Almost two hours had passed, and the other students were also near the wall of the Academy, but at a safe distance from the two Dragons, not daring to approach too much. The only one that tried had to run as fast as he could when Hinotsume threw a small Fire Ball to where he was, just to scare him. He could tolerate Nozomu and his friends, but more meat sacs nearby? That was too much for the easily annoyed Fire Dragon.
The noise of riders on horses or carriages arriving at the front of the Academy indicated that the parents of the new students were arriving, so everyone went to meet them. Except for Nozomu and Draiky, who stayed with the two sleeping Dragons.
The students returned with their parents, at least the ones that came to see the Dragons.
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The noise of the conversations awoke Hinotsume, and he mumbled as he was looking at the surprised visitors with his eyelids half-open. “Great... More meat sacs... This is going to be annoying…”
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He slowly got up on his four massive paws and stretched his body from the tip of his tail to his head, making a few noises of bones cracking.
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Nozomu tilted his head and asked, “Feeling old, are we? Those noises are kind of weird.”
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“When you get to nearly six thousand years, let’s see how much noise your bones will make! Well, I took a nice nap. Is this going to take a long time to start or what?”
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Nozomu glanced at the crowd that was gathered near the corner of the building and said, “I have no idea if everyone has arrived or not. Why? Are you in a hurry or what?”
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“No, I just don’t like to wait. But I guess there is nothing else to do, so I will stick around for a while until that annoying Princess arrives and makes her boring speech.”
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Mizukonta also got up and sat on her bottom, looking down at the surprised crowd, and asked, “So, which ones are your parents, Nozomu? Or at least, the one that raised you?”
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To answer her question, Taisetsuna arrived with three familiar faces that she introduced. “Hinotsume, Mizukonta, this is the Priest that raised me and Nozo, and our nice employer at the Guild of Adventurers in Ourelona, the Guild Master Udo Eskola, and the Guild Receptionist and part-time Adventurer, Miss Koyaga Azusake.”
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Hinotsume approached his massive snout and spoke, “You annoying woman… I see you are still alive.”
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“Nice to see you again! How have the years treated you? I see your cute blue female is also here. Gosh, it has been years since the last time I saw you two!”
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Hinotsume then looked at the nervous Guild Master and said, “I also remember you, meat sac. So, you are a Guild Master. Impressive, considering the weakling you used to be. And…”
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He then looked at the Priest, and his mouth twisted into a slight smile. “Takara Sunakawa… You found your calling, then? I thought you had quit and returned to the military.”
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“Hello, Hinotsume. Yes, I have had some peaceful years helping others to atone for my sins. Until I found these two, and then my peaceful days ceased to exist. But it sure was fun having them with me, because I never had a dull moment.”
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“You did a good job with these two, Takara Sunakawa. You should be proud. They are nuts, but they also have some good things.”
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“That is a very nice thing to say, Hinotsume. Thank you.”
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The massive Fire Dragon turned his head to face Nozomu, who was trying his best not to laugh. “What are you laughing about?”
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“Me? I am not laughing! I just thought it was funny to hear you compliment me and Suna so much. Just that.”
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“Don’t get used to that! It might go over your head!”
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Nozomu raised both arms and said, “No, never! Me, getting a big head because a powerful Fire Dragon complimented me? I would never do such a thing!”
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“You should be proud of hearing me even mention your name! If it wasn’t for you, I would be using my Magic to speak with all these meat sacs! But no, I need to speak this hideous language because you can’t hear me like everyone else!”
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Nozomu gently tapped the enormous nose in front of him. “And for that, I thank you, Hinotsume. Besides, you have such a dignified and profound voice, it would be a shame not to hear you!”.
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The massive Dragon tilted his head a bit and said, “I am not sure if you are mocking me or not, but I will let this slide today because I am in a good mood. But don’t push your luck!”
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“Yes, yes, I know. Now go back to your place. You are scaring people.”
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“As if I was worried about that!”
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Hinotsume backed away carefully and sat next to Mizukonta, who was looking at the group of Humans and Beast-kind that were looking at them.
Hinen arrived with his father, the Guild Master Nitani Sukemoru, who profusely bowed to Nozomu, asking for forgiveness for his son’s being stupid.
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Nozomu grabbed both his forearms and said, as he was making him stand, “You don’t need to apologize, you did nothing wrong. Your son has a few loose bolts in his head, but I don’t blame you or think you are at fault. He will eventually learn how to behave, or he will get a beating every single day until he does. For now, be proud that he entered this Academy. Maybe there is still hope for him. Who knows?”
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As Nitani Sukemoru was nodding, a shout called their attention, “Behold! My parents have arrived! Worship them or fear them, for they are here! Heheheh!”
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Nozomu smiled at the couple that was with Chujitsuna Hito and greeted them. “Hello, nice to meet you!”
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The man gave Nozomu a firm handshake with a big smile. “Hello, I am Innar Hito, and this is my wife, Hariruta Hito.”
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Nozomu reached out to the slightly annoyed Snake-kind woman, who kept on staring at him without shaking his hand. Nozomu retrieved it and said with a grin. “Now I know from where Chuji got her cheerful personality.”
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Hariruta Hito raised one eyebrow and said, “I beg your pardon? Are you perhaps mocking me, boy?”
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“Sir.”
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“What?”
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“You heard me. Sir Nozomu Shinchaku. That’s my name and my title. If you want to act so proud near me with no reason whatsoever, I will use my Knight title that Princess Mere gave me recently for services to the country.”
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Hariruta Hito tried to approach the grinning boy, but the noise of clacking teeth made her look down. Draiky was there, with one dagger in each hand, and Nozomu had no idea where he got them.
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Chujitsuna grabbed her mother’s right arm and pulled her back, saying with a smile, “Don’t mind her, Nozomu! She is just measuring you. Don’t worry.”
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“Oh, I am not worried. She is probably too distracted by the Dragons behind us, and failed to notice how near she was to be dead.”
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Hariruta Hito frowned and looked to where Nozomu was signalling with his head. On her left, Rampage was staring, pointing his horn full of Magic at her.
She gulped and stopped struggling for Chujitsuna to let her go.
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She made a forced smile and explained, “Oh, I was just joking with you! You thought I was being serious? I am very friendly once you know me!”
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Nozomu pointed at her other hand, which was hiding a dagger. “I was told that Snake-kind are treacherous and vindictive, but no one ever told me that your kind were also stupid. My friend Hinotsume over there would rip your head off the moment you went at me if you avoided Rampage’s magical attack or Draiky’s daggers. I know you were once an Adventurer, and I also know that Snake-kind are quick and strong, but you wouldn’t be able to get to me. And if by chance or by extreme luck, you actually did, you would wake up tomorrow after the beating I would give you. I also bet that the dagger you have on your hand is poisoned, but I also know that Chuji would stop you before you even made a movement. So, what do you want to do? Will you be stubborn and go ahead with your plan, or will you go with Chuji and your husband, like the pretty lady you are?”
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Hariruta Hito took a slow deep breath and put her dagger back into the small sheath on her belt, making a slight smile as she spoke. “Chuji told me a lot about you, but I thought she was exaggerating, so I had to check. I hope you can forgive me.”
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Nozomu shrugged. “I guess I can do that, but next time you try to scare someone, look around.”
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The puzzled Snake-kind woman felt a blade on her neck from someone that came from behind her so silently that she didn’t even notice.
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Taisetsuna’s voice whispered in her left ear, “I am not as kind as Nozo. If I ever see you looking at him or making a sudden movement, I will slice you into pieces. Understood?”
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As silently as she came, Taisetsuna backed away, and Hariruta Hito rubbed her neck, only to feel a light tap on her head. She turned around and blinked at the enormous wooden torso. She looked up and gulped at the sight of a wooden face with no eyes and a large, half-opened mouth full of sharp, long teeth.
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Tresuria came from behind him and spoke with such an icy voice that it made Chujitsuna shiver. “His name is Oaky. He thinks you are mean, and he doesn’t like mean people. This one shares Oaky’s opinion. Chuji is kind and friendly, but you are not.”
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The now serious Snake-kind woman said, her eyes shooting daggers, “You have a big mouth, Gailie. Is your courage as big as your words?”
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“To protect her friends, this one will do what she has to do.”
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Hariruta Hito looked at her nervous daughter with a gentle smile. “I like her, Chuji! You chose well! Your friends are also surprisingly good. It has been years since I had so much danger around me without even noticing. You got here a nice Party.”
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Chujitsuna spoke as she counted around. “Thank you, mother, but you didn’t have to act that mean, you know? You were this close to dying, like… one, two, three, four, five… or six times! From all directions! If you attacked Nozomu, they would tear you apart! Geez, mother, sometimes I am not completely sure if you are nuts, or if you like to joke far too much for your own good!”
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“Probably both. Let’s go say hi to the Dragons? I don’t like the red one, but the blue is amazingly pretty!”
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While Chujitsuna Hito and her mother slithered away, her father shook Nozomu’s hand again and said, with an awkward smile, “I am very sorry for this. I had no idea she would try to mess with you. If you excuse me, I need to go after them before she annoys a Dragon and dies!”
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As the worried man was running to get to his wife and daughter, Tresuria approached Nozomu with her face dark green with anger, saying, “That woman… Is she really Chuji’s mother? She doesn’t even resemble her! Chuji is so nice and friendly, and she is a… a… This one doesn’t even know what she is, but this one is sure there is a word to describe her!”
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Before Nozomu could say anything, a big and muscular man looked at Oaky with a puzzled look and asked, “What the ‘yuuu’ are you looking at, you ugly thing? Tresuria, did you make him? Damn, he is ugly!”
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Tresuria jumped to the big man and hugged him, “Father! You came! Look! This is Oaky! This one made him yesterday! He is Nozomu. Taisetsuna is that smiling Cat-kind girl. Hinen is him, the Viscount… Where is Viscount Robert? I don’t see him… never mind. Father, this one has entered the Academy! We shot targets, made Potions, went to a mountain and killed two Drakes and a bunch of Goblins, and then we returned and fought the Dragons! And we won! They are this one friends, and this one flew with the blue Dragon! This one flew, father, like, in the air, riding a Water Dragon! How cool is that?”
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“Wait, you did what? Drakes? Goblins? What the… and why did you fight the Dragons? You needed the points to enter the Academy, and that was your last chance? You shouldn’t have done it! That was too dangerous!”
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“No, this one already had the points, and her friends as well. We just wanted to have them in our Party. You should have seen the fight, father! It was violent, fast, and… and… Oh! Come! This one will introduce you to them, and you will see! Hinotsume is funny, and Mizukonta is very kind!”
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As Tresuria was dragging her father with her, he gave a slight nod at the smiling Nozomu, wondering why Draiky was with him and not with his daughter, as usual.
While Nozomu and Taisetsuna were talking with the Priest, a little further away, Teacher Muse Sirel was standing near her father, who was looking at Nozomu and nodding.
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After finishing explaining her danger sensation, she asked, “What do you think? Is it all in my mind or am I right? “
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“I think you are right. I also felt a bit when he went to my Guild, but now the feeling is stronger. Maybe something has changed? The Dragons, maybe? I don’t know, but he is in more danger with the Dragons near him because one is going to kill him?”
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“No, I don’t think so. They both like him. You should have seen how they acted around him. It has to be something else, but I don’t see what it is. If only I knew or suspected, maybe I could help him, but like this…”
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The Guild Master Agu Sirel tapped her daughter’s back with a slight smile and said, “Cheer up, Muse. You can’t be like that or you might scare your students. There is no point in worrying so much because if you can’t figure out what is making you feel the danger, it means it is still far away. Maybe when it comes closer, you will get more information and you can help him.”
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“I hope you are right, father. I really hope…”
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