Chapter 87. I Don’t Need That Kind Of Connection
"You hunted a Rockbird this time? Seems you’ve got a knack for running into unplanned big game, as usual."
"That’s not a connection I’m happy about."
After returning to the Adventurer’s Guild, we reported the completion of our request to the Guild Master.
Since Grandpa and Grandma were with us, he handled it himself instead of leaving it to the receptionist.
"So, what’ll you do this time? Auction it off again?"
"No, I’ll take all the feathers for myself. The meat and bones can be sold. Ah, I’ll keep some of the meat too."
The feathers should work as materials for everyone’s armor.
With that much, we should have enough for everyone and plenty to spare.
The meat is supposedly delicious.
There’s also a huge amount of it, enough to share with everyone at the castle and even treat the kids at the orphanage Ignas mentioned.
I later wondered if we should’ve kept some materials from the dragon for ourselves, but since it was used to track down the culprit and everyone got a hefty sum, it’s fine.
"I see. Well, with a body that massive, even the leftover meat and bones will fetch a pretty penny."
"Oh, about the Harpy subjugation—the bodies were blown away by the Rockbird before we could collect them. Does that still count as completing the request?"
"For you guys, it’s fine. Hazrad and the others were there too. If it were regular adventurers, the guild would’ve sent investigators to the site and decided based on their findings."
I don’t need special treatment, but they’d probably turn up in the Rockbird’s stomach anyway, and I’m not lying. No issues here.
"Ah, right. Got a piece of info for you."
"What is it?"
"Aslad might’ve already heard, but there have been reports of unidentified monsters spotted near Musbel."
"Is that related to the ruins researchers?"
"Don’t know yet. Could just be a new species of monster. But the possibility is there."
Musbel is a town around where Saitama would be in Japan.
I’ve been there before, so I can teleport easily.
"Got it. Thank you, Guild Master."
"Yep. Later."
Back at the castle, I talk to Father Aslad about the Musbel situation.
"Yeah, that matter. We’re investigating now. No updates yet."
"I see. Then I’ll head there tomorrow."
"Hold on, why you?"
"Huh? Well…"
We were the ones who discovered the ruins’ research lab, and there’s also the matter of Lue and Kue. I’d say I’m one of the involved parties.
"True, you guys were the ones who found it, but that doesn’t mean you have to solve it. You’re the Demon Prince, remember? When you’re working as an adventurer, fine, but otherwise, you need to learn to delegate to your subordinates."
He might be right.
In this life, I’m the Demon Prince.
If I stick my nose into everything, it might seem like I don’t trust my subordinates.
And not just me—Father Aslad too.
"What’re you two talking about? Does this new monster have something to do with Jun?"
Come to think of it, I haven’t explained the ruins’ research lab to Grandpa and Grandma yet.
I fill them in.
"I see. Well, I get where Aslad’s coming from, but I also understand Jun’s feelings. So how about this, Jun—tomorrow, we go to Musbel as adventurers."
"Huh?"
"Exactly. Not as the Demon Prince, just as a regular adventurer. Then, take on a request or two. And hey, maybe you’ll ‘stumble upon’ this new monster during the job, right?"
Isn’t that just an excuse?
Well, I get that excuses are sometimes necessary.
"That should be fine, right, Aslad? We’ll tag along too, so no need to worry."
"...Sigh. Fine. Take some of the royal guards with you."
"You’re such a worrywart."
"Shut up. You’re the same, old man."
And so, with Father Aslad’s permission, the next day—
We arrive in Musbel.
The group consists of the usual—me, Yuu, Ai, Sebast, Noera, Lily, Hatti—plus Grandpa and Grandma, five royal guards,
and then Lue and Kue, who insisted on joining after hearing about it.
Sixteen people in total—a ridiculously large party for adventurers.
The royal guards are Master, Christea, Luchina, Yulia, and Ignas. The elite of the guards.
Father Aslad told Master to bring the strongest, hence the lineup.
Ignas’s former adventurer experience is also a factor.
Christea is strong, but this time she insisted on coming, so Luchina and Yulia got dragged along too.
"Last time, Lady Noera succeeded in bathing with Lord Jun. A lifelong blunder. I never thought I’d regret stepping aside that day. From now on, I’ll accompany him everywhere."
"Fufufu, bathing with Lord Jun was my lifelong dream. Given how tightly guarded he is, I suggest you don’t expect it to be easy."
Lifelong dream? Tightly guarded?
Shouldn’t that be the other way around? That’s usually the guy’s line to the girl.
"......"
"Kue..."
Kue must be thinking she might meet her parents’ killer.
Lue watches her with concern, worried she’ll do something reckless.
I’m worried too, but I understand their feelings, so I brought them.
I’ve told Sebast and Noera to keep an eye on them.
"Alright, I’ll head to the guild to get details on the sightings and pick up a request."
Since we’re here as adventurers, we need a request for appearances’ sake.
With such a large group, it’d be a nuisance, so just Grandpa, Grandma, and I go.
After getting the request and info, I share it with everyone.
"The location is the Great Forest northwest of here. The sightings were near the center. The most recent was five days ago. I also asked about ruins in the forest—apparently, there’s an abandoned ancient fortress. The sightings are near there, so we’ll head that way."
"Did you ask what kind of monsters are in the forest?"
"Yeah, and here’s the thing… The last two days, things have gotten really troublesome. The guild only confirmed it this morning—hot off the press."
Seriously, why does trouble keep piling up like this?
Maybe the Guild Master was right about my “connection.”
"What? What’s wrong?"
"It’s related to the request we took. Because of this mess, there was only one request for that forest. We could’ve refused, but Grandpa went ahead and accepted it."
"Don’t worry, don’t worry! You can handle it!"
You think?
It might be stronger than the Rockbird.
Then again, we might win easily.
"What? What is it? Spit it out."
"Right now, most monsters in the forest are hiding. Something really dangerous wandered in and is roaming around. The Musbel soldiers halted their investigations because it’s too risky."
"So, what is it? Big Brother?"
"Well… it’s a zombie dragon. Just great."
A heavy silence falls, then—
""""Eh?!!""""
Everyone shouts in shock.
Yeah. Shocking. I was shocked too.
"Zombie dragon? That zombie dragon?!"
I don’t know which zombie dragon you mean, but yes, probably that one, Yulia.
"Subjugation difficulty: unquestionably S-rank! An already formidable dragon granted immortality as an undead—that horrifying abomination?!"
Thanks for the explanation, Luchina.
"Lord Jun. We should avoid the forest. We’re unprepared. It’s too dangerous."
Christea’s being sensible for once.
Wish she was like this all the time.
"But a threat like a zombie dragon must be eliminated as soon as possible..."
Master isn’t wrong either.
Undead are drawn to the living, so who knows when it might head toward a village?
"I do have a way to beat it."
"Ah! Right—holy magic!"
Correct, Yuu.
Holy magic can purify undead.
But there’s a catch.
"It’s a race against my mana. The stronger the undead’s original form, the more mana it takes. A zombie dragon? Even worse. If I run out of mana first, I won’t even have enough to teleport us out."
Silence falls again.
Well, I’m sure we’ll manage.
"I’ve got mana potions, and if things go south, I’ll save enough mana to teleport us out. We can’t just leave it be, so sorry for the sudden ask, but I need your help."
Once they realize we have a chance, everyone calms down.
After discussing, we decide to go after the zombie dragon.
It’ll be fine. If not, we’ll just run.
We’ll manage somehow.