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Published at 3rd of May 2020 11:51:56 PM


Chapter 4

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Chapter 4. Dragon Race Training

In the first year, Dora-sama taught me only words.

I can’t learn anything, if I don’t learn to talk.

Dora-sama said it takes ten years to master the language.

When taming wild Red Dragons, it takes about that long to be trained to follow commands.

Since I grew up never learning to speak, it’s only natural to expect as much.

But contrary to her expectations, I am a quick learner.

I remember her every word and sentence, constantly practiced it myself, and worked diligently to internalize their meanings.

Soaking up knowledge like a dried up sea sponge, I took only a year to become fluent in the dragon language.

Once I learned to speak, the rest followed quickly.

Dora-sama taught me writing, history, geography, status, relationships, etiquette, industry, and various other common knowledge of the Dragon Race.

“— Mountains above, sky below, Earth Dragons roam at the base of the mountain while Red Dragons and Blue Dragons roost at the peaks, each having their own territory and nests.”

“Yes.”

“Red Dragons and Blue Dragons occupy different niches, separated by the cloud layer. Blue Dragons fly at a lower elevation. Only when they brood their young once every few centuries do they descend on the mountaintop. Red Dragons are more aggressive and territorial. It was Red Dragons that attacked and prey upon our kind on the mountains.”

“But that was in the past.”

“Indeed. The time when the Dragon Race still ‘fought’ the Red Dragons was long gone. Now we merely one-sidedly hunt them for meat or turn them into livestock.”

“Isn’t Dora-sama the one that domesticated the Dragon Dragons?”

“Ah, you remember that. Any other questions?”

“What’s underneath the sky?”

“It was said a monstrous black serpent fed on the carrion that fell from above. Although I’ve never seen it myself.”

Dora-sama answered everything I asked.

Always responding earnestly -- If she doesn’t know or hasn’t seen it, she’ll say so – taking great care to teach me everything she knows.

Sometimes it’s something she doesn’t know, but she’ll investigate and return with an answer.

Dora-sama wasn’t normally such an eager educator, but as Dragon God’s most loyal lieutenant, it’s unforgivable to fail a direct command from Dragon God.

There’s no better education than from Dora-sama.

In reflection, it was a great honor to be taught by her.

It’s only due to her that I’m so well versed in the Dragon World.

What did I learn?

Well, there’s so much I don’t know where to begin…

First, where I was, the largest mountain and center of the Dragon World, the Dragon Roar Mountain.

Hmm? Isn’t that where we’re at now?

No, our current mountain is the one I renamed.

But lets leave that aside for now.

The city in the hollowed-out center of Dragon Roar Mountain is called Kayos.

It’s basically the capital of the Dragon Race.

All of my tribe lived there, so it was heavily populated.

Dragon God’s mansion, administrative offices, post offices, libraries, research facilities, barns, food storages, dragon warrior bases, and other important facilities were there.

Of course, the Dragon Race had more than Dragon Roar Mountain.

The world had one-hundred-and-twenty-two towns, each inhabited by various tribes of Dragon Race.

Compared to Dragon Roar Mountain and Kayos, all others looked like a ‘village’ in comparison.

Of course, in a dangerous world where vicious dragons roam, there are no real villages.

Because every tribe must have sufficient battle strength to exterminate Red Dragon nests.

If not, they’ll likely be annihilated by the Red Dragons instead.

Huh?

We aren’t talking about a mythical era?

Aren't cities just like that here?

By the time I arrived, it was already like this.

In the first place, we learned how to build cities from the human race.

Ignoring the time before the meeting of the gods, nowadays every world is more or less like this.

If you don’t look too closely.

Dragon God loved the Dragon Race dearly, and diligently protected his people.

But even he could not protect all one-hundred-and-twenty-two towns by himself.

Dragon God is powerful, but he’s not omnipotent.

There are places out of his reach as well.

That’s why from the Dragon Race he made the five most powerful individuals the Dragon Generals, entrusted them with protecting the world.

The Five Dragon Generals.

From the Saint Dragon Tribe, Dragon General Szilard.

From the Dark Dragon Tribe, Dragon General Maxwell.

From the Mad Dragon Tribe, Dragon General Chaos.

From the Sturdy Dragon Tribe, Dragon General Crystal.

From the Armor Dragon Tribe, Dragon General Dora.

They helped Dragon God to defend the Dragon Race.

The Five Dragon Generals swore to absolute loyalty to Dragon God, and Dragon God entrusted them with the most important tasks.

Their composition was unchanged even as the Dragon Race multiplies. As the need for defense lessened, their tasks evolved as well.

It was said that even amongst the Five Dragon Generals Dora-sama was particularly loyal to Dragon God.

Dora-sama took that as a great point of pride.

She strived for the Armor Dragon tribe and all of Dragon Race to reach her level.

No particular reason, it was her choice.

Because she thought that was only proper.

“Dragon God saved your life, so dedicate your life fully in service of Dragon God.”

So she taught me as well.

Constantly.

“Yes, Dora-sama. I dedicate my all to Dagon God.”

Of course I concurred earnestly.

Perhaps my education is more akin of brainwashing, or maybe I always thought that way.

After experiencing loneliness, near-death and despair in the Demon World, I could never forget Dragon God as my savior that day.

“Haha, you’ll become my finest student.”

Dora-sama was happy to see my loyalty.

Most people, after constant brainwashing from Dora-sama, would eventually resort to, “I know, you don’t have to keep repeating yourself”.

Of course, nobody really disagreed, because every dragon race worships and swore loyalty to Dragon God.

But for Dora-sama, “stop repeating yourself” is a sign of disloyalty.

True loyalty means you can always say it with words.

Yeah, like me.

By then, I learned a bit more about Lunaria-sama.

“Lunaria-sama is Dragon God’s wife. I heard she’s the daughter of the Human God, but I don’t know the details.”

Dragon God brought Lunaria-sama back with him.

About a thousand years ago?

To Dora-sama, that wasn’t very long ago.

Dragon God suddenly brought Lunaria-sama back one day and declared her as his wife.

Why would Dragon God marry someone not from the Dragon Race?

Dragon God did not elaborate.

Of course, there were some complaints.

Why not someone from the Dragon Race?

There are many women worthy of Dragon God in the Dragon Race.

Dora-sama included.

But Dora-sama never objected to not being chosen.

She said.

“Dragon God-sama had his own considerations. He always thinks about us, the Dragon Race. Even when he does something we don’t understand, it’s done for the future of our race, so I don’t need an explanation.”

A bit fanatical?

You just don’t appreciate her loyalty.

Let’s return to Lunaria-sama.

Of course, there was a long gulf between Lunaria-sama and the Dragon Race.

After a century or so, any grumbling about her had dissipated.

Because Lunaria-sama was ever-benevolent, like a goddess.

When talking with her, everyone always felt an unusual peace.

As if everything is forgiven.

After talking with her, everyone can accept her as the wife of Dragon God.

My feelings for her were beyond loyalty, though.

I hadn’t forgotten how she cared for me in the past year.

She truly welcomed me.

Even if it was Dragon God’s orders, even though we couldn’t talk, she took care of me, never keeping her distance from me.

Because of her, because of Dragon God, I was able to feel accepted there. That’s why I wanted to protect the roost where everyone lived.

Even though I couldn’t say it, or rather it felt impolite to say… but I thought of her as my mother.

… Anyhow, that was how I learned everything about the Dragon Race.

After five years, I thought there was nothing I didn’t know.

Of course, compared to now there were many things I had yet to see, but I had learned so much.

After I learned the language and accumulated knowledge, Dora-sama began to take me outside.

Visiting the town where so many Dragon Race lives, I can’t wait.

I stepped into the town that I dreamed so often about when I lived in the Demon World.

Wide open spaces, so many houses, popular shops, entertainment plazas.

Everything was so fresh to me.

However, I did not feel welcomed by the Dragon Race that passed by.

When they saw my tabooed color hair, they frowned and stayed away from me.

But surrounding me and trying to drive me out of town, that never happened.

Because the information that I was taken in by Dragon God had already circulated, and that I was carried by Dora-sama.

When they found Dora-sama, they crossed their arms neatly before their chest in salute.

You won't be kicked out.

When I realized that, I began to look around us.

What’s that big building over there? What’s inside? Even though I learned a lot of things, I never saw them in person.

My curiosity was immeasurable.

I looked around curiously and asked many questions.

"Dora-sama! What is that?"

"It's a clothes store."

"Dora-sama, what's that?"

"It's in the Eastern Plaza. It seems like they’re hosting a play today."

"Dora-sama, the one flying has a weapon."

"That’s a Dragon Warrior. Their weapons are made by Chaos."

Dora-sama diligently answered every question.

Elaborated on subjects she knew well.

I suddenly stopped on my track.

"Dora-sama, I would like to see the building!"

"You’re not permitted to right now. Over here."

Dora stopped her wings and landed somewhere.

It was a huge square over 100 meters on one side.

In the open space, large Dragon Race were paired together.

Some of them noticed Dora-sama and saluted.

When Dora-sama answered it, she dropped me down and faced me.

"Dora-sama, this is a training ground?"

"Indeed."

Training ground.

The place where Dragon Warriors train their bodies.

"Dragon Race must be strong. You have been chosen by Dragon God, so you must have the strength to overcome any who wishes to harm Dragon God. Is it wrong?"

"No!"

"Good reply! Then you know what you must do?”

"Yes!"

After knowledge was combat training.

Fighting was the next most important thing to the language for the Dragon Race, with evil dragons lurking even one step beyond town.

That's why the Dragon Race learns to fight at a certain age, regardless of man or woman.

...... No, since language and fighting are both important, regular Dragon Race children learn them both at the same time.

Well, let's leave that for now.

"Okay, then come on! I'll teach you how to fight like a Dragon Race."

Dora-sama posed in front of me.

She lowered her waist, leaning forward, and placed a hand on her waistline hidden, her wings ready for take off at any time.

Likewise, I mirrored the pose in imitation.

"Idiot!"

Receiving an Immediate rebuke from Dora-sama, I trembled.

"Who told you to pose? I said fight! If I said fight, you fight. Show your murderous intent and attack me!"

Ah ... As I remember now, it was a rather ferocious scolding.

She taught fighting by first training the fighting spirit.

She would never teach finer techniques from the start.

The most important thing in a battle is the will to kill the opponent...

Most Dragon Race would be troubled when Dora-sama said that.

I can't kill Dora-sama.

But fortunately I was different.

The words heard, and I immediately fell on all fours.

It's the same style as when I was living in the Demon World.

In my line-of-sight only my instructor remained, Dora-sama, and she became my prey.

Was there doubt?

There was no reason. I knew how to fight.

And Dora-sama told me to fight.

So I obey.

“Good, come!”

Dora-sama took my murderous intent head on.

"Foo…!"

Flexing my four limbs, I leaped at Dora-sama.

Cutting the shortest distance toward Dora-sama's neck.

However, her arm suddenly appeared between me and her neck.

As if appearing out of nowhere, she struck at me.

My defeat was certain.

So I shifted my wings.

So I made a hard right, ignoring the law of inertia.

A feint.

It was how I've fought the demonic beasts that live in the Demon World.

There were opponents that I couldn’t fight head-on in a test of strength.

Therefore, such a move was also convenient.

I turned sharply with my body angled toward Dora, kicked the ground and attacked Dora-sama again.

An assault from the side.

Aiming at the throat again, with no arm to deflect my attack.

My fangs will chew up her throat and end her life.

"Gahh!"

But by the time I realized it, I was screaming like a dog and sent flying.

After rolling on the ground a few times, I immediately got back up with my shoulder in pain.

I saw a hole in my shoulder and red blood was gushing out.

And facing me, Dora posed once more.

Toward me.

I was on her side, but before I knew it, she was looking straight at me again.

Bothered by the pain on my shoulder and confused by what happened, Dora-sama said to me.

"What's wrong! Is it over! Move or I'll kill you!"

I bare my fangs.

I didn’t know what happened, but the fight wasn’t over.

Then, suddenly, I was blown away by an impact backward.

When I rolled up and raised my face, Dora-sama stood at the position where I was.

The moment I confirmed it, the sand under her feet flung upwards.

Dora moved at godlike speed and kicked me away once more.

To be honest, I knew I had no chance at this point.

However, I kept crawling on all fours, refusing to compromise my fighting spirit.

I must attack.

".........!"

I held my breath and attacked in silence.

There was no shout to be heard.

Always alone, and I don't have the habit of threatening others.

Just attack silently and kill and eat the opponents silently.

That was my only feature.

"Gya!"

However, my only feature was about to be crushed by Dora-sama.

She turned toward me.

Still posed, she pointed toward me.

But did nothing.

It seemed to me.

But it's not.

Dora was moving in response to my movement.

Instead of falling to my feint, using her wings to change direction in an instant and piercing me with another punch.

"What's wrong! Come on! Come on! Come until I die! Or I'll kill you!"

Dora-sama's attacks continued, swearing.

Every time I got up, I was scooped somewhere by my limb, and blood gushed out.

"Okay, come on! The scales of the Dragon Race will only get tougher when they come off! You have no scales, but the same thing! Be strong!"

I didn't give up.

Every time I was pierced and blown away, I got up and went to Dora-sama.

Why do you do that?

Because Dora-sama told me to do that.

I was just foolishly listening to the instructor.

Such combat training continued until I fainted.

I learned the following about a few days after the start of combat training.

That day, I was beaten up and fainted as usual.

I usually wake up to my own room in Dragon God’s mansion.

"Get up, hey, get up!"

But when I woke up that day, I was in a slightly different place.

"We’ll slow down on training for now, and work on something else from today until nighttime."

It wasn't the circular training ground with sandy ground, nor my own room where I sleep.

It is a gentle slope.

There are some jumping platform-like scaffolds on the slopes, where much smaller children than I jump off with a run-up, flutter their wings only to fall to the ground in failure.

They fell like 4 to 5 meters, but they are the Dragon Race.

Although slightly scratched, they immediately stood up and climbed the slope again.

"……This is?"

"Flight training ground."

When Dora-sama said, some of the children ran over and approached us.

"Dora-sama!"

"Dragon General Dora-sama!"

"I’m your fan! Please tell me to fly!"

"Who is that guy with the strange hair?"

When the children came to Dora-sama, they crossed their arms and made the highest salute.

One was pointing at me disrespectfully, but Dora-sama ignored him.

It’s a typical reaction for children.

“This guy can’t fly yet, so I’ll train him from scratch until he can. Flight is the foundation of the Dragon Race. You must master it for the Dragon God!”

"It can't fly yet!"

"How useless! I’m way better than him!”

"I could fly up to the yellow line today!"

"I am at the blue line!"

"Idiot! Don't mock each other!"

"Yes"

"Yes"

"Yes"

After taking care of the children, Dora-sama took me up to the summit.

"Laplace. What are we doing here? Tell me."

"Flying training ground. It is a place where Dragon Race children train to fly."

Yes, it was one of the many training facilities in Dragon Roar Mountain, where children practice flight.

It doesn't have an official name, but the kids usually call it the flying square.

The Dragon Race have a long lifespan, only once every thousands of years do they have children.

Therefore, the number of children is not large.

For this reason, Balaur people value the education of their children.

Those who become teachers will teach them one-on-one.

However, there are no teachers at this flight training facility.

Because it takes time to learn to fly in the sky.

Over the course of a century of attempts and crashes, children would eventually learn to fly on their own.

No need for instructions.

Just a daunting number of repetitions.

Of course, the first few times will be supervised by the person in charge of education, but after that, the children learn independently.

Until they can fly.

Even if they keep crashing for ten years, a hundred years, they will keep trying until they can fly.

Most of Dragon Race will learn to fly.

Flight is foundational for Dragon Race; just like all birds can fly, so too for Dragon Race.

Is what I want to say, but dropouts exist everywhere.

There are a few of the Dragon Race who cannot fly in the end.

What happens to those people?

Unfortunately, they’ll be branded as a “faller” and work on jobs that no one wants to do.

The children are desperate because they know it, and those who can't fly are looked down upon mercilessly.

Even though it doesn’t change the fact that we all equally answer to the Dragon God.

"What will you learn here?"

"Flight in the sky."

"OK, fly then."

"Yes."

I followed Dora-sama's instructions and went up to the jump platform.

The square spreads out below, and behind it the city of the Dragon Race.

It's not that bad when viewed from below, but it felt reasonably high from above.

Seeing that, I spread my wings.

I moved my back muscles and confirmed the range of motion of my wings.

Then I crouched down and leaped in one motion.

Flapped the wings a couple times and flew diagonally upward.

However, I quickly stalled and fell sharply.

Crashing head first, but I dexterously turned around midair and landed on all fours.

I climbed to the jump platform again as if nothing had happened.

Then, I jumped and dropped several times.

I landed well, unlike the other children, and was not injured. Thanks to the experience of living in the Demon World.

However, I never flew when I was in the Demon World.

I didn't even know I could fly.

Therefore, I never flew.

"Wait."

After a few mistakes, I was stopped by Dora-sama.

"Do you know how to fly?"

I shook my head.

Then Dora-sama diligently instructed me.

"Put “Dragon Touki” into the wings to generate a force field. Utilize the force field to stay in the air and use the wind to glide. Got it?"

Honestly, I don’t.

This may be one of the reasons why a teacher is not required for flight practice.

Dragon Race’s wings are not bird wings.

It's an organ for flying, but it doesn't fly under the influence of the wind.

It creates a force field like anti-gravity, which is how it flies.

Of course, once you go up to the sky, you will also experience air resistance. When that happens, you must tilt your wings and turn the wind you receive into lift to glide.

However, the Dragon Race’s flight is due to the force field, the lift is just an aid.

By the way, the wings of Red Dragon and Blue Dragon are the same type of organ.

"Understood."

I answered.

Even though I don’t know how to put Dragon Touki in my wings.

When I was in the Demon World, while hunting I did manage something akin to flight on rare occasions, but that was purely physical in nature.

However, this flight is a little different.

It is difficult to explain in words.

But that’s why it’s so difficult that Dragon Race children have to practice for more than a century to master.

"Okay, if you understand, repeat until you can fly."

"Yes."

"I will come again."

Dora-sama said, and left me and took off.

Dora-sama's flight was smooth and gracious.

The movement of the wings was subtle, the climb was smooth and fast.

The children took off one after another in an attempt to chase Dora-sama, but everyone that could not fly crashed.

When I saw Dora-sama off, I climbed to the jump platform.

Thus, the days where I alternate between classroom lessons, combat training, and flight practice continued.

Lectures and combat went well.

Lectures... There’s nothing particular to mention?

Combat… after taking a beating to faint day after day, I eventually learned some techniques and training.

By sparring with Dora-sama on a daily basis, my innate strength was gradually improving.

However, flight did not go well.

After combat training, I jumped and crashed repeatedly from afternoon till night time.

Dora-sama came back at night and asked if I was able to fly.

When I replied I couldn't yet, she only muttered "I see" and carried me back to the mansion.

Dora never interfered.

She declared she wouldn't cut corners and said nothing about the flight training.

The Dragon Race are people who learn to fly by themselves after repeated practice.

There was common sense.

Of course I didn't complain.

Ten times more than other children I climbed the jumping platform in silence, and ten times more I fell.

While I fell, other children got the trick of creating a force field from their wings.

Some even got the trick of controlling their posture in the air.

One even flew.

I was also a little impatient.

I had the best teacher, Dora-sama, but I couldn't get any results.

I had no idea how to use Dragon Touki to create a forcefield.

On the ground, I’m a different beast.

With my feet on the ground, I’m quicker and faster than even the beasts of the Demon World.

Faster than even Dragon Warriors on the ground.

But that experience might have hindered my flight.

There is a fundamental difference between walking on the ground and flying in the sky.

The body must be perpendicular to gravity, and the direction of the force field is also different from what I expect.

I won't be able to fly overnight.

That's why I became more impatient.

I know I can, but I can’t..

But still I didn't whine.

It was forbidden by Dora-sama.

If you ask why, it’s because whining means giving up.

The days went by without any success.

Dora-like appeared every day to see if I could fly.

I always answered "not yet", Dora-san nodded and left.

When the training was over and I came back exhausted, Lunaria-sama welcomed me.

The servants also began to understand my words. Because I always expressed my gratitude to Dragon God, they properly recognized me as a fellows.

However, they never treated me as Dragon God’s son.

That's right, even I thought of myself as a dog or something, not the adopted child.

That's why.

When I came home in tatters, they would share with me the food they had hidden.

And won’t say that I should eat at regular times.

When I think back now, they totally treated me like the dog...

Haha, maybe they really thought of me that way at the time.

It's a fond memory.

Lunaria-sama treated me like a mother, stroking her stomach, which grew little by little each year.

However, perhaps because Lunaria-sama had no experience as a mother, or because I didn't know what a mother was, Lunaria-sama was just a goddess to me.

She has a supernatural ability to give me a peace of mind, just by being there.

Thinking about it now, I think that sense of security was proof that she was a demigod.

It was the best environment.

A warm home, extensive training.

Surrounded by such things, I spent decades becoming a full-fledged Dragon Race.

■■■

"Okay, then I ... huh?"

The man-- Laplace looked at the girl on the chair, rolling like on the bow of a ship.

Wondering if she fell asleep because it was so boring.

No, this seems different.

"It's already night..."

When Laplace looked out the window, the starry sky spread out.

A starry sky above, different from the Dragon World.

To Laplace's sense, it was only for a few hours.

But for Rostelina, it would have been a full-day.

“I reminisced for too long and talked too much, and ended up taking up Rostelina’s whole day.”

Then when he looked out the window, something huge blocked it.

It's a red dragon.

Upon recognizing Laplace, the red dragon grumbled, as if demanding something.

"Oh, I'm sorry that we took too long. But you're a dragon, why couldn’t you feed yourself?”

"Goruru ..."

“Don't say that. I didn't think that time would pass so quickly. People say that the flow of time gets faster as they get older. Even for a mixed race of demons and dragons, it seems that it's the same for me.”

Laplace said, holding the body of Rostelina.

Walk quietly and out of the room.

He walked through a narrow corridor and moved in front of a door.

"Well, at least I wanted to hear your impressions ..."

Gently open the door.

Considering the clutter of the whole house, there was one room so tidy that it was not an exaggeration to say that there was nothing inside.

Laplace gently dropped Rostelina on the bed in her room and covered her with a blanket.

No need to turn off the lights, no such things here from the beginning.

Laplace's eyes can see everything, even in the dark.

"Good night, Rostelina. See you tomorrow"

Laplace said, he closed the door and went back to his room.





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