A Non-combat Magic Artifact Researcher ー Actually Was an Extroadinary S-rank Mage～

Ch.
15: The Infant, Ancient Dragon Hati

 

I placed a blanket gently over the Dragon who fell asleep.

 

A large Dragon is horrifying, but I found the smaller Dragon to be adorable.

 

A cat is adorable, but a bigger cat, such as a lion or tiger would be terrifying.

 

It is a similar feeling to that.

 

Werner: “……I guess the Dragon was tired too.”

 

Though it was tired, it still wanted to repay its debts and came all the way over here.

 

It really is an honorable creature.

 

And because it’s an Infant Dragon, the amount of sleep it requires may be longer.

 

I’ll speak with it tomorrow to discuss a few things, and then I’ll have it return to its home.

 

If it still insists on repaying me, then I’ll ask for a scale or claw in return.

 

An Ancient Dragon’s scales or claw will be a rare material for Magecraft Artifacts.

 

And as I fell onto my bed, I immediately fell asleep.

 

<<<<>>>>

 

I felt a weight on me and woke up.

 

Though my eyes were still closed, I could feel something warm and soft on my chest.
Something was on there.

 

“(pant pant)”

 

Something was breathing on my face.

 

I felt my cheek get licked.

 

Werner: “……..what are you doing?” “You’re awake now, my Lord!

 

Werner: “I’m not your Lord.” On top of my chest, a small Dragon with beautiful scarlet scales sat there.

 

Werner: “……….so, what were you doing?” “I couldn’t help it.
I felt the urge to lick you.” Werner: “I see……”

 

Maybe it’s like a dog’s behavior?

 

Dogs lick a lot too.

 

“I am able to turn into a human form.
If you like, whenever I come into your bed, I can change into that form.” Werner: “No, there’s no need for that.
If you’re coming into my bed, I like your current form better.”

 

“Hehehe.
Reallyー?”

 

Since she spent the effort waking me up, I decided to get up out of bed.

 

Werner: “Is bread okay with you for breakfast? It’s not that good butー”

 

“Oh, I can prepare breakfast!”

 

Werner: “There’s no need for that.
So, is bread okay? Even if it’s not, unfortunately, I only have bread.” “I will gladly have some.”

 

I put the dried out, ration bread on a plate and placed it on top of the table.

 

I made sure to not forget to fill a cup with water and place it next to it.

 

Werner: “You can go ahead and eat.” “Thank you! I will!”

 

I began to eat too.
As usual, the bread did not taste great.

 

It’s not so horrible that I can’t eat it, but it still tastes bad.

 

And I don’t mean to compare this to the bread that is consumed in the Marquis’ house.

 

It is worse than the cheapest bread sold to ordinary citizens.

 

If you leave out the cheapest bread for about 3 days, you’ll get a similar flavor to the dried ration bread.

 

But even then, the cheapest bread would still have a faint sweetness lingering within it whereas this bread does not.

 

That’s how bad it tastes.

 

Werner: “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Werner: “It is not something I should be offering to guests….or visiting Dragons, but this is all I have.” “Hm? I don’t understand, but……..this is good.”

 

I first thought that the Dragon was just being polite.

 

But it really seemed to enjoy the bread as it grabbed it with its small hands and took large bites out of it.

 

Werner: “If you like the bread, I’m glad.
By the way, I am a human named Werner.
Do you have a name?” We haven’t even properly introduced ourselves.

 

It couldn’t be helped.
I was too tired and sleepy last night.

 

“(munch munch munch)…….oh! Forgive me for not introducing myself! I am the daughter of the Great Ancient Dragon King, and my name is Hati.
(munch munch munch).”

 

She mentioned something I couldn’t afford to overlook.

 

Werner: “The Great King? ……what’s that?” Hati: “Hmmmmmmm…..it’s a respectable Ancient Dragon.” Werner: “Can I think of it as the same as the King of a human country?”

Hati: “Ancient Dragons have no country.
Hmmmm…..how should I explain this……? OH! We do not rule over anyone, but we are heavily respected.
That would be the best way to put it.”

 

Werner: “I see…”

 

This new fact about the Ancient Dragon culture piqued my curiosity.

 

But even so, there is an even more important matter now.

 

It is the fact that Hati is trying to call me “Lord” and trying to serve me.

 

Werner: “Hati, if it’s about yesterday, I only did it as a means to save Lotte.
You do not need to feel any debt towards me.
Oh, and Lotte is the human girl that Hati was trying to eat.” Hati: “(munch muー) I cannot do that! I must repay my debt! Besides, Hati never intended to assault Lotte in the first place!”

 

As soon as we were done with introductions, she changed from “I” to “Hati”.

 

I guess it’s more natural for her to do so now that she has introduced herself to me.

 

Werner: “Hm? Then Hati, why did you attack Lotte?” Hati: “(munch)……that…….is a very long story……..(munch munch).”

 

Werner: “I’d like to know after you’re done eating.” Once I was done speaking, Hati continued to eat the bread with delight.

 

Undoubtedly, Hati was being controlled by the Magecraft Tool that I destroyed.

 

What I want to know is how Hati had the Magecraft Tool attached to her.

 

Even though she’s an Infant Dragon, being able to put a Magecraft Tool onto an Ancient Dragon which is stronger than an Elder Dragon is no small feat.

 

Once she was done consuming the bread, Hati spoke.

 

Hati: “That was very delicious! Humans eat such good foodーー”

 

Her tail swayed happily behind her.

 

Werner: “I see.
I’m glad.
So can you tell me about what happened to you yesterday?” Hati: “There is a very good reason for that.
Hati is not an evil Dragon that attacks people for no reason.” Werner: “Could you tell me the reason?” Hati: “Yes.
Hati was traveling freely throughout the world.
During the travel, as I was taking a nap in a forest, an unfamiliar human man came and spoke to me.”

 

Werner: “A human did? That’s rare.” There is no human who would carelessly come speak to an Ancient Dragon that is on equal grounds with a god.

 

If they are not causing any trouble, then humans would avoid making any contact with it.

 

In some regions, people speak of “never poking the dragon” similar to “stepping on a dragon’s tail.”

There are some Dragons who will cause trouble even if they are not provoked, but those are rarer.

 

Hati: “Yes.
It was indeed rare.
The human begged for me to help it.
It asked me to please move a boulder that was blocking a path.”

 

Werner: “A boulder? It’s true that if you can borrow a Dragon’s strength, you can do things more efficiently but….”

 

Hati: “Hati is a good Dragon, so Hati accepted the request wholeheartedly and moved this boulder.”

 

Werner: “Good for you.” Hati: “Yes, Hati is good but……that was a trap.”

And Hati’s tail began to tremble at the mention.

 

<<<<>>>>

 

CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation)

 

Magic Power (ma-ryoku) (魔力) vs Mana (マナ) — I think I’ve seen in American English, Magical energy being described as Magic Energy, Magic, mana, and simply Power.
Going along with these conventions, the translation of “ma-ryoku” (魔力) which is most literally “magic power” becomes problematic(?).
The only time “Magic Power” is used is in its acronym form, MP.
This is used in U.S.
games too.
In Isekai Novels, MP, it is also a common term used, and it will probably be used directly into the English TL if I run into it.
For this series, to make it more aligned with the U.S.
culture, I’ll transition the TL to “magic energy” or “magical energy” whenever “ma-ryoku” comes up again.
I’ll reserve “mana” for when the Japanese term matches exactly with it.

 

I wondered if I should be using identical terms and definitions across multiple series, but though it’s pragmatic in a scientific sort of way, in a literary sense, it can be problematic.
Many authors spend a lot of time and effort trying to make their Magic system stand out, and I’ll try to be consistent with their intentions with each series (as much as the American English language would allow).