Dwarven Village (1)

To complete the lair, dwarves are necessary.

We’ve dug the hill out to prepare the site, so now we need to hire the best experts to do the interior work.

Carving and sculpting the finest marble, creating multiple rooms, and equipping the facilities.

When it comes to experts, there are no craftsmen better than dwarves. It’s practically impossible without them. Therefore, dwarves are essential.

Our current location is the western border of the Empire.

In the Miliorrek Mountains, where there’s a huge mine, there’s a village of dwarves. That’s what the records said.

A dwarf who made the kitchen utensils for the restaurant was a friend I made quite some time ago. Unfortunately, he left the Empire.

There’s no way to know where he is now. His mana is so weak that unless he appears first, I can’t find him.

So, we have no choice but to find the dwarf village and hire another dwarf.

The Miliorrek Mountains, where the dwarf village is located, is a place Rurin has never been to.

Therefore, we had to use the same method as with the water buffalo. We detected dragon’s mana in the western region near Miliorrek and used it as a relay point for teleportation.

So, near the valley that lay before us, there must be an unnamed dragon’s lair.

“I don’t see any dwarves.”

“Would you live near a dragon’s lair if you were a dwarf?”

“If it were me, I’d forcibly capture the dwarves and make them work for me. So should the dragon who owns this place!”

“Forcing them reduces efficiency. It’s better to formally commission them rather than using force!”

I pressed Rurin’s temples with both hands.

You need to be motivated to produce good work. Starting with violence is not the way. Dragons, seriously.

Anyway, dwarves are afraid of dragons. They’ll tremble in fear before a dragon, but if you give them a little motivation, the combination of fear and enthusiasm will create a synergy in the construction.

“It hurts!”

I grabbed Rurin’s raised hand and started walking out of the valley. This way is definitely west.

The dwarf village is about a day’s walk from this mountain to the Miliorrek Mountains. The dwarves are probably offering tributes to the master of this mountain.

Tributes for peace and safety.

That’s what it means to be a dragon’s territory. The Black Dragons’ Elder’s acknowledgment of Greek as Rurin’s territory if there’s a lair here also carries that meaning. It becomes an area where nearby monsters must show respect and sincerity.

There are cases where dragons attack humans. Of course, it doesn’t happen often. Usually, dragons don’t breathe fire on human countries without a reason. It happens occasionally if tributes aren’t offered.

The Empire’s destruction crisis was due to getting caught in a war between dragons. It wasn’t caused by not offering tributes.

“Rurin.”

“What’s up?”

Rurin, who was holding my hand tighter, stopped and looked up at me.

“Don’t you feel it?”

“I feel it. Your hand is warm. Hehe.”

“No, not that, you fool.”

“I’m not a fool! If it’s something else, I sense the presence of kin? But it’s near a lair, so isn’t that natural!”

Usually, dragons sleep for a very long time. Whether it’s tributes or anything else, during the hundreds of years a dragon sleeps, one is free.

The owner of the dragon’s lair we used as a relay point when we went to catch the water buffalo last time was in a deep sleep. But the owner of this lair seems to be different.

They’re greeting us in a very grand manner.

A Red Dragon appeared in its original form, flapping its wings in the air.

It seems determined to eliminate the intruders. The wind created by the dragon’s wing beats shook the ground all around.

“That one! It’s a damned Red.”

Rurin spoke, glaring at the dragon. Red Dragons and Black Dragons don’t get along. The main cause of the last war was the discord between Red Dragons and Black Dragons.

“Humans, invading my territory without permission! Only death awaits you!”

The dragon, landing on the ground, flaunted its huge body and emanated its fearsome aura. For an ordinary human, just the aura from a dragon’s body would be fatal. But it doesn’t affect me or Rurin at all.

Judging by the size of its body, it was a mature dragon that had reached adulthood a long time ago.

“Stupid Red. Do I look like a mere human?”

As Rurin countered with her aura, the Red Dragon began to roar more fiercely.

Guoooo!

“A mere Black…! How dare you!”

The dragon let out a roar that shook the mountain and immediately opened its mouth wide. Then, it unleashed a breath that was an accumulation of energy.

Kwoooong!

It would be impossible for human-form Rurin to block a breath attack used in dragon form. She could nullify it if she reverted from her polymorph, but she had no intention of doing that. She just glared at the Red Dragon.

Not that the breath would hit Rurin. Because I’m here.

I countered the dragon’s breath with the 9th-class magic, Plasma Break.

Plasma Break is a spell that absorbs massive energy and returns it to the opponent. The plasma mass, having absorbed the breath, started to engulf the dragon. Since the breath is a mass of energy, the Plasma Break also grew quite large.

Pwoooom!

A loud explosion occurred as the Plasma Break collided with the dragon.

However, dragons don’t die from just this. You need to use ultimate magic, even among 9th-class spells, to tear them apart.

Especially since dragons are a prideful species and don’t enjoy talking. You can tell from how they launch a breath attack without warning.

I don’t want to see Rurin get hurt. I don’t know why, but I just don’t want to see it.

Especially if her black hair gets damaged, that’s unforgivable.

What’s unusual is that even with her kin appearing, Rurin doesn’t undo her polymorph.

It’s not just now. For some reason, Rurin has always been very reluctant to undo her polymorph in front of me. She always maintains her human form.

But no matter how strong a dragon is, it’s dangerous to be in human form and take a breath attack from another dragon.

Of course, my title as Dragon Slayer isn’t just for show, and she doesn’t need to revert to her dragon form.

I used Plasma Break again, aiming it at the dragon.

Kwoooong!

The dragon’s body burst into flames.

As the Red Dragon’s body caught fire, it turned even redder.

The Red Dragon, groaning, used ice magic to barely contain the flames and then glared at me.

“A 9th-class spell! You human! Could it be? No…! Wait a minute!”

As I prepared to use Plasma Break again, the Red Dragon shouted hastily, and its entire body was enveloped in light. It was attempting to polymorph.

What appeared was a woman with flowing red hair. Unlike Rurin, she exuded a seductive aura. If she had engaged in playful activities, she must have drawn many men with that allure.

Compared to our Rurin, who knows nothing about such things, well.

The Red Dragon’s back was still smoldering from the part that had caught fire due to my magic.

“Arrogant Red!”

Rurin, still holding my hand tightly, sneered at the Red Dragon.

“Hmph, how amusing. Black, stand aside! More importantly, you human. I remember now. You were the human who slaughtered our kin in the last war, right? You were said to have consumed the Lord’s heart. Yes, that’s right! My memory is unmatched!”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

When I admitted it coolly, the Red Dragon stepped back in shock. Judging by the cold sweat, it must have participated in that war.

“Why are you here, with a mere Black!”

“Who are you calling mere! El is mine. That’s why we’re together. Got it? You stupid female!”

Who’s yours? This dragon?

When Rurin blurted out nonsense, the Red Dragon, believing it, spoke with a curious gaze.

“Is that human yours? Oh, how did you seduce him? He’d be perfect as a subordinate.”

These things? Rurin even began to get more aggressive.

“Hehe, he’s mine, so he’s mine. He said he’d stay by my side. For life!”

Rurin now boasted, raising her head proudly.

So I pressed her temples again.

“Hey, who’s yours? And what seduction?”

“Ouch! Didn’t I say it hurts! And you definitely said you’d stay by my side!”

Well, that’s true. I did say that when I first persuaded her. She was a lonely dragon, bullied and hurt by her kin, rampaging.

That’s true, but why is there ‘yours’ and ‘mine’ in that?

And that Red Dragon is funny too. Who’s making who a subordinate?

“If you don’t belong to a pathetic Black, how about becoming mine? I know humans well. I’ve already had many amusements. Melting human men is my specialty. Don’t you want to experience it? Haha, what could that little one possibly do?”

The Red Dragon approached me seductively. Sure, it’s sexy, but it has to work.

Moreover, thanks to that, Rurin emitted enormous killing intent. It was enough to make you think she might transform into her dragon form. To calm the situation, I glared at these two ridiculous dragons and shouted.

“Red Dragon? Stop the nonsense and back off.”

Thinking it wouldn’t work, I showed a glimpse of Intra Breaking, the ultimate 9th-class spell I used frequently during the war, to rip dragons apart. The Red Dragon, recognizing it, ran away to a distance.

“Th-th-that! That’s the spell that killed our kin! I-I-I was just kidding. I’m sorry. I was wrong! I don’t want to die!”

Seeing the powerful spell she remembered, the dragon cowered, covering her head with her hands, not knowing what to do.

“Hehe, did you see that? You and I can’t be compared! Right?”

Rurin looked at me with a pleased smile. Thankfully, the killing intent had subsided.

“Enough, Red Dragon. We’re just passing through, so how about you stop this ridiculous Q&A and step aside?”

“Do as you please! I don’t want to deal with you, even if the Black is acceptable. I don’t want to be torn apart. I still want more amusements and more sleep!”

“That’s a relief.”

“Are you letting her off? Such Reds should be killed!”

“Do you want to start another war? Don’t be ridiculous and calm down. Or I won’t hold your hand.”

“I don’t want that.”

Rurin, who had been growling, immediately turned her back and stuck to my side. She acted as if my hand was more important than the Red Dragon.

“But can I ask one thing? Is this the way to the Miliorrek Mountains?”

To confirm, I pointed in the direction and asked. The Red Dragon nodded.

“That’s right. But why?”

“Because we’re looking for the dwarf village.”

Hearing my words, the Red Dragon, standing at a distance, tilted her head slightly.

“Huh? The dwarves were wiped out in the last war. That’s why tributes no longer come in. It’s a shame, really.”

“What?”