Dragon-san Wants a Friend

Volume 5 Chapter 1: Dragon-san and the Festival Preparation

Translator: Mii

Editor: [QueenieZhuz]

The Origin of the Dragon

I am a dragon.

When I’m about to go to the welcome party for new students since I want to have some friends, I slipped off by a banana peel and died, and when I woke up, I have reincarnated from a university student to a dragon-sama.

…You don’t have to say anything. I know the best that it is the most stupid reason I can have to die.

And to make the matter worse, I’m reincarnated as the strongest species in this world, a dragon. I cried the moment I woke up, to the point that the volcanoes erupted.

But I did my best. I really, really did my best, and I finally have friends, my important person, and even my own child now.

Long ago, I used to say this on the verge of tears, “why am I even reincarnating, damn it!”. But now, I have a lot of people that I want to protect. And I also have a lot of things that I don’t want to part with.

That’s why, I will pray.

So that this moment will continue, as long as possible.

＊

「Aru-san. Please turn your body around ninety times while counting them one by one. Go at the different direction from Ten.」

「Okay!」

On the wooden floor of the branch shrine’s spacious room, the white-haired and fox-eared Makoto started to give assignment to Aru strictly, and Aru actively replied to her.

Both of them are wearing the casual clothes for the branch shrine maids, the brilliant red hakama and white silk garment.

Aru arranged his flaxen hair and the cuff of the red hakama, and decided his steps.

Even though Makoto’s facial expression had become softer, she keeps making Aru practises until there are large drops of sweat on his forehead dripping, to make him feel a sense of accomplishment.

Beside her, the golden-haired Mikoto looks at Ten relentlessly, and started to appeal to her.

「Ten-san, you have to straighten your arms, you know.」

「I-I know that already, Mikocchan.」

Ten with the appearance of child around ten, eleven-years old, flinch a little from Mikoto’s words, but she still did as how she was told. Even so, her movement still looked somewhat clumsy.

「Then both of you, let’s try to match the moves once again.」

「「Alright!」」

With Makoto’s order, Aru and Ten lined up to their fixed position, and they started to prepare the hokosuzuーa short sword with bells attached at the guard, in their hand.

Without a moment of delay, I send magic power to the flat box with trumpet-shaped magic tool… well, to say it frankly, the mechanism looks similar to a gramophone.

After a little noise come out, the graceful flute music started to be audible.

Following that, Aru and Ten twisted their wrist and the bells rang. They extended the hokosuzu’s grip while their multicolored clothes fluttered, and they started to dance.

「Aru……」

Looking at Aru’s serious expression while performing the choreography that he had trained seriously, Nectar that stood next to me already moved into tears.

「Nectar, there are still one week before the magic ceremony, you know.」

「I, I know…」

Even though I giggled at Nectar that retorted to me while looking slightly embarrassed, I was also entranced by Aru who danced with his utmost effort.

What Aru and Ten currently practised is one of shrine maidens’ art of technique, the ‘Kaguya dance’.

The reason why both of them are studying this dance seriously is because together with Makoto and Mikoto, four of them will dance in the stage of the magic ceremony that will take place one week later.

Ever since the great disaster caused by the white demon ghost, a few days had passed since I woke up.

Even though I’m still recovering my condition, the surrounding village from the branch shrine that we are indebted to, are gradually returning to their usual daily life.

Since the branch shrine is far away from the human habitation, there are only a little people that were directly attacked by the ghost demon, so I should be thankful that the place that have the most delayed restoration is the branch shrine.

And because of that incident, the emperor made a notice that as the next phase of restoration, they will hold a magic ceremony.

In the branch shrine where the white ghost demon appears, many shrine maids will perform the dance that will activate the magic purification. The dance is usually performed after suppression ritual, and it is a lay out technique.

I was surprised that humans could make use of magic power, but there are some problem that was occuring.

As the result of the Grand Shrine’s arrangement of the minimum necessary shrine maids to all of the six branch shrines, the branch shine we are indebted to doesn’t have enough shrine maids to perform the dance.

Since the person that is performing the dance has to have detailed knowledge on how to manipulate magic power, no one can dance it other than the shrine maids from the Great Shrine.

They should be alright if the shrine maids that went to other branch shrines come to theirs after finishing the ceremony, but for the best results, it looks like they will perform the period at the same time.

Uh huh, I understand. If you want to activate the flow of magic power, the best way is certainly that.

Even though they could substitute one with Mikoto that have the feeling of wanting to die everytime she remember it, they still lack of two person left.

When everyone in the branch shrine were worried all day about that matter, Makoto suddenly proposed.

「Aru-san, can you try to dance it?」

After all, Aru was trained about the general etiquette and technique of a shrine maid when he was at the Great Shrine.

In the middle of that, he also practised the dance, so everyone proposed that he should be able to do it.

The dance choreography itself is not hard, and the problem lies on the magic power management technique, so as a dragon, Aru should be able to do it.

We decided to stay at the eastern continent until I recovered to some extent, and Signos Magic Academy is also currently on a long summer break, so fortunately or unfortunately, we didn’t have to go home quickly.

That’s why, since I also thought that aiming for the magic ceremony is great, there shouldn’t be any problem.

But then, to suddenly decide Aru that wasn’t a shrine maid or whatever concerning to that to perform, it can’t be helped that Nectar and I will feel bewildered, right?

…Ah, it looks like the performing shrine maid doesn’t have to particularly be a female. The reason why all of the shrine maids in the Great Shrine are females was actually because of Ten’s preference… Oi!

Anyhow, the decision was also taken when he only have a week to practise. No matter how easy the choreography is, it will definitely need a great effort to master.

But what I didn’t expect was, Aru really wants to do it.

「I want to do it. I want to try doing my best.」

「It’s okay, I’m sure that they will find another way.」

「Nuh uh. I want to do it, because I want to help them.」

That time, Aru’s steady gaze was filled with strong determination, and Nectar that was rejecting the idea with strong tone of voice felt as if his breath was taken away lightly.

It feels like he suddenly grown up in the place that we don’t know, making us feel a little lonely.

Since Aru is certainly suitable for the position, the one who were wrong are us, who restrained him just because we were worried.

「Daddy, Mommy, can I?」

「I understand, but you shouldn’t force yourself, okay?」

「Uh huh! Thank you!」

Aru asked my consent timidly, his golden eyes filled with anxiety, and when I agreed, his facial expression immediately bloomed like a flower.

With that, after confirmed that Aru will become one of the dancer, Makoto smiled sweetly to Ten.

「Since Aru-san is okay with it, then Ten should be qualified to become the other person. Let’s do our best, okay?」

「Huh, me!?」

「Of course, since we need four people to perform Kaguya dance. Aren’t you the most knowledgeable about dragon pulse and the flow of spiritual power? If you practise from now on, it should be okay. You also always look at these kind of ceremony, right?」

「Looking it and performing it are a completely different matter though!」

Suddenly being asked to perform will certainly make anyone feel bewildered and uneasy, but I think it is unusual to see Ten being flustered because of this.

Mikoto, who had been silent until now, turned her gaze towards Ten.

「Ten-san, is it possible that even the beginner Aru will do his best, but you, as the protector of this country, won’t do it?」

「Ughhh. B-But, the dance that will be performed is that, right?」

「Yes, it will be the heavenly dance of suppression. The tone of the legend is easy to remember, and this dance is also always performed every time as the prayer of the demon suppression, isn’t it suitable for Ten?」

「No, you might be right. I remember it completely, but… If I perform that dance, I feel like I will be laughed a lot… No, I’m not sure, but…?」

Ten (with the appearance of 10 years-old child) started to mutter to herself while hesitating, and Makoto’s red pupils was filled with regret.

「Even though I’m sure that Ten will be suitable for Kaguya dance, it’s no good, huh?」

「Auhhh, uh, no, it’s not like it’s no good, well!」

Ten agreed flusteredly, and with that Makoto smiled as if relieved.

「I’m happy, since this is a perfect opportunity to boast about Ten to everyone. Later, I will prepare cute children clothes for you!」

「Uh, eh, ahhh, so it become like that…」

Ten looked like she wanted to say something, but after looking at the cheerful Makoto, she gave up.

For some reason, I feel like Ten’s behaviour towards Makoto is weird, but it’s like she doesn’t know how to measure her distance, or something like that.

But, I don’t really know their relationship with each other, and Makoto also is a very spontaneous person, so maybe this will be their distance from now on.

Well, anyway, with this Makoto and Mikoto will train Aru and Ten about Kaguya dance extra hard. Nectar and I also helped with the restoration and make use of it to inspect their training.

＊

After the morning training was finished, Makoto and Ten had another appointment about technique regulation, so they bid farewell from that place.

A week practice until the magic ceremony might not be enough, but they are actually doing the arrangement comparatively well.

「Mommy, Daddy, how was I doing?」

「You become more skillful at it again」

After catching the still energetic Aru that rush over towards us, I give a stroke towards his flaxen hair.

Actually, even though I can control magic power, there’s no way I will be able to remember that choreography starting today. Children’s absorption is truly amazing.

Nectar also says so after handing a towel to clean up Aru’s sweat.

「That’s right, I did well without falling behind Mikoto-san and Makoto-san!」

Mikoto lined next to the happily laughing Aru, and started to talk using the west continent language.

「Aru has a great memory, so you’re a great help.」

「Ah, un, Ten looked like he was having a hard time…」

Her appearance doesn’t look good right now, so using the dragon sphere she received from the other branch shrine, she turns her appearance into ten years old child, and followed Mikoto’s assignment diligently.

It’s not like her memory is bad, but the change of her body growth make her unable to keep the balance of her own body. That’s why, she keeps slipping off at the difficult part of the music timing.

Well, if she keeps practising it over and over again, she will certainly be able to get used with her body, but Mikoto and Makoto are both spartans after all.

She will face a lot of hardship before she adapts with her body, I think. Do your best, Ten.

While secretly wishing luck for Ten, suddenly the hungry Mikoto and Aru shook my body with all their might, and consulted to me about where should we eat lunch.

In the middle of it, there are soft green fragrance that flowed into the guest room.

「Oh my, am I too late?」

Suddenly, the white-haired and moustached tree spirit grandpa appeared.

I came to know that the grandpa is actually named Ficel, but in the end I still call him with grandpa.

Towards the grandpa with white hair and moustache in his dark brown skin that makes wrinkles look beautiful, Aru’s face was filled with joy.

「Grandpa! Do you come to see me?」

「Of course, there’s no way that I won’t support little Aru’s strenuous effort, right?」

「Then, let’s go have a meal together! Since the festival stall people seems like they have come already, together with Mikoto-san, we are about to take a look there!」

Being called on by Aru with enthusiasm, Mikoto wiggled her fox ears and tail in bafflement.

「Ah, I will just… go at another time.」

「Ehhh, but, didn’t you said that we will do a conquest to every foods in the stalls?」

Mikoto hanged her red face down in embarrassment, and I felt sympathy towards her.

Of course Mikoto can’t help but to be filled with nervousness everytime her gaze meet with the grandpa. After all, she already knew the real identity of the dignified grandpa, who is actually tree spirit with authority that she really respects.

And again, as a girl, she didn’t want to let such an important person to accompany her to the plebeian food stall, and look at her state that gulps down every food available.

But, towards Mikoto who was already completely ashamed to the point that she lowered her fox ear down, grandpa only called her out softly.

「Of course, if this young lady is alright with it. Or do you feel disturbed with this old man presence? 」

「No, but……」

Mikoto replied to grandpa’s words with a start, but suddenly there is a loud voice coming out nicely from her.

Of course, it was her empty belly.

「Even if this young lady have important duty to do, you still shouldn’t leave your stomach hungry, okay?」

Mikoto’s cheeks became completely red as she blushed and she nodded. With that, all of us dispatched towards the food stall together.