Book 4: Chapter 8
Book 4: Chapter 8
The Chochoriges flock was nesting under a cliff. There seemed to be around 30 birds. The base of the Dragonewt Army can be found about a kilometer away from the nest.
Although it’s called a base, it was just Dragonewts gathered in camps.
There were 50 dragonewts in all. And seven elders.
I thought it was amazing that Kimidori Papa was able to find the camp in a forest like this—but Kimidori Papa cheerfully said, “If you can’t do this much, you can’t hunt in this forest!”
He then called out to an elder.
「Red Elder!」
「Nuro? Oh, what’s wrong? Didn’t we tell you to stay at home, nuro?」
The elders each seemed to have a different name according to the color of the scarf wrapped around their neck. Red, blue, yellow, etc.
In addition, only the elders grew a beard, so they were easy to tell apart.
「Actually–」
When Kimidori Papa was telling the red elder why he came here, the other elders gathered as well. Actually, all the dragonewts gathered and sat around the bonfire.
「How rare… an underground human with thick colour and a dark elf with light skin, nuro.」
While I was upset by the new sentence ending “nuro”,
「So it’s irreversible once the birds go extinct, huh, nuro.」
「Hey, there’s a bird in front of me, but I can’t eat it?」
「Why don’t we think about it after catching the birds?」
「Then there would be no point in our guests rushing all the way here, nuro.」
The surrounding dragonewts quietly listened to the elders talking.
Although Asha and I were strangers, no one doubted our credibility—it was strange.
The discussions continued without reaching an agreement. Even after having porridge-like meals for supper, no conclusion was reached.
「What is the definition of the word “extinct”?」
「As long as there is an egg, it won’t be extinct, right, nu?」
「But the eggs are delicious. I can’t stop munching on the boiled eggs, nu. The feeling you get when your teeth sink into the plump, jelly-like surface…」
「It feels obscene when you say it like that.」
「What is the definition of the word obscene?」
It almost felt like the dispute itself was their objective.
「Hmm, this discussion is getting nowhere. Let’s do this instead. The system that gathers the various opinions in the Dragonewt City and draws conclusions.」
When the green elder cut in, the surroundings calmed down.
Is there really a system that can draw conclusions while respecting the various opinions?
I was thrilled to see such a system.
「—Winning the Three-pronged Battle!」
Of course it was rock-paper-scissors… of course.
「Hooray! I won!」
「Nurorororororo.」
「The yellow elder has collapsed! You young’uns are disrespecting your elders, nuro!」
「The change of an era has come, nu!」
「Yes, nure…」
「Don’t say “nure”, fool! Words like that are against public morals, nuro!」
「Down with the gerontocracy!」 [TL/N: “Gerontocracy” means problems caused by the elderly.]
「The guy who said gerontocracy, step out here… I’ll make you answer to this spear, nu.」
「The purple elder has snapped!」
It was a huge uproar.
And I also understood that “nure” is an 18+ word.
In the end, each of them grouped their opinions into “hunting” and “not hunting”, and played rock-paper-scissors to win through. And the result of that–
「A Father-Son showdown!?」
It was a battle between Kimidori Papa, the last member of the “hunting” group, and Kimidori Gorn-san, the last member of the “non-hunting” group (out of four consecutive victories).
「Sansansansa’s ChiChiChi—」
It was already around midnight when 50 dragonewts were chanting their rock-paper-scissor’s chant in a chorus before the last two competitors played their hand. …What is wrong with these people?
「YEAHHH!」
「Nuuuuuuuu?!」
A big cheer errupter.
The winner was—.
「Kuh… You have now surpassed your father, Kimidori Gorn…」
It was Kimidori Gorn-san (Scissors).
「Thinking about it, I was forced to come here, so honestly, it didn’t matter which group won.」Kimidori Gorn-san said.
The surroundings quieted down, and–
「Don’t mess with us!」
「Why were you so strong in “Three-pronged Battle” with that flimsy reason?」
「Since ancient times, those who have a strong desire to win are said to lose because of their desire.」
「Also known as… ”Greed Sensor”.」
No, that’s different.
However, they started arguing and it became a huge fuss again.
「Elder! Elder!」
Someone cried out, pointing to the surroundings.
「W-We’re surrounded!」
By the time we noticed, we were already surrounded from a distance—there were many bright yellow eyes in the darkness of the forest.
「Asha, stay close to me.」
「Y-Yes!」
The dragonewts rushed to pick up their weapon.
「Kukuku… If this was going to happen since the beginning, we wouldn’t have needed the “Three-pronged Battle”, nuro.」
The red elder brandished a giant hatchet-like sword in his hand.
「If it comes down to eat or be eaten. Then you just have to eat first.」
「It is self-defense!」
「If you make so much noise, of course they will notice us, nuro.」
「Who made the noise first?」
「It was you, green.」
「You were the most loud one, blue.」
The elders also picked up weapons one after another.
I already knew who the opponents surrounding us were by【Night Vision】【Eyesight Enhancement】【World Ruler】.
『Pigyaaaaaaaaaa!!』
It was a flock of Chochoriges.
「Here they come! Intercept them, nuro!」
The dragonewts roared “Ohhhh!!!” in tandem with the elder’s instruction and stood strong.