Chapter 120: Where on Earth Did You Get This?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 120: Where on Earth Did You Get This?
As I was being dragged along by Rien, a massive bear entered my field of vision.
Yes, a literal giant bear was walking down the street with a honey pot tucked under its arm.
"A bear...!"
"That's not a bear, that's Horaru. She's the Druid who went with me during the Underground City campaign."
"Ah. The honey-loving Druid...?"
"Yes. That person. Or rather, that bear."
Rien and Horaru didn't have much overlap. Rien had left after rescuing Rika and Erika, and Horaru joined the team I formed later with Rohan and Hachi.
"Horaru! It’s been a while!"
"Mmm? Sion?"
When I waved and called out, Horaru approached us.
Her physique was truly unbelievable. Seeing a massive brown bear Druid—one that looked capable of tearing a person apart—lumbering toward us was incredibly intimidating.
"It really has been a long time."
"Mmm. It has. Long time no see. Want some honey?"
"No, thank you."
Looking at the fluffy-furred Horaru, my heart felt strangely warmed.
She was truly majestic. Just look at that frame; she looked like she feared nothing in this world. One swipe from those forepaws felt like it would shatter every bone in my body.
The problem was that she used that physical build to play the role of a mage. If Horaru had gone the path of a Druid Warrior, how strong would she have been? She wouldn't have stayed at the Silver Badge rank.
"U-Um... hello..."
"Mmm. Bespectacled beauty."
"Pardon...?"
"Mmm. Sion's better half?"
"No! Rien is just a friend."
"Hrmmm. I see. You two look close."
"We're just friends..."
Rien pushed me away quickly, looking flustered.
"Mmm. Youth."
"I told you, it's not like that!"
"Mmm. Everyone says that. Then I see them a few months later and they're pregnant."
"Hey, watch it!"
"..."
Rien was left speechless by Horaru's blunt remarks, and I had to step in to clarify that it wasn't the case.
"Mmm. I need to find a mate too. But there's no suitable candidate."
"Um, Horaru, are you looking to meet another bear beastman?"
"Mmm. They say sexual compatibility is best within the same species."
"...."
"Sorry, was that too blunt? It's because I'm at a marriageable age right now."
Among beastmen, "marriageable age" is a euphemism for being in heat. Since saying "I'm in heat" sounds a bit crude, they use "marriageable age" as a roundabout way of putting it.
I see. No wonder she was carrying around a whole pot of sweet honey and gorging on it. It was a way to relieve stress caused by sexual frustration.
This is crazy. I don't think I've seen many other bear beastmen in this city besides Horaru. If some poor guy gets caught by her, he's going to be hooked for life.
Come to think of it... I heard that male rape victims account for 40 percent of all rape cases.
I need to be careful around Horaru. This female bear beastman is currently desperate for a mate. If she suddenly pounced on me, there's no way I could win physically.
Even if I've consumed the Giant's Essence, it's true that I'm still slightly inferior to the raw physical strength of a Silver Badge beastman. Above all, they say rapists exert seven times their usual strength. Whether that's a myth or not, if I get caught the wrong way, it's game over.
"By the way, Horaru, where were you headed? I hope we're not holding you up."
At my question, Horaru scooped out a handful of honey, stuffed it into her mouth, and replied.
"Mmm, sweet. I'm not in a huge rush. I was on my way to the Magic Tower."
"We were on our way there too..."
"Really? Let's go together."
And so, we headed to the Magic Tower with Horaru.
"But what business do you have at the Magic Tower?"
"The Tower Lord called me. Said she needs help."
"What?"
Wait, this wasn't in the plans.
"Mmm? Why?"
"Ah, well, I'm actually on my way to see the Tower Lord myself..."
"Is that so? I don't think I'll take long. Let's go in together."
"Is that alright?"
"Mmm. I don't mind. Actually, I've hardly ever been to the Magic Tower. It's a bit scary to go alone."
If Horaru was fine with it, then it didn't matter. The Tower Lord would probably be happy to have two experimental subjects show up at once.
"Then I'll head up... See you later."
"Yeah. See you later."
Rien waved and headed up to the second floor.
She would probably start learning how to create scrolls from Lord now.
"Let's head down."
"Mmm."
Horaru, who had finished all the honey before I knew it, casually tossed the honey pot into a corner of the Magic Tower and followed me downstairs.
Wait, is it okay to just litter like that?
"It's fine, it's fine."
Horaru laughed and patted my back as if it were no big deal.
Well, even if she gets caught and scolded later, it won't be me getting in trouble, so I guess it's fine.
"Oh! If it isn't Sion?"
"Ah, Marle."
Marle, who looked like he had just come out of the Tower Lord's laboratory, greeted us.
The way his shadow still writhed was as unsettling as ever.
"Is the person next to you Horaru?"
"Mmm. Cute blonde bespectacled boy."
"Excuse me?"
Why has she been obsessed with glasses since earlier?
I don't know. The look in Horaru's eyes is strange.
"Um, Sion. Could you tell me why this person is acting like this all of a sudden?"
"Ah, well. Horaru is currently at a marriageable age."
"Ah! I see...! Ahaha."
Marle began to back away slowly.
It was the first time I'd seen that man look intimidated.
"Huff. Huff."
By the way, the look in Horaru's eyes is getting very strange.
Before we entered the Magic Tower, she had the vibe of Winnie the Pooh.
Now, she has the eyes of a literal crazed bear. The art style has changed.
I wonder if a killer bear that just ate a whole box of cocaine would have eyes like this.
What the... why is she flaring her nostrils? Her wild instincts are twitching...!
Her breathing is also strangely heavy. I'm currently feeling the kind of fear one might feel when encountering a bear in the wild.
And it seemed Marle felt the same. Horaru didn't take her eyes off him.
Under Horaru's aggressive self-assertion, Marle's shadow visibly shriveled up, looking like a wilting cock.
You're trembling, aren't you?
"I have a lot of work piled up. So, if you'll excuse me!"
He fled immediately to escape Horaru. If he hadn't left quickly, he might have been devoured by her.
"Horaru. Horaru!"
"Gasp..! Mmm. Sorry."
"It's fine. More importantly, you really need to find a mate soon."
"Mmm. That was close. I almost became a criminal."
Good grief. Now I'm scared too.
"S-Should we head inside?"
"Mmm. Let's."
I need to throw her to the Tower Lord and get out of here before I'm dragged into a bathroom by Horaru.
I couldn't stand the fear any longer.
No matter how much of a degenerate life I lead—injecting semen into slimes and sleeping with widows—I am not a furry.
"Ah... you've come... Hm? Porter, you're here too..."
"It's been a while, Tower Lord."
"Mmm. Hello?"
When we entered the laboratory, Mabel was sitting at her desk with a deathly expression.
She said she lost two experimental subjects; she looks like she's lost the whole world.
"Mmm. You asked for help, so I'm here. What's the request?"
"Ah. Right, I'm a bit out of it right now. Both of you, sit and wait for a moment. I'll get you some tea."
It seemed she was going to serve that mysterious tea I had last time.
"Mmm. Is that person always so gloomy?"
"Well, she's always been a bit dark, but she wasn't like a depression patient. I heard she's had some bad luck recently."
"Mmm. I see."
While I was whispering with Horaru, the Tower Lord served the tea.
"Here, drink."
"Thank you."
"Mmm. A mysterious flavor."
Only after taking a sip of tea did the Tower Lord finally speak.
"Horaru. I have a favor to ask of you. Would you participate in an experiment?"
"Mmm. You have to tell me what kind of experiment it is first. And is it okay for Sion to listen in?"
"I don't particularly mind if Sion hears. I might need his help as well."
"Wait, what kind of experiment is it that you need my help?"
"First, I should tell you about the failed experiment."
Mabel let out a deep sigh and rubbed her face several times before finally speaking again.
"There was a dragon egg."
"What????"
"Mmm? A dragon? A dragon?"
A dragon.
Suddenly? No, why is a dragon—something that rarely even appears in Utopia—crawling out here?
"I happened to obtain a dragon egg by chance."
"Is that something you just 'happen' to find?"
"An Uncharted Territory pioneer team found an egg inside a wooden box. After bringing it here and investigating... it turned out to be a dragon egg. It seemed to be an artifact from thousands of years ago, back when mystery still permeated this land."
"And? What did you do with it?"
"I succeeded in hatching it."
"What?"
You hatched a dragon egg?
Hatching an egg of a Great Calamity inside the city. You're out of your mind.
"No, holy shit, is that true?"
"Yes. Out of three eggs, I hatched two."
"Ah, don't tell me."
I had heard from Lafnel that the Tower Lord was depressed because two experimental subjects had died.
Don't tell me those two subjects were...
"I raised them for over three years. During the first molting process, one died. The other... changed into something strange even before it could molt."
"..."
"Mmm. A dragon. Hooo."
Horaru made strange noises, looking restless.
"Horaru, are you okay?"
"Dragons are dangerous. Dragons are calamities. The forest folk never touch dragon eggs."
Horaru expressed her anxiety.
Unlike before, she looked paralyzed with fear.
"Calm down, Horaru."
"Mmm, it would be strange to be calm. Tower Lord. Why, why did you hatch it?"
"Because it had utility. I thought if I could only tame it... I could accelerate the Labyrinth walkthrough."
"You tried to tame a calamity for the sake of the Labyrinth?"
"Has there been any adventurer who has properly explored the 7th Floor in the last ten years? No. Labyrinth City has stagnated. We can't dream of a future in this state. We must go to Utopia. We must conquer that place and open a new era..."
"Tower Lord."
"...I'm sorry. I'm just a bit mentally cornered. Haaa. This is driving me crazy. To think it would die so hollowly after all the effort I put in."
"You said one died out of the two you hatched, but one is still left."
"I consider that one... as good as dead... Follow me."
Horaru and I followed the Tower Lord deeper into the laboratory.
"This is..."
"It showed an abnormal reaction during molting and became like this."
"...."
It looked like, how should I put it, an egg of an aquatic creature.
"We decided to call this a Dragon Hatchling."
Inside a translucent membrane filled with liquid, a small lizard was curled up. It looked as if a creature that had been born had returned to its egg.
A pitch-black dragon with tiny wings on its back. Was it a Black Dragon hatchling?
"Horaru. The reason I called you is none other than..."
"Mmm. You want me to commune with the Dragon Hatchling?"
"Correct. I heard that you have the best communion abilities in the Druid Club. Can you do it?"
"Mmm. This is... essentially a seed of calamity. I don't know what the result will be."
"Considering the time I've poured in and the astronomical costs... I have to grasp at any straw."
Mabel's face was stained with frustration.
And Helena, who was watching this whole situation from within me, spoke up cautiously.
—Sion. Don't you have the Spirit Beast's Heart?
'Yes, I have two.'
I had bought them from the Frogman. But why was she asking all of a sudden?
The moment I felt the doubt, Helena spoke again.
—If we play this right... we might be able to take this for ourselves.
'What!!??'
The dragon that the Tower Lord had poured her time, effort, and astronomical research funds into... I could just snatch it?
I had to desperately suppress the smile that was trying to spread across my face.