Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 5 Prologue

Status: Incomplete

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Prologue

Lautreamont Knight Country, people called it the country of Dragon Breeders.

To its north was the Zepharos Empire, while to its south was the Chevron Kingdom.

Sandwiched between the two major powers, a small country with a population of no more than five million, had a special academy.

Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy.

Educating and guiding teenage boys and girls who formed contracts with dragons -- an academy for Dragon Breeders.

Part 1

The last day of the month of Cancer.

Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy had scheduled to held the closing ceremony in the morning.

Every student had gathered in the hall and was getting restless since it will be a holiday starting tomorrow. Every one of them was hoping to end the bothersome ceremony.

To make it worst, the ceremony did not begin according to schedule. It seems that the director was late. Before he even noticed, the students were chatting around in their groups. With the long long summer holidays right before their eyes, the students won’t stop talking once they had started.

“Huwaa….”

In the midst of everything, Ash who was lining up together with the first year advance class gave a loud yawn. He was about to fall asleep.

“Are you alright? You don’t look like you have enough sleep.”

Raymond was looking at Ash.

“It had been your third time for today. You must have been slacking.”

On the other hand, Max firmly point out to Ash. He could never tolerate with Ash’s lazy attitude.

“It is not like I have a choice… I just return from Fontaine City yesterday.”

“By the way, doesn’t Eco also look sleepy?”

Raymond gave Eco who was standing right beside Ash a glance and gave a bitter smile. But the next moment, his eyes widened.

“Could it be that…! Last night…. The two of you had advanced to become adults…!”

“Idiot! You speak too loud! That’s impossible!”

Ash was red in the cheeks. It if was the Ash from months ago, he won’t even be bothered if Raymond made fun of him and Eco.

But for today, he was obviously shaken.

Ash took a peek at Eco. Although she was still sleepy, the morning rays that shone into the hall had further emphasis Eco’s beauty even though they were in the midst of people. It gave her a feeling of a noble.

Her hair was pink and was reflecting silvery rays of lights. Her skin was white and the chip on her left horn that Ash smashed off had recovered.

Recently, Ash was confused about his feelings.

With just a glance at Eco, he could clearly feel his chest tightening.

Seeing that Ash suddenly turned silent, Raymond asked in a demanding tone:

“Hold on! Isn’t your reply a little weird! Could it be you really…!”

“Raymond! Shut up…!”

Max pushed Raymond aside and had his mouth covered up.

“Is it true that there were many things had happened in Fontaine City? Even the Continental Congress- Elysium was postponed. It probably had something to do with Eco and you right?”

Ash was surprise at how sharp Max was.

“Actually, for the both of you to stay at the capital for nearly two weeks don’t sound natural to me. After the incident, the government should be busy dealing with the after fact. If I am the Paladin, the first thing that I would do was to send you back home. Unless…”

Max repositioned his glasses with his fingers, threw a glance at Ash.

“The both of you were not staying there but you were both held in custody.”

Ash was shocked by Max’s deduction ability. In just a moment, his was no longer sleepy.

Part 2

It was two weeks ago-

A mysterious dragon had attacked the capital and the Continental Congress- Elysium was put on hold. It had always been the topic of everybody’s talk since that day.

As for the true identity behind the huge dragon, is Eco who had awakened as the descendant of the Avalon Holy Dragons Emperor’s family.

At the end of the battle, Ash managed to change Eco back to her human form and all ends peacefully. Until what awaits them were the days of the interrogation.

Just like what Max had pointed out, it was not that Ash and Eco were staying at Fontaine City, it was just that they were forbid from leaving it.

They were only released by yesterday’s afternoon. It had already been mid night when Silvia gave them a ride back on Lancelot. It seems that Silvia was worried about the both of them and choosed to stay back at Fontaine City. If they were to return to Ansarivan on land, he would never be able to attend this closing ceremony.

This is the reason why Ash and Eco were sleepy.

At the other hand, Silvia should be sleepy but she was at the front of the queue for the first year advance class with her back straightened up. It was as expected from the Knight’s princess, everyone could feel her regal dignity.

“How do you think of it, Ash?”

While Max threw him a sharp glance, Raymond was eagerly waiting for him to answer.

“That…”

To Ash, Raymond and Max were his important friends. Just when he thought of telling them the truth, something weird happened.

-Bang!

The door of the hall was suddenly opened with a loud bang.

All the students turned around in shocked.

“Huh? What happened?”

Eco who had dozed off while standing took a great shock. She immediately looked at the situation around her.

Ash also took at look at the door.

At that instant, his attention had been robbed off from him.

At the middle of the doorway stood a modest girl who gave out an elegant feeling. She neatly worn clothing was a white blouse and a bluish purple coloured skirt that matches with her black boots. The feeling she gave was obviously a daughter of someone with high social status.

Apart from that, there was a maid following her from behind. She was pushing a trolley with tea sets on it.

Under the eyes of every student, the girl walked straight to the stage as if it was a natural thing to do.

“Greeting to everyone from Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy.”

When she was greeting, the purple reflections from her silver coloured hair made it seemed like she was wearing a halo.

Ash gulped down his saliva when he saw her beauty. She was totally like a saint…

But unlike all the other statues of the Saints that he had seen before, she doesn't possess the kind and caring smile on her face. Her appearance made her look like the ice carving of ドルアーマin the far north.

After a short glance at the entire student body, she spoke:

“I am Mirabel Lautreamont the third princess. Under the orders of my elder sister Veronica, I was asked to work at the director in this academy. Please take good care of me.’

The entire hall turned silent.

Ash was also staring at Mirabel. He expects her to be from some high class family but for her to be a princess…

Suddenly Silvia who was at the front row shouted:

“Anee-ue! What is the meaning of this? I heard that you went to Espada聖法大学院 further your studies…”

After hearing that, Ash realized that Mirabel was Silvia’s sister.

Everyone’s attention was on Mirabel. Even the teaching instructors who were standing along the walls were also trying to find out.

Right at that moment, as if to break apart the deep silent, the eleven o'clock bell rang.

The moment she heard the sound of the bell, Mirabel gave the maid a sharp glare.

“Eunice. It’s time for my tea.”

“Absolubely, Princess.”

The maid who was following Mirabel like a shadow was making tea at a fast speed.

“Please.”

“Thank you.”

Mirabel took the boiling cup of tea and sat on a folding chair that Eunice took out. She then relax herself and drank the tea.

“…”

Everyone was watching her movement in surprise. Even Silvia was waiting for Mirabel to finish her tea before she tried speaking.

In a short moment, passed the tea cup back to Eunice and once again, she looked back at Silvia.

“So Silvia? What are you asking?”

“I am saying that how come you had become the director? Please explain! By the way, where is the ex-director who had been working here until yesterday?”

“Aa…You are talking about the old man who had a foot in a coffin? He should be having his vacation in a popular tourist spot in Chevron Kingdom. Given that he had a raise in his pension, he shouldn't have any complains.”

“Wha-!”

Silvia turned speechless.

Part 3

“Hey… What is happening? What is going to happen to the closing ceremony?”

Eco who was standing beside Ash asked. With so many things happen around, she was no longer sleepy.

“Err… I don’t know?”

Right at the moment, a thought flash passed.

For the third princess to be ordered to become the director of Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy in such a weird time, it should have some connections with the incident in the capital.

The true identity behind the huge dragon was Eco and there are not many people who knew about this.

First Princess Veronica was one of them.

In the beginning, the Knight’s government took her as an element of danger and wanted her to be under strict surveillance. But Veronica was the first person to disagree with this idea in afraid that Eco will transform into a dragon if she was pushed to her limit.

How good will that be if that is true. However, Veronica must be looked down upon. She would never have them released easily. Ash knew her way of thinking from his past experience.

That being said, Mirabel did mention that ‘Under the orders of my elder sister Veronica’. So, in another words, Mirabel becoming the academy’s director was all in Veronica’s plan.

-Does it mean that Mirabel is here to keep an eye on us…?

Just moments before, Ash was under the impression that he had just been released and the holidays were starting. But now, he felt like being thrown a bucket full of cold water.

Suddenly, Mirabel looked as if she remembered something and stopped talking to Silvia. She then looked around the hall.

“How careless of me to forgot something important. Is Ash Blake and young dragon Eco present?”

Everyone’s attention was on them.

They felt as if they were being pierced by their sight.

“Hol-!... What is…!?”

Eco was starting to feel uncomfortable and couldn’t calm down. She immediately hid behind Ash.

Anyway, it was disrespect to not answer Mirabel’s call.

“We are here.”

Ash took a deep breath and dragged Eco onto the stage together with him. Eco was like a different person. She was looking graceful and held on to his hand tightly. Ash heart was beating non-stop from being able to feel her body heat.

While his was walking towards the stage, the rest of the students make way for him. However, Ash wasn’t able to enjoy it right now.

In a short moment, Ash arrived at the stage.

“I am Ash Blake and she is my Pal Eco.”

After a glance, she gave a short answer:

“Come.”

It seems that she wanted them to step up the stage.

Ash walked onto the stage with many pairs of eyes looking at him.

He felt embarrass with Eco holding his hand the entire time but Eco kept on holding his hand firmly without any intention of letting go.

After they are on the stage, Mirabel kept on looking at them. Her eyes seem to be transparent with were different from Silvia’s and Veronica’s blue eyes.

Suddenly Mirabel stretched her hand towards Eunice.

“Hand me the sword.”

“Absolutely.”

Ash was in a shock.

Eunice took out a rapier from the trolley. T-There is actually something like this in the trolley…

Once Mirabel took her rapier, she removed it for its sheath. The clear white sword reflected the sunrays.

Mirabel then approached Ash with her right hand holding the rapier and her left hand holding the sheath.

As for the students who were starting to become restless from being confuse, Mirabel told them in a cold voice:

“Silence!”

Her voice was obviously not loud but it was also definitely without a hint of anger.

But it was enough to do its job.

The students felt pressure from her voice alone.

After all the students were silent up, Mirabel turned her sight back to Ash.

“I had a message to you from my father Oswald.”

“From the Paladin…?”

Ash was confused.

“Didn’t my father bestow you a silver watch which is the proof of a Dragner?”

“He certainly did…”

“Except that the knighting ceremony was never done, right?”

“That seems to be the case. It seems that the castle wasn’t a suitable place during that time.”

“With that reason alone, I Mirabel Lautreamont in the place of my father will take over your Knighting ceremony. Please kneel down.”

“W-With pleasure!”

Ash kneeled down immediately and told Eco who was standing to do the same in a low voice.

However, Eco usually sees people as ‘dumb, stupid and dense’. Will she kneel down quietly without a fight if the person she was facing is a royal?

Ash was sweating tremendously.

“Alright…”

To his surprise, she did what she was told. She kneeled down right beside Ash.

“What I did is for you.”

Her murmurs and her rosy checks were unexpected.

While Ash’s heart skipped a beat, Mirabel started to recite:

“Ash Blake from Ansarivan Dragon Riding Academy advance class first year. At the age of seven, thou took part in the Orphan Ceremony in Albion Forest. Thou had been consecrated by the great mother dragon and received an Orphan. By that, thou had officially become a Breeder. And now, thy Pal, Eco surpass thee expatiation and had a remarkable growth. Now, representing Paladin Oswald, in my name Mirabel Lautreamont shall I place my rapier on thy shoulders.”

Mirabel placed her rapier on Ash’s shoulders smoothly.

It was part of the Knighting ceremony. Though the rapier itself looked fine, it actually felt heavy on his shoulders.

“Do you as a proud knight swear your loyalty to the Lautreamont royal family?”

‘I swear in the name of my Seikoku and my beloved Pal.”

Ash deliberately stated the standard pledge. Eco’s shoulder trembled a little was Ash said the words ‘beloved Pa’. However, Ash did not have the luxury to take a peek at her.

After that Mirabel remained still. Her actions confused Ash, but he then remembered something important.

He was holding the silver watch bestowed to him by Oswald and placed it next to his heart. This was also part of the knighting ceremony.

After Mirabel sheathed her sword, the ceremony ended. Suddenly, the entire hall was full of cheers. It was because that the knighting ceremony was usually held in the St Rosa. Maria Cathedral in the capital but now they have the chance to experience it here.

The entire hall was full of the claps and sounds of student cheering as if everyone had forgotten about the closing ceremony.

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