Ep 191. Get Used To It. (3)
“Really?”
“No.”
“…You really didn’t?”
“…No. I did not sell Aldrid.”
While Serenis and Patrick shared a rather pointless versation at the door, Iris had hurriedly rushed ba to ge bato her work attire – uniform, cloak, and hat and all – before ing back to the door to greet the dragonlord’s arrival.
Unfortunately, her previous state hadn’t gone unnoticed.
“Dragonlord! Uh, long time no see.”
“Mm, it has been some time. Are you off to somewhere?”
“…No?”
“…Oh. Then why the ge in attire?”
“Huh? Well, uh…we have a guest here, so…”
“Guest? Acc to Patrick, this is my home.”
“…”
Having talked herself into a er, Iris immediately turo Patrick with a pleading gaze.
Though, it quickly became apparent that her friend was NOT helping her out of this one. If anything, he was nodding in agreement with what the dragonlord had just said.
“R…right! What I meant is, uh…I…I am the guest! So, I should dress appropriately. Yes, that’s it.”
“? But you seemed perfectly tent wearing much less in Patrick’s presence.”
“…Haha, what are you talking about? I’d never do that! I always dress like this.”
“…No, I distinctly remember you were-“
“Anyways, uh, how were your travels?! How was Astellion?!”
When bits of mog ughter began to slip out of Patrick, Iris quickly shot him a death stare to silence her coworker.
Frowning, Serenis exged gnces with the two enforcers in front of her.
She’d seen those expressions. Just yesterday, in fact.
It was Raizel gring at Ilias all ain.
“…Seems you two have grown closer.”
“Actually, she kinda just started living h-“
Before Patrick could finish his sentence, Iris’ arms almost instantly ed around his neck, choking the rest of his senteo oblivion.
And with an awkward smile, answered Serenis in Patrick’s stead.
“Haha, right! We’ve gotten a lot closer.”
Although Serenis’ frown momentarily deepe the sudden chokehold, she quickly rexed her expression. It wasn’t difficult to tell that they weren’t actually fighting.
Then, the dragonlord pced one hand over the bck leather sack she’d brought.
“Anyhow…to answer your question, a number of things have happened. As I’ve told Patrick already, I did not sell Aldrid…I merely left her with her son for the time being. I visited the kin’s before ing here. What you see here are…gifts.”
Shortly after, Patrick freed himself of his boss’ hold, regaining his ability to speak after a few choked coughs.
“…Ugh, there we go. So wait, what is that exactly? It’s not an actual bck slime, is it?”
“I told you. It’s treasure.”
“…That’s not funny. You have a door-tall sack, what kinda treasure is that big?”
“I thought it might be a bit much as well, but…Karas has said that you’d like it regardless, so I filled it to the brim.”
Fluttering her wings, Serenis quickly rose into the air over to the top of her baggage once more, undoing the knot that was keeping the sack sealed.
Following suit, the bck veil fell down – revealing the brilliant glimmers of a pile of gold.
“Wh-?! Wait, you actually meant treasure when you said it?!”
“…I’ve told you twice already. Why do you seem so relut to believe what I say?”
“Because what you say is ridiculous! Whs a pile of gold as a homeing gift?!”
“…Is it not to your liking? If so, I give them to Karas instead.”
“No no no no no, wait, wait…hold on a sec.”
Patrick gripped his ag head. Serenis’ return was already a surprise, but the ‘gift’ she’d shown up with was overloading his poor brain.
“So…yht these from your ‘’…that’s Dragon’s Valley? Right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Then, what about ownership? I know you’re a dragon…lord, but you didn’t go taking these willy-nilly from other dragons or something, did you?”
“…What exactly do you see me as?”
“My immature little brother who woke up and turned into a dragon?”
Without realizing, Serenis derisively rolled her eyes at her brother.
“…These do not belong to a particur individual. They’re tributes that were made unto the dragonkin hundreds and thousands of years ago. And while we may call them treasures, they’re nothing more than glittering pieces of stoo the kin.”
Iris frow the expnation. She still vividly remembered – with a pang of guilt, because it had been during work hours – what Ilias had told her while they were drinking together.
“Didn’t dragons like colleg treasures…? Ilias seemed to love gold.”
“That’s Ilias being peculiar.”
Plug out a bar of gold from the pile, Serenis wove it a couple times in the air.
“What use would a bar of gold serve in an open valley? Such objects hardly possess any worth tons. Ilias would be the exception, as she’s indulged herself in mankind’s s.”
“…”
“…”
For a while, Patrick remained frozen in pce, bnkly staring at his little sibling with widened eyes.
And if it weren’t for Iris’ hand that ced on his shoulder, he may have stayed that way for far longer.
“See, Patrick? I told you. You still treat them like a kid, but you really o realize who your sibling is.”
“…Realize shmearlize, you gotta at least TRY to be reasonable!”
“This is reasonable. She’s a dragonlord, a pile of gold is probably nothing to her.”
“Yeah, that…really doesn’t help.”
“What I say? Get used to it.”
“…”
Sn defiantly, Patrick then looked to his boss with a sly grin.
“…Fine. I’ll try getting used to it. Right now.”
“?...Okay?”
Patrick swiftly turowards Serenis with crossed arms – and a rather evil expression.
“Serenis. You said these are gifts, right? For me?”
Despite her ongoing fusion, Serenis quietly nodded her head.
After the firmation, Patrick darted his gaze back at Iris.
“With that much gold, I doubt I’ll be needing money anytime soon. Probably not for a lifetime, even.”
“…Where’re you going with this?”
“Where else? I’m quitting. It was nice w with ya, Ms. Alpid.”
“…”
This time, it was Iris’ turn to give a bnk stare.
Thankfully, urick, she didn’t need help returning to her senses.
“Why would you quit?! You said you loved this job!”
“You believed that? Think about it. There’s always tons of work to do, my boss is a pain in the ass…the wage is kinda nice, but I don’t evehat anymore. So, I quit.”
“Wha…you ’t just quit! You’re Partivine’s enforcer, it’s your duty to see to the city’s well-being!”
“Uh huh. Not anymore.”
“…Patrick, e on. You ’t be serious-”
With that, Patripletely turned his ba Iris. He stepped outside through the door, pushing Serenis along with him.
“Ignore uest, she’s a bit crazy. It’s been a while, let’s get something o eat! You tell me all about what happened over lunch.”
“…Why do you seem s all of a sudden?”
“What are you talking about? I always took care of you. I used to teaagid everything, remember?”
“I…suppose…”
As the two began to walk outside, Iris reflexively shut the door behio follow the two.
“Patrick, wait! You’re actually just gonna leave me here? What if I steal all that?”
“…Are you going to? Enfort sector representative, Iris Alpid?”
“…”
“You e if you want to. But you’re buying.”
“…For heaven’s sake.”
Sighing, Iris spared a brief moment to cast a cealment spell on the dragonlord’s pile of gold before following after her…now-former coworker.
Of course, on the surface, there was no reason to follow the two at the expense of buying them aire meal – but this was more than just a friendly meal. It portunity to learn of the dragonlord’s ventures outside of their ti.
And, besides…Iris had a personal reason to improve the dragonlord’s impression of her.
They’d be seeing each other quite a bit, anyhow.
Praybird
