Chapter (283) I did not hear you mention it
In the end, the dwarves emptied five barrels of refined sake at the banquet. That was within my expected range but not only did they drink refined sake, but they also drank absinthe and lager as well so it was shocking.
I didn’t return to the tavern from the cemetery and instead borrowed a guest room in Doxco’s house and stayed a night.
The next morning.
I met up with the hung-over mercenaries.
The cargo was apparently stored in the warehouse so we had to travel there to collect it.
The warehouse — or rather, it was more like a huge freezer.
Doxco mentioned that they have refrigerators so I was just thinking perhaps they had refrigerated warehouses too.
“By any chance is this the cargo?”
“That’s right, amazing right?”
Interrupt-kun said with a smug grin. But I wasn’t that bothered by his smug grin because the cargo was certainly amazing.
“It is … incredible.”
It was a dragon frozen in ice.
Similar to the wyvern that traveled with Suzuki.
It was secured on a metal cart.
“I was shocked when I was told that this is a child.”
“I’m amazed that you carried it all the way up the mountain. There’s a maintained road but isn’t the slope quite steep?”
“We hired beasts with the greatest horsepower. We had to refreeze the dragon here so we didn’t have a choice.”
“Why is there a need to go out of your way to refreeze it?”
“Well of course, won’t it go on a rampage if it thaws?”
— Eh?
If I didn’t mishear it, he said that it would go on a rampage if it thaws?
I tried using my Presence Detection skill.
“You’re kidding, it’s alive!?”
Well, I froze the Emerald Turtle while it was alive as well but I didn’t expect it was possible to freeze a dragon alive as well.
“It’s not dead. There would be no meaning if it was dead.”
“No meaning if it was dead? Ah, perhaps it will be used as a live subject to experiment on reviving after freezing or placed in a zoo as an exhibit?”
” — Ichinojo-san, you’re mistaken. This will be offered to the Queen of the Mercenary Country of Goats Rocky (Gotsurokki) to the east for her to kill.”
Interrupt-kun explained but I was even more confused.
Transporting it all the way there just to let her kill it?
“You seem like you really don’t understand. Ichinojo, do you know who gets the experience points when a group without a party defeats a monster?”
“Ah, I know that.”
Last attack — In other words, the last person to attack and kill the monster collects all the experience points.
Eh! So that’s why.
“In other words, the dragon weakened to the point of death is offered to nobles for experience points.”
“Correct. Dragons have one of the highest experience points among monsters after all.”
“So you can raise your level that way. That’s ch … as expected of nobles.”
I wanted to say it was cheating but saying that would be lese majeste.
In fact, I have a mountain of cheating methods to level up as well. In the first place, my two divine blessings were the greatest cheat already so I don’t have any right to complain.
“So that’s why they went through the trouble to freeze and transport it. But why did you guys stop here?”
“The transport of this dragon was assigned to two groups, our party and a different party. Since it is an expensive good after all. The other group is a group of up-and-coming young adventurers and to be honest, their ability is far above ours. On one hand, they are reliable, on the other, I’m jealous of them.
Interrupt-kun said with frustration.
I see, I was wondering why a poorly balanced party with a Lumberjack and two Apprentice Swordsmen that definitely can’t be said to be strong could transport such an amazing cargo but so it wasn’t just them.
“They are truly great. Along the way, they even defeated Rock Golems with their swords and magic. And then, the journey went smoothly — we arrived in this village according to plan. That was when the issue occurred.”
I took a sharp intake of breath.
I couldn’t see the group of up-and-coming adventurers around us. I could only imagine the worst.
“Don’t tell me, they were all killed … ?”
“No, they’re not dead. But they are seriously ill.”
Should I say … it’s a relief that they aren’t dead?
But seriously ill, does it mean they are in no condition to continue as adventurers?
In that case, it might not be a relief to them.
“I actually still can’t believe it. I didn’t expect all the members to suffer acute alcohol toxicity until they lost consciousness.”
“They actually drank too much alcohol!? Ah, up-and-coming and a youthful group! Don’t force people who don’t know how to drink alcohol.”
“The dwarves tried to stop them when they were drinking too much but they threatened with violence if they didn’t bring alcohol out. In the end, they even drank the dwarves’ secret wine.”
“Won’t something like that pass after sleeping for a few days!?”
“What they drank was the dwarves’ secret wine, also known as the Dragon Killer. They can’t recover from it that easily.”
Veteran-san said.
Guys who are planning to transport a dragon alive shouldn’t be drinking something called the Dragon Killer.
“Furthermore, even if they regain consciousness, they will be faced with charges for drinking the dwarves’ secret wine without permission. They will be transported away as criminals.”
… I realized I was listening to the typical example of people ruining their entire lives from drinking too much alcohol.
I’ll remind myself that drinking too much alcohol can lead to poisoning.
“We did think of transporting it to Goats Rocky ourselves but there would be monsters and bandits on the way. The ice would melt if we took the safe route. It would be impossible to deliver to the Queen of Goats Rocky within the time limit if we request for new personnel from our requestor, Marquis Yutings. Brother showed up just as we were wondering what to do.”
“I understand the gist of it. By the way, how many days will it take if we travel to Goats Rocky according to plan?”
“Let me see, it should take around four days.”
“Four days …”
In that case, I should have plenty of time left to pick Haru and the others up.
If I traveled with them, I won’t be able to return to My World and I’ll have to worry about keeping the secret of my Jobless skill from them but we were traveling in the same direction after all.
“All right — but, I have two conditions.”
“Ah, go ahead.”
Middle-aged Lumberjack-san nodded.
“First, we won’t form a party. I act alone.”
“That’s not a problem. Or rather, there won’t be any towns with Adventurers Guild along the way to Goats Rocky. We won’t be able to form a party even if we wanted to.”
“Second, I don’t really like to stand-out. If you find out about the skills I possess, do not tell anybody, including Marquis Yutings. I don’t want to stand-out.”
“Those are the only conditions? What about the rewards and such?”
“I’m fine with having the same share as you guys will be getting — Ah, this is not a condition but I have a request.”
It was really late but I looked at the three of them and smiled wryly.
“Could you tell me your names?”