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Catering essentially falls under hard labor.

And preparing meals for Wales is hard labor as well.

Ingredient preparation and cooking. Even if I borrowed the incredible cooking magic from Mary, the queen of housework, it would still take at least half a day. Preparing dishes for dozens of people is no joke.

It’s practically the same as preparing a meal for dozens of guests in the catering business.

But if this isn’t hard labor, we might need to redefine the term.

Moreover, every time I prepared a meal for Wales, Karem’s deep-seated pride and self-esteem were poked by a pang of conscience.

Given the amount Wales devours, I was inevitably left with complex emotions about having to prepare overlapping menus.

Some might say it’s pointless worry.

Yet Wales is indeed a glutton, surpassing even Alicia.

With the limitation of his manifestation, he easily outpaces Alicia.

But eating the same dishes every time gets tiresome.

So, every time Karem thought of a meal to serve Wales, he wracked his brain to avoid repeating previous menus as much as possible.

Of course, if the Dragon heard this, he’d question, “Tired of the same food? Why? It’s only been a month!”

Eating the same food can indeed become boring.

Dragons aren’t any different.

Typically, living beings have a sense of taste and preferences. Dragons tend to be a bit more picky than usual.

However, there are two considerations.

First, the comparison includes a few extraordinary beings like gods and their kin with an immense lifespan.

And second, a sense of time that can only be described as majestic to match that lifespan.

As a result, once a dragon fixates on something, it takes them a few years to get bored and immerse themselves in something else, becoming a grand otaku.

There are no exceptions. Even wandering for fun is part of that.

Dragons are fundamentally immortal.

They don’t die of old age.

Thus, Karem’s concerns stemmed from a purely human-centered mindset. We see this as unnecessary.

Of course, Wales had no idea or intention of understanding Karem’s concerns. He was simply delighted by the frequent introduction of new dishes.

Once a month?

I want to eat something new every week.

And now the opportunity has come.

If only I can break this simple curse…!

“Ugh, huh?”

Wait, what is this?

“Sir Wales?”

“Fool! Wait just a moment.”

The Aligot dish flew up from the table and returned to its place.

A complex magic circle slowly rotated above Wales’s hand as he held Catherine’s hands, checking her carefully.

“Is it that serious of a curse?”

“It makes me repeat what I’ve said. It’s a bit humiliating, but I must examine it closely. So, fool, have patience.”

As Wales examined Catherine’s hands directly, he flicked his tail as if to reassure her.

“So… what exactly is happening here?”

“Are you asking me?”

“There’s no one else beside you. Catherine is inspecting.”

“Of course, I don’t know.”

For the record, Mary was not pleased with the current situation.

She hoped that Catherine’s curse wouldn’t be lifted.

After all, if the curse disappears, one of her fixed duties vanishes, and for a brownie, that meant she was out.

This, of course, was merely Mary’s personal opinion.

Only a few overly workaholic brownies would agree with this.

The majority would certainly think, “No matter how much you love work, this is just too much.”

Nevertheless, Mary buried her personal thoughts deep inside.

Rational beings must grow!

She had started to notice something as well.

If she were to speak her mind, and Catherine heard, it would be guaranteed that her head would be squeezed, and she’d be forced to take a vacation.

She couldn’t throw herself into such a foolish risk! Despite not showing it, Mary was desperately fighting against the endless temptations flowing around her.

“Rather than that, isn’t it Karem who created this situation?”

“Well, that’s true.”

Upon hearing Mary’s words, Karem scratched his head absentmindedly.

Dragons are often called the progenitors of magic.

Moreover, Wales is one of their kings.

So, I thought he could easily dismantle Catherine’s curse with a wink, but lo and behold.

It’s not going as I envisioned.

“Ah, I can’t take it anymore!”

Suddenly, Mary yelled with determination.

“Y-yes?”

“I’ll be right back.”

“Wait, hold on. Mary? Where are you-”

Karem flinched at the intensity of Mary’s demeanor.

“Sir Wales, I apologize for interrupting your busy schedule, but may I ask a favor?”

“Hmm? You foolish one, are you asking me?”

It seemed the suddenness shocked Wales as well, and the serious expression he wore lost its firmness.

“In this current situation.”

Catherine clenched her teeth as if she guessed Mary’s intentions and glared at her.

“Are you really daring to say that in front of none other than Sir Wales? Really?”

“I’m willing to listen.”

“Sir Wales, but-”

“It’s okay. I’m generous. I’ll at least hear the request of the foolish one.”

Of course, just hearing it doesn’t mean he would fulfill it; that’s an entirely different realm. Yet it was bold of her to come directly like this—

“Please allow me to clean your Bendleig villa, Sir Wales.”

The request startled even Wales.

“…Fool, what did you just say?”

“I want to clean—no, organize—your nest, Sir Wales.”

Mary clarified her reason simply.

The nest was dust-free due to regular cleaning magic.

Upon hearing Mary’s assertion, Catherine’s expression twisted.

“Are you seriously spewing desires at a time when you’ve received an invitation from the Dragon Lord?”

“But, contractor, I simply can’t hold it in.”

Mary spread her arms wide, clearly hinting at her confusion. Of course, she acted this way, but it was obvious what was around her.

A table laden with dishes, heaps of treasures glimmering under the light of magic stones, and gold and silver dust scattered on the floor shining brilliantly.

“Look at this! A mountain of gold coins and jewels piled indiscriminately! Various equipment and magic tools carelessly left behind! I’ve thought so before, but to just sit back and tolerate this is far too harsh!”

“Um… uh, fool?”

“Did you call me?”

“Try your best to organize until you return.”

At those words, Mary walked briskly toward the shimmering heaps of gold and treasure as if she had been waiting for permission.

As Wales turned to follow her, puzzled, he asked:

“Fools, has the culture of those who love doing others’ work changed while I was asleep?”

“Um… I thought Mary was the average house fairy.”

“Surely that can’t be!?”

Wales shook his head defiantly, denying that notion.

“Even if not all, house fairies prioritize their master or contractor above all others, and I’ve never encountered a brownie like that in my life.”

“Isn’t a subordinate causing trouble—”

“No, I’m rather pleased. It’s refreshing.”

“Sir?”

Though her face flushed with embarrassment, Catherine closed her eyes tight, having her hands bound as Wales inspected.

“When we return, I’ll extend the vacation.”

Mary was prepared for that.

Despite the risk of messing up big time, she decided to focus on the present.

Of course, once the invited guests dispersed, Wales would scatter everything and return to his true form, rolling around on top of it all, but that was a matter for later, and Mary had no way of knowing.

Even if she did, her tasks would remain unchanged.

No, it’s favored! No matter how much work I handle, it keeps piling up…! How can I endure this…!?

I can no longer break the contract made with Catherine earlier.

And I certainly can’t ignore the mountain of treasures before my eyes tempting me to clean!

Mary was happier than ever at that moment.

Already, towers of sorted gold coins were rising around her.

“That kind of behavior reminds me more of the organizing king, Glitter Gold.”

“What’s Glitter Gold?”

The term “organizing king of glitter gold” emerged from her otherwise noble tone, completely out of place.

“Oh? I mean my relatives, the Gold Dragons.”

“Gold Dragons.”

“They’re known for organizing and classifying their collectibles and even re-organizing them after sorting.”

Does that mean that each dragon represents different characteristics?

“I suppose it’s typically like that.”

Just as people have characteristics represented by their race, wouldn’t dragons be the same? I’ve heard that Wales’s generosity is a rare trait, with Reds claiming to be the most violent among dragons.

“Besides, there’s the inherent ferocity of my kin, the Reds, the nurturing Greens with their pets and plants, the apathetic sleeping Blacks, and the joy-addicted Blues, along with the taxidermy-obsessed Silvers.”

“Is that so?”

“For reference, the other relatives refer to my clan as hot-headed Reds.”

Do they self-deprecate like that?

Wales shook his head as if disgusted by Karem’s gaze, which questioned whether he too was a Red.

“Even though they’re my kin, I can’t deny the ferocity of the Red Dragons.”

“I honestly still can’t grasp it.”

“It seems Iberia is still a frontier.”

“Really?”

“Do you know why that is?”

Isn’t it because Iberia is a magical land comparable to the mountain ranges?

Then Catherine seemed to recall something and flinched.

“…Now that I think about it, I’ve heard that in the era of the Palatino Empire, there was active colonization in Iberia.”

“Right. It seems not much has changed since I fell asleep.”

“Wasn’t it because of the Demon King’s forces?”

“It seems the onset was indeed the Demon King’s army.”

“Your Highness, that implies—”

“Yup.”

The hand of the Demon King who burned the entire continent and reset civilization could not spare Iberia either.

In fact, Iberia, which was barely a developed nation and more of a colony, suffered far more severe devastation than other countries.

The foundations laid by the settlers, the traditions, and cultures accumulated by migrants were set ablaze after a meager resistance.

However, the issue was that in the process, a few Red Dragons’ feelings were inadvertently ruffled.

“It turns out the governor governing the Iberian territories as a form of amusement was a Red Dragon. Naturally, he was disguised.”

“Oh. Could it be—”

“During the invasion, it seems they also stumbled upon the lairs of other Red Dragons.”

There’s no way a mere colony, which isn’t even a proper nation, would have the strength to confront a dragon.

In utter disregard for the lives of the two furious Red Dragons, the Demon King’s forces were annihilated.

Of course, the two Reds were later subdued by the emergency dragon-slaying forces dispatched by the Demon King’s army, but the damage Iberia suffered exceeded that which the Demon King’s army incurred.

“Of course, I learned all of this from a friend.”

“A friend…? Another Lord, perhaps?”

“Indeed. But more importantly, hmmm. As expected…”

Perhaps having confirmed something, Wales withdrew his hands and Catherine regained her freed hands, revealing a hint of anticipation.

“To put it plainly, it’s impossible for me to lift it.”

“Your Highness?”

Catherine reflexively responded to the unexpected declaration.

“You mean, you cannot lift the curse, Your Highness?”

“Correct. If it were simply a matter of magic, I wouldn’t need to examine it so thoroughly.”

“Then what on earth—”

“God.”

Wales uttered a single word lightly.

Yet the gravity behind that word was anything but light. Karem couldn’t help but think he had misheard something.

“So, the God you speak of?”

Of course, gods?

“Indeed, given how skillfully it was concealed, it must be a curse of Hecate.”

“Hecate? Which god is that?”

“She’s the goddess of magic, shamanism, and curses worshipped during the Palatino Empire. I heard she was killed by the Demon King when the empire fell.”

“Heard, you say?”

“From a long-lost kin.”

Catherine clenched her eyes shut at those words.

Cold sweat streamed down her face.

She had an inkling.

“You seem to know something.”

“Catherine?”

Thus, she absolutely could not speak.

“That’s truly a trivial curse. Like a breeze in early autumn! This fierce winter spirit shall show you what true blizzards are!”

She absolutely could not say it.

 

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