Chapter 185: Nickname

Chapter 185 by Reyak
Originally Posted on: http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Tate_no_Yuusha_no_Nariagari:Web_Chapter_185_Preview

Nickname

“Now that I actually think about it, doing this was for the best, right?” (Naofumi)

–That night–
I informed Altas, who was lying in Raphtalia’s bed like it was natural, and the drunk Sadina as I invited Firo to bed.

“Hehe- Master is petting me!” (Firo)

Says human-form Firo in a good mood, while clinging to me.

“You understand, right Firo?” (Naofumi)
“Yup. If Atlas-chan tries to get into Master’s bed, I drive her out.” (Firo)
“That’s right. If you mess up, I’m driving you out too.” (Naofumi)
“Ok. Got it!” (Firo)

If I’m going to pair up with someone weirdly, it’s best if I only give one side favorable treatment.
After all, Firo went through a lot. I probably should comfort her at least a little.
I need to raise her level that dropped down to 41 back up, so she, herself, needs to be motivated.

“Ah, Naofumi-sama. Why are you giving me such a trial?” (Atlas)

Says Atlas in a vexing tone.
Do you really want to sleep with me that much? I feel sick.

“Firo-chan gets to sleep with Naofumi-sama. I’m…very envous.”(Atlas)
“Sleep with…You’re too much.” (Naofumi)

I’m not Motoyasu you know.
If that guy knew that Firo was in this situation, he’d surely exhibit some criminal-like behavior.
In the end that worthless guy, didn’t even show up when Firo had a crisis.
Next time he appears, I’ll have him listen to more of my complaints.
As I gently brush Firo, who’s leaning on me while in a good mood, knocking is heard from the door.

“What is it?” (Naofumi)
“Please excuse me, Shield Hero.” (Gaelion)

Then as if it was the natural thing to do, Gaelion opened the door and came in.
I was surprised to see Rato accompanying behind him.
Taniko isn’t with them? What happened?

“Hey. Your kid isn’t here.” (Naofumi)

I don’t know if she’s his actual child, or adopted, but the all-important Taniko isn’t here.

“I came after confirming she was asleep.” (Gaelion)
“I was doing research in my lab when I was suddenly invited. I was told to hear him out with the Count…I was surprised.” (Rato)

Seems like it.
It looks like Gaelion just suddenly started using human words in front of her to call her over.

“You were Sadina, right? When I saw your transformation I was honestly surprised.” (Gaelion)
“Well, you’re in more shock than this young lady, aren’t you.” (Sadina)

Afterwards, Atlas gives her own response.

“Atlas can you understand what I’m saying?” (Gaelion)
“Yes. I always understood. Inside of Gaelion-chan was someone else.” (Atlas)
“I see. Why didn’t you say anything?” (Naofumi)
“At first I didn’t realize it but, since the ominous spirit left Gaelion, there was another instance where his conviction changed.” (Atlas)
“I see…” (Naofumi)

This isn’t a time where you should keep something like that to yourself.

“As if in hiding, you were dormant within Gaelion-chan, so there was no need to call you out.” (Atlas)
“Fumu… as expected of the Hakuko, to see through my situation.” (Gaelion)
“Muu…” (Firo)

Firo glares at Gaelion.

“The next Firolial Queen is it? It’s because you ate my core that you turned out like this. Fool.” (Gaelion)
“Return my experience!” (Firo)
“Fumu…It can’t be helped. Is what I’d like to say, but it’s mixed in with mine, so you have to be patient. (Gaelion)

Just when I was thinking about what Gaelion will do, he inhales deeply.
He spits out a large mass that looked something like a candy ball.

“If you lick that, a little of your experience will return. So be silent.” (Gaelion)
“Bu…” (Firo)

Firo protests while staring at the spit out mass in her hands.
I guess there aren’t many ways for her to get her experience back.

“So, what is this you wanted to talk to me about? Were you doing some performance for us earlier?” (Naofumi)
“There’s a lot to talk about. The owner of this body, for one, is the Gaelion you know. One day, when he reaches adulthood, our minds will fuse.” (Gaelion)
“Against your will?” (Naofumi)
“Most likely. The owner of this body also wants it to happen. Ever since you’ve warmed this egg up yourself, Shield Hero.” (Gaelion)
“I see.” (Naofumi)

Thinking about it, I might have seen a weird dream last night. I can’t really recall it, but it was probably this guy’s voice.

“In the first place, even though our minds have been fusing little by little, the moment when we ate the core, your rage occupied both of ours and wreaked havoc.” (Gaelion)
“Then the reason why he flew in that direction was…” (Naofumi)
“According to my memory, he would have flew further. Over there the polluted land’s energy was being absorbed, else he would have stored up enough power to wreak havoc at who you wanted to kill the most.” (Gaelion)
“Who I wanted to kill?” (Naofumi)
“The person you hated more than anything… if I say it like that is it easier to understand?” (Gaelion)

So it’s like that, huh.
He was planning to raise hell after finding Witch and Trash.
Though indirectly, my rage would have brought upon the downfall of the country.
It was a really bad situation in a lot of ways.

“Thus, I can keep this appearance, but not for too long. That’s why I’ll explain it to you simply.” (Gaelion)

Hmm… To summarize, Gaelion can hold a deeper conscious for short periods of time, contrast to the child-like Gaelion. He made the judgment that now was a better time to talk than ever.

“Wait a second. Are dead dragons even capable of passing on their consciousness?” (Naofumi)
“Just a part. Our kind are sort of like immortal beings.” (Gaelion)
“Immortal… A pure-bred dragon!? The kind that marks territory around mountain recesses?” (Rato)

Rato, as if she saw something horrible, asks Gaelion. She really hates dragons, huh.

“How should I put this, I am that pure-bred.” (Gaelion)
“What are the chances… Shouldn’t the Sword Hero have killed you?” (Rato)

That would make him around level 40 when he lost.
Even so, that Gaelion shouldn’t have been able to find a way to get stronger mid-battle.
Which means, originally Gaelion was pretty weak.

“It can’t be helped. I am the weakest fragment left of the Dragon Emperor.” (Gaelion)
“What?” (Naofumi)

Dragon Emperor…the weakest of the four heavenly kings.
It’s a famous phrase that I tend to remember.
I don’t think anyone would listen to what I’m saying but…
For the weakest dragon to be boasting is pretty lame.

“Fragment of the Dragon Emperor?” (Naofumi)
“It looks like you don’t know about the ecology of dragons. Let me explain from there. Wait, maybe it would just be faster to ask that shrine maiden over there?” (Gaelion)

Murmurs Gaelion while pointing at Sadina.

“Shrine Maiden?” (Naofumi)
“As far as I can tell, it’s someone who’s received divine protection from the Dragon Emperor. Correct?” (Rato)
“Yuuuu-p. I’m a Shrine Maiden. That’s why I’m able to use Dragon Pulse~” (Sadina)

Answers Sadina while playing with her hands, all curled up. It doesn’t feel like she’s motivated at all.

“That’s also something that I’ve heard. A long time ago, the Firolial Queen had forced the Dragon Emperor to scatter.” (Rato)

“I see….” (Naofumi)

So it’s basically an already extinct being then.
It seems like it was because they were on bad relations with the Firolial back then.

“But speaking of the dragon’s existence, in the first place, they were the only pure-bred existence on earth, everything else originated from a hybrid or cross-breed. The Dragon Emperor was more of a label that us pure-bred dragons used for ourselves. Since we were able to breed with any living thing, our offspring increased. And then once extinction came, we sought whatever way we could to survive.” (Gaelion)
“What a stubborn being. Like a cockroach.” (Naofumi)
“That is why you didn’t die while all scattered about. It could be that Gaelion-chan is the successor of a part of that Dragon Emperor from the past.” (Rato)
“Fumu…For the most part, you’re correct. It’s because I’ve confirmed personally how weak I am that, to not get snatched away by the remainders of the Emperor, I lived near humans.” (Gaelion)

Since he was discluded from his allies from being too weak, he was in always hibernating like a bear. The more I hear about it, the more pitiful I think this dragon is.
After talking like he was all that, now this? It’s the worst.

“What I say from now is pretty important. The pure-bred fought among themselves, and the winner had power to control its fragments. Like that, they gathered for several hundred years in hopes for revival.” (Sadina)
“Come to think of it…I’ve heard often about the hero of legend who defeated the revived Dragon Emperor.” (Naofumi)
“…The battle of the struggling fragments turned into a death match of the same race. It came to a point where the next generation would lose its ability to breed.” (Sadina)
“If you don’t want to be aimed at, isn’t it ok to just hand over the fragment?” (Naofumi)
“It’s because I can’t do that, that I ran away. As expected no other Dragon Fragments would do anything reckless like settling near humans. If the fragments gathered, they’d just be torn apart again.” (Gaelion)

Pitiful.
Hasn’t the Dragon Emperor itself already lost.

“That’s all the information I’ve got.” (Sadina)
“So then, let me supplement. I am but a single fragment of that Dragon Emperor, that’s why I can exist right now. Originally, I was going to look for a different retainer, but in that situation I didn’t have control over my common sense.” (Gaelion)

Basically what everyone’s trying to say is, Gaelion living on nothing but matters of the previous era.
That’s why the remaining Dragon Fragments didn’t realize it.
So, that Fragment’s magical power reorganized into the flesh of the Zombie Dragon that Firo and I were defeated by, even though it should have been sealed.
As a result, the fragment my shield absorbed transferred over to the egg. A perfect revival with all fragments gathered…is what should have happened if the rage sleeping in my shield didn’t take over.

How pitiful.
I should look down on this guy.

“Well, I am fine. Good job saving Windia. You have my thanks for her growing up into a fine girl.” (Gaelion)
“Windia?” (Naofumi)

For the most part, I didn’t have enough evidence to pick out someone.

“Mu? You surely aren’t planning to tell me you were planning to raise her without even knowing her name?” (Gaelion)
“It’s that Monster-loving idiot slave, right? So she had a name like that.” (Naofumi)
“Hold on, could it be that you don’t know the names of the children in our village, Count?” (Rato)
“There are ones I know, but a lot I don’t.” (Naofumi)

I can only remember Atlas… Kiel and Foulu thanks to Raphtalia.
Aside from those, I’m pretty unclear. I can find some way around using their names, anyways.
Now that I mention it, there are a lot of guys I don’t know.
Even the Woman Knight I talk to a lot… I don’t know her name either.

“Count, What do you usually call Windia?” (Rato)
“Probably just Taniko” (Naofumi)
“Why!?” (Rato)
“A great nickname isn’t it? Is mine loincloth? Or would fatty be better? OR MAY-BE Mistress?” (Sadina)

Sadina asks me in a really irritating pose.
If she turned into her human form, this would turn into a brawl.

“I remember people calling her name out, and other people calling out to her. But I’ve never called her by her name myself.” (Naofumi)
“Ah…That’s true, isn’t it. Most of the time you usually just refer to people with “You” or “Over there”.” (Rato)
“Hey Naofumi-chan, have you ever called anyone by name? Tell me.” (Sadina)
“Head chef, Imia’s Uncle, Old Hag, and there are many others.” (Naofumi)
“Wow… this is pretty serious. Naofumi-chan isn’t fussing over it so it’s fine, but you shouldn’t call people by those names.” (Sadina)
“Isn’t Old Hag fine?” (Naofumi)
“I don’t know who you’re talking about.” (Sadina)
“Battle Advisor.”(Naofumi)
“Oh… she’s definitely an Old Lady.” (Sadina)
“Naofumi-sama, what do you call my brother and I?” (Atlas)
“Atlas is Atlas. I’ve started calling Foulu, Alps.” (Naofumi)
“Like I was saying before, why!? I don’t understand your naming scheme, Count.” (Rato)
“That’s certainly true.” (Sadina)

I’m just basing it from anime in my world. If you want reasoning go ask another hero.
Even so, there’s no way of telling if the other heroes had seen the same anime.

“What about Firo?” (Firo)
“Do you want to hear?” (Naofumi)
“Yeah…” (Firo)
“By the way Gaelion, you’re Ping Pong Dash.” (Naofumi)
“It’s longer than my real name! I don’t understand its origin.” (Gaelion)

Ping Pong Dash protests while amazed.
I wonder which Ping Pong Dash was the one who actually Ping Pong Dashed.
Hmm, this name is hard to use.

“Well that’s all well and good. I’ll ask once but, that kid is your child?” (Naofumi)
“That would be correct.” (Gaelion)
“Then you kidnapped her with the intentions of violating her, huh? You’re deplorable.” (Naofumi)

It’s not strange that Taniko is in blind acceptance of Dragons. Since she was young she was intended to marry into Dragon nobility. Even if Gaelion didn’t feel like it, he could still have his way.
This type has his own intentions, and will stick it out until the end to fulfill his desires.

“How dare you speak like that! I’ll kill you! Since Windia was small-!” (Gaelion)