The Dragon's New Management
The dragon’s gaping maw sucked in the surrounding moisture. A moment later, compressed water erupted like a cannonball. Kwoooooooh! It was a terrifying display of force, enough to sweep away any human in its path. Yet, Kailan didn’t even blink, let alone dodge. Standing firmly before him was his reliable meat shield—or rather, Wintervalt’s excellent full-time employees.
"We’ll block it! Karak!"
"I... know...!"
Krok, the former Red Fang chieftain, and Karak, the former Twin-Axe chieftain. The two orcs, now proud employees of the hot springs, stood their ground, bracing their steel shields against the incoming breath.
Kwooooooong—!
The blue steel, reinforced with slime mucus, deflected the breath in every direction. A violent spray of water scattered brilliantly. A heavy impact surged through the forearms of the two orcs holding the shields.
"Guh...!"
Krok gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. He was haunted by the memory of that destructive blow that had sent the human knights flying just a few days ago. But then...
"...Hmm?"
As the torrent of water subsided, Krok slowly opened his tightly shut eyes.
"What is this?"
Karak also let out a bewildered sound, poking his head out from behind his shield.
The two orcs hadn't been pushed back a single inch; they were standing perfectly in their original spots.
"...Heh. It’s nothing special."
Krok chuckled, adjusting his grip on his shield. "To think there were people who got knocked down by an attack like this. I’m worried about Wintervalt."
Karak snorted in agreement. "Yeah, next time, could you aim the breath at my back? My shoulders are aching from scrubbing so many guests."
Kailan, watching the scene from behind, smiled. 'Just as I expected.'
The reason the knights had been blown away at the hot springs was simple: the creature had been temporarily empowered by absorbing the hot spring water. Wintervalt’s hot springs were a place of such high mana concentration that they were called the "Spirit Spring of Life" in the original story. But there were no hot springs here. Even if it scraped together the groundwater of the cave to force its body to bloat, it was only natural that it wouldn't reach even half the power it had back then. The creature was all bulk and no substance.
"M-my breath...!"
As it realized it had become a dragon that served as an orc masseur, its pupils shook violently. The surroundings were blocked by vines, and its attacks were ineffective. Even its path of retreat had been sealed off by Porchi. The dragon darted its eyes around, then began to slowly seep into the ground. It was liquefaction—the same trick it had used to escape through the hot spring drain. But Wintervalt wasn't a place where the same trick would work twice.
"Your Grace. Leave this to me."
Eleanor, standing next to Kailan, raised her white hand with an elegant motion. With that single light gesture, the atmosphere rippled violently. It was the overwhelming mana that the master of the Green Magic Tower had praised endlessly. Eleanor had recently learned how to handle it efficiently through her studies.
Sssssss!
The dragon, attempting to liquefy, recoiled in shock. A scorching sun had risen in the night sky, evaporating the snow around it—and its own body along with it.
"It’s alright. If you stay still, I won't hurt you, okay?"
Eleanor smiled like an angel and pointed her finger at the dragon. The sun in the sky then poured its merciless light solely upon the creature.
"H-hiiiik! M-my body...!!"
An immense amount of steam erupted from the dragon’s body as it took the solar rays head-on. Its massive frame began to shrink at a rapid pace.
'She’s my wife, but there really is nothing she can't do.'
Kailan suppressed the urge to pull Eleanor into a tight hug and drew Frost Fang from his waist. Now was the chance, while the creature was trapped by the heat and unable to move.
Shing!
"H-hiiiik...! Y-you again!? Why are you doing this to me!"
The dragon trembled as it faced the terrifying chill that had nearly frozen it solid at the hot springs.
"If you’re going to cause a scene at someone else’s place of business, you have to pay the price."
Kailan lightly swung Frost Fang toward the ground. It was instantaneous. A blue aura shot out like a flash of lightning.
Cr-cr-crack!
"Kyyyaaaaaaaah!"
The dragon’s legs, made of water, were instantly frozen solid and anchored to the floor. As Kailan sheathed his sword, Eleanor withdrew the sun. The dragon, now significantly smaller than when it had emerged from the cave, wore a tearful, terrified expression.
The retainers watching from behind stared at the subdued dragon with dazed expressions for a long time.
— No need to bring knights or adventurers.
The lord of Wintervalt had proven his words once again.
Soon, a massive cheer erupted.
"Our Lord has captured the legend of the Southern Continentaaaah!!"
"Long live the Duke! Long live the Duchess!"
Not just Kailan’s close aides, but the countless adventurers who had come to watch without even being commissioned—everyone was caught up in the fervor, screaming until their throats were raw.
Rick, who had been trembling near the cave, finally let out a sigh of relief and slumped to the ground.
"Ha, haa... I survived..."
He felt like he had aged ten years playing the role of bait. Just as he was sitting in the snow, catching his breath:
SMACK!
"Uwaaaaaaah!"
Rick screamed and turned his head at the stinging sensation suddenly delivered to his back. Standing behind him was Gale, wearing a broad grin.
"Well done, Rick! Thanks to you, our entire party gets a 6-month free pass to the hot spring inn and all the banana milk we can drink!"
"Ah... right."
Rick stared into space with a blank face for a moment before making a sour expression.
"But, brother... if you think about it, I was the only one risking my life as bait... why are you and sister getting the reward too...?"
Another stinging sensation landed on his back. It was smaller than Gale’s hand, but far sharper.
"S-sister!!"
Sena, who had approached without him noticing, was dusting off her hands with a playful smile.
"Hey, don't be so stingy. We're party members, aren't we? Are we strangers?"
"Kid. Even if I didn't say it, do you know how anxious I was watching from the outside...? How can you not know your brother's heart?"
At Gale’s shameless words, Sena nodded in agreement.
"That's right. We didn't go in physically, but our hearts were right there with you!"
"H-hearts went in, so we get a 6-month free pass...! This is a scam!"
As Rick protested with tears in his eyes, Gale placed a heavy money pouch into Rick’s arms. It wasn't from Sir Valter; it was the payment delivered directly by Duke Kailan himself.
"It’s 20 gold coins bestowed by the Duke. You’re one step closer to a foxy wife and rabbit-like children, aren't you? Eh?"
"That's right~ You've got a cozy house in the new city, and 20 gold coins. The northern women will be following you around, won't they? Or maybe... should I introduce you to my younger sister?"
"...Ah."
The heavy weight of the 20 gold coins in his arms. A 6-month free pass to the inn. And even a meeting with his sister’s younger sibling? His sense of injustice melted away like snow. Rick scratched his head like a fool, as he always did.
"Now that you mention it, that's true, brother! Hehe. At this rate, am I the number one bachelor in the North? By the way, sister, how old is that younger sibling of yours..."
Rick leaned in close to Sena with a goofy grin.
"I really need to be careful so this guy doesn't get scammed anywhere he goes..."
Sena shook her head with a smirk, as if she were dumbfounded.
While the peaceful banter of the southern adventurer party continued, Kailan simply looked down at the dragon at his feet with indifference. As if the enthusiastic cheers of his retainers couldn't even be heard. The faint smile on his lips—none of the cheering retainers noticed what kind of wicked capitalist scheme he was plotting.
***
Beneath the Wintervalt Ducal Castle.
While the entire city was buzzing with the dragon-slaying commemorative festival, this place was as quiet as a grave. It was a small, solitary cell surrounded by layers of thick iron doors and magical sealing barriers. In the center, inside a steel cage, a small creature the size of a kitten was trembling.
"Hiiing... *sob*..."
A chubby nose. Large, round, watery eyes. Short legs and adorable little wings on its back. The majesty of the giant Water Dragon that had once made tourists in the hot spring city tremble was nowhere to be found. Its true identity was, in fact, nothing more than a small, cute spirit that could fit in the palm of a hand.
The spirit wiped its tears with its short front paws and circled the cage.
"..."
There was no one around. Only cold stone walls.
"Hiiing... Am I... the great me... going to starve to death like this..."
Grrr-rumble.
Its stomach was clamoring for food. It had already been a day since it had stolen and eaten eggs and milk from the human who had entered the cave.
"I wanted to drink more sweet milk... I wanted to scoop out just the yolk of the egg... Hwaaaaaaah!"
A pathetic, pitiful wail echoed through the dungeon.
Creak—
That was when it happened. The firmly shut door slowly opened.
"Hiik!"
The spirit jumped in surprise and curled up in the corner of the cage. The one who stepped over the threshold was the man with black hair and blue eyes... the very person who had put it in this state.
'Th-the terrifying human is back...!'
Just as the spirit was shrinking back in fear—
"...!"
The spirit’s round eyes fixed firmly on something behind the human. A basket held in the hands of the servant who followed him in. Inside were golden, glistening hot spring eggs and a very familiar-looking round milk container.
'F-food...!'
Gulp.
The spirit’s short tail, which had been drooping from fear, began to wag involuntarily.
'I-I want to eat it...! I want to eat it so badly...!'
The human pulled up a chair, set it down in front of the cage, and sat down, slowly crossing his legs.
"Now. Let’s have a little chat, shall we?"