Chapter 136 - 136. The Kingdom of the Earth Dragon Clan and a Banquet
The space beyond the door could be described as a vast, V-shaped valley like a cavern—a hundred meters deep at least. Though dimly lit, the depths of the valley formed a vast underground lake, with flickering torchlight shimmering on the water's surface. Looking up, we realized how far beneath the surface we were. The sky was unseen. Dozens of stalactites hung from the ceiling, towering some dozens of meters above us. This place must have existed for centuries. Pathways were carved into the rocky faces in multiple layers, with wooden bridges spanning the gaps and suspended walkways extending along the cliffsides. Doors to what appeared to be homes lined these paths, burrowed into the earth like ant nests. Only a few lantern-like stones and torches set at intervals revealed their locations, dimly illuminating the residential pockets within the rock. We entered near the mid-level of this cavernous space.
"This is the capital of the Southern Earth Dragon Clan. About one hundred families live here."
We walked through the city led by Yannan, flanked by five warriors ahead and five behind—essentially under guard. Cecily had been silent this whole time, gripping her staff tightly with both hands. Was she looking for an opening to cast a spell and escape?
"Nervous?" I whispered.
"Of course. Considering…"
She bit back her words, realizing they’d likely be overheard. Even a hushed conversation would reach the ears of the Earth Dragons. "If things go south, we can call our shiny friend for help," I reassured her.
"Ah, your metallic buddy. But it’s dark here…"
Cecily’s shoulders relaxed slightly. She looked away, as if embarrassed. Had she been trying to protect me? I wanted to thank her but couldn’t find the words amidst the awkward silence. Her shoulders brushed against my arm—perhaps a silent return of my unspoken gratitude. "…I’m not confident we can carry Mash out of here if things escalate, so don’t call your friend for now," she muttered. Hearing that, I knew I had to protect her no matter what.
After a long walk, we reached a grandly ornamented door. Two guards bowed deeply at Yannan’s approach before opening it for her. "From here lies the royal palace," she announced.
Beyond the doors was a vast corridor—a mosaic floor, geometric patterns of tiles beneath our feet. The walls were inlaid with translucent stones, creating an opulent, artificial ambiance. Cecily gazed at these stones with great interest. Several doors lined both sides of the corridor, but we passed them, led to a grand entrance at the far end. "Our king awaits beyond this door," Yannan said, silencing my thoughts.
"Pardon?"
A sudden audience with the king? I hadn’t prepared myself. My clothes were covered in dirt from sliding down the tunnel and navigating the cavern. Before I could compose myself, the doors swung open. We were ushered into a grand hall supported by marble pillars. A crimson carpet extended from the entrance to a raised dais, upon which sat a portly man—a man wearing an amethyst cloak, a golden crown, and elaborate jewelry.
"I am Kusanad, King of the Southern Earth Dragon Clan."
His resonant voice echoed in the hall. A king straight out of a fantasy novel. Kusanad gestured, "Rise, travelers of the surface." We lifted our heads, following the lead of Yannan and the others.
"We mean no harm. Why do you seek to destroy our gateway to the surface?"
A man who stood before the throne spoke instead of the king—perhaps the chancellor? His words clarified the cause of the conflict: The Earth Dragons used earth dragons (a type of mob, not the "Earth Dragon King") to create access points to the surface. However, the site they chose happened to be Chairman’s farm. The farmhands fought the monsters each time they tried to emerge, delaying their plans indefinitely—a quest filler event from the game. Where were Hyatts and Erne during all this?
"Would it be possible to change the location of your gateway?" I asked.
The choleric-faced official evaded my question. "It is late, and you must be hungry. Let us prepare dinner for you. We will have resting areas prepared as well." A servant appeared, leading us to a dining hall. A younger man named Curia claimed to be the official who led the meeting. "With the king present, we could not speak freely. Let us exchange honest opinions." He sat near the king’s chair, near Yannan. Cecily and I faced them. The other attendants who had been at the earlier audience also joined. Metal goblets filled with beverages were placed before us. They glimmered under the torchlight. We raised our glasses in a toast. It tasted like sparkling wine, slightly too acidic but refreshing due to its fine bubbles. I could almost picture Fam tasting it with a serious face, critiquing its flavor profile. "It’s… fizzier than beer. How peculiar." Cecily tilted her head, puzzled by the carbonation.
"It is said to have been brought by otherworlders long ago, but it is now our signature drink," Curia said with a smile.
Had there been a winemaking enthusiast among the transferred migrants? Speaking of which, Aidan and Uta Akizuki, the ones who defeated the Demon King, were also known for brewing. Perhaps Uta was a wine lover too. If transferred people spread winemaking techniques, there would be countless varieties in this world by now. Maybe when Fam and Mizuki grew up, they could embark on a journey to sample them all. Curia swirled his glass contentedly. Bread, soup, salad, and roasted meat were served, but the most attention-grabbing dish was a mountain of wriggling, worm-like creatures piled in the center. They glistened—still alive, it seemed.
"…"
Cecily’s face turned pale. I steered clear of it too. Whatever their delicacy was, we stuck to the more familiar dishes. The sight of those worms made everything else taste metallic. "Couldn’t you choose a different location for your gateway?" I probed, reverting to my normal tone now that the king was gone.
"Our gateway requires fertile land—a plain," Curia replied. Caverns would indeed be difficult to excavate. Even if we managed, the roots would undermine the gateway. "North of here, far beyond the city of Heilong, lie vast plains. They were once our home, but then a monster known as the Earth Dragon King appeared."
"The Earth Dragon King?"
"Yes, nearly ten meters long."
Too big for my attacks to have any significant effect. Still, between regular earth dragons (mole), the magical earth dragon, the Earth Dragon King, and these Earth Dragon people and their own king… the terms were so confusing.
"We challenged the Earth Dragon King repeatedly but could not secure victory, and our kingdom was divided north and south, losing control over the plains and being forced into this corner of the world," the official said before taking a sip of soup.
"Has this city been here all along?" I asked.
Curia shook his head. "This place was originally a fortress at the southernmost edge of our kingdom. Now, it is the last city we have left. And just a few months ago, the gateway we had built to the north was destroyed by the Earth Dragon King’s assault."
"So that’s why you were building one there?"
He nodded. Beside him, Yannan gritted her teeth, her expression fraught with regret. Had she been part of that battle too?
"That is why we ask you for your help: please slay the Earth Dragon King," Curia said.
Cecily and I exchanged glances immediately.
"Are you kidding? You expect us to destroy something that collapsed a kingdom and that even the knights can’t win against? And in the ground, no less?" she shot back.
"Even if we can’t do it alone, you could summon more people from the surface if you need them. We can offer you minerals we’ve mined in return."
"Then why didn’t you just ask the nearby city for reinforcements before it came to this?"
Cecily pressed on.
"We asked the city of Heilong for help. But they refuse to aid any race but humans. They will not lend an ear to our troubles."
Curia shook his head. The Empire wouldn’t risk sending knights over something of no profit. Not to mention their strained relationship with the Demon Kingdom. Deploying troops to a border city prone to conflict wouldn’t be feasible. Which left them with the much more difficult task of finding help from the adventurer’s guild or healers—a losing battle against a ten-meter subterranean monster.
"Is there just one Earth Dragon King?"
Curia deferred to Yannan, who nodded. "Would defeating that one solve everything?"
Yannan’s nod indicated that she, having fought the beast, understood its threat. "I can defeat the Earth Dragon King," I murmured. Everyone stared. Yannan shot up from her seat. "Can you truly defeat an enemy you’ve never even seen?" she demanded.
"Yes, I have special skills. But I’d need an open space to fight it one on one."
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