A certain young man and his surroundings.
Third Party’s Point of View
That day, the Kingdom of Shiverihas was in an uproar. A massive swarm of dragons had appeared in the sky.
The nation, already weakened by repeated attacks from neighboring countries, stood no chance against such a catastrophe. The people despaired. Even the knights, who were supposed to protect the citizens, did not come. The townsfolk resigned themselves to their fate.
However, the dragons merely descended upon the central square without wreaking havoc. Trembling, the people cautiously observed the creatures. Among the dragons, they noticed an iron... bird-like object. From it emerged a young man who stunned the crowd.
The young man, with his dignified and imposing presence, bore an uncanny resemblance to the current King.
"Oniichan."
"Hm?"
"Paula!?"
A fearless child had spoken to the young man commanding the dragons. Her mother, nearly fainting from fear, prepared to defend her child if necessary.
"What is it?"
The stern-looking young man crouched down, meeting the child’s gaze gently.
"Oniichan, are the dragons your friends?"
"Ah, yes. My Oneechan is actually closer to them than I am, but these dragons are indeed my friends."
"Really? How do you become friends with them?"
"Well... by feeding them— I mean, by sharing treats. But be careful. Dragons are diverse creatures, so don't approach them recklessly. Here, take this. Oneechan made these treats. Share them with the dragon and see."
"Okay!"
As the child gave the treat to a dragon, other children began to approach as well.
"Young master, we must head to the castle."
The speaker was a dog beastman, a well-known figure.
"General Bernard!?"
"Make way, everyone! This man is none other than Prince Portforio, son of our current King!"
"The prince!?"
The crowd buzzed with astonishment. The missing prince— was this kind-hearted young man truly him?
The current King was known as a wise ruler. However, there were grave concerns about the children of the King's brother, who were slated to inherit the throne. They abused their power, causing havoc in the city. Even now, as dragons descended, they had abandoned the commoners.
In contrast, this gentle young man... Could he truly lead them? Especially as the direct son of their wise King?
“Long live Prince Portforio!”
The people's cries grew louder, one voice after another joining until a resounding cheer filled the air. The crowd parted, creating a path for Prince Portforio.
With a gentle smile, Prince Portforio rode a grand cart, accompanied by the dragons, towards the royal castle. His demeanor exuded the confidence and dignity of a true monarch.
The people rejoiced at the prince's return, shouting with all their might.
(Long live Prince Portforio!)
Beside him was a woman of goddess-like beauty. She seemed vaguely familiar, but surely such an ethereal being could not have gone unnoticed. The people decided it must be their imagination. The divine-looking woman waved gracefully, her radiant smile enchanting all who saw her.
The townsfolk opened the way to the castle, creating a parade-like atmosphere as they escorted the procession.
Meanwhile, in the castle, chaos reigned. The only calm presence was the King, who let out a weary sigh.
The Kingdom, battered by the incessant assaults of neighboring nations, was already on the brink of collapse. Now, they faced a dragon attack. Sighing was hardly enough to express his frustration. Yet, he had to devise a plan. He could not let the capital burn. The casualties would be unimaginable. At worst, they might need to abandon the city and evacuate the populace.
But why had there been no reports? Surely they had sent scouts to assess the situation? Or was this gross dereliction of duty?
The King rubbed his aching head.
"Your Majesty, urgent news! A young man claiming to be your son is approaching the castle with dragons in tow!"
What now?
The King felt an overwhelming urge to feign illness and retreat to his bed. But little did he know, this was only the beginning.
What do you think about this chapter?
