Antagonist Protection Service-Chapter 143: The Dragon Tribe

"I already told you who I am."

Thinking for a second, I gave a shrug, to which she simply shook her head.

"I do not mean your name, and even that could be fake. No matter how much I think about it, I simply do not understand how you exist. Your body has no traces of mana other than that which continuously fleets from your one hand, like a lost, fading soul."

Seeing those horizontal, reptilian eyes of gold that seemed to pierce me through, I eventually felt the pressure build enough to avert my gaze, swinging it back only with a question.

"...I'm human. I don't have anything else to say other than that... Unless, do you know of any way that I might be able to get mana somehow?"

"Such a living creature with no intake or storage of mana should never be able to exist. If you had a way to store it, and merely possessed none, you would be dead. However, you do not even have that capability. There is undoubtedly mana in the air through which you breathe, but rather than absorbing it and storing it within your body, it simply dissipates upon exhaling. It is extremely odd. "

'So there's no way... Well, not in this world. It was worth asking, I guess...'

Just as I thought that, she turned her face halfway to the observing moon.

"...I suppose you will do what you will. Just be careful when you meet my tribe."

Ending it with a brief sigh, she left me with that before returning to the carriage. Immediately after she was gone, I yawned.

'Ah. I'm getting tired too... Eeh, it's a bit awkward to go back right now, though...'

In the end, I decided to stay up just a little while longer.

❖─────★★☆☆☆─────❖

The following morning, we left the carriage where we had parked it to rest the night and began to traverse the forest.

Reason being, there was no pathway through the trees of the forest that was spacious enough for it to squeeze through, in addition to the fact that some of the terrain as we ascended the mountain would become too steep for the carriage to make without trouble.

Fortunately, because there were only Golems and no living horses to draw it, we could leave them there in advance preparation for our return with no worries, having Ryoko cast a magical barrier around it just in case.

Thereafter, we spent the better half of the morning walking through the forest, climbing the mountain.

There were some wild animals, and quite a few intimidating-looking monsters, but perhaps it didn't feel as dangerous as I expected thanks to the squadron of monster girls we had to defend us. Part of me had prepared myself to retrieve the Holy Sword in the event of an attack, but one way or another, it turned out an unnecessary concern.

We made steady progress, and before long, we made it to the tree line―the elevation on a mountain at which trees cease to grow―meaning we successfully made it out of the forest and to where the terrain became primarily rock instead of dirt.

Once we got to that point, Ryoko informed us that we were now effectively within the Dragon Tribe's territory. Of course, the Protagonist and the others had already been here once before, so that notice was probably mostly for me.

Eventually, we arrived at a flat, stony terrace, harbouring the entrance to a cave.

Seeing the magical, wisp-like lights that floated around to illuminate the darkness within, it seems we had finally made it.

"―Papa! We have returned!"

"Oh...! Whose is that sweet voice I hear?!"

From there, the plot practically moved as it willed, with the Protagonist and the dragon girl leading our party into the cave to meet her tribe, and as the first figure to appear was an incredibly tall and bulky man, evidently Ryoko's father, the three of them disappeared lightheartedly into a deeper tunnel, the Protagonist carrying a gift directly from the city mayor.

As expected, there were countless other large individuals with the same horns and tail as those two, both young and old, with many of them sharing the same or at least similarly-coloured features of dark or dull purple, with golden eyes.

And, also as expected, whenever I approached the so-called 'Elders', who I had previously been informed were the ones I should speak to regarding my mana issue, they immediately looked at me with eyes of blatant intrigue.

Because things would be busy for a while, they told me to visit them after dinner and left it at that for now. Until then, Ryoko seemed to be speaking in private with her father and the other Elders of the tribe whilst the Protagonist, Cassie and Feanya played around with the younger dragons.

Katya was the only one who seemed hesitant to do so, but I could have also sworn I caught her staring my way a couple of times.

Either way, things progressed in such a strangely casual manner until everyone shared a banquet-like feast together for dinner.

All in all, I guess it was sort of an enjoyable time, but of course, I would never have been able to get much out of it, being in the position that I am.

And so, following that chaotic celebration, I approached the Elders once again.

New novel 𝓬hapters are published on ƒreewebɳovel.com.

Regarding magic, there was one thing I was certainly keen to figure out.