Looking at the bright bluish sky at that time feels refreshing after a hard day of work. It makes me feel like I've done something productive and I'm resting.

What I'm doing is hard, It makes my bones and nerves pop and I feel like dying but It's fine. As long as I can help my mother, It's fine. Everything's fine.

"Eucli! Are you done taking out the trash?"

"Yes, mom"

My Mom shouted to me with joy and calmness at her face. Despite our poor living conditions, she still has that bright smile within her. She's probably the most important woman to me-

"Wait wait wait"

For some reason, Hinata just interrupted my already great storytelling. For god's sake, please just interrupting!

"Why are you describing taking out trash like It's the most difficult thing you've ever done?"

That's It?! That's It? Whatever I just won't answer him. I'll continue the story with or without his permission.

"Oi, answer me."

Anyway, in that small remote village, It's just me and my mother. My father already died fighting a dragon 5 years ago and I don't have any siblings so I and my mother only have each other. After my father died, my mother makes some wine and I will sell It to the neighboring village or sometimes, at our village. It ain't much but It's honest work.

My mother has beautiful purple hair and I got that hair from her. Although she's already a widow, many men in our village still court her. But my mother, time and time again have said multiple time that she won't remarry anymore. So believed that It's my job to protect her and drive those kinds of guys away from her.

"What a mother complex"

"Shut up, Hinata!

"All right, All right, I won't talk anymore"

When I thought I'm finally in the zone, he just interrupts the story. I'm kind of getting the feeling he's not really interested in my story.

At that time, Neburisha is at war with EmberChain. I heard It's been going on for 10 years now. But I never paid any mind to It, we're too far away from the said war and also we already have our own war.

"Drive them away! If they get closer once more, our houses will get destroyed!"

"I need backup here!"

"They'll kill all of us!"

The place won't be called Dragonchain for nothing, of course. Our continent shares the same land as the land of the Dragons. I heard that back in the day, my ancestors and the dragons made a pact, acknowledging that the northern half of the continent is where the humans will reside and the Southern Part is where the Dragons will reside...

But now and then, probably once a month or year, dragons who don't care about that pact will show up.

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Once again, when I'm at the peak of my storytelling, Hinata interrupted me. Well, It looks like he has a question, I guess I'll permit It.

"Wait wait wait, dragons are intelligent enough to hold a pact?"

"That's the problem... They don't."

"Your ancestors are useless."

+++++

Well, this is not How To Train Your Dragon so It's not like killing a dragon is the greatest honor in our place. A normal human can't even dream of touching a dragon, let alone, defeating one.

So the Capital of Dragonchain, Drakoi City sends Dragon Slayers to every village now and then but in exchange... the village will also send young men as replacements. They're going to train those men the village will send to be a soldier.

"So It's pretty much like the Military Service of Korea."

Hinata, I don't know what Korea is but they sound alike so whatever. At this point, I've gotten used to him interrupting my story. It seems like he's silent now so proceeded at the story.

"You will send Eucli to the Capital?!"

I overheard It accidentally, my mother talking to the Village chief inside our house. I just came back from selling wines at that time.

"Please understand, Mariah. The dragons are already pestering us for too long! He's the only lively young man we have. Everyone is either too young or too sick to be trained as a soldier!"

I saw my mother's face from the door and her hands are covering her mouth and eyes, It's obvious she's about to cry. The Capital is too far away from our village. It will take three months by walking and a month by carriage.

Also, If I'm going to be trained as a soldier, I won't be back for a very long time since I'll get sent to all kinds of places.

My head is too clouded at that time, the only thing running inside my head is just one thought... But that one thought is enough to ruin my whole being

"What about my mother?"

If I leave... Who'll be left for her? I know that I'm the only one she has, I'm the only family she has. Looking at my mother's face, It's clear she doesn't want to send me away and I don't want to get sent either!

"I know this is unfair for you, Mariah. But..."

A movement was made by our chief that neither I and my mother expected. He kneeled at the ground...

"Mariah, I'm begging you! If we don't ask for protection from the Capital, our village will get annihilated by the Dragons! Please, on behalf of the village! Please send Euclius..."

He kneeled at the ground, begged my mother while crying. At that time, I don't even care If the village gets destroyed or sink into oblivion. I just don't want to leave my mother's side.

If this village is too dangerous for us, we'll go to another continent! It's simple, so simple! I'm too naive at that time, thinking that escaping to another continent will solve the problem.

"Chief, please don't do that. I'm not the one you should kneel for... It's Eucli himself. Please ask him... If he wants to go..."

My mother's face was smiling back then. She's crying yet she's also smiling, I don't know If those are tears of joy or sorrow and I never got to know which is It. But... I understood It.

She already resolved herself that no matter what I choose, she's going to make sure that I won't regret It.

"I'll go..."

The words that are supposed to be taboo came out like It's nothing. I revealed myself from the shadows and said that I'll go to the Capital.

The Chief and my mother seem to be shocked that I've been listening to them all along but after a while, he stood up from his kneeling and gave his thanks to me endlessly.

"I just have a question."

Woah, Hinata! I nearly forgot that he's listening to me! I dove pretty deep into the past.

"Why did you come to the Capital? Your mother probably gave the decision-making to you because she knows that If she's the one who'll decide, she won't let you go even If It means the village being annihilated by the Dragons."

Yeah, I know that, Hinata. She left the decision to me because she can't make It herself. But If you're asking why I chose to come to the Capital despite knowing her true feelings.

"It's probably because I know that deep in her heart, she also wants the village to be saved."

I answered his question with something that I felt is the correct answer. That's the only answer I have right now but... I'll probably get one soon.

"Your mother sure has a complex personality!"

"How rude!"

Well, I'll forgive you this time, Hinata. Since there's some truth mixed into It.

"So are you done with the story? Let's eat then."

"What do you mean? That's only the prologue."

"Huh?!"

END OF CHAPTER 21