Myungho was staring at the completed fry as if it were some inedible food. Although it had been seasoned with just a simple dash of salt and didn’t emit any particularly appealing aroma, it already exuded an appetizing fragrance on its own.
“…Really going to eat this? This thing…? No, guys. It came out of Alterra’s body. Think about it. Are you really going to eat something that came from someone else’s body?”
I don’t know how he managed to survive as an adventurer with such a weak stomach, but Myungho tried to persuade us, insisting that it wasn’t right no matter how he thought about it.
“Learning that half-dragons lay eggs was new to me, but getting the chance to actually taste one of those eggs is intriguing. As a cook first, before being a scholar or mage, I can’t help but be curious. I’m going to try it.”
“I will eat it too. I skipped dinner last night, and even though it came from Alterra, it’s still an egg, isn’t it? There’s nothing here we can’t eat.”
Of course, no one was listening to him. Even though they couldn’t understand his words, their tone clearly showed no agreement. Myungho stared at us in shock, like a girl seeing bugs for the first time.
“It’s good for you. At least better than that strange square thing you carry around or the jerky.”
The mage skillfully divided the full pan of fry into four pieces and served them onto plates, as if it were obvious that everyone would eat it.
Though slightly hot to hold with bare hands, our hunger made us grab the fry like pizza, shoving both the yolk and the white into our mouths at once.
Given its size, the yolk hadn’t cooked all the way through, so about half was well-done while the other half remained soft and runny like a poached egg.
The perfect seasoning combined with an overwhelming savory flavor, making it irresistible despite the heat.
Although the cooked yolk was somewhat dry, the saliva flowing abundantly made it no real issue. The whites were abundant enough that we quickly ate them and stuffed even the crispy edges into our mouths.
Fries are always best at the edges, aren’t they? Though it looked slightly burnt, the dark-brown border tasted surprisingly good.
Myungho continued to hesitate, unsure whether he should really eat it, watching us eat. Seeing his hesitation, I decided to push him a bit.
“You’re not going to eat it? Then I will?”
At that, Myungho, reluctant to give up what had been served to him, said he’d eat it, approaching the fry like someone attempting to eat something inedible for the first time. He brought the dragon-egg fry to his lips.
What a waste. If he wasn’t going to eat it, I was fully prepared to take it for myself. Myungho took a bite, chewed hesitantly, swallowed, then opened his tightly shut eyes wide in amazement.
“…Is it…delicious? No, why… One more bite…”
It’s delicious, isn’t it? Even when cooked by someone without much talent, it tastes good. Imagine how different it would be if made by an expert.
As if possessed by a spirit, Myungho hastily devoured the fry made from my egg. His mouth might get burned since he doesn’t have a sturdy body like mine.
“Isn’t it delicious? Made from my egg.”
Maybe I should try making steamed egg next time during our adventures. Eggs can be preserved for quite a while, so it could be possible to make it when we visit a village.
I know how to make it, but my skills aren’t great, so it’s worth trying now that there’s someone who can make it well.
As expected, Myungho complained about his burnt palate but kept praising how delicious it was. It was hard to understand him because he kept inhaling sharply as if in pain while talking.
“This is something. A clump of magic and nutrition. Although overcooked, both the magic and nutrients have diminished considerably. Regardless, it tastes good. If we eat half and process the rest into potions, we might make a decent amount of money?”
“Not only strong, but also delicious, Alterra. Envious.”
Seeing the two of them looking at me with a dangerous glint, I hid behind Myungho. They then withdrew their gaze, munching silently on my egg.
“…Ah, now I understand why you said it was so delicious. For some unknown reason, I feel invigorated! It’s not just my imagination—it’s real!”
“Of course. Even a fraction of a dragon’s egg is considered a rare delicacy that even an emperor might only taste once in a lifetime. Besides its rarity, its taste, nutrients, and magical power are overwhelming.”
“So, in short, it’s good for the body, right?”
“Yes, moron. Now do you understand how precious what you ate so rudely was? Seems like you do. Since you’ve eaten something so valuable, you need to pay your dues.”
“But it’s not yours. Technically, it belongs to Alterra, so shouldn’t you thank Alterra for letting you cook her egg?”
For some reason, Myungho suddenly defended me. I’m not sure how to respond to that sudden support. Should I thank him?
“How does someone who supposedly received the blessing of language not understand a metaphor… Since you’ve fortified your body with something precious, prepare yourself to work harder.”
“Prepare myself? What do you mean by ‘prepare’?”
“Treasure vault, frustrating. Since this person, who can easily defeat an ogre with strength, is currently unable to use her powers, our protector must put in extra effort. Right?”
“…Prepare what?”
A place resembling a palace was completely covered in large mushrooms and fungi, making it impossible to discern its original shape.
It wasn’t due to collapse; rather, various fungi had spread everywhere, obscuring the original walls entirely. At first glance, it looked like pulsating blood vessels, which was unsettling.
According to Akashi, this place likely became like this because it was where the most people had gathered. Knowing this didn’t make it look any better.
On the contrary, it felt eerie, imagining so many souls bound to this land. Souls cannot wander alone; they require a vessel. Most often, it’s a body, and bodies without souls are undead—but…
What should we call these? They’re not rich enough to be called liches, as they’ve lost their sanity. They’ve fallen into evil spirits merely because of someone’s poor choice, despite once being virtuous.
It’s disheartening that there’s no way to help them. It’s impossible to awaken each one individually by shedding blood on every fungus—they’re simply too numerous.
Following Akashi’s advice, ignoring them is the best option.
“Was this the place? Let’s die gracefully. We can’t even see where the entrance was. Yuna, shoot an arrow there. Time may have affected it, but it’s not indestructible. Like the outer walls we saw. Chances are, the wall was broken by some nasty monsters.”
“Don’t tell me what to do. What justification do you have for looting royal treasures? If it’s under the Preservation Blessing, the security systems should still be functioning fine.”
“Well, I came here before to magically reinforce those security systems. I remember exactly where all the traps are. So, does this motivate you to act now? Huh?”
…He seemed to have been doing pretty well once upon a time, but how did he end up joining the Demon King’s army? Akashi urged Yuna again.
Since Yuna had no further objections, she pulled her massive bowstring back fully and fired an arrow toward what was presumed to be the entrance.
Even a castle wall wouldn’t withstand an arrow powerful enough to demolish it. A door wouldn’t stand a chance. A large hole big enough for a person to pass through easily formed, and spores and dust rose from within.
Yuna’s bow continues to amaze me every time I see it, even after traveling with her for so long. Admiring it internally, I stepped into the hole she created.
“Ugh…”
As soon as we entered the palace, spores were so thick they made breathing difficult, so Yuna had to fire another arrow to create a second hole on the opposite side for ventilation.
“Looks like I don’t need to step in. Yuna’s handling everything herself.”
“Typical ignorant talk. You have your role to play, so stop sulking and do your part. Anyway, when does Alterra expect to regain her strength?”
While waiting for the spores to clear, Akashi asked when Alterra would recover her strength. Indeed…
“Alterra, when will your strength return? You won’t stay like this for long, will you?”
If she can’t scout, manipulate the earth, or fight for a long time, honestly speaking, she’d be useless. She seems to have enough strength now to protect herself, but compared to her usual state, it’s embarrassing.
“It’ll last about a day… so it should return by noon today. Oh, there’s still some time left.”
That’s welcome news. When told her strength would return by noon, he remarked that she was indeed partly draconic.
Once we could see clearly and breathe comfortably, we ventured inside.
Akashi truly remembered everything, identifying trap panels and guard golems’ positions.
Arrow traps, crushing traps, fiery floors, and wildly spinning blades—he preemptively triggered or disabled all the traps by breaking their circuits.
Without Akashi, we probably would have died at the third trap in this maliciously designed area. Breaking through it, we found ourselves at the end of an empty corridor with a lavish door.
“Well, this is the hardest part, but luckily, we have a way to pass through comfortably. Hey, translator. Tell Alterra I want to borrow the transparent spider’s core briefly.”
“Dalocos’ core? Are you planning to turn invisible and sneak through? For a grand wizard, can’t you just do that kind of thing normally…?”
Flight aside. He’s undoubtedly a grand wizard, yet whenever group actions are required, he always finds substitutes that mimic the effects of his magic.
“It’s easy for me alone. And it’s also easy to manipulate others’ minds to make us invisible. But trying to make all of you invisible would fry my brain. Unlike other versions of me, this one isn’t that powerful. Plus, the security system has minds that can’t be manipulated. Got it now?”
Now I understand why he seems somewhat lackluster as a grand wizard.
When asked to temporarily use the core, she seemed delighted to finally have something to do and willingly handed it over.
“If it gets damaged or scratched, I’ll remake your skull identically. Pass that message along.”
With a slightly menacing condition set, she handed it over after receiving an acknowledgment.
“Infusing mana… Good. It’s still fresh. Alright, everyone, stick close. Line up or hang on in a chain. Absolutely do not let go. Doing so could result in more than just your death.”
