Duke Pendragon

Swooosh!

Low waves repeatedly washed against the shore of the beach.

A large tent had been perched up from where the white sand met the colorful pebbles.

Behind the tent, a beautiful scenery unfolded with a dense forest and a waterfall crashing down and flowing into the sea.

With Alan Pendragon’s special permission, the soldiers also enjoyed a leisure time grilling meat and resting in a separate tent.

Since griffons were on guard around the beach, the soldiers had already piled up their equipment someplace else.

And the orc warriors, who had their shirts off, were doing something contrasting from the human soldiers…

“Cough, cough!”

“Gasp! Puah!”

“Karuta! Topa is sinking!”

“Kueewek! S, save me…”

“Hey, you stupid orcs! Big breath, big! How many times do I have to tell you? Go about it like a battle! Fight the water! Fight!”

The orcs were splashing around crazily in the water to practice swimming. Moreover, it was in water that only reached up to their stomachs…

Their muscular bodies did not seem to be helping their case. They screamed at the top of their lungs. They were being beaten back by a vast body of water. Their opponent was unrelenting, and it was the toughest they had faced yet.

“Keekee! Handsome orcs can’t swim. Look at Kazzal and learn.”

On the other hand, goblin Kazzal leisurely floated in the water and laughed at the orc warriors. He used to wander from place to place in the past, so he was familiar with various terrains.

“That rat-assed goblin bastard!”

“Today’s the day I’m going to skin him alive!”

The orc warriors became frenzied.

But they couldn’t rush to catch Kazzal, who was floating around in this uncharted territory – even though it was only ankle deep.

“Handsome Kazzal is more handsome in the water! Kekekeke! Kazzal is handsome. Goblins are awesome. Orcs are stupid, stupid. Keeehehehe!”

Roar!

Fierce shouts erupted from everywhere, and the orcs’ swimming practice became more militant and powerful. Soon after, the orcs became more accustomed to swimming with their superior physical ability, and some began to shuffle into the unknown territory.

Of course, the best of them was the strongest orc warrior, Karuta.

“Gasp! Gasp! Catch! Gasp! You! Gasp! Dead!”

Kazzal’s eyes grew wide at the sight of Karuta as the orc rapidly closed in on him. Karuta was rushing towards Kazzal while swimming against the giant waves.

“Kieek!?”

Kazzal hurriedly moved his small arms and legs to escape.

But even though Karuta’s swimming skills were not as proficient as Kazzal’s, he made up with his gigantic stature. The distance between the two gradually shortened.

“Kieeek!”

Kazzal arrived at the beach and ran in a hurry to the only one who could solve this crisis.

“Gasp! You damn goblin!”

Karuta threw his entire body onto the beach like a killer whale hunting for its food, then jumped up and ran after the slippery goblin.

Large footprints were left behind Karuta’s speedy feet.

“S, save me. Save handsome Kazzal.”

“……”

The figure whom Kazzal had spoken to raised her head with large, innocent eyes.

“Ehem!”

Karuta, who had frantically run after Kazzal, stood in his place and smacked his lips. Kazzal had hidden behind the only person, other than Alan Pendragon, who wasn’t afraid of him and the orcs – Mia Pendragon.

Mia, who was as small as Kazzal, casually patted Karuta’s knees. Karuta curled up and bent down his knees and waist with a shy expression.

“Why do you call me, little Pendragon?”

Raven watched the whole incident unfold from nearby, then shook his head.

The scene was reminiscent of a giant brown bear floundering in front of a kitten.

“……”

Without a word, Mia raised her finger and waved it left and right in front of Karuta’s face, even though his body was as big as her whole body.

“Ehem! I got it. I won’t fight, little Pendragon.”

At Karuta’s answer, Mia gave a bright smile and patted Karuta’s head like an owner petting her pet puppy.

“Kuhehe.”

Karuta grinned, revealing his teeth that were each as big as a child’s fist. But there was someone who didn’t like this peaceful yet bizarre sight…

“It’s dirty, Lady Mia.”

Isla stepped up and spoke bluntly. He was the only one who was still armed.

“Wh, what? Dir... Ah, okay. I won’t fight.”

Mia pouted her lips, then Karuta once again became silent. But he didn’t forget to stare at Isla with eyes full of killing intent.

“……”

Mia looked around at Karuta and Isla as their blood started to boil. She grabbed Isla’s hand before pulling him.

The silent Cavalier of Valvas was extremely vulnerable to small and cute things. He hardened his expression, and his eyebrows started twitching.

This was the reaction he showed when he was really, really happy.

Mia folded the hands of Karuta and Isla together, then enthusiastically shook them together.

“……”

“……”

It was the first handshake between the Stormbreaker and the strongest Ancona Orc.

Raven was still observing the sight half-heartedly, and he smirked, feeling a little proud. He turned his head.

Whoosh!

The four girls surrounding him swiftly turned their heads away and pretended to be busy. But Irene, who held infinite love and respect for her brother, couldn’t hold it in and slowly turned her head back to Raven.

“Um, Brother Alan…?”

“……”

Raven didn’t answer. He knew that this was the opportune moment to finally fix his sister’s wild and unusual habit.

“Before, I, I think I was a little stubborn. I mean, I’m sorry. Please forgive me… Sob...”

Her brother had not spoken a single word since the incident that occurred before they arrived at the beach. Irene clenched her hands together, and teardrops started to occupy her large eyes.

Any normal man would crumple at sight and blame themselves for making an angel cry.

But Raven wasn’t any normal man, and he saw right through her ‘acting’ in her glimmering, tearful eyes.

“I’m glad to hear that. You know that you did something wrong then. So, what is it that you did wrong?”

“What? Ah, that’s…”

Raven’s cold response made Irene think, ‘You look so handsome even when you’re angry.’ But she became scared and looked down.

Raven was a little shaken when he saw Irene display fear. He did not take pleasure in scaring young girls, but he decided to take it all the way.

“I am your brother, and I am a Pendragon. But you put your brother in a sticky situation in front of Lady Seyrod and the princess.”

“B, brother…”

Tears started to drop from her large eyes, and she began to tremble as well.

Even the other ladies remained silent at the sight of Alan Pendragon. He was usually cold, but rarely got angry.

“You are also a Pendragon. You need to keep the dignity of our family and…”

“Sob! I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Forgive me. Don’t hate me. Waaaahhh.”

Irene started to wail.

“Wahh. Please don’t hate me. Don’t hate me, brother. Wah! Waaaaaah!”

“N, no...”

Raven was so startled by the sight of Irene bawling her eyes out with a runny nose that he couldn’t find words to speak.

He could feel the soldiers and the orc warriors glancing towards this direction.

‘D, damn it…’

“D, don’t cry. It’s okay as long as you know your mistake.”

Raven quickly patted Irene.

“Sob… Y, yes. Sniff! You’re not going to hate me, right?”

“How could I h, hate you?”

Even though his hands and feet shriveled at his own words, he still stammered out the words because it was the only way.

“Yes, Sob! Brother… I’m so sorry.”

Like a heroine of a tragedy, Irene fell into Raven’s arm like she was falling. Raven panicked, but he was forced to continue to pat Irene on the back.

Because of that, Raven didn’t see.

Irene wiped her tears within his embrace and stuck out her tongue towards Ingrid as if to say, “Aren’t you jealous?”.

But Ingrid only smiled.

Irene frowned at the sight, but Ingrid started to speak in a calm voice.

“Your Grace, you have pointed out even your own family’s mistakes. It sure is befitting of the leader of the great Pendragon family. I, myself, also have memories of being scolded by my eldest brother, the crown prince. It is one of the most shameful memories that I have in the Royal Batallium. It truly was a tragic memory for myself as the princess of the empire.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Raven became a little embarrassed and lightly let go of Irene.

“Yes, but…”

“Hmm?”

“I have never cried since I was nine. I still remember that time as a truly shameful memory. A princess such as myself couldn’t control my emotions and…. Sigh!”

Ingrid breathed a long line and kept muttering to herself, “How embarrassing, really and crying at that age…”.

Then everyone’s eyes turned to Irene.

“Uh…”

Irene’s ears glowed red with embarrassment, and she dropped her head.

Lindsay and Luna noticed.

Irene was defeated.

But this silent battle was not over yet.

As strange energy flowed between the four ladies, Raven raised his voice to change the weird atmosphere.

“Well! Anyway, since we’ve come to the beach, shall we catch some fish?”

“Oh my, does Your Grace swim well?”

The winner(?) stuck close to Raven. Raven flinched and slightly drew his body away.

“Well, I know how to, but…”

“I’m looking forward to it. If it’s fish that you are going to catch yourself, I shall prepare to cook for you personally, even though my skills are lacking.”

Ingrid’s glistening eyes were more burdensome than Irene’s, but Raven nodded because he had brought up the topic.

“Well, whatever you see as fit. Sir Isla, let’s go.”

“Yes, my lord!”

Isla answered vigorously, then took off his light armor.

Raven, of course, also took off his thin linen shirt.

“Shriek!”

“Ha!”

“Oh my!”

“Ah…!”

Raven turned his back, wondering what was going on with the various reactions.

Irene had her face covered with her hands, but her eyes glistened through the cracks between her fingers.

Lindsay had her two eyes and mouth wide open.

Ingrid had a shy smile.

Luna’s entire body shook with an expressionless face.

All of them had varying degrees of flushed expressions as they looked at Raven.

“Hmm?”

Raven tilted his head in confusion. Then Isla, who was just as clueless as Raven, walked up to Raven, showing his solid, tanned upper body.

“This is the body of a dignified knight, my lord. In addition to your chest and abdominal muscles, your back muscles, which are most important for swordsmanship, are radiant and firm. It is truly fitting of the one who defeated me.”

Isla was usually a man of few words, but when he did speak, he said everything that was on his mind.

“Well, t, thank you. Then why don’t we head to… Hmm?”

Raven’s eyes narrowed as he received a harpoon from a soldier.

“That… what is that?”

Following Raven’s gaze, everyone turned their heads.

From the sea far away, something was coming.

“That…”

A small dot, no, the object was growing bigger. It was getting exponentially bigger every second, and it was humongous.

Gasp!

At the end, when the object came near a rocky island that was a short distance away from them, Raven and the four ladies... No, everyone on the beach could finally identify the large object.

“Kuwwaaaak? W, w, what is that?”

“Kiuek! Forgive us, oh earth god! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Karuta started to make a fuss, and Kratul dug his head into the sand and started to beg the earth god like a crazed madman.

The humans also showed surprise, but it wasn’t because they were ignorant of the object’s identity like the orcs.

It was shocking and flabbergasting to see why ‘that’ was ‘flying’ towards the beach.

Whoooosh! Boom!

The thing that flew through the air and dropped in front of the Pendragon tent was none other than a ‘whale’.

“……”

Raven finally understood the situation at once when he saw someone floating behind the whale. She had been off the radar for a while, but Soldrake had left to catch, no, to pick up a whale.

“Excuse me, Sol? What is…. This?”

Soldrake casually answered Raven’s question.

[Fish. I remember Ray saying he wanted to eat fish.]

“Ah….. fish. Yeah, well, whales do live in water… yeah…”

Raven muttered in a flabbergasted matter, but his soul companion didn’t seem to notice. Soldrake quietly stared at Raven with glittering eyes, patiently waiting for his compliment.