I, Viretta, Am Going to Hunt a Dragon

Iola, who had been savoring Viretta’s lips for a while, pulled his face back.

Reluctantly, he wiped his lips with the back of his hand, but then licked his lips with his tongue.

From across the way, Viretta stood frozen, as if struck by lightning, with a bewildered expression.

"You were talking about the back of my hand or my cheek!"

Viretta, caught off guard and having her lips stolen, flushed deeply.

She had expected a kiss on her hand or cheek, but instead, her lips were taken, leaving her in an unexpected situation that threw her into confusion.

Unable to wipe her lips, she shyly curled up inside herself and murmured, her eyes darting around restlessly. She panted, trying to calm herself, filling her lungs with air and exhaling.

Viretta made no effort to hide her fluster and, in full view of Iola, struggled to steady her heart. Iola, noticing her turmoil, stepped closer and poked her lips lightly with his.

"Though, you didn’t resist."

"That’s a cowardly way of speaking!"

Viretta clenched her fists. Her voice unintentionally rose in volume, betraying her embarrassment.

"Was it cowardly?"

Iola’s finger gently pressed against Viretta's lips, adding pressure that was similar to a kiss, blurring her vision. Viretta stepped back and gritted her teeth.

"Y-Yes, it was cowardly."

"But you gave me permission. You said in engagements, there’s implicit permission for a kiss."

"That’s not wrong! But still, I was surprised!"

She wasn’t saying it was unpleasant or dreadful, or that Iola had done something wrong—just that she was caught off guard.

Iola smiled warmly at Viretta’s reaction, as she expressed herself so openly, then withdrew his hand.

With the finger that had been pressing her lips, Iola stole a kiss from her lips.

"Then, you’ll remember it for a while."

That little act felt strangely seductive.

Viretta collapsed as if struck, her body trembling, and she pounded the ground with her fist.

"Ugh! Ugh! Uuuuugh!"

"Your reaction was completely different from what I expected, but this is fun in its own way. Viretta, you always manage to make me happy."

Iola sat down in front of Viretta, beaming with joy.

His smile made the atmosphere feel lighter, but then, as if a storm cloud rolled in, the mood suddenly dropped.

"It’s a bit more... loving, don’t you think?"

"I feel quite affectionate."

"It’s not bad, but it’s a different kind of love from what I imagined…"

She had expected a life like an opera, but instead, her life was turning into a comedy.

Iola laughed joyfully beside the crouching and groaning Viretta.

The sun set and night fell.

Viretta and Iola were still by the lakeside.

The small lake, where the dragon had come, was surrounded by rugged mountains, making it a place where they couldn’t move recklessly.

If they took a wrong direction, they could get seriously hurt or end up going in the wrong place.

Iola suggested that they wait until the dragon returned. They had seen where the dragon had flown, but he wanted to double-check for safety’s sake.

Although they hadn’t flown far, it was dangerous to move carelessly in these mountains, so Viretta decided to listen to him.

There was nothing around, but Iola was a skilled mage and mercenary, while Viretta was adept at capturing things.

Iola quickly gathered the rope and cloth Viretta had found and strung up a tent between the trees.

Building a pole or digging the ground would have been tricky, but those tasks were handled with magic.

Iola, who was good at everything, had quickly set up a comfortable place for them to sleep for the night.

While he was setting up the camp, Viretta, who had gone to catch fish, walked back barefoot.

"Ah, Viretta, did you catch any fish?"

Viretta, who had gone out to catch dinner, showed her empty palms.

"I did catch one. I grabbed it with these two hands, but it struggled to get away. Watching it trying to live, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for it, so I let it go."

She wanted to believe the fish had just narrowly slipped away...

"You let it go?"

"Yeah, I thought to myself, one day I’ll be a mother, so I shouldn’t be too harsh on small things."

"If you’re a mother, there are times when you have to be strong for your children."

"That may be true for those who don’t have children, but for someone like me, a rich person, it’s better to nurture kindness toward the weak."

Viretta rolled her tongue and warmed her wet feet by the campfire. Her skirt, which she had tied around her waist, was almost slipping off.

"Then you went in for no reason. The wind is cold, you must be freezing."

"I’m not as pathetic as I look. It feels refreshing, actually."

Though she said it proudly, it was clear that Viretta hadn’t caught any fish while Iola had made their shelter.

When she had dashed out saying, "I’m a genius at hunting, I’ll catch fresh fish!" she returned with empty hands.

Her excuse, while not very sophisticated, was well-received. After all, Iola believed whatever she said.

"Well done. The soup has cooled just right, so eat up."

Iola handed her a bowl of soup made from dried meat that he had prepared while she was away.

The soup had cooled enough to be easy to drink since Viretta had taken longer than expected with the fishing.

There were no spoons, so the soup was perfect for drinking directly.

Viretta sipped the soup while mentally noting that Iola was good at cooking as well. The warmth of the soup spread through her cold body.

"Ah, this feels warm."

"It’s lucky we had a pot and bowls."

The pile of boxes the dragon had dropped contained bowls, a pot, and other supplies.

Camping without preparation would have been harsh, but there were plenty of useful things lying around, so it wasn’t too bad.

There was hardly anything lacking, and that made the atmosphere quieter. The day’s laughter had given way to a quiet night.

For a long time, they both stared at the dark lake and sky.

Iola set down his empty bowl and opened his mouth.

"I'm sorry about today’s failure. The plan itself was good, but the dragon's skin was too thick, and the conductivity was too low."

"Yes. Although we were too far, the position we aimed at was poor. The back was too thick. If we had aimed for the head or neck, it might have been different."

"Maybe it could have been different," he said with certainty, which was typical of his exaggerations.

"But aiming for the head would be difficult."

"Exactly. We need to think of a way to lure the dragon and bind its legs. The nest is too far from any magic-using spots. Or we need to find a spot where lightning could strike... No, that would be hard."

The day’s hunt had been a complete failure. They needed to think of a new hunting method.

Viretta pondered today’s failure, considering their next approach. Iola looked at her, lost in thought, with admiration.

"I felt it once again today, but your hunting skills are truly remarkable, Viretta. For a merchant’s daughter, you’re incredibly talented at hunting. Talent really can bloom anywhere."

"Of course! I’m a born hunter."

"Even today, though we got close to the dragon, no one got hurt. We managed to use lightning magic safely, and though flying in the sky was a bit dangerous, it was a great reconnaissance."

Iola thought that everything Viretta had planned had gone according to strategy.

Though there had been problems with firepower and the dragon's claws dragging them through the sky, they had made significant progress on their first scouting trip.

They had even found the dragon’s lake. Animals were least cautious when drinking, so Viretta had found an excellent hunting ground.

"Where did you learn to hunt?"

Iola’s eyes sparkled with admiration. His olive eyes, full of affection and interest, were focused on Viretta’s face.

"Hehe, Iola. Talent isn't something you learn; it's inborn."

Viretta snapped her fingers with a playful tone, leaning back against the box she had set up as a backrest.

"No one taught me to hunt. It’s in my blood. I even caught a wolf when I was nine."