The plumes of smoke and scattering debris overflowed from the collapsed barbecue pit. The immense firepower of the Fire Dragon King, which had pierced through the barrier I and Melfina had set up and even pulverized structures built by the Improbable Black Fortress, was truly terrifying. It showed, after all, that I had faced Efil’s true power head-on. As I gazed at the remnants of my handmade space, now scorched black, my heart ached. That’s because—
“Damn it. Cleaning up afterwards is the basic rule of barbecues, and yet you’ve added extra work for me…”
It was because I was in the middle of cleaning up the scattered rubble and trash. What should have been a simple task of cleaning the lava plate, sorting simple trash, and dismantling the barbecue pit had turned into a massive cleanup due to the Fire Dragon King’s large-scale area attack. That guy is definitely the type to leave trash everywhere when he camps. Absolutely.
“Indeed. Does that not sound like the words of the King who accidentally mowed down the Forest of Emblems some time ago?”
“You replanted those trees with Dahak later, didn’t you? I got permission from the elder and even did a dogeza with all my spirit.”
Well, I suppose I could say I improved my magic handling thanks to that incident. Melfina’s boot camp, those were the days. Though, it was a bloody affair that made the Death March Sera apparently put Touya and the others through seem tame.
“Kelvin, I’ve finished the general cleanup,” Sera reported, holding a large bag of trash. This was mostly organic waste, which Dahak would use as fertilizer.
“Hm, understood. All that’s left is this pile of rubble… Kuro, you can eat it now.”
As I said that, Kuro emerged from the sleeve of my robe, swelled up, and began to engulf the rubble. Though it was rubble, it was originally something I had generated with my magic. Lumps of magic power are a favorite of Kuro, who can absorb anything. It also stores magic power, so it’s a win-win.
“It disappeared in no time.”
It’s the rule of the outdoors to leave a place more beautiful than when you arrived. Well, now that things are tidied up, let’s go meet them.
***
“Master.”
“Yo, Efil. Good work.”
At the center of an exceptionally large crater, Efil greeted me as usual. Her maid outfit was torn from the battle, exposing her shoulders. Her movements as a maid were perfect, but the slight flush on her cheeks and earlobes was a key point. How quaint.
“Y-you lot…”
“Hey, Fire Dragon King. You’ve become quite a sight. But I’m glad you’re still breathing.”
The Fire Dragon King, barely breathing, glared at me with sharp eyes from his position on the ground. A large arrow, like one used in a ballista, was piercing him from tail to torso, accompanied by blue flames. The stumps of his lost arms were scorched, so they weren’t bleeding, but the magma that had covered his body had solidified into black mass, indicating he was completely out of power.
“What… are you saying…?”
“No, I just have a few things I’d like to ask.”
He was a valuable source of information regarding Efil’s past, and I had specifically ordered him captured alive if possible. If I were going to kill him, I would have aimed for the head from the start, not the arms.
“Fire Dragon King, do you recognize this child?”
I squatted down in front of the Fire Dragon King and spoke, looking towards Efil.
“…! A woman, I thought I felt a sense of déjà vu, the Elf from that time…! No, but you… you were definitely killed by these hands…? However, that hairpin is—”
“That is my mother,” Efil stated slowly and with certainty.
“What— No, was it, at that time…?”
“Sorry to interrupt while you’re thinking, but this is like revenge. Your foolish act of attacking the Elf Village and molesting Efil’s innocent mother. I will settle the score properly.”
“Don’t say something so foolish! It all started because you Elves tricked me! The Elf man stole my blood and ran off! The woman I took from the village disappeared with a human man! It was you Elves who enticed me in the first place! What do you mean, ‘Sage of the Forest’! Weren’t you all in league to let the woman escape from the very beginning!”
The Fire Dragon King raged.
“I found the Elf man who stole my blood and fled. After taking the woman, the human, who must have feared my wrath, actually sent the Elf woman back! That’s why I tore both of them to shreds! That’s why I killed them! Both the blood and the woman originally belonged to me! And the woman’s corpse instilled fear in the villagers! Isn’t it all karma!”
“Ah, yeah. That’s enough. I pretty much get it now.”
I didn’t even need to use Sera’s Blood Dye. He spilled everything on his own. Although the Fire Dragon King was hysterical with anger, I managed to understand roughly what happened in the past. The Elf the Fire Dragon King was looking for, whom the village elder had told me about. Did he start by tricking the Fire Dragon King out of his blood? And the Fire Dragon King had already killed him, and Lumil was saved by someone after being captured by the Fire Dragon King—perhaps that person was Efil’s father? But why would they send her back later? The Fire Dragon King himself didn’t seem aware of Efil’s existence as Lumil’s child, so I couldn’t expect much information on that front.
“Regardless of the circumstances, the fact remains that you burned the Elf Village and killed Efil’s mother.”
“How dare you speak so disrespectfully before me…!”
“What, you’ll be stepping down from that great seat soon. There’s no need to worry about it, is there?”
I had heard all I needed to. I stood up and prepared the summoning.
“Efil, are you ready too?”
“Yes. ‘Fire Dragon King Tartare, Very Well-Done Style’ is complete.”
The arrow piercing the King of Fire served as a skewer, and the heat applied both internally and externally made a savory aroma waft around, similar to yakitori.
“Hmm, looking good.”
“W-what did you say…!? No way—”
Ignoring the Fire Dragon King’s growing panic, I laid down a magic circle. The one I was summoning was tonight’s main dish: the Rock Dragon Boga.
“He’s the only one in our household who’s omnivorous. Honestly, vegetarians and sweets lovers are a handful.”
“Big Brother, before that, I have dreams, so I’ll pass.”
“I’m busy eating the pancakes I defended. I’ll yield to Boga.”
“Goaa.”
A large amount of saliva dripped from Boga’s mouth. He had skipped the barbecue meal for this. He must have been starving.
“Let go! I, I!”
“Princess, please don’t thrash about!”
“Mel, you already ate, remember? Both arms!”
Well, it was reaching the limit for Gerard and Sera to restrain the gluttonous Melfina. I’d better finish this quickly.
“Well, I hope you die feeling the pain of being eaten alive. Now, dance your best.”
“Ch-chan Boga, please enjoy.”
“Gururuuaa!”
“N-no, stop—!”
Boga began to feast on the delicacy before him. His wide-open mouth tore, chewed, and savored the exquisite taste. Again and again, he repeated the action. Screams echoed through the volcanic mountains, carrying far into the distance.
“Master, are you satisfied?”
“Hey, hey, that’s my line.”
“Heh. Because you seemed to be angry on my behalf too.”
“…Who knows.”
Efil’s hand, now naturally entwined with mine, was warm.
