It’s been a few days since I was assigned to the fourth dorm.
During these days, I’ve realized the reason why the girls kept quitting.
As expected, it was the smell. The special smell of sweaty men. Speaking badly about it, I’d say it’s the smell of middle aged men, but since this dorm generally houses men between the ages of ten and forty years old, I guess it can’t be helped. Besides, for them loitering around inside the dorm after returning from training whilst dripping with sweat seemed to be the usual for them, and they didn’t even seem to notice their own smell.
But for a young maiden, a small problem persists. They’re all used to it, but being in this large crowd of men day in and day out doing one’s job, in one way could be considered a form of hell. Or would it be terror that they felt?
But since I had daily training inside crammed trains, it doesn’t really affect me as much. (It seems like I was an university student.) With the smell of the sachet I received as a farewell gift from Chiffon that I have hanging from my neck, the smell is even less of an issue.
I don’t have any fear of men either. Just who do you think I am? I’m not human. If they were to do anything, then trampling them and wrecking the dorm would be an easy task! I don’t know how much of a struggle I will be able to put against trained knights, but after rampaging for a while, I should at the very least be able to escape.
At that time, I’m going to make sure I can gobble up the captain.
Slurp. Oh no, I’m drooling.
Today as always I worked hard at cleaning, but recently I’ve been troubled by piercing stares.
And the only time I feel them is when I clean the windows of the hallway. It’s probably because that’s the only position I can be seen from the lounge, and since someone keeps staring at me, it makes it incredibly hard to concentrate on my work.
I felt the same piercing gaze as I cleaned today as well. Since I wanted to spend my days without attracting any attention, I won’t fish for trouble needlessly. But since I was bothered by it, what the hell. If this continues I won’t be able to work, anyway.
After finishing wiping the windows, I turned my face to look behind me. Of course, in the direction I felt the gaze.
There was a group sitting on the couches in the lounge. I don’t know if they were taking a breather after the training, but they were grinning at each other while saying something. One of them rose from the couch and starting walking towards me.
Dammit, I shouldn’t have looked behind my shoulder!
The fiery redhead soon stood in front of me. Because he was tall, I had to look up at him. His upward slanting eyes were light brown, and sent me a vicious glare. How repulsive. The way he is dressed in a loose shirt makes me strangely think of a womanizer.
[Hey, are you the new kid? This stud before you is the great Stefano Duran, there’s no loss in remembering my name, hey?]
[I see…]
[Hey ,hey, I gave you my name, so you have to return the favor! Or am I not good enough for you?]
What’s with this feeling of being made fun of. Hey! Sistah! How about hanging with me? Oh, you’re still a lil’ chick, too bad, HAHAHAHAHAHA!! -sort of impression.
[My name is Vito Vienna.]
[Lil’ Vito huh, I’ll make sure to remember that. I’m looking forward to how long you will last. Do your best to amuse us, ‘kay?]
I wonder what he’s implying. As I was mulling over that thought, another voice called over from nearby.
[Stefano, are you making passes at the serving girl again?]
A young man with looks that make the older women of the world swoon had approached. I wonder if calling him a madam-killer would be appropriate. Oh, not that Madam!
With clear light-blue hair bound in a horsetail and eyes of the same color, he looked at mr Stefano with an incredulous look. Light blue is usually seen as a cold color, but his voice was so gentle that he didn’t give that impression at all.
Mr Stefano grimaced, as if he thought that an annoying person had shown up. Could it be that they are natural enemies? That’s nice, having a rival relationship in the knight dorms. Trying to become stronger than their enemy, they struggle, and before they know it their animosity turns into friendship… just what am I thinking? Even though I want to escape from reality… I must get a hold of myself.
[We were betting over how long she’ll last until she leaves. The ladies seem to really dislike working here, after all.]
[If you tell that to the person in question, won’t it cease being a bet?]
As I honestly said what I thought, Stefano laughed, agreeing.
[You were miss Vito if I’m not mistaken. You don’t have to worry about what this fellow says. The time you’d spend worrying would be wasted.]
He moved in front of me as if he’d shield me from mr Stefano. They really are tall. He’s not as tall as mr Stefano, but this person is also really tall. And they both seem really tasty… Oops, I ended up thinking as a dragon again. Yup, I can’t really help it. Mr Stefano is quite blessed by the spirits of fire, while the madam-killer young man seems to be blessed by the spirits of water. I heard that you can tell what spirits some people are blessed by from their haircolors.
In that case, is the captain blessed by the wind? But people blessed by wind have a more deep green color. Oh well, it doesn’t change the fact that he seems tasty!
As I was thinking about that, the two of them had started a small scuffle, and it reminded me of Whitey and Rau.
[That’s quite rude of you, Rance.]
[If you think so, then reflect on your daily attitude and conduct.]
[Yes, yes, I get it, see ya later, lil’ Vito.]
Am I going to encounter him again? Well, if I stay here I’ll meet him whether I want to or not.
Mr Stefano returned to the lounge whilst cursing.
[Ehm, thank you very much.]
[Don’t mind it. Rather than that, sorry, that guy is always like that. Be careful that he doesn’t try to mess with you again.]
His reassuring smile was so beautiful that I couldn’t look him in the eyes. Whatever the case, mr Stefano is also quite handsome, and while he doesn’t seem as tasty as the captain, he’s still quite the appetizer… Oh no, I keep returning to those thoughts. Even though I decided to try not to think about it.
[I haven’t introduced myself yet, my name is Rance LeClair. I’m entrusted with the first platoon of the fourth knight corps.]
Oh, he’s a platoon leader, that’s quite stylish.
After that mr Rance taught me how I should handle the knights around here. There exists those who’d talk with me with good intentions, as well as those who wants to poke fun at me as that mr Stefano from earlier. Since there are no women, there are also those who’d assault me, so he told me to take care.
Well, in this matter I’m safe.
Before I’m eaten, I’ll simply eat them myself. In a literal meaning.
After all, everyone here looks tasty.
Today also started with the routine of waking the captain.
When I went to wake up the captain on the second day, it went as I was told and he wouldn’t rise no matter what, amazing me.
As I wondered why he rose on the first day, I tried reproducing my actions, whereupon he quickly woke up which startled me.
After that I tried several times, and finally understood the reason.
To wake up the captain, a certain keyword is required. Think carefully. The days that the captain wakes up easily is before battles or when he’s to perform flying drills. And when I thought about what I did the first day, one common feature emerged.
That is the word “Dragon”.
When I asked the lieutenant, it turned out that the captain was a giant dragon lover. Apparently that was the reason why he joined the knight corp. But because he also possessed the ability to back it up, he became the captain at the age of twenty two. Isn’t that too fast!?
When I asked if the other captains were the same, it turned out to not be so. Captains are usually in their thirties or early forties. That’s what I thought, but war is a trial by fire. The captains are also fighting in battles, of course. It seems that the fourth knight corps especially values personal ability above experience, since it fulfills a role close to that of a special attack unit. That’s why this corp is filled with more young hot blooded men than the other corps.
In summary, that would make the captain the strongest person here, right?
…I can’t see it. Rather, I’d say the lieutenant looks like the strongest and scariest.
As soon as I started using the keyword “Dragon”, the captain started rising daily. Could this be instinctual?
And the braiding of his hair also turned into a daily occurrence. I bet the captain is making me do it simply because he’s too lazy to do it himself, though.
I’m always, always looking at you with eyes filled with desire――――cough.
Even though he’s changing clothes behind me as I make the bed, I’ve become quite accustomed to it. When he’s done he simply leaves the room, so the only thing I does is watch him leave quietly. After that I tidy up the room.
As I straighten out the sheets, I wonder what food mr Nasso will offer me today.
[Vito.]
My name suddenly called, the captain turned towards me even though he’s in the middle of dressing. After all, it’s the first time he’s called my name.
Behind me is the captain who’s trying to reach a button on his white jacket, making me sigh in relief. Oh, thank god he wasn’t naked. But I feel that this is the first time our eyes have met since the first day. Although I can’t see the eyes at all because of his bangs. I wonder what color his eyes are. I wonder if they are the same bright green like his hair?
His voice, which is neither high nor low, is pleasant. It’s not gentle like Rance’s voice, being slightly husky, but I like his voice. Even though he’s always silent, never talking.
That’s why it’s rare that he calls out to me. It caused me to unintentionally put myself on guard. Could it be that my eyes have betrayed me and he caught on that I want to eat him?
[…Are you being made fun of by Stefano?]
It’s about mr Stefano, huh. I’m glad I wasn’t exposed.
[Oh, yes. But it’s already fine… Errr, why did you ask?]
[I had a report, from Rance.]
So he even sent a report? Mr Rance is really a goodnatured young man. It makes me happy, but I wonder if he really had to go that far. Since then I’ve at times encountered mr Stefano, but seeing me work on unfazed seemed to surprise me, and he hasn’t tried to mess with me since then. He told me [I lost my bet.] or something like that but when I asked him if most people bet that I’d immediately quit, he simply smiled bitterly.
[Thank you very much, for troubling yourself over me.]
It’s true that the one assigned here has a different jurisdiction. The fact that he paid attention to me honestly made me happy.
[M-… It’s part of a captain’s, duties?]
It seems that the captain is thinking about various things. I’m sorry for believing you weren’t thinking anything since you’re always in a daze.
I mean, the captain keeps stumbling in places with nothing to stumble upon, standing for hours simply looking up at the skies. The ones who live here seems to treat that as the norm, not minding at all.
I truly wonder why this person became the captain. Could he be a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Anyway, this person is almost like a cloud, simply floating along… Let me correct myself, since he looks delicious, he’s like cotton candy.
[Vito, do you like, dragons?]
And then, a question came out of the blue. Just how did our conversation turn in this direction?
I’ve got no idea what’s going on in that head of his.
[Yes, I like dragons.]
After all, I’m one. Of course I love myself. Solid scales that turn away swords, when it’s cold I can breathe fire creating a bonfire. And above all, I like that I can fly freely in the air. Although I haven’t flown much lately.
Upon hearing my reply the captain smiled shyly. I couldn’t see his eyes, but his mouth drew an arc so I guess he was happy.
[I will take you, to the house of the dragons.]
―――Eh?