The Strange Pair of Travelers (6)
Starting the next day, Ergaduk began working at the Monster Garden. I'll skip describing how awed he and Liana were when they first stepped through the Dimensional Gate and laid eyes on it. It was the exact same reaction we'd seen from countless others before them—mouths agape, rubbing their eyes, staring at each other, and so on.
Ammugar and Orkog recognized Ergaduk's true nature on sight and froze in place, unable to move a muscle. They'd broken out in cold sweats even upon seeing Aterugar, but with Ergaduk, it was far worse. Black Dragons really must be as formidable as the legends say. Part of me was tempted to challenge him to a spar if the opportunity arose. I couldn't help but wonder which was superior—my Philistine-born superhuman strength passed down through my bloodline, or a legendary Black Dragon (in polymorph form, of course). Especially since there were hardly any worthy opponents left in the world to test myself against.
But outright suggesting something like that would be incredibly rude. Ergaduk's duties were identical to Aterugar's: crossing through the Dimensional Gate to the southern continent's tropical rainforests to herd back a few Duki, sorting out the monsters that had scattered into chaos while roaming freely, and using Dragon Roar on the carnivores just enough to keep them from bothering the herbivores. That was pretty much it.
It seemed simple at a glance, but the catch was that no one in this world but a dragon could handle the job. Which explained why Aterugar had gotten so full of herself and started slacking off.
"But boss," Ergaduk said, "the tasks you described can only be done by a dragon. So who handled them before I arrived?"
"Hmm. Keep this between us, Ergaduk. There's a Red Dragon staying at the inn."
Ergaduk furrowed his brow. "A Red Dragon…?"
"You've heard the rumors, right? The one that sliced off Lurtjog's ugly head."
"Is that so? Why would that dragon be at your inn…?"
I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should tell him the story tying Lurtjog and Aterugar together. But since Ergaduk was a dragon himself and didn't strike me as the type to blab carelessly, I decided to share it. How Lurtjog had developed his twisted lust for Aterugar, leading to the annihilation of Myanfeld. How Aterugar, who had nested there, had nowhere else to go and ended up staying at the inn.
"Such a thing… Even if continental dragons live freely, how could they let a pervert who lusts after a hatchling roam unchecked?"
"Just as you say—they're all like that here. They don't give a damn about other dragons as long as no one messes with their own nests."
"If that Blue Dragon had shown up in our territory, he'd have been torn to shreds and used as fish food long ago."
Ergaduk spoke with genuine fury. Black Dragons really do have a different temperament.
Ergaduk handled the tasks I assigned with ease. Unlike Aterugar, who clumsily shifted to her true form and rampaged around spewing menacing breaths, his approach was different. He'd ride leisurely through the Monster Garden in his polymorphed human state via carriage, stop where needed, step down, and calmly control the monsters. No noise, no heat, no startling the beasts into fleeing—just a refined, efficient method.
"Boss, do you have any work for me, by chance?"
As I watched Ergaduk's carriage from afar, Liana tapped my arm and asked.
"Liana? Well… if you don't have any special skills, how about helping in the inn's main hall?"
"Special skills? Hmm… I can use a bit of Holy Power…"
"Holy Power? Are you a Saintess…?"
Liana gave an awkward smile and shook her head, looking embarrassed. "I was a Saintess. Got expelled."
"Expelled? So you're unlicensed now?"
An unlicensed Saintess could be trouble. Word of a woman wielding Holy Power at the inn would reach Celereja at the temple in no time. She's obedient to me, sure, but ruthless to outsiders. And with that rigid streak typical of young Saintesses, she'd probably report it to the church if she caught wind of an unlicensed one.
Not to mention, what could she have done to get expelled as a Saintess?
"Unlicensed is a problem. We already have a Saintess in town… For now, help out in the inn hall."
"Got it. I'm good at that stuff."
Liana thumped her chest confidently, making her massive breasts jiggle. No matter how I looked at it, they were about the same size as Idi's. But since Liana was much shorter, the proportions were… Good lord…
With Ergaduk on the job, I stopped dragging Aterugar out of her room and shoving her toward the Monster Garden. I figured without me prodding her, she'd feel the crisis and come out on her own. But my prediction missed the mark spectacularly.
Far from getting anxious, Aterugar just slacked off even more now that I wasn't assigning her work.
"Hey, Idi. What's up with Aterugar lately?"
"Dunnooo… She's been holed up in her room for three days straight now… No idea."
"She eating?"
"Asked her… She said don't worry about it…"
"Hmph… Alright…? Hey, hey—Pelei!"
I grabbed Pelei's arm as she passed by.
"What's Aterugar been up to lately?"
"No idea."
With her curt reply, Pelei shook off my hand and headed into the ingredient storeroom. Then she came right back out and approached me.
"Boss. Build a warehouse."
"Huh? What warehouse?"
"Ingredient storage. It's too small now. No room left."
"Uh, yeah… Got it. I'll think about it…"
As Pelei walked off again, I followed her into the kitchen this time.
"Francois. You know what Aterugar's been doing lately?"
"Hmm… I'm curious too. She hasn't come down for meals. Last time I brought food up, she told me to leave it at the door…"
"That cheeky little…"
"She's at that rebellious age for humans. You need to understand."
"She's not human, that's the problem."
Just then, Marim came into the kitchen with her half-elf siblings to pick up delivery food. The chattering redheads filled the already cramped space completely.
"Hey, bean-brain. Talked to Aterugar lately?"
"Nope? Why?"
"Just curious."
"No clue? Maybe polishing the gold coins from the Queen? Should've danced for some myself back then. Argh!"
What? If even this little thief doesn't know, who does?
At the bathhouse, Della was even more clueless. She'd been swamped lately, barely setting foot in the inn. Some closing shifts left her so wiped she crashed in the staff lounge upstairs instead of crossing over. And that was with the half-elves helping… Business booming too much was its own headache.
Anyway… Up on this floor, Kosa just gave me a mysterious smile.
"You share a room. No idea?"
"When will the Black Dragon depart the inn?"
She answered my question with a cryptic one of her own.
"Who knows? Probably in two or three days. Why?"
"Don't worry about it then, sir. It'll sort itself out."
"What the hell does that mean? I asked what Aterugar's doing."
But Kosa just replied with that dreamy smile.
Ergaduk worked flawlessly, without a single flaw to pick at. His calm, gentle demeanor had Mideronde and the demons quite taken with him. As she watched him stroll leisurely, herding Duki, Mideronde spoke up.
"First time seeing a Black Dragon, but unlike the others, he seems remarkably mild-mannered."
"You too, huh? You've lived forever."
"From what I know, Black Dragons are an ancient race, older even than elves. They're completely isolated from the outside world. They've appeared on the continent sporadically over the ages, but I've never interacted with one directly."
"Man… Black Dragons are something else."
Mideronde suddenly turned to me as she watched Ergaduk. "So, who's stronger?"
"What?"
"You're the hero who saved the world multiple times. He's the dragon of dragons, one who could take on any horde of others. Got me wondering—who'd win if you two fought."
"Beats me? I'm curious too, but I can't just say 'let's throw down.'"
"Fair point."
With that, Mideronde set up a snack table for Ergaduk and the demons—via magic, of course. Ammugar had mentioned she often treated the Monster Garden staff to snacks. They weren't even our employees, just contractors renting the space, so it was much appreciated.
"Grab some too, Balder. Made sandwiches."
"Thanks. Where do you get stuff like this every time? Cook it yourself?"
"Sometimes I cook. Sometimes I fetch from elsewhere. Always pay, of course."
Lives the convenient life.
With the half-elves busy driving tourist carriages and the demons selling souvenirs, it was just Mideronde and me at the table, each munching a sandwich. As she ate hers with pure-blood elf grace, she suddenly said something odd.
"Balder. Want me to warp space and make you a venue?"
"What kind?"
"A place where you and that dragon can test each other's strength."
I stared at Mideronde for a moment.
"So… you're offering to build an arena…?"