Chapter 91

After the sparring session ended, I checked on the horses.

They seemed to have rested enough, and their fatigue was gone. By the way, Ril was already back inside me. The horses would start acting up the moment they saw her, so she had retreated into my soul space with a somewhat lonely expression.

“Seeing you like that, you really are a Tamer, aren’t you?”

“What’s with the sudden rudeness, Alice? I told you, my actual profession is Tamer.”

“Well, I’ve only ever seen you fighting or coming up with strategies, so I was honestly starting to doubt it.”

I couldn’t really argue with that, but Tamer really is my main class.

“Ryu, you’re always training yourself, but don’t you ever think about making Ril-chan and the others stronger?”

“Hmm. I mostly took them in from people I’m indebted to, so I never really thought about it.”

Besides, I doubted whether training Ril or Tiamat would even make them stronger than they already are. Ah, but maybe Karin or Ouka? They’re still kids, and as species, they have incredible potential.

The problem, though, was whether they actually had the motivation to get stronger.

While I stood there thinking in silence, Alice wandered off somewhere.

“Hey, Karin. Do you or Ouka ever feel like you want to get stronger?”

I ended up asking on a whim. I called out to them while the two of them were spreading their wings and playing mid-air tag.

『I want to get stronger! I don’t want to be an embarrassment standing by Papa’s side. What about you, Ouka-chan?』

『I’ve actually been thinking I want to get stronger lately, too. Is there a good training method?』

To my surprise, they were both eager. They flew back and perched on my shoulders.

Well, if they’re game, I might as well look into it. I can’t do—and don’t have the knowledge for—the kind of extreme, high-pressure management training Tiamat does. In that case, maybe a more orthodox training style that puts a load on the body?

…Now that I think about it, since Azi Dahaka is close to resurrecting, I’ve been able to read some of his knowledge regarding magic. There was a spell that applied a physical burden to the target as an application of reinforcement magic. Maybe I’ll try that.

“『Curse』.”

『Eh?』

『Ooh!?』

It was a curse that restricted the target’s physical abilities. I wondered what would happen if they trained in this state.

“Go play like that for a while. I’ll lift the curse when we resume our journey, so go wild.”

『Okay~!』

『Got it!』

They started their mid-air tag again, but they were visibly slower than before. The spell was definitely effective, but whether this would actually build strength remained a mystery.

“Do you intend to train Lady Ouka and the others?”

“Aoi. Yeah, they seemed interested, so I thought I’d give it a shot.”

“And what is the training regimen this time?”

“I’m aiming for magic resistance and muscle building through physical loads.”

“Both Lady Karin and we dragons already possess high magic resistance. Only high-tier magic has any real effect.”

“Ah, crap. I messed up, didn’t I?”

It was true; both Karin and Ouka had high natural resistance. Karin burns through magic, and Ouka repels it. There was really no point in training that further. The only reason the curse worked just now was because they both accepted it.

“Master Ryu, there is a reason dragon training usually takes the form of actual combat. It is because, as living beings, we are near-perfection. We have scales that repel magic and blades, claws that rend all things, and bodies that do not fall ill. We age, but our lifespans do not truly end, and we maintain perfect health. The only thing a dragon lacks is experience.”

“Experience?”

“Yes. No matter the talent, it is meaningless without it. You have experienced this yourself, and Ouka is a prime example.”

True enough, when I first met Ouka, I was able to punch her around one-sidedly. Setting aside the actual damage, she hadn’t been a match for me at all.

“That is a lack of experience. There are others who claim the title of ‘Demon King,’ but they are mostly similar to us. They possess the power to slaughter enemies, bodies immune to disease, and nearly infinite lifespans. If I were to put it another way, the ‘Demon King’ is one of the ultimate biological lifeforms.”

“Ultimate lifeforms, huh? So I just have to pile up combat experience.”

“Precisely. Even Fenrirs are almost entirely immune to magic.”

In that case, me becoming a Demon King is a long way off. Not that I’ve ever seriously considered it.

“Anyway, practical combat is the best way to learn. Thanks, Tiamat. I’ll keep combat as the premise while I think.”

“I believe that would be best,” Tiamat said, sounding a bit lonely.

I guess she really does want me to call her by her name.

“Also, Tiamat… can I keep calling you Aoi when we’re off the clock?”

“…I am your servant, Master Ryu, so please, use my name without honorifics.”

“Got it, Aoi.”

When I called her that, I got the feeling Aoi’s face turned a bit red. Do women really just like being called by their names?

“It’s almost time to go.”

“Then let’s get moving, Aoi.”

“Yes, Master Ryu.”

I dispelled the curse on Karin and the others, and after they returned inside me, the journey resumed. The Captain started moving in sync with us. Everything was going smoothly so far, but who knows what’s next.

Inside the dynamically swaying carriage, I felt a faint hostile presence. No, this wasn’t hostility—it was just a hungry monster. I sent out a light ripple of intimidation; sensing a powerhouse was present, it decided not to attack. Mark and Alice drove the carriage onward, completely oblivious.

The problem, however, happened shortly after.

“Ah! The Captain is being attacked by a monster!!”

“Wait, for real?”

The monster had shifted its target from us to the Captain and was currently lunges at him.

“If he’s a member of the Hero’s party, that shouldn’t be an issue, right?”

The creature that had appeared was a massive cat that lived in the shallower parts of the Great Forest. It was basically just a giant cat, making it one of the weaker inhabitants of the Great Forest.

“Ryu, can you tell what kind of monster it is?”

“It’s a cat. Just a cat about two or three meters tall.”

“That’s not just a cat!! That’s a Forest Tiger! They might be on the weaker side for the Great Forest, but to a human, they’re a formidable foe!”

“Seriously? That cat that lives off of eating Orcs?”

“I believe the Forest Tiger’s pelt has a high value. Could you please defeat it?”

“No way. There’s no value in hunting something you can’t eat.”

“Then at least drive it away! The Captain isn’t good at direct combat!”

Mark was still viewing the cat as merchandise, while Alice was panicking over her acquaintance’s pinch. Well, I had an idea.

“Alice, can you get in touch with the Captain? I can’t drive it off unless I let him get a bit closer. Mark, sorry, but give up on the pelt. I have no intention of eating it.”

“Understood!”

“How disappointing.”

I hopped down from the carriage and waited for the Captain to arrive. I suppressed my presence slightly to ensure the cat would keep coming this way. After a short wait, the Captain came charging in on his horse, kicking up a cloud of dust with the cat hot on his heels.

“You! Get out of here, quick!”

The Captain shouted at me, but to me, this was just a big house cat. I confirmed the Captain had ridden past, and then I directed my ‘Battle Spirit’ at the cat. Struck by my aura, the cat came to a screeching halt and fled back into the forest with its tail between its legs.

The Captain stood a short distance away, looking dazed.

“You okay, old man?”

“Ah… yeah, you saved me. Who exactly are you?”

“I’m Ryu, just a Tamer. And you, old man?”

“I’m Gen, a traveler. Still, you’re incredibly strong, aren’t you? To drive it off with just a glare…”

Technically it was Battle Spirit, but there was no need to correct him.

“It was nothing. Anyway, come over here. It’ll be a pain if more monsters show up.”

“Is that alright?”

The Captain spoke hesitantly, but he was going to keep surveilling us regardless, so it didn’t matter if he was close or far.

“I’m currently guarding a merchant, so I’ll have to ask the boss, but it should be fine.”

“…I owe you one.”

Our traveling party just grew by one.