Late at night, in the baron's manor.
*Smack!*
A pair of pale hands slammed heavily onto the tabletop.
"Useless trash! You're all a bunch of useless trash!"
The man raged furiously, spittle flying.
He had a sharp, mean face shrouded in gloom, his gaunt frame draped in formal attire.
Pinned to his chest was a delicate medallion engraved with the motif of an eagle and swords. Anyone with a discerning eye would recognize it as the crest of the Eagle of the North Wind—House Lackman.
His name was Todd Lackman, one of the old duke's neglected sons—perhaps the twelfth—a baron enfeoffed to a remote backwater.
The man standing before the desk was Hart, a burly middle-aged man who had once been a slave trader before transforming into a steward of the baronial manor.
"My Lord, my hands were tied..."
"So you're telling me all those kobolds ran off? And the gold mine has just been abandoned?"
"No, no, no, please let me explain—"
"I don't want explanations! I want gold! Gleaming yellow gold! Without gold, I can't afford to run this manor, I can't maintain an army, and I certainly can't return to the family to fight for power against my dear elder brothers! I'll be stuck eating dirt in this godforsaken dump where even goblins wouldn't take a shit!"
The more Todd spoke, the more infuriated he became. In his mounting fury, he kicked the man before him, completely discarding any pretense of noble etiquette.
Hart scrambled up from the floor, showing not the slightest hint of resentment over the blow. He merely said, "My Lord, it happened so suddenly. Half the mercenaries we brought along vanished without a trace.
"According to the mercenaries guarding the kobolds deep within the shafts, their comrades went silent before they could even cry out for help.
"There really is... a monster inside that mine!
"What's more, we have no clue what that thing is. We don't know its habits, nor do we understand why it suddenly attacked. Given the circumstances, to spare Your Lordship further losses, I had no choice but to pull our men back first."
Todd shot him a disdainful look and sneered, "That only proves you and those mercenaries you hired are utterly useless! If any of you had an ounce of competence, you wouldn't have fled for your lives without even catching a glimpse of the enemy."
Hart wiped the cold sweat from his brow and forced a fawning smile. "Indeed, how could vile commoners like us compare to you? You possess the noble bloodline of the Eagle of the North Wind, a powerful spellcaster."
Todd straightened his lapels and said languidly, "Well said. At least you have some sense."
The baron sat back in the leather chair behind his desk, half-reclining with his fingers interlaced. "Now that things have come to this, do you have any way to fix it?
"I need an answer from you."
Seeing Todd's temper subside, Hart breathed a long sigh of relief and said, "My Lord, we could request a few Eagle Guards from the Duke to secure the mine. What do you think—"
"Eagle Guards?" Todd cut him off coldly.
"How clever of you to come up with that.
"Don't you know they're all my father's eyes and ears? If we let them into the mine, every scrap of gold in there will cease to have anything to do with us!
"It'll all be shipped straight to Northwind Keep!"
Hart hurriedly added in a panic, "My oversight, My Lord! That was merely an insignificant suggestion. With your wisdom, you naturally have a far better way, it's just..."
"Enough. If I don't see gold by next month, I'll lead a contingent there myself."
Todd cut off his excuses once more, fixing Hart with a stare that sent a shiver down his spine.
"Y-yes, My Lord."
"My patience is very limited. There won't be a next time—not a single one, Hart."
Todd's fingers tapped rhythmically against the tabletop.
"Understood, My Lord," Hart answered hastily, keeping his head down, not daring to meet the baron's gaze.
"Raise your head, Hart.
"Do you truly understand?"
Compelled by the order, Hart forced his head up to meet the baron's eyes.
The gaze was icy, with a faint crimson glinting deep within the pupils. It did not feel like someone looking at a subordinate; it felt more like looking at a piece of meat on a dinner plate.
"My Lord, I truly understand," Hart stammered, his voice trembling.
"Go make preparations. Gather those useless mercenaries of yours."
"Yes, right away."
"My Lord, I'll take my leave now."
Having received the baron's orders, he accepted them without hesitation and beat a retreat as though fleeing for his life.
"*Phew... hah...*"
Once the door was shut, Hart gasped for air. He knew he was still of some use to the baron; otherwise, he wouldn't be walking away so easily next time.
Inside the room, Baron Todd Lackman straightened his lapels once more before the vanity mirror, involuntarily licking his lips to reveal teeth that were unnaturally sharp.
This was also one of House Lackman's distinguishing traits.
***
"Is this the place?"
Perched atop a fairly tall hill, the red dragon gazed at the seemingly bottomless mine in the distance, clutching a kobold in his talons.
"M-Master, th-this is it."
Jinya rubbed his head involuntarily, barely recovering from the dizziness of high-speed flight.
"Then lead me inside."
"O-Oh great Master, I am merely a puny kobold. Th-this..." Cold sweat beaded once more across Jinya's scale-covered brow.
The mine was a place of nightmares for these kobolds. Eight or nine out of ten of its kin had ended up inside that monster's belly. Having escaped once, it had no desire whatsoever to go back.
Even with a red dragon backing it, its heart remained restless with dread.
After all, a true dragon wouldn't care whether a kobold lived or died.
"What? Unwilling?" Cassius said.
"Willing, of course I am willing!"
Sensing the displeasure in the red dragon's tone, the kobold scrambled to answer.
"Serving you is the greatest honor of my life! It's just..."
"Just what?"
"Just that... I need a little time to recall the paths through the mine." Cold sweat was already dripping from the kobold's chin.
*Clop, clop, clop...*
Suddenly, the sound of hooves approached from afar, cutting off their conversation and allowing the kobold to breathe a sigh of relief.
On the distant road, several fine steeds galloped forward, ridden by humans clad in leather armor with crossbows slung at their waists.
The red dragon lowered his body, concealing his massive silhouette as best he could, and whispered to the kobold via *Message*, "Who are they? Do you recognize them?"
The kobold carefully poked its head out, taking note of the human riders' gear and scrutinizing several of their faces before speaking.
"Master, that's the gang of slave traders who enslaved us before! Their leader... I think his name was Hart."
"Human slave traders? Are they here to seize the gold mine too?"
"Master, these look like scouts. There were over twenty of them in total before, including a few class-holders. Their main force is probably waiting behind them," the kobold added.
"What a coincidence. They'll do nicely to scout the way." Cassius narrowed his eyes slightly.
Chapter 20