Epilogue 1: A Dance With You(3)

MISTERLP

"Hal, do you know you're a meathead?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm aware, but when you say it that bluntly, it pisses me

off." Sure enough, he looked angry.

I sighed and told him, "Poor thought is akin to no thought. With your

brains, you're not going to come up with anything decent, so don't waste

your time thinking. Also, one thing is clear: While you're being indecisive

about what to do, you aren't making either Kaede or Ruby any happier."

"Urkh..."

"Besides, you're more of a doer than a thinker, right? If you have time

to worry about if you're being insincere, use it to show the two of them

some sincerity."

"Don't worry and show them with my attitude, huh... You're right."

With that, Hal stood up, scooping Kaede up in his arms.

"Eek!"

"It's not like me to waste time mulling things over," he said. "I may not

have really come to terms with it all yet, but I'm gonna do everything I can

to make both Kaede and Ruby happy."

That was the simplemi... er, sincere Hal for you. Once he decided not to

think too much, he found his resolve. It was pretty cool that he could scoop

her up in his arms and then say a passionate line like that while sober.

Kaede's face was bright red, too.

"Okay... then. Please, do your best, you know, Hal..."

With how embarrassed she was, it seemed that was all Kaede could

force out.

Haha, looks like Hal got back at her, I thought and was smiling, but

then...

"Since you said it, you do your best, too, Souma." Liscia grinned.

"Oh! Oh! Sire! The princess and I would like to be carried, too!" Aisha

added.

Getting that from both sides, I shrunk into myself.

Then...

A dragon priestess suddenly appeared and told us, "Sir Souma, Sir

Halbert, the preparations are complete."

"Souma, this is her big day, so keep your act together, okay?" Liscia

said.

"Go for it, sire!" Aisha cried, sending me off.

"You, too, Hal," Kaede added. "Don't disgrace the House of Magna."

"What, no kind words for me?!"

Kaede sent Hal off, too. She was like a wife in the Edo Period, sending

off her husband by striking a firestone so that the sparks fell on his back.

Now, then... it was time to go. Naden and Ruby were waiting.

There were two reasons why I came to the Star Dragon Mountain

Range.

The first was Madam Tiamat's request to help deal with the storm

bearing down on the Star Dragon Mountain Range. The other was to form

a dragon knight contract, binding Naden, the one who could fly in that

storm, and me together. For that reason, I had been asked to participate in

the Contract Ceremony which was held between the dragon knights of the

Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom and the dragons of the Star Dragon

Mountain Range.

However, because events developed so quickly, the order of events had

gotten all mixed up, and with the earlier storm having caused damage in

Dracul, due to flooding, among other things, the Contract Ceremony that

the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom would have been invited to was

canceled. Even so, Naden and I, and Ruby and Halbert, had already

essentially formed contracts. That was why it was decided that a Contract

Ceremony would be held today with just us two couples.

When Hal and I were transported to the great hall, Madam Tiamat was

already there in dragon form, and we were surrounded by dragons in

human form. Naden's friend Pai and Ruby's former flunkies Sapphire and

Emerada were there, too.

While we were still nervous, having been cast into the center of

attention, Naden and Ruby appeared wearing a black and a red dress,

respectively.

Ruby was a beautiful girl to begin with, but Naden was given a

makeover by Liscia, so she shone just as brightly. The dresses looked like

they'd been interwoven with metallic fiber, and the contrast between

Naden's black and Ruby's red was stunning.

Meanwhile, Hal and I were in our usual military outfits. Mine was

black, and Hal's was green.

They walked over to us, took a knee, and brought their left hands to

their chests while reaching out to us with their right hands.

Ruby was the first to open her mouth.

"My knight, my partner. I wish to form a riding contract with you."

Hal inhaled sharply. "Accepted!" He took her hand, pulling her to her

feet.

I heard this from Naden later, but the order contracts were formed in

was decided by the status of the people becoming dragon knights. The

highest ranked knight was saved for last, and after that it went in order of

rank. That was why Naden went last, but with only two couples present, it

didn't really feel all that special being saved for that.

Well, that aside, next, Naden opened her mouth.

"My king, my partner. I wish to form a riding contract with you."

"I accept." I took Naden's hand, pulling her to her feet.

I was surprised when she called me her king, but she was right; I

wasn't a knight, I was the king of a nation.

Once she was standing, Naden and I clasped both our hands together.

We were in the perfect pose for high society dancing. At the same

moment, music began playing in the great hall. Quietly at first, but

gradually growing louder. The dragon priestesses in front of Madam

Tiamat had started playing musical instruments. It was a slow rhythm, a

relaxed melody.

"Huh?!" I exclaimed. "This piece..."

"What is it, Souma?" Naden asked.

"...No, nothing."

I began stepping in time to the music.

I danced with Naden, matching the melody. Hal and Ruby started

dancing, too.

As we danced, I leaned in and whispered in Naden's ear, "Do they

always use this piece for the dance at the Contract Ceremony?"

"I don't think so. I've never heard this piece before."

"I see..."

In that case, Madam Tiamat may have arranged this. The piece they

were playing was one that had come from my world. It was the main

theme from a movie where a beauty danced with a beast. Naden and I

danced to the famous piece that played during the dance scene that was the

highlight of the film.

Seeing Naden's face up close, it made me wonder: Which of us was the

beauty, and which of us was the beast? If you saw this as a human-animal

marriage tale, as a ryuu, that would make Naden the beast, but she also

deserved to be called a beauty. The girl in front of my eyes was truly a

beautiful beast.

"What a fancy dance partner I have..." I murmured.

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"No, nothing. I was just thinking how lucky I am."

While we were dancing, I looked over to see Hal and Ruby. Hal must

not have been used to this sort of thing, because his moves were a little

awkward, but Ruby was doing a good job of leading him.

"You can actually dance, Souma," Naden said to me. "I thought you'd

be bad at this sort of thing."

"I was, but I worked desperately to learn how to get better. I was being

called to a lot of social functions, after all."

"Ahaha! You've got it rough, huh."

"Yeah, kinda. For all the practice you skipped, you're doing pretty well

yourself, Naden."

"I-I only started skipping recently. I was practicing like I was supposed

to before."

I looked fondly at Naden as she made excuses, when...

"Naden." Madam Tiamat's voice suddenly came into my head.

"Lady Tiamat?" It seemed Naden could hear the voice, too.

Oh, yeah. She'd been calling Naden, so of course she could.

While we continued dancing, Madam Tiamat's gentle voice echoed in

our heads. "Naden. There's something I have to apologize to you for."

"Huh? Apologize?"

"When you were troubled by the fact you looked different from other

dragons, I was unable to tell you, 'You are a ryuu.' That you were born in

this era meant that one who knew your value would appear. I hid your

nature so as to not get in the way of that meeting, and for that I apologize."

"Don't!"

While still dancing, Naden turned just her face toward Madam Tiamat.

The music was already past the midway point, and was rising. Our

emotions rose along with the melody.

Naden shouted, with tears in her eyes, "You were always there to

encourage me, Lady Tiamat! 'Eventually, one who knows your value will

appear,' you said! When I heard it, I only half believed it... No, I hardly

believed it at all... But I really did meet Souma!"

Big teardrops rolled down Naden's face.

"So... I'm grateful. Thanks... 'Mom.'"

It felt like Madam Tiamat smiled when she heard Naden's words of

gratitude. "Take care, my beloved daughter."

The music was close to ending. I held Naden, whose face was messy

with tears, close.

"Naden, I know I'm not the most reliable guy, but let's work together

from now on."

Naden sobbed. "Yes. Yes!"

Here, today, Naden and I formed a contract as partners.