NOVEL WEB Chapter 5: 3. Guest_2
"I'm not greedy, I just take what's due to me."
Whenever anyone criticized his greed or when he was alone in the night counting the brightly shining gold coins, Alberish loved to drivel such mantra.
His disgusting miserly temperament left him friendless, let alone anyone willing to marry off their daughters to him. Yet, bachelor Alberish didn't consider these predicaments to be a big deal. He firmly believed that as long as he had enough gold coins, everyone, from prostitutes in countryside taverns to well-educated noble ladies, would willingly lie on his bed no matter if the price was right, even if their partner was an ugly dwarf.
Alberish's current wealth was still some distance from his ideal figure, and of course, women would not pay any heed to him.
This situation would soon be corrected — the dwarf murmured once more in his heart with a swearing tone, while looking at the silhouette of the cave on the side of the cliff, barely discernible under the moonlight that was temporarily obscured by clouds.
"The Dragon's treasure."
Whether for its inherent value or the doubled price after hyping its origin, it was enough to realize any dream — strictly his own. Even though the risks were high, the substantial reward that was crazy enough would counterbalance the weight of risk on the other end of the scale.
Dwarves were greedy, but they were not brainless creatures. For the full five years since discovering the dragon's den, Alberish had been observing the homeowner's lifestyle, understanding their activity patterns, before finally deciding to act this year. It should now be the first time the Black Dragon had eaten after hibernating, it would be easy to let its guard down, and it would sleep more heavily, making successful rate relatively larger.
The snoring he had vaguely heard with the night mountain breeze was the strongest proof of his theory.
Suppressing his excitement and fear, his short limbs began the process of rock climbing again. The ambitious Alberish couldn't wait to take away his rightful treasure...
His right foot stepped on the last rock that could barely fit his foot, his hands propped up his body, and head popped out from the edge of the cave to explore the dragon's lair. The moment when the view turned from the bare rock, the rhythm of his breath which hadn't been disturbed during the nearly thousand feet cliff climb suddenly changed. He inhaled deeply first, then held his breath for a long time, and finally it turned into hurried panting.
All organic beings would naturally have lust. However, except for lower organisms like mollusks, there are always a minority of beings who favor their own gender in the Wisdom Species, and dwarves were no exception, Alberish was certainly a heterosexual. Three months ago, he had even mocked an orc who liked to flirt with men at a tavern.
But the presence before his eyes was undoubtedly making him feel a bit dizzy.
"An abnormally beautiful boy who defies common sense" — Alberish came to a remarkably similar first impression to Nidhogg. He had never heard of, nor could he have imagined, a black-haired, red-eyed alien. His well-proportioned physique and slightly androgynous appearance enhanced his value of appreciation. The naked body under the moonlight emphasized the beauty of intelligence and sensuality coordinated to their limits. Alberish's own hands had created national treasure level gold and silver jewelry, but at this moment, those pieces had become pebbles by the roadside.
"A man inferior to himself and feeling inferior, your shallow possessiveness has made you forget where you truly are, hasn't it?"
The mocking voice that began in his brain suddenly snatched away all the body's heat, and his body froze without making any response. It was the feeling of being stared down by a snake, and the dwarf felt it very clearly.
The beautiful statue's right index finger pointed towards its left, where the black mountain recess was shrouded by the night. A green-white arc of light leapt out from the fingertip and a large number of light particles gathered around the arc to form a vortex of light. It accelerated gradually to an ultra-high speed where the direction of light flow could no longer be distinguished and then exploded all at once.
The light shaft that couldn't be blocked by the dark night or the blue lens was running in the night sky. After accelerating and converging, the energy thundered at the peak of the mountain. The light sphere with a diameter of about 90 feet expanded and the scattered molten lava drew heart-throbbing arcs as it fell to the ground. Amidst the heat and the huge explosion, Alberich's dwarf-like body was thrown into the air, hitting the rock wall and bouncing back to the ground. The dry grass and branches in the cave had a good cushioning effect. Apart from some minor scratches and bruises, the dwarf's body was still intact.
As he struggled to climb out of the pit, what greeted Alberich was a hot, stinky breath. A pair of amber slit eyes stared at him. Judging by the blood-colored sclera, it seemed like the Black Dragon, whose sleep had been rudely interrupted, was on the verge of eruption.
"Don't get too excited and swallow our guest."
The "voice" rang in his brain, which was almost consumed by fear, and after a while, the dragon's fiery breath was taken out of his sight and replaced by the naked young man. Only then did Alberich regain his senses.
"Nighttime visitor, I have some questions that need answers, and those answers along with your attitude will determine your future."
A wrongness took hold of Alberich quickly after the first moment of astonishment at the unheard-of ability to pour meaning directly into his brain and then translate it into the dwarf language. His corpse-like skin became even paler. Cold sweat constantly poured from his forehead, back, and underarms, giving the sensation of icy-cold touch as it slipped on his skin. His stomach seemed to carry some unseen weight that nearly made him vomit.
He couldn't vomit it out, that shapeless mass of pure "fear" in inky black seemed as though it'd choke him to death, the Black Dragon's teeth-scraping noise brought him back to his senses. Wanting to stave off dying from embarrassment, he tried to speak out three times in succession, but all he could manage was a mosquito-like hum from his gaping mouth.
"Drink the water in your backpack, time is plentiful. The only thing to note here is that fabrication or inclusion of false information will have no benefit for your lifespan."
While the young man was transmitting this message, he also maintained a gentle demeanor on his face. The pressure that the warning carried did not diminish at all, and the feeling of being completely seen through crushed Alberich's last illusion.
He unburdened the water skin hidden under his cloak, and the sweet spring water soaked his nearly smoking throat. Holding his rapidly accelerating and stopping heart, Alberich gradually lifted his head to look at that serene face.
"So, let's start with why you're visiting in the middle of the night, Mr. Alberich."
The tone that rang in his brain was full of tranquility, and some sort of mockery was subtly present.
This boy was an existence beyond what Welt could comprehend.
Alberich's body, which was even too shaken to shiver, understood and experienced this thoroughly.
%%%%%%%%%%%
PS: I'm updating this after a test of alcohol. Women are terrifying when it comes to drinking competitions, mixing white liquor and beer to down you... that's enough, I won't be able to hold on, will have to go puke...