...

...ah...this is great...really really great...

...sigh...it's been a long time since I've slept on a comfy bed. So soft...so fluffy...

...hmm?...wait a sec...bed?

I woke up with a start. I was on a large bed with old but elegant designs. It's obviously seen better days, but the age gave it an antique feel. It also has an overhanging canopy.

Hmm...

I closed my eyes in contemplation as to the possible scenarios involved with this situation. Could it be? That I was found by a wondering noble and taken back as a pet?

I bonked my head at the stupidity of the thought. I remember...the fight...and that old knight...

Realization hit me as I heard a familiar voice.

"Ah! So you're finally awake young one."

I look to the direction of the voice and there he was. Still wearing the same armor only this time his head was blue and translucent with a majestic white mustache above a chiseled square jaw. His eyes, glowing eerily white, was looking at me as he approached with a smile.

"It's good to see you're well. I knew Dracovians were sturdier than most races so I knew I only had to wait until you recovered. Please, come and eat."

He brought a silver tray filled with some kind of roasted fish and what appear to be potatoes.

...did he say Dracovian? Is that what I am?

"I'd have preferred a servant with skills to this kind of work, but unfortunately I'm the only one left in this blasted castle. Hmph. You'd think they'd make sturdier undead with all the time they had. Instead they all ended up as brittle bones. How disappointing."

I sadly agree with that one...the regular skeletons were just too sad...

"Now then my little friend. Why so quiet? Could it be that you are mute? Normally, Dracovian young would inherit common knowledge from their ancestors once they pass through the hatching ceremony...wait a moment...now that I think about it...how were you even born? Only eggs that have undergone the sacred hatching ritual of the 5 Dragon Gods are given the blessing to reach full maturity and hatch. Hoho! This is indeed a miracle! A miracle!"

...I seriously can't keep up with this old man...

"Oi. Gramps."

Yup, that's right. I could talk all this time. The only reason I didn't was because I never had a reason to. I was on my own until now after all.

"Could you please ask one thing at a time? I don't even know where to start..."

"Hahaha! true true. Very well then, first please tell me what's your name? And could you let me know which dragon temple you came from?"

Now that I think about it...I still don't have a name...old voice and I forgot our old names...

"I don't have one. Also, I don't know what you mean by dragon temple. Is that where we're supposed to be hatched or something?"

"Hmm..."

He put his hand under his chin and started thinking about what I said. I hope he doesn't end up thinking I'm dangerous or something. After all, I only answered him honestly.

"...it appears that you may have a dormant blessing."

"A dormant blessing?"

"That's right. When the ‘Blessings of the 5 Dragons Festival’ is performed, it is done with a large clutch of eggs. Most eggs would hatch as soon as the ritual is finished, but some would hatch much later. When this happens, we say the egg has a dormant blessing."

He then scratched the back of his head and looked at me with an awkward expression.

“…Sadly, it is also known that the longer it takes for an egg to hatch, the less of the inherent knowledge is actually passed on. It is, however, compensated with a dragonling possessing greater potential for growth. I’ve been haunting these grounds for more than two thousand years…two thousand years after the fall of the Kingdom of Ellara.

This means you’ve actually been dormant since the fall until now. If you’ve only hatched recently, then I can only assume that you’ve lost most if not all of your ancestral memory. Your potential is certain. After all, not many creatures can survive encountering my maddened state, especially since I’m already a Death Knight. In conclusion, you’re a blank slate. A blank slate with untold potential!”

His eyes shined with an eerie glow due to his excitement. In short, he thinks that I don’t remember the past because I hatched really late. At least he gave me a story I can go along with. Now I don’t have to bother explaining that I used to be human and was reborn as my current self.

“…I have a question. If I’m supposed to have lost all my ancestral knowledge, how is it I can speak and understand you right now?”

This has actually been bugging me for a while. It can’t be as convenient that as long as I’m transferred to another world, I can instantly know the language.

“The answer is simple. All languages of this world are tied to a single origin. Dracovians are a higher species of dragon, and thus possess the Origin of Words within their soul. Only higher species are given the right to access knowledge within their soul pertaining to the gods.”

Well that’s convenient. Looks like Old Voice really helped me through the language curve when he became one with me. I also found out that we aren’t actually speaking in any of my known languages. It just so happens that the Origin of Words translates what other people say into something I understand, and converts what I say into a language they’re most familiar with.

For example, if the vegetable on the tray is called a “tomato” in this world, then Origin of Words converts the language for me to hear it as “potato” since to me the vegetable looks, tastes, and feels like a potato. It obviously works in vice versa, and the only time I’ll hear the original language is when there’s no counterpart I can associate it with from the languages of my world. Another super convenience!

“Now that we got that out of the way, you must be famished. Come and enjoy the meal! I may have been dead for a long time, but I’m still pretty confident with open flame roasting.”

*grumble*

Now that he mentioned it, my stomach has been complaining for a while. I took a bite out of one of the fish and found it was really delicious. It really went well with the potatoes.

We decided to talk as I had my meal and found out old man Gaius was actually the royal guard captain of this castle. That means he was the highest class of knight whose ability was recognized to be able to protect the royal family. After hearing this, I came to greatly respect him in realization of his strength. I also shuddered when I understood that I was indeed extremely lucky to survive my encounter with him.

I learned that a Death Knight was among the top tier undead, second only to the Doom Knight and the legendary Lich. Death Knights are feared for the fact that they retain all the skills of the individual when they were still alive, and can only come forth from dead warriors who possess a lot of mana, the raw form of magic in this world. Couple that with the fact he was the royal guard captain, I normally shouldn’t be sitting here enjoying the fish in my mouth right now.

“…! What did you say? Are you saying you encountered the Fallen King, Nabolros!?”

I just happened to mention my encounter with that bearded centipede, and somehow I got this reaction from him.

“Uh…if you mean that giant bearded centipede, then yeah. You know what that thing is?”

He closed his eyes while having a solemn expression. After several seconds, he started to smile.

“The fact that you’ve encountered Nabolros and survived means I’ve miscalculated your potential. It seems that not only are you possibly the last Dracovian of the high races, you might actually be able to become the savior who would be capable of restoring Ellara! …Nay, the world!”

“…Eh?”

My brain stopped functioning at the last thing he said and I let out a stupid sound.

“Hoho! To be given the opportunity despite my undeath to raise the savior who would restore Ellara and bring this world to greater glory. I, Gaius Helmight, am honored to undertake this mighty task!”

Alarm bells started ringing in me and I had the sudden urge to run.

“Come my young friend! We shall now begin your training post haste!”

Unfortunately he was already one step ahead as he grabbed me and carried me under his arm. Looks like I now have little choice but to go along with his pace, as he wants to train me into some sort of hero.

…me…a hero…what are the odds.