--Lurudona was kidnapped.

  By a guy named Schwartz from Demon Lord Mall Branch No. 2.

  "First, we need a plan,"

  I muttered, but my body wouldn't move.

  Unlike a hot-headed young protagonist, I couldn't just charge into enemy territory. My muscles screamed in protest, and my breath was ragged.

  I had no choice but to believe his words: 'I won't hurt her.'

  "Rest first, Master. I'll apply some accelerated healing," Igora said, his large stone hands glowing.

  The gentle golem began treating my bruises. The warmth of his mana seeped into my skin, slowly knitting my torn fibers back together.

  "Man, to think he'd actually retreat because of those creepy Haniwa statues," Igora added with a rare bite in his tone.

  "Art is a world understood only by those with vision," I replied, leaning back against a tree.

  The early summer breeze was far too pleasant for a rescue mission. Beside me, Scolly was acting strange—her face was bright red.

  "Scolly? Did you overexert your mana?"

  I asked out of concern, but in that very instant...

  The atmosphere froze. A crushing pressure, unlike anything I had ever felt in my life, descended upon the forest. It wasn't just heavy—it was as if the very oxygen had been replaced by something sharp and suffocating. The birds fell silent, and even the rustling leaves seemed to hold their breath as if the forest itself were trying to hide.

  "Well, well. Who's the squatter living in my house?"

  A girl with silver twin-tails stood there, dressed in a perfect maid outfit. Her eyes were sharp, harboring a depth of power that felt ancient and boundless. Just looking at her made my skin crawl with an instinctive warning of "danger."

  "That mana... it's impossible," Igora's voice trembled for the first time. "Silver hair, and that overwhelming presence... No way, could she be...?"

  "A witch...?! Wait, why the maid outfit?!" I stammered. The sheer terror radiating from Igora didn't match the girl's cute, frilly appearance at all.

  "It’s functional beauty. Well, mostly it's just my preference," she said with a shrug. Her gaze then fell on the parchment in my hand.

  "Hoh? A contract under the guarantee of the Code of Ur-Nammu? No wonder you can't run away. That’s a curse that freezes the heart of anyone who dares to violate it."

  She looked at me with a mix of pity and amusement. "I'm the original owner of this 'Witch's Hideout.' Since you're bound to this land by that ancient law, I guess you're stuck as my new neighbor. Or perhaps, my new subject?"

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  "Lurudona... my employee was taken by the Demon Lord Mall!" I pleaded, clutching the cursed contract.

  "Chill out, young man. Those guys collect 'rarities.' They won't scratch a single hair on her head—at least not until they've broken her spirit to 'display' her as a perfect product."

  She grinned, spinning her massive staff with boyish confidence. The air around her hummed with the vibration of high-level spells being pre-calculated in an instant.

  "A kidnapping during my homecoming? Boring. I'll lead this mission. Let’s go turn that shopping mall into a closing sale!"

  ***

  "I'll lead this mission," the witch declared. But then, she suddenly plopped down on a nearby stump, leaning her chin on her hand.

  "Actually, scratch that. Before I help, I want to see what you're made of, Young Man. Consider it an entrance exam for my 'neighborhood'."

  "What?! Now of all times?!" I cried. But before I could protest, a roar that seemed to tear the very sky apart echoed through the clearing.

  〈GOOOOAAAAARRRRRR!!〉

  From the rustling bushes, the "monster" emerged. I braced for a behemoth, but instead, a tiny, mountain-gold dragon—no bigger than a Chihuahua—hopped onto a rock. Its scales glittered like jewels, and its big, round eyes were watery and adorable.

  "Was it you...?" a voice spoke. It wasn't the squeaky chirp I expected. It was the deep, gravelly, thundering voice of a middle-aged man who had smoked for fifty years.

  "WAS IT YOU WHO DESTROYED MY FOREST, YOU BRATS?!"

  "Wait! Wait, Mr. Dragon! Just listen to me for one second!" I shouted, dropping to my knees and slamming my forehead against the dirt in one fluid motion.

  "What the—?! What are you doing, you weird human?" the tiny dragon barked in its thunderous voice, sounding more confused than angry.

  "This is 'Dogeza,' one of the Three Great Arts of my homeland—alongside 'Seppuku' and 'Omotenashi'!" I declared to the grass beneath my nose. "It is the ultimate technique of sincerity and negotiation!"

  "Three Great Arts? Pffft! Hahaha!" Hildegardie let out a sharp cackle from her stump. "The kid’s a natural-born con man. He’s calling a desperate plea an 'ultimate technique.' I love it."

  I ignored her and looked up slightly, pointing at the parchment in my hand. "Look at this! This is a contract guaranteed by the Code of Ur-Nammu. This mountain, and everything that breathes on it, was purchased by me for 100 billion gold. According to the ancient law, you are now part of my 'assets'!"

  The tiny dragon hopped closer, sniffing the contract with its small nose. Its adorable face contorted as it felt the crushing weight of the magical law. It was an absolute authority that even a dragon’s pride couldn't ignore.

  "Bought the mountain...?! Does that mean I was sold along with the dirt?!" the dragon growled, its deep voice vibrating in its tiny chest. "You mean... you're my 'Owner' now?"

  "Exactly! So stop the fire and let’s talk business," I said, slowly rising from my Dogeza, brushing the dirt off my forehead with a smug, yet shaky, grin.

  "Honestly... I’ve never seen a contract like this. To think I’d be purchased along with my own home," the tiny dragon grumbled, its deep voice vibrating through its golden scales.

  "I had no idea this forest was inhabited by a magnificent Dragon. But as they say, a contract is a contract," I replied, trying to sound as professional as possible while still dusting dirt off my knees.

  "I am NOT just a Dragon! I am a Forest Dragon! Do not lump me in with those common, fire-breathing brutes!"

  The tiny creature let out a thunderous roar, its fierce, middle-aged voice echoing through the trees. Wait, THAT'S what you're mad about? I thought.

  "My deepest apologies, Great Forest Dragon!"

  I shouted, slamming my head back into the dirt once more. My forehead was starting to get used to the impact.

  "Hmph. Well... fine. You're an interesting one. I’ll allow you to be my master for a while," the dragon huffed, its chest puffing out with pride. "I’ve just started living on my own and was beginning to get bored anyway. Compared to my thousands of years of life, playing around with you humans for a few decades might not be so bad."

  He’s surprisingly easy to win over... I thought, feeling a wave of relief wash over me.

  "I am honored beyond words!" I rose, but the dragon’s expression immediately turned grim.

  "However, I cannot forgive whoever defiled my forest. You said it wasn't you... so who was it?"

  "Uh, I think it was the manager of Demon Lord Mall Branch No. 3..." I admitted, the name of the culprit escaping my memory at the moment.

  "What?! You mean those lackeys of the Demon Lord did this?!"

  The tiny dragon’s eyes blazed with fury, and it let out a roar toward the sky that felt ten times larger than its body. It seemed this wasn't going to be a simple rescue mission anymore.