Reincarnated as the Strongest Dragon

Chapter 5: The Adventurers Guild

I pushed open the door, making sure to leave enough room to let Liz in. The guildhall was huge. A bunch of people that looked like adventurers were drinking at tables on the left side of the building. Straight ahead was a counter and some billboards and to the right was another counter that looked like some kind of material purchasing area.

“Which one is Hanna?” I whispered to Liz who was standing directly behind me to avoid bumping into people.

“The one over at the counter with green hair,” She whispered back.

I stifled a giggle. “You know that you don't have to whisper, right?”

“... Shut up.”

I walked up to the counter. Luckily Hanna was free at the moment so I didn’t have to wait.

“Excuse me, are you Hanna?”

“Yes that’s me, how can I help you?” She answered in a bubbly voice.

“I was told to give you this,” I said and handed her the folded paper.

She flipped it open and started to read, going through all the facial expressions in the book from curious, to angry, to furious, to grateful and then seemed to stop on relief. She looked at me and gave me a nod. Taking it as confirmation I walked towards a bench to the side. Might as well find a place to sit and enjoy the show.

"You should probably sit in my lap,” I whispered to Liz, who was about to sit down next to me. 

“Huh, why?”

“What would you do if someone comes over and tries to sit on you?”

“... Right,” Liz said in an embarrassed voice and sat down in my lap.

“I can see why she got a lot of fans among the adventurers. She really is small and cute,” I said while looking at the bubbly receptionist.

“Is that your type?”

“Hmm… No? If I had to choose I would say I prefer redheads,” I said with a grin.

Liz didn’t say anything but her ears were turning red.

While waiting for them to show up I noticed that Hanna spoke to a few adventurers sitting at a table and looked my way.

What exactly is that supposed to mean? I hoped she would keep it to herself.

Before I could tell Liz about it I saw an interesting adventurer walk past.

“Hey Liz, what's that? I whispered, trying to subtly point at the adventurer.

“What’s what?”

“The one with the cat ears.”

“You mean the catkin?”

“Catkin?”

Those weren't around the last time I was awake.

“They are from the Beast Nation. It’s located across the sea to the west of this continent but I don’t know exactly where.”

“Beast Nation?! Are there others besides catkin?”

“Yeah, I don't know exactly how many but you sometimes see catkin, wolfkin and apekin around here. Less usual ones are probably lionkin and bearkin.”

The Beast Nation… She didn’t mention foxes but surely they must exist right? Everyone praised cat girls back in my old life but fox girls with their fluffy ears and bushy tails are clearly better. But the Beast Nation is across the sea… No matter, I'll figure something out. Better add it to my [Note] before I forget.

[Note] To-Do List:

• Register as an adventurer
  • Push my rank to SSS
• Gather funds
• Buy maps over the continent
• Get information about any possible wars or political tensions between countries
• Information about the Beast Nation

“HEY! Are you listening?” Liz bopped me on the head and dragged me back to reality.

“Uhm, sorry I was lost in thought. What’s up?”

“They’re here.”

“Lovely, let’s see what they try to pull.”

Julius walks up to the counter where Hanna is with Blake and Grant following behind him.

“Oh, are you guys already back? How did the wyvern hunting go?

“Lizette… Lizette is dead…”

“What?! What happened? Tell me in detail!” Hanna jumped up from her chair and slammed her palms against the counter.

“We… We entered the cave where the wyvern was reported, me and Grant in the front with Lizette and Blake following behind. We found the wyvern and started attacking it to bring it down but…” Julius stopped, seemingly having trouble getting the words out.

Damn Julius, why did you waste time on being a crooked adventurer when you could have been an actor? Talk about wasted talent.

“But what?!” Hanna almost shouted.

By now most people in the guildhall are paying attention to what is happening at the counter.

“It wasn’t just one wyvern, there were four of them. While fighting the first one the other three ambushed us before we could even react… One of them tore off Lizette's arm in one swoop… there was nothing we could do. She bled out before we could get her to safety,” Julius looked down to the ground.

“Hey Liz, stand up and come with me to the back of the room,” I whispered and motioned Liz to stand up. “No one is paying attention so I can cancel the spell there.”

“I understand,” Said Hanna and then picked up the letter I gave her, "However, we need you to stay here for a while. You see, we got another report as well so we need to check the validity of them both.”

The adventurers Hanna had spoken to earlier stood up from their table and walked closer to Julius and his party.

So she just wanted to have some muscle nearby? Sorry that I doubted you, Hanna.

“What? What other report?” Julius asked with a flustered look.

Hanna held up the letter. "The report where it says you stabbed Liz in the leg and left her as bait while you ran away.”

“What?! Who reported that?!” Julius dropped the whole sad act.

“That would be her,” Said Hanna and pointed to the right, slightly behind Julius and his party.

“Hi again, you guys.” The facial expression Liz had told them all they needed to know.

Julius looked shocked. “How.. are you alive?” 

Wow, how obvious is that? Both Grant and Blake seem to have figured out that they are screwed, slowly shuffling their feet to get a sprinting start for the door. Go ahead and try, if you manage to run through the [Barrier] I put up between you and the door I will even let you go.

“Oh you know, after you stabbed me in the leg and left me to die with four wyverns I made a new friend that helped me out,” Liz said and looked at me.

While Julius tried to think of a response two loud thumps could be heard.

*DONKONK*

Blake and Grant had indeed made a run for it. Blake was writhing in pain from a broken nose. Grant was on the floor, passed out.

Liz looked at them and then at me with a grin. "Funny how they both tried to run, it’s almost like you did something wrong.” Liz smirked at the people on the floor. "How does it feel to have your party members abandon you, Julius?”

I Better use [Magic Tether] to keep those on the floor.

Julius looked at his party members on the floor and back to Liz, who was now standing between him and the door. He hesitated for a second before grabbing the sword on his back and bringing it down towards Liz.

Liz was not prepared for Julius to actually try and hit her with his sword and was slow to react. I pulled Liz back and held up with my right arm and blocked his swing, instantly shattering the blade, before grabbing Julius by the neck with my left hand and holding him up. 

I can’t hold him high enough but it’s kind of funny to see him struggle on his toes as well. Almost want to thank him though, shattering a sword on my bare arm with an audience? How cool am I? Okay I might have used [Shift] to make a small area with dragon scales where he would hit me but they disappeared before anyone could see. 

The whole guildhall seems to be in daze after what they just witnessed. "Trying to kill someone twice in a few hours? Tssk,” I looked over at Hanna who was standing behind the counter, "What should I do with them?”

Hanna stared at the pieces of the shattered sword for a moment before she registered that I had asked her a question. “Please detain them. We need to interrogate them but with all these witnesses it will probably be a short one.” 

“You heard that?” I said to Julius, who was struggling to escape my grasp. "Do you have anything you want to say?”

“W-Wait! If you let us go we will release the Priestess,” Julius said, trying his best to stand on his toes.

“Are you talking about Mira?”

“Y-Yes, our friends have her. If you let us go we will release her.”

“So release you and hope that you uphold your end of the bargain in good faith? I don’t think you realise the situation you are in.” I made an annoyed look and tried to lift him higher but to no avail.

I really don’t understand how my height was the only thing I never managed to change for my human form. It’s exactly the same as my previous life. Sigh, once a shorty, always a shorty.

“I-If you don’t act fast it will be too late to get her back.”

“Oh? And why is that?” I asked and lowered him down enough for him to stand on his feet.

“She will get shipped off to Kaydossa and sold as a sex slave soon.”

“What?!” Liz jumped in.

I held up my hand at Liz, "Isn’t it a lot of trouble to kidnap an adventurer just to sell them as a slave?”

“The nobles in Kaydossa want slaves that can use magic as their bodyguards.”

“I thought the slave collars sealed magic?”

“We use drugs,” He said and shifted which foot to lean on, "It supposedly breaks the minds of people and lets you brainwash them.”

“Supposedly?” I raised an eyebrow to that particular choice of word

“We haven’t tried yet. It takes several days to break down the mental resistance of mages. That girl had high resistance so she needs more time.”

“So Mira is the only one you have kidnapped? What about Liz?” I tightened my grip around his neck.

Julius tried to shift his eyes away from me so I slammed him down on the floor.

I put one foot on his back. “I said, what about Liz?” 

He winced in pain. “Cough, cough, ugh, she was supposed to be the second one.” 

“Where do you get the drug? How do you use it?” 

“Cough, ugh, we got it from Kaydossa. We don’t know our contact, we just got a shipment. They told us to give the drug daily until they got susceptible to suggestions and then break them down and train them. After you are done with that you only need a small amount of the drug every few days to keep them obedient.”

“Train them how?”

“Inflicting pain,” Julius reluctantly said.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“They will start to feel pleasure from pain and will be loyal to their master no matter how much they abuse them. They wanted women so they can be used as sex slaves when they don’t need combat power.”

“And to think that was what you had planned for Liz,” I said and put more weight on his back. “But wait, why did you go after the wyvern if your goal was Liz?”

“It would be suspicious if two of our party members disappeared right after each other so we were going to build up some trust with her while we waited for some time to pass and kidnap her when we weren't on an official quest.”

“And the first thing you do is the exact opposite? You leave her to die and come back to report on her death? Are you an idiot?”

“I…”

“Speaking to you makes my head hurt,” I said before turning to Hanna, “Where should I toss these idiots?”

“Wait! Don’t you want the Priestess back!?” Julius whimpered.

“That is a good point” I said and took my foot off his back, "Get up.”

Julius struggled but managed to get up on his knees. I bound him with [Magic Tether] and turned to Hanna, "Do you perhaps have a map of the area I could borrow?”

Hanna stopped staring at the scene unfolding and picked up a map from under the counter.  “You can use this one,” Hanna said and leaned over the counter to give me a rolled up map.

“Now then, Julius. You don’t sound like you want to share any more information so I will ask in a different way.” I put my right hand on his forehead and cast [Expose Mind].

“Can you tell me where Mira is?”

“... Yes.”

“Point to the hideout on this map.”

“... Here.”

“Hmm Closer to town than I thought,” I rolled up the map, "Oh right, how many companions are at the hideout?”

“... Two.”

“Any other allies besides those two and these two here?”

“... No.”

“Well that's good enough for me,” I said and cancelled the spell. I leaned down and looked Julius in the eyes, "Thank you for your cooperation.”

“W-What happened?” Julius looked at me, confused.

The entire guildhall was completely silent.

I hoped I could have done this without using [Expose Mind]. Interrogation magic has always been frowned upon but no matter. Getting my hands on that drug takes priority. All the time spent in the past just to create a spell to break slave collars and they go and make something new, humans really are trash.

“Luna…” Liz looked at me, "What did you just do?”

“I asked nicely?” I said and tilted my head. "Anyway, I’m gonna head out for a bit, he made it sound like it was urgent so I better move.”

“Luna…” Liz looked at me with worried eyes.

She isn’t worried about me is she? Surely it must be about Mira.

“Don’t you worry, I will be back before you know it,” I said and patted her head.

That gesture would have been better if she wasn’t taller than me.

“Thank you for protecting me.”

“Think nothing of it. I couldn’t have you die so soon after saving your life, right?”

“I suppose so,” Liz said with a small laugh. “Just… Be careful, okay?”

“Of course,” I said before turning around and leaving the guild.

Be careful, eh? I can’t even remember when someone was genuinely worried about me. Maybe she meant be careful so you don't burn down the forest? That would make more sense. Though it’s not like she knows just what I’m capable of other than that I’m an old dragon with some fancy spells.

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