EnroItzal

  The arrival of Lilim and the rest was impeccable. They saw Yu’s shadows holding the torso of a dead Vulture open while Henry dug out its Murux Core with a finger.

  The sight, of course, filled the newly arrived troupe with questions and intrigue but Eria cast them a stern gre and they immediately got her meaning. None of them ended up questioning the reason behind what Henry and his bride were doing.

  Their confusion and interest were heightened when they saw Henry btantly popping the just-harvested Murux Core into his mouth. All kinds of specutions flowed through their minds but they couldn’t arrive at even a single pusible expnation. This was just how absurd the concept of gaining a monster’s ability through the consumption of its Murux Core was.

  Nevertheless, they kept silent about their curiosity and returned their attention to their original focus. The subjugation of the Great Ravager. They did not need to inquire about how the subjugation fared with the colossal carcass of the titan y before them in all of its terrifying splendour.

  The disbelief they held wasn’t too profound as Henry was here. They came to believe the stories they heard about Dragons were not mere unfounded legends. They did not probe into the methods used in sying the Great Ravager. They would have their answers during the feast as warriors would often boast of their victories and hardship during the celebration.

  Under normal circumstances, they would drag the bodies of their prey back to the vilge but the Great Ravager was too rge and the other monsters served no purpose, not even as food as they were poisonous, or trophies as they were already dime a dozen in their trophy hall.

  While everyone sported relief faces and triumphant smiles, Oren was the only one with a sour and bitter look. His slight gaze was not overlooked by the group. Eria gave up on admonishing and simply wished him a stroke of silent good luck for his audacity. He only dropped his offensive gre when Henry turned to meet his gaze.

  Henry smirked at his petty victory and walked past the indignant Augru without sparing any more attention than necessary.

  With that complicated tenor permeating the group, they journeyed back to the vilge. Henry did not fly back but instead joined the others in their slow walk back. Eria vehemently denied Henry’s tacit consideration but he convinced her by stating her to be the main reason for his consideration.

  Lilim and the others smiled warmly at the blooming mood between Henry and Eria with Yu gncing at the two in an impish manner. Oren, on the other hand, only intensified his gre at Henry, thinking no one was looking.

  Of course, Henry noticed Oren’s insolence and so did the others but none said a word of it as Henry didn’t.

  Around half a day’s time, they finally made it back to the vilge in one piece and without any difficulties in their path. Henry’s presence discouraged and frightened many monsters that would have otherwise attacked the group.

  Nearly the entirety of the tribe came out to greet and receive the return of the warriors and Lord Henry. They immediately knew the result of the subjugation when they saw the “proof” being dragged by two Augrus at the back of the party. Instantly, the people erupted into cheers and praise.

  One by one, they began to kneel before Henry as he walked past the crowd with his head held high. He thought about giving them grace and asking them to rise but Yu stopped him from doing so.

  “Let them,” she said in a whisper. “Being humble would only make you look vulnerable. You should hold your head high and let them bask in your glory and presence.”

  “Fine. I’ll entertain them, for your sake.”

  “Do you not like being worshipped?”

  “I just don’t want them to expect things from me. If they start seeing him as a god, they will pray in my name in exchange for the miracles that they assume I’ll be bestowing them with. That can quickly evolve into a huge hassle and the time I can spend with you will be lessened.”

  “Ah… you’re right about that... Maybe I shouldn’t have stopped you.”

  “Too te now.”

  Following the cheering crowd that paved a path to the vilge square, the returning group was greeted with an outrageous and unprecedented dispy of various decorum and dishes that Henry could only presume to be the feast. It would appear the vilge chieftain was so utterly convinced of their victory that he had prematurely prepared the feast.

  The sparkle in the Lavan dignitaries' gazes that fell on Henry told him enough of the chief’s absolute confidence. The Lavans looked relieved over the fact that the Augru Chieftain’s faith wasn’t exaggerated. They must have been very doubtful of the excursion group’s chances even with Henry in the mix.

  Nevertheless, the results were clear. Their mighty terror of a foe had fallen. That was all that mattered to them.

  Eria, Lilima, and the rest of the party stood in a straight horizontal line before the Lavan dignitaries and the Augru Chieftain with Henry and Yu in the middle.

  Per the usual banal customs that Henry was all too familiar with, he endured a long-winded speech from the chieftain and important figures that spoke of their proud histories and their great gratitude regarding his aid in the subjugation. Henry paid only a minimal amount of attention to the speeches and he wagered around half an hour passed before the speeches were concluded.

  Then, the feast officially began. The Augrus were about to y the dishes before Henry in the square as no table was rge enough to accommodate him, Henry decided to assume his human form. His abrupt transformation shocked everyone but their composure returned quickly as if taking the form of a human was only to be expected of him.

  Ironically, Yu was the one who had yet to recover her composure.

  “What’s wrong?” Henry asked as they were led to the main feasting table.

  “You looked older now,” she said with a hint of sadness.

  “I do?”

  “You looked fifteen before but now, you look sixteen.”

  “That’s only a single-year difference. I doubt there are any great changes. Do you dislike it if I look older?”

  “I like you in every form you take, Henry, but… I prefer that juvenile of yours more. The immoral implication of when we have sex is simply the best spice.”

  Henry rolled his eyes. “I’m a Dragon, Yu, and you’re a human. And I’m still technically a child in Dragon years. We’re way past the implication stage.”

  Yu tittered. “So it is.”

  The feast was to be held at the square to accommodate Henry’s size but since he was now significantly smaller, the feast was moved to a smaller space but the view and sights were infinitely better. It was essentially the cliff of the hills they built the vilge on, overlooking the smaller hills and ft nds that spanned beyond the horizon.

  Ulrum is truly a rge pce…

  Henry muttered so in his heart.

  There was more to explore and witness in Ulrum and also the worlds beyond this region. Ulrum was just a small fraction of what this world had to offer. He began to entertain the thought of leaving Ulrum to go and sightsee the rest of this fantasy world.

  He wondered what other kinds of monsters awaited him out there and what sort of plight y ahead of this supposed journey of his in the future. He shoved these thoughts into a corner of his mind as he returned his focus to the feast before and around him.

  Henry was not disappointed. Nearly all categories of poultry and red meat were present in the feast along with a vast array of vegetables and fruits that Henry had never seen before. His nose took in all of the aroma and fragrant smell oozing off the mass of dishes and he gasped in delight.

  Despite his smaller size, he was still able to consume the same amount as he did in his true form. He ate a whole chicken and turkey and he was still far from being satisfied. He wasn’t starving by any means as he could pcate his hunger with Murux. He could go days without eating but his appetite was another story.

  Before he knew it, scantily cd Augru women of fertile age had surrounded him, offering him rge bowls of liquors of different varieties. There were even casks of beers at the ready should these liquors not suited to his pate. Henry wasn’t picky and drank all that was offered to him, but this didn’t mean he was not cautious about what he drank. He would always take a few sips first before taking swigs and gulps.

  Half-naked male Augrus with well-defined muscles began surrounding Yu and showering her with praises that some borderline sexual harassment. As Yu was his partner in soul and flesh, he could sense the drastic shift in her mood. He turned his incensed gaze to Yu, ready to act but before he could make his move, Eria appeared from the crowd and stared down the burly men. The men did not linger and promptly took their leave with their tails tucked between their legs.

  “T-thank you, Eria.”

  “You’re most welcome, Yu. Next time these men approach you, don’t hesitate to deal with them as you see fit so long as you don’t maim or kill them.”

  Yu chuckled. “If you say so, I will,” she said and trotted over to Henry with a pte of fish fillet in one hand and a mug of ale in the other. “Enjoying the feast?” she asked as she sat down beside Henry on a bench that was specifically prepared for him and Yu.

  The scantily-cd women dispersed immediately when Yu offered them a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

  “Almost didn’t,” Henry answered. “I was this close to breaking a few bones.”

  “Then you should not go frolicking around with other women.”

  “I thought you wouldn't mind?”

  “Only if the woman does not have an ulterior motive or impure intentions. Those bitches do.”

  Henry chuckled and swiftly kissed her cheek before she could react. “Looks like someone’s jealous.”

  “How can I not be? My lover is an idol of strength and power. It’s only natural that many would flock towards you and those thieving cats wouldn’t be the st.”

  “The same can be said about you, my dear Yu.”

  “Huh, me?”

  “You are getting more and more beautiful by the day too. Do you not know that?”

  “Oh? Am I now? Does that mean I will eventually become the most beautiful woman you shall ever y your eyes upon?”

  “Certainly so, Yu.”

  Yu tittered and they exchanged another kiss that sted only for a few seconds.

  Just then, a pungent sweet scent invaded Henry’s nose and he recoiled with a frown.

  “What’s wrong?” Yu asked.

  Henry pointed towards a cart of fruits that practically screamed exotic. The queer scent of these fruits was deemed poisonous by his instincts but seeing how the Augrus and the few Lavans were consuming them without restraint, he decided to try one of each out of curiosity.

  Hmm? It’s surprisingly very sweet but…

  Yu was also about to take a bite of these exotic fruits but Henry stopped her before she could.

  “No, they’re poison,” he said.

  “Poison?” Yu blurted out. “You’re shitting me. But everyone seems to be enjoying it though?”

  “The same reason as why people still eat spicy food and drink alcohol,” the answer came from Eria who sat herself beside Yu with a rge mug of dark beer in her hand. Unlike her solemn demeanour from before, she now carried a very merry disposition.

  “Lord Henry,” Eria greeted with a wobbly bow.

  Henry nodded back in response with a wry smile.

  “So it’s not poison?”

  “It is poison. Over-consumption may lead to death.”

  “And how much of it is considered over-consumption?”

  “A size of a handful.”

  “That’s a low threshold.” Yu saw in the corner of her eyes that numerous individuals gnawing their way through the fruit without a care. “But they don’t seem worried.”

  Eria sighed. “They’re showing off. The more they eat and still remain standing, the stronger they will look in the eyes of those they are trying to impress.”

  Hearing that, Henry tossed four of the fruits at once into his mouth. Those who saw this immediately had ghastly and apprehensive expressions but they breathed easy when they realised nothing happened even after a few seconds.

  “How’s that?” Henry asked Yu with a smirk.

  “You’re such a dolt,” Yu scoffed but the warm smile on her face betrayed the tone of her words.