“I see…..Now that you’ve told me to leave it in your care, I can feel relieved for the time being.”

“Yes. They……said they needed an arbitrator. Let’s do it, your Majesty.”

After Neebel left the palace on foot, I went to report to the Emperor.

As one would expect, I couldn’t tell him about the overseers…..So I told him instead that I was going to be an arbitrator.

“I understand the matter with the demons. The problem is…….”

The Emperor showed a suspicious expression.

Your Majesty…….Err…….you’ve got it wrong, you know? But I couldn’t say this.

“Will the dragons live on your domain?”

“Yes. If Bea or I are not around, it is too difficult to control them. I’ll take care of the dragons for a while.”

“Is that really so?……Your strength is increasing again……..”

“Well, it is only temporary. It’s all right.”

It’s not really all right, but it’s no use saying this here.

I’ll just try to somehow deceive him.

“It’s not such a big deal, having a few flying lizards. Besides, in case of an emergency, I’ll welcome the prince on my domain. Isn’t it better to have a strong war potential?”

“Well, if you put it that way.”

“Moreover, we are relatives, so please don’t worry. I won’t betray those whom I call family.”

“Fufu, I have no choice but to trust you. If you’ll ever betray us, the capital will easily surrender. It’s useless to worry about it anyway.”

The Emperor let out a long sigh, the repositioned himself on the chair.

“Understood. The Prime Minister will deal with the uproar. Zest……you should start getting ready for what’s to come.”

“As you wish.”

I lowered my head then left the council room.

Getting ready for what’s to come……In short, I must prepare for assaulting the elves’ country.

I have to discuss this matter with the Frontier Count at once.

After I returned to my room, I summoned Suu right away.

We must arrange to send a messenger.

“Did you call for me, master?”

“Suu, make the necessary arrangements to send an urgent messenger to the Frontier Count. I can’t do it alone.”

“Urgent?……Is this related to the elves?”

“Yeah, I must propose a rough plan as quickly as possible.”

Suu thought about this for a bit, then came up with a strange suggestion.

“If we use a dragon, wouldn’t that be fairly quick?”

“But……do we even have a reckless guy who can ride that thing and deliver the message…….”

Do we have someone like that?

Yes, I didn’t even have to ask about this because the candidate was already chosen.

“Please appoint my brother for this. He’ll gladly accept it.”

She plainly declared, wearing a dark smile on her face.

“Yes sir! I’ll leave without delay.”

I summoned Albert and he didn’t oppose this plan even one bit.

Are you sure about it? It can be considerably dangerous, you know?

“I, Albert, cannot disagree with your excellency’s command! I’ll fulfill it admirably!”

Albert declared, then he approached the golden dragon who lay sprawled in the palace’s garden.

This Albert acts rather cool for a change.

However, will this work? Dragons can be indecent, you know?

“Hey, dragon! This is his excellency’s command! If you oppose it, his excellency and the madam will spank you!”

Wait! What’s with his way of persuading him?

You rely upon others to attain your own objective?…..

“Master Zest…….should I let this person mount me?”

The dragon asked, his voice a little shaky.

Are you that scared of a little spanking?…..I’m gradually becoming less human, it seems.

“Yeah. I rely on you two.”

“Good. It can’t be helped if this is master’s request. Oi, kemonobito. Get on.”

The dragon leaned over making it easy for Albert to mount him.

It appears that his feet are still trembling……I decided to just leave him be.

“Hey, dragon, go to the Frontier Count’s domain……Hurry in that direction.”

“I’ll leave it to you, kemonobito. Hold on tight and be careful not to fall down!”

The dragon flied up in an instant.

I saw off the dragon who became extremely distant now and muttered to myself.

“That guy……where does he plan to go……without receiving any letter, nor hearing any message?”

“That stupid dog……I can’t believe he’s my brother……”

Suu had a disgusted expression on her face and she really looked frightening…..

Albert returned in hot haste, then left again, but not before being trashed by Suu.

I was told that I could return to my room, so I wasn’t present to the actual scene.

However, according to the maids who happened to be present…….Albert was crying.

I’ll have to invite him for a drink when he gets back.

I sat on the sofa and tried to devise a plan as I drank some tea when Bea came.

Of course, Toto accompanied her.

“Zest-sama, we just came back.”

(Dad, we’re home!)

“Welcome back, you two. Did you enjoy your walk?”

Both of them were in a great mood.

I didn’t really have to ask this, but if I were negligent in dealing with such trivial matters, it could get quite risky.

It can cause a married couple’s relationship to grow cold after all.

“Yes, those children are honest and cute.”

(Yes! They fly so quickly!)

Wait a minute! Is it all right for a pregnant woman to fly like that?

It’s not like there’s a rule against it……But, normally, it’s no good, right?”

“Di-did you fly too? Are you all right, Bea?”

“Please don’t worry. I didn’t ride them. Only Toto-chan and the maids’ unit mounted them.”

Ah, in this case…..it’s all right, I guess.

I was still a bit worried, but since Bea didn’t fly with them, I had no problem with it.

They can do whatever they please.

“So, I have a favor to ask, Zest-sama.”

(Toto has a favor to ask too!)

All of a sudden Bea twined around my arm and Toto sat on my shoulder.

A favor?…..It’s quite rare for both of them to ask me for something.

“What is it? If it’s coming from you two, I will allow most things!”

I brushed their heads gently, as Bea informed me with upturned eyes.

“Let’s keep the dragons at our place. I already finished persuading them.”

(They all cried with happiness, saying that they wanted to be raised by us!!)

“…….It-it’s OK, I guess.”

And so, due to Bea’s ‘persuasion’ the duke’s domain was able to acquire some pets.

Albert, the black knights……and the maids’ unit, only the elites started to ride the dragons for walks.

Later, people started to call them ‘The Empire’s strongest and worst dragon knights unit’.

When Neebel found out, he was totally unpleased, but that’s a different story.

……Is it all right……not to return the dragons……..?