Published: September 10, 2025
Satou here. In old manga and dramas, there used to be scenes where an aunt who loved matchmaking would set up arranged marriage meetings. These days, it seems that companies organizing marriage hunting parties have taken over that role.
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Riza and I browsed the roadside stalls along the approach, heading toward the Dragon Temple at the end of the path.
“Look, Riza, check this out.”
“Is this a wood carving shaped like a dragon?”
“Customer, you’ve got a sharp eye, nya mo.”
—Nya mo? What kind of sentence ending is that?
Feeling uneasy, I checked the AR display, but the lizardman shopkeeper appeared to be a normal person.
Looking at the log, I saw “Red Scale Tribe Language” had been added, so it was probably the effect of the familiar “Green Scale Tribe Language” making the dialect sound strange.
Without even bothering to spend skill points, I activated the “Translate” magic and wiped out the weird dialect.
“This can be used as a hairpin or scale ornament, like this,” the shopkeeper demonstrated.
“I don’t usually wear ornaments…”
Because the shopkeeper showed how to fasten it, I picked one up and placed it on Riza.
Wow, it actually suits her surprisingly well.
“Yeah, it looks good on you.”
“I-If Master says so…”
Riza’s tail twitched lightly, expressing her inner joy.
I handed the payment in copper coins to the shopkeeper.
“Oh? Saga Empire Gold Coins, how rare.”
“Can’t use them?”
“No, not at all. The copper coins from that country aren’t stingy with copper, so they’re very welcome. Even outside merchants like them.”
Saying that, the shopkeeper showed me a rusty copper coin.
It seemed the copper coins in this country contained many impurities.
Like that, Riza and I continued sightseeing along the approach.
In a square-like rest area midway along the path, there was a stall roasting an animal resembling a capybara whole.
They didn’t sell the whole roast but rather shaved pieces of meat sandwiched in black crepe dough—a type of dish.
“Riza, want to try one?”
“I’m sorry, Master. I’d prefer to refrain from eating meat today.”
Oh? It’s rare for Riza to avoid meat.
“Are you feeling unwell? Should we turn back around here?”
“No, that’s not it…”
Riza’s hesitant expression seemed like she was enduring some pain.
Could she be troubled by something?
“While Pochi and Tama can’t eat meat as punishment, if I secretly eat it alone…”
I see, she was holding back out of consideration for the other two.
But since she ate meat normally at the dining table, I asked and learned that was meant to make the two recognize their punishment, and if Riza refrained from meat, others would be forced to go meatless too.
It’s very like Riza, but I think there’s no need to take it so seriously.
“Then, how about something other than meat?”
I said that and bought some vinegar kelp-like snacks from a nearby stall, handing half to Riza.
They had a nice chewy texture that should suit her taste.
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“So this is the Dragon Temple.”
“It’s smaller than I expected.”
At the square in front of the Dragon Temple, we looked up at a white concrete-like temple.
The plaster made with earth magic probably gave it that concrete look. This method was sometimes seen even in the Duke’s Capital and Royal Capital.
Part of the rectangular building’s rooftop was dome-shaped, resembling something like an observatory.
“—Dragon! I, Baru Bout of the Lion Tribe! Let us fight honorably!”
The voice proclaiming its name carried on the wind, a hoarse and broken loud shout.
The speaker stood in the circular arena visible behind the Dragon Temple, about the size of a track and field stadium.
The arena was surrounded on three sides by cliffs, which served as nap spots for low-rank dragons.
Hidden by the crowd, but the map showed a deep valley between the back of the Dragon Temple and the arena, connected by a single suspension bridge.
Beyond the valley seemed off-limits; aside from the said lionman, no one else was there.