Although he grew up in an orphanage run by the empire, he grew up without going hungry and receiving the education he wanted.
Considering the fact that I had a motherly teacher and playful but kind younger siblings, I was really lucky. I felt like I was flying until I got my license and got a job at a training center run by the Empire.
“Come on, let’s get to work, get to work!”
I sighed as I grabbed the shovel and the pitchfork.
What do I do when memories of my past life come to mind? The things I have to do don’t change.
“Our pretty Lou, will you clean up the dirty stuff for me?”
My body swayed at the actions of our number three master, who thrust his large head in while making a low, “Krrrrrr,” growling sound.
“I’ll make you pretty later, later.”
As I pushed away the face covered in silver scales, a disgruntled breath shook the hem of my clothes, but I couldn’t stop it here.
“No. Go away.”
Then, the dragon, who had been whining in discontent, turned its head and banged its head against the wall of our house. I sighed deeply at that action and picked up the shovel.
It’s been five years since I started recalling my memories from my past life.
I was working as a trainer at the dragon training school.
I remember thinking back to my past life and wondering what kind of world this was, and whether it was the world of the novels or webtoons I read in my past life, and I was very excited and wandered around. What if I was the main character in the story? Then wouldn’t something change?
‘It was a dream from my reckless days.’
First of all, I read a lot of novels and webtoons in my previous life. But can you recall which one it was from? … … If that were possible, wouldn’t I have been a palace secretary or something like that instead of a dragon breeder?
Secondly, even if I found out, there was nothing I could do about it. How much influence could a commoner who grew up in an orphanage, let alone the daughter of a noble family, have?
‘I have no intention of doing that.’
I’m not that ambitious or mission-driven. The nobles will take care of themselves, and people like me have their own lives.
“Yeah, that’s right. It’s all done.”
A smile naturally appeared on my face as I watched the dragon express its displeasure by making a low growl and tapping its tail on the floor.
In my previous life, I loved the magical creatures of fantasy worlds. I still agree with that. I also really, really like dragons.
A world where dragons have permeated our daily lives. Sometimes as livestock, sometimes as powerful forces and companion animals, existing in various positions. If I had seen this world in my previous life, wouldn’t I have cheered?
“Okay, that’s it.”
“Huh?”
“Right, come here.”
At the words “Come here,” Lu, who had been quietly staring at me, turned his head away. I covered my mouth to keep from laughing at the sight of him expressing his frustration with his whole body. Dragons are smart, so if you show off, they’ll notice, so you have to be careful.
“I’m going to give you a snack? Aren’t you going to eat it?”
He opened one of the many pockets on his vest and grabbed a Marcellid dragon, Rue’s favorite snack, shaking it gently. He flinched and then turned his head slightly, sniffing at it.
“I was going to give you a snack if you stayed quiet until I finished cleaning… but if you don’t like it, there’s nothing I can do.”
As I made a move to turn around and leave, Lou poked his head over my shoulder.
“I’m giving it to you because you waited well. Okay?”
When I offered him a snack, he quickly took it by sticking his tongue out, and I gently stroked the bridge of his nose as he munched on it.
I quickly felt better and smiled at the sight of Lou grumbling and patted the back of his neck.
The trainer’s work begins with cleaning the cage. It’s nice to see him eating well, pooping well, and looking energetic, so he seems healthy today.
“Now that we’re done cleaning, let’s eat first.”
“Geuuuuuu!”
At the suggestion of eating, he followed me outside with his eyes sparkling and his head sticking out, which made me burst into laughter.
“Hmm. It tastes good.”
When he first came to the training camp, he nodded while recording that he was chewing and eating chicken, even the bones, which he had never put in his mouth before.
“What we will be checking in the future is how accustomed you are to riding training.”
It was basic but important training. We brought the saddle and bridle that we had prepared before cleaning, put them on, and went outside.
There were many different types of dragons. Since many different types of dragons lived together with humans, training them was a very important part of the process.
The dragons that often appear in novels or webtoons I read in my past life, who speak human language and live for thousands of years while collecting gold and silver treasures in huge lairs, have not yet been discovered. However, depending on the species, dragons are creatures with unique strength and outstanding physical abilities, such as breathing, flying in the sky, or swimming in the sea, and if they want, they can destroy buildings as if they were cookies.
Naturally, training was essential to handle such a dragon. The Ashar Empire was no different. Every country operated a training center on a national level, and the Ashar training center I was a part of was one of them.
“Get down.”
As soon as he made a gesture to lie down, he lightly patted the nape of Lou’s neck, who was lying face down, and climbed into the saddle. It was admirable how patient he was, unlike when he was first taken to the training center.
“good job.”
“Grrrrr.”
I lightly tapped his torso twice with my heel and he rose from his seat. The fins that extended along his spine folded and unfolded repeatedly.
He shook the reins. At the same time, Lu started running on all fours towards the takeoff site.
With her large wings spread, Lu flew up. For a moment, her body’s axis felt as if it had been swung downward, but then she felt a sense of floating and a cool breeze brushing her whole body.
From now on, it was important. The dragon I was riding, Lu, was entrusted to the Empire by a count from the Kingdom of Ulin.
The Count was coming a few days later, so I had to check on his condition one last time before he came.
“Good job. Really good job.”
“Grrrrrrr?”
“You’re really pretty. You’re kind.”
The results were satisfactory. When I praised him while giving him a snack with a happy smile, Lou waggled his large tail and ate the snack, which was very cute for his size.
He followed my instructions closely and never forgot to level off for the person behind him.
This concludes the basic training. Since it is a Marcellid species, training to control the wind must also be done in parallel… … Since the client, the Count, has asked us to start with basic training, it will be up to the Count to decide whether or not to continue the training.
‘Since you’re particularly good at handling the wind, I need to convey that part as well.’
If you train hard enough in that area, you might become quite famous. I heard that in the kingdom in the south, they even hold races with dragons.
I looked at Lu, who was lying on the ground with his saddle filled and his wings preening. Then I thought of the old dragon at the orphanage.
“I hope everyone is doing well.”
I took full charge of and trained the older Norwalk dragon that I raised at the orphanage. Thanks to that, I unknowingly received help when I was getting my license.
Whenever I went to the orphanage to buy food, I would think of the old dragon who always pulled the cart, or rather the dragon cart, and I would feel a little gloomy. When I thought of the dragon, the faces of the other children and the headmistress came to mind.
‘I hope you don’t throw a tantrum about not eating broccoli. The director is getting older now… ‘
The Norwalk dragon named Grandpa is getting old now, so he needs to take care of his scales.
As I was unsaddled Lou, I thought to myself that I should also bring scale trimming tools with me this time.
“Trainer! This is Trainer Lithia!!”
“Yes! I’m here!!”
What the heck, I’m nervous. If you’re running towards me like that, calling my name so desperately, that means there’s been an accident.
“Trainer, ugh, gasp, that, that…….”
“First, catch your breath.”
I handed a water bottle to the trainee who was panting as if he was about to suffocate. He nodded and drank the water from the bottle in one gulp.
“Coolook! Whoosh, whoosh……! Lee, Trainer Lithia, I think you should go right away. The Rock Willjong Dragon that Trainer Thompson is in charge of is running wild.”
“……That kid again?”
The trainee trainer had an ambiguous expression on his face, not knowing how to react to the curse that came out reflexively.
Hey, what’s that kid doing? He made Rock Will run wild? That gentle dragon?
“If that’s talent, then it’s talent.”
After letting out a sigh, I looked back at Rue. As if sensing that the atmosphere was strange, Rue’s silver scales were standing up stiffly.
“Please bring Lou to us. I’ll also ask you to fix the bridle and saddle.”
“Understood, Trainer!”
“Listen carefully, okay? I’ll be right back.”
After gently stroking the bridge of Lou’s nose, who was showing signs of anxiety by tapping the floor with his tail, he immediately turned to look at the trainee trainer.
“Where is it located?”
“This is the second training ground!”
I changed my mind after hearing that. It was a long way from here to the second training ground.
“Please just give me the saddle!”
“Huh, huh?! Trainer!”
“Lou! Let’s go!”
“Kurrrrrrrrrr!”
I climbed onto the horse’s back, holding only the reins and no saddle. Then, immediately, Luga stood up and spread his wings wide.
There was a takeoff pad right next to the second training ground. If we landed there and ran, we could shorten the time.
I clung to Lou’s back with my thighs clenched. Fortunately, the Marcellid species had fins growing along its back, so I held the reins with one hand and the fin with the other, giving directions.
I would hear a scolding from the director later, but I had to stop the dragon from running wild as soon as possible. If I made a mistake, I could end up not being able to use the second training center for a while.
“That bastard is a trainer!”
What on earth would make Rock Will Jong go crazy? Are you crazy?
Rock Will’s dragons have scales as hard as rocks. The dark gray scales and the plants growing on them, both large and small, give the feeling of a soft carpet. They are a large species, but their movements are slow and their temperament is easygoing.
Although they have no wings and cannot fly, they are also workers of the earth who use their heavy bodies to tame the earth and spread seeds from the plants on their backs, giving green to the devastated land.
But, there was such a dragon running wild.
“Woooooooooooo-!”
“Eww! Stop it!”
“Thompson! You’re in charge!”
“You want me to come near you while you’re running wild like that?!”
I knew it. I ran, swallowing the curse that was about to burst out.
“Hey! Lithia!”
“Who called him!”
“Dengshin-ah, since you can’t solve the situation on your own, someone must have called.”
Thompson’s face turned red at the reprimand he received.
“Who are you! Who said something like that!”
“Be quiet. Do you want more stimulation?”
As I rebuked Thompson, who was darting his eyes around trying to find the culprit, his sharp gaze turned to me.
“you!”
“Can you handle it? Then I’ll go ahead and do my training as scheduled.”
Thompson grumbled but didn’t tell me to go back. At least he had some idea of trying to handle the situation. I was worried he might be a jerk who didn’t have any such idea.
The ground shook and caved in as the dragon stomped on the ground while roaring loudly. The dragon’s movements were so ferocious that the plants growing on its back were pulled out because they couldn’t hold on.
The dragon’s cries seemed to be filled with pain. Something felt strange, so I took a closer look at the dragon.
“ah.”
I sighed, thinking I knew what the problem was. Then I took a pill of pain-relieving herbs from one of my vest pockets, lit it, and burned it.
A faintly sweet-smelling smoke began to rise. I rolled the lit wreath near the dragon. The dragon, who was unable to hide his excitement while sniffing, sniffed and stuck his nose right into the wreath I had rolled.
The speed of the rapid breath gradually slowed down. As the smoke was inhaled deeply, the dragon’s once sparkling eyes began to calm down.
I approached the true dragon, sniffing quietly, cautiously. I approached slowly so as not to provoke it, as it could get excited and start running again.
“Geuuuuuu…….”
“Good job… I’ll take away the pain.”
I gently stroked its cheek, then its nape, and then its forelegs. The scales felt like stone and were thick, but the dragon moved its body sensitively as I moved toward its forelegs.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m just trying to make sure you don’t get hurt.”
I felt a cold sweat running down my spine as I headed towards the dragon’s saddle. As I untied the belt around my belly to secure the saddle in place, the saddle rolled off the dragon’s back with a heavy thud.
The dragon blinked and shook its body hard. At the same time, the scent of grass that had grown thicker due to the weight of the saddle dispersed in all directions.
The guy slowly lowered his body. He patted the nape of his neck for his actions, then stepped on his rock-hard forepaws and climbed onto Rock Will’s back.
“……As expected.”
I frowned at the sight I had expected. Large seeds were visible between the grasses pressed down by the saddle marks.
How could it not hurt? It was obvious that since he was a gentle species, he had endured the pain for a long time and was unable to bear it any longer, so he lashed out.
He took a trowel out of his pocket and thrust it towards the seeds. Then he felt the dragon’s body shake.
“Right, good. Can you hold on for a moment?”
After speaking soothingly to the dragon, who was glancing at me anxiously, I began to gently dig out the seeds stuck between its scales with a trowel. The dragon waited patiently until I pulled out the seeds, even though its scales trembled and its body shook occasionally.
“You held on well. You’re amazing.”
After jumping down from Rock Will’s back, he scratched the dragon’s cheek. Even though the scales were as hard as rocks, Rock Will felt the scratching and squinted his eyes, crying softly and in a low voice.
“Litia, are you done?”
“Yes. It was because of this.”
When I approached the trainers, who had stepped back so as not to provoke the animal unnecessarily, and showed them the seed, they looked at me in bewilderment.
“Those are the seeds of the sun plant, right? Shouldn’t these be removed periodically?”
“But it was there.”
Everyone’s eyes turned to Thompson. He flinched for a moment, then clenched his fists and trembled violently.
“Rick! Get here now!”
Then the skinny and timid-looking trainee trainer closed his eyes tightly and quickly ran towards Thompson.
Thompson kicked Rick’s shin with a loud thud.
“Ugh!”
“This idiot kid! He doesn’t take care of his dragon properly!!”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry, that’s all! Who do you think caused this situation?”
The trainee trainer named Rick was pale and kept apologizing, bowing his head. I frowned at the sight.
“Stop it, Trainer Thompson.”
“You’re out!”
“Don’t I have any say in the handling of this situation?”
Thompson frowned at my words. If he had been afraid of such things, he would not have come forward like this.
“It is possible for an apprentice trainer to make mistakes while learning from a senior. No one is good at something from the beginning. But why didn’t he know the basic management method of removing the seeds of the sun plant found on the back of a Rock Will Jong?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“The mistake of a trainee trainer means that it is the oversight of the trainer in charge.”
At those words, Thompson’s face turned red.
“what!”
“If you didn’t understand what I was saying, should I say it again? You’re the one who saddled the dragon and let it run wild, overlooking such a basic mistake.”
At those words, Thompson came toward me, grumbling.
“Why, Chige?”
“Don’t show off by stiffening your neck just because you took out a single seed of that little sunflower.
“If you think I’m showing off by pointing out such basic management, then I know your level.”
“Lithia!”
“If I had done something wrong, other dragons could have been hurt. Who would have cleaned up the mess? You, who leaves all the trouble to the trainee trainer and just plays around?”
“I’ve said it all!”
“It’s not over yet. Don’t be a trainee trainer when you haven’t even taught me properly. It’s ugly.”
As expected, Thompson swung his fist. I dodged it by stepping back slightly, causing his body to sway.
“100 million!”
I didn’t miss it and put my foot forward slightly, but he couldn’t overcome his own strength and fell down badly.
“Seo, senior.”
“Fuck, get out of the way!”
Thompson staggered to his feet, swearing harshly.
“If she had no skills, she would have been fired a long time ago……!”
“Thank you for praising my skills.”
“Tch! It’s just an orphan. You should be dealing with small dragons or baby dragons. Why are you sitting here without any sense?”
I shrugged my shoulders and laughed at the usual criticism. I didn’t want to waste my time on this earth getting hurt by those words or getting angry and fighting.
“I’m just sitting here on the floor without any sense of urgency, but there’s always work to be done.”
“Unlucky year.”
With nothing more to say, Thompson glared at Rick, then stomped his feet and ran away.
“Lithia, are you okay? If you go against Thompson’s wishes…….”
“Should I get cut off?”
“The manager must be going crazy. He’s making a fuss because he can’t even please someone.”
“Who caused the accident?”
“That’s true. But Thompson’s background is annoying.”
I let out a long sigh at the irrefutable words.
“If you’re a child of a noble family, you’d be doing something else…….”
“That’s true. It’s brave of you to still be working as a trainer.”
“What’s wrong? You leave all the annoying and dirty work to others, and you’re just pretending to be poor at training and acting all sloppy.”
Count Harris is also quite something. Even a guy like that is so supportive of his son. No, like father, like son?
“Don’t be so down, Rick. Anyone can make a mistake.”
“Trainer Lithia…….”
“Are you okay? Can you stand up?”
Rick rubbed his eyes with his sleeve and then staggered to his feet.
“I’m fine.”
“Then that’s fortunate. Speaking for Thompson, I’ll say that sungrasses grow on the backs of rock wilson dragons. If the seeds are embedded in other parts, it’s fine, but if they’re in the area where the saddle is placed, they’ll dig into the scales like a wedge and cause the dragon pain. That’s why it’s best to look closely at that area.”
“Ah…… So…….”
“By the way, these seeds are used in alchemy, so you can make some unearned income. If you dig up the seeds as soon as they appear, the sun plant won’t grow, so it’s better to leave some behind.”
Rick nodded vigorously and repeated what I had said, mumbling. It was nice to see him trying so hard to learn. It was a shame for Thompson.
“Then I’ll go. I came here in a hurry after training Lou.”
“By the way, you came early?”
“Because I came flying in on a roo.”
At those words, the other trainer let out a hollow laugh and gestured for them to go.
“Leave the cleanup to us and go and rest.”
“thank you.”
“What about gratitude? We should be more grateful.”
After briefly looking at the trainer heading towards Rock Willson, who was now lying quietly on the ground with a smirk on his face, he headed towards the airfield where Lu was waiting.
It was clear that if I left him alone for a little longer, he would start to vomit. Because of this incident, snack time had already passed.
“Kuuuuuu!”
“Okay, okay. Let’s go back. I’ll go and get you a snack.”
After calming down Rue, who was snorting in discontent, I climbed onto his back.
With a fluttering sound, Lou glided upward into the sky.
* * *
“Why on earth did they make things like this?”
The manager’s call followed as if he had been waiting for the snack-giving and petting time to end, long enough for Lou’s pent-up mood to subside. That was the first thing he said as soon as I opened the door and went in, so I was dumbfounded.
“I don’t think there was anything I could do other than stop the Rock Willjong Dragon from running wild?”
“That was something that had to be dealt with.”
I was even more dumbfounded by the words, “It’s obvious.”
“Isn’t it the principle that the Rock Will trainer should primarily control the dragon in charge and prevent accidents from occurring?”
“……Well, aren’t there situations where that’s not possible?”
“I went to see him and he was just flustered and yelling from behind.”
“Anyway, didn’t you handle it well!”
“You’re saying that it was handled well when another trainer stepped in while the dedicated trainer was still there?”
It is dangerous for a trainer other than the one in charge to step forward. If you don’t even listen to the trainer you meet most often, will another trainer be seen as a trainer? You’re already nervous, so it’s probably just a person hanging around.
“I was prepared to get hurt or die when I cleaned it up.”
“Ahem! I knew you could handle it with your skills……!”
“We have to prevent the training grounds and ourselves from being destroyed. If the other dragons run wild, it won’t be possible for us to handle it.”
“Yeah, that was good. You did a good job.”
“Then please give me some incentives. Don’t say anything else.”
“Lithia!”
“Can’t you ask for this much? I almost died.”
If I were to get crushed by Rock Willson’s front paw, I wouldn’t just get hurt, my whole body would be crushed. It was horrible to even imagine. And I couldn’t help but curse at Thompson for letting things get that bad.
“This whole commotion started because some idiot trainer saddled Rock Willson without checking the single sunflower seed stuck on his back. Isn’t that the wrong target?”
“Behind Thompson is Earl Harris. He is providing significant financial support to the Ashar training camp.”
“A count is a count, and the third son of a count family is another matter.”
It was natural for the children of noble families who had been pushed out of the line of succession to each establish their own positions to help their families. Among them, dragon trainer was a pretty cool job in the eyes of the children of noble families who knew nothing about it.
You probably thought it was a cool and useful job. It was cool to handle dragons, and the customers who entrusted you with training were wealthy people like nobles and merchants.
… … The reality is that more than 95% of noble children who jump into becoming dragon trainers with that kind of thinking fail. Imagination and reality are far apart.
“Do you want to get cut?”
I shut my mouth at the words the director spat out as if he was urging me.
“If you don’t want to do that, you should control your words and actions. If you think about the orphanage.”
I gritted my teeth and glared at the director, who was tripping over the orphanage. The director didn’t care about the gaze and instead smiled leisurely as he spoke.
“You’d better think it over. I don’t need to tell you whose recommendation you’ll need when you quit the training camp.”
“……I know.”
“Remember, I’m tolerating your indulgence because you’re so skilled. Since you’re so skilled, I’m sure you can do a decent job of assisting Trainer Thompson.”
I added a word while gritting my teeth at the director’s behavior of only saying what he wanted to say and waving his hands.
“If you don’t give me an incentive, I won’t go.”
“Well, that’s about it… I’ll take care of it later.”
I knew that they would only give me a little bit, but I thought that I would be less angry if I received at least that.
I bowed my head in greeting and left the director’s office. It was only after the director’s office was out of sight that I started swearing.
“Fucking bastards.”
The warden who took bribes from Earl Harris and Thompson were all the same. If you think about it, the Earl was protecting his son, who had no right to the succession, more than necessary, which created this mess, so it was a maddening situation.
I was boiling with anger. I was putting all my energy into managing and training my dragons, but I was being held back in a place like this…
“It’s like X, really.”
The desire to quit my job that I had been holding back began to bubble up. I began to understand my past behavior of relieving stress at work by reading webtoons and web novels.
It might be a pity to hear this from my previous life, but even if it was a fantasy setting, reality was reality. I was not of noble blood, nor did I have any outstanding abilities. That was me.
The only thing he was good at was training dragons, and he was lucky enough to get a job at the Ashar Training Center run by the Empire.
Thinking about my younger siblings in the orphanage, it wasn’t easy to quit. … … The director of the training center under the Empire’s management was taking bribes from the Count and keeping a helpless person as a trainer, which was a bit unpleasant.
I sighed deeply and stumbled out of the building. Then I saw a dragon flying across the open sky.
“Are you taking flight training?”
Seeing the stable flying form, it seemed like the training was going well. Seeing the scales shining in the sunlight made me feel a little better about my dirty feeling.
“What can I do? Let’s just get to work.”
Thinking about the dragons I’m in charge of, I feel better than before. Let’s not think about the director or Thompson for no reason. I’m busy training the dragons, so it’s a waste of time.
I opened the package of candy that I always kept in my pocket to cheer myself up and put it in my mouth. I felt good as the sweet and sour taste spread across my tongue.
“……That’s why I’m saying that trainee trainers these days are useless.”
My steps slowed down without me realizing it at the sound of a familiar, yet unfortunate voice.
“Rick, that kid. When I give him orders and he does things so haphazardly, I can’t feel safe. I mean, when I was-”
You’re talking like a latte. Thompson’s trainee days didn’t even include handing Rick a business card.
‘Oh, let’s ignore it.’
I avoid shit because it’s scary, and I avoid it because it’s dirty. If possible, I’d rather not get involved with Thompson. I can overlook Thompson’s commotion like watching a mad dog foaming at the mouth, but it’s not fun to get called by the warden.
Even today, I was so dumbfounded by the response that it was natural to clean up after that kid. I’m not a nanny, so why should I clean up after Thompson?
I tried to ignore the three people gathered behind the back wall, whispering and trying to pass by.
“Litia, that girl is really annoying.”
I stopped without realizing it. But Thompson, not knowing that I was nearby, raised his voice and grumbled even louder.
“You walk around with your head held high just because your training skills are a little bit better. Honestly, aren’t you suspicious of those skills?”
“Why is Litia so skilled? It’s absurd that a girl is mainly in charge of training medium and large dragons.”
“Think about it. Aren’t all the dragons that Lithia takes care of incredibly gentle?”
“Was it like that?”
“I’m sure. It’s a trick to raise the value of your name by accepting only gentle guys and training them comfortably. Do you know? Maybe you’ve fooled your customers with that half-asleep face?”
“Well, it is expensive.”
I seriously considered throwing a dragon-specific stimulant where they were gathered. Wouldn’t it be a horrifying yet satisfying sight if I threw a stimulant made for dragons going into battle instead of one made for breeding season?
I clenched and unclenched my fists, gasping for breath.
‘… … Okay.’
If I do something like that, I won’t be able to calm down Rock Will and it will be a difficult situation to handle even on the small scale. Above all, I don’t want to use the dragons because of those trash guys.
It was a waste of time to respond to those guys one by one. In the first place, the words were so low and obscene that it was a shame to even refute the argument that if a dragon was to be entrusted to a training center, there had to be some problem or something that needed to be corrected.
‘I heard that the director was ready to lick the Count’s soles… … .’
When I heard this story of people gossiping about others, I felt more empty than angry. How can someone so incompetent be a trainer? How did Ashar Training Center end up like this?
I took a deep breath and walked away. I didn’t even want to talk to them.
“What crime did the dragons commit?”
I was worried whether the dragons under those kinds of people would be able to receive proper training, and even management before that.
“……It’s not time for me to worry about others.”
Even the Ashar Training Center, the largest training center managed by the Empire, has this problem. … … So, the orphanage I grew up in was a mess, to say the least.
I felt sad when I thought of the orphanage that was always lacking everything, even though it was supported by the Empire. It must have been hard to run such an orphanage, but when I saw the director’s hair growing white, always smiling and loving, I couldn’t easily leave this place.
Every time I went, there were younger kids who loved dragons and would ask me to tell them stories with their eyes shining. Kids who were studying to become trainers like me were trying to get tips from me in some way.
The director told me that I should go my own way now that I was an adult and that I shouldn’t worry too much about the orphanage, but I couldn’t do that. No matter what anyone said, the orphanage was my home and where my family lived.
“You dirty little bastards.”
I couldn’t tell if it was Thompson who was dirty, running wild with the confidence of his father’s power, the warden who took bribes from the count and pressured people into being dirty, or me who knew all this but couldn’t leave this place.
It was like a beggar. When I tried to recall my memories of my past life in the fantasy world, there wasn’t much difference between my past life and now.
* * *
“Wow! It’s my sister!”
“Sister! Sister is here!!”
As I passed through the front gate of the daycare center, the eyes of the children playing in the yard turned toward me.
“I’m here!”
“Litia, sister-in-law, aaaaaa!”
There were only three younger siblings running towards me and hugging me. I almost fell backwards on my butt because of the wind.
“Eww, guys! Slow down, slow down!”
“It’s my sister’s fault for coming after such a long time!”
“Hehehe, it’s me, my sister.”
“Yeah, yeah. Sorry. I’ve been a bit busy lately, so I’m late.”
There was a hint of resentment in the younger siblings’ complaints, so I smiled and patted their backs or patted their heads. After pulling away from the children who quickly laughed and cheered, I asked them a question.
“Where is the director?”
“Director? He’s at the restaurant.”
“Is it because of the kids who don’t eat broccoli?”
“……I, I ate all the broccoli, what!”
“Me too! I ate it all without leaving a trace!”
“Oh, they’re all cool?”
I patted the heads of the children who were protesting that they had eaten broccoli. The sight of them laughing and being happy was so cute.
“I’ll meet the director first, say hello, and then we’ll play. Okay?”
“Okay, sis!”
“Sister, do you have to play house with me?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
After responding with a smile, I headed to the restaurant.
“Right, you eat well.”
“Director, I’m here.”
“Oh, is Lithia here?”
It seemed that the meal was almost over. The director was sitting next to a child who was gulping down the last piece of carrot with his eyes tightly shut.
“Wow, you ate all the carrots.”
“Lee, Sister Litia…….”
“Isn’t it great? If you eat well like this without being picky, you might be able to become a dragon trainer like your older sister when you grow up.”
“……really?”
“If you listen carefully to what the director says and chew the carrots thoroughly.”
“Ugh… Ah, I’ll eat it regardless.”
“Okay, okay. You cleaned all the plates today. Good job. I will give a reward to our special Eric.”
As he said that, he took a hard candy out of his pocket, unwrapped it, and put it in Eric’s mouth.
“Thank you for eating well.”
“Thank you, sis!”
“Do I have to brush my teeth after eating?”
I patted the child’s head as he nodded vigorously and rolled the candy around in his mouth.
“Is everything okay?”
“I’m always like that. How are you, Director?”
“Every day is a day of gratitude and happiness as I take care of these lovely children.”
The director’s eyes, which were smiling gently, had small wrinkles, and his hair had turned a bit grayer. I smiled at that sight and handed him the package.
“I bought some snacks for my younger siblings. The Empire is providing support, but we don’t have enough money to eat as many snacks as we want…….”
“I always say this, but you don’t have to worry about it this much. You’re already an adult.”
“How can I live well alone, leaving my younger siblings behind? Besides, everyone says they like it when I come. Right, Eric?”
“You’re the best, sister!”
“Then I’m the best.”
When I tried to act cool and show off, Eric chuckled and got up from his seat.
“I’ll play with other kids!”
“Is it a secret that you ate the candy first?”
“huh!!”
Eric’s quick-witted action of leaving the seat made me laugh bitterly. All the children in the orphanage are quick-witted and mature for their age. To the point of sadness.
“How are you doing these days?”
“It’s the same. It’s neither good nor bad.”
“Going to the temple…….”
“If you have the money and time to do that, you should provide for feeding and clothing your children.”
“Director……”
“Don’t make that face. As you get older, your body becomes less like it used to be. Isn’t this the flow of time that no one can avoid?”
I sighed at the stubborn behavior of the director. I had always suggested to the director that he go to the temple to receive treatment for his bad joints, but I could not change his mind because he kept insisting on it, making excuses for one thing or another.
“Oh, right. While I’m here, I’ll take care of Grandpa. Is it time to trim his scales?”
“You came on your day off, but you didn’t get enough rest.”
“It’s an occupational disease, an occupational disease. It might be uncomfortable for Grandpa, but I don’t want to leave him alone.”
I stood up, pulling out my scale trimming tools from my pocket. Now that I think about it, I should take care of Grandpa first.
“Litia. If you get the chance, make your own choice.”
As I was heading towards the cage where my grandfather was, the director’s voice reached my ear.
“……Director.”
“No one here will blame you for making your own choice. No, I want you to go your own way.”
The director’s eyes, as he spoke, were filled with affection and concern.
“I appreciate that you come to the daycare every holiday, that you bring snacks for the kids using your paycheck, and that you take care of Grandpa. But I hope this place doesn’t become a chain to you.”
“Chains? I never thought of that.”
“I think it’s like a chain if you can go to a bigger place but can’t because of this place.”
The director stood up from his seat. Then, just like when he was little, he hugged me affectionately.
“My dear child, you have grown up and left the nest. So, whenever the time comes, fly away. I would be very happy if I could watch you leave from here.”
The embrace was smaller than before, but it was still warm and cozy.
* * *
“Oh, Trainer Lithia, you did a great job. I can’t believe that Lu is so obedient. Did you use some magic?”
“You flatter me, Count Wolvart.”
His hands were full of affection as he stroked Lou’s snout while laughing heartily.
“Krrrrrrrrrr…….”
Although Lou didn’t look that happy, he smiled bitterly at that sight and spoke to the Count.
“If possible, I think it would be a good idea to stay with Lou for a few days to get used to him. He seems unfamiliar after being away from us for so long for training.”
“Umm…….”
The count thought for a moment, stroking his well-groomed moustache.
“……I will follow Trainer Lithia’s advice. However, it is a pity that I cannot devote all my time to it.”
“thank you.”
“I’m grateful that you brought up something I hadn’t even thought of. Looking at Lou’s condition, I can feel that you’ve taken such good care of her, and I’m very happy.”
I felt good when I heard the count express his gratitude in an exotic accent, so I bowed my head and answered.
“It was something I had to do as a trainer.”
The Count chuckled, caressing the back of Lou’s neck, then lowered his voice and whispered softly.
“What do you think, Trainer Lithia? I can fulfill any request you may have. If you come as our family’s exclusive trainer…….”
“I’m sorry, Count. I still have much to learn, so I plan to continue working at the Ashar Training Center.”
“Huh…… Is that so.”
The count licked his lips with regret.
“If you change your mind, feel free to contact me. Trainer Lithia is always welcome.”
“Thank you for saying so.”
“Then will you help me get in sync with Lou right now?”
“Of course, Count.”
I thought to myself as I watched the Count hand Lou a snack to ease the awkwardness.
‘Was now the time to leave?’
A few days ago, when the director said that it was a joy to see a grown child leave, I did not respond. Besides, the kingdom of Ulin was far away from the Ashar Empire.
‘I guess I won’t be able to visit the daycare center often.’
No, even if you don’t go to the kingdom of Ullin, if you become a trainer for a noble family, you’ll have to be almost attached to the dragons. Becoming a trainer for a noble family means you have to train all the dragons in that family. So it’ll be very difficult to make time to visit the nursery.
That’s why I stayed at Ashar Training Center, even though it was dirty and deadly. The pay wasn’t great, but there were a lot of trainers, so I could take days off, and it was close to the orphanage.
It was hard to find a job like this. If it weren’t for Thompson or the director, it would have been the best job. They say there is no ideal job in the world.
“Trainer Lithia! Help me!”
“Count, if you give me the signal, Luke will lower his stance.”
“Oh, really?”
“I’ll teach you the hand signals I taught Lou.”
I felt good about the Count’s behavior of looking at my hand like a student taking a class with sparkling eyes. I always got excited when I saw a guardian who was trying hard to learn the training method.
At that moment, the air began to tremble with a whoosh and the surrounding temperature seemed to rise.
“……Huh? That is…….”
I could see azaleas blooming in the distance. Sensing the change, Lou raised his scales, lowered his neck, and growled softly.
“Calm down, Lou.”
When I patted his nape, Lou lowered his scales halfway, but he didn’t completely calm down.
“Trainer Lithia, what is that?”
“I heard it through rumors too… It seems like someone famous from the empire has visited.”
I’ve heard of dragons that emit heat so strong that you can see the flames rising from afar.
A living volcano. An extremely rare species of dragon that has a red-hot appearance like charcoal and is chosen by only one family.
“It seems that Duke Alvarant has come to visit.”
When the old duke and his wife passed away in an accident at the age of twelve, and his uncle coveted the position of head of the ducal family, this dragon came to the young duke after a hundred years, entrusted him with an egg, and protected him until the egg was hatched.
What’s going on in the Empire’s most famous dragon and its master at the training academy? Could the rumors be true?
“The Duke of Albarant.”
A look of curiosity appeared on the count’s face.
“Are you the master of the Aglix species dragon?”
“As far as I know, the only dragon capable of such a change is the Agryx species.”
Dragons are also living creatures. Although they are said to have great power, there are few dragons that can change their surroundings just by standing still.
Except for the peacock dragon and the dragon of the Agryx species.
“Ughhhhhhh……”
Lou’s pupils were dilating and shrinking repeatedly as he lowered his head while growling lowly. Judging from the way he raised his fins and curled his tail toward his body, he seemed afraid.
“It’s okay, Lou. It’s okay.”
I tried to calm him down and tell him it was okay, but Lou wasn’t calming down easily. I was a little surprised by that.
‘Is the Marcelid paper scary?’
Although the evaluation itself is not considered positive, the Marcellid species is generally considered to have excellent fighting ability. They are good at controlling wind and water, and are good at flying and swimming, so they are also good at adapting.
Strictly speaking, it is the polar opposite of the fire-type Agricx dragon. However, it was strange to see it act so scared and sensitive even when we hadn’t met directly.
“This guy. It’s okay, it’s okay.”
The Count also stepped forward and tried to calm Lu down. Thanks to his efforts, Lu began to regain his composure little by little.
“I didn’t know you’d be this vigilant when you couldn’t even see it…….”
“Because dragons have better eyesight than humans.”
“Oh, right.”
The count tried to comfort Lou with a complicated expression on his face. I could guess a little bit about his feelings.
‘Because the dragons of the nobles sometimes go into battle.’
Among dragons, there are those that perform the labor of cows or horses and then provide meat and leather after death, and those that are small and cute or helpful in daily life and are therefore considered companion animals.
And there are dragons that gain powerful powers with the help of humans.
The nobles were usually the last among them, chosen by the dragons. Among humans, there were those who could awaken the potential of dragons, and the dragons that needed humans were usually species with great power.
Naturally, most of these people were at least nobles, or royalty or the imperial family. Even commoners could be given a title of nobility if they were chosen by the dragon, so it was hard to find someone who wasn’t.
‘And the nobles participate at least as commanders when war breaks out… … .’
It was natural for dragons to participate in the war as well. They seemed to think it would be a waste not to use their great power.
“It seems like Luke is the real deal.”
When I opened my mouth with a deliberately bright smile, the Count flinched and turned his head away.
“Huh, huh. I see. It seems real.”
The Count nodded while caressing his mustache absentmindedly and stroked Lu’s cheek. Lu’s fins were slowly folding as he accepted the Count’s touch, breathing slowly as if he was calming down.
“Seeing Luga being so alert in a place where he can’t even be seen, it seems that Duke Albarant’s dragon is truly formidable.”
There was concern in those words, so I asked the question cautiously.
“……Are you worried?”
“There is no such thing as absolute in this world. The continent is at peace now, but who knows when or how this peace will be broken.”
As he said that, the Count began to scratch the base of Lou’s horn. As he grumbled and tilted his head slightly toward the Count, it seemed that scratching that part felt refreshing.
“I hope Luke never has to come into close contact with that dragon.”
“I hope so too. It’s… heartbreaking to see dragons fighting each other.”
The thought of the well-kept scales breaking, the sharply honed claws breaking, and the bright red blood splattering made my stomach queasy.
“If there was one of the fighting dragons that I was in charge of, I think it would be very painful.”
“I see. War is not a good thing. I hope it never happens again.”
The count nodded solemnly and smiled.
“I think I’ve been talking nonsense. Would you like to help me with my riding training?”
“Understood, Count. I will make sure to fasten the seatbelt on the saddle, as Luga may get excited and fly away.”
* * *
The director straightened his posture as much as possible and bent his back, sweating profusely.
“Ah, I greet you, His Royal Highness the Duke of Albarant.”
The duke did not respond. The gaze that scanned him absentmindedly sent shivers down the director’s spine.
“……I came here because they said it was a training center managed by the empire.”
“That’s right. I am proud to say that my skills are top-notch.”
The corners of the duke’s mouth slightly rose at those words. However, there was no trace of a smile in his eyes, so the director’s body shrank involuntarily.
“We’ll just have to wait and see.”
The Duke’s cold eyes scanned the room. The director swallowed dry saliva as he felt uneasy at the seemingly searching gaze.
‘The Duke of Albarant has come here… …to entrust me with dragon training?’
It was a ridiculous idea, but I couldn’t just dismiss it as false because I had heard rumors about it.
The Agrix dragon of the Duke of Albarant was famous for many reasons. There had been dragons that chose a family before, but in those cases, the absolute power of the imperial or royal family was a trap.
Naturally, the secrets of handling such a specific species of dragon were a family secret. So it was highly unlikely that the Duke would entrust an Agryx species dragon to a training school where many unspecified people would entrust their dragons and where there was a high possibility of spying on the training of other dragons… … .
‘Rumors spread that the Duke of Albarant was visiting the training camps with his dragon.’
“I want to entrust you with the training of dragons.”
The curator had no choice but to open his eyes wide and look straight into the duke’s face, as if the rumor had become true.
“Sir, I’m sorry, but I didn’t hear you correctly.”
“He said he wanted to entrust me with the training of dragons.”
The director thought about it for a while, then came up with the most reasonable conclusion he could think of.
“Are you talking about training the dragons that the knights of the Duke’s family will ride? If that’s the case, then you’ve come to the right place. We also have large-scale training…….”
“No. I mean my dragon.”
When the duke spoke clearly so that there was no room for misunderstanding, the director opened his mouth like a carp and then took out a handkerchief and wiped away the cold sweat.
Something was happening that was incomprehensible to his common sense.
“Oh, you mean the Agricx dragon?”
The Duke nodded slowly. Looking at him, the director had to seriously consider whether the Duke was crazy.
‘Are you crazy?’
Dragon species that choose humans can wield great power. Unfortunately, they are often of a feisty disposition.
So, for safety reasons, most of the training was entrusted to the exclusive trainers belonging to the family. Although the confidentiality aspect was a bigger issue.
“……That, it is possible, but……”
“I know what the director is worried about.”
As if he had anticipated that reaction, the Duke tilted his teacup and continued speaking.
“Let me be clear. I’m looking for someone who can be my exclusive trainer.”
“Are you talking about a personal trainer?”
“Of course, it has to be a trainer who can handle my dragon.”
At those words, the director’s head began to spin violently.
“……Is everyone given a fair chance to encounter an Agricx dragon?”
“Yes. And no one but the director should know this fact.”
“I would be against that approach.”
“Why?”
The peacock’s eyes narrowed. At the same time, the director swallowed dryly as he felt the air become heavy.
“If that’s the case, it could have a negative effect on your Duke’s dragon. We cannot ignore the possibility that he might feel aversion towards the human trainer himself.”
In that case, even if someone who could become a dedicated trainer were to appear, that person would have a difficult path. It might even lead to a situation where there was no one to handle it other than the Duke, and there was no answer.
Although he had been paid by Earl Harris, he had spent decades as a trainer, and had at least a modicum of conscience left to worry about the lives of his successors.
“Even if we were to select someone who would be a dedicated trainer, wouldn’t the method be too harsh…….”
“Director. It’s my job to decide, isn’t it?”
As the pressure weighing on him grew stronger, the director immediately lowered his head.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
“And as for that part… I don’t think what the director is worried about will happen.”
The director looked bewildered and confused at the sudden remark. The duke looked at the director and the smile on his face deepened.
“Kazen will make the decision.”
The curator felt his blood run cold at those words. He couldn’t believe it, but it seemed like the duke was going to leave the choice of trainer up to the dragon.
“that…….”
“I heard that there is someone who has been filling the governor’s pockets. If this news reaches the palace, there will probably be quite a few people who will listen with interest.”
At those words, the director felt his cold sweat increase even more. He racked his brain to come up with an excuse, but the moment he looked into those cold eyes, he ended up lowering his head.
“Of course, if you’re the director, you’ll have to keep your mouth shut. Otherwise, you’ll be in trouble.”
“……Of course, Your Highness.”
He nodded, suppressing the urge to cry.
“I will call the trainers together right away. And I will participate.”
That was the pride of the trainer and the conscience of the director. He was also a trainer, and at the very least, he had a duty to take responsibility for the safety of the trainers. Maybe he would catch the Duke’s eye and become his exclusive trainer.
“Do as you wish.”
The director nodded heavily as he watched the duke nodding his head as if it didn’t matter who participated.
All he was given was to summon the trainers.
* * *
“……The summons has been issued?”
“Yes, Trainer Lithia. It was the director’s direct order.”
The trainee trainer nodded, although he was puzzled by what he said while sweating profusely.
“Please wait a moment, Count Wolvart. I’m sorry, but I think I need to finish my training.”
“exactly?”
The Count, who was training his horse while riding on Lou’s back and controlling the reins, licked his lips as if he felt regret.
“What’s going on?”
“I heard the director called all the trainers together. So…….”
He lowered his head because he was ashamed. Then the Count, without hiding his regret, got off Lu’s back.
“If that’s what Trainer Lithia is like, then there’s nothing we can do.”
“sorry.”
“No. Thanks to that, I got to climb on Lou’s back for the first time in a while, and now it’s time to move on to the next schedule.”
I felt grateful for the Count’s generosity, who laughed heartily and accepted me so generously. Next time I visit, I should write down the recipe for Lou’s favorite special snack and give it to him.
“Thank you for your consideration. Next time you visit, I’ll write down a recipe for Lou’s favorite snacks.”
“Just getting that is a win-win.”
The count chuckled and stroked his beard with satisfaction before turning away. After seeing him off, he looked back at the trainee trainer.
“Where should we meet?”
“This is Training Ground 1, Trainer Lithia.”
“all right.”
After nodding, he walked quickly. It was because he was a little late seeing the count off.
“You’re late, Trainer Lithia.”
“I’m sorry, sir. The master of the dragon in charge, Count Ulvart, has come to visit.”
The director waved his hand roughly as if he understood. Then he cautiously headed to the remaining seat.
‘ah.’
Only after we settled down did we have time to look around. And then we discovered that a man with a look that, to borrow an expression from a previous life, was watching us from nearby.
‘Oh, I have a feeling something is wrong.’
I wasn’t the only trainer gathered here. I felt ominous at the sight of almost all the trainers in the training center, except for the trainees, gathered there.
The director had been sweating profusely since a while ago… … and seeing that imperious and handsome man standing there as if it were a given made me feel that something was seriously wrong.
“The reason I called everyone is to choose a trainer.”
The curator glanced at the man, took a handkerchief out of his pocket, wiped his cheek, and continued speaking.
“The Duke of Albarant who is here needs a trainer to train his dragon.”
I was surprised by those words. I guess I wasn’t the only one who was surprised, as the other trainers were also talking to each other in a commotion.
“His Royal Highness the Duke of Albarant’s Dragon?”
“That’s an Aglix dragon, right? Isn’t that dragon usually handled by the Duke’s exclusive trainer?”
“Quiet!”
When the commander slammed the baton down, everyone fell silent.
“You may not believe it, but it’s true. And it’s not mandatory. Only those who are confident enough to train His Highness the Duke’s dragons can participate.”
At those words, the trainers fell silent and exchanged glances.
‘Is the Duke in his right mind?’
I felt astonished. The Agricx dragons only choose the Duke of Albarant. In other words, there wasn’t much information about the Agricx dragons.
Lack of information meant increased risk. The trainer’s actions might provoke the Agryx dragon, meaning he would have to bear the dragon’s wrath in his frail human body.
If you’re lucky, it’ll be a serious injury. Normally, it’ll be life or death. Since it’s a dragon nicknamed a living volcano, I was worried whether the corpse would remain.
The trainers’ hesitation was natural. I was worried too.
‘It’s an Agricx species dragon.’
But more than anything, it was clear that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
How many opportunities would a trainer who trains dragons at a training center have to see and handle a rare dragon like Agryx up close? No, it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“I will do it.”
Someone bravely raised their hand and volunteered. Then others rushed to join in.
It was the inevitable nature of the dragon trainer. Humans were fascinated by the dragon, a creature with scaled skin, powerful muscles writhing beneath, long tails and sharp claws.
For trainers who are completely immersed in the charm of medium- to large-sized dragons, the opportunity to handle an Agryx dragon is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that cannot be missed.
I was troubled. I was also a dragon trainer, and I was also fascinated by the charm of medium-sized and large-sized dragons. It was an extremely attractive opportunity to take charge of an Agryx dragon.
“……Huh? Lithia, you’re not going to do it?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
Dangerous? That wasn’t a problem. There were dragons that trainers would risk their lives to take care of, and the Agryx dragon was worth risking their lives for.
The trouble was on the other side.
‘The dukedom is far from the capital. What should I do if I have to leave for the dukedom when I am put in charge?’
There was no guarantee that I would become a trainer, but I had to consider that possibility. The director told me to fly away, but the orphanage was a home that took me in and raised me with love, even though I didn’t know my parents existed.
“Are you scared?”
I raised my head at the sound of the grumbling voice. I saw Thompson’s face, who was grinning and chopping with his hands raised.
“Even if you pretend not to, you’re still a bitch. It’s because I can see you’re hesitating over an opportunity like this.”
“Watch your tongue, Thompson.”
“Why, is it wrong? You’re a piece of shit who protects me just because I’m a girl.”
He grabbed Melissa’s arm as she tried to jump away.
“Ignore it.”
“That fucking idiot’s mouth is bursting……!!”
“You idiot?!”
“You said you couldn’t even handle the Rock Will Jong properly, so you had to discipline him? Who else would be crazy if he wasn’t crazy?”
“This bitch……!”
“Okay, Melissa. The idiot is moving.”
“Lithia!”
“The manager is looking this way?”
At that remark, Thompson flinched and turned his head toward the director. The director was giving Thompson a warning look with his eyes hardened.
“You’re lucky.”
I sighed softly at Thompson’s grumbling and indifferent behavior.
“Is it because of the daycare center?”
“Yeah… You know. My circumstances.”
“If I were the director, I think he would scold me for blowing this opportunity.”
I couldn’t refute that, so I smiled bitterly. If he were here with me right now, he’d probably slap me on the back and nag me to do whatever I wanted.
“It’s also dangerous. If I get hurt or something happens, my siblings will cry out loud.”
“Well, you have to risk your life. But there’s no way you’ll get another chance like the rumors say.”
So, he smiled slightly at Melissa who raised her hand and said she would support him.
It’s a shame, but I’ll have to be satisfied with just seeing the Agricx dragon up close. That alone won’t be an opportunity I’ll ever have again.
As its nickname, the living volcano, suggests, the Agryx dragon’s appearance was quite impressive.
The body was covered in a gradient of black and red scales, resembling red-hot charcoal. The long golden horns and the sharp protrusions along the spine that glittered like garnets were a dazzling sight.
Exhaling a sulfurous breath, the dragon’s golden eyes gleamed with a reddish glow and its majestic appearance swept over the humans.
In that appearance, the Duke of Albarant appeared overlapping.
‘They say that dragons and their masters resemble each other.’
The atmosphere was so similar that it gave me goosebumps that I couldn’t help but admire it rather than laugh. They say it’s a living volcano. The Agryx dragon’s appearance and atmosphere, which were like blazing charcoal, blended together to make it look like the incarnation of flame.
“By the way, I will also participate this time.”
No one was surprised by the director’s words. The opportunity to encounter the Agricx dragon was that precious.
“You will be given the chance to face the dragon in the order in which you drew the lottery, so everyone, prepare.”
“If it seems dangerous, I will step forward, and I will guarantee your safety.”
Duke Alvarant was the first to speak. As the charming low tones spread far and wide, the trainers who had been admiring the dragons looked at the duke as if they were entranced.
‘The voice is also very plausible.’
I absolutely must not get entangled. I prefer a smooth life to a roller coaster life. I am very satisfied with my job as a dragon trainer.
Since I didn’t volunteer anyway, I guess I won’t get entangled. Thinking that way, I admired the Agryx dragon. The red light that was shining on the dragon’s scales was impressive, like a haze rising from a hot floor.
“Let’s start from the beginning.”
One of the trainers, slightly nervous at the director’s words, stood up from his seat, clutching the swallow, and approached the Agryx dragon.
“It starts with me.”
I had an ominous feeling at the sight of the Agricx dragon constricting its pupils at the sight of the trainer approaching me.
‘… … Didn’t the Duke say that he would stop you if you thought it was dangerous?’
Wait a minute. Why would the Duke want to entrust the dragon to a trainer at the training academy instead of a dedicated trainer belonging to the family in the first place?
I swallowed dryly, feeling an inexplicable goosebumps run down my spine.
It seemed to me that there were complicated circumstances that had not been revealed to us, and my instincts were telling me that it was not for a good reason.
“balm.”
“huh?”
“be careful.”
If you do it wrong, the dragon might attack and hurt someone before the peacock can stop it.
I watched the trainer approach the dragon, trying hard to suppress his ominous feelings. I hoped that my premonition would turn out to be groundless.
Why are ominous premonitions never wrong? When I see things like this, I can feel that people are also animals. If there were no such thing as instinct, wouldn’t it be difficult for it to be this accurate?
The sight unfolding before my eyes was so spectacular that I was tempted to escape reality by thinking about useless things.
“Hoooooooo!”
The trainer who had to face the Agricx dragon this time desperately covered his mouth and quickly backed away. The hem of his clothes was burning, releasing black smoke due to the sparks flying from the dragon’s nose.
The Agryx dragon leisurely watched its trainer run away, snorting. It raised its head slightly as if it had expected this, and the tip of its tail twitched, giving it an almost arrogant look.
“As expected.”
“Oh, what should I do? I’m next in line.”
“What should I do? Since I was chosen, I should at least try.”
Melissa clutched the swallow tightly with a weary expression. I understood why she was feeling that way.
“This is fucking crazy.”
“What I mean is…….”
It may be inappropriate, but I couldn’t think of any other expression besides “fuck”. The Agryx dragon’s reaction was so intense that it made me shake my head.
It didn’t even allow the trainer to approach. It showed its displeasure by blowing sparks from its nose as if to say, “How dare you come near me?” and flapped its wings to make it fly in the wind. The trainers couldn’t force it to approach because of its clear expression of rejection. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but if it died, it wouldn’t be able to train.
He was smart to the point of arrogance, and had a high self-esteem. He knew full well that his trainers could not treat him more rudely than necessary.
“It won’t be easy.”
If the Duke had sought out a trainer to correct the dragon’s attitude, it would likely be a very long and tedious training session. If the Duke’s family’s dedicated trainer had come all the way here, it would mean that the dragon was difficult to correct to the point where they would give up.
“Number 15!”
“Ugh, I’ll be back.”
“If you have any doubts, just run away.”
Melissa nodded with a half-sad expression and stood in front of the dragon. Then she took out a bunch of dragon-specific incense that had a calming effect.
It’s been one of the trainers’ go-to items since the first trainer saw it spit out flames and burn off his hair as soon as he approached.
But unfortunately, the Agryx dragon had already become accustomed to the scent, and it blew sparks out of its nose. Melissa’s clothes and the bundle of incense burned in an instant.
“Ugh!”
Melissa gave up and backed away. The Agryx dragon didn’t react any further and just yawned listlessly.
It was absurd to see him acting so bored, as if he wanted this time dealing with the trainers to end quickly.
‘No, what… … .’
I was part of the Duke’s family, so I should bow my head! It seemed like he was saying that. I felt my head throbbing at the sight.
It must be really hard to train. I don’t know who it is, but I offer my condolences in advance to whoever got caught.
“All bitches are like that.”
I ignored Thompson’s voice, which was making a snickering sound, and approached Melissa.
“are you okay?”
“It’s okay, it’s just a little bit of clothing.”
“next!”
“Look carefully. What I do.”
We didn’t respond to Thompson’s words. What was the point of seeing it? He’d just burn the hem of his clothes and come back.
“I will do very well.”
“What I’m saying is.”
You want to take charge of the Aglix dragon with the minus hand that makes even Rock Will run wild? That’s a wild dream.
I watched Thompson confidently approach the Agryx dragon, thinking that he would be lucky if it didn’t bite. Still, he was worried, as he was holding a bunch of calming incense in his hand, just like the other trainers.
“Ughhhhhhh……”
Surprisingly, the Agryx dragon didn’t even shoot sparks from its nose to burn the hem of his clothes. It just blinked its golden eyes with a hint of red and looked at Thompson, who approached confidently.
He seemed to have been encouraged by the fact that the dragon was so docile. The sight of him looking around as if he had seen this sight was so unlucky.
“Wow, is this true?”
Melissa muttered as if it was ridiculous. I nodded reflexively at her voice and watched.
They say ignorance is bliss, but did you have to act so recklessly? If you didn’t like being cautious, Thompson was like catching a mouse by backing off an ox.
He approached the Agryx dragon, so close that he could touch its scaly, red-hued neck with just a touch of his hand.
“Oh, me. Something this simple. As expected, things that can’t be done won’t be done.”
Thompson snorted and held out his hand. He assumed that since he was the only one who had come close, he would naturally allow it.
At that moment, there was a sharp crack of air, and almost simultaneously, Thompson’s body was lifted into the air.
“Huh?!”
A red mass rushed towards Thompson, who had fallen far away without even making a sound. He jumped up from his seat at that moment.
“That tall guy!”
The dragon did not allow Thompson to do so. It simply remained silent because it could not understand the human’s actions in approaching it without fear, unlike other people.
There was no way the dragon would just leave alone a human who reached out without permission.
He quickly blew loudly on the training flute hanging around his neck as he watched the dragon’s mouth burning brightly as it held Thompson’s body down with its forepaws.
A thin, wind-like sound, inaudible to human ears, flowed out. But to a dragon, there would be no sound as clear and strong as this.
Her pupils, dilated and extremely excited, turned towards me.
“Kurrrrrrrrrr……!!”
“Everyone, prepare your magic tools.”
“Lithia……!”
He spoke while deliberately standing far away from the people. Melissa tried to grab him desperately, but he couldn’t stay near people since he had attracted their attention. They could all end up roasted together.
“I’m an idiot too. I’ll just sit there and do nothing whether that kid dies or not.”
I regretted it later, but it was already after the fact. It’s an occupational disease, an occupational disease. I’m going to die because of the habit of reflexively moving whenever something is about to happen.
He confronted the dragon, spitting out curses and swear words. The dragon lowered its posture while exhaling sulfurous breath loudly and threw Thompson, who was being held down with its forelegs as if it was cleaning up trash, to the side.
Because of that, the people who were preparing the magic tools received it first from Thompson. After checking it out of the corner of their eyes, they met the dragon’s gaze.
A living volcano. A rare species of dragon chosen only by the Duke of Albarant.
As rumored, the dragon’s aura was immense. The combination of its appearance and the aura of its constant burning made it seem like I was watching an erupting volcano right before my eyes.
The dragon lowered its neck and bared its teeth. A breath mixed with fire and sulfur flowed out from between the dragon’s snarling teeth.
The hot, poisonous breath caused the grass planted on the ground to turn yellow and die in an instant. I raised one hand to stop the trainers.
If I had used my magic tool rashly, the dragon would have been startled by the sudden drowsiness and would have jumped. If I had done that, I might have become Lithia, or I might have become Li/T/A. Since my life was on the line, I had to act carefully.
“Look this way.”
I made eye contact with the dragon, speaking provocatively so as not to distract the other trainers. The dragon’s pupils, constricting and then dilating, revealed that its mind was completely distorted.
The dragon half-spread its wings as it let out a fiery breath. The dragon’s actions of raising its scales threateningly while raising the sharp and long protrusions along its spine, no, thorns, filled the surroundings with a high-pitched cawing sound.
“I won’t come near you without your permission.”
He replied quietly and took two steps back. Then, the strength in the dragon’s forelegs was seen to increase and then suddenly release.
“calm down.”
As I watched, I felt that the dragon was smart. It was a guy who blatantly showed that he was bored and annoyed, but only gave a moderate warning and didn’t move any further.
Even if Thompson hadn’t acted like that, there would have been sparks flying. As expected, that kid was dealt a blow by Minus.
‘I have to take care of this one thing and tell that bastard that if he doesn’t cut it, I’ll beat him up.’
I should find a training center as close as possible. If it weren’t for the principle that I, as a trainer, must put the safety of others first, I would leave it alone. It’s really hard.
I was clenching my fists, swearing at him in my mind and imagining that I would split that bastard’s pot open without any consideration of consequences if I just wanted to survive.
The menacing squeaking sound began to diminish. The crimson stream of light that had been rippling wildly due to the rippling scales was gradually subsiding.
‘……huh?’
It was really strange, but the dragon seemed to calm down. As the rough snorting sound subsided, I could see the strength in its forelimbs, which had been tense and muscular, relaxing.
I calmly observed the dragon as it focused on sniffing around. It seemed to calm down on its own, so I thought I could handle the situation if I slowly backed away.
I slowly backed away. Then the dragon, which was now emitting a thin stream of black smoke from its darkened mouth, flinched and reacted.
‘Was I too hasty?’
That’s when the thought that I should have waited a little longer before making a move filled my head.
“Grrrrrrrrr…….”
The dragon slowly approached me and shook its head. I was startled and stayed still, and the dragon, which had been looking at me with slightly discontented eyes, put its head under my arm.
“Ha, crazy.”
The Agricx dragon entrusted its head to me? You’re crazy, I’m going crazy.
Entrusting someone with your head was an expression of trust. The head is the vital part of most living things. Entrusting it to someone was something that could not be done without trust in the other person.
What if it was a dragon? Of course, the vital point was the same. However, the dragon could breathe out its breath from its mouth.
‘I can’t move.’
I couldn’t move because I thought that if I offended the dragon here, all that would happen would be ashes scattered before I could do anything.
The dragon’s eyes, which had been growling lowly like a cat purring, turned toward me. I flinched at its gaze.
“……What do you want?”
I asked a question with a gaze that seemed to demand something. Then the dragon showed its teeth as if it was displeased, tapped its tail on the ground slightly, and moved its head on its own. Then, I could feel the unexpectedly rough but warm texture of its scales more clearly. The texture of its scales was not smooth. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the reason why the scales seemed to have a reddish glow was because the fine grooves on them, like those on a seashell, reflected light.
It was crude, but the intention was clear. The dragon was asking to be patted on the head.
I don’t know what it was about me that appealed to him, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to touch an Agryx dragon, one of the few creatures that would allow its touch except for a peacock.
The Agryx dragon seemed quite calm as it let out a satisfied cry with its eyes half-closed as I stroked the space between its eyebrows.
He stopped the trainers who were slowly approaching him from afar with his hands. If he tried to control them right away because they seemed to be calming down a little, they might get excited and run wild again.
“It seems like a trainer has been chosen to take charge of Kazen.”
A calm voice echoed through the quiet training grounds. The dragon, who had been enjoying the touch with his eyes half-closed as if he was feeling good, opened his eyes and raised his head to look at the peacock.
“ah…….”
It’s a pity. The feel of the scales was quite addictive.
I tried to hide my regret and stepped back.
“Grrrrrrr…….”
Then, I was shocked by the dragon’s behavior of turning its body and blocking my back with its tail as if asking where I was going.
“under?”
This is the first time I’ve seen something like this. You’re just looking at the peacock with your eyes, but you’re pretending not to notice with your tail and blocking my path so I can’t get away?
I looked at Duke Albarant, who was putting a leash on the Agricx dragon, feeling a sense of absurdity. He was staring at the curator.
“I heard it was the best training center in the Empire, but I think there was some misunderstanding.”
The cool, unchanging voice was calm, but it pierced his lungs sharply. The curator flinched at those words.
“There were substandard trainers. This is disappointing.”
“Ah, Your Highness the Duke of Albarant.”
“What trainer approaches a dragon without checking its reaction?”
The director flinched at the duke’s reprimand. However, his appearance was not pitiful at all. Thompson had made a rudimentary and fatal mistake. Up until now, the director had been taking bribes and protecting Thompson.
“That… that.”
“Let’s continue this story later.”
The director’s face turned pale. The duke is the one who will make sure to make room later, so he should turn pale. If he does something wrong, he will get cut off.
“and…….”
The peacock’s gaze turned to me. At the same time, the trainers’ gazes, who were quivering with pride and pursed their lips, also turned to me.
“What is your name?”
“……This is Lithia. Your Highness the Duke.”
He answered with a bow according to etiquette. Dragon trainers often deal with nobles and the wealthy, so etiquette was essential for obtaining the license.
“Trainer Lithia. Impressive performance.”
“No. As a trainer, it is my principle to prioritize human life, so I simply acted according to the principle.”
“There is only one person in this place who has put that principle into practice.”
He answered with a faint smile. His voice, which had been cold, was now filled with warmth.
“What do you think? Are you willing to take on Kazen’s training?”
… … I can’t say that I came out to watch and not participate in this atmosphere!
I felt so many eyes on me that I was afraid to turn my head. I felt like touching my forehead as I felt the strangely bright gaze of the dragon.
“Others haven’t had a chance yet.”
“hmm?”
“There are trainers who are better than me. Why don’t you give them a chance too?”
A person who didn’t even participate gets lucky and catches the Duke’s eye because of a variable? There will definitely be gossip.
‘That’s not something I wish for.’
I never intended to become the Duke’s personal trainer in the first place. If that idiot Thompson hadn’t caused an accident, I would have just watched from afar.
“Hmm. The trainer’s opinion makes sense.”
The duke nodded.
“Then let’s continue after Kazen calms down. I hope that the next trainer will act like someone who belongs in the Ashar training camp.”
The duke who left those cold words looked at me for a moment before leading the Agricx dragon towards us. Then, the warden let out a long sigh and sat down on the ground, shouting.
“Move the injured immediately and clean up the area!”
“Understood, sir!”
“And Lithia!”
“yes?”
The director waved his hand feebly, as if he had no energy to shout. As I slowly approached him, he muttered in a weary voice.
“Well done…….”
“Just in words?”
“I’ll give you a lot of money. I’ll even give you hazard pay.”
Normally, I would have scolded him, but this happened in front of the other trainers and the operatives. The director seemed to be exhausted, and only showed a tired reaction.
Of course I should give it to you. Right now, not only you but also me are going to be ruined!
‘Not as good as the trainer in charge.’
The dukedom is located in the east, far from the capital. That means visiting the orphanage would be nearly impossible.
“please.”
Please, someone please put an eye patch on the Duke and Dragon’s eyes and go as the trainer in my place!
* * *
“I’m screwed.”
Was it because I wanted a cliché wind, or was it because I overlooked the intelligence of the Agryx dragon? I sighed and held my head at the sight that unfolded before my eyes.
As I was coming back from resting, I wondered what had come to mind. The Agricx dragon, which had been showing a rejection reaction with sparks flying from its nose, became more active.
So, he was showing that he was uncomfortable by actively throwing the trainers around.
“100 million!”
The chief, who had been thrown backwards with his clothes ripped off, groaned and dragged his butt as he backed away. The Agryx dragon snorted loudly at the sight and slammed its tail on the ground, openly showing its displeasure.
“Kurrrrrrrr!”
The director retreated more hurriedly at the action of the Agricx dragon raising its head as if it was going to breathe flames.
“Isn’t there anyone else who wants to try?”
The trainers flinched and stepped back hesitantly at the duke’s question. Burning the hem of one’s clothes was a common occurrence for dragons other than the Agryx species, but no one would dare to act rudely toward a dragon that had decided to express its dislike with its entire body.
Even if you were to be taken to the treatment room like Thompson and treated with divine powers, it would take six months to recover, so you probably don’t want to get it.
“…….”
Everyone’s eyes were focused on me. I swallowed dryly, feeling the burden of those gazes.
“Trainer Lithia.”
“yes yes?”
“Can you take care of Kazen’s training?”
‘I’m going crazy. Why are you asking me this in this place?’
I quickly shook my head, trying hard to suppress the urge to cry.
A plausible appearance? A world where you don’t know if it’s a novel or a webtoon? They’re all X’d. As long as I don’t remember, there’s nothing in my favor! Not a single one!
‘And there’s a peacock, a peacock.’
Some people might try to grab the falling beans, but that’s only if they want to. Not me. Absolutely not.
“……His Highness the Duke of Albarant.”
“what?”
“I would like to talk.”
His brows furrowed, perhaps not liking the fact that I wasn’t answering right away.
“Let’s do that. Fine-tuning the training is a necessary procedure.”
But soon he nodded as if he understood. He let out a sigh of relief at that sight and approached the duke.
“I will show you to your seat.”
“You put Kazen in us and come back.”
Then, he tried to smile at the peacock’s actions of handing him the reins. The corners of his lips seemed about to tremble, but he held them back desperately.
“Okay, just wait a moment.”
As soon as I handed him the reins, the Agricx dragon, as if it had been waiting, put its head on my shoulder and started purring and acting cute.
“Wait a minute. Let’s go together first.”
“Ugh.”
I sighed at the dragon’s behavior of holding on with its legs as if it wouldn’t go until I touched it. I couldn’t win if we fought. After all, my opponent was a dragon.
As I gently scratched the bridge of its nose, the dragon grunted as if it was pleased, slowly wagging its tail, and then began to move its body obediently in response to my touch. Thanks to its large, heavy body, I felt the ground thump softly with every step the dragon took, and I ended up covering its face with one hand.
“I’m just letting that little Thompson fuck off.”
Since I met him at the training camp, he’s been a jerk who’s been holding me back instead of helping me. I should’ve just sent him to the goal this time. I’m an idiot too. Am I making things this bad because I can’t even suppress the reflexive movements of my body?
“Litia, you stupid bitch…….”
What’s even funnier is that I’m still happy that I’m handling an Agricx dragon. It’s good, it’s good! You have to like it depending on the time and place!
“Huh?”
For the first time, the dragon’s face tilted its head as if in doubt felt annoying. The peacock and the Agrics dragon were the same. They know they’re so great, so they’re acting like this, right now?
* * *
“I’m sorry, but I cannot work as your exclusive trainer, Your Highness.”
I felt nervous when I saw the peacock’s frozen expression.
“……I don’t understand. Did you not like the conditions?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“then?”
“I never volunteered for the test to handle the Duke’s Agrix dragon in the first place. If my fellow trainer hadn’t made a mistake, I wouldn’t have come forward.”
“But you stepped forward and showed your abilities. You must have seen it there. Kazen was rejecting the other trainers.”
The peacock met her gaze, his fingers clasped together.
“Was the compensation insufficient? Or did you not like the conditions? If there are any shortcomings, I can adjust them to your liking.”
“If conditions had been an issue, I would have volunteered if I had been given the chance to handle the Duke’s dragon.”
If that was the case, I would have readily accepted the offer when he asked me to take charge of the training. However, the Duke’s offer was premised on exclusivity. I had to leave for the Duke’s territory. That condition was unacceptable.
The director would be angry, but I cherished the orphanage. Some people might feel relieved when they leave home as soon as they become adults, but to me, the orphanage was not just a place where I grew up as a child.
I knew it when I grew up. It was an orphanage run by the Empire, but it wasn’t very supportive. Every time I visited my lifelong benefactor and willing mother, I noticed the increasing gray hair and wrinkles around her eyes.
The director told me to live my life, but this was the path I chose. I wanted to lighten the director’s burden even a little bit. And I wanted my younger siblings to live without worrying about what others thought.
“sorry.”
All I could do was bow my head and say sorry.
After sending away the trainer who only repeated apologies and rejected his offer, the Duke furrowed his brow.
“……Why?”
The Duke couldn’t understand. Even if he had only mentioned that he wanted to entrust Kazen with training, the trainers would rush over.
The rarity of the Agricx species dragon. And the advantage of being affiliated with the Duke himself.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the trainers. That’s why every training center the Duke visited had trainers swarming like bees to volunteer to train the dragons, and they all dropped out.
It was the first time that someone had openly offended Kazen like that idiot trainer at Ashar Training Camp, but it wasn’t the first time that someone had been injured.
But the trainers were like moths to a flame, and they were flocking to him. And the Duke was used to that kind of attitude from the trainers. It was only natural.
“……It’s difficult. Kazen is the first trainer who hasn’t shown any resistance.”
The trainer named Lithia was the first person Kazen had entrusted his head to and treated with such gentleness. There was no guarantee that he would ever meet a trainer as good as her. Except for one trainer who seemed unqualified, Ashar Training School was the largest and best training school in the Empire.
The duke tapped the armrest with his index finger, lost in thought. The teacup in front of him was slowly cooling down.
dripping-
“Come in.”
As soon as the Duke gave permission, the door opened and the curator came in. It seemed like he had just finished a simple treatment and returned, so he frowned outside the door and patted his waist in an awkward manner before quickly approaching the Duke and bowing his head.
“Your Highness the Duke of Albarant. Have you been summoned?”
“Bring me some information about Trainer Lithia.”
“Trainer Lithia… are you talking about that?”
“Do I have to tell you twice?”
“no.”
The director moved quickly and returned shortly afterwards carrying a thick stack of documents.
“Here it is.”
The Duke received the documents from the Director. The Director stood next to the Duke, who was slowly leafing through the documents and reading their contents, and muttered.
“Your Highness the Duke.”
“what?”
“His Highness the Duke’s dragon follows Trainer Lithia… but Trainer Lithia’s abilities are a separate matter.”
The Duke looked at the curator. The curator flinched at the sight of his cold, sunken eyes, then quickly continued speaking.
“As Your Highness can see, Trainer Lithia has never handled dragons belonging to the nobles of the Ashar Empire. She mainly handles dragons entrusted to her by people from other countries who do not have much money, so it is difficult to say that her skills are good…….”
As a director, it was desperate.
Lithia is outstanding. She was from an orphanage and was looked down upon by Thompson because she was one of the few female trainers who could handle medium to large-sized dragons, but she was exceptionally skilled.
If it weren’t for Count Harrison, who had been filling his pockets, the warden would have used Lithia heavily.
-Don’t let that bitch who’s killing our son’s spirit get up there!
The Count, who was unable to withstand the Count’s excessive nagging at his son, only gave Ritia the difficult cases that were difficult to acknowledge, but the director knew.
Lithia’s skills are unrivaled within the training center. The fact that she was the youngest person ever to obtain the Dragon Trainer’s License with the highest score was proof of her skills.
That’s why the director couldn’t let Lithia be taken away. Especially since this incident gave him an excuse to kick Thompson out of the training camp.
“Chief.”
The peacock’s voice subsided. At the same time, the curator swallowed dry saliva and shrank down as much as possible as he felt an invisible energy squeezing his body.
“No matter how great the trainer’s skills are, what good are those skills if the dragon rejects them?”
“that…….”
“Before skill, what comes first is whether the dragon will allow you to touch it or not? Or, the commander. If you are worried about that trainer’s skill, would you be in charge of my dragon?”
The director couldn’t bring himself to say that he would do it himself. It wasn’t because he was afraid or worried about being thrown out again.
“Umm…….”
What the director felt while working as a trainer was that there was a compatibility between dragons and trainers. And the more assertive a dragon was, the more compatibility there had to be.
In that sense, the Duke’s Dragon had his eye on Lithia. He showed his displeasure to the point of rejecting all trainers other than Lithia.
In that situation, for another trainer to come and train him would mean nothing more than wanting to die quickly. He couldn’t resort to such pretense.
“But… I don’t know if Trainer Lithia will become my exclusive trainer.”
The Duke’s hands, which were turning over the documents, stopped at the director’s words.
“Is it because of this?”
He held a piece of paper in his hand and shook it gently. It contained Lithia’s personal information.
The curator did not answer. Ignoring his attitude, the duke carefully read the documents regarding Lithia.
“Let’s go back now for today.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
“Oh, by the way, I’ll leave Kazen to the training center.”
“……yes?”
“I wish someone who can handle it would take care of Kazen.”
While the chief was dumbfounded by the shocking words, the duke leisurely left the place.
“……Lee, Litia. Bring trainer Litia over immediately!!”
* * *
“……yes?”
“So, His Highness the Duke entrusted the Agricx dragon to the training center, that’s what I’m saying.”
The director was acting unusually polite. If it were any other time, I would have thought that the sun had risen in the west, but that wasn’t important right now!
“……Has the Duke gone mad?”
“I don’t know either.”
The director’s reaction, which did not seem to deny anything, made me want to pull out my hair.
“No! I have dragons that I’m in charge of! And you want me to take care of an Agricx dragon on top of that?!”
“Then do you think another trainer could take care of an Agriks species dragon?”
“that……!!”
Wouldn’t it be nice if they didn’t start making a fuss and complaining the moment they got close?
As I was stuttering, unable to think of an answer, the director let out a long sigh and spoke.
“You don’t have to train me since I haven’t received any requests. Just ask for food and care.”
“Chief!!”
“It’s the Duke’s decision! I have no authority!”
The face of the chief who shouted was filled with resentment. But I also had something to say.
“If Thompson hadn’t had the accident, this wouldn’t have happened!”
“Ahem!”
“This is the first time I’ve seen a trainer get sentenced to six months of rehabilitation and thrown in a treatment center for making a basic mistake!”
This cancerous bastard, from the beginning to the end, just keeps causing trouble and getting stuck in the treatment center. When I think about it, I want to break the pot. If we just ban him from dragon training, wouldn’t the large-scale incidents that occur at the Ashar training center be significantly reduced?
“So… will you accept Duke Alvarant’s offer?”
I was dumbfounded by the sight of the director lowering his voice and asking questions in a subtle manner.
“If that was the case, I would have resigned a long time ago and quit. What good is there to be gained by staying here?”
“Oh my, that’s too harsh…….”
“Including the director. Don’t pretend not to know.”
Even though his face turned red with embarrassment, the director couldn’t really respond. Even seeing him keeping his mouth shut out of consideration didn’t help relieve his annoyance.
“Oh, I have to quit my job.”
Should I really just close my eyes and submit my resignation? The director was taken aback by the words I muttered in anger and got up from my seat in a hurry.
“No! I can’t allow you to resign!”
“I’m seriously thinking about it now.”
While I’m unemployed for a while, the temptation to look for another training center is growing stronger. Even if it’s not as big as Ashar Training Center, isn’t there a training center I can go to?
The director frowned. Then he grabbed the hem of my clothes and spoke as if he was complaining.
“What about the dragons you’re in charge of? Think of the dragons, the dragons.”
“Oh, f*ck, really.”
The cursing came out reflexively at the cursing words that touched my weakest part. Then the cursing person flinched and rolled his eyes.
Even though it didn’t seem like it, the director noticed what people were weak against and was secretly provoking them, which made me angry.
‘That’s a basic virtue of a trainer.’
The dragon in charge of training is responsible until the request is completed.
I let out a long sigh as I thought about the other dragons I had been in charge of.
“all right.”
“Thank you, thank you so much! I survived thanks to you!”
“I’m not doing this because of you, sir, so go away.”
I will just manage it as the director said. I will not touch anything else, and I will only manage it and then hand it over to the Duke. If I get caught up in a person with a lot of plausibility, it will only make my life more difficult.
I decided to manage the Duke’s dragon separately. If it was docile towards other dragons, that would be fortunate, but if not, a major accident could occur.
Besides, the Agricx dragon was a precious creature. Where else could you find a dragon like that? If I handled it wrong, I could end up worrying about my neck in a physical sense.
“Um. Well. I understand, but…….”
Even if the owner thought about it, it seemed too much. No matter what, isn’t the cage built for breeding a bit too much?
The training center not only led training but also breeding. Given the value of dragons, it was inevitable that there would be people who wanted superior dragons.
The training center was a useful place to discover excellent dragons while also taking care of training them.
“Ugh… I don’t know.”
Just make sure you don’t run into other dragons. I’ll have to put up a sign so that no one gets confused.
He wrote “Under Special Care – Lithia in Charge” on a sign and hung it in front of the door. Then he gathered some food and approached the dragon.
“How have you been?”
Beyond us, golden eyes with a hint of red shone, made of a special alloy and magically treated.
“Grrrrrrrrr.”
The Agricx dragon, Kazen, let out a low growl and tapped his tail on the ground. Kazen’s behavior, which was so blatant in its displeasure, made me laugh bitterly.
It’s only been a few hours since the Duke left him at the training center, and this is the reaction.
‘Oh, I’m at a loss.’
I opened the door and went inside, feeling a sharp emotion run down my spine.
“Are you anxious because the environment suddenly changed? I’ll be in charge of you until the Duke arrives.”
He spoke slowly so as not to excite her, then put down the food he had brought.
“Ha, it’s heavy.”
Half a cow, a basket of cabbage and apples, and a block of cheese for one meal. The meat is fine, but the cheese is a bit unexpected.
Kazen snorted excitedly at the sight of the food piling up. He blocked Kazen’s path as if he was going to pounce on him at any moment and shouted.
“No. Wait.”
“Grrrrrrrrr!”
Black steam rose from the dragon’s nostrils. The sight of the dragon raising its scales halfway to show its displeasure was threatening, but it would be a bad idea to cower in response to this kind of reaction as a trainer.
“no.”
Kazen tapped the floor with his tail as he answered back in a low and firm tone. The floor resonated faintly, but he looked straight into the dragon’s golden eyes and spoke again.
“No. Wait.”
The scales rose and fell repeatedly. It made a disgruntled sound and threatened to shoot sparks from its nose, but it did not move.
“……Ugh.”
The guy who had been fighting for a while suddenly turned his gaze. As his momentum died down, the dragon’s scales also laid down neatly.
“Right.”
I stepped aside at Kazen’s stubborn actions. Then, the guy who had been blinking with a puzzled look lowered his head and glanced around.
“Good job. Eat.”
As I nodded and stepped back a little further, Kazen opened his mouth and began to eat.
I looked at the dragon chewing up half a cow, bone and all, and read the note the duke had left behind once more.
“Twice a day for a walk. It says that flying is also good, but for the safety of the other dragons, I’ll reject that… Scales need to be maintained every day. Hmm.”
The Duke didn’t ask for much, only basic maintenance. That was fortunate.
“I think I can take care of the scales after the last walk. After I eat, I’ll have to go to the playground.”
I looked at Kazen, who was munching on an apple for dessert, and realized that the Agryx dragon was the most beautiful dragon I had ever seen.
The streamlined, slender body was well-suited for flight. The two pairs of wings and the sleek, yet firm muscles were in perfect harmony.
The scales that seemed to glow red even when still were thicker than they looked, and the long, golden horns were literally shining like melted gold.
“It’s an Agricx species dragon.”
I shook my head at the breath that was blowing in my face.
“Have you eaten everything?”
“Yeah.”
“Then shall we go for a walk? Bow your head.”
Kazen bowed his head obediently, perhaps satisfied with his full stomach. I put the reins on his head and opened the door to the cage.
“Whew,” Kazen said, taking a deep breath. He grabbed the reins and spoke sternly, as if he was about to fly away.
“Wait a minute. Not here.”
“Kurrrrrrrr.”
Looking at Kazen’s protesting gaze, I could guess.
‘You must have grown up being quite spoiled.’
Ah, even though I’m just managing, the desire to train is growing.
‘Hold on, hold on.’
If you touch it for no reason, you’ll get your nose pierced. I’ll literally just feed it, take it for a walk, and take care of its scales. That’s it! I won’t touch it anymore!
I steeled my resolve and headed to the training ground. Even though dragons’ antics could be fatal to humans, I shouldn’t train them unless the Duke tells me to. I also didn’t want to go out and do it for no reason.
“If we get entangled, I’ll be the only one who suffers.”
You must avoid exclusives. Avoid exclusives!
