger by many countries’s government. The reason why Mirabel was sent to become the academy’s director was to keep an eye on Eco.

If she is to transform into a dragon right now…!

Ash moved forward without giving any though and hugged Eco.

A huge amount of magic was flowing out from her tiny body. If he had been careless, he would even be swallowed by the magic and lost conscious.

Ash shouted with all his might into Eco’s ears.

“Get a grip of yourself! I…I like the way you are now! It is okay if you just stay as you are! You don’t have to force yourself to change into your true self!”

It seems that Ash’s words had gotten through and the magic that was surrounding Eco had disappeared. Even the lights were no longer there. Ash’s Seikoku too had stopped responding.

“We are saved…”

Ash breathe a sigh of relieve.

“…Huh?”

Eco blinked her eyes in surprise and murmured.

“What had I done…? Why are you…?”

Realizing that she was in Ash’s arms, Eco leaped off from Ash’s arms with her face red in embarrassment.

Part 10

“I am sorry for what had happened just now. I-I never thought that you were so much against it…. No I shouldn’t make any excuses. A knight must admit his own faults. I deeply apologize!”

After the group had sat on a dining table in the living room, Silvia apologized to Eco sincerely.

“Hmph… I guess this should be sufficient.”

Silvia’s eagerness to apologize by bowing her head had started to confuse Eco. Even though she still continued to puff up her checks in protest, but at least she had accepted Silvia’s apology. Ash who noticed it breathe a sigh of relieves.

“…Since everything had been settled, please allow me to ask. How did that stuffed toy came into your possession?”

Silvia’s words had cause Eco to be enraged again.

“Ha!? You….. Just apologize and yet you still was to ask!?”

“I apologize for resolving this matter by force. I promise that this time, I won’t try questioning you by force. But in return, I will keep on asking until you answer me. Remember, I will keep on asking.”

Silvia was quite stubborn. She even smiled towards Eco with her face full of confidence.

“I can’t believe it…”

Eco sighed.

“Sorry, Eco-chan.”

At that moment, Cosette returned from the kitchen with a silver tray full of snacks and tea.

“That toy that Eco-chan was holding right now… It probably belongs to Princess-sama a long time ago.”

“How can it be…?”

Whilst she was surprised, Eco took a bite on the vanilla flavoured crepe that Cosette handed to her. If it was the usual Eco, she would definitely shout out ‘Delicious!’ on the first bite, but right now, she was with a serious looks. As expected, even Eco couldn’t enjoy her favorite food properly.

“What Cosette said is true. That toy is definitely an important thing to me during my childhood.”

Silvia spoke calmly as if she was trying to teach a child who knew nothing.

“Ha!? That’s impossible! I understand none of these!”

Eco placed her half eaten crepe back on her plate. Ash was surprised that she prioritized the argument before her crepe.

“I knew it the moment I saw it. There is only one of this stuffed toy in the whole world. It is a very important toy.”

“How can you have such confidence!?”

“You don’t even know the worth of that toy. Anyone who knows its worth would recognize it on their first sight.”

“Arrrrrggh! That explanation is totally unacceptable!”

Eco was once again in rage, but at least Silvia knew her limit. Thanks to that, the atmosphere did not turn out to be any worst than this… Ash secretly thought.

“Come on you two…”

Cosette was obviously not at all troubled. She seems to be enjoying this.

“Haa… I seems like I don’t have a choice.”

Ash sighed.

“Please listen carefully, Princess-sama. That stuffed toy was in my closet. I gave it to Eco since she seems to like it.”

“Hey! Why did you tell that to her!?”

Eco was scolding Ash with her face red.

“What else can I do? If I leave it to both of you, the same thing will continue onwards again and again.”

“I… want this to be a secret between the both of us.”

Eco’s mumbling caught Ash’s attention.

“What did you say?”

“N-Nothing! I don’t even know you!”

Eco averted her face in anger. Why must she get angry...? Ash wondered.

On the other hand, Silvia was staring at Ash.

“Ash… you said that this toy was in your closet?”

“That seems to be the case.”

Ash shrugged his shoulders.

“Actually, I am not really clear about it. Believe me or not, there was a blank in my memories… I don’t even know how it came into my possession. I don’t even know about its worst if not because of Cosette.”

Silvia was staring at Ash so intently almost as if she was going to pierce a hole in his forehead. She then asked a weird question.

“When is your birthday?”

“Huh? The third on the month of Aries… What about that?”

After Ash answered honestly, Cosette spoke in surprise:

“Oh, what a coincidence. It seems that Princess-sama was also born in the month of Aries. By the way, hers is in the seventh.”

“Hmm… That’s the first time I had heard of it.”

“Huhu… So Ash-sama is the bigger brother by four days.”

“T-That… isn’t it…”

“Ash!”

Silvia suddenly leaned against him. Ash could see her breast that was covered by the thin cloth of the summer clothes.

“Princess-sama?”

“Even though this may seems abrupt, but do you still remember the date you went for the Orphan Ceremony?”

“Err… I don’t really remember about the details, but it shouldn’t be far away from my seventh birthday. Since my hometown was at a far away village, I started my journey when I was still six. I remembered that I had my seventh birthday in a horse carriage.”

Once they reach the age of seven, every citizen of the Knight Country must visit Albion Forest.

For Ash, I he had departed after his seventh birthday, he would never be able to arrive at Albion Forest in a month time.

“By the way, does the date I went for the Orphan Ceremony matters?”

“…No, Nothing. I have something that I want to discuss with Cosette. Please stay here for the moment.”

Silvia suddenly stood up and dragged Cosette by the hand with her.

“What a weird Princess.”

Ash took a drink from the cup of red tea.

Part 11

After Silvia entered the makeup room, with an ‘Ahem’, she cleared her throat.

“What do you want to talk about, Princess-sama?”

“About that…”

“It doesn’t seem like something easy.”

Since she had been with Silvia for quite some time, Cosette immediately knew what she was thinking.

“Aah… That’s right.”

“I will do everything you tell me to if it is in my ability to do so. If the situation required, I could even be Princess-sama’s limbs or even your shield… That’s my duty.”

Silvia made up her mind and told her wish.

“Actually, I want you to return to the palace and investigate the name list of the children who went to the orphan ceremony as the same day as me. This should be an easy one for you, no?”

However, Cosette told Silvia something out of her imagination.

“The records of the Orphan Ceremony is the country’s top secret. Even if you are a Princess, you will be breaching the law by trying to investigate it.”

“Then, your duty would be to avoid it. Please, I could only put my hopes on you. With your ability, reading top secret documents should not be a problem, right?”

“That doesn’t sound nice, Princess-sama. The ability that I only knew of was an ancient technique that was passed down in the Shelly’s family and some spying technique. All of them were used to protect the Lautreamont family.”

“I understand that, but…!”

Silvia grabbed her shoulders and looked at Cosette with her puppy eyes.

“Of course I will do it if this is your order. But, what will you do if Ash-sama is really that boy?”

Silvia’s face almost burst out in flames.

“I-I just want to know about it! That’s right, I only want to know about the truth!”

Cosette gave a wry smile.

“Hmm… Putting that aside, during the time when I am not in, when the night comes and Eco had slept, aren’t the two of you alone together?”

“When the night comes…. The two of us…!?”

This time, steam emerged from her ears. Her heart was beating none stop.

“W-W-What are you talking about! Don’t you have any shame! How shameless! I…I believe that Ash was not someone insolence! That is why there is no point behind your question!”

Silvia snapped and Cosette nodded.

“I too had the same feeling.”

“Then why bother asking!”

Cosette smiled and took out something. I was a stack of paper held together by a paper clip.

“What’s that?”

“Huhu… A copy of ‘Shelley family’s secret. A recipe to make men dream’. Although I want to use it during this summer to teach Princess- sama some cooking… But this is a good chance to try it. Although Princess-sama don’t have any actual experience, but isn't this a good chance to show your cooking skills to Ash-sama?”

Silvia felt as if her body was on fire.

“Hold on! W-W-Why must I show Ash my cooking skills?”

“If I am not mistaken, The Lautreamont Family Motto did mention that ‘to shoot a general you must first shoot his horse’, am I right?”

“What does it had to do with this?”

“In the Shelley’s Family Motto, there is something like this: ‘To get the man you like, you must first fill his stomach’.”

“What kind of family motto is that!?”

“Huhu… When Ash-sama’s stomach is empty, and Princess-sama gave him your homemade cooking, he would surely fall for you.”

“…Fall for me!?”

Cosette was like a devil whispering into Silvia’s ears.

“When a Princess who doesn’t look like she knew any cooking made a meal, which man wouldn’t be moved by it?”

“Cut the crap! I never want Ash to take notice of me! Never! I-It s just that I had some interest in cooking since a long time ago. I will accept you offer because of this.”

Cosette handed her the recipe while smiling.

“Now, I had received my orders from Princess-sama and I will depart from Ansarivan immediately.”

“Huh? Immediately?”

“It is better if we act quickly, Princess-sama.”

Cosette lifted the both sides of her skirt slightly and bowed gracefully.

Suddenly, like a mist, Cosette disappeared from Silvia’s sight like a magician.

“H-Hey! Cosette? … Do you really want to depart at this moment?”

Silvia became worried when she heard no reply.

“Please hold on, Cosette! You should allow me to have some mental preparation before…!”

Silvia looked around the room with tears in her eyes. It looks like Cosette had really departed.

“Tsk… She never takes me seriously!”

After Silvia mumbled in regrets, she took a long hard look at the recipe given to her.

"The Stuffed Toy Dragon~A.S.B.1365.8~" is closed.

References and Translation Notes

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