The feast held in the dragonkin village was a raucous and joyous celebration.
Martina was utterly captivated by the unique dragonkin cuisine, while the dragonkin, in turn, were intrigued by human dishes. This led to an impromptu cultural exchange where both sides cooked for each other. Kiara and Charlotte entertained the village children with demonstrations of basic magic, while Hanon, Ailia, and Simone regaled the villagers with their (perhaps exaggerated) tales of heroism leading up to this moment.
「It’s been ages since I’ve enjoyed a party this much.」
Handes-san said as he approached, watching the lively crowd.
「Bardin-sama has been troubled by his cannibalistic urges for so long. Seeing him finally free must bring him immense relief. I’ve never seen him this high-spirited before.」
Indeed, Bardin-san seemed to be in the best mood of his life. He drank heavily and sang loudly with the other villagers, thoroughly enjoying himself.
「We owe you so much gratitude.」
「Not really….we were just searching for our friend Simone. That’s how we ended up here.」
It was true. Had Simone not been seeking to help her kin, we’d never have come to the dragonkin village. Bardin-san might have succumbed entirely to his urges, harming other species and possibly leading to the downfall of the dragonkin as a race.
「Many dragonkin across the world struggle with similar urges. I plan to visit other dragonkin settlements to share the knowledge of these vegetables. If it works, many lives could be saved.」
「That’s a great idea! You could really make a difference for your people.」
「And when that happens, you’ll be hailed as a hero among the dragonkin.」
「A… hero?」
The word froze me for a moment. For someone like me—a simple farmer—such a title felt impossibly grand.
Just then, Simone approached.
「What’s wrong, Bale-san?」
「N-Nothing. By the way, we plan to leave the village tomorrow morning.」
「Understood! I’ll be ready by then!」
Simone answered cheerfully.
It seemed she was coming back to the dungeon farm with us.
「Are you sure you don’t want to stay here?」
I asked without thinking.
Simone tilted her head in surprise at first but then gave a soft, radiant smile.
「The treehouse is my home.」
「Simone…」
Relief washed over me.
After all, it wouldn’t feel right without her at the dungeon farm.
Feeling a renewed sense of comfort, I invited Simone to join me in sampling Martina’s cooking.
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