Following the woman who called herself the Black Supreme Dragon, Yakumo walked along a path toward the massive black castle he had seen from the hilltop.
When they reached the outermost wall, a gigantic gate made of black metal opened slowly with a thunderous sound that shook the ground.
After a few more moments, once the gate was fully open, rows of maids stood on either side in perfect formation. With impeccable timing, they all bowed deeply and gracefully.
"Welcome home, Lady Black Supreme Dragon. Welcome, honored guest."
"Do they rehearse this or something?"
Their voices were so well-coordinated that it sounded like a choir, and Yakumo couldn't help but comment.
"You've all done well. Let me introduce you, this is Yakumo Kuzuryu. Basically his name is Yakumo. He is my guest, so treat him with respect."
"Um, nice to meet you all… I guess."
"We understand, Lady Black Supreme Dragon. Welcome to our home, Lord Yakumo!"
(What is this, a maid cafe? Are they going to do that 'moe moe kyun' thing? They probably would if I asked…)
Amidst this strange and surreal scene, Yakumo felt utterly lost.
The maids were wearing long black dresses and frilly white aprons, with lacy white headpieces like something out of a traditional English maid costume, at least, based on how Yakumo imagined it from his world.
(Is maid culture the same in this world too?)
Such random thoughts only deepened Yakumo's confusion.
"Now then, let's head to my study. I'll explain things to you as best as I can there."
"Ah, yeah… Thanks, I'd appreciate that."
They passed through the gate, and a young woman in her early twenties stepped forward from among the maids. She had a striking presence, elegant and composed, clearly of higher rank.
With her beautiful silver hair tied back and two strands framing her face, she took the lead and began guiding them through the castle.
(How far does this hallway go…?)
The ceiling was high, with chandeliers hanging in a row above them. As Yakumo followed, his eyes were drawn to the silver-haired maid walking ahead.
Noticing where Yakumo was looking, the Black Supreme Dragon smirked.
"What's this, Yakumo? Are you interested in Aries?"
"Huh? No, I mean, this is the first time I've seen a real maid, that's all."
(If you don't count all the fake maids back in the maid cafe…)
He corrected himself mentally.
The dragon tilted her head, a bit puzzled.
"A real one? There are fake maids too?"
"Uh, well, in my world, there are shops where people dress up as maids and chat with customers to create a fun atmosphere."
"I see. So it's a way for people who can't afford real maids to experience having one?"
"Yeah, that's basically kinda it. I guess both men and women admire the idea of maids in some way."
Hearing this, Aries, who was walking in front, glanced over her shoulder at Yakumo briefly, meeting his eyes before quickly looking away.
(Did she just label me some kind of maid-obsessed freak? That's not fair…)
He sighed internally.
They walked for a while longer before Aries stopped at the last door in a long hallway. She bowed politely and opened it.
"This is the place. Go in, Yakumo."
Following the dragon into the room, Yakumo looked around. The study was easily three times the size of his living room back home. Lining the walls were shelves filled with thick, beautifully bound books. In the center stood a grand oval table surrounded by chairs, and at the back, an imposing desk that looked like something a company president might use.
Aries closed the door behind them and stood quietly in front of it.
"Aries, bring us some tea."
"Right away."
With a bow, she left the room.
"Now then. I'm sure you have many questions, but allow me to begin with some explanations. Feel free to ask questions in between if anything isn't clear. Is that all right?"
"Sure. Thanks."
Sitting at the large desk, the Black Supreme Dragon clasped her hands beneath her chin and began to speak calmly.
"To be honest, when I first saw you, I thought you were nothing more than prey. But after I swallowed you, I quickly realized you were a human from another world, summoned here by one of the Supreme beings."
Yakumo was stunned. She had seen right through him.
"How did you know?"
"Because you bear the mark of divine protection. I'm sure you want to ask more about that, but first, look at this map."
With a wave of her hand, a large map suddenly appeared in front of Yakumo. He instinctively leaned back.
"Whoa! Magic? Is this how things works here?"
(This world… It's nothing like the one I came from.)
He stared calmly at the unfamiliar shapes of the continents.
"This is the Fronte Continent. Right now, we are in the Tigre Empire, located in the western region called Ovest."
She pointed to the map as she explained.
"The Fronte Continent is divided into four regions: North, East, South, and West. And each region is guarded by a supreme-dragon, like myself."
"Supreme Dragon?"
The Black Supreme Dragon continued her explanation.
In the north lies the Crimson Dragon of Nord.
In the east, the Blue Sky Dragon of Est.
In the south, the Snow White Dragon of Sud.
And in the west, the Midnight Dragon, that is, herself.
These four dragons rule over their respective territories and are deeply revered in each region.
"So when you say 'territory,' do you mean they rule over those lands?"
"I'll explain that in more detail later. For now, just understand that the continent is divided into four areas, each under a dragon's protection."
"Four territories, four dragons, huh…"
Using Yakumo's murmured words as a cue, she continued.
"Whether it was by chance or divine guidance, I encountered you. But due to the divine protection on you, I couldn't consume you. So I brought you into this world I created within myself."
"So you don't know why I was brought here either?"
"No. I had nothing to do with your summoning. But it's possible that one or all of the four Supreme beings of this world summoned you for a purpose."
[A/N: Supreme beings and Supreme dragons are totally different and there is a very big gap of power between Supreme beings and Supreme dragons!]
"That's weird. I was just a regular student back in my world. Why summon someone like me?"
"Even I, a supreme dragon, cannot understand the will of the Supreme beings. But if it is the work of a Supreme being, then one day, the reason will become clear anyways."
Yakumo took a moment to think over everything he had heard.
He was likely summoned by the Supreme beings of this world.
The reason was unknown, and only the Supreme beings knew it.
He had no idea what he was supposed to do, and now he was stuck inside a dragon…
It all felt terribly unfair.
"Is there a way to ask the Supreme beings directly?"
"The Supreme beings are exalted beings. For one to appear in this world is nothing short of a miracle. It's not like you can just go find them and ask questions."
"I figured this much…"
"Your world, was it really very different from this one?"
Yakumo thought about it. Based on the castle alone, the civilization here seemed medieval.
"I've only seen this castle so far, so I can't say for sure. But yeah, it kind of feels like the Middle Ages from my world. I don't really know yet."
Looking at the map, he figured the Fronte Continent was roughly the size of Eurasia from his own world.
"But the real question is… what am I supposed to do here? I don't even know where to start."
"Only the Supreme beings who created this world would know that."
"The Supreme beings again…"
The scale of everything was so vast, dragons, Supreme beings, it felt like a dream. Yakumo was getting mentally exhausted.
"There are four Supreme beings in this world: the Earth Supreme, Sea Supreme, Sky Supreme, and Underworld Supreme. In the past, a few others have also been summoned from other worlds like you."
"Huh, Seriously? What did those people do?"
"Each one had a different path. Some used their divine blessings to become legendary warriors who defeated monsters. Others created inventions that helped advance civilization."
"Wow… Literal legends from anime...."
"Do you have any special skills?"
"Me? Well, my grandfather's family runs a dojo, so I've learned some martial arts. But nothing crazy, just enough to get by."
"I see. So you've got some training."
"Nah, it's not much. Just something I did as a student."
Yakumo then steered the topic back.
"That map thing earlier, was that magic?"
"Yes. That was basic projection magic from the light element."
Yakumo didn't fully understand, but it seemed similar to projecting a movie onto a screen.
"What about skills?"
"Magic uses external energy, mana, to affect the world. Skills, on the other hand, are powers that affect the user's own body and don't necessarily rely on mana."
Yakumo nodded slowly, starting to get the idea.
"So if I came from another world, does that mean I can use magic and skills here?"
"If the Supreme beings summoned someone with the right affinity, then yes, you would be able to use them."
(This is straight out of a video game…)
He sighed internally, but part of him couldn't help feeling excited.
"I don't know why I was brought here, but… what do you think I should do next? I'd really appreciate any real advice right now at this moment."
"Hmm…"
The dragon lowered her eyes and thought deeply.
After what felt like five or ten minutes, though it was probably less, she slowly opened her eyes again.
"Yakumo… how about this, why don't you make a contract with me?"
"A contract? I'm sorry, but I don't have any money…"
Even in another world, he wasn't about to fall for some shady deal. He gave off a cautious vibe.
"I have no need for money. That's not the kind of contract I mean."
"Then… what kind of contract?"
Even if it was different, the word 'contract' still made him wary.
"I've grown curious about you. Normally, I would have simply eaten you, end your boring life and been done with it. But you have divine protection, and the will of the Supreme being who summoned you is still unknown. So I propose a pact, I'll give you my protection, and in return, you become my child. My heir."
"And what's the real reason?"
It sounded too convenient. Yakumo couldn't just take her words at face value, so he asked plainly.
"Hahaha! You don't trust me yet? That's fair. I don't dislike a cautious nature. Simply put, with your divine blessing..."
Yakumo wanted to shout, "Hey, it's my life you're calling boring!", but he held his tongue and instead made a mental jab at the black dragon. Trying to stay calm, he asked,
"Do I really have that kind of value?"
"That will be explained in time," the black dragon replied. "But to go straight to the point, yes, you have unlimited potential. I don't know how your powers will grow or what path you'll choose, and that's exactly why I find you so interesting. If I train you and give you both strength and knowledge, then watching your journey will be fascinating for someone like me, who has a near-infinite lifespan. Our meeting, this is nothing less than the play of fate."
"Didn't you try to eat me when we first met because you thought I was food?"
"If you nitpick like that, you'll go bald."
"That's not a small detail, I was about to die! And I'm not going bald, I ain't doing 100 push-ups anyways!"
Yakumo shot a glare at the dragon, who only grinned like a mischievous child. Still, a thought crossed Yakumo's mind, and he voiced it.
"Do I have a choice to say no to becoming your heir?"
The dragon's playful expression vanished when she heard that question.
"…That is possible. But if you refuse, I'll have no choice but to throw you into this world alone. Just outside the towns, monsters roam freely. You don't know anything about this world, and to be honest, your chances of survival would be lower then extremely low."
"You'd just throw me out like that…?" Yakumo asked with innocent glowing little childish like eyes.
"This place is inside my true body. If you refuse to become my heir, then you'll be forcefully expelled. I have no obligation to care for someone who chooses to be neither my food nor my heir."
A world of swords and magic… Of course, that would mean monsters, too. Yakumo let out a long sigh.
To be honest, he couldn't imagine surviving in a world like that. Just thinking about it, the only image that came to mind was of himself getting killed in an instant, game over.
"You said you'd train me. What kind of training are you talking about?"
Changing his tone, Yakumo asked with a bit more sudden interest. The black dragon nodded approvingly.
"This world inside my body… I've gathered many kinds of monsters here. They breed and live in this space, and they're meant to serve as opponents in your training."
"I see… So basically, you want me to fight the monsters living in your belly and get stronger through that. But… is that really enough to make someone stronger? I don't know about people from this world, but back in my world, there are no monsters. And humans don't really become that strong either. What do you say to that?"
"If you become my official heir, I'll grant you the blessing of the dragon. I don't know the limits of human ability in your world, but even if we use your current self as a base, gaining strength tens of thousands of times greater isn't just a dream."
"That sounds like a lie…"
The moment Yakumo heard "tens of thousands," he couldn't help but say what he really thought.
The dragon looked slightly offended, but before she could respond, there was a knock at the study door.
It was Aries, returning with the tea she had gone to prepare.
She entered pushing a cart with a tea set and what looked like some snacks. Both Yakumo and the dragon fell silent for a moment.
"Your tea is ready," she said, her voice as cool and refreshing as a gentle breeze.
As Aries began to serve the tea with graceful movements, Yakumo found himself staring in admiration.
"Would you like some sugar, Yakumo-sama?" she asked.
The unexpected question caught him off guard. Still half-lost in watching her elegant gestures, he felt his heart skip a beat. And then, without thinking, he answered,
"Uh, yes… two spoonfuls, please."
His words came out more politely than he intended.
"Very well," she replied.
Aries scooped sugar from the bowl and gently added two spoonfuls into his cup, her movements perfectly silent and smooth, just as a maid's should be.
Then, carrying the cup on its saucer, she placed it softly in front of Yakumo and leaned close to whisper in his ear.
"…Please, become the heir of Lord Black Dragon."
The words were so unexpected that Yakumo couldn't hide his shock.