So I'm a sheep.

"Okay, I'll tell you the story of the dragon slayer when I get back."

"The entire kingdom will remember your great kindness!" the king said solemnly.

It doesn't matter whether you remember or not, just make sure you get your title, territory, gold and silver treasures when you come back.

"Haha, off to slay the dragon, giddy up!"

Volume 1: Chapter 685 Speculation

They traveled westward through harsh winters, early springs, and sweltering summers until late autumn before finally arriving near the Earl of Fast's territory.

"How much anger must that evil dragon have been holding back before it flew all the way from here to the capital to cause trouble for His Majesty?"

Blake muttered, "That's insane!"

"I heard that Fafnir can only sleep in a volcano, so he must have really risked his life that time," Dilu remarked.

The Earldom of Fast is too far from the capital; even by flying, it would be impossible to arrive in just two or three days.

The dragon must have been completely enraged to have committed such a mad act as attacking the capital.

But the attack was also very effective, deterring Charles VII from taking any rash actions for more than a decade.

"David, how well does the Kingdom control the territory of Fast?" Sasha asked.

"Occasional communication"

The advisor said in a deep voice, "Don't rely too much on Earl Fast; rely on yourself for everything."

"Oh dear, oh dear," Rida exclaimed in distress, as expected.

After nearly a year of adjustment, the atmosphere among the members of the Dragon Slayer Team has become much more harmonious.

At least Dilu doesn't always have a long face when he talks to others, David no longer wears his arrogance on his face, Black doesn't bully Redda as much anymore, and Redda... well, this guy is still careful when he speaks.

"Surely some supplies can be provided?"

Blake's knuckles cracked as he said menacingly, "They dare to leave us hanging? Earl or marquis, I'll beat them to a pulp!"

I will try my best to communicate.

David shook his head: "Blake, we are heroes who came to slay the dragon, not scoundrels."

"Your Excellency is of noble status, please do not be rude."

"Hey"

Blake immediately objected: "He's still the Earl if he makes things convenient for me, but he's nothing if he doesn't!"

"Noble? When a dragon eats a person, it doesn't care whether he is noble or not. When I beat a person, I don't care either."

.......................................

David didn't want to argue with Blake; it would be beneath his dignity.

He immediately complained to Sasha, "Captain, look at him!"

"As commoners, they have no basic respect for nobles."

Their captain is also a nobleman, and a feudal nobleman at that; he'll likely stand by his side.

However......

"If the worst-case scenario comes, don't hold back."

Sasha said calmly, "Anyone who dares to hinder the great cause of slaying the dragon is our enemy!"

Earl Fast said that this was probably a once-in-a-lifetime event for them, so they could go all out.

Upon hearing Sasha's reply, Blake burst into laughter, while David's eyes widened: "Your Excellency, we're here to help Earl Fast!"

"How could this be...?"

“I said it was the ‘worst’ scenario.”

Sasha interrupted him, saying in a deep voice, "The worst-case scenario is not that the Earl will not make things convenient for us, but that he has lost the will to resist and is on the side of the evil dragon against us."

"..."

The atmosphere in the group froze instantly. After a long while, David muttered, "It can't be that bad, can it?"

"It's best to be cautious."

Dilu said with a melancholy look, "Dying in the struggle against the dragon is the destiny I seek. It would be too tragic to die at the hands of 'friendly forces' without ever encountering the dragon."

"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!"

Sasha suddenly laughed and scolded, "I was just mentioning the worst-case scenario, Dilu, don't make a scene."

"Your destiny is to return home and enjoy your success and fortune. The curse of the Demon Spear? Heh, I'll break your Demon Spear after I slay the dragon!"

Dilu was startled. He glanced at the sword at the captain's waist, and his eyes lit up.

"Is it a deal?"

"It's a promise!"

..........................................

The initial contact with Earl Fast's mansion was a great success. The Earl warmly welcomed the dragon-slaying team and tearfully recounted the tyranny of the red dragon Fafnir at the banquet.

He was truly crying and pleading; the dignified Earl of the fiefdom was in tears, even kneeling and begging Sasha to save his territory!

"Oh, Your Excellency, there's no need for this, no need for this."

Sasha quickly helped the man up, feeling rather embarrassed.

Before they had any formal contact, she assumed the man in front of her was the most malicious person she could imagine.

But the result was...

"We've traveled thousands of miles to get here for only one purpose: to slay the dragon!"

Sasha pleaded, "Please tell us all the information you know about Fafnir; this is what we need most right now."

The Count nodded and began to speak of Fafnir with a pained expression.

There is a volcano at the westernmost edge of the territory, which is the lair of the red dragon Fafnir.

Fafnir prefers hot environments and is a homebody; he cannot sleep anywhere other than his own lair.

Each scale on the red dragon's body is larger than an adult's palm; ordinary swords and knives cannot even leave a scratch on it.

It has two strong and powerful wings, which can easily knock down a thatched hut when it falls from the sky.

The majestic vertical pupils exuded unparalleled power, and humans would involuntarily kneel on the ground under their gaze.

Fafnir's claws tear everything apart, and his flames destroy cities and towns with ease!

It was greedy and powerful, forcing the territory of Fast to pay tribute to it every year.

Sasha listened attentively to the Earl's story, but soon realized that what he said was nothing new; it was all stuff they already knew before they came.

"Fafner's travel patterns?"

"They usually sleep inside the volcano, and only come out when they feel like it; there's no set pattern."

"Favorite food?"

"Meat is fine, right?"

"Normal flight speed..."

"Soon!"

Sasa asked some questions, but the Earl's answers were not very satisfactory to her.

At the end of the banquet, Earl Fast said with a look of shame, "The Red Dragon Fafnir is a being we both hate and fear. Let alone digging into any information about it, we usually avoid mentioning it."

"I'm sorry I couldn't provide any decent information."

.................................................. ...

Upon arriving at the room prepared for her by Earl Fast, before Sasha could gather her thoughts, a knock sounded on the door.

"Captain, we're in!"

"kindness"

The four team members filed in, and after David silently chanted an incantation to create soundproofing, Blake immediately exclaimed, "Damn it, Captain, you were right!"

Sasha raised an eyebrow. She did have a vague feeling that Earl Fast was acting strangely, but she wasn't entirely sure.

But Blake spoke with absolute certainty from the start!

"How did you figure that out?" she asked curiously.

Volume 1: Chapter 686 Turning Against Each Other

“The villagers who are afraid of me have the exact same expression on their faces when they talk about me as Earl Fast at the banquet!”

“If a stranger comes into the village to help them deal with me, they will definitely give that stranger a warm welcome, and then turn around and sell him out.”

Blake said confidently, "The relationship between Earl Fast and the dragon is just like the relationship between the villagers and me. Nobles and commoners are not so different after all, haha."

"Isn't that too subjective?" Sasha shook her head.

Blake's explanation is like a bully's intuition, which is not very reliable.

"Captain, I don't know if you've noticed this."

The advisor spoke up: "Earl Fast spoke of 'Red Dragon Fafnir' throughout the banquet, not 'that evil dragon'."

Sasha's eyes narrowed; she hadn't really noticed this detail.

"Because you mentioned the worst-case scenario before you came, and I'm a wizard who often chants spells, I pay special attention to what other people say, that's how I found out."

David's tone turned cold: "It's rare that I agree with Blake; Earl Fast has probably already succumbed to the dragon's tyranny!"

The girl hesitated for a moment, then looked at the remaining two team members and asked, "What do you think?"

Dilu said calmly, "David's words make sense, and Earl Fast didn't divulge a single useful piece of information. No matter how you explain it, this is really suspicious."

"I second that," Rida said succinctly.