第１０８３堀：〇〇してでも奪い取る (Part2)
"Ah, I passed through that town... Wait, is that it?! These humans were using this water too!"
"Precisely. Well, if one were to ask whose water it is, it's a matter of who claims it first. But without water, one will surely die."
"…So that's why people came here."
Surprisingly, the dragon Coral's voice held a note of chagrin. She seemed to genuinely believe she had erred.
"But I, too, cannot survive without water... Yet, there's no doubt I arrived later..."
She seemed to be grappling with the realization that she had taken from humans. This certainly wasn't the behavior of a truly malevolent dragon. While the outcome led to her being pursued by people and even causing deaths, her actions themselves were driven by self-preservation. My apologies to the survey team, but I could find no reason to slay this dragon. In fact, if she could think this deeply...
"So, what will you do now? Will you remain here? Or will you move on?"
"As I said before, conflict with humans is nothing but a nuisance. Yet, I have no destination. What should I do..."
"In that case, I have a proposal. What do you think?"
"A proposal? What kind of proposal?"
"It's simple. You could come to my village, or move to another land where dragons can live, or perhaps speak with the king of this land."
"Oh, there are surprisingly many options."
"Ah, and one more: you could try to flee without relying on me."
"That option seems to lead nowhere, so I dislike it. And I'll forgo speaking with the king of this land. It sounds rather restrictive."
"That would certainly be the case. Our dragon power is immense, so whether we could live freely under a king is questionable."
Of course. Even if a dragon were to become a subordinate after negotiations, its utility within a nation would be dubious, and other countries would view it with suspicion. Furthermore, if the dragon were to cause trouble in another land, the host nation might be forced to pay reparations. What country would willingly shoulder such a troublesome burden? I certainly wouldn't.
"That leaves coming to my village, or the other land where dragons can live."
"Lord Yuki's village, or the land where other dragons already reside. Would I be able to adapt?"
"That depends on you, Coral. There are all sorts of dragons in the village. Surely, some you'll get along with, and others you might dislike."
"Hmm. And what kind of place is this other land where dragons can live?"
"That's a place where I, too, am looked after. While the spots where one can transform into a dragon are limited, it's a good place with interesting human food and the like. And even if you're a dragon, no one would be particularly surprised."
Hmm? Hey, wait a minute, that place is...
"Oh, that sounds good. A place where humans live without fearing dragons. And if Lord Yuki is there, I have no worries. I'll go there first, and if there are any problems, I'll try Lord Yuki's village."
"Excellent. I believe that's a valid choice. So, when would you like to depart?"
"Hmph. I came here for that very purpose. Very well. Let us follow Lord Yuki as we are."
With that, the black dragon, Coral, was enveloped in a flash of light, only to emerge with long, lustrous black hair that seemed perfectly suited for a kimono... No, perhaps not, with her ample bosom? Never mind that. In short, she transformed into a beautiful woman in her twenties. Completely naked.
"Alright, let's go!"
"Please wait a moment. Do you not have any clothes?"
"Huh? Oh, something like what Lord Yuki is wearing. No, such things are restrictive. Besides, I burned all the clothes those humans were wearing... Ah."
As she spoke, Coral's gaze suddenly fell upon...
"Oh, how convenient! There's a strange goblin all bundled up in clothes. Excellent, I shall borrow those. They were likely stolen from humans anyway. There should be no problem with me wearing them."
"Huh? W-wait a minute!?"
"Oh, this goblin spoke!"
"Ah, no. This is Steve, and he's..."
"Enough! Strip off your clothes! Or I shall take them, even if it means your life!"
"Nooo! A pervert! There's a pervert! And please, don't use that famous line from a certain RPG!"
Right, time to prepare for Coral's arrival. And so, we averted our gaze from the monitor and steadily began our preparations.
"Gyaah! Pervert! Let go of me! I'll hit you, I swear!"
"Oh, you're quite spirited, aren't you!"
A goblin about to have his clothes torn off, and a naked dragon. Yes, it sounds utterly nonsensical. But that's precisely the story, isn't it?