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Translator: penny
Chapter: 289
Chapter Title: Dragon of the Brazier #1
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Village chief.
The head of the village.
The symbol of the village's power.
It was only fitting that this man lived in the largest house in the village. The middle-aged fellow, whose hair was just beginning to turn white, guided us to the parlor attached to his grand home.
"What are you doing, Satira? Don't just stand there—bring some food and drink for our guests."
"Yes, Master."
He even barked a thoroughly patriarchal order at a young, pretty blonde girl with freckles. Judging by the strange choker around her neck, she was probably some kind of slave who'd been bought.
Whoosh.
For a moment, my vision went dark. I wondered if I'd chosen the wrong path in life.
Truth be told, maybe what I'd always wanted was to be a village chief. Heads were powerful, whether they were on a dragon or a snake.
Village chief Hassan.
I etched that magnificent name into my mind. In the center of the village, they'd erect a statue in my likeness, and the villagers would pay a little tax each to build my own massive palace.
I'd name it Hassan's Solar Palace.
I was running that simulation in my head when someone poked my back. It was Luna.
"Hassan, you're thinking something useless again."
"Guilty."
Thanks to Luna, I managed to halt the imperialistic missionary thoughts that had been spreading endlessly. Truth be told, being chief or whatever, once you're in a position of power, there's no end to the things you have to consider.
For a small-time guy like me who gets stressed just leading a group project, the idea of being village chief was unimaginable horror.
Clack, clack.
Soon, simple meals and pitchers of wine appeared before us at the table.
To us, who'd made do with rations from the carriage, this freshly made hot food looked pretty damn appetizing.
"It's nothing fancy, but please eat your fill."
"We'll dig in...! Truth be told, we were starving...!"
But I hesitated to reach for the table. Paranoi, however, started eating first, as if paranoia didn't care about any excuses.
Seeing him tear into a huge leg—some kind of bird, maybe a pheasant or turkey—got the rest of us started too.
If we let this go on, all the legs would vanish into Paranoi's mouth.
Of course, unlike Paranoi, who was born ready to live, we all knew without saying it that this wasn't free hospitality.
As I'd said many times, in this harsh world, if someone offers kindness, they're expecting something in return.
"If there's anything lacking, Lady Nymph, just say the word. I'll have more brought out."
"What an excellent attitude...! Then hurry and roast a few more of these giant pheasants...!"
Watching Paranoi's complexion so closely—did the chief want something from her specifically?
This old merchant-looking chief and the nymph Paranoi, whom he'd just met today—what connection could there be? My thoughts were spiraling into a maze.
Once we'd finished eating, Hippolyte drained her glass clean, slammed it on the table, and spoke.
"So, village chief—"
"It's Gartenman."
"Chief Gartenman. You look like you have something to say to us. The meal's done, so let's hear it."
"As expected of the hero with the golden necklace. If I may cut to the chase—I'm sure you saw the dragon's brazier in the village center."
At the chief's question, Luna piped up. "That blue flame earlier?"
The chief nodded calmly.
"Indeed. As you saw, it's the blessed flame at our village's heart that wards off monsters and beasts... but..."
"It's not doing well," Hippolyte cut in. "And you want us to fix it—that's what you're getting at."
The chief's face lit up at Hippolyte's succinct summary.
"Exactly. Ever since that long winter, the flame has shrunk smaller and smaller. Now it's barely the size of a small brazier."
Hippolyte's instincts, honed from years as an adventurer, were spot on. The chief explained the situation just as briefly.
"If this continues, the flame itself might go out, and who knows what will become of our village, built around that fire."
But Hippolyte just hummed thoughtfully. Luna and I exchanged glances and blinked. The flame was shrinking—what were we supposed to do about it?
Luna spoke up.
"If the flame's getting small, just add more firewood!"
Pure Marie Antoinette wisdom right there. Luna was sharp as hell. No wonder she'd make a great wife someday.
But the chief shook his head.
"It's no ordinary flame. Regular firewood won't do. So—"
Whoosh.
The chief suddenly rose from his chair and prostrated himself flat on the floor before us.
"So please help us! You must be the firewood party from the prophecy!"
His sudden deep bow caught us off guard, but Chief Gartenman threw everything into it, like this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
"The prophecy says a pointy-eared woman will appear and revive the flame!"
Someone asked—probably Luna. "Pointy-eared?"
"Pointy-eared means nymph—! The brazier dragon Gesbalam who lit that dragon flame is famous for loving nymphs—! Offering a nymph as sacrifice to make the dragon breathe fire again—that must be the revelation—!?"
"Ahhh—!!"
Paranoi, mid-bite on another pheasant leg, froze.
"You dare... you dare try to offer this Paranoi as dragon fodder...? These foods were to fatten me up for devouring...? This... this is unacceptable...!"
But the chief, having cast aside his pride, was no pushover either.
"I heard you're heading to Delphi! The shortest path to Delphi is through the volcanic cave occupied by the brazier dragon Gesbalam! Like it or not, you'll have to negotiate with Gesbalam to pass...!"
"Don't listen to this man's schemes...!"
"You might even ride the dragon's back and shorten your journey to Delphi!"
Shorten the journey...
We all fell silent, lost in brief thought.
*
*
*
"The men's room is that way."
The chief's maid, a woman named Satira, showed me to a room in the chief's house.
Since the village was a faith community centered on the massive brazier, unmarried men and women couldn't share rooms.
Thanks to that, I got a pretty spacious room to myself. The women's room was right next door. No need to press my ear to the wall—their high-pitched chatter carried loud and clear.
You really shouldn't think of offering Paranoi as sacrifice...! I've warned you...!
But as Chief Gartenman said, the shortest path to Delphi was through Mount Karmo's volcanic cave. Detouring would add at least a week or two.
So we'd have no choice but to negotiate with whatever brazier dragon occupied it? Paranoi, your role's huge!
That explained why the villagers cheered at the sight of a nymph.
I heard Luna and Hippolyte murmuring in agreement, followed only by Paranoi's incoherent screams.
A dragon, huh.
Dragon.
A massive reptile with four legs and two wings. The king of monsters, a true symbol of terror.
The bone wyvern Agumon I'd fought before was like a chick next to a hen compared to a real dragon.
Whoosh, dragons actually existing in this world was terrifying. I'd once seen a dragon dive into Calcutta's skies.
It was enormous, its roar like thunder.
Their horror lay in spewing devastating breath from their mouths to destroy everything effortlessly, while armored in tough scales that nullified and deflected attacks.
My attacks land, but theirs get nullified? That defense was bullshit.
Even spears, swords, or arrows couldn't pierce their durability—only mages could handle dragons. The one over Calcutta had been driven off by a group of them.
Hippolyte, can't you just slay it?
A few days of fighting might do it. But Gesbalam was the brazier dragon, right? Slaying a wild dragon was one thing, but killing one devoted to the brazier god would be major blasphemy.
What, then we'd have to sacrifice Paranoi after all?
There has to be... some other way...!
That's when someone knocked on the wall. Tap tap.
Hassan, you listening? What do you think?
Luna knew me too well. She pegged me eavesdropping instantly.
I replied.
"No idea. We'll go to the cave tomorrow and talk to the dragon or whatever. Ask it to come to the village and blow some fire on the brazier, and clear the path—that should do it, right?"
I said it lightly, but honestly, I had no clue. I'd never imagined chatting with a dragon on this carriage trip.
Delphi was supposed to be two to three weeks away. But with villages, roads, and caves, unexpected shit like today made it a full month with buffer.
Whoosh, I was feeling that reason acutely now.
Brazier dragon Gesbalam.
What the hell kind of beast was it?
Night, Hassan.
"Yeah. See you tomorrow."
Then let's have a pajama party! Shit! Pull out the snacks we each brought!
This is girls' time only...!!
What? Let me join.
And so the next day.
We headed to the volcano half a day's ride from the village.
It was called a volcano, but it wasn't bubbling or barren—just a normal mountain with green foliage and nice scenery. Dormant or extinct, maybe?
Or an active one long inactive. But knowing a dragon lived there made it eerie.
A dragon.
Standing at the cave mouth in the mountain, I stopped and listened.
Grrr...
A fairly large breathing sound echoed from inside.
Looking down, I saw scorched stones scattered about—charred, fused rocks straight out of a volcano.
Not just that. Turning my head, I spotted massive claw marks on boulders and trees. Grass and trees were crushed and toppled, as if something huge had dragged its belly along—not uncommon.
Whoosh, this was a real dragon's lair.
Suddenly, a brutal wave of post-nut clarity hit me—what the hell was I doing here?
The massive cave looked like the gaping throat of some giant or monster.
"Hassan, bad vibes! My shaman senses are screaming!"
Luna was scared too. We trembled together.
Hippolyte and Elfride, though, casually poked at nearby stones and dry bones.
Hippolyte ran her palm over a claw mark and said,
"Pretty big dragon. But luckily, not an ancient elder wyrm."
Elfride, sifting through bone fragments on the ground, replied.
"Still an adult. Better be careful. Fresh adults are often more reckless and dangerous than elders."
"Oh, elf mage. You've hunted dragons before?"
"A wild hatchling. Basically a mute wyvern that couldn't speak or cast dragon tongue spells."
"Dragon-slaying experience isn't common. As expected of a mage. Reassuring."
Watching veteran adventurers Elfride and Hippolyte swap stories made my chest swell with relief. If they weren't on the carriage?
Just me, Luna, ditch-water nymph Paranoi, and honey-water nymph Doris?
We'd probably be drawing lots on which nymph to sacrifice.
In that sense, Doris staying home with Antiope to tend bees was a blessing.
"Going in."
Hippolyte even poked her head into the dark cave. Was she fearless?
"What are you waiting for? Delaying won't help. Better take the first hit. It's not a wild dragon—brazier dragon, so it won't be too vicious."
Urged by Hippolyte, we had no choice but to step inside.
"Lord Hassan! Th-then I'll wait here...! I'll pray for your safe return...!"
"Come on, whoosh, what if you don't come?"
"Eek! Eek—!"
As I dragged a reluctant Paranoi in, a massive gust roared from within—fwoooosh.
Boom. Boom.
Earth-shaking vibrations.
Then a low growl followed.
Flowers... and wind's scent. Fairy scent. Ah, a nymph at last. I've waited so long.
Those flashing red eyes from the darkness—