The task of subjugating the green dragon that Drya had requested was completed, and she, along with the tree nymphs, expressed their gratitude. I was also surprised when Leya, who had been antagonistic toward me due to her hatred for all dragons, also gave her thanks. This shifted her perception of me, and our retionship evolved into that of acquaintances. Although she still holds a grudge against dragons, she no longer feels the same toward me, since I had killed the dragon responsible for her family's death. While I hadn't sin the dragon specifically for her and she insisted on showing her gratitude. This marked a positive change in our retionship. I was also relieved to find that the other tree nymphs who had accompanied the subjugation no longer held any negative feelings toward me, and the tension with them was resolved.

  Drya willingly gave me the remains of the green dragon, stating that she had no use for it and found it wasteful to leave it behind. Despite her own role in weakening the dragon and making it easier to defeat, she insisted on handing it over to me as payment for killing it. I didn't refuse her insistence and accepted it willingly.

  As I had previously expined to them before the subjugation, the green dragon's remains are incredibly valuable. Its body can be used to craft powerful weapons, artifacts, or elixirs—essentially, it's a resource for many things. I decided to keep it for myself, and fortunately, as a magical being, a dragon's remains don't spoil as quickly as normal creatures—except for the meat, blood, and intestines, which will rot over time and become useless. So, I decided to eat the meat and intestines for myself, curious about the taste of dragon flesh.

  I wasn't sure if cannibalizing another dragon was common or acceptable, but my dragon instincts were urging me to try it, though the idea of eating it raw made me uncomfortable. I was relieved, however, that I was able to maintain my civilized nature and hold off on acting on that impulse for now.

  After finalizing the negotiation over the dragon's remains, Drya offered to help transport the dragon to my dwelling. I was grateful for her offer, as the tree nymphs' nature magic made it much easier for them to carry the massive remains, which would have been impossible for my warriors to manage. My warriors, feeling dejected, hadn't contributed much during the whole ordeal. Even after the green dragon had fallen, their only involvement was firing arrows created by the tree nymphs at the already-defeated dragon. It must have been frustrating for them to be part of a team effort but feel like they hadn't done anything significant to be proud of in the defeat of the dragon.

  Once we returned to my dwelling, I decided to hold a celebration. This time, I wasn't celebrating alone, and I was thankful for that, though I didn't show it to them, as I didn't want them to think of me as soft. I instructed my warriors to take some of my prized meat from my storage, and my servant assisted them in locating the preserved meat I had kept.

  I invited Drya to join, but she declined, expining:

  “We don’t eat meat, as our bodies can’t digest it, and we find it unappetizing. Sorry, my lord, but we must decline.”

  She had started calling me "my lord" since she wasn’t sure how to address me. We were allies, both leaders in our own right, and it left me a bit puzzled. Still, I chose not to dwell on it or correct her.

  She added, “We also need to return to spread word about the green dragon and our alliance. There's still the matter of preparing for the next steps in our agreement, my lord.”

  I didn't have much choice but to let them go. I thought a celebration was appropriate after accomplishing something great or avoiding disaster, but I couldn't bme them, as I didn’t have any edible pnts to offer. I gave them permission to return home, and they accepted graciously, thanking me for understanding their situation.

  So, I held the celebration with my servants and warriors. Although the meal was just salted meat, the celebration was still important. It gave us a chance to recognize our achievements, strengthen our bonds, and foster a sense of community and joy. This, in turn, boosted everyone’s morale and well-being. I expined this to them, and they all expressed their gratitude.

  We celebrated outside my dwelling, eating to our hearts' content. As for me, I needed the food to replenish my magical energy and help my wounds heal faster, so my portion was much rger than that of my servants.

  ?

  ?

  ?

  ?

  In a desote area of the Barren Land, a flock of wyverns had just ravaged the lizardman tribe’s settlement. The warriors, who had fought valiantly, were torn apart and devoured by the wyverns in a sudden and brutal attack. Their remains were scattered across the area.

  “How boring...” muttered an earth dragon, clearly unimpressed by the sight.

  “At least they put up a fight, unlike the orcs,” she added, speaking as if her actions were completely normal, or as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

  “By the way, I noticed that both the orc and lizardman tribes are heading west. That pce... it's where the old man told me not to go," she remarked, reminding herself that the area was off-limits according to someone’s warning.

  “Hmmm~ I wonder what’s there? Maybe something unexpected will happen? Kekeke, I think I should go after them,” she said, clearly entertained by her mischievous idea.

  “Gather up!!” she roared, and at her command, all the wyverns, who had been feasting on the lizardman remains, stopped and turned their attention to the earth dragon. As a variant dragon, she saw the wyverns as nothing more than tools to be used, not even worthy of being considered true descendants of dragons in the eyes of the supreme dragons.

  “Your prey has moved on to another pce. Go!! Chase them down!!” she ordered, and the wyverns, obedient to their commander, took to the sky in unison.

  Each wyvern, with wings extending from their arms, stood about 8 meters tall and were 4 meters length. They were small and slender compared to true dragons, barely more than pets to dragons. They had no choice but to obey the stronger dragons in order to survive.

  “Kekeke~ I hope something interesting happens,” the earth dragon ughed as she watched the wyverns follow her commands.