Volume 2: The Succession to the Imperial Throne
Chapter 23: The Infant Ancient Dragon
The assault on the Dragon God Cult branch carried out within the Levian Ducal Territory concluded in success. Allowing one of their executives to escape was regrettable, but given that the enemy was a transcendent being who specialized in mobility, it could hardly be helped.
The branch hidden beneath the First City proved unexpectedly well-equipped and far larger in scale than anticipated. Rather than destroying it outright, the decision was made to renovate and repurpose the facility, transforming it into a new research center under the authority of the Levian Ducal Territory.
Meanwhile, another branch concealed near the border of the Noir Margraviate was simultaneously seized by the Imperial Army. With that operation completed at the same hour, and with the exception of Crow—who vanished without a trace—it would not be an exaggeration to say that the threat of the Dragon God Cult had all but been eradicated from this nation.
Amid the flood of tangled reports and rapidly spreading information, one topic in particular captured overwhelming attention.
Needless to say—
it was the infant of an ancient dragon.
News that an ancient dragon had hatched, and that it had inexplicably taken a liking to a court mage who happened to be present at the time, raced through the castle like wildfire.
At present, the upper echelons were cleanly split into two opposing camps. One insisted, “The dragon should remain in the care of the court mage and be utilized as a military asset when necessary.” The other argued, “The danger posed by dragonkind is beyond measure. It must be eliminated immediately.”
◇◇◇
—The Luxion Empire.
The Imperial Capital, Dragals Second Residence.
As for the ancient dragon that was being tossed about by the stormy seas known as public opinion…
“…Pii… pii…”
“…zzz.”
It was sleeping like the dead—utterly, completely, absurdly—together with Al.
The ancient dragon had recognized Al as its parent and refused to leave his side even for a moment. Al let out a weary sigh, yet there was a hint of fond resignation in his expression. Ever since that day, the two had shared food, clothing, and shelter together.…Which sounded noble, but in reality meant nothing more than eating together and lazing around asleep all day.
By the way, the one who had named this gluttonous little hatchling was Seles.
“What are you going to call it? You can’t just keep calling it ‘the ancient dragon’ forever. That’s cruel.”
“How about Tarōmaru?”
“Pii…”
“That’s way too lame.”
“Then how about God of Dragon? Sounds cool, right?”
“Pii…”
“Please stop. This is starting to feel like a new form of torture.”
“I actually put some thought into that.”
“It’s white, fluffy, and adorable… How about ‘Haku’?”
“Pii! Pii!”
“As expected of Seles. A truly splendid name.”
—Haku.
That became the name of the ancient dragon… no, of their newest family member.
Its various abilities—including magic—remained unknown, but those would surely reveal themselves in time.
Haku stirred sleepily and clung to Al’s face.
“K—can’t… breathe…”
“…Pii… pii.”
“I—I’m going to die…” thud.
That day, Al died.
Cause of death: suffocation by white fluff.
—And then, a savior appeared.
“Hey now, stop playing around and get up already.”
Seles peeled Haku off Al and hugged the little dragon tightly against her chest.
“Good morning, Haku. You’re cute as ever today.”
“Pii.”
“…zzz.”
“And you—wake up already‼”
“O-oh, mornin’.”
“Today’s an important audience day, remember⁉ Stop lazing around and get ready already‼”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“One response only!!”
“Yee~ah.”
Watching Al shuffle off toward breakfast with Haku perched atop his head, Seles let out an exasperated sigh.
“Thank you as always, Selestaria-sama.”
“You’ve got it rough too, Meruru. Dealing with that idiot every single day.”
“Heehee, I’m used to it by now. Besides… when it truly matters, Al-sama works harder than anyone else. So I suppose I end up indulging him the rest of the time, or rather… how should I put it…”
“I get how you feel, but moderation is key. If you leave him alone too long, he’ll turn into a cocoon before you know it.”
“Understood. Ufufufu.”
After that, Seles dragged Al straight to the castle.
…Naturally, Haku came as a set.
◇◇◇
—The Imperial Castle, Audience Chamber.
Today, Al, Estella, and Seles had been summoned both to receive commendations for their mission and to hear a certain decision. Unlike the previous appointment ceremony, no kings or nobles were in attendance this time—only the Holy Flame Emperor, the chancellor, and the imperial guard knights.
The decorations had already been bestowed, medals gleaming proudly upon the chests of the three.
Though it was formally a solemn setting, everyone’s gaze was fixed on a single point.
The white creature perched atop Al’s head.
(What is that white fluff?)
(…It’s cute.)
(Are ancient dragons supposed to be this fluffy?)
(Isn’t that a bit too cute?)
(Which idiot suggested disposing of that thing?)
“Pii.”
(Ah, it made a sound.)
(Nooo, even its voice is cute.)
(It’s so bored it’s started nibbling on Al-sama’s hair.)
(S—so precious…)
(That child should be protected by the entire nation, heart and soul.)
Even the imperial guards were utterly smitten.
The emperor cleared his throat.
“The other reason we summoned you today concerns the disposition of that ancient dragon…”
Everyone swallowed hard, waiting for his words.
“By my sole authority, it shall continue to be entrusted to Al Dragals. I will inform the head of the Adventurers’ Guild, so ensure that its familiar registration is completed promptly.”
(Phew… thank goodness.)
The emperor continued.
“There are several reasons. First, that ancient dragon—”
“Haku, Your Majesty.”
“…Haku’s existence serves as a form of pressure upon other nations. Second, Haku’s future potential is more than worth the gamble. Third, its guardian, Al Dragals, possesses sufficient strength to repel even a former chief court mage, thereby minimizing the risk should Haku ever run amok. And finally…”
The Holy Flame Emperor cleared his throat once more, a faint blush creeping across the stern face that could silence a crying child with a glance.
“Well, that is to say… Haku is adorable. It serves as a balm to our weary spirits, and as a mascot-like presence, it may even increase tourism revenue within the capital.”
(Exactly!!)
“…For these reasons, it is hereby decided that Haku shall be recognized as an official imperial familiar and placed under the protection of the Dream-attribute court mage, Al Dragals.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“That’s wonderful, Haku.”
“A most generous decision, far beyond expectations.”
“Pii!”
(S—so cute…)
From this day forward, Haku officially became a member of Al’s family.
◇◇◇
The Luxion Empire is the oldest great power on this continent.
While other nations waged endless wars and fell one after another, Luxion alone survived, endured, and continued to flourish.
The reason is singular.
More than any other nation, Luxion’s battles for imperial succession are brutally fierce.
The blood of Luxion is… special. Every prince and princess is born with some extraordinary ability. Through blood-soaked conflict, the most exceptional among them claims the throne.
…A nation like that could hardly not prosper, and thus it has thundered across history as a great power to this very day.
In truth, the current emperor, Agnas Ill-Luxion, too—
Crushed his siblings in the struggle for succession, and at times even took their lives, to seize the imperial throne.
From Al’s perspective, he was a kind and reasonable ruler. To others, however, he was an object of profound fear.
This time, the talent of the First Prince, Sirius, had been overwhelmingly superior, leading the other royals to withdraw. The succession struggle had reached a temporary conclusion—until Sirius was struck down by the former chief court mage, Crow.
With that, the flames of conflict were reignited.
As nobles once aligned with the First Prince’s faction dispersed evenly among rival camps, the imperial succession struggle now raged fiercer than ever.
◇◇◇
—A corner of the Imperial Castle.
The private chamber of a certain royal.
Flowers were arranged by the window, and countless potions lined the table.
At the center of the room stood a large bed, where its occupant lay sleeping peacefully.
Perhaps they had been bedridden for many years—their limbs were thin, their face somewhat gaunt.
Yet within that body, the dense, potent mana of Luxion flowed strongly.
It was daytime.
A moment when neither servants nor physicians were present.
“Mm… where… am I…?”
After years of slumber, at long last, the room’s master opened their eyes.