【Beginning】
It was not until Novalis had seen that face did he regret his actions.
Ursula the Dragon Maiden: Stop! They’re not fighting back!
Novalis the Dragon Follower: Sophie?
Novalis stopped and he fell into his memories.
Novalis had almost forgotten his past, but when he saw the face which looked like someone he used to know, various emotions rushed into his heart. It was like he had just remembered he once had a previous life. The past induced nostalgia, but he had not missed it that much before... Novalis couldn’t help himself but stretched out his hands to grab hers.
Barbara the Dragon Maiden: Ursula! Get away from that monster!
In a panic, the maiden’s right hand was grasped by Novalis. His dragon claw shrank and turned back into a human palm. His bloody fingers hooked on her hand. Novalis thought the hand would be as warm as it was, but he could only feel coldness from her palm.
Agatha the Dragon Maiden: Run! The wizards are coming!
【Before Battles】
Heretics: The offsprings of Ethereal Dragons!
Heretics: Are you running away from your responsibilities?
Novalis the Dragon Follower: It’s all your fault... If I had never met you... If you had never existed!
【End】
When Novalis finally came to himself, he somehow realized the maiden was not Sofie. Sofie was dead; Novalis was still lying in the arms of the strange maiden. He was too tired to wake up. The maiden lowered her head. Nose sniffling, she gazed into Novalis with her reddened eyes.
Novalis the Dragon Follower: Ursula... That’s what they call you.
The two was hiding in a cave, though not because they wanted to hide from the wizards who were after them. According to Novalis’s vague memory, he had killed a lot of wizards using the power of Dracospirits. They should be unable to strike back. Maybe the reason why they were hiding in the cave was that they were too strong, and their strong power may hurt others.
Ursula the Dragon Maiden: Where are you from? Where is your home?
Novalis the Dragon Follower: I——
——have no home. Novalis was about to answer, but he stopped as he felt the pain caused by the scabs on his face. He rose with an effort and touched his face with his exhausted hands. To his surprise, the scabs were actually hard dragon scales. The power of the Dragon was deep-rooted in his body, and it had once wanted to conquer his mind——
Novalis the Dragon Follower: Ursula, it’s you who pulled me back.
Ursula the Dragon Maiden: I am asking you, where is your home?
The maiden’s question was enveloped with a tinge of anger, but as she spoke, she started crying.
Ursula the Dragon Maiden: Even though the wizards are bad, and even though that was a prison cell,
Ursula the Dragon Maiden: you can’t just destroy everything, and ——
Novalis the Dragon Follower: I’m sorry.
Novalis the Dragon Follower: Your companions probably wouldn’t have gone mad if I wasn’t here...
Faugn, the Horror in the Hills: ‘Because they were all weak. They were all my food!’
Novalis the Dragon Follower: Shut up! Sorry—I didn’t mean to...I...am just a wanderer.
Ursula the Dragon Maiden: I understand. That should be the voice of the Ethereal Dragon, right?
Ursula the Dragon Maiden: Let me teach you the way to listen to these voices,
Ursula the Dragon Maiden: and you teach me the way to wander, okay?
Novalis forced a smile on his face as he accepted her request. Actually Novalis was willing to do anything just to let Ursula stay. He wished so badly that he could get away from everything related to the Ethereal Dragons and journey with her to somewhere peaceful.
Since then, he had been striving for his goal. When Novalis thought he was finally free from the voice of the dragon, Faugn broke his dreams by waking him up with the reality.——