Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid Side Story: Ilulu's Dilemma
A flame dragon's heart wavers between duty and doubt...
Ilulu was raised on one truth: humans are lesser beings, meant to be ruled. As a soldier of the Pure-Blood Flame, the Chaos Faction's most radical faction, she's never questioned the code—until the day she's ordered to deliver judgment on Tohru, the senior who once taught her how to fight, now living among humans as a maid.
Descending into a world of convenience stores, morning commutes, and gentle smiles, Ilulu watches Tohru serve a huma
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid Side Story: Ilulu's Dilemma - Izakaya and Dagashi: Defenseless Goodwill Strips Away the Armor
No, that's wrong—she thought.
She understood it in her head. Humans were an inferior species, meant to be ruled. The first article of the Chaos faction's code. She'd had it drilled into her ears from the moment she was born a flame dragon, until she was sick of hearing it. And yet—why did her chest ache like this?
Ilulu stood at the entrance of the izakaya "Torimaru," a shop with red lanterns hanging outside on the East End Town station-front shopping street. The smoke of grilled chicken and the smell of beer drifted out through the gaps in the noren curtain. A place where humans gathered. A place overflowing with human laughter.
(I'm in a place like this.)
Tohru had half-forced her along—"It's a drinking party for Miss Kobayashi's company. Ilulu, you should come too." She hadn't been able to think of a reason to refuse. No—the truth was, she'd wanted to refuse. But when she saw Tohru's golden eyes narrow with delight, the words wouldn't come out.
"Now then, let's go in!"
Beside her, Tohru laughed, her blonde twin-tails swaying. The flat-tipped, forked horns reflected the shop's light with a glint. She was in her usual white apron, but today she seemed especially fired up.
"Why the hell are you so pumped up?"
Short black hair and sleepy, sanpaku eyes. Miss Kobayashi, in a worn-out suit, rolled her neck wearily. Her chest was on the modest side, and overall she had very little in the way of feminine charm. This human woman was the one Tohru would give everything for.
"It's Miss Kobayashi's big day! How could I not support you!"
"It's just a drinking party."
Miss Kobayashi smiled wryly and ducked through the noren. Tohru followed. Ilulu hesitated for a moment, then chased after their backs.
──
The inside of the shop was bigger than she'd expected. Counter seats and table seats lined the space, with handwritten menus plastered on the walls. Grilled chicken smoke hung thick in the air, mingling with the sizzle of oil and the rough, booming laughter of men.
"Oh—Section Chief Kobayashi! Over here, over here!"
A young man waved from a tatami room in the back. A human man with his suit worn loose. Beside him were two more men and one woman, all of them smiling at Miss Kobayashi.
"Yeah, sorry I'm late."
Miss Kobayashi raised a hand and stepped up into the tatami room. Tohru perched neatly beside her. Ilulu lowered herself awkwardly onto a spot a little apart.
(Called "Section Chief," huh.)
Ilulu glanced at Miss Kobayashi's profile. Section Chief. Her position at a human company. This woman was looked up to by humans.
"Section Chief Kobayashi, I heard! That project of yours was a huge success, wasn't it!"
"Ah, well, we managed somehow."
"It's way beyond 'somehow'! The department head was singing your praises like crazy!"
"The department head always exaggerates."
Miss Kobayashi took a sip of beer. Around her, her coworkers struck up conversation one after another. Work talk, recent hobbies, idle chatter. All of it was directed at Miss Kobayashi.
(This human isn't disliked.)
Ilulu stared at the glass in her hands. The cold tea Tohru had poured for her. The ice clinked softly.
(If anything, she's liked.)
Humans were an inferior species, meant to be ruled. The Chaos faction's code. But the scene before her was nothing like that teaching. Miss Kobayashi was surrounded by humans, laughing. And the humans were smiling back at her.
"Ilulu, are you all right? Aren't you bored?"
Tohru peered at her with a worried look.
"Not really. I'm not bored."
Ilulu answered curtly. But the truth was, she felt out of place. This warm atmosphere didn't sit well on her skin. No—more than not sitting well, it hurt. The warmth pricked at her like thorns.
(Why does it hurt this much?)
Ilulu took a sip of tea. The cold liquid slid down her throat.
"Section Chief Kobayashi, thank you for the documents the other day! They were a huge help!"
A young female coworker bowed her head to Miss Kobayashi.
"Ah, that. Don't mention it. Tell me if anything else comes up."
"Yes! Thank you so much!"
The female coworker's face lit up brightly. Seeing that expression, Ilulu felt a sharp little pang deep in her chest.
(This human is kind to everyone.)
She'd been kind to Ilulu, too. When Ilulu had stood frozen in front of the apartment, she'd called out, "Wanna come inside?" When Ilulu had piled the basket high with premium wagyu, she hadn't gotten angry—she'd just laughed.
(Why does a human like this)
have to be the one beside Tohru?
Ilulu looked at Tohru. Tohru was constantly watching to see whether Miss Kobayashi's glass was empty. The moment Miss Kobayashi drained her beer, Tohru refilled it without missing a beat. Her movements were those of a perfect maid.
"Miss Kobayashi, the yakitori will be ready soon. Please choose your favorite cuts."
"You pick for me. The ones you choose are always good."
"Oh my! To hear Miss Kobayashi say such a thing... I feel like I might melt with happiness!"
Tohru pressed both hands to her cheeks and wriggled, swaying her body. At the sight, the coworkers laughed.
"You two are as close as ever, Section Chief Kobayashi and Tohru."
"I mean, Tohru really does love Section Chief Kobayashi, huh."
"But of course! Miss Kobayashi is my everything!"
Tohru declared it, chest puffed out. The coworkers laughed again. Warm laughter. Friendly gazes.
(She has a place to belong.)
Ilulu looked at her own hands. Small hands. Hands made to birth flame. In these hands, there was nothing.
(Tohru has a place to belong.)
(Miss Kobayashi has a place to belong.)
(And I have—nowhere.)
Deep in her chest, something tightened and squeezed. What was this feeling called? Ilulu still didn't know.
──
Around the middle of the party.
"Oh—Kobayashi! I came to pick you up!"
A high voice came from the shop entrance.
Ilulu turned to see a small girl with long white hair swaying. Feather-like ornaments tipped with jewels on either side. Big purple eyes. Tiny white wings on her back. Small horns on her head. Kobayashi Kanna. Tohru's little sister-figure, who lived in the human world as Miss Kobayashi's relative—a dragon child.
"Oh, Kanna. You came all this way?"
"Yeah! Tohru said it was about time to go home."
Kanna trotted up onto the tatami. The coworkers chorused "So cute" at her. Kanna, apparently used to such comments, paid them no mind and looked around the shop.
Then she spotted Ilulu.
"Oh—Ilulu! There you are!"
Kanna pattered over to Ilulu's side. Not a trace of fear. Not a shred of caution.
"Ilulu, want some of this?"
Kanna held out a small hand. In it was a human sweet wrapped in colorful paper. A dagashi—a cheap candy, as they called it.
"...What's this?"
Ilulu stared at the candy warily.
"Dagashi! It's yummy! I bought it with Taketo."
"...Taketo?"
"Yeah! A kid who works at the candy shop! I'll introduce you sometime!"
Kanna smiled cheerfully and pressed the candy into Ilulu's hand.
"This one's sweet and yummy. Ilulu, do you like sweet things?"
"...Not really. I don't like them or dislike them."
Ilulu answered curtly. But Kanna didn't mind at all.
"Then try it! I'm sure you'll like it!"
Kanna's purple eyes gazed straight at Ilulu. No malice. No hidden side. She simply, purely, wanted to share her candy.
(Why does this child—)
Ilulu found herself accepting the candy from Kanna's hand. She couldn't refuse. No—she couldn't find a reason to refuse.
"Yay! Ilulu, you'll eat it!"
Kanna's face broke into a bright smile. That smile was somehow similar to the female coworker's from earlier.
(Why are human smiles so—)
Ilulu clutched the candy wrapper tightly.
"It's yummy, right? That one's Kanna's favorite."
Kanna peered up into Ilulu's face.
"...I haven't eaten it yet."
"Hurry and try it! It's yummy!"
Reluctantly, Ilulu opened the wrapper. Inside was a small round candy, dusted with sugar. Ilulu put it in her mouth.
Sweet.
Intensely sweet.
"...Sweet."
"Right? It's yummy, right?"
Kanna smiled happily.
(Is it... yummy?)
Ilulu didn't know how to describe the sweetness in her mouth. Human fire was like a flavorless snack. But this candy had flavor. An intense sweetness.
(So this is the taste of humans.)
Ilulu put the candy in her mouth again. Sweet. But it didn't feel bad.
"Ilulu, thank you for getting along with Kanna."
Tohru was smiling beside her.
"Not really. We're not getting along."
Ilulu turned her face away. But the sweetness in her mouth still lingered.
──
The party ended, and they stepped outside.
The night breeze felt good against her flushed body. The station-front shopping street still had people passing through. Salarymen heading home from drinking parties, housewives carrying shopping bags, young people walking and laughing.
"All right, see you tomorrow."
"Good work tonight, Chief!"
"Good work!"
The coworkers waved as they headed toward the station. Miss Kobayashi raised a hand lightly and watched them go.
"Now then, let's head home! Kanna, thank you for coming all this way."
"Yeah! It was fun!"
Kanna said, bouncing on her feet.
"Kanna, this was your first drinking party, right? Was it fun?"
"Yeah! I got to give Ilulu dagashi!"
Kanna turned toward Ilulu and smiled brightly.
Ilulu couldn't say anything, and looked away from Kanna.
The four of them passed through the station-front shopping street and walked toward the residential area. Tohru and Miss Kobayashi walked in front, with Kanna and Ilulu behind them.
"Hey, Ilulu."
Kanna suddenly looked up at Ilulu's face.
"...What."
"Why are you so angry?"
Kanna's purple eyes gazed straight at Ilulu.
"...I'm not angry."
Ilulu answered curtly.
"But you always make a scary face."
Kanna tilted her head.
"I don't make a scary face."
"You do. Your eyebrows go like this."
Kanna pressed a finger between her own brows and made a scowling face.
"...I don't make that face."
Ilulu denied it. But somewhere in her heart, she thought Kanna might be right.
(Am I angry?)
Ilulu tried to search her own feelings. Anger. Irritation. Sadness. Loneliness. All sorts of emotions were jumbled together.
(What am I angry at?)
At humans? At Tohru? At myself?
She didn't know.
"Ilulu, are you not angry?"
Kanna asked again.
"...I don't know."
Ilulu said, as if forcing the words out.
"I see. You don't know."
Kanna didn't ask anything more. She simply walked along beside Ilulu, step by step.
(Why is this child so—)
Ilulu looked at Kanna's small hand. The hand that had offered her candy earlier. A hand that looked warm.
(She isn't afraid of me.)
(She doesn't hate me.)
(Why?)
Ilulu wanted to take Kanna's hand. But she couldn't.
Tohru, walking ahead, walked alongside Miss Kobayashi without saying anything. Now and then Miss Kobayashi would say something, and Tohru would laugh. That laughter echoed faintly through the quiet night of the residential district.
──
They returned to the apartment.
"Ahh, I'm beat. I'm gonna take a bath and go to bed."
Miss Kobayashi said that and collapsed onto the living room sofa.
"Miss Kobayashi, I'll prepare your bath. Please soak and relax today."
Tohru briskly headed for the bathroom.
"Kanna, are you staying over tonight too?"
"Yeah! I'm staying! I'm sleeping with Ilulu!"
Kanna said happily.
"...Huh? Why with me?"
Ilulu's eyes went wide.
"Because you're warm, Ilulu."
"...I'm not warm."
"You are. You're a flame dragon."
Kanna smiled cheerfully.
Ilulu couldn't argue. It was true that flame dragons had higher body temperatures than humans.
"Ilulu, Kanna's taken a real liking to you."
Still sprawled on the sofa, Miss Kobayashi laughed.
"She hasn't taken a liking to me."
Ilulu turned her face away.
──
Night.
Ilulu lay alone in the spare room, staring at the ceiling.
(So much happened today.)
Miss Kobayashi's drinking party. The warm atmosphere of the humans. Kanna's candy. Kanna's question.
(
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