Chapter 455: Is It Big?
The morning after we devised our dismantling plan, people gathered at my house in Kanum.
“Thanks for the invitation,” Ash greeted, not exactly cheerful but a bit fidgety. Behind him, the Butler stared off into the distance.
The group I consulted with last night included Dinoss, Shiva, the Butler, and Ash. Today, the children were taking a break to play among themselves.
Tina and the others were heading toward becoming Adventurers, so they had a fair amount of free time. However, children in this world typically start working as soon as they can understand the concept. Their work hours are somewhat flexible, but a full day off is quite rare.
My friends mentioned that today was one of those rare days off, and they planned to play all day long. Choosing to spend time with friends over rare or delicious things feels nice.
I was a bit worried that Dinoss or Shiva wouldn’t be nearby, but they said they wouldn’t leave town, so it should be fine. Thanks to the traps set around the town, I should have enough time to rush over if needed.
“Looks like a big crowd, huh? I heard we’re dismantling a catch for a meat party…” Dinoss said, smiling next to Shiva.
His gaze passed over Dean and Chris, landing on Haulon.
“You got captured, huh…” Haulon slowly turned his face away.
“Hey! Watch your wording! That sounds ominous!”
“Hehe, I heard we’re heading to the Northern Lands today, so I dressed warmly, but I wonder if it’ll be cumbersome for the dismantling work? I brought a change of clothes, so I’ll be fine if I get dirty,” Shiva said, unusually wearing pants.
She held a large bag filled with supplies, which looked light enough to be her change of clothes.
“Wait, the Northern Lands!?” Dinoss looked over at Shiva in surprise.
“Thanks for the invite, Jean,” Shiva smiled.
Before inviting Dinoss, I made sure to explain everything to Shiva. It would be a hassle if she wasn’t prepared since we were definitely going to get dirty.
“Alright, let’s head out!”
“Wait, what…! It’s cold!”
With a swift 【Teleportation】, we arrived in the Northern Lands.
“I figured the low temperature would be perfect for dismantling the meat,” I said, avoiding the hot desert.
“Whoa! It’s vast! Is that black thing the sea?” Dean exclaimed, standing at the edge of the cliff, excitedly pointing at the distant black sea.
“This is my first time seeing Kokuzan up close…!” Chris was awestruck by the imposing sight of the mountain.
“What a refreshing view,” Ash remarked, also standing at the cliff’s edge.
The wind tousled Ash’s tied hair, and I felt a flutter of nervousness. Chris and Dean were heavy enough to be fine, but would I be okay?
“…”
Retze silently observed the surroundings, studying the ground with a serious expression.
We were above a valley near the sea, with Kokuzan looming nearby. The edges of both the Northern Lands and Kokuzan were likely fjords. There were many winding valleys, some even a bit far from the sea. I wondered if this area used to be covered in ice.
“I’ll ask you to alert me if anything strange comes by, so we should be fine on the lookout,” I said.
“Let’s not discuss what you’re asking for…” Haulon replied, looking drained since morning. Is he low on blood pressure?
I brought plenty of firewood for cooking and warmth. Considering the size of the Dragon, I took care to place it where it wouldn’t be in the way, pulling it out from 【Storage】.
Next to it, I laid out a sheet made from the Giant Lizard, creating a resting space—
“Even after bleeding it out, some blood will still flow. Avoid the lower areas.”
I hurriedly moved as Retze called out to me. Since Dean and Chris were peering over the cliff’s edge, I had instinctively brought it closer, but it was indeed a bit lower than the rest.
With a slight breeze, I secured the edges of the sheet with wedges, setting up a table and chairs on top. I laid down boards and placed a large fire stand and grill on top.
“…”
The Butler prepared the campfire.
“…”
Karn was wrapped up in the warm robe I had given him!
“We’ll first hang it in the valley to bleed it out, then proceed with the proper dismantling. I’ll be asking Retze and Haulon about the dismantling methods,” I explained. Afterward, Haulon joined in, and we debated the dismantling techniques I had documented alongside the structure of the Dragon.
“It’s my first time, so there are many things I won’t know until we open it up,” I added.
“Apparently, it varies quite a bit depending on the individual, so it can’t be helped,” Haulon said. “But this valley feels ominously deep. Did I misjudge the size…?”
Just when I thought Haulon was regaining his composure with his knowledge, he quickly fell back into a worried expression.
“Wait, is this not what I imagined for the meat dismantling? Was my imagination too vague?” Dinoss said, looking restless.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. I heard it’s delicious,” I reassured him.
“There’s definitely something wrong aside from it being delicious, right!?”
“Calm down, will you?” Shiva spoke up to Dinoss, who was getting too close to me.
“…Why are you laying out such hefty blades!?” Dinoss turned around to see Shiva smiling as she carefully unwrapped large blades that were more like knives than anything else on the Giant Lizard’s sheet.
“Maybe we should use the Spirit Sword instead?” she suggested, as she hooked a straight log across the cliff on the opposite side. A chain was tied in the middle of the log, with one end connected to my feet.
“For now, I’ll tie it up here and let it drop down. It’s dangerous, so step back—now, don’t let it out. This time, it’s black.”
The red one can wait for another time if we have time.
“Wait…!”
“…It’s big,” Dinoss and Haulon stared in shock.
“Whoa!! As expected of a Dragon!”
“It’s definitely bigger than any Demon Beast we’ve encountered before!” Dean and Chris, who had been looking around the cliff, hurried over with sparkling eyes.
“Seeing it in person makes me feel the limits of my imagination,” Retze remarked, gazing intently.
“There should be more species smaller than this one,” Karn said, looking unconvinced.
Haulon was next to him, holding his head in despair.
“It’s the difference in perception between those who have seen it and those who have longed for it through stories,” Retze compared the excited Dean and the others to Karn and Haulon.