The underground chamber was just as dark as before, and the stench was just as overwhelming.
It looked the same as on my first visit, but this time I was different. I had come fully prepared.
“Living in the dark like this will ruin your eyesight. Or maybe it doesn’t matter ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) if you’re nocturnal?”
I installed the lightstones I’d packed along the corridor. Ten on each wall. The horrific state of the place only became more visible.
I pushed a few more mint leaves into my nostrils and pulled a burlap sack from my backpack. Then I put on thick leather gloves and covered my nose and mouth with a cloth mask.
After a brief moment of silence in front of the pile of corpses, I began moving them into the sack one by one.
...What am I doing.
Maybe I had already gotten used to it. The voice ringing inside my head no longer startled me.
“Cleaning. You’re not going to eat these, right? Don’t tell me you were saving them for later.”
Of course not.
“Good. Don’t.”
The front of the iron bars grew brighter, but it still wasn’t enough to push back the darkness further in. I continued working while exchanging short conversation with the dragon who still refused to show himself.
A long corridor and a stairway as deep as five underground floors. I had to go back and forth at least ten times. I carried the monster corpses all the way up to the surface and laid them to rest deep in the forest.
I wanted to give them graves, but I didn’t have the capacity for that.
Instead, I laid each of them down neatly and covered them with cloth.
“I’m sorry, guys. I’ll apologize on your behalf.”
I reaffirmed my resolve that there would never again be executions of monsters here.
It took several hours to clear the corridor of corpses. Then I lifted the armfuls of potted plants I had brought to the entrance of the underground chamber. The freshness of them could be felt just by holding them.
I returned to the now noticeably cleaner underground chamber and set the pots down one by one. The chains clattered again.
I glanced into the darkness and smiled toward the dragon whose face I still hadn’t seen.
This was my apology on behalf of the original Ceryl.
“I’ll bring more tomorrow. There aren’t any windows down here, so it never ventilates.”
What I had brought was an air-purifying plant called Silantra. Even though I had removed the corpses, the stench that filled the underground chamber had no clear solution.
Then I remembered the pots placed all around the dining hall. They were grown to neutralize food smells.
I stole half of them without hesitation. But even that wasn’t enough to fix the rot trapped here. I’d have to take the rest too.
“It’s better than nothing, right? Your sense of smell is probably sharp. You must have suffered all this time.”
You?
Ah. Because I couldn’t see him, I had unconsciously treated him like any other monster and dropped into casual speech.
The Dravergh Clan was known for having high pride. Had I just offended the esteemed Varen’s dignity? I nervously watched for the blue glow. Thankfully, nothing appeared. Royal bloodline indeed. Surprisingly merciful.
“Wait right here. I’ll be quick!”
.......
As soon as night fell, I emptied out the food storage with Rami’s help. Rami discovered new food pleasures there.
The lizard who tasted strawberries for the first time in his life was shocked by the sweetness. Then he devoured the entire basket, his body taking on the color of strawberries in the process.
And what I brought overflowing in my own basket was also red.
“You must be hungry. I brought something edible.”
Clang. The chains hanging in the air swayed. The largest movement I had seen yet.
Whenever a monster showed me goodwill, Kallen always asked how I managed it. But there was nothing special.
Monster, animal, human. Anyone will warm up to the person who gives them good food.
“It’s been two days since I caught these, but they should still be fine.”
I threw red salmon through the iron bars. Nearly a meter long, it hit the floor with a wet slap.
I had to throw it with all my strength because I still had no sense of how far away he was. The dragon didn’t react.
“What? Not a fan of fish? Don’t leave it. Rotting fish smell is truly unbearable.”
.......
“You don’t like salmon? Actually, I only heard that from a book.”
Well—strictly speaking, I heard it from Kallen, who read it in a book.
Maybe she was trying to mess with me. I was grumbling internally at the innocent girl when—
A wet, heavy slap echoed through the still chamber. Something large and damp hit stone.
Then came the sound of swallowing. It wasn’t mine. The source was obvious.
...What’s your angle.
The voice was still low and rough, but I could sense something faintly lifted—like a slight stir of feeling.
I sat down in front of the bars. I wanted to watch him eat directly, but since he seemed shy, I’d settle for ASMR.
“There’s no angle. I don’t play games with food. Just eat.”
How is a human to be trusted.
His tone was full of suspicion. It would take a long time to build trust.
“Why not trust me?”
...Humans are arrogant, cruel, and hypocritical.
I tried to hold back a laugh because of the atmosphere, but I couldn’t. The sound of my laughter echoed off the stone. It was the first time I had laughed aloud since coming into this body, so even I didn’t recognize my own voice.
“Haha—yeah. True. I agree.”
...What?
“I said I agree. Humans are arrogant, cruel, hypocritical. A species that repays kindness with harm.”
Then I leaned my forehead against the iron bars. The cold metal felt like it was cooling my thoughts.
You are human as well.
“Yep. I’m human. No reason to trust me.”
.......
This fantasy world, the new name and body, and most of all—an actual dragon.
Everything was unfamiliar. And yet, strangely, this moment felt comfortable. Maybe even more than the world I came from.
“I don’t like humans either. Even though I’m one.”
Unusual.
“Do you like all dragons just because they’re dragons? You must have had ones you didn’t get along with.”
I have never met another dragon.
“Oh wow. So you’re the outcast.”
...Outcast?
He sounded confused, so I just laughed. Even trapped here, Varen was still a prince of the royal dragon clan.
Calling a prince an outcast—if I ever got dragged to their kingdom, they’d probably execute me immediately.
I ended the pointless chatter and waved my hand through the bars.
“Hurry and eat. I worked hard to bring that for you.”
Why would you—
“You’re making me repeat myself. I’m fattening you up so I can eat you later, obviously. Now eat!”
I snapped without thinking. Even if he was a monster, speaking human language made him feel like a person.
The chains rattled violently.
...Dragon meat is harmful to humans. It’s poisonous.
“Great. Then I’ll just die after eating you. Thanks for the heads up.”
...Truly an unusual human.
And then—the sound I’d been waiting for.
Chomp. Chomp. Gulp.
He chewed the meter-long salmon three times and swallowed it.
The ASMR was incredible. I jumped to my feet and immediately threw another salmon inside.
“How is it? Tastes good? Edible?”
...Whatever.
Chomp chomp, gulp. This time he only chewed twice. The first one must have been a careful taste test.
When I reached for the next salmon, I hesitated. Using the previous throws as reference, I calculated more precisely and threw it a little closer.
A soft sliding sound—chains moving.
Chomp chomp, gulp.
The dragon devoured it like a dog with a treat.
The next salmon, even closer.
Then closer still.
It was no different from training Berry. She had been afraid of entering her kennel as a puppy, so I had slowly lured her in with her favorite snacks. The memory was vivid.
When I had gone through about half the basket—
Thud. Chomp chomp, gulp.
At last, the dragon’s foot entered the lightstone’s range.
Golden scales. Thick, sharply curved claws.
I steeled myself and threw another salmon. Slowly, the dragon came into view.
By the time I offered the last one, Varen and I were facing each other with only a single iron bar between us. I had to tilt my head nearly ninety degrees back to see his face.
Would he be thin? Would he look ragged?
Contrary to my worries, the dragon’s body was magnificent. Each golden scale was the size of my palm and gleamed as if polished. Massive muscles shifted smoothly with every movement, his supporting limbs were frighteningly powerful, and his long neck had an elegance that bordered on regal.
This was dangerous. He had only just cracked the door of trust open.
“...C-could you... maybe come a little closer?”
At the obviously suspicious suggestion, the dragon stepped back. panic rose in me.
No. Get a grip.
But the stunning golden sheen destroyed what reason I had left. My arm shot through the bars like a horror movie antagonist.
“If— if it’s not too much— huff— huff— can I touch you just once?”
...What?
“These scales—those glossy scales—huff—can you shed them by yourself?”
The thought of a giant reptile wriggling around to shed its skin nearly made me lose it. And that tail! That plump tail!! How did he sleep? Curled up with it wrapped around himself? I was going insane.
The dragon stepped back again. He even turned his head and gave a warning rumble.
Then his golden lips parted, revealing teeth. Not reptilian fangs, but the molar structure of a mammalian carnivore.
“...Ahh. The teeth! Let me see your teeth! Please!!”
What....
“Are those baby teeth? Permanent teeth? How did teething work? Can I brush them for you? Huh?”
His long tail slid past right in front of me. I almost screamed. Then he used that tail to cover his neatly gathered front claws.
The display was so absurdly cute that whatever he was saying didn’t even register anymore.
You... Is there something wrong with your head.
