95
Chapter 95
Things are going far too smoothly. I try to keep my face neutral because I don't want to provoke unnecessary distrust, but a smirk keeps slipping out.
Originally, my biggest concern was the existence of the Seven Dragons. Unlike the Seven Dragons from my previous life, who were killed by Hero Claire's party a hundred years ago, they are all very much alive in this timeline.
Taking down three 'Dragons' without a single casualty would be difficult, no matter how strong our group is. Unless Beatrice had reached the level of Sword Master or Aru had achieved the pinnacle of slaughter.
Anyway, after delaying it over and over, Hero Seriel's party finally arrived at the Demon Beast Forest. While I was wondering how to deliver them straight to the Dragon King without letting them clash with the Seven Dragons, I met Merlin.
Having easily won Merlin's heart, I am now leading the Hero Party toward Dragon King Endros's lair along with the King of Humans.
It's not a bit different from the original history. I find it slightly puzzling that they think they can take down the Dragon King with just their own strength, but they'll figure it out once I set the stage. What's certain is that in my previous life, this combination eventually killed the Dragon King, and the King of Humans ascended to the new position of the Five Kings.
"Suoka, John, there's something I want to ask."
The Hero who would later be remembered as the Dragon Slayer, Seriel, spoke to the King of Humans and me. I replied with a pure, innocent smile.
"What is it, Seriel?"
"I understand the pain of losing comrades to the Dragon King. And that you dream of revenge because of it. However, trusting our backs to people whose skills we don't know..."
"Ah, so you're saying you're not confident in our skills?"
"Quite bluntly, yes. Of course, we would go to fight the Dragon King even without you, but trusting someone with your back is entirely different from asking for a guide."
"I understand. It's a fight where survival is on the line, so it's only natural."
I actually find it strange that he's only asking now. If it were me, I would have asked the moment the accompaniment was decided. People are far too trusting. Though, I'm not exactly people.
"However... let me make one thing clear. I, Suoka, am not a combatant. I am merely a guide. This friend, John, is the one who will hunt the Dragon King with you."
"...Then, could we at least see John's combat power?"
"That's not a problem. King of Humans. The lair is to the north... so try launching a fist wind toward the south."
Since I was worried the Hero's side might suggest a 'sparring match,' I made the first move. The King of Humans has no concept of 'sparring,' so if things went wrong, it could easily lead to a bloodbath.
"Nyan? Fist wind? Do you know how to do that?"
"Warriors who can launch their energy over a long distance are rare even on the Continent... that's impressive. Then again, someone who works as a Hunter in a place like the Demon Beast Forest can't possibly be ordinary."
Igor, the cat scout, and Victor, the spearman, responded to my words. I shrugged and gestured to the King of Humans.
"Ahem! As for a fist wind, I can do that as much as you want!"
As the King of Humans pulled back his arm, his muscles surged and rippled. I felt he was exerting too much power before even facing the Dragon King, so I whispered softly.
"Keep it moderate, unless you plan on destroying the entire forest."
"Understood!"
KABOOM-!
The King of Humans threw a punch as heavy as a great mountain. An invisible energy surged along with a violent wind. An artificial hole was ripped through the Demon Beast Forest.
"...!!"
The Hero's party gasped and widened their eyes simultaneously. Even the taciturn Seriel and the Assassin Katarina could not hide their shock. I chuckled and patted the King of Humans on the back.
"Well, is this enough? To be a comrade who guards your backs?"
"Y-yes! That was truly amazing! How can a punch be like that...! It was not lacking even compared to the Imperial Family's guard!"
"Why is someone like you in such a remote place... perhaps, after this subjugation is over, would you consider returning to the Empire? I'm sure His Majesty the Emperor would value you greatly!"
"Nyan! Incredible! Amazing!"
Victor is daring to try and manipulate our King of Humans. Normally, I would have driven a card into the back of his neck to silence him forever, but since he's a human who will soon be dead anyway, there's no need for me to bury him with my own hands.
The Dragon King is one thing, but everyone here except for Merlin will eventually die. Merlin, the sole survivor, likely doesn't even dream that it was my doing.
"Praise! Feels good! Praise is a good thing!"
"Haha, now that the skill verification is over, let's hurry to the Dragon King's lair. Once night falls, we'll be at a disadvantage compared to the Dragon King, who possesses Dragon Eyes."
"That is a valid point. When night comes, the monsters that were hiding begin to emerge one by one. We must arrive as quickly as possible."
The Hero agreed to my urging. I nodded and pointed toward the distant mountains.
"Right over there. If we walk briskly, we should arrive in time."
"Where on that mountain is the Dragon King's lair?"
"The whole thing. In fact, not a single living creature dwells on that mountain, with the sole exception of Dragon King Endros. It's commonly known as [Endros' Mountain]."
Mentioning [Endros' Mountain] reminds me of [Endros' Cliff], where I buried my brothers 400 years ago. It was a canyon formed by a breath attack Endros unleashed long ago.
The first life I took after regressing was at Endros' Cliff, and now I've chosen Endros' lair as the place for my final killing in the Demon Beast Forest. Strange, I've never actually met Endros, yet he feels familiar. Like a family member I've been separated from for a long time.
******
After walking without rest, we arrived at the mountain's entrance, where a massive cave appeared. It was a cave with the emblem of a dragon carved into the walls.
The inside of the cave was painted in gold. No, looking closer, it wasn't paint—the walls themselves were made of gold.
"Ooh! So shiny! It's cool, but so extravagant!"
"John, do you even know what extravagance is?"
"Iroel told me! She said it's a bad thing!"
My goodness, our pure King of Humans knows nothing about the beauty of greed. I'll have to teach him all about it once we return to civilization.
"Wow... every single artifact here would trade for hundreds of thousands of gold on the Continent! We can't actually take them, right?"
"Taking them is perfectly fine!"
"R-really? Eek...!"
"Except, your family will be cursed to suffer a slow, lingering illness for generations! Hahaha!"
"Hiiiieeeek...!"
Merlin, whose eyes were sparkling at the sight of the golden artifacts rolling around, gasped at my joke. I didn't realize it before because she was so taciturn in her old age, but teasing her is quite fun.
Of course, I have no idea what would actually happen if someone touched those artifacts. However, nothing in this world is ever truly free.
Endros surely set up traps to lure in intruders. He's not the type to be careless.
"Wow... I guess the Dragon King really is the Dragon King. These precious treasures are just rolling around like trash."
"His molars are probably hundreds of times harder than the finest swords on the black market, so why would he care? Merlin, don't get attached! Nyan!"
"Igor, I feel strange... on the Continent, one would have to save for a lifetime just to get one artifact like this. It's such a waste..."
Despite mentioning the word 'curse,' Merlin kept scanning the artifacts with a gaze full of longing. I could feel the obsession behind those thick glasses.
"But who knows? Once the Dragon King is dead, we might be able to take these artifacts without any restrictions, haha."
"Oh...! That could actually happen! I'll definitely take some on the way back...!"
"Merlin, do not act rashly. We have not yet defeated the Dragon King."
"Yes, yes...! Sorry for getting carried away...!"
Merlin, who had been excited by my casual remark, immediately wilted under Katarina's stern words. The mage robe covering her head slumped even further.
As we walked through the cave, I thought a bit about Merlin.
This timid boy, hiding a face that likely looked soft and pretty under that robe... to think he once cast magic with the determination to kill me in my previous life.
The Merlin I remember wasn't like this. He was a bit... well, vacant. He used magic to maintain his youth, so he looked like a handsome young man, but he would occasionally zone out while staring at distant mountains or respond clumsily to children's questions.
He was the principal of Eden Academy, but he was far from authoritarian. Once his magical capabilities reached a level no other entity had ever achieved, he became a friendly old man who spent his time strolling through parks or playing with children.
The benevolent principal of Eden Academy, who would just laugh heartily even if children pulled on his cheeks. Merlin was certainly that kind of mage, but...
'Are you telling me to sell out the academy! To a bastard like you, Joker!'
'Merlin, don't overcomplicate things. I don't like meaningless slaughter. Think of the students!'
'I would rather you kill me! Eden Academy is where the sprouts of the Continent learn about history, the world, and people! The current Continent has been trampled by your Demon Army, but if Eden Academy remains, a hero of future generations will eventually appear and drive you out!'
'And that's exactly why the Demon Army wouldn't leave such a dangerous facility standing. Think about it. I have no intention of forcing a seal after killing you. Of course... it would be a different story if Merlin attacked me out of nowhere.'
'You brat—! Joker—!'
After that, we had a massive fight. I never imagined he would actually attack me out of nowhere. In the end, I won, but to be honest, it wasn't really a victory. Because I was caught in the blast of Merlin's final magic—Big-Bang—which burned through his own life force, I suffered from seizures until the moment I ascended the guillotine.
In this life, I will never fight him head-on. Once was enough of that agony. Even if I have to kill him, I'll do it secretly via an ambush.
Though the best option... would be not to fight at all.
"Something's appeared. Wow, this is my first time venturing this deep inside."
As I walked along the gold-encrusted cave path, a massive door appeared. It was a door carved with the wide-open maw of a dragon. I stopped in front of it and pressed my ear against the gap.
All I heard was a desolate silence. I cautiously pushed the door. However, it was quite heavy, and I had to call the group over.
"Right! Everyone, let's give this a push together!"
"Suoka, do you even know what's behind this before pushing it so recklessly?"
"We can't just stand here and stay blocked, can we? Even if the Dragon King is inside, you and John can just hunt him down, right?"
"You claimed you'd only be a guide, yet you're quite passionate. If you aren't going to fight, why don't you just head back now?"
"...Ahem. My one and only friend is here to subjugate the Dragon King, so I have to stay by his side."
"Friend? One and only? Was I Suoka's only friend?"
"Of course! Who else would I have as a friend besides you, John! Hahaha!"
Hero Seriel is unnecessarily sharp in some areas.
If you people survive, I'll have to kill everyone except Merlin, so how could I possibly stay away? Of course, I can't exactly blurt that out.
"Seriel, let's just help. He's not wrong. We should go in until we find the Dragon King."
Fortunately, the spearman Victor took my side. Since John showed off his punch earlier, Victor has been eyeing us; it seems he wants to win our favor and take us back to the Empire once this is over. It's cheeky, but for now, it's useful.
"Nyan! Victor is right!"
"Igor."
"I agree with him as well. Let's help Suoka push."
"Katarina."
One by one, they started helping me. Seeing everyone but herself standing at the door, Seriel sighed and reluctantly joined us.
Then, we pushed the door with all our might. No matter how sturdy a steel door is, it's rarely this heavy, but then again, it is a door to Dragon King Endros's lair.
Rumble—.
With everyone working together, the door that seemed immovable began to open slowly. We created just enough of a gap for a person to slip through, stopped pushing, and entered. After confirming everyone was inside, we closed the door.
If Endros isn't here, he shouldn't know there were intruders when he eventually returns to his lair.
"It's big. Really big."
"Huge. It's truly huge."
"Heeuu... t-this is incredible..."
"Nyan! That thing over there looks like a bed!"
"It doesn't just look like a bed; I believe it is one. Most likely... the Dragon King's bed."
"The Dragon King isn't visible. He must not be here. There's no way he could hide such a massive presence."
What appeared before us was a circular room where everything was abnormally large. In the center sat a bed so high that its top was out of sight. While we were all staring at the room with our mouths agape, Katarina, the assassin, spoke up.
"On the bed... there are four pillars. Let's climb up there."
"Pillars? For what reason?"
"The basic of assassination is to eliminate the target when they are off-guard. The best moment is when the target is fast asleep. If we wait up there, we can kill the Dragon King while he sleeps."
"...Oh, that's a convincing point."
Come to think of it, it was also the middle of the night when Aru assassinated the Emperor of the Empire in my previous life. I guess true assassins really are different. I thought I was quite skilled at assassination too, but a professional thinks of that the moment they see the room.
"I agree with Katarina. What do you all think?"
"I-I think that's a good idea too! Miss Katarina is a veteran in this field..."
"I agree as well. Miss Katarina is always so reliable."
"Nyan! I'm in!"
"There's no reason to disagree. However, what if we're spotted by the Dragon King while hiding in the corners? We might end up being the ones ambushed."
While everyone was in agreement, Seriel alone was playing devil's advocate. He really is fastidious.
Of course, when your life is on the line, you have to be fastidious. Whether Katarina knew this or not, she pointed to the corners and continued.
"If you look at those corners, there are conical pillars. Unless the Dragon King is looking directly down, we can hide behind them."
"Hmm, a good point... fine. Let's head up. I'd prefer not to leave any traces... Merlin, can you use magic to lift us up?"
"I-I can! As long as there are no magic detection devices here...! But I don't feel anything like that!"
"Is it a display of confidence, as in 'come and try me'... or has he simply grown complacent from reigning as the supreme power for so long? Regardless, it's a boon for us. Alright, let's go."
It's great that I don't have to take a leading role in anything. I simply followed along as their consciousness flowed.
"Wait, then who pairs up to climb which corner? Shouldn't we balance the groups as much as possible?"
Though I did have to point out a few key details.
"Since there are seven of us, I, Seriel, will take one corner alone. Is that alright?"
"Of course. I'll stay with Miss Igor."
"Nyan!? Why, why do I have to be with Victor?"
"Because we work well together. If necessary, we'll have to draw the Dragon King's attention."
"Then I'll be with John. A combination of an assassin and a charging warrior will be a great help in exploiting the Dragon King's gaps. I'll give a separate signal for when to strike the sleeping Dragon King, so don't act rashly."
"I'm with Katarina? Then what about Suoka?"
Wow, only the King of Humans is looking out for me. Truly a man of loyalty.
Though it's not particularly helpful to me right now.
"No, I'm a non-combatant, so I'll just provide some combat support by staying next to Merlin the mage. That'll work, right?"
"W-with me, Lord Suoka...? T-that's fine! Then let's hurry up and go!"
I wonder why, but Merlin's face beneath the robe looked slightly flushed. I don't really want to care about that. I need to focus from here on.
Merlin must not die, no matter what. That's why I stayed by her side. The King of Humans is tough enough to survive on his own. Unlike the soft Merlin.
"Levitation!"
As Merlin chanted the spell, our bodies drifted upward. We moved comfortably toward the corners of the bed without any resistance.
Because the bed was so massive, each corner was wide enough for one person to lie down. Well, one person. It was a bit too narrow for two.
"It can't be helped. Merlin? You lie down first. I'll lie on top of you."
"Huh? Ah... uuh... okay... please be careful not to slip..."
Merlin hesitated for a moment and then lay down. I collapsed on top of her. Though there were robes and clothes between us, lying on top of another guy didn't feel great.
Still, for a male, he was surprisingly soft. No, he was softer than most females. I could feel it even through the robe. There were no hard muscles like the King of Humans. Though it was still a bit uncomfortable.
Is this why Seriel insisted on being alone? Sly bastard.
Twitch—.
The small-framed Merlin kept tossing and turning. Then again, he's the one who would find this more unpleasant than I do.
Feeling awkwardly self-conscious, I stroked Merlin's green hair.
"Hieee..."
As if that were even more embarrassing, Merlin let out a vacant moan and buried her face in her arms. What's with this guy, why is he so shy? He's not a girl.