Translator: Blushy
Editor: Sam and delishnoodles
Of course, Rug Dragons had children as well. They carefully protect their children. This ranch also had several smaller dragons, but arenât they bigger than this one?
âSmaww.â
âKyee.â
The Rug Dragon snorted when I said that. Youâre the one whoâs small, right? I wasnât saying Iâm the small one. I folded my arms, stood in an imposing stance and glared at the dragon.
âKyeeee.â
Iâm not folding my arms, you say? Rude. Iâm folding my arms properly, arenât I? Anyway, youâre so small. Can you even work properly?
âThey became good friends straight away. The Albans are really compatible with Rug Dragons.â
âAi?â
âKyee?â
The Rug Dragon and I turned around at Ojii-samaâs words.
âSee, arenât you getting along?â
It was a coincidence. I turned to the side, and the Rug Dragon also turned away. Some large Rug Dragons approached the small one to calm it down. They seemed a bit angry as if to say that we should take care of the younger ones. Some came towards me as well and gently poked me with their noses. Get along, you say?
âYou may be surprised by the small dragon, but thatâs her breed. The Rug Dragons in the north are rather large, but there are some smaller ones. They canât carry heavy loads, but theyâre friendly, and itâs easier to handle them. Theyâre popular among women.â
So thatâs the reason? It might have been rude of me to call her small. I untied my arms.
âKyee.â
As long as you understand, you say? Well, sheâs a bit sassy, but thatâs okay.
âBut, Ojii-sama. Itâs still too early for Lei to ride dragons. And, Lei isnât good at moving, unlike the other children.â
What?! I wonder since when have I been compared to other children? Children around the same age as me shouldnât be able to move around well. Besides, he may think that Iâm bad at moving around, but so what? Thereâs no P.E. in this world, so thereâs no point in worrying about evaluation. I like to move, so I donât mind at all.
âThatâs where this comes in. Now, letâs put a basket on the dragon!â Ojii-sama proudly instructed, and a divided basket used for transporting cargo was attached to the dragon. They use this in Frontier, but it looks a little different.
âItâs originally a cargo basket, but itâs shaped like a chair, and it fixes the body to the chair when you put this strap on. Itâs an excellent basket. She wonât fall out of the basket even if the Rug Dragon runs. It has been tested, so itâs okay.â
âNot the dragon, but the basket? But what about the balance between left and right?â
âThere are some weights at her feet to maintain balance. Also, even if sheâs a small Rug Dragon, she can carry two adults if they sit on the left and right baskets.â
âWhich means...â
âThat Luke and Lei can take a walk on the dragon.â
What?! Nii-sama stared at me with sparkling eyes.
âLei, this is...â
âNii-syama, dis is...â
âLetâs get on!â
âAi!â
âWait,â Otou-sama stopped us, and rode the dragon first to try her out. The Rug Dragon looked disgusted, but she stooped down and let Otou-sama get on.
âGo!â
âKyee,â the dragon let out an unmotivated shriek, but still started running around the ranch. Otou-sama rode her around the ranch while indicating left and right with his hand. Then, he came back. The Rug Dragon didnât look tired at all.
âSheâs well-trained, Father-in-law.â
Ojii-sama looked proud.
âBut, for the two-year-old Lei...â
âKyee,â the Rug Dragon snorted, are you looking down on me? But, Otou-sama was right.
âLei wiww ride with Otou-syama.â
âLei and Otou-sama? Alright, then.â
âOtou-sama! Thatâs not fair!â
âBut, you were able to ride on the dragon by yourself since last summer.â
Nii-sama looked disappointed, but he gave up when he was told this.
âThen, if you think itâs fine after she rides with you, Otou-sama, then let her ride with me next.â
âWell, what should I do?â
I looked up at Otou-sama.
âUoah.â
I took a step closer to him and stared at him. One more push.
âOtou-syama...â
âAlright. Anyway, letâs try first.â
âAi!â
Otou-sama instructed the Rug Dragon to run next to us, then he changed the position of the strap and strapped me in. I was strapped in now, but if the position of the strap was fixed from the beginning, then I just need to wiggle in. The basket which had been turned into a chair had cushions in it and felt good to sit on. I felt Otou-sama getting in next to me, and our eyes met on the back of the dragon. Weâre unexpectedly close. And itâs fun.
âGo slowly.â
âKyeee.â
The dragon started strolling. It felt the same as the Rug Dragons I rode in Frontier. The dragons would dash, Mill would be riding next to me and Alistair would ride in front of us.
âAwishthair.â
I wonder how he is. Otou-sama glanced at me, then spoke to the dragon, âRun.â
The Rug Dragon picked up her pace. We quickly approached the edge of the ranch. The dragon ran along the fence, then turned sharply. I felt gravity on the side. I never experienced this in Frontier.
âWow!â I laughed. The wind blew my hair back. The cold winter air blew everything away.
Even though Otou-sama hadnât said anything, the Rug Dragon stopped in front of everyone.
âOtou-sama!â
âHmm. It seems fine. You canât let the dragon run when youâre riding with Lei, Luke. But, you can get the dragon to walk around.â
âYay!â Nii-sama jumped in joy. It was fun to ride the Rug Dragon with Nii-sama. We could talk as well. However, it was cold in the middle of winter. We ended the ride before our bodies froze. Now, I just need to name her.
âNii-syama, whathâsh your dragonâsh name?â
âMy dragon? Doesnât have one.â
Huh? Apparently, it was pointless to name them since they operated as a group even if they were being used exclusively. Therefore, no one gave them names. Come to think of it, I didnât see anyone in Lentforce with their own dragon.
âHow do you caww thhem?â
âYou can just ask the dragonâs caretaker. But, Otou-sama also prepared something special for you to match with Ojii-samaâs present.â
âNiini?â
Uh-oh, I start talking like a baby once I let my guard down.
âWhath? Otou-syama.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âYou donât have to change the way you talk. Well, whatever. Here.â
In Otou-samaâs palm was a small whistle attached to a thin gold chain.
âDis...â
âYou blew them in Frontier, right? A grass whistle which made a strange sound.â
I took it gently and put it in my mouth.
âFuu.â
There was no sound.
âBlow it harder.â
âAi.â
Thatâs right. Even the grass whistles didnât make a sound when I blew on it softly. I blew harder.
âPuu.â
âKyee.â
âPuu, puu.â
âKyee, kyee.â
The Rug Dragons cried along to the whistle.
âSoundsh wike Weshther.â
The wind blew. I heard the laughter of my friends.
âYou donât have to forget. But you can.â
Otou-sama added unnecessarily and put the whistle chain around my neck.
âItâs not lonesome. Rug Dragons are always our partners.â
âOjii-syama.â
Ojii-sama also seemed satisfied. My debut ended peacefully, and I made new friends and gained a Rug Dragon.