Published at 1st of September 2019 10:14 pm

Chapter 4: The Dragon Will Soon Go Out and Leave the Nest Part 1

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広すぎる家では心も離れてしまう (Goethe)

(TLN: couldn’t find the original quote)

“Hey, it’s the sun”

From the azure sky golden light shined down on my face.

The light pierced the clouds like an arrow and without lingering in the wind it extended straight to the world.

A little while ago the dark blue of the night remained in the western sky, but now that it had reached here it was rolled from the bottom up.

Morning came to the world.

Yggdrasil and I were in the sky at an altitude of 5000 meters and we looked at the sea in the horizon.

From the water surface which had a metallic luster vapor slowly rose, became sea mist and drift away.

The bowl of the sky that was turned upside down was like the feathers of a male pheasant and created deep and beautiful gradations.

Mountains towering on the earth praise the sun that just appeared and their shadows kept extending endlessly.

And just the introduction of an orchestral music the world slowly woke up.

Everything was beautiful in the morning light, but there was something that shined especially dazzling and I could only admire it.

Taiki Yggdrasil.

Her bark was dyed pink by the gentle newborn light.

If you looked up you could see that her eternal green leaves wore a layer frost because of the high altitude and they shone like polished emerald.

Yggdrasil. She was the most beautiful in the world, the oldest and holiest world treasure.

“I . . . , love this world very much.”

Yggdrasil said to me in a transparent voice which was fresh like the morning air.

My heart made a sound at her words.

I also tried convey my words to her [I like this world] but my voice broke off like a cirrus cloud and faded away and for some reason didn’t become words.

(Fumu, this wasn’t good . . .)

I put the 4th mark in front of my eyes.

With my sharp fingernail, the huge black turtle stone bedrock was like putting a knife in a ripe melon and I can easily carve marks.

Dragon’s scratch marks were the proof of territory. Even the stupidest animals of this island won’t overstep this territory.

Because invading the dragon’s territory was equal to death.

“Really, I can’t express my gratitude. Honorable great dragon.”

The lamia deeply lowered her head to me.

She from a while ago repeatedly bowed and rubbed her head against the earth.

This happened every time I applied a mark. I felt bad that she stood on ceremony.

I somehow persuaded her to finally raise her head.

The cheeks of the one watching me regained their color by the blood circulation and released a particular atmosphere unique to lamias.

Behind her was the blood and meat of the cattle that I had handed over to this mother and child.

This morning, I who filled my belly with Yggdrasil’s sap as usual, went to the north spring where the lamia lived. And as I promised the lamia yesterday, I ‘practiced hunting’ on the way.

At the bank of a large river an aged buffalo which got separated from its herd became they prey of my claws without much effort. I broke the neck of the bull in one breath so that it didn’t have to suffer after it lost consciousness by my roar.

From my previous life till now, it was the first time for me to have deprived the life of a living being, my mind as a dragon might be it because I was able to smoothly accept my first hunting.

My eyes didn’t show anything, but I prayed “I do not ask for forgiveness. Your life won’t be wasted” and I flew to the north spring with the buffalo in my claws.

I pretended to not notice that it ‘felt good’ when my claws were covered with blood . . .

I who got to the north spring gave the lamia a big surprise, but she with some caution she accepted it.

‘Cheap and cunning’ the lamia laughed when I told her that I caught the prey like I promised and she repeatedly gave me words of thanks after I she saw the bull.

Because it was a waste of time “Thanks aren’t needed so please eat, the meat will rot while thanking me” and I forcibly stopped the endless bowing by laying the ox beside her.

Though she hesitated momentarily, she thanked me once more and finally took the bull’s meat. And without rest the lamia continued to chew the meat.

Although she was a woman who always looked courageous but wasn’t she in a state near starvation? The bull lost its shape in a moment.

After eating half of the meat the lamia wiped the blood from her mouth she once again gave me words of gratitude and offered me the remaining half of the bull.

All the meat on the shoulder and back which were sinewy was gone, but the most delicious part, the stomach and buttocks were untouched.

“I’m not hungry so I don’t have to eat” I said to her but she answered that her stomach was filled more than enough.

Because she was too obstinate “The remaining half, eat it for your child if you are no longer hungry” and when I said that she looked down slightly ashamed but she finally listened to me.

After all she was still reserved with me. And then she remaining meat went into her stomach.

Surely the child in her belly must be pleased too. The stomach of the lamia swelled out more than usual.

However, because she was so thin up till now but the child in the belly of the lamia might be actually still growing.

Perhaps it might be born in less than a month later. If the baby was born I would need to warn the foreign enemies even more.

For the child she will give birth to I decided to make my nest and dragon territory near the lamia.

If she was inside the dragon territory she could give birth to the child at ease and she should be able to raise it.

Thus I applied territory marks on four rocks that enclosed the nest of the lamia. I prayed that the mother and child could live calmly.

“Great dragon, you are mine and my child’s benefactor. Although I’m weak, is there anything I can do for you?”

The lamia in return for the territory and the bull wanted to express her gratitude.

. . . Fumu. I thought for a while.

Even if she said it was as gratitude I couldn’t think of a request for the lamia with this dragon’s body of mine.

The things a lamia couldn’t do but a dragon could were as countless as the stars, so there was nothing that a lamia could do that a dragon couldn’t do on his own.

Still the lamia claimed that she would do anything she could do.

Did eating the blood and meat cause her to regain her vigor, because her cheeks which were pale like earthenware a while ago were now dyed slightly red.

The lamia looked at me with wet eyes, modestly but surely she approached me.

Why did I feel like that I was cornered in an awfully tight place.

I had to say something now.

While feeling a strange uneasiness on my skin I started to think hard.

The moment when the lamia tried to slowly extend her hand to me.

“Yes that’s it! A nest, I’m looking for a nest!”

. . . that I answered.

I answered after finally remembering it. It was so, I had been searching for a nest.

The hollow of Yggdrasil was splendid. If it was possible I wanted to live my whole life there. However that place was hers and it wasn’t good if stayed forever.

I in the end promised that until I found a new nest and lived there as my temporary nest.

First I rolled into the house of a woman and only lived while sipping sweet honey without working, but wasn’t that like a gigolo?

It could be said that I was just born, but I was already a full-fledged dragon.

A dragon shouldn’t be exposed to such a frivolous way of life. A new nest must be found as soon as possible.

However it wasn’t an easy task to find a nest for a dragon.

First of all the big body was a big problem. To live comfortably in a den it was necessary for the cave to be several times bigger than my body.

Moreover if the cave of rock wasn’t durable it might collapse if I turn over in my sleep.

Though it was natural but the place where other beings are already living was out of question.

I didn’t intend to deprive other of their nest for myself.

Also it nest was required to be not too far from Yggdrasil. Even if some day the time came when I ate blood and meat like the lamia, I would still want to sip the sap of the taiki.

If it was possible I wanted it to be near the taiki at a distance of five minutes of flying.

A sunny place would be good because the cave easily gets damp, also it would be good if the entrance was to the south, as for the surroundings of the nest, it would be good if the wind often blew and it had an open area. It would be great if there was a water place near it.

Fumu . . . when I thought about it, the nest shouldn’t be easily found. The lamia was silently waiting while I was lost in thoughts.

Here, I liked the rocky mountain and digging a hole with my claws was possible. Thought it would take time but Yggdrasil was gentle and until I finished digging my den she would surely let me live with her.

When I had such thoughts the modest of the lamia interrupted me.

“Ano . . . although the place has some story but it’s the only one that comes to my mind.”

It was in the middle of the straight line connection the nest of the lamia and Yggdrasil, there was a large plain on one side, but if she wasn’t mistaken something was enshrined in the big rocky mountain.

(ラミアの巣とユグドラシルを結んだ直線のちょうど真ん中あたり、一面の広い平原の中に、まるで生まれる場所を間違えて来たかのような巨大な岩山が鎮座していた。Unsure about this)

At the foot of the mountain there was an entrance to the cave that was like a huge mouth.

The inside was larger than imagined and it had nearly the size of the hollow of Yggdrasil.

There was also a water place in the vicinity, the sun was also good. There wasn’t a shadow that indicated that this place was inhabited. Why was this suitable place for a den not used by anybody? I thought that it was strange and asked the lamia.

“Actually this place was once the nest of a hydra.”

So she said that a brutal hydra lived here 20 years ago.

It randomly hunted the beings of the island, the hydra used poisonous breath and was feared by all creatures on the island, so she said that nobody dared to approach this rocky mountain.

And I heard that the hydra challenged the dragon without knowing its limit.

The hydra was a dragon subspecies and it was an old truth that it was no match for a dragon. The hydra was tragically defeated and its body was devoured by the dragon.

After losing its master the cave had become unoccupied, even now after 20 years had passed the creatures around here recall the fear of the hydra, so It was passed down that nobody lived here.

Indeed it was certainly in the memory of the preceding dragon, the image of how the white dragon tore the nine heads like silk cloth was left behind.

“ . . . I could only think of this place. So . . . how about it?”

The lamia asked fearfully. The den originally belonging to a hydra might be inferior.

I took a look at the den again.

Though the hydra was extremely ugly, but it was ill-matched with this fine quality den.

It was convenient that no creatures approached due to the fear of the hydra. So the surrounding creatures wouldn’t be stimulated in vain.

As for the location and size, it was a spending den so didn’t think further about it.

I thanked the lamia for guiding me. She was honored that she could be useful and I laughed joyfully.

Thus I unexpectedly obtained a new den.

When I thought of leaving Yggdrasil’s place and live here starting tomorrow, my heart for some reason becomes clouded with fog.

“So a new den was found. Above all a good one was found.”

At dinner (sap) I told Yggdrasil about the new den I found.

She was pleased that I found a den by myself. And she celebrated with me.

“. . . you’re moving already. . ., although it was short it was enjoyable.”

She continued. It wasn’t my delusion, but I could hear a bit of disappointment and loneliness in her voice.

I wonder why? My heart was like a dustcloth which was squeezed tightly.

I couldn’t understand the true nature of this pain, but my throat was blocked and I couldn’t breathe.

Because I couldn’t breathe I tried to spit out the air by force and some words came out of my mouth.

“No, not yet! I’m not moving yet. The important things aren’t enough yet!”

“Important things . . . what’s that?”

Yggdrasil asked me.

‘The important things aren’t enough’ though these words left my mouth, but it was a coherent story.

A den must be completed or else I couldn’t move yet.

Really, what wasn’t enough?

Though I had neither complaint about the location nor the size, the den was ideal, but there were still insufficient things. There should be necessary things.

I thought. The things necessary for a den, what on earth was necessary for one?

What was done in a den? What do I need in a den?

In here what did the den not have . . . ?

“ . . . Yes that’s it! The floor! A bed was necessary!”

A simple answer left my mouth. The den didn’t have a bed.

A small bark which became loose fell in the hollow of Yggdrasil, it was a natural bed with moderate softness and heat retention, but the new den was made of cold rock.

Though it wasn’t impossible for a dragon to sleep in a cold place with its hard rock skin either, but there should be a comfortable bed. Because the calm sleep leads to a rich life.

It was so. A bed was necessary. Let’s slowly build an ideal bed starting tomorrow.

Even Yggdrasil,

“Yes, that’s right. It is sufficient that there was a soft bed to be able to sleep. Fufufu, then until the bed is completed treat me well from tomorrow on too. Roommate-san.

The voice of such a Yggdrasil, though it might be my delusion too, but I could hear that it bounced brightly.

When I heard her bright voice my heart becomes bright like a blooming flower.

I talked to Yggdrasil about today’s events and afterwards I happily closed my eyes in this soft and warm hollow.

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