All nine immigrants who were being transported by boat returned home safely.

The boat they were on was not sunk, but was cleanly disposed of by Aman, in accordance with the siren's opinion not to pollute the sea, and the people who were left there were also cleanly(?) disposed of.

And so, they, who had returned to Aman's lair, were looking through the documents they had brought from Noru Trading.

"It must be nice."

Aman asked back at Lucas's sudden words.

"Pardon? What is?"

"I saw earlier that you received the respect and love of the immigrants all at once."

"Ah~ that? Ha! Ha! That's a given, of course. I'm a cool dragon, aren't I?"

"Hmph, all the cool dragons are dead."

It was strange. Lucas's sarcasm, which he had never seen before. And even that expression, which somehow looked similar to his own.

"Lord... are you by any chance imitating me?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"No, your behavior is very strange right now? That's what I do when I'm sulking or upset, isn't it?"

"Ha! Sulking!? Upset? Do I look so shameless and narrow-minded as to do something like that!? And besides, what reason do I have to be su-sulking or, huh!?"

"Huh? You are, aren't you? You seem to be flustered because your true feelings have been revealed, don't you?"

-Thwack!

"Never mind! What am I even talking to you for! Ha!"

Lucas, who had slammed the bundle of documents in his hand on the table, shot up from his seat.

"If you say so. You're very sensitive."

Aman, who saw that, shrugged his shoulders once and then turned his gaze back to the documents.

"Ha, jealousy, that's not even funny."

"...?"

"This Lucas Rodrigo. No, Lanos Albrante is jealous? Ha!"

"I didn't say... jealousy."

"..."

That was it. The reaction Lucas had shown was all jealousy.

The corner of Aman's eyes gradually began to curve.

"Hoho... Lord, actually..."

"Shut up!"

"You're jealous because I'm a dragon, aren't you?"

Half was right, and half was wrong.

In fact, it wasn't that he was jealous because Aman was a dragon, but he was jealous of the ancient magic that Aman had performed when he had rescued the immigrants.

Lucas was now in a human body where he could die from mana depletion even if he used a high-level magic, let alone ancient magic.

But a dragon with near-infinite mana did not have to worry about such things. And Lucas had also been like that until just over ten years ago.

If only all the memories of living as a dragon had disappeared. If so, he wouldn't have had to feel the way he did today. Lucas was now regretting the moment he had entered the path of reincarnation.

"You are, aren't you? No, then why didn't you reincarnate as a dragon again?"

"...I'm not jealous of you. It's just that I hated this situation I was in today. And to live as a dragon again? I've already lived as a dragon for five thousand long years. I was very bored and tired of that time."

"I don't understand. I'm having so much fun. How great is it? The strongest magical creature! There's no one who can beat us except for a god or a spirit king? How great is this!"

Lucas just shook his head slightly at Aman's cheerful words.

"You too will one day come to know. When that time comes... you will also know what my words mean."

Aman, who tilted his head as if he didn't understand.

"Don't mind it. It's a problem I have to go through while living as a human. I'll also adapt perfectly soon."

"...And I'm here too, aren't I?"

"...?"

"The strongest being on earth who will protect the Lord is here, isn't it? So the Lord can just use me as you are now! Then it's fine, isn't it!"

His heart throbbed at Aman's words. He had never heard such words even while living for those long years.

As Aman said, he was also the strongest being on earth and the lord who led them, so he had never needed anyone's help. That's why his heart was heavy at Aman's pure words of help.

"...Thank you."

"Not at all. The Lord will always be my Lord."

Lucas's eyes were full of emotion as he looked at Aman.

"A-ahem. I understand. Then tell me what to do with these people."

Lucas, who let out a fake cough in the awkward atmosphere, tapped the file.

"Haha! You're already using me!"

Aman, who held up the file that Lucas had pointed to, seemed to be thinking for a moment and then opened his mouth.

"For now, it's better to leave them as they are."

"Why?"

It was an unexpected answer.

"Well, I also want to go and punish these dog-like bastards right away, but..."

"But?"

"I think it might harm the Lord. Most of the people on the list are central nobles of the Arant Empire, and the nobles of other countries are the same. But not only did the Noru Trading Company, which was based in Citata, collapse in an instant, but also the Noru Trading in Vamaras was finished in a single day."

Lucas quietly nodded his head instead of answering.

"But if all the nobles involved in this are harmed? Then the Rodrigo County will also not be able to avoid suspicion. And there are already people who are eyeing Citata because of the newly discovered mine."

It all made sense. But there was something fishy and annoying about leaving them as they were.

"So if we deal with them right away, the arrow will definitely turn to the Rodrigo County. They will think that they couldn't act before because they didn't have the financial means, but now that they have the money and a clear justification, they have struck them."

"Hmm..."

"I know what the Lord is thinking. So this Aman has also thought of another solution."

"Hoho..."

He was becoming more and more praiseworthy. To think that he could read his expression and even give an answer!

"Ahem. Well, you don't have to look at me so praiseworthily. This Aman is smarter than you think."

The praiseworthy feeling instantly cooled at Aman's boasting.

"So what's the other way?"

"I'm thinking of bringing out all the slaves who were sold. And then quietly warn them."

"Then what's the difference from punishing them directly? Won't they all find out anyway?"

"So I thought again. The clan of the one who was captured as a slave. We'll borrow their power. In any case, they captured their own clan and used them as slaves, didn't they? So it's natural for them to be angry."

This was also right. But how would they punish them?

The nobles were not fools, so they wouldn't just let themselves be beaten.

One corner of Aman's mouth curled up at Lucas's suspicious expression.

"I have... a plan."

***

Lucas, who had returned to the county, sat in his room and began to blankly retrace the past events.

He was worried about what to do with his weak family, which he didn't know where it had gone wrong.

"Haa... what should I do about this..."

His brow furrowed several times at the sighs that came out automatically.

-Knock, knock, knock

"Young master, it's time for dinner."

"Right."

Lucas, who raised his head at the familiar voice he heard from outside, walked to the dining room.

As he entered the dining room, the people he had forgotten about because he was so busy came into his eyes.

"Rookie! You went somewhere with Professor Aman, didn't you? Where was it... I definitely heard it...!"

"Vamaras. I heard it was Vamaras."

Since he had been away for more than half a day, Aman seemed to have made some excuse for it.

"Right. I went to Vamaras."

"Wow! Kir, have you been to Vamaras?"

"Hmph. Why would I go to a place teeming with merchants like that?"

"You should just shut up. Phew!"

The Count and Countess, who had come in while Skir and Pola were exchanging words, smiled brightly.

"Oh! My son!"

Count Cibie, who hugged Lucas, making a fuss as if he hadn't seen him for several days.

"Yes. Father."

"Right. I heard from Professor Aman. You went to Vamaras with him?"

"Yes."

An alarm bell began to ring in the head of Lucas, who was smiling awkwardly in his embrace.

'What in the world did he say?'

Everyone in the dining room knew that he had gone to Vamaras with Aman. But no one was saying why he had gone.

"Right, was there anything interesting you experienced in Vamaras? No, more importantly, what was it like there? I'm curious because I've only been there once a long time ago."

"Right. Mom is curious too."

Lucas now felt his mind going blank at the words of the Count and Countess, who were asking as they pulled out their chairs and sat down.

'What in the world did you say! You damn lizard!'

He was cursing inwardly, but he was pulling out his chair as slowly as possible, hoping that some other information might come out.

"Right! You went to a magic shop, didn't you? You said you went to find a new book! What book was it?"

That's it. Thanks to the impatient Pola, one piece of information finally popped out.

"Ah, right. I went to find a book. Professor Aman said he needed an old book, so I went, and I asked him to let me go with him."

"Oh! My son asked himself? He never asks for such things... right! What book did you want to see? Tell this father. If you couldn't get it, I'll get it for you somehow!"

"Hoho, honey, really! Right, Lucas. What would your father spare if you need it for your studies? Hurry up and tell me."

His parents were fidgeting, wanting to do anything for him, now that the county's situation was starting to improve.

"No. I just followed him because I was curious about the old book, but I have all the books I need. So you don't have to worry."

"This is... this father is so anxious to do anything for you, but you won't say anything..."

The Count, who seemed to be bothered by the things he couldn't do for him because of their difficult situation, would look like this every time Lucas refused.

But Lucas did not entirely dislike all of this.

No matter what he had in his current life, it could never be as abundant as his previous life, where he had enjoyed everything without lacking anything, but every time he saw his parents who wanted to do anything for him, a corner of his heart tickled.

"I'll tell you whenever I need something, so don't worry too much. Father."

As Lucas smiled brightly with his eyes closed, the Count also smiled with a small sigh, as if he couldn't help it.

***

As he entered his room after the meal, Aman was waiting there.

"Did you enjoy your meal?"

"Right. If you were going to come this early, you should have joined us."

"Haha, I didn't know it would end this early... I should have!"

He could roughly guess how the work had ended from Aman's excited voice.

"The work will be finished well."

"Hmm..."

"Yes. I came back earlier than I thought. But this Aman handled the work amazingly!"

Aman, who quickly protested against the suspicious gaze.

Lucas, who nodded his head once, sat at the table, and Aman's mouth moved without rest.

It was a long process and plan of who he had met and how he would deal with them.

From what he heard, Aman had done a lot of work in a short time of only about five or six hours.

He had met the leaders of all the races involved in the incident except for the sirens, and he had even finished talking with them about when, where, and how to attack.

The one and only reason why all of this could be done so quickly was...

"I'm a dragon, aren't I? So even the dwarf chieftain welcomed me with open arms! He said he would be able to find his lost kinsmen too!"

It couldn't be helped. Where else could one find a chance to get revenge with a dragon on their back?

So it was right to welcome the dragon who had come on his own and offered to help, not just with open arms, but with open feet.

"Well, if the dwarves ended so easily, what about the elves? I barely stopped them from bringing out all their bows and swords, you know? Haha! Elves with swords! They were so desperate that they even brought out their family heirlooms. And what about the Toto tribe! I had such a hard time stopping them from saying let's go right away, with a scroll the size of their own body on their backs...!"

"You did a really good job. You're reliable."

A sincere compliment to the excited Aman. Aman's expression instantly hardened at his words.

"...Lord?"

"Right, I'm serious. You did very well."

Aman collapsed into a chair as if his legs had given out at the words Lucas had said, as if to drive a wedge.

"I did well... Aman did well...!"

"Haha. Right, you did well. You did very well."

"Khuk...! I can do well in the future too! No, I will do well!"

Lucas also felt good at Aman's moved expression.

To have handled a problem that seemed difficult to solve so easily. In fact, it was beyond his expectations.

'Dragons are good, aren't they...'

Lucas was once again regretting the moment he had entered the path of reincarnation.

(End of Chapter)