Trapped in Another World With No Magic

Chapter 119.1: Bonus Chapter: The Grey Dragon and His Fiancee

During the break after the first monster investigation mission, and during the long feast and celebrations the citizens of Mattarglos are throwing, Neith approaches Daniel. “My Liege, a word?”

Daniel nods. Ryuogriar is currently holding his arm as if she’s his daily consort, spending time with him. “Is it alright if Ryuo-Mukori hears it as well?”

The grey dragon nods. “Of course, your Grace. I have nothing to hide. Merely a request.”

“Well then, let us hear it,” replies Ryuogriar.

“With your permission, I would like to reach out to someone I encountered during the Imperial invasion.”

“Someone who would make a good ally?” asks Ryuogriar without hesitation.

“I do not know. But, I learned from her Grace, Gwenesphia, as well as the Stalvaltan soldiers, that it is very probably that this person resides in Mattarglos. I hope to ask the domain lords present if they have any idea who it might be.”

“What kind of person is it?” asks Daniel.

“She’s a young woman. I believe she was a magic artisan or artificer working for the Allied forces, and I stole a great deal of magic crystals from her and her equipment. I am afraid I likely frightened her greatly, and I vowed I would repay my transgression.”

“Mmm,” hums Ryuogriar with a light smile. “An honorable thought. Is this young woman a dragon?”

“No. A boruan. She was collateral in my actions.”

Ryuogriar is quiet. The three of them are fully aware that, not all that long ago in the grand scheme of things, a dragon would never even acknowledge a non-dragon’s existence, let alone apologize to one. Neith was always a different dragon, particularly because he was raised by the feldroks, but even still, boruans might as well be humans in comparison.

Regardless, Neith is resolved to make this apology, and Daniel has no intention to stand in his way. He chuckles, joking, “Well, I suppose it’s only fair. If you stole a bunch of magic crystals in her charge, she probably got fired. You really should take responsibility.” Ryuogriar snickers, while the dragon in question turns pale.

“Y-... You really think… she lost her job?”

Daniel cocks his head. Clearly, Neith didn’t get the humor. But then again… “Well,... It could go either way. It was a military operation. It’s pretty typical for someone to be held responsible for so much value being lost, but the siege was chaos, so… maybe she was okay.” Unfortunately, the more he thinks about it, the more he doubts this mystery boruan woman got away without any consequences, even if she was powerless to stop a super-powered soldier from robbing her blind.

This, of course, doesn’t comfort Neith, and the grey dragon becomes even more solidly determined to make his apology. “Please, your Grace, my Liege; allow me to find this woman and make this apology. I shall ensure I am reachable by radio and telepathy at all times. If I am caught in a magic nullifying-...”

“You don’t have to convince me, Neith,” replies Daniel to stop the grey dragon from grovelling. “You can go.”

“If she is a skilled magic artisan, you have my permission to gauge her as a potential ally and recruit her if possible,” declares Ryuogriar with a smile. 

“Thank you both. If you should need me, summon me, and I will return to your side at once.” Neith bows, and he excuses himself.

He then begins speaking to a couple of boruans that are present at the feast, and he is able to narrow down a few possible individuals who are magic artisans or artificers, getting even closer with one whose deployment matches the appropriate time frame. He also makes sure to buy enhanced magic crystals from Wenlianna and Aramellianna to replace the ones that he took from the boruan woman. He also gathers a great deal of gold and jewels from his own accumulated wealth to replace her salary for the job he cost her. 

With his repayment collected, Neith sets out on his journey to find the village where ‘Roestren’ resides.

Though travel is limited to flight for the grey dragon, Neith is able to track down the young boruan woman named Roestren, who matches his description to the people who heard out his request. If she is the correct person, he inconvenienced her personally during his mission to cripple the invading forces at the Battle of the Citadel Plains.

Neith sent a letter to her parents ahead of himself, since her duties with the allied military would prevent Neith from being able to meet with her to apologize. He’s staying in an inn in the village, so it’s likely they have already heard about the outsider visiting. But, he has to do what he can do and try to get in contact with Roestren to confirm that she is the woman, and then make his apology.

He receives a reply a day later in the form of the innkeeper informing him that Roestren’s family will meet with him. He might have found this odd, but he felt like he was sufficiently honest in his letter, explaining that they found themselves on opposite sides of a conflict, that he is a knight in service to the Emperor, and that he meant her absolutely no harm. He was worried, especially after Daniel explained that he probably got her fired for stealing not only equipment under her charge, but the crystals from her person. Thankfully, Daniel wasn’t upset, as it was a necessary action for the battle, but he was being honest, which Neith does appreciate.

Neith has been alive for a very long time, and though most of his life was dedicated to the pursuit of revenge, he has a fair level of confidence in whatever he does, and he can approach almost anything with calmness.

As such, he thinks almost nothing of it as he arrives at the relatively simple townhouse belonging to a furniture maker and his schoolteacher wife, parents to a magic artisan employed by the Mattarglos Expeditionary army, and loaned to the Imperial Joint Invasion in accordance with the war time treaties in the east. Neith learned from his investigations that they once resided in Bromlund, but returned to Mattarglos when Bromlund fell into chaos during the time Daniel was at Fort Peony.

The grey dragon in human form knocks on the door, and he waits patiently. He knows he’s drawing some looks from the people around him. His horns have regrown about a quarter of their length since he broke them off to wear a human helmet, and his tail gives him away as a reptilian race, which are almost non-existent in the east. Of course, he’s not just a lizardman, but a dragon, though he’s not broadcasting that fact, since easterners, especially, tend to be afraid of the powerful avians to the point of terror, with fairly good reason.

The door opens to a mature and rather large boruan woman wearing an apron over her modest dress. She is taller than Neith, and she has a very heavy-set build, including wide hips and an extremely large chest that dwarfs Ryuogriar’s chest in human form. She has a simple calico tail ending in a tuft of blonde hair that matches her head. Her eyes are a light brown and amplify her bright and warm expression. She studies Neith for a moment, since she slightly looks down on him from her own height, but she perks up. “Oh! You must be Sir Neith, yes!?”

Neith bows with an arm across his chest, “Indeed I am, my Lady. I have the pleasure of being Sir Neith of the Citadel.”

She nods, stepping out of the way as she gestures inside. “Yes! Yes, please, come in! We’ve been expecting you.”

Neith nods politely and reverently, “Thank you.”

As he walks in, the woman replies, “I suppose I didn’t expect you to be… um, a half-yarcko.”

Neith simply smiles. Yarckos are one of the reptilian races in the world, and extremely rare on this continent, believed to have descended from shipwrecked sailors a few generations ago. A half-yarcko would be what it sounds like; a lizardman with more human features than the pure-blood bipedal lizardmen. Neith has heard stories that it’s widely believed that yarckos are descended from dragons to begin with, but he doesn’t know their history well enough to know.

Regardless, he takes no offense. The boruan woman he suspects is Roestren’s mother is being polite and respectful, if not outright warm and welcoming to him. He removes his shoes at the entryway, placing them near those already present. The woman makes her way past, pausing to say, “Oh! How rude of me. My name is Vynseria. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine, my Lady Vynseria.”

She giggles, adding, “Please, Sir Neith. I’m flattered, but my husband and I are not nobles. You don’t have to be so formal.”

“I will do my best, then.”

She smiles and nods, calling out, “Dear? Roestren? Can you meet me in the dining room? We have a guest.”

Vynseria leads the way to the dining room, and Neith can sense two presences moving towards them, but of course, without any hint of hostile intent. Both of them seem to have been together in a different part of the premises, perhaps working together on her father’s work.

As expected, the boruan man that enters is a little shorter than Vynseria, but still taller than Roestren as well as Neith, and his physique is impressively muscular, while Vynseria is a good deal heavier-set than either her husband or daughter.

The man notices Neith first, asking, “A visitor? Are you perhaps, Sir Neith?”

Roestren flinches behind him just as she was about to ask her mother what’s going on. She locks eyes with Neith as he smiles as gently as he can, bowing once more. “Indeed. I am Sir Neith of the Citadel.”

“Ahhh! Good! Good!” cheers the man warmly as he takes and shakes Neith’s hand with both of his own. “A pleasure! My name is Ulkamak, a humble furniture maker, and you’ve obviously met my wife, Vynseria. This is our daughter, Roestren, to whom I believe you are acquainted, yes?” He guides Roestren into the room, as she seems a little nervous.

Neith smiles, replying softly, “Yes, we met briefly. As I mentioned in my letter, I disrespected your daughter, and I have come to apologize.” He faces Roestren, this time, kneeling as a knight. “My Lady Roestren, I am deeply sorry for any trouble I caused you during the battle. I have come to ask for your forgiveness and reimburse you for damages.” He withdraws the prepared package from his magic bag, which causes Roestren’s parents to murmur softly in surprise. He opens the box, revealing the neatly organized gold coins, handful of jewelry, and the ten enhanced magic crystals to replace what he took under her responsibility. “Please accept this humble offering and my apology. I can’t restore your career, so I have done my best to replace your salary.”

The three boruans are dumbfounded and speechless. Neith looks up, asking quietly, “Is… it not enough, my Lady?”

“Y-Y-You came all this way… for that?” asks Roestren nervously.

He nods. “Yes, most certainly. My Liege Lord, the Emperor, informed me that the joint task force likely considered you at fault for the theft and damage I caused, particularly the magic crystals on your person.”

Roestren glances at her parents, who are equally shocked by Neith’s actions.

She stammers, and Vynseria asks, “Did… something happen to your work, Roestren?”

Roestren shakes her head. “N-No! I’m… I’m only on leave right now. I… They were unhappy, but…” She looks at Neith. “I… I didn’t… lose my job or anything.”

Ulkamak brings up the elephant in the room. “Excuse me for a moment, Sir Neith, but I’m afraid I must not have fully understood how you two encountered each other. You say your Liege Lord is the ruler of the Citadel, yes? I’m afraid I’m not familiar with where that is. Is it a vassal of the Empire?”

Roestren flinches, and Neith looks to her for guidance. He was pretty sure he put it in his letter, though he also didn’t want to frighten them, so he might have omitted details that Roestren could explain. He’s unsure if it’s widely known in the east that they invaded the Fievegal and lost.

Roestren says softly, “M-Mother, Father… S-Sir Neith… is a… d-demon-kin.”

They both stare at their daughter, and Neith stays in his low posture. However, Roestren suddenly steps close and puts herself between the kneeling knight and her parents. “I know how it sounds! B-But… H-He promised to take responsibility! A-And he’s here now! We met by fate! I know it!”

Ulkamak doesn’t make any aggressive movements, but he asks pointedly, “You’re from the Wildlands?”

Roestren answers, “No, Father. Sir Neith serves the Fievegal.” She hesitates and sighs. “The Fievegal is a new territory founded by a young Empress, Hekate fell Lawson. Empress Sundenelle ordered the retrieval of the otherworlder, Daniel, but we found out the hard way that he’s actually Hekate’s benefactor and Emperor.”

This causes Ulkamak and Vynseria to hug each other in surprise. Roestren quickly adds, “The Joint Imperial Forces invaded! I don’t know all of the reasons, but Sir Neith and his Lord were only defending their territory. And,...” She looks at Neith, adding tenderly, “Sir Neith didn’t kill anyone, even when he was helping defeat us. He was… v-very gentle with me.” She then adds more passionately, “And, he risked coming here to apologize! W-Which was unnecessary. But, he did. F-Further proof that… we were meant to be together.”

Neith is surprised by this. “Come again?” asks the disguised grey dragon.

She whirls to face him with hurt in her eyes. “I-Isn’t… Am I not good enough? Y-You said you’d take responsibility. A-And… wh-who will marry me now?” She cups her cheeks, embarrassed with watering eyes. Neith is a well-travelled man who knew only hate and vengeance for a long time, but he knows adorable when he sees it. And, Roestren is adorable.

The confused dragon glances at Ulkamak and Vynseria nervously, and they, too, seem unsure of what to do. They don’t appear to be afraid of Neith, per se, but it’s a very strange situation to be in.

“I… would be unable to blame your parents if they object, my Lady.”

She whirls, saying passionately to her parents, “Father! Please give us your blessing!”

“I…” Ulkamak glances at Vynseria, and then at Neith and Roestren. He also glances at the treasures brought in what Neith believed would be repayment for something that didn’t happen.

Vynseria asks cautiously, “Sir Neith… Do you… wish to take our daughter?”

Neith replies sincerely, “I am only briefly acquainted with Lady Roestren, and I thought surely I would be detested at best.”

“That’s not true!” cries out Roestren. “I… I was scared, but… you were so gentle, even while being chased. And, you were very brave. I-If anything, I should apologize for my part in the invasion, as small as it was.”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Neith nods, adding in his reply to her mother, “I wouldn’t dare steal her away, and I am honorbound to my Liege Lord. That said, I… did also vow to take responsibility for my actions to Lady Roestren specifically, because she did not seem to be a combatant.”

Roestren crouches and takes Neith’s free hand, holding it for a moment. “I felt a true connection as I realized how kind you are, Sir Neith. I-I would… b-be happy to be your wife, if you’ll have me.”

Ulkamak rubs the bridge of his nose with his fingers, saying a little dryly, “I finally see why the matches we attempted to make were so unsuccessful. Your mannerisms are a cut above many others we’ve met…”

Vynseria chuckles warmly, adding, “Agreed. No wonder dearest Roestren couldn’t stop mentioning him during the match meetings.”

Roestren blushes, whining, “Father! Mother! You’re embarrassing me!”

Ulkamak steps forward and says seriously, “Sir Neith, stand and face me.”

Neith hands the box to Roestren, rising to his feet as he helps her stand up as well. He faces Ulkamak, who is slightly taller and stronger-built than Neith’s human form, though it’ll count for very little in a fight in either direction. Ulkamak would be incapable of harming Neith bare-handed, and Neith would be honor-bound to not actually do any physical harm to the boruan man as a representative of Daniel and the Fievegal.

In spite of the potential standoff, Ulkamak simply asks seriously, “Sir Neith, do you intend to show my beloved eldest daughter courtesy and respect, to protect her and care for her, and ensure she lives a respectable life with a loving family?”

Neith nods, “Of course. I would never dream of bringing harm to Lady Roestren. I shall keep my promise to take responsibility. Though, the scope of that promise eluded me.”

Ulkamak chuckles, and Roestren pouts softly. 

“Do you intend to allow us to visit and be visited by our daughter if she comes to live with you?” asks her mother.

Neith replies with slight amusement in his voice. “I came not with intentions to take her away, but if it came to it, I would be happy to escort her home to visit family, as well as to bring her family to visit her wherever she ends up living.”

Vynseria nods contentedly, and Ulkamak nods with a sigh. “Roestren, are… you sure?”

Roestren hugs Neith’s arm suddenly, saying softly, “Yes, Father. We were fated to meet, and he is strong and kind.”

Neith is still unsure, asking gently, “My Lady Roestren…”

She looks at him nervously, hanging on his words. “You… don’t like me?”

“It’s not that… I am…”

“You’re married!?”

“No.” He chuckles, blurting it out to curtail further misunderstandings. “I am a knight in service to the Emperor of the Citadel, and I have no experience in romance. If you’ll allow it, I will court you to the best of my ability, but I would like you to consider over that time whether or not you actually want to be my wife.”

She hugs his arm firmly to her modestly pillowy chest. “I’m certain already.”

He remains stoic, replying gently, “Then, please allow us both the time to confirm that our lifestyles are compatible. After all, as you know, I am not from the eastern kingdoms.”

She nods. “Very well. B-But, I won’t change my mind.”

He nods, bowing to her parents. “Thank you for your kindness and respect. I vow I will always treat Lady Roestren with compassion and honor.”

They both smile and nod, granting their blessing.

Just as Neith is about to excuse himself, Roestren quickly points out, “Wait! I-I… I appreciate the thought, but I don’t need this.” She offers the box containing the apology gift back to Neith.

He looks at it for a moment, and then her parents, who seem to agree with her. If she wasn’t punished for Neith’s actions, then they seem to feel there is nothing owed.

Neith sighs. “Keep it.” Just as she’s about to object, he says gently, “Consider it a bride price. A show of my sincerity.”

Roestren looks at her parents, who smile softly. They all thank him gratefully, and he replies the sentiments warmly. 

“Before you go,” interjects Vynseria. “Won’t you join us for dinner? We should celebrate the betrothal of our daughter and a knight of the Fievegal.”

“Yes! That’s a wonderful idea, Vee. What do you say, Roestren? Would you like your knight to join us for dinner?”

Roestren blushes, and she happily nods. “Y-Yes.”

Neith is hesitant at first, but he has no good reason to object. Daniel gave him leave for this trip, and the celebrations regarding the defeat of Tyror will be ongoing for another day or so. He takes the boruan mother up on her offer.

They have dinner together, and they ask the grey dragon about his role in the Fievegal, about the Emperor and Empress(es), and Neith’s business in Mattarglos. He explains what he knows he’s allowed to, including the fact that Daniel himself came to the northern territory to negotiate a peace treaty with Matterglos. He does, of course, leave out that the real reason was so Gwenesphia and Treia can get back in regular contact with their families and protect them.

Neith then remembers a gift bottle of wine that Daniel gave him; a ‘red-band’ wine as he calls it, since Neith wasn’t present during an apparent wine-tasting party he had with the Fievegal’s inner circle, as well as Aramellianna and her family.

He presents it to Roestren’s family for the dinner, and they open it. It surprises the three boruans, and Neith shares what little he knows about it; namely that Daniel made it in his pursuit of making rum, a much stronger drink.

After dinner, Neith relaxes with the family some more until night falls. He doesn’t pay any mind to when Vynseria borrows Roestren for a few moments, as they return before Ulkamak even finishes a story about how he started his furniture business. Then, the boruan mother borrows Ulkamak, leaving Neith with Roestren.

“Um… Thank you again for accepting me, Sir Neith.”

The grey dragon smiles and bows his head. “Thank you for accepting me, my fair lady.”

She nods sheepishly, fidgeting with her hands. “You said the Fievegal wants to unite with Mattarglos, right?”

Neith nods. “Yes. We -my Emperor and Empresses that is- decided that Mattarglos could be negotiated with, and having them stand neutral at the very least would lower the threat coming from the northeast, since Twilight was lost.”

“T-Twilight is gone?” asks the young boruan woman softly. 

“Oh… Has word not reached you?”

She shakes her head. “No… what happened?”

Neith is quiet for a moment. In truth, he died, and rather gruesomely at that.

“I needn’t worry you with the full details. But, it was made impassable while we were in control of the fortress.”

“I-Is everyone alright?”

The grey dragon sighs softly. “Not everyone, I’m afraid.”

“I see…” She doesn’t ask anything further about it. Instead, she states as brightly as she can to pickup the mood, “I would very much be honored to even see a real Empress in my life. D-Do they wear beautiful dresses and crowns?”

Neith chuckles. “Indeed. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t envy my liege. Though, that doesn’t mean their beauty compares with yours, my lady.”

“Y-You don’t mean that…” She blushes as she looks away from him.

“I surely do. I have been told, and it seems to be true, the greatest beauty comes from a woman in love.”

The young boruan woman snaps her ruby red eyes to meet the grey dragon’s steely silver gaze. She begins stammering with rosy cheeks, and Neith can’t help but smile gently. All of her words have evaporated from her vocabulary, and she finally settles on simply hiding her face behind her hands as she whimpers cutely.

Vynseria and Ulkamak finally return, coming to their daughter’s rescue as if on cue.

“Ahh, pardon us, Sir Neith, dear Roestren.”

“Of course, my-... er, miss, sir.”

Vynseria chuckles and takes a seat where she was. She resumes asking Neith about the Fievegal, and potential trades with Mattarglos, particularly the wine. 

Neith also asks her about the school she teaches, which is a basic primary school for children to learn to read and basic finances, as well as house-body skills.

Neith also speaks naturally with Roestren, and a smile never leaves her face.

Soon enough, the sun has set, and the four take notice.

“Oh, dear… It seems we have kept Sir Neith too long,” laments Vynseria, though her sorrow doesn’t seem entirely genuine. The grey dragon also happens to notice that several of the simple lanterns are lit. It seems Vynseria had made herself busy knowing the time while Neith was engrossed in conversation with his newly betrothed.

“Hmm… Yes. It seems that way,” replies Ulkamak, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Roestren clears her throat. She speaks as if scripted, “S-Sir Neith, if you’d like, perhaps you would like to stay with us for the night. A-As long as Mother and Father allow it, of course.”

“Yes, I think that’s a splendid idea,” replies Roestren’s mother. 

“I’ll allow it. I’m trusting you to behave yourself, Sir Neith.”

Neith chuckles uneasily, but he replies warmly, “I wouldn’t dream of dishonoring your hospitality, but I will politely refuse. I can make it to the inn.”

“Nonsense!” retorts Vynseria warmly. “The inn is too far to walk to at this time of night. This town is alright, but there’s no reason to go out after dark.”

“But, I’m…”

“W-We have the space,” adds Roestren, a soft pleading expression on her face.

The grey dragon sighs. There’s virtually nothing and no one in Mattarglos that actually poses a threat to Neith, other than the known individuals that are currently with the rest of his party. But, they are obviously offering him a place to stay as a means to keep him around a little longer and let him bond with Roestren.

It’s strange, but perhaps the great deal of wealth he provided them is encouraging them to ensure they snare him. He doesn’t mind. They don’t seem like greedy people, so much as prudent.

He agrees. “I’ll be in your care, then. Please treat me well.”

“Yes!” cheers Roestren.

They continue speaking into the night until it is time for bed, and they put Neith up in the simple den, where there is room enough on the floor for a bed mat, which is plenty comfortable for the rather seasoned dragon. He has slept in caves, on tree branches, and in ruins when he was travelling. A cozy bed mat in a comfortable home is more than he could ask for.

In the morning, Roestren helps Vynseria with breakfast, serving Ulkamak and Neith. The dragon feels awkward, but he goes along with it, since he agreed to be this woman’s betrothed.

They have a pleasant breakfast, and he vows to write letters to her, instructing her how to send letters to him via Fort Peony. If anything prevents his letters from reaching her, he’ll fly to the town himself and deliver them, which makes Roestren bashful, but extremely happy.

The grey dragon says his farewells, and Roestren makes one final request before he departs. “Um, Sir Neith?”

“Yes, my Lady?”

She steps a little closer, fidgeting with her hands. “M-May I… embrace you before you go?”

Neith has enough presence of mind to glance at her parents, and they smile. Vynseria nods a little more eagerly and noticeably than she probably realizes, which amuses Neith.

He replies gently, “Yes, my Lady. I would like that, too.”

She smiles, and she hugs him, humming happily when he embraces her in turn, holding her close. He’s currently a little bit taller than her, since she’s rather small for a boruan, especially a boruan woman, but they both feel comfortable in each other’s arms.

She sends him off with the words, “F-Farewell, Sir Neith. I’ll be awaiting your letters!”

“And I, yours, my Lady.”

Neith departs with a wave as the three watch him go. For some reason, the dragon feels rather content with everything that transpired, and he’s rather refreshed. He always gives his all to his purpose, but for once, he feels like he has a clear goal in mind.

Once he’s out of sight of anyone that might panic at the realization that a dragon was among them, he sprouts his wings and takes flight towards the capital of Mattarglos, where Daniel and the others are waiting.

Betrothed, huh? muses  the grey dragon to himself. I wonder if this is what Daniel feels when he’s surrounded by the people he loves. 

Neith can’t help but smile as he flies, wondering what the future might bring.

***