Abyssal Sovereignty

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Chapter 3: A Familiar Encounter

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“Y-You…”

Farkonia fell into silence as she gazed at Veridith, who hung adorably from Aris.

“Ah! Lord Dragon King! I am Veridith.”

Veridith hopped down from Aris's shoulder, performing an exaggerated bow that was somewhat off-kilter.

“Just call me Farkonia. Now, what brings you here?”

“Certainly, Lord Farkonia. I wished to observe your mythical demeanor up close and firsthand, hence my presence.”

“…”

Farkonia had long since suspected that she had been stealthily tailing them, but hearing Veridith's reason out loud left her feeling somewhat embarrassed.

“Well, never mind that. It does seem rather interesting... No, wait, she is quite brave and undoubtedly skilled. I suppose I can allow her to accompany us.”

“Umm…”

Hmm, Veridith was indeed small in stature; even her modest development paled in comparison to that of the younger Misako, who had not yet come of age.

“Just call me Misako... And if you wish to follow, you must henceforth address me as Big Sister.”

Misako’s competitive spirit seemed to ignite unexpectedly.

“No! The title of ‘sister’ belongs to the elder sisters!”

“What? Are you suggesting that when you have a new sister, you simply forget the old one?”

The two little ones began squabbling playfully, “Yah-yah!”

“...Aris.”

At that moment, Farkonia sidled up next to Aris.

“What is it?”

“I… I absolutely must insist on keeping a close watch on her.”

“?”

Aris was taken aback, regarding the serious look on Farkonia's face. Gradually, she began to comprehend.

“What does she have to do with you?”

“She is my great-niece.”

“...Oh, well.”

Green dragons were not exceedingly rare within their kin, so it was not often that one would directly associate Farkonia with Veridith. However, it was easy to discern the connection between them from Farkonia's protective attitude.

“No wonder her talent is so extraordinary.”

As the once-mighty Dragon King, Farkonia's lineage must also possess remarkable gifts. Although it's uncertain whether such bloodlines even held weight at the level of a great-niece.

“Speaking of which... what about her parents?”

“...They have passed away.”

“...I’m sorry.”

Even Aris, who often remained indifferent, sensed that this particular subject warranted sensitivity.

“It's nothing. For the dragon kin, particularly for me, such occurrences have become commonplace. I have merely been asked to look after her as best as I can.”

The dragons enjoyed a long lifespan, particularly the Dragon Kings, who could easily see tens of thousands of years if bolstered by their strength. Farkonia's formidable power surely meant her longer life as well.

While dragons often show profound concern for living kin, they also maintain a detached view towards life and death.

She vaguely recalled times long past, when a pair of dragons had presented her with an egg at the threshold of her subspace, pleading for her assistance in watching over their daughter.

Yet, at that time, she had chosen to remain within her subspace, delegating the task to other dragons for care.

Perhaps now was the time for her to finally fulfill the promise made to that dragon couple.

“...Boo…”

“Do not cry! You can shed tears when you grow up and recall your embarrassing moments.”

“I... I feel no shame!”

“Whatever. Who would even understand your logic?”

“Ugh... Waaaah~!”

“Wait... you really are crying?”

During the conversation between Farkonia and Aris, Misako’s playful banter somehow coaxed tears from Veridith.

“Oh dear, stop your weeping. Such weakness in a dragon is simply unacceptable.”

“Misako?”

“Gah!? What!?”

From behind Misako emerged a striking woman, radiating an imposing aura.

“Aris, could you lend me a hand?”

“Of course.”

A certain, unique pressure compelled Aris to heed the woman’s request.

Seizing Misako by the slender waist, she hoisted her up. Though petite, Misako's figure was unmistakably noticeable, accentuated by her skirt, which offered no concealment.

“Wait! What are you—?!”

Slap!!!

With a resounding smack, Misako comprehended too late the gravity of her predicament, her adorable visage colored in a deep flush.

‘...Hang on, why am I still not being let down...? Could it be?!’

Slap!! Slap!!

Another series of smacks followed, creating a symphony of delightful sounds combining Misako’s cries of embarrassment and the melodic slaps.

……

“Ugh... it hurts so much…”

Misako clutched the tender area that had been struck countless times, even hesitant to sit down.

Yet, she bore no grudges; after all, though Veridith may have misspoken, her tears were the result of Misako’s teasing, and the little one hadn’t expected her to cry so easily.

Despite her penchant for mischief, she realized that once a tearful response emerged, the fun had swiftly evaporated. There remained a kernel of mutual understanding between them, a bond forged through the brief interludes they had spent together.

“Alright then, let us discuss the next steps.”

Having soothed Veridith and set her up to play with Pupu aside, Aris turned to strategize with Misako and Farkonia.

“Over in my direction was nothing but flat plains. I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary.”

“Ugh… Well, I did spot a forest.”

Though her rear still throbbed, Misako engaged earnestly in the exchange.

“A forest, you say? Then we shall head there first.”

Forests typically boasted richer resources; the chances of encountering others, notably the human races and others, grew significantly.

Moreover, with the addition of their new companion, Misako, Farkonia, and Aris could collectively harness their magic to sustain their bodies, requiring no food to expedite their survival. Pupu, too, merely needed to feed on a drop of Aris’s blood.

Nevertheless, while Veridith wielded considerable power, she lacked the capacity to convert magic into the sustenance needed for survival. Thus, she still required a measure of nourishment.

“Veridith, Pupu, let’s set off.”

“Okay!”

“Puff!”

As they embarked, Pupu perched atop Veridith's head like an adorably eccentric hat.

The four of them raised a hand—or a tentacle—in acknowledgment, following Aris as they proceeded toward the nearby forest.

……

“Hmm, there are indeed signs that other races have passed through here.”

Shortly after entering the forest, Aris discovered traces of human activity: remnants of tools unmistakably forged by hands, along with scratches on tree trunks that were clearly unnatural.

“It appears these markings are not recent.”

Upon closer inspection, the metal included among the debris had succumbed to rust, and the scars etched into the trunks had shifted high enough with the trees' growth that one wouldn't expect a typical human to venture there.

“...What is it?”

Noticing Aris’s unusual demeanor, Farkonia enquired curiously.

“...It feels... awfully familiar.”

Aris recalled a time long ago, one in which she had wandered through this very place, its ambiance echoing with nostalgic reverberations.

“Who are you!?”

Suddenly, a sharp, accusatory voice interrupted Aris's reverie.