Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Unfair Contract (2)

#23

“Huh? Why did you call.”

Ilark growled.

The momentum of opening her mouth wide and eating Bran at any moment.

A red warning message rose before his eyes.

『Warning! Dragon’s intimidation presses you!』

『Physical abilities partially decrease.』

Not easy. Just meeting eyes and this nonsense.

Kale and Leodorn were frozen like statues while only gaping their mouths.

“B-Bran··· uuk!”

“That··· didn’t you say you were friends?”

Especially Kale was already sobbing as if he had seen Bran’s corpse.

But the reason Bran was standing blankly was not because he was scared.

Scanning Ilark up and down, Bran admired lowly.

‘As expected kills. To the point it can be set as a goal.’

Truly an excellent body.

The muscles and bones specialized in destruction were to the point of feeling beautiful.

High-performance sports car, tunnel boring machine that pierces mountains, rocket shot toward the stars.

Ilark’s body gave the impression of seeing equipment created with only one such purpose.

Suddenly she approached with a stride.

“By any chance··· keuk, is the throat blocked so words don’t come out?”

Ilark who stopped in front of Bran slightly lifted her top.

Slaaash!

The beer that had been pooling between the breasts poured over Bran’s head.

“Ugh.”

“Huuuk.”

Leodorn gasped. Bran frowned.

The amount being a lot is secondary and it’s hot.

Because of Ilark’s high body temperature the beer was heated enough to steam.

“Damn. It’s hot.”

His mind cleared.

It was play that a pervert who would unconditionally like would do.

Bran raised his head and faced her.

『High Mental Power value overcomes the intimidation!』

『The decreased physical abilities return to original.』

Because the head was so high he had to bend his neck quite a bit.

Ilark was looking down at Bran with an expression half anger and half playfulness mixed.

“Sorry. The body was too cool so I looked a bit.”

“Oho? There was a guy with eyes properly embedded in this neighborhood··· keuk, awesome right?”

Ilark laughed while pounding her abs.

The expected reaction.

There is no one in this world who knows Ilark better than me.

Reciting the inner words like that, Bran swept up his bangs wet with beer.

“But I don’t like the snout that spit-spits informal speech without manners.”

“What?”

“Enough. I’ll also quit formality or anything.”

Ptui! Bran spat on the ground.

Ilark’s brow crumpled greatly.

Honestly it was scary but he cannot shrink here.

Ilark. Especially drunk mode Ilark must be dealt with strong against strong.

“Unemployed Ilark. I came to arrange a job for you.”

“U-unemployed?”

“Does your chest hurt because the vital point was stabbed? Anyway you need money. It’s a good job so just listen once.”

“···Ha. Hahaha!”

Ilark let out a hollow laugh.

Leodorn who saw the future of Bran’s face turning like a cereal bowl tightly closed his eyes, but fortunately that kind of thing did not happen.

After cackling for a long time Ilark removed her hand from her face.

“···Fun. Speak.”

“Good.”

Yay! Bran inwardly called out cheers.

Just coming this far was half success.

“The request I’ll entrust to you is to escort the uncle behind for fifteen days. Assassins might flood in a bunch, there was no one I could completely trust and entrust besides you.”

Bran pointed at Leodorn behind with his thumb.

Ilark raised an eyebrow.

“You found well··· keuk, as long as the reward is given there’s nothing I can’t do.”

“Uh, how much would be good?”

“One gold coin a day. No haggling.”

Ilark stuck out her index finger.

Leodorn’s face turned white.

“Th-that! Isn’t it too expensive!”

“Hehe··· originally I’m an expensive body··· hic, if you don’t like it quit.”

Ilark smiled foolishly.

Thinking of her skill it was an appropriate price, but Leodorn’s reaction was also understandable.

The escort contract of a somewhat usable mercenary averaged three silver coins a day.

One gold coin was almost the body price of a high-ranking adventurer who specializes in escorting only nobles.

Letting out a groan, Leodorn nodded.

“Uum··· good. Let’s do it at that price. However I’ll pay half after the mission ends.”

“I don’t even receive deferred payment.”

“That···!”

Leodorn was flustered. The expected development.

Bran intervened in the two’s conversation.

“Ilark. Instead of that how about playing a game with me?”

“Uhung? Game?”

“Yes. If I win we conclude the escort contract with 100 percent deferred payment.”

“If you lose?”

“I’ll give double the money. Of course in advance.”

Raising his hand Bran showed a V sign.

“My god. You!”

“And I’ll circle the Wrought Iron street three times naked.”

“B-Bran?!”

Leodorn and Kale were horrified at the same time.

Looking at the three people alternately Ilark narrowed her eyes.

“······That old man isn’t the one stripping right?”

“I don’t want to see that either. Of course I do it.”

“Spicy··· keuk, eye candy after a long time.”

Kale could not say anything and was covering his mouth with both hands. The small face was heated like a red apple.

This guy, really isn’t that side right?

Ilark said.

“Good. I’ll accept the bet.”

“Instead the event I’ll decide on this side. How about drinking a lot of alcohol?”

“Kha! Drinking a lot of alcohol you say? Are you seriously saying that?!”

Ilark laughed while baring her teeth.

It was a bet that did not even match as an opponent looking at the build or anything.

Instead of answering that question, Bran entered the bar Ilark had smashed out of.

“Two people.”

“Hiiiiiik! C-customers! Today’s business is···!”

“Since I’ll sell a lot just overlook once. Sit here Ilark.”

Bran ignored the trembling owner and sat in front of the bar table.

Tapping the seat next to him Ilark’s face contorted.

“Ha, yes. Let’s try once.”

Thud! Ilark sat next to Bran.

The heavy tail hung below the chair.

Kale and Leodorn who followed in a trickle took seats behind.

Turning to Bran, Ilark let out a sinister laugh.

“Hehe··· as expected cutely made. Even if you cry and beg that you don’t want to strip I won’t overlook.”

“You’re also pretty made somehow.”

“My, do you think I’ll overlook just because you do that kind of flattery?”

Ilark snorted.

It was not particularly flattery.

Seeing up close the face was unexpectedly pretty so he just stated the fact.

Bran said.

“Wait. Before starting let’s write a contract a bit.”

“Aang? Contract?”

“There shouldn’t be the matter of denying saying you don’t remember after sobering up.”

“What do you see me as··· well, good. I’ll write it.”

Ilark’s tail hit the floor as if displeased.

Bang! Briefly the entire shop shook.

The two wrote the contract text on the parchment Leodorn brought.

Bran carefully wrote the content, Ilark roughly scribbled only the signature.

“Th-this is···.”

“Shh.”

Leodorn’s eyes who saw the contract opened round.

Bran pretended to know nothing, and turned to Ilark again.

“Good. Let’s start.”

“The type? Beer?”

“With beer or something what time are you trying to end? Owner. Two bottles of Cactus’s Affair here please.”

“What? Cactus’s Affair? Are you sane···”

“Cactus’s Affair! Two bottles!!”

Bran ignored Ilark and shouted.

For the first time bewilderment settled on Ilark’s face.

The owner brought two liquor bottles while trembling his limbs.

“H-here it is customers··· please drink quietly this time.”

As the name there was a picture of two cacti crossed attached.

Behind the cactus couple committing adultery the husband cactus was peeking his head and shedding tears.

Pop!

Pulling the cork Bran picked up his own bottle.

“Here. Cheers.”

“······This is a completely crazy guy.”

Ilark twisted her lips.

The laughter had disappeared at some point.

It makes sense.

Cactus’s Affair was a strong liquor that ranked in the top five in the empire.

In the game it is even treated as “poison” and receives status abnormalities and damage along with drunkenness.

“Seems you have no confidence? Then I’ll drink first.”

“Hey. Wait···”

Even before Ilark could say something.

Bran grabbed the bottle neck and downed it greatly.

Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!

The transparent liquid began to decrease at a fast speed.

“My god. Delpa···.”

Leodorn lamented while holding his forehead.

It seemed better for the mind and body to see a dog hit by a carriage and died.

The memory of not waking up for three days after drinking one glass with the youthful spirit of the past was slowly rising.

『A new type of poison has infiltrated the body. Weed’s Tenacity activates!』

『Heart of Harmeno activates. Harmful effects from plants decrease by half!』

『The growth speed of Mental Power increases slightly.』

『High Mental Power overcomes the drunkenness!』

Of course it was not an easy thing for Bran either.

Every time the Adam’s apple gulped a new message was appearing before his eyes.

If there was not even one of Heart of Harmeno and high Mental Power he would have fainted while peeing right away.

But I have both right?

Originally the liquor chosen to do this right?

Clang!

Finally succeeding in the one-shot, Bran put the empty bottle down roughly.

“Puha. Your turn.”

“······Ah.”

Ilark flinched.

Because she was spacing out the reaction was late.

Bran’s one-shot show had a magic that even charmed the dragonblood.

“If it seems hard you don’t have to force it. Lady Ilark.”

“L-lady?! This miscellaneous guy, what do you see me as···!”

Ilark’s face heated up greatly.

It was to the point the raised body temperature could be felt here too.

Picking up the bottle she stood up abruptly.

“Damn it, if I drink it’ll be fine! If I drink!”

“Huaaak! Customer! C-calm!”

Crunch! Ilark who broke the bottle neck with her thumb bit the bottle mouth.

The first momentum was good.

Every time Ilark’s Adam’s apple moved the liquor decreased quickly.

Emptying the bottle faster than Bran she removed her mouth.

“Puha!”

“Ooh. As expected amazing.”

Bran clapped.

One corner of Ilark’s mouth rose crookedly.

“Puhehe, saw it? This much is nothing···.”

“Then we have to continue. Two more bottles here please.”

“Hey, wait···!”

But even before Ilark could say something new liquor came out.

Bran succeeded in one-shotting the second bottle without changing a single expression.

Seeing the full liquor bottle Ilark covered her mouth with her hand.

“Up.”

“Shall we stop?”

“······Shut up! I was just about to drink so don’t rush!”

Ilark growled.

After hesitating for a moment she bit the second bottle.

Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.

Although the speed slowed noticeably, the liquor decreased little by little.

“C-crazy things. Not sane.”

“Isn’t that Ilark? What crazy guy challenges a drinking bet to that monster?”

“Surprisingly that small friend is superior. Both are far from humans.”

At some point the gathered onlookers were watching the two’s bet.

There were also people who opened a gambling board by betting money.

Just as Ilark’s second bottle was almost emptying, Bran quietly raised his hand.

“Two more bottles please.”

“Upguk.”

Ilark’s body shook.

As if choked she coughed and removed her mouth from the bottle.

Clink!

The bottle that fell from Ilark’s hand shattered while making a clear sound.

“······Haa.”

The swaying Ilark raised her head.

No one opened their mouth. Silence was wrapping the bar.

The owner who was just bringing new liquor stopped in place.

Standing still and catching her breath, she moved her gaze to Bran.

“Hey.”

Bran also turned to her.

The sharp eyes were completely loose.

Liquid that could not be distinguished as liquor or saliva was streaming down below the plump lips.

Slowly blinking her eyes a few times, Ilark raised one corner of her mouth with a pick.

“You do a bit.”

Bran raised his thumb without words.

Ilark’s eyes rolled back. The large body tilted backward.

Thud!

The heavy sound shook the shop once more.

****

“Keueu··· uuum··· um?”

Ilark who had been groaning from the headache woke from sleep.

The blue sky and the sun that had risen to the middle of the sky at some point came into view.

“······Where is this?”

She raised her upper body while covering her forehead.

Her head was dizzy.

The memories after entering the banquet street were fragmented into pieces.

‘I was having a side drink at my favorite shop. Then some octopus head picked a fight. Lightly hit once··· uum, what did I do? I think I drank more with someone.’

It was not becoming clear at all.

However only that it was a quite enjoyable drinking place was certain.

Ah, and one more.

“Lady.”

It was words the drinking partner had said to herself.

Even if others she definitely remembered that one.

The tip of Ilark’s ear was dyed red.

“Crazy bastard. Even if drunk there is a limit.”

It was a title heard for the first time since birth.

The scales on the nape stood on end.

Lady. How much did he drink to utter that kind of words to me?

Just as Ilark was shuddering at the bizarre mood then.

“You woke up. Lady Ilark.”

“What.”

Ilark’s pupils narrowed thinly.

As body temperature rose greatly the body entered combat stance.

Bang! Standing up while kicking the seat she turned her body toward the place the voice was heard.

“Hey. I’ll smash the wagon.”

“Who are you?”

“Bran. We drank together this morning.”

Bran showed both hands raised as if calming a wild animal.

Ilark was indeed a fighter. The posture lowered tightly was like seeing a beast that finished preparing for hunting.

The pupils of Ilark narrowed vertically slowly returned to original.

“Ah···!”

“Do you remember a bit?”

Ilark nodded.

The face of the blurry drinking partner became clear and overlapped with Bran.

A cutely made human boy.

The fragmented memories began to stick little by little.

Releasing strength from the body, Ilark sighed in relief.

“Haa··· it was you. Honestly speaking it’s not complete. What happened?”

“First will you come down from the wagon? If that breaks what remains for Uncle Leodorn is really only tenacity.”

“Wagon···? Ah.”

Only then did Ilark realize that she had been standing on the roof of the wagon. The location seemed around the empty lot of the Wrought Iron District.

Was I carried here? My god.

Looking around there were two more.

A pale old man, and a bo··· y? Girl? Anyway one whose gender could not be distinguished.

Tat! Jumping down from the wagon Ilark landed in front of them.

“I caused trouble. Sorry.”

And she politely apologized.

The faces of Leodorn and Kale hardened like stone.

It was unbelievable that it was the same person as the madman a few hours ago.

Approaching to the side, Bran patted Ilark’s back.

“I said right? A decent friend. The nature was kind from before.”

“···Before? Do you know me?”

“Why are you like this Ilark? We were together during the western sandworm subjugation operation.”

“If that operation I remember but··· I have no memory of seeing a kid like you.”

Ilark tilted her head.

Not seeing is natural. Originally he was not there.

It was only information found out while playing Ilark in the past.

Bran replied slyly.

“It makes sense. I was in charge of the scout. Rather light boy and girl kids did that side’s work well.”

“Ah···!”

“Ilark your performance was amazing. You tore and killed twenty sandworms alone and bathed in that blood. Keu, as expected dragonblood.”

“Ahem, ahem. Was it that much? It was nothing.”

Ilark coughed hollowly.

She pretended not to care, but the tail swaying left and right was snitching her excited mind.

Wiping her face, Ilark laughed while baring her teeth.

“At that time I must not have remembered because I was out of my mind. Nice to meet you Bran.”

“Nice to meet you too. Then our contract is concluded right?”

“······Contract?”

“I knew it would be like that. Look at this.”

Bran held out the parchment to the dumbfounded Ilark.

It was the contract written together with Ilark at the bar.

······The one Bran wrote the clauses.

Confirming the content, Ilark’s eyes widened round.

Hereinafter, Leodorn Belmaier is referred to as “Party A” Ilark Zarnak as “Party B.”

In case “Party B” loses the bet with “Bran”-

1. “Party B” is in charge of “Party A”’s escort for fifteen days. “Party A” pays the full personnel cost to “Party B” after the escort ends.

2. After “Party A”’s escort ends, “Party B” has the obligation to support “Bran” and “Kale Astraea” once.

3. In case “Party B” does not faithfully fulfill the relevant treaty or unilaterally breaks it, it is regarded as damaging the honor of the fire dragon “Zarheim,” and the relevant fact is notified to the blood relative “Alto Zarheim.”

Roughly summarizing it was like this.

It was an enormous unfair contract, but the signature written in the agreement column was familiar to the point of cruel.

Bringing the paper close to her face and blinking her eyes, Ilark muttered as if dumbfounded.

“······It’s my handwriting.”

“Can you fulfill it?”

“Haaaa··· what was I thinking doing this kind of bet. How did my dad and big brother’s names pop out···.”

Ilark sighed. The thick tail went limp.

In fact she had never said her family’s names, but that was not important.

Confirming the contract a few more times she nodded.

“I have to. It’s a contract. It’s not that money is not given either.”

“Refreshing.”

“But this second clause doesn’t write exactly what support?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. Since it’s an easy matter don’t worry and devote yourself to the escort mission.”

“Uum··· for now I understand.”

“Good.”

In fact it was nothing.

Bran called out cheers inwardly while holding back the feeling of wanting to spin a windmill.

It was the moment the first button of the Valkeros project was fastened.

“Very good.”

Bran smiled.

In this damn city there were very many things that had to be smashed together with her.

For example, an evil organization trying to destroy Valkeros or something.