Ch25 - Kuro's identity revealed!

Life on the road now is much easier than expected. With Taki around, the camp was set-up quickly with a nice shelter to cover us while we sleep. For Breakfast and dinner, we just ate light stuff like soup and bread while dinner was caught by Lily and then cooked by Taki.

After having a nice warm meal every day, I used the Earth magic stone that Taki have to dig out a small hole in the ground, used my Endless Tide dagger to fill the hole up with water and finally, heating up the water with Eternal Flame dagger. A relaxing and proper bath every day while we are camping! This is the true use of my weapons!

It has been two days since we started our journey back to Distodia. I am currently relaxing in a hot bath I made myself together with Strea and Lily.

[Haaa~ Such bliss~]

I can't help but leak out a sound of satisfaction.

[Onee-chan… you look like an old man when you sigh like that with such a blissful expression...]

[I do not care as long as I am fulfilled.]

[Yes Lily-nee, Kalia-nee is right. The bath feels so good~]

Strea said as she sinks deeper into the water. After our talk that day, Strea asked if she can call me Kalia-nee while Lily will be Lily-nee. Seeing her asked us with upturned eyes, we accepted without a second thought.

[You two sure love your baths... Onee-chan is probably the only person that will use her weapons and mana for a bath.]

Lily said, even though she herself is enjoying the bath with me and Strea.

During the course of this few days, Strea already became like a little sister to me and Lily. She is a sensible and kind child and I feel that she is more responsible than Lily even though she is just two years younger than Lily. So bathing with her is no problem at all, totally no dirty thoughts at all.

[Ei~ Kalia-nee!]

Strea shouted as she pounced onto me, her developing breast pressing against my left arm. Meanwhile, Lily is already clinging to my right arm. If I am still a man, this will be a very blissful situation. But now that I am a girl, I feel nothing but embarrassment. Time passes by slowly as I try to endure this situation.

Just before I reach my limit, I grabbed my towel, stand up and immediately wrap the towel around my body.

[I will be getting out first, you two can slowly take your time.]

[Kalia, do you have any idea why Dawn and Dusk were targeting you?]

Taki asked me with a serious face. It's the next day and we already had our breakfast and resumed our way to Distodia.

The arrangement for our trip now is, Strea will ride Kuro with me and Lily will ride the other horse while Taki is the only one walking. I feel bad for making him walk alone but he insisted that he will walk. So, occasionally, when my butt starts to hurt after riding Kuro for too long, I will get off and walk with Taki while pulling on Kuro's rein. And now is during that occasion where I am walking beside Taki.

[That is a question that I will like to know myself!]

I replied immediately.

[Right… Of course.]

He turned to look at the ground with his hand on his chin.

[Maybe they got attracted to how cute you are.]

Taki suddenly joked, chuckling to himself afterwards.

[Stop joking around!]

I said with an angry pout as I give a light punch to his shoulder.

[Alright. Jokes aside, maybe the Azurias that took you away will know something. It is our only lead. Even though it was already gone when Istrea found you.]

[Oh right, all elder dragons are intelligent beings huh… Why did it even take me away… I feel like I'm forgetting something...]

Towards the end of my sentence became more of a mumble. It really felt like something happened during the time that Azurias took me away but no matter how hard I try, I can't recall anything. I give up… My brain is already overheating when I tried to recall what happened.

[Did you remember anything?]

[No…]

[Haaa… It would have been so much more easier if you actually remember anything at all.]

Taki said with a sigh. Seeing him like this made me feel bad like I actually did something wrong.

[Sorry…]

[Eh? No no no. I'm not blaming you Kalia! I know you can't help it.]

Taki said in a hurry trying to cheer me up. A short moment later, Lily rode beside Taki and gave a smack to his head.

[What are you doing to my Onee-chan! She is already on the brink of tearing up!]

[That's not true!]

I shouted, denying Lily's statement. Apparently, my cries were unheard as Lily started nagging on Taki.

While Lily and Taki are bickering against each other, Kuro came to my side and started to nuzzle against me and Strea just smiles at me while riding on Kuro's back.

[It's nice how understanding this Kirin is.]

Strea said to me while patting Kuro's head.

[Kirin?]

I repeated the word with doubt showing on my face. She most probably meant horse right? Since she was referring to Kuro when she said that.

[Yes, Kirin. You didn't know?! Kuro is no ordinary horse you know? He was the reason I managed to find you before.]

Strea asked in surprise. No matter how surprised she is, I don't know what I don't know.

[Come to think of it, Kirin doesn't show themselves to humanoids unless they judge them worthy. Anyways, look at Kuro, doesn't he gives off a more dignified and wise feeling than that horse over there?]

After mumbling to herself for a bit, Strea exclaimed while pointing at the horse Lily is riding. Now that she mentioned it, Kuro is indeed more calm and intelligent than Lily's horse. I feel like he can understand what I am saying to him.

[Well… I guess you did not realise because he is in his horse form. Like us elder dragons that can turn into human form, Kirin can turn into a horse form. Their transformation is more perfect as they can hide their horns as well. Since he had already taken a liking to you, It will be easier if he shows you.]

Right after Strea said that, Kuro suddenly grew in size, almost two times bigger than before. Black scales started appearing on his supposedly fur covered skin while some part of his furs grew longer and thicker. Two large horns like that of a deer appeared on his head and a long pair of whiskers sprouted from the bottom of his nose. The way he looks now can only be called grand and mythical.

After he finished his transformation, he gave a roar before coming over to nuzzle me. Meanwhile, Lily, Taki and I were already frozen due to shock.

By the way, Kirin is not a monster that can be hunted in DHO. If you are lucky, a Kirin can be seen in the backgrounds while you are hunting just like in ancient folktales where they say you are really lucky if you get to see a Kirin. However, if you travelled to the place where you saw the Kirin, it will already be gone. And that is why the three of us are so shocked. Right now, we are seeing a Kirin up close!

After recovering from our shock, Strea started telling us about Kirins when we resumed our journey. Of course, Kuro already reverted back to his horse form.

iyon97

Hi my dear readers!! I have a really important question/announcement and I hope all of you will answer in the poll below!!

Ok, recently someone informed me that the way I am writing is wrong. I should use past tense for all instead of going between present and past tense again and again. Its annoying he says.

At 1st when I wrote this novel I thought that I wanted the readers to feel like they are in the scene when reading it so I used present tense whenever possible. But it seems that this is wrong in the English term so... I need all of your help!!

Do you all want me to change all to past tense or just continue the way I am writing now? Vote in poll below~ I will decide by the poll's answer tmr if I will change my writing style or not...