Urza returned home right after the Spring Parade. It was completely unexpected, and the surprise caught me off guard. One moment everything was normal, and the next, there she was, eating in the dining hall as if she had never left. I actually had to do a double-take.
Apparently, she had returned specifically to act as an introducer for a dragon acquaintance of Dos who was coming to visit the village. She was planning to head back out almost immediately after the task was done, but since she would be staying for at least a few days, Hakuren and Zabuton were ecstatic. The village children were also thrilled to have her back after so long.
Watching the warm reception, Ria let out a long sigh and lamented about her own children. I had to remind her that while Lilius and the others occasionally stayed in Village Five, they basically came home every single day. It really wasn't fair to compare their situations.
Then there was Ice the Ice Monster. He had naturally slipped into a role as Urza’s personal butler. I wondered if he was truly happy with that, considering she hadn't specifically asked him to go with her in the first place, but if he was content, I wasn't going to complain.
I spent some time catching up with Urza while we waited for Dos’s acquaintance to arrive. I was particularly curious about the progress of the new town being built far to the east of Village Five. Asa and Earth were still there managing the site, but I worried if the project could handle her absence. Urza assured me it was fine; she was merely the figurehead, while the actual administrative work was being handled by specialists.
It made sense now why Asa and Earth hadn't come back with her—they were the ones actually running the show. Still, they had sent a letter with Urza expressing how worried they were about her traveling alone. As her parent, I felt like I was the one who should be apologizing for the trouble she caused.
According to her reports, the town was coming along nicely. The Angels I had sent to act as civil servants and the airships were proving quite useful. However, the Angels were apparently using the airships as temporary lodging and grumbled every time the ships had to be moved for work. It sounded like they wanted dedicated airships for their own use. I decided I would check the production schedule and look into the possibility.
Urza refused to tell me anything about Dos’s acquaintance, insisting it was a secret until they arrived. Apparently, this was at the request of the guest, not Urza. Regardless, since a visitor was coming, I needed to secure plenty of food. I placed an order with Michael-san of the Goroun Company and reached out to Yoko in Village Five for additional supplies. Since I didn't know the guest’s preferences, I prepared a bit of everything. I left the alcohol to the Dwarves and expected great things from Kuro’s hunting pack—though I cautioned them not to get injured by chasing after prey that was too large.
Since the visitor was a dragon, I also had to figure out where they would land. Hakuren and Draim were fine landing in front of the mansion, but a stranger might not be so careful and could easily crush the fields. The residential plaza was out of the question too, given how many houses we had added recently. I eventually decided the racetrack to the south was the safest bet.
I set up a signal fire tower at the racetrack. Dragons are generally intelligent; they would see the smoke and realize it was the intended landing zone. I had heard there were some dull-witted dragons out there, but an acquaintance of Dos would surely be fine. I didn't know exactly when they would appear, but I made sure Dos was ready to wait for them. It would be a poor showing if his friend arrived and he wasn't there to greet them.
"If it's an acquaintance of mine... it might be Kuoline, Raimeiren’s younger brother," Dos speculated. "He is the father of Domaim’s wife, Kuon."
I recalled meeting him before and remembered him being quite timid. I asked if he was difficult to please, but Dos insisted he was a gentle man. I wondered why he would want to keep the visit a secret or why he needed Urza to introduce him. Dos figured he probably wanted to surprise Raimeiren or had a specific reason to get Urza back to the village—perhaps he had some happy news to share, like Kuon being pregnant. We shared a laugh and decided to wait patiently for the "surprise."
The guest finally arrived five days after Urza’s return. The dragon acquaintance of Dos showed up at the south gate in human form. It was a woman. That immediately ruled out Kuoline. She looked to be in her forties, though obviously her appearance didn't reflect her true age. She was slender and dressed in men's clothing; she looked less like a noble lady and more like a mafia boss. Her presence was overwhelming.
Apparently, she was also acquainted with Raimeiren and Giral. But for some reason, Dos and Giral were currently cowering behind my back. I didn't think she was an enemy; Urza’s instincts are too sharp to bring trouble home. Still, the two of them refused to come out.
I stepped forward to handle the situation. I introduced myself as Hiraku, the Village Head, and asked for her name.
"I only give my name to those who challenge me," she replied.
What a troublesome dragon. I looked back at Dos and Giral, hoping they would intervene, but the two of them shouted in unison, "Challenge her! Take her down!"
Dos shoved me forward, claiming he wanted to see my "strong side." I tried to tell him I wasn't actually that strong, but he insisted I could do it because I had "handled" Hakuren. I asked if the newcomer was at least weaker than my wife, and he told me she was about ten times stronger. Giral chimed in as well, calling me their "shining hope" and begging me to defeat her so they could deliver the finishing blow.
Raimeiren had already shifted into her dragon form and was busy clearing a space nearby. I desperately hoped she wasn't building a combat arena, because I had no intention of fighting. The woman herself seemed unimpressed by the commotion. She told me she would give me her name if I just showed her my fighting stance.
Dos and Giral started shouting at her from behind me, accusing her of being a coward. She just looked at them and remarked on how "Young Dos" and "Young Giral" had certainly grown bold, asking if they wanted her to give them a lesson. They immediately retreated even deeper into my shadow.
I decided my best course of action was to wait for Urza to handle the formal introduction. She was currently off playing with Nart and the others, likely having missed the arrival since the signal fire hadn't been lit. I really needed someone to go find her.