Chapter 106
Nice to meet you.
And to those who know me, it’s been a while.
The fact that you hold in your hands a book I have written is a pinnacle of honor for me as an author.
However, I must confess that I’m not a wordsmith like a playwright, nor do I possess the poetic expression of a bard.
So, I shall stick to chronicling only the facts.
Now, let’s get to the point.
Today, I’m going to talk about an entity known as the “Dragon King Species.”
Firstly, what image do you all associate with the term “dragon”?
The strongest entity? A powerhouse? Or perhaps a symbol of disaster?
Well, that’s pretty accurate.
Dragons have always been feared as symbols of power throughout the ages.
Of course, there are some humans and monsters who can hunt them.
But they are few and far between.
In terms of basic specs, dragons are different from other creatures.
Longevity, immense magical power, formidable physical capabilities, and special magic.
While humans wield power through wisdom and collective strength, dragons wield theirs individually, turning the tide of battle and wreaking havoc.
And amongst them, the “Dragon King Species” is an entity that can be classified as exceptional.
As the name suggests, it is the pinnacle amongst dragons.
If we compare it to human society, it’s like royalty.
There are four types in total.
Four species, headed by the Earth Dragon, are referred to as the Dragon King Species.
The famous ones are probably the Earth Dragon and the Celestial Dragon.
These two have destroyed nations countless times throughout history.
Even a country child knows this.
Something like, “Bad children will get eaten by the Earth Dragon.”
As for the remaining two types, well, I’ll elaborate on them gradually.
After all, I will also have to discuss the matter of the Harshalud Holy Kingdom.
It’s a long story.
But don’t worry, I will explain everything properly.
Ah, I just realized I haven’t introduced myself yet.
How rude of me.
There might be readers who don’t know me.
I should properly introduce myself.
My name is Léna-Lloyd Reynolds.
I am one of the Three Great Noble Families of the Borhelic Kingdom, the current head of the Reynolds family, who governs “history.”
People often call me “the witch,” though.
Ah, despite my way of speaking, I assure you, I am indeed a woman.
Please, treat me kindly.
Well, that was quite the prelude, wasn’t it?
So, let’s talk about the existence known as the Dragon King Species.
Let’s see.
First, let’s talk about the Dragon King Species’ leader, the “Earth Dragon”.
From the Borhelic Kingdom’s Great Library Archive
Excerpt from the prologue of 『Description of the Dragon King Species』―――
Deep within Earth’s dungeon, in Earth’s bedchamber―――
A month has passed since that fierce battle against Fáfnir.
『Ahh… I thought I was gonna die…』
Even after a month, that’s still my sentiment.
I lay sprawled out in the shape of the letter ‘大’ on the bed in my dungeon room.
Although I say I’m sprawled out, my current form is that of a humanoid, a Lizardman.
It’s the form of the vessel golem I developed and used briefly during an outing.
For that reason, my usual bed feels strangely large.
This body is much smaller compared to my main body.
I roll around.
Ouch! I bumped my head against the wall.
The reason I’m using a vessel golem is because my main body is currently inside something like a cultivation tank in Elibel’s laboratory.
From an outsider’s perspective, it looked like a specimen soaked in formalin.
The cause of this was the intense battle against Fáfnir a month ago.
At that time, I used a double-edged sword: a combination of white powder and full body armament.
And now, due to the recoil, my body is pushed to the brink, uncertain if it can return to its original form from the full body armament state.
By the way, the vessel golem I’m currently using has undergone several improvements, and instead of transmitting my body’s movements, it houses only my consciousness.
It’d be troublesome if I thrash about in the cultivation tank.
My golem technology is advancing every day.
『But… thinking back, I really did something reckless, seriously.』
Just recalling those times makes me want to hold my head in despair.
How ridiculous I was at that time.
Rashly sacrificing my own lifespan to save others… that’s insane…
Despite having worked hard to ensure my own safety.
Moreover, looking back, I uttered some embarrassingly heroic lines here and there.
Ugh… It’s so embarrassing…
Well, I agree, I do have some responsibility for the incident with Tsumugi… A little? Just a bit? Well, maybe about 10%.
But the price I paid was too steep.
Scared of the recoil, I transferred my consciousness to the vessel golem before the drug wore off, and sealed my main body in the cultivation tank.
The moment the drug wore off, I was hit with an intense headache, hallucinations, dizziness, and nausea.
Thanks to that, I was in a coma for ten days.
It was dangerous.
Even so, thanks to the caregiving of Ann and others, and Elibel’s regenerative healing magic, I somehow managed to successfully transfer my consciousness to the vessel golem.
Elibel apparently used the data from when the drug wore off last time to assemble a new magic formula.
Our Sage is really reliable at times like this.
Well, all I have to do now is wait for my main body to return to normal, but that seems to be rather difficult.
I remember Elibel warning me, 「Listen, Earth. You absolutely must not go into full body armament! Absolutely not!」 as if she was foreshadowing something.
Well, it wasn’t foreshadowing, but she was serious because it was genuinely dangerous.
What would happen if my body couldn’t return to its original form…?
I hope I won’t be stuck in this vessel golem form forever…
No, no, I can’t let myself think like that.
My thoughts are veering into negative territory.
I need to do something to distract myself.
Even though I say that, I can’t really craft golems properly with this body, right?
I should probably stop gardening too.
With my current physical ability, I doubt I’d even be able to cut the branches of the trees in the underground forest I created.
This vessel golem.
Its physical capabilities, magical power, and senses are almost no different from those of a regular lizardman.
In such circumstances, what can I, in my current state, do…?
Ah, right.
Perhaps I should go fishing in the pond I’ve made in the Deep Forest.
Due to the effects of magical power, I can catch fish as massive as bluefin tuna.
Those fish are delicious.
Although with this body I have now, I can’t exactly eat…
Ah, I don’t need to eat or use the bathroom with this body.
My main body is being directly fed nutrients in the cultivation tank.
But, it is rather lonely without the joy of eating…
Ah, I’ve gotten off track.
Fishing, yes, fishing.
I should be able to do at least that.
Probably.
Alright, let’s do it.
Rather than falling into depression, let’s go fishing.
It’s refreshing.
I even have a fishing rod made from an ancient tree branch.
I should invite Tres and Pururu as well.
Fishing in the forest ＋ Tres ＋ Pururu ＝ the ultimate soothing effect.
There are few things as healing as this.
Fufufu.
Just as I was about to prepare for fishing, I received a thought transmission in my mind.
『Earth, can you come to the lab?』
Oh, a thought transmission from Elibel.
『Oh, Elibel. What’s up?』
『There’s something about your body I want to talk about. Can you come to the lab?』
Eh, but I was just about to go fishing… No, I shouldn’t think like that.
It’s about my important body.
I have to prioritize that.
『Understood. I’ll be there right away.』
To call me over so specifically, could it be they’ve found a way to fix it?
Goodbye, vessel golem.
Hello, my beloved body.
But, I hope she’s not going to tell me it’s impossible…
Ah, by the way, I wonder if the fusion with Fáfnir’s dungeon is progressing?
I should ask about that too.
With half anticipation and half anxiety, I pass through the teleportation gate and head for the lab.
A little clarification.
The Underground Lake of the Eld Desert.
The pond, or rather lake, where Earth planned to go fishing.
A vast lake that was created when Una brought water to the Great Underground Forest of the Eld Desert.
As usual, an ecosystem that doesn’t restrain itself has formed there.
The fish that can be caught are delicious. Taran is often seen dangling a line there.
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