Bada Bing, Bada Boom.
"What the- I-... what?"
All of my brain functions essentially shut down at that moment, but can you blame me? A freakin' dragon just talked to me! It even talked in English! How the hell does that even work!?
The monstrous beast relaxed onto its hind legs in the same way a dog might. A giant, scaly, death-breathing dog. "Why do you stutter? Are you not honored? A dragon is lowering itself to speak with one such as you. Stand up straight, whelp," the dragon added with a glare. I snapped to attention, worried that a single wrong move could anger the beast even more than it already is.
"You...you can understand me? But I was speaking English..." I asked in disbelief. The light of the flames that littered the camp reflected off the dragon's scales, giving it an ethereal glow. It tilted its head to the side for a moment and growled.
"Dragons are naturally superior to humans. It is no surprise that you do not understand."
The girl looked between us with confusion, obviously not understanding what we were talking about. For her sake, I switched back to Melromarcian. "So you speak all language?" I asked, daring to relax ever so slightly.
"Papa can talk to anyone! He not like it, though," the girl clarified, suddenly understanding the situation. "He likes to yell at people to leave."
I sweatdropped. Anyone stupid enough to ignore a warning like that probably deserves to be killed. "Um...How you find me?" I asked, trying as hard as I could to make my sentences coherent enough for the dragon to understand.
It scoffed, sending a smokey puff from each nostril. "Your scent is strong, very strong. Do you not bathe regularly? You reek of blood and death,"it said. I looked down at myself and realized that I had not, in fact, bathed after several days' worth of slaughter and sleeping outside. I awkwardly chuckled and sniffed myself only to recoil in disgust.
Ugh. It's a little embarrassing to be told I stink by a giant dragon, but it's not exactly wrong...
"S-sorry..."
The dragon barked out a quick laugh. "Do not apologize for surviving. That scent is one of victory, the scent of a predator. Only the strong survive in this world."
"..." I had no response to that. I know that very well at this point. Anyone who was weak would be taken advantage of or killed for sport, either by monsters or other people. Those bandits from earlier were a prime example. They did anything they wanted even though it meant killing other people who did nothing wrong.
Karma's a bitch, eh? They sure got what they deserved.
"But you are in my territory now. It was always inevitable that I would seek you out and destroy you."
I gulped. "But...You not do that...right?"
The girl stepped in. "Papa will not hurt you, right Papa?"
"But-"
"Papa," the girl's voice was stern, as if talking to a disobedient pet. "You will not harm him, right?"
The dragon's glare softened before letting out a sigh reminiscent of an old man. "Very well. If he promises to leave my lands, I will not kill him," it said, before staring down at me with bright, glowing eyes. "But consider yourself lucky, whelp. Saving my hatchling is the only reason you survive this day."
"Why she captured anyway?" I asked. Large puffs of smoke burst forth from the dragon's nostrils as it growled in anger. However, the little girl calmed it down immediately with a few...choice words. I'm not sure how she does it. The dragon called her his hatchling, but she said he was her father. How exactly does that work out? Unless there's some very interesting interracial breeding going on, I can only imagine that she's adopted.
I won't complain if it keeps me alive, though.
For a dragon, it has some surprisingly recognizable facial expressions. Even with its scaly head and long snout, I could clearly see the concern etched on its features. Maybe it's the eyes. "Indeed, Wyndia, why did you wander off on your own? You know how dangerous it is outside of the nest."
Wyndia pouted and crossed her arms with a scowl. Somehow, the dragon's voice sounds like English to me but Wyndia can understand it anyway. I imagine it's some kind of weird dragon magic at work here. "I can not sit in nest forever! I want get strong, like you! I want be strong so I protect nest too!"
"Hmph. Noble, but foolish. All hatchlings leave the nest one day, but it is not yet your time,"the dragon let out a noise akin to a sigh. "Your lack of patience shows your immaturity, Wyndia. The patient hunter-"
"-Gets the prey, I know Papa." Wyndia finished for him with a huff as she rolled her eyes. Now that I hear them bickering, they really do seem like father and daughter. A very strange father and daughter to be sure, but maybe that's something all kids go through with their parents at some point.
"We will discuss this back at the nest. As for you, whelp, begone from here. If I see you in my lands again-"
"Wait, Papa no! Let him stay with us!" Wyndia pleaded, much to my surprise.
Say what!? No no no no no, that's okay! I don't want to intrude!
"He saved me! At least let him stay one night with us! He can't hurt me with you around!"
The dragon shook its head. "Absolutely not."
I don't think I like that idea either, to be honest. At least the two...adults?...are in agreement on the matter. What's next, the two of us agreeing on what rarity of meat tastes the best? He probably prefers his raw, if I had to guess.
Me? Medium at the absolute most. Medium-rare is the best kind; cooked enough that I don't get sick, but not so cooked that it tastes like a sponge.
"But Papaaaaaa!"
"No."
"Hmph! Then I run away again tomorrow!" Wyndia huffed and crossed her arms. I kinda feel bad for the poor dragon. Putting up with a sassy child like this must not be easy for any parent, not to mention the huge difference in species and the differences in culture that likely come with it. The sigh that came from him felt like an old grandpa trying to rein in his granddaughter even though he knows she's beyond his control.
"...Very well. Human, if you so much as blink at my hatchling improperly, I will devour your miserable body myself. Am I clear?" The dragon's gaze felt like the weight of the earth pressing down on me.
Should I accept? Do I even want to? As intriguing as this whole situation turned out to be, I don't think it's worth the risk! I was so shocked and confused by this turn of events that I couldn't do anything but nod dumbly. "Uh huh..." I mumbled in English yet again.
"Good. Know that while you stay in my nest, I am always watching you."
"AHHHHHHHH! Put me down! PUT ME DOWN PLEASE I'M BEGGING YOU!"
I wasn't exactly sure how we planned to return to the dragon's nest, but flying in the hand of said dragon is not what I had in mind. I had to use my arms to block the wind that lashed my face like a whip. An airplane is definitely a more comfortable way to fly! And hey, the least he could do is not squeeze me so damn hard!
It's hard enough to breathe up here with how cold the air is up here!
After what felt far too long and far less exciting than I originally would have believed, We landed near the mouth of a massive cave. The moment I was on solid ground I hunched over and hugged myself for warmth. I genuinely thought that I would die from suffocation or frostbite, whichever one killed me first. If this hadn't been a horrible idea before, it sure feels that way now.
"Papaaaaa, fire!" Wyndia said. As if obeying a command, the dragon blew a small gout of flames that ignited a small stack of logs. They instantly caught fire and I instinctively sidled over to it for warmth. Ah...Sweet relief...
"T-t-t-thanks..." I mumbled through chattering teeth. Wyndia ran over and sat in front of the fire as well, looking at my face with interest.
"Cold?" she asked, rubbing her hands together and holding them out toward the flames. How is she not freezing? She just went through the exact same thing I did! I nodded, body shivering uncontrollably. "Papa can keep you warm. Papa keeps me warm at night," she added.
I shook my head, thankful for the offer but not exactly keen on being too close to the thing that threatened to kill me only thirty minutes ago. Wyndia seemed disappointed with my answer but merely shrugged her shoulders as if to say "suit yourself". It took a few minutes for me to regain the feeling in my fingers and toes, but I still found it hard to relax.
The dragon is still glaring at me.
"Hey mister, what is your name?" Wyndia asked, leaning close to inspect my face. I took the time to examine her as well. Now that we have the light of the fire, the two ears on her head look almost dog-like and she has a small but puffy tail behind her. The way it swishes side to side is adorable.
"Flynn Blackwood. Your name Wyndia?"
"Yes! You speak strange. Not from here?"
I shook my head again. "No. From...far away."
"Hmm, well you nice! You smell bad, but you nice!"
That's a little insulting, but I'll take the good with the bad. My "niceness" is probably the only reason I survived this whole ordeal in the first place, so maybe doing things out of the goodness of my heart pays off after all. It sure did with the farmer before, assuming he actually gives me that bonus he talked about.
The next few hours passed as Wyndia and I chatted about nothing of importance. The little girl sure loves to talk, especially about monsters. No matter what kind of monster it was, she seemed to know every little detail about them. Her level of knowledge is honestly a little frightening. I don't think I've ever felt so passionate about something in my entire life.
This was my second opportunity to speak at length with someone in Melromarcian. The first time was with Emilia, but I was just getting used to using the language at the time. With the dragon's occasional assistance as a translator, I managed to pick up quite a few new words and phrases that didn't make sense to me before. I still can't write worth a damn, but at least I don't sound quite as bad as before.
All throughout our conversation, the giant dragon sat at the entrance to its cave and watched over us. It was curled up behind me, and I swore I could feel the beast glaring holes into the back of my head as its hatchling and I talked about this and that. With its sense of smell, I'm pretty sure it could smell my fear.
Wyndia tired herself out from so much talking and curled up against the dragon's body to sleep. The weather is definitely still cold right now, but I don't feel it much thanks to the strangely high body heat radiating from the dragon. I don't mind the cold at all, even when I'm not personally touching him.
. I could definitely see how Wyndia slept without blankets or a sleeping bag. It's like having a personal space heater right beside you at all times.
"Human...You are different from the others."
The dragon's voice startled me awake. "Nnn...Different how?" I asked in mumbled English. I'd been close to falling asleep and my voice was groggy. Now that Wyndia was asleep and not listening to our conversation, I felt more comfortable speaking in my native tongue.
"You do not hate my hatchling as the other humans do. You trespass on my territory, but show no desire to harm her or myself. What is your purpose here?"
I hummed in thought and gazed upward to look at the stars. The unobstructed moonlight cast an ethereal glow on the landscape, giving me a gorgeous view of the mountains we were settled in. "Honestly? I came here to get stronger. To train myself so that I can survive on my own," I said as I clenched a fist in front of my eyes.
My mind drifted to the two who gave their lives for me to live. I won't let your sacrifices be in vain.
"Hmm..." the dragon followed my gaze toward the stars. Its voice was a gentle rumble compared to the booming sound that it was before. "You came here to be strong? Is that all?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I didn't mean to trespass on your territory. So uh...sorry about that."
It snorted in what sounded like a laugh. "You are forgiven, but only because you came to Wyndia's aid. Those wretches must have wanted her as a slave. That is something I will not allow."
"Yeah, I know. If you hadn't killed them all, I sure as hell would have."
We shared a small chuckle. I don't know why I said that; I wasn't even sure if I could have taken those bandits by myself if he hadn't arrived. Hopefully he doesn't think I'm tooting my own horn.
"Human - no, Flynn - you have my gratitude for saving her." I was shocked that the dragon actually used my name. That has to be good, right? It was so set on using a derogatory nickname like "whelp" or "human" before. "Human" on its own isn't really an insult, but his tone told me that he really didn't like us much.
"Don't worry about it. I just did what any normal person would have done. From my world, I mean."
"Oh? An interesting choice of words."
Shit, that was careless! Speaking in English must have made me feel too comfortable!
"Tell me more of your world, then,"it prompted, making me curse under my breath. It's too late to back out of it now, I suppose. Now then, how do I explain Earth to someone who's never been there? It's actually a little hard to do. This world is so similar and yet some fundamental things are so vastly different.
After a few moments, I took a deep breath. "Well, in my world, humans are the dominant species-"
"HA! Humans, the apex predators? You make good jokes!" the dragon belted out a single, loud laugh. I worried that he would wake Wyndia, but the girl was sound asleep. She didn't even stir.
"Unfortunately, I'm not joking," I clarified, laying back and clasping my hands behind my head. "Humans took over the entire world. They built cities everywhere, from deserts to forests to giant icebergs in the ocean. In some ways, it's pretty amazing what they've accomplished."
Only now did I realize that I've been referring to humans back home as "they" rather than "we". Do I not associate myself with them at all anymore? I guess I can't, considering I don't live there. Even if I could go back, would I? After all...
"Everywhere humans go, senseless destruction follows."
"I know that a little too well."
"Oh? Please, explain."
"Hoo, where to start..." I muttered. "I'm not entirely sure how they are here, but humans back home...they practically destroyed the world themselves."
The dragon silently contemplated my words, so I continued. "Humans invented new technologies, but those eventually started to damage the world. The world became crippled beyond repair after many centuries of...well...negligence. People cared that thousands of species were driven to extinction at the hands of human greed, but the efforts to preserve them weren't very successful. As humans continued to multiply, the resources to sustain them started running out. The world itself would burn or humans would run out of resources to survive, whichever came first."
"Humans always place themselves over everything else, it seems," The dragon said with a thoughtful tone. "You say you are not from this world, but the only ones to claim such a thing would be Heroes. Yet I do not see any legendary weapon in your possession. How is this so?"
I sighed. "It was...stolen from me...not long after I was summoned. Maybe a day at most? Some guy with blond hair and a whip took it away and left me to die in the wilderness. I barely survived thanks to a lot of luck."
"There is no such thing as luck. You survived because of your skills and tenacity."
"If anyone from my world heard that, they would laugh at you."
"You do not sound as if you miss your old home much."
"I don't. I miss my family, but not much else. There wasn't much left to live for."
"I see."
The two of us sat in silence, looking out into the distance at whatever caught our eyes. After a while, the dragon spoke once more. "My name is Gaelion. Remember it well, Flynn. Very few can say they know the name of a Dragon Emperor."
"Dragon Emperor?" I raised an eyebrow, even as my eyes tried to shut themselves out of exhaustion. I tested the words on my tongue. It sounds like some type of title. Maybe Wyndia could teach me how to say it in Melromarcian if I ask in the morning.
"Yes. We are dragons who hold the title of Dragon Emperor by possessing fragments of incredible power. These pieces- ugh, why am I explaining this to you?" Gaelion mumbled to himself. I shook my head.
"No, please tell me more. It's interesting. We didn't have dragons in my world, only in stories and fairy tales. I'd like to know more about dragons, if you don't mind telling me."
How often would I get a chance to be taught about dragons by a dragon? Even if I do feel like passing out from the stressful couple of days I've had, this is the opportunity of a lifetime!
Gaelion hummed in thought as he laid his head upon one of his hands. "There is not much I can tell you, sadly. Much of our history has been lost over the centuries, but it is in our nature to be the strongest. Every dragon is born with the knowledge that he must become the strongest of all dragons. The fragments are merely a means to that end."
I deflated. "That's...unfortunate. I'm sorry to hear that."
"It is no longer a concern."
I yawned as my eyes started to shut. If there isn't much history to learn about, I suppose I won't prod him for details. "Hey. Thanks for, you know, not burning me alive back there. You had me scared for a bit, but you're very nice to be around."
Gaelion scoffed, but I could sense a hint of a smile in it. "If you had not protected Wyndia, I would have. On that note, I suggest you rest."
"Yeah...that sounds good. I'll see you in the morning."
"Dragons do not usually allow outsiders into their nests, Flynn; I only allowed you because Wyndia insisted on it. After tomorrow, do not think you can waltz in at your leisure," Gaelion said.
"I know." My eyes were already closed and I was ready to rest, but the dragon's voice awoke me once more.
"Flynn..." he mumbled, causing me to crack an eye open.
"Yeah?"
Gaelion seemed to contemplate his next words very carefully, as if they hurt him to think about. "One day...Wyndia will leave this nest for good. But days like this bring me nothing but fear for that day. Is...is that normal for humans?"
That's quite the deep question from someone who's probably lived hundreds of lifetimes already. I yawned. "Fear of the unknown? Fear of losing the ones you love and care about? Fear that you weren't good enough? I'm not an expert, but that sounds like what a father thinks about as his daughter goes off to live her own life. What brought this on?"
"I know that she cannot stay here forever, but I cannot protect her once she leaves."
"You'll have to trust that you taught her to survive well enough on her own."
"So...humans experience such things as well..."
I nodded. "Yeah. Being a human or a dragon doesn't change how you feel inside. When the day finally comes that she's ready to leave, you'll have to let her go. Even if it kills you inside to do it."
The dragon hummed in thought, though it carried a hint of irritation. "I hope that day comes far later than sooner. Thank you...for your insight. Of all the meetings I have had with humans, yours has been the most pleasant."
"No problem. G'night."
"Rest well."
Despite only getting a few hours of sleep, my awakening was probably one of the best I've ever had. Given everything that's happened in the past few days, I'm surprised I was able to get any sleep at all. Getting threatened by a dragon, grabbed and flown across a mountain by a dragon, becoming friends with a dragon, and sleeping beside one?
It's beyond anything I could have thought up in my dreams.
But my welcome only lasted so long and I'm getting a little impatient to go back home after so much stress. Gaelion may have allowed me to stay with them for the night, but he made it pretty clear that he wants me gone today. I don't think it's anything personal; he's a territorial predator, after all. Having new people in his most private of places is something that probably makes him severely uncomfortable. As he said, the only reason I was allowed at all was because of Wyndia.
Speaking of her, the little girl sure has a lot of pull with the giant dragon. Wyndia was sad to see me leave. She seemed...lonely. I guess it makes sense; living alone with a dragon on a mountain wasn't bound to offer a healthy social life. Especially if that dragon doesn't like people.
Maybe once she's older, Gaelion will let her do whatever she wants.
I said my goodbyes and began my trek down the mountain. I tried my best to remember a few landmarks so I know where not to go if I ever wind up back here for some reason. I respect Gaelion's space enough to not walk in on accident.
Something I found interesting on my way back to the village was that monsters avoided me like the plague. Even when I saw a velociraptor type dragon and was itching for a bit of a fight, it ran off as soon as it saw me. What's up with that? Do I really smell that bad?
I sure hope not, otherwise I'll get even worse reactions from people in town.
Or is it that I have some kind of scent from Gaelion marking me as part of his nest? That would certainly dissuade any would-be attackers. I'm a little glad for it, though. Being able to travel without fear of being attacked is exactly why I decided to get stronger in the first place. I can imagine this world has plenty of places that have been completely untouched by human hands. I'd love to see those types of places, be an adventurer and a discoverer.
See the wonders of the world and all that.
Refreshed from my comfortable sleep and unbothered by the local monsters, I hummed a small tune to myself on the way down the path until I made it to the village. People stared at me in disgust as I passed by them. I get it, okay!? I know I stink!
The bathhouse in the village turned out to be the luckiest find of my week. It seemed a little run down from the outside, but the inside was pretty luxurious. I was more than happy to pay the outrageous price of two silver for a single bath. Washing myself beforehand seems to be the cultural norm in this world, so I begrudgingly splashed the freezing cold water over my entire body.
The sheer amount of dirt and blood that washed off of my body is a little disgusting. I knew I needed a bath, but I had no idea that I was this filthy. I guess this line of work could be considered a dirty job. Hell, maybe it'd end up on the TV show.
If I ever wind up buying a house in this world, a nice bath is a must. I can't believe such a thing might even be possible; it sure wasn't back on Earth. The cost of housing was just absurd.
I didn't even notice the sun going down by the time I left the bath house. How long did I spend inside that place? Oh well. Totally worth it. With a full day ahead of me, I wanted to head back toward the capital as soon as possible. My sword looks like it's on its last legs and my armor has quite a few tears that need fixing. That one dragon really got me good.
Gaelion can say what he wants about luck; there's no other explanation for how I'm still alive.
The small mountain of claws, fangs, and scales should give me more than enough cash to cover my expenses for this trip and then some. I might need to add a new backpack to my list, though. The inside of this one smells like ass, and I doubt the bloodstains will ever come out. A shame, too; this was a really nice bag.
Hopefully I can add the reward for finding the bandits to my earnings. Technically I did find them, but they're all dead now thanks to Gaelion. I'll just...leave that part out of my report. They'll find out eventually. What matters is that I found their encampment...
...Which may be hard to find now, considering it's nothing more than skeletons and burnt grass now. Hopefully they don't come after me for it later.
I decided to stock up on some goods before I prepare to head back to the capital. A carriage was conveniently parked near the center of town for just such a purpose, and the owner was busy waving people over. The old man smiled as I approached. "Hello and welcome! How can I help you this fine day?" he asked politely.
"I am doing well, thank you. Do you sell healing potions?"
He frowned and shook his head. "Just sold the last ones an hour ago, I'm afraid. Perhaps some healing ointment or bandages would suffice?"
I shrugged. "It can not hurt to be careful. Do you buy monster parts as well?" If he does, it'll save me a lot of effort carrying these things all the way back to the capital. I can't believe I'm saying this, but my back is starting to hurt from the extra weight. A few hours might not seem so bad, but several days with twenty or thirty pounds of stuff is killer.
The man shook his head. "'Fraid not. Larson over there does. What have you got?"
I opened my bag and showed him the claws and scales. He hummed in thought with a hand on his chin before waving me over. He whispered into my ear. "Keep this between you and me. Those kinds of parts are worth a decent bit of silver around here, but they're not very hard to come by with so many dragons around."
I grimaced slightly, face scrunching up in annoyance. "So you're suggesting that I'd make a much better profit selling them somewhere else?" I asked, already knowing the answer. He nodded with a frown.
"I hate to rob good ol' Larson of his business, but he probably gets plenty of these things as it is. Mirso gets more than its fair share of claws and fangs from the hunters who regularly go up the mountain and come back. The price is still decent, though."
I scratched my head as I pondered my options. I could sell them here and make a decent profit, or I could hang onto them and sell them back in the capital. I'm heading there anyway. As long as I have the supplies I need for the trip back, there's no harm in bringing them all with me.
My back won't like it, though.
"Yes, I think I will do that. Thank you for the advice. And...I will buy two rolls of bandages and a healing salve, as well as two chunks of flint." I quickly handed the money over and pocketed my new goods before leaving Mirso Village behind. Midway through contemplating my next move after I made it to the capital, I stopped in my tracks. "Wait..."
I just spoke Melromarcian! And I did it fluently too!
Contractions are still a little tricky and there were a few words the guy said that I didn't fully understand, but I knew enough to fill in the blanks! That's a huge step for me! All those hours of listening to Wyndia talk must have been more helpful than I thought.
With a spring in my step, I trotted along. The trip back to the capital was relatively uneventful aside from a bit of rain on the second day. Luckily, I still had my hoodie in the side pocket of my backpack. I know a purple hoodie over leather armor isn't exactly stylish, but nobody that passed me along the way would ever see me again. So what if I look weird? At least I'm not miserable.
The only real highlight of my journey was a pack of Dire Wolves that attacked me in the middle of the night. I'd made camp close to the road as I always did, but they must have been a starving pack to come so far from the forests. Unfortunately for them, my level 23 self was more than a match for a dozen of them. They attacked in waves rather than all at once, so that gave me a huge advantage.
It only took a single good hit for me to take one down, so numbers were their only advantage to begin with. I grabbed whatever fangs and claws I could fit into my bag and went back to sleep. The smell of death must have deterred any other attackers from coming after me for the rest of the night, since I managed to sleep undisturbed.
My triumphant return to the capital was greeted by dark clouds and ice-cold rain. Some of it actually is ice, I think. Not exactly a storybook ending to this adventure, but I'll take it.
First things first, I need to turn in these monster parts and throw this bag in the metaphorical dumpster. I doubt anyone can salvage it at this point. I stopped by the Monster Buyer's - I'd forgotten his name and refused to ask for it again - stall and finally got the chance to talk to him. He's a pretty nice guy, actually. Very punctual and proper with his words, so it's easy for me to understand him.
I fought the urge to laugh at his shocked reaction to my catch of the day. He must have expected nothing more than Usapils from me since that's what I usually bring. To sum it all up, I walked away a happy man with over one hundred silver pieces in my pockets. A large sum of wealth had found its way into my hands once again, which can only mean one thing.
Daddy's going shopping!
No, wait. Guild first, then shopping.
The receptionist behind the desk at the Guild was skeptical when I told them to "look for a big campfire. You can't miss it." Despite her raised eyebrow, she handed me a sack of coins that totaled somewhere close to two gold pieces.
Two gold pieces! Two! Just for finding some bandits!
...And nearly getting roasted by a dragon, but still! Two gold pieces! I'm friggin' rich!
My maniacal laughter ground to a half the moment I stepped outside. This weather is so shitty that not even the sketchy folks are out and about. Normally there's at least someone walking around, but today the only someone is me. Too bad my sacks of money can't keep me warm. The thought made me smirk.
Or can they?
My next destination was the humble abode of one man named Elhart. As always, the bell signaled my arrival and he greeted me with a wave. "Yo! Welcome back, kid! It's nice to see ya," he said as a gust of wind brushed past me. He shivered. "And close the door, would ya? It's cold out there!"
I quickly shut the door behind me with a hint of red on my cheeks. "S-sorry. I am here to buy some new equipment."
He hummed. "Oh? You're talking pretty well now, kid! You learn quickly!"
"I...I had a few good conversations while I was gone."
It was true. Wyndia is definitely a good conversationalist, if not a little too much so. There were plenty of times where she basically carried the conversation all by herself, jumping from one topic to the next. But once we got on the subject of monsters, she talked and talked until she wore herself out. The girl is probably only ten years old at most, but she sure loves to talk.
"Ha! Sounds like it! So, what can I do for ya?"
My body shivered one last time as it adjusted to the gentle heat of Elhart's shop. "Well, I am probably going to need warmer clothes and armor. So...I decided to stop here first."
Elhart smirked and leaned on the counter. "Aww, kid! I knew I liked ya for a reason! What's your budget looking like?" I pulled out my pouch of silver and shook it once. Elhart's eyes bulged. "Holy crap, kid! What in the world did you hunt out there in the mountains?"
"Dragons," I said simply. Elhart gave me a deadpan stare, searching for deceit but finding none.
"...You're serious, aren't you? Flynn...you know those things are usually hunted by adventurers near level 25 or above, right? Last time you were here, you weren't even level 15."
"Ah...well..." I trailed off and focused my gaze elsewhere. "I...might have almost died. Twice. Oh! But the second time was a misunderstanding," I quickly clarified.
It didn't help.
"...Kid, what the hell kind of misunderstanding almost gets you killed?"
I buried my face in my hands and let out a loud groan. "Ugh...It's complicated, okay! I am still alive, and that is what matters!" Seriously, don't act like you weren't the one who recommended that area to me in the first place! You're partially responsible, you know! You're lucky I owe you so much, Elhart!
He scratched his head with an exasperated sigh. "Alright alright, I'll stop bugging ya about it. So, you need some new armor?"
I nodded and pulled out my sword. "A new weapon too, probably. This one is probably not going to last much longer." Elhart unsheathed the blade and inspected it closely, turning it over and running his finger along the metal before handing it back to me.
"Yep, you've definitely outgrown this one. I could fix it up, but you'll just break it if you keep using it. Being too high level for a weapon does that."
"Huh..."
That's an interesting way for things to work. In games, high level players would sometimes use extremely low level weapons in order to group up with lower level players. Or they did it just to challenge themselves in a game they'd already beaten. There's only so much you can find challenging at the maximum level.
I guess that isn't an option here. If I keep using a weapon that was too far below my own level, it'll break much faster than it's supposed to. Maybe it's like the force of my own strength damages the sword? That's a little inconvenient. It means I'll need to update my equipment pretty often, and that costs money that I may not always have.
As always, getting stuck with a broken sword is a great way to get killed.
Elhart snapped his fingers. "Oh, by the way! I got a letter from Her Majesty for ya. The messenger told me to hang onto it until ya got back. Hang on a sec'." He stepped into the back room for a moment before returning with an envelope. It was enclosed with a wax seal depicting the royal crest of Melromarc. Well, at least I think that's what it is. It looks fancy enough.
"From the queen? What could she want with me?" I asked, turning the envelope over to see my name written in fancy Melromarcian script. It was spelled wrong, which brought a smile to my face.
At least she tried.
I peeled back the flap of the envelope and broke the seal, pulling out a detailed letter. The written language was still a bit beyond my ability to understand fully. Just to be safe, I handed the letter to Elhart. "Can you read it for me? I want to make sure I don't translate it wrong," I asked. He shrugged and took it, clearing his throat before reading the letter out loud.
"*Ahem*, Flynn Blackwood is hereby extended an official recommendation to join the Royal Knights. He is to make an appearance before Her Majesty, Queen Mirellia Q. Melromarc, to give his response within two hours of receiving this notice. Failure to do so is punishable by imprisonment."
Wait, two hours?
"Uh...Elhart, are you sure you read that correctly?" I asked, sort of hoping that he hadn't. My hopes weren't high, though. The blacksmith reread the letter, then once more just to be sure. Then, he sent me the most pitiful look I've ever seen on a human being.
"Sorry, kid. Looks like you have two hours to reach the castle before the knights come after you."
"That dumb! What fuck! How I get capital in two hour!?"
Apparently, my Melromarcian breaks apart whenever I get flustered or angry. Elhart looked torn between laughing his ass off and feeling genuine sympathy. Based on his facial expression, I think he was leaning more toward the former.
"Maybe you should hold off on buying new equipment until after you get back. Better not keep Her Majesty waiting. But seriously, kid, what did you do to earn something like this?" he asked, scratching his bald head in confusion. I groaned.
"I do not know...but I am sure I will find out soon."
After all I've been through this week, the last thing I want to do is walk through freezing rain to refuse an offer I didn't even ask for. It's cold, I'm tired, and I kind of just want a nice drink and a warm bed! Can't you at least offer me that, O Great and Mighty Queen Mirellia?
I don't want to be part of your little group of knights! They're the ones who had to make sure I didn't leave the castle! Talk about a hassle!
...I guess I could have made it easier on them, in retrospect. But if that's one of their responsibilities, I sure as hell don't want to get shackled with that shitty job.
Besides, I have no intention of giving up my lifestyle now that I've gotten so used to it. I'm finally starting to earn my wings, so to speak. If I liked being told what to do all the time, I would have joined the military back on Earth.
It was late in the afternoon by the time I finally walked through the castle doors. The interior of the castle was remarkably warm, but how? Is it the material the castle is made of, the specific layout of the architecture, or something else entirely?
Maybe it's magic. Magical space heaters, or something. That'd be kind of cool.
I was led to the throne room by a knight dressed in fancier armor than normal. When I finally arrived, I was met by the queen as well as an older man sitting on the throne beside hers. He was dressed in royal, purple robes whose colors mirrored Mirellia's. Unlike the queen's piercing gaze, his was one of complete disinterest.
"Your Majesty, the...trainee has arrived," the knight announced, swiftly kneeling with a fist against his chest in some kind of salute. Before I could even retort that I hadn't made my decision yet, the queen dismissed him with a wave of her fan.
"Thank you. Leave us."
"At once, your Majesty!" With that, the knight left me in the room with them. I gulped and took a deep breath. If I decline her offer, will the queen put me in prison? No, probably not. She would have just forced me to accept in that case.
"Flynn Blackwood, it is good to see you again. I hope my country has been treating you well," Mirellia said, face hidden behind her folding fan as always. The man beside her raised an eyebrow.
"My Queen, who is this young man you've brought before us? He seems rather...plain," the man said. I swear my eyebrow twitched, but I held back the retort that was sitting on the tip of my tongue. Just keep it together, Flynn. Don't do anything that'll screw you over. All you have to do is politely decline the offer and walk away.
Unless it was a trick of the light, I could swear that Mirellia's eye twinkled. "Ah, yes. He is as plain as they come...at least at first glance." If she was smiling, I couldn't see it behind her folding fan. I could hear it in her voice, though.
"Would you mind explaining what you mean?" he asked in a bored tone. I know I'm not the most interesting guy in the world, but come on! Don't be so quick to judge me by my appearance alone, old man! I'm a lot cooler than I look!
...I hope.
"Mr. Blackwood here was sent to me by a good friend of yours, Aultcray. Elhart tried to reach you by letter, but you were out on business at the time," the queen explained. "He says a strange young man appeared on the bench outside of his establishment, devoid of everything from money to a basic understanding of our language. This person you see now is the one Elhart found."
Aultcray - at least I assumed that was his name based on how the queen addressed him - raised an eyebrow. He propped his elbow on the arm of the throne and rested his head upon his fist. "If I may be blunt, this 'Flynn Blackwood' seems relatively unimportant. Why bring him here?" he asked. His tone almost made it sound like he didn't care for an answer.
In the grand scheme of things, he's right. I'm not exactly someone worth the attention of royalty. Still, putting it so bluntly is rude! Doesn't royalty get taught etiquette or whatever?
"Jerk..." I mumbled in English.
Aultcray slammed a hand on the arm of his throne. "How dare you! I should have you imprisoned for such disrespect!" Aultcray roared. I panicked for a moment, afraid that he'd actually follow through on the threat but-
Wait a minute...
"Can...can you understand me?" I asked, still using English.
"Of course I can, you peasant! Do you not think I would recognize my own country's tongue?" Aultcray was so furious that I could see a vein throbbing on his forehead. The receding hairline really doesn't do you any favors, old geezer.
I'd better keep that little tidbit to myself, though. I prefer being alive.
"So you actually CAN understand everything I'm saying right now."
Something is fishy here. And why is the queen just sitting there like she knows something I don't? Why don't you diffuse this situation! Nothing about it makes sense! Nobody in this world should be able to understand English except...
...Nobody except Heroes...
But then where is his weapon?
"You are getting on my nerves! Guards arrest him!" He swapped back to Melromarcian the moment he addressed his guards. Ah, shit! Now I'm going to be-
"Do not touch a hair on his head," she commanded. Without any hesitation whatsoever, they withdrew their weapons and returned to their posts. The queen's order is absolute, it seems, even if it conflicts with someone else's.
"My Queen, what is the meaning of this! You would allow this...this-this wretch to walk in here and make a mockery of us?" Aultcray sputtered, completely baffled. That vein on his head just kept popping. I never knew that phrase could be so literal until now.
I'm almost certain I heard a chuckle come from her. "I'm not surprised you didn't notice, Aultcray. But I did not understand a single word of your exchange with Mr. Blackwood here."
"Wh-what in the world do you mean?"
She flicked her wrist, snapping the folding fan shut to reveal a barely noticeable smirk. "You may recall that I speak some amount of almost every single known language, yes? The language you two were speaking in is almost completely unknown to me. If it hadn't been for my prior meeting with Mr. Blackwood, I wouldn't have recognized it at all."
After a few moments to let Aultcray process that new information, she finally put the cherry on top. "The language you spoke is called English, and it is the language of another world."
"But...that would mean he is-"
"He was the Hero of the Axe," Mirellia clarified for him. "But through some unknown circumstances, the Axe is no longer in his possession. Mr. Blackwood, would you mind enlightening the two of us on the specifics? Your fluency in Melromarcian has improved quite drastically since our last meeting, so please speak in a way that I can understand as well."
My head is running a million miles per hour. She already knows that I was a Hero and she never mentioned it before? Why not, and how did she learn about it in the first place? I didn't exactly go around announcing "Hey! I used to be a Hero but I'm not anymore!" That sounds like an easy way to get made fun of, and maybe even mugged.
I need to be even more careful around this woman. She knows far too much and there aren't any clues as to how she knows.
With a sigh, I explained the circumstances around my summoning as well as the subsequent theft of my legendary weapon. I tried my best to summarize everything I'd been through to avoid boring them with the nitty gritty details, but the two monarchs sat in contemplative silence the entire time. Aultcray almost looked as if my earlier complaint was completely forgotten; his face was scrunched up in deep thought and he leaned forward in his chair, elbows on his knees and hands clasped in front of his eyes. Mirellia once again hid her face behind her folding fan, so I couldn't see anything but her eyes.
"So you were once a Hero that was summoned from another world. But the Axe was...stolen? How?" Aultcray thought out loud. I simply shrugged and shook my head.
"I am not sure. I was not able to learn my attacker's name, either. He was blond, with a whip and a group of women who followed him. He had a...uh...a thing in the sky. An airship." I struggled to find the word for airship in Melromarcian, and had to switch to English at the end so at least one of them could understand.
"An airship? Only one country has access to such a thing," Mirellia said as she and the king shared a look. "The genius of Faubley's doing, no doubt."
Aultcray grumbled, rubbing his temples as he seemed to wrack his brain. "This is not how I thought today would go. Even if he speaks the truth, there's still far too much we don't know."
"I agree, but this is not something that can simply be ignored." The queen set her fan on her lap and sighed. "A Hero's weapon being stolen? Is such a thing truly possible?"
"And if it is, whatever purpose it may serve cannot possibly be good."
I cleared my throat to pull them from their thoughts. "I, um...I do not want you to go to war on my account...or anything." My statement drew raised eyebrows from both of them, so I explained further. "What happened to me was awful, but it is in the past now. I am no longer the Hero of the Axe. I am just Flynn Blackwood, and I am happy being just that."
The country's leaders shared a look that I couldn't fully understand. Is my goal too selfish? Is it so wrong to not want to be a Hero? Compared to the lofty expectations of protecting the world, preferring to be a simple adventurer may come off as insulting.
I'll insult anyone I need to if it keeps me alive, though. That blond guy is one person I never want to see again in my life. He's overstayed his welcome already.
The purplette cocked her head to the side for a moment in interest, but didn't push the matter further. "Very well, then. If you have no interest in retrieving the Axe, I will not force you to be involved. For now, let us focus on the actual reason I called you here."
A small sigh of relief made its way out of my throat. I don't really want to admit it to them, but all this talk of Heroes and weapon stealing stuff was making me uncomfortable. The word "Hero" alone leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth thanks to that asshat who turned my world upside down.
It's not like I'm glad he took the Axe away from me. He killed off two people who I'd begun to trust right in front of my eyes and dumped me in the middle of nowhere, but I never would have had a chance at a "normal" life without all of that. I probably would have been treated like a glass doll and pampered at every corner and given the easiest way out of everything. A tiny part of me is thankful that I wasn't given such a stereotypical story to live through.
But I could definitely hate him for what he did to Lina and Braden.
"Yes, Elhart gave me the letter when I returned earlier this afternoon. I respectfully decline," I said, taking another deep breath to calm my nerves. Even without one of them screaming in my face, saying no to royalty is nerve wracking.
The queen's eyebrows shot up. "Oh? Might I ask why? An official recommendation to join the knights is no small matter, doubly so if it comes from me directly. Many would be tripping over their own feet to accept such an honor."
"With all due respect, I have no interest in becoming a knight," I said, locking eyes with her. "I enjoy my life as an adventurer. I get to explore this new world, meet new people, see new places, and grow strong through my own efforts. My wildest dreams have already been blown out of the water by what I have experienced."
The purple-haired woman hummed behind her fan. "And who is to say being an adventurer will always be an option for you?"
My eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
She flicked her folding fan closed to reveal a genuinely concerned expression. "Winter is almost upon us, Mr. Blackwood. Winters in Melromarc are quite treacherous, and many adventurers seek other occupations to survive the harsh season. Are you telling me you'd prefer such a perilous and uncertain lifestyle over being a knight?"
...Shit, she has a point.
"Uh..." was my extremely intelligent response.
"You don't have to worry, though. I've already applied for you to join the knights anyway. After all, you do owe me." Mirellia hid her face behind the fan once again.
"Wait, no! No! You not do that! You can not-" I cried, eyes wide with terror as my Melromarcian broke down again. Did she seriously not give me a choice in the matter at all? What a sneaky bitch!
"Though if you truly wish to decline my offer, I'm afraid I will require compensation for the tutoring you received as well as the room that was rented out to you during your stay here," she said with a knowing smile. "But know that such things are not cheap: a price of nearly twelve gold coins, in total."
I grit my teeth in frustration. Damn her! She knows I couldn't possibly afford something so expensive! So she did trap me, after all!
"I understand your trepidation, but I assure you that I have your best interests at heart, Mr. Blackwood. The Guild has very few jobs for adventurers in the Winter. Besides, all knight trainees receive the finest training in the country. Did you not say you wish to grow stronger? Or did I simply misunderstand you?"
That final bit tells me everything I need to know. She knows she heard me properly but left the door open for me to claim she hadn't. But Aultcray could understand me without any issues, so he could dispute my claims if I tried. She literally trapped me by making my only way out unavailable, and she even went so far as to point out that escape route.
...Oh...she's good.
"Ugh...fine, but I'll complain about it the whole time!" I announced, throwing up my hands in defeat.
She snapped the folding fan shut once last time before I was dismissed.
"Fabulous! Your training begins in the morning three days from today. Do try to be on time. Knights aren't allowed to be late."
I hate this already.