Chapter 78
Chapter 78
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Dragon's Curiosity
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“How the hell did that guy get his hands on something like this?”
Lepid muttered as he fiddled with the Siren prototype in his hand, and Alkaido let out a low voice.
“I’m well aware of Lord Lepid’s status, but this is a human city. Wouldn’t it be wise to watch your words?”
“Tch. In this pathetic human world, I suppose we should follow human customs.”
Lepid grumbled, thinking of his sealed racial trait. Even polymorphed into a human with a decent level of mage prowess, he couldn’t ignore the swordsman Alkaido trailed like a shadow in this cramped room.
“So, where’d Adelian snag this from?”
He’d figured it was just dumb luck for the human. Even if it was just a snort of breath rather than a full dragon’s breath, surviving that was sheer fortune.
A shield artifact? Possessing one strong enough to block even a single dragon breath was luck in itself.
‘But that wasn’t it.’
Arrogant but lucky, with passable eloquence—a human noble. That had been Lepid’s assessment of Adelian. But coming here, he realized he’d been wrong.
“Could he really have gotten this just by luck? And those traits he’s got with him—they didn’t seem ordinary either.”
Doppleganger and Siren. Deals with the top Chavid tribe. And that black-haired man who was so brazen he might not even fear a dragon.
Even though Lepid himself was under forced polymorph into a human, that relentless skill.
At such a young age.
And turns out he was a slave Adelian bought at auction.
“The young master’s trait is called Foresight Eye, I hear.”
“That’s the problem, butler.”
Lepid chuckled, squishing the squishy Siren like he might pop it.
“What did he see to prepare all this?”
Just this Siren alone—if Lepid helped mass-produce it successfully—sent shivers down his spine thinking of the upheaval it could bring to the continent.
Add in Chavid, rugged on the surface but riddled with mana veins, unified and advancing, and that infuriating human growing into a hero-level figure.
Hell, he might found a kingdom.
“Can you swear it?”
Alkaido’s loaded question made Lepid’s red eyes flash.
“Curiosity kills the dragon.”
* * *
[Lodging?]
“Yeah, lodging. A log cabin about a twenty-minute walk from that inn where we split up, out on the outskirts. It’s pretty decent.”
[Understood.]
Thanks to my diligent party members’ efforts, I scanned the spotless log cabin—shining like new—and spoke into the Siren.
“What about you?”
No need to whisper since we were inside, so I yawned freely as I asked, and Kane replied through it.
[They checked the letter’s authenticity. Then filled out three forms. The last was a nondisclosure agreement, so I can’t say much.]
“I get the gist. No tests yet, huh?”
I leaned back in my chair, nodding off, and grinned at the affirmative through the Siren.
“Skah’s too flashy, so stick to the plain longsword we prepped.”
“Kane senior?”
Luna and Zero crept closer, having seen the Siren chat. Oh, right—does Leaf’s thoughts transmit through it too?
We’d wrapped up the urgent stuff, so I handed the Siren to Zero. I watched them take turns holding it and chatting as I opened my trait window.
[Luna Index—Advancing Kicker]
Main Traits: [Cuteness (S)] [Leg Power (S)] [Loyalty (B+)]
Hidden Traits: [Berserk (B+)] [Lust Devil (C)]
Compared to before the spirit forest, her timidity trait was gone, replaced by Loyalty.
Lust Devil aside, why’d Berserk go up?
“They said it’s noisy, then the line went quiet.”
“Yeah? We’ll be doing calls like this sometimes.”
Luna muttered “calls?” at my offhand remark.
“It’s a conversation through the Siren, so yeah, a call.”
I bullshitted reflexively, snatched the Siren back, and stashed it in my subspace.
“How’s it for you, Leaf? Can you talk to Kane?”
—Yes, Administrator. Thoughts transmit fine through that Siren thing.
Might be strategically useful later.
Still in my chair, I stretched and eyed Luna, Zero, and Leaf.
My party members who trusted and relied on me.
No need to spill everything, but at least tell them why we’re grinding.
“Leaf doesn’t know yet, right? Our… no, my goal. And while I’m at it, I’ll tell you what I’m after here.”
No plans to drone on about the Evil God cult to force-feed hostility.
We’d cross paths with them or witness their crap soon enough—one glimpse beats a hundred lectures.
“I’ve got Foresight Eye.”
Luna and Zero’s faces got weird at that, but Leaf was key. I grinned confidently.
—So that’s how you knew about me. Seniors said you came to the ruins—the airship—for a baron tanker.
Leaf’s flat tone carried a question mark, and I nodded.
“It’s a journey prepping for a few things coming to the continent. And here, one person who’ll help me get what I want is Rachel.”
“She doesn’t seem to think so.”
“Of course not. She doesn’t know.”
I chuckled at Luna’s pout, and Zero piped up.
“So we’re using that woman?”
“Not just for me—ultimately good for Rachel too. Mutual benefit?”
They sent me for this, right? I use Rachel to level Kane, mooch off her, and future Rachel wins.
Damn straight.
Zero whispered to Luna at my bright smile, like he got it.
“Looks like we’ll have another junior soon.”
“Makes me a bit sorry for her.”
—I’ll follow whatever you do, Administrator. Even if it’s conquering this continent…
“What’re you saying? I’m not that ambitious.”
I cut Leaf off, asserting my innocence.
“I’m just a simple guy wishing happy lives for those I care about.”
“Simple guys don’t carry corpses in their subspace, Lord Adelian.”
Zero jabbed slyly, and I sucked in a breath as he averted his eyes.
Fair. Time to ditch Zero’s original body, still preserved in there.
“Feeling better about your face, so ditch the grad photo vibe?”
“What’s a grad photo?”
It exists. The cursed item that twists you like calamari on a fire if your date finds it at home.
* * *
Got tons of gold, party units leveled enough to unlock sub-weapon slots? You buy store-bought gear and equip it.
With cheat-level cash, screw cost-efficiency—slap on the highest-grade stuff from the village shop.
“Straggler orc spotted at three o’clock. I’ll pin it first.”
Zero drew an arrow from an apparently empty quiver and nocked it on the horn bowstring.
Bows are finicky in reality versus games. Limbs and strings warp with moisture or temp, and you can’t carry endless arrows.
‘But money fixes that.’
Waterproofed bow, regular arrows—quiver holds 500 weightless. Buyable with cash.
“Stragglers flee more than regulars, so I’ll tail it.”
—I’ll go too.
I stopped them, perched on a splintered log the monster must’ve hit.
“Not even an orc warrior—let Zero solo.”
“Right. Senior, junior.”
Krraaah!
Zero smiled sweetly at my words, then unleashed arrows—feathers-deep—into the charging straggler orc’s torso a few times before dashing forward.
No aura or mana in non-emergencies to build combat sense—made for tense fights.
“Reminds me of saving Kane at the training grounds.”
Kicked around like crazy, yeah.
I chugged water, watching Zero harvest the ear proof and straggler brand-cut, when the mood chilled.
Luna sat across on a log, face sour; Leaf glanced away.
“You’re here?”
“Yup!”
Ugh, ears ringing.
I craned back, glaring skyward, clucking my tongue.
“Why keep tailing us, Rachel?”
“You gonna bet or what? A month of subjugations—you’ve got experience now.”
Waiting for a subjugation favoring me over her, duh.
“Started with goblin, kobold trash—now slow orcs, and you still dodge me!”
Throat sore, I straightened and sipped water at her huffing.
“You’re here.”
“Yeah.”
Zero handed me the bloody ear and tattooed skin, greeting Rachel; she boomed back heartily.
“But you, Rachel—stop chasing me and do proper subs. Got inn money?”
Red dragons are notoriously hot-tempered—Brainless Rachel any different?
She’s not normally this underpowered here. Elite for big raids or regular teams, but her spendthrift ass.
Subs need self-prep: rations, flint, weapons, clothes, bedrolls. Big ones more so. But she blows cash, buys three days’ food, pays inns daily.
Chasing big-ticket subs instead of me would net savings, but she tails me, farms small fry, then blows it on booze.
“I-Inn?”
Can’t confidently answer if she has inn cash—hesitates.
I sniffed her hand near my nose.
Spicy spices, fresh oil—not body odor.
“Emergency rations are premium jerky? Bed’s dirt, blanket’s sky tonight?”
Luna wiped my hand with water-dampened cloth as I dropped Rachel’s.
“Urk, so hurry and bet—you lose, ten gold!”
Good booze in but can’t buy! Red dragon stomped. I clucked at the not-ex-dragonlord.
“No bed for you tonight. No food share.”
Luna said flatly, but heavy intent—Rachel grabbed her shoulders.
“Why? You got rooms!”
“That’s Kane’s room.”
“Why! Heard you pre-ordered boar too.”
Rachel shook Luna begging; Luna sulked, head-shaking. I smirked—then Kane’s voice hit my mind.
[Graduated. First regular subjugation in three days.]
Kane, as expected.
First field op in a month.