Intruders
"Lea-nim."
"What?"
"Just hypothetically. Really hypothetically. What if I had lost?"
"?"
NyaNya asked this mid-cast of the basic attack spell following defensive basics—Mana Wave. Beside her, Haring was grumbling, "This takes three minutes...?" Off in the distance was Kazen, but he was even slower than NyaNya. I eyed her while holding the former Magic Tower Lord's staff.
"If you lost?"
"Would you have taken him in then?"
"You didn't lose."
"But I could have. It was actually kinda touch-and-go."
"Wasn't touch-and-go."
If she couldn't handle that much, there'd be no point in my teaching her. Plus, with the Eye Staff, NyaNya's odds of losing were less than 0.1%. Sure, she could've panicked so hard she forgot to use it... but still.
"Umm... why not?"
"Why?"
Why, she asks. Even though it was our first time meeting the guy, I had plenty of reasons. First off.
"I'm not a babysitter."
"Ah."
"I've already got eleven heroes. Way more than enough."
"True."
Heroes had multiplied like crazy lately, but back in the day, double digits were rare. Eleven was a huge number. Sure, two had run off, three were half-assing it, but even the six diligently training were plenty. Once they finished and headed down the mountain, I had zero intention of taking more.
"I never planned on six to begin with..."
"How many do you usually teach?"
"Max of two. It's not like I'm the only teacher in the world."
There were tons of great mentors who could properly guide heroes. Take Bahamut, chilling leisurely at his villa in retirement. He'd teach better than me. It irked me seeing him grumble, "That's for the youngsters to handle~" Sure, I got his position, but this was goddess business—heroes should deal with it, not dump it on some unrelated third party.
"Hmph."
"Still, you're the best, Lea-nim."
"Me too!!"
"Hehe. Indeed. Lea-nim is the supreme dragon..."
"Dragons aren't just me. Plenty out there if you look."
Ice Dragon, Earth Dragon, Water Dragon, Black Dragon... tons. I was the only Flame Dragon, but others could still offer meaningful guidance.
"They've all taught heroes at least once, so no issues there."
"Do those dragons all look like you, Lea-nim?"
"Nah? I'm probably the only one this age."
Most dragon polymorphs matched their actual age. Unless they forced it, no other kid form like mine—maybe a newborn or two in the meantime.
"No way!"
"...?"
Yugi suddenly screamed from the training clearing in the distance, but I ignored him. Wasn't the first time that creep pulled that.
NyaNya sighed. "Kinda sad. Only one cutie like you in the world."
"Don't get cheeky."
"Hehe."
I magicked NyaNya off as she tried clinging again. She floated back to her spot mid-air. I turned.
"Not you either."
"Ack!"
Haring, who'd snuck up behind, went flying into the dirt face-first. She flailed for ages before escaping.
"Why me?!"
"Second offense. Harsher penalty."
"......"
"Any other reasons?"
"Don't rely too much on gear. That guy did."
Good equipment was a hero's virtue, sure—but not for mages. If you breathe weapons, magic stones, scrolls like air, what happens when you can't? You turn helpless, ripe for some weak monster to kill you.
"Weapon users are fine unarmed—their bodies are tough enough for basics. But mages..."
"Drop the staff, and we're corpses."
"Exactly."
Even NyaNya, juggling five spells already, could barely handle two without her staff. And way slower. But that skull-masked hero was stronger than her—yet the gap was huge.
"Without his staff, that guy couldn't cast a single spell."
"Yeah... hard to find staffless mage heroes."
"Habits like that don't fix easy. Once they know the comfy path, few backtrack to the hard one."
Could force it, sure. But why? He looked like a total pain, and we weren't that short on heroes.
We've got 'em overflowing.
The world wouldn't end without him. And the biggest reason...
"He's an arrogant prick. Hate that."
"Ah."
"Who comes to my place causing a ruckus?"
No way I'd take him. Ever.
＊
"She'll never take us."
"Your fault for acting like an ass."
"Duh?"
"So what's the plan?"
Near Red Mountain, Husk's guild base sprawled over about 200 pyeong: three two-story buildings. The largest held around forty users waiting. They should've been raiding, hunting, doing main or hidden quests—but guild master's callout had them gathered.
Husk eyed them from his GM throne. "You all saw the vid I sent?"
"Yeah."
"Saw it!"
"Insane, right? Can I get one?"
"A newbie with a never-before-seen legendary weapon. And she used it."
Get it? The guild stirred at Husk's words. A cheat weapon that warped terrain beyond mere combat. With that...
"Raids would be cakewalk."
"Yeah. No need tiptoeing around ogre necks for others. Plus..."
"Plus?"
"We could crush Cheon-sang."
"Ooooooh!!!"
"Finally stepping on those pricks?"
"Let's go! Sick of 'em."
"But how? Dragon ain't handing it over."
"Good question."
Husk nodded. Plan A—earn dragon's favor as disciple, get weapon as reward—was busted. The rank-7 mage losing to a three-month newbie had tanked it. No point groveling now; she'd reject.
"Intel says dragon's done taking disciples. Even begging won't work."
"Intel? From who?"
"Player on a quest there. Paid for deets."
Not a disciple, but long nest-stayer meant solid info: treasury spot, layout, dragon's patterns. Enough to grab what they wanted.
"Some distract, others raid the treasury."
＊
"Dragon-nim!"
"Dragon-sama!"
"Lea-nim!"
"Loyalty! Loyalty!"
"?"
One lazy day overseeing hero training, suddenly seven-ish heroes burst into the nest. They even breached the sealed entrance. The noise drew training heroes to the mouth.
"What now?"
"Again?"
"Seven this time?"
"Noob gear, but..."
Shabby equipment—like when I first met Haring, maybe worse. How'd they breach the sealed entrance? Didn't look strong.
Mouse hole or something?
I'd blocked everything visible. As I approached, the leader-looking guy slammed his head down.
"O great and supreme Dragon-nim!"
"?"
"Take us as disciples!"
"Take us!"
"Please!"
"Loyalty! Loyalty!"
"......"
No thanks. Talent, mindset aside—I wasn't taking more. Honestly, six was too many; debating cutting the three who didn't pass.
No room.
"Can't do it."
"Give us a chance!"
"Please! Please!"
"Loyalty!"
"No. Not taking more. Leave nicely."
"But..."
"No means no~."
I sighed softly, raising a hand. Nice words don't work on types like this. Scare 'em a bit, though, and they'd bolt...
"......?"
"What's up, Lea-nim?"
"Intruder."
"Huh?"
"There's an intruder."
Someone had entered the treasury.