Chapter 259: Colorful (1)

Deorgon's Lair, which I had stepped into for the first time in a while, was still full of bones and the smell of rotting corpses. It seemed these bastards hadn't learned a single thing about how to throw away leftover garbage after eating. The corner was full of rotting half-eaten corpses, and the bodies of the dead women I had seen before were left abandoned just as they were. Did this bastard live without ever doing any cleaning?

"Come in. I will treat you to a meal before you meet Ati."

I had to eat in a place like this? Deorgon dragged the carriage and even the coachman all the way inside his lair. I sat spread-eagle in the middle of the lair with a face full of discomfort. He seemed subtly pleased by the fact that he had a guest.

"It is an honor to dine with the great Lord Deorgon."

"Of course. Now, let's have a meal with the horse meat you gifted me."

And then Deorgon grabbed the horse carcass I had gifted him earlier with his hands and lightly tore it apart. The horse shattered, spewing out its contents like a loose stuffed toy. I froze right in my seated posture. The coachman was still knocked out, and my carriage was at the entrance.

The horse meat, dripping with blood, arrived in front of me. Deorgon spoke to me while chewing on the unskinned horse head.

"Eat. I am a magnificent dragon who shares tributes."

Was he a crazy bastard? But I couldn't show it on my face. Because this guy was a truly crazy bastard. It was a rule not to call crazy bastards crazy to their faces. I gripped the horse leg with a smile and spoke.

"H-How did you know I liked raw meat?"

"Great dragons do not learn the cooking of uncivilized humans. We only cook meat using body heat. That is the only dining method for great dragons."

I wasn't a dragon, so why the fuck was he making me eat it raw? But I had no counterargument. I took a bite of the raw meat and chewed it crunchily. Deorgon nodded his head as he watched me eat and spoke.

"Hmm, you eat well for an uncivilized fellow. Horse meat is a bit tough, so humans find it hard to eat. Until now, there have been many rude bastards who received my invitation and didn't properly eat the food. But Small Genitals. You show me courtesy."

I could only taste blood inside my mouth. Was what I was chewing muscle or skin? My jaw, developed by the increase in my strength stat, barely managed to chew and swallow the food. The thought occurred to me that I needed to cast heal and clean magic on my body before I died from parasites and infection. Deorgon picked up the horse head again and crammed it into his mouth in one breath. Blood poured continuously from Deorgon's mouth as he chewed the meat with his cheeks puffed out like a squirrel. It was basically a snuff film. I barely held back my retching and tore off about half of the horse leg to eat.

"It looks like it's delicious. I will specially give you one more leg..."

"How could I cause such a nuisance to Lord Deorgon's meal? Just the thought alone is more than enough for me."

"You really are a courteous fellow. I like you."

It seemed he truly had no intention of giving it to me anyway. I suppressed my indescribable annoyance and smirked. Deorgon only got up after chewing and eating everything, down to the guts and bones, with a crunching sound. His mouth was covered in blood. Seemingly with no intention of wiping his face, he carelessly threw the remaining byproducts of the horse into the pile of corpses and stood up.

Was this what the life of a natural man was like? He snapped his fingers to create a portal and spoke to me.

"Small Genitals. Get in that carriage. I need to pack a gift for a moment."

Deorgon disappeared into the corner of the cave with the one remaining horse. I got into the carriage meekly. I felt my mind ease a little at the thought that I could now go meet Ati. I would finally be liberated from hell. Thinking like that, I caught my breath while leaning against the backrest of the carriage.

"Did you wait?"

Deorgon returned quickly. The horse was tied up round and round with ropes like a dried yellow corvina. Overcoming the instinct that told me I shouldn't criticize anything here, I had no choice but to raise an objection.

"What is that, Lord Deorgon?"

"It's a gift. A gift with dragon-like packaging."

"Dragon-like packaging?"

"Dragons do not care for empty formalities. A knot that fully reveals the essence of the gift while showing off that I decorated it for you. It's a gift that gathers only the most dragon-like elements. If you look here, I also wrote a letter."

Deorgon readily showed me the letter as well. I read the contents of the letter.

[Ati, I want to have dragon sexual intercourse with you. In 999 years.]

"That is very wonderful."

It wasn't my business how badly this bastard ruined Ati's mood with whatever gift. Since I would be the one untying it all anyway. Still, wouldn't it be right to at least wipe the blood off his mouth and body on a personal level before going? He didn't even think about wiping the blood off his face, acting like a young child going to brag to his mother about playing in a mud puddle.

"Uhm, Lord Deorgon?"

"What is it?"

"Uhm, how about wiping the blood off your face before you go..."

"Ignorant fellow."

He still seemed to be in a good mood. Deorgon had a generous personality for an eccentric dragon, so he didn't kill me just for throwing out a single word like this. He pointed at the dried blood on his face and spoke.

"This is what I prepared for my proud Dragon Baby."

"W-What?"

"I will only say it one more time. It's Dragon Baby. My daughter. It is a tradition for young dragons to be fed mouth-to-mouth by their mother and father. I am purposely smearing this bloodstain to show the taste of blood to the young child who hasn't eaten meat yet."

"...I see. I have learned a new fact about dragons."

"It is fine as long as you know it now. Humans tend not to know much about the great traditions of dragons. Let's go then. My heart is already fluttering at the thought of showing you my Dragon Baby."

The coachman was still knocked out, remaining as still as a dead mouse. The dragon walked into the portal while pushing the carriage. Upon passing through the portal, the surrounding scenery changed as if we had opened a room door and stepped out. Beautifully decorated stone pillars and a firmly closed door. I felt like I had finally escaped the world of barbarism and returned to civilization. Deorgon shouted.

"Ati! You have a guest! And I brought a gift!"

As Deorgon's shout rang out, a small ball popped out from the door and examined the two of us up and down. The ball, which paused on my side for a long time, disappeared beyond the door again, and the massive door began to open with a heavy rumble. The coachman didn't wake up even with this commotion. Deorgon spoke.

"I put him to sleep. He won't wake up for about three days. It's annoying to have two guests. That human will function as your luggage for the time being."

It was at least one of the things Deorgon did well. Beyond the door, there was still a long hallway and another ornate door. I got off the carriage and followed Deorgon inside the door. Dragging the carriage along, I felt exactly like I had become a horse. At the end of the long hallway, a familiar door came into view. When I first met Ati, Deorgon was being scolded by Ati from beyond that door. But as if he wouldn't be scolded this time, Deorgon confidently walked toward the door holding the horse.

"Wait. Small Genitals. Enter after my gift has been delivered."

And then he naturally opened the door and entered. I felt like I had seen this sight somewhere before.

"I have arrived. My Dragon Baby."

"Kyahhhh! Mom! That weird mister is here again!"

"Deorgon! Didn't I tell you not to come in? It smells like rot because of your disgusting eating habits! I told you I didn't even want to see your face, so why do you keep trying to come in? Do you think I opened the door for you? I opened the door for the guest, not you!"

"I brought a gift."

"Eat it yourself! How did you bring an unbutchered horse all the way here expecting me to eat it? Huh? Are you crazy?"

"I will butcher it for you."

Riiiiip! Teeeaaar! The sound of flesh tearing could be heard vividly. At the same time, the young child's scream was heard.

"Kyahhhhh! Mom! That mister is crazy! He must be crazy!"

"I am, butchering..."

"Get out! What are you showing to our child? You're just dirtying the room... Get out right now! Just bring the guest! Do you think I let you in because I wanted to see your face! Seriously, what is this! I just put on new clothes...! Get out!"

"I will only give food to our Dragon Baby and leave."

"Stop only picking out words that ruin my mood and get out!"

"Kyahhhhh! Mom! That mister is smearing blood on his face! It's too scary! So dirty! Kyahhhhh!"

"Dirty, you say...! Ati! Have you not taught our tradition to the Dragon Baby! No matter how different our hometowns are, we are dragons! Now! My lovely Dragon Baby! Hurry and embrace your father! Grow up drinking the blood imbued with my love, and become a splendid...!"

"Get out!"

Boom!

The door was smashed to tatters. Deorgon flew out, breaking through the door made of steel. Deorgon, who rolled and bounced on the floor several times, immediately stood up completely fine while dusting off his body. I could face Ati through the gap of the shattered door. Ati. She glared at Deorgon with burning eyes before suddenly covering her mouth and retching.

"Ugh...!"

"You know it's useless to hit me, Ati. Because of the contract we forged in the distant past, if you hit me, that damage returns entirely to you."

Ati clicked her tongue and spoke.

"Disappear, Deorgon. Because I really dislike you."

"But fate cannot be changed. Our destiny determined by the heavens is named dragon..."

"Shut up! Please! Just get out!"

When Ati exploded, Deorgon lowered both arms he had raised toward the sky and slightly bowed his head.

"...Understood."

That guy looked a little hurt. Deorgon drooped his body and trudged away. Only after seeing Deorgon completely disappear did I poke my head out through the broken gap in the door. Ati, who had been huffing and puffing while looking at Deorgon just a moment ago, spread her arms with a faint smile as soon as she saw me.

"Lucius! You really came to see me, how commendable. Baby. Come on out. Your dad is here."

"D-Dad? Is he really my dad?"

In the corner of the room, a small dragon cautiously poked its head out. The child had an appearance somewhat close to an Ain. A long tail and sharp claws reminiscent of an Ain proved this. The body was covered in scales, and the face was a lizard itself, but the ears were pointy.

It seemed the dragon blood was incredibly strong.

"D-Dad? Can I really call him dad? Will you protect us from that weird mister?"

Hmm, impossible.