Chapter 189: Wives On the Go (5)

“Ryuka, why are you with Hakuryuu-sama?”

“I have returned, Mother. Also I have some business inside the Dragon’s Shrine, so Hakua-sama sent me home.”

“Sent you home — wait, don’t tell me, Ryuka, you rode on Hakua-sama’s back!?”

Bloodlust surged from Cucuruka.

Ryuka’s body shivered from it.

Most people didn't really think the dragons were such a big deal, but for most of the dragonoids, they treated the dragons, who were superior to them, with great respect.

Elders considered it blasphemous and unforgivable if a dragonoid rode on the back of a dragon, moreso if that dragon was the highest ranking colored dragon.

The supreme dragons in this world were called colored dragons and there were four of them, namely — Sekiryuu for the crimson dragon, Hakuryuu for the white, Seiryuu for the blue, and Kokuryuu for the black.

The next high-ranking dragons would be as follows — Karyuu the Fire Dragon, Suiryuu the Water Dragon, Doryuu the Earth Dragon, Fuuryuu the Wind Dragon, Rairyuu the Thunderbolt Dragon, Kouryuu the Light Dragon, and Anryuu the Darkness Dragon. They were called the attribute dragons, so-named for their respective attributes.

There were also attribute dragons who possessed several attributes among them.

For example, there was the Enryuu or Blazing Dragon, who possessed both wind and fire attributes, as well as the Hyouran Dragon, also known as the Blizzard Dragon.

Fundamentally, attribute dragons could never win against the colored dragons no matter how many attributes they possessed.

Dragons who reached the level of attribute dragons and above could understand human speech, and they could also converse with them.

Under those attributes dragons were the common dragons.

Common dragons also had their own hierarchy, and the lowest among them were the wyverns.

Even those wyverns were also powerful, and they could easily kill an A-ranked monster in just a blink of an eye.

The dragons stood at the pinnacle of all the monsters, reigning over them.

“Cucuruka, you don’t have to be so mad at Ryuka. Ryuka adamantly refused, but I forced her to ride on my back.”

“If Hakua-sama speaks so, then so be it.”

The bloodlust directed at Ryuka suddenly vanished.

“Besides, Ryuka can return to being a white dragon, just like me. That’s why she practically has the same rank as me.”

The dragons refer to the dragonoids’ [Dragonize] as [Return to Being Dragons].

“I-indeed, but —”

“Also, Ryuka and I are part of the same family. We married the same man. That’s why, Ryuka’s status is equal to mine.”

“...W-what?”

Cucuruka froze on the spot when she heard Hakua’s words.

“Mother, sorry for the delayed report. I am now officially married to the human named Halt Ernol.”

“Hu-human!? Ryuka, did you forget what your role is? You are the Dragon’s Shrine Maiden. Marrying a human is —.”

“Cucuruka, you better watch your mouth from here on. I won’t forgive you if you insulted Halt, even if you’re Ryuka’s mother.”

“— Hiii!”

Cucuruka might not be on par with Ryuuden — Ryuka and Ryuushin’s father — but she was still considered strong among the dragonoids, and she possessed enough power to be chosen as the village chief.

And yet, that Cucuruka couldn’t move an inch out of fear.

Hakua’s appearance was that of an adorable little girl, but she was staring at her with an icy bloodlust.

“Hakua-sama, sorry. Please restrain your bloodlust. The entire village is quaking in fear.”

The bloodlust that was directed at Cucuruka didn’t only affected her; all the villagers were thoroughly horrified enough for them to imagine that their death was near.

“Uwah, sorry. I overdid it a bit.”

Hakua calmed down.

At the same time, several dragonoids fainted on the spot.

“Mother, I know full well what my duty is as the Dragon’s Shrine Maiden.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Ryuushin had morphed into his complete dragon form, but Halt still knocked him down. I married that Halt.”

“Ryuushin had completely dragonized? That’s… too early. N-no, rather than that, you said he beat the completely dragonized Ryuushin? There is no way that is true. That’s because that child —”

“Ryuushin had morphed into the Kokuryuu. He was magnificent. However, Halt easily blew him off with just a single punch.”

“Wha!?”

The Kokuryuu possessed most powerful attack ability among all the colored dragons — and it was also considered to be the most brutal.

There was no way Cucuruka would believe that her son completed his dragonization into a Kokuryuu but was still easily beaten by someone of the human race.

“By the way, I myself can’t win against Halt. That’s why you’re not allowed to antagonize Halt. You better heed my warning to you.”

“N-no way… Eh, then, Hakua-sama, is it true that you are also married to that Halt person!?”

“Yup. Ryuka and I married him together!”

Hakua hugged Ryuka’s waist while saying those words.

　──＊＊＊──

Hakua and Ryuka finally reached the Dragon’s Shrine, located at the innermost place of the village.

It was the object of worship for both the dragons and the dragonoids — the Shrine dedicated to the Dragon God.

A powerful barrier protected this shrine, and even the dragons couldn’t approach this place usually.

As long as the Dragon’s Shrine Maiden, said to have received the blessing of the Dragon God, was there, they could go right beside the Shrine.

“Hakua-sama, you’re acquainted with the Dragon God?”

“Yup. I learned how to fight from Uncle Sekiryuu.”

The Dragon God is part of the deities, but his status was low.

The reason for that was because there were only a handful of dragonoids and dragons who had faith in him. Thus, even if he was a deity, it was still possible for his existence to vanish, although this was quite a rare occurrence.

Once the Dragon God vanished, the Creator God would choose another dragon to become the next Dragon God.

Thus, the Dragon God was quite a novel existence among the deities, because it was a deity with a position that could be taken over.

The current Dragon God was no other than the Sekiryuu who was Hakua’s acquaintance.

“Would Dragon God-sama appear before us?”

“I wonder? Will he listen to our story?”

Ryuka and Hakua came here in order to look for some clues regarding the Bunshin magic.

Dragons and dragonoids were considered long-lived species, but because their memories were excellent, they basically did not leave any written records behind.

Because of that, the two of them didn’t look for Bunshin Magic clues in any book. They had to ask the dragons and dragonoids who were well versed in magic directly.

Hakua didn’t know the existence of Bunshin Magic.

In that case, they had to ask somebody else — a dragon who lived in this world far longer than her.

However, because there were very few colored dragons, Hakua didn’t even know where her other comrades lived.

That was when the thought of going to the Dragon Shrine together with Ryuka crossed her mind.

If it was the Dragon God’s Shrine, it might be possible to talk to her friend Sekiryuu.

Thus, they came here with that thought in mind.

“At any rate, I’ll try calling Uncle!”

“Yes, you’re right. Let’s try our best.”

Ryuka removed the magical academy’s uniform robe.

Her naked body started to glow.

The white dragon scales that had dotted her entire body started to expand until they covered her entire body.

Ryuka looked like she was donned in the traditional apparel of a shrine maiden.

She started to call on the deity with a clear voice.

“Dragon God-sama, it is I, Ryuka. I have come in order to inquire of you.”

“Uncle~! Can you please come out for a bit~”

Hakua also faced the entrance of the Shrine and started to call out along with Ryuka.

The voices of the Dragon’s Shrine Maiden clad in her shrine uniform and the high ranking Hakuryuu resounded, and the Dragon God’s shrine started to glow.

And then —

“Ryuka, and Hakua, huh. So nostalgic.”

A handsome guy with red hair and red eyes appeared.

It was Sekiryuu, the Dragon Deity, and he had morphed into his human appearance.

“Dragon God-sama.”

Ryuka knelt before the Dragon God.

“Uncle, it’s been a while!”

“Yeah. Both of you look so well, that’s great. Ryuka, how is your school? Did you find a good partn — hm?”

The Dragon God started conversing with Ryuka and Hakua, when he suddenly noticed something.

“Somehow...there’s a nostalgic scent coming from you guys.”

“S-scent?”

“Do I stink?”

“Nah, it’s not an ordinary scent. How should I put it, this is the scent of a soul.”

The Dragon God didn’t dislike this scent.

“Right...This is quite unimaginable, but the scent of the guy who defeated me long ago is coming from both of you.”