Chapter 172 – A scammer and a Taizan Katari Lizard – part 1
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“TRANSLATOR: Anargya”
“EDITOR: GhostApe”
This time is a single story of a past episode.
There are no heroes in this world, but there are enough deceiving scammers to make people think otherwise.
I’m none other than one of those scammers.
「Dragon extermination? That’s a cheap order. After all, I have defeated powerful dragons more than 10 times already. Please rest easy. Of course, I won’t charge you anything.」
With that one word from me, the entire bar of a small village cheered.
It’s so easy.
An adventurer that is on a journey to defeat monsters for the sake of the world——or so title that sends me shivers, looks like they easily believed in it so far.
Those that have magical power are rare. And in remote areas like this village, many people end their lives without ever seeing magic.
Even an adventurer like me, who is less than a second-class one, will be treated almost like a God if I show them some small magic like ignition.
「Thank you very much. However, we won’t be able to pay you anything…I can’t say something like that to you. When that dragon is subdued, the whole village will definitely thank you.」
At the bar table, an old man with white eyebrows sitting in front of me bowed his head.
You see, this is also something I expected.
The people of the countryside are kind. If you show good intentions in this way, you don’t even have to bother yourself to ask for it, they will already offer you a reasonable price.
「That’s that… this is an embarrassing story but, it would be very helpful for me if you could do so. To continue this journey, I would need some supplies ahead.」
「Yes. We would be proud if we can support the journey of Hero-dono.」
It’s normal to tell an exaggerated lie to deceive people, but every time I was called a “Hero”, I still feel like laughing out loud.
I tightened my mouth in order to endure my laughter, then I switched the topic to the main one.
「Then, can you tell me more about the dragon? Are they any people who actually saw it?」
Several men who were in the bar raised their hands.
All of them have a good physique, and their clothes were sturdy, woven from leather. It’s most likely that they are hunters or woodcutters that work in the mountains.
「I’m a lumberjack but, when I saw it in the mountains, I wondered if my heart would actually stop… I never seen anything like it.」
「I’m a hunter, but I don’t feel like shooting a bow at that thing. One can’t fight that huge thing.」
Each of them began to talk about their horror experience when they encountered the dragon. They are holding themselves as if they “died 9 times at that time” or something.
「I understand. Everyone, it must have been very scary. By the way, I would like to ask you this——In this situation, are they anybody who were actually attacked by this dragon?」
The villagers looked at each other and then shook their heads.
「Yeah, there is no one but there are many people who didn’t return from the depths of the mountain. I’m sure they must have been eaten by the dragon.」
「Is that so. That…I’m sorry to hear that.」
After closing my eyes and pretending to pray, I’ll try to collect more information from the witness.
「Then we have to stop the dragon as soon as possible. Does anyone know specifically on how it looks?」
「Ahh. I saw it. It has a big body and two scary horns. It’s scales are black, but it’s eyes were blue.」
「I see. A giant body with black scales and blue eyes is it? That’s… a pretty difficult one. Among dragons, those that have black body color tend to have a strong darkness attribute and are very dangerous.」
The villagers made a stir.
However, this statement is full of lies. There is no relationship between their strength and their body color.
On the contrary, I was inwardly horrified that this scam would work.
「But there is no need to worry. I will be the one that will overcome this powerful dragon. I will definitely bring peace back to this place. I will step into the mountain and subdue it. Until I come back, don’t let anyone come close to the mountain.」
When I got up from the bar seat, some applauded and cheered, and some even burst to tears.
In response to that, I made a face that I prepared to die, but this is completely an act.
After all, I have no anxiety regarding this future “Dragon Subjugation”.
The basis of a fraud is collecting information in advance.
I had almost completed my investigation before I even came to this village, and I was almost convinced by the interviews here.
The identity of the dragon——is the Taizan Katari Lizard. Which is some kind of monitor lizard.
<hr>
An ancient lizard that is extremely long—lived, but has a small population and is said to be already extinct.
That is the Taizan Katari Lizard.
There are few existing materials and it’s ecology is almost a mystery, but it’s greatest known biological features is “Dragon Mimicry ”. By having a terrifying appearance, it protects itself from foreign enemies.
The Katari lizard’s”Katari” means “deception”. It is a name that shows this lizard’s ecology of disguising it’s true identity.
「Hehe. It’s hard to get a prestige of subjugating a dragon attached to a lizard subjugation.」
I laughed by myself, as I walked on the mountain road. Of course, it’s not just luck that is involved.
Only with effort can one seize any luck.
I had a lot of trouble behind the scenes this time. I heard rumors that a remote village is suffering from a dragon appearance, but when I confirmed that there is no actual damage, I hunted down the local folklore and rumors of the area.
Then, in the historical documents of a certain kingdom——I found a case where a great mage once visited this village for a “Dragon Subjugation”.
However, It was reported that the result is that the great mage decided that “It is just a lizard” and withdrew while being disappointed.
And judging from various other documents, I speculated that the lizard living in this mountain was a Taizan Katari lizard.
In the interview earlier, they said that there were people in the past who didn’t return from the mountains, but mountains are inherently a dangerous place in the first place. Even veteran hunters or lumberjack can get into some accidents.
And generally, when the villager encountered the dragon and managed to return to the village safely, it could be evaluated that there is no actual danger.
Like this, my trick as a scammer is to subdue monsters and dangerous creatures that are not actually that strong, then behave like a big fish and be welcomed like so.
「Still…there are many sightings around the cave in the mountains.」
Relying on the map of the mountain that was drawn, I walked on a path that has no road.
It shouldn’t be too difficult to find because of it’s huge body and the earth tremors it makes when it walks.
When I reached the area where there were a lot of sightings, I moved the surrounding vegetation, placed my load down, and took a stand-by position in the spot.
The sword I used for cutting has a jewel as decoration on it. It’s not that good of a weapon, but it looks good and is useful as a tool to do some fraud.
I waited there for a while as I bite into some hardtack——
*Thud*
The sound of ground shaking was heard from a distance, and birds flew out from the trees all at once.
「Did it came out?」
I quickly re-carried my luggage, and lowered myself as I ran through the woods.
It didn’t take long to find the source of the sound. Rather, within just seconds of running, a giant was visible beyond the trees.
——Sharp claws and terrifying black horns. It is the figure of a dragon with it’s blue eyes shining.
I involuntarily took a breath.
It would be a lie to say that the pressure did not affect me.
It may look like a dragon, but it’s just a lizard. No matter how much I tell myself that, there is still an incredible amount of pressure.
Even someone like me, who knows quite a bit about these monsters, became like this. It is no wonder those amatuer villagers are so afraid.
——Calm down.
Nothing is going to be killed right now. First of all, it is important to investigate it first. It may not be a dragon, but it has a huge body. If I’m not careful, I’ll get hurt.
The first priority is to get some proof that it is actually a “Taizan Katari lizard”. If it’s actually a real dragon, I can’t go back alive.
Although I don’t feel any magical power, a high ranking monster like a dragon is capable of hiding it.
In such a case, the easiest way to distinguish between an animal and a monster is to observe whether or not it eats.
Monsters, including dragons, are basically able to live on their magic power alone. The reason for them attacking humans is to convert their fear into magical power and eat that, and they do not directly feed on blood and flesh.
In other words, monsters don’t have the need to eat.
「I wonder if it normally eat food…」
While hiding between the trees, I secretly followed it’s huge body.
If it starts hunting and eating its prey, then It can be confirmed as an animal at that point.
——And when I thought about that.
「…Un?」
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