Hunter’s Nest, Near Dragon’s Valley
After a two-day dash from Kentu, we finally arrived at Seigel’s hometown, Hunter’s Nest. The rocky terrain, likely due to its proximity to the barren Dragon’s Valley, made it difficult to walk. Despite the harsh landscape, numerous wooden single-story houses lined the streets of Hunter’s Nest. This town serves as a base for Dragon Hunters entering Dragon’s Valley. It may look shabby, but it has all the necessary facilities. I can’t believe such a large town was built just for Dragon’s Valley.
“Dragons aren’t suitable for eating, but their scales and fangs sell like hotcakes. Depending on the item, a single scale can fetch enough to live comfortably for a lifetime. With your skills, you could make a living solely from hunting dragons.”
I hesitated for a moment, but I’m not living for the sake of money. Of course, I need money to survive, but as long as I can live modestly with Roel, that’s enough for me right now. Plus, since becoming A-Rank, I’ve been receiving various support, so I’m not struggling financially at all.
“Dragons are among the strongest monsters out there. They’re perfect for a self-assured adventurer looking to test their skills. Most of them, however, never come out of Dragon’s Valley again.”
“T-most of them…?”
“Depending on the type, even young dragons can be formidable opponents. Normally, dungeons of this level would be managed by the country, but Kashiram has deliberately abandoned that responsibility. Why? Because allowing adventurers to explore freely might lead to someone bringing back treasure. Whether they die or end up permanently incapacitated, it’s all on them. It’s the opposite of Avangarde, which pours its heart and soul into training and managing adventurers.”
Unlike the Kingdom of Avangarde, everyone passing by here is armed. They are all Dragon Hunters or Adventurers. I wonder if they all came here for a shot at riches or to test their skills. The entire town feels tense. Even the person with a scar on his cheek and the armored woman walked quickly, as if they had just bitten into something bitter.
“Be careful. If you accidentally bump shoulders with someone, they’ll draw their weapons in an instant. They’re all focused on conquering this dungeon. So don’t go causing trouble and getting yourself hurt.”
“Lua-chan, be careful, okay?”
“You’re not worried about me, huh…?”
What a way to treat me. Those words are definitely not something you say to an ordinary girl. I can be patient too, and I certainly don’t cause trouble. It’s rude to talk to me like I’m some kind of troublemaker.
“Hey, Seigel! Is that you? Back already?”
“Jag-san, it’s been a while.”
I turned to see a bald man waving at us. He must be a Dragon Hunter or Adventurer too, but unlike the others, he was lightly dressed and didn’t carry any conspicuous weapons. He flashed a bright smile, giving off a refreshing impression. Seigel was using polite language, but I wondered what kind of person this was.
“Who are those two?”
“They’re junior adventurers. They said they had business in Dragon’s Valley.”
“Wait, those two? I can understand you, a seasoned fighter specialized in dragon combat, but…”
“Don’t worry. They’re much stronger than me.”
“Haha, is that so?”
He probably didn’t take it seriously.
“By the way, have you found the dragon that killed Kirius?”
“No, no leads. If only I had the strength back then…”
“It’s been nine years since then… Kirius was the one who put an end to that battle. Well, there’s no point in regretting it now. You should visit Kirius’s grave today.”
“Yes, I will.”
“I have some errands to run. You can enter Dragon’s Valley, but don’t do anything reckless. I heard a Flare Dragon appeared near the entrance yesterday, and several parties were wiped out.”
Without turning around, Jag waved and disappeared deeper into the town.
“Who is that Jag guy?”
“He often teamed up with my dad. He’s a skilled Dragon Hunter, and I was well taken care of by him.”
“So you have male acquaintances too, Seigel?”
“What do you mean by that?”
I teased Seigel a bit, but I was half-serious. Back in the Kingdom of Avangarde, he was always surrounded by women.
“Ugh…”
I glanced at Roel, who had her hand on her head, looking pained. Was she feeling unwell? She eventually crouched down.
“Roel, does your head hurt?”
“Just looking around made my head start hurting…”
“Let’s find an inn. It may be shabby compared to Avangarde, but you need to rest.”
“Okay…”
Hunter’s Nest, Inn: Dragon’s Belly
The simple room had two beds, and that was it. With brown wooden floors, walls, and ceilings, it felt more like a hut than an inn. What caught my attention more than the room was the inn’s name. It sounded like something had been eaten.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay now; it seems it was just temporary.”
“Maybe this place triggered some memories.”
“I don’t know, I felt fine at first, but then suddenly felt unwell.”
“I’m sorry, Roel…”
“Why are you apologizing, Lua-chan? You came all this way for me, so I’ll do my best, okay?”
She seems to be feeling much better now. Roel made fists with both hands, showing her determination. But if, in the future, Roel suffers because of her memories, it might be better for us to leave this place. If my desire to help her ends up causing her pain, that would be even worse.
“Seigel, I want to enter Dragon’s Valley tomorrow. There might be some clues.”
“…Understood. As I mentioned earlier, there are no particular restrictions, so you can enter smoothly. But are you sure? There are some memories that are better left sealed away…”
“I’m sure! I’ve made up my mind!”
“I see, then that’s fine. But don’t go too deep. You might provoke the Dragon God.”
“Dragon God? What’s that?”
“The ruler of Dragon’s Valley, said to be the embodiment of a Divine Being. With a single breath, it can turn the continent to ash, and with two, it can evaporate the seas. There are records that say this area became like this because humans provoked the Dragon God long ago. Some laugh it off as superstition, but I’m convinced of its existence.”
Seigel bit his lower lip slightly. Just that small gesture made me realize that what he was about to say wouldn’t be something amusing.
“Once, my dad said he saw it when he was young. While wandering through Dragon’s Valley, battered and bruised, he saw it from the darkness of night. Its massive body blended seamlessly with the rocky mountains. He was so paralyzed that just its gaze felt like it could make him lose consciousness. He couldn’t remember how he escaped. He always said that true fear can kill a person, and I still remember the fear in his eyes.”
Because these were words from Seigel’s trusted father, I understood why he spoke so seriously. Seigel usually has a playful demeanor, but when he’s serious, he’s incredibly earnest. That’s why we can feel safe being around him.
“Among the people in Hunter’s Nest, there are many who are desperately searching for the Dragon God. After seeing my dad back then, I understood well that there are things in this world you should never meddle with. But at least you two have no business with such things, right?”
“Yeah, we didn’t come to hunt dragons or anything…”
“…Does that sound like you could hunt them if you wanted to?”
Just a misunderstanding. Regardless, I don’t know what I can do, but I want to support Roel as much as I can. Even if those memories aren’t good for her, I’ll be there to support her. Roel, we’ll always be together.
???
“You’ve healed quite a bit.”
A tall man with black hair, slightly older than my father, carried a large sword on his back. I was laid on straw, unable to move anything but my head. Every time I tried to move, pain shot through my body.
“Want to eat?”
I could only nod. The man brought food close to my mouth and fed me. I kept eating, and he kept bringing me more. No matter how much I ate, I still felt hungry.
“Still, for a kid like you… it must have been scary. But you’re okay now. I’ll protect you.”
The man sat on a wooden chair, talking to me. I could only nod in response. He kept smiling, reassuring me. He brought me all sorts of medicinal herbs and food that were good for healing. Why is he being so kind to me? After such a frightening experience, I felt so calm.
“Well, I have to go now. I’ll come back tomorrow.”
When Uncle stood up from his chair, the door swung open with a loud creak that made me think it might break.
“What is this…?”
“…Have I been found out?”
“What does this mean?”
“Can you listen to me for a moment?”
“…Okay.”
Uncle began to speak gently to the person who entered through the door, trying to calm them down. That person, in turn, started treating me kindly as well. They brought me food and patted my head. They shared stories about their first errand, confessing to their crush, and battles against monsters.
Even though the content of the stories was nothing special, I couldn’t help but smile. The person seemed to enjoy my reaction and sometimes stayed with me all day long.
“I hope your injuries heal soon.”
I was happy. Uncle and that person were everything to me. No matter how much time passed, I wanted to stay like this forever.
I wanted to stay like this.
“Gu, cough…!”
Uncle’s blood spread rapidly. He reached out toward me, his mouth moving as if trying to say something. I looked down at him, blood pooling beneath his hand.
And then, Uncle stopped moving.
◆ Hunter’s Nest, Inn: Dragon’s Belly ◆
“Good morning, Roel.”
“…Morning.”
Her greeting was more like a sigh than a proper response, as if she was already exhausted despite just waking up. She propped herself up in bed but made no move to get up.
“Did you have another scary dream, Roel?”
“…I don’t know, I can’t remember.”
“Are you taking the day off?”
“That’s fine, let’s go.”
Roel finally got out of bed and began to change. She struggled to get her arms into her robe, trying multiple times, which was quite concerning. She really didn’t seem to have much energy.
It was clear she had a nightmare, but I had never seen Roel like this before. Her eyes were vacant, and there was no vitality in her expression. Seeing her like this made me start to regret coming here. Even without saying anything, it was obvious she was in pain. Deep down, she must be haunted by painful memories.
“What’s wrong, Lua-chan? You need to hurry and get dressed. Seigel is waiting outside.”
Roel stood at the door, her earlier demeanor completely forgotten, looking as if nothing had happened.
◆ Near the Entrance of Dragon’s Valley ◆
The entrance to Dragon’s Valley was lined with gray rocks, creating steep cliffs on either side. As we walked through the narrow path, it seemed hard to believe this place had a Danger Level of 100. The desolation made it hard to grasp its true magnitude.
“Dragon’s Valley is vast. Even if you don’t get killed by a dragon, many have perished in the natural labyrinth. I wouldn’t recommend going too deep.”
“Then we’ll go just far enough to avoid getting lost.”
The three of us began to walk in silence. This valley was completely devoid of vegetation. I wondered how the dragons managed to survive here.
“It’s quiet. Even around here, you usually encounter lower-level dragons…”
“Roel, how about you? Can you remember anything?”
“…That way.”
“That way?”
Roel moved away from us, heading toward the right path at the fork. Despite the uneven ground made of stacked stones, her steps were surprisingly light, as if she had been here before.
“Roel, don’t wander off!”
“Sorry, but something about this place…”
“Incoming breath attack!”
“We won’t make it in time!”
Voices echoed from a small path hidden behind the rocks. I didn’t need to see what was happening to understand. Though the people were hidden, I could see the head of a dragon protruding from the rocky wall.
A dragon with a long neck, reminiscent of a Poison Salamander, was battling someone. From the sounds, it seemed we needed to hurry.
【Flare Dragon has appeared! HP 10200】
Its entire body was a blood-red hue, and it had an elongated form. What I thought was its neck turned out to be its entire body. It coiled like a serpent. The dragon hunters facing it were clearly in a dire situation. Their spear tips were chipped, their armor melted by the dragon’s breath, yet they stood their ground.
“F-Flare Dragon?! Why is something like that here at the entrance…? This is bad. Even I would struggle.”
“It’s obvious it’s bad just by looking at it…”
“I hear its scales have excellent fire resistance, and its market price is around 700,000 gold. But if you mess up the handling, you’ll be showered in blood hotter than flames and die instantly.”
“That doesn’t matter right now! …Wait, Roel?!”
Once again, Roel staggered toward the confrontation between the Flare Dragon and the group of dragon hunters. The dragon was in a position to easily bite her head off. The hunters were so stunned they couldn’t even make a sound.
“…Get back!”
“Roel, no! Over here!”
“Run awayyyyyyyyy!”
Roel’s sudden scream echoed. Even the Flare Dragon seemed momentarily taken aback. The dragon pulled its head back slightly, and the hunters, who should have been holding onto their lifelines, stumbled over the stones at their feet.
In that instant, I saw the light from that time. When we encountered the Ghost Ship on our way to the Wizard Kingdom. The gentle, soft light that purified the spirits.
It wasn’t a light that enveloped everything; it emanated from Roel’s back. Two beams of light shot out like pillars, gradually spreading out like a fan.
“Hey, Lua… look at that.”
Seigel was the only one to speak in that moment. Without needing to be told, everyone was captivated by it. Roel’s light.
It was unmistakably—