06 - Red Dragon Training

A few days later, Dora-sama took me to a new place.

The place where Dora-sama flew to was outside the city.

In an area with few residents, the building was surrounded by domed walls.

There were several entrances built into the tall walls, and Dora-sama entered through one of them.

Of course, I followed along.

"!"

Immediately, the scent of unknown animals assaulted my nose.

It wasn't bad enough to cover my nose, but I couldn't help but frown.

Not just the smell.

The scent wasn't too different from the Demon World.

More than the smell, I could hear various noises coming from the back of the building.

Disgusting?

No, rather nostalgic.

"…"

Should I have asked where we were? Instead, I could more or less guess.

Just then, Dora saw the questions on my face and spoke.

"This is the dragon training ground."

I responded with an "Oh" to that and looked around.

I had heard of this place.

The Dragon Race can fly with their own wings using force fields, allowing them to fly quickly and navigate at high speeds.

But Dragon Touki is limited, so flying long distances is exhausting.

When the Dragon Race needs to travel far, we ride a Red Dragon.

The Red Dragon is the smallest of the dragons, but its range is relatively wide in comparison.

However, the Red Dragon is naturally ferocious.

After all, Red Dragons and the Dragon Race were natural enemies.

If left untamed, they would attack and eat the Dragon Race.

That's why we train and domesticate them here.

Capture a Red Dragon, teach them that the Dragon Race is at the top of the hierarchy, and train them as mounts.

"From today, you work as my subordinate. You will work here from now on."

"Yes!"

"Even if you weren't working for me, I would have brought you here at least once. Because living in the Dragon World, we cannot avoid a relationship with other dragons."

Dora-sama said and began moving toward the back of the building.

The interior of the building was larger than it seemed from the outside.

As we walked, I asked Dora-sama several questions.

"Why did you ask me to serve you?"

"When I heard your discussion with Dragon God-sama, I thought my work was great."

"Great?"

"Our work is appreciated by many of the Dragon Race without resentment."

Training dragons seemed like a special task.

However, in reality, many dragons exist as livestock in the Dragon World.

Dragon Warriors need to tame dragons and fight alongside them.

More than livestock, they are also companions and partners.

In our world, it would be closer to the relationship between a knight and his horse.

Although it's called a training ground, this building isn't just for training.

From treating severely ill dragons to delivering newborns, it serves multiple functions.

It's a place where Dragon Warriors can take care of their partners.

The Dragon World is a cruel world.

In battle, even a Red Dragon can die.

Therefore, many among the Dragon Race deeply appreciate Dora-sama for her work.

Of course, it's not always possible to save a mortally wounded dragon.

But no one holds a grudge against Dora-sama when she can't save one.

The Dragon Race does not blame those who did their best.

That's why dragon training was perfect for me.

It will take some time, but my name will spread throughout the country.

It's also not a glamorous job, so no one will stir up trouble.

"You are an excellent student. I want to keep talent like yours under my wing."

"...I am honored to be praised."

I was a little embarrassed to be praised by Dora-sama, but she looked away and continued down the passage.

We walked through a narrow corridor for a while and reached a large passage.

Large enough for Red Dragons to pass each other.

There were many cages inside the passage, and within them, large red reptiles were curled up and lying down.

"These are Red Dragons."

"…Surprisingly calm, aren't they?"

The Red Dragon is a ferocious dragon.

It would attack and eat anything that crossed its path.

However, the Red Dragons before me were just there, watching Dora-sama and me with blank expressions.

It was my first time seeing the real thing up close, but they looked quite different from what I had expected.

"This one has already been trained. If you go a little further, you'll see a dragon acting like a dragon."

"I see… So what should I do first?"

"The work of newcomers has been the same since ancient times."

I followed Dora-sama deeper into the passage.

Then, just as Dora-sama had said, the dragons' cries grew louder.

I heard a rustling sound, like wings flapping.

The cages became sturdier, enclosing rougher individuals.

Some growled and tried to intimidate me when they noticed a newcomer had arrived.

When Dora-sama looked back, they quickly quieted down again.

"This area contains individuals that have been training for a few years. Still quite wild. Once they judge that all Dragon Race are allies, they can be moved to other areas where more Dragon Race frequent, gradually moving toward Kayos.

"The ones caged at the farthest end are individuals that have just started training. They are no different from wild animals."

"My job is to train them, right?"

I said this because I thought only the deepest part remained.

However, I was scolded by Dora.

"Fool. I can't let a novice handle the most important and dangerous role. Here."

Then, Dora-sama led me down a side road between the cages.

As we followed the side road, I heard a terrible roar.

Perhaps a wild, untamed dragon had roared.

The roar of giant reptiles could send shivers down one's spine.

If you listened closely, your knees might give out.

Even though I had hunted beasts in the Demon World, I froze for a moment.

Of course, dragons are probably on another level compared to demon beasts.

If Dora-sama weren't in front of me, my legs would probably have locked up.

Dora-sama saw right through me.

She turned and observed me with her usual cold gaze.

"What's wrong? Afraid?"

"No, just surprised."

"Good. If you're this uncomfortable, you won't be able to do your job."

I have to do better.

What awaits me here is not just a trivial job.

I can't underestimate this.

But I thought it might be safer than fighting.

■

I was taken to the cage of a red dragon.

The red dragon was much smaller than the others.

At the time, I thought it was probably a young or immature specimen.

The dragon seemed agitated, growling and breathing heavily. It was wary of us, pressed against the wall.

Preparing to bite.

The dream of riding it as a mount seemed like a distant fantasy.

"First, you're in charge of training this guy."

"Yes!"

"I'm not going to teach you anything. Dragons—you'd better get used to them with your own skin."

Aside from flying, Dora-sama had taught me everything step by step.

I felt as if I had suddenly been thrown out alone.

But my training was over, as was our relationship as student and teacher.

Now that I was her replacement, it was only natural that she expected me to be independent.

"If you think it's not working, you can kill it."

"Kill?"

"I'll give you about a year."

Just like that, Dora-sama left.

Leaving me and the dragon behind, growling in the corner.

"Grrrr... Gao!"

"..."

In front of me, a threatening dragon.

I thought for a moment as I faced it.

How can I make this dragon submit?

Do I have to defeat it?

No, with such a small dragon, any member of the Dragon Race could probably beat it, capture it, and bring it here.

Since it wasn't submissive, it probably didn't yet understand the difference in strength.

It would be useless for me to try that.

"..."

After thinking for a bit, I left the scene.

I returned to the corridor to greet a member of the Dragon Race passing by.

Though he looked at me suspiciously, I gave him a respectful greeting.

"Hello, I'll be working with Dora-sama from today. I'm Laplace."

"...A rookie? I'm Gala."

"Gala-sama, may I ask you something?"

Did I give up and ask my superior for help?

No, not really.

Dora-sama told me to feel the dragon with my own skin.

If I asked my superior for help, it would go against her orders.

But I thought my method would require some preparations.

"Where is the food for the dragons?"

"Oh, just go straight over there..."

Yes, bait.

It was a simple idea, but first and foremost, I thought food was important.

For wild creatures, the search for food is a matter of life and death.

When I was alone, my daily life revolved around searching for food.

So, first, food.

Following Gala's directions, I visited the food storage and took a portion from the handler.

It was a giant chunk of red dragon meat.

Dragons cannibalize each other for meat.

Even though the Dragon Race eats dragons, we don't eat our own. That's what sets us apart from beasts.

Anyway, I returned to the Red Dragon with my bait.

First, fill its stomach.

That's the first important step.

"Gugaaaaa!"

However, the dragon only looked at me and growled.

As if to say, "I don't need that, go away!"

Even when I placed the meat in front of it, it didn't even glance at it.

It didn't seem like it would eat anything from me.

Maybe it suspected poison.

"...That didn't work."

Do I give up?

Even though I expected to make progress after it was satisfied.

If I thought about it, it wasn't so different from me in the Demon World.

After living as a wild child in the Demon World and undergoing all my studies and training in the Dragon World, I couldn't give up so easily.

"Oh yeah!"

No, there was something else.

In my limited experience, there was a way to make a strong impression.

"Let's give it a name."

A name.

Yes, a name.

I think a name is important to establish a hierarchical relationship.

When I was named, I felt like something significant had happened.

The moment I was named by the Dragon God, I felt reborn.

That's why I will give it a name.

At that time, the Dragon Race generally didn't name their dragons.

Dragons were just dragons. While we distinguished them by species, we rarely differentiated individuals.

"Your name is..."

But for me, it was the first time naming something.

The name didn't come to me immediately, and I had to think for a bit in front of the growling dragon.

"Uwoah!"

Did my hesitation seem weak?

The dragon suddenly leaped and attacked me.

"Hold still."

I effortlessly grabbed its upper jaw.

Compared to Dora-sama's speed, the terrified lizard might as well have been standing still.

That was the difference in power.

By then, I had started to understand how to use Dragon Touki through training.

Even though I couldn't fully utilize my power yet, it was enough to handle a small dragon.

No matter how much the dragon struggled, its upper jaw remained locked in the air, unmoving.

Even if it tried to escape my grasp or bite my hand, it was useless.

Then, in the dragon's mind, the painful training experiences at the hands of other members of the Dragon Race resurfaced.

Fearing pain, it flapped its wings and tried to flee.

But it couldn't move.

Its upper jaw remained locked, and no matter how much its body thrashed and twisted, it couldn't break free.

Eventually, the dragon grew tired and stopped moving.

At the same time, I thought of something.

"Saleyakt... Yes, your name is Saleyakt."

When I said that, the dragon slowly looked at me.

Its eyes reflected a member of the Dragon Race different from the others—one with violent hair and taboos.

As the dragon watched, I repeated the word "Saleyakt."

Of course, the name had no particular meaning.

But I had finally decided what to call it.

"Gugu..."

Red dragons are fierce but intelligent creatures.

So, it immediately understood that it had been given a name.

It also realized that it couldn't overpower me.

When I let go, Saleyakt immediately shrank into a corner of the room.

With its tail tucked into the corner, it stared at me with frightened eyes.

"Saleyakt. Food. Eat."

I placed the bait before Saleyakt once again.

A huge piece of dragon meat.

"Grrrr... Gao!"

Saleyakt looked at it, then at me, and barked again.

Even knowing it couldn't win, it still didn't want to submit.

Well, if it had submitted so easily, it wouldn't have been locked up here.

In the end, it didn't eat the meat that day.

It just waited for me to leave.

I started to understand what Dora-sama meant by feeling the dragon with my own skin.

Dragons are stubborn and do not easily submit to the Dragon Race.

They are not like the domesticated ones ridden by Dragon Warriors; you need to know how to deal with wild dragons first...

I continued waiting with Saleyakt.

For a long time.

One day, two days, until the meat rotted and became putrid.

When it was no longer edible, I discarded the meat in front of Saleyakt.

I took the meat to the dump and threw it away.

What do you think I did after that?

I picked up a new piece of meat and placed it in front of Saleyakt once again.

It was foolish, senseless, and repetitive.

But I couldn't help it.

Because this was the task Dora-sama had assigned to me.

I had no intention of giving up until it was completed.

However, I didn't know how to do it.

I thought of trying various things, but they would only work once Saleyakt started eating.

He probably wanted to eat.

I knew how hard it was to be hungry.

But Saleyakt did not eat.

Not even after three, four, or five days.

I didn't eat either.

Changing the meat many times, I fasted beside Saleyakt.

It became a contest to see who would break first.

■

How many days had passed?

The first to give in was Saleyakt.

Did he surrender and take a bite of the meat…? No.

It was hunger.

His hunger had reached its limit.

No longer having the strength to hold on, he dropped his belly to the ground and collapsed.

Even so, his glowing eyes were still fixed on me.

Though they no longer seemed as intimate…

On the other hand, I was still fine.

Whether it was the blood of the Dragon Race or the Demon Race, I could go a hundred days without food.

But even I was surprised.

I never thought Saleyakt would still refuse to eat, even on the brink of starvation.

Having starved myself before, it was hard to believe.

At the same time, I gained a sense of respect for him.

He refused to submit, even in the face of hunger.

I wondered if his pride was more important.

If I had to choose between betraying the Dragon God and food, I would have done the same.

Better dead.

But few people can actually do that in practice.

I decided to witness his death.

I was entrusted with his training by Dora-sama.

Dora-sama's command was the same as Dragon God-sama's command. It could not be refused.

Moreover, I was told that I could kill him.

So I thought I would let him die while keeping his pride intact.

"Goodbye, Saleyakt. I will never forget your pride, so at the very least, I will be a witness to your end."

Saying that, I sat beside Saleyakt.

Not exactly touching, but closer than before.

That was when Saleyakt and I faced each other for the first time.

One hour, two hours?

I watched Saleyakt for a while.

Saleyakt continued to stare at me.

I thought that time would last forever.

Until the moment death came for Saleyakt and his eyes lost their power.

"Slime..."

But just then.

Saleyakt averted his eyes.

As if he could no longer endure the staring contest.

Instead, he turned toward the meat.

With what little strength he had, he moved his neck, bringing his mouth closer to the meat.

He was trying to eat.

I didn't know what internal conflict he had.

Swallowing his pride, he chose life.

He wanted to live.

However, he was on the verge of exhaustion.

He could barely leave a bite mark with his remaining strength.

He couldn't even chew.

I immediately stood up.

I picked up a piece of meat and chewed it.

The meat was tough and sticky, but I had a strong jaw and sharp fangs, so I chewed through it.

After softening the meat, I placed it into Saleyakt's mouth.

Slowly, docilely, Saleyakt swallowed the meat I had softened.

Seeing that, I chewed a few more pieces and fed them to Saleyakt.

As I chewed the meat, I also felt hunger.

So sometimes, I swallowed some myself.

After repeating this several times, the original piece of meat was gone.

I immediately ran to the food stores and brought another piece.

By then, Saleyakt had already regained some strength.

It wasn't enough for him to stand, but a bit of his strength returned, and the light in his eyes came back as he looked at me.

It was quite fast for him to digest it, but dragons are powerful and resilient creatures, so that's just how it is sometimes.

Ignoring that, I took a piece of meat in my hand, chewed, and swallowed.

I pushed the remaining meat in front of Saleyakt.

Showing him how I ate and wanting him to do the same.

Even Saleyakt knew how to eat meat.

Hesitantly, he stretched his neck and licked the meat.

The taste was delicious, even with my saliva.

After licking it a few times, realizing how hungry he was, he clung to the meat.

Holding the meat with his front paws, he bit into the tough muscle with his fangs, chewing, crushing, swallowing bones and all.

Saleyakt was absorbed in eating for a while.

But suddenly, he turned back to me.

Beyond the meat.

Watching the person sitting there, watching him eat.

Gently, Saleyakt pushed the tender meat toward me.

Seeing that, I remained still for a few seconds, then took a bite and chewed the meat as well.

At first, I didn't know what he wanted, but I quickly realized that we were supposed to eat together.

So after taking a few bites, I handed the meat back to Saleyakt.

Saleyakt growled happily, chewed the meat, and after a few bites, gave it back to me.

Then, after exchanging the meat several times, it was gone.

I placed my hand on Saleyakt's head and opened my mouth.

"Saleyakt. I will raise you."

At that time, Saleyakt couldn't understand the language of the Dragon Race.

However, he seemed to understand what those words meant.

From that day on, Saleyakt was no longer afraid of me.

That was the first step in my task and a great leap forward for me.

You know?

We grow through failure, but not just failure.

Only success, even if just once, can push someone forward.