Chapter 75
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Translator: Xrecker
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: A Clash of Dragons and Tigers
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After my conversation with Ozma, we regrouped with Camilla, who was waiting outside.
She bowed her head slightly in greeting.
I remembered her enthusiastic applause earlier, but for the sake of her privacy, I didn't mention it.
While I wanted to go back to our quarters and take a shower, we had spent quite some time talking, and there was no time for that.
I brushed the dust off my clothes and put on my robe, then tucked my mask into my pocket.
It hasn’t fallen off once.
The mask, which had stayed firmly on my face despite my vigorous movements, was truly a marvel of engineering. It was just an ordinary mask, without any magic, yet it performed so well.
Having prepared myself, I quietly left the arena.
The place was now deserted. With the tournament over, there was no reason for anyone to stick around.
We made our way to Gav's residence in the western part of the village.
***
To be honest, I had thought the guest quarters were quite luxurious.
I had been to the mansions of various nobles in the kingdom and had even stayed in the royal castle's guest rooms, so I was used to a certain level of opulence.
But I was a frog in a well.
Gav's residence was the pinnacle of extravagance.
It was more of a palace than a residence, built entirely of marble.
The entrance was grand and imposing, designed to accommodate Gav in his true form.
"Welcome, my friends."
Gav, approaching us with a grin, slung his arms around Ozma's and my shoulders.
I winced at the weight and asked,
"Since when did we become friends?"
"Huh? Aren't all men friends after a good fistfight?"
"Coming from a bisexual dragon, that's quite a statement."
"Gyahaha! You've got a sharp tongue!"
Gav slapped me on the back, then turned to Ozma, who looked uncomfortable.
"Are you still sulking about losing?"
Ozma replied frostily,
"Not at all."
"Come on, it's written all over your face."
"I said, I'm not."
"Really?"
"You're persistent!"
Ozma finally snapped, and Gav, laughing, retreated.
"Well, since it's your first time here, I'll give you a tour. Dinner isn't ready yet, anyway."
"Ah, in that case, I can wait."
A tour of a dragon's lair was a rare opportunity.
Ozma still looked reluctant, but since I had agreed, she didn't object.
"Then, let me show you my secret collection."
Gav, rubbing his hands together in glee, led us to the treasury in the basement of his residence.
The awe I had felt in the Demon Lord's treasury returned.
It was a mountain of treasure, stretching as far as the eye could see.
It was said that dragons loved treasure, and Gav, despite his simple attire, was no exception.
"Is there a reason you collect so much?"
I asked, and Gav, tilting his head, replied,
"Is there ever a downside to being rich?"
A surprisingly practical answer from a dragon.
Well, it wasn't like they collected things just because they were shiny, like magpies.
You could often tell a person's character by looking at their storage space. Gav's treasury was… a mess.
It was a stark contrast to the Demon Lord's meticulously organized treasury. It had a more… primitive feel, like a typical friend's messy room.
When I asked how he found anything in this chaos, Gav replied that he had a perfect memory.
Indeed, a feat only a dragon could achieve.
If it were me, I wouldn't be able to find my socks from yesterday, let alone a specific item in a mountain of treasure.
We looked at his collection of grimoires, board games, coins, and Tribal Wars cards, then returned to the drawing room.
I would have loved to spend more time admiring the rare cards, some hundreds of years old, but it would have taken all night, so I had to tear myself away.
The corridors were lined with works of art, the most prominent being the portraits of past chieftains.
Aside from their scale colors, they all resembled Earth Dragons, or Tyrannosaurs. To be honest, they all looked the same to me.
Blood was thicker than water, I suppose. It was like how all Asians looked the same to foreigners.
As I was admiring the portraits of the various Tyrannosaurs, I noticed one with a particularly ornate nameplate.
[The Second Demon Lord - Tiberius Caesar Divi Augustus Samael]
So, this black Tyrannosaurus was the one who had built the Demon Lord's castle.
I was curious about his human form, but I assumed it wouldn't be much different from Gav's.
Anyway, the walk to the drawing room wasn't boring, with all the art on display.
"Welcome."
A man who appeared to be the chief steward greeted us.
Maids approached to take our cloaks, but I, wearing my dirty clothes underneath, politely declined and sat down on the sofa.
The room was filled with the fragrant aroma of high-quality tea.
Camilla, the foodie, and Ozma, with her sweet tooth, were mesmerized by the dessert tower on the table.
"Ahem!"
I coughed, and Ozma, snapping out of her daze, straightened her posture.
Camilla also sat up straight, her tail stiff, a clear sign of nervousness.
Gav, still shirtless, took a sip of his tea and asked,
"Patrasche, do you know why I invited you here?"
I tilted my head, surprised by the sudden question.
"Didn't you just invite me for a meal?"
Gav smiled cryptically and shook his head.
"No, that's not it."
"Then why?"
He took another sip of his tea, building the suspense, then said in a serious tone,
"Patrasche, will you be my mate?"
“…Excuse me? Did I hear you correctly?”
Gav, with a confident expression, repeated himself.
“Patrasche, be my mate.”
No, you have to be shitting me.
Was I hearing things?
***
At Gav’s sudden proposal, I could only stare in shock and horror. Ozma, sitting beside me, jumped to her feet.
“Wh-What are you talking about?! Why are you proposing to Patrasche?!”
Gav closed his eyes and replied,
“I felt it during our fight. He is the one. The one with the most suitable genes to bear my offspring.”
“You’re insane!”
Ozma’s shriek echoed through the drawing room.
I felt the same way.
I quickly tried to dissuade Gav, who was clearly making a move on me.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not gay. Perhaps you should find someone else.”
Gav tilted his head nonchalantly.
“Is this form the problem? I can change. I can accommodate your preferences.”
His large body was suddenly enveloped in a blinding light.
His muscular frame softened, and his features became more feminine.
His broad chest transformed into a pair of firm breasts, and his thick waist became slender and shapely.
In an instant, the handsome man had transformed into a beautiful, muscular woman.
“So, how about this?”
She asked, her voice now a seductive purr.
Since she had been shirtless before, her teardrop-shaped breasts were now on full display, partially covered by her long, lion’s-mane-like hair.
I was conflicted.
To be honest, in this form, she was… doable.
But the image of her macho form was still fresh in my mind, and the thought of it violated my sense of human dignity.
As I was torn between my rational and primal instincts, Ozma, unable to stand by any longer, intervened.
“No! I won’t allow this relationship! Over my dead body!”
Gav, his voice now as captivating as his new form, chuckled.
“Ozma, what right do you have to tell him what to do?”
Provoked, Ozma’s face flushed with anger.
“Patrasche and I are already engaged!”
What?!
I am?!
I turned my head in shock at Ozma’s sudden declaration.