Chapter 197
Hestia Village.
Isabella, the administrator, watched the dawn cautiously brighten beyond the east and thought.
‘It seems about time for them to arrive.’
This was the most important task she had ever undertaken as administrator.
If they achieved results, skilled adventurers would flock here, and if there were more adventurers, even more merchants would come.
That was why the eastern gate was preparing a welcoming celebration for the first expedition.
After all, the more boisterously one celebrated, the better.
Until then, she prepared to start the day by dealing with the backlog of work.
“Administrator.”
“What is it?”
“It’s just that the weather seems quite bad, and I came to ask whether we should proceed as planned.”
The weather was bad?
Isabella couldn’t believe it.
She had checked that the weather was clear only thirty minutes ago before returning.
“Let’s go check.”
Isabella rose from her seat and went outside.
He hadn’t been spouting nonsense.
What Isabella saw was exactly what they had seen.
“What is this……?”
The sky, which had been completely cloudless, was now filled with gloomy black clouds rolling across it.
“Did the Iorga side summon these clouds?”
“No. The Blue Eyes do not create black clouds recklessly.”
“Then…….”
Only one person could create clouds like these.
“Why has that good-for-nothing come here…….”
The Thunder Dragon, Storeus.
It was said that the Storeus Spawns had territory in the southwest.
But Storeus had no desire for territory; he was a dragon who used the clouds in the sky as his boat and lived by following the wind.
A calamity of a being who loitered around like a loafer and called down lightning whenever something bored or annoyed him.
He had come to the Far East, where Storeus had never once set foot.
‘Why?’
The clouds rippled and flew swiftly toward the Far East, toward the Demon Lands.
Just as the sky’s dawn-drenched colors emerged and the clouds began mingling with the darkness of the Far East,
Kuuugung—!
A thunderous roar shook heaven and earth.
* * *
The Demon Lands.
-So there was a reason the captain settled here. To think he’s been monopolizing all these interesting things by himself!
The corners of Storeus’s long snout twisted upward.
It might have looked like a simple smile, but to Erika, who knew Storeus, nothing could have been more chilling.
They were in danger of all being killed.
Erika cautiously stepped forward and bowed.
“I greet the Great Aspect of Lightning, the Thunder Dragon, Storeus.”
-Don’t greet me, you inferior thing.
His chilling tone contrasted with his hearty laughter.
At that moment, something flew toward the adventurers through the dense demonic energy.
“U-ugh…….”
“Huff, huff…….”
A primal fear they were feeling for the first time in their lives.
It naturally brought a five-letter name to mind.
Dragon Fear.
The difference in rank between mortals and immortals.
It was no different for Erika, a Dragon Spawn.
His claw pointed at the ground.
-Since when did I allow you to hold your head high before me? Kneel and pay your respects, you insolent thing.
The adventurers knelt one by one.
Erika, however, did not kneel easily.
No, she could not.
Yet she had the pride of being an Iorga Spawn.
She must not easily kneel before anyone other than Iorga.
But at the same time, to protect the expedition under the name of Captain Eri, she had to bend that pride.
Just as she was about to kneel, someone grabbed Erika’s shoulder.
It was the armored knight.
She was stopping Erika from kneeling.
“W-what are you doing?”
Her words came out haltingly from the tension.
Erika’s face had gone pale.
Did that reckless Storeus intend to provoke him without even knowing what would happen if he offended Storeus?
She wanted to tell her to let go, but it was already too late.
Storeus did not miss even that brief instant.
-Oh…… Are you refusing to let another person make someone else’s child kneel?
Storeus chuckled.
It was already too late.
Once that laughter stopped, a single bolt of lightning would turn them to dust.
-How amusing. Very amusing.
But things did not go as Erika expected.
Instead of creating lightning, Storeus simply turned around.
-I have other business to attend to, so come along at your leisure.
Storeus flew away just like that.
They were dumbfounded.
It felt as though a storm that swept away everything had brushed past them.
‘Why did he just leave?’
In this situation, it was the perfect time for the troublemaking Storeus to cause a scene.
‘He just went back quietly because he had other business?’
It was impossible.
Even if he had other business, he could have turned them into a handful of ashes.
That was no exception even for Erika, a Spawn of Iorga and one of its leading figures.
‘Then it’s because of this armored knight.’
A man who had committed the insolence of holding his head high, yet whom Storeus could not casually touch.
‘Just who is this person?’
Regardless, Storeus did not indulge his whims, and they were able to return safely to the village.
After the grand welcoming ceremony, Erika tried to speak with the armored knight, but by the time she arrived, the knight had already disappeared.
* * *
The clouds that had headed toward the Far East stopped before Valdrova Castle.
The thunderclouds were so huge that, if they struck like a mountain suspended in the air, the castle looked as though it would collapse on the spot.
Luri was looking up at the thunderclouds in front of the main gate.
She knew who owned those thunderclouds, and had a premonition that he would come here.
Kooong!
With the sound of lightning, a figure appeared before her.
The head of a gigantic dragon stood right in front of her.
Her body flinched at the instinctive terror, but she bowed her head, forcing herself to pay her respects.
“I greet the Great Aspect of Lightning, the Thunder Dragon, Storeus.”
“Is your master inside?”
“He is currently away. He should return soon, so if you could wait just a moment—”
“Yes, he’ll be back soon. I saw him on the way here.”
“…….”
Luri immediately understood what he meant.
Storeus already knew where Valdrova was and had seen her.
Even if that armor could deceive the Dragon Spawns, the dragons themselves would have noticed already.
-I should pass the time until your master returns. Show me to the guest room and have them bring me some liquor, you Silverwind girl.
“I apologize, but although this is Valdrova Castle, belonging to my master, it is also a castle for humans. So it will be rather cramped for you in your dragon form.”
-Hmm, it is cramped, indeed.
His form gradually shrank, transforming into a man.
Wild-horse-like dark blue-black hair.
His fierce eyes made it seem as though nothing in the world pleased him, and an insolent smile rested on his bearded mouth.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve looked like this. So when are you bringing me my liquor?”
“……I’ll show you to the drawing room first. Please, this way…….”
Luri turned and led him the way.
She welcomed the guest with an impassive air, but she too was weighed down by his presence.
Her neatly clasped hands were drenched in sweat.
‘Raw power utterly devoid of consideration…….’
Dragons knew that people feared them simply because of their existence.
Therefore, they usually hid their appearance or suppressed their aura with magic and the like.
That was what those called guardian dragons generally did.
Storeus, however, was different.
Overwhelming others suited his temperament better than showing consideration.
Luri was no exception.
From the moment they first met, he had been relentlessly attacking her in an effort to shatter her impassive professional expression.
‘I have to do this…….’
Luri showed him to the drawing room and handed him a glass of liquor.
“What a nuisance.”
Storeus tossed the glass aside and snatched the bottle she was holding, drinking straight from it.
Despite being strong spirits, he emptied half the bottle in one gulp.
Storeus narrowed his brow and complained.
“Cheap stuff. Doesn’t His Grace the Grand Duke live a little too frugally?”
“His Grace does not enjoy alcohol, nor does he have any desire to collect things…….”
“So they taught you to serve a guest this cheap swill?”
“I apologize. I will do my best to ensure you are satisfied on your next visit.”
“I see your master intends for there to be a next time.”
Storeus’s eyes turned toward Luri.
She did her utmost to suppress her instincts.
“Drinking alone is no fun, after all. I suppose I need a drinking companion. Hey, little girl.”
“Yes.”
“Do you know how to drink?”
“…….”
“Answer me.”
“……I don’t.”
“Then you can learn today. Bring the glasses again.”
“…….”
“An adult is offering you a drink, and you refuse?”
“…….”
“You’ve lived that long without growing even a handspan taller, yet your mind is still that of a child? How laughable. Does your master want you to remain like this?”
He did not ease the pressure in the slightest.
Luri had no choice but to fetch the glasses.
“Take it with both hands. Show some respect.”
“……Yes.”
He filled a large whiskey glass to the brim.
The sharp smell of the liquor stung her nose.
“Drink it all in one go.”
“…….”
“If you spill even a little or try to take it easy, you’ll have to drink another glass.”
Luri slowly brought the glass to her lips.
The closer the liquor came to her mouth, the more violently the liquid in her glass churned.
“Luri.”
A clear, crystalline woman’s voice filled the drawing room.
“Put the glass down.”
Storeus turned his head.
Red hair and two pairs of horns.
Golden eyes.
Despite her gentle appearance, her expression was serious.
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you doing as your master says?”
The pressure that had been enveloping Luri’s body lifted.
Luri set down the glass and politely folded her hands over her apron.
“Welcome home, Master.”
“Luri, would you step outside for a moment?”
“No. I should attend to you—”
“It’s all right.”
Valdrova smiled gently and touched her cheek.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Even though her expression had not wavered in the slightest, Valdrova already knew that Luri was at her limit.
“Then…….”
Luri cautiously left the room.
Once the door closed, Valdrova faced Storeus alone.
“It’s been a long time, Valdrova.”
“It has, Storeus.”
They exchanged a light greeting, calling each other by name.
“And thank you.”
“For what? For educating that insolent servant?”
“For not revealing my identity in front of everyone.”
Valdrova added,
“And please don’t touch Luri.”
“Luri…… So that insolent thing even has a name.”
Storeus laughed as though it were ridiculous.
“And don’t thank me for something like that. Why would I expose you when I need something amusing in my life of leisure? The great Red Dragon is enjoying herself, so why would I interfere? If anything, you need amusement.”
“…….”
“Though I couldn’t stand watching that insolent Iorga girl enjoy herself.”
He was referring to Erika.
“You didn’t have to humiliate her that badly, did you?”
“Why should I care if someone else’s children are humiliated? If she was humiliated, weren’t you the only one who benefited?”
“I don’t like that sort of thing.”
“How pretentious. How long do you intend to keep living like a good little girl, Captain?”
Captain…….
At those words, Valdrova squeezed her eyes shut.
“For all that overwhelming power, you’ve never made a single Spawn, and even the ones you command belong to someone else. You’ve accumulated no wealth and don’t even want to enjoy yourself. Just when it seemed you might finally be enjoying yourself a little…….”
Storeus let out a hollow laugh.
“Have you gotten engaged to a feeble human?”
“Mr. Ferda is a more remarkable person than you think.”
Valdrova contradicted him without hesitation.
Her words offended Storeus.
“What’s so remarkable about him?”
“He can do things I can’t.”
“Is that so? To me, he looks like an ant that struts around a little more than the others.”
He held up his index finger as he spoke.
“What do you think will happen if I crush him with this finger?”
“…….”
“Obviously. He’ll burst without putting up any resistance—”
“Storeus.”
Valdrova’s tone lowered.
“He is the man who will become my husband. Don’t speak carelessly about him.”
But she did not back down.
His eyes tried to pressure Valdrova.
“And what will you do if I do?”
Valdrova answered without wavering.
“I’ll get angry.”
She carefully placed a hand over her chest.
“I’ll be very angry with you.”
“What ridiculous talk. Have you ever gotten angry at anyone, Captain?”
“I have.”
Valdrova said,
“I simply regret it every time, which is why I no longer do it.”
“You’re prepared to regret it because of that human?”
“If Mr. Ferda were hurt because I hesitated, there would be nothing I could regret more.”
Storeus withdrew the finger he had been about to slam into the table.
Storeus threw himself back onto the sofa.
“Do you love that man?”
“Yes.”
“Iorga said the same thing. That one wasn’t human but an elf. A high elf, was it? Those eccentrics who worship the World Tree as their mother.”
“…….”
“You know what happened to her, don’t you?”
“I know.”
Valdrova still remembered what she had looked like.
Iorga had killed her fiancé with her own hands.
And she had suffered terribly.
Valdrova had wanted to approach and comfort her.
“How can you accomplish what even that clever know-it-all, so pleased with her own brilliance, couldn’t?”
“…….”
“Humans and elves are nothing more than pets. Playing with them a few times can be fun, but once you start taking responsibility, they become a nuisance. You’re exactly the same. I can see you fretting over the tiny ember right before you, terrified it might go out.”
“Storeus.”
Her golden eyes looked at Storeus.
The emotion within them was neither hostility nor anger.
It was pity.
“Stop saying things you don’t mean.”
Valdrova pitied him.
Storeus’s face, which had been twisted as he needled Valdrova with sarcasm, contorted in turn.
“This is why I can’t stand you. No one can like you.”
Storeus rose from his seat.
“Out of our old regard, I’ll only warn you, Captain. Killing the things that come from the Demon Lands is fine. But do not set foot any farther than that—for your sake, and for the sake of this continent.”
“…….”
“This is the decision made by that white thing.”
The story continues off the page
The Last Dance Before Midnight
A masked dragon asks the lanternwright for one slow dance