The black dragon towers over Cycelia and the oblivious horse. Its golden eye at the side of its head looks over at the village for a brief moment. Frozen and lightly shaking, Cycelia stares up at it. Its size and general scale she knows from family legends are an immense understatement. The dragon is taller, wider, and bulkier than multiple residential buildings in the capital put together. With a gentle flap of its wings, Cycelia has to adjust her stance to not fall over from the wind, covering her face with her arms as it furls its wings closer to its body.

《Tell me this, human. Be truthful, answer my questions, and I may spare you from destruction…》

The dragon then turns its head sideways and lowers it to Cycelia's level with its eye and its piercing stare pointed directly at her.

《…Am I in what's known as Redwing Kingdom?》

A booming male voice asks. A silvery, opaque eyelid quickly wipes the dragon's eye from the side.

「Y- Yes! This is Redwing Kingdom!」

Cycelia rapidly nods her head with a nervous, awkward smile on her face.

《…Very good. Then as I expected, I am in the right place.》

The dragon raises its head back up, its voice sounding almost triumphantly smug. Though she's already very small relative to it, she shrinks further in an attempt to attract less attention.

《…I am dragon Deathwind. I have come from far away to discuss a matter of importance with your ruler. Where is he?…》

Deathwind declares, and slowly swivels its head around.

「Um… Do you mean?…」

Cycelia quietly asks under her breath, but the dragon ignores her.

《…Where is Redwing? I've soared for days now, and caught nary a glimpse of him. Is he in hiding? Surely a red dragon wouldn't do something so shameful!》

The dragon asks, and loudly adjusts its wings around its body, as if shrugging its shoulders.

「Um, no… Actually…」

Cycelia shakes her head, and nervously bites her lower lip as she hesitates to finish.

《Then what is it? Did he leave? To where? Redwing doesn't strike me as an absent ruler.》

Deathwind keeps pressing, its voice booming and unhurried. Cycelia grips her medallion into her fingers.

「…Actually, Redwing is dead.」

She meeky replies, and stares at the dragon with a nervous, tight-lipped grimace on her face.

《What did you say?…》

The dragon's slit pupils widen briefly before contracting again. Growing increasingly nervous, Cycelia curls her lips inward while playing with her medallion for comfort.

HMMMMPFFF!…

Hot air washes over Cycelia again. Unbothered, the horse's tail sways left and right while it stands there with its vision obscured by the blinkers on its eyes.

Growing silent, Deathwind brings its golden eye closer again. Its scaly lizard-like face twists into an expression of clear anger, and its scales make a loud noise of rock scraping against rock.

《…I would think twice about lying to me, human…》

Its ominous voice says, before briefly glancing at the village nearby.

《…Your puny settlement wouldn't even burn. It would be blown away with a single breath. I will ask again, and it will be the last time I ask. Think carefully about your answer…》

Deathwind warns, and straightens out, glaring down at Cycelia.

《…Where is dragon Redwing?》

It asks with its massive sharp teeth showing slightly, though its jaw doesn't move at all while it speaks.

「I speak the truth! Redwing is dead!… For a long time now! Hundreds of years! It's the legend of how the kingdom eventually came to be!」

Clutching onto her medallion, Cycelia's face becomes resolute as she replies with a loud and confident voice.

《Bah!… Hundreds of years!? A long time!?…》

The dragon scoffs as the ridge above its eyes rises a little.

《…You have made a grave mistake trying to lie to a black dragon, human.》

FFFFFFFFFFWWWWTTTTT!…

Deathwind says as it ominously draws an immense amount of air in. When it stops, black smoke billows out through its bared teeth.

「I'm not lying!」

Cycelia insists, though her confidence fades. She looks straight into the dragon's golden eyes as it cocks its head back.

HNNNNNNNNFFFFFF!-

《Wait…》

The dragon draws another, smaller breath, but stops just short of expelling it. She gulps as Deathwind brings its eye closer again.

《…That flow of mana… It can't be…》

Choking smell of sulfur fills the air while the dragon's golden eye scrutinizes Cycelia, almost looking through her while she stands frozen.

The black smoke continues to flood out of the dragon's mouth, though it eventually subsides. With its scaly face appearing surprised and almost unsettled, it raises its head.

《…Answer me truthfully… Who are you?》

With its jaws still, Deathwind inquisitively tilts its head.

「I am Cycelia Redwing! Nice to meet you!」

Cycelia absentmindedly blurts out with her dainty hands clenched at her sides, completely stiff. She blinks her massive emerald eyes at the dragon with a tight-lipped grimace on her face.

《…It can't be.》

The booming voice remarks, quieting down as the dragon stares at her. The two look at each other in a prolonged moment of silence.

《…That braggart Redwing spoke highly of his son. He said that without lifting his claw, his son would conquer the continent for him with ease… Then you are his kin?》

Deathwind remarks, then tilts its head again.

「Yes. Redwing is my ancestral dragon. I am the current queen of this kingdom, but the ruler is a different person… It's a little complicated.」

《You have been usurped!?》

The dragon's head perks up as its outraged, booming voice asks with its maw open.

「No! Well, yes, but… My point is, all is well! I am the recognized queen and the throne is mine!」

Cycelia waves her hands in front of herself in panic, and violently shakes her chestnut head as she attempts to explain.

《So you have delegated the petty ruling like Redwing… I see. It would be unwell if Redwing's kin were ousted. Tell me, Redwing's kin… How did it happen? Why is Redwing dead?》

Deathwind asks, once again readjusting its wings around its body.

「He died in battle saving his son from an ambush… But the ambush was actually meant for Redwing. A ballista hidden in a forest struck him in the heart.」

Cycelia shrugs her shoulders and spreads her hands.

《A ballista? What is a ballista?》

Puzzled, the dragon tilts its head once more.

「It's a!… Um… It's a big crossbow! Really big!」

Cycelia spreads her arms with a light smile as she futilely attempts to portray a ballista's arms' breadth.

《I see… A projectile large enough to pierce through a dragon's scales. Never would I believe that a dragon would risk its life for a mere human, but now that I give it some thought…》

Deathwind's head raises slightly as it looks at the sky.

《…He was insistent on talking about his son more than his kingdom. When he never returned to tell us more, we assumed that he simply had no more time for his kindred…》

It says with its jaws still, and turns its golden gaze back to Cycelia.

《…To think that this whole time he was dead, and his kin were running his kingdom. Are you now mighty? Powerful?》

Deathwind asks, bringing its face closer.

「I would say… Yyyees? But there is more to power than just brute force…」

Cycelia furrows her brows as her emerald eyes escape sideways. She shrugs.

《It is good. There is honor in plain strength, and there are rewards in being cunning. Since you are his kin, I suppose this matter can be discussed with you…》

「What is it?」

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

She asks, tilting her head as Deathwind's face closes in.

《…Not too long ago, a green dragon by the name of Stormtail was killed in our land by a flying set of armor. It hit him in the head, mangling it.》

Deathwind explains with a much quieter, serious tone.

「I see… But what does that have to do with me?」

Cycelia nods, then furrows her brows in confusion.

《The armor was fit for a humanoid. We held a moot, and after a long debate, we agreed that it must have come from somewhere around here, Redwing's kingdom, judging by its trajectory.》

「Eh? Armor?…」

Her head perks up, further confused.

《Exactly. We have no idea why, or how… We only know that it was immensely fast, and that it's outright indestructible. Not even dragonflame will melt it.》

「Hmm…」

Cycelia lowers her gaze and thinks intensely while thumbing her lips.

《Needless to say, a lesser being slaying a dragon is unforgivable. I have come to punish the ones responsible…》

Deathwind raises its head back up. Cycelia looks at him, still thinking.

《…Do you have any suspicions, ideas where I could investigate, or who it may be?-》

「Is that a dragon!? Cool! It's my first time actually seeing one!」

Straf exclaims with a grin as he's approaching Cycelia and Deathwind with his hands in his pockets.

「Straf! You're back!」

Cycelia's face gains a massive, relieved smile as she glances over her shoulder. Her emerald gaze quickly returns to the dragon.

「Yeah, I am. Is that surprising? I told you it wouldn't take long.」

He shrugs his coat-covered shoulders, and pulls his hand out to lift the brim of his hat up slightly.

《…Who is he? Your servant?》

Deathwind asks while glaring at Straf.

「Ah, no! Not really!」

Cycelia shakes her head, quickly waving her hands towards the dragon in front of herself.

「…Okay? I thought I heard something weird back when I was in the village… Can we go now, or is it giving you trouble?」

Straf's brow rises while he nods a little.

《Your husband, then?》

The dragon asks, turning its golden eyes back to Cycelia.

「No! Um… Not yet, at least…」

Cycelia blurts out, then lowers her blushing face. Straf furrows his brows.

《Not yet? I see. Then you must be waiting for a grand wedding.》

The dragon straightens out, and its golden eyes turn to Straf.

「Not yet? You mean it will?…」

Straf asks, pointing at the dragon while looking at Cycelia.

「…Do you want me to deal with it, or what?」

He adds with a confused look on his face.

「Nonononono!」

Cycelia violently shakes her head left and right in response to Straf.

《…Deal with it? Does he plan to deal with me? You may be planning to take him as your man, but he better watch his mouth, or he will not live to see the day.》

「Sorry! Sorry! Straf is a foreigner! He really has no idea what he's really saying! Sorry!」

Cycelia apologetically bows over and over to the black dragon, then turns to Straf.

《I see. I will forgive his mistakes… Up to a point.》

Deathwind replies, narrowing its eyes at him.

「Straf! Please, just be quiet and let me talk with him!」

Wide-eyed, Cycelia exclaims through her clenched teeth while clutching at Straf's shoulders with her dainty hands.

「Huh? Talk with him? You mean you were talking? Is that some sort of a dragon language thing?」

Straf asks, furrowing his brows as he quickly points both at the dragon and Cycelia.

「No! We-!… Actually, that's a good question… I didn't actually see you talk. How is that possible?」

Cycelia's head perks up, and her brows furrow in confusion as well. She turns to Deathwind to ask him.

《Dragons communicate with lesser creatures by telepathy. I do not need to hear your words either, I only need you to convey what you want to say…》

「Wow, shit… This guy is loud.」

Straf winces as the dragon's voice booms in his head.

《…Additionally, I have been keeping this man out of the conversation. Now he can hear me too.》

Deathwind adds, turning its golden eyes to Straf.

「Have you ever heard of an indoor voice, buddy? I feel like my brain cells are rattling when you talk.」

Straf spreads his hands with his mouth aslant. Cycelia visibly cringes.

《…My voice has no volume. You hear me exactly as loud as you should to understand me clearly.》

The dragon calmly explains, though its scales shift into light frustration on its lizard-like face.

「…Does that mean I actually have hearing damage? Fuck.」

With his brows furrowed and his fists on his coat-covered hips, Straf glances aside, thinking briefly before muttering out a curse and clicking his tongue.

《Redwing's kin…》

「Yes!?」

The dragon calls out, and Cycelia jumps up.

《…I am weary from my long journey. Will you grant me permission to stay in your kingdom to rest?》

Deathwind asks, bringing its face closer to Straf and Cycelia.

「Ah, yes!… But… Where would you even rest?」

She nods, replying on a reaction without thinking before tilting her head.

《Amiable. This will be remembered. Any high mountain will be sufficient, I simply need a secluded place to sleep for a few weeks.》

Deathwind declares as it raises then nods its head.

「A few weeks!? Wow! Lia, hand over your NEET crown.」

Straf chuckles, grinning at the dragon.

《…What does that mean?》

Confused, the dragon's gaze darts between the two.

「Aaaa! I can explain later! You're tired, right!? Any mountain is fine! You can stay for as long as you'd like!」

Cycelia's jaw drops, and she quickly placates the dragon, panickily waving her hands in front of herself.

《Very well. It is a shame Redwing cannot host me, but you are very welcoming in his stead. This will be remembered…》

Deathwind nods, then walks aside off the road, leaving massive, deep claw marks both in the stone road where it landed, and in the dirt off to the side.

《…I will investigate the issue further at a later point. Be well, Redwing's kin.》

「You too! Take care, Deathwind!…」

It adds as it unfurls its wings and takes a running jump, while Cycelia waves at the departing dragon.

FFFFFFFFWOP! FWWWWWAP! FWAP! FWAP!…

It flaps its massive wings. Its body rises with each tempestuous swing, and a violent wind washes over the general area.

FWOOM!!

「Agh!」「Woooah. Careful.」

Cycelia stumbles backwards with a grunt when the air pressure hits her. Straf stops her from tumbling over backwards with his hand on her back. Her chestnut hair whips about as if she had her head out of a speeding car's window, and the loose parts of her coat flutter noisily. At the same time, Straf watches the dragon depart with bored eyes below his raised brows. His hat, his coat, and the dust on the road directly behind him remain undisturbed.

Deathwind snakes through the air, flapping its wings high above while the low evening sun shines upon its matte, black scales. It blends into the darkening sky, then disappears in the clouds…