TL/Editor: raei
Status: 5/week mon-fri
Illustrations: none
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"It's more mundane than I expected."
Ian took his time to carefully investigate the dragon's lair.
After the investigation, he found that apart from the chest full of gold coins, there weren't really any valuable items.
Of course, the chest of gold coins alone was clearly an enormous income.
Enough to toss gold coins around like garbage, just like the corrupt nobles of the old Golden Empire!
But that was that.Considering the sheer volume of junk piled up in the dragon's lair, it was hard to hide the disappointment.
However, Inglan and Eredith were indifferent and unmoved.
"Well. That's dragons for you."
"Ian. Dragon lairs are usually like this."
"?"
Ian tilted his head.
He'd clearly heard that dragons were greedy creatures obsessed with treasure...
Shouldn't there be a swimming pool full of gold and silver treasures like in fantasy movies?
"I heard dragons were extremely materialistic."
"That's right. That's why they've stored so much treasure, don't you think?"
"..."
This... is treasure?
It's not treasure, it's trash.
There's so much of it that even a moving company would take one look and say, "Damn, I've never seen anything like this in all my years," and back right out.
You know that mental illness where people can't throw things away?
The one called 'hoarding disorder'.
The dragon's lair was comparable to the house of someone with hoarding disorder.
"But there's hardly anything of value here..."
As Ian muttered, Eredith explained with a smile.
"'Value' is relative, you know."
"I know that."
"Then Ian, out of all the items piled up there, how many do you think would be useful to a dragon?"
"Hmm..."
At most, maybe 10%?
Most of it was garbage.
"The reason dragons collect possessions isn't to use them themselves."
"Then..."
"They find meaning in the very act of taking possessions from people who value them."
"..."
Ian finally understood why even orc-made items were lying around as 'treasure'.
To orcs, that rusty chain mail was definitely a treasure.
Because orcs don't have the metallurgy to make armor.
But... obviously, to a dragon, rusty chain mail is just garbage taking up space.
Yet the dragon carefully hoarded the rusty chain mail.
Why?
As Eredith explained.
It enjoyed the very act of taking things that orcs valued...!
"It's a proper psycho, isn't it?"
When Ian muttered, Eredith chuckled.
"There's a reason people say not to get involved with dragons. Ian, even if you know how to use summoning magic, never make a contract with a dragon."
It was indeed useful advice that would become flesh and blood.
Ian had no desire to make a contract with a dragon.
He had a good and loyal friend like Longtail. Why would he contract with a greedy hoarder?
"Anyway... it seems the summoner is no longer here."
"The dragon's corpse isn't visible either."
The opponent had already taken the dragon's corpse and fled somewhere.
It was beyond Ian's ability to track any further.
If they mobilized all their time and manpower, they might get results, but it was clearly a waste to chase someone they didn't even know to that extent.
The [Golden Rule Society] was, after all, a secret organization.
'Gerard said he'd handle the investigation...'
No matter how quickly the opponent moved, they couldn't escape a space-time wizard's tracking.
Ian decided to relax and wait for Gerard to bring results.
They had found a large amount of gold coins in the dragon's lair. That alone was enough reward.
"This seems to be the most useful thing here."
Inglan appeared holding a golden fur.
At the same time, Ian's Anor-lsil began to tremble!
'Is that it?'
It was likely [Cloud of Lightning], the treasure of the northern Mountain King.
The enhancement material for Ian's Anor-lsil.
"Professor. That's the item I've been looking for."
"You have?"
Inglan looked at Ian with a strange expression.
He had just found this item, but Ian said he'd been looking for it...?
"If you're making this up because you want it..."
Ian smiled and said.
"Making it up? Professor?"
I'm the Dragon Slayer, what are you gonna do about it?
Eredith sighed deeply and said.
"Inglan. You should be careful about when and where you show greed."
"G-Greed? Of course I was going to give it to Ian!"
Eredith's words were correct.
Even if Ian had just wanted it out of greed and said "Give it to me!" to Inglan, Inglan would have had to hand it over quietly.
After all... Ian was the one who defeated the dragon.
He could claim ownership of the best items as much as he wanted.
Inglan, who had been acting as a treasure hunter(?), handed over the [Cloud of Lightning] with undisguised regret.
[Challenge: Worship the Sky!]
[Goal: Create the true Anor-lsil]
[Gather all the items below to draw out Anor-lsil's power.]
[1. Something containing the power of the sky] - Lacking
[2. Something containing the power of clouds] - Lacking
[3. Something containing the power of wind] - Fulfilled (Eye of the Wind)
[4. Something containing the power of stars] - Lacking
[5. Something containing the power of the sun] - Lacking
[6. Something containing the power of the moon] - Lacking
[When the true Anor-lsil is completed, the Worship the Sky! challenge will progress.]
The mystery of the sword whispered.
[Master! With this, we can infuse the power of clouds!]
[Leave it to us right away!]
Anor-lsil hummed and made a crying sound.
Seeing this, Eredith was startled.
"Ian. That sword seems like quite a treasure... It appears to be resonating with that item!"
Ian slowly brought the Cloud of Lightning close to Anor-lsil.
Suddenly, a vision unfolded in his mind.
... A mountain peak soaring unimaginably high.
Huge clusters of clouds floating around it.
A mountain goat with golden fur leaps freely through the sky, breaking through the clouds.
'Cloud of Lightning.'
Every time the mountain goat struck the air, terrifying lightning poured down around it.
A fantastical beast that brought thunder with it.
This was the owner of the [Cloud of Lightning].
'... But nothing lasts forever.'
The lightning goat lived its entire life on the spiritual mountain and died.
Though its life ended, the mystery of the mountain and clouds still considered the goat its friend.
The golden hide, [Cloud of Lightning], contained the power to communicate with the mystery of the spiritual mountain.
And by chance.
A small beast resembling a mammoth discovered the [Cloud of Lightning].
The beast absorbed the energy of the spiritual mountain through the Cloud of Lightning.
It grew into a massive and powerful beast.
Calling itself the [Mountain King].
At the same time, a status window popped up in front of Ian's eyes.
[Amazing Discovery!]
[You have witnessed and understood an ancient mystery!]
[The memory of one who was a friend to clouds and great mountains breathes new power into you!]
[Your air magic knowledge has grown!]
[LV UP!]
[Air Magic – LV 5]
[You are an excellent air wizard]
[Your earth magic knowledge has grown!]
[LV UP!]
[Earth Magic – LV 4]
[You are a fairly excellent earth wizard]
Ian understood why the northern Mountain King had died after losing the Cloud of Lightning.
This was an item that could be called the source of the Mountain King's power.
No wonder it went mad when Predius beat it up and took it away.
"The golden hide...?"
"No, Ian! What have you done?!"
Ian could hear Eredith and Inglan making a fuss.
He slowly opened his eyes.
The [Cloud of Lightning] had vanished without a trace, and instead, a status window appeared.
[Goal: Create the true Anor-lsil]
[Gather all the items below to draw out Anor-lsil's power.]
[2. Something containing the power of clouds] - Fulfilled (Cloud of Lightning)]
[You have infused the power of wind and clouds!]
[The power of wind and clouds obeys Anor-lsil!]
Bzzzzzzt!
Threatening electric currents sparked along Anor-lsil's blade.
'Oh.'
Ian turned Anor-lsil this way and that.
It always had a lighter(?) function.
Now... an electric fly swatter function had been added!
'A magic sword that wields the power of fire and electricity...'
Now it's starting to feel more like a fantasy magic item.
"Ian. That item is..."
Eredith looked at Anor-lsil with an expression mixed with curiosity and fear.
Even for a wizard, magical power can be frightening.
Uncontrollable magic is like a disaster after all.
Ian spoke as if to reassure Eredith.
"It's a sword made by the Fairy Queen of Talian."
"The Fairy Queen?"
"Yes. It seems the [Mystery of the Sky] wants to make this into a holy relic."
"..."
Eredith immediately understood Ian's words.
The [Mystery of the Sky], a divine being of the Heaven's Faith.
It's such a powerful mystery with many secrets that it probably can't contact humans through normal means.
It's preparing for indirect contact with Ian through Anor-lsil.
"Ian... Do the priests of Heaven's Faith know about this?"
Eredith was more worried than expectant.
Wizards know that the world is layered with 'mysteries' beyond human comprehension.
Earth and sky. Time. The universe. Even life and death...
None of these are easily understood by humans, which is why they're called mysteries.
But the priests of Heaven's Faith are different.
They believe that the sky is the only true god and the order of the universe.
If they acknowledge Ian's Anor-lsil, that would be fine, but...
If they don't, they might hold a [religious trial].
"They don't know. And I don't plan to tell them."
Ian was obviously keeping Anor-lsil's secret.
Others might just think it's a wizard's mysterious magic sword.
But in reality, he was progressing on a suspicious quest to complete the true Anor-lsil.
Ian intends to keep the secret until he completes the quest.
Though he could tell Eredith.
"... Be careful, Ian."
Eredith was genuinely worried about Ian.
Though Ian had already become an independent wizard, every time she saw him, she was reminded of the chubby-cheeked 10-year-old boy.
Adults don't easily forget a child's past, after all.
"Don't worry, Master."
Ian said this as he gathered the knights.
The investigation was over, so it was time to quickly get out.
"Did you gather all the valuable stuff?"
The knights smiled enigmatically.
The Knights of Santiago were a monastic order, and quite a few of them returned to secular life.
They build honor through monster hunting, then become secular knights for wealth!
Many knights liked this technique.
"We scraped up everything!"
"I hope the Sky God doesn't see my pockets! Hahaha!"
Though it was full of junk, it seems they managed to pick out the good stuff.
Ian was satisfied with the chest of gold coins and the Cloud of Lightning he got.
"Then... let's get out of here quick!"
Now that the dragon was dead, people would come to raid the lair.
The likely candidate was Count Edward, who owned the Golden Mountains.
The count must be grinning at the thought of raiding an ownerless lair.
If only he hadn't met that troublemaker Ian...!
The ultra-dimensional thief gang armed with spatial movement magic thoroughly scraped up the treasures from the dragon's lair, then moved through space once more.
Ian tore the spatial movement scroll without hesitation.
Thanks for the meal~
There was a flash before his eyes, and Ian returned to Talian.
---
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