First Reunion (11)

It was good that I splendidly crushed the Termites.

It went without saying that this drew out Camille’s excitement.

The problem, however, started from then on.

“Helix, does it hurt a lot…?”

“Kiiing…”

“I’ve never seen Helix in so much pain before.”

For several days, I groaned in agony all night long.

As a mere baby dragon, I had overexerted myself, and this was the natural consequence.

Normally, I wouldn’t want to make sounds of pain, but this time, it was truly difficult.

“I’ll use divine power for you. Just wait a little.”

“Kiiik…”

A bright light burst forth, and divine power enveloped my body.

But the pain…

My body was a vessel for Magic.

But since I had poured an excessive amount into an immature vessel, that vessel was screaming.

“Even divine magic is useless…”

No, it wasn’t useless.

The pain, which had been enough to kill me, had at least lessened to a bearable level.

In fact, I had a different concern.

‘How can I properly use my strength when I’m in this much pain?’

If I acted leisurely, I wouldn’t be able to deal with the Termites.

Now, before they fully revealed their power, I needed to act first and reduce their strength.

But to think that being a baby dragon would hinder me like this.

‘If I had grown for just ten more years, I think I could have managed somehow.’

But I didn’t have the luxury of waiting idly for ten years.

Ten years was more than enough time for the Termites to perfectly establish their forces.

Even if I ran around frantically then, I wouldn’t be able to stop the destined destruction.

“Helix…”

Camille looked down at me worriedly.

She was also helping me by pouring out all the divine power she had, but…

Honestly, at this rate, it was just a waste of stamina.

‘If only I had Fairy Dust…’

As a Dragon, most narcotics had no effect on me.

My body had an absolute resistance to toxins, but in return, most things didn’t affect me.

So I had to find something non-toxic, and the best alternative was Fairy Dust.

‘It’s the only painkiller I’m allowed…’

It would temporarily plunge my mind into a dreamlike world, freeing me from all physical pain.

I had received a lot of it from my fourth wife.

As the harsh battles with the Termites continued, there were few days when I wasn’t injured.

‘To think I’d be looking for this myself…’

I thought I would never need to use it again, but indeed, nothing in the world ever went according to my will.

******

Three days passed, but the pain continued.

If anything, it was worse, not less.

I couldn’t even sleep properly.

All I could manage was a couple of hours of restless sleep after staying up all night.

It was so hard that I rolled around on the pile of blankets.

Even when my body was pierced by a Termite, it hadn’t hurt this much.

“Helix… I’m sorry, because of me…”

“Piiik…”

When Camille looked down at me with guilt-ridden eyes, I shook my head.

This was by no means her fault.

This was simply the price for me overexerting my power.

It was a disaster that occurred because an immature being recklessly pursued the power of an adult dragon.

“Piiik…”

A sound like a real chick’s cry came from my mouth.

I was in so much pain that tears streamed down my face against my will.

“Helix… what should I do…?”

“Kiiik…”

“My divine power has no effect.”

Camille also couldn’t sleep because of me.

Camille seemed to have steeled her resolve.

She squeezed her eyes shut and asked me in a cautious voice.

“Helix, if it’s too hard, can’t you ask that spirit you call Lady…?”

“Kiiik…?”

It was an astonishing change.

For Camille to suggest asking her first.

“Kiiiiiik…”

But I shook my head repeatedly.

The spirit, she was certainly versatile in many ways.

However, she didn’t really know any methods to reduce pain.

Rather, my fourth wife, a Fairy, was the ultimate authority in this area.

It would be much better if I could get her help, but…

‘How long would it take to get to the Fairy Forest?’

Unlike Elves, who at least had some interaction with humans, Fairies didn’t even do that.

The only beings they traded with were forest races like Elves and Dryads.

I couldn’t obtain it without meeting them directly.

“Helix, if there’s a way, tell me. I’ll find it somehow.”

“Kiiik…”

Woooong!!

At the same time, I used Polymorph and returned to my human form for a moment.

Although Camille understood my words to some extent,

there were too many limitations in my Dragon form.

“There is one… but I can’t get it here…”

“What is it?”

“Fairy Dust…”

“Fairy?”

“There’s a dust that Fairies scatter little by little every time they flap their wings. If you use it, your mind becomes hazy, and you don’t feel pain…”

Camille’s expression quickly darkened.

She seemed to have immediately realized that the item I spoke of was not easily obtainable.

“Do I have to go to the Fairy Forest?”

“Probably. Most likely…”

Unless some crazy collector secretly possessed it…

It wasn’t something that could be obtained through normal means.

“I’ll ask around first. Maybe I can get at least a little…”

“Please do…”

I didn’t intend to have high expectations.

Fairy Dust was ultimately a consumable, so even if someone rarely had it, they would have used it up long ago.

But it would be a lie to say I had no expectations at all.

Still, for now, I had no choice but to trust Camille.

How many more days and nights did I writhe in pain like that…?

Fortunately, miraculous news arrived.

“Helix, I found someone who has Fairy Dust!”

“Really…?”

“Yes, she’s a young Lady from a great noble family in the Holy Dominion. One of her ancestors was a half-Elf, and thanks to that connection, Fairy Dust has been passed down through generations.”

A connection with ancestors.

At that single phrase, worry preceded my joy.

“It must be a precious item… It wouldn’t be easy to just hand it over, would it…?”

“Hmm, there were conditions, as expected. For now, it’s more like a request…”

“Does she want one of my scales?”

“No way. Offering a barter to a Dragon is close to blasphemy in this country, you know? It’s an act for which you’d have no excuse even if dragged to the Inquisition.”

So, not scales.

That was a relief.

I was already in so much pain that if they pulled out a scale, I felt like I’d go mad.

“Then what does she want…?”

“She wants to serve you.”

“Does she want to become a Dragon’s Priestess?”

What a strange woman.

A young Lady from a prestigious noble family wouldn’t usually even glance at the path of a Dragon’s Priestess.

Being a Dragon’s Priestess was a position with some honor, but it wasn’t a place for a young Lady raised in a noble household.

The ascetic monastic life was a very difficult path.

“She’s a benefactor who gave me the dust, so I should at least meet her in person.”

“You’re going to call her directly…?”

“Of course.”

Camille didn’t seem particularly pleased.

But as someone who knew how precious Fairy Dust was…

I wanted to do everything I could to repay her.

“Alright, I’ll send a message.”

“Okay…”

Perhaps it was because I thought the Fairy Dust was finally within reach.

That night, I was able to sleep deeply for the first time in a long while.

****

Two days after hearing the news.

Finally, the young Lady who possessed the Fairy Dust arrived.

“Oh, Great Dragon-isiyeo…”

“Hello.”

I deliberately used Polymorph to take the form of a small girl to meet the young Lady.

It wasn’t because Camille had specifically asked for it.

It was the only consideration I could offer Camille, who had suffered with me for a whole week, unable to sleep because of me.

“What’s your name?”

“My name is Garmiyu, Dragon-isiyeo.”

Garmiyu.

A noble young Lady with luscious orange hair and a light green dress.

Her age was probably around sixteen or seventeen.

Her appearance was also quite beautiful.

At a glance, she gave the impression of a well-bred young Lady.

“I heard you’re a noble young Lady, which family are you from?”

“I am the daughter of Reinvalt.”

“Reinvalt? Ah, so that’s why you had a connection with the forest races.”

I had lived in the Holy Dominion for several decades now.

From my long tenure, I knew most of the great noble families.

Moreover, Reinvalt was one of the five great noble families, wasn’t it?

A bigger figure than I expected had come to see me.

“Please accept this, Dragon-isiyeo. It is an insignificant thing, but I hoped it might be of some help to you…”

“It’s not insignificant. Fairy Dust is not something easily obtained, even by those with connections to the forest races.”

I took the small glass bottle she offered me.

It was undoubtedly genuine.

And it was high-quality dust of considerable purity.

I, a true drug addict-no, a dust addict-could vouch for it.

“I don’t think you offered this to me with any expectations.”

“Dragon-isiyeo… I assure you, I had no such intentions.”

“But this is too precious an item to just casually accept. I want to give you something in return, is there anything you wish for?”

“Really, it’s fine…”

Garmiyu hesitated, then gazed at me intently.

“Perhaps, Dragon-isiyeo…”

“Don’t be shy, just tell me.”

“Then, a baby dragon… could you show me your baby dragon form just once?”

“My baby dragon form? I can show you, but you’re not seriously making that your wish, are you?”

“Oh, just once would be enough.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

To Garmiyu, who seemed to be misunderstanding, I spoke clearly.

“I told you, what you gave me is truly precious. If I just show you my baby dragon form once and call it even, I won’t feel right.”

“Ah…”

“First, since you wish for it, I’ll show you. But don’t think that’s the end of it; think of another wish.”

Woooong!!

At the same time, I released my Polymorph and returned to my baby dragon form.

Then I strode forward to Garmiyu.

“Ohhh… how utterly adorable.”

“Kiiik…”

Did she truly just want to see my baby dragon form out of pure sincerity?

I could see honey dripping from Garmiyu’s eyes.

Hmm, I think Lady used to look at me with eyes just like these when I was a baby dragon.

Her fervent gaze was almost overwhelming.

‘This country must be strange.’

It wasn’t unusual for women to fuss over small animal babies, but…

In this country, perhaps because I was an object of worship, their aesthetic sense was definitely peculiar.

Honestly, even I didn’t think my baby dragon form particularly stimulated protective instincts.

“C-can I not touch you…? You’re a sacred Dragon-isiyeo. I shouldn’t, right…?”

“Kiiik…”

That just meant she wanted to touch me.

I let out a wry laugh, but I had already accepted a quasi-bribe.

If I was going to give a reward, it was better to do it properly.

I walked closer to Garmiyu, who was crouching, and placed my front paw on the back of her hand.

“Oh, what do I do…? So cute…!”

My front paws didn’t have soft paw pads like a cat or dog.

There were only sharp claws, but…

Even that seemed to please her, as Garmiyu raised her voice and fussed excitedly.

‘Ah, I’m feeling a bit self-conscious with Camille watching.’

Swoosh.

I subtly turned my head, and Camille was watching us with a very complex expression.

She wasn’t openly showing jealousy, but…

Nevertheless, it was clear that she didn’t seem pleased with the current situation.