Preparations for the day of the Dragon Carnival were complete, yet I still had time to spare. As Lilia-san and I sat over tea, I decided to do a little pre-study by asking her about the members of the Four Great Magic Dragons I had yet to meet.
I figured Lilia-san, with her well-known love for dragons, would likely be well-informed. I had hoped to pick up at least a few scraps of information through some casual conversation, but...
"To start with, among the Four Great Magic Dragons you haven't met yet, Kaito-san, there is Eingana-sama, known as the Water Dragon of the Great Ocean. She is the leader of the squad called the Scales of the Blue Sea and is the one responsible for managing the oceans of the Demon Realm. As for her specific dragon type, it is unclear if she is a Unique Species, as she has no specific race name and is simply referred to as a Water Dragon. I am told she is a quiet and composed individual, but she is said to be utterly merciless toward those who disturb the waters of the Demon Realm. Her power in battle is reportedly so vast and overwhelming that it is compared to a raging sea. In terms of classification, she is a Super-large Species, with a total length said to exceed one kilometer."
"I... I see. That’s quite something."
"She is a magnificent dragon with beautiful indigo scales. I have only ever seen her from a distance myself, but I believe her beauty ranks among the very best even within the Dragon Species. It is a pity that, because she lives in the sea, there are almost no opportunities to see her entire body. However, I’ve heard there is a possibility that Eingana-sama might come onto land for this occasion, so I am quite hopeful I might see her in her full glory today."
That was a far more substantial info-dump than I had expected. Seeing the way her eyes sparkled even more than usual, I realized her passion for dragons was the real deal.
Come to think of it, she even collected models; she was a bona-fide dragon maniac. Of course, I could relate to the tendency to become talkative when discussing things one loved. Since her enthusiasm didn't carry the same edge of madness as someone like Eden-san, I actually found it rather charming.
"The other one is Grandireas-sama, who holds the alias The Stalwart Ground Dragon. He is a member of the Hell Ground Dragon race, which are naturally massive creatures to begin with, but Grandireas-sama is exceptionally large even among his kind. His physique is said to be the second largest in the world, surpassed only by the Dragon King himself. In terms of total length, he is said to be nearly ten times larger than Eingana-sama, whom I mentioned just now."
"That’s incredible."
If Eingana-san was over a kilometer long and he was ten times that, then he was roughly ten kilometers... That was a staggering size. And yet... according to Alice, Magnawell-san’s total length was approximately thirty kilometers. That meant he was three times larger than even the outlandishly massive Grandireas-san. Magnawell-san was truly, ridiculously massive.
"He is the captain of the squad known as the Tail of the Earth, which is notable for consisting of many subordinates belonging to Large Species or bigger. It is said that when the Tail of the Earth marches, the ground literally shakes. It’s an overwhelming sight, I’m sure! Given their size, there are very few opportunities to see them all gathered in one place, so I am really looking forward to today!"
Well, as long as Lilia-san was having fun, that was all that mattered. We continued our casual chat for a while longer until the time was right, and then Lilia-san and I set off.
I had never been to our destination before, but Flare-san had promised to meet us at the gate, so we headed toward the designated arrival point.
When we arrived at the specified gate in the Southern Demon Realm, Flare-san was already waiting. Upon seeing us, she tucked her pipe into the holder at her waist and approached.
"Welcome, my comrade-in-arms. And Duchess Lilia, on behalf of the Dragon King's subordinates, I welcome your visit."
"Hello, Flare-san. Thank you for the invitation today."
"It has been a while, Nizbel-sama. Thank you for having us."
After hearing our greetings, Flare-san smiled and gave a single nod.
"Indeed. However, there is no need to be so formal. This event is an internal affair held only for the Dragon King's circle. It is neither ostentatious nor stiff. Simply relax and enjoy yourselves; that is all we ask."
"Understood. By the way, is it right to think of this Dragon Carnival as an event where Magnawell-san observes the potential of the younger generation?"
"Yes, that understanding is correct. However, for those of us among the Four Great Magic Dragons, it is also an opportunity to scout for future Squad Leader candidates."
"Squad Leaders?"
I imagined it worked like a military structure, with captains who managed groups of subordinates under the Four Great Magic Dragons. As I was pondering this, Lilia-san stepped in to offer an explanation.
"The Dragon King Faction is said to number approximately eighty-eight million in total. Since they have the most subordinates among the Six Kings after the Phantasm King, it is practically impossible for only four Executives to command them all. Thus, the four main squads are further divided into squad-level units. Taking Nizbel-sama's Crimson Fang as an example, I have heard that there are currently two hundred and twenty Squad Leaders."
"Precisely... Duchess Lilia, you are remarkably well-informed about our internal affairs."
"Ah, well... It's because I have a regular subscription to Monthly Dragon King."
"Ah, if I recall, that’s the magazine produced by Eingana's subordinates..."
So it was like a monthly idol magazine, but for dragons? I was surprised that such a thing even existed, but I was even more surprised that Lilia-san was a regular subscriber.
She really was a hardcore dragon enthusiast after all.