Smell Like Trouble

Note: I actually added something in chapter 18, so I hope you reading it first. If you're not, this chapter might confuse you a little.

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As Lucien's feet dangled in the air, carried by the red dragon's talon, he found himself in a foul mood, sensing a strange déjà vu creeping over him.

"Wow! Look, guys, I'm being carried away by a dragon! Check out the view! Woohoo!!!" Seren cheered, capturing the moment on her phone.

"Brigantiea, why won't you let me ride on your back?" Lucien grumbled, trying to ignore his sister's antics.

"Why should I?" Brigantiea replied indifferently.

Lucien's long hair fluttered in the wind, obscuring his face and making him ick. "I ride you in bed every day. What's the difference?"

"Eww, that's gross," Seren interjected, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Grow up. You're 25 years old and not a virgin anymore," Lucien retorted sarcastically, earning an eye roll from Seren. "Anyway, have we arrived yet? It feels like we've been flying forever."

Since Lucien agreed to visit Brigantiea's 'friend' for assistance with the construction, the three of them journeyed to the Holy Aquarist Forest.

Lucien had initially wanted it to be just him and Brigantiea, but Seren insisted on coming for new content, and he couldn't refuse her annoying persistence.

"Hmm... We're almost there," Brigantiea replied, coming to a halt in mid-air. "This is the spot."

As Lucien peered below, all he could see was dense forest. "Where—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Brigantiea released her grip, sending Lucien and Seren hurtling towards the ground.

"AAAAA— WHAT THE HELL!!!" Lucien screamed in terror, echoing his sister's panicked cries.

"THAT BITCH! HOW DARE SHE!" Seren cursed Brigantiea vehemently, her fear of impending doom overshadowing everything else. She definitely didn't want to die today.

Lucien's body crashed into trees, each impact sending waves of pain through his ribs. Just as he braced for the impact of hitting the ground, he found himself landing on something soft and jiggling.

It was a giant mushroom that had broken his fall, saving his life.

Meanwhile, Seren wasn't as fortunate. She was left dangling from a tree branch, her curses filling the air with a language Lucien couldn't comprehend.

Sighing in relief, Lucien descended from the mushroom and surveyed his surroundings, finding himself surrounded by the dense forest. Recalling Brigantiea's description of her friend:

"She was young, naive, and stupid. She never comes out from her cave, and I'm scared she will become insane if she stays there."

"So you need to persuade her to get out of that cave. She will be useful to you since she could make thousands of golems."

Lucien never doubts his communication skills, but he has limited information. He didn't even know what kind of creature Brigantiea's friend was.

It could be some fantasy creature he didn't even know. How to persuade someone that he wasn't even sure what kind of creature she was?

Lucien pondered his strategy, his thoughts interrupted by the ground trembling beneath him. At first, he thought it was an earthquake, but the reality was much worse—it was a golem.

Giant creatures made of clay, their green eyes bore into Lucien as they approached. They resembled the robots he remembered from childhood, with elongated limbs and square faces adorned only with eyes.

Lucien's heart raced as he wondered whether these golems were friends or foes. Without waiting to find out, he turned and ran, hoping to outpace the lumbering creatures.

However, his hopes were dashed when he realized the golems' hands could stretch and grab him.

In moments, one of the golems seized Seren, slinging her over its shoulder like a sack. Another captured Lucien, leaving him with no choice but to resign himself to his fate.

Lucien let out a resigned sigh, feeling defeated by their situation. "Ah, forget it. Let's just die in peace and transmigrate to another world again," he muttered as the golem carried him along.

"Lucien! How could you let them bring us like this?!" Seren protested, her panic evident as she came to terms with their predicament.

"Shut up! This thing is not something I can defeat," Lucien admitted, his frustration mounting as he acknowledged his own powerlessness.

He realized he needed to learn magic spells and become stronger if he wanted to survive in this world.

"Ugh, lame," Seren muttered, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

The golem continued to a building that resembled a palace, and they were welcomed by a multitude of golems. Inside, they found themselves in a grand throne room adorned with flowers and a mini waterfall.

As they were brought before the throne, the golem threw them to the ground, forcing them to kneel in front of a woman seated on the throne.

She was stunning, with long pink hair and eyes, her sexy figure accentuated by a blue dress that revealed her cleavage and hugged her curves.

A slit in the dress revealed a flower tattoo on her thigh, and small horns adorned her head.

She was the most beautiful woman Lucien had ever seen, even surpassing Brigantiea in beauty.

"What lowly mortal like you do in my domain?" she asked, her voice soft yet dripping with authority. It was evident that she didn't hold the two of them in high regard.

Lucien and Seren exchanged glances, but it was clear that Seren had no intention of speaking up. Reluctantly, Lucien took the lead.

"I'm here to ask for help," he said, trying to keep his tone respectful despite the tension in the air.

The woman let out a mocking laugh. "You must be incredibly arrogant to seek help from a creature as graceful as me!"

Lucien's brow furrowed. Brigantiea had described her friend as naive and simple, but now he wasn't so sure. "Brigantiea recommended you as her friend who could assist me," he explained.

At this point, he abandoned any attempts at persuasion and simply invoked Brigantiea's name to make all of this easier.

The woman's expression darkened, her anger palpable. Rising from her throne, she snapped, "Don't you dare speak of her like that! She is a majestic creature whose name should not be uttered by the likes of you!"

Lucien realized he was in trouble.