In the Lizardmen's Village

Hahaha. So this is a Dragon. I can tell just by looking. There's no way we could beat it in our current state, no matter what we did. Anyone could tell that by looking at the results of my 【Appraisal】.

――――――――――

Name: Agnasrelim

Race: Ancient Aqua Dragon Lord Lv87

Job: Dragon Lord Lv7

Skill: ＃＃＃＃＃

――――――――――

And the moment I used 【Appraisal】, a notification appeared.

――――――――――

Your 【Appraisal】 level has increased.

――――――――――

This is ridiculous. Level 87? Isn't this someone who shouldn't be here this early in the game? And when it comes to its Skills, I can't even tell how many there are, let alone their names. What kind of monster is it, that my Skill level went up from using 【Appraisal】 just once?

At the same time, it all made sense. Anyone this powerful would be worshiped even if they weren't a Lizardman. Even Jigorou didn't seem to entertain the thought of fighting it; like the rest of us, he simply stood there in a daze.

Still, could Dragons really be this beautiful? Its appearance was that of a Western dragon, bearing no resemblance whatsoever to the Lesser Small Naga we had defeated before. Perhaps it was specialized for underwater life; its batlike wings were folded up, and its limbs were fin-shaped. Its body was covered in smooth, deep-blue scales packed tightly together, presumably to minimize resistance from the water.

However, it was not merely beautiful. Those beautiful scales could probably deflect even metal with ease, while the rows of teeth lining its mouth could easily crunch me up. And the two sharp, pointed horns growing from its head radiated an overwhelming presence. So this was the sort of being one must never make an enemy of.

"Dragon Lord-sama!?"

"Ah, ahh~!"

The two Lizardmen prostrated themselves again. That was only natural, since the object of their worship had appeared right before them.

'Hello, welcome. I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Agnasrelim, the Ancient Aqua Dragon Lord who guards the Lizardmen and this lake.'

"I-I am Izam, a Chimera Abyss Dragon Bone Demi-Lich, great Dragon Lord."

I took off my mask and introduced myself with a respectful bow. I-I had somehow managed to introduce myself without stumbling! I felt like congratulating myself for managing to role-play here.

'Hahaha, you have nerve. Most people either panic and faint or lose their heads and attack me. It would be foolish to stand around chatting here, so let us go to the village. Come, climb aboard.'

"Ride... No, it would be too presumptuous to ride on Dragon Lord-sama's back!"

'I'm saying it's fine, so it's fine. Besides, would you really throw away such a precious opportunity to ride on a Dragon Lord's back?'

Ugh! That's a dirty way to put it! How could I possibly refuse?

"Then, if you don't mind..."

I forced my rigid body to move and climbed up Agnasrelim's back. Well, whatever happens, happens!

Agnasrelim's back was broad enough to hold thirty people by human standards. Would bus-sized be the right way to put it? Everyone could ride without a problem. However, the other four were still frozen in place.

'The other four should ride as well. I repeat, it is not every day you get to ride on a Dragon Lord's back, you know?'

Prompted by Agnasrelim, they finally started moving. They were just as rigid as I was, but that was only natural.

'What about you two?'

"N-no, we couldn't!"

"It would be the height of disrespect for someone like me to ride on Dragon Lord-sama's back!"

'Hmm, I see...'

Oh? Or was it my imagination that Agnasrelim looked a little sad?

'Then, let us go. To our village.'

◆◇◆◇◆◇

It took about five minutes to reach the Lizardmen's village. During that time, Agnasrelim asked how I had obtained the power of a Dragon. When I answered honestly, he merely nodded, apparently impressed.

I couldn't help asking whether he had nothing to say about my killing one of his own kind. Didn't he resent me? His answer was as follows.

'Resent you? Don't be ridiculous. That child challenged you of their own will, and lost because they lacked the strength. That is all there is to it. Even if the one you defeated had been a member of my family or one of my friends, I would say the same thing.'

What a remarkably detached view of life and death. In other words, the death of one of his own kind was their own responsibility: if you lost and died, it was your fault. It should normally be difficult to accept things so completely, but perhaps that was merely the sensibility of a peaceful Japanese person.

'We have arrived. Come on, get off, get off.'

"Understood."

We all hurriedly climbed down from Agnasrelim's back. Oh, right, my equipment let me fly. I had completely forgotten until now. I must really have been nervous.

"Oh, Dragon Lord-sama! Welcome back. And who might this person be...?"

The Lizardman who came to greet us was more heavily built than the fisherman we had met earlier. His face looked somewhat similar to a Dragon's, so he must have evolved. Shall I appraise him?

――――――――――

Race: War Lizardman Lv27

Job: Magic Spearman Lv7

Skill: 【Fangs】

【Claws】

【Tail Strike】

【Spear Arts】

【Throwing Arts】

【Strength Enhancement】

【Defense Enhancement】

【Agility Enhancement】

【Earth Magic】

【Water Magic】

【Aquatic】

【Night Vision】

【Lightning Vulnerability】

――――――――――

Oh, he's strong. In terms of level, he's on par with us. He seems outstandingly strong even compared to those around him, so I suppose he's the village's foremost warrior.

'Ah, Village Chief. They're guests.'

"I see. Hmm? Is there someone here giving off the presence of a Dragon?"

'That's right. They have something they'd like to ask you, so I brought them here.'

"For me? What is it you want?"

'You can hear that at your house. Well, I will return to my usual spot.'

The strong-looking Lizardman was apparently the village chief. Not the head warrior or something? I suppose this was a social structure where the strongest held the highest positions, as one might expect of monsters.

Agnasrelim dove into the lake as if he had said all he needed to say. He must have returned to the place he called his "usual spot." I was curious where he usually stayed, but negotiating with the Lizardmen came first.

◆◇◆◇◆◇

At the Lizardmen village chief's house, we explained that we wanted permission to pass through their territory. The chief thought for a moment before speaking.

"I can grant that, but would you do me one favor?"

Hmm, so he was offering passage rights as payment for a job. Give and take was the basis of any deal. I decided to hear him out first.

"What favor?"

"Yes. To tell the truth, the frogs have been acting suspiciously lately."

"Frogs... You mean Toadmen?"

"Exactly. Until now, they have never tried to leave their own territory. But lately, they have been actively entering ours."

So, abnormal monster behavior. Had they become more aggressive? What could be causing it?

"Would you investigate the cause?"

――――――――――

Will you accept the Hidden Quest: 'Solve the Mystery of the Toadmen!'?

Yes/No

――――――――――

Oh, a quest. This was technically only the second time we'd accepted one. The first was, of course, during the recent event. Come to think of it, did that mean we hadn't accepted a single ordinary quest? Monsters really were troublesome.

I glanced at everyone to ask whether it was all right to accept it. In a party, the right to accept quests belonged to the leader. If any member objected, I would cancel immediately.

But everyone simply stared at me. ...Come to think of it, I didn't even have eyes! For that matter, Jigorou was the only one whose eyeballs made his emotions easy to read!

Oh, whatever! Fine! Yes, then. Yes!

"I will do what I can."

"Oh! Thank you very much! Then allow me to show you to a house where all of you can stay."

"A house?"

What was he talking about? But the chief stood up without answering my question. We had no choice but to stand and follow him. This guy was pretty pushy!?

We were led to the front of an ordinary-sized pit dwelling about ten meters from the chief's house. Could it be...?

"Please feel free to use this place while you investigate the frogs."

――――――――――

You have been loaned 'Lizardman Dwelling.'

Valid until 'Solve the Mystery of the Toadmen!' is completed.

Set 'Lizardman Dwelling' as your respawn point?

YES/NO

――――――――――

An update to our respawn point? Did that mean there was a high chance we'd die and respawn here? Could this be an extremely dangerous quest...!?

"Well then, I'll be going," the chief said, and left. That old guy really did things at his own pace!

However, I was the one who accepted the request. I couldn't deny that. Besides, I had been brought to this village because I had Dragon bones implanted in me. In other words, I was responsible for most of what had led to this situation.

"For now, shall we go inside?"

That was all I could say.

◆◇◆◇◆◇

"What a strange turn of events."

Everyone, myself included, agreed with Jigorou, who sounded perplexed. We had only been supposed to obtain permission to pass through the Lizardmen's territory, but it had turned into a request to investigate the Toadmen. None of it made sense.

"I'm really sorry!"

I bowed deeply. Since I was responsible for this strange turn of events, the proper thing to do was apologize sincerely.

"Raise your head, leader. Nobody's angry."

Genjuro was the one who spoke kindly. H-he really wasn't angry?

"R-really?"

"Yes, Izam. If anything, I'm interested in the materials around here. If you feel bad about it, help me gather some while we're investigating, all right?"

Iris comforted me in a joking tone. If materials were what she wanted, I had suitable monsters I could summon with 【Summoning Arts】, so she should put them to full use.

"I'm actually getting excited! An investigation is exactly the sort of quest that's perfect for me!"

Ruby genuinely seemed to be looking forward to it. The Slime's surface rippled and jiggled as proof.

"I phrased that badly. With requests like this, it's standard for some insanely strong enemy to show up at the end. If we get to fight it, I won't complain."

Jigorou seemed to have his usual combat-first mindset. Was it just my paranoia that made his words feel like a reproach?

"See? What did I tell you?"

Genjuro laughed smugly. It seemed I had been overreacting.

...All right! If we'd decided to investigate, then let's hold a strategy meeting now. If we're doing this, let's investigate every last detail!

"Then let's decide on an investigation plan. The only thing we know for certain right now is that the Toadmen have been actively entering the Lizardmen's territory for some reason. What do you think we should do?"

"It's obvious, isn't it? Let's go raid them!"

Jigorou offered his usual aggressive opinion. That was one possible plan. By making the first move, we could conduct reconnaissance in force and determine the scale of the Toadmen's forces.

Only Ruby and I among us were capable of moving covertly, and sneaking around to investigate would take far too long. It might be best to engage them once and see how they reacted.

"But wouldn't going deep into enemy territory be far too dangerous?"

However, Iris raised an entirely reasonable objection. If we started a battle deep in the Toadmen's territory, where something abnormal seemed to be happening, we'd be surrounded and wiped out in no time.

This was a game, so perhaps we could simply keep throwing ourselves at them in zombie attacks. But FSW's death penalty was pretty severe, and that kind of approach went against my principles. Acting on the premise that 'it's okay if we die' or 'it's okay if we lose' just didn't sit right with me.

"Then wouldn't a compromise be best?"

"You mean fighting at the edge of the Toadmen's territory?"

Ruby succinctly summed up Genjuro's proposal. Indeed, that would let us conduct reconnaissance in force relatively safely.

"...It seems no one objects. Then from this point on, we'll infiltrate the Toadmen's territory and conduct reconnaissance in force. However, don't go too deep."

We've decided what we need to do. Then let's set out for the Toadmen's territory at once!