Comment and Coupon Givers, Thank You All! 188th Episode
59. The Magical Beasts and the Desert City of Cairo
187 – The Magical Beasts and the Desert City of Cairo #2
Nothing special about the sand dune, until a little beast poked its head out.
“Hehehe, don’t you need something to eat or drink? We have everything at my place! Want to give it a try?”
With a round face and a pointy snout, its black eyes shone against its sandy, yellowish fur. Not knowing what kind of beast it was, I squinted as Azidahaka sniffed the air.
“This smell is definitely from a Desert Dessert Mole.”
Desert Dessert Mole? A strange name, I thought, but the little mole blinked its black eyes cheerfully.
“Oh, you can tell who I am just by the smell?”
“It’s one of those that smells great when grilled. That plump body must be tasty too.”
“Eww.”
The mole was quick to dive back into the sand, but I, quick as a cat, grabbed its hind leg and pulled it back to the surface.
Woop!
Just like pulling a ripe radish out of the ground, that golden, chubby creature wriggled out of the sand. It looked almost like a well-fed Welsh Corgi, half the size of my body.
“Sure looks yummy when grilled. Perfect, I’m hungry.”
As I salivated, the little guy squirmed and flailed around.
“Wait, wait! There’s something better than eating me! I’m a merchant mole living in the Forest of Patience! My, my story…! Aaaah, my teeth! They’re being bitten!”
As I nibbled on its belly, the mole let out a scream like a child being tickled. I bit and released it like a puppy with growing teeth, giggling away.
“Just kidding, I’m not gonna eat you. Keep talking. You, a merchant in the desert?”
“Y-yes… Heh… I sell products suitable for travelers and pilgrims passing through this desert. There are dishes far tastier than eating me!”
“Hmmm.”
“Kyuu~.”
I narrowed my eyes at Yingyi, who was wilted under that blazing sun.
“Do you have drinking water?”
With its hind legs caught and upside down, the mole smiled and rubbed its front paws together.
“Of course! I sell mineral water from deep underground, bottled in leather. How about visiting my shop? It’s nearby.”
“A shop? Nearby?”
I looked around. It was funny for a mole to claim to be a merchant, but with nothing but sand around, I had my doubts about finding food or water here.
“If we go and there’s nothing, I’ll eat you.”
At my growling threat, the mole revealed its tiny fangs and smiled cheekily.
“I swear by the name of the great Desert Sand and Stone Dwarf King Ojimandias, no one sells better goods at this price in the Desert of Patience!”
The chubby mole was surprisingly eloquent for its appearance. I wondered if it had a talent for “speech” or perhaps “salesmanship.”
I exchanged glances between this mole and Azidahaka.
Shoulder shrug from Azidahaka. I decided to let go of the mole’s leg and set it free on the desert sand, as if I were doing it a favor.
“Alright, show me the way.”
“Hehe, here we go!”
The Dessert Mole dove into the sand, digging with its front paws like a kid making a sandcastle. Soon, a little hole popped up.
“Do I just follow you? Amazing how the sand tunnel doesn’t collapse.”
In response, Azidahaka lifted her tiara slightly and gazed thoughtfully down the sand tunnel.
“The front paws of desert moles secrete a special substance. It makes the sand hard, forming tunnels like this.”
“So, it really can make a shop down under this dune.”
I envisioned the buried tunnel and only thought of a temporary home suitable for a desert fox, nothing more.
‘It must be something like that.’
Thinking so, I stuffed my head into the sand hole, feeling a bit like Alice squeezing into a rabbit hole.
“Ugh?”
As I slid deeper down the tunnel, I let out an almost panicked yelp.
“W-what’s going on…!”
Swish!
As I spiraled down the mole’s sand tunnel, I soon stopped, landing on my rear and rolling on the ground.
A hard, cold floor. I recognized that sensation from this desert.
“It’s an underground ruin. Is this right?”
The mole, waiting for me below, nodded eagerly.
“There are many ruins in this Desert of Patience. This is my shop!”
“A shop….”
My initial thought was about a simple hole the mole had made, but I soon changed my mind.
Though I didn’t know what lay inside the dark underground ruin, the sweet smell wafting through and various presences hinted at something promising.
Soon, Azidahaka, still clutching Yingyi, slid into the underground ruin.
“It’s dark. I don’t mind, but this White One might find it uncomfortable.”
I nodded at Azidahaka’s comment.
In this deep underground ruin with no sunlight shining, even a night-vision champion like me was struggling to distinguish objects.
“Ah, I apologize! I’m used to living underground, so I’m quite accustomed to the dark.”
Chik-chik.
A scratching sound followed by a tiny spark lit up the surroundings.
“This is a torch made from the scent of a Desert Worm. It looks like a little match but burns for a long time and lights the area pretty well.”
“Indeed, bright and nice.”
I accepted the match offered by the mole. He rubbed his front paws together and spoke smoothly.
“Normally, I’d charge for that match, but out of gratitude for not eating me, I’ll give it to you for free.”
“Your life is worth only one match?”
“The valuable things are the products I sell, not me, you see.”
“Interesting little guy.”
I followed the waddling mole deeper into the underground ruin. Before long, I stumbled upon a heap of countless sparkling jewels piled up in one corner.
“Wow….”
Azidahaka was the most awestruck. They say dragons sparkle at jewels like chili raccoons and treasures.
“A staggering amount of jewels, indeed. Rubies, sapphires, garnets, and even hard-to-find yellow diamond and jade in this desert…!”
Azidahaka’s tail wagged enthusiastically at the pile of sparkling gems. I couldn’t care less, my indifference showing.
For me, it might have felt like stumbling across a treasure trove of legendary potions or rare meals piled high.
“Where in the world did you get such rare jewels?”
The mole didn’t even glance back as he replied casually.
“Some were found in these ruins I’ve taken as my shop, and others I retrieved from bones scattered across the desert. You can tell just by looking that you love gems. When I saw your prominent horns and scaly tail, I thought you were a salamander worshiper, but you might be a dragon?”
“Cough, cough, no, no. I’m a red-tailed lizard.”
Azidahaka tried to hide her identity, suddenly flustered.
‘Hmm.’
I found it refreshingly amusing that Azidahaka would belittle herself to a red-tailed lizard. Was the security around Cairo so tight that even she felt the need to conceal her true nature?
“Ah, indeed. There wouldn’t be any dragon coming to Cairo and the Desert of Patience. Even the famous and fearsome Fire Dragon Azidahaka trembles here.”
“Why is that? Isn’t the Fire Dragon strong?”
At my question, the mole’s walk abruptly halted.
“That’s because the power of Lord Garuda Jupiter, who commands wind and lightning, is strong here. No matter how powerful a dragon is, it can’t use its strength here.”
“I see. So it’s because of Jupiter.”
I recalled hearing about that griffon who is head of them. A being known for its power, even before becoming a mythical creature.
No, I heard that it transcended the very limits of an average griffon, calling itself the deity Garuda.
Garuda Jupiter.
Someone with two names as a beast must be quite a powerful being, I had read.
‘Great name, Garuda Jupiter. I was Alpha White Dog. Surely powerful, it must be.’
If I drew on my thin knowledge from watching documentaries, the mythical Garuda was depicted as the enemy of serpents and dragons, embodying sanctity.
And ironically in this world, the one claiming that name, Jupiter, is opposing the queen of scaly dragons and was named after a devil, Azidahaka.
‘What an amusing coincidence. If their names are anything to go by, they’d be the worst match for each other, wouldn’t they?’
That magnificent flapping would create a swirling wind, and that thunderous cry would strike lightning from the clear sky. With such powers reaching similar levels as Azidahaka, it’s no wonder they became a being akin to a mythical creature.
When you weigh Azidahaka being trapped in an underground tower for a thousand years, held captive by humans, needing time to regain her strength, it wasn’t far off that Jupiter might hold superior combat prowess right now.
That could be why Azidahaka hid her identity and referred to herself as a lowly red-scaled lizard.
“Interesting. Red-scaled lizard. Hehe. You? Puhuhuh.”
As I chuckled, Azidahaka’s tail coiled around my own, squeezing like a boa. Perhaps a warning to stop teasing.
Clearing my throat, I turned to the mole and asked.
“Can a red-scaled salamander enter that city? Didn’t I hear the griffons are on bad terms with scaly creatures?”
“Not quite, really. Unlike the strong, proud dragons with their hard scales, the griffons are softer and fluffier like their feathers. If you’re not a dragon, snakes or lizards can peacefully dwell in the city of Cairo too. On the other hand, I wonder if dragons could nest among feathered birds in their homes or cities….”
“That’s ridiculous. No way.”
“Cough, cough, so it means a salamander can go into the city without any issues.”
“Still, some residents still dislike scaly creatures, so it’s best to hide your tail. Luckily, I indeed possess some fine goods. Now, we’ve arrived! This is my shop.”
The mole showcased a little open area of the underground ruins around the corner. Illuminated by the match, I couldn’t help but gasp.
“Oh, there’s really a lot of stuff here.”
Various trinkets sat atop a rock; from unidentifiable objects to familiar-looking compasses, clocks, weapons like swords and spears, and armor—all laid out under the bright candlelight.
There were plenty of worn and rusty items, but there were also many things that seemed ready for use with just a bit of oil.
“Did you acquire these from the bones of the desert creatures?”
“I received them as rightful payment for burying their remains. For instance, this necklace is a remarkable piece filled with human magic….”
“Isn’t this a device from a desert fairy?”
“Oh, you recognized it! This is a device powered by magical energy. You can wear it on your wrist and know the exact time whenever.”
The mole eagerly pointed at the curious items laid out before him, spitting out explanations. I nodded along while my eyes wandered around.
“Interesting stuff. So, where’s the food and water?”
The trinkets were fascinating, but what truly mattered to me was food to fill my belly and water for Yingyi.
“Oh, if it’s that, it’s right over there. I’ve gathered a lot of food in that little room.”
The mole pointed toward a dark corner connected to this small plaza. Guided by the mole, I approached and was greeted with astonishing sights.
“Rocks…? Stones?”
“Hehe, they may look like that, but they’re indeed living creatures.”
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