24. Cleanup (1)
24. Cleanup (1)
Yuma stared at the sky where the black dragon had vanished into nothingness.
'Fuck.'
The dragon heart.
He hadn't managed to secure it.
Never mind the dragon heart — he'd erased the dragon's entire body from existence in this world.
But the regret didn't last long. Because, quite literally, it had been a moment teetering on the edge of life and death. He hadn't had the leisure to even think about spoils of war.
Yuma looked around.
But the gazes of the people watching him were far from ordinary.
A reaction of astonishment, and beyond that, awe and wonder flickered in their eyes.
He saw the citizens of the county kneeling, bowing, their bodies trembling violently. Even dozens of knights and soldiers were doing the same.
"...O hero, hero who has vanquished the evil dragon!!"
"We wish to spread the name of the Dragon Slayer far and wide. Please, grant us your honored name!"
They were like zealots standing before a saint.
Step.
Yuma simply walked forward with an aloof air. His destination was the interior of the count's castle. He needed to check on how the eldest son, Kaisen, was doing.
The medical room inside the count's castle.
On a bed in that medical room lay a middle-aged man. The face of Count Luvelt, unmistakably middle-aged, now resembled that of a decrepit old man.
"The Count's condition?"
Kaisen raised his head at the sound of Yuma's voice.
Kaisen's eyes were also filled with awe. When the black dragon Acreon had spread its enormous wings wide and soared into the sky, it was impossible not to notice its presence even if one didn't want to.
So he had seen it.
Elkham-Akreon vanishing into thin air.
He had witnessed the scene of Yuma annihilating a black dragon larger than the count's castle in a single blow.
Kaisen stared at the healer who continued to examine Count Luvelt's body.
The healer slowly shook his head.
"...My apologies. It does not appear that any meaningful change will occur in his current state. Even if he regains consciousness, it seems unlikely he will last the week. The demonic energy has seeped deep into his entire body."
Yuma looked at Kaisen, who seemed lost in anguish.
But this concern was entirely Kaisen's to bear.
Because Kaisen was the one who would have to lead the county from now on.
"The dragon's cave your knight saw. Do you remember its location?"
Kaisen nodded.
"I haven't heard its exact location, but I believe it's one of the two large caves to the south. The area my knight oversaw is near there."
A glint appeared in Yuma's eye.
The place where a dragon nests. That place becomes a dragon's lair.
Even though it hadn't been half a year since Acreon settled in the county, he thought there must be something left behind.
***
The blue-eyed imperial princess with long, pure white hair.
1st Princess Brigitte was in a state of utter bewilderment at a piece of news she had just received.
"...It killed a black dragon? Not a hatchling, but a fully grown adult?"
Viscount Bennet, one of Brigitte's supporters, bowed his head.
"That is correct. It is accurate as it is urgent information sent via the Information Guild."
Bennet swallowed dryly.
"It is clearly Your Highness's agent, Lord God of War Yuma, who slew the dragon."
Brigitte found it difficult to close her wide-open mouth.
Viscount Bennet continued.
"Reports say that the black dragon was even visible from the transit city of Akan as it ascended into the sky above. And that the Blue Magic Tower also observed the black dragon."
Cold sweat was trickling down Bennet's forehead.
"It is said that the gigantic dragon's disappearance along with a crimson flash was also witnessed."
Brigitte slowly opened her mouth.
"The body?"
"...They say Lord Yuma completely eradicated the dragon, leaving not even a single handful of ash behind."
Just how powerful must an attack be to perfectly wipe out a dragon like that?
Brigitte could no longer even grasp what kind of person she had recruited.
Brigitte barely managed to compose herself.
"Is there other important business?"
"A request for military support has come in from Marquis Tornell's family, who guard the Empire's southern border."
Marquis Tornell's family.
The border guardian family that defended the frontier at the Empire's southernmost edge.
It was extremely rare for Marquis Tornell's family to request military reinforcement.
"The movements of the barbarian kingdom Pyneton are said to be unusual."
Barbarian kingdom Pyneton.
The reason Pyneton was called a barbarian kingdom was because it had rapidly expanded its territory. Through utterly barbaric force.
Pyneton had started as a kingdom and even conquered the Rommel Kingdom above them. That had happened seven years ago. It was from that event that Kamet began to be called the Conqueror King.
"Originally, for such top-priority reinforcement requests, the Imperial Ten Seats would carry out the support."
Viscount Bennet let out a sigh.
The current state of the Imperial Ten Seats was a mess.
Thanks to someone, they had somehow become the Imperial Six Seats before anyone knew it.
"It seems Marquis Tornell has designated Lord Yuma for the top-priority military support, citing the incident that halved the Imperial Ten Seats. His military power has, after all, been sufficiently proven."
If they also knew about him catching the dragon this time, they'd want Yuma even more fervently.
"However, as Lord Yuma is carrying out the mission given by Your Highness...."
Bennet read Brigitte's expression. As one of Brigitte's closest confidants, Bennet was aware of the oracle that had been delivered concerning Brigitte. So he also knew the importance of the mission Yuma was executing.
Because from Princess Brigitte's standpoint, finding the Blue-haired Sword Saint was the top priority.
Knock knock!
At that moment, someone suddenly knocked on the door from outside.
-It is the Head Attendant. Your Highness.
Michael, the direct guard knight of 1st Princess Brigitte standing by the door, quickly opened it. Standing before the door was Roian, the Head Attendant of the 1st Princess Palace.
He was an old man whose neatly trimmed white mustache stood out.
"Roian."
As Brigitte approached, Roian slowly opened his mouth.
"The Saintess says she has an oracle she must urgently convey to Your Highness."
An oracle.
"Understood."
Brigitte immediately prepared to set out.
***
Hestia of the Cat Tribe perked up her orange cat ears.
"...Yuma is the Dragon Slayer, Yuma is the Dragon Slayer."
Cloné stared quietly at Hestia, who had been repeating the same words since earlier. Hestia's green eyes sparkled.
"How can he take down such a huge dragon all by himself!"
"Indeed."
Cloné stared at Yuma's back as he headed for the cave.
Yuma's power, which exceeded the limits of common sense she had established every time she saw it.
Just how many years of training must it take to gain such power in a human body?
Cloné felt a thirst once more. A thirst for growth.
Yuma entered the enormous cave.
The ceiling of the cave was densely decorated with thick stalactites that looked like icicles.
Drops of water hung at the tips of the stalactites.
Yuma walked deeper into the cave.
Hestia's and Cloné's eyes widened in surprise.
Inside the huge cave, clear traces of habitation remained.
"...Whoa, it's set up as a full-on lair!"
Hestia scanned the cave with her mouth agape.
The cave gave off a majesty that literally qualified it as a dragon's lair.
Rock display stands that looked as if they had been created by magic.
And the countless jewels placed on those stands.
And then.
"It seems it's true that he ate the kidnapped people, one after another."
Cloné's fine brow furrowed.
Unlike the jewels, rocks, and several weapons arrayed as if for display, torn clothes could be seen discarded in a corner.
They were evidence that he had chewed people up and eaten them.
"The county is going to be in an uproar."
The two soldiers who were ordered by Young Lord Kaisen to follow Yuma's party clicked their tongues. The clothes of the missing persons.
Their acquaintances would recognize them.
"We'll take care of the clothing. Lady Mage."
The soldier bowed his head deeply toward Cloné.
"Yes."
As Cloné answered, she carefully examined the clothes. Her face, as she looked over the garments, was filled with compassion.
Amidst all the various items, Yuma touched the object that stood out the most. He activated his Searching Eye.
The object, which looked like a red gemstone.
[Dragon Heart of Vulcan-Dehit]
The dragon heart of the red dragon 'Vulcan-Dehit'.
It was the heart of an ancient dragon that had been dead for 1,301 years.
What power lay dormant within it defied prediction.
It was a dragon heart.
"Cloné."
Yuma called out to Cloné.
"Yes, Lord Yuma!"
Cloné quickly walked over at Yuma's call.
"Can you read this?"
On the spot where the dragon heart had been placed was an inscription that resembled the language of magic.
"It says... 'In honor of the peaceful rest of my dear friend Dehit.'"
Anger settled in Cloné's eyes.
He was an utterly laughable creature.
A bastard who had chewed up humans like meat to restore his own flesh was honoring the peace of his friend.
With a stiff expression, Cloné looked at the dragon heart in Yuma's hand.
"Is it a dragon heart?"
"Seems like it."
Yuma's gaze turned toward Cloné.
"Want it?"
Cloné shook her head.
"No. It's an item I could never dare handle. I don't even have the qualifications to possess it."
Yuma stared intently at the dragon heart.
Acreon. Had that bastard truly refrained from consuming this dragon heart because he wanted to preserve his friendship?
He could have quickly restored his magic power and physical body without the troublesome task of devouring people.
He wasn't even a Green Dragon. There was no way a Black Dragon possessed such a humane disposition.
'A dragon cannot consume a dragon heart of a different attribute. If they do such a thing, they die.'
It seemed the rules of Loof Blood functioned identically in this world as well.
'If I eat this right now, I'll die too.'
Even a Sword Master, who possessed a sturdy body and a mana heart overflowing with high-density mana, would die from simply consuming a <Dragon Heart>.
So if Yuma, who was literally nothing more than an ordinary mortal, swallowed this right now, he would literally die instantly.
'In <Loof Blood>... you had to consume the blood of a Great Demon Lord-class demon together with a Golden Rule Sprout.'
Though he had no idea if the rules of that game applied to this reality-like world.
For now, Yuma put the [Dragon Heart of Vulcan-Dehit] into his subspace pouch.
In the end, he had managed to get his hands on a dragon heart, which he'd failed to obtain from Acreon.
"If you need a weapon, take one."
Yuma spoke to Hestia as he looked at the swords and spears placed on the rock display stands.
"Oooh!"
Hestia's eyes lit up like a child entering a toy store.
'As expected of the Sword God, I guess.'
The twelve swords that had been in Sword God Kronos's subspace pouch. Every single one of those swords was vastly superior to the ones Acreon had collected.
So there was no need to bother taking any.
***
Night fell.
Yuma's party returned to the count's castle.
"H-He's waking up!"
The healer's cry rang out.
Count Luvelt's eyes slowly opened as he lay on the bed.