Chapter 187 - Release

Gaelion: “Wouldn’t the ability to break through the level 100 cap be of appeal to you?”

Damn… I really hate it when people tempt me like this.

Even so, this guy… made such an uproar just a few hours ago, and is asking me to lend him help.

If the situation had gotten any worse, I, along with the three other heroes would have just been killed off and re-summoned. That’s what this world’s people are like.

In the first place, with what was previously my most combat capable party member, Firo, halved in level, do you really think I’d take you on?

My concessions are at stake here, so I’m listening.

If this is just a promise to make up for what he did, I’ll drive him out and dispose of him properly.

If anything, I want him to actually act like he understands.

Honestly, it’s true that the conditions for exchange he’s speaking are exactly what I want.

But, my instincts are telling me to refuse.

In the first place, he’s still not reflecting on the time he fought with Firo at all.

It’s that habit, the one where you make up whatever reason to get what you want. Have the Dragon Emperor’s fragments not had proper manners from the very beginning?

Naofumi: “You know, why have you just been treating me however you please? Do you really understand?”

Gaelion: “.....Ahh.”

As expected of the Dragon Emperor, quick to understand.

Well, maybe it’s because of how his feelings were synchronized with mine for a little while.

Gaelion: “I’m sorry. If you can overlook what happened, I’ll help you as much as I can.”

Naofumi: “Alright. Let’s hear what you have to say.”

Jeez, you should have just said that from the start.

Rato: “Huh? Count, is that all you wanted him to say?”

Sadina: “Naofumi-chan, you just wanted to be apologized to, huh.”

Naofumi: “Shut up.”

Ignoring Rato and Sadina, I look over at Gaelion.

Gaelion: “I can inform you about the truth behind the Wave, the reality behind the legend, as well as all other knowledge accumulated by the Dragon Emperor.”

Naofumi: “If that’s all you’ve got, I could just ask the Philorial Queen.”

Gaelion: “The Philorial Queen, you say? Why don’t you take a look at the next Queen herself.”

Naofumi: “Ah…”

I take a look at Firo, and it looks like she’s playing with her ahoge.

What is she doing?

Well, Firo’s an idiot after all.

The actual Queen might just be the same.

Firo: “Hmm~?”

Naofumi: “It’s no good.”

Firo wiggles her ahoge.

What’s up with that reaction?

Firo: “Well you see, I can hear Fitoria’s forgotten voice.”

Naofumi: “Is that an antenna, or what?”

The reason they fought with dragons was probably some silly reason like who would get the rights to be the hero’s mount.

In any case, is she even capable of talking to Fitoria through that idiotic ahoge of hers?

It’s probably something like telepathy.

I swear, the fact that anything’s possible in this world makes me feel sick.

Firo: “Well you see~, Firoria is saying that since she was little, she hasn’t understood much about the past.”

Gaelion: “….What do you think?”

Naofumi: “Yeah…”

That’s really fascinating, but Fitoria… you shouldn’t be so honest.

Firo and Gaelion start glaring at each other.

Gaelion: “Shouldn’t we be on better terms by now? The Shield Hero’s Shield will end up getting bottlenecked at this rate.”

Naofumi: “Huh?”

What? Could it be that the dragon series shield being locked is Fitoria’s doing?

In exchange for unlocking Philorial Series, the Dragon Series was sealed?

That huge bird… trying to pass off as royalty only to do something petty like this.

This would probably limit my ability quite a bit.

Just doing whatever she wants. Damn that bird.

Gaelion: “Most of my power comes from that core of mine, you know.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Naofumi: “Ah, that makes sense.”

With your level too low, you had no choice but to transform.

Is the dragon’s core the same level of importance as Fitoria’s ahoge?

If this was a game or something, it’d feel like you could only opt for one.

I’ve been thinking recently, but I really want to know if I’ve been living in reality, or just some game.

Firo: “If you’re going to take me on now, do it. Even Firo knows you’re the weakest of the dragon fragments. Ahahaha.”

Gaelion: “Gununu….”

I don’t understand the point of pets.

Somehow I can see things from an even lower perspective.

Gaelion: “Look. Take out your shield.”

Naofumi: “Ha… If you say so.”

Gaelion transfers some sort of energy into my shield.

It was as though the shield sparked for a second.

A part of the core was absorbed.

Dragon Leather Shield’s conditions have been met. Dragon Leather Shield has been unlocked.

Dragon Scale Shield’s conditions have been met. Dragon Scale Shield has been unlocked.

Dragon Meat Shield’s conditions have been met. Dragon Meat Shield has been unlocked.

Dragon Familiar Shield’s conditions have been met. Dragon Familiar Shield has been locked.

Naofumi: “Gu… This is it. Damn.”

Gaelion: “Even then it’s better than nothing, right?”

Firo: “Mu...!”

Firo and her ahoge look mortified.

Well, at least the stats make it worth it. As expected of the Dragon Series, huh.

And the stats scaling is pretty good.

The condition for unlocking is to be level 50.

Fitoria really screwed me over.

Oh? The Dragon Familiar Shield has Growth Correction Up for Dragons.

In other words, if I gathered the other fragments, we could raise Gaelion’s stats even further.

Gaelion: “After Class Up, I can do some support techniques. I’m also willing to teach you the Dragon Pulse.”

Let’s try looking at the ups and downs.

With Class Up, we’ll get stat correction…that ahoge had that kind of power huh.

I kind of understood but, the Dragon and Philorial’s attributes are pretty different. Something like darkness and light.

Gaelion: “I can also handle the corruption of your cursed shield. I should be able increase its performance and duration too.”

Help with the Wrath Shield… Firo did it too, but Gaelion will join in, huh.

If that happens, it might become easier to handle.

Naofumi: “I understand. I’ll help. In any case, we were planning on raising Gaelion as a dragon from the beginning.”

It’s better if I set it straight now.

It’s Taniko and the rest of the village’s job to take care of the dragon, not mine.

Naofumi: “Also.”

Gaelion: “What is it?”

Naofumi: “I’ve already been using your core in my armor. Compensate for its loss.”

Gaelion: “Ha… It can’t be helped.”

He handed me a red ball just like the time he gave Firo a candy ball.

Gaelion: “That ball is a part of my strength, and will borrow power from your armor. I’ll be able to strengthen yours further if you get more fragments too.”

Naofumi: “I see…”

This armor just became a lot more useful.

Firo’s ahoge is showing some sort of strange response.

Naofumi: “What is it, Firo?”

Firo: “Firo doesn’t know. But it’s trying to do something.”

Naofumi: “Wait, what do you mean by that?”

Gaelion: “It’s working together with my core to strengthen your armor further. I handed you a clone of mine, or so to speak.”

Rato: “Does this mean he’ll be strengthened by both?”

Naofumi: “Ah, if I recall right, Rato was studying weapons and the like used by monsters. In a way, it’s close to what monsters use for protection, huh?”

Gaelion: “It looks like you’re getting the idea. Fumu… now that I think about it, you do know about monster modification, right?”

Rato: “….What is it?”

Rato hates dragons, doesn’t she?

Although it seems to be because they supposedly have no honor.

It’s just because he mated with too many monsters in the past, huh?

The fact that dragons are beings with no honor isn’t something that’s been proven.

Naofumi: “Don’t lay a hand on Rato.”

Gaelion: “I wouldn’t do such a thing. But, if she wanted to, I wouldn’t mind playing with her for a bit. Claiming this place as my territory and mating with the monsters in the area doesn’t sound too bad.”

Rato: “No way!”

Gaelion: “Don’t say that. I’m greedy for strength, enough to take down that Firolial Queen.”

Rato: “No… you’re filth.”

Gaelion: “Fufu, I wonder how long you’ll last with that mentality. Is this the extent of your motivation for research?”

Rato glares at Gaelion with a somewhat bitter face.

What is up with this eroge-like development?

All of a sudden, I feel like driving out Gaelion now.

Naofumi: “If your daughter had heard this, she’d cry you know.”

Gaelion: “Gumu…”

Taniko’s completely against messing with monsters in research.

If her parent Gaelion is all for it, all her efforts would've been for nothing.

Gaelion: “The times are changing… is another way to put it.”

Naofumi: “What do you mean?”

Gaelion: “I’ve forgotten the true meaning behind the Wave itself. But, there is one thing I do remember.”

Naofumi: “What is it? Speak.”

Gaelion: “Well you see… Every time a Wave takes place, monsters around the world get stronger.”

Naofumi: “What?”

Stronger… somehow, what he said has a bad ring to it.

In other words, it’s similar to online games from my world where the strength of monsters would scale with the player population?

Naofumi: “Come to think of it, how do wild monsters Class Up?”

Gaelion: “Wild monsters work on a different system from humans. They draw power from the earth itself, which is where humans also get experience from. Hence why there’s a level cap.”

I’ve been told something I hadn’t known before.

Naofumi: “In the first place, is that knowledge like a fragment you should have?”

Gaelion: “From the beginning, I’ve been a wild dragon.”

Naofumi: “Well that’s only natural.”

Gaelion: “Of course. Like wild monsters, we also work on a different system.”

Naofumi: “How the hell do you know that!”

Gaelion: “I heard it from an offspring of mine.”

Naofumi: “…I see.”

As a parent, Gaelion really doesn’t care about anyone aside from Taniko.

Was the fact we worked on different systems supposed to be common sense?

Although, in Japan there’s no way I’d be able to talk with wild animals like this in the first place.

Naofumi: “I understand what you’re saying. Well, it’s not that I won’t consider it, but…if we get attacked by some dragon because of you, get out of here.”

Gaelion: “If it ever came down to that, I would fight. I need to protect what’s here, after all.”

Naofumi: “You should probably tell that to the Queen.”

If the Waves were to continue on like this, and the people of this world didn’t find a solution, they would die sooner rather than later.

Just like an RPG, the monsters around the demon king are stronger, while those in the beginner area are a lot weaker.

Gaelion: “Well then, I’m tired and going to sleep soon. Would that be all?”

Naofumi: “Well, I guess so. I guess next we’ll need to discipline your body’s actual owner, huh?”

Gaelion: “He’s reflecting plenty enough. Probably because of how he went against orders.”

Naofumi: “I see. If he shows results, I’ll believe that. Ding Dong Dash.”

Gaelion: “Gumu… Ha…. I understand. It can’t be helped.”

Like this, the conversation was over and I retired for the day.

Of course, Gaelion and Rato left.

For some reason, Sadina is sleeping in the same room though.

Firo is sticking to me without a shred of dignity.

Something will probably come out of this.