Chapter 51 [All I need is me](1)
Early dawn.
Harbor Inn, Trumpet of Plenty.
Perhaps because of his ingrained habit of waking up early, Dante quietly lifted his eyelids in a quiet room filled with silence and gazed at the ceiling with hazy eyes.
I rub my eyes with my hands and look back on last night.
…Oh, yes, yesterday I fell asleep with Olivia-sama on my back.
Unsurprisingly, when I glanced to the side, I saw the beautiful face of a black dragon that was sleeping soundly without the world knowing.
After repeating it several times, I’m used to it now.
There are two beds, so why bother using mine?
…Anyway, it’s like a nasty lizard.
For no reason, I poke her cheek with my finger.
….Oh, it’s softer than I thought. It’s like the feeling of being addicted to it.
I see, this is why Olivia-sama likes to touch my face.
I glide down her fingers, this time moving my hand towards her arm.
She ran the palm of her hand gently across her bizarrely tattooed shoulder.
A red pattern almost covered one arm.
Has this been there since birth, or was it engraved later?
I was honestly curious. I’ll have to ask again later.
In case she woke up, Dante carefully turned her over and laid her face down on her bed, burying her head in her soft pillow.
But right now, a good night’s sleep comes first.
I’m not in the Demon Castle, so I didn’t have to get up early.
The faint moonlight softly seeping through the window is pretty.
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Dante closed his eyes while worrying about the daily worries that anyone would do, such as what to do tomorrow and where to go.
I hope you will be all right tomorrow.
May no one die.
“…….?”
In my fading consciousness, I somehow felt as if I was eye contact with Olivia, but I soon dismissed it as my mood.
But this black dragon, once you fall asleep, you won’t wake up.
Yeah, it must be because of my mood.
“……..♡”
Sweep.
Tup.
“…..Sup….Haa…f*ck…”
──That’s why, even if it’s because of my mood.
◇
It was a bright day.
“—So, where is today’s destination, Dante?”
“…If anyone hears it, they’ll think I’m hanging out every day.”
“It’s true. You bastard.”
Dante, who kept her mouth shut at Olivia’s sharp tone, shrugged and raised her shoulders.
In hindsight, it wasn’t exactly wrong.
It is true that since I came here, the Lesta Empire, I have been going out more than usual.
Of course, I was going to go out today too.
…I just found out. f*ck.
“This is why the quick-witted black dragon…”
“What are you doing?”
Tsk, Olivia looks at Dante with a puzzled expression as he clicks her tongue.
Leaving the inn, he answered in a plain tone.
“Today, I’m going to go to the library.”
◇
‘Books are food for the mind.’
I completely agree with this statement.
One of my few hobbies is reading, and in my busy daily life, at least when I read a book, I feel like my tired mind is getting better.
In the Lesta Empire, there is a national library operated by the state.
It’s also quite large-scale.
Compared to the national libraries of neighboring empires, it is about five times the size, so I’ve said that.
As expected, a country that is serious about nurturing human resources.
“A race, a duel, and now a library. Aren’t your hobbies too polar opposite?”
“I don’t care what I like.”
Crossing the byway in the western plaza, Dante replied in a low voice.
“More than that, how long do I have to hold this hand?”
Dante said, pointing with his other hand to his tightly gripped hand.
It was because Olivia violently grabbed his hand from the moment he left the inn.
And I’ve been held captive ever since.
I tried several times to sneak my hand out, but it didn’t work.
It’s about to get warmer.
“Until the dirt gets in my eyes…. Oh, okay! Okay, don’t reach for the flower bed, you bastard!!”
Seriously, don’t pick it up!? I can’t even f*cking joke!!
Olivia unwrapped the pod with a cold expression, as if she had been traumatized by what had happened before, and quickly shook the soil from Dante’s hand.
“A bastard like a serial-eye terrorist.”
“What to say. Serial fratricidal killer.”
“!? How do you know that!!?”
A well-known anecdote about a demon dragon who cut his own people into 36 pieces and spread them all over the seven oceans just because he kept going behind his back.
Oops, did I say it out of my mouth without realizing it?
Unable to answer Aquila’s information, Dante decided to put an iron plate on his face.
I will long for her only with her heavy facts.
“Where is that crazy bastard who slashes opponents in pieces and throws them into the sea over a simple backbit of common sense!?”
“Don’t talk back, b*tch! Someone told you!!”
f*ck this doesn’t work.
Seeing Olivia’s ferocious eyes as if she were about to grab her by the collar at any moment, Dante had no choice but to make up her words appropriately, rolling her eyes.
“…The dragons…They say…”
“What a dragon!!”
“I heard the dragons who… Just… Came to the trial… Gossip…”
“Those bastards of fish!!?”
How dare you repay the favor with an enemy!?
Gulping involuntarily at the sight of her gnashing her teeth, Dante swallowed her saliva and pulled Olivia’s hem, feeling that something was going wrong with her.
Looks like I’m going to stop you, Mr. Blue Dragon, for saying the wrong thing!
“Well, come to think of it, I heard that travelers need to get a membership card to use libraries in other countries, but let’s go before it gets too crowded!”
And this time, I grabbed Olivia’s wrist from my side and led her.
She was the one who obediently followed her steps, but her eyes were full of life, so if she made a mistake, she was ready to cut anyone into pieces.
How can I make her feel better?
Biting his lip, Dante busily teased his feet.
◇
The largest national library in the Lesta Empire, the Ashet Library.
It is built in a shape similar to a temple enshrining a god, with a huge central pillar wrapped around the outside with white marble, and its magnificent appearance is a picture.
The interior was also really beautiful.
A soft light descends from the lights installed in a row throughout the ceiling to illuminate the surroundings, and the dark brown bookshelves filled with both sides of the maze-like path provide comfort to the viewer.
The rustle, the sound of turning the pages and the smell of paper, parchment, and ink unique to the library that stimulates the nose.
Insanely many books in an insanely large space to get lost in.
Dante, dazed, stared blankly at the red carpet on the floor.
……Live and live I never thought the day would come when a demonic commoner like me would receive a membership card for such a large library.
Yes, membership cards could be issued at the counter inside the library.
The price is 1 silver. A bit pricey. They say it’s free for the people of their country, so they must be earning extra income with this.
I turn my head slightly to check Olivia’s reaction.
Compared to the size of my rarity, a library like this would be child’s play.
Dante hung his membership card around his neck.
Now, where should we start exploring in earnest?
◇
“D-D-D-Ah, I found it.”
I wonder if there was something you were looking for.
Dante took out an antique book with a red cover and turned the cover right there.
Olivia was not with her.
He said he has book intolerance and will be at the center table, so call him if you need him.
More than that, you’re sick of books, aren’t you? Are you a student? I am speechless.
The title of the book Dante chose was ‘The Dragon Encyclopedia’.
From the past to the present, hundreds of years of adventurers and dragon slayers have found out through experience and observation, it is a collection of various information and knowledge about dragons.
How many lives must have been lost before this book was written.
As for the structure of the book, first of all, the amount of the table of contents was considerable.
That’s true, dragons are divided into species by color, so it would take a long time to describe each one.
Red, blue, green, white, gold, black…And many more.
If you ask me why I chose this book, the first is to relieve Olivia’s mood by knowing what the black dragon likes, and the second is simply personal curiosity.
To be honest, dragons are unknown creatures in this underworld.
Since you have to risk your life to observe it once, the information you have acquired so far is only a fraction of the time.
This means that there are so many things that have yet to be revealed.
Sometimes, it is said that dragons leave information about themselves out of whim, but it is not reliable to believe it as it is.
Nevertheless, the lower world wants to know about the dragon.
Because the dragon is the living zodiac itself.
…….My romance was shattered long ago.
Sarak.
Returning from his thoughts, Dante turned over the pages.
The title of the first part is ‘Gold Dragon’.
‘Gold dragons, or golden dragons, are one of the dragon species whose attribute is light.They usually have an arrogant and greedy personality. It likes gold that glitters like golden scales covering its entire body, and there are individuals that use gold as their staple food.’
Eating gold…? This is amazing again
‘The breath’s power is weak compared to other species, but it is effective in chasing demons because it contains divine power. Also, It creates jewels within its body and vomits it out at regular intervals.’
*
‘Red dragons, or fire dragons, are immune to flames from birth. Because they live mainly in volcanic areas, fire accumulates in their bodies, which leads to hatchlings. Therefore, fire-attribute attacks only harden their scales. Red dragons are passionate, active, and also have fiery personalities. It hates humans, so be careful.’
.
.
.
I wonder if I was too engrossed because the writing was so easy to read because it was full of interesting contents.
Sarak.
Part 20, ‘Black Dragon’.
Dante narrowed his eyes when he saw the title.
At last, something has come.
I wondered why there wasn’t any, but I never thought it would be the final part.
He turned the pages slowly.
“……?”
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But at the same time, Dante couldn’t help but express his doubts.
This is because unlike the front part, which uses white and coated paper, the longitudinal part is made of faded parchment.
In addition, the illustration was completely different from the previous chapter.
After tilting his head for a while, Dante put his doubts behind and read the text.
‘Black dragons with black scales, we call them black dragons. Black dragons reign supreme among dragons in terms of power alone. Their breath disintegrates the body, and deadly poison is hidden in the horns and thorns on their bodies that can suffocate even a fully grown Jackie Chan in 10 minutes.’
……Blind…Poison…? Do-ok Maeng!!?
‘Also, it is basically vicious and cruel, and its pride in its territory and possessions is very high, so it thoroughly excludes intruders. Being naturally possessive is a common racial characteristic of dragons, but a black dragon’s possessive desire is on a different level.’
‘A procession of endless obsession. Whether it be wealth or living life, even if a black dragon dies, he never transfers his possessions to others. I’d rather break it or eat it than take it away from someone else.’
‘However, her desire for protection and affection is so strong that she is devoted enough to give her liver and gall to those she considers to be inside her fence.’
….Dedication damn it!
‘Black dragons have their own red spots, and although the shape and location vary depending on the individual, it is an unmistakable fact that it is an indicator of strength. The criterion is the number,Generally one to two, or three or four at most.’
…..Four dogs? Almost all of Olivia’s arms are covered…?
“………”
‘Next, about black dragon mating—’
Tak!
Dante closed the book at the speed of light and put it back where it was.
Let’s stop. Not good for your mental health.
….Well, everything else is good, but the information about the black dragon is full of net points…Stains. Yes, i need an update
Dante rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand as if he had seen something he couldn’t see, and turned his gaze to the other bookshelf.
The ecology of electric eels, the aggression of electric mice… Judging from the fact that most of the book titles contain electricity or lightning, this corner seems to be a bookshelf with books on familiars that use electricity and related creatures.
“…..!”
Suddenly, there was a book with a title that caught my attention.
I stretched out my hand as if possessed by something, but it was higher than I thought, so he couldn’t reach it.
In that case, use the ladder… No, it’s going to be dangerous, so don’t do anything stupid and call Miss Olivia.
That’s what she was thinking.
Until the warm breath touches your ear.
“Take that… Take it out…?”
“…!?”
She can’t bear to scream in the library, so she desperately covers her mouth.
When I looked behind her body with round contracted eyes, a tiger with a languid expression was standing there.
She also asked when she took it out, and in her hand was the book she was about to take out.
…The movement is very fast.
However, Nagi did not hand over the book to Dante.
On the contrary, I put the book on a higher seat and just stared at him with an expression that I didn’t like something.
It was right after she checked the title of her book.
‘─Thunderbolt.’
“…..No, that’s right… I just happened to—”
What the hell, I feel like I have to make this excuse.
Nagi shook her head slowly.
“……Ask…Look.”
“….. Huh?”
She pointed her finger at herself and said.
“If you have any questions… Ask me… Ask…”
You don’t need another cat but me.
You don’t need it.