Chapter 174
Chapter 174
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: 18. What Did I Do? (6)
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Dragon.
The supreme being on land, needing no introduction.
Even humans who call themselves rulers of the continent, and demonkin who pride themselves as the strongest race, shut their mouths and scramble to flee the moment a dragon appears.
And yet, right now, some shameless bastards were asking a mere human—no matter how much of a hero he was—to capture that dragon for them.
“Please!”
The problem was that those shameless bastards were bowing their heads.
And the one bowing was this country’s number one prince in line for the throne.
In other words, the prince who had been all but confirmed as the next king was bowing his head in front of his subjects!
- If we push with status, wouldn’t your disciple outrank him?
- No, this guy’s officially a commoner right now.
Normally, the hero’s status would be higher than a prince of such a minor kingdom.
After all, the power of House Raina, which rules a grand duchy in the Karan Empire, is greater!
This small kingdom was a weakling nation that would struggle even against Belselk Kingdom, one of the weakest on the continent next door.
But this guy had thoroughly hidden the fact that he was a son of House Raina.
And with the infighting among his siblings over, House Raina didn’t seem to welcome the return of this guy, who was gaining fame as a hero.
Thanks to that, House Raina was also strictly keeping his identity under wraps!
So, as far as the public knew, this guy was just an ordinary commoner.
And yet, the prince in front of him was still bowing his head.
“Please, Hero.”
It was a solid blow.
He’d probably thought of it as just some nearby noble coming to meet the hero.
But for the prince to bow his head and beg!
“Please, raise your head.”
“I know this is an impudent request. But... for the sake of my little sister...”
The hero tried to hide his fluster and asked him to lift his head, but the prince ignored it.
No, he was begging even harder, as if ready to drop to his knees.
“This is troubling.”
“I’m sorry for putting you in a difficult position, Hero. But for the sake of our kingdom and my sister...”
He’d been repeating that line endlessly.
Normally, he’d just give in with a sigh, but a dragon?
- A dragon? We’ve got Kkoko!
- You gonna pit a dragon that’s not even a year old against an ancient wyrm?
- Ancient wyrm? How do you even know that?
- There’s an evil dragon around here. I mentioned it before, right?
- Oh... That arrogant lizard daring to use two letters of this goddess’s name?
Dragons don’t usually reveal where they live, but other races go to great lengths to find out.
Because touching one by mistake could turn a small nation into a wasteland in an instant.
And if it gets pissed and rampages into neighboring countries, no one will accept refugees.
Then other dragons show up to restrain the rampaging one until it calms down, and afterward, they demand compensation for their mediation, fleecing them financially all over again.
But at least getting fleeced financially is better.
Other dragons will step in to mediate, even if it takes a while.
The problem is that the dragon living nearby is an evil dragon even other dragons hesitate to touch: Arketai.
- Master, did something bad just happen or what?
- “Or what.” It’s just a feeling.
I’d slipped up and said the name wrong for a second, and she caught it like a ghost.
“For now, please raise your head. And could you tell me the story, Your Highness?”
“Ah... Thank you.”
I’d only said I’d listen, but his tone already sounded like I’d agreed to the dragon raid.
What is this, practically insurance sales level...
I’d clearly said no in a roundabout way, but when they asked me to just check the contract once, I said okay, and they took it as agreeing to sign up. How ridiculous was that?
I wanted to tell the insurance guy what a “millstone handle” was called.
“I’ll keep it brief.”
And even that line matched the insurance guy’s exactly?
They call out of the blue, don’t say the purpose, ask if you can spare a moment for a short explanation, and when you check, it’s a 30-minute call!
“It happened about half a year ago.”
And the story that began was, of course, not brief.
No, an old painful memory.
It took twice as long as that insurance guy’s 30-minute pitch!
“So, to sum it up simply: the evil dragon Arketai, hearing rumors of your famously beautiful princess, stormed the kingdom demanding her?”
“Yes.”
And our hero neatly summarized the hour-long tale of woe for everyone else’s sake.
“Evil Dragon Arketai...”
The dragon they wanted hunted was, as I’d expected, an ancient wyrm among ancient wyrms over 20,000 years old: Evil Dragon Arketai!
- Give it up. No sane human challenges an ancient wyrm.
- Yeah. No sane... But Master?
- What?
- He’s your disciple. Think he’s actually insane?
A chill ran down my spine.
The moment I heard the steel pipe’s words, over ten faces came to mind.
I could almost see those faces beaming and waving at me.
“I’ll explain the details at the royal castle. I’m sorry, but could you come with us to our castle?”
“Understood.”
Hero, what nonsense is that?
That’s basically agreeing!
And in that instant, the mouths of my beaming disciples opened in unison in my head.
- Have a safe trip, Master.
Yeah, gotta go. Time to run!
“Oh, and this person is my master. He’s important, so please take extra care of him.”
Why does “take care of him” sound like “keep an eye on him”?
Just my imagination? Probably.
- No, they’re targeting you.
- Yeah, right?
His face was smiling, but his eyes were pleading for help.
Should’ve blocked the SOS before it went out. Why drag me into this mess?!
“Ooh, so you’re the Hero’s master!”
Damn, the prince’s target switched from the hero to me!
“I’m Naruan.”
“You’re the master of Sir Swin, the Hero of Light, our kingdom’s only hope for salvation? No need for such formalities.”
His tone already assumed we’d save the kingdom.
“No, we’re just traveling together due to old ties.”
I want to ditch him right now.
I already wanted to bail, but getting tangled with a dragon makes it even more urgent.
- Master? You call dragons “Grandpa,” don’t you?
- Up to age 10 is fine!
I figure a hero can handle a hatchling.
At that level, I could wait quietly in the kingdom.
- You’re not going with him.
- Fighting a dragon is insane no matter what.
A hatchling might be winnable, so I could watch from the kingdom. But a 20,000-year-old ancient wyrm? If it gets mad, it could hit the kingdom too, so waiting there’s impossible.
So I just want to bail at the right moment.
“Your Highness, the evil dragon has invaded the kingdom!”
“What?!”
That damn ancient wyrm beat us to the punch.
#3 Their Circumstances: A Certain Hero’s Circumstances
Rattling in the carriage, I stared blankly, lost in thought.
Why am I sitting here?
What am I doing this for!
To fight a dragon!
“Hero, is it possible?”
Hill, sitting beside me, looked at me anxiously.
Possible?
“No guarantees.”
Absolutely impossible.
But I couldn’t say that outright.
The prince was in the same carriage!
“As expected of the Hero’s master... Impressive horsemanship. A carriage racing at this speed is so stable...”
Trying to break the heavy mood, the prince started praising the instructor.
It was impressive horsemanship.
He’d learned the Karan Empire’s—the continent’s strongest nation’s—cavalry techniques, plus those of Howling, the empire’s (former) top evil organization!
“Yeah. He’s amazing.”
He is. Just dragging him to the empire would net a fat bounty.
No, more than fat?
Probably on the level of dragon-hunting rewards?
“He’ll play a crucial role in this fight too.”
“Really?”
This guy who introduced himself as the prince has very expressive features.
One of the con artist traits the instructor mentioned!
The ones who pretend to empathize but steer the conversation their way!
The instructor said those are the really dangerous ones.
So I glance toward the instructor.
“Yeah. He’s incredible. Even before becoming a hero, the things I learned from him saved my life countless times.”
This is true.
Surprisingly, a lot from the evil organization helped in hero work.
Especially infiltration and tracking.
Those two are essential skills for any hero.
Most who request a hero’s help are ordinary commoners, and their foes are nobles.
A hero recognized by the Church is treated as at least a high noble anywhere.
Just recognition.
No other authority, so if there’s no proof and the noble denies it, you can’t hold them accountable.
That’s where the evil organization skills come in!
Sneak in, gather evidence, then make them pay—easy.
How useful is that?
Thanks to it, I handle jobs faster than other heroes.
Hill nagged about it being illegal, but I always said:
Is some human-made law more important than the grand mission of a hero carrying out the gods’ will!
It’s fine. No oracle saying otherwise.
Plus... now being a hero means I’m about to tangle with an ancient wyrm!
“The greatest hero and the master who raised him! Neyden Kingdom can rest easy now.”
No, don’t rest easy. Even if every hero on the continent gathered, there’s no guarantee against an ancient wyrm!
The only thing I trust is one thing.
The instructor’s steel pipe. That might take down a dragon!
No matter how draconic, it’s a living being—it’ll scream in pain and collapse from a steel pipe hit!
So if I can just borrow the steel pipe, it might be a winnable fight!
...Or so I thought back then.
“How many days since the dragon invaded?”
“Ten minutes.”
“Not ten days, ten minutes, right?”
“Yes.”
I stare vacantly at the royal castle.
A ruined castle.
Not comparable to the empire’s, but the sturdy walls guarding the royal family were half-melted.
“Not broken... melted.”
I gaze blankly at the walls melted by the black dragon’s poison, then turn to the outer ward gouged out like it was carved.
“After bursting into the princess’s chambers, it kidnapped her as is.”
Ha. Even for a small kingdom, fighting a dragon that razed the castle in ten minutes and snatched the princess.
Even with the steel pipe, is it doable?
“Huh?”
As my dazed gaze on the walls shifts toward the steel pipe.
Right, left. Front, back. I look everywhere, but it’s gone.
“Hill, the master?”
“Huh? Mr. Naruan... isn’t here?”
Hill, turning toward the carriage, starts looking around too.
“No way...”
“Again?”
As we gape blankly at the dragon-ravaged castle, the instructor seems to have already concluded.
He bolted...!