The location the Dragonkin guided us to was Havelock Forward Base, which could be referred to as the headquarters commanding them, beyond the checkpoint.
It was a place I had been to once before, but this time there were a few more checkpoints scattered around.
‘Looks like getting through me was quite the shock for them.’
The Heretic Inquisitors, the first line of defense for the Dragonkin, had been breached by a single human.
For them, it must have been nothing short of a nightmare. Fortunately, by letting me go, they managed to wipe that incident from existence, so rumors didn’t spread or anything.
For the Dragonkin, it would have likely been a moment of reflection.
“Wow, they’re thorough.”
Since Sen was someone whose thoughts often leaned towards espionage and assassination, she quickly deduced that trying to infiltrate would result in a major struggle.
“To actually see the Dragonkin’s command center. This seems pretty rare.”
“No notes allowed for humans.”
Eve was about to jot something down in her notebook when one of the Dragonkin immediately warned her. Although disappointed, she stowed her notebook and began observing her surroundings with wide eyes.
“What’s different?”
Curious, Sen asked her, and with a kind smile, Eve started explaining as if she were a professor.
“First off, the corridors are generally larger. It’s not just the main entrance; even the windows over there seem bigger. I guess it’s because the Dragonkin are generally a bit taller than humans.”
“Got it.”
“Yeah, and the ground is soft, probably because of their tails. I’ve heard Dragonkin have sensitive tails, so maybe that’s why it is like this.”
Definitely, tails are sensitive.
Remembering the time in my past life when May had grabbed my tail while I was a wolf Beastman, I felt a shiver run down my spine.
It was strangely pleasant but also quite sensitive.
If I had kept that up, it might have been a little dangerous.
“Stop chatting.”
As Eve continued to comment about the Dragonkin, one of the Heretic Inquisitors snapped irritably.
Eve immediately apologized, but Sen pouted and crossed her arms.
Anyway, I thought someone, either the Dragoness or a Cardinal, would come while we waited at Havelock Forward Base.
But then a high-ranking Enforcer, who could be considered in charge of the forward base, came out and led us beyond the base building.
“This place is peculiar, huh?”
I nodded in agreement with Eve’s words.
Although it was an expansive field, there were obvious signs of human intervention. It didn’t seem like it had been made just for the Dragonkin either.
But I could tell the reason we were brought here from the shadow cast in the sky.
“Watch the wind.”
The high-ranking Enforcer coldly warned us.
A fierce gust blew in as if magical, and what landed from above, now that the dragon was absent, was a being known as the ruler of the skies.
“A Wyvern?”
“I-I’ve never seen one before!”
“Wow!”
The Wyvern let out a whoosh of air, glancing at our reaction as if it were all too familiar before turning its head away.
Eve was obvious, but even Sen looked a bit excited as she stared at the Wyvern.
“Tarrah, we’re moving to the dragon’s rest now.”
The high-ranking Enforcer explained how to board and what to watch out for. It did seem dangerous, but the saddle was secured properly, and there was no worry of falling.
“I-Is this really okay?”
“Enjoy.”
“How can I enjoy this?!”
Ever since hearing that we would ride a Wyvern, Eve had been trembling and had finally clung to my arm tightly.
‘Sen has every reason to be jealous.’
Eve’s chest must be some kind of weapon, considering the pressure I felt despite it being soft.
“But can’t we just use Warp instead?”
Sen’s question was quite sharp. The former Dragoness came to Havelock Forward Base to meet Eris and her party through Warp too.
“We’re special envoys. They want to show us that they have this.”
“……That sounds kind of childish.”
“They say diplomacy is often childish.”
Well, Elise would handle that part. I was more suited to swinging a sword and killing.
“We’re taking off.”
With the knight’s calm declaration, the Wyvern spread its wings and shot upwards like a shooting star.
From the start, the speed we could achieve was definitely a moment to witness the majesty of a Wyvern.
“The acceleration is insane!”
“Eeeek!”
“I can’t hear anything because of the whoosh!”
As soon as we took off, Eve clung even closer to me while Sen reached out joyfully. With hair flapping and cheeks blown back by the wind, I wondered if I should’ve been given some kind of helmet.
But then, as I looked at the knight ahead, I couldn’t help but change my mind.
The knight must have cropped their hair short, and their skin had patches of tough scales so that there was no sway at all.
It wasn’t that they purposely didn’t give us helmets; they just didn’t think that far since they didn’t need them.
Or perhaps they simply lacked consideration.
The real problem wasn’t that.
“Eve! My arm is kind of numb! I feel like the blood isn’t flowing!”
“Daniel! Hold me! We’re flying!”
“Look! My hand has turned white!”
It was actually most uncomfortable being squeezed tightly by Eve, and I worried I might lose a hand, but it was worth enduring that much.
If we had taken a carriage, it would have taken us days to cover the distance we made in just hours.
“Ugh, I feel like I’m going to throw up.”
After getting off the Wyvern, Eve’s face was pale as she muttered about feeling sick.
“Can you massage my hand?”
“Is this some kind of assassination using beauty techniques?”
“……Kinda.”
Sen squeezed my right hand, which had turned white from lack of blood. If it were anyone else, it would have felt like I’d want to be buried in that softness, even if my hand wouldn’t work afterward.
Once again, we were greeted by those waiting for us.
This time, Dragonkin in the attire of higher Enforcers lined up, with a man in a black priest robe as the center of attention.
It was Theocender Cardinal, who had been escorting the Dragoness we had seen at the time.
With a square face, a solid build, and broad shoulders.
He looked more like a warrior than a Cardinal.
However, the most striking aspect about him was the momentum he radiated.
In fact, momentum is something you can’t quite see or describe in words.
Yet, the moment I laid eyes on that man, I think everyone had the same thought?
He was someone prepared to go to the ends of the earth, ready to lay down his life to cut down his enemies.
At any moment, he could draw his sword against foes, willing to embrace death for the dragons—a true warrior, and perhaps in another way, a simple zealot.
“Come on, the Elders are waiting.”
As soon as Theocender Cardinal saw us dismounted from the Wyvern, he turned and headed inside. He didn’t say much, just indicated for us to follow with his actions.
“Is this how all Dragonkin are?”
Sen seemed somewhat annoyed by their consistent attitude, and Eve’s face also bore a shadow.
I didn’t particularly like it either, but since we had to meet a dragon, I had to bear with their treatment a bit.
Following the Cardinal, we ventured toward a place known as the dragon’s resting place, which could be referred to as the heart of the Dragonkin territory. For the kingdom, it was like the capital.
But we probably wouldn’t get the chance to step out into the Dragonkin’s land. There was no way they would let us, mere humans, wander outside carelessly.
“Hearing that it’s the dragon’s resting place, I expected something, but it is unique.”
“Yeah, it’s my first time here, but it’s similar to the Cathedral in Batian yet different.”
As I mentioned before, the Dragonkin were fundamentally governed by a theocracy. The issue was that the god figure was still alive.
In conclusion, one could say there was a king who held absolute power, but the reason it’s called theocracy is that the Dragonkin Shakallim was sleeping.
In the end, they were merely a visible god, and since there were no responses, the Elders or the Dragoness would still speculate about the being’s will through discussion and voting.
Everywhere one looked, there were statues of dragons, claw-shaped doorknobs, signposts resembling horns, etc. It exuded a vibe similar to yet different from the Cathedral.
It felt like a place where a colossal dragon was curled up.
‘Nice name choice.’
Just then, as we were heading towards the individuals known as the Elders, a girl standing at the end of the corridor blocked our path.
With rose-tinted hair and two horns on her head, her skin was white as flour, looking as if she might collapse if swayed even slightly, yet her eyes held a heavy conviction of a Divine Being.
Of course, the most shocked was Theocender Cardinal.
“Y-Dragoness! Why are you here!”
Startled, he rushed toward Dragoness Zane, trying to cover us with his large frame so we wouldn’t be seen.
But the Dragoness swiftly slapped Theocender’s cheek and shouted.
“Why didn’t you tell me a prophecy vote was taking place! Is it acceptable for there to be secrets about the Oracle held from me, a Dragoness?”
Being slapped by the girl who looked half his size didn’t seem painful, but Theocender, with a somewhat ruined face, began sweating nervously, trying to come up with excuses.
“T-That is, actually…”
However, it had no bearing on us.
Sen leaned her body toward me and whispered.
“Such a relief.”
Eve chimed in as if she had also heard it.
“I want to hug that girl.”
I nodded in agreement.
“Can’t she hit him just once more?”
Did my words reach her?
The nonsensical excuses spilling from Theocender’s lips ended with him receiving another slap.
