Chapter 215 : Chapter 215

Chapter 215 - Defection

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Princess withdrew.

She ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍withdrew quietly after promising to meet him tomorrow in the audience chamber, where his wager with the Emperor would take place.

It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍would not have been strange for her to lash out with a sharp remark, yet she climbed into her carriage without saying a word. Until he saw her off, she did not speak, nor even give him a glance.

RUMBLE—

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Princess’s carriage passed out through the front gate of Raymond’s mansion.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Youngest Son, the Forest Witch, and Raymond, the master of the house, watched it go.

Only after the rear of the carriage disappeared could the master of the house ask,

“What is going on?”

The words Raymond had spoken most often to the Youngest Son slipped out again today. Twice, at that.

Each time, the Youngest Son spoke calmly with his hands clasped behind his back.

“This time, I did not know either. My subordinate went to examine His Highness the Crown Prince’s condition—”

“...Please refrain from saying such things as much as possible. There are many ears.”

“My apologies. In any case, it seems Her Highness took an interest in my subordinate’s ability.”

“That is right. She asked me to decorate a flower garden for her.”

Then the matter should have ended between the witch and the Princess. Why had the carriage forced its way all the way here?

Moreover, why had Her Highness departed while carrying a faint irritation?

Many questions swirled in Raymond’s mind, but he now understood. Even if he asked the Youngest Son standing here, no refreshing answer would come out.

“The wager with His Majesty is tomorrow, is it not?”

“Yes.”

“Have you thought of an answer?”

“Yes.”

“I hope it is a longer answer than the one you are giving me now.”

“Yes.”

“......”

Raymond silently bowed his head and left.

The Fifth Son from Millesdusk might die tomorrow, yet not a single trace of worry showed on his face.

He looked as though he had prepared an extraordinary answer. If not, then he had finished preparing to flee.

Unless he had invented a sorcery that could revive him even if he died, he would either answer correctly or run away.

If Raymond had one wish, it was that it would absolutely not be the former. If it was the former, it meant he would have to keep the Fifth Son with him even longer.

***

After returning to his room once more, the Youngest Son seated his telepathy teacher in front of him, continuing from earlier.

The teacher seemed to have many thoughts, and it was only natural. He had nearly died, and the one that had tried to kill him was the family he had trusted absolutely.

However, it was not only the family making his mind complicated.

―How is it? Was it transmitted?

“......”

The Youngest Son’s physical voice rang inside Akiell’s head. Naturally, only the receiver could know it.

Thus, if the receiver remained silent, the sender could not know whether he had succeeded, but the sensation of success certainly existed.

―It succeeded, did it not? If you keep sitting there like that, the honor of Wisdom’s telepathy mage will weep. You call yourselves the highest justice, yet you are acting so disgracefully?

Having succeeded once, the Youngest Son continued succeeding in telepathy without pause and threw Akiell’s mind into confusion.

Moreover, Akiell had not yet taught him how to control the volume of his voice, so it felt as though his eardrums were ringing.

“I understand, so shut up. It is so loud I could die.”

―You nearly died earlier, not now.

“Shut up. I know, so shut up. Please, shut up.”

Of the two people in the room, one did not so much as part his lips, while only the other kept shouting for him to shut up.

It was a strange situation no matter who saw it, but what was truly incomprehensible was what had happened earlier.

―You did not expect it? That they would use your death?

―We would never do what you people—

―No. You did expect it. But you dismissed it because it seemed like a method the East would use.

No more sound could be heard inside the room. However, it grew noisier than ever.

―More importantly, “we”? You still tie yourself together with the ones who tried to kill you. I cannot tell whether you are softhearted or have no pride. Were you brainwashed?

―...Brainwashing is what you people do. You deceive people by saying that the essence of mana is violence and that it becomes strongest when one tries to wound others.

“Hah.”

At those truly absurd words, the Youngest Son laughed aloud. As if making that rare physical voice meaningless, his telepathy continued.

―Millesdusk does not deceive. Killing is faster than deception.

“......”

―Why exhaust one’s mouth deceiving someone when one can simply kill them and make them undead? Deception is my specialty, not Millesdusk’s.

―So you admit it. You are a bastard who lives by deceiving others.

―Yes. I do. There is nothing I cannot admit. I deceived others in order to survive. However.

He placed his hand on Akiell’s shoulder.

“I have never killed a subordinate so that I could live.”

The epaulet that symbolized a telepathy mage could be felt beneath his pale hand.

That hand slowly fell away, and until then, the room was quiet. But their minds were not, and the Youngest Son gave the best answer he could.

“That is your freedom.”

Having learned telepathy, the Youngest Son now stood up.

“Tell me if you have any other lectures to give. Since I learned Telepathy Magic, I would like to learn related magic as well.”

“...Yes. I will teach you.”

He did not know whether it was sincere or because Akiell did not want to lose his usefulness, but he had secured the next lecture as well.

“The Head Maid will come in soon and move you to another room. I will not be here tomorrow, so you will be with Josephine.”

“Josephine is...”

He was about to leave with only those words, but Akiell’s physical voice reached the back of his head. So he turned around.

“What treatment does she receive in the East?”

“The East gives her no treatment.”

“...As expected. Of course...”

The head of a man who had lost even the thinnest hope drooped helplessly. To the back of that head, the Youngest Son’s physical voice reached in return.

“But I give her treatment.”

The face that had seemed about to touch the floor rose, however faintly.

“Josephine is an exceptional talent. I am giving her treatment that suits that.”

“If one has ability... is that it?”

“Ask the Head Maid for the details about asylum.”

“...Who said anything about asylum?”

“Never mind if you have no intention. It is not my own camp, but the East is always open. As for why it is not my side, I am extremely popular right now.”

“I did not ask.”

His face crumpled at the out-of-nowhere boast, but impatience appeared in one corner of it. It was the impatience that, if he was going to attach himself to the Fifth Son, he would be better off doing it quickly.

After confirming that impatience, the Youngest Son smiled and changed rooms.

Using the sensory organs of the Vampire bloodline, avoiding people’s eyes in a large mansion was not difficult.

The Youngest Son arrived at Kairos’s room, and since he was a secret visitor, he omitted the knock.

“Kairos. Is the wound from earlier all right?”

Instead, he offered that greeting, and Kairos, who had been reading a book provided in the room, welcomed his master gladly.

“Of course I am all right. Rather, I was worried about the bones in Master’s fist.”

“They did crack. I healed them quickly.”

Even under Polymorph, a dragon was still a dragon. It was only natural that one would not be unscathed after striking dragon bone with a bare hand, but this regenerative ability was not normal either.

“What brings you all the way here? You surely did not come because you were truly worried about my jaw or stomach.”

“You know me well now.”

“It is about time I did.”

Kairos was right. The reason the Youngest Son had come here was not simply worry. If one insisted on calling it worry, it was worry for himself.

“Kairos. Your identity has been discovered by Wisdom.”

“So it seems.”

Kairos, who had been hiding as a tiny mouse, had seen a frog suddenly transform into a person.

That person had tried to kill another wearing the same robe, and Kairos had moved to stop him, but his Polymorph had been a little slower than expected.

He had nearly been forced to give up one of the prisoner’s arms, but fortunately, the prisoner had dodged on his own.

However, whether his Polymorph had been slow or fast, his identity had been revealed, and Wisdom would be wary of it.

“When Wisdom tries to fight Millesdusk in the future, they will bring dragons with them.”

Kairos, who had been looking into his book, finally took his eyes off it and looked at the bloodshot eyes.

“Is that what Master thinks? That if it is not a human but another dragon, I will lose?”

“The truth is that would be natural. You are far younger than Wisdom’s dragons, and it has not been long since your mind returned.”

“If I were alone, yes. But if Master and I are together, we can win. I saw the possibility last time.”

“Are you talking about Red-Out?”

Kairos nodded.

“Master and I are capable of sharing mana with each other, and that seemed to bring Master vast possibilities.”

“Yes. That is not wrong. But we cannot always be together.”

“That is not wrong either.”

“So you need to do what is called individual training.”

Even as he said it, he felt an unbearable contradiction in the phrase. Individual training for a dragon? It was something that would make any passing dragon roll on the floor laughing.

However, Kairos accepted it rather seriously.

“I feel the need for it as well. In actual combat, small mistakes are more fatal than expected.”

“Correct. That is why individual training is necessary.”

“Then how does one do individual training?”

Good question.

The Youngest Son was at a loss for words. This was truly rare. To think there was something for which he could find no precedent even in his ocean-like vast playtime.

How did dragons carry out individual training? Would it work if they repeated certain actions, as humans did?

“...Come with me for a moment.”

Kairos and the Youngest Son moved to another room. By now, it simply felt like his own home.

The place they arrived at was the room where the Wisdom members had gathered. The room, where a prisoner, a teacher who was also a prisoner, and a magitech engineer had gathered, carried a strong scent of the West.

Into that place stepped the dragon for whom the scent of flesh was the very scent of mana.

“D-Dragon...”

Even Akiell, who had been sunk in something like despondency, was startled into alertness, and Tolan had already swallowed his breath and barely avoided fainting.

“Wisdom Trio. I need your help.”

“Trio? Leave me out!”

At the magitech engineer’s protest, the prisoner duo had nothing in particular to say and merely avoided their gazes.

“Josephine. Kairos here needs individual training.”

“...Huh?”

Josephine asked back, and the prisoner duo, who had been avoiding his gaze, also looked at the bloodshot eyes. The Youngest Son, who had become a strange person with a single sentence, nodded.

“I know. I know. It must sound insane, but he truly needs it.”

While Josephine was stammering, Akiell, who had been listening, spoke.

“Dragons are not beings who train. They are beings who grow stronger naturally as years accumulate.”

“Did he even say he wanted to train in the first place?”

At the words of the prisoner duo, Kairos personally answered.

“I want to.”

“...!”

“...It seems my ears really are beginning to fail.”

Leaving aside the prisoner duo, whose eyes opened wide in surprise or who doubted their own ears, the Youngest Son asked,

“Josephine. Have you ever heard of anything like a dragon’s training method?”

She clutched her head and thought about it, but the mind that had recalled countless inspirations for magitech had gone on strike now.

“S-Sorry... I do not really know.”

“No. There is nothing to apologize for.”

From the start, the very proposition of a dragon training made no sense. A dragon might take an interest in human techniques and learn them, but once it learned them, that was the end.

Yet training? Tolan, who had been tapping his own ears a moment ago, chuckled and muttered.

“Training for a dragon. Huhuh. What, should he stop a volcanic eruption or something?”

“...That is good.”

To his muttering, the Youngest Son answered with a mutter of his own. However, it was so quiet that most of them did not hear it.

Except for the one dragon beside him.

“Master. What is good?”