Morning in Velmoria smelled like smoke and damp leaves. A small fire hissed as Rai tended it, carefully turning a piece of roasted meat on a spit. The Drakkin sat like a guard beside the flames, heavy belly low to the ground, watching his human with a careful expression.
Hayato had his face buried in the meat. He was a mess of dirt and crumbs, blissfully chewing, eyes glazed with the joy of a man who had not eaten a decent meal in years.
Hayato swallowed and asked with his mouth full, "Why aren't you eating?"
Rai bowed slightly. "I cannot, in good conscience, consume food before my master does."
Hayato shrugged, still chewing. "Oh. alright. Suit yourself."
Rai's jaw tightened a fraction, but he kept his stance polite. Inside, his stomach growled anyway. He watched Hayato stuffing more meat like a man who'd never seen meat before.
From the bushes nearby, three rough figures slid between the roots. Orcs. Big and ugly. They watched the pair with hungry eyes and whispered in low, rough voices. One hissed, "The human looks weak. Wait until that 'dragon' leaves, then we strike." They snickered and readied their crude blades.
Rai felt it first. The prickling on his scales that a true predator feels when danger draws near. He turned his head toward the bushes and narrowed his eyes. The orcs hummed with killing intent. Rai's body went still.
He glanced at Hayato, who was still chewing louder than a thunderstorm. Rai's thoughts tightened. He does not sense them. He does not even notice the enemy… Rai's draconic pride bristled. Is this human blind? Or testing me?
Careful, formal voice on, Rai stepped forward. "My Lord, I shall patrol the perimeter," he said.
Hayato, half-focused on the meat, waved one hand without looking. "Mhm. Yeah. Do that." He took another bite.
Rai's mind did a small flip. He waved me away with a piece of meat in his mouth. The Drakkin bowed and padded out, leaving Hayato to his feast.
The orcs waited until Rai was a few steps away, then sprang from the bushes. They screamed and charged, blades up, thinking the human would panic and run.
Hayato didn't even look up. He kept chewing, eyes half closed in what looked suspiciously like blissful ignorance.
Rai had imagined better trials. He had imagined heroic confrontations. He had not imagined this: three orcs running full speed toward a human who was calmly chewing meat like it was all games to him.
Why will he not move, Rai thought. If he does not sense them, he cannot dodge. He will...
Rai could not watch. He dove.
He slammed his shoulder into the ground nearby and spread his wings wide. The impact made a thunderous clap that shook leaves from the trees. The orcs skidded, blinking at the sudden, enormous shadow. A low, rumbling roar rolled out of Rai's belly, more bravado than fire, but loud enough.
The three orcs froze. For a moment the world narrowed to their pounding hearts and the looming silhouette of something that looked like a dragon and very much did not look friendly.
They turned and fled, tripping over roots and each other. One of them dropped his blade and left it behind. They ran so fast Rai had to crouch to stop his wings from knocking branches.
Hayato finally heard the commotion. He looked up, blinked, then casually asked, mouth still full, "Rai? What was that noise?" He chewed and swallowed. "Something fall?"
Rai returned, trying for nonchalant dignity but failing at "not terrifying." He bowed once. "Mere vermin. Nothing of concern."
Inside, Rai's mind was a storm. Why did he not react? Does this human not fear death? Has he no sense? Even the weakest human can sense danger before it strikes. He did not even twitch. He watched Hayato's calm face, trying to read meaning that was not there.
Hayato picked up another strip of meat and held it out with a sleepy smile. "Here. You did all the work, right? Eat."
Rai stared at the offered meat. Why is he so calm after what just happened, was that all a test? The Drakkin lowered his head, unsure whether to be insulted or relieved. He offers me sustenance, and yet he lies untouched by peril. What manner of human is this?
Hayato's mind, on the other hand, was practical. Keep the dragon fed; dragons fetch money. In all the isekai stories, he thought, monsters sell for a tidy sum. If I keep him alive and healthy, when I sell him, I'll have enough to... He imagined a pile of money so tall he could sleep on it. Eat, sleep, live like a king, and maybe get a maid or two. This is strategy.
Rai's jaw moved. He took the meat. He ate with quiet politeness, watching Hayato as if watching a strange, sleeping comet.
They set off when the sun rose higher, the light spilling lazily through the trees. Hayato trudged ahead, dragging his feet like a man who'd been walking since birth. Rai followed at his side, steps light and precise, his scaled tail brushing softly against the grass.
"Hey," Hayato muttered, yawning. "Tell me something, scaly. Are there any humans in this world or am I the last handsome man alive?"
Rai blinked, puzzled by the phrasing. "Humans… yes. They exist far north from here—beyond the mountains, past Velmoria's border."
Hayato's eyes lit up like a man hearing the word buffet after days of fasting. "Wait—so there are humans?! Oh thank God, I thought I'd be stuck talking to lizards forever!"
Rai tilted his head slightly, unoffended but clearly confused. "It would take… perhaps six years of travel to reach their kingdoms. By the safest routes, of course."
The light drained from Hayato's face almost instantly. His posture slumped, enthusiasm dying faster than a candle in the wind."Six… years?!"
"Yes," Rai said plainly. "Assuming we are not eaten, enslaved, or crushed along the way."
Hayato stared at the road ahead for a moment, dead inside. Then he sighed, dragging his feet even harder."Yeah, no… I'm good. Maybe I'll just die here. Seems faster."
Rai's tail flicked once in amusement. "Master, your resilience is… admirable."
Hayato glanced back weakly. "That's just another way of saying 'you're stupid,' isn't it?"
"I would never," Rai said with an unconvincing bow of his head.
"Six years huh?" he said, horrified. "Nope. That's not happening. There's got to be a shortcut."
Rai cocked his head. "A shortcut?".
Hayato replied. "Magic. Portals. You know, the things that teleport you immediately instead of walking for six years." He gave a small, conspiratorial grin. "There's always a something."
Rai's scales twitched. "The Ruined Vale holds a portal of the sort you describe. It lies northwest, past the Shattered Ridge. But the Vale is forbidden. Corrupted mana clings to the stones. It will test any who enter." He used careful words, as if reading a serious report. "Three days therein are said to pass differently. Many who seek it do not return."
Hayato rubbed his chin. "Forbidden = dangerous = probably lots of loot. Sounds perfect." His eyes were already half on a hypothetical cart of money. "If that portal can drop me back to someplace with shops and maids, then sign me up."
Rai took the lead and started north. The path they took was hard and dusty. The land grew thinner of life. Strange flowers closed their petals as they walked past. Small ruins marked the way. As they went, Rai's ears pricked. A deep tremor ran through his scales.
He stopped in the path, nostrils flaring. His whole body stiffened. "My Lord," he said quietly, formal and suddenly small, "I sense a presence ahead. It is… massive."
Hayato looked up with a grin. "What, don't tell me you're tired already?" He felt nothing but the wind and Rai's tense posture.
Rai's eyes went wide. Does he not feel this intense pressure. Who is this human? Inside, Rai's heart beat fast but his voice stayed measured. "If that is a 'shortcut,' then it is one that leads straight to death."
Hayato smiled back, unfazed. I have nothing to fear, he thought plainly, I have a dragon with me. If he gets a little hurt while protecting me, his value drops but it's still money. A small injury will not end the plan. As long as Rai survives, I can sell him later and get my freedom. After all we walked three days just to reach here, I can't just give up my only hope.
They walked toward the Vale together: one clueless and hungry for comfort, the other careful and fully aware of the storm ahead.