Chapter 9: VS. Flying Dragon Unit

I actually became more energetic thanks to the one hour of sleep.

I’m neither hungry nor sleepy, so you could say my condition is perfect as of now.

At the same time which I’ve recovered, the witch princess came to visit my house.

It wasn’t an auditory hallucination after all.

The robe that she was wearing was beat up and her breathing was rough.

Probably because she ate a trap full on, she seems pretty awkward and down on her luck.

「Oh, witch princess. I’m sorry for getting you caught up in all that.」

「N-no, it’s my fault for coming here without making a prior appointment. I’ll be careful to do so next time.」

「Is that so? Then it’s fine……actually, you haven’t been marking the surroundings around my house have you?」

Her lower half was completely soaked in liquid.

「Th-this is, when I fell into a small lake when I got blown away! It’ll be troublesome if you misunderstand!」

「Ahh, I see…」

As for me, I can’t remove the image in my head of the witch princess as someone who wets herself.

I myself, think that she’s done it once again.

「*sniffle*….Earth Vein Man. I am called Dianeia. Calling me witch princess is embarrassing so could you please stop.」

Even though you’re calling me Earth Vein Man, you don’t want to be called by anything except your name….what a luxurious woman.

Well, it’s also the fact that I haven’t bothered to introduce myself I guess.

「And, what have you come here for? You seem to have brought two bags with you.」

「It’s money. This is half of what we received for selling the dragon the last time—-it’s 3000 silver coins」

She plopped down one of the leather bags.

And inside there are silver coins packed tightly within.

「So this is the money of this land…」

「Ah, with this much you can play around for an entire year without working.」

Huh, that so? I don’t really understand because I’ve never used any of the money from this land.

In fact, ever since I’ve come here, I haven’t even gone down to a town!

I don’t even know where one is anyways.

「However, why did you expressly bring this over just for me?」

「Aa, you are the one who saved my life. And I told you that I’d repay this. Therefore, since you said I can visit, I came here to reduce my debt to you.」

I don’t need it! Wait….didn’t I say so before?

「You’re pretty conscientious, aren’t you?」

「That’s my only redeeming feature, that and magic is my specialty…..but that ended up being leaked away when I came to this place.」

The witch princess smiled wryly and sounded like she’d received a harsh punishment.

「Don’t go marking around here anymore ok? If you do it in the apple orchard some strange essence might gather and soak in ok?」

「I, I plucked up my courage to come here. So I won’t go leaking so easily!」

I see. If so, then that’s good.

If the princess’s essence got inside an apple, I might get a strange skill when I ate one. Please spare me from that.

「And, was this the only thing you came for?」

「Yes, that’s right.」

She just came here to bring the money.

I see. Then,

「Why are there flying dragons circling in the sky?」

「Eh?」

Look at the sky. There have been three dragons there the entire time.

Furthermore, they’ve clearly been looking over here.

『What should we do? Would it be alright for us to interfere? That’s the guy that the King said he wanted to fight right?』

『But, but only that guy’s magic is big. It was rumored that he’d eaten a dragon, so let’s go get ‘im! The woman with a lot of magic is delicious and that guy’s delicious too!』

『Well then, I’ll strike first, follow me guys!』

Like so, they cheerfully set up a plan to eat us. That’s disturbing ya’ know.

Or should I say, they’re already vigorously heading towards us.

「You, are you some kind of god of misfortune? Why’d you bring them with you?」

「I, I’m sorry. However, though I’m sorry, we’re about to get into a fight Earth Vein Man.」

Dianeia then took out her staff to intercept them.

「Flame Bullet Flame Blade!!」

She shoots a fireball into the sky.

But, the fireball was reflected off of the descending dragon’s scales.

「I-it repelled it without even defending itself!? Those are higher ranked dragons!??」

It’s not like it was before, this time she has plenty of magic remaining.

But they still repelled a full powered spell! These dragons’ endurance is decidedly strange.

And what’s more there are three of them.

「Even cooperating, a single witch company might not be able to win…..」

……but I can’t be complaining!

It’s because the fact is, we’re being attacked.

Emergency escape magic hasn’t been prepared beforehand.

Therefore, the only option left is to fight.

Dianeia brandishes her staff even more.

「I have no option but to use it here, my pride and strongest attack—– Burn and Scorch Flame Emperor’s Lance—Flame Lance!!」

What flew out was a thick red spear.

It let out heat and made a sizzling sound as it appeared.

「Haaaaaa!!」

And she threw it with all her might.

And just like that it hits a dragon’s shoulder.

「Guu!!」

*Tssssss* and a sound like meat being burned came out, the lance was burning the dragon but,

「Guraaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!」

That was all. One part of its shoulder was blown off and just like that it continued to come down.

「Ah……..」

When she saw that, Dianeia fell to her knees.

She realized, ‘I can’t beat these guys’

「Aa…..this is a high dragon’s power huh……」

The witch princess muttered as she sat on the ground, and

「Uu…….」

Losing all the power in her body, a puddle appeared beneath her legs.

「Ah—!!」

Again! You did it again!!!

「Hey you. What did I say about the marking?」

「Ah…….I am so sorry……」

If the apples get some kind of weird skill then what are you going to do?

I don’t want a situation where I get a “Miss” with the apple gacha!

「Guraaaaaaaaa!!」

What’s more, the dragons are vigorously dropping down from the sky.

「Hey! Fire another! Drive them away!」

This is your fault in the first place, don’t go around causing me problems!

I say that and lend Dianeia my shoulder to support her body.

「Uuu…..even though it’s already impossible….」

「Even if it’s impossible do it anyway. It’s too early to give up before you try. If you don’t I’ll spank your butt.」

I said and gave her a nice smack.

It let out a good smacking sound.

「Hiyaaa! I, I get it, I’ll fire it! Fl-flame Blade!」

Tearfully she weakly invoked the magic and used it. Then,

VOOOOMMM!!!

A laser shot out of Dianeia’s staff.

Actually it’s pretty thick too.

「Gue?」

When it hit a dragon, it was burnt to a crisp.

「Gi, GIAAAAAA!!!」

The instant they saw one of their companions burnt black, the other ones immediately started to run away.

「*Tsk* what’s up Dianeia…if you had this kind of power then use it right from the start.」

I complain and lower the witch princess from the support of my shoulder, she seemed bewildered and was shaking uncontrollably.

「Eh?….wh-what the hell was that?…..what’s with that abnormal power?」

What the heck is this witch princess saying? Maybe she’s confused….

「Of…of course I’m confused! That was something I’ve only seen in books, Legendary Class magic! I can’t handle it with my magic power and I don’t even know that kind of magic in the first place!」

「Then, why could you use it?」

「J-just then it was most likely—-your magic 『adding on』 to mine」

Dianeia looked between her hand and my face in blank astonishment.

Her legs shook as she tried to stand, but in the end she couldn’t.

「wh-what the heck is with that power? All my spare energy has been completely spent……why do you look so calm when so much power has been used?」

「Who knows?」

But adding huh…..

There’s a phenomenon like that.

Well, now that I think of it, the guys who were aiming for my house’s magic might have been aiming for this kind of effect.

「Actually, it doesn’t really matter why they’re hostile to me anyways.」

I’ll continue to wield my power as I please to defend my home.

「………y-you, really, what are you?」

「Right now I’m just a guy who guards the house (NEET). At least for now.」

Nothing more and nothing less.

「and so Dianeia. Take away that dragon like usual.」

「Eh?」

「I don’t want to have to dispose of that crispy dragon myself. If you leave it here……I’ll get angry you know?」

「I, I get it. I understand! I will deal with it!」

It’s good as long as you understand.

「Well then, right now it’s my snack time. Dianeia you can head back any time you’d like.」

「O-ok I got it! I will once again return this debt!」

「That’s fine but, you don’t have to return with dragons ok?」

And just like that, my relationship with the witch princess was, just a little bit, strengthened.