The dragon’s limbs twitched. Then it stopped moving altogether, slumping to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut. It looked like a pile of rocks.
Chiyome yanked her spear free. Blood streamed from the grand dragon’s eyes, staining the earth below a deep red.
Ariane and I returned our swords to our sheaths.
“They really did pick the best of the best for this party,” I said. “We didn’t even get a chance to fight.”
Ariane nodded. “I’m still impressed that Rowze held her own against that thing’s tongue. She definitely proved her strength.”
Rowze caught us watching her and flexed her massive biceps, a big grin on her face.
Ariane was no weakling, but the sheer brute strength Rowze and the other bear people displayed was in a different category entirely. If it came down to arm wrestling with Rowze, I doubted I’d stand a chance.
“Clever, how it disguised itself to lure unsuspecting prey. I never would have figured those boulders were a dragon. Do you think there are more monsters in the area?” I looked across the rocky terrain, trying to imagine what other threats might lurk.
Ariane seemed to be doing the same thing. “Grand dragons mark off pretty wide territories, so it’s not likely anything else is hiding in the rocks. They hunt in pairs occasionally, but since a second dragon never showed up, that also seems unlikely.”
Pittah approached, adding, “I figure we’ll be safe for a while, at least. Seems like a shame to leave the carcass behind, but for now, we should prioritize reaching our objective. Could you use anything from the grand dragon, Arc? You get first pick.”
I looked at the grand dragon’s body, then at the hide armor that protected Ariane.
Since I was outfitted with mythical-class Belenus Holy Armor, I didn’t really need grand dragon armor. If I took its hide, I would probably just sell it for gold.
Suddenly aware of my gaze, Ariane shot me a glare and crossed her arms over her chest. Apparently, she misunderstood what I was staring at. Well, she wasn’t entirely wrong. But still…
I turned my attention back to Pittah. “There’s nothing I really need from the grand dragon. Is its meat edible?”
Pittah’s eyes widened. He broke into a broad smile, although it didn’t wipe away the fiendish look that always graced his face.
“With a suit like that, I guess you don’t really need any other weapons or armor. The meat, well, it’s not all that good, but I suppose it’s edible. Are you sure you don’t need its rock humps?”
I cocked my head at the question. The rocky growths on the grand dragon’s back looked like boulders to me. The only use for them I could think of would be decorative rocks. Perhaps I should make a Japanese-style garden next to the outdoor bath.
“What are they for, Ariane?”
She shrugged. “We only use them as construction materials.”
I’d hoped for a more fantastical answer, but it was starting to look like they were basically just rocks.
When I decided it wouldn’t be worth the trouble of lugging them to the Lord Crown, especially since repairing the shrine took priority over building a garden, Chiyome appeared.
“They’re incredibly valuable to humans, you know. Nobles use them in their homes to show off their wealth. You’d probably make quite a bit of money if you sold them.”
Ariane looked surprised. “Oh? I had no idea.”
It sounded as though the boulders on the grand dragon’s back were similar to elephant tusks in my world.
“Hmm. In that case, I suppose I could sell them in town to offset the cost of repairing the shrine. I humbly accept your offer.”
Pittah smiled, offering his hand. “We’ll leave the dragon here for now. Nothing we can do until more of my soldiers arrive to help carry it, anyway.”
I shook Pittah’s hand. “Shall we collect our bags and get moving?”