A Predicament.
The Dragon was starting to smell...
Alaric had noticed the first noticed it when hew as carrying its invaluable corpse to his new base of operations. Having to magically levitate the corpse due to the rather unwelcome revelation about his Apparition not being able to transport such a large entity, a foul stench that had gone as fast as it had come when the Dragon was pried from the place it had died on.
He'd chalked it up to the hundreds of other corpses that still lined the clearing and had cleansed the air around him before going about his business. That he'd had to deal with more than usual amounts of critters on his way to his clearing had not occurred to him, seeing as his continued training was rapidly making sure those beasts were nothing more than nuisances and the only thing that had made him break a sweat was continuously levitating a heavy as fuck Dragon.
...Was there such a thing as working on your telekinetic muscles? He'd have to check.
Getting back on track.
A couple of days was all it took for Alaric to find out that the source of the foul smell had followed him, and that its source was the Dragon that he'd killed. It had finally started to show signs of decomposing after multiple weeks of being dead and staying in seemingly perfect condition for the entire duration of those weeks it had lain among its fellow corpses, a wonder that this had not started happening sooner, but he'd chalked it up to the magical nature of the corpse when the thought had first popped into his head.
He really should have done something about it sooner, but there was no use of crying over spilled milk.
At least its hide was still strong and as stupidly durable as it ever was, as a cursory check (read: a really hard punch that almost broke his hand but had failed to make even a dent in the dam thing) had proven, so it looked as though the insides of the Dragon were rotting. He would have to act fast to lose anymore of the valuable contents, but it seemed like his new main focus had now become to preserve its hide.
Which meant he had to deal with that bastard Grobe again. But he had a feeling that the so called Red Merchant who had already been scamming him for the entire duration of their partnership would be doing his best to rob Alaric blind when it came to something as valuable as this, which was not something Alaric was willing to consider with how useful his current haul was. Which would mean he would have to look at other avenues to get what he needed.
And cut him loose.
Should be easy, he was significantly more powerful than the man just by the virtue of his blood, the problem was getting the man to a place with no traps, where he could be dispatched with no witnesses.
And actually doing the deed.
But that was to be the purpose of his death of course, to ease him into a life that was surely going to have it as a staple, and he'd be doing the whole world a favor by getting rid of him anyway...
Which still left him with a rotting Dragon and no obvious way of extracting useful materials out of its carcass... The library was not helpful either, full of books about how dragons were the 'fiercest beasts around' and how nothing could 'stop them from tearing everything apart' and all that rot, things like that were the exact reason he'd went to Grobe in the first place!
And he'd already established why he wasn't going to that decrepit fungus with this!
Ugh...
He'd come up with something, but it was turning late, and he had a lesson with his mother to get to.
A Solution..?
"Hello."
A quick turn of his head from his seat revealed that it was in fact Serafall Sitri's voice he'd heard, wearing a very expensive looking dress that moved five steps ahead of her because of how hellishly puffy it was.
Though he shouldn't talk, her parents weren't the only ones who had a questionable taste in children's fashion.
He'd been stuck inside of a fucking nightmare of an infinity-layered robe as soon as his parents decided to make a visit to the Astaroth Estate, having been ambushed by several maids led by his mother who had quite literally forced him through the mass of clothing. It had all happened so fast that Alaric was sure that some of his limbs had ended up in exactly the opposite hole they were supposed to go through.
And Ajuka hadn't escaped it either, his usual stoic self had taken a suffering tinge in what was a rather uncomfortable example of what passed for Outlandish Devil Fashion, garish robes lined with sharp edges of actual metal, overly large pauldrons, and uncomfortable hairstyle in all. He'd actually managed to look like the villain who tried too hard to look evil in a low budget action movie.
Though I shouldn't talk, I look like the stereotypical evil wizard...
He had been so sure they were punishing him for something, so hadn't questioned it even though he felt like he was dying again. But thrice was an enemy action, and he was starting to feel something was up here...
He nodded to return her greeting. Suppressing a frustrated growl as the formal robe he was wearing somehow managed to pull some strands off his long hair, before looking over her shoulder to see if their host was on her heels or not. "Your parents sent you ahead?" The sigh it caused was instantaneous, and he had his answer even before she nodded to confirm it.
"Yeah," She said as she took her seat across from him, wrestling with her dress like one would with a tiger out to tear your throat out, "They were still speaking at Ajuka when I managed to leave the room."
Not 'speaking to', but 'speaking at'...
Poor Ajuka.
He tugged on his collar again as he tried to find another comfortable way to sit in this goddamn (The sharp pain that flashed through his head was just the icing on the cake that was his suffering) straitjacket his parents had decided to imprison him in, "They are doing this deliberately..."
She snorted, "Of course, they likely found out that we went hunting and are making sure it doesn't happen."
He shook his head, this time careful of any accidents he may have with his clothing. "That explains it..." Alaric knew that his parents were aware of his 'secret' dealings of course, no amount of hubris was going to convince him that he'd managed to deceive beings centuries older than he, but he had at least tried to take refuge in audacity and hide the bigger accounts of rebellion underneath several smaller ones that were minor enough to not deserve punishment.
That little Hunting Trip had been one of the bigger ones...
He grimaced when he realized this was likely to be only the beginning.
"First time getting caught?" Serafall asked when he caught his expression, her tone full of understanding. She continued when he miserably nodded "I'd say not to worry, but I don't know how your parents handle punishments. Mine aren't exactly harsh, but that's before they learned there was a Dragon involved." Hard to say when he hadn't done anything to deserve punishme-
"Wait, what?!"
It was Serafall's turn to grimace.
ohgodthey'regoingtokillme-
"Yes... Apparently it got out when someone started asking around about how to sell a dead Dragon."
That did little to calm his growing dread, because his overprotective mother knew that he had come face to face with a Dragon.
Fuck me...
At least it wasn't him that got them caught...
He had been explicitly avoiding asking anyone about that, even Tharn had been left in the dark about what his intentions were and he had the man searching around for someone at least more reliable than Grobe. Which meant someone else had been aware of the value of the Dragon even though they couldn't exactly get to it like Ajuka and he could, but had tried nevertheless and had overplayed their hand in the process.
As dangerous as Pillar Children were, their parents were even more so, and they had far more ways to make your life nothing short of a nightmare should you displease them, and putting their children (especially their very precious heirs) in danger ranked pretty high on a list of just what exactly would. He wouldn't even begrudge the man if he immediately snitched on the kid.
He had a few opinions about that... "That's a new form stupid."
"I agree," Serafall said, "Which is why we are in the clear."
"Anyone in particular? I don't know much of anyone in that group."
She scoffed, one considerably less politer than what might escape from someone of their shared station, "You're better off not knowing most of them, trust me." She said while shaking her head, making him envious of her ability to do so without losing her hair like he certainly would, "Most of them are there to lick Sirzechs' boots, the only useful ones were either not there or actually did something worthwhile against that Dragon."
That means you too, idiot.
"Thank you, I suppose..?"
Smooth.
"Smooth." She said, almost in sync with his inner voice, although she looked far more amused than offended.
Great...
He was now getting teased by a girl two decades younger than he, what has his life come to?
"Anyway," She continued, apparently deciding that he'd suffered enough. "It doesn't matter who got us caught, Sirzechs says he won't let it happen again,." She rolled her eyes.
Huh... That didn't look convincing. "You don't believe him?"
"I do, but it probably means those larger gatherings are going to be even more boring."
He remembered the Dragon. "I didn't feel bored..."
"We don't exactly deal with Dragons and hordes of monsters that large do you?" She asked in a tone that made him feel dumb for even opening his mouth, "Usually Sirzechs doesn't even leave a bone to fight against, and his bootlickers eat it up."
Alaric was about to respond when he heard sounds of footsteps, which made him turn around, calmly, to see who they belonged to.
It was Ajuka, looking miserably stoic in that torturous getup of his.
He marched toward them with long-steps and didn't even stop to greet them before sitting himself down right between the two. Alaric thought he'd even heard a small sigh of relief.
He sympathized.
Ajuka didn't move, or make a sound.
...Was he sleeping? "You look like how I feel after, listening to my goodbrother."
That got a response, "It's not that bad," He didn't know what he should feel with the amount of sarcasm in it.
But... Fair was fair, he acquiesced "Probably not," He would still prefer fighting that Dragon in these clothes than listen to another one of his goodbrothers lectures about his 'grand aspirations'...
Ugh...
Serafall interjected. "What did they ask about? They aren't usually cruel enough to pull something like that, not without me there to witness it at least." Parental discipline was such a charming thing when it came with a uniquely Devilish Flavor...
"They were very curious of the Dragon's whereabouts."
Serafall let out a disgusted sound. "Ah, should have known that's what they were going to do..."
Looks like they were not even being subtle about it, by mentioning the thing they were being punished for they had practically given the sign for the other Pillar parents dispense with the pleasantries as well. With both their punishments for their wayward children and their greed about the valuable contents that came with a Dragon's corpse, what... Fun.
"They were quite insistent about it, but my mother was at my side for a reason."
"Right, sorry."
"Not your fault."
He put his head in his hands and let out a low despairing groan, which earned him a pair of looks that knew perfectly the extent of his suffering "My mother is going to kill me." He could vividly imagine just what had in store for him now that everything was fair game and she had an excuse to cut loose. He was already wandering about his chances of re-reincarnating.
Serafall actually patted him on the back, her voice perfectly understanding. "Hey, at least yours aren't looking for that Dragon."
"I doubt my chances of survival if they had been." Ajuka's voice cut in, as stoic as ever.
"Yeah... But I haven't exactly been keeping a clean slate."
He could feel Serafall wince just by the hand on his back going still.
Ajuka summarized his situation perfectly.
"My condolences."
Thanks for the vote of confidence...
He finally lifted his head and looked them in the face, utterly certain of what he was going to say next.
"At least no one is going to have that Dragon."
That brought them short.
Ajuka spoke, cutting over whatever question Serafall might have had. "I assume you don't mean relying on my silence."
He nodded, waving a hand to cast a silencing ward around them that he had been perfecting ever since he started taking his little trips into that forest. As soon as he was certain it would hold and they would have no nasty surprised, he moved in for the kill.
"I moved it."
Silence.
"I was expecting more of a reaction..."
Ajuka was still as stoic as ever, while Serafall was nodding.
"It makes sense..."
"You were looking at Ajuka's Circle a little intently than what's normal..."
He wasn't sulking.
Not at all.
"So..." Serafall began, her tone a little more playful than he would have liked, "Where did you move it?"
"It stays between us?"
They both nodded, quick enough to make him suspicious.
"Give me your word then."
He knew they were actually curious about it when they did so without hesitation, the minuscule burst of magic that followed their words were followed by him divulging it's location, though he kept silent about having his own mode of teleportation, it was good to keep some secrets to oneself after all, you never know what would happen in the future...
"I should be able to get us there... If you want to." He paused for a moment, before adding, "I should mention that it's starting to smell though, so it's doubtful we could get much out of it even if we find someone stupid enough to help us with it."
Serafall hummed for a moment, before turning to the green-haired genius, "Could you... Do something about that?"
Ajuka mulled those words over for a moment.
"I'll think of something..."