Dragon Hunting Day
A few days passed, and the day of the Plain Earth Dragon hunt arrived.
Over 40 adventurers were participating, all ranked Red or higher, with some Copper-ranked adventurers mixed in.
This large-scale hunt had been heavily publicized, and even people from distant towns had arrived via the Guild’s air transport.
Becoming a renowned dragon slayer and receiving a massive reward was enough to get everyone excited.
Meanwhile, we were in a more relaxed, spectator-like mood.
"Lily, you seem pretty calm.”
"Oh, hi, Melanie. Well, we don’t really have a role in the actual fight. We’ve come fully prepared, so there’s nothing to worry about."
"It’s a bit strange that the group with the most luxurious equipment isn’t actually participating in the subjugation, but I suppose it can’t be helped. I’ll introduce you to the commander of the operation, so please follow me."
It seemed we had to make an appearance.
Melanie led us to a large armored vehicle where they were busy loading supplies.
It looked like quite the task.
"Wone, could I have a moment?"
"What is it? Oh, the Guild’s on-site commander. What do you need?"
"I’d like to introduce you to the adventurers who will be serving as the transport crew and backup for the rear camp. In case something happens, they’ll be helping us."
"Backup... for the rear? Are you saying we might fail?"
The man named Wone showed a hint of irritation.
Well, he was an adventurer experienced enough to serve as commander.
His pride must be sky-high.
"No, not at all. However, this large-scale hunt involves an opponent whose numbers are unknown. And since it’s a major foe like a Plain Earth Dragon, we couldn’t even conduct a proper reconnaissance. It’s better to be prepared for any eventuality."
"Hmph, fair enough. So, what’s their rank?"
"The leader, Lily, is Green-ranked. However, she’s a Tamer, and her familiar is quite powerful, making her effectively on par with Copper-ranked adventurers. Her guards are Red-ranked and became dragon slayers last winter after taking down a mutated Plain Earth Dragon."
"Tamer Lily… Ah, is she the one who caused a stir in the Capital with Grandmaster Rumaja? And you’re saying her group took down that mutated Plain Earth Dragon, the one that would’ve fetched several billion Rubies at auction if it hadn’t been for the incident in the Capital? That’s promising."
"Well, we don’t want to raise expectations too high, but they’ll be reliable if needed."
"Got it. I’m Copper-ranked adventurer Wone. If the time comes, I’ll be counting on you. Of course, it’s our job to make sure nothing like that happens."
Wone extended his hand for a handshake.
I took it, and he gave it a light squeeze in return.
He seemed like a thoughtful person.
"I’m Lily. I’m primarily a merchant, so I’d rather avoid combat, but if the time comes, I’ll do my best."
"That’s the right attitude to have. Oh, and I’m counting on you for the transport. We won’t be able to haul everything back to town ourselves."
"Leave that to us. We’ve got reliable transport methods."
"Good to hear."
With that, Wone returned to overseeing the loading process.
According to Melanie, Wone was one of the top Copper-ranked adventurers, and many were counting on his strength for this Plain Earth Dragon hunt.
While relying on another adventurer might seem questionable, the opponent this time is a dragon species.
Without top-notch equipment, you wouldn’t stand a chance in a real fight.
The Adventurers’ Guild knew this and hadn’t allowed anyone with weak equipment to join.
That’s reassuring, at least.
In any case, the preparations were complete.
With several special large vehicles and armored transports heading out, this large-scale hunt couldn’t afford to fail.
Let’s hope we won’t need to be called into action.
What do you think about this chapter?
