Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 84

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I needed to jump. Sera had already launched into the second song, and the moment I began bouncing along, the Dragon King jumped as well. Following his lead, the dragon horde bounded after him, and as the dragons thundered behind us, the Brandenburg soldiers joined in the rhythm.
It resembled a concert venue. Well, it was a concert, after all.
“Dragon King! Were you satisfied with the song!”
After the second song ended, Sera asked the Dragon King without hesitation. He answered affirmatively on impulse, but the Third Princess grew irritated with him instead.
“You’re wrong!”
“What!”
She rebuked him to his face, calling him wrong and incompetent, and though the Dragon King was about to rage, Sera’s thunderous rebuke came first.
“Your current performance lacks Eugene on bass and Seian on keyboards! To be satisfied with an incomplete performance is utterly absurd!”
“!”
Ah, so this is how it unfolds. I had merely relayed to Sera what I’d heard from Hubert, yet the Third Princess delivered it with such refined eloquence, and the Dragon King was persuaded by it—both were remarkable. The Dragon King muttered that he’d seen it in the footage Hubert provided, and indeed, there had been one more band member there.
“As the vocalist of the band and the Third Princess of the Crowell Empire, I wish to make a proposal! Negotiate with me!”
“What negotiation?”
“Return Eugene Brandenburg, our band’s bassist!”
As Sera pointed to Eugene, the Dragon King pondered for a moment before employing polymorphic magic. The dragon wreathed in brilliant golden light soon transformed into human form.
Barely exceeding 170 centimeters in height, the late-teenage youth—who could almost pass for a girl at first glance—tossed his crimson hair arrogantly and lifted his chin with pride.
“I suppose I could spare a conversation.”
So the dye actually takes hold when he’s in human form. I felt relieved that the Dragon King’s childlike innocence remained intact. He was beginning to resemble Gerth.

◇ ◆ ◇

The Brandenburg soldiers displayed hostility upon seeing the Dragon King’s human form, but they couldn’t attack recklessly because the Third Princess stepped forward to protect the red-haired boy. To be precise, the Third Princess was protecting the soldiers from the Dragon King, though at least that’s how it appeared. The Dragon King’s appearance was so faithful to the original work—which I cannot mention due to copyright—that I’ll leave it at that.
“Not Mother, but Evan Laef!”
Since the Dragon King traveled with us, Hubert, who had been clinging to the Dragon King’s feet, quietly attached himself to our group. When Sera asked who the author was, I slyly removed Hubert’s hat to reveal his pointed fox ears standing upright.
“The authority on Dragon King ecology I mentioned before—Hubert.”
“My, you’ve come all this way. I’m sorry to have put you through such a long journey.”
“Hehe, no ma’am. I’m just happy to see Evan Laef again, so it’s no trouble at all.”
Sera extended her hand without hesitation despite her conversation partner being a demi-human, shook hands with Hubert, and exchanged pleasantries. Watching her, she certainly had the makings of a politician.
“Border Earl, I’ll need to borrow the Conference Hall. I’d like you and this demi-human called Hubert to serve as witnesses.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll prepare it at once.”
While Count Brandenburg hurried to issue orders, the Third Princess led the Dragon King away on a sleigh, conversing about this and that. Seeing how she could open dialogue with humanity’s greatest adversary on first meeting suggested she truly had a talent for politics.
Considering how foolish she usually was, it was nothing short of astonishing.
“Say, about that though….”
In the meantime, the Dragon King whispered something to the Third Princess—apparently they’d grown quite close—and kept glancing at me. Whenever our eyes met, he averted his gaze. I felt irritated.
“Evan Laef.”
“What.”
“The Dragon King is asking if he can have your fur coat as a memento.”
“No.”
“She says no.”
At my firm refusal, the Dragon King looked like he might cry. But realistically, I was about to freeze to death—how could I possibly take off my coat?
If he got sulky and refused to negotiate, leaving us in a bind, I instead took out the button I’d used as a guitar pick earlier and tossed it to the Dragon King.
“Will this do.”
The Dragon King broke into a bright smile. Nodding his head vigorously, saying this was even better, watching him immediately craft a box for the pick using metalwork—he was definitely just a child. Now I understood why Gerth complained about him so much.
Somehow, even when the Dragon Clan kept breaking into the house, he’d speak of sending them away as if they were mischievous young cousins visiting to play.

Upon entering Brandenburg Castle, I found it equally mobilized for war. The stone workshops were operating at full capacity, and sleds continued to move about for supply replenishment.
The castle’s inhabitants were puzzled by the Border Earl’s early return, but they harbored no suspicion upon seeing the Dragon King. After all, he appeared as a delicate youth whose gender was indiscernible at first glance. Thus the saying held true—appearance is everything in first impressions. No one suspected this frail figure to be the Dragon King, that most dangerous of calamities.
Upon entering the Brandenburg Mansion, the interior was suffused with such intense heating that I could finally remove my fur hat. Hubert also removed his long fur hat, reminiscent of the one worn by Maetel from the Galaxy Express, and his white ears popped out adorably.
“Then please wait a moment.”
The Border Earl, sensing this would be an important negotiation, bustled about mentioning the need for witnesses, an official agreement document, and video recording equipment. He ushered us into the Conference Hall and pleaded with us to please remain well-behaved.
It seemed the Third Princess had lost considerable credibility with the Border Earl in various ways.
“So then. What exactly is this negotiation, you lowly human species?”
The Count came on strong immediately. Well, he’d been holding back the Dragon King here all this time, so he was no ordinary person.
“Speak plainly, Dragon King! Cease your invasion!”
But the Third Princess was no ordinary human either, so regardless of whether the Dragon King’s attitude suddenly shifted, she stated her business without hesitation. Truly, no matter how I looked at it, this girl was unfit for politics—details omitted.
“I refuse.”
“Even three years would be acceptable!”
“I refuse.”
Her charisma was admirable, but the Third Princess seemed to lack talent for negotiation. In such cases, one must first tempt with an enticing proposition. The opponent was, after all, merely a child.
I tapped the table to draw both their attention and broached a topic that might interest the Dragon King.
“Do you realize, Dragon King? We each possess different stations. The only time we can gather like this to conduct club activities is probably while we’re enrolled at the Academy. After that, we may never meet again.”
This was the truth. The Third Princess had her duties as a princess, and Reina had responsibilities as the heir to her noble house. Eugene had to protect the Northern Region, and I had to return to Ilam and secure employment at the Serpent King’s Tower. Without the framework of the Academy, we would have no reason to meet, and besides, we would all be too occupied to do so.
“…Why is that?”
“The time available for band activities is limited. Only until we graduate. Three years is the deadline, so to speak.”
“Wh-what? The nation? The music? The… the…?”
His confusion was written all over his face. He’d been running about and clapping enthusiastically during the cultural activities earlier, yet now he thought he could feign indifference.
I gestured to Sunbird to explain what we could accomplish if given time.
“It was the Third Princess’s plan, but should all members assemble completely, we intend to establish a company and distribute records to the market. We also plan to publish art books and merchandise. Of course, these would be available for purchase throughout the Crowell Empire.”
The Third Princess’s capital was essentially the capital of the Crowell Imperial Court itself. Done well, one could simply sit at home and indulge in fandom. Moreover, if the other party was a dragon, this proposition would surely prove enticing.
“Think about it carefully. Three years is but the blink of an eye to a long-lived species like yourself.”
I coaxed the Dragon King with honeyed words—treat it as a nap, wait it out, and we’ll provide real-time updates, albums, merchandise, and concert tickets. The Dragon King adopted a contemplative expression, and Hubert chimed in from beside him.
“Three years passes quickly anyway. You can just tell the other dragons that humans have agreed to offer tribute or something like that.”
Ah, that’s right—the Dragon King had matters of pride to consider. As Hubert winked at the Third Princess while saying this, she let out a thoughtful sound and concluded that nothing was more important than peace.
“I will permit spreading word among the dragons that humans have offered tribute. However, keep this matter secret from the human side. We too have pride to maintain.”
“Ahem. Pride is indeed important.”
“Yes. Nothing is as important as pride.”
You two are truly incorrigible—a princess and a king. Watching the leaders of each nation and race conspire together with laughter, I understood why Bruno Kenin had been so angry. Forcibly conscripted into the military while those below toiled to death, yet those above schemed amongst themselves—it was enough to provoke anyone’s fury.
“Spreading word of receiving tribute is a good idea, but still… we’d need something tangible to make them believe it…”
“What if the Third Princess’s side were to provide entertainment devices and books created by humans free of charge? Dragons are mad for amusement, and besides, even if interested, some lack the ability to transform and cannot visit human villages.”
“That’s excellent!”
“Hmm. At that level, I can also arrange delivery through the Border Earl.”
Hubert, you truly are remarkable. Now I understand why legends of old always featured foxes in tales of ruined nations. A nine-tailed fox is truly a demon.
“Your Highness. Everything is prepared.”
As the negotiation entered its final stages, witnesses and recording equipment appeared. On the agreement, both parties wrote in their own hand and signed that they would not advance southward until all band members safely graduated and concluded their activities, and that the Third Princess’s side would provide entertainment devices to the Dragon Tribe. They smiled toward the recording device, shook hands, and divided copies of the agreement between them.
“As you should understand, if there are any activity meetings, you must grant me special treatment.”
“Of course, absolutely.”
As Sunbird eagerly offered to attend to him with obsequious bows, the Dragon King’s face radiated immense satisfaction. When Sunbird further fawned that he would become the prestigious number one member once the fan club membership cards were issued, the Dragon King became positively insufferable with pride.
So this is the level of flattery required to survive standing right beside the Third Princess in the Imperial Court. Quite the education.
“Then I would like you to install one of those telegraph machines so I can receive news quickly!”
Having stated his own demands, the Dragon King mentioned that the others were probably waiting idly out in the field, opened the window, transformed into a dragon, and flew off with a flourish.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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