Fleeting
patreon
KKKB 779
🕑 Added 2025-03-19 18:48:04 +0000 UTCBear-san, Heading for the Summit
To meet the Ice Dragon, Kagali-san and I were riding Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, heading for the top of the mountain.
"I thought the same thing in the battle against the giant serpent, but you're too soft-hearted to risk your life for someone else." (Kagali)
"Kagali-san has been protecting the Land of Wa for hundreds of years, too. I don't think you can say anything about other people being too nice." (Yuna)
That meant she had spent a long time of her life protecting others.
Even after the people around her died, Kagali-san had been protecting the seal of the giant serpent alone.
To me, that was an incredible amount of time.
I didn't think it would be strange if at some point she considered stopping doing so.
But Kagali-san endured and continued protecting that land on her own.
"That was because I made a promise." (Kagali)
Her reason was because of a promise to a boy she met in the Land of Wa.
Because of that promise she had been watching over the Land of Wa to keep her promise to that boy.
But I think Kagali-san was a very kind person, having watched over the Land of Wa for hundreds of years just to keep that promise.
"But thanks to you, that duty of mine has been completed. From now on, I intend to live freely." (Kagali)
Maybe that was why she came along this time too.
"But when I'm with you, I felt like I always get into trouble." (Kagali)
When she said so, I couldn't say anything back.
We did encounter trouble as well with the Slime incident as well.
But it was not like I was bringing trouble with me.
There was simply trouble wherever I went.
If anything, I was the one who ended up dealing with those troubles. You could even say I was the victim.
I didn't even know that such troubles were happening because I'd been holed up in my house most of the time, but maybe I was just attracted to trouble?
Or perhaps this bear suit was cursed and brought trouble to me?
That seemed quite possible.
"Sorry." (Yuna)
"I'm not complaining or anything. I'm having fun, so don't worry about it." (Kagali)
Indeed, when I first met Kagali-san, she looked like she'd given up on everything.
But now Kagali-san seemed to be having fun.
I also felt reassured that Kagali-san was with me, and I appreciated her fighting ability and her knowledge.
"Also, I don't know if you've noticed, but the magic power concentration is increasing. The number of monsters may increase, so be careful from here on out." (Kagali)
Magic power concentration? I didn't know.
But the closer we got to the top, the more monster reactions I detected.
I wondered if this was also the effect of the Ice Dragon taking up residence.
"Kagali-san, which do you think is stronger, the giant serpent or the Ice Dragon?" (Yuna)
"I've never fought an Ice Dragon, so I don't know. Besides, you defeated the giant serpent, didn't you?" (Kagali)
"I fought a weakened giant serpent that had just emerged from its seal, and it wasn't in its full power." (Yuna)
Only Kagali-san, who had fought the giant serpent in perfect condition, could know this.
"I've never fought an Ice Dragon, so it's the same either way. All I know is that neither of them are opponents that humans can easily defeat." (Kagali)
When it came to fighting a dragon, it would usually be a hero or something who dealt with it.
I didn't think it would be a bear who would resolve it.
A bear was definitely not a hero.
"But I surely don't want to fight either of them on my own." (Kagali)
I agreed with that.
"It can talk, so I'm sure we should be fine." (Yuna)
"You're optimistic." (Kagali)
I think that was thanks to my Bear Gear.
My Bear Gear gave me a sense of security. I also have Swaying Bear, Hugging Bear, and even Kagali-san, so I felt reassured.
Also, if it came to an emergency, I could escape using the Bear Transfer Gate, so maybe that was why I seemed optimistic.
For now, I didn't know whether we would reach an agreement or end up fighting Ice Dragon.
Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear went through areas with fewer monsters, and because we all have detection skills, we could proceed without being surprised by monsters.
As we approached the top of the mountain, my detection skill displayed "Ice Dragon" instead of "no data".
Was the information registered?
Snow had piled up all around, and the trees were covered in ice.
As we gradually got closer to the Ice Dragon, the Ice Dragon started to react.
Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear also stopped running then reacted with a loud "Kuuuuuun" sound.
Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear also seemed to notice the Ice Dragon's movements.
"What's wrong?" (Kagali)
"It looks like the Ice Dragon is moving towards us." (Yuna)
The Ice Dragon's reaction was moving towards us.
Kagali-san and I looked up.
"There it is!" (Yuna)
I saw the Ice Dragon flying.
The Ice Dragon circled in the sky and landed in front of us.
The ground shook and the snow on the trees fell.
"Human, what are you here for?" (Ice Dragon)
He spoke to me.
I looked at Kagali-san, and she looked at me with eyes that said, "Don't pick a fight."
I knew.
"I wanted to talk to you." (Yuna)
"What do you want to talk about?" (Ice Dragon)
It replied.
I felt a little relieved that we could talk.
"Would it be possible for you to leave this place? If you continue to stay here, the town will eternally freeze and become an uninhabitable land. The few people left are struggling to survive. That's why, if possible, I want you to move somewhere where no humans live." (Yuna)
Even if it moved to another place, if there were people there, they would also be in trouble.
I wanted it to move to a place where there were no people.
"That is not possible at this time." (Ice Dragon)
"Why? You can fly anywhere, right?" (Yuna)
"That cannot be done. Even if I have to bother the people here." (Ice Dragon)
If it could leave, it would have solved all the trouble.
It was difficult to abandon one's hometown where one was born and raised.
Especially if someone important to them was sleeping in that place.
It was difficult for them to leave.
"Just to confirm, is there a reason why you're here?" (Kagali)
Kagali-san, who had been silent, spoke to the Ice Dragon.
"...There's no need to mention." (Ice Dragon)
If it wasn't just my imagination, it would not react that way if it was just living here without a reason.
Was there a reason it had to stay in this place?
I wondered what the reason was?
At that moment, something happened at the top of the mountain.
Something was flowing down from the top of the mountain.
It was a dense amount of magic power.
Even I could feel it.
Magic power was flowing down from the top of the mountain.
But there was no monster reaction in the detection skill. It didn't even show "no data".
"Leave, child."
The Ice Dragon spread its wings and flew away.
"It seems like something happened at the top of the mountain. What will you do? I don't recommend going." (Kagali)
Ice Dragon talked to us, albeit in a not so friendly manner.
If I ignored what the Ice Dragon said and headed for the top of the mountain, it might become hostile this time.
But if we went to the top of the mountain, I might find out why the Ice Dragon couldn't leave this place.
"I know what you're thinking. You think that if you go to the top of the mountain, you'll find out why the Ice Dragon is here." (Kagali)
"Can you read minds, Kagali-san?" (Yuna)
"I thought the same thing. But just because you know the reason doesn't mean you can do anything." (Kagali)
"But maybe I can do something." (Yuna)
"It's too risky. If we get close to the top, there's a high chance that we'll incur the Ice Dragon's wrath." (Kagali)
"That's true, but..." (Yuna)
If I turned back now, nothing would be solved.
The status quo would remain.
Should I stop moving forward, fearing that things would get worse? Or should I keep moving forward without fear to find a new path?
I remembered what Lize-san and the others said.
"I'm betting on you two." (Lize)
"I'm entrusting our lives to you, young lady." (Bollard)
"I'm leaving it to you, young lady." (Old Man)
I couldn't go back without doing anything.
"Kagali-san, let's go to the top of the mountain." (Yuna)
"If that's what you've decided, I'll join you." (Kagali)
We headed for the top of the mountain where the Ice Dragon was.
However, cold air flowed down from the top of the mountain as if to reject us.
The cold air turned into a blizzard, blocking our path.
But Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, carrying Kagali-san and me, continued on.
"Are you okay, Kagali-san?" (Yuna)
"No problem. This one is protecting me from the blizzard." (Kagali)
"Kuuun."
Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear were covering us on their backs with magic, to protect us.
Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, carrying Kagali-san and me, continued on.
The Ice Dragon should have noticed that we were approaching the top of the mountain, but it didn't react.
Then, Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear reached the top of the mountain where Ice Dragon was.
The Ice Dragon was waiting for us at the top of the mountain.
Kagali-san and I got off Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear and stood in front of Ice Dragon again.
"Why? Why did you come here?" (Ice Dragon)
Cold air erupted from the Ice Dragon's body.
I created a wind barrier to protect everyone.
"I can't back down without an explanation." (Yuna)
For Lize-san and the others, and for myself, I couldn't just go home even if I was told to.
"If you want us to leave, I want to hear a convincing reason. Please tell me why you can't leave this place. Maybe we can find a compromise." (Yuna)
I would like to know if there was a reason why it couldn't leave.
If it was actually injured and couldn't fly long distances, I could cast healing magic on it.
If it was waiting for someone, it would probably be impossible to persuade it to go, but even getting to know that it would be leaving someday would be a good result. I could tell Lize-san and the others about how long it would be staying.
"Do you want to die?" (Ice Dragon)
"I don't want to die. And I'm not going to die that easily." (Yuna)
At worst, I would fight it aiming to beat it. If I couldn't defeat it, I would use my Bear Transfer Gate to escape.
"Maybe it is protecting an egg?" (Kagali)
Kagali-san muttered.
"Egg?" (Yuna)
"I can sense magic wrapped around something other than the Ice Dragon." (Kagali)
Wrapped around... Did that mean the magic power was wrapped around the egg?
The Ice Dragon reacted to Kagali-san's words and a burst of cold air was unleashed from its body.
I blocked it with wind magic.
Emotions were more accurate than words.
Being angry meant that Kagali-san's words were correct.
However, there was no marker on the egg in my detection skill.
"So you're here to protect your eggs?" (Yuna)
So that was the reason why Ice Dragon couldn't leave this place?
