Ch.260260. Dragon Slayer

“Help, huh.”

After hearing what the Mountain Lord had said, Clan Head Darius wore a serious expression.

The Mountain Lord was a being with power that humans couldn’t casually challenge.

Even though his range of activity was limited and the source of his power was elsewhere.

In any case, he was a being with power that humans could hardly comprehend.

And this monster had come to them asking for help?

“It seems impossible.”

When Darius answered honestly, the serious atmosphere was completely broken.

“How can you so confidently say you can’t do it?”

Deia snapped at him in disbelief, but Darius cried out, feeling wronged.

“No! We’re talking about a guardian deity! If there are creatures capable of killing such a being, then realistically, even if we oppose them, we wouldn’t be much help.”

“That’s why we’re gathered here like this—to figure it out! Should we just tell the guardian deity to handle it himself? We have a contract with Deus!”

“…Why do second sons always cause these kinds of troubles.”

Darius sighed, slapping his forehead. He knew they couldn’t simply ignore the Mountain Lord’s request.

But for now, he was just throwing a bit of a tantrum.

“But can a Mountain Lord even die?”

Findenai questioned, placing tobacco between her stretched lips and nose. Though it seemed random, Deia decided not to ask about it.

She wasn’t a beast researcher, after all.

“I’ve fought something similar before. Horua of the Marias Great Forest.”

“That’s not similar, it’s just another guardian deity.”

Horua, the guardian deity of the Marias Great Forest.

The being that had dwelled within the Great Warrior and invaded Griffin.

Though it was indeed the same type of being as the Mountain Lord, Findenai clicked her tongue and shook her head.

“No, at that time, that one was weakening as it was giving up ownership of the forest.”

“…”

“And yet it was so damn strong that I had quite a struggle.”

“That’s not exactly reassuring.”

In the end, Findenai’s point was that the Mountain Lord was that powerful, and something capable of killing such a powerful Mountain Lord was coming.

Darius wondered if she was deliberately trying to break their morale.

“I’m just telling you what I know.”

Findenai shrugged and responded nonchalantly, which irritated Darius further, but there was nothing he could do about her.

After all, Deus, the only one who could handle Findenai, wasn’t here now.

“Haah.”

“Hmm.”

The meeting continued without progress.

They couldn’t refuse the Mountain Lord’s request. After all, he was the guardian deity protecting this mountain range.

For them, located right next to the Norsweden mountain range, being at odds with the Mountain Lord was essentially the same as fighting until only one remained.

But still.

If something capable of killing the Mountain Lord was coming, could they really stop it?

Wouldn’t the conflict spread to Norsweden as well?

They couldn’t help but have many concerns.

“At times like this.”

Watching the two deepen in their worries, Findenai said somewhat bitterly.

She casually dropped a comment.

“If the master were here, he would have gruffly provided a solution.”

“…”

“…”

Both Deia and Darius turned their gazes toward Findenai simultaneously. She was almost lying on the sofa, insensitively staring at her tobacco.

Deia realized that the tobacco was a gift Deus had requested from a craftsman for her.

It was something Findenai had obtained by throwing tantrums occasionally after the Republic of Clark gained independence and freedom.

“He’ll find his way back on his own.”

Deia sighed with a click of her tongue. In reality, the chances of him surviving in a one-on-one situation with Raizer, the God of Lightning, were extremely slim.

But without believing that he was, as always, in the process of solving the problem and returning…

No one present could endure.

* * *

“…”

Rustle.

“…”

Rustle.

The sound of turning pages alone created an intellectual atmosphere in the quiet laboratory.

Erika Bright, who was solely creating this atmosphere, showed no change in her expression.

Normally, the assistants around her would be cautious not to upset Erika’s mood due to her cold demeanor.

But now was different.

Sunlight gently streaming through the window. Eyes following the book’s content indifferently, and a face showing no trace of change even while learning.

Hair tied up and resting softly on her shoulders.

With lips tightly closed, maintaining silence, the assistants all thought of the same word.

If one were to describe the current Erika Bright in one word.

It would be longing.

Knock knock.

A knocking sound broke the silence.

The assistants welcomed it, not because they found the atmosphere uncomfortable.

They just wanted to divert her attention elsewhere, seeing Erika struggling.

When one of the assistants opened the door, there was a box about the size of a face placed there.

“Did the security guard leave it?”

Checking the sender discreetly, it was from the Magic Tower. The signature of Grand Mage Rockpellican was written on it.

“P-Professor!”

The assistant urgently brought the box to Erika. But Erika, still in the same posture, only slightly turned her head to respond.

“The Magic Tower said they’re sending an award plaque in recognition of my contribution this time, so that must be it.”

“Wow.”

“From the Magic Tower? No, if it’s from the Grand Mage, he’s directly under His Majesty!”

“Professor Erika, you’re amazing!”

“…Yes.”

After saying that, Erika began to focus on her book again.

Just gesturing for them to open it and hang it up themselves.

The assistants hurriedly gathered around the box and checked the plaque inside the luxurious case.

“Wow, this is incredible.”

“Is it made of gold?”

“In recognition of protecting Greyford! Wow, this is insane!”

The assistants were genuinely surprised, not just trying to lift the mood.

The academy professors were often underestimated for their abilities since they had retired from active duty.

But now that Erika had played a significant role in Greyford, the status of other professors had risen as well.

Receiving such a plaque meant that Erika had proven on behalf of all professors that they weren’t incompetent.

In fact, it was Erika who had held Raizer back the longest and most extensively.

Rustle.

The book turns again.

But what good was it?

Even if a plaque arrived.

Even if honor came.

Even if gratitude poured in from surrounding professors.

The person she was waiting for wasn’t coming.

Her wait continued.

The assistants who had been making a fuss naturally quieted down when Erika, the person concerned, showed no reaction.

As they were tidying up and discussing where to place the plaque…

Knock knock.

Another knock from outside the door.

“Yes?”

Wondering if there was something else to be delivered, the assistants opened the door curiously.

There stood Professor Per Petra, Erika’s colleague, with disheveled pink hair.

“Um, excuse me! Could you help me carry this in?”

Behind her was a large box.

She looked pitiful, sweating profusely as if she had struggled to bring it this far.

“Per?”

Only when her friend arrived did Erika put down her book. The box Per had brought was about the size of a person. It easily exceeded both Per and Erika’s height.

“I-I thought you seemed really down, so I brought you a gift!”

The assistants were somewhat puzzled by Per’s unusually energetic demeanor, but they didn’t mind.

They just hoped she had brought something that would cheer up their professor.

“…You don’t need to worry about me.”

Erika responded calmly, but Per shook her head, her hair flying about.

“I can’t do that! I can’t just stand by and watch Professor Erika suffering.”

“…”

“When you see my gift, you’ll probably be thrilled.”

Saying that, Professor Per opened the box with a bright smile and…

Inside was Deus Verdi.

“…”

It wasn’t just Erika who was too shocked to speak. Even the other assistants stared with their mouths agape at the Deus Verdi lookalike.

“What do you think? Look here.”

Professor Per pressed firmly on Deus’s chest.

– It’s been a while.

Surprisingly, Deus’s voice came out!

“Isn’t it amazing? Isn’t it fascinating? And if I spray this perfume made from the scent I collected from Professor Deus’s lab!”

Spritz! Spritz!

She sprays perfume from her lab coat pocket onto his body. It was subtly different, but still remarkably similar to the real Deus.

“Ta-da! Until the professor returns, you can ease your loneliness with this…!”

“…”

“E-ease your…”

“…”

“Um, well, uh.”

Per checks Erika’s reaction.

“Did I… make a mistake?”

The assistants around her nodded simultaneously in response to Per’s question.

Per cautiously reached out and pressed Deus doll’s chest again.

– I’m sorry.

* * *

“Eat your meal.”

How many hours had passed?

When I slowly opened my eyes, I found Soho sitting across from me and a steaming plate of fried rice with eggs.

I had closed my eyes instead of sleeping, but it seemed quite some time had passed.

“Do you know you’ve been asleep for a whole day? And in that same sitting position?”

No wonder.

Looking around, I noticed it was already getting dark. Though I hadn’t actually fallen asleep, my mind felt clearer.

“I’m warning you that I could kill you anytime, so be careful.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

I adjusted my posture and picked up a spoon. Though this body didn’t need to eat, the act of eating itself provided mental stability.

“To bare my fangs, I need to wait for the perfect timing.”

Her statement about biding her time seemed absurd, but I figured she was serious in her own way, so I let it pass.

“What are you going to do now? I’m going to follow you around and kill you when I see an opening.”

“I’m going back.”

“…What?”

Soho reacted with surprise to my words. She stared at me with wide eyes.

“A-aren’t you going after the people who killed the dragon?”

“Why would I?”

Though the dragon’s death was quite concerning, there was no reason for me to chase after them.

After all, they had killed what I was planning to kill anyway.

‘Though it’s annoying, there’s no need to push this body unnecessarily.’

I could deal with it after Deus’s body stabilized.

I didn’t even know what the dragon was guarding. If the opponents had neutralized the dragon before hunting it, it wouldn’t be that difficult.

Killing a dragon was impressive, but…

Their level of danger depended on their method of attack.

“N-no! They killed the dragon lord! So, well…!”

Soho seemed to realize that I had no real reason to chase after the dragon killers, but she struggled to find a convincing argument.

I was eating the fried rice to give her time to find a reason when…

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The sound of measured footsteps shaking the floor. The door of Lanlan Restaurant was roughly opened as security forces poured in.

“That’s him!”

With a man’s shout from behind, the security forces extended their restraining ropes toward me.

“Huh? Huh? Huh?!”

Soho, startled by the sudden situation, could only exclaim in surprise.

I silently allowed myself to be bound by their hands. I needed to understand the situation.

“Why are you arresting me?”

Despite my polite question, they bound me roughly.

Looks of hatred poured toward me from all the security forces.

“You are under arrest for serial murder and the killing of security forces.”

The charges that came from the mouth of the man walking through the path cleared by the security forces were ones I was familiar with.

The serial killings in the alley.

The crimes of the human ghost had fallen squarely on me.

But more than that.

My gaze was fixed on the man in front.

Though his build was thin, he gave off an impression of agility and quickness rather than frailty.

Slightly tanned skin and attire that seemed several levels above the other security forces.

A smile of satisfaction formed on the man’s lips, as if he had cornered his opponent into checkmate.

But unfortunately.

‘Hmm.’

I too could identify his true nature at a glance.

The presence I had felt when I went to the underground waterway in search of the dragon.

‘So we meet like this.’

The dragon slayer had come to me on his own.