Table of Contents

Color Inserts

Title Page

Characters

Table of Contents Page

The Story So Far

Copyrights and Credits

Chapter 1: The Dragon’s Fishing Journal

Interlude: The Hero's Epic Tale Act 3

Chapter 2: The Hero’s Attack

Chapter 3: The 100-Legged King

Chapter 4: The Red Ants’ Nest

Chapter 5: The Red Ant War

Interlude: The Hero’s Epic Tale Act 4

Chapter 6: Day of Judgement

Bonus Story 1: The Former Knight Commander’s Continuing Story

Bonus Story 2: The Girl’s Even Farther Away Journey

Bonus Story 3: An Old Swordsman’s Gourmet Journey

Afterword

Newsletter

Chapter 1:
The Dragon’s Fishing Journal

 

Part 1

 

A DAY HAD PASSED since I foisted my battle with the giant centipede onto an army of red ants.

Kicking off the ground, I flew straight up until I could survey the area. I needed to find a human village for Nina. I’d never flown this high before, and I couldn’t stay up here for very long, but I did my best to balance as I slowly dropped my speed. Spreading my wings to maintain my height, I looked around.

Nothing but desert for miles and miles. A pack of hyenas ran in the distance, and out at sea the water stretched endlessly, unbroken by boats or islands. The walled city was looking more and more like the only scrap of civilization out here.

Remaining at this altitude was difficult. As I descended, I spotted the leader of the soldiers who’d attacked me.

What was his name again? Hage? Hagen, that’s it. Look at him, riding one of those three-headed camels. I was worried he’d have trouble making it home safely after his horse ran off. I’m glad he’s doing okay.

I heard Ballrabbit squeak as I received a message via Telepathy. “Pfeff!” (“Did you see anything?”)

I shook my head. Nina was weak. If I didn’t find another village, I’d have no choice but to bring her to the walled city.

Nina watched my exchange with Ballrabbit anxiously. I needed to explain the situation more thoroughly. I’d already made it clear that we couldn’t live together for very long—hence my search for a safe haven—but I hadn’t told her about the Dragon Scale Powder yet.

I needed to raise my skill levels anyway. This was the perfect opportunity to use Human Transformation. Let’s see… If I use it now, how long will it last?

 

Illusia

Species: Plague Dragon

Status: Normal

Lv: 44/75

HP: 302/344

MP: 237/237

 

237 seconds…about four minutes. I’ll be able to talk more smoothly than before, so that should be plenty. I’ll make it quick and preserve some MP for later.

I could just ask Ballrabbit to use Telepathy for me, but I was craving human contact.

“Graar.” I made a little noise to get their attention, caught Nina’s eye, and then used Human Transformation. Just like the previous times, my body grew hot and I shrank down to human size.

Back when I was new to this, the pain and heat made me feel faint, but I was used to it by now. I just wished I could extend the skill’s interval and fine-tune my appearance. I could still only turn into a lizardman.

My transformation made it clear to Nina that I had something to say. She glanced over at Ballrabbit, then took a tentative step towards me, her expression tense.

Seriously, you don’t have to be so nervous! I’m not gonna gobble you up! I wish you’d trust me more.

“My scales, poisonous to you. Can’t take you. Around for long. Wanted to take you somewhere. But. I’m not. From here. If don’t find something. Soon. No choice but taking you. To walled city.”

“……”

“Don’t. You know somewhere? No other place, then. No choice but. Walled city.” I asked her the same question as last time. She’d said she had nowhere to go, but I just wanted to check again. If I emphasized the gravity of the situation, perhaps she could come up with something.

We needed to make a decision. The walled city was some distance from here, and if the alternative was to keep wandering aimlessly until I had to abandon her in the desert, cursed by Dragon Scale Powder and effectively sentenced to death. Well, there really was no contest.

At my words, Nina’s cat ears drooped weakly. Hey, if there was something else I could do, I’d do it. But we’re out of options.

Nina and I stood there staring at each other. My MP was draining; I had to say something.

“If. You feel sick. Please tell. Right away.” From what happened with Ballrabbit, I already knew that damage to the body began before the curse showed up on the status screen. The rabbit had still pinged as normal even after it started coughing.

“Pfeff!” Ballrabbit let out a cry. Nina reached out to gently stroke it on the head. She nodded and looked back at me.

“You’ll find a small port village if you follow the coast. It should be closer to here than Harunae, nyah.”

That was the exact opposite direction of the walled city. Harunae? Was that what it was called? The soldiers’ status screen had popped up with something like that.

A port city, huh? Were Nina and the other demi-humans brought to this continent on a boat, then transferred to Harunae by carriage? The port city might not treat her any better than the walled city.

“U-um, the port city is close, and I still feel fine. Can we go slow?” Slow? Was this pace too hard on her body? I thought I’d been moderating my stride. “If I go back…they’ll capture me again. I want to stay with the two of you as long as possible. O-or am I too much trouble?”

“No. I. Understand. We will do. That.” I took a few steps backwards and transformed back before she could finish thanking me. My body expanded until I reached my original dragon-sized form. My MP wasn’t gone; that wasn’t why I broke the transformation. I just didn’t want her to see the tears falling from my eyes. Even back in dragon form I couldn’t stop crying.

Did we have any other options? The port city or Harunae—the results would be the same. The image of that fat man laughing as he kicked Nina and the other slaves out of the carriage for monster food kept popping into my head.

I couldn’t go into human villages. Wherever she went, I wouldn’t be able to check on her. What if I took her to the port, and they just killed her right away? That would render all of this completely pointless. I took on the giant centipede, and for what? Saving the life of a single fat slaver.

“U-um, Mr. Dragon?” Nina spoke hesitantly behind me, but I couldn’t turn around. Not yet.

Interlude:
The Hero’s Epic Tale Act 3

 

Part 1

 

EARLY THIS MORNING, I paid a visit to the church. Neatly sidestepping the bishop’s long-winded lectures and various warnings, I collected his stamp of approval on Adoff’s release permit. I understood the need for strict enforcement, but meaningless formalities were truly irritating.

Of course, these were the same idiots who spent their days dog-earing donations to funnel them to the rich, so I shouldn’t be surprised. The knights were already a large force, but command continued to pointlessly bolster their numbers, further consolidating their power and frittering away the state budget. Any supposed oversight was truly a sham. The only voice of opposition was Adoff, and he couldn’t do anything from prison. Change was impossible, and should a real threat emerge, I couldn’t confidently say the bloated military was capable of even mounting a defense.

Here I was, traveling far and wide to risk my life for this country while these parasites grew fat off my leftovers. How many times had I contemplated throwing the church leaders over the walls to the monsters? That would liven things up. Picture it: grieving mothers weeping over the murders of their precious children while the knights fled in a panic. I could come to the rescue when everyone was already half devoured.

Still, I had no alibi and I didn’t see any monsters around right now, so I shelved that plan for the time being. Besides, if I threw everyone to the monsters, there’d be no one around to have my back when I needed it.

I hadn’t expected to leave so early in the morning, but anonymity was a condition of Adoff’s release. We would don heavy cloaks and leave Harunae before sunrise. The public had already been notified of our operation. Apparently, the backlash was worse than expected. Typically, my departure would be heralded by cheering citizens. Today, we skulked out like criminals, ordered to notify the citizenry of our victory and nothing else.

Doubtless, the public was displeased with a suspected murderer running around free. Also…there were the rumors about Adoff that I’d been spreading.

I imagined how that prick of a bishop must have looked when he found out—pale, shaking, beside himself with rage. It served him right. There were only so many restrictions on my behavior that I was prepared to put up with.

I picked up Adoff from the jail, and the two of us walked through town, our hoods pulled low.

“Thank you so much again, Illusia. I heard getting permission to do this was difficult.”

I nearly busted out laughing. I knew Adoff was stupid, but I didn’t think he was this stupid. “I only did what anyone would do. If you really want to thank me, you can prove your innocence and avenge your fiancée and brother’s deaths. But we shouldn’t talk too much right now. The crowd will be thin this early, but it’s better to be safe.” I feigned furtive glances around, hiding my smile.

As we entered a residential district, I became aware of more people around us. Adoff did too. He paused, frowning. “Should we take a different route?”

“It’s going to be the same anywhere. They’re onto us. I bet someone from the church leaked information about our early departure. They’re not a united front.” I covered my face with my hands, feigning frustration. I was being too obvious, but I didn’t care. Anything was better than letting him see my amusement.

The information leak was me, of course. I’d let slip the day, time, and circumstances of our plan. A perfect opportunity to harass both Adoff and the bishop, though my main goal was to demonstrate to the ordinary citizens exactly where I stood.

A group of three young men hurried over, pointed at Adoff, and yelled. “There he is! Family-killer Adoff!”

“We heard you deceived the hero so you could run away, but we’re not gonna let that happen!” They were yelling loud enough for a crowd to form. They’d surely begun to search for us as soon as they got word of his release from jail. Their voices woke up the sleeping neighborhood, drawing citizens out of their homes to see what the commotion was about.

“Get back in jail! Die!” Someone threw a rock. Adoff saw it but didn’t move, apparently resigning himself to getting hit. Maybe he thought that would slake the crowd’s bloodlust.

Here was as good a place as any. Before the situation could get out of control, I took a step forward and batted the stone away with my sword.

“It would seem some slight exaggerations have spread, so allow me to explain. I’ll straighten things out with the church,” I added to Adoff in a quiet voice, then took another step forward. “I asked Adoff to come along with me personally, because, despite his situation, he is the best man for the job. However briefly, Adoff was once my mentor, and, although I’m sure some personal feelings crept into my decision, no one tricked me into doing this. I am confident he was wrongfully accused of the murders of his family. In fact, Adoff is coming along with me because he wants nothing more than to reopen the investigation. I vouch for him with my reputation as a hero on the line. If by some chance he does cause harm while under my care, I will take full responsibility. So please…let us pass.”

I bowed my head. An awkward silence reigned as the crowd parted, one by one. “Let’s go before they regroup,” I murmured to Adoff, who was still bewildered.

“I’m really sorry,” he said as we moved through the crowd, and I laughed on the inside as we hurried along.

Now I had clearly shown my position. I’d demonstrated that I trusted Adoff. And when news of his unfortunate fate spread, everyone would assume I’d been forced to stop him from doing something drastic. Despite my words, I had no intention of taking responsibility for his actions. I was the symbol of this country—the church would do everything in its power to prevent any tarnishing of my image. Who would dare demand I “take responsibility”? The church rubber-stamped me; if anything happened, they’d bear the brunt of it.

According to Harunae law, the punishment for any crime committed by an escaped prisoner fell upon their closest relatives. I had scapegoats; nothing could touch me. People might call me naive, but that would only reflect favorably on my reputation in the end. I wouldn’t get in any trouble.

Besides, fresh-faced optimism and idealism was expected from heroes, right? No harm done.

Chapter 2:
The Hero’s Attack

 

Part 1

 

“GRAAAR!” I summoned Ballrabbit from its hole in the sand.

“Pfeff.” It rubbed its sleepy eyes with its ears. I still couldn’t get over how agile those things were. I wouldn’t even be surprised to see it show up wielding a sword with them one day.

Rise and shine. Time to head for the port city again! Nina said it was close by, but there was nothing on the horizon. If we didn’t make it in time I would never forgive myself; I wanted to get an early start today. Once we made a bit of progress, I’d fly up and try to spot it.

Currently, Nina was inside Ballrabbit’s mouth. We’d decided that was the safest place for her to sleep. If I put

her in mine, I might swallow her by accident. A fate worse than death, for sure.

Due to Ballrabbit’s skill Storage, Nina never got dirty when she was in its mouth beyond the tiniest bit of saliva. Ballrabbit’s body really did contain some alternate closet dimension, no matter how it downplayed the size of it. According to Nina, it was a warm, comforting space. Ballrabbit’s talents were myriad. It belonged in a human city way more than a desert teeming with monsters. Lucky thing.

“Pfeff.” Ballrabbit let Nina out of its mouth and carefully placed her on the ground with its ears. She opened her eyes as soon as the sunlight hit her, stumbling slightly on her sleepy legs. Ballrabbit gently supported her.

“Th-thank you, Bally.” She patted it on the head. Those two really were close.

“Raar.” Hey, Nina. Is this the right way to the port city? How much farther is it?

She didn’t answer. Hey, what gives?

“Pfeff.” Ballrabbit closed its eyes and let out another big yawn. This thing wasn’t even bothering to translate for me, I could tell.

Hey, c’mon, Ballrabbit. Do your job. What, are you still sleepy?

(“How long. Until port city?”)

“Um…I think we’ll be able to see it sometime today. I recognize that big bone.” Nina pointed to a shape buried in the sand—maybe a dragon’s skull. A smaller species than me, for sure.

Today, huh? Well, if was that close, then in an emergency I could just Roll there at full speed.

Now that I had my Protective Spirit skill up to level 7, learning white magic would be easier. Maybe I should practice Rest again. Ballrabbit already knew it, so I had a built-in teacher. And we might as well teach Nina while we’re at it. If she knew some recovery magic, her chances of survival in the city rose drastically.

She might not master it in a single day, but I’d managed to teach it to myself in the forest with brute force. Just enough to heal scratches and stuff—it didn’t even need to be strong enough to register in her skills.

“Graar.”

Time to get started on my plan. Hey, Ballrabbit. Teach me and Nina recovery magic.

“Pfeff?” (“Nina too?”)

“Graar.” Yeah, I just figure Rest might come in handy when she gets to town. People might treat her better. I want her to learn it before we part ways.

Ballrabbit read my thoughts and turned to Nina. “Pfeff.” (“He wants. You practice white. Magic before. Leave.”)

“What? B-but…”

Hmm. She doesn’t seem very enthusiastic. I thought it was a great idea. Maybe it really isn’t that easy to learn. If it were, everyone would know it. Rest is a useful spell.

I was just making guesses; I might be dead wrong. It was late in the game to admit this, but I had no idea how anything in this world worked. I might have suggested something totally outlandish.

“I’m, um…w-well…” Her voice roughened, going quieter and quieter. She looked like she was about to cry. Did she have some sort of recovery magic-related trauma?

“Pfeff,” Ballrabbit said to Nina. If it was using Telepathy, the thoughts weren’t coming through to me. Nina set her mouth in a determined line.

“A-all right. Please teach me!” Nina bowed her head. I don’t know how to use it yet, either. I understand your confusion, but Ballrabbit’s the one who can use Rest!

Chapter 3:
The 100-Legged King

 

Part 1

 

I OPENED MY EYES to sand stretching in all directions. The landscape seemed unfamiliar, but that was due to my low angle of observation. My cheek was pressed against the ground. I sat up and spat out a mouthful of sand.

I forced myself to think. I remembered the blond guy knocking me unconscious. But…I was alive. He let me go? Why? Oh, that’s right—Nina! Where’s Nina?!

The instant I remembered Nina, all the blood rushed to my head, clearing out the remaining fog. Even if the man left her alone, she might already be dead from the Dragon Scale Powder. “Raaaaaaaaaar!” I roared, swinging my neck around to survey my surroundings.

(“No. Move.”) A hostile Telepathy message came from behind me. I froze. The only person who used this method to speak to me was Ballrabbit, but why did it sound so malicious?

I turned slowly. Adoff sat there, cross-legged with a conflicted expression. Ballrabbit had its ears wrapped around his neck. Despite the seriousness of this situation, it looked goofy as hell.

Ballrabbit’s eyes were fierce. I’d never seen it this angry before, though when it saw me, it relaxed. Its Telepathy message must have been directed at Adoff, not me.

I was surprised Adoff wasn’t dead. The man who shared my name had stabbed him in the back—literally. But his wound was closed. Did Ballrabbit heal him?

“Pfeff!” (“You finally. Woke up.”) Ballrabbit sighed in relief. I was glad to see it was safe. But what about Nina?

(“…That man. Took her.”)

Of course. The man hadn’t killed me. In fact, he’d demanded I come to the city. Nina was clearly a hostage. This left me conflicted. He’d attacked and kidnapped her, sure, and from our brief communication I could tell he was a violent brute. Nina would rather die than go behind those walls. All that considered, though…distance from me meant the effects of the curse would ease, and the man could fend off any monster attacks. I wouldn’t be surprised if he could hack a giant centipede in half.

And as for Adoff…

“Pfeff.” (“Took him. Prisoner.”)

O-okay…

(“He was. Going to. Die. So I burrowed. Underground and. Healed him from. There so that man. Wouldn’t see.”)

Ballrabbit sure had a head for strategy. Possibly even better than mine.

I had a feeling Adoff would come in handy. I could ask him about the mysterious man and also about Harunae. He seemed stubborn, but I doubted he felt much lingering loyalty to Blondie. I wouldn’t need to threaten him much to get the truth.

Regardless, I checked his status.

 

Adoff Ahrens

Species: Earth-human

Status: Prisoner’s Mark, Poisoned (Slight), Cursed (Slight), Paralyzed (Slight), Sensory Downgrade (Slight)

Lv: 48/85

HP: 57/316

MP: 34/98

 

Why the heck does he have so many status conditions? I’d been in a ton of intense battles, but I’d never seen five concurrent ailments until now. The most I’d ever seen was three from the venomous spider.

(“He was. Going to die. From poison so. I eased it.”) Ballrabbit could treat poison? Maybe it was a side effect from Clean. That was a purifying skill. (“But. He struggled and I. Couldn’t hold him. Back. So I didn’t cure. Him completely.”)

Impressive. Even in his weakened state, keeping Adoff confined wouldn’t be an easy task. The enemy of your enemy wasn’t necessarily your friend.

“Pfeff.” A blue light bloomed from Ballrabbit’s body, surrounding Adoff. I recognized it as the magic skill Clean. Ballrabbit was trying get rid of the rest of the poison, now that I was awake to help to keep him still.

“Th-thank you.” Adoff tipped his head back and spoke to Ballrabbit. He seemed unsure of how to react to any of this.

(“No. Move. How many times. I have to. Tell you.”)

Adoff faced forward again. He looked as conflicted as ever.

With me conscious, Ballrabbit had no real reason to cling so hard. I could subdue a half-dead soldier. But still, it refused to let go.

Chapter 4:
The Red Ants’ Nest

 

Part 1

 

I FIRED UP PSYCHIC SENSE and started back. I doubted Ballrabbit and Adoff had gone far. I sped along with Roll and then took flight to locate them from the sky. On my way, I spotted a three-headed camel resting near some cactuses. An inseparable pair, as usual. I could sneak up on it with a Whirlwind Slash and bring it back as an offering to Ballrabbit and Adoff.

Sorry, three-headed camel. It’s survival of the fittest out here.

When I took to the sky again, I caught sight of a dirty bog in the distance. That was slug territory, though it was a clean lake last time I saw it. Mirage must have worn off while I was fighting the giant centipede. Maybe Ballrabbit and Adoff were there?

It was as good a landmark as any, and the slugs might make good fodder too. Could they handle those together? Ballrabbit was so clever that it wouldn’t surprise me at all. I drew closer and had my suspicions confirmed: Ballrabbit and Adoff were, in fact, waiting for me at the bog. Ballrabbit had purified a portion of the muddy pond, giving them fresh, clean water to drink.

Adoff turned around at my approach. “You’re back! You must have leveled up, then.”

Hearing someone else talk about levels was weird. The hero had View Status, so maybe Adoff learned about them from him. He continued, “Allow me to be honest… This thing you’re doing? It won’t work. You can’t reach Illusia’s level in a matter of days. He’s a powerful man. I held back when I fought him, but you saw for yourself. Cowardly tactics were my only chance of survival.”

Adoff would be right under normal circumstances, but I had the Walking Egg skill to boost my experience. If I put my life on the line and ambushed the red ants’ nest, I could make it. Then all I’d have to do was catch the hero off guard.

It’d be hard to explain to Adoff, though, especially considering I’d need Ballrabbit as an intermediary. He knew about levels, so he likely knew about skills, but I couldn’t be sure. Was it possible that humans knew who the Divine Voice really was? There was still so much I didn’t fully understand.

“Let me handle this,” Adoff pressed me. “You want to rescue the catgirl, right? Illusia thinks I’m dead. I’ll wait until the citizens are gathered in the town square, then expose him for who he is. Not even the church will be able to protect him after that.”

I realize we have the same name, but can you stop saying Illusia, Illusia, Illusia? Hearing my name attached to all those awful things makes me sick to my stomach.

“Listen, Dragon. Just wait for me in the desert. I promise, I’ll bring her back.”

I’d love to do that, dude! Believe me, if I thought it’d work, I’d take you up on it in a second. But it wouldn’t be that easy. If Adoff returned to Harunae alone, he’d stroll into the center of town as a wanted criminal. They wouldn’t let him get a word in before throwing him back into the dungeon, never mind letting him make a public address.

Adoff likely believed I had no chance of victory if I went to Harunae. He wanted to avoid panic, I was sure, but I also sensed he felt some measure of obligation to me. The thing was that the hero would come for me regardless. It didn’t matter where I was.

I’d have no Plan B if I let Adoff fight for me, so we’d be clean out of options if it went wrong. I hardly wanted to inflict my presence on a crowded city either, but what other options did I have?

“Graah.” I spat out the cactus and the camel from my mouth. Using Roll meant I hadn’t been able to carry them on my back, so now they were coated in saliva. Oh well. It’d burn off when I roasted them.

“Is that…”

“Graar.”

“For me? Ah…thanks.”

“Pfeff.”

Neither of them seemed thrilled. Come on! Aren’t you hungry? I’m gonna roast it. I’ll roast it, okay!

I used Scorching Breath, divesting the meat of my spit. Ballrabbit relented and immediately began to eat. Adoff took a tiny bite, seemed to decide it wasn’t too bad, and took another.

“Raar.” I turned to Ballrabbit. Hey, can you do something for me? Ask Adoff if there’s anywhere a catgirl slave can live without danger.

Ballrabbit tore itself away from the camel’s head it was devouring and looked at Adoff. “Pfeff.” (“Where can. Nina live. Safely?”)

“Nina?” Adoff looked momentarily puzzled. “Oh, the girl.” He paused. “…Nowhere that I know of.”

I knew it. I knew it wouldn’t be that simple. Rescuing her wouldn’t solve our problems. I’d just have to try to evolve past the Dragon Scale Powder—

“Wait…there might be one place.”

Really? Why so hesitant? Spit it out!

Adoff hesitated. “It’s just…dragons can’t go there.”

Oh. Well…it’s sad, but I already steeled myself to lose her.

Seeing my reaction, he continued. “There’s a nearby kingdom called Ardesia. Recently, they signed a treaty with another country with a high demi-human population. They’re trying to emancipate Harunae’s slaves in order to improve their international relations with that country. If an escaped demi-human went to Ardesia, I’m sure they’d welcome them.”

Hm, I see. That’s an option for sure.

Adoff drew a map in the sand, showing me we’d have to travel through Harunae to get to Ardesia.

“Raar.” I need to start planning for the future. If I show my face in Harunae, I can’t stay in the desert anymore. I want to live somewhere without many people but with vegetation. The desert is just too inhospitable.

“Pfeff.” (“He’s asking. Where can we. Go. Someplace without many. Humans. With good. Food.”)

Yeah, food is important.

Adoff added to his sand map. “If you go east from Ardesia, you’ll find a large river. Follow that river and you’ll come to a huge forest. Many heroes have reported it’s a dangerous place, but it fits all your requirements. Many different countries back out onto it.”

A forest along a river? Was that the same one with the black lizard and the orangurangs? The description matched.

“There’s no human population, but I’ve heard rumors that a dangerous class of demons called the Lithovar Tribe dwells there. I haven’t heard many details, other than that the tribe is small. It’s entirely possible you could live there and never run into them.”

Huh? Oh, maybe I shouldn’t go there after all…

Everywhere else was filled with people. Staying here meant it was only a matter of time before they sent more soldiers after me. Adoff’s forest was my only shot. Besides, a powerful demon tribe meant plenty of chances to earn experience points.

“You’d need to head in the exact opposite direction to leave the desert from here,” Adoff said. “This might be safer. Admittedly, you’d have to go through a country that’s currently in a civil war…”

I’d really like to avoid that. I swear, this world is teeming with dangerous places.

Chapter 5:
The Red Ant War

 

Part 1

 

ONCE ADOFF SETTLED DOWN, I told Ballrabbit it was time for me to evolve. Adoff seemed aware of evolution. He knew that once a monster gained enough experience, they could transform into a bigger, more powerful monster.

“Normally, I wouldn’t just stand here and watch as a dangerous wicked dragon evolved, but…well, you’re the only ally I’ve got.” Adoff sat on the sand. He sounded a little sad, and I was sure it wasn’t just his arm. Perhaps it had hit him that he had nowhere left to go.

He spoke of me like I was a last resort, but I didn’t take offense. If someone murdered my relatives and blamed me, forcing me into a coup d’état along with a monster, I’d probably think my life was over too.

Hey, Divine Voice? I know you’re listening. I’m not gonna ask you to make me a good dragon. But please let me become something powerful enough to defeat that hero. I want to walk through a human village without scaring everyone half to death. I’ve been working nonstop on my Title Skills.

Above all, my priority was saving Nina. I wasn’t so desperate to make new friends that I was willing to let my old ones die.

Display Evolution options?

Been a while since I’ve heard that. Yeah, go ahead.

There was no telling how many options I’d have this time, but I prayed for at least one that put me on the same level as the hero. I was a B-rank monster right now. With any luck, evolution would bump me up into rank A. I’d never even seen an A-ranker before. I didn’t want to so much as imagine a monster ranked higher than the Giant Sand Centipede.

 

Future:

Nameless Ugly Dragon Rank A

Pandora Rank A

Ouroboros Rank A

Gorgon Dragon Rank A-

Demon Chariot Rank A-

Present:

Plague Dragon Rank B-

 

Past:

Young Plague Dragon Rank D+

Baby Dragon Rank D-

Dragon Egg Rank F

 

Whoa, all A-rank monsters? Sweeet. Still, so much for a bouncing buffet of benevolent dragons. Going by their names alone, I could tell they were all weirdos. Whatever. I’d decided power was what mattered.

What was a Pandora, anyway? Was that even a dragon? Pandragon? If that didn’t seem like a creature that brought disaster wherever it went, I didn’t know what did. It was typical for me to get at least one bizarre choice in every evolution array, but this time I didn’t have a single normal option to fall back on. And after I’d leveled up Protective Spirit and Itty-Bitty Hero so much! Did my Plague Dragon status render that stuff worthless? Life was so unfair. Hey, do I really have to choose between just these? Show me the descriptions, I guess.

Demon Chariot: Rank A-. Also known as the Wheel of Nightmares. Legend has it that this dragon pulls war chariots in the demon realm. Countless needles cover the surface of its body like spikes and tear up the ground where it runs. Lacks wings and is therefore flightless. In exchange, its spikes permit it to run straight up walls.

Since it can destroy a mountain just by rolling on it, maps will become unreliable.

What, are you serious? This guy is a freak! Just the concept of a dragon like this sent shivers down my spine. If I chose this guy, you could forget destroying just the hero. I’d take Harunae out along with him, including Nina! Heck, I might destroy the rest of the world while I was at it!

Rolling up and down and all around probably would be fun, but I declined.

Gorgon Dragon: Rank A-. A dragon with five magical eyes. Each eye can cast the curses “Sleep,” “Confusion,” “Paralysis,” “Poison,” and “Petrify,” respectively. Enemies are unable to escape these powerful status effects. The curses will end in their deaths.

As a bonus, this dragon’s mane can be changed into snake monsters.

Wh-whoa. It’s rank A-, but that seems cool. And strong too… Not sure why it has five eyes, though. The abilities sounded great, but this might be my final evolution. I didn’t want to have a head full of weird eyes for the rest of my life.

Ouroboros: Rank A. A dragon with knowledge of eternity that runs contrary to the logic of this world. Does not age. A double-headed, hermaphroditic dragon. Its existence itself is said to symbolize both eternity and taboo. Defies God in that it controls magic that desecrates life.

Possesses bottomless HP and MP. An expert in recovery magic.

Finally! Looks like my Protective Spirit grinding paid off! All right! But also—hell no! This is bananas! C’mon, I’m begging for something normal here!

Pandora: Rank A. A dragon fated to bring disaster to the world. Can curse humans to become monsters and monsters to become humans. As compensation for its slow movement, it possesses an incredibly tough body. Upon death, it releases a powerful death curse in a large radius.

A long time ago, heroes would lure a Pandora to the edge of its own birthplace to defeat it.

Nope. Not a chance. Count me out. But…could I turn myself into a human if I picked that one? Nah, I can’t trust the Divine Voice, not after the history I’ve had with it. Besides, the very first line promises “disaster.” Uh, I guess the next one is the last one.

Nameless Ugly Dragon: Rank A. Never once witnessed by a human, it lacks an official name. Ugly by every definition. Approaching this dragon is nearly impossible due to its spread of deadly poison and horrible curses. Vegetation decays in its path, while animals fall into a quiet, painless slumber.

The dragon walks on with the dream of meeting creatures other than itself.

At the ends of the world, it will encounter a flower that does not wilt. Only then will it understand the reason for its lonely existence.

It will slowly kneel down before the flower, never to walk again.

Oh my God? These aren’t evolutionary choices, they’re video game villains! What, I get to pick between final boss and secret boss? I just pulled a hand of all jokers!

Picking the wrong thing would mean destroying the entire city of Harunae. All my choices were ridiculously strong…and incredible nuisances. I should have spent more time leveling up my protective skills.

Demon Chariot, Gorgon Dragon, Ouroboros, Pandora, Nameless Ugly Dragon…

What was the use of this? I couldn’t choose no matter how long I pondered over my options. They all sucked; I was sure I’d regret anything I picked. Evolving forced you back down to level 1, and in unlucky cases your stats would dip down to pre-evolution levels, leaving you barely able to fight. Realistically, I couldn’t afford to choose anything without knowing the resulting Title Skills.

But none of this changed the fact that I had to pick. Do or die, Mr. Dragon.

I made a petty mental note to go back and demolish the rest of the ants’ nest for putting me in this situation, then steeled myself for the worst. Evolving quickly with a crappy result was better than letting Nina die. I was in no position to be picky. My goal was the priority, nothing else.

This was just a hunch, but I bet that this wasn’t my final evolution. The Jabberwock option wasn’t here, and the Divine Voice hadn’t thrown in its two cents. Maybe it just didn’t care because they were all bad options, but you’d think it would have some opinion. The Divine Voice never hesitated to butt into my life before. Whatever it was up to, I had to assume it had motives of its own.

When I’d been about to choose Little Dragon, it intervened. When I tried to avoid Young Plague Dragon, it dangled Human Transformation in front of me as bait. The only reason I went with Plague Dragon was because the other options were terrible. It wouldn’t suddenly give up on steering me after all that.

The only conclusion to draw was that this evolution wouldn’t interrupt my path towards its ultimate goal. All of these options were garbage, so what did it care what I chose? Sure, I was trying to make lemonade out of lemons here, but that was about all I had the agency for.

I had to start eliminating options, even if I hated them all. Okay so…Demon Chariot: no. It was rank A-, and I couldn’t picture myself like that at all. I liked Roll, but that wasn’t enough to sway me. It was the weakest of the bunch.

Count out the Nameless Ugly Dragon too. It could defeat the hero…along with the entire country in the process. And emotionally speaking, I couldn’t bear to spend my entire life alone.

That left the Gorgon Dragon, Ouroboros, and Pandora. The Gorgon Dragon’s rank was lower, but its ability to inflict multiple status effects was awesome. I wasn’t big on the idea of having so many eyes, but I’d get used to it…maybe? I didn’t have time to quibble over stuff like that. That left two more.

The negatives to the Pandora were a slow speed and a powerful death curse. The whole description about spreading destruction everywhere…I didn’t want to mess with that. Turning monsters into humans and vice versa was very tempting, but I couldn’t be sure what that actually entailed.

Hmm, wait a second. Hey, Divine Voice? Can you give me the description of Ouroboros again?

Ouroboros: Rank A. A dragon with knowledge of eternity that runs contrary to the logic of this world. Does not age. A double-headed, hermaphroditic dragon. Its existence itself is said to symbolize both eternity and taboo. Defies God in that it controls magic that desecrates life.

Possesses bottomless HP and MP. An expert in recovery magic.

Did that mean I could use Human Transformation to my heart’s content? It was an expert in recovery magic too, and unlike the other choices, there was no mention of curses or demons. Wait, what’s the thing about “defying God”? Aren’t you God, Divine Voice? Like, the literal voice of God? Don’t I defy you all the time already?

It was kind of scary, but thinking about it rationally, this didn’t seem to be an evil dragon. Just, like…not especially good from a divine standpoint. Worst case scenario, if my course correction failed, I still had the option of Human Transformation.

It wouldn’t make me any more fun to live with. I was bound to look pretty weird, what with my spirit being that of a two-headed dragon. What if my two spiritual heads got into an argument or something? Eh, whatever. I’d call a priest and get an exorcism.

All right, I’ve decided. I’m gonna be an Ouroboros.

“Raaar…” I growled and stepped backwards. My friends knew I was about to evolve, but it would startle them even so. I couldn’t predict how big I might get…or how ugly.

Heat bubbled deep down inside my body, before it suddenly jettisoned outward from my head down to the tip of my tail. My entire form felt like it was melting, a similar experience to my first use of Human Transformation. I let myself drift and tried to breathe through the pain. When I began to feel a little better, an extremely weird sensation shocked my system anew.

“Graaaaar!” That roar was a bit more lighthearted than my old one, but that wasn’t the issue. I didn’t roar. Something else did.

I opened my eyes to find myself staring into a face. It had bright lavender eyes and long white hair covering its neck. Or should I call it a mane? Two horns protruded from the mane, impressively curved and branching. I assumed my own new face looked just like this one.

I craned my neck, trying to get a look at my back. Huge wings spread out behind me. Whoops, better close those up. I felt enormous. My body must have doubled in size. My tail was longer too; I sensed it’d be much more versatile in battle.

I looked down. What used to pass for my arms now more closely resembled front legs. They’d be harder to use from here on out.

“Plague Dragon” has Evolved into “Ouroboros.”

Special Skill “Fly” Lv 5 has become Lv 7.

Special Skill “Dragon Scale Powder” Lv 5 has become Lv 7.

Special Skill “Dragon Scale” Lv 5 has become Lv 7.

Special Skill “Automatic HP Recovery” Lv 3 has become Lv 8.

Gained Special Skill “Automatic MP Recovery” Lv 6.

Yeah, keep going! Fly and Dragon Scale went up by two levels, which was great, because my flying abilities were pathetic. Wow, and MP Recovery was at level 6 already? No wonder this dragon was known for recovery abilities. Let’s gloss over the Dragon Scale Powder for the moment, though.

Gained Special Skill “Twinheads” Lv —.

Gained Special Skill “Split Personality” Lv —.

Okay, seeing this is kinda freaky.

Gained Resistance Skill “Instant Death Resistance” Lv 1.

Gained Resistance Skill “Curse Resistance” Lv 1.

Due to Title Skill “Dragon King’s Son” Lv —, all Resistance Skills less than Lv 5 have increased.

Whoa. Things were really moving now.

Normal Skill “Diseased Breath” Lv 4 has become Lv 6.

Normal Skill “Venom Fangs” Lv 5 has become Lv 7.

Normal Skill “Paralyzing Venom Claws” Lv 4 has become Lv 6.

Normal Skill “Rest” Lv 3 has become “Hi-Rest” Lv 3.

Gained Normal Skill “Regenerate” Lv 5.

Gained Normal Skill “Sacrifice” Lv —.

Normal Skill “Human Transformation” Lv 4 has become Lv 7.

Normal Skill “View Status” Lv 6 has become Lv 7.

I recognize a lot of those skills! Whoa, Human Transformation gained three levels?! Maybe I can actually use it now!

Gained Title Skill “Foreknower of Eternity” Lv —.

Title Skill “Wrongdoer” Lv 6 has become Lv 7.

Title Skill “Calamity” Lv 6 has become Lv 7.

Title Skill “Dastardly King” Lv 5 has become Lv 6.

Oh, come on!

 

Illusia

Species: Ouroboros

Status: Normal

Lv: 1/125

HP: 195/332

MP: 83/342

Attack: 221

Defense: 180

Magic: 220

Agility: 230

Rank: A

Special Skills:

Dragon Scale: Lv 7

Divine Voice: Lv 4

Grecian Language: Lv 3

Fly: Lv 7

Dragon Scale Powder: Lv 7

Dark Type: Lv —

Wicked Dragon: Lv —

Automatic HP Recovery: Lv 8

Psychic Sense: Lv 5

Automatic MP Recovery: Lv 6

Twinheads: Lv —

Split Personality: Lv —

Resistance Skills:

Physical Resistance: Lv 5

Falling Resistance: Lv 6

Hunger Resistance: Lv 5

Poison Resistance: Lv 5

Loneliness Resistance: Lv 6

Magic Resistance: Lv 4

Dark Resistance: Lv 4

Light Resistance: Lv 3

Fear Resistance: Lv 3

Asphyxiation Resistance: Lv 4

Paralysis Resistance: Lv 4

Illusion Resistance: Lv 3

Instant Death Resistance: Lv 2

Curse Resistance: Lv 2

Normal Skills:

Roll: Lv 7

View Status: Lv 7

Scorching Breath: Lv 5

Whistle: Lv 2

Dragon Punch: Lv 3

Diseased Breath: Lv 6

Venom Fangs: Lv 7

Paralyzing Venom Claws: Lv 6

Dragon Tail: Lv 2

Bellow: Lv 2

Meteorite: Lv 2

Nutcracker: Lv 3

Human Transformation: Lv 7

Whirlwind Slash: Lv 3

Neckbreaker: Lv 4

Hi-Rest: Lv 3

Regenerate: Lv 5

Sacrifice: Lv —

Title Skills:

Dragon King’s Son: Lv —

Walking Egg: Lv —

Klutz: Lv 4

Just an Idiot: Lv 1

Infighter: Lv 4

Pest Killer: Lv 4

Safety First: Lv 1

Liar: Lv 3

King of Evasion: Lv 2

Protective Spirit: Lv 9

Itty-Bitty Hero: Lv 6

Wrongdoer: Lv 7

Calamity: Lv 7

Chicken Runner: Lv 3

Mr. Chef: Lv 4

Dastardly King: Lv 6

Stalwart: Lv 4

Giant Killer: Lv 3

Ceramic Artisan: Lv 4

Clan Boss: Lv 1

Laplace Interference Authority: Lv 1

Foreknower of Eternity: Lv —

 

Aaand down go my stats. Ugh, it feels lousy seeing my attack that low. Leveling up was easy this far down the chain, but I didn’t have much time, and the hero’s stats were all around 600. Could I catch up to that? One small mercy was that I didn’t see anything intended for “desecrating life” or whatever the Divine Voice said. I might learn it at a higher level. Not that I wanted to, but I had to admit I was a little curious.

My gaze naturally turned to my new head.

“Graaar.” Our eyes locked, and it bared its fangs. Did it see me as a threat? Its neck is so long, I’m scared. Geh! It bit the tip of my nose! Y-you little—!

Interlude:
The Hero’s Epic Tale Act 4

 

Part 1

 

“THE DAY IS FINALLY HERE, Bishop. As much as it pains me for an innocent person to lose their life, that’s the law. What can we do but pray for the salvation of their souls?”

The bishop gave me a very unpleasant look.

Oh, something wrong? Today every family member within two degrees of kinship to the runaway prisoner Adoff would be put to death in his place. This would serve the church well, in its way, as I’d spent valuable time spreading rumors of the family’s involvement in collusion against the church. One less thing for the bishop to worry about.

“Are you not aware of Ardesia’s continued pressure on us to release the demi-human slaves?” the bishop snapped. “A public execution at a time like this is a diplomatic catastrophe! What in the world were you thinking?!”

He’s still hung up about that? Sigh.

“Stop worrying. Who cares what Ardesia thinks? They can’t lay a finger on Harunae as long as I’m around. Wouldn’t setting the precedent of letting criminals go be worse? We must send a message of strength, Bishop.”

The Felis-human girl was to be executed alongside Adoff’s family today. I’d come across her on my journey back from the dragon hunt; she was collapsed in the desert, so I took her into my care. Upon realizing that she’d be put back in the slave pen, however, she colluded with Adoff. The two of them betrayed me, even after I saved their lives, by attempting to weaken me with poison. I fought Adoff off while barely conscious, before fatally wounding him.

He ran off somewhere to die, leaving me so heavily injured I was forced to abandon my hunt for the dragon. I brought the captive demi-human home with me and, in my kind and generous way, pleaded with the church to release her. Alas, the consequences of turning against the hero were severe. The church denied my request and sentenced her to death. The bishop convinced me it was for the safety of Harunae, and I tearfully agreed.

All nonsense, of course, but who cared about that? The truth didn’t matter; what mattered was the story. This one had a few holes, but nothing I couldn’t paper over. I was a righteous, strong, and kind hero. Who would doubt me?

I walked past the bishop and over to a small window overlooking the city. People were already gathering at the site of the execution. “Time to go.”

The bishop frowned, filled with spite. He hated the situation at hand, stuffy, selfish old fool that he was. I wished him a lifetime of bowing and scraping to his betters. He was certainly never getting another word of kindness from me.

If such a tiny complication had him in such conniptions, there was no telling what he might do if the Plague Dragon actually showed up today.

Publicly, I could not refuse a direct order from the church. If, for instance, a Plague Dragon appeared and wreaked havoc, that would be the church’s failure for not utilizing me as well as they could. I couldn’t wait to see his face when he had a whole dragon to deal with. He’d go as white as a ghost, as would all those worthless knights riding my coattails.

After the dragon killed a few people, I’d do my duty and slay it. A B-rank monster was hardly worth the trouble, but I’d draw out the battle for the drama of it all. I was hardly risking my life. That damn thing better show up.

It bothered me even now that the dragon had Divine Voice and View Status. It…no, he might realize he stood no chance against me and get cold feet. Leave me at the altar, as it were. A very possible outcome, indeed.

But I remembered how he’d risked his life to protect the slave girl. Maaaybe that had been pure instinct. Maybe with time to think, he would have played it safer.

If the dragon didn’t show up—well, I’d worry about that when it happened. Maybe I could taunt him with the bodies, lure him in. My one worry was the possibility he had evolved into a rank A dragon, but he’d been a significant distance from his maximum level when we met. Leveling up that much in a week would be basically impossible. That sort of sustained experience gain was both difficult and unlikely.

I’d once tried a similar tactic to power level that culminated in the needless deaths of several comrades. I was green back then. I made mistakes.

“If you’re planning to try something underhanded, know that we have a plan for that,” the bishop told me. “The church won’t cover for you forever.”

Puh-lease! Threaten me with something believable, won’t you? Without the hero to lend legitimacy, the church of Harunae would be completely worthless. It needed me.

“That’s not very nice, Bishop. This is happening because you refused to brand Sir Adoff. Ahh, if only Sir Adoff had his Prisoner’s Mark properly administered, he never would have dared escape. I’m distraught over it… You see, when you think about it, I’m the one covering for you.”

The bishop spluttered. “That’s absolutely untrue! He had the brand, I checked it myself!”

“Keep your voice down. You wouldn’t want someone to overhear, would you?”

The church indeed did brand Adoff on his back with the Prisoner’s Mark and therefore granted me the power to keep his behavior in check. That conflicted with my story of him turning on me, though, so I’d had to edit it out and blame the church for negligence in the process.

“Who will you make into your scapegoat? Have you decided yet? You know,” I mused. “Thinking about it, someone might conclude that you did it on purpose…to allow Adoff the chance to kill me.”

The bishop’s face twisted further into apoplectic rage.

He knew the pool of people capable of administering a Mark was small. He couldn’t foist responsibility off onto a worthless underling. I wondered, sincerely, who he would cast into the pit this time.

Chapter 6:
Day of Judgement

 

Part 1

 

“HURRY IT UP! Don’t stand idly by! Do your jobs!”

The hero was screaming, barking out orders to the gathered soldiers. No one listened. Blue veins bulged on his forehead as he stared around frantically. Things were going according to plan, so perfectly that it was almost ridiculous. Adoff made a dramatic entrance and exposed the hero’s lies, before Hagen showed up to shore up his story. The hero’s reputation was crumbling before my eyes; it was clear from how not a single person moved to obey his stream of commands.

He appeared to be at the end of his rope. I searched the square and found Nina, chained up to an execution post

on the platform. She looked baffled by the current scene, but hope flickered in her eyes.

This was it. Now that the hero had lost his authority, Nina and Adoff’s family would be freed…but then, I caught the hero looking at me. The desperation in his eyes twisted into a smile.

Does he recognize me? What can he even do at this point?

He raced up to the platform, knocking the executioner aside, eyes intent on Nina. She struggled as she watched him approach. Fear swooped through me, and I pushed through the crowd toward them.

The hero drew his sword. He was going to kill Nina, here, in front of all these people. I leapt into the air in the same instant that the hero turned his sword to me.

“Graaaaar!” I canceled Human Transformation in midair, feeling my body expand back to my original size in seconds. Screams came from all directions as the crowd panicked. People would be injured in the commotion, and it was Ballrabbit’s job to heal them. According to Adoff, Ballrabbits were smart, non-violent, and so cute that many people kept them as pets…even though they ate way too much. Humans wouldn’t be afraid of a little ballrabbit.

“You really came! Stupid creature—hmm?”

When the hero swung his sword at me, I simply caught it with my teeth. He tried to yank it free, but I didn’t let go. You take care of the rest, Twin Head.

“Raaaaar!” My other head lunged at the vulnerable hero. He let go of his sword and jumped backwards, kicking at my other head, intending to use the recoil to boost him to safety. He made contact, and for a second I thought he’d pulled it off. Then I watched as he was slammed hard to the ground.

He was no match for us. All that leveling up had been worth it. I’d checked the hero’s status earlier from within the crowd to make sure: I had him beat in every stat.

That didn’t make the hero’s physical abilities any less strong. He’d lost one sword, but two others remained, and he wouldn’t yield easily. I twisted my neck and spat out the sword, which sent the blade sinking deeply into the ground. I didn’t want to start a brawl, but he was trying to murder Nina! I couldn’t sit by and watch…and since I’d come this far, I might as well teach him a lesson.

“Wh-who are you?” The hero stood up and drew the second blade, the same one he’d used on me when we met. This must be his serious sword.

“Raaaaar!”

“Graaar!”

My heads roared as one and charged the hero.

“Quick!” A ball of light enveloped the hero; he had cast a spell to boost his speed. “I refuse to believe that another dragon shares my name. You must have evolved. You caught me off guard, I admit…and bringing material witnesses along too? Nicely played.” The hero brandished his sword. “But all my problems are solved once I kill you. Ha ha! Real proof that I was born lucky! Your impeccable timing is only outdone by your naiveté!”

He was right. When I appeared, I distracted the crowd from fully carrying out their denunciation of the hero. I may even have destroyed all the hard work we’d poured into our plan.

Too bad. I refused to just stand there and let Nina die. I felt for Adoff and Hagen, but Nina was why I was here. She was my priority.

The hero couldn’t be allowed to run rampant across the world. If he was expelled from Harunae, he’d just run off to some other town and menace them in the same way. I wasn’t going to let him get away with it. I’d get revenge for Adoff and his family. I was going to kill the hero, here and now.

“Raaaar!” I lashed out, aiming for the hero’s sword. He smacked my claw with the flat of the blade and narrowly managed to angle himself out of my path. I opened my mouth wide.

“Lucent Luna!” Countless orbs of light burst from the hero’s sword and flew toward my face. Too fast for me to dodge, they slammed into my forehead, mouth, cheeks, and neck. Everywhere they touched burned in searing agony. That did more damage than I’d expected.

“Ha ha! How’s that? This sword was forged to attack wicked dragons like you!” The hero moved into a follow-up. Now. I gathered up all my stamina.

“Grraaaaaar!”

My fangs sank into the flesh of his shoulder. His blood overflowed from my mouth as I lifted him off his feet, then twisted to slam both of us into the ground. The earth split, sending dust and sand swirling.

“Damn you.”

I twisted again, repeating the move in the other direction.

“Raar!” It hurt me, but it hurt the hero more. My HP could take the hit. I was poised for a third body slam, when one of my fangs snapped off and went flying. The hero wriggled out of my grasp. He staggered, but he landed on his feet.

“Rest!”

“Rest!”

The surrounding knights chanted spells.

“A-are you all right, M-Master Illusia?” The knights were at an impasse. They didn’t trust the hero, but they

weren’t eager to side with a dragon over him, either. Their priority must be to get rid of me first, and I was sure that the hero shared that goal—if he defeated me, he’d be better placed to sidestep guilt.

I agreed with him for once. This fight was between me and him. If regular humans attacked me, I’d knock them gently aside, like I’d done with Hagen.

“Thank you, dear colleagues!” the hero vamped, swooning dramatically. “You saved me!” He threw me a smirk that told me he planned to use the knights as human shields. Getting an attack in would be impossible with them in the way. The hero had clocked me perfectly. He knew I wouldn’t kill innocents.

Bonus Story 1:
The Former Knight Commander’s Continuing Story

 

Part 1
Adoff

 

A WEEK HAD PASSED since a wicked dragon invaded Harunae and killed the hero Illusia, when the church summoned Adoff to the temple. He’d had every intention to be far away from the city by now, but the church had yet to remove his Prisoner’s Mark, trotting out excuse after excuse to delay. The Mark was a magical brand placed upon one’s body, and only the church had the power to rescind it. They were taking every chance to drag their feet, even in spite of how Adoff had proven his innocence.

Removing his Mark would give legitimacy to the story now circulating amongst the citizenry regarding the hero. They didn’t want the public to know the whole truth and would do everything they could to maintain a sliver of public support. They needed an alternate story but had no clue how much to tell or who to blame. To top it all off, there was infighting in the church.

They called Adoff in today because they’d finally come up with a solution.

Which may very well be my death, Adoff thought as he walked down the temple corridor.

The official story was that the hero Illusia had been killed while protecting the people of Harunae. In truth, Adoff was the one who killed Illusia; he had a suspicion that this was why the church had summoned him.

The church officials had never liked him, tired as they were of his countless calls for ecclesiastical reform. He couldn’t envision a scenario where they’d help him, but he couldn’t desert them easily either. A Prisoner’s Mark guaranteed that he’d be treated as a criminal wherever he went. No place would take him in.

“Sir Adoff, thank you for coming.”

Adoff stepped into the bishop’s room as the man finished dismissing his disciple. The bishop clearly wanted no witnesses. After a few moments of hesitation, the holy man began, “Sir Adoff, I would ask you to return to the knights and take your place as commander again. You have the love of the people, and your steady hands and sober mind have been invaluable in the chaos of the last few weeks. Harunae is on the verge of collapse—it’s clear that the only way to preserve order is to reinstate you. Some of my colleagues spoke against it, but I insisted. This is my price to restore your reputation and clear you of all charges.”

Adoff was lost for words at this pure, unabashed selfishness. The bishop would claim it was for Harunae’s sake, or for Adoff’s, but his real objective was to restore the church’s power. He was aware of how obvious he was being; he wouldn’t meet Adoff’s eyes.

“As I’ve told you before,” Adoff began, “an injury sustained in the desert means I am no longer capable of wielding a sword.”

“That’s neither here nor there. This is your honor that’s at stake.”

The church’s honor, more like. He refused to admit his obvious agenda, which annoyed Adoff even more. It was good, however, to know they held him to such a high worth—that meant they wouldn’t kill him. Adoff suppressed his anger and tried to think rationally. The fate of his family depended on this meeting.

“If you summoned me here, you must have completed your investigation. Will you tell me the results?”

The bishop hated direct questions. Adoff knew that. This question was especially contentious, as it was asked purely out of spite—no investigation would ever be necessary. The church knew what had happened. They’d known a long time ago. What Adoff wanted to know was which line they planned to sell to the public.

“On his way home from Harunae, Illusia was attacked by the wicked dragon. Its cursed breath turned him into a demon. That’s why he falsely accused you, attacked the citizens, and said all those cruel things…” The bishop trailed into silence.

The lie was staggering, but Adoff wasn’t surprised. He’d expected something exactly along these lines. The first story the church had spread, some tale of the hero dying while protecting a child from the dragon, had been discredited instantly and caused even more damage in the process. Their new plan was to deny the hero all agency in his misdeeds.

“We discovered an error when calculating the calendar dates,” the bishop went on. “The man called Illusia was no true hero after all. That was why he succumbed so easily to the dragon’s curse. In ten years, the true hero will be born according to God’s will. That is who will slay the Demon King, should it ever appear.”

Adoff’s sense of integrity was too great to let that one slide. “You saw yourself what happens to a young man when he is spoiled and indulged in his every desire. Yet you plan to do it all over again, while swindling funds and support out of other countries to make it happen? How ironic that you call Illusia a demon. You’re the ones who made him that way, not a dragon’s curse.”

“How dare you?!” The bishop’s face turned bright red. He thumped a fist on the desk, took a gulp of water, and let out a ragged breath. “Sir Adoff, please think carefully. What will happen to this country and its people, should we lose that aid? When you are once again Knight Commander, you can assure for yourself that the donations are allocated where they should be. The two of us share a common goal—it would be foolish to act against your own interest. Selfish vendettas have no place in government. One cannot act the greedy child and expect progress!”

Adoff laughed softly. “You’re a convincing man, Bishop. Fine. I’ll consider your offer…but first, you will remove the Prisoner’s Mark.”

The bishop sighed with relief. “I’m sure this is obvious, but you must never repeat anything regarding the hero aloud.”

“I won’t, as long as no harm is brought to me or my family.” Adoff gave an elaborate bow.

Irritated as he was by Adoff’s manner, the bishop’s relief at his capitulation overruled everything else. His heart finally felt calm.

Much of the backlash towards the church derived from the bungled investigation of Adoff’s brother and fiancée’s murders. Peace with Adoff would go a long way toward restoring the church’s power and authority. The tale of Illusia’s dragon curse would go further in proving Adoff’s innocence, something that the public already believed in.

The bishop removed Adoff’s Prisoner’s Mark without further complaint.

The next day, the bishop received a letter with the news that Adoff had taken himself and his family out of Harunae.

The letter read: On second thought, I’ll just flee the country.

Any interest he’d shown in the bishop’s scheme had been purely to force the removal of the Mark.

As he read the letter, all the color drained from the bishop’s face. He was mad with rage, but what could he do? Sending men to drag Adoff back would only make the church’s position worse. Harunae was a small, weak country that only asserted its independence on religious grounds. It relied on aid from neighboring nations to survive. The bishop was in no position to demand the return of a missing former knight.

He could see now that Adoff’s promise was a threat—he’d keep his mouth shut as long as the church never made a move against him. Otherwise, he would leak the truth of the hero’s cruelty and ruin Harunae forever. With gritted teeth, the bishop took the single option available to him: He let Adoff go.

Bonus Story 2:
The Girl’s Even Farther Away Journey

 

Myria

 

IN THE COUNTRY OF ARDESIA, near the edge of the Harunae Desert, lay a city called Roburg. It was large and splendid, its prosperity rivaled only by the Royal Capital. Two female adventurers walked along the streets of a shopping district there, followed closely by a two-meter-long black lizard.

One of the women, Myria, had her hair cut into a short bob. She possessed a youthful air of innocence. The other woman, a golden-haired swordswoman, was named Meltia.

The giant lizard was of the monster species Venom Princess Lacerta. Adventurers were known to occasionally train highly intelligent monsters as their familiars, so as long as she stayed by Myria’s side, no one gave them a second look.

Myria and Meltia were searching for a dragon that had gone missing in Noah’s Forest and had already spent several trips searching the deep woods. Whether by coincidence or fate, they’d encountered the black lizard during one such expedition and formed a group to comb the forest together.

Unfortunately, those woods contained dangerous monsters and a strange tribe living in the depths. Meltia cautioned against further exploration, so they’d instead resolved to skirt the forest and inquire about the dragon in the town on the far side.

“Ohhh, I’m so tired.” The instant they stepped into their room at the inn, Myria tossed aside her staff and flopped down on the bed.

The giant lizard glanced at her and then examined the room. It let out a “shuuu” noise that sounded like a sigh. What passed for its facial expression looked perfectly like a pout.

Meltia found the giant lizard’s and Myria’s contrasting behavior so funny that she started to giggle. Myria blinked her eyes open and sat up at once, blushing. “Sorry, I…”

“It’s all right. I know you’re exhausted. Rest is good.”

Bonus Story 3:
An Old Swordsman’s Gourmet Journey

 

Morgle Risotto

 

ANISE HOWGLEY was once a legendary adventurer, known the world over for defeating a B-rank Rock Dragon all on his own. Monsters of that rank were very dangerous indeed and fully capable of bringing calamity to the world. For a long time, it was believed only legendary heroes and saints could defeat one on their own. Anise Howgley was the only person in recorded history to prove that false.

“I want to travel around freely,” he would always say, “and do as I please.”

People tried to bend him to their will on occasion, but Anise refused to bend a knee even when faced with dozens of threatening soldiers. He flitted about disarmingly, as if in an intricately choreographed dance. The soldiers soon forgot their desire to fight him and instead lay down their swords and applauded.

He was widely regarded as a fellow of great character. Though a skilled hunter, he only killed monsters who strayed too close to human villages or what was necessary to fill his belly. It mattered not how poisonous or grotesque the monster was—he would find some way to cook it up. After a while, people began to refer to him jokingly as a “Bizarre Gastronomist.” Anise was fond of the nickname and often used it himself.

His meritorious deeds were much-exaggerated by minstrels and bards, who all told “The Epic Tale of the Hero Howgley.” Then, one day, he disappeared. The rumor was that he’d died, and so the world slowly forgot his name.

In southern Ardesia stood the Charon Ruins, rumored to be built by priests of a barbarian tribe to honor a sacred monster. The tribe itself was destroyed a long time ago, and no one knew what monster it had allegedly enshrined. It was dark and vast, likely to collapse at any moment, and it was overrun by monsters. Very few dared to venture there, leaving its interior shrouded in mystery.

One day, a group of adventurers chanced to brave the Charon Ruins: a party of three swordsmen who called themselves The Nothomb Gladiators, after the town where they met. An inexperienced group to be sure, but due to their quick wits—and a certain amount of luck—they’d seen as much action as any seasoned adventurers. This had the unfortunate side effect of giving them an inflated sense of confidence.

“Damn it… How did this happen?!”

The leader of the Nothomb Gladiators was an eighteen-year-old youth named Palja. As soon as they’d entered the ruins, all three of the Gladiators had been attacked by a pure white monster with six long legs and a huge mouth, and somewhere in the scuffle Palja had gotten separated from his comrades after declaring the monster an unbeatable foe. The other two had run for the exits, while Palja ran deeper into the ruins to draw the creature’s attention.

The monster then burrowed itself into a little hole in the wall. That was fine. But now Palja had no idea where he was. And he could hear other creatures making weird noises. “Nuuu, nuuu!” More than one, certainly.

He didn’t dare light a torch and risk bringing attention to himself. Due to his deep sense of integrity as their leader, he’d allowed his comrades to escape to safety…but he was rapidly coming to regret that show of magnanimity.

Palja had no choice but to wait until the monsters fell asleep before he risked running for the exit. No telling how long that would take. He was frightened, cold, and starving, and the combination made him twitchy and on edge. Sitting there surrounded by stone walls in that long, dark corridor, minutes felt like hours. Every breath pulled more freezing air inside his lungs. He needed to cough. He bit his own fist to suppress it.

After five hours had passed like this, Palja felt close to a nervous breakdown. The monsters were still making their creepy noises.

Suddenly, a voice spoke from the darkness. “Hey there, lad. You all right? Why are you crouching on the floor like that? Can you walk?”

“Waaaah!” Palja was too startled to hold back a scream.

“You can’t see in the dark? Flame!” The man intoned a spell. Soon he held fire in his cupped hand that revealed his face to Palja. He was short and quite old, wearing a light sword on one hip that resembled the sort children might spar with.

“Watch out!” Palja hissed. “The fire will attract those monsters!”

“Morgles only sleep once every three days,” the man said. “No hope of waiting them out, I’m afraid. They stagger their sleep so one or two are always awake.”

“Oh.” Palja had no idea what a morgle was, but presumably the man meant the white monsters nearby.

“Don’t worry, this section of the tunnels is safe. Here’s a map.” The man held it up. “The morgles travel through these three places—their territory is quite small. Voices carry down here and make them sound much closer than they are. But they never come down here.”

Palja looked more closely at the map. It was a detailed blueprint of the ruins, showing areas even deeper than this one. “You made this?”

“That’s right. Every bit I saw with my own eyes, so you know it’s accurate. My muscles ain’t what they used to be, but these peepers are sharp as ever.” The old man blinked his eyes rapidly. Palja couldn’t imagine a man this old traversing a place with such terrifying monsters.

“You’re freezing cold!” exclaimed the man. “How long have you been sitting here? Come with me and warm up.” He turned, his handful of flames wavering as he walked down the path. Palja hesitated for a moment, but the aroma of spices made up his mind for him. He was so hungry that the smell alone caused his stomach to growl violently.

They turned a corner and, amid a pile of rubble, came upon a simple cooking stove atop a Flame Stone. These magical items could ignite a fire anywhere the user desired. On top of the stove sat an earthen pot. Steam wafted from it, filling the room with warmth and a delicious smell.

“I can have some?” Palja asked.

“Why else would I bring you with me?”

The old man picked up a lamp from beside the stove and transferred the fire from his hand into it. The lamp must have been magical, because as soon as the flames caught, they grew large and bright enough to light the whole room. The man lifted the lid from the pot, which released more of the wonderful smell. He scooped the contents onto a plate, drew a spoon from his bag, and handed both to Palja.

It was some sort of grain boiled with mushrooms and thin slices of meat, seasoned to a spicy flavor. Palja shoveled it into his mouth, uncaring how hot it was. He identified the taste of piperis, a seasoning that stimulated hunger and bloomed flavor, alongside a stamina-enhancing herb. The meat tasted like it had been cooked in butter. Combined with its natural fat, it was nearly too much for Palja’s stomach. He mixed it deep into the grain and then took another hearty bite.

“This is delicious! Grandpa, this is the best thing I’ve ever tasted!”

The old man laughed. “Anything tastes good when your gut is that empty.”

“I mean it! What kind of meat is this?! It’s so juicy, I’ve never had anything like it!” Palja talked through a mouthful of food.

The old man chuckled and gave him a mischievous smile. “Why, it’s morgle meat.”

“Morgle? Sounds familiar… What is it?”

“Oh, you don’t remember? Look, there’s one over there.” The old man pointed, and Palja followed his gaze to the carcass of a pure white monster with a gaping mouth. Its six legs had been torn off at the joints and hung from the ceiling.

“Huh? Huh? Huh?! Y-you can eat that?! I mean…I ate that?!” The knowledge that he’d dined on an enormous creature with a messed-up mouth terrified him. He didn’t want to believe it, but why would the old man lie?

“You don’t want it anymore?”

“Y-you should have let me mentally prepare myself! How’d you catch one of those anyway?”

Palja’s stomach growled. His face burned at the timing.

“Want another bowl?”

“U-um, yes, please.”

Palja ate five bowls, cleaning out the whole pot. The old man watched him with a huge grin on his face. It wasn’t until Palja had eaten his fill and was setting his bowl down on the floor that he realized the old man hadn’t gotten a single bite.

“I’m so sorry, Grandpa! I’m so sorry. I promise I’ll pay you back as soon as I find my way out of here!”

“Don’t worry about it,” the old man said. “I can gather my own spices and grains, and there’s plenty of monsters to hunt.”

“Hunt? Here? Don’t tell me you’re going mushroom-picking in such a dangerous place?!”

The old man laughed heartily but didn’t answer him. “By the way, friend, did you come here alone?”

“No, but my friends escaped. What about you?”

“I’m on my own. I used to travel all over the world hunting monsters, until I retired here.”

“Really? Wait, those morgle monsters…” Palja couldn’t believe that the old man had hunted those morgles all on his own. He hadn’t been able to bring one down with two companions to back him up.

“Come along, lad. I’m sure your friends are worried about you. Once you’ve regained your strength you should join them.”

Palja shook his head. “I don’t know the way. I’ll have to go back through morgle territory, won’t I?”

“Just run straight past them. Take a look at the map and memorize your way out.”

Palja hesitated. The morgles were nightmarish in his memory, their skin so tough that a sword couldn’t pierce it, their fangs sharp enough to shear through solid rock.

“Don’t worry,” said the old man. “I’ll follow behind and make sure you reach the exit.”

“That’s, um, kind of you,” Palja said doubtfully. He figured the only way this old man could hunt morgles was with a snare, but he seemed confident enough.

Palja took his advice and memorized the path, before picking up a borrowed lamp—an ordinary one, as the enchanted lamp was too bright and would draw too much attention. Palja had dropped his own lamp in the panic after entering the ruins.

When they were ready, Palja began running as fast as he could towards the exit.

“Mooo, moooo!”

“Moooo!”

The morgles screamed. Palja realized the only footsteps he heard were his own. He’d been so caught up in his fear, so frantic to find his way, that he hadn’t checked up on the old man behind him.

Panic struck. On the verge of turning back, he heard a heavy tread behind him. Morgle footsteps…and more than one set.

“Waaaaaaaaahhh!” Palja threw the lamp aside and ran as fast as he could, screaming at the top of his lungs.

A glimmer of light shone at the end of the tunnel. The two other members of Nothomb Gladiators were there, huddled and trembling, a lamp clutched between them. They were here to rescue Palja, but the sound of the morgles had rendered them too frightened to continue.

“P-Palja!”

“Palja, you’re alive!”

Palja was so relieved to be reunited with his friends that all the tension left his body, and he collapsed on the spot. Remembering the morgles were hot on his trail, he gasped. Miraculously, the sound of the footsteps grew distant.

“Thank goodness! Let’s get out of here!”

“Wait!” Palja took the lamp from his comrades and swung around, illuminating the way he’d come. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw the gleam of a sword in the darkness.

“Huh?”

It happened in a split second. The old man, surrounded by three morgles, leapt up and bounded off the narrow corridor walls. He forced the morgles to tangle themselves up by leaping to and fro. Red lines scored across them, and then they collapsed in a heap.

What was strangest of all was that Palja heard nothing. Not the sound of the old man’s feet on the stone, nor his sword as it struck. The only noise was the thud as the morgles hit the ground. Palja was a swordsman himself—he knew this old man’s technique was otherworldly. He’d never seen anything like it.

“What’s wrong, Palja? Stop standing around! What’re you waiting for?” Palja’s friends grabbed him by the shoulder. He blinked, turning briefly to look at them.

“Hang on a second.” He glanced hastily back down the corridor, but there was nothing there. The hall was silent and empty. “Grandpa? Are you there?”

No answer.

“Palja, what is wrong with you? You’re acting so weird. Did you start hallucinating in there?”

Palja shook his head. “There was a little old man back there… He saved me. I have to thank him.”

“You can’t. I’m telling you, you’re hallucinating! Hey, Celt, help me drag him outta here! If those white monsters come back, they’ll make us their dinner.”

“He’s right, Palja,” said Celt. “Let’s go. It’s too dangerous down here.”

His friends grabbed his lamp and dragged him to the entrance.

“No, I have to wait for Grandpa!”

“Snap out of it! Are you delirious from hunger, is that it? We’ll hurry back to town and eat. We’re just not ready for this place yet,” one of his friends said, before he noticed how swollen Palja’s stomach was.

“Hm? What the heck did you eat?”

“What? Um…morgle.”

“What is that?”

“Those white monsters. You put them in a pot and add spices and rice and boil it all together.” Palja was being completely serious, but his friends reacted like he was cracking up.

“You ate those monsters? C’mon, that sounds disgusting. You must be seriously ill. Celt, help me with him.”

The three of them chatted on their way back to the nearby town. Palja was unable to forget the taste of the morgle risotto the old man had made him for a long, long time. He went from town to town in search of a similar flavor, but he never found it.

No one knew what happened to Anise Howgley or where he’d gone. His exploits were so exaggerated that no one could discern which stories were true. However, in every version, he was described as a man of short stature, an eccentric gourmand, and a skilled swordsman capable of terrifying, silent speed.

Afterword

 

HELLO, IT’S THE AUTHOR, Necoco! Thanks so much for buying Volume 4 of Dragon Hatchling! Looking back on it now, I can’t believe a whole year has passed since Volume 1 was published. Time flies, doesn’t it? I appreciate you so much for sticking with me this past year!

This volume covers the second half of the Harunae Desert saga. Our protagonist faces off against the “hero,” encountering setbacks, leveling, and victory. This volume ended up being longer than I intended, so I had to do some serious revising.

I left in all the major events and trimmed some non-essential parts to make it all fit in one volume. Cutting out too much of the action and emotions makes it feel too abrupt, though, so the majority of things that I removed were the protagonist’s silly thoughts and jokes. As much as I enjoy myself while writing them, when I re-read it I think “Whoa, I can’t keep that in,” and it ends up on the cutting-room floor.

So if you’re reading it and shaking your head at one of the protagonist’s jokes, remember that it was one I kept after careful scrutiny and revision. I think that’s vital to keep in mind, don’t you? Goodness, what in the world am I even writing about…?

Someone on my team suggested cutting the red ant storyline. Not all of it, but essentially their issue was that there were too many red ants in the story.

“He jumps into an ants’ nest to escape from the giant centipede but ends up getting ganged up on. Then he narrowly escapes.”

“He fights a squad of red ants in order to get them to take the poisoned meatballs home.”

“He jumps into the ants’ nest to fight the weakened ants so he can level up and evolve.”

“He needs to level more after he evolves so he meets with the queen and negotiates with her.”

“They agree that he will invade an enemy ants’ nest and then destroys it.”

Those are the five main plot points involving the battle with the ants. Although when he enters the nest again after he evolves, it’s more of a war of words than a physical battle.

So when they said I needed to cut something, I couldn’t chose between them. I thought my editor had a point, and I fully intended on omitting at least one of those scenes; I actually got many comments when these chapters were published online to the tune of, “How long is he going to waste time playing with ants while Nina is in danger?”

But when it came down to picking something to omit, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It was an emotional thing; re-reading everything made all of those plot points seem necessary to me, or else they had interesting parts in them that I didn’t want to take out. That was my reasoning. When they suggested I could keep those plot points if I cut out other smaller scenes, I didn’t want to cut those, either. I write scenes because I think they’re fun, so maybe it’s natural that I wouldn’t want to get rid of them.

All this is to say that I didn’t cut any scenes. Or wait, maybe one… Nope, on second thought, I don’t think I cut anything. I’m not positive that I kept every single thing, but I know all the scenes themselves were kept. I did shorten certain sections and write them more concisely to get under the maximum word limit. Thanks to that effort, it’s much easier to read than it was in the web version, with a much smoother flow.

It was suggested that I divide the Harunae saga up into three volumes, but the middle volume would be nothing but stories about hunting ants. I just didn’t have the courage to do that. It would make for a funny story, but that’s all.

Also, since it’s been a year since the first volume was published, that means it’s been one year since I got my avocado tree—the one I talk about briefly in these afterword sections—and I’m happy to report: It’s still alive. Back in the afterword of the third volume I told you how I neglected it and didn’t water it for a month. All its leaves fell off, and I thought it was totally on its last legs, but strangely enough they all grew back.

I’m not sure if it’ll make it through the winter this year, though. I’m sure that’ll be a big challenge. Its leaves are yellowed right now, perhaps because the cold got to it. Someone told me it might be because I only watered it once every two months. I wonder if I need to plant it in the ground now… If there were laws against plant abuse, I’d already be in jail. I think I heard about a plot like that in an old science fiction novel, although I never read it myself. Scary.

Looking out at my yellowed avocado tree on the balcony,

—NECOCO