Arrival at The Great Forge

"..."

Really, this is how it's going to be. Without words, I just glare at Milla.

"What? You got a problem with this?"

"As a matter of fact, yes, I do have a problem with this. Why are you hooking the carriage up to me!?"

"You're faster than a Drake and I won't have to bother with feeding them. Oh, and don't think I'm not aware of your late night escapade from last night into the storeroom. No one but you is brave enough to enter and then have a feast in there as well."

"If I said it wasn't me, you wouldn't believe me, would you?"

"No, but I'll ask anyway, was it not you?"

For a brief moment, a remain silent before looking away."... No."

"Yeah, this is the outcome I was expecting. Now can you stop melting the leashes for the carriage? We only have so many of these."

"No can do, my scales have the same corrosive property that my venom has. It's a passive effect so there's nothing I can do about it, so why don't you go get the Drakes out and have them pull the carriage."

"I can't even see facial expression when you are in your Dragon form, but I know your feeling real smug about this, aren't you."

In a flash of light, I use my shapeshift to take my humanoid form, revealing the smug face that Milla wants to see. "How about now."

"Screw you!"

Milla walks away towards the Drake's living area and shortly returning with a couple behind her. Lia also arrives during this time and the two of them hook the Drakes up to the carriage. Before long the three of us set out for The Great Forge.

"So why are you two coming with me anyway? I am more than capable of dealing with this matter on my own. Besides, it would be faster if I was on my own, then I could just glide from the mountain top."

"Do you even know how to get there?"

"Well--"

"And you consistently manage to get lost whenever you head out on your own."

"That's--"

"Even if you have the map remembered, what good is it if you can't understand how to read it and rely on others for directions. Honestly, I'm worried you're going to mess up when you go to raid the Lausiel Empire. I'm almost certain you'll get lost. If only we had a way to go with you, I wouldn't need to worry so much."

"Ok fine, I have a poor sense of direction and need a babysitter. But I always find a way to and from eventually, so it works out in the end. And most ships would be too slow to join me through the water, and it isn't like people can ride on top of me with my Toxic Scales."

Raising her hand to join the conversation, Lia quietly says, "I actually think I can join you on the trip to the Lausiel Empire. I have Corrosion Immunity and Poison Immunity."

Silence fills the carriage after we hear Lia's words before both Milla and I yell out in surprise.

Milla rushes and grabs Lia's shoulders, shaking her while asking, "since when? Why haven't I ever heard of this until now!?"

"Stop shaking me and I'll explain." Milla releases Lia and beckons her to continue. "Blue Dragonoids have a strong innate resistance to corrosion and poison, and it was through Cordelia that I had chances to further improve this resistance."

"Me? Why don't I have any recollection of this?"

"Because I took some of your scales for research purposes while you were sleeping. And I did ask you about poison a couple of times."

"I remember that, but I don't think anything I taught you had anything to do with resistance. It seems as though I have severely underestimated you, to be able to poach my scales without me noticing is impressive, to say the least, but don't do it again."

"No worries, see," Lia says as she moves over and hugs my tail and brings it to her face. Other than her clothes suffering some damage, Lia herself remains completely unharmed. "I don't have a need to take your scales anymore. As you can see, I am completely immune to your toxic properties."

"This is great! Lia, when Cordelia goes to mess with the Lausiel Empire, you will accompany her. I won't take any complaints about this. I can't have you getting lost and somehow end up on a completely different place than intended."

"Fine, but I can't guarantee any comfort on my back."

"I too have no complaints."

Although I sound a little disgruntled over having someone accompanying me, I don't actually have a problem with Lia coming with me. In general, I don't like to be around other people, but I tolerate the Dragonoids due to that weird protective feeling I have towards some of them and I put up with Milla due to a combination of that feeling I have and respect for her strength. But strangely enough, I actually enjoying having Lia around. I was unusually happy when I saw her unharmed from hugging my tail. Which I really weird since I generally don't like other people. Of course, this information isn't something I intend to be let known to the person in question.

Our journey to The Great Forge took around the same time it took to reach Draelgium, about one and a half days. There were some small encounters with some monsters after we left the steppes but for the most part nothing else was willing to pick a fight with us, granting a relatively peaceful trip. As we near the city's entrance I strange feeling comes over me, directing me to the left, but it disappears quickly so I just put it in the back of my head for now.

The Great Forge is a city built within the confines of a mountain. It has a grand entrance at the base of the mountain with a massive gateway that could allow me to enter without complications even if I were in my true form. The City is dimly lit with an uncountable amount of small lights in various places, allowing people to see. Buildings are carved out from the mountain itself giving everything within the city a sturdy foundation. But signs of battle and debris can be found in various places, with many Dwarves cleaning up the mess.

The carriage stops as we near a large exquisite building that Lia explains as the seat of power for the Dwarves and the namesake of the city, The Great Forge. Exiting the carriage I notice a group of Dwarves standing at the walled entrance, one of which is Skorsug, the representative I met in Draelgium. Leading the group of Dwarves, Skorsug walks over to us.

"Seems like you didn't encounter any problems on your way here. Lucky you didn't run into any of the Elementals, we had just fought some off after all so I wouldn't be surprised if you had run into any. Oh, where are my manners, allow me to welcome you to The Great Forge."