Published: September 4, 2025
Satou here. Welcome parties for newcomers, year-end parties, New Year parties. There are various drinking banquets, but overall, they seem to act as lubricants for communication. Though, drunkards who can’t control their alcohol intake are a problem.
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“Close call!”
Just before a fang sank into my shoulder, I landed an unrestrained punch. A broken fang scraped the inside of the black dragon’s mouth, causing fresh blood to spill out. Well, dragons probably heal quickly. Probably.
Using that momentum, I twisted my body and delivered a roundhouse kick to the side of the black dragon’s face.
However, the saying “never let your guard down” is true. I never expected my flexible shield or flexible armor to be so easily broken through. I had intended to counterattack after blocking with the flexible shield, but it was broken through so effortlessly that I panicked.
I glanced at the black dragon’s side, which had collapsed unconscious right next to me.
Did I kick too hard? I felt a crack like the skull might have fractured, but dragons probably heal naturally. They’re supposed to be the strongest creatures after all.
But even after waiting about an hour and the “unconscious” bad status disappeared, the black dragon didn’t get up.
Playing dead?
Come to think of it, the dragons in picture books all loved alcohol. Since many dragons in my original world like drinking too, maybe I should try that. If it’s a sober dragon, we can fight again. This time, I won’t let my guard down.
I placed a barrel of liquor right at the black dragon’s snout. It’s a strong sake called “Dragon Slayer,” brewed in the Duke’s Capital. It rivals firewater in alcohol content but is notorious for its harsh taste compared to firewater.
I smashed the broken fang against the barrel lid to break it, releasing a rich aroma of sake into the air. Before I knew it, the black dragon’s nostrils flared.
Its eyes flickered open briefly, noticing my gaze, then hurriedly shut again.
No, that’s too slow.
“You’re awake, right? Why don’t we toast to each other’s efforts?”
“Uuumu… very well, I’ll grant you a special draw. But there’s not enough sake for a proper toast.”
The black dragon grumbled reluctantly and got up. I could tell it was trying to maintain dignity, but its gaze was fixed so firmly on the barrel, that’s no good.
When I offered the sake, it eagerly pressed its mouth to the barrel. Surprisingly straightforward.
“Hmm, good. Indeed, human-made sake is delicious. But dragon sake won’t lose out, you see? Return cup! Come, dragon’s sake—”
The black dragon roared a long, song-like call. That was a magic to summon the spring called "Spring of Liquor.” How fantastical.
Since all we did was drink, I prepared some snacks: roasted wyvern and skewered whale meat slices weighing 200 kilograms each. I used whale’s small bones for the skewers and cooked everything in the Forge.
During the banquet, while cooking additional ingredients, I contacted Arisa using the “Telephone” magic. There must have been roars and destruction sounds like a monster battle from the mountain I headed to, so I wanted to reassure her. Though not as much as before, it seemed Arisa and Liza were worried.
I also told them I’d return after cleaning up—but—
“Mm, delicious, delicious, so sweet.”
“This spring’s sake is delicious too. It has a flavor that goes well with meat.”
—It had simply become a drinking party.
While listening mainly to the black dragon’s battle history, we exchanged toasts.
The most reassuring thing was the story about dragons.
Only about 70% of dragons were in Dragon Valley. The remaining 30% were apparently on other continents. It was good news that they weren’t on the brink of extinction.
The dragons outside Dragon Valley on this continent — excluding the black dragon in front of me, the Celestial Dragon that lives in the western sacred peak, and a few young adult dragons — were said to be mostly low-rank dragons.