Chapter 34 [Harvest Festival](4)
Family ability.
That’s the special ability unique to the race of demons.
Regardless of class, position, or birth, all demons are born with family abilities that are passed down from generation to generation in each family or family.
The family ability was infinite, and the number existed as much as the number of demons on the continent, and the types of abilities were also innumerable.
Of course, it is natural for a demonic family with a higher hierarchy to have superior family abilities.
For example, the ability to manipulate elements, or furthermore, the ability to manipulate matter, space, or, although very rare, time.
Dante, a commoner of the demon tribe, had very ordinary family abilities, far from the abilities listed above.
───His name, the Hero(勇者).
Well, it’s grandiose, but in fact, ‘brave’ has the effect of greatly strengthening one emotion designated as a family ability related to a person’s mental power, classified as the so-called ‘everyday world’.
The emotion specified here is ‘courage’ as the name ‘brave’ implies.
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In other words, it means ‘guts’.
However, in order for demons to activate family abilities, certain triggers, in other words, ‘trigger conditions’ were required.
To take Dante as an example, ‘a certain amount of mental or emotional shock’.
Yes.
───It wasn’t just that if Dante’s mental breakdown was gone, nothing could be seen!
“The flight course is a straight downstream road that runs along the Lastel Grassland here! The one who arrives at the goal first is the winner!”
And at this moment, the ‘brave’ is manifested once again by fulfilling the conditions,
“Three! Two! One!”
[—Activate household ability.]
“────GO!!!”
Flutter!
The presenter standing at the end of the red line vigorously swung the gray flag down, and at the same time the blue night sky was covered with the scales of countless flying dragons.
◇
Olivia was a dragon with excellent flying skills.
Her huge wings allowed her to stay afloat for long periods of time with little flapping of her wings, and her long mane-covered tail acted as an arrow feather to keep her centered and restrained from swaying.
Dante had also ridden on Olivia’s back many times, which he wanted and did not want, so he already knew that she was good at flying.
That’s right, because Olivia, unlike her usual, always sticks to her soft and gentle driving technique when riding Dante.
But another reason Dante was able to feel a sense of security in his flight with her was that Olivia was a tremendously large dragon.
No one worries about her falling while walking on the ground.
Olivia was a huge dragon that could lie on her side, roll on her stomach, or even walk on her stomach and run like crazy.
It was the same even if she was flying, and it brought Dante a strange sense of relief that she wouldn’t fall down even if she accidentally stumbled on her foot.
However, that is a story limited to Olivia, who originally had the appearance of a “Dragon”.
Even if they have a body two or three times larger than an ordinary dragon, in the end, there is a huge difference in size between a dragon and a dragon that can only carry one person.
───In short, what does that mean?
Tak!!
As soon as the signal for her start was given, Olivia’s wings spurred her ground with her feet and she rose in one breath, Dante grabbed her horns with all her might.
With a dizzying feeling of floating, as if his body was floating, a scream automatically erupted from his mouth.
Ignoring Olivia’s scolding, Dante clenched his teeth.
God damn it, god damn it! f*ck the hell!!!
Oh my God!! f*ck!!!!
Wheeeing!!
Far high in the sky.
Splash! And the cold night wind hits your face fiercely.
When I turn my head slightly and look down, I can see a group of flying dragons that have become smaller like dots.
Clouds flow leisurely beside you, and a large moon above you.
If he twists his body, he will fall and break his neck and die instantly.
No no, of course Olivia will take it somehow before it hits the floor!
Things as terrible as I think won’t happen!
Glancing her head down again.
“Hick..!”
I’m still scared! Scary!!? I’m f*cking scared!!!
“Mamaaa!!!!!”
Calling out the names of his parents, Dante closed his eyes tightly.
My whole body, soaked in tension, was trembling before I knew it.
This wasn’t an bearable horror enough to be called a thrill.
“Wow…!”
The feel of the cool air passing by his hands gave him goosebumps all over his body.
It was more like torture than flight.
Thanks to her household skills, she doesn’t faint and somehow manages to stay sane.
Olivia turned her head to check Dante’s condition,
“[……Ugh.]”
She finally let out a deep sigh and stopped moving forward.
Maintaining her still flight, that is, her hovering, she frowned as she watched the white drake snatching her lead from afar, as if not to miss this moment.
“[!? That bastard?]”
Like it or not, Dante buried her face in the hair of her mane, shivering like a chess tree as she leaned close to Olivia’s back.
As if she would never look down at her.
But as long as she’s genuinely afraid of Dante, she can’t keep flying as she is.
Olivia called his name in a calm voice.
“[It’s Dante.]”
“…….”
Remain silent.
“[Raise your head.]”
He shook his head.
“[It’s okay, raise your head slowly.]”
Her usual kind tone that is not found in her.
I felt strangely relieved.
Is this the word you’ve only heard about?
As if a little startled, Dante slowly raised her upper body as her eyes widened.
Her body continued to tremble.
“[Nice job. Take a deep breath now.]”
“Whoop…….! Haa…..”
“[One more time. Louder this time.]”
“Huh…!! Dig…!”
“[Right.]”
Certainly, the tremors have subsided more than before.
Olivia wrapped her long tail around his waist to keep him firmly in place, and raised the corners of her mouth gently.
“[Now look straight ahead. Never look down, just look straight ahead. OK?]”
Clasping her mane hairs with both hands, Dante raised his head at a 90-degree angle, pretending to be a loser.
According to this, Olivia untied her tail, and finally he slowly lifted his tightly closed eyelids.
“──!”
It wasn’t the group of white clouds, nor the flying dragons, nor the emotions of surprise or fear that filled those shining golden eyes.
The reason she soared from the beginning of the game, taking a much higher altitude than the other dragons, was to show this.
What was reflected in his eyes,
────That was the brilliant blue night sky hidden behind the clouds.
“Wow…”
Forgetting even the deep fear that had been holding his breath, Dante exclaimed in delight.
“………Crazy…”
A shimmering emerald nebula.
Starlight that seems like you can touch it with your fingertips if you stretch out.
It was the first time I had seen such a beautiful scenery.
At Dante’s exclamation, which seemed to be mesmerized, Olivia smiled and said as if she knew that.
“[Yes, I have to look forward like this. Why did you keep looking down, to the side, or up?]”
“Ugh…I didn’t have time for that then.”
That’s because I was busy screaming.
“[Hoho, then how are you now?]”
“……Anyway, not bad?”
The trembling of the body had already completely stopped.
“[Shudders in humility.]”
Flutter!
Straightening her wings, Olivia lowered her head.
Similarly, the posture of an eagle right before snatching its prey.
“[So, what are you going to do now? Are you going to stop here?]”
The distance with the players has already widened considerably.
Even if it flew at full speed from now on, it was uncertain whether it would be able to catch up.
───Of course, as long as Olivia was an ordinary flying dragon.
Dante shook his head.
“No.”
A dragon knight is the romance of every man in the world.
He smiled.
“Let’s put an end to this. Let’s try a little bit.”
Dante said in a plain voice as he tightened his grip on her horn, which had an optional grip handle.
However, in a tone that conveys a subtle fighting spirit, clearly and clearly.
“Miss Olivia.”
“[What’s wrong. My son.]”
“──I want to win this game.”
Dante leaned close to her and rubbed his cheek lightly on the nape of Olivia’s neck.
This is family power, this is The hero.
Guts is honesty.
He licked his lips leisurely.
“───Let me win.”
I can’t seem to get it right, so I’m asking for a direct job.
Fishik.
The black dragon let out a laugh.
“If you want.”
Whatever. Whatever it was
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◇
Adolph van Raymond.
He was born as the eldest son of the Marquis Raymond family of the Lesta Empire.
Adolf, who grew up in a wealthy family and was valued by his parents as jade and gold, grew up wonderfully, and at the age of 16 entered the Dragon Knight Academy, which is said to be the best among many academies.
Using the power of his family, he rescued a baby white drake with rare ice properties and made it his familiar, naming it ‘Ray’ after his family’s name.
Because Ray was a rare and excellent individual among flying dragons, he was equipped with powerful physical strength, body size, wing length, and endurance that were incomparable to ordinary flying dragons.
Besides, Adolf was also an excellent rider, so Ray and he boasted of a fantastic partnership and confidently took the top spot at the Dragon Knight Academy.
Adolf, who was originally raised as the flower of the Lesta Empire and the immovable chief of the academy, and was raised as an arrogant character who lived on his pride, began to grow more and more proud, and now he is almost heavenly. It was a state close to being alone as an infant in the world.
To put it simply, it’s ‘self-sufficient Lv.MAX’
The victory of the dragon race, the specialty of the
Harvest Festival, was also always up to Adolf, and he had no doubt that he would not be able to win in all the races to be held in the future.
This race, of course, was the same.
Even though the rules have changed a bit, there is no civilian familiar that can match the speed of a dragon anyway.
How can the citizens’ foolhardy servants, who can’t even keep up with ordinary dragons, beat their own ray!
And as he expected, the familiars of those who additionally participated in the dragon race were all F-class to D-class, and at best they were only low-class that ran C-class.
Adolf smiled arrogantly, saying that this year’s championship was also his.
——Until a young demon boy with white hair appeared here.
As if he wasn’t familiar with space movement artifacts, he was the last demon boy to appear in the meadow, complaining of dizziness.
The others were already waiting at the starting line with their familiars on board, so the race was about to start as soon as that boy was ready.
‘Surely, what kind of unfamiliar familiar will that demon fellow summon?’
Huh, snorting, Adolf looked at Dante with the look of a monkey in a zoo.
At that moment, a black drake with black scales descended from the sky and quietly landed behind him.
Everyone in the meadow had no choice but to hold their breath at those sharp red eyes that glanced at them indifferently.
It was the same with Adolf.
In amazement with his eyes wide open like a surprised rabbit, he let out a soundless scream.
A black drake.
I’ve never even heard of such a colored drake existing!
Furthermore, it was much larger than his own Ray and had longer wings, so it was clear that the flying dragon was a top-notch individual.
Above all, the flying dragon was such a beautiful creature.
Black scales that absorb the blue moonlight and hold it softly.
A lush mane of gray hair.
A pair of horns that stretch in a straight line.
Look at that figure that no one can touch, loftily looking at the sky!
There is no doubt that the term ‘descendant of the dragon’ is appropriate.
‘I want it.’
Only that thought filled Adolf’s brain.
Compared to that black drake, his own ray is the blood of a bird.
The best dragon that suits you, the best rider, is that black dragon!
Looking at it, it was too much of a waste to have it as a familiar for a demonic kid who didn’t seem to have ever ridden properly.
There’s no way an insignificant demon could handle a flying dragon!
It must have been lucky to have found and tamed it when it was a baby.
Adolf, as the eldest son of a marquess, could not overlook the pitiful (?) Situation in which such a jewel-like flying dragon was being ministered to by a foolish master who could not bring out even a tenth of his ability.
It’s like a pig’s neck pearl necklace!
I’m so envious, no, it was too much.
He made up his mind, gritting his teeth.
After winning this race, I will steal the black dragon from that demon, or even take the amount!
At least he’ll cross-breed with Ray, and he’ll even get a baby!!
◇
Destroys everything that gets in your way.
Remove all obstacles that stand in their way.
There is only one goal.
[—Maximum Family Ability]
f*ck no one can stop me now.
That’s right, there was no warning against destroying natural objects during the race!
“Garaaa!!!!! Red eyes black dragon!!!!!!”
Dark spheres begin to gather around Olivia’s mouth in line with his slogans.
Flying along that mountain range in the middle of the course slows down time, the fastest route is straight. Going straight ahead.
If there is no road, you just have to make it yourself!
Dante shouted, pointing his finger at the mountain that was blocking his path.
“[Tell me how many times it’s black flame, you f*cking bastard!!!]”
Don’t change the technology name arbitrarily!!
“[That’s supposed to be a dragon with pure white blue eyes?!]”
Bang!!!!!!
Olivia’s breath exploded precisely, and the mountainside collapsed in an instant.
Literally, there was a round hole in the mountain.
Dante muttered with an expression full of joy.
“The mountain… Split…!”
“[Must break it, you conscienceless bastard!]”
“? But in the end, it was Olivia-sama who broke it.”
“[You have a personality problem!?]”
Olivia is flying at high speed through a mountain range with a hole in the middle.
Spurs on the wings and continues to accelerate.
Wheei Ying !!
A strong gust of wind came crashing down on her, but without batting an eye, Olivia lowered her altitude.
“..! Miss Olivia, over there…!”
“[Don’t talk. Dante. Biting your tongue.]”
Because I know too.
A group of flying dragons and a group of other familiars preceded them.
It is still not too late.
She had a smile on her lips.
“[We’re going to break through head-on like this, so hold on tight!]”
“That idiot…! Maengjiyiyin!!!!!”
“[Ah shut up you crazy bastard!!]”
Boom!!
With the sound of bursting air, Olivia shoots out like a bullet flying towards a target.
Closing the gap with the flying dragons in just one second, she soon started passing the other players one by one.
She went from last to 10th, 10th to 5th, and 5th to 3rd all at once.
The riders screamed in astonishment at the overwhelming ranking change.
“!? What, what! That!”
“Black….Dragon!?”
“How can such a speed…!!?”
“You didn’t give up during the race!??”
Yeah, it wasn’t.
“I stopped flying…”
Dante pointed his finger at the sky and said.
“Actually, it was to gain momentum—!!!”
“[[[This is crazy. This is really crazy..!]]]”
And second place.
“..! Heck…!!”
The blond man turned his head and let out a shallow moan.
Adolf looked at Olivia, who was following closely behind the white dragon, with eyes mixed with amazement and joy.
Catch up.
Never catch up.
No.
I’m being pushed…!
With numbers you’ve never experienced before!
“Kup..! Ray!! Speed up! Come on!!!”
Adolf shouted desperately, but this was the limit of Ray’s top speed.
Unless a miracle happened, I couldn’t easily cross the wall.
He passed him indifferently with empty eyes and looked at the black dragon and the white-haired demon boy moving forward.
A trivial demon, how, how.
How!!
Recapture the leader.
A miracle reversal.
──First place.
Dante glanced around and looked at Adolph with a distraught expression.
There was a deep sense of defeat in his blue eyes.
He laughed.
“Oh, that’s not what flying is like.”
Olivia reached the downstream end first.
“[End.]”
The true winner of the race was decided.
◇
“[Woo, Woo, Seungri is…! C, Dante and his familiar, the black dragon!!]”
The emcee’s trembling voice echoes through the loudspeaker.
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However, what came as the answer to the winner declaration was no cheers, no applause, no shouts, just quiet silence.
The riders who arrived at the goal too late, and the citizens gathered in front of the Crystal Ball on the main street of the Lesta Empire, none of them could raise their voices as if they were dumb as a group.
What did they see now?
Obviously something happened in an instant.
My brain couldn’t keep up with the situation.
What they saw in the crystal ball was that the black dragon that was running in the lead suddenly stopped as if it was out of order, and after sending all the other dragons to the front, they showed off explosive firepower as if it was just starting.
Deception.
It was a deception.
It was arrogance.
That was conceit.
It was confidence.
It was a composure that only the absolute strong could show.
I was playing with it. All those dragons.
No matter how much you struggle and struggle, the results won’t change anyway.
Even if I fly with all my might, in the end it’s me who stands in your way.
Overwhelming skill gap.
───That was, without a doubt, the flight of a king.
People like reverse electrodes.
Hope for a miracle.
I feel the joy of the situation itself, where the loser finally seizes the joy of victory.
But at the same time, people are attracted to the strong, by that power, and by the title of the strongest.
Is this what true vicarious satisfaction is?
“Ah…Ah…!”
The heat of the hot game that made the whole body sweaty will eventually reach the top of people’s heads, and the tight neck will be pierced,
“”””WOW!!!!!!!!!!””””
A beat late, a huge shout close to the roar of an animal broke out.
◇
Dante hid himself behind Olivia’s wings with an awkward expression, perhaps for the first time receiving such applause at the thunderous shouts of the people heading towards them.
“Olivia-sama, what kind of face should I make at times like this…?”
“[…For now, I think it’s okay to laugh.]”
“It really makes my heart grow…”
I won.
It was a victory.
It’s none other than me, we.
I rode Olivia-sama’s back in a dragon state for the first time today,
To shoot all of those outstanding riders with your skills.
As expected, life is a tempal (dragon).
With the cruelty of reality once more in mind, Dante nodded his head.
“Well then! In 10 minutes, we will proceed with the awards ceremony! To all the players who did their best until the end, thank you for your hard work!”
Perhaps the Artifact was used, and the moderator moved here before he knew it.
As he finished his speech, he gasped and ran toward the championship trophy.
At the end of the downstream end, which is the goal point, there was a large lakeside, and since it was a place where water flowed, the air was quite chilly.
Flutter.
Olivia, who was sitting on a moderately wide rock, must have noticed this, wrapped her wings around Dante’s body and pulled him toward her.
“? Olivia?”
“[This kind of weather is perfect for catching a cold.]”
Dante wrapped in a soft, fluffy mane.
Realizing her intentions, he quietly entrusted himself to Olivia.
I just thought it was cold.
It was then.
“Oh… What a cool flying dragon..! I couldn’t take my eyes off it even when I saw it through a crystal ball, but it’s even more beautiful in real life!”
Isn’t a man with a long mustache in a neat uniform approaching this way while clapping his hands?
“[What is that bastard.]”
Dante listened to the mustachioed man, snarling like a mother trying to protect her own cub and trying to dissuade Olivia from revealing her teeth.
He said with a light bow.
“Oh, sorry if I startled you! I am Verus, Verus de Dragonion. I am the head of the Lesta Empire’s Dragon Knight Academy.”
“My name is Dante.”
Dante also bowed his head and replied.
I like people who are polite.
…Wait a minute, the head of the Dragon Knight Academy? Then you are the organizer of this flying dragon race. So, who changed the rules this year…?
“Yes Dante-kun, I’m sorry the awards ceremony will start in a little while, but I’ll get to the point first.”
“The main point…?”
Gasp!
With his eyes shining, Verus held Dante’s hand tightly with both of his own.
“Actually, a long time ago…I’ve been waiting for a boy with great rider talent like Dante!”
“…Well, to be honest, I’ve been waiting for someone to recognize my talent.”
“! Really!!”
“I’m sorry.”
So why do you uselessly change the rules and make me do this sh*t?