Chapter 14

The surroundings were in a commotion.

Seeing the dragon tackle me, the commotion was growing. This place is no good; there are too many people around.

"Come with me for now."

"ーーっ！ Yeah!"

"Louise, too!"

"Huh?"

I brought the half-asleep Louise and the child who had come seeking help back home.

I haven't reported for work yet, but that's not the time for it.

When we got back home, we first went into the dragon stable. Louise wobbled back to her slime bed, and I was left alone with the dragon.

"Your name is... Emma, right?"

"You remembered!?"

"Yeah, of course."

I had already left Lintvurm, but I remember the names of all the dragons I talked to while I was there. I used to chat with them whenever I had free time.

Emma.

A Smey-type small dragon.

She is particularly small even among small dragons, but she is a type of dragon specialized in combat, a type that is usually found in any guild.

Facing Emma, I asked her.

"Why did you run away?"

"I don't want to be there anymore."

"Why?"

"There was a day when I wasn't feeling well."

"Hmm."

I nodded slightly.

This is something generally not well-known, but dragons also have good and bad days. When they feel bad, nothing goes well, and when they feel good, they can perform better than usual.

Dragons are living beings, and such things happen, but this is not widely known.

"That day was especially tough, and I was trying to show that I wanted a break."

"Were you not listened to?"

"Yes."

Emma nodded slightly, anger showing in her eyes.

"I was forced to work and almost got seriously injured."

"That's not right."

"It's not just that. I heard the guild master say something after a job failed."

"The guild master? What did he say?"

"He said that a dragon who fails is no good. If it fails again, it will be used up or disposed of."

"Nothing has changed..."

I frowned. Lintvurm still treats dragons as tools. I opposed this, fought, and was expelled.

It seems nothing has changed since then.

...Well, it shouldn't have changed.

Moreover, Emma was too careless. Humans can't understand dragon language, but dragons can understand human language. This is something humans also know from various events and experiences.

Yet, the guild master of Lintvurm said things like "dispose" and "use up" in a way that dragons could hear.

To be honest... he is incompetent to the extreme.

"So, Emma, you ran away?"

"Yes, I don't want to stay there anymore. I heard that Cyril goes to the hall every day, so I was waiting for you."

"Hmm."

"Please, Cyril! Let me stay here!"

"Here?"

"Please! I'll do anything."

"Hmm."

I folded my arms and thought about it.

If Emma stays here, it means a dragon transfer.

A transfer of a dragon from one guild to another.

This is not an impossible situation.

There is a dragon market where dragons not yet affiliated with a guild are bought and sold. Even after joining a guild, dragons can be transferred depending on the situation.

It is possible, but it's not easy.

First, there are no laws or rules for dragon transfers. It all depends on the negotiations between the parties involved, and whether they can agree on the money and other conditions.

In that sense, it's a very simple matter.

However, in practice, it's probably difficult.

Considering my relationship with Lintvurm, it will be difficult.

I was expelled from Lintvurm.

Now, I'm harboring a dragon who ran away from Lintvurm.

This alone will complicate things.

Will Lintvurm even agree to negotiations?

While I was thinking about this, there was a knock on the door of the house.

A loud, aggressive knock.

"Uh."

"Th-they came...?"

Emma was slightly frightened.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Cyril..."

Emma looked at me with fearful, pleading eyes. I stroked her head to calm her down.

"Don't worry, leave it to me."

When I said that, Emma's eyes lit up with hope.

"Really!?"

"Yeah."

I nodded clearly.

"I'll take Emma in, leave it to me."

"Thank you!"

"Wait here."

"Understood!"

I left Emma in the dragon stable, walked around the house, and headed to the front door.

There, I saw a familiar face.

Rui.

When our eyes met, Rui looked at me with a contemptuous, provocative gaze.

"What do you want?"

"Don't play dumb. There are plenty of witnesses. One of our dragons is here, right?"

"I'm not playing dumb. I'm protecting Emma."

"Then bring her out, we're taking her back."

"That's not going to happen."

"What did you say?"

Rui glared at me.

"I'm taking Emma in."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're not getting her."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

"Let me ask you again. Are you really going to challenge us, Lintvurm?"

"I can't hand over someone who ran away to be fed to the dragons."

Rui's eyebrows shot up, and his eyes turned bloodshot.

It's almost a declaration of war. "Fed to the dragons" is a phrase that rivals "fallen into the hands of evil." Before dragons were domesticated, they were feared by humans.

Countless humans were "devoured" by dragons, hence the phrase.

I glared back at Rui.

"I heard the story. Don't you think that child is pitiful?"

"Pitiful, you say?"

"The guild master apparently said he could use her up or dispose of her."

"Huh? Who told you that?"

If I said Emma herself, Rui wouldn't believe me, and it would only make things worse.

"Where there's smoke, there's fire. He said it, didn't he? Or rather, he would say it, wouldn't he?"

"So what?"

"I can't return Emma to such a guild master."

I said firmly.

"Take the message back. I'm taking Emma in. It's a trade negotiation."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

I nodded clearly.

"There's no point in talking. We don't need to hear such nonsense."

"I told you to take the message back."

"Go to hell. Get out of my way!"

Rui pushed me aside and tried to enter the dragon stable. He opened the door and stepped in.

"Ah!?"

Emma was frightened.

She must have been really scared.

"Master?"

On the other hand, the half-asleep Louise raised her head.

"What's that guy?"

"Trouble."

"An enemy of Master?"

"Something like that."

I nodded slightly.

"What are you babbling about!"

"An enemy of Master—die."

Louise, still half-asleep, opened her mouth. Instantly, her special ability, the light spear, was released.

The light spear headed straight for Rui. Rui dodged it in a panic.

"What the hell are you doing!"

Rui yelled at me. I looked at him coldly.

"Nothing. He illegally entered the dragon stable, so our dragon attacked him."

"Damn you..."

Rui's anger grew, but he couldn't do anything.

Automatic retaliation against intruders in the dragon stable is something every dragon stable does. Dragons are much stronger than humans and possess great power. They are also valuable assets to most guilds.

Setting up automatic retaliation against intruders to protect these assets is a common practice. Complaining about it won't win you any allies.

So Rui was at a loss for words.

"Take the message back."

"Wait, I'll come back and make you regret it."

Rui said, turned around, and left in large strides.

☆

Less than an hour later, the Lintvurm guild master arrived.

Dicky Large, a middle-aged man in his forties with a heroic appearance.

I was sitting across from Dicky in the living room.

"I heard the story. You want to take Emma in?"

"Yeah."

I nodded clearly.

"Why?"

"I can't stand to see her be used up."

"Who told you that?"

"Whoever. Is that important now?"

I looked back at Dicky. Dicky glared at me lightly.

"Hmph, I see."

He brushed off the question lightly.

"Ultimately, that's what you're about, huh?"

"Say what you want. What about Emma?"

"Hmph, such a useless one is no longer needed. A dragon poisoned by incompetence is of no use."

"Then I'll take her in."

"But..."

Dicky said, cutting me off.

"That dragon is Lintvurm's property. We can't let it be taken without compensation."

"How much do you want?"

I cut straight to the chase.

"It's not about money."

"What is it, then?"

"When you ask someone for something, you need to show the proper attitude."

"..."

I stood up silently, bowed to Dicky.

"Please, let me have Emma."

I bowed deeply, carefully choosing my words.

This is what it takes, I thought. I was partly right.

"Not enough."

"What?"

"There's a proper attitude, you know?"

Dicky said provocatively.

The direction of what he wanted was right, but the degree wasn't enough.

Not enough... more... that means...

Without much thought, I got down on my knees and bowed to the floor.

"Please, let me have Emma."

I said.

"Hmph, would you do that for a tool?"

"..."

I didn't argue.

They are not tools, but now is not the time to argue.

Hearing me not argue and keeping my head to the floor, he said,

"You weirdo, do as you please."

Dicky left the living room with a tone of utter contempt.

I stood up. Thinking it was settled, I went to the dragon stable.

When I entered, Emma, who looked apologetic, Louise, who was angry, and Colette, who had returned at some point, were there.

"You're back."

"Who's that guy?"

Colette was indignant.

"Master, why did you do a dogeza?"

"If it gets Emma, it's a small price to pay."

"Is it? I heard dogeza is a big deal for humans."

"Whatever."

I said nonchalantly.

"Sure, I don't like doing dogeza for nothing, but if it saves Emma, it's a small price to pay."

"Master..."

Emma looked at me with grateful eyes, on the verge of tears.

I smiled at her.

"Emma is free now."

"Thank you!"

"What will you do now?"

"Huh?"

"What?"

What's with the "huh?"

"Um... Master, is it okay for me to stay with you?"

"Oh, I see. I meant, if there's somewhere else you want to go."

"There isn't! I want to stay with Master!"

"Got it. Welcome aboard, then."

"Yes!"

Emma nodded deeply.

This is how the third member joined our home—Guild "Dragon First."

"Still, that guy was annoying."

"When will there be a moonless night?"

Meanwhile, Louise and Colette were saying something ominous... I'll have to give them a little warning later. This matter is over, and unnecessary conflicts are not needed.

Just as I was thinking that,

Light began to overflow from the three of them. Bright light illuminated the dragon stable.

"What!?"

After the light subsided, there was an egg between the three of them.

A small, ball-sized egg, unlike any dragon egg.

"What is this?"

As I picked up the egg in wonder, it began to glow. The eggshell glowed and melted.

Then, the egg disappeared, and the light subsided, leaving a ring in my hand.

"What is this ring?"

"That! Could it be an artifact?"

"An artifact?"

The three of them looked extremely surprised at the ring I was holding.