Chapter 102: Tribute

Drawing on the various flesh-and-blood knowledge that had been poured into his brain, Herbert analyzed the parameters of the dragon-person form at a truly astonishing speed.

If he had some kind of monster-girl research system, the screen in front of him would probably be popping up with all sorts of notifications by now.

【Dragon Ecology +1】

【Dragon Avatar Lore +1】

【Dragon (Human Form) Physiological Structure Research +1】

【Dragon-Person Form Knowledge +1】

【After some in-depth research, after drenched in sweat as you served a mature female dragon to sleep, you have successfully grasped some rather esoteric knowledge!】

【Now, you may call yourself an outstanding figure with a unique understanding of the "Way of the Dragon"!】

……

But unfortunately, Herbert did not have such a convenient system.

All he could rely on was his own effort and sweat.

Heaven rewards the diligent!

Only diligence, which will not betray sweat, is the true shortcut to success!

Herbert raised his head, drew a deep breath, his gaze resolute — three parts cool detachment, three parts mockery, four parts nonchalance, and — ninety parts giving up entirely.

"Master Nie Nasha! Have you finished analyzing the rest?"

Effort does pay off, especially when you simply take it from someone else.

Other people's sweat is still sweat; other people's effort is still effort.

As long as sweat is being shed, don't bother asking whose sweat it is I'm shedding.

There is no difference between the two!

……And don't bother asking where I shed it, either!

Herbert pressed down on Valentina's shoulders with heave-ho, heave-ho, feeling his arms ache and swell with fatigue, consuming energy to recover while continuing to work hard.

After such a long high-intensity massage, he could at least be crowned a Massage Immortal.

【"Don't rush her~ Anyway, she won't wake up anytime soon."】

Nie Nasha answered lazily, two shadow tentacles stretching out from Herbert's shadow gently tapping Valentina's head as it lolled to one side.

One tap, and it tilted to the left; another tap, and it tilted to the right.

And the person being toyed with like a roly-poly doll was currently sleeping more soundly than anyone, showing no sign of waking at all.

Ah~ sigh~ ah~ sigh~

"Alright."

After getting his answer, Herbert continued his research, continuing to analyze the details of the dragon-person form.

Jokes aside, when it's time to work hard, one still has to work hard.

Relying entirely on Nie Nasha certainly wouldn't be enough; he still needed to understand things firsthand.

Especially, he still had to distinguish the differences between the sexes — he couldn't just copy everything wholesale…… He really didn't want to one day be asked why his pectoral muscles were so absurdly exaggerated.

"Mm, this needs a proper study."

……

"Ha!"

When Valentina woke up, she opened her mouth wide and let out a big yawn, a faint tongue of flame puffing from her throat.

On all fours like a cat, she arched her back hard and stretched as much as she could.

"Mmm~~~ ha!"

After unconsciously doing some simple stretches, the hungry Young Lady's consciousness gradually returned, and her clever intellect once again occupied the high ground.

She blinked, looked left and right, didn't spot Herbert, twitched her nose, and found that his scent had mostly faded — except from her own chest.

Hm?

Valentina blinked, puzzled, lowered her head, and saw a gold-and-silver brooch pinned to the collar of her chest.

The brooch was exquisitely shaped, sturdily made — a golden sword and shield covered by silver wings, with a brilliant ruby set at the meeting point of sword and shield.

"Eh? What's this?"

Valentina looked at the little ornament left beside her and tilted her head.

Although she hadn't read much, she still felt something was a bit off?

A man and a woman alone in a room; the man left before the woman woke, leaving behind an object…… No mistaking it.

This is — a tribute!

"Why is he suddenly thinking of presenting me with a tribute?" The hungry Young Lady hummed smugly and accepted the gift with an easy conscience.

Heh-heh~

This is what the great dragon deserves!

"But this thing looks a little familiar."

Valentina thought for a moment and finally recalled that the brooch had always been pinned to Herbert's chest before.

She took the brooch off, carefully toyed with it, and found that tiny text was engraved on its back — she couldn't read it at all!

Is he deliberately picking on me!!?

"Hmph, hmm, hmm……"

However, although she couldn't claim to read all of humanity's script, Valentina wasn't a complete illiterate either, and could still make out the word at the beginning.

It was a name she knew very well — Herbert.

She sat against the wall in one corner of the cell, legs together propping up her upper body, carefully placed the brooch in her palm, and stared at it, observing it ceaselessly.

Why would he leave this behind for me?

Valentina thought about it for a long time without figuring out why, and finally gave up on such brain-taxing matters altogether.

"Hehe…"

She gazed at the brooch and giggled foolishly for quite a while, then reached her hand into her collar to fumble around, and from within the gap pulled out a delicate little mirror.

She pinned the brooch to her chest while looking into the mirror, quietly gazing at the somewhat unfamiliar woman reflected within.

The exquisite brooch, the collar around her neck, and the silly, dopey smile on her face that would only make people let their guard down.

Is this still me?

She tugged at the corner of her mouth and smiled, casually tossing this boring question to the back of her mind, and watched herself in the mirror smile even more brightly.

"Herbert, Herbert…"

She softly murmured this name that had left a deep impression on her again and again, and slowly closed her eyes.

"Hehe."

【"So, why are you so experienced at this?"】

"Huh? What are you referring to?"

【"Of course I mean how skillfully you deceived that little dragon — hmm, that word isn't quite right — toyed with her feelings? That doesn't seem right either…"】

Nie Nasha hesitated for a moment, then said uncertainly:

【"Taming?"】

Hmm?

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Herbert blinked rapidly, called a halt in an annoyed tone, and flicked an irritating shadow tentacle aside with a forceful snap of his finger.

Snap!

Listen to that — is there a single nice word in there?

Can't you say something nice about me?

"What kind of talk is that! Where did I deceive her? Where did I toy with her feelings?"

Herbert snorted and said with full conviction: "I merely did what every man would do!"

What he meant was that after petting her tail, he had left behind some compensatory tail-petting fees.

I didn't steal, I didn't rob — I even took the initiative to hand over money!

It's just that I didn't write "voluntarily given" in the remarks.

【"Hey, have you noticed… you didn't actually refute the very last word I said just now?"】

Herbert ignored Nie Nasha's questioning, and with a grand sweep of his hand said:

"You don't understand — I'm reshaping her with all my heart! I hope she becomes a law-abiding, good dragon, and the first step is to make her understand the importance of emotions."

"I'm sacrificing myself to feed the dragon."

"The one who's been suffering losses has always been me!"

(End of chapter)