ATPL 19

<So, you’re saying you gave an order not to lie?”>

“That’s correct.”

<And right after that, that fellow… no, that young lady.>

“Yes. She responded that she was not the possessor.”

Elliot nodded, adding,

“Thus, the whereabouts of the thirty-third possessor became unknown. Initially, it was our duty to bring them to Fortuna and put them into eternal sleep, as the Dragon Lord commanded. However, we couldn’t treat Miss Anais Fleur, an innocent victim like the other possessors.”

The dragon’s scales clashed together.

Anais shuddered and took a step back.

Whether the dragon intended to kill her or not, it felt far more terrifying than before.

<Damn.>

Damn? Did it just say ‘damn’?

Anais couldn’t believe her ears at the undignified words from the dragon—an entity that maintained the continent’s order.

But the Dragon Lord seemed uninterested in her confusion.

<Huff… the rift is still open, though.>

The dragon then fixed its yellow eyes on Anais for what felt like an eternity. As its gaze never wavered, Anais instinctively grabbed Elliot’s sleeve, trembling.

Seeing her distress, Elliot sighed softly and tightened his cloak around her.

Eventually, the dragon spoke.

<Originally, I should have sent the thirty-third possessor back to the world line and gone to sleep peacefully. But now… what should I do?>

Anais suddenly understood the meaning of sending someone back to the world line.

It meant killing her.

And now, the dragon was suggesting with its eyes that it would be easier to simply kill Anais and pretend everything was over.

But once again, Elliot intervened to protect her.

“But Dragon Lord, if the possessor within Miss Fleur’s body has disappeared, causing more harm than good, the rift will only grow wider.”

<That’s true. Tsk… It’s also crucial to determine where the thirty-third possessor went.>

The dragon clicked its tongue, then turned its gaze toward Anais.

<Alright. Anais Fleur. For now, tell me your story.>

“M-My story?”

<Yes. Even if the thirty-third possessor is gone, the rift remains. Elliot, you can feel it too, right?>

Elliot nodded.

He, too, always felt the rift’s unsettling presence, having received the Dragon Lord’s power.

<The clue always lies with the person involved. The answer is usually right next to the question. So, listening to your story might provide us with a solution.>

With that, Elliot stepped aside from Anais.

But Anais didn’t let go of his sleeve. As he was about to step away, he froze, flustered.

“Lady Fleur, my sleeve…”

Anais glared at him with wide eyes.

You’re a knight! You can’t leave me alone in front of a dragon!

Her desperate gaze left Elliot with no choice.

He sighed again and stood beside her.

The dragon, watching them with interest, curled its massive body and sat down, preparing to listen to Anais’ story.

“I was definitely looking forward to my nineteenth birthday when I fell asleep…”

Anais began, her voice steady.

* * *

The story ended quickly.

When people tell others about their own experiences, they also reflect on them from an objective perspective.

They often discover something they hadn’t considered before.

Anais was no different. After finishing her story, which may have seemed long to some and short to others, she realized something very important she had completely forgotten.

My birthday present!

She had completely forgotten her grandfather’s promise to give her nineteen presents.

Anais jumped up in surprise.

“How dare someone steal Anais’s present! Unforgivable!”

Elliot, who had a thousand things to say but chose silence, gave her a certain look.

Anais, noticing his gaze, declared firmly,

“Right? Sir, you’re angry too, aren’t you?”

“…”

The dragon chuckled but then straightened up at the sharp look Elliot gave it. It tapped the ground a few times with its front claws like an old man tapping a desk in thought.

<Alright. If what you say is true, it is indeed unjust.>

“Of course! I heard my grandfather called the best craftsmen from Belfast! My jewels!”

<…There is something in your story that piqued my interest.>

“You mean Anais’s jewels? Dragons like jewels! I like them too, but my favorite is—”

The dragon cut her off firmly.

<I like jewels, but I wasn’t talking about your birthday present. I was talking about your diary, or whatever it is.>

Anais blinked, confused.

“Charlotte, you mean?”

<Does your diary have a name?>

As the dragon showed interest, Anais blushed and explained, “It was a name I gave it when I was seven…”

But the dragon wasn’t interested in the diary’s name.

<Go on, look at that ‘Charlotte’ or ‘Shalom,’ or whatever it’s called.>

Anais jumped up again, outraged.

“How dare you so boldly pry into a lady’s private life!”

<…>

The dragon looked at Elliot with pity. It must be tough bringing her this far.

Elliot silently agreed.

Eventually, Anais took out her diary from her bundle, holding it with extra emphasis.

“Absolutely do not look past this point!”

Seeing Anais firmly press down on the part of the diary where her memories had stopped, on her nineteenth birthday, the dragon snorted. Then it ordered Elliot.

<Read it.>

If Anais hadn’t been there, Elliot would have grumbled, “Do it yourself.” But out of respect for the Dragon Lord’s dignity, he kept his mouth shut and waved his hand. It seemed ironic, given that the Dragon Lord was the one ruining that dignity.

The wind Elliot created lifted Anais’ diary, and she opened her mouth in amazement.

“You use magic well?”

“It is only possible within the domain of the Dragon Lord, Vidna. Despite borrowing the Dragon Lord’s power, I am not skilled at magic.”

“I see.”

Meanwhile, the Dragon Lord flipped through the diary, muttering “Hmm.”

Considering the size ratio, it was like Anais reading a matchbox-sized book, and she wondered how the dragon could even see it.

“The thirty-third possessor and others seemed to think this place is the content of a book.”

“It seems so.”

<Alright. I think I see a clue. I always felt like something was missing.>

Anais blinked. The Dragon Lord closed her diary. With a gesture from Elliot, it floated back into Anais’s hands.

Despite the dragon’s massive claws flipping through the pages, the diary remained undamaged.

Even though its claws were as big as Anais’s head!

<The possessors tried to change the flow of this place. They prevented it from following the path they read in the books. It’s puzzling that this world is written in a book, but it might be possible…>

The dragon stretched its neck and body, as if yawning, and continued.

<The disturbance caused by the possessors seems to have created more rifts. Those rifts never completely healed, even after sending the possessors back.>

“So?”

<Those rifts have been a headache for me for a long time. But after looking at your diary, I believe that if we restore the world to its original flow, the rifts will naturally close.>

Anais felt an ominous premonition.

Why is it looking at me while saying that?

The dragon’s yellow eyes scrutinized her, as if assessing something. She couldn’t shake the feeling it was evaluating whether she would make a good lunch.

The only thing left was…

<Elliot, do you know the Crown Prince of the Empire?>

Elliot furrowed his brow.

“As you know, I met him about ten years ago.”

<Did you? Then there’s no problem.>

“The Crown Prince probably doesn’t remember me.”

<Really? Why?>

“…You already know. I was a newbie back then.”

<…Not even remembering a newbie, that Crown Prince is too careless!>

“Stop joking.”

The dragon laughed, a harsh, ungraceful sound, before rolling over onto its side.

Anais now desperately wanted to leave. But the dragon wasn’t done.

<Alright. Anais… what was it?>

“Lady Fleur.”

<Yes. Anais Fleur. You will have to help me.>

Anais wanted to say, “Why Anais?”

But the dragon didn’t give her the chance to respond.

“If we restore the world to its original flow, the rifts will naturally close.”

“…”

<Fortunately, from what crap… no, what the thirty-third possessor wrote, it is clear what the original flow should be.>

Did it just say “wrote crap”? Anais now doubted this dragon, who had seemingly cast all dignity aside.

Could it be a giant dragon-shaped puppet? Ever since her nineteenth birthday vanished, she felt the entire world was mocking her.

Of course, that was ridiculous. There would be no such thing as a joke that would require so much effort, even involving the Knights of the Dragon.

Regardless of Anais’ thoughts or words, the dragon continued.

<So, Anais Fleur. Go and restore the world.>