Reincarnated Dragon Goes to the Academy!

Chapter 133 : Alita's Relic (3)

The chieftain, with sleep still crusting his eyes, looked at Lucas with a suspicious expression.

"The contractor of Eward Balda's friend? This scrawny-looking human?"

"That's right."

As Lucas held out his hand to show the crest, only then did the chieftain indifferently nod his head and stop scratching his belly.

"So what's the deal?"

At the chieftain's informal speech, Lucas also lowered his eyes and answered.

"I've come to find something."

"Huh? Something? What something."

"Alita's relic."

At Lucas's words, the chieftain paused the hand that was picking at the sleep in his eyes.

"Why are you looking for that here?"

"Because it's here."

"It's not here."

"Don't lie."

The two exchanged words without giving an inch.

"It's not a lie."

"I came here knowing it's here."

"Huh? It's not here."

"I said I know it's here."

Lucas took a breath to calm his rising blood pressure.

"So what if it is? You want it?"

"Yes."

"I'm not giving it to you."

Lucas was about to die from high blood pressure. The dwarf chieftain, who only came up to his waist, would be a champion if there was a teasing competition.

"If there is something you want, I will grant it."

It was a statement made while barely suppressing his rising anger.

"There isn't."

But the chieftain completely ignored it, picked his ear, and then blew on his finger.

"...In that case, I have no choice."

As Lucas raised one hand, the chieftain cowered, unlike his earlier bravado.

"Scaredy-cat."

"Y-you son of a b-!"

As Lucas smirked and taunted him, the chieftain's face turned red and blue.

"You should be scared now."

Dozens of ice spears that appeared behind Lucas's back aimed at the chieftain.

"Ah, alright! I get it!"

Only then did the chieftain raise both arms in a sign of surrender.

"You should have done that from the start."

As Lucas waved his raised hand and made all the ice spears disappear, the chieftain glared at him with bulging eyes.

"Hand it over."

"A mage? Well, I guess a dragon's contractor would be a mage."

"Alita's relic. Hand it over."

He didn't want to engage in any more troublesome arguments.

"No, wait, listen to me. What are you, a robber? Just saying 'hand it over' like that? You're not that kind of person, are you? Right?"

But the chieftain suddenly changed his attitude and began to act friendly towards Lucas.

"If it means I can end this situation quickly, I can be more than just a robber. So stop with the foolish tricks and hand it over."

"Hey! This person, really. I said listen to me."

The chieftain even began to act chummy by casually placing a hand on Lucas's waist.

"What are you doing?"

"This is definitely not a bad deal for you either. Huh? So just listen. Now, let's see. You came because you need Alita's relic, right? Right?"

"And?"

"We have exactly what you're looking for. But you see? I wonder if you remember what you said earlier? The part where you said you'd grant whatever was needed."

"That ship has already sailed. Didn't you already answer my question by saying you didn't have it?"

At Lucas's words, the chieftain made a few strange interjections like 'Ahem, hmph, hmph' and then continued.

"Ahem! Well, that's how it turned out, but? Isn't that how life is? Then how about this? Of course, we'll give you Alita's relic. Huh? And on top of that, how about we throw in a dwarf chieftain-made artifact?"

The chieftain poked Lucas in the side and raised and lowered his bushy eyebrows.

"And one more thing."

"Huh? One more? Just a chieftain-made artifact is already ama~zing."

He was right. The position of dwarf chieftain was chosen based solely on skill, so the artifacts he made would undoubtedly be the best among what the dwarves could create.

But Lucas had added one more condition to that.

'You must need something, so you're making me this offer.'

The fact that the prideful dwarf chieftain had backed down as soon as he saw his magic skills clearly meant that there was something he needed help with.

"You need a mage, don't you? If not that, then my contractor. So I'll have to get one more thing besides what you've offered."

"Tsk."

The chieftain, whose trick had been exposed, took his hand off Lucas's waist and returned to his defiant posture.

"So what? What do you want? No, what's good is good, huh? Right, it's true we need help! But we can just hire a mage! Don't you know we're rich?"

At that, Lucas silently summoned an ice spear.

-Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh.

"B-but! A mage with such good skills is rare, so I want to give you anything~ that's what I'm saying! Huh? Now, shall we go inside and talk slowly?"

At the chieftain's instantaneous change in attitude, Lucas let out a hollow laugh.

'How absurd. And why is everyone like this this time?'

In his past life, the Siren King and others were definitely not like this, but for some reason, everyone was in a bad state this time.

"So what is it that our human friend desires?"

"Fuse the items I bring."

"Hmm. Fusion? That's no different from making something completely new. In that case, why not just make it new?"

"They are not items that can be treated like that."

The dwarves' crafting skills were second to none. That, of course, included not only creating new things but also repairs and fusions.

"Hmm... as you may already know, I can't guarantee the result."

The chieftain stroked his beard once.

"I trust the dwarves' crafting skills more than anyone."

At that, the chieftain's expression brightened in an instant.

"Khahaha! If I had known you were a human who speaks my language, I would have handed over that Alita or Galita or whatever from the start!"

The chieftain, who was in a good mood from Lucas's compliment, shot up from his seat.

"What are you doing?! You said you wanted Alita's relic?!"

The chieftain led the way, his short, chubby legs moving diligently.

"Wait here for a moment."

Not long after, the chieftain entered a small building they had arrived at.

"Hey! Found it."

A few minutes later, the chieftain came out of the building with a small silver cup in his hand.

"But what are you looking for this for? You know this has no function, right?"

Lucas, who received it from the chieftain, nodded his head.

"I know. Since you kept your promise first, I'll listen to your request too."

"Ah! Right. Actually, you see..."

The chieftain hesitated and paused for a moment.

"...?"

"Aigoo... should I say this or not..."

At that, Lucas narrowed his brow and gestured with his hand to hurry up and speak.

"Ahem... actually, this is a matter of our race's survival... If you solve it, it's a huge gain for us. So we can do all the fusion and repairs you mentioned. Huh?"

Nevertheless, the chieftain kept beating around the bush and watched Lucas's expression.

"It's fine, so speak."

"Ahem... do you happen to know what a Manticore is?"

"I do."

Manticore. It was a large monster with the form of a lion.

Moreover, its tail was like that of a scorpion and possessed poison, and it even had wings, so its flight speed was also immense.

"A pair of them have entered our territory. Huh? They've set up shop in our mine and have made their love nest there!"

The chieftain stomped his feet even as he spoke.

"I was so, so surprised. Huh? Why did they have to set up shop in our mithril mine of all places! Of all the many caves, why our territory!"

"Hmm..."

As the chieftain said, this was a problem that could determine the survival of their race. A single Manticore was difficult to deal with, but with two, their forces were already no match.

But Lucas also felt a bit uneasy about just going and taking care of them.

'A pair of Manticores? Could it be...'

Just then, something came to Lucas's mind.

"It must be difficult for you too...? It's okay..."

The chieftain's sturdy shoulders drooped.

"I'll take care of it. But can you wait for a moment?"

"No... don't leave such hope and you can just go. It was an item we didn't need anyway..."

Lucas shook his head at the sullen chieftain.

"I'll be back."

-Flash!

As Lucas immediately left, the chieftain sighed as if he had expected it and kicked a stone rolling on the ground.

"Ehyu... mithril is important..."

***

"Aman."

The place Lucas had sought out was none other than Aman's office.

"Lord?"

For some reason, Aman was in his office doing work.

"Right. I have something I want to ask. By any chance, is the Manticore you used to raise back in the day still doing well?"

The uneasy feeling he had felt for some reason was this. Lucas knew that Aman had once taken in a Manticore and had raised it with great care.

"Ah... you mean my Bboppi?"

Aman's eyes drooped as he nodded his head.

"...Was its name Bboppi."

He was momentarily at a loss for words at the cute name that didn't suit a Manticore.

"No. He ran away from home..."

"He did?"

"Yes. Why do you ask? By any chance, is my Bboppi starving somewhere?!"

He was speechless. No, a Manticore starving?

This was in the same context as asking if a wyvern had been beaten by a goblin.

"In that case, there is something you need to confirm. They say two Manticores have started living in the dwarves' mine, and it's a huge headache. They asked me to take care of them..."

"Let's go right now!"

Aman shouted, hastily holding out his arm.

"...Alright."

-Flash!

Lucas, who grabbed Aman's arm, teleported.

"Huh? You really came back? No, this person is..."

The chieftain was still in the same spot, perhaps wanting to believe Lucas's words that he would return.

"You said there was a Manticore? Where is it?"

"L-Lord Dragon?"

"Right, I'm a dragon, so where is the Manticore!"

Aman, who was pressing the chieftain, was on the verge of his eyes flipping back.

"Th-there, inside the mithril mine you see over there..."

As soon as Aman confirmed the direction the chieftain's fingertip was pointing, he immediately teleported.

-Flash!

Lucas, who had come with him, sighed as he looked at Aman.

'No. What's a runaway Manticore that he's getting so excited.'

As they entered the cave, the colorful minerals embedded in the walls shone brilliantly.

-Grrr...

A low growl was heard from inside the cave.

"Bboppi?"

Hearing that, Aman's eyes became teary.

"What the hell."

Seeing him, Lucas finally let out a small curse.

-Grrr!

"Bboppi!!!"

Aman shouted loudly towards the inside.

At that, the sound of a Manticore cutting through the wind and approaching quickly was heard.

-Grrr! Grrr!!!

'It doesn't seem like Bboppi.'

The Manticore's cry was aggressive. Moreover, the sound of it rushing through the wind had the momentum to tear its enemy to shreds right away.

But Aman's eyes shone with anticipation as he looked inside the cave.

The Manticore revealed itself.

"It's not Bboppi..."

Aman's disappointed voice was heard.

[End of Chapter]