Chapter 6 Defeating Ancient Dragons In One Blow
I, Leaf Chemist, decided to leave my hometown after being betrayed by my fiancée.
After receiving a farewell gift from the kind granny in the village who had always treated me well...
Together with the young lady, Priscilla Fahn Graham, the daughter of Duke Graham, I set out for the capital city.
Priscilla's carriage was smoothly heading south.
This forest... Abyss Wood.
It stretches across the demonic village of Dead End where I lived and the neighboring Votslak territory.
Once we pass through here, we'll arrive at the capital city by continuing further south.
I decided to head towards the capital city first, where this young lady's family resides, riding in the carriage.
"......"
Priscilla sits quietly with her head down. From her troubled expression, it's clear that the situation is dire.
The reason she came to this northernmost village is one: her loved one is afflicted by an illness.
I've been entrusted with the important task of treating her loved one.
The responsibility is huge. I have to do my best.
"By the way, Leaf, sama..."
Lilith, the female swordsman guarding us, timidly asks me.
Maybe she's using 'um' and addressing me as 'sama' because she thinks my position is higher than hers.
After all, I'm the guest of her master.
"You don't have to call me 'sama.'"
"I-I see... Well then, Leaf, can I ask you something?"
Why is she starting a conversation in this atmosphere?
I thought. But maybe she's trying to be considerate in her own way.
In this tense situation where Priscilla's loved one is in trouble, there's a heavy atmosphere inside the carriage.
I figured if we stayed silent like this, both the master and I would get tired.
So she took the initiative to bring up a topic.
Despite her rough appearance, she's a thoughtful kid.
"What's up?"
"Hey, why are there hardly any monsters in this forest... Abyss Wood?"
Hardly any?
"No, they're there. They just don't come close."
"Huh? What do you mean? I heard that this Abyss Wood is full of vicious monsters and that people can't even go near it... But we didn't get attacked by any monsters until we got near our destination."
Oh, I see...
There must have been some flaw in the repellent.
"Monsters are there. But I used [this] to keep them away."
I pull out a small bag from my magic bag (a bag that can hold an infinite amount of stuff regardless of its size) and hand it to Lilith.
"What's this?"
"It's a scent bag."
"Scent bag?"
"Yeah. It's filled with herbs that give off a smell that monsters hate. It's called 'Magic Monster Repellent'."
"So, you mean, because of this bag, the monsters in the Abyss Wood didn't come near us?"
"Well, yeah."
This smell bag I learned about from my master.
That person tied smell bags to the trees in the forest to avoid causing unnecessary burden to the elders in the village.
In the past, the elders used to go out and exterminate the monsters in the Abyssal Forest, but my master thought it would be too hard.
So, after Asclepius passed away, I started making and tying smell bags.
"I see... So that's why no monsters come near..."
"Well, it's not perfect. It can keep away some moderately strong monsters though."
"But still... it's amazing... Huh? Then wouldn't it be bad if you were gone? Because the Magic Monster Repellent would be gone..."
Indeed, if the monster-repelling effect disappeared, the forest monsters might start attacking.
But...
"The village will be fine."
"Why is that?"
"That village has many strong elders, and ordinary monsters are afraid and won't come close... That's what Granny Merlin said."
Earlier, when I received a farewell gift, I was given some advice.
The monsters aren't dumb, so they probably won't come near the village. Dead End Village should be safe.
Of course, there might be some foolish monsters, but no matter who comes, that village has many amazing people.
So, Granny Merlin said they don't need any Monster Repellent.
"If the great sage Merlin-sama is indeed there, the village won't be attacked... right? Huh? Oh... the village can definitely defend itself, but wasn't there another territory facing the village?"
"Oh, yeah, the Votslak territory..."
Indeed, that place also faces the Abyss Forest.
If there are strong people like Granny there, the forest monsters won't come.
But, there are no villagers there.
"If the Monster Repellent runs out, won't the monsters attack?"
"Maybe. Well, it doesn't matter. The lord of that territory will handle it somehow."
In Votslak Territory, it's ruled by foolish nobles who took women from me.
Why should I even bother worrying about someone like that?
Dealing with monsters is the lord's job.
That idiot Orokan should handle it somehow.
Actually, there wasn't even a duty to ward off monsters up to that territory in the first place, but incense spreads over a wide area, so it was just a side effect of protection.
"Well, yes. Defending the territory is indeed the lord's job."
Priscilla finally joined the conversation... and then it happened.
The carriage suddenly stopped.
"What happened!?"
Lilith immediately got off the carriage and asked the guards who were leading the way.
"Uh... um..."
"Uh, aah..."
"W-what..."
Their voices from outside sounded filled with fear. If the incense doesn't work on them, there's a high possibility that troublesome monsters are around.
"Priscilla, stay inside."
"L-Leaf-sama...?"
"I'm going to support Lilith. I'm fairly skilled, so I'll manage."
In this abyss wood, I learned survival and combat techniques from Master Asclepius.
So, I have some combat knowledge.
"Good luck...!"
"Yeah."
I get off the carriage and face 'it'.
'Hahaha! Puny humans! You'll make fine prey for the Dragon King!'
There stood a huge... [lizard].
Wait, it it the boss lizard?
But the guards are collapsing right there, foaming at the mouth.
Huh? Why?
Even Lilith, her face pale, collapses to the ground like a little child, trembling.
"What's wrong, Lilith?"
"N-not what's... w-what, w-what is... that, monster?"
"A pretty big lizard, about 50m (164ft) in size?"
Suddenly, the dragon king opened its eyes.
'Kukuku... kid. Are you saying I look like a lizard in front of this dragon king?'
"Yeah. You look like a lizard. I often see them around the village outskirts."
But why would this talking lizard attack human, or rather, me?
The lizards on the north side know the fear of the elderly people, so they stay away...
Wait, I get it now.
This is the south side of the forest... meaning, far from the village.
The elderly people rarely come this far, so this stupid lizard doesn't know fear.
'You foolish humans! With this dragon king's flames, I'll turn you to ashes in an instanttt!"
Grrr! As the dragon king arched its chest...
Grrrroooarrrrr!
The flames it spewed turned everything in its path to ash, just as it declared.
The trees in the forest were instantly engulfed, and if there had been any humans there, they would've been wiped out in an instant.
'Hahaha! What idiots. This is what happens when you defy the Dragon King!'
"Hey, Lizard-brain, where are you looking?"
'Huh!? What the heck!?'
I was standing on top of the lizard that was flying in the air.
Of course, I was unharmed.
'What!? Weren't you supposed to be dead from my flames!?'
"I'm not dead. Look behind you."
'Behind!?'
The Dragon King suddenly jerked his head around.
But well, I have trained my core, so I didn't fall.
There were Lilith and the escort squad, and the carriage, all unharmed.
'What's going on!?'
"You were caught in my [illusion]."
'Illusion!?'
I took out a bag of special scent from my magic bag on my back.
"It's called 'Illusionary Magic Incense.' When you smell it, you see illusions."
Medicinal herb is fascinating. Not only can you heal wounds, but by combining different herbs, you can make someone fall asleep or numb their pain.
With the knowledge of medicine taught by my master, making an incense to show any illusion to an opponent is a piece of cake.
"You burned away the illusion of us. But in reality, you were breathing flames into our backs."
'That's impossible! I'm the Dragon King! My resistance to magic is stronger than average monsters! You can't cast illusions on me at this speed! Who are you!?'
I pull out the Medicine God's treasured dagger given to me by Granny.
I grip it tightly and activate my Prescription skill.
The blade turns black in an instant. My self-made Death Poison is applied to the blade.
Just touching it won't instantly kill a large body.
"Who am I...?"
With a jump, I swing the blade towards the dragon's neck.
The blade, infused with a poison that destroys cells, easily slices through the oversized lizard's neck.
"I won't tell you anything now that you're about to die."
The dragon king's head fell to the ground.
I landed smoothly. Well, I've had to pick herbs living on high cliffs before, so I've learned how to fall from high places safely.
"Wow, Leaf. I can't believe you defeated such a monster like a dragon..."
Lilith said, her voice trembling.
I reached out to her as she seemed to lose strength in her legs.
"Can you stand?"
"Y-yeah... But, to defeat a creature this huge with just one blow... Leaf, who are you really?"
Here we go again.
But there's only one answer to that.
"Just a countryside pharmacist."
Lilith looked astonished, yet tired, then she let out a deep sigh.
"Where in the world does a pharmacist exist who can one-shot an ancient dragonnnnnn?!?"
I got scolded. Huh, did I do something to make her angry...?"
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