A Benevolent Evil Dragon

"Sorry Edith but they got us. Baron's basically saying we either play nice or he stops pretending. My best bet, he really needs help now and you're the quickest and most disposable option available. Can be bad, can be good, depends how we play this. For now, accept but say you want different stipulations." I do my best to keep my cool. We went from being careful to being on the chopping block, but there's still a way out, there always is.

"I want to hear more about these monsters that even you cannot face, before we discuss politeness and fairness any further." Edith drops the polite talk completely, which at least makes Michal surprised, but doesn't seem to have any effect on the baron. Still, it is the knight that speaks next.

"Very well, girl. These ones are no witchbeasts, or else we would have handled them already, but a proper kin of creatures. They look half men, half monstrous fish with large sharp teeth that easily sink and tear into flesh. They wait in the shallow water and jump up at those unfortunate enough to be close. A couple weeks ago we got our first sighting of them up near the source of our river. The issue is that the monsters venture out and attack our people, some even swam almost all the way to the town, but met a knight that was resting and got spooked away after almost eating his leg. They are growing bold and need to be dealt with." Michal spoke seriously, but something didn't sound quite right still. I whisper over to Edith and she looks at Jan as she begins.

"That sounds well and good, but I do not see how I have better chances of dealing with them than the lord. My fire doesn't burn underwater." While Edith looks serious, my mind wanders to the fact that technically it can, if she gets the right kind of roll on her chaos fire, but I digress.

Michal clears his throat again and continues. "The lord could deal with them if he was near when they got to town. One strike of his lightning and he could easily kill them. However, the lair of the beasts is deep inside a series of half-submerged and even fully flooded tunnels. My men cannot get through there in full armor, and having any soft place means the monsters will tear us apart. As for my lord, lightning does not play nice when you sit in water. That is where you come in. They are not particularly tough, and while you wouldn't be able to burn them underwater, they will fear you wherever there's air as their fish skin dries quickly. We would wait for a proper group to come through, but these are extremely vicious monsters and we would rather not bury half our people while waiting for stronger men."

While Jan is an annoyingly smug man, Michal at least sounds genuine. I hate that I see why they're pulling this sort of power play… but that won't stop me from making sure we get paid our due. I pull partially into myself, array memories of my past and current lives and crack my metaphorical knuckles. If there's anything you learn when living below the poverty line is how to haggle.

Edith narrows her eyes, then smiles. Technically, the very admission is enough to get us some leverage. Sure, Edith's life is on the line, but if they arrest/kill her they are back with the same problem. And unknowingly they would have to deal with a very angry dragon throwing chaos their way. As such, we have a leg to stand on in this negotiation.

It takes long enough that my joints lock up and my scales feel waterlogged and soft, but it was worth it as Michal prepares to recite the list he was inevitably forced to write. The longer things dragged, the angrier the man's wife looked, so I figured they had other reasons for wanting this done quickly that they were hiding. I took that and ran with it, and here came the reward.

"Four gold coins per head, two if the head is reduced to an unrecognizable pile of mush to deter falsified proof. For the complete clearing of the tunnels an additional four uncut gems of Lady Edith's choosing will be provided from the Lord's treasury as well as any valuables she finds within the monster lair itself. This is in addition to the already established payment for all the goods she has already relinquished into Lord Glozko's custody. Aside from the payment per head, all the rewards will be provided in advance by being placed within a relatively new and well cared for heavy wagon which in turn is also part of the payment to make up for the relinquished one. At the end of the job, Lady Edith will provide the heads for counting and lead a common soldier through the tunnels to the lair so that she can prove she has destroyed it and completely dealt with the monsters. After confirmation, she will receive the full payment and the two workhorses needed to pull the wagon, then leave and never return. Neither party will speak of this deal ever again to anyone. Failure to comply, at any point in time, to provide or work towards providing the repayment will allow Lady Edith to void the contract and take all that was provided thus far."

By the end of it, the man was gasping for air, while his lord did not look so smug anymore. Despite Edith's initial reservations, she trusted me and looked happy as we got most of what we wanted. The greatest parts, even if they did not know, were the safety nets we established.

Meetings out in the open where I could attack from any direction, being sent into the caves with a mundane man that she can ultimately overpower easily, especially since I'm not planning on having her fight the fishmen. Hell, they wouldn't be even allowed to do more than point the way to her and then leave, since she could leave instantly if they tried to follow her inside. Plus, even the wagon would be left out in the open where I could inspect it at night before we even commit to this, so that we don't end up being sabotaged or tracked somehow.

All in all, it went well, minus the whole subliminal threat. Regardless, all that remained was choosing the gems, which was a simple affair. Edith was led into the basement, and while I couldn't follow, she made sure to talk quite loudly as she "marveled" at the gems, now playing up the whole peasant role since it was to her benefit. That is how I got her to choose the best spread for me, despite his limited supply of uncut gems. One more fire gem, two lightning gems and an earth gem, all decently chunky, all great additions to my magical repertoire. He did eye her weirdly when she didn't pick the two smaller fire gems and instead went for elements she didn't even have access to, but who cares about being weird at this point?

After seeing the wagon, the baron became impatient when Edith mentioned that she will wait two days before doing what he asked. He expected her to rush through things, but when she mentioned that the wheels and axle of the wagon looked worn down, he couldn't help but relent. As per the agreement, he needed to offer a decently new, not a worn down thing. That earned us two days to gather all the info we could before running off. Two days was not going to hurt people unnecessarily since his guards were keeping watch on the water, so it was for the best. Plus, we needed to get what we could from the witch and to learn more about this country if we were to survive out here.

Once everything was set up and Edith got a good look at the promises being followed, as well as an assurance on the lord's name that he will send some aid to the village despite paying her for the goods (I thought it would be shitty to take away their main revenue of the year, possibly leading to loss of life if worst came to worst), she left and I was stuck in place. The patrols became tighter at some point, and not only that but Jan did not leave after bidding Edith farewell. Instead, he was almost assaulted by the woman I saw earlier, as well as a boy that seemed about Edith's age.

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"Two days? TWO DAYS?! They'll be dead in two days! How could you let this girl order you around?! This nobody… Why are you even waiting for her!? Send your men already, I won't have my children die because of you being a coward!" The woman was frantic, gusts of wind escaping her after every sentence. I guess I'm stuck watching a marital dispute… wait, dead kids?

"My love, please calm yourself. The girl left our walls, not our town. She'll hear you if you cause a ruckus. She already managed to corner me because you deemed it a must to watch us. Don't think her a dimwit just because she is young, that girl smelled blood in the water and she took her chance. Even if I send my men now, even if we all go, we would die to the anglers. As much as I hate it, we need her to clear the way before we send our men, or more people would die and Anka and Arnold would still be in the claws of those beasts…" My eyes widen as I see the man show a vulnerable expression for the first time ever. Whatever that does to my affections gets thrown out the window as I realize the implication…

"Father…" began the man, apparently his kid. "Even so we should at least send some others with her. Even if just one, I could go! My lightning may not help the fight, but I am still one of our best swordsmen! And with my armor and lightning coursing through my veins, I should be more than able to keep her fighting for longer! Maybe even reach our people with just her! Sending her alone would just be a waste of life!" Huh, surprisingly good intentioned and earnest. Sure he seems more keen on saving his siblings than helping Edith, but even so, a nice change of pace…

"Boy, you have much to learn. I'm not sending the girl because she is overwhelmingly strong. She certainly will have a hard time handling the terrain, and you being there would do no good even if she hadn't already said she wanted to not have men with her. We're not sending the girl to handle everything, we're sending her to loosen the beasts. She'll take down a few, maybe push back some ambushes, but who knows how many there are… No, her purpose is not to rescue your siblings, but to burn herself out trying to survive. You heard how witches get when desperate, how they turn inhuman, how they kill themselves just to kill one more enemy. She'll deal a heavy blow and then we can rescue everyone ourselves."

And there it was. I knew their explanation was bullshit, since even if humans had less refined magic than dragons, they would at least figure out some ways to use lightning outside of shooting it. The guy implied he had his way, and the father was unlikely to not have a similar ability as well. They were planning on using Edith so they'd have a free way of loosening the fishmen, anglers as they called them, before they attacked in full. I was half tempted to just leave. I could steal the coin while she rushed into the wilderness. We'd be out a vehicle, but it would still be a net positive…

"Even so… Do you truly think the beasts will not eat them until then? Even with all the people that were taken, what if they decide to eat one of them first?" I frown even harder. More people, all waiting to be food? Now it's starting to sound familiar, but at least this one doesn't seem like a sacrifice.

"They were taken barely three days ago. If they didn't bite into their necks then, as the knight said, they'll keep the young ones around longer. Mana is a thing all monsters crave, they'll try to get the most they can from the twins. I dread thinking of what they could do now, but it is better than death." The expression Jan showed could only be called hopeful. It almost seemed like he was convincing himself as much as he tried to convince his son. I am torn…

Thankfully, the boy says what was on my mind, what I feared was a make or break moment for me. "What if the witch succeeds, then? Ignore your instinct, your knowledge, just tell me what you'll do if the girl succeeds and brings back my siblings…" He had a strangely stern expression, one that caused his infuriated mother to turn confused while his father seemed to have some understanding.

"Are you worried for her? For some peasant witch that claimed herself highborn and planned to use our hospitality with unearned laurels?" There was some dishonesty in Jan's tone, something that I understood once his boy answered.

"That girl killed the bandits that have done untold damage to us by killing merchants alone, and that's ignoring all they did to other places. She avenged that faithful family and even brought the goods to us. She killed the songstress that has already claimed many lives and is now risking everything when she could very well just run away. Even thinking of her crime... sending her to her death for seeking some profit for good things she did regardless is hardly fair!"

It seems he was more interested in helping Edith than I thought at first glance. He's worried for his sister and brother, but I guess Edith is also just an innocent good girl in his eyes and whatever glamours he had been fed about nobility may push against his father's actions.

Glozko held the boy's fiery eyes for a moment, then sighed and nodded. "I'll pay her as promised and let her go. Being any more greedy would be tempting fate itself to smite me. If the girl brings Anka and Arnold back, she can have whatever she wants, but don't hold out hope. And don't you dare tell her that the situation is far more dire than a handful of pests hiding in caves. Last thing we need is her getting cold feet and running away. For now go and rest. I need to convince a craftsman to fix up a wagon now…"

Tension was still in the air, the lady looking angry, but resigned. Now, more than ever, I wanted to just get Edith and leave. They mean to send her to her death… But on the other hand, there's people there. People about to be eaten alive… My instincts are as predictable as always. The dragon thing to do would be to burn down this mansion for the crime of trying to deceive me, loot as much as I can, then leave with Edith and resign them to having to brave the caves and die trying to save Jan's kids and whomever else was taken, or to leave them to their fate.

What I would have done in my past life would be to call him out on the bullshit, get even better conditions, prepare harder, then help anyways. What I will do now is… not entirely up to me. As much as I try to pretend that Edith is my partner in this, the truth is that I am her lifeline and her boss at the same time. It's not like I didn't order her around, asking her to trust me despite the fact that she was always the one braving the danger while I hide in the dark.

Frowning, I sneak away the second I can, picking up my bag from where I hid it, and then I make my way to the inn Edith is staying at. Thankfully, she is looking out the window, giving me a clear view of her for me to start my whisper spell again. I tell her everything, the actual situation, what Jan expects her to do, which sounds exactly like what Yvonne did when she turned herself into a wooden statue, and how we could leave right now if she didn't want to help a man that plans to sacrifice her after all she did to help him, even unknowingly.

"Isn't this your thing? You're the one that decides how we do things…" I shrink a bit at that, feeling the faintest bit of venom in her words, or maybe I am just imagining it from my guilt.

"He is planning on sending you to your death. I figure… It's your call. It's basic decency." She looks my way, which startles me a bit, making me use my scales to blend in even better.

"So, I say I want you to burn his town and just leave…?" Her tone is joking, but also a bit tired.

"I won't. I will burn his house however, maybe also the local garrison. The others are innocent." That is as close to who I am as I can get. Even before I got like this, I was the kind of man to want fairness and due punishment for those that deserved it. Right now that man is using Edith as a tool, planning to lead her to her death… It's only fair he pays for it, but collective punishment is a war crime for a reason.

"Hah.. huh… Alright. If you're really going to listen to me… then how about this…" That night proved that Edith was far more vindictive than me, at least now that she was allowed to be.