Ancient Dragon, Dragon King Vafumunt.
Three years ago, appearing as the enemy of both mankind, who ate up every bit of the mana that filled this world, and the Mazoku, who eroded the nature that was the source of mana, it was the sacred beast of the holy precincts.
Rivaling the Hero that was the summit of mankind and the Demon Lord that was the summit of the Mazoku, the Dragon King that was the summit of nature.
That Dragon King, ironically enough, had its life dispersed from the attacks of both mankind and the Mazoku. And then, once again, while having its soul and body manipulated, it confronted the Heroes that it detested, and died.
「……So you’ve finally passed away, my old friend, Vafumunt. 」
A large frame that could be mistaken for a mountain. It was a dragon that had that large frame clad in beautiful white scales.
People called him the forefather of dragons, the Elder Dragon. It was the first dragon to be born at the same time this world was created.
At the inner most area of the holy precincts, the Garden of the Labyrinth of Time, the Elder Dragon sensed the death of his sworn friend from ancient times.
「Fafner, and now Vafumunt. ……Oh dear, the Ancient Dragons have been reduced down to only me.」
Muttering that with a voice that had become hoarse and could make one feel its age, the Elder Dragon noticed a *saku saku* (crunch, crunch) sound of grass being stepped on and looked at the direction of the sound.
「Ohh……Norn, is it you.」
「It has been a long time, Elder Dragon-dono.」
What the Elder Dragon saw was long white hair that looked as if it were transparent and a white body. And then, a little girl that possessed eyes that were a deep red like blood.
It was the 『Witch of Time』 Norn.
While walking the grass-covered plain that had verdant grass spread about it, Norn approached closer to the Elder Dragon.
「It has, Norn. How many years will it have been?」
「Since it was before the Hero appeared, it will be four years.」
Norn replied with a smile to the Elder Dragon’s question.
「I see, I see. This was just recently but, a young man that called himself a Hero had come by, you know? He had memorized the technique that Vafumunt had left behind but, you knew of this, right?」
「Indeed. His name is Kaito Amagi.」
「It would seem that he put an end to Vafumunt.」
「Yes. I am aware.」
「So you really did know. ……As expected of the 『Witch of Time』.」
The Elder Dragon laughed with a *Kutsu kutsu*
「I extend my gratitude, Norn.」
「No, we should be apologizing to you. Although it was for the sake of saving the world, we destroyed two pillars of dragons that were the symbols of nature.」
Norn approached the Elder Dragon until she was right beside him and sat on top of the grass-covered plain.
「It’s fine. Both Fafner and Vafumunt were in err. It’s because the humanity that they tried to put an end to, as well as the Mazoku, is one part of the nature that “this world” had created.」
The Elder Dragon said that, and prayed for his old friend to rest in peace.