Chapter 195

The museum-like building seemed well-maintained. No matter how much I looked around the surface, I couldn’t find even a tiny crack, and people with ears everywhere were perking up their ears, keeping watch.

[Those guys have ears too, and they look similar to yours. Are they wolves?]

“Those are fox ears, you idiot.”

[Then why are you cursing? It’s hard to tell anyway.]

Azahadaka grumbled. Honestly, I agreed. Whether it was a wolf, fox, or dog, they all belong to the canine family, so it was a bit hard to distinguish just by looking at their ears.

Still, it seemed like they could tell the difference at a glance among themselves. Roka nodded in agreement too. Only the Princess and I exchanged subtle glances.

I can tell the difference between a wolf, fox, and dog, but wolf shapeshifters, fox shapeshifters, and dog shapeshifters… I have no idea. I’ve never even met the latter two.

“Hurry up and go inside, hurry!”

[Even a duck can quack loudly. That’s not helpful at all. Learn to wait a bit. We’re aiming for the perfect moment right now.]

Spinning around, Bitul circled in the air above, drawing a loop. A black lizard-like figure emerged from the Dragon’s Sword, its shiny eyes fixed on the screen Bitul was showing.

“What are you doing now! Are you messing with me? Do you have feelings for me?”

This went on for a while. Lady Kisea, pounding her chest, roared as if it were someone else’s problem. Roka had already given up and started munching on star candies. She seemed to intuitively realize this would take a while.

[It’s strange not to have feelings. But listen, I’m a dragon. I may have some complaints about you, but that’s not why I’m doing this. Wait. Ambushes are battles where the impatient lose.]

Come to think of it, I remembered a story I heard before. When I followed Parnell to the Magic Tower, she told me a story about dragons.

-When people think of dragons, they imagine strong bodies and immense magical power, but those are just common traits. Within that, there are races you could call distinct. Each has its own specialties.

Red Dragons are tyrants of scorching flames. Among dragons, they are the most violent and fierce. They are large and hearty, and if you befriend them, you might receive great gifts, but if you provoke them, you’ll turn to ash.

-There are also dragons that lived in the sea, unlike others.

Silver Dragons are observers of the deep sea. They are larger than Red Dragons and even more powerful in close combat, but they usually prefer to sleep deep in the ocean.

Given their love for the seabed, they have no interaction with land-dwelling humans. Parnell only knew that much about Silver Dragons.

-There were also dragons specialized in flight.

Blue Dragons are emperors of the sky.

A dragon’s wings aren’t just for show; any dragon can freely soar through the sky. But among their kind, Blue Dragons are said to have unparalleled flying skills.

They flew around, summoning lightning and scattering it in all directions. It’s a shame I never got to see it. It must have been a magnificent sight. I remember Parnell lamenting that too.

-And this is a bit sensitive, but there were also dragons who had children with humans.

The Gold Dragon, a distant ancestor of the Princess, is the master of the earth.

If Silver Dragons are the largest and Red Dragons the most violent, Gold Dragons are the toughest. Their scales are renowned as the strongest among dragon scales.

Perhaps inheriting that trait, the Princess’s Dragon’s Sword is unmatched in durability. Green Dragons are harmonizers of life. White Dragons are lords of frost. Parnell’s explanation continued. Finally, she reached the dragon before us.

The last dragon she explained.

That was the Black Dragon. The category Azahadaka belongs to.

-King of Shadows. Friend of Darkness. That’s what humans called Black Dragons back then. They are dragons specialized in stealth, ambush, and curses, making even other dragons uneasy around them.

They strike, hide, and curse while hidden. Black Dragons never fight head-on; they specialize in underhanded tactics. It’s not that they’re weak, but rather that they excel in such methods.

When it comes to stealth and ambush, this one is almost naturally gifted. No, it’s not just a gift—it’s innate.

Just as fish are naturally good at swimming, Black Dragons are inherently skilled at these things.

Moreover, though it’s hard to grasp, he has immense experience. He’s lived at least as long as the four of us combined.

With natural talent and now experience, there’s no reason not to trust him.

“Hey!”

[Oh dear.]

“Hey!!”

[Don’t be so impatient. It’s about waiting. For the perfect moment…]

So I trusted him. I couldn’t think of anyone more suited for this.

By the time I realized something was wrong, the sun had set, and night had fallen.

Only then did it dawn on me that a dragon’s sense of time is different from ours. He could wait here for 30 years for the perfect moment and still not lose anything.

Compared to his lifespan, that’s a small investment. But not for us.

Lady Kisea was about to explode, and Roka, exhausted from waiting, collapsed. She said to wake her when it was decided and started snoring away.

“When is that moment coming! After we’re all dead and gone?”

[I didn’t plan to wait that long. Sneaking in at night should be enough.]

“Really…?”

[Originally, we could have invaded a bit later, but… Oh ho! Look at that. The defenses are weakening.]

Suddenly, the dragon’s eyes gleamed. We turned our gaze to the screen Bitul was showing.

Through the window, a woman in what looked like a manager’s uniform was berating a man in a military coat. The museum guards were clearly unsettled.

[Let’s eavesdrop.]

Bitul clung to the wall and started eavesdropping. Soon, voices came through the screen.

“No, no matter what, this is too much. This is an important facility. Even if you’re the palace steward, some things just can’t be done. Cecil, this is a very difficult request.”

“What power can I wield if I don’t even have food to feed them? Help me out, Pedro. We’ve gotten along well so far.”

The fox-like woman sighed.

“Your subordinates are strong, aren’t they? Just lend them to me for a bit. I’ll repay you when I return. The Queen’s orders are just too overwhelming. Death Worms. And Griffins. How am I supposed to move the corpses of such huge creatures by myself?”

“Cecil, calm down first.”

“If this doesn’t go well, I’m as good as dead. Are you okay with that?”

We glanced at each other. We killed the Death Worms. But Griffins?

This makes no sense. And moving monster corpses? What does that mean? Did they prepare a burial site?

…They could just bury them in the plains, why go through all that trouble?

In fact, they could just leave them where they are, no need to bury them.

“Did Yanid kill them? The monsters? All by herself?”

Lady Kisea’s eyes widened. That was highly likely.

Unless the monsters suddenly turned on each other, there was no one else strong enough to do that. The image of the crying child flashed through my mind. My heart felt empty.

“She has the strength to kill monsters. It’s probably certain.”

The Princess shivered as she replied.

“That’s in the past. Let’s focus on the task at hand. Great one, could you please turn up the volume a bit? Their voices are too soft to hear clearly.”

[That’s a simple spell.]

The dragon replied leisurely.

[Let’s see what’s happening.]

“You bad person. You don’t care if my whole family dies now, do you? How can your heart grow so cold so quickly? Were all those whispers of love just lies?”

[How intriguing.]

Suddenly, we found ourselves watching a melodrama. Sigh. Roka slowly opened her eyes at the loud noise. Thinking it was a dream, she shook her head.

“Cecil, that’s unreasonable. Listen, I have my position too. If word gets out that I sent the museum guards elsewhere, I’ll be in big trouble.”

“……”

“If something goes wrong, it’s not just me in trouble. You’ll be implicated too. This can’t happen. It’s too risky.”

“There’s never been a problem at this museum before, right?”

The woman jumped into the man’s arms, hugging him tightly. The man’s face was filled with worry, but he instinctively reached out to hold her.

“Right. Who would dare cause trouble at the museum, a symbol of the regime?”

“Your guards are just patrolling without much to do, aren’t they?”

“That’s not wrong…”

“My lover is heading to her death. My lover is heading to her death. Aren’t we betrothed before our ancestors? Are you really that cold and indifferent?”

Unable to bear the woman’s sobbing, the man finally made a decision.

“Sigh. Fine. I’ll lend you half the guards. I’ll tell them it’s a secret mission, so make sure to reward them afterward. If they don’t get something, they might report this to the higher-ups at any time.”

“I’ll do as you say. Thank you so much, Pedro.”

“And don’t forget to fill the pockets of those above you. I’ll handle my superiors. Don’t think they’re blind. They know everything but let it slide. If you don’t bribe them and make them accomplices, you can’t rest easy.”

That meant we now had a chance to infiltrate.

“Bribery is rampant, and discipline is lax. The exterior is glamorous, but the inside is rotten. Thanks to that, we have this opportunity.”

Seeing their state, the Princess sighed in relief. She seemed oddly comforted.

Even Roka, who rarely speaks to the Princess, asked curiously.

“Why are you smiling?”

“Hmm. I don’t know why, but seeing that scene makes me feel at ease.”

“Huh…?”

“I thought the Empire was rotting everywhere, but seeing this place, I feel reassured. We’re not as rotten yet.”

The child made a sour face and quickly lost interest in this boring topic.

Anyway, fortune favors the diligent, and it was clear that an opportunity had come to us.