Chapter 4-7:
The Doze Fief
AFTER I ERADICATED THE LESSER DEMONS THAT troubled Trek Village, I returned to the royal capital only to receive another extermination order. I was asked to defeat a dragon that had awoken after a hundred years. This dragon wasn’t very large, and it had only matured enough to barely fly through the air. It usually appeared in the frontier land of the kingdom. The area wasn’t very prosperous, so the fief’s complaints hadn’t been a priority.
There was also a legend that the dragon had been suppressed by a saintess before. I had been told that the saintesses over the generations had gone around sealing or defeating various monsters throughout the kingdom. I had no idea why they only used such temporary measures. Because of them, I now had to go through the trouble of killing all these creatures. I was grumbling about the saintesses in the carriage when Alice spoke up.
“Saintesses don’t have the power to defeat monsters,” she said. “Light magic doesn’t attack others; rather, it affects one’s psyche.”
“Psyche?” I asked. “So can they create illusions or charm others?”
Did Eleanor use her spells to charm Prince Edward? I thought.
“Not quite,” Alice replied. “Light will lead one to the light of one’s heart. The goodness of one’s heart may be a more apt descriptor. Light magic will act upon that goodness and quell a foe’s hostility or animosity.”
I see… So light magic was what affected the ruffians that I sent to attack Eleanor in my past life. But then why didn’t she use light magic on me?
“Alice,” I started. “Is light magic effective against everyone?”
“No,” Alice replied. “If one doesn’t have a shred of good conscience, light magic will have zero effect.”
She probably didn’t dare to use her magic against the daughter of the duke. I’m sure of it. There’s no way that monsters have more good in their hearts than me.
“Light magic can also completely paralyze monsters for some time,” Alice added. “This is what people call a seal. Saintesses use this spell to go around the kingdom to suppress monsters. They don’t possess any magic that can physically attack their opponents.”
“Are seals easy to cast?” I asked.
“Not at all. Unlike other light spells, a seal can only be cast after their foe’s spirit has been pacified to an extent. It apparently takes a lot of time for a monster’s spirit to be quelled. According to some folklore, it might take up to three days and nights.”
“That’s quite a while…”
Can they only talk it out?
It seemed light magic wasn’t as convenient as I’d thought. Saintesses were kind—they were the very embodiment of that word. But I wasn’t so forgiving, and I wasn’t a saintess. Be it monster or fate, I would crush it with my own hands.
I gazed out the carriage window, catching a glimpse of the mountain where the dragon was rumored to be.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Thank you for coming all this way, Lady Serena!” Marquess Doze said.
The lord of the region greeted me at the entrance of the city. He was a slender man of around thirty, with deep wrinkles etched into his face. His eyes showed exhaustion, and he looked malnourished, underscoring how weak he was. His hair was messy too, as though he had no time to care about his appearance.
“It seems the dragon has been quite the headache for you, Marquess Doze,” I said.
“You’re absolutely right,” he answered. “Frankly, it can attack the city at any moment, and the mere thought prevents me from catching a few winks at night. It’s rather embarrassing for me to admit.”
He seemed a bit too honest for a noble, but that made it easier for me since I didn’t have to painstakingly gauge his emotions or reactions.
“And where is this dragon? In that mountain?” I asked, pointing to the large one that I had spotted from my carriage earlier.
“Precisely,” Doze replied. “Unfortunately, we haven’t a clue where it lurks within.”
This mountain completely dwarfed the nest of lesser demons back at Trek Village. Even if I fired a spell, I would barely be able to scratch its surface. In other words, I had to make the journey to the mountain to defeat the dragon.
Uh? I have to walk on that perilous mountain path? I thought. No, thank you.
“Why do you think that the dragon may attack the city?” I asked.
I was tempted to leave if his mind had simply played tricks on him.
“The dragon relies mainly on animals for its source of food, but it seems humans are also in its diet,” the marquess explained. “To the dragon, this city is an easy target and hunting ground. I’ve formed a defensive line with knights and soldiers to fend off the beast for now, but I fear it’s only a matter of time before it preys on all of us. For now, the dragon seems to hunt us for enjoyment. However, our defensive squad is already exhausted and nearing its limit. The monster could breach our fortifications at any moment.”
Makes sense. A city was practically a buffet of humans waving a flag at the dragon, which must’ve made it a popular spot to satiate its belly. It was much easier to eat humans than to fly through forests or plains to find unknown animals. The dragon apparently only attacked this city in search of food.
In other words, I can lure it out if I dangle some food in front of its nose.
I turned to Emma and observed her healthy and supple body. She probably looked delicious to monsters, and since she had needlessly high physical capabilities, she would be the perfect sort of bait.
“Marquess Doze, is there any place here that makes it easy to engage in combat?” I inquired.
“There’s a clearing at the foot of the mountain where the dragon lives,” Doze replied. “Perhaps that will be the perfect place for your needs.”
I don’t want to go that far.
“Is there anywhere closer?” I asked.
“Near the city?” Doze hung his head apologetically. “Er, if possible, I would like for you to battle away from the city…”
“Heed your tongue, Marquess Doze!” Isabel snapped. “Lady Serena can easily get rid of the dragon in the mountains! If she specifically asks for a location near the city, you must assume that she has her reasons.”
“Reasons?” Doze asked.
He didn’t seem bothered that my squire had spoken arrogantly and admonished him. I was the one who became nervous in his stead.
“The people of this city must realize that they’re involved,” Isabel explained. “It’s vital to understand that peace cannot be claimed so easily. Dragons aren’t the only threats that exist in this world, and we don’t know what the future holds. Yet if she defeats the dragon away from the eyes of the people, everyone will mistakenly assume that peace is a concept that can be easily attained! Lady Serena is precisely worried about everyone lacking vigilance within their hearts. I’m certain that she can defeat the dragon, but it’s important for the citizens to understand that they are the ultimate line of defense to protect their own city.”
Isabel’s words caused the marquess to gasp, and his knights also immediately became more alert. Even I was a touch surprised, for such a thought hadn’t flashed across my mind. Isabel was amazing; she hadn’t been the leader of the girls in the orphanage for nothing, and she had a way with words.
Frankly, I just don’t want to go all the way out in the mountains.
“I understand!” the marquess cried, a fiery light twinkling within his tired eyes. “As you say, we cannot let young folks like Lady Serena fight for us! We have been too complacent and dependent. We shall steel our resolve to fight if needed and lure the dragon out near our city!”
He’s a total pushover. It can’t be easy living in noble society with his sort of honesty.
Our new battlefield was a rolling plain near the city. We didn’t have to move very far, making it acceptable for my needs.
“Emma, lure the dragon out here,” I ordered.
“Duly noted!” Emma replied. “I’ll be racing against a dragon! That sounds like fun!”
She’s amazing. Her life would be on the line for this race, and she still seemed to be genuinely excited.
I ordered her to strip most of her clothes. “Remove your armor too,” I advised. “You should wear as little as possible.”
“Understood!” Emma replied.
Without hesitation, she removed her armor and her jacket, leaving her mostly in her underclothes.
“I see,” Lewis mused. He nodded several times in amazement. “Armor will do very little to defend against the dragon’s breath. It’s better to remove everything and be as lightweight as possible so that she can increase her speed!”
Huh? Isn’t it better if she reveals more skin to look as delicious as possible for the dragon?
I worried that the monster wouldn’t be keen on crunching through tough armor. Emma’s body hadn’t matured much, and she left much to be desired in terms of feminine charm, but she would surely look like a delicious piece of bait.
Emma gave a proper salute. “I shall be off!”
With that, she headed into the mountains like a wild monkey.