“I told you, it’s a Recovery Potion.”
I held up two Recovery Potions toward the now calm wyvern, approaching with my hands raised.
Tabo also lowered his tail and walked slowly by my side.
“――You… surely cannot be…”
“Drink one of these from the mouth. Then I’ll pour the other one over the chest wound. Got it? Don’t struggle. If you keep thrashing, I’ll paralyze you and keep throwing potions at you forever.”
“……You intend to… heal me?”
“What else would I be doing?”
“Why…? You don’t want my scales or fangs?”
“Nah, don’t need ‘em. I can make potions as long as I have water. Besides—”
“……?”
“I’m an Apothecary. If I have medicine, of course, I’ll share it with the injured.”
The wyvern stared at me with its crimson eyes for a while before suddenly growing docile.
“You… my apologies…”
Squelch.
I opened the Recovery Potion and poured it over the wyvern’s wound.
A spear—no, an arrow with a seven-colored fletching—was deeply embedded in its chest.
Whoa… This is one of those giant arrows the Wood Elves made for dragon hunting, isn’t it?
Right, right. The kind that uses feathers from the Seven-colored Phoenix, those ridiculously huge birds that fly in the stratosphere.
Shooting down a Seven-colored Phoenix is part of the Wood Elves’ coming-of-age ceremony, and felling a Dragon is considered an honor…
Gotta love those battle-crazed elves.
Just like the setting intended.
“Guh… Damn those long-eared… They always do this the moment they see a winged creature… When the Flame King returns, they shall all be reduced to ashes…”
“Stay still. This might sting a little.”
“Futile… Their arrows cannot be removed. A curse activates once they pierce the flesh. Inside the prey’s body—”
“Wood Elf great arrows are carved from branches of the World Tree. Once lodged in, the arrowhead burrows into the prey’s flesh, thinning until it matches the width of blood vessels, ensuring certain death from within—a magical arrow.”
Even among elves, they’re considered a heretical race.
Figures they’d use some bullshit gimmick tactics like this.
The wyvern blinked rapidly, staring at me.
“……You’re well-informed. Indeed, even in the ancient War of Divine Challenge, many of our kin fell to their bows… This arrow cannot be removed.”
“Right. It’s an arrow that guarantees death. …But the Wood Elves are reckless, not stupid. They left a countermeasure in case of friendly fire.”
“……What?”
Everything the wyvern said was correct.
So how did I know the right answer?
“Because this arrow has a failsafe in case of accidental hits.”
――I know because I was the one who came up with all the arrow’s settings!!
“Sagitta 《Arrow》! Raboa 《Labor》! Finish 《End》!”
“――Huh!?”
The wyvern’s eyes widened.
Whoooosh! The great arrow spewed smoke.
In an instant, it withered into nothing more than a twig.
The release incantation worked—good. Just as I’d designed.
I poured another Recovery Potion over the wound where the arrow had fallen out.
Yeah, as expected of a wyvern. The wound closed up in no time.
“You… Who ar* you…? No human should know the ancient incantations of the Wood Elves…”
“Told you, I’m an Apothecary. Now, next up—your master, right?”
“……! You… You’ll help me!?”
The wyvern’s face lit up.
Even in full dragon form, its expressions were ridiculously easy to read.
“…Do you know where your master was taken?”
“The goblins’ nest… Likely deep in the forest. Forgive me… My senses are dulled. I cannot… track my master’s scent beyond that…”
I see. Must be the injuries.
Alright, then how do we find its master?
Even if it’s a Goblin Nest, I don’t have any leads—
Sniff sniff. “Woof… snff snff.”
“Tabo?”
Tabo had climbed onto the dragon’s back and was… sniffing something?
“Woof woof!!”
“……You… Could it be? Will you track my master’s scent in my stead?”
“Borf!”
Tabo spun in circles on the wyvern’s back before sitting proudly.
That smug little face…
Ughhh, so cuuute～
Tabo-chan’s talking with the wyvern～
Adorable～
“Noble one… I am grateful. Your majestic form suggests you must be a beast of great renown, yet…”
“Borf!”
Tabo hopped off the wyvern’s back.
He turned to us, wagging his tail as if to say, Follow me.
Dogs. Too damn useful.
Truly mankind’s best friend. An essential unit even in another world.
“Borf!”
“Apothecary… I beg of you. Take me with you… Please…”
“You’re in no condition for that. Mighty dragon, stay here and rest. Let the Recovery Potion work—”
“No, I cannot wait.”
As it spoke, the wyvern’s body suddenly glowed red.
In an instant, it shrank—until it was no larger than a crow.
“At this size, I will not hinder you… Please.”
“Seriously… Fine, can you perch on my shoulder?”
“……My gratitude.”
Hop. The wyvern landed on my shoulder like a bird.
Its sharp claws pricked a little, but it was fine.
“Alright, Tabo, lead the way!”
“Woof!”
“Wait for me, master…!”
With a dog and a shoulder-perched wyvern, I advanced into the forest.
What a fairy-tale party composition…
After running for a while, a cave came into view deep in the woods.
Ugh… The entrance is decorated with some kind of bone ornament…
“That’s definitely a Goblin nest…”
“Woof…”
“Master! I’m coming!!”
The enthusiastic wyvern let out a tiny breath of fire.
But a Goblin cave, huh…
Honestly, charging into the enemy’s stronghold with so little intel and prep is a bad idea.
“What’s wrong? The goblins’ den is right there! My master is—”
“Dragon, answer me one thing.”
“What?”
“Your master—are they physically strong?”
“My master is a Dragon Knight! Their body is as resilient as befits one who rides dragons! A hero skilled in Magic Arts! Their bloodline flows with the blood of—”
“OK, that’s all I needed to hear.”
I raised my hand toward the cave entrance.
I’d explore every corner of a dungeon in RPGs, but this is a real isekai.
So—
“No games. Time for Goblin hunting.”
“Huh?”
“Poison Hand—release. Paralysis Poison + Vaporized Poison.”
Alright, time for an Apothecary’s—no—
An adult’s Goblin extermination to begin.