Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: The Dragon's Egg
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"Is this stuff really safe to put on our skin?"
Dalpi eyed me suspiciously.
"It's fine. I put it on too."
"It smells awful, and the color's all dark and murky, like squid ink."
Dalpi held a glass vial filled with the suspicious black liquid—the special concoction I'd just whipped up.
Truth be told, it wasn't anything as grand as a proper potion. It was just a mash of demon flesh and blood scraped off the battlefield trash.
The reason for slathering this filthy stuff on our bodies was camouflage.
『The Dark Faction's invisibility spells don't mask scents. Demons with keen noses will sniff out intruders in no time.』
Dalpi and I had to head to the spawn point up north.
To investigate the sudden mana surge, I needed to go myself.
One escort like Dalpi would be plenty.
For a stealth op like this, more people would just get in the way.
"I'd rather drink an aphrodisiac."
"And do what with it?"
"Rape you, young master, then report it to the royal guard."
"Doesn't that sound kinda off...?"
What is this, some local precinct?
Dalpi clearly hated the idea of slathering that black goo all over herself.
Even with her superhuman strength that could lift a whole mansion single-handedly, avoiding this was entertaining to watch.
Nob AI.
『Yes?』
Got any good words of encouragement for Dalpi, who's still wrestling with the potion?
『How about cheering her on as Giga Ester?』
『Here's an example.』
『You fuckin' asshole, Dalpi, quit actin' like a fool and slather that potion on right now, you idiot.』
Ugh, no way.
"Think of it as camouflage cream."
"Ugh...."
In the end, Dalpi gritted her teeth and powered through.
We cloaked ourselves in stealth magic and headed north.
Slathering ourselves in that foul-smelling liquid paid off.
Just as Nob AI said, the demons didn't spot us.
"It's all wobbly."
"Yeah...."
Right before our eyes were demons.
The vast plain was packed solid with them, so densely it was downright creepy.
Like a go board completely buried under black stones.
The demons just stood there like dolls.
They'd felt like living beasts when attacking people, but now their breathing was shallow, no real movement.
Not just one—every demon on the plain was like that. Utterly eerie.
『From what we've learned so far, demons are a hive-mind species by nature. All their actions, except the primal instinct to kill living things, are dictated by a higher entity controlling the collective intelligence. In simple terms, think of the demons in front of you as worker ants, and the thing we call the 'spawn point'—that magic-like something—as the queen ant and commander.』
In other words, a hive mind.
『This info hasn't been published by the Justina Kingdom Academy yet.』
All those demons I'd smashed and the data fed to Nob AI had paid off.
Gonna trade it for cash and favors later.
"Young master."
"Yeah?"
"Pardon me for a moment."
Dalpi scooped me up.
"You're too slow. It'll be faster if I carry you while I run."
But the position felt weird.
Supporting my legs with her arms—it was a pose straight out of some shady video.
The technical term was full nelson, right?
There were plenty of normal ways to carry someone, so why pick this humiliating one? No clue.
"1. Pick up young master."
"Hang on?"
No time for questions.
Dalpi hoisted me like luggage and bolted forward.
If anyone saw, I'd wanna die from embarrassment.
A bit later, even though Dalpi and I mess around a lot, I seriously told her that if this kept up, my manhood would vanish, turning me into a TS bishoujo who'd end up acting or VTubing—so please put me down.
"Sorry."
Dalpi bowed her head in apology.
"Don't do it again, okay?"
"Understood. Then, pardon me again."
Dalpi scooped me up.
This time, it was princess carry.
"......"
One sec I was the heroine of some ero doujin, now a shoujo manga lead?
I covered my face with both hands.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Let's just go."
Dalpi didn't get a man's heart.
Anyway, after all the hassle, we reached the spawn point.
"That's...."
We had no choice but to tense up.
A massive darkness swirled before us.
It was made of sharp black substances arranged like sunflower petals encircling a blazing orb.
At the orb's center burned flames, larger than a person.
『It's Dargishkal's egg. Dargishkal is a colossal dragon-class demon, one of the mightiest death dragons active when the first king founded the Justina Kingdom. The great archmages and swordmasters barely sealed it away, but....』
At the cost of countless lives.
Looks like something that shouldn't awaken was about to.
"A dragon...."
『You must shatter the egg before Dargishkal fully descends. If it starts moving in earnest, Tristy Autonomous Region will be 100% obliterated.』
Terrifying.
First time Nob AI had warned so directly.
A monster that could wipe out the entire territory—leagues beyond the demons I'd Hell Tanked.
I stared at Dargishkal's egg, still swirling fiercely.
『Only the Hell Tank's Hellfire main gun can destroy the egg.』
Shoulders grew heavy knowing it was my job alone.
***
The demons' assault had quieted for now.
A chance to catch our breath, so most folks except the guards were resting.
The mages who'd been gleefully firing the magic weapons earlier took a break, gazing at the Hell Tank.
"So this is the steam tank Young Master Ester rode in on...."
"The armor alone is no joke. It's infused with serious mana—mithril, but not pure. Probably an alloy."
"There've been tons of attempts to alloy mithril in the Heavenly Faction, but all failures. Did Young Master Ester pull it off?"
The mages' eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Like kids spotting a new toy, they buzzed with excitement.
"That bombardment Young Master Ester fired earlier was Hellfire, right?"
"Must come from this massive main gun. Where's Young Master Ester?"
"He stepped out for a bit, I hear."
The mages exchanged glances.
"Wanna sneak inside...."
"Just a peek couldn't hurt, right?"
Irresistible for mages.
Ester's Hell Tank felt revolutionary and beautiful, like a caveman first seeing fire.
"Kyarruk."
They tried slipping inside while Ester was away.
But.
"What are you all doing?"
The mages froze instantly.
Haniel stood there, hands on hips, glaring at them.
"You're not thinking of sneaking in without Ester's permission, are you?"
"N-No way...."
The mages slunk away, dejected.
Haniel watched them go, then glanced around.
No one but Ian.
"Miss?"
"Cough, hush."
Haniel was a mage first, noble lady second.
She'd seen the Hell Tank blueprints but never the real thing.
Curiosity was inevitable.
Just as Haniel reached for the hatch.
"Haniel?"
Zephyr called to her.
"You're not thinking of sneaking in without Ester's permission, are you?"
"......"
Haniel yanked her hand back, caught red-handed.
"No way. As the designer, why would I be curious about my own invention's insides...."
Zephyr confirmed Haniel and Ian had scurried off.
Then he climbed up and placed a hand on the hatch.
'No one's around, right?'
Even non-mages would think the Hell Tank was badass.
Zephyr swallowed hard.
The Hellfire main gun's overwhelming firepower ignited a fire in his manly heart.
He craved that ferocious engine roar from the battlefield again.
This was the first machine to make his heart pound like an engine.
"Brother?"
Ester and Dalpi had returned from the field.
They stared at Zephyr perched atop the Hell Tank.
Too focused, he'd missed their approach—disaster.
"Blood's caked on thick. Better maintain it regularly. Can't let a fine weapon like this rust."
Zephyr didn't panic.
Cool as ever, he pretended to wipe the hatch.
"Ah, thanks."
"......"
Inside, Zephyr sulked.
"Got something to tell you, brother."
"Already done scouting? Thought it'd take longer."
Ester nodded.
And then.
"We found Dargishkal's egg. To survive this polar anomaly, we need to destroy it fast."
Ester delivered the shocking news.