Chapter 383: Aerial Performance

The final, struggling blaze roared along with the demon before gradually dying out. These Magic Flames didn’t spread on their own, but they had nearly incinerated the staircase and a section of the hallway.

Ron walked up behind Aive and Constance. The Half-Elf sisters were still venting their rage on the demon’s corpse, though in the eyes of the Casters, the body on the ground was now no more meaningful than a punching bag.

But Ron wasn’t worried. He had people on the other side, too. After causing such a huge commotion, this demon was in for a rough time.

’Hell may not be Heaven, but they can still do their jobs.’ Seeing that Aive had finally vented her frustration and was sitting against the wall, panting, Ron produced a handkerchief as if by magic (and it was, in fact, a magic trick) and handed it to the Half-Elf Warrior. "Don’t worry. This is just the beginning. We’ll make them all pay."

"—So, did you get all of that recorded?"

Ron turned around. The Molten Iron Barrier Priest, the one who had "stuck his neck out" before, quickly raised his hand. "Lord, it’s all been recorded, clear as day! Video and audio!"

"I can’t believe it. Bishop Patrick was a spy from the Hells, and even the Archbishop and the others were deceived!" The Priest rubbed his nose, an indescribable feeling welling up inside him.

Although the Molten Iron Barrier prioritized stability and order, the kind of order found in the Hells was clearly unacceptable to most. For the Religious Order to be led down such a wicked path... there was bound to be a bloodbath in the days to come.

Suddenly, another thought struck the Priest. He shuddered and quickly pleaded, "Lord, now that the ringleader has been killed, and my comrades and I have surrendered, could you please..."

He pointed out the window. The fighting inside the manor was over, but there was still a giant baby dragon circling over the city!

When they first saw Aiksuuri, the citizens of Rose City had all rushed to lock their doors and hide. Some who were caught out on the streets had even covered their eyes and prepared for death. A few hours passed, however, and everyone realized something: this Black Dragon didn’t seem to have any intention of attacking!

In fact, the Priests and the Rose City guard had caused even more damage to the city with their missed projectiles, ammunition, and Magic than the dragon in the sky!

So, ignoring all warnings, people poured into the streets in droves to get a closer look at the Young Dragon. After all, most of them were just ordinary citizens. Though the Bards in the taverns often gave vivid descriptions and they had Dragon Descendant neighbors close by, a living, breathing True Dragon was still a once-in-a-lifetime sight.

"(????)?? Hi! Hello, everyone!"

The people below regarded the Black Dragon with a mixture of sixty percent curiosity and forty percent fear, but Aiksuuri was exceptionally excited. Looking at these mortals, who were completely different from the residents of New Green Swamp Town, the young Black Dragon was having the time of his life. He continuously performed all sorts of high-difficulty aerial maneuvers to dodge the attacks flying at him, punctuating his performance with greetings that sounded more like roars to the average person. This attracted more and more people to gather below and watch.

A normal adult Black Dragon would have likely just spat a mouthful of Strong Acid breath down on them, earning itself a fearsome reputation that could stop babies from crying at night. But this Young Dragon, raised under the teachings of the Lord of the North Wind, only wanted to complete the mission Ron had given him, and then...

"Is it time to eat?!"

Aiksuuri dodged another Strong Acid Arrow from below. It stretched its body and wings, climbing back to an altitude out of firing range. There, a bronze Heron Sculpture that had just flown out of Hendrix’s manor was waiting for it.

Silvia had taken over the Vampire’s castle but didn’t live there. From the treasures within, she had only chosen this statue to act as her personal Messenger. Having been animated for a sufficient amount of time, the Heron Sculpture could now fluently repeat sentences and was no longer so noisy.

The Black Dragon’s several-meter-long body rapidly transformed into a black gust of wind, vanishing from the skies above Rose City and from everyone’s sight. When he reappeared, he had already changed back into a Black Dragon Descendant and was frantically running into the living room of Hendrix’s home.

"Where’s the food? I’m starving to death!"

"Don’t worry, we won’t let you starve!" Aive, who had now calmed down, said with a smile as she walked over and playfully punched the Dragon Descendant on the shoulder. "But my parents were just rescued, and no one’s been at the tavern for so long. We need to prep everything from scratch, so you’ll have to wait a little while."

Aiksuuri said, "Oh," and then plopped down into the living room sofa with a look of eager anticipation. "Then I’ll just wait here! You have no idea how exhausting that was!"

"And this is..." the Priest said, uncertainly sizing up this person—or rather, this Black Dragon. ’The Religious Order never mentioned that Black Dragons like to turn into Dragon Descendants, did they?’

"This is our friend, a Dragon Descendant," Ron said, giving a slight cough to prompt the Priest. "The reason so many Evil Creatures appeared in Rose City was all part of a demon’s plot."

"Of course!" The Priest’s face lit up with "realization," and he quickly added a few more lines to the notes he was using as evidence. "The Lord of Delusional Land, setting aside past grievances, even helped us and the people of Rose City eliminate these threats. Our gratitude is truly beyond words!"

’...He’s pretty sharp.’ The widow in the black dress (the Pollution Worm Demon) and the old country woman (the Ghost Witch), who had arrived before Aiksuuri, exchanged a look. They walked over together. "Ron, since there’s nothing more for us to do here, we’d like to head back first."

"After all, we don’t belong in this city."

"Won’t you stay and have a meal with us before you go?" Aive asked, warmly trying to make them stay. "We really owe you for your help this time. If it weren’t for you, we—"

"Miss Aive, there’s no need for such pleasantries," said the Pollution Worm Demon, her expression hidden beneath her black veil. "You once helped me and the mortals I care for. This is merely a small, insignificant repayment. A being such as myself is not suited to be seen too often in a city like this. Besides, my villagers need me to look after them."

"This old bag can’t stand the sight of big cities. East or west, home is best. I’m headin’ back to the country," Ghost Witch Polly said. She glanced at the nearby Priest, and that one look was enough to nearly scare the poor, pious man to death. "Your fine food tastes like sawdust to me anyway."

"And they don’t even let you steal children..."

The Ghost Witch turned her back and muttered the sentence in a dialect that almost no one could understand.

To the Ghost Witch, the sight of this bustling city was as nauseating as a filthy alley, yet the babies and children being raised in every home were like tempting magical herbs. For someone like her, who had been forced to play the part of a hero, every extra second she lingered here was an insult to her very nature.