When There's a Squid Among Your Side

Oria spends that morning simply lying down. A hazy feeling swarms her body, making her unable to go anywhere. After giving name to the Silver Dragon and taking the name to her own self, she fell to earth and felt incredibly weak. Thus, she can only stare at the ceilings of the cave where she's at.

Faruk, the Silver Dragon, travels the area surrounding the cave. The sunlight that finally reaches the dragon's scale is reflected by the silver hide he has, creating a shiny form within the dragon's skin.

"...Hmm... it appears that that annoying barrier was the only one that exists around here, huh...?"

The dragon rests himself, pondering about multitude of things.

"That human child... I still now muse about it. Is this a fantasy that my elderly mind began to shape after my long slumber? But it appears not. Here I am, breathing the fresh air that was bestowed by the Goddess underneath the magnificent sun."

Suddenly, a thought crosses his mind.

"Oh, right... I have yet to perform [Appraisal] on that child... I suppose I should return now."

Back at the cave, Oria tries to lift her body to at least gain a sitting position. It just feels heavy. The moment her head leaves the dirt, a swaying, paralyzing feel struck her body. It nails her back to the ground.

"Oooh..."

"I've returned."

Faruk walks in. Every step he makes causes a minor quake. As a result, Oria feels terribly nauseous.

"Please... Lord Faruk, if it is possible, could you be so... ugh... ooh..."

"Ah..." the dragon realized. "Even though you've freed me from my eternal cell, thou still be a human, a fragile creature."

Oria cries with a faint voice, "I'm so sorry..."

"Why apologize? Thou hast done nothing wrong."

"Uh..."

"Aside from that, I suppose thou art not capable of recovery magic. Seeing thee lying down with such feeble look will only endanger not only you, but also to me.

If thou die... I die. And I do not wish to see the heavens yet. So, I shalt not allow you to die."

The child grows a smile on her face, "Thank you..."

"Hm?"

"For allowing such a being like myself to live alongside you..."

"Hmph. Do your best to survive from now on."

"I... I will."

At the end of her voice, she falls into sleep. Her breathing is still like a dying person, suffocating, trying to survive. But as her soul is away at the ocean of dreams, the Silver Dragon closes in, leaning his snout near her. He lets out a warm breath.

The dragon's breath is different from the last night, which breathed flame. This one has particles that shines like a twinkling star in the night sky. It shelters the little girl from the coldness of the environment while the particles heal her weakened body.

But then the dragon remembers...

"Sweet Goddess... I forgot to ask her again..."

******

Afternoon, the little girl awakes.

"Nnnh...?"

She wipes her eyes, only to realize that she has gained power to sit. She gazes upon her palms. She remembers she couldn't even lift her head in the morning. She then wonders... where's the Silver Dragon?

"Lord Faruk...?"

She's thinking of searching for the mighty dragon. She carefully positions herself to crouching position. She takes a deep breath and stands up. A success. Wobbly, but she's able to stand.

"I... I can move now... heehee... I... I can move..."

Suddenly, a funny shrilly voice echoes from the entrance of the cave.

"Yooooo Faruk! I've retuuuurned~!"

"(S-Someone's coming...!?)" Oria panicked. That voice she heard is inhuman. She wants to run and hide, but when she takes a step away, she falls to the ground again. "Uwauugh!"

From the entrance where the sun is about to rest, appears an alien-like figure donning the clad of a wizard. It has eight jade-like eyes protruding from its forehead. Dozens of tentacles appear from underneath its cloth, while some comes out from its chin, acting like a long beard. One of its tentacles holds a large cane that fortifies its look as a wizard.

"(...What is that, what is that, what is that!?)" Oria freaked out. "(So scary... I'm so scared... what is that thing...!?!? Aaah... I... I must... no good, my feet won't move...)"

It moves like an octopus, however, crawling over the dirt with its swaying tentacles. Strangely, however, the tentacle wizard brings a paper bag on his left tentacles.

"Huh... strange... I thought Faruk should be here..."

The creature then shifts its head to the right, where its crimson eyes catch sight of the little human child.

"Eh?"

Oria, ever freaking out, feels dying inside as the creature she thought demonic-like found her.

"(N-No... i-it saw me...!)"

The creature suddenly disappears, leaving only gusts of wind in its wake. It then appears super close to the human's eyes, gazing them sharply. It's like he's trying to stare into her soul.

Oria cannot move her body anymore. Her fear petrified her muscles. Not to mention the scary sight where tons of tentacles are writhing around her. Her irises tremble as she witnesses the pupils of every eye of the creature. Before long, her tears run down her cheeks.

"Who... are you?" the creature asked. Its voice is ever the scary one.

"A...Ah..."

"Ah? Your name is Ah? Bah..."

The creature lets go of her casually, yet its voice yells, ranting, seemingly disappointed. It crawls away a bit while carrying its large cane and the paper bag.

"...Are humans getting lame at naming their children? I see...

It appears the world does evolve, but backwards."

The creature looks back at the freaked-out girl in a frightening motion. It crawls near her once more and gives her a question.

"So, um... 'Ah' is your name? Huhuhu... I feel sorry for your parents for giving you a poor name. You look terribly scared, hm? But haha... no worries. I'm not fit to eat humans right now. So, you might call a rejoice for that, eh?"

"(D-Did it just say... eat humans...?)"

"By the way... have you seen a dragon around here? I'm pretty sure I didn't lose track of my way back here..."

Shortly, the paper bag on his tentacles falls to the ground, which reveals a dozen of fishes and fruits pouring out.

"Oops. Silly me."

The sight of the creature being reckless and dropping the paper bag reminded her of something nostalgic. A joyful one. Somehow, the fear wears off little by little. With a bit of bravery left in her body, she tries to speak with the creature.

"U-Um..."

"Nng? What's wrong?"

"M-May I... help...?" she asked with a forced smile.

"...Well! If it isn't nice to have help! Please do, little one." The tentacle-like creature permitted. In fact, it sounded like it's happy.

Picking up the fallen fruits and fishes, Oria smells the fresh scent of those goods she's picking up. Shortly, a familiar sound is heard coming from her. Her stomach is growling.

"Oh? Have you not eaten? Gee, I wonder where your parents are, leaving a weak kid in places such as this unfed!"

"..." Oria looked down. She then remembers that nostalgic feeling.

That's right...

It is the feeling of when she helps an important figure in her life. Sometimes reckless, dropping bought goods to the ground. Helping that person, she smelled a delicious smell of fruits, thus making her hungry. Oria remembers that she had a moment like that a long time ago, but she barely able to remember who that important figure was.

Her memory is hazy. Not even long, her tears fall again.

"E-Eeeh!? W-Why... did I say something wrong!?" the creature looked flustered.

"N-No... ...*hic*... it's... it's okay," she said. She wipes her face off her tears cleanly. She then says, "I'm... just hungry."

...

..

.

Evening, the Silver Dragon lands on the ground near the entrance of the cave.

"Oria, I've returned."

The dragon moves inside, only to catch a smell of a grilled fish.

"T-This smell... could it be...?"

Faruk rushes in deeper into the cave, only to find a tentacle wizard cooking fish with Oria sitting patiently near the fireplace.

"Now... just a moment... it'll be ready soon."

"O-Oi... Dux... what are you..."

Oria and the tentacle wizard notices the dragon's voice.

The little girl stands up and immediately approaches the Silver Dragon.

"Lord Faruk! W-Welcome back!" she greeted while bowing down.

"Ohya-hya? Lord Faruk...?" the tentacle wizard wondered. But then, the creature realizes that something is absolutely out of the ordinary.

"Wait... Oh—FAAAAAAAARUUUUUUUUUUUUUK!!! How on earth did you walk around without a trouble on your soul!?!?" the wizard creature shrieked frantically.

"I-It's... uh..."

"I was wondering whether I entered the wrong cave—I found this cute little girl, though—BUT NO! Whatever the hell happened, FARUK!?"

"It's a long story, Dux..."

"A-And... this little girl...? Do you know her?"

The dragon closes his eyes. "She's the one who freed me," it disclosed.

"...Eh? Nyuhuhuhu, you are bad at cracking jokes, Faruk. Now tell me the truth!"

"It is because I'm bad at making jokes I do not intend to make one."

"...Are you totally serious?"

"...I do." Faruk nodded.

"Y-You can't be serious..."

"Unlike you who's been a playful lot, it is the whole truth, Dux. Unbelievable as it may sound, here I am restarting my days again.

...By the way, I've been smelling this scent of burnt for a while."

The tentacle wizard turns around at the fireplace in a leisure motion—

"Nyuhuhuhuhu, I've been cooking—AH SHIT! My super dishes!"

—only to find the fireplace burned the entire fish that was cooked for some time now.