While Lucia wasn’t there, Shiro was my only comfort. His detailed scales, big round eyes, lovely little voice. Everything about him was cute. He was always with me, as if he was protecting me in place of Lucia. But he was a monster... Though I had forgotten, the nobles of Vatis made sure to remind me.
“A dragon!?”
“Uwaaaaah!”
The moment we entered the castle, we were met not by welcoming voices, but screams of terror.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“E-Excuse me! But, Sacred Maiden... Isn’t that...isn’t that a dragon?” One of the people who had screamed timidly pointed towards Shiro, who was in my arms.
I think he said he was a minister. He’d looked so high-and-mighty when he introduced himself, but now he was nearly soiling his pants. I was just about ready to explode at their rudeness. How could they look at my adorable little Shiro like he was a danger! It pissed me off! He was different from other monsters. He might be a dragon, but he’d never hurt anyone!
“Wh—”
He must have noticed that I was about to go off, because Ed quickly moved in front of me. “I understand that you’re nervous, but please, calm down. This dragon won’t hurt anyone.”
“But Prince Edoardo, a dragon is a dragon!”
“That’s true. But this dragon hasn’t hurt anyone at all over our journey. He, Shiro, is the Sacred Maiden’s companion.” Saying that, Ed reached out and touched one of the ribbons holding my hair up. “I’m sorry, Maria. Can I borrow one of your ribbons?”
“Eh? Ah... Okay? Why?”
As soon as I answered, he pulled the ribbon out. “Just stay still, Shiro.”
Tying the long ribbon around Shiro’s neck, he took a brooch showing the crest of the Banfield royal family off of his own clothes and pinned it to the ribbon.
“The dragon must stay with the Sacred Maiden. He is her beloved follower.”
“Kyuwah!”
With the red ribbon around his neck, Shiro chirped what sounded like an agreement to Ed’s words.
✦ ✦ ✦
After Ed’s announcement, the people of Vatis reluctantly allowed Shiro to stay with us. Though they said that I always had to be with him, that was the plan from the beginning, so I didn’t have any problems. After that, we went to greet Ed’s Uncle, the Grand Duke, but no one said anything about Shiro. They must have already heard about what Ed said. They did give him some meaningful glances, but that was it.
Once our annoying meet-and-greet was over, and we finally had some free time, I went to talk to Ed for the first time in a while. He had told us all about his mission from the King, and I did understand it, but the fact that he had hidden it in the first place still bothered me.
“Ed.”
“Hm?”
While I hesitated, Ed gave me his usual smile. It pissed me off a bit, so I was deliberately a bit curt.
“Um, about Shiro... Uh...”
“Ah, sorry for worrying you. It probably would have been better to have a plan before we came, but honestly, I’d forgotten that Shiro was a monster. But it should be alright now. Just make sure that he’s always with you. We don’t know what people might try.”
“Ah... Okay.”
I’d had meant to thank him, but all that came out of my mouth was a dull acknowledgment.
“Is there something else?”
“N... No, nothing.”
I automatically shook my head as he asked me with a gentle smile. Come on, Maria! We need to thank him! If he hadn’t done what he did, they wouldn’t have let Shiro into the castle. They might have even killed him! But for some reason, my mouth wouldn’t move right.
“The people of Vatis won’t treat you badly. They’re believers in the Sacred Maiden faith, after all. It should be better for you here than it was back in Arldat. But if anything happens, tell me as soon as possible. Or...you could tell Reynard instead.”
Why did you have to look so lonely at the last part? That’s no fair!
“If I have something to say, I’ll say it straight to you! I’m already doing that, aren’t I!?”
“Ahaha, that’s true. Thank you, Maria.”
After another few words, I left.
“Kyuwah?” Shiro gave me an innocent look from his spot in my arms. Around his neck was a red ribbon with a gold crest hanging from it. Something that Ed gave to Shiro to protect him.
“He, Shiro, is the Sacred Maiden’s companion.” I remembered what Ed said when we first got here. “The dragon must stay with the Sacred Maiden. He is her beloved follower.”
“I think I should be congratulating myself for not saying that he was kinda cool, right, Shiro?”
“Kyuu?”
I would never admit that what he said then made me a lot happier than any of his sweet words up to now!