Chapter 55

A Certain Female Swordsman and Calamity Plague Child Dragon (side Merutia)

After Lightly looking through the cave.

Cave has an interior clad in bricks, and has pots lined up in the back.

We were thinking of peeking into the pots, but we don’t have the leisure to do it.

There is a possibility that the host come back in here immediately.

I faced Yuno.

"Firstly, let's head back. There’s too many puzzling things. Staying here too long seems like a good recipe to invite disaster. ” (Merutia)

"Fu~ I’m glad, I can finally felt relief. Honestly, Yuno-chan felt more dead than alive when I was here~. Is it my intuition~, somehow it smells like poison in here~. .. .. . " (Yuno)

The moment Yuno said that, from the cave, the roar of a dragon that sounds like [Gaaaaa!] can be heard.

I immediately cover Yuno’s mouth, interrupting her words.

If we are caught by the dragon in such a narrow passage, I really don't want to know what will happen to us.

The roar of the dragon stops after a few seconds, I remove my hand from Yuno’s mouth.

". .. .. . It's impossible to leave right now. Let's wait until that dragon goes far away”

"Ha- hahi. .. .. . " [it means yes]

At that time, I heard a sound from inside the cave.

Yuno is quick, turning the glowing mushroom towards the sound.

"Kishii'!"

It calls while stretching its tongue, a big black lizard.

"Wha- what is this!" "Do not move!"

Benemu Princess Leche Ruta. (I’m starting to think that Benemu is Venom)

it is a D rank monster with the nickname of Poison Princess.

Although the strong venom is dangerous, it is said that the most frightening thing is their intelligence.

Fortunately, Benemu Princess Leche Ruta ran to the outside of the cave to avoid us.

What a relief.

Although it is not difficult to defeat it with two people, as there are not countermeasure for the poison, the both of us could have died.

It is one of the most dangerous monster in the D-rank.

"Seriously…. What is happening here"

I wanted to leave as soon as possible, but the dragon from a while ago may still be outside.

It is necessary to wait a little more.

"Merutia, look inside this pot, it seems like it contain spices. Though i’ve never seen this one before" (Yuno)

"Spice? Why in such a place like this. .. " (Merutia)

I look at the contents of the pot that Yuno peeked into, it was full of red powder.

Its aroma stimulates my nose, it makes me hungry.

Once, when I acted as a bodyguard for a merchant, I remember smelling the same scent.

"Don't tell me, Red gold dust!?" (Merutia)

"Eh, um, could it possibly be, Phi perries?" (Yuno)

The Phi perries was the plant that this kind of spice originated.

Merchants dried and crushed the Phi perries until it turned into [Red gold dust] where it got its name, and as it was rare, the price is extremely high.

In fact, there is a story that there are also nobles that have Phi perris as assets.

Due to the large increase in value depending on the state a country and its economy, it is commonly preferred by peddlers.

The unit price is high, but there is also many professional money lender that will lend under in order to carry out the peddling of Phi perris plants.

Though because of broken dreams, peddlers that hang themselves because of this is not few either. ..

The main problem is, that there is 3 pots full of this mentioned [Red gold dust] here.

"Yuno! Yuno chan this, let’s bring it back! Stuff as much as you can inside your bag. .. " (Merutia)

"S-stop it! We’ll get involved in some troublesome event!" (Merutia)

I finally saw the whole picture

Perhaps, this shrine is created by the villager. That part is correct.

Although it’s not good to build it in such a place, I have heard of a tradition where the build a sacred place in a dangerous place as a show of faith.

Was here also the same? Or maybe there’s not that many monsters here in the past? Its either one of that.

However, the one who live here now is probably just a band of thieves.

Because they attacked the peddlers to snatch the [Red gold dust], they are probably hiding here until the hea is cooled down a bit.

Though it is not possible to leave right now, it is necessary to report this to other adventurer.

Because there is this many [Red gold dust], the peddler should have employed reliable bodyguards too.

After plundering, to choose this forest full of dangerous monster, they could either be idiots or they are pretty confident in their strength.

Yuno and I alone cannot deal with this.

Although there doesn't seem to be any of there here now, when the band of thieves returns… I’m really worried about what might happen, my eyes instinctively run over to the exit of the cave.

In an instant I saw a huge, black tail.

The dragon that roared a while ago, is lying in wait for us outside of the cave.

I see Yuno remain silent.

Yuno looks at me with a cramped face too.

"That, that. .. .. . that tail. .. .. " (Yuno)

"No doubt. Although it is small, it’s the Calamity Plague Dragon. Apparently, It looks like combat is inevitable. " (Merutia)

"Eek! Ca- Calamity Plague Dragon, that's a pretty dangerous dragon! Why, Such a dragon in this forest… Yu-Yuna-chan hates dangerous fight you know!" (Yuno)

". .. .. . Calm down Yuno, if it is that size it should only be D-rank… supposedly" (Merutea)

I desperately rake up information about the Calamity Plague Dragon inside my head, and organize it.

For the calamity plague dragon, there’s not that many trusted record that remains.

The testament said that the survival rate is low for those who encounter it.

While they are some texts like short stories remaining from long ago I truly hoped that they were only exaggerated stories.

The man who saw it will sometime soon received some kind of illness, and suffered to death. There are also story that claims that they had a cruel hobby of imitating a human to hunt weak opponents, though how much of that is true to make it as a reference.

If all of that is true, the current situation means we’re doomed.

I can only felt despair at the current lack of information, but having some is still better than none.

"Don’t get impatient, wait until it appears from the other side. Yuno will begin with the preemptive strike will your full strength, create an opportunity. I will kill it at that time. " (Merutea)

Y-yes!" (Yuno)

Yuno throw away the glowing mushroom and grasped the hammer tight with both hands, while we head towards the exit while silencing my step.

I stepped diagonally backward, while holding my sword and sharpen my senses.

Yuno is trembling so much she is vibrating, and prepares the hammer beside her head.

Yuno has good intuition. The strength of the coming enemy, was probably why she felt like that.

Monster that had been watching from the entrance has finally show up.

It was a humanoid monster with a dark red stiff body.

The humanoid, however no eyes, no nose, and no ears.

It had a mouth large enough that extends to the cheeks, and is lined with a row of tightly packed sharp fangs.

The monster looks at its nail, and then laugh.

There is no doubt that this was the dragon from a little while ago.

Suddenly, I recalled the stories of the Plague Dragon.

Confronted with weaker people, would hunt it opponent for a long time, and that there are times when take on the appearance of a person.

Don’t tell me, those are all true?

If so, then the two of us were things that it was regarded as a lot weaker.

And probably we will be toyed with till we die.

We can not win. It impossible.

In the end we will be trampled, and brutally murdered.

I point the sword to my throat, as I want to commit suicide as it is.

In front of a monster, how many years had it been since the last time I felt such as this?

When I point the tip of the sword in my direction, the anxious face of Yuno enters my sight.

Right now, I'm in a position in which her life is also entrusted me.

When i remember that, somehow I managed to regain my spirit again.

"Do not hesitate, Yuno!" (Merutea)

When I scold her, Yuno re-grips the hammer that has been slipping from her hands.

"Y-YES!" (Yuno)

Yuno held the hammer, and then beats the monster in the stomach with the hammer.

"Bugaa'!"

Monster flew lightly though the air, but then fix its posture and lands safely.

I move one step forward, and held the sword up in the moonlight.

Though I use most of my remaining MP, saving it here may get myself killed.

"〖Lunar Lucent〗. " (Merutea)

Sword became coated with moonlight and create numerous spheres of light.

The light attack the monster, causing a small explosion.

It crashed into the monster's body, and flipped it up into the air.

As it is, i smash the monster’s abdomen and struck it the ground.

"Ga, Gaa. .. .. . "

We should be safe and no longer truly in its clutches.

But we can’t let our guard down yet.

Yuno raised her hammer trying to deal the finishing blow, but I send hand signal to her to restrain herself.

Soon plague dragon should reveal the its true form.

We were able to put up a good fight when using the initiative, but right now the Plague Dragon is imitating the appearance of human being and toying with us before he eats us.

If it returns to the dragon form, its movement speed and hardness of the scale will increase.

We need to run away before it can counterattack.

My eyes met with Yuno, and she nods, as we run towards the village.

I looked back on the way, but there was no sign that the monster is coming to chase us.