This place is warmer than the solitary island's palace isn't it."
"You're right, it feels more like a summer than early summer even though it's quite high in elevation."
I replied so to Liza who's partly closing her eyes toward the warm sunlight.
Since Silga Kingdom's Royal Capital is right beside the lesser dragon's mountaintop, I've come with Liza ahead of time before the airship arrives.
Tama and Pochi also wanted to go, but since I saw a lot of meat skewers and grilled fish stalls when I checked with [Clairvoyance] beforehand, they opted to stay behind.
It must be hard to be among the meat--.
"This place is lively isn't it."
On the road that looks like the road to the shrine often seen in Kyoto, a lot of stalls are lined up on the twisting hill road that's around two meter wide, selling various handicrafts and light meals.
This road is connected to the Dragon Shrine on the side of the mountain, so it's not [Looks like] but it's actually one.
A lot of the pedestrians are of Scalekin. A lot of them are of Lizardfolk kin, Snakehead kin, Red Scale kin, Orange Scale in, Blue Scale kin.
Humans and Beastfolk are also present, but they're relatively few compared to the Scalekin.
The Red Scale kin, Orange Scale kin and Blue Scale kin don't look different compared to humans other than the colorful scales on their nape of their necks and their arms, and having a tail on their lower back though, so at a glance it almost like there are a lot of humans here.
A lot of local people are wearing bold clothing with exposed stomachs and upper arms, their skirts are short and they're wearing sandals under their feet.
"Master, I feel line of sights clad with bad presences. Please don't be too far apart from me."
"You don't have to be that worried, it's alright okay."
I denied Liza's worry with a smile.
The presences she's sensing is glances clad with passion from the Lizardfolk kin men.
Apparently, Liza is an owner of considerable attractiveness according to Lizardfolk's sense of beauty.
Lots of them are glancing, but there's none who calls out to Liza.
They're probably overawed by the intimidating air from the cautious Liza.
Among the pedestrians, a Snakehead woman wearing troubadour-like clothing is reciting something with a mysterious reverberating voice in an open space to the side of the road.
"--Shariui who escapes from the suppression of the mad king Galtafut. Led to the wetlands by the 『Original Witch』 whose fate is linked to men--"
I've seen the name mad king Galtafut in Shiga Kingdom's history book, although I don't remember the detail.
A young king from about 400 years ago who was famous for oppressing demi-humans.
If I'm not mistaken, it's related to Hero Daisaku's retirement to Boruenan Forest.
"--ancient dragon, the master of the wetlands, asks Riui. 『Dost thou be my sacrifice, or perhaps dost thou be a warrior who challenges me.』. Riui replies saying 『We are wanderers. We seek for a place we can live in peace』--"
Ancient dragon should be a grade of dragon the likes of the black dragon Heiron and the heavenly dragon.
There's none of such in these outskirts at least, so either the dragon has left or the story has been dramatized.
The story advanced while I was thinking such a thing, the scene where Riui the wanderer fighting the ancient dragon was next.
The fight continued for three days and nights, in the end the morning light reflected from Riui's sword at the ancient dragon created an opening, and the fight ended when the dragon's eye was gouged and he was bathed in the dragon's blood.
I probably shouldn't retort that size-wise that's impossible.
It's hard to throw away my habit to verify things scientifically.
Liza who likes tales is staring at the poet seriously like when she's listening to a picture book's recitation.
"--The ancient dragon speaks heroically while shedding blood. 『O small one who hath wounded me. I bestow thou the king's throne and this land. My followers will watch over thine descendants. However, do not ever forget. The moment a king loses his power befitting of a king and his nobility, my followers will deprive thou of thine kingship and territory』--so the ancient dragon announced, and bestowed fangs, claws and thorns to the wanderer king Riui. King Riui created arms from each of those and gave them to his close friends. This is the beginning of Silga Kingdom's Five Scale Houses as it was handed down."
The poet concludes the story, the last reverberation trails.
The audiences give down generous applauses and incessantly pour down modest money offering on the poet.
I also throw her a silver coin.
It's a money I got from the country we visited before, the timing is just right.
I waved my hand to the poet who bowed when she saw the silver coin, and then we advanced toward the Dragon Shrine.