Chapter 103: Magnolia Came to the Count’s House
Translated by AmaLynne
Morning next day, after a hectic day of dueling with Albert, a fierce battle with the red dragon, and the rescue of the dragon children who had been taken prisoner.
The Red Dragon visited Sam in his room with shades around her eyes.
She demanded Sam to「serve tea,」and sat down on the sofa, and crossed her legs.
There was a cup of tea that the maid had brought a while ago, so Sam poured it into a cup along with his own and handed it to the Red Dragon.
Sam did not sit down on the sofa as she did, but looked out the window and waited for Magnolia’s arrival, the first seat of the court wizard who would come to the Count’s house for the treatment.
「Hmmm. I guess the human abode and the food weren’t so bad after all.」
The Red Dragon said such a thing with a not-so-full face as she sipped her tea gracefully.
Sam chuckled at her face.
「That’s great.」
「What, you haven’t had enough sleep? You don’t look so good, do you?」
「No. Umm, yeah, I know, but let it pass.」
「I don’t get it, but sure.」
He couldn’t sleep at all last night, partly because Lise had confessed to him that she had been in love with him.
In the end, he spent the morning in agony on his bed without an answer for her.
(What do I look like with Lise-sama?)
Ur, the love of his life, wanted him to fall in love with someone else and have a family.
He would never be able to forget Ur, but he hoped that one day such a day would come.
To reassure his late master, he wants to be happy for her.
That would be his filial duty as a disciple.
However, he never once thought of having Lise as that partner.
Therefore, her confession came as a bolt from the blue.
「I heard that you were talking with Alicia-sama until late?」
Almost caught in a whirlpool of thoughts again, Sam turned the subject to the Red Dragon.
She smiled cheerfully and nodded her head in affirmation, perhaps remembering last night.
「Alicia is a good girl. As a mother, I am sad that my children all miss her, but I am happy that they have made friends. She talks to me without hesitation and with a smile. There are probably not many girls like her.」
「Alicia-sama, you are amazing.」
He was surprised to see that Alicia, who is not good with men and has a timid side, is not afraid of dragons.
She has read many stories about dragons and is pleased to see one in person, but it is hard to believe not only Sam but also her family that she would befriend a dragon called a natural disaster when she has no combat skills whatsoever.
However, Alicia seems to be gentle and kind and is well-liked by the Red Dragon and its children.
「She has a soft atmosphere. That is what we fantasy species like.」
「I can see that Alicia-sama has a soft mood, but…」
「You humans wouldn’t understand. Even we have only a vague idea. But the reason why Alicia likes it is not only because of the atmosphere but also because she is a good and honest person at heart. She is not afraid of us, she sees us as we are and treats us as we are. I have never met such a person before.」
「It’s just like the gentle Alicia-sama.」
Alicia is a very nice girl.
It took some time for Sam to get used to talking with her, but she seemed very happy to listen to him when he talked about Ur and his time in various places.
As Sam told each story, she would put a variety of expressions on her cute face as if enjoying a play, which made Sam put a lot of effort into his speaking voice.
She is also caring, as she comes to worry about Sam, even though the family has lost Ur.
More so, in this regard, Lise and all the other members of the Count Walker family.
Needless to say, everyone in the Countess family was a kind-hearted person.
「Hmmm. Yesterday, she even washed the children and me carefully in the bathtub. Her clothes are comfortable, too. Alicia has taken good care of me. If only we had people like that, we could live in peace.」
「If all human beings were like Alicia-sama, we could live in peace without conflict.」
「No doubt.」
Sam and the Red Dragon looked at each other and laughed.
Then they heard the sound of a carriage outside the window.
When they looked out the window, they saw a large, ornately decorated carriage parked in front of the mansion.
「Oops, it seems that while we were talking, Magnolia-sama arrived.」
The Red Dragon moves next to Sam and looks at the carriage as well.
「The best recovery wizard in the country there, hmmm. That’s some serious magic.」
「You know?」
「Of course. I know that you have enormous magical power and another powerful magical power and that you have a shackle on the second magical power.」
「―――Oops. You have to keep that to yourself.」
She easily discovered that Sam had two magical powers, but he is not surprised.
He was dealing with a dragon that far surpasses humans.
This was to be expected.
Sam puts his index finger to his mouth and gestures for her to be quiet.
The Red Dragon grimaces and snorts.
「Hmph. I have no one to say. But I don’t like the fact that you didn’t give it your all when you fought me.」
「I was at my best. My body is not yet strong enough to handle too much magic. That was full throttle.」
If the fight had been a little longer, he would have released his skills, but now he is truly glad it didn’t happen.
「Come to think of it, you were still a child. You’re small.」
「I’m not small! I’ll grow even taller when I grow up!」
Sam is only 14 years old, but he is about 160 centimeters tall.
He is slightly shorter than the average height in Japan in his previous life, but he believes that he is by no means too small.
His diet may also have something to do with it.
The food in this world is not bad, but it is simple.
No one cares about nutritional balance, and many of the commoners are too frugal in their lives.
At some point, he has been planning to show off some of the things to improve his diet, but he hasn’t had the time or the inclination to do so until now.
「Come to think of it, you didn’t even use the skill that cut through my child’s shackles.」
「Those skills are just too useless. I can either use it with extreme restraint or I can use it with all my might. If I’d used it on you, you’d be in pieces right now.」
「Nonsense. My scales could have withstood it.」
Sam wondered inwardly how it would go, but he didn’t say.
It would be troublesome if she wanted a rematch.
Sam moved away from the window and stood in front of the mirror to adjust his appearance.
He was about to meet the first of the court wizards, so he didn’t want to be rude.
As he is getting ready, there is a knock at the door.
Before Sam can reply, the Red Dragon moves silently and opens the door.
「Sam-sama, Red Dragon-sama, Magnolia-sama is here.」
Alicia, riding on the back of a dragon child, came to call.
When the dragon child found Sam, they purred happily, and Sam couldn’t help but smile as he stroked each of them in turn.
「Alicia-sama, thank you very much. But you have become quite good friends with them, haven’t you?」
「Yes! I wanted to sleep with them, but they looked so tired. But they seem to have regained their energy and have been with me all morning!」
「My children have been with Alicia since breakfast time.」
Red Dragon laughs with her mother’s face.
She watched with satisfaction as Alicia and the baby dragon got along.
「Sam-sama, if you have time, let’s play together.」
「Yes, I’d be happy to join you. I should get going. I don’t want to keep Magnolia-sama waiting. Come on, let’s go.」
Sam urged the burning dragon to leave the room.
「I can only use a minimal amount of restorative magic, so thanks for that.」
「It’s not every day that I get injured to the point of needing medical attention.」
「You should be proud. You are the first person who has ever hurt me this badly.」
「I am honored.」
While heading to the reception room, Sam was exchanging light banter with the Red Dragon, but there was something that was bothering him a little.
(Normally, Lise-sama would have come to call me, but yesterday…I’m wondering if it’s awkward? Or am I just thinking too much?)
Sam has yet to see Lise today, whom he took for granted every day.
He felt inexplicably sad about that.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel