Chapter 1178: 165. Invitation

“I said... he is thanking you.”

Hamreign lightly held her forehead with one hand. She truly could not bear to keep watching. Originally, she had absolutely no intention of getting involved in this sort of thing, but even more than that, she did not want to admit that her traveling companion... or rather, a human who had earned the slightest bit of her recognition, could actually be stupid to this extent.

It was too embarrassing.

“He said that you saved his daughter, and he is extremely grateful to you. He is inviting you to his village. Their village is currently holding a harvest celebration, and he will entertain you with the highest level of hospitality.”

After Hamreign finished speaking, she addressed the leader again, very naturally using the sort of language that, to Muen’s ears, sounded entirely like random jili-guala.

The leader stopped glaring and nodded vigorously again and again. Seeing that someone on Muen’s side could communicate with him, he was so delighted that the burly man nearly burst into tears.

“He says that he very much hopes you will go. If they cannot repay this kindness, their entire Notata tribe will feel ashamed.”

“...So he did not come back for revenge because I gave his daughter psychological trauma?”

“Although I do not know how, in the short amount of time you were gone, you managed to create the possibility of psychological trauma in this human little girl, most likely not.”

“I see. It seems I really did misunderstand...”

The corner of Muen’s mouth twitched. Feeling the atmosphere instantly relax, he also understood that everything Miss Dragon had said was true.

“Wait.”

He suddenly reacted.

“Miss Dragon... you actually understand this language too?”

“Do you think I have lived through all these long years for nothing? My knowledge exceeds your imagination. It is merely a niche language. Is that so strange?” Hamreign sneered.

“Not strange. Not strange at all.” Muen shook his head forcefully.

As a dragon who had lived for a thousand years, Muen would not find it strange no matter what Miss Dragon knew, but...

Simply knowing something and possessing a deep understanding of it were completely different. Language was the soul and foundation of a civilization, and it was something that had to be studied in order to master. Miss Dragon could so casually use a niche language he had never even heard before... Muen felt that this did not seem to be as simple as mere “knowledge.”

“Your answer?”

Hamreign mercilessly interrupted Muen’s thoughts.

“They are waiting for your answer.”

“Jili-guala, jili-guala...”

The language barrier did not hinder the enthusiasm of these Notata people in the slightest. They began talking endlessly around Muen. At first, it was only the leader, but afterward even the little girl and the others joined in. For a time, Muen felt as though he had been completely submerged in an ocean of “jili-guala,” leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

It seemed that as long as he did not agree, they could keep talking like this forever.

“Miss... Miss Dragon, what about you? Are you going?” Muen finally managed to stick his head out of the ocean and took a long breath.

“I hate humans. I am not going.”

“They seem to be inviting you too.”

Although they could not communicate through language, their actions made it clear. These natives called the Notata tribe were also extremely enthusiastic toward Miss Dragon, this unknown existence.

Even though she behaved extremely coldly.

“Enthusiastic humans are annoying. I hate them even more. I am not going.”

Not only cold, but resolute.

“If you are not going...” 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

Muen thought for a moment, then pointed toward the bear’s corpse.

“What are we going to do with this? To be honest, I did not think of it before. I only suddenly remembered just now that relying on me alone, I do not seem capable of properly handling such a large ingredient. Do you know how to prepare it?”

“I cannot be bothered to prepare it, but that has nothing to do with whether I go or not.”

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Do you think I would get hungry?”

Hamreign sneered disdainfully... then paused, her tone turning sinister.

“Even if I were hungry, so what? I am a dragon. Raw meat is not something unacceptable to me. How many living creatures do you think I have swallowed whole up until now?”

“Is that so...”

The image of a black dragon swallowing the bear in a single bite surfaced in Muen’s mind... Hmm. It indeed looked perfectly normal.

But normal was normal. Muen still felt...

He greatly disliked that image.

Because it was too cold.

It did not suit the Miss Dragon he knew.

“Hmph. Just go. As long as it does not delay our actions tomorrow morning, do whatever you want.”

Hamreign had no interest whatsoever in this sort of human banquet and hated interacting with these humans even more, so she turned around, preparing to leave.

The members of the Notata tribe had brought torches. At this moment, they lit them, and the firelight illuminated half of the river.

The river flowed softly. One side was bright, while the other side was dark. To Hamreign, neither light nor darkness mattered. She only wanted to get away from the noise and clamor brought by humans. It made her uncomfortable.

For a thousand years, she had long since grown accustomed to, and even come to enjoy, the silence and peace of being alone. She did not want others casually disturbing her.

“No.”

But there was always someone so foolish.

Splash.

The clear flowing water was rudely disturbed.

She was only one step away from the dark, secluded place she liked, yet some reckless bastard grabbed hold of her. Hamreign abruptly turned her head and stared at the shameless human who had once again dared to casually seize her arm. Clear fury surged within her blazing golden eyes.

“Do you truly wish to die?”

“It is only a banquet. Miss Dragon, do you really have to dislike it this much?”

Muen felt that he must have gone insane. Perhaps he had taken too many beatings recently and damaged his brain.

Otherwise, why would he voluntarily say something like this?

“What would be wrong with going for a while?”

Muen found a reason for himself. Hmm, he and Miss Dragon now counted as companions. Since they were companions, how could he possibly leave his companion here all alone while he went off to enjoy a banquet?

That was not something a gentleman who had received a noble education since childhood should do.

“I am not going.”

“If you do not go, who will translate for me? I do not want to keep listening to them jili-guala while understanding absolutely nothing.”

“That is your problem. It has nothing to do with me.”

“It is only a dinner. Raw meat is extremely unhealthy.”

“There is no poison in this world capable of killing me, much less mere raw meat.”

“Then...”

“Enough. My patience is limited. Stop talking.”

Hamreign’s patience ran out, and a dangerous aura began spreading along with her low shout.

“...I see. I understand.”

Under the pressure, Muen finally released Hamreign. However, he did not directly leave because of the threat. Instead, he gave this Calamity Dragon a meaningful look and suddenly said teasingly,

“You are afraid.”

“...”

In an instant, killing intent enveloped everything.

The entire world seemed to freeze into ice at that moment, making Muen’s body and soul tremble at the same time.

“You... said... what...?”

Hamreign spoke one word at a time, a trace of disbelief in her voice. She could not understand where this human had found the courage to actually say such a thing to her... to the Calamity, the Dragon of Death and Doom, the strongest creature beneath the heavens.

And this was not even the first time he had said something like this.

The offenses she had suffered in these brief few days were greater than those she had endured throughout the entire previous thousand years.

“I said...”

Yet even so, a certain blond villain still stubbornly held his neck straight and squeezed a hoarse voice from his throat.

“Miss Dragon... it is merely a human banquet... and you are afraid...”

“...”