Chapter 33: The Absurd Wait

The morning sun, having traversed the sky, now began its descent towards the west.

As Theresia continued her silent vigil, an ominous aura intensified around her, gradually seeping into her surroundings. Her fingers drummed a heavy, rhythmic beat against her armor, each click resonating loudly through the quiet space.

‘So slow, so agonizingly slow!’

The elf she was waiting for had yet to appear. She had maintained the same rigid posture for eight hours, and even a dragon’s formidable constitution was beginning to feel a touch of numbness.

Yet, if she were to shift her stance now, the intimidating aura she had meticulously cultivated upon entering the tavern would largely dissipate.

This was simply unacceptable. At seven o’clock, she had convinced herself the elf would arrive by eight, a short wait she could endure.

At nine, she believed they would surely show by ten, another small concession.

Now, however, the situation had fundamentally changed.

To alter her posture now would render all her previous patience utterly wasted!

It was five o’clock. She would wait one more hour. After that, she would personally seek out the audacious elf who dared to stand her up and make them understand the true terror of the ‘Most Malicious Dragon’!

Though Theresia remained silent, her palpable irritation gradually silenced the tavern’s once boisterous atmosphere. It should have been the twilight hour, the onset of revelry, yet only two patrons remained.

One was the Black Malicious Dragon, who had arrived in the early morning, claimed the best seat in the house, ordered nothing, and sat there ever since.

The other was a shabby adventurer, also present since dawn, huddled in a corner. They had ordered the cheapest bread, surrounded by a pile of ‘junk’.

The tavern owner was on the verge of tears. What was the deal with these two ‘distinguished guests’? Was this some kind of endurance test?

If this continued, how was he supposed to run his business?

After half an hour of pacing restlessly in the kitchen, he finally made up his mind to negotiate with… the shabby adventurer.

Of course, he wasn’t going to kick them out; though the pile of junk took up considerable space, the adventurer wasn’t the reason for the tavern’s current desolation.

The primary issue was Theresia. Until she was dealt with, the tavern had no hope of recovering.

Thus, the tavern owner’s strategy was to ‘drive out the cat to devour the wolf’!

He dared not provoke the fearsome Black Malicious Dragon, especially since her mood was clearly foul. But he could hire this adventurer, who, despite their poverty, possessed ample courage, to negotiate with the Most Malicious Dragon.

After paying a hefty sum of ten gold coins, the shabby adventurer finally agreed.

“I’m only responsible for relaying the message and offering some persuasion. Whether it works out or not is not my concern.”

“Agreed! Go on, then!” the tavern owner said, gritting his teeth.

With a determined stride, the shabby adventurer took their first step towards the Black Malicious Dragon, then a second, and a third…

Each step was taken with immense presence, their footfalls steady and powerful, successfully drawing Theresia’s attention.

Upon reaching a meter from Theresia, they suddenly dropped to their knees with a thud, their head slamming hard against Theresia’s heavy armor. Immediately, they clutched their head and began rolling on the floor.

This spectacle left both the tavern owner and Theresia utterly dumbfounded.

‘Hold on, buddy, are you trying to stage a fall and claim injury? I’m the Most Malicious Dragon! Only good people get targeted for such tricks! Do I look like a good person?!’

‘Ignore it, ignore it. Just pretend a fly just bumped into me.’

The shabby adventurer slowly picked themselves up from the floor, adjusting their cloak. They genuinely hadn’t intended to ‘stage’ anything; their legs were simply too numb. While walking, they had concentrated on stomping hard to alleviate the pins and needles, but upon reaching Theresia, they suddenly relaxed, resulting in a disastrous twisted ankle and a bruised head.

Lamenting their misfortune, the shabby adventurer greeted Theresia, “Hello.”

Theresia met their gaze with a cold stare, remaining silent.

The shabby adventurer sighed. “Esteemed Most Malicious Dragon, may I inquire if you have some business here? If it’s convenient, perhaps you could tell us; we might be able to assist.”

The tavern owner nodded incessantly, relieved that the adventurer hadn’t caused trouble at a crucial moment.

Theresia glanced at the tavern owner, then pulled a pouch of gold coins from her spatial ring and tossed it onto the table. “Another half an hour. If the one I’m waiting for doesn’t arrive, I’ll leave. This is compensation.”

The tavern owner let out a heavy sigh of relief. Good, the evening’s business could still proceed, and the large pouch of gold from the Most Malicious Dragon would more than cover the day’s losses.

In his imagination, the shabby adventurer should have quickly taken the money and fled after completing the task. Instead, a scene unfolded that left him agape.

The shabby adventurer actually plopped down next to the Most Malicious Dragon, patted her armor, and asked in the tone of someone sharing a common plight, “You’re waiting for someone too?”

‘Excellent. You have successfully captured my attention.’

Theresia looked down at the adventurer, who seemed utterly unafraid of her fearsome reputation. Noting that they, too, had been sitting from morning till night, she inquired coolly, “Oh? You’re also waiting for someone? Heh, it seems we’ve both been stood up.”

The shabby adventurer gnashed their teeth. “Indeed! They specifically said to meet here this morning, yet they haven’t shown up until now. I detest unreliable people the most! Even if they’re my favorite race, an hour is my absolute limit! Look at the time! How rude, how barbaric, how utterly disgusting!”

Theresia nodded in profound agreement. “Precisely! And they claim to be a ‘noble race’? They’re nothing but hypocrites, devoid of basic manners and cultivation. So fake, so pretentious! By the way, what race are you waiting for? Surely not human, right?”

The shabby adventurer shook their head. “No, it’s a dragon. And you? You’re not human either, are you?”

“Hmm, I’m waiting for an elf,” Theresia replied.

Theresia:

“……”

Shabby adventurer:

“……”

They abruptly turned to each other, their eyes meeting, scrutinizing one another with furrowed brows.

‘Shabby adventurer: That’s not right; they don’t look like a dragon. Why would a perfectly good dragon hide inside armor? Aren’t scales much stronger than clunky metal plates?’

‘Theresia: That’s not right; they don’t look like an elf. Aren’t elves supposed to be noble and radiant? This shabby attire, this commoner’s aura.’

After a moment of silent observation, Theresia, seeing that it was almost six o’clock, posed one final question. “Who sent you here to wait for a dragon?”

The shabby adventurer’s voice immediately became haughty and clear. “You might not believe it, and I’m not afraid of your mockery, but I was sent by the Elf Queen. And I am…”

Before the shabby adventurer could finish speaking, Theresia abruptly snatched off their hood. Upon seeing the sharp, delicate ears and the familiar face beneath, her composure shattered.

She couldn’t help but utter a single word.

“Damn!”

A terrifying aura surged forth, causing the tavern owner to tremble uncontrollably.

The elf, whose hood had been yanked off, was equally startled. They rolled away, creating distance from Theresia, while gripping their magic staff, several spells already poised for release.

“I’m buying out the tavern tonight.” Theresia threw several large pouches of gold coins onto the table, creating a visible dent.

“She and I have things to discuss, and I prefer no one else overhears our conversation.”

The tavern owner, without even a glance at the gold, immediately locked the tavern door, hung a ‘Closed’ sign, and fled to the backyard.

Theresia removed her helmet, revealing the cold, beautiful face hidden within, and spoke with a clear, cool voice, questioning from the depths of her soul, “No, seriously, why is a dignified elf princess like you dressed so shabbily?!”

Upon seeing Theresia’s face, the shabby adventurer—or rather, Lola—was equally stunned, and likewise, posed a soul-deep question, “No, seriously, why would a mighty Black Dragon like you don a human’s heavy armor?!”

Evidently, both had engaged in actions that defied the other’s common sense.

If even one of them had behaved normally, they wouldn’t have found themselves in such an absurd situation.