The schadenfreude, which was too straightforward and childish, seemed to make Nine Toes unconsciously stunned for a moment.

"Unbelievable......" he muttered, then shook his head.

"Your friend promised to help me unravel this curse as a thank you for saving my lover. He said, "'For that, we need a dragon. —That's what he said. ”

This is blatant provocation...... But it doesn't seem to be saying anything wrong.

The elf was stunned, and for a moment did not know how to explain it. He looked up at the ice dragon, his huge golden eyes looking at him, but not as angry and suspicious as he had expected.

It believed him—and when it realized it, the joy that suddenly welled up from the bottom of its heart was so strong that it surprised even himself.

"The soul spell can only be unbroken by the caster. The ice dragon shook its body, and the dragon bone arrows that had been caught in its scales made a dull thud and fell on the deck, but a few of them still pierced into its flesh. This obviously made its mood worse, and its sharp claws tapped uncontrollably on the side of Ninetoe's head, and its gloomy gaze swept over its smashed, "But I guess the spellcaster is dead." ”

"It was dead before I found it. Nine Toes spread his hands innocently.

"That doesn't mean you can build your ship out of its bones!" the ice dragon growled, "what do you think of a dragon?

"Oh...... You are much more precious than that. Ninetoe sneered at it fearlessly, "If I could drag you back intact." It's even enough to exchange a city. Since you can't help me undo the curse...... Then it doesn't matter if you're dead or alive. ”

Even if it couldn't be killed, that tone was too arrogant for a man who couldn't move under the claws of a dragon. The ice dragon tilted its head in confusion, its wings unconsciously spreading in vigilance.

The elf jerked out his twin swords. But the ice dragon's huge head was tightly blocked in front of him, so he didn't have time to intercept the projectile flying out of Ninetoe's hand.

The polished stone struck exactly one of the iron pillars on the side of the ship - the elf, who was not familiar with ships, had thought that the strange metal pillars were used to tie the ship's messy ropes of unknown use, but now he realized that they were some kind of telecommunication tool...... or organs.

The planks on either side of the deck popped open, and the sharp blades shimmered in the sunlight, spinning in four different directions straight to the ice dragon's outstretched wings and thick back.

It can't be avoided.

The elf leapt to its feet. With no choice but to step on the ice dragon's head and turn over and jump onto its back, he lunged over and twisted one of the massive flying blades with his staggered twin swords. But he was also carried off the deck by that powerful force. The ice dragon's tail flapped one of its stalks, and it slammed its entire body to the ground in embarrassment to dodge the other, but one of them managed to tear its left wing.

Blood spilled on the elf's face. The ice dragon roared in pain, grabbed its nine toes and slammed them into the deck.

"Is!!!" the elf shouted in warning.

The ice dragon's claws came to a halt in mid-air. The anger that could not be vented made its golden eyes almost red. Nine Toes started laughing.

There wasn't much joy in that laughter...... But it was enough to anger the ice dragon.

Before the elves could stop it, the ice dragon curled up its nine toes with its tail, but instead of tearing him apart or wringing him into a pile of minced flesh, it swung it a few times in mid-air, and then threw it far into the sea with all its might.

The elf watched in a daze as the pirate leader drew a perfect arc in the air and faded away, turning into a small black dot in his sight and falling into the sea, and shook his head incredulously.

He had to admit it...... Since you can't kill Nine Toes. It's actually a good idea to keep him away from this damn ship.

The ice dragon gasped heavily, and lay limped on the deck. Maybe it was too much blood shed. Exhausted, it silently licked its torn wings and froze its wounds once more.

It stops the bleeding, but it's not a cure at all...... I'm afraid it can't fly anymore.

The elf glanced at the empty deck, there were no moving enemies in sight, but he knew that the real threat was in the cabin.

Although Nine Toes was no longer able to give orders, he was not the one who was actually at the helm of these weapons, and if the pirates hiding in the cabin decided to kill the dragon first......

He could hear the sound of the weapon that had just ejected the blade slowly descending. With a new blade, they'll be able to attack again...... Or switch to another weapon. In any case, the ice dragon was no longer even strong enough to dodge, and he didn't have enough strength to protect it.

He walked over to the iron lattice cover, kicked away the pile of debris pressed against it, and tried to pull it. The thing was stuck and didn't move, but he couldn't see anywhere else to get into the cabin...... And he didn't feel comfortable throwing the injured ice dragon here, and went to the upper deck to find the entrance.

Besides, there was no doubt that they wouldn't let him in so easily.

He looked up, and there was a faint glimmer of hope in his heart, accompanied by a deeper worry—Rosa was not here.

She wasn't crushed under any debris, and she obviously wouldn't have jumped ship...... Well, there's a good chance she's found an opportunity to sneak into the cabin.

But she's only one person...... What can she do? .

"So...... Friends?"

Bertram took the initiative to put down the knife, revealing a bright and sincere smile.

The face that resembles Céline Grean is still quite flattering to laugh at.

Rosa smiled and withdrew her sword.

"Allies - temporary. She said lightly, "I don't believe that 'a friend of my enemy is my friend' or 'a friend of my friend is my friend', so whether you are an enemy of these pirates or a friend of Is, don't expect me to trust you completely." ”

It was only when she said that she realized that it was much sharper than she had wanted.

She doesn't usually speak so impulsively. She is always gentle and mellow and will not offend anyone easily...... But she was a little tired—in every sense of the word.

At least, Bertram didn't seem to care about her unkind tone. He looked up and listened, but the deck was quiet again, and in the dark cabin, sandwiched between a pile of roaring metal monsters, they couldn't tell if the situation above was good or bad.

"I hate this ship. Bertram muttered, "...... But it's a miracle. ”

On this point, Rosa could only nod silently and admit it.

(To be continued.) )