chapter_0209

210 – Dragon Subjugation (?) Party

210 – Dragon Subjugation (?) Party

I could do nothing after joining the party.

“I’m not of any help. My combat power is practically nonexistent,” I said.

As an illusion mage, my combat ability was close to zero; I was nothing more than a porter who could carry a bit more than others.

“I may be confident in illusion magic and alchemy, but if dragons really exist, those two elements won’t work,” I thought.

Dragons wouldn’t fall under my illusion magic, and the few potions I created through alchemy wouldn’t have much effect.

In fact, the potions made by Aurora, the head of the Life Magic school, would likely be much more effective.

“If a dragon is hiding its lair with a magic circle of illusion magic, I might be of some help, but…”

If that wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t have much to do.

“After all, this expedition is about finding traces of the dragon and preventing it from rampaging further.”

There was no need to go all the way to the dragon’s lair.

We had no reason to provoke the dragon more than necessary.

However.

“Why do you think you’re not helpful? The dragon could attack our party with illusion magic, right?” Nikki countered my statement.

“I agree. We know Sir Max’s skills. No matter how strong the dragon’s illusion magic is, it won’t deceive Sir Max’s eyes. Even if it does, if Sir Max buys us a little time, the rest of us can handle it,” Yuris added to Nikki’s opinion.

“That’s right. I recognize my brother’s illusion skills,” Yuris said.

Saint Eileen also supported everyone’s opinion.

“I once encountered a dragon in the past, and if it’s an inferior species, it should be able to respond to the dragon’s illusion magic.”

Even Reina, the high elf, joined in.

Four votes in favor.

It was already a majority, but I looked at Aurora, who hadn’t expressed her opinion.

I silently asked for her help with my gaze.

“I’ll vouch for Sir Max’s skills!” Aurora, under the influence of the unconditional support signal, agreed with that statement.

You must be on my side.

In the end, my joining was decided unanimously.

My attempts to oppose were thwarted.

At that moment, when everyone’s confidence burst forth.

…

A strange current flowed among everyone.

It felt as if they were saying to each other, “How do you know that?”

Thus, I joined the Hero’s party as a porter and rear mage.

I struggled just to mount a horse I wasn’t used to riding often.

If I hadn’t had any athletic ability, I would have stumbled on the horse and never gotten started.

As I failed to ride properly, Yuris said, “I’ll carry you.”

Then Nikki added, “I’ll give you the honor of riding the Hero’s horse.”

“Everyone knows elves are good with animals. I’ll help you feel comfortable, even if you’re an inferior species,” Reina chimed in, all of them eager to help me mount.

“Brother, how about a carriage?”

“Sir Max, this will be more comfortable!”

The two women who were getting into the carriage also offered to help me.

With an instinctive sense of crisis that I shouldn’t ride, I hurriedly mounted the horse myself.

And so, we set off on the expedition.

“Tch.”

Sounds of disappointment were heard here and there.

As I began the expedition on horseback, Nikki approached me.

“How does it feel?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, how does it feel to be a proud member of the Hero’s party?”

A proud member, huh.

I still wondered if I should even be here.

Moreover, you didn’t even ask for my opinion.

That thought was swallowed beneath my vocal cords.

“I still can’t believe it.”

“Really? But you have the qualifications, Sir Max. You have that much… ability, right?”

Hero, why is your face turning so red?

This makes me anxious.

You’re not going to suddenly ask for an illusion in the middle of the night, are you?

With a smile, Nikki leaned toward me and whispered, “Don’t worry. I won’t suddenly come at night asking for you to show me illusion magic.”

“…”

How did she know?

“Your expression says it all.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“I’m relieved to know that the Hero isn’t the kind of person who would do that during an expedition.”

“Hohoho.”

She smiled satisfactorily as she guided the horse.

“I’m a Hero who knows how to maintain my dignity, so I can’t do that from the first day.”

“…Does that mean…”

“It might be different from the second day?”

Why did that sound so frightening?

I looked at the other guests, no, the party members.

They were all guests of our shop.

They looked at me with expressions that said they would experience an illusion at all costs if given the chance.

Their eyes were filled with desire.

Normally, I would have thought of it as an opportunity to make money, but today was different.

The party members here were beings who could hear the sounds I made inside the illusion, despite the walls of illusion I created.

While it might be hard to break through inside the illusion, it crumbled far too easily outside of it.

To those not under the spell, illusions were visible.

So once I started using an illusion…

‘They all know. Hero Nikki, the goddess of victory Yuris, high elf Reina, saint Eileen, and Aurora, the head of the magic school, are all guests of our shop.’

The information I had painstakingly protected would spill out in an instant.

“Hey, Nikki?”

“Yeah? What is it?”

“I think it’s better not to do it. No matter what, illusion magic is easily broken from the outside. If I cast it, other parties will definitely notice.”

“Oh, is that why?”

Nikki smiled with her eyes.

Her cheeks flushed a rosy red as she leaned toward me.

“Don’t worry.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ll block them with enough strength so that they can’t break in forcibly.”

“Excuse me?”

“Do you know? The Hero’s power can’t be broken even by the saint’s blessing. Unless it’s the Demon King, of course.”

The Hero’s power was so overwhelming that it could even block a blessing…?

Did she really say she wanted to be pierced by a slime with that kind of power?

My head spun.

But in truth, this wasn’t about whether or not I could break through the illusion magic.

From the moment I used illusion magic, others would know, right?

They would know exactly what I was doing.

They would know what was happening inside that illusion magic.

However, I couldn’t bring myself to say that.

The moment I spoke up.

– Did the saint also say to do it?

It would be no different than spitting out the information of the other guests to Nikki.

In the end, I couldn’t say anything.

And it wasn’t just Nikki who was saying such things.

“Um, brother?”

“Yes, saint.”

“Um… Can I come visit your tent later?”

“When do you mean?”

“When we’re camping. I have something I’d like to ask you…”

“Don’t tell me…”

The saint subtly lifted her saintly robe and pointed to her lower abdomen.

“Please draw the symbol of an unworthy woman here.”

Yuris and Reina also approached me for different reasons.

“Inferior species! Can I expect something?”

“I’ll come when everyone is asleep.”

What’s wrong with everyone? Seriously.

No, wait.

I made this happen.

It’s all because I satisfied them…

‘Foolish Max.’

What should I do?

As Nikki gathered the party to head for the dragon hunt, she felt that her companions were different from usual.

Reina and Aurora had never traveled or gone on expeditions together, so they didn’t know well.

‘Eileen and Yuris are acting strange.’

They were two people who had fought together in dungeons and battlefields to subdue the Demon Lord’s Army.

And she knew better than anyone how they acted during those times.

–
The saint must always prioritize cleanliness.

–
The knight must always set an example.

They always approached expeditions with a neat and proper demeanor.

No matter how big the battle was the day before.

Even if they were covered in the blood of monsters.

They never stayed in that state for long.

After a battle, they always maintained cleanliness.

Right.

That was the extent of what she had seen of them.

But then.

‘They smell… good.’

A fragrant scent tickled her nose.

It was perfume.

A sweet and alluring pheromone scent used to entice men.

She could guarantee it.

They had never used fragrant perfume during expeditions until now.

And that was true for Nikki as well.

“Are you guys…?”

Nikki thought as she looked at the two women, no, the other four, who were exuding a feminine scent.

Perhaps all four of them here had the same goal as her.

Not to hunt the dragon, but something else.

And that was something other women began to do as well.

To them, Nikki’s appearance was a bit different from the Hero they usually saw.

Thus, a strange current began to flow in the campsite, different from the beginning.

“…What should I do?”

Max pondered deeply in the midst of the encirclement of those women.

To find a way not to become a biological dildo.

The Ice Mountain Range was filled with rumors of a dragon’s appearance.

The few humans who had resided in the area left.

Even monsters began to flee in fear of the dragon’s presence.

The remaining living beings were either fainting under the overwhelming pressure of the great being or fleeing in haste.

In the center of that Ice Mountain Range.

– Fi-finally…

A pure white dragon revealed itself.

With scales shining white, it looked around, receiving the falling snow and chill.

– Hoohoohoo.

Confirming that there was nothing around, it began to laugh.

A sinister laugh.

The white dragon, whose eerie laughter instilled fear in those who heard it, began to change its form.

Fwoosh!

Light emanated from the white dragon’s body, and its appearance began to transform.

“Hoohoohoo.”

Transformed into the form of a small girl with a large chest, the dragon sinisterly laughed as it reveled in the falling snow.

“Finally, I can be alone and quiet in my home.”

She let out a pleasant sigh, buried in the snow with no signs of life around.

“It’s nice and quiet. Hehehe.”

The laughter that came from her mouth bore no trace of the dragon’s majesty.

A word from the author (Author’s note)

Perhaps they will try to subdue another dragon…