Cowardly Dragon (2)

Returning to my room, I lay on the bed and closed my eyes.

I rummaged through my memories of the original work.

Dragon’s Gorge. There was definitely a hidden event there.

Not a formal route, but a hidden character you could only meet by satisfying certain conditions.

Fragments of my memories began to fit together.

Right, there was someone like that.

Nidra.

Coward, loner, social outcast, unemployed, shut-in dragon.

She was a timid girl who couldn’t get along with other dragons and lived alone in a small cave on the outskirts of the gorge. Her combat power was terrible, but she had good manual dexterity and liked to make miscellaneous things. In particular, she was crazy about sweet snacks and interesting stories from the human world.

If it’s her.

If I can pass through the gorge’s barrier from the inside through Nidra.

I jumped up. It was a gamble worth taking.

Three days later.

Elise, Akaoni, and Darkness, who was forcibly dragged along, and I were wandering through the rugged mountain paths on the outskirts of Dragon’s Gorge.

,”Haru-ssi, are you sure a dragon really lives in a place like this? Shouldn’t we just go back?”

Darkness tilted her head.

“We’re almost there.”

The place I found by rummaging through my memories of the game was a small cave hidden beneath a rocky cliff.

The entrance was firmly blocked by a large rock, and signs written in crooked letters were plastered all around it.

[NO ENTRY!]

[NO HAWKERS]

[I bite if you approach! (For real)]

[Warning: A ferocious dog… no, a ferocious dragon lives here]

A faint mumbling sound could be heard from inside the cave.

,”…So the hero saves the princess… and they live happily ever after, day and night… Hehehe…”

It seemed like she was reading a fairy tale by herself. But isn’t the content a bit unhealthy for a fairy tale?

The sound suddenly stopped, as if she had noticed our appearance.

A moment later.

Kung! Kugugung! Kwang!

The sound of something heavier blocking the entrance from the inside could be heard loudly.

I shouted towards the cave in the softest voice possible.

,”Excuse me. Nidra, are you there? We’re from the Demon King’s army, but we didn’t come to hurt you.”

The cave was as quiet as a mouse.

Instead of an answer, a trembling voice leaked out.

,”I, I don’t know you! Go away! I’m not here right now!”

I carefully placed the bundle of gifts I had prepared in advance in front of the cave.

Inside were carrot pies made by rabbit beastmen, the latest romance novels obtained by fox merchants, and bone figurines carved by skeletons.

,”I brought some gifts. Don’t be alarmed and come out and talk.”

About thirty minutes passed.

Seureureuk.

The gap in the rock blocking the entrance opened ever so slightly, and a scaly dragon’s forepaw quickly popped out and snatched the bundle of gifts inside.

And again, the cave was firmly blocked with rocks.

The sound of something unwrapping and ‘wagwajak, omul omul’ eating could be heard from inside.

After a while, a very small voice leaked out.

,”…It’s delicious.”

Darkness whispered next to me.

,”I think she’s the same kind of dragon as me.”

,”You’re better. You have a job as the Demon King. That one is just a resting dragon.”

After that, our daily routine became ‘gift tribute’.

As we brought different kinds of snacks, books, and toys every day, Nidra’s wariness gradually eased.

Now, she had progressed to the point where she would open the rock gap a little and have a conversation with us. Of course, she didn’t show her face.

,”So… that… Haru, why did you… come to find me?”

Today, Nidra cautiously asked over the rock gap.

Now is the time. We’ve become friendly enough. Now, let’s slowly bring up the main point…

,”Nidra-ssi!”

As if to mock my plan, Darkness shouted cheerfully.

,”Let’s go to Dragon’s Gorge with us!”

In that instant, the pupils visible beyond the rock gap widened in terror.

,”Hieeek! I knew it! You were going to catch me and drag me to the gorge!”

Kwakwang-!

With a noise more violent than ever before, the cave entrance was completely sealed off with dozens of huge rocks.

I slowly turned my head and pulled hard on Darkness’s soft cheeks.

,”Why. Did. You. Say. That. Now.”

,”Hieeeng. It hurts!”

Nidra’s screams echoed from inside the cave.

,”The outside world is scary! Especially that golden dragon is so scary!”

***

The next morning.

Akaoni was the first to step up.

,”Leave it to me! Reforming rotten mental states is my specialty! I’ll show you the Oni way.”

Akaoni slung her iron club over her shoulder and strode towards the rocks blocking the cave entrance. She shouted loudly at the rocks.

,”Hey! Cowardly dragon inside! Come out right now! I’ll give you 3 seconds! If you don’t come out, I’ll turn this entire cave into dust!”

Three. Two. One.

Akaoni kindly counted down and then lifted her iron club high and struck down at the rocks.

Kwaaaaang-!

A cloud of dust rose with a roar that shook the entire mountain. But there wasn’t a scratch on the rocks. A faint purple film flickered and disappeared from the area where the iron club touched.

,”What, what is it? My iron club doesn’t work?”

Akaoni looked back and forth between her iron club and the rocks in disbelief.

An even thinner, trembling voice leaked out from inside the cave.

,”Heuiiiiik! S, scary! I hate violence! Go away! I’m just a good dragon who eats tree roots!”

A complete reverse effect. I covered my forehead. What did I expect from that muscle-brain Oni?

Operation failed. Nidra crawled even deeper into the cave.

Next was my turn.

I took out cooking utensils from my inventory. I sprinkled fresh meat with herbs and spices and placed it on a hot pan.

Chiiiiik-!

The sound of the meat cooking and the delicious smell spread on the wind to the front of the cave. I spoke loudly on purpose so that it could be heard better.

,”Kheu, that smells amazing. Nidra, I grilled the best steak! It’s so tender it’ll melt in your mouth? It’s safe, so come out and have a bite!”

It sounded like a hungry sound was coming from inside the cave.

After a while, Nidra’s wavering voice was heard.

,”I, is it really safe? You didn’t put any poison in it, did you?”

,”Of course not! If you don’t eat it quickly, the hungry Darkness will eat it all up!”

As I put on a show by myself, the rock blocking the cave entrance opened just a little, just enough for a palm to fit through. A small, white dragon’s hand popped out through the gap.

The hand snatched the plate of steak I held out at the speed of light. And immediately the cave entrance was tightly closed again.

The sound of chewing food could be heard from inside.

,”D, delicious! But I’m not going out! Can you give me more steak?”

It was the perfect shut-in pattern.

She takes what she wants, but doesn’t open the door. This girl is no ordinary person.

In the end, we retreated to the temporary camp without any gains.

,”What should we do? She won’t come out like that.”

Darkness said glumly.

At that moment, Elise, who had been quietly watching the situation, opened her mouth. Her voice was as calm as her silver armor.

,”I have a good idea.”

Everyone’s attention turned to her.

,”Demon King-nim also didn’t come out of his room for a month like that before.”

Darkness’s face turned as red as a beet at Elise’s bombshell statement.

,”E, Elise! Wh, why are you talking about that here now!”

,”I’m just stating the facts. At that time, you heard the sound of a festival in front of the Demon King’s castle, and you couldn’t resist your curiosity and looked out the window.”

,”Festival. That’s it!”

My eyes flashed.

,”No, that’s it. Nidra must be bored and lonely in that cave. She’s probably reading novels alone all day. Let’s lure her out with a festival. A festival that’s noisy enough, flashy, and looks fun enough to attract attention.”

The plan was put into action immediately. I issued a summons to the entire Demon King’s army.

The open space in front of Nidra’s cave became our stage.

Dung! Dududung! Dungdung!

The Oni led by Akaoni beat the drums, announcing the start of the festival.

Bloodmares and vampires danced gracefully and sensually to the drumbeats, and skeletons presented bizarre and cheerful performances by tapping their ribs like xylophones or blowing their leg bones like clarinets.

,”Let’s all sing together! For a new era!”

Gray Fang and the beastmen sang at the top of their lungs and danced around the bonfire.

Darkness, in the center of it all, awkwardly flailed her arms and legs, not knowing what to do.

About thirty minutes after the commotion started.

A very small gap formed between the rocks blocking the cave entrance. Nidra, unable to resist her curiosity, was peeking at the festival through the gap.

The gap grew larger and larger.

,”It, it looks fun. I want to…”

Finally, one of the rocks was carefully pushed aside, and a small girl appeared from behind it.

Light brown hair. Small, white horns. The shy dragon, Nidra.

I didn’t miss the opportunity and approached her, grabbing her hand.

,”Come on, come here! Let’s play together!”

,”Hieeek! N, no! Scary! What if the golden dragon comes!”

Nidra screamed in terror.

Just then, Darkness approached Nidra and knelt down to meet her eyes.

,”It’s okay.”

Darkness’s voice trembled, but it contained sincerity.

,”The world isn’t just a scary place. If a dragon named Aris comes, the Hero-nim and I will protect you.”

She tapped her chest.

,”I used to be scared and hide in my room. But now I have friends, so I’ve become brave.”

Darkness held out her hand to Nidra.

,”Nidra-nim, please be my friend too!”

Nidra hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly and took Darkness’s hand.

Nidra was no longer a lonely dragon.

For the first time in her life, she played with others. She clumsily played the skeleton’s rib instrument and fell while playing tag with the rabbit beastmen children.

When she held hands with Darkness and danced around the bonfire, a bright smile bloomed on Nidra’s face.

As the festival ended and the bonfire died down, Nidra approached me and bowed her head.

,”Thank you. I really had fun.”

,”You’re welcome. So, Nidra. Can you come with us to Dragon’s Gorge now?”

Nidra hesitated at my question. Her gaze turned to Darkness, who was standing next to her. Darkness held her hand tightly and said.

,”If you’re scared, I’ll stick right next to you.”

Nidra asked in a small voice.

,”Will you really, really protect me?”

,”I promise. I’m responsible for your safety.”

At my firm answer, Nidra finally nodded her head vigorously as if she had made up her mind.

The next morning, we finished preparing to depart. Darkness gave Nidra a small Demon King’s army badge.

,”From today onwards, I appoint Nidra-nim as the official diplomat of the Demon King’s army!”

,”D, diplomat?”

,”Yes! Please be the face of our Demon King’s army!”

Nidra looked down at the small badge on her chest and smiled shyly.

,”Well then, shall we depart? To Dragon’s Gorge.”