– The Earth Dragon. A dragon that crawls on the ground and cannot fly. They build their nests deep in the earth and live there.
– Long ago, the Earth Dragons had a friendly relationship with humans. However, after the Dragon Clan allied with the Demons, exchanges between humans and the Earth Dragon Clan ceased.
– Humans vented their anger towards the Dragon Clan by hunting Earth Dragons. The Earth Dragons that lived near humans hid in the Demon Mines.
– However, other dragons ostracized the Earth Dragons who couldn’t fly. The Earth Dragons ended up surviving alone without aligning with either side.
“Reading what?”
Yuric, leaning against the campfire while reading a book, was approached by Nili, who had slightly protruding front teeth. She asked him quietly, and when he showed her the title of the book, she rolled her eyes and said, “I can’t read.”
“It’s a book titled ‘Analysis of the History and Ecology of Dragons.'”
“Dragons… What?”
Nili looked as if she found it boring just by hearing the title. Of course, Mage Yuric was so engrossed in the book that he lost track of time.
“I need to learn more about Earth Dragons.”
“Just a crawling dragon. It’s easier to catch than other dragons since it can’t fly. No chance for a chase, right?”
“They usually stay in their holes and don’t come out often.”
“Then we have to wait until they come out?”
“Or maybe we have to go underground ourselves.”
“I don’t like that idea. I really hate feeling cramped.”
Nili yawned and went back to her spot to lie down. About half of the mercenaries were already sleeping, while the rest were finishing their last tasks before bed.
Yuric also read a few more lines from the book before closing it and putting it away. Commander Cecilia checked around the campsite to ensure everything was fine. Although there were no signs of monsters nearby, it was still right to keep watch.
Yuric prepared a barrier spell with the capacity of one mana stone as a precaution, more for warning purposes than for defense.
Yuric’s spot next to him was occupied by Commander Cecilia. It was only natural to place the person who needed the most protection next to the strongest person. Of course, this made the mercenaries gossip again about favoritism.
“Just let them talk. Doing something like this helps relieve tension.”
Cecilia, who had become a commander unexpectedly, decided to let the young men talk.
“It’s still chilly at night. If you’re cold, we can share a blanket.”
Cecilia pulled up a large, thick blanket, implying that they should huddle together if he got cold. Although it looked warm, Yuric politely declined. She didn’t insist further but reminded him to take care of himself.
“Excuse me, Commander. Can I ask you something?”
“As long as it’s not difficult to answer.”
“When did you learn Reinforcement Magic?”
“I learned it during my time in the palace. My mother taught me that I must protect myself. Fortunately, I had some talent for it. Thanks to that, I can earn my own living.”
Cecilia gazed at the starry sky with a wistful look.
“I never imagined life would be like this. …”
Yuric didn’t disturb the commander, who was reminiscing. After swimming in the sea of memories for a while, she turned to Yuric, lightly tapping his chest.
“Get some good sleep. We have a lot to do tomorrow.”
“Yes, Commander. You should get plenty of rest too.”
As the cold night passed, dawn arrived.
The Golden Dragon Mercenary Corps and Knights packed up their camp and set off again. By noon, they finally reached the rural village, which was governed by the elderly Knight Lord Carlton. He welcomed the expedition warmly and led them inside.
Of course, there wasn’t enough space to accommodate all of them at once, so they were assigned to houses where rooms were available, two or three to a household.
There were quite a few people staying at Lord Carlton’s manor: six knights, squires, Commander Cecilia, and two mages. Naturally, the mercenaries didn’t think of the mages as getting special treatment. It was only natural for the commander to pay more attention to the mages, as they were considered fragile like glass bottles.
Thanks to this, Yuric had the opportunity to listen to Lord Carlton’s story directly at the meeting with the commander and knights.
“What’s the situation, Senior?”
“There haven’t been any direct damages yet. But since we don’t know when the village might be attacked, I immediately requested an audience with Your Grace.”
Even though the village had a population of less than three hundred, the Duke had an obligation to protect them. Moreover, since some troops had been dispatched from the dukedom to fight against the Monsters and Demons in this village, it was impossible to ignore their plight. Therefore, despite the cost, the Golden Dragon Mercenary Corps was hired.
“Where was the Earth Dragon seen?”
“There’s a forest beyond the eastern hill. It’s a place where herbalists often visit.”
Commander Cecilia told the knights that she would send them out for a brief reconnaissance later. Knights Sir Stephan and another knight would accompany her.
Yuric asked the commander if he could join them. Since a mage capable of mana detection could be useful, she gladly agreed.
After lunch, the commander, Yuric, Sir Stephan, and another knight set out for the reconnaissance.
They rode horses provided by Lord Carlton. Yuric, who didn’t know how to ride, had to cling tightly to Cecilia. However, lacking something to hold onto, he swayed back and forth.
“Hold onto me. It’s okay.”
Yuric hugged Cecilia from behind, pressing his body close to hers.
They rode over the hill and headed toward the forest where the Earth Dragon was reportedly seen.
Once Yuric dismounted, he spread his mana around but felt no particular reaction.
“The Earth Dragons usually don’t venture far from their territory. What could be the reason for it to appear suddenly?”
Yuric asked Cecilia, but of course, she didn’t know the reason either.
They searched the area thoroughly but returned to the village empty-handed.
Upon returning to the village, Commander Cecilia gathered the mercenaries in a square-like area.
“We’ll depart before sunrise tomorrow, so make sure everyone knows. There will be hard work starting from when we enter the forest.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Don’t flirt with the village girls. Eat well and go to bed early.”
Cecilia lightly tapped the shoulder of a furry-looking mercenary who was particularly fond of women, smiling softly.
With some time left before sunset, Yuric wandered around the village drawing pictures. He sketched farmers working in the fields, an aunt boiling porridge, little children trailing behind the mercenaries, country maidens blushing as they hung laundry, a crying calf, and a sociable dog wagging its tail.
After finishing his drawings, it was dinner time. Yuric enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Lord Carlton’s elderly wife and returned to his room.
It wasn’t a private room; he had to share it with Commander Cecilia and Bald Mage Booker. Though there were no beds in the cluttered room, Yuric was glad he wasn’t sleeping on the cold ground.
Yuric slept comfortably.
*
The Golden Dragon Mercenary Corps, knights, and squires headed to the forest early in the morning.
Yuric entered the forest, breathing in the fresh scent of the morning. Leading the way was an old herbalist who claimed to have seen the Earth Dragon.
Unlike the terrifying Demon Mines, this place didn’t feel particularly scary. According to villagers, no monstrous creatures that ate people had appeared here. Thus, it was safe enough to gather herbs.
Still, it was the forest where the Earth Dragon had been sighted. The mercenaries were always ready for battle, as they couldn’t predict when the Earth Dragon might appear.
Like in an old forest, countless tree roots crisscrossed beneath the ground, entangled with each other. Cecilia warned them not to trip over the roots.
Fallen leaves from last year hadn’t decomposed yet, crunching underfoot. The sound echoed from all directions.
“Here, Nari.”
After walking for a while, the herbalist finally stopped. He sat down and pointed with his finger toward where he had seen the Earth Dragon.
“I was gathering herbs here when I saw an Earth Dragon over there.”
“How far away was it?”
“It was quite far. But I’m certain it was a dragon. I’ve been gathering herbs here for forty years, and this is the first time I’ve seen a dragon, Nari.”
The group moved toward the spot where the Earth Dragon was supposedly seen.
Of course, there wouldn’t be an Earth Dragon there now.
“Could it be that it recently built a nest nearby since it hasn’t been seen in forty years?”
“Maybe it was just passing by and happened to be spotted.”
Various opinions emerged. However, given the current situation, none of them could be confirmed.
Regardless of which opinion was correct, their task remained clear.
To eliminate the threat posed by the Earth Dragon.
“Let’s search for traces.”
However, due to the significant gap between the sighting date and the present, there were no proper traces left. It had rained several times in between!
Still, by carefully searching, they could find slight signs of a large object moving. It would take some time, but for now, this was the only way to track it.
“It seems to have gone this way.”
The group followed the sparse traces they found.
“If it was just passing by and happened to be spotted, there’s not much to worry about. If it has built a new nest here, it shouldn’t be far.”
That was the general consensus.
“In that case, it’s best to observe for three to five days. If we can’t find it within that time, we can assume there’s no Earth Dragon here.”
Knight Sir Stephan made this decision. Indeed, it was the most rational choice. They couldn’t waste time here on a dragon they weren’t even sure existed. This was the best consideration he could make.
They searched the area all day but found no trace of the Earth Dragon’s nest.
Night fell quickly in the forest. Cecilia instructed the tired mercenaries to set up camp.
Yuric finished a bowl of hot soup and diligently prepared his sleeping bag. He thought filling the bottom with as many fallen leaves as possible might help keep him warmer.
Since he couldn’t expect special treatment, Yuric participated in the lottery for night watch duty. He ended up being in the middle position, along with Nili, who had protruding front teeth.
“Fate, huh!”
She smiled suggestively, imagining spending the night with him.
This time, Yuric was next to Commander Cecilia. They lay silently, staring at the night sky through the dense foliage, and drifted off to sleep.
……
Yuric woke up and looked around. His last memory was camping in the forest, but now he found himself in a sealed corridor.
“…What is this…?”
He thought it might be a dream. However, this was the first time he recognized it as such. His senses weren’t completely absent.
He walked down the corridor. It was a very large corridor, wider than those connecting rooms in dungeons.
After walking for a while, he felt something at the end of the corridor. It was definitely a living creature.
Although he felt a bit of fear, he didn’t stop.
Finally, he reached a vast room.
In the center of the room, lying on the ground, was a creature covered in black scales.
It was undoubtedly a dragon.
Its yellow eyes with black pupils stared directly at Yuric.
“You’re fortunate to see me before your death.”
Its voice pierced Yuric’s mind.
“O Mage of the Index Finger.”
