We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
A terrifying conclusion
The giant snake woman looked down at us from high above, her pupils flashing hatefully.
Then, she slammed her webbed hands violently onto the lake’s surface.
The high-rising spray of water became sharp, pointed spears and rained down on us.
“Duranel!”
“Hmph, I know, I know!”
Duranel roared and shot a fan-shaped breath of darkness towards the sky.
However, the water spears pierced through the jet-black mist and approached!
Duranel leaped backward, distancing himself from the rain of spears. Nevertheless, he couldn’t escape from a few of them. I knocked them down with my greatsword.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. How are we supposed to defeat a monster like this?!”
The snake woman continued to create spears from the spray and threw them indiscriminately. Furthermore, her snake tail swept across the water’s surface, creating blades of water that flew towards us. Duranel and I were barely able to dodge.
Fortunately, or perhaps not, Duranel’s evasive maneuvers were directed away from the settlement, so no villagers were harmed. That was our only consolation.
“Duranel, retreat into the forest for now.”
“Hmph, you idiot…”
However, Duranel did not follow my instructions and instead circled the lakeshore.
“What’s wrong?! We can’t counterattack unless we regain our footing!”
I couldn’t believe Duranel, a dragon, would misjudge the situation.
If that’s the case, does that mean my judgment is wrong?
But that’s strange.
Not only were spears and blades of water raining down, but when we got close to the water’s surface, the snake woman’s tail and arms would swing menacingly.
We were solely focused on evasion, with no opportunity to counterattack.
In this situation, it seemed effective to hide our presence in the forest behind us, catch the snake woman off guard, or attack from a distance.
I blocked an attack from the snake woman’s tail with a thick wall of darkness, and I knocked down the water spears from above.
Still, Duranel did not retreat, and I looked at him suspiciously. He seemed to be paying attention not to the snake woman, but to something in a different direction.
“What’s wrong?”
He was more concerned about something else than the immediate danger?
Puzzled, I focused, trying to understand Duranel’s intentions.
“The forest?”
Somehow, I sensed the direction Duranel was wary of, and I shifted my gaze.
Deep within the bushes a little distance from the lakeshore.
The sunlight filtering through the trees was dazzling, and amidst the peaceful scenery, it was as if we were in a different world from our desperate struggle.
I saw a figure.
“Gyaaaaaaaahhh!”
As my gaze landed on the figure, the snake woman also noticed it in the bushes.
Damn it!
Before I could even think that, the snake woman unleashed water spears towards the bushes.
The rain of spears assaulted the figure in the bushes. For a moment, the figure disappeared behind the intense rising steam.
What on earth…
Even Duranel would likely be injured by that barrage of spears. The person who absorbed all of them would surely be dead.
Perhaps it was a villager who had secretly come to watch our battle.
Regardless of who it was, the casualty was due to my lack of consideration for my surroundings.
“Damn it.”
I clicked my tongue fiercely from on Duranel’s back.
Duranel, looking alternately at the snake woman and the bushes where the figure was seen, let out a low growl.
“Let’s retreat.”
Duranel had noticed the person in the bushes from the beginning. But now that the person had been killed by the snake woman’s attack.
Duranel retreated without hesitation.
From on Duranel’s back as we retreated into the forest, I glared at the snake woman.
“Hahaha…”
I will definitely avenge them.
As I intensely glared at the snake woman with strong resolve, an out-of-place laughter reached my ears.
“My, my, what an interesting magic beast to encounter here.”
What?!
At the voice that accompanied the cheerful laughter, my body stiffened with tension. Duranel also lowered his growl further and stopped.
Then, both Duranel and I turned our gaze in the direction of the voice.
“I-impossible…!”
The direction of our gaze was the place where we had seen the figure in the bushes earlier. And from there, appearing as if nothing had happened, was…
“You damned demon scum…!!”
I knew it!
His noble demeanor. His selfish behavior that completely disregarded the atmosphere of the situation.
He was the demon who Elnea had brought with her during that commotion some time ago!
His name was… what was it again?
I forgot his name, but I remembered him as being skilled enough in swordsmanship to push back even me, who was confident in my defense.
But why was this demon here?
“Well, I happened to see familiar faces on my way back after delivering supplies, so I couldn’t resist tailing you. You’re doing interesting things in such a remote place?”
Could it be that he had been trailing us?!
The demon walked towards the lakeshore, laughing cheerfully.
However, the surroundings of the demon were chaotic.
The snake woman paused her attacks on us and unleashed all her beastly arts on him.
Spears rained down, and blades of water danced. Pillars of water erupted from the ground, and icicles fell.
Yet, the demon, while enduring all the attacks, continued to laugh and head towards the lake.
W-what is this guy…?
“Elnea-kun is so cruel. Even though I’m working so hard like this, he doesn’t appreciate me much. Humans, perhaps they are more wicked than demons, I’ve started to think lately. Don’t you agree?”
The demon, who was enduring the snake woman’s attacks with ease, finally reached Horista Lake, laughing merrily.
And then, as if to play in the water, he comfortably dipped his feet in.
“But well, humans are the ones who introduce me to such rare magic beasts, so I’ll be lenient this time. Now, entertain me to your heart’s content for working so hard?”
With that, the demon sank into the lake.
Or so I thought, but immediately after.
“Gyaaaaaaahhh!!”
I let out a pathetic scream.
Another giant monster appeared in Horista Lake.
And its size far surpassed even the giant snake woman! It was as large as a giant dragon!
Emerging with an explosion of water from the lake’s surface, the monster’s upper body had beautiful skin like the inside of a seashell. Its ears were shaped like fish fins, and similar fins sprouted from its shoulders. Its wings, too, resembled giant fins.
It had long hair, and its refined features carried a trace of the demon who had been laughing so cheerfully until just moments ago.
“I-impossible… Am I dreaming…?”
In the clear waters of Horista Lake, beneath the rippling surface. The lower body of the newly appeared giant monster was the shape of a fish, as heard in legends.
“A mermaid?!”
I screamed out the demon’s true identity.
My scream, however, was drowned out by the snake woman’s shriek.
The demon, now a giant merman, grappled with the snake woman.
He grabbed the snake woman with his webbed hands.
The snake woman also seemed to judge the merman as a formidable opponent. With a grating shriek, she wrapped her serpentine lower body around the merman’s torso. Then, she began to squeeze the merman’s body with all her might.
The merman, unconcerned by the coiling snake woman’s lower body, laughed merrily as he punched the snake woman, *bonk, bonk*.
With each punch, the snake woman’s outline distorted.
And as the two monsters fought in the lake, the shockwaves reached us.
High waves surged and swept away the settlement near the lakeshore.
Villagers who had taken refuge in buildings were thrown into the lake.
Damn it!
If this continues, the villagers will suffer greatly.
I have to save them!
However, Horista Lake was in turmoil due to the giant monsters, making it difficult to approach.
The villagers swept away by the high waves were screaming.
Damn it. There’s no other way but to go and save them, even if it’s dangerous!
The snake woman and the merman seemed completely unconcerned about human beings as they fought.
The battle, if anything, seemed to be entirely one-sided, with the merman toying with the snake woman.
Since they weren’t paying attention to us or the swept-away villagers, we had no idea what kind of shockwaves would come our way. Therefore, it was all the more important to save the villagers!
“Kyaaaa!”
Nazari also got caught and was being swept into Horista Lake by the high waves.
I leaped from Duranel’s back and ran towards the lake.
“Hey!”
Duranel barked from behind me, but there was no time to spare.
I had to save as many people as possible.
With that resolve, just as I was about to jump into the lake.
“Ruilala-san, you mustn’t thrash around too much.”
Reinforcements appeared from the sky.
This time, two colossal dragons, comparable in size to the merman.
One was a giant dragon with jet-black scales, and the other a giant dragon with a pinkish-white color.
“Meow.”
“Gyaaaaaahhh!”
I screamed again and ran away.
Despite the cute meow, the pinkish-white giant dragon plummeted down!
And then, the pinkish-white giant dragon crushed the two monsters fighting in Horista Lake.
Higher waves than ever before!
But that wasn’t the case.
What did that mean?
“Hmph. They neutralize that impact so effortlessly…”
I, fleeing and hiding behind Duranel, heard his frustrated grinding of teeth.
“Elnea-kun’s family is terrible.”
The merman, who should have been hit directly, pushed away the pinkish-white giant dragon with a heave-ho and emerged.
“Snakes apparently taste delicious.”
Then, the jet-black giant dragon, which had surfaced with the merman, bit into the snake woman’s lower body.
Ugh.
The jet-black giant dragon, with its enormous and powerful jaws, tore off the snake’s lower body and chewed it with apparent delight.
“Nyan will refrain.”
“Um, does it taste good?”
What on earth!
After being pushed aside by the merman, the pinkish-white giant dragon was leisurely swimming in Horista Lake, with a small young girl riding on its back.
“I want to help people!”
“Will Elnea praise me?”
Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t just the two giant dragons, but also smaller dragons than Duranel!
What are these guys?!
I thought, but as I calmed down, I remembered.
Come to think of it, these are all the guys who were around Elnea…
The demon, the jet-black and pinkish-white giant dragons, the cute little girl. I’ve never seen the two small dragons before, but they somewhat resemble that Flame Emperor and the Count of the Yorttenitos Kingdom.
I remember. They were all Elnea’s proud family!
But why are they here?
No, no, now is not the time to be thinking about that.
The young dragons took the lead in helping the villagers who had been swept into Horista Lake, and I joined them.
I jumped into the lake and rescued Nazari, who was nearby.
The merman seemed uninterested in helping people and was idly observing his surroundings.
Others, apart from him, went on to help the villagers.
However, it seems that the villagers, whose livelihood is fishing, are quite capable.
Even though they were swept into the lake, not a single person, including children and the elderly, was drowning.
“Um, I want to swim too?”
“No, nyan. The water is cold, you’ll catch a cold.”
“If we return home with a cold, we’ll be scolded.”
It seemed the young girl was tied by her long hair on the back of the pinkish-white giant dragon. Perhaps to prevent her from falling?
And seeing them help the villagers, she might have mistaken it for playing in the water. The young girl, with a longing gaze, looked out at the lake’s surface.
“By the way, why did Lily and the others come here?”
It seemed even the merman didn’t know the reason for the giant dragons’ arrival.
“To call for Ruilala-san. Elnea-kun and the others will be returning soon, so we thought Ruilala-san might want to join them. We sensed their presence and flew here.”
Huh?
Is he saying that person is also delayed in his return?
“Well, that’s thoughtful of you.”
“It’s His Majesty the Demon Lord’s order. He’s kind, isn’t he? If I said that, I might get angry.”
From the conversation between the jet-black giant dragon and the merman, I learned that their true master was not Elnea, but the Demon Lord.
What the heck…
That guy was friends with the Demon Lord’s subordinates?!
No, he was chummy with the Demon Lord himself, so perhaps it’s normal.
Wait! That’s not normal at all!!
As I was once again astonished by Elnea’s abnormality, someone tugged at my wet clothes.
“Um. Thank you.”
It was Nazari.
I had forgotten that I was still holding her after rescuing her from the lake.
Nazari blushed slightly and looked up at me from below. Her wet clothes and hair, and her eyelashes still dripping with water, were alluring.
“Oh, my apologies for keeping you.”
I gently set Nazari down.
However, Nazari didn’t try to move away from me.
“The village…?”
At that moment, an old man who appeared to be the village chief walked towards us. The villagers who had been rescued or had not been swept away by the high waves were watching the giant dragons and the merman from a distance by the lakeshore.
They probably felt they were terrifying beings, but since they were playing in the water, they looked bewildered.
The village chief, occasionally glancing at the situation at Horista Lake, approached me.
“I’m sorry. We seem to have managed to defeat the snake woman, but…”
I was not the one who defeated it, and the damage was too great.
I never expected the settlement to be destroyed by the high waves.
Looking around, not a single building remained intact.
The village chief and the villagers, despite it still being spring, watched the merman and giant dragons playing in Horista Lake from afar.
The lake’s surface was stained with the snake woman’s blue blood. The snake woman, whether dead or not, had washed ashore and was motionless.
“The lower body of this magic beast, the snake, is apparently delicious. If you cut it up and sell it, you can make money.”
The jet-black giant dragon said so.
Is it really delicious?
I wondered if the sense of taste between dragons and humans was the same, and then concluded that since I and Duranel found the same meats and dishes delicious, our senses of taste were likely similar.
“The dragon says so. Why don’t you sell the snake woman’s meat to help rebuild the village?”
“W-would that be alright?”
“Don’t worry about it. We think it’s fine. Rather, we apologize for destroying your village.”
“No, no. Thanks to you, the Dragon Knight, and your companions, we were saved.”
“Companions!?”
“Yes. Thanks to all of you, we were saved. We can rebuild our homes. The fact that no lives were lost is our joy.”
It seems they consider me and those eccentric beings to be companions.
This needs correction.
They are Elnea’s family!
“S-so about… the matter of the reward.”
Come to think of it, I hadn’t asked about the reward.
Nazari hadn’t mentioned it either.
“This is a remote mountain village. We don’t have much money or valuables.”
Moreover, all their belongings were washed away.
The village chief, with a troubled expression, nudged Nazari, who stood beside me.
“She is beautiful and works hard. I know she’s my own kin, but she’s a lovely girl.”
“No, I don’t need any reward.”
I firmly stopped the village chief’s words and refused.
“I never considered a reward in the first place. Therefore, I don’t need anything. I am, after all, the hero’s partner. I cannot accept such things as rewards.”
“You’re a comrade of the Hero!”
“Yes, that’s right. When you mention Hero Lisuter’s partner, it’s me, Dragon Knight Slaton! Just remember that.”
“Slaton-sama…”
Nazari looked up at me and murmured enviously.
“Also. I already have a woman I’ve pledged myself to. I cannot betray her. I’m sorry.”
I’m a man too. I can sense the earnestness directed at me. However.
I am devoted solely to Creacio.
I’m not as skillful as Lisuter or Elnea, who can love many women simultaneously.
And I’m sure Creacio is waiting for my return right now.
I feel her strong feelings. I will respond to those feelings and never betray her.
“You are a good woman. Soon a better man than me will come along.”
Turning down affection is always exhausting. But the one being rejected is the one whose spirit is crushed.
Therefore, I must not be disheartened.
I raised the corners of my mouth and patted Nazari on the shoulder, telling her to work hard on the reconstruction.
“Yes. Will we be able to meet again someday?”
“Ah, we’ll come to visit with the heroes next time.”
“Then, I will await that day with all my heart. By then, I will have rebuilt a splendid village.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Nazari smiled bravely and cheerfully, and I returned her smile, as if to encourage her.
It felt wrong to leave the village in ruins caused by the snake woman’s aftermath, but I couldn’t stay forever.
I was on my way back to the capital city, and most importantly, Creacio was waiting for me.
“Well then, shall we go together?”
“Huh?”
Turning around, I saw the demon, who had returned to his noble-like appearance from his merman form, standing there.
“Lily, add one more guest.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
“Wait, wait! I’m going with Duranel…”
Looking over, Duranel had already been grabbed by the jet-black giant dragon.
Oh, Duranel. What is that pathetic state?
Duranel slumped in the jet-black giant dragon’s grasp, glaring at me resentfully for some reason.
“Now, let’s go home.”
The demon lightly hopped onto the jet-black giant dragon’s back.
Before I even had time to wonder if I was really going back with these guys.
“Gyaaaaaahh…”
I, too, was plucked up by the jet-black giant dragon and taken into the sky in an instant.
“At least treat me a little more properly!”
My scream, however, went unheeded…
Aside.
“Lily, why are we flying to just this side of Dragon Peak and then heading south?”
“That’s because if we don’t return from the north, we’ll be scolded later.”
“I see. It’s a complicated reason, isn’t it?”
The demon and the jet-black giant dragon were having such a conversation.
And I would learn the answer to that question upon arriving at the capital city.
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