Chapter 215: The Secret Hidden Within Dragonkind
“The Blue-Violet One”—or rather, Munechika—had just experienced something for the very first time in her life as a dragon.
Someone had thanked her.
And not just anyone, either.
The gratitude had come from two fellow oddballs, dragons like herself who had chosen to live upon the surface world.
(What am I supposed to do in a situation like this again…?)
Caught completely off guard, she fumbled for a response.
“U-Um, well… that is… you know, I’m not really sure, but… you’re welcome…?”
The two slowly lifted their heads, still wearing deeply moved expressions.
Seeing that, Munechika quietly released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
Apparently, her reaction had been the correct one.
The next thing that piqued her curiosity was what exactly she had done to deserve such gratitude.
(It would be pretty tactless to make them explain it themselves, wouldn’t it?)
And so—
Munechika began analyzing.
(First of all, judging by the wavelength of their magical power, these two are unquestionably dragons. Considering they’ve managed to live on the surface without ever visiting the Dragon Floating Island, it’s easy to conclude they successfully retained their memories.
Looking at their clothing, the one on the left appears to be a noble from some major nation. The one on the right seems to be a renowned swordsman from an eastern island country.
Most likely, they managed to preserve their memories by using something left behind by my human self. Given their positions, avoiding becoming “ordinary dragons” must have been the greatest blessing imaginable.
Yep. Nicely done, Human-Me.)
“So that’s how it’s~. That’s why you came all the way out to a remote place like this just to thank me. You two are surprisingly sweet kids, aren’t you?” she rattled off effortlessly.
“We haven’t actually explained anything yet…” Ryu muttered.
“Ah, sorry, sorry. I have a bad habit of reaching conclusions on my own. Let me guess—you two successfully retained your memories, right? Congratulations. The most reproducible method was probably some kind of medicine. Or was it those sibling swords you’re carrying?” she continued without pause.
“Well… both were involved, actually…”
“Oho~. Then I must have been skilled in both pharmacology and blacksmithing when I was human. As expected of me. My pursuit of knowledge and craftsmanship must have been on an entirely different level.”
“Could you stop figuring out everything before we say it…?”
A realization dawned on the two men.
A rather sad one.
They finally understood, at least partially, why other dragons tended to avoid her.
She could hear one thing and understand ten.
Then leap directly to the conclusion.
Ryu and Ryoma happened to adore eccentrics like this.
Most people, however, probably didn’t.
Meanwhile, Munechika looked completely fascinated by everything concerning the modern world.
“Hey, hey. Could you tell me what my name was when I was human?”
Ryu immediately answered, as if he had been waiting for that exact question.
“Sanjo Kokaji Munechika. That was your true name.”
The instant the name entered her ears—
Time stopped.
A gust of wind swept across the clearing.
Her blue-violet hair billowed violently around her.
“Sanjo… Kokaji… Munechika…?”
“Yeah. Sanjo Kokaji Munechika. And if we’re talking about your homeland, it was the same place as Ryoma’s—”
Only then did Ryu notice something was wrong.
“Oy, Munechika…”
No response.
“Munechika!!”
Her vision suddenly darkened.
Consciousness slipped away.
Before she could collapse, Ryu lunged forward and caught her.
◇◇◇
Several days later.
“Huh…?”
Munechika slowly opened her eyes.
“Where… am I…?”
She found herself lying in a bed.
“You’re finally awake.”
“We were seriously worried about you.”
“Hmph. Good to see you’re unharmed.”
Ryu.
Ryoma.
Fifth Flame.
All three were standing nearby.
Munechika sat up and swung her legs off the bed.
She stood.
“Oy, take it easy,” Ryu said immediately. “Don’t push yourself. You’re a trillion times more important than Fifth Flame.”
“Stop putting me down while pretending to be concerned!!”
“I’m fine, I’m fine. Thanks for worrying.”
She stretched lightly before turning toward them.
“Oh, and could you show me Kurikara and Futsunomitama?”
“Sure.”
“Understood.”
As the two complied, both Ryu and Ryoma felt a strange sense of discomfort.
(Wait… did I ever tell her the names of my sword?)
(I’m fairly certain we never told her their inscriptions…)
Munechika drew both blades from their sheaths.
The steel gleamed under the light.
She carefully examined each sword.
But the look in her eyes was no longer that of a curious observer.
It was the gaze of a craftsman.
A creator.
A blacksmith inspecting her own work.
Her fingers traced the metal lovingly.
Then she smiled.
“It’s been a long time, my children.”
“My children…?”
“Don’t tell me—!!”
Her smile widened.
“Mm.”
“It seems dragons regain their memories once they learn the name they possessed as humans.”
“!!!!!!!!!!”
The trigger for memory restoration—
Was one’s true name.
It was a shockingly simple answer.
Yet because it was so simple, no one had ever considered it.
In hindsight, it also explained why dragons were so indifferent toward names.
Perhaps, on some instinctive level, they unconsciously avoided the key to unlocking their pasts.
It was a secret hidden in plain sight.
A truth nobody had expected.
Munechika smiled once more.
But this time, she wasn’t smiling as a dragon.
She was smiling as a daughter of Hinomaru.
As a human.
As Sanjo Kokaji Munechika.
“Will you let me join you?”
“Of course.”
Ryu answered without hesitation.
“Let’s go home together.”
“To the surface.”
Ryoma folded his arms proudly.
“I’m a retainer of Tosa. Anything concerning Hinomaru can be left to me.”
“Wait, you’re a samurai of Tosa!?”
Munechika’s eyes sparkled.
“That’s amazing~!”
“Hahaha! Incidentally, Ryu and I already searched through your hideout.”
“Uwaaaah…”
She buried her face in her hands.
“That’s actually kind of embarrassing…”
Ryu was still overflowing with excitement, but there was something more important to do.
It was time to leave.
As he turned around, he noticed someone standing off to the side.
Someone who clearly hadn’t kept up with the conversation.
Fifth Flame.
The dragon stared blankly into space.
“The true name… is the key to restoring memories…?”
“Seems that way.”
Ryu nodded.
“Pass the information along to the dragons on the Dragon Floating Island. Tell them that when they come searching for their names on the surface, their first stop should be House Ardren of the Astoria Empire.”
Fifth Flame frowned.
“And what exactly is the purpose behind that?”
Ryu snorted.
“Imagine monsters like us wandering around the surface with no guidance whatsoever.”
“You would cause problems immediately. Next thing you know, you’d be internationally wanted criminals.”
He shrugged.
“Bahamut may govern the Dragon Floating Island, but I’ll be the one coordinating things on the surface.”
“Money, equipment, supplies for exploration—House Ardren will provide all of it.”
“I see.”
Fifth Flame slowly nodded.
“If a dragon community can be established on the surface as well, perhaps our kind can finally take a step forward.”
“Also, I’ll tolerate Fifth Flame.”
Ryu grinned.
“But I refuse to tolerate Bakamut.”
“YOU BASTARD!”
Fifth Flame exploded.
“The King should be the first person you accept!”
“I’m kidding.”
Ryu laughed.
“I’ll take care of everyone.”
“Besides, I promised him that I’d overlook the past in exchange for information about the Demon King.”
Afterward, Munechika packed all of her belongings into the item bag Ryu had given her.
Then she stepped outside.
“I’ll probably come back to this house every now and then.”
She looked back at the familiar residence.
“So strangely enough, I don’t feel very sentimental about leaving.”
“That’s good.”
Ryu crossed his arms.
“Actually, should I just cut out this entire plot of land and install it inside the Ardren Dungeon?”
“Eh?”
Munechika blinked.
“You can do that?”
“Yep.”
“Our Dungeon Master is incredible.”
“Oho~.”
She looked genuinely impressed.
“The surface has advanced quite a bit, hasn’t it?”
A grin spread across her face.
“Now I’m even more excited.”
“Well then.”
Ryu stretched.
“I’ll give you two a ride.”
His human form dissolved.
Silver light erupted outward.
Bones expanded.
Scales appeared.
The air trembled.
And then—
A colossal dragon manifested before them.
A sacred giant whose body gleamed with radiant silver brilliance.
Majestic.
Overwhelming.
Beautiful.
“T-This is…!!”
Fifth Flame’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
“He’s even larger than the Dragon King…!!”
“Wow~!”
Munechika stared upward in wonder.
“I didn’t know dragons with such beautiful coloration existed.”
Both Fifth Flame and Munechika found themselves utterly overwhelmed by the sight.
“Alright.”
Ryu lowered himself.
“Climb on, Munechika. Ryoma.”
“Yay~.”
Munechika immediately hopped aboard.
“Please take us all the way to Hinomaru~.”
“Hahaha!”
Ryoma climbed on as well.
“It’s been quite some time since I last rode upon my best friend’s back!”
Meanwhile, Fifth Flame stood nearby.
Watching.
Silently.
With undisguised envy.
“…………….”
Ryu glanced at him.
“What?”
“You want a ride too?”
“Hmph!”
Fifth Flame immediately turned away.
“As if I would ever ride on the back of a wooden-headed dragon like you!!”
“Suit yourself.”
The next moment—
Ryu casually swung his tail.
WHAM.
“GUH!”
Fifth Flame was launched into the distance.
“Y-YOU BASTAAAAAAARD!!”
His furious scream echoed across the sky.
“I’LL REMEMBER THIIIIIIIIIS!!”
The voice gradually grew smaller and smaller as the distance increased.
Leaving behind only fading echoes.
Then Ryu spread his enormous wings.
With Munechika and Ryoma riding upon his back, the silver dragon soared from the Dragon Floating Island and into the vast open sky.
And as he flew—
A rare expression appeared on his face.
One almost never seen.
A look of complete, unmistakable satisfaction.