The next day as well. The day after that, too. And the day after that. For a whole week, they kept coming without fail. At first, I maintained my guard for a day or two, but soon even that caution melted away.
At some point, I noticed something. That white-robed wizard—wasn’t his name Akashi? He no longer carried his grimoire. Moreover, every time they came, the contents of the envelope they brought had changed.
And not once did I dislike what was inside. The slices of ham were delicious, the finely ground spices were delightful, and even the skewers bought from the street tasted wonderful.
I wondered what food they would bring today. No matter what offering they presented, I wasn’t going to join them as allies. Still, I hoped they’d stay longer. If only they could settle here forever.
That way, I’d get more of this, wouldn’t I?
Sitting on a stump along their usual path, I idly stroked my tail while pondering today’s tribute. Would it be meat again like last time? No, it might be candy today.
As I happily speculated, I soon felt vibrations approaching. But this time, something was different.
There was one more person with them. Without knowing who it was, I summoned a sword from the earth just in case. It’s never bad to prepare, especially if my suspicions are correct and I need the blade.
Still, I hoped it wouldn’t come to that. After all, Myungho was one of the few decent humans.
By “decent,” I mean someone who doesn’t scream upon seeing me, nor pulls out a weapon or runs away—a completely harmless human.
While thinking how foolish it might be to trust again after being betrayed before, I slung the sword over my shoulder and headed toward the source of the vibrations.
Since my eyesight isn’t great, I needed to get closer, but thanks to the advantageous terrain, I managed to hide and observe them from a distance.
As always, there were Myungho and Akashi, and… an elf I hadn’t seen before. However, this elf looked nothing like the ones I knew.
One arm was entirely replaced by a steel prosthetic, and the bow strapped to his back—even its string—was made of steel. Not to mention, his body appeared very robust.
Of course, handling such equipment would require strength. Still, he didn’t fit the typical image of an elf.
“…Myungho, you’re not imagining things. Are we truly safe? Even disregarding rumors, this presence is undeniably threatening. They’ve supposedly defeated several warriors marked with golden sigils, haven’t they?”
“No, it’s fine. They’re kinder than they look. Maybe a bit sharp because they grew up among beasts rather than people.”
“Why don’t you just say you’re annoyed? Your gaze alone looks deranged. Personally, I think I’m pretty good-looking. Though I’m more attracted to men than women, that’s irrelevant since I don’t see them as equals anyway… But still, like I said before.”
“Akashi, please shut up. I didn’t ask about your sexual preferences.”
The woman I hadn’t met yet was chatting casually with them. I couldn’t understand their language, so I didn’t know their relationship, but at first glance, she seemed like a companion.
“…So, around this time, they usually show up… Altegra! Are you listening? If you are, come out!”
Be careful with the newcomer. Leaping down from the branches above them, I landed softly. They were visibly startled, but as usual, Myungho set down the envelope.
“Who’s that woman?”
Under normal circumstances, I’d have put away the greatsword long ago and quickly devoured the contents of the envelope, but the unknown factor prevented that.
What if she tries to split my skull with an arrow mid-bite? Being struck by something like that would surely kill me. My instincts were warning me. Upon closer inspection, her arrows were metallic too.
At this range, even I wouldn’t be able to react in time if she fired one of those.
“This is Yuna. She’s our mercenary rather than a true comrade… But Altegra, she’s not as scary as you might think, right?”
“Indeed, now that I’ve seen her up close, even Akashi might approve. Hmm… So, nice to meet…”
The woman named Yuna greeted me using words within my comprehension level, though I couldn’t make out the first part. Nevertheless, it’s proper to return a greeting.
“Nice to meet you.”
Since she was introduced as their ally, I lowered my guard slightly, but I wasn’t fully relaxed. Things could change suddenly.
Keeping a watchful eye on their actions, I checked today’s envelope.
Various foods and snacks, and… a book? Curious about why it was included, I glanced at Myungho, but his expression gave nothing away.
Did this guy give it to me knowing I can’t read? Whatever it is, at least the cover looks like something kids would read.
…Well, let’s set that aside for now. Today’s offerings tasted just as good as ever, but I still couldn’t figure out why the book was added.
“…Seeing a half-dragon up close like this is quite an experience. Myungho, did you cast any magic?”
“What, that idiot? He just talks and feeds them until they trust him enough to eat everything he gives.”
Watching people eat irritates me. When I glared slightly, they quieted down.
“So, um, curious why you were given a book? First, let me clarify—it’s a children’s picture book, perfect for learning words.”
“…Even if I tried, I wouldn’t understand it. There’s no one to teach me.”
Parents usually do that, pointing out each object: “This is an apple,” “This is…” while teaching pronunciation, and the child follows along.
…But the problem is, my parents couldn’t do that. One simply wouldn’t, and the other couldn’t.
“That… I’m sorry. Instead, we can teach you. If you become our ally, whenever I have free time, I’ll help you learn language. Also, though I may not be strong, I’m technically called a hero. Traveling with us means troublemakers targeting you won’t dare approach easily.”
As usual, I intended to refuse, but the final offer made me hesitate.
No more raids or adventurers chasing me. A fact I’d ignored until now—this peace won’t last forever.
In the future, perhaps until the day I die, I’ll keep encountering those trying to kill me. If merely traveling with these people could stop that…
Isn’t that a decent proposal? At least I wouldn’t have to risk my life daily searching for food or live in constant fear of intruders.
“If you don’t want to, that’s fine. Just think about it. We’re leaving in two days, so if you change your mind, come to the guild. You know, that building you often visit.”
Two days. So I only have two more days to receive offerings from them. What a shame.
…But if I go with them, I wouldn’t miss anything. This decision troubled me further. Though they seek the cursed power, they aren’t asking for my heart or horns.
After pondering deeply, the group left, saying they’d give me time to think. I still held the sword in one hand but clutched the book in the other.
With two full days left to decide, there’s no rush.
Back at my den, I idly examined the leftover snacks while flipping through the book. Naturally, I couldn’t comprehend any of it. I didn’t even know how to pronounce the letters beside the picture of an apple.
Mother used to teach me like this when I was little, but I’ve forgotten everything. Besides, I rarely had anyone to talk to anyway.
Lying around doing nothing until twilight, I began to feel lazy lately. Is it really okay to survive solely on what humans provide?
Not that I want to tear apart monsters or animals either.
The difference between eating to survive and eating for pleasure is clear. I almost decided to blindly follow them, but leaving my home area hesitated me.
Most importantly, I dreaded the possibility of never returning to the place where I lived with Mother.
…Traveling with heroes means no one will easily harm me, Myungho had said. While considering his offer, I sensed many people approaching.
It wasn’t just a handful. Too many to count accurately due to overlapping vibrations.
When I went to investigate, distant torchlight revealed at least thirty.
And after getting closer quietly, it looked like far more than a hundred.
Fortunately, their skill levels didn’t seem high, but the sheer number was overwhelming. This was nearly akin to a military operation.
“Hurry and find the dragon! This is the only way to restore our family’s honor! We cannot allow the legacy of our ancestor, who achieved the feat of dragon-slaying, to falter! Move, move!”
At the leader’s command, soldiers scattered into groups. Running away was pointless now.
So, fighting is the only option. With so many…
…I have no choice but to rely on that accursed power.
Ideally, I should kill the leader first, but his guards radiated refined energy, visible even from afar.
If I engage them and get surrounded by the weaker ones, I’ll be in serious trouble. Better to eliminate the weaker ones first.
Firing rocks creates loud noises and leaves glowing trails of magical energy, making it unsuitable for stealth.
The conclusion? Take out one group at a time. That’s the plan.
This will be a long fight. After infusing my body with sufficient mana, I ambushed passing soldiers by dropping from a tree branch.
