Chapter 28

Dragon-san Becomes a Little Girl Part 7

From then on was a very close match.

As expected, Chrome and that girl’s team wasn’t easy to take down. However, Seram and Bernie continuously blocked their paths as Relog and the other boys passed around the ball, aiming for the goal.

They’ll change players whenever one of them got tired and the others who weren’t very athletically talented brought a ball from god knows where and started to practice on the side.

Seram and the girl casted a spell on the ball which the children were using for practice.

As the ball shifted its shape, the children looked at it with a fascinated gaze. When the kids thanked Seram, he felt a little embarrassed.

「Seram! In that direction, go!」

「Got it!」

Bernie who has run past the swarm of children like a war veteran slid through the gaps between the children and passed the ball he took from Chrome to Seram. Finally, as he shook off the girl who has stubbornly chased after the ball, the ball reached the goal. From the tremendous amount of joy they felt from their victory, they forgot everything that has happened between them and hugged each other.

Then suddenly, the boy remembered what has happened between them and the awkwardness pushed over the heart-warming joy of their victory. However, even then they didn’t stop their little celebration.

Chrome was looking at this astonishing sight when he felt an immense pressure rise up behind him.

When he turned around, he saw the girl in an orange dress standing there with a blank expression on her face.

「Is, some, something wrong?」

「….. there is Chro-nii.」

The girl tightened her fist and slowly turned her head towards Chrome after hearing his question. To this pressure, Chrome could only swallow down his spit.

From a quick glance, the girl’s expression was a plain, blank look.

However, Chrome thought she looked more ominous than that one time he saw his master’s full sternness during his training class.

「I know this a strange favour to ask but, if something happens to Seram, please, protect him.」

The girl asked him hesitantly then Chrome replied without hesitation.

「Just leave it to me. After all, I’m his older brother.」

「….. That’s good to hear.」

The girl walked up to Chrome with a rueful look on her face. Then, she gently placed her hand on his head.

「I’m sure you’ll grow up to become a handsome gentleman. Just like your dad.」

「Wha, what are you talking about?」

「Let’s start the next match!」

When the girl patted him regardless of the height difference, Chrome was dismayed by her action that it took him a moment to understand what she has just said.

When he turned around, finally realising what she has said, the girl has already run off towards the ball.

===

Looking around, the sun was already setting over the horizon and the field which they have been running around was tinted with orange.

The children started to feel a little anxious as they realised how late it was.

Then, the spell on the balls faded away with a sound like air escaping the balloon and it went back to its original shape. With this, the children exchanged goodbyes to each other and left the field.

「See you tomorrow Seram!」

Said Relog as she headed back home. Seram watched Relog walk away with a slightly gloomy expression. Then, he realised that Bernie was standing next to him.

「Seram,」

「What,」

An intimidating silence fell between the two boys. However, Bernie broke the silence as if to surrender.

「I… forgot to tell you something before. I was jealous of you. I was jealous that you could use magic.」

「Jealous? That I could use magic?」

When Seram mindlessly repeated Bernie’s statement, Bernie broke eye contact. His face turned vivid red even against the warm tint of orange from the sunset reflected on his face.

「Do you know “Thunder Shock”?」

Seram most certainly did. That was his father’s nickname when he was still in the army.

「He’s one of the warrior mage who fought for the city when there was a magic hazard. Ever since I heard his story, I wanted to become like him. But I didn’t have magic potential. So, I thought I’ll just become friends with someone who can use magic. But even though we’re the same age, you could use amazing spells, but you acted like that was normal. So, I got mad at your laid-back reaction. I was such a jerk wasn’t I. I’m sorry.」

「but, but, I also,」

「that’s all I wanted to say, see you.」

Bernie, who looked refreshed gave a friendly slap on Seram’s back and headed back home just like the other boys.

A few hours ago, the boys were avoiding Seram. Occasionally glancing at each other awkwardly.

Now, they all waved back at Seram with a ball in their hands.

「Seram, thanks for playing with us!!」

Then the other boys followed.

「I won’t lose next time!」

「let’s play another time!!」

At first, Seram choked back as he didn’t know how to respond to this unexpected scene. Yet soon after, he waved back at the boys with a smile.

「See you!!」

Seram didn’t know the feeling which rose up from his chest, but he continued to wave back at the boys until he couldn’t see them anymore.

Then, he felt someone place their hand on his head.

Looking up, it was Chrome.

「I’m happy for you Seram.」

「Thanks」

「It was fun, wasn’t it?」

「….. Yeah.」

Chrome continued to mess up Seram’s dark brown hair while Seram just stood there, letting his brother mess with his hair as he tried to hold back the tears of joy filling up his eyes.

「Well, let’s take that girl back home. Where was the closest police station from here?」

Hearing Chrome’s words, Seram suddenly remembered about the girl.

When the girl first made this suggestion, he didn’t take it very seriously. Yet, thanks to that girl he could talk with Bernie and the other boys. Thanks to that girl, he could play with them.

「Right,」

I need to thank her, he thought.

He looked around the field, but he could not find that girl in the orange dress amongst the people scattering off the field.

It was as if she has dissolved into the few remaining rays of the sunlight.

Chrome also looked around the field with a confused expression but could not spot the little girl.

「That’s strange, did she find her way back home?」

It was then, that the two boys realised that they never asked what her name was.

Realising this, Seram froze on the spot as he felt an emptiness in his chest. That was until he noticed the eerily atmosphere around him, like when the spirits sensed an upcoming threat.

In front of the two boys stood a large black shadow.

「Boys! Oh, I’m so glad I found you two. You’re Seram and Chrome right?」

The boys realised that the large shadow was a tall man. Looking at the boys with a sweet, friendly smile, the man walked up to them.

They didn’t recognise the man but he called out their names so Chrome replied.

「Yes, yes we are.」

「Well you see, you’re mother has suddenly fallen ill. I was with her before she blacked out so I came here to pick up you two boys.」

「Mother has blacked out!?」

The two boys looked at each other as their chest tightened as if someone has squeezed it firmly.

Detecting their panic, the man pushed on.

「Is mother alright!?」

「Your mother is having an operation at the hospital. Come, hurry.」

Seram, whose mind was now filled with mother tried to follow after the man but Chrome grabbed his arm before Seram could take a step.

「Brother!?」

Chrome shook his head seriously as he kept his grip on Seram’s arm.

Seram noticed that Chrome had his left hand on the wooden sword rested on his waist.

Chrome hid his left hand behind Seram, still holding onto the wooden sword and asked the man with full suspicion.

「….. sir, do you know our father?」

「Your father? He has contacted someone else and is already at the hospital. So lets ー」

「You’re lying…..」

Chrome retorted at the man with an eagle-like sharp glare.

「Our father has a very important job for this country’s government. It would take longer for him to ask a stranger to pick us up. Go away you kidnapper!」

「Damn it!!」

The friendly smile on the man’s face turned into a menacing glare as he charged right into the boys.

However, Chrome who already had his two hands on his wooden sword unsheathed the sword and aimed for the man’s shin.

Although it didn’t break any bones, a sword with magic concentrated to it can cause pain beyond speech. As the man fell on the ground from the pain, Chrome turned around and shouted at Seram without wasting a second.

「Seram! Run!」

Seram who wasn’t sure what was happening turned around and tried to run.

However, he got dragged back by a strong force pulling at his wrist. Then, he felt all his magic disappear as something was buckled onto his wrist.

All his strength was gone, and his body seemed to weigh down like it was made of lead. As he was about to collapse, a strong grip at his wrist held him up.

The second man, who was holding up Seram as if he was a stuffed toy clicked his tongue annoyingly

「Geez, you’re such a pain in the neck. We should’ve just caught them like this in the first place.」

「Seram!」

「Bro….. ther…..」

The man looked surprised as he heard Seram, who was desperately fighting back the sudden rush of fatigue, call out to his brother.

「Oh, you can still talk even with the restrainer on you? I’m impressed that a brat like you can possess so much magic. Anyway, let’s just finish off the other kid. Thank god they were all in a place like this. It was close but we’ll make it in time for the due date. Oi, how long are you planning to lay around? Hurry up and kill the brat.」

「Don’t be so impatient, I’ll definitely make him pay for this.」

The man managed to stand with a struggle and unsheathed the sword which was rested on his hip.

Chrome slowly retreated, feeling his sweaty palms.

Seram couldn’t do anything but to watch the sword that dimly reflected the sunset slowly approach his brother.

(anyone, just anyone please save my brother ….. !!!)

It was that moment when Seram yelled out internally.

He heard something pop.

Then, through the darkened surroundings broke through a light bright as the sun, lightening up the field. The man was dazzled by the light and dropped the sword which he was about to swing down.

「Arrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!」

The man screamed as electricity spell suddenly hit him.

「Don’t you dare lay a finger on my sons!」

Kyle who has glided down from the sky on his staff landed between the two men who have captured Chrome and Seram.

His dark brown hair was spiked up with electricity along with the occasional buzzing sound.

「Dad!!」

Chrome cheered with the wooden sword still in his hand as he saw the broad, reliable back of his father.

「Damn it! The mage has already caught up to us!」

As Kyle joined the scene, the man grabbed both of Seram’s arms and threw a spherical magic item and hid themselves in a nearby location.

The sphere automatically launched a spell and exploded as its flare reached out for both Kyle and Chrome.

The two men felt relieved as they believed that Kyle and the others have been blown away by the ear-piercing bang and the skin melting heat of the explosion. Then they saw Kyle, running at a speed of light, surrounded by the electricity spell, making him look like a bolt of lightning.

Kyle stood in front of the men with his staff pointed at them. He appeared to be too clean for someone who was caught up in an explosion just a moment ago.

「Return my precious Seram.」

Although one of the men didn’t really know what was going on, he pulled out a knife and pointed it at Seram.

「O, oi mage! Don’t you dare leave a scratch on me! I’ll kill the child!」

That moment, Kyle who has bravely and swiftly closed into his enemy jabbed the tip of his staff into the man’s gut.

As the man dropped the knife on the ground, Kyle caught the frail-looking Seram. Then, he squeezed the aqua blue stone that was buried into the wrist band and flowed in as much magic as he could.

Suddenly, the wrist band broke into million pieces along with a metallic sound and the liveliness in Seram’s eyes has slowly started to return.

Kyle saw Seram blink a couple of times and gave a long sigh of relief. Then, turned to look at his other son.

「Chrome, are you hurt?」

「Not even a scratch. I even gave him a hit on his shin!」

「Did you now? Great job,」

As Kyle gently patted Chrome’s head who have proudly answered his father’s question, tears started to fill Chrome’s eyes as relief pushed over his worries.

Chrome wiped off his tears with his sleeves as he stood next to Seram who was gaining more and more strength. Leaning against his father’s arm, Seram spoke.

「Father, there’s a problem. That girl is going to get kidnapped.」

It was a vague and absurd explanation, but Kyle knew exactly who Seram was talking about and nodded confidently.

「Don’t worry. Nectar is already dealing with that case. You two don’t need to worry about anything.」

When Seram and Chrome heard their father’s reassuring words, they knew everything was under control.

So, they nodded back confidently, trying to hold back the unstoppable tears pouring out of their eyes.

**********

Soon after, the policemen have rushed over to the field and arrested the two men and took care of the two boys. Then, the scales which was hidden under Kyle’s chest vibrated.

Taking out the scale, he concentrated his consciousness. Two other consciousness has echoed into his head and he felt his head weigh down.

He remembered how his best friend can do this with ease, making him realise that he was no match to this friend. Yet, this wasn’t the first time his friend has made him think like this, so he started the conversation.

『How’s your side doing?』

『It’s going well.』

『….. I am following Lava’s magic from behind. It seems that they’re heading towards the border. At this rate, they will enter the development area.』

Kyle gave an awkward smile as he heard Nectar’s quiet consciousness report the situation professionally unlike Lava’s bubbly and selfless tone.

Lava must have felt the same thing as her hesitation could be sensed through her consciousness.

『Nectar, don’t worry, I’m fine. They haven’t killed or tortured me yet. I mean we’re talking like this right now aren’t we? Though, I am pretending to have passed out so that I won’t break that sealing wrist band.』

『But still, you didn’t need to go to the extent of getting caught by them! The Royals would be satisfied if you make one or two of the criminals confess their crime!』

『Nectar, I thought we talked over this. I, the almighty Lava is the only one who can sneak into their base without buying any of their suspicions and confirm the safety of those children who have been kidnapped. This is just in case one of us get caught up in an ugly situation.』

『I know that, but still』

Kyle felt Lava smile awkwardly as Nectar stubbornly opposed with her.

『Come on, I’m a dragon. Some ordinary criminal group won’t even be able to hurt me.』

『But right now, you’re power is very limited right? You’re such a kind-hearted person so I’m worried that you might blame yourself if anything happens to those children.』

Kyle was surprised to learn that Nectar was thinking so deeply about this whole matter. Lava too was quiet from surprise, but Kyle could feel slight happiness within her silence.

『Well, in that case, I’ll do anything I can do to keep those children safe. Even if I have to use an ancient spell. That’s fine with you, right? Our dear friend.』

『….. yeah, if it’s an emergency situation then it’s fine.』

Thinking about the children’s safety, Kyle couldn’t help it but agree with Lava.

『So Nectar, I’ll be waiting for you so don’t you dare betray my trust. I’ll call you again when I reach the place where all the children are held captive so please come and save me soon, okay?』

『….. Understood.』

As the consciousness cut off, Kyle started to give out orders to messenger spirits that were accompanied by the mages and the policemen on the field.

Kyle looked around his surrounding calmly as it has been his routine for many years now. However, he was aware of the unregistrable fury rising up from his guts.

Kyle welcomed that fury with an open arm as he viciously laughed.

So, these petty criminals thought that they can just take my children away from me, did they? he thought to himself.

『I won’t let them get away easily.』

The battle has begun.