by Virlyce
Her father craned his neck and puffed his chest out as he sat back on his haunches. “There is no race of dragons nobler than us holy dragons. Leila said she found her mate in the central continent. I’ve never heard of any holy dragons operating in that area,” he said and wrinkled his nose. “If anything, the only one of note there is Nova, the great dragon of pestilence. And of course, the Tainted One, Gri—”
Lulu’s mother’s ears perked up. Her eyes snapped open as she bared her teeth while climbing to her feet. “Did someone say Nova?” she asked as her head swiveled around, glaring at the dragons in the cavern.
“Kondra, dear,” Lulu’s father said and cleared his throat. “I was just discussing the dragons in the central continent with Lulu. You know how they’re—”
“Crass and rude?” Kondra asked before snorting. “Barbarians, the lot of them.” Her gaze softened as she glanced at Lulu. “You know what the dragons there did when the inhabitants of the northern continent fled there and arrived on their lands? They fought and oppressed them instead of working together like civilized dragons. Unbelievable.”
Lulu sighed. This wasn’t the first time she heard her mother rant about the central continent’s dragons. Maybe that’s why Leila fled there all those years ago? Everyone knew the forbidden fruits tasted the sweetest. “Then what kind of standards would you hold Leila’s mate to?”
Kondra wrinkled her snout. “Leila seems to care for him a lot, so I won’t reject him outright. But at the very least, he has to have the dignity of a proper dragon. He can’t be one of those who targets the weak for fun,” she said and rubbed her chin. “Preferably, he should be oriented closer to light magic than dark magic. He should obtain his sustenance from mana rather than hunting. He should be generous with blessings rather than greedy for tributes. He should be aloof from two-legged affairs, and if not aloof, he should at least not be on bad terms with any sentient race.”
Lulu nodded. Her sister’s mate should fit those requirements easily; otherwise, there’d be no way she’d bring him back home to meet their parents. Once her sister left behind an egg for her parents to take care of, they wouldn’t have time to bother her and she’d be free to leave the nest. Of course, she could always try to gain a rite of passage by confronting her mother, but she didn’t think she could fight against her mother’s meteor like Leila did.
***
Carl snacked on the leviathan’s flesh as he debated on what story to tell the two ocean crossers. Perhaps a legend about people similar to them would suffice. He glanced around, but the other fishmen were too intoxicated and joyous for him to interrupt. Besides, other than a few elders in the tribe, he knew the most about the legends. He sidled over to Vur and poured himself a cup of alcohol before pouring some for Vur and Tafel.
“I thought up the most appropriate legend to tell you two: it’s called, ‘The Tale of the Juggernaut,’” Carl said as he wet his throat with his ale. “Thousands of winters ago, fishmen dominated the coasts and interiors of the forests. The humans hadn’t arrived then, and the lands were spacious enough for all the races of the land to live in peace. That isn’t to say there weren’t any scuffles, but there weren’t any wars over territory. The holy dragons maintained peace over the continent, not letting any wanton destruction get out of hand; often times, they’d coordinate with our leaders to resolve disputes. It was a system that worked well and still works well to this day despite the inclusion of the humans and phoenixes.
“There was only one time where a sentient race arrived and waged war against the natives, ignoring the will of the dragons.” Carl licked his lips and leaned closer. Tafel could smell the alcohol on his breath as he spoke in a whisper, “They were the dwarves. Though they’re tiny in stature, they’re not to be underestimated. They arrived on this land by crossing the ocean, much like you two, but instead of swimming, they rode a massive metal beast they called the Juggernaut. The Juggernaut arrived inland by traveling up the fierce rivers, wading through the rapids and climbing up waterfalls! They conquered the natives with metal weapons that spat thunder from aboard the mighty beast, and they forced the conquered tribes to give them tributes of metal.
“The holy dragons tried to confront them, but even they were repelled by the Juggernaut. Before”—Carl looked around and lowered his voice even further, leaning closer to his listeners—“Kondra, the matriarch of the dragons, could even speak to the dwarves, they had fired lightning upon her, gravely injuring her. For reasons unknown to the natives at the time, the dwarves had a serious grievance against dragons, declaring them evil and worthy of purging. These days, we know the dwarves had a grudge because of a black dragon who kept robbing them of their metals and treasures. They had been raided so much that they built the Juggernaut with their remaining stores of materials and fled from their native lands.
“Through pure force, the dwarves established their city in the heart of the continent on the peak of one of the tallest mountains. To this day, the Juggernaut still resides on Mount Herz with the dwarves living beneath it deep within the earth. Rumors have it that they’re waiting to take revenge on the one who forced them out of their lands. The holy dragons leave them alone, and the dwarves stick to themselves, occasionally waging war and conquering lands every few centuries or so.”
Vur tilted his head. “If they could repel a dragon, why didn’t they fight the dragon who forced them to leave?”
Carl shrugged. “I’ve only heard rumors from the merchants, but I don’t understand what they mean. Apparently, the dwarves have great respect for their dead and refuse to fight against them. Why would they have to fight their dead? It makes no sense.”
“That black dragon sounds awfully similar to a certain dragon I know,” Tafel said and glanced at Vur with an accusing stare.
“It really does, doesn’t it?” Vur asked. “I should ask Grimmy the next time I see him. Maybe he’ll know who it was.” He glanced at the black-scaled fishman. “Do you know the name of the dragon?”
Carl glanced around again. No one was paying attention. “Don’t say it out loud, or the dwarves’ curse of bad luck will fall upon you,” he said and quickly scribbled out a name in the sand. The letters looked a bit different than the ones Vur and Tafel were used to—whether because of Carl’s handwriting or differences in the language—but they could both make out the name. It was Grimmoldesser.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Tafel said and sighed as she hung her head while Carl wiped away the sand. “How would they even know his name!?”
Vur’s body shook as he laughed. “If it was Grimmy, he’d shout it out every time he raided them. So that’s what Grimmy meant when he said he got his hoard from the short people.”
Tafel slapped her forehead with her hand and groaned.
Carl’s gaze repeatedly shifted from Vur to Tafel. He scratched his head. “My understanding of the human language isn’t that great. It seems like you two know the dwarves’ disaster?”
“Ye—”
“No!” Tafel said, interrupting Vur. “We don’t.”
Carl glanced at Vur, who shrugged.
3
Vur yawned as he stretched his arms above his head. Beside him, on a fluffy down bed, Tafel was beginning to awaken as well. They were inside the cave that the fishmen had given them to spend their time. The fishmen had insisted on the two staying until their master artisan had finished refining the leviathan skin and scales into armor as thanks for treating them to leviathan flesh. Their future generations would be stronger thanks to Vur and Tafel as the leviathan’s mana was incorporated into their bodies. The beast’s bones could also be used to imbue artifacts with abilities. Tafel had been fascinated and was a bit upset she couldn’t summon her sword to have it improved, but Vur didn’t care since Lust had been broken and never replaced.
The pearls hanging from Tafel’s neck glinted as she sat up and cracked her neck. When she asked about them, the fishmen had called them sunrise pearls. They heated up when the sun rose and p
rovided a warm light to start the day. Other than that, the fishmen hadn’t discovered another function for them. “They said the armor would be done today, right?” Tafel asked and nudged Vur, who was still bleary-eyed.
Vur yawned again. “Mhm.”
“You sound so excited,” Tafel said and frowned. She pinched his cheeks, causing his eyes to widen. “Leviathans should be close to wyverns and phoenixes in rank. Do you know what that means?” She released Vur’s cheeks and placed her hands on her hips.
Vur rubbed his face. “They’re weak?”
Tafel sighed. “You’re an adventurer who doesn’t care about getting good equipment. I’m almost ashamed for you.” She scratched her nose. “It means we’re getting top-quality armor that rivals what people in Fuselage wear. Do you know how expensive that kind of armor is? I could only afford a nice sword and a decently made robe after a decade of hunting. And I couldn’t even bring them here because someone botched my teleport.” She sighed. “There’s also the cost of mana potions, health potions, accessories, repair bills, lodging fees, dismantling fees, storage fe—”
Vur placed his hand on Tafel’s shoulder, causing her to fall silent. He stared her in the eyes. “You can borrow stuff from Grimmy’s hoard. He has a lot.” Vur nodded before standing, leaving Tafel with a blank expression on her face.
“That’s different! It’s not earned,” Tafel said and furrowed her brow. “I could raid my kingdom’s treasury and buy myself top-class gear, but there’s no satisfaction in doing that. Being an adventurer is about the journey, not the end result: Killing rare beasts, gathering materials yourself, finding someone to make your hunted items into armor. That’s like the number one reason why people become adventurers.”
“Huh. Really?” Vur asked as he slid on a pair of pants. “I thought it was for the money?”
“Well, maybe. But the people who aren’t in it for the money are in it for the adventure,” Tafel said. “And you definitely don’t need money. Didn’t you want to go on an adventure with me because of the adventurer lifestyle?”
“I wanted to try new food,” Vur said and glanced at his stomach. “Oh, and because you asked me too.” He nodded at Tafel, who sighed.
“I don’t think I’ve met anyone who adventured just for the food,” Tafel said and pursed her lips. “Well, the fishmen worked hard to create that armor for us. You should accept it, alright?”
“Okay,” Vur said. “I’ll use it even if it’s not as good as the clothes Auntie makes.” He paused. “I wonder what she’s doing anyways.”
“She’s watching over the three kingdoms because both of us are irresponsible,” Tafel said and dressed herself. She wasn’t sure what material her clothing was made out of, but it was comfortable and soft to touch. “It’s because she’s there that I’m confident in leaving the continent whenever I want.”
Vur tilted his head as he exited the cave. “But I thought she knitted all day?”
“Don’t let her hear you say that,” Tafel said as she squinted her eyes due to the light. The pearls by her collarbone seemed to increase in temperature once again.
“Ocean crossers!”
Vur and Tafel turned their heads. Carl waved at them and gestured behind himself towards the cluster of fishmen before saying, “We were just on our way to deliver the armor to you. They’re the highest quality works that Johnson’s ever created.”
A fishman with gray gills stepped forward and laughed. “It’s because you two provided me with such wonderful materials to work with,” he said and waved his hand. A few children ran forward, holding a package in their arms. “They’re as light as cloth, yet they are slash resistant. The scales also provide high resistance against piercing blows and some moderate resistance to blunt weapons, but that’s not even the best part about the armor.” His eyes glinted. “Try inserting your mana into them.”
Vur slid on the armor first. It was like a skintight piece of blue film that merged with his skin. If it wasn’t for the fact that he had just put it on, he wouldn’t have believed he was wearing anything. He focused his mana into the armor. Blue scales made of mana formed a layer around him, causing him to nearly double in size. A translucent blue tail extended from his rear, elongating and flattening into a blade at the tip. It swished a few times as Vur turned his head to inspect it. “I could already do that.”
Tafel shushed him and put on her armor. It was similar to Vur’s, and her transformation after inserting mana was also the same. She wasn’t as adept at controlling the tail though.
“Well?” Johnson asked, stroking his gills with one hand. “What do you think? It’s definitely comparable to the dwarves’ orichalcum plate armor. It’ll allow you to breathe underwater as long as you keep inserting mana, and you can even manipulate the shape of the barrier to improve your swimming speed.”
“I love it,” Tafel said. “Thank you so much.”
“It’s alright,” Vur said as he deactivated the armor’s barrier. “Thanks.”
Johnson chuckled. “I’m glad you two like it. I’m a bit ashamed I couldn’t make it more useful for land combat,” he said and sighed. “But leviathans are beasts of water. It only makes sense that their materials improve your underwater capabilities.”
“No worries,” Tafel said, her eyes shining. “Just by their defense alone, they’re comparable to the higher-quality armors back home.”
Vur scratched his head. He didn’t know Tafel felt that strongly about equipment. Maybe he should raid Grimmy’s hoard for her and give her a shiny weapon as a birthday gift. Grimmy had a lot of those lying around.
One of the elder fishmen, who acted as a judge a few nights ago, cleared his throat. “I don’t suppose you could spend any more time here and hunt a few more leviathans?”
Tafel blinked at Vur. “Wow, usually strangers want you to leave,” she said, recalling her honeymoon with Vur. “Has anyone sincerely asked if you wanted to stay longer before?”
Vur shrugged before glancing at the fishman. “We won’t be staying. I’ve already tried everything there is to eat here,” he said with a nod.
“Ah, a shame,” the elder said and stroked his chin. “I wish you well on the next steps of your journey.”
“Thanks,” Vur said.
A few fishmen children ran up to Tafel and handed her seashells. “Bye, big sister! It was nice meeting you.”
Carl and George stepped forward, handing two bundles over to Vur. “Here are some provisions we prepared for you. It should be enough to last a week. Take care, Vur. Tafel.”
Tafel and Vur stared blankly as the fishmen retreated just as quickly as they came. Tafel turned towards Vur, seashells in her hands. “I guess they didn’t want you to stay after all.”
***
“Ah, we got super lucky this time.” A bearded man held up a piece of paper, showing it off to his two companions: a male elf and a female human. “It’s a D-ranked mission with a chance of a B-ranked reward depending on the circumstances.”
The trio were sitting in the corner of a tavern, drinking from mugs with a dish of fried duck on their table. The elf frowned. “Doesn’t that mean there’s a chance at B-ranked danger?”
“Read the description,” the bearded man said and slid the paper over. “It’s a simple mission. Obtain a cup of the newly discovered fairy spring. What are the chances the fairy queen who made it will be there? Like zero?”
“That’s what makes this fishy,” the elf said and furrowed his brow. “Think about it. Even a child can obtain a cup of fairy poison, but there’s a chance at B-ranked danger? Doesn’t that mean a few D-ranked parties set out and failed?”
The woman snatched the paper out of the elf’s hands. “Don’t think too much about it,” she said. “We have a solid tank”—she pointed at the bearded man—“an awesome healer”—she pointed at the elf—“and myself, Shadow Nelly, the greatest scout that will ever have walked these lands.”
“Yes, yes,” the elf said. “Maybe in the future you’ll be the grea
test, but for now, you’re still a D-ranked novice.”
Nelly patted the elf’s shoulder and shoved a drumstick into his mouth. “You’re thinking too much. What did I just say?” she asked and pointed at the commission paper with her greasy fingers. “Look at the location of the spring. The Newbie Jungle. The most dangerous things there are the crocodiles in the river.”
“Unless there are adventurer hunters there,” the elf said and sighed as he placed the drumstick back onto his plate. “What if we go there only to be enslaved and sold off to the dwarves?”
“See. This is why you think too much,” Nelly said and rolled her eyes. “Lightning can strike you if you leave your house, but you left it anyways. Sure, a group of adventurer hunters can be there, but isn’t that a danger that comes with every commission? How did you ever leave your colony of elves and join human civilization if you’re such a worrywart?”
The elf sighed. “I guess you’re right,” he said and stared at his food. Nelly patted his back twice before drinking from her cup. “I still have a bad feeling about this though.”
“It’s a shame we can’t pay lodging fees with bad feelings,” the bearded man said. “Let’s set off after we finish this meal. I’ve already booked us a wagon on the way here.”
***
“If we keep following this river, do you think we’ll reach the Juggernaut?” Vur asked. He was wading inside a river alongside Tafel, who was on land, with two bags slung over his shoulders. Behind him, there was a trail of unconscious crocodiles lying on their backs, floating down with the current.
“Maybe,” Tafel said. She was playing with her armor, activating its barrier over different parts of her body. Her brow furrowed. “Why? Don’t tell me you want to eat the dwarves. According to the fishmen, they’re like mini-humans. That’s not right.”
