Once again the chain of exchanges from Hina to Puru, then all the way back from the water dragon took place. After which, Hina announced the water dragon’s answer. “‘I was commanded to, I couldn’t disobey’...... oh no, it’s terrible...... There’s a bully somewhere~!”
What a perfectly fitting way of putting things. So apparently there was someone who was controlling this water dragon from the shadows. It seemed like this would be the correct line of thought to pursue. However, what kind of person could it be that even a magic beast this size could not disobey them? But unfortunately, conversation didn’t really progress after that point, so it proved impossible to get any specific information about the controller.
In the eyes of dragons, all human faces apparently looked the same. This water dragon identified its controller by voice, but with the double and triple layers of translation, Shouzou was ultimately unable to comprehend the description the water dragon provided. In the first place, the water dragon did not even understand the concept of an individual as opposed to an organization, as its species generally never did anything in a “group.”
It seemed like the controller was indeed just one person, but it proved impossible to gain any more information beyond “yes, the controller did come into contact with several other individuals.”
It was at this point that the water dragon abruptly cried out mournfully.
Then it slowly began withdrawing into the ocean.
“What is happening?”
“Um, ‘I have to go back now,’ it said~”
Back to its controller, perhaps? If so, then it might be a good idea to give chase, as doing so might reveal the location and maybe even the identity of the controller in question.
Groan.
Apparently, that had been “Please don’t follow me.”
Shouzou tried to ask why, but no answer was forthcoming.
“There’s one last thing we want to know: why did you come here?”
Silence.
However, the instant right before its head fully submerged underwater, the water dragon answered.
—You guys looked like you were having so much fun, I wanted to join in too.
With that, the water dragon retreated deep underwater, far further than even Shouzou could follow.
“I see. Then let’s play all you want when we meet next.”
“Let’s play~!”
“KUEEHHH!”
(Did our thoughts reach the dragon?) While floating amidst the waves, Shouzou earnestly prayed that they did.
So then, the water dragon had left.
Shouzou switched his train of thought. (Who could it be that’s pulling the strings in the shadows?) Their motive was also unclear. The cargo of the ships that the water dragon had attacked were mainly on the ocean floor. The few that were floating on the surface did not seem to have been touched either. (Was it a grudge? But the attacks seemed too indiscriminate for that. Wait no, didn’t Jilk say......)
—“It is only ships from foreign countries that are being attacked.”
—“If this continues, we could have an international problem on our hands.”
It seemed like Jilk knew something else as well. Shouzou returned to the beach in a hurry. With perfect timing, Jilk also just happened to be surfacing from the water, dragging a half-drowned Jirahal along.
Leaving his kids under the care of Puru and Sofie and his other coworkers, Shouzou called Elizabeth and Silvia over. After he explained the situation, the wrinkles on Goldas’s forehead deepened into a frown.
“So that’s what it was. Though it’s still blurry, I may be starting to see what’s going on behind the scenes here. The ships attacked by the water dragon were all foreign merchant ships. To be more specific, only the ships belonging to the Empire of Bardimia.” The Empire of Bardimia, sometimes also called the Bardimian Empire, was located north of the kingdom, on the other side of a sea.
In recent years, the empire had been boosting its military strength, citing random reasons to justify attacking and annexing small countries on its borders. Due to the sea that separated the two countries, people in the kingdom had yet to feel any sense of a crisis from this. However, the longer this went on, the more at risk they were.
“So you’re saying it could be someone from the empire who has a grudge against us?” asked Elizabeth.
“That’s not a strong enough reason to explain why they’re doing this in our waters.” Goldas expressed his disagreement.
Shouzou was of the same mind as the marquis. That alone was not enough to justify going to the trouble of bringing a water dragon so far from its usual habitat to conduct attacks in someone else’s country.
“Then, marquis, what do you think are the chances of this being the handiwork of a third country?”
“Hmm. Pitting our two countries against each other, then swooping in when we are both exhausted from fighting? Hmmm......” Goldas groaned with his arms crossed.
At that moment, another possibility occurred to Shouzou. “This might be the empire itself.”
“Hah?” Although it was Elizabeth who raised her voice, everyone else also turned toward Shouzou with equally astonished expressions.
“I am not too clear on the exact details of the situation, but I can think of several reasons why they might want to do this.” With that preface, Shouzou began to explain his thoughts. “By attacking only their own ships, they could be trying to create a pretext for demanding a large amount of reparation. Or perhaps this could be a tactic for gauging our kingdom’s naval strength. It is a natural assumption that the navy would have to get involved when it comes to subjugating a water dragon. Then an estimate of the forces at our disposal could be extrapolated based on what we bring to bear against the dragon.”
Goldas’s face stiffened. “Either of them seem equally probable. No, it might be that......”
“Indeed. If this is indeed the work of the empire, then it would be safer to assume that they were aiming for both of those in carrying out this plan. And of course, their final aim would be—”
Shouzou’s next words caused everyone to swallow their breath.
“—to use it as pretext for starting a war.”
Even for a country so actively pursuing the expansion of its borders, invading other countries without rhyme or reason would provoke criticism from both without and within. Having a reason for doing so, such as this, for example, could go a long way in lessening that criticism.
“If things truly are as Shouzou surmises, then the situation is very grave.” By this point in time, they had already deployed their navy to subjugate the water dragon. If the aim was truly to assess their naval strength, then that aim was already accomplished.
Furthermore, even if they somehow managed to capture the person controlling the water dragon and confirm that this truly was the empire’s doing, chances were high that the empire would simply just play innocent. The only thing left after that would be an express ticket to war. The empire would surely harp on about how “the kingdom tried to pin a false accusation on us!” and invade in high spirits. Everything would have gone exactly as they wanted.
Discretion was needed. The best option was to defeat the water dragon quietly and without fanfare, and in so doing, regain peace.
Goldas strongly supported this idea.
“Silvia, are you able to track the water dragon just now with your tracking magic?”
“Mhm. I was a ways off when it showed up, but I managed to grasp its unique magic signature nevertheless.”
“Shouzou, you will do this for us?” Goldas patted his chest with relief.
Shouzou directed his eyes toward the lapping waves.
Hina was happily playing by splashing Puru with water. The smile on her face was even brighter than the sun hanging in the clear blue sky.
“Upon parting, apparently that water dragon said ‘I have to go back now.’ In other words, there is a possibility that at this very moment, it is heading toward the person who is controlling it, and that they are going to make contact.”
“Oi, Shouzou. You crazy bastard, what are you planning—”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Shouzou glared sharply toward the far horizon beyond the sea.
“I will apprehend this villainous fool who is taking advantage of a virtuous magic beast, and free the water dragon from its bonds.”
Goldas was struck dumbfounded.
In stark contrast, Silvia and Elizabeth both smiled with relief.
“I hear that water dragons normally live in colder waters. It is surely finding the warm waters around here quite uncomfortable indeed. Maybe we will only get to play with it just the one time.”
“Hold on. But then the relationship between our countries—”
“Come, come, there’s no cause for worry.” Shouzou laughed away Goldas’s worry. “I will do something about it.”
“Will you at least tell us what plan you’ve cooked up that gives you such confidence?!”
The plan was to play it by ear, of course. In the cutthroat business world, things almost never go according to plan. With that thought in his mind, Shouzou merely chuckled—