15 - Funeral

Dragon God-sama let out a voiceless sound when he saw the mortal remains of Lunaria-sama.

"Ahh… Aaahh…"

His eyes widened, mouth open, looking at the room in disbelief.

Me too.

I too could never believe what I was seeing.

Lunaria-sama is dead.

In a pool of her own blood.

She who accepted me as her own, dead.

Who? Why?

I do not understand.

She held no grudges against anyone.

Everyone in Dragon World loves her dearly.

No one would ever think of killing her.

Even so, I could hear the baby crying nearby.

A wailing cry.

The voice of losing someone irreplaceable.

The son of the Dragon God is crying.

That brought me back to reality.

"Ahhhh…"

I saw Dragon God-sama,

An emotion I had never seen on his face.

A voice never before heard from him.

Anger, pain, resentment.

Clad in a torrent of emotions.

Confusion, anxiety, shock.

Expressing a whirlwind of emotions.

I had never seen Dragon God-sama so emotional.

He crouched down and held Lunaria-sama in his right hand and his son in his left.

Lunaria-sama likely did not have a quick death.

There were scratches all over her body.

There was a potentially fatal wound on her neck, three on her chest, two on her abdomen, and eight on her back.

Truly terrible.

The assassin overdid it more than necessary to kill her.

Although Lunaria-sama was human, like a version of the Human God, she was full of kindness and compassion, completely detached from conflict.

Yet, such a gentle creature resisted with so much vigor.

After so many fatal wounds, she still remained unyielding in the face of the enemy.

Why?

It was obvious.

She curled up like a turtle to protect someone.

To protect the son of Dragon God-sama, her son.

Lunaria-sama resisted the attacker and was killed for it.

But she protected him.

Despite the countless scars on her back, as proof that the child was still alive.

After killing Lunaria-sama, the assassin likely fled.

"Why…?"

The dragon god murmured expressionlessly.

Talking to himself, as he reassessed the situation.

Perhaps he thought the same as I did.

The identity of Lunaria-sama's murderer.

"Whyyyyyy?!"

The roar of the Dragon God shook the entire house, the whole city trembled, even the mountain itself shook.

"Who killed her!?"

The murderous intent permeated the entire Dragon World.

All living things trembled in horror.

Trembling in God's wrath.

From the smallest lizard to the flying dragons, to the Dragon Race itself, we all trembled in horror.

I was no exception.

My whole body trembled and sank in place.

I understood that Dragon God-sama would not hurt me, yet I could not control my unconscious fear.

"Aaaaaaaaah!"

A ray of light shone from the body of Dragon God-sama.

What I perceived as light.

But it was a punch.

A fist carrying the indescribable rage of a dragon god passed through me.

When I turned around, there was a huge hole in the walls.

Through it, the city of Kayos was continuously visible.

A large space at the back of the urban landscape became an open cavern.

With a single blow, Dragon God-sama blasted a solid piece of Dragon Roar Mountain.

It was embarrassing to say this... But I peed a little.

At that moment, I could have been obliterated like those stones.

Would it not be strange for Dragon God-sama to leap from the house to unleash his fury.

"…"

But that did not happen.

Because there was someone who feared God's wrath.

His son.

After Dragon God-sama took him by the left hand, he was no longer sobbing.

Although still sniffling, he raised his head to look at Ragon God-sama.

As if relieved that he had arrived.

"…"

Dragon God-sama saw the child and calmed down a bit.

He understood.

That he still had something to protect.

"Laplace."

Dragon God-sama called my name.

"Yes, I'm here!"

"Gather the Five Dragon Generals. Find the assassin."

"Yes!"

I did not request a plan for the search.

I did not suggest finding out the motive first.

The Dragon God was angry.

An anger never seen before.

The Five Dragon Generals received orders to summon and hunt down the criminal.

Then we obeyed.

■

The Dragon Generals immediately assembled.

It is natural to follow a direct order from Dragon God-sama.

I ran to each of the Five Dragon Generals to relay the order and gather them.

They will run to every command of Dragon God-sama, no matter what happens, for these are the Five Dragon Generals.

Furthermore, with the murder of Lunaria-sama, it would be strange if the Five Dragon Generals did not do so.

"What..? Lunaria-sama was murdered...?"

When I reported the circumstances to the Five Dragon Generals, they all had expressions of pain.

No one in Dragon World hates Lunaria-sama.

Especially considering the birth of the Dragon God's son.

When the Five Generals learned of the matter, they all looked down with a pained look.

There is no one in the dragon world who hates Lunaria.

Considering Dragon God-sama's loss, everyone suffered for him.

"Lunaria-sama's body had countless wounds. This suspect is obviously a person."

I made my report.

Dragon God-sama remained silent after the Five Dragon Generals assembled.

He seemed to have calmed down a bit from before, but slowly a terrible murderous intent emerged from the corner of his room.

After my report, Dragon God-sama finally spoke.

"Find the criminal and drag him to me."

All the Dragon Generals trembled at that voice.

Even I was terrified.

The wrath of the Dragon God-sama.

I had never seen him like this before.

Even when Crystal, one of the Five Dragon Generals, died, he did not become so furious.

"We obey!"

Immediately the Five Dragon Generals responded and their gazes changed.

If it were a command from Dragon God-sama, we would descend into the depths of hell.

The wrath of Dragon God-sama is also our wrath.

We are all determined to find Lunaria's murderer.

"Go."

"Yes!"

At Dragon God-sama's command, the Five Dragon Generals spread out throughout the Dragon World.

Each one searching for the culprit in his own way.

I also want to find them in my own way.

"Laplace, stay."

However, I was stopped by Dragon God-sama.

It was a surprise.

After all, I have a magic eye.

The ability to track the criminal from the clues he left behind.

These traces do not disappear immediately, but dissipate over time.

No one should be more qualified than me.

I also had the record of capturing the criminal who killed Crystal.

"Why? I also want to find the culprit behind Lunaria-sama's death...!"

But I had a more important role.

"Let us mourn for Lunaria."

At that moment, I finally understood that the dragon god was not only angry.

He was sad.

If you think about it, it is natural.

To be honest, I knew very little about Dragon God-sama's feelings.

I did not realize how much he loved her.

Dragon God-sama had always been somewhat distant.

As if he always kept a reasonable distance from Lunaria-sama.

But that was not the case.

Dragon God-sama truly loved Lunaria.

He just had a different way of showing it.

"Understood."

To me, who had given the greatest salute, Dragon God-sama said calmly: "thank you".

■

The funerals in Dragon World were a special event.

The family member closest to the deceased was responsible for carrying the dead.

This person was usually the spouse, siblings, or parents of the deceased... or for those who did not have immediate family, friends, colleagues, or even immediate superiors.

The dead were collected from where they lay and taken to the center of the city.

Each city had an altar in its center.

It is an altar to pray for a safe rebirth for the recently deceased.

Also, where other loved ones can pay their respects.

I don't remember the details, but the message was that you would be reborn under the command of Dragon God-sama in your next life.

After the rituals were performed, the dead were taken to the outskirts of the city.

Circle around the perimeter once in a clockwise direction.

Dragon God-sama holding Lunaria-sama, while I carried the son of Dragon God-sama, we carefully completed the ceremony and circled the city.

Other dragon races stretched out their palms and crossed their hearts when they saw who was carrying the dead.

The greatest salute of the Dragon Race.

We raised our fist to the living, but not to the dead.

That was the way of the Dragon Race.

Under normal circumstances, you only bow when witnessing the body.

But all the inhabitants of the city came to attend Lunaria-sama's funeral, gathering within its inner perimeter.

Everyone loved Lunaria-sama dearly.

Everyone wanted to see her one last time.

After circling once, we arrived at a small round building.

A building made of stone.

On its walls, many names are engraved.

There were also several stone tablets, also engraved with names.

Names of those who passed in the Dragon World.

Dragon God-sama carried Lunaria-sama inside the building, and a person quickly approached.

Tattered wings and scattered scales.

It is an old man.

The Dragon Race lives long, but we are not immortal.

We all eventually die.

He seemed hurt when he recognized Lunaria-sama.

"How could Lunaria-sama have died… What a tragedy…"

He murmured, tearfully, as he carried her name on a stone tablet with a dragon bone chisel.

Names were normally engraved on the walls in order, but special people like Lunaria-sama were carved on stone tablets.

Of course, Crystal was also carved on a stone tablet.

This was a cemetery.

A cemetery of the Dragon Race.

A means of remembering the dead.

When the old man received Lunaria-sama from Dragon God-sama, he went to the back of the building.

I walked behind him with Dragon God-sama.

There was a dark hole there.

The hole is so deep that it seems to continue to another world.

But, of course, it does not lead to another world.

This hole leads to the peak of Dragon Roar Mountain... that is, the sky.

"Pray for those who became souls with good fortune in the afterlife, and that they may return to these mountains and remain under the guidance and blessings of Dragon God-sama."

The old man intoned a long hymn.

I don't remember the text in detail.

But it was longer than those sung in the city.

After finishing the chant, the old man delicately placed the mortal remains of Lunaria-sama into the hole.

Normally, it was simply thrown into the hole and the funeral ended.

The hole leads to the sky and, if you jump into the hole, you will be eaten by a giant black snake, a red dragon, a blue dragon, or worse.

The Dragon Race has a long lifespan, but we can still die of old age outside of battle.

Once, that was considered shameful.

It was considered an honor to fight and die for Dragon God-sama.

But Dragon God-sama did not think so.

He believes that all dragon races are equal under him.

That is why he created this funerary method.

He gave those who died of old age or illness the same as the death of a warrior.

And like a great warrior, their names are engraved.

They lived and died for the Dragon Race.

However, such funerary rites were not suitable for Lunaria-sama.

Therefore, a human race funeral rite would be performed afterward.

Dragon God-sama took Lunaria and returned to the mansion.

There, in the garden next to the mansion, he deposited Lunaria's corpse.

Then, with a look of sorrow, Dragon God-sama raised a flame from his hand and enveloped Lunaria-sama with his fire.

The mortal remains of Lunaria-sama were burned in an instant and transformed into pure white bones and ashes.

Together with the dragon god, we buried the bones and ashes in the ground and planted a small sapling above it.

This is the funeral of the human race.

Is it different now?

But at that time, that was the human race's funeral rite that passed into the Dragon World.

The corpses of living beings can turn into monsters where they lie.

Therefore, they must be burned and buried.

With a sapling planted above.

The sapling will grow with the power of the dead.

As long as the tree lives, the living will never forget the dead.

That is how the human race, whose lifespan is shorter than that of trees, mourns their dead.

"I was introduced to Lunaria by the Human God."

After we buried Lunaria-sama, Dragon God-sama shared with me how they met.

I only listened silently to the words of Dragon God-sama.

"In the beginning it was just an experiment. It is possible to have children with other races and, if so, what power would they have? An experiment with consequences for all the peoples of the world."

"These experiments were carried out many times, but one day the Human God said: 'What would happen if the gods had children together?'"

"Thus, the Human God brought Lunaria for that. Since she was the daughter of the Human God, and all the other gods are male and could not have children."

"I did not love Lunaria, but she did the best she could for Dragon World. She used her power as a descendant daughter to enrich Dragon World."

"To me, all Dragons are like children. All Dragons are important. I wanted each and every one of them to be happy."

"When Lunaria gave me a son, I finally realized that she seemed more special than the Dragon Race."

"I did not realize that... but when I did, I had already begun to love Lunaria."

Dragon God-sama said with a nostalgic look on his face.

Lunaria-sama never changed.

A person full of grace.

Even Dragon God-sama came to love her.

"Laplace."

"Yes."

"I cannot forgive whoever killed Lunaria. I am still trembling with unprecedented rage."

"Yes."

"Even if we turn other worlds into enemies, will you follow me?"

"It goes without saying. Everyone, not just me, will follow Dragon God-sama until the end. Until our own destruction."

Dragon God-sama rose silently.

His eyes were sharp and his body radiated murderous intent.

There was no more sadness.

I was afraid.

Even though I knew that the murderous intent was not directed at me.

No living thing would fail to find that terrifying.

Our vengeance.

It has already begun.

■■■

"Master..."

When he woke up, Rostelina was standing in front of Laplace.

Studying Laplace with a worried look.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Rostelina? The story isn't over yet, but have you heard enough for today?"

"Oh no. I wish to continue... But Laplace-sama, perhaps you should have a night of rest first?"

"Why do you think that?"

"Because…"

Rostelina took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped Laplace's face.

He wiped something that was running down his cheek and his face darkened.

Yes, at some point Laplace began to cry.

Tears streaming down his face, sobbing through his words.

His speech became so confused that, by the end of the story, it was difficult to understand his words.

"Oh, I'm sorry. When I remember that time, I become like this."

"Laplace loved Lunaria-sama, didn't he?"

"Well, she was my mother. Even though we were not bound by blood, she stayed by my side. She was always there when I came home, smiling so gently, listening to my stories. A goddess of compassion. To be so cruelly murdered… That experience on that horrible day… Even now… woo… woo…"

Laplace cried.

With one hand covering his eyes, he bowed his head, his shoulders trembling, and with a slight sob, he cried.

Rostelina watched silently, as a man twice her size sobbed in front of her.

She was disturbed.

Because it was the first time she had seen Laplace cry.

But after a while, she ran to the kitchen, grabbed a glass of water, and returned.

Slowly, she patted his back and offered him the glass.

"Fufu, thank you, Rostelina.

Now that I think about it, you are always there to comfort me.

I was tired of an empty house and happy to have someone to welcome me."

"No, it's all right, Master. I don't need you to thank me and I am grateful to be able to help."

"Well, let's share with each other."

Laplace said that and straightened up in the chair.

His eyes were red and swollen, but his tears had stopped.

A clear voice emerged from his mouth, no longer muddled by sobs.

"Let's continue the story. I'm sorry, but I might cry several times from now on too."

"Yes, I'll prepare some water."

"Haha, you are certainly thoughtful... Next..."

Laplace looked again into the void.

Remembering the past he did not want to recall.