I want to see a dragon.
It’s not just curiosity…
It’s simply because I genuinely wonder what exactly a dragon is.
You know, right now, there’s a lot of talk about how the strength of Zes—or rather, the mages—is abnormal, isn’t there?
They say even the most seasoned knights in this country, who are at the peak of their training, can barely handle a single orc!
Well, many might wonder, ‘How strong is a single orc, really?’ or ‘What about goblins?’ but I’m giving you a fairly fuzzy answer based on my own experience.
After all, strength isn’t something that can be precisely quantified.
It’s like asking, ‘Who’s the strongest: Mike Tyson, Chiyonofuji, or Antonio Inoki?!’
Who could answer that definitively?
Those who can pick one are just choosing their favorite. Most sensible people would say, ‘It depends on the rules,’ or ‘The weight class makes a difference,’ right? That’s the logical conclusion.
In other words, ‘strength’ varies based on conditions, so you can’t pin it down exactly.
That said, if I were to give you a rough estimate based on my experience… an orc is like a grizzly bear with intelligence.
For a regular citizen, it’s an unbeatable monster.
Its skeletal structure doesn’t allow it to move on all fours like a bear, so it lacks mobility, but it has an incredibly strong skeleton that deflects arrows and thick skin. Its strength is such that it can tear off human limbs. And on top of that, it has the intelligence of a monkey…
In short, it’s a terrifying creature.
And a trained knight is about as strong as one of those.
In this world, there’s magic. People who train unconsciously manipulate and cloak themselves in magical power, enhancing their physical abilities.
An ogre can easily beat such an orc.
And a mage can blow up an ogre with a single spell.
Doesn’t that seem a bit unbalanced?
Of course, if a mage gets caught off guard, they can lose to an ogre, and maybe even a knight.
Though, with the development of spells like body enhancement and protection, who knows?
‘…So we’re talking about how a dungeon that the Carenheit Margrave family—who employs multiple mages, possibly even dozens—can’t seem to deal with. What’s going on there?’
I said, handing out soup to the group seated in a circle around the campfire.
Zes scooped a dumpling from the soup with his spoon and spoke.
‘…Dragons can use magic.’
Oh?
‘Really?’
‘Yeah. If they were just rampaging monsters, the Carenheit Margrave family would have dealt with them. The fact that they haven’t means they’re not an easy opponent.’
Huh?
‘Monsters can use magic?’
‘Well, monsters—or magical beasts, as they’re called—are named that because they’re animals that can use magic.’
‘And, you know, orcs and ogres, their immense strength is clearly magical, right? And things like the fire-breathing of Fire Hounds or the water-spouting of Sea Serpents are also considered magic.’
Holman and Hector chimed in as they sipped their soup.
Ah… I recall when we took down that wyvern. I remember thinking it was using magic because, aerodynamically, there was no way it could fly with that body shape.
‘But if they can use magic, why don’t they block our spells with counterspells?’
‘True, why don’t they?’
Hmm?
‘Even if they don’t know much about magic, wouldn’t they be able to reduce the impact by releasing their own magic at the moment our spells hit?’
‘Ah… Maybe monsters can use magic, but they can’t use it consciously. That’s a bit loose, huh?’
‘For those monsters that just enhance their bodies, sure. But the ones that breathe fire or surround themselves with lightning might have some ability to release magic. So, isn’t it strange that they can’t do it?’
Oh, a lively debate. Have I sparked their curiosity?
It’s good for them to think. I’ll let them continue.
‘Exas, what do you think?’
Hmm?
Zes asked me.
‘I don’t know. I’m too busy to be researching monster ecology right now. But one of my subordinates is studying these things, so I’ll ask for the results one day…’
‘I see… But still, I think dragons are magical creatures that can use magic consciously. What do you think?’
‘I don’t know. If that were true, I think such a species would be better known by now.’
‘That’s true. Hearing that from someone like you, who built a city with magic in a year, is convincing. But what if dragons are peaceful?’
‘I don’t think so. After all, nobody comes back from the mountain, right? That means they’re killing people.’
‘Hmm… You’re right. So, what level of magic do you think dragons are capable of?’
‘Who knows? But one thing I can say is they can’t sense everything in the world or see the future.’
‘Why’s that?’
‘If I were that dragon, and I had such abilities… I’d kill someone as dangerous as Exas before they were even born.’
‘…I see.’
‘Is it even really a dragon?’
Holman asked.
‘What else could it be?’
‘Maybe some other powerful monster, or perhaps an elven hidden village?’
‘Elves, huh… Aren’t they said to be better at using magic than humans?’
‘Yeah. There’s even a theory that elves were the ones who taught humans magic. On top of that, apparently, while nobody cares about their women, their men are all handsome! If it’s an elven hidden village, help me negotiate to sleep with at least one!’
‘Fine, but it would be a hassle if they had some disease… Oh, by the way, Hector! Your family is a network of spies, right? Do you have any information on elves?’
‘Well, yeah, but don’t say that out loud… Elf information? No, nothing.’
‘Nothing at all?’
‘Hmm, well, there are a few rumors and some records, like ancient ruins believed to belong to elves, but no one has met an elf in the last hundred years.’
‘Huh.’
‘Oh, but… The headmaster fought an elf in battle once, a long time ago.’
Oh?
‘Maybe I’ll ask about it when we get back.’
‘Yeah, if we found elves now, it’d be a big deal…’
‘But if elves were strong enough to fight the headmaster…’
‘More battle talk? Can’t we talk about something more fun? Like…’
And so, the night went on.
It had the feel of a school trip!
