A Dragon and a Grand Feast
For a moment, I wasn’t sure how things would turn out, but since the dragon lurking near the lake by Curtis Village was one that could be reasoned with, we managed to avoid the worst-case scenario.
What was most significant, however, was that the dragon, Asletica, and Lord Doyle hit it off.
That man is much younger than me, but he has an unerring eye for people. Both Brough and Marietta have proudly attested to this, and, more than anything, the fact that he readily accepted someone like me—who was practically exiled from the royal capital—proves it well enough.
Incidentally, the moment it was decided that Asletica would officially relocate to the lake, the idea of holding a feast naturally came up, and the villagers immediately set to work preparing for it.
"A feast… The word sounds vaguely familiar, but isn’t that something held for celebrations?"
"Welcoming Asletica as a new member of the village—that's something truly worth celebrating for the people of Curtis Village."
"Not only are they accepting me, but they’re celebrating it too?"
Asletica seemed shaken.
He must have had some interactions with humans before—but judging from his reaction, it was hard to say that those experiences had been positive.
Yet the people of Curtis Village not only accepted him but even decided to hold a feast in his honor. This must have been unprecedented for him.
"This is quite a peculiar village, isn’t it?"
"I think so too."
As preparations for the feast continued, I was about to help out when—
"Thank you, Justin."
Out of nowhere, Asletica expressed his gratitude.
"If you’re thanking someone, wouldn’t the villagers be more deserving than me?"
"Of course, I deeply appreciate them as well. But it was undoubtedly you who connected me with them."
"Me? Why?"
I don’t really feel like I did anything special.
It was Lord Doyle who ultimately decided that Asletica could live by the lake, and it was Mayor Ganan who first suggested the feast. If anyone deserves gratitude, it should be them… so why was I the first one he thanked?
"When I first revealed myself, you told your companions to escape while you bought time, didn’t you? Not only that, but you instructed them to warn the village of the danger, fully prepared to sacrifice yourself to ensure others had a better chance of fleeing."
"Well, at the time, I figured that was the only thing I could do."
Back then, it wasn’t even clear whether Asletica could talk, so I just acted on instinct, doing whatever I could.
But apparently, my actions left a deep impression on him.
"I've lived for over five hundred years, but you're the first human I’ve ever seen stand against me to protect their comrades."
"Huh? Really?"
"Most people panic and flee. Some have even gone so far as to offer up their own companions to me as a sacrifice. What follows is always an unpleasant squabble."
Considering the sheer size of a dragon like him, it’s understandable that most would instinctively try to run.
But betraying their own comrades just to save themselves? That’s the lowest of the low. Asletica must have witnessed such despicable scenes countless times.
"But you didn’t do that. You stood your ground to protect your friends. That’s why I believed I could trust you enough to talk."
"I see… so that’s how it was."
I never had any intention of proving myself or anything, but if it ended up resonating with Asletica, then I suppose it worked out.
"Senior, help me out over here!"
"Oh, coming!"
Called over by Elina, who was carrying a huge barrel of alcohol, I told Asletica to "take it easy" before running off.
This feast was a bit different from usual—the venue was set around the lake.
There was concern that if Asletica entered the village, his tail or wings might accidentally damage the houses.
As the sun slowly set and evening approached, the preparations were nearly complete.
The only complaint among the villagers? Not enough alcohol.
Well, with all the feasts we've had lately, it makes sense that our stock’s running low.
"We’ll have to make a trip to the capital and buy in bulk."
"Yeah. The next traveling merchant won’t be coming for another two months."
The villagers and Village Chief Ganun looked at the more than ten barrels of alcohol that had been prepared.
It was quite a lot, but for this village, it still felt insufficient.
Soon, freshly made dishes were brought in as well.
And of course, no feast would be complete without music—so instruments were set up too.
"Oh-ho, this is quite impressive."
The human way of celebrating seemed to be beyond Asletica’s imagination.
Despite his massive size and fearsome claws and fangs, his eyes sparkled as he watched the preparations unfold.
When night fell, the scene was illuminated not only by moonlight but also by lamps embedded with glowing stones, giving the feast a slightly different atmosphere than usual.
Finally, Lord Doyle led a toast, and the feast began in earnest.
First, Asletica was offered some of the village’s traditional dishes and their signature fruit liquor.
"Ohh… Everything tastes wonderful."
It seemed that Curtis Village’s local cuisine and alcohol suited Asletica’s palate.
"A feast by the lakeside—now, this is quite something."
"Drinking under the moonlight… it feels strangely refreshing."
The villagers enjoyed their drinks and food to the fullest.
From what could have been a crisis where the village was at risk of destruction, the night had transformed into a truly joyous occasion.
What do you think about this chapter?
