Dragon’s Bloodline

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Uneventfully, three days passed.

We advanced on stone pavement. Ria was in front on foot, with Lulu on the donkeys back behind her.

The journey was peaceful. Though a destination had been decided on, it wasnt urgent. While enjoying the surrounding scenery, you could enjoy the true pleasure of travelling.

Since this is your so-called journey to increase your fighting skills, I thought that youd be in more of a rush.

Hmm? Thats a pain so lets take our time. Even though I said this is for training, it wouldnt be smart to do that the entire time.

Ria was in a good mood. Although she was only walking, she was in a good mood.

The reason was the katanas visible at her waist.

They werent wooden swords nor an imitation swords, they were genuine katanas of different lengths. If it were Japan, lethal weapons like this were an out.

She carried herself in a dignified manner walking during the day. Just this made her glad. After all, up to now she had only been using the wooden sword for a weapon.

This was because wearing a Japanese katana was a mans romance. Of course Lulu was a woman and couldnt understand a martial artist.

By the way, the wooden sword for beating people to death was in the magic pouch as well. Katanas were too good for the likes of goblins. Maintenance was immense.

They ate their various rations, peacefully spending the afternoon, however a figure suddenly flew past overhead.

Oh, a dragoon.

A pursuer?

A dragoon is a soldier that rode on a wyvern. Although a wyvern was more or less classified as a sub-dragon, it looked completely unlike a dragon. As for the differences between a dragon and a sub-dragon, they were about as different as mice and humans.

That dragoon, after revolving around the two, returned to where it came from. Its direction was directly towards the royal capital.

We were found.

Yeah, looks like it.

Think theyll come to bring us back?

If so Ill beat them.

Id prefer a peaceful method.

Then Ill beat them peacefully.

Ria grinned and laughed, though that doesnt mean she was joking.

Anyways, if they were enemies she had confidence to moderately wound them and make them give up.

However, the situation exceeded Rias expectations.

They didnt change their route. Lulu only glanced back sometimes.

Folding her arms, she stood in the center of the road. Fortunately other travelers hadnt come for a while.

Before long, three knights riding horses came in to sight. However

Geh-, Reyas.

Geh-, Carlos.

Changing their motives, the twos faces strained.

That the vice-captain of the knights would personally pursue them was unexpected. And for Lulu, the other knight was someone she wanted to avoid.

By the way, the last person was inconsequential.

Carlos the Elf Lover huh

That person, he only sees my ears.

He was the best young soldier in the chivalric order, though while his personality and pedigree couldnt be criticized, his dream to embrace an elf was famous. Was he twenty years old this year?

By the way, Lulu turns twenty-four this year. Because she is a half-elf, she looks much younger than him.

Lulu got off the donkey and we waited for our pursuers arrival.

Reyas arrived first, dismounting a small distance away. The other two followed his lead.

Princess

Reyas had a stunned expression on, his fighting spirit unable to be seen.

Please return as soon as possible. His Majesty is worried about you.

From this cute childs journey, you mean, huh. Could you stop persuading me, Reyas?

Although you left the message and disappeared, not searching for you would be impossible.

Since Im going to the labyrinth city for now, Id like it if you didnt worry and reported that back.

Haah, Reyas let out a sigh.

With all due respect, does the princess understand what is happening to the court right now?

I know. For that reason, I did it to separate from the court to not be used.

As she said that, a tinge of praise appeared in Reyas expression.

Thats unexpected. I thought that you were certainly uninterested in such things.

Well, I dont want to be involved.

Ria shrugged her shoulders. The atmosphere was calm.

The air became heavy.

Even if you have to go through a bit of a painful experience, I am bringing you back.

Yeah, its good thats easy to understand.

Reyas drew his sword. Not the wooden sword usually used for training, but a shining mithril sword.

Of course, getting hit by that would cause bleeding. If Ria wore nothing but her leather armor, it would be easy for the blade to reach her body.

Honestly, Ria had the odds in her favor.

The defeated element couldnt be found.

First of all, his prepared weapon was bad. With his magic mithril sword, he had no choice but to go easy on her. Though it would be stopped if Rias Hard Body Skill was used, Reyas didnt know that.

In other words, he would aim at the ends of her limbs, avoiding her vitals. In that case the wooden sword would have been better.

Even if he said that they may have a painful experience, he could not afford to greatly injure the princess. At that point he was already at a large disadvantage.

As for Ria, in an extreme case she didnt mind going so far as killing Reyas. Of course she didnt have the intention to kill him, but aiming at his vitals was an option.

Ill say this, Reyas. Until now, while training with you, Ive never once used my true strength.

She had gone easy on him, not that she wasnt training. She just didnt use all of her abilities.

That includes my loss to you the other day as well, I wasnt being serious.

Frankly, Reyas was a sore loser, but that was besides the point.

If I win, obediently go back to the royal capital. Ill also leave the persuasion of Dad to you.

Yeah. Naturally, if I lose there is no one that could stop you anyway.

Now that Rufus is deceased, those words are correct. Rufus had no intention of stopping her in the first place though.

Then, shall we begin?

Saying so, Ria took a spear out of the magic pouch.

A spear. A cross spear.

Eh?

Eh?

Eh?

Eh?

Even for Lulu, an outsider to hand-to-hand combat, it was unexpected.

Ria meant katanas. Katanas meant Ria. In the royal palace, that image had been solidified.

The attack nearly pierced him, Reyas was fighting a defensive battle.

It was because until now, Ria had not been seen to ever use a spear.

But Rias Spearmanship Skill was Level 6. Although her Swordplay was a slightly higher Level, spears were stronger than swords to begin with. While this was common sense in her previous life, Ria was also of the katana.

Even in this world, the main weapon for war infantry is the spear. Even for Reyas, when riding he used a weapon with a long handle.

However, he mainly practiced with a sword on the ground, as it had good maneuverability and was portable.

In this fight as well, where anything goes from the onset, this became a one-sided fight.

That is to say, Reyas had sweetness towards Ria. You could say it was a difference in attitude.

This world has no notion of being combat ready at all times. Even martial artists in modern Japan where arms are prohibited have it, it was the resolution to immediately shift into a fighting resolution, and Reyas didnt have that.

Ria had it. In the royal palace, even when she didnt have a weapon, she had the resolution to kill enemies if attacked, she had the ability.

Between Ria and Reyas, excluding levels Ria had the better ability.

Reyas didnt accumulate magic to enhance his body, he instead increased the strength of his armor and shields defense, but that was immediately dispelled by Rias high magic power. If you compared the attribute values of the two, there was a huge difference between their magic power.

If there was anything Reyas was superior to Ria in, it would only be his experience in war. However, this was no battlefield. When it came to experience of simply killing each other, Ria was not inferior to him as she had spent her free time committing genocide on demons.

In the end, Reyas was forced to adopt the strategy of giving flesh to take bone.

He raised his shield against the spear in advance, getting pierced on purpose.

Guu-!

Penetrating the armor on the back of his left hand, the spear reached flesh. Even so, from there he rotated his elbow, entwining the spear with his shield.

Ria simply let go of the spear. Although she lost her weapon, the shield was pierced by the spear, affecting its maneuverability. Reyas lost one of his means of defense.

However, while Reyas was wounded on his left hand, Ria was uninjured.

Reyas advantage here would be that he still had a weapon in his hand. Facing against Ria, by the time she withdraws a katana, he could take many actions.

Reyas thought that as he brandished the sword in his hand, naturally aimed at Ria.

However, Reyas didnt know.

Ria had the Swordplay Skill at Level 7. However, at the same time she had another skill at the same level.

Quick Draw.

The moment Rias right hand touched the katana at her waist, it had already been swung completely.

Reyas right arm was cut off at the elbow, his sword revolving midair.

Ria returned the katana to Reyas armpit. She sliced through the metal armor, gouging his side.

Taking off Reyas armor with the assistance of his companion, she first treated his side before reattaching the severed right arm.

Fortunately the wound on his abdomen did not reach his internal organs, and that his right arm was cut so cleanly, so it adhered without any problems.

Princess did you always go easy?

Laying on his side, Reyas asked in a small voice.

Between himself and Ria, there was an overwhelming difference. It didnt feel the same to him as the usual practice. Rather, he now believed that her sword skills surpassed his.

Its nothing like that. Ive always been serious. But, what I mean is dont you think that the abilities used in training and those in killing differ?

So it was something like that

Although that didnt convince Reyas, at any rate Ria was stronger than him. To the extent that she took away his fighting strength, there was that much of a difference in skill.

I will report to His Majesty. Though Ive said it before, theres no way for us to bring Princess back now.

Sorry. Youve helped me.

Ria bowed obediantly.

However, there is a condition.

Reyas turned, facing the man known among the knights as the Elf Lover.

Carlos, go with the Princess. Dont think of it as guarding. If you are traveling, a males help is always required.

Eh, is that okay!?

Carlos asked delightedly. Lulu had on a complicated face.

Princess, is this fine?

Im fine with it but

She looked towards Lulu. The Elf Lover was like a disease. What does Lulu the half-elf think? Thats the question.

Well, it cant be helped can it? While the princess is fighting, it is necessary for someone to defend me.

Carlos spontaneously dropped down to one knee.

On my pride as a knight, I will protect you!

Everyone there had on a wry smile. Normally, a knight would mainly protect a princess, but it couldnt be helped as she was much stronger than him.

And thus the travelling group increased to three people.