How to Live as a Wandering Knight - Chapter 254: 𝐆𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦 (8)

The world is home to many monsters that are named after dragons.

Just look at the monster Johan caught in the coastal city. It was called a sea dragon, wasn’t it?

The earthworm, which is called a dragon, or the drake, which is called a dragon, are also monsters with the name dragon.

However, all of these monsters are not technically dragons. The name dragon is simply attached to them to describe how ferocious and powerful they are.

The real dragon is more powerful than all of these monsters combined.

It has a huge body, cunning intelligence, sharp claws that can tear anything apart, and wings that can fly anywhere.

Once it takes a deep breath and breathes fire, a village burns down, and when it swings its tail like a flail, the walls collapse.

Johan had heard many stories about various monsters from wandering travelers and bards since he was a child, but he had not been particularly interested in the stories about dragons.

No braggarts claim to have met a dragon.

Dragons are so rare that the last record of them appears only in the records of the monastery from a few hundred years ago. Therefore, Johan thought that he would never meet a dragon, even if he met trolls or ogres in his lifetime.

But a dragon?

“What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”

Some people thought the same, and a few of the mercenaries who were guarding the place scolded them. It is rare for someone to simply accept the words ’𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥.’

However, Johan believed the warning of his intuition.

“Let’s get out of here!”

Johan’s words made Caenerna nod her head. There was no time to worry about disguising her identity or preparing a plan when a dragon had appeared.

No matter what happens, we’ll get out of here first!

Even as Caenerna and her attendants ran first and escaped to the other side, the people continued to murmur in response. Only after passing under the first gate were the people able to witness the evidence with their own eyes.

━■■■■■. . .

The appearance of the dragon, rising up from between the collapsed walls and gazing down at its prey with reptilian eyes.

Some of the people who faced it fainted and fell to the ground. Even though they were mercenaries who had experienced the battlefield, they still fell.

𝐒𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐡!

Arrows from a crossbow flew. A few mercenaries drew the crossbow while trembling. The bolts flew sharply, but they did not inflict a single wound on the dragon’s scales.

━■■■■.

And with a mocking growl, the dragon’s counterattack began.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

“Is this really God’s punishment?!”

Caenerna exclaimed without thinking. She couldn’t believe that a real dragon, which had not appeared for over a hundred years, had suddenly appeared now.

As a monster with a special status, dragons were often accompanied by various superstitions when they appeared.

The most representative of these superstitions was that they were the punishment of an angry god. It was believed that God had sent the dragon as his proxy to deliver his wrath.

Johan replied in a very nonchalant tone.

“So, trolls tearing off the arms of church knights means that they should pray properly?”

“. . .I just said it in a panic.”

Caenerna said, feeling embarrassed. It was indeed funny that a wizard who usually did not believe in God would now think that it was God’s punishment.

But the emperor had accumulated a lot of grudges.

The sound of the dragon roaring fiercely and scratching the inside of the castle could be heard from behind. Smoke was already rising from some places as if it had caught fire.

Anyone who witnessed this unbelievable reality could not help but think of one thing, no matter how hard they tried to be rational.

Isn’t this God’s punishment?

The emperor’s actions were too well known to the people under him to just ignore them. He was the emperor who led an army to conquer the order when he was young. His blasphemous behavior was very famous.

“This way!”

As Johan gave the signal, those waiting gathered. Normally, it would be wrong for more than a few dozen people to gather near the castle, but now was not the time to worry about that.

After all, everyone’s eyes were on the dragon.

It was highly likely that Johan would not be noticed even if he killed a few people and threw a torch into the warehouse.

“Should we go save the baron?”

“No. The person next to her will take care of it.”

Johan trusted Kaegal. No matter how chaotic the situation was, he would be able to take care of it and get out.

His prediction was spot on. Kaegal soon came out of the city gate with the baron.

“It’s God’s wrath!”

“. . .Hmm. Let’s just say it’s God’s wrath.”

“Then do you have any other opinions?”

“It’s just a monster that woke up from a long sleep, isn’t it?”

Kaegal burst out laughing at Johan’s words. Even when Johan was nothing, he felt that he was a guy with a really big guts.

How many guys can say that when they see a real dragon, let alone a dragon that is running wild in front of their eyes?

Still, thanks to Johan being so calm, Kaegal came to his senses. Kaegal nodded and asked.

“What are we going to do?”

“Let’s just run away.”

Johan answered immediately.

The people present looked at Johan in disbelief. They were surprised that the count, who had carefully traveled this long way, said to run away without a single bit of hesitation.

However, Johan was serious.

“Why stay here when the dragon is destroying the castle and burning the supplies?”

“. . .You’re right. I guess I’ve become stupid because I saw the dragon.”

After giving it some thought, Johan was right. He carelessly pondered how to drive away that dragon, but they didn’t need to fight it.

It was a task for the people of this castle.

They came solely to burn the castle’s supplies.

“Let’s go!”

However, the party couldn’t leave. Mercenaries started running towards them urgently from all around.

“Wizard, please help us. A dragon has appeared inside the castle!”

“It broke through the walls and set fire inside. We must drive it away! Tell us how to penetrate its scales!”

The mercenaries were so frantic that they didn’t notice the unfamiliar warriors behind Caenerna. They should have recognized the well-armed elite at first sight.

‘𝘐𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘝𝘦𝘭?’

‘𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘥.’

Kaegal exchanged glances with Johan. There was no need to get into a scuffle with these mercenary brutes here. . .

“The dragon is coming this way!!”

“Damn these b*stards!”

Kaegal cursed the mercenaries. There was only one reason why the dragon, which had been happily rampaging inside, would come out again. These clueless mercenaries had caught the dragon’s attention by coming out.

“Isn’t that a bit too much. . . Hup!”

“Shut your mouth! If you say another word, I’ll put a hole in your neck!”

Kaegal kicked the mercenary from horseback and snapped.

Johan’s subordinates said with a tense expression. In a situation where it wouldn’t be strange for them to run away at any moment, they were holding the reins with their sweaty hands. Kaegal was also impressed by their loyalty.

“Give us your orders!”

“Everyone scatters. It’s not good to be gathered against a dragon! Scatter!”

Johan immediately gave the order. The mercenaries who had experience fighting monsters like Johan did not hesitate to scatter.

“Please escort the baron, master .”

“I’ll do my best! You be careful too. I haven’t given up on his neck yet!”

Johan also scattered with Caenerna. The sight of a giant shadow beginning to form on the ground behind them made people gasp for air.

“Wizard, your orders. . .!”

“Scatter and confuse him! Shoot arrows or bolts at him as much as you can, but aim for his eyes if possible. Even if you can’t pierce his scales, it will distract him.”

Johan gave the orders instead. Even though they were flustered, the mercenaries were not fools to follow the orders of a stranger they had just met, but they nodded without realizing it and repeated Johan’s orders.

“Scatter! Scatter and confuse him!”

“Archers, aim for his eyes!”

Johan looked back to confirm the dragon. The massive form chasing them as it ran across the ground with its wings folded was impressive, but the burning castle behind it was even more intense.

Johan could not even begin to fathom the grand castle collapsing and burning. The sight evoked a strange sense of awe.

“Your Excellency Count! I believe you are not enchanted!!”

Caenerna called out to Johan with a voice full of concern. A powerful monster could mesmerize people with its presence. Just like a wizard could bewitch people, a monster could do the same.

But surely, Johan wouldn’t. . .

“If you don’t see me as some *sshole, then don’t speak like that. So, Caenerna. Is there a way to confront that dragon?”

Caenerna produced flames from her hand. It would have been threatening if it was a person, but compared to the dragon behind, it was quite a cute flame.

“How does it look?”

“It seems we have no way. Then we must use another method.”

“What method?”

“Running faster than the mercenaries behind us.”

“. . .I would have laughed in a different situation. . .!”

The mercenaries scattered, shooting arrows and bolts as fast as they could. They aimed for the eyes, but the dragon wasn’t foolish enough to get hit. Just by closing its eyes, it evaded the attacks.

In comparison, a few slow-footed mercenaries were immediately devoured if the dragon attacked once.

“Come back, you b*stards! Before you’re executed!”

The sub-captains were desperate to catch the fleeing mercenaries. They were veterans who had rolled around on the battlefield, but they were more vulnerable at times like this. They didn’t believe in unfounded hope.

Even if an arrow flew, the dragon’s footsteps slowed down, but once they started to flee, there was nothing to bind the dragon. The dragon laughed in satisfaction as it swallowed the mercenaries.

“. . .Did that guy just burp?”

Johan doubted his ears. But he had heard it right. The dragon stopped swallowing anymore with a very satisfied expression.

The mercenaries saw this and suddenly felt hope.

It would have been strange if they were angry and harbored a grudge because of the mass death of their comrades and the half-destroyed castle, but the opponent was a terrifying existence that did not allow such resentment to rise.

Even if the dragon withdrew after being full, the mercenaries could endure it.

The dragon scanned the surroundings with its distinctive eyes. Then, like lightning, it swung its claws, crushing a mercenary on the spot.

“Why?!?!”

Johan, who was watching, realized the dragon’s scheme. It was. . .

“Going after the treasure!”

Skilfully, the dragon plucked the necklaces heavily hung around a mercenary’s neck with its claw tips, then smiled contentedly and hung them on its scales.

The mercenaries stationed here had participated in the southern battle and had amassed substantial loot. They all wore several pieces of gold jewelry.

The bloody time of treasure collection had begun. Initially protesting their capture, the mercenaries soon realized what was happening.

The quick-witted ones astonishingly threw their gold coins and necklaces, attempting to escape. Everyone was shocked to see them abandon items more precious than their lives.

“. . .This looks bad.”

Caenerna, with a pale face, said. Caenerna herself had an ancient artifact and a staff, and Johan also had a significant number of treasures.

“Can it smell the treasure from that distance?”

“If it’s the dragon’s sense of smell, then surely. . .”

Johan took out his spear, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible.

The spear tip was coated with a magical poison made by Suetlg. It was uncertain if it would kill the dragon, but it would surely have some effect.

‘𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯, 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦.’

He had no intention of leaving the treasures. If the dragon was satisfied chasing the mercenaries and returned, it would be good for them, but if it persisted. . .

━■!

The dragon, pleased with its haul, smelled the treasure from the fleeing figures. Ignoring them, the dragon strode forward and leaped.

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐝!

At that moment, the spear pierced the dragon’s front paw.