After sipping the coffee with apparent enjoyment, the golden dragon nodded deeply.
“…Hmm, I see. The Creator God has been troubled by their other half for some time, but I never imagined they would summon a small being from another world. Even for a Creator God, if they bend the laws of the world, their power will be greatly diminished. So, that’s why the presence of their other half has been faint lately.”
“Greatly diminished power? The Creator God?”
This was the first time I’d heard that.
“Could it be that the form resembling that Kesaran Pasaran …?”
“I don’t know what this ‘Kesaran Pasaran ‘ is, but if they summoned four beings from another world who can save this world, I suppose even that divine form has been diminished for now.”
“No, there are three heroes. I’m just an innocent bystander. …Though I thought that was the real form, I guess a god wouldn’t be a fluffy ball. Could it be that the dragon form is the real body?”
Without thinking, I found myself staring closely at the handsome man before me. The golden dragon seemed to find the coffee bitter, adding more sugar to it.
I had given him plenty of milk and two sugars, but it seems he’s quite the sweet tooth.
Apparently, the coffee with five sugars was to his liking, as he nodded in satisfaction.
“The Creator God’s form? They take various forms depending on the time. My current form is based on the human form of the Creator God.”
“Seriously? The Creator God wasn’t a fluffy ball but this handsome?”
The golden dragon had luxurious golden hair and amethyst-like purple eyes.
A toga, if I remember correctly. He was draped in ancient Roman-style white cloth, which made him look truly divine.
If the Creator God had appeared in this form during our first contact, I would never have called them Kesaran Pasaran . My response would have been entirely different.
(But now, it’s too late to switch to polite speech. It would make things awkward for both of us… Yeah, let’s just keep it like this!)
The Creator God, despite being called Kesaran Pasaran , didn’t seem to mind, so I decided to rely on that broadmindedness.
By the way, I had gotten along with the golden dragon, who called himself a divine beast, ever since we ate BBQ together, so we spoke casually.
While I found it frightening to think that his true form might be that dragon, he was now in a human form and spoke calmly in a natural, handsome way.
(And, hey, this is the first being from another world I’ve met here! Wait, is he a dragon? Either way, being able to converse like this is so much fun!)
Talking to Cait Sith the cat fairy was nothing like this. It felt so great to have a proper conversation.
“Ah… I can’t believe how lonely I was.”
I suddenly became embarrassed at myself.
Back when I was in Japan, I had longed for a quiet life by myself.
“Are you lonely, hero?”
“No, I’ve told you, I’m not a hero.”
“Ah, right. You were… a hero’s food, wasn’t it?”
“Well, yes, but still! Please at least call me by my name. It makes me feel sad otherwise.”
“Ah, I see. I didn’t know your name.”
“It’s Tohma . Please call me Tohma . What’s your name, golden dragon?”
I secretly tried to identify him, but other than the species name “golden dragon,” I couldn’t read anything else.
Maybe it’s because he’s a divine beast, or perhaps it’s a skill he has. Or maybe the level difference is so great that the appraisal was blocked.
“Tohma , huh? Got it. I’ll call you that. I don’t have a name. Just call me ‘golden dragon.'”
“You don’t have a name? That sounds inconvenient.”
“Then just call me whatever you like.”
“Just whatever…?”
I stared at the golden dragon in exasperation, but he didn’t seem to mind at all.
He tilted his head and looked at me intently.
Unlike wild beasts, it seemed dragons don’t get angry just from eye contact.
What name would you give me? His curious eyes seemed to ask, as though he was looking forward to it.
A little excited, I realized it was hard to refuse a naming opportunity in this situation.
(A name… a name… It should be easy to call, right? Oh, his golden fur and the way he looks at me with that polite posture… He reminds me of someone…)
I thought of the golden retriever my grandfather used to keep. It was a friendly large dog.
The way it had such nice fur and was always hungry reminded me of the dragon in some ways.
The dog knew how strong it was, and when a child would hold the leash and take it for a walk, it would carefully match their pace, careful not to crush them.
It was smart and gentle.
The dragon, too, had come close carefully, ensuring not to crush us with its power.
“…How about the name Rei? Just as a nickname for when I call you.”
“Hmm, Rei? That has a nice sound. What does it mean?”
“Eh, meaning?”
I couldn’t exactly say it was after my grandfather’s dog, so I hastily pulled out my phone and looked it up in the dictionary app. I think the kanji for it is “零.”
“Rei… Zero, the boundary between positive and negative numbers, right? In our country, when written in kanji, it can mean gently falling rain or have various meanings.”
“Rei” can also refer to “obedience” or “prayer,” which, combined with “rain,” can symbolize a prayer reaching the gods for rain.
I picked a fitting explanation and told him, and the golden dragon smiled in satisfaction.
“That’s a good name. I like it. I allow you to call me that.”
His pleased expression, narrowing his eyes, reminded me of my grandfather’s golden retriever “Rei.”
Hmm, maybe he’s cuter than I thought?
“The boundary of zero between positive and negative, huh? It’s a fitting name. Just as that name suggests, I can’t lend you my power,” the golden dragon said.
“You’re talking about the hero, right?”
“Yes. I can’t be the ally of the small beings of this world and fight against the Creator God’s enemies.”
“Why not? You’re a divine beast, aren’t you? Shouldn’t you be the one to defeat the evil dragon?”
The golden dragon, who revered the Creator God, had stats so high that they couldn’t even be appraised. If he joined the heroes’ side, it would be incredibly reassuring.
But he shook his head easily.
“Creation and destruction, both are necessary gods in this world. Because I am a divine beast, I cannot take sides.”
“Even if the God of Destruction is trying to destroy the world?”
“It’s a conflict between the two gods. The heroes and the demon race fight as their proxies. All I can do is watch. Unfortunately.”
He sighed, as if lamenting the situation.
Despite being bound by the gods’ laws, it seemed he regretted the destruction of the world.
(…So, there’s still hope.)
“So, if it’s a proxy war, does that mean the heroes will win by defeating the demon race, not the evil dragon?”
“The gods cannot be defeated. They can only be sealed or calmed.”
“…I see.”
Hearing that we didn’t have to defeat them made me sigh in relief.
Perhaps the Creator God had given the heroes the skills or weapons to seal or calm them.
(Still, it’s better to have backup. Though with my power, it seems impossible…)
I looked at the golden dragon—Rei—as he sipped his sweet coffee, looking strong and reliable.
“Now I understand that you can’t attack the evil dragon. By the way, I hear that magic beast meat is your main food?”
“Mm? Yes, I like meat. I eat grains and fruits too, but meat is definitely the most satisfying.”
“Magic beast meat is tasty too. Like the higher-level orcs.”
“Yes, that’s tasty. They don’t look great, but their taste is excellent.”
“If other magical creatures or demons attack, will you fight them off?”
“Of course. I was granted life by the Creator God as a divine beast. I’ll gladly take on any fight.”
The golden dragon snorted, and I smiled at him.
“Good! That makes me feel better. Oh, by the way, you were curious about my fixed skill, weren’t you?”
After spending these hours at the table, I had a good sense of the golden dragon’s personality.
He was curious, a big eater, and kind. Proud to be a divine beast, yet with a fierce streak when it came to magical creatures and demons.
“I think you’ll find a lot of things you like, Rei.”
“Really? I’m looking forward to it.”
I could almost imagine a large dog wagging its tail.
This special summoning magic online store will definitely scratch his curiosity.
(Let’s feed the dragon!)
