Regarding Wayne's proposal, Borch thought for a while before agreeing. This decision stemmed from a sense of self-confidence. As a dragon standing at the top of the food chain, particularly a golden dragon with magical abilities and two powerful Zerrikan female warriors as bodyguards, he wasn't afraid of a few individuals with evil intentions. Moreover, after everyone treated each other frankly, many things and information could be communicated effectively without the need for the usual beating around the bush.
From Borch's mouth, Wayne learned the whole story. About six days ago, the day before meeting Wayne, while Borch and his two female guards were traveling to Temeria, they suddenly heard the green dragon's cry for help from hundreds of miles away. This cry for help was a form of mysterious magic among dragons, capable of transmitting signals within a thousand miles, known by all dragons.
Dragons were becoming increasingly rare in the world, and purebred dragons capable of using magic were even rarer. As an extremely rare golden dragon, Borch had encountered only a few of his own kind thus far. His life was solitary, and his only companions were the Zerrikan tribes who revered, loved, and protected him. However, due to the unequal status between them, Borch had yet to find a true friend.
It wasn't until he drank and played cards with Wayne, bragging and chatting, he experienced the joy of equal communication.
"From her distress magic, I know that she is hatching an egg, and the child is about to be born. When she was hunting for food on the grassland, she was poisoned by a group of civilians, which made her fall into an extremely weak state. She now desperately needs a kinsman to go to her cave and protect her."
Wayne nodded understandingly. For humans, dragons are inherently dangerous and vicious. Slaying dragons can not only gain honor but also a lot of wealth, but for Borch and the green dragon who are also dragons, humans might be the danger.
The four rode for a certain distance and came to a wilderness far away from the town. After making sure that there was no one around, Borch got off his horse and came to an open space. He nodded to Wayne, and then his figure swayed, as if there was a sound of magic breaking, and he swelled into a giant in the blink of an eye, about three stories high.
The dragon's head wasn't big, without the horrible horns and fangs in fantasy novels; it was neither ferocious nor ugly, but possessed a strange beauty. The small head hung on the round chest, the slender neck drew a perfect arc, and the tail wrapped around the outstretched claws. There was an indescribable elegance to it, a feline air that overlooked its reptilian appearance. But it was undoubtedly a reptile, with bright yellow eyes revealing a bright and fierce light, and scales that seemed to have been finely painted, almost the entire body being golden.
When it opened its huge ten-meter-long wings, the beautiful wings covered with golden scales, it was hard to believe that this was a beautiful creature transformed from the short and fat Borch.
Wayne stared at the golden dragon dazedly for several seconds. He had been in this world for several years, and the golden dragon was probably the most beautiful fantasy creature he had ever seen, except for the beautiful and holy goddess of the lake. As a dragon with outstanding wisdom, Borch's every move was more like that of a well-educated gentleman than a wild beast.
Though the dragon didn't open its mouth, a majestic male voice sounded in Wayne's mind, which was telepathy, a special kind of magic.
"My real name is Villentretenmerth, which means Three Black Birds in the ancient language. Wayne, if you're ready, let's go, just the two of us. Our horses will be temporarily handled over to Tia and Via for safekeeping. A group of Zerrikan warriors have arrived in the Northern Kingdom, and they will arrive here in about three or four days, Via will join them. If there is any battle which we can't avoid, those fighters will fight for me."
Hearing this, Wayne looked at the two Zerrikan girls, who also looked at him simultaneously. Tia smiled, and flirted provocatively. The charming gesture made him unable to help but reminisce about the madness of the night before departure.
He nodded, took off his weapons and equipment from Lucifer, and carried them on his back. Then, he followed the golden dragon's tail and nimbly climbed onto its back. The scales and skin folds there just formed a groove, providing enough stability to prevent him from slipping off the dragon's back.
"In that case, let's go. According to what you said, that green dragon has been poisoned for many days; it may be very dangerous now."
The golden dragon nodded, without any further words. It spread its beautiful golden wings and soared into the sky with a strong current of air.
Flying was an experience that every human being has fantasized about. In his previous life, Wayne was a rural kid who had never even been on an airplane. Riding on the back of a dragon and soaring into the sky was a unique and novel experience for him.
The only pity was that it was still spring, and it was too cold to fly at high altitudes without any protection. Borch was protected by scales and dragon skin, so he might not feel it, but Wayne was really chilled by the cold wind high in the sky. However, he was still a witcher after all, and his physical fitness was much stronger than that of ordinary people. Apart from feeling cold, he wouldn't really suffer any harm.
Riding on the back of a dragon, looking down at the scenery below, Borch led him through a forest, climbed up a mountain range, and crossed a wasteland on the mountain. After circling a few times at the top of the mountain, he found a fairly hidden cave.
The entrance of the cave was very large, and the field of vision was quite wide. Borch flapped his wings and slowly stopped in the open space outside the cave entrance. Before he could stabilize his figure, a slightly sharp dragon's roar came from the cave.
Wayne couldn't understand what it meant; he didn't know if it was a threat or a cry for help. But Borch waited until Wayne fell from it to the ground, and immediately took graceful and dexterous steps, and got into the cave. Seeing this, Wayne didn't care to be cautious and followed borch into the cave together.
The interior space of the cave was also very wide. The ceiling of the cave was about 30 meters high from the ground. Some green moss and vines grew on the top of the mountain and the rock wall. Even a golden dragon with a height of more than ten meters had enough room to move around.
However, the green dragon in the cave was obviously not as civilized and intelligent as Borch. As soon as he entered the cave, Wayne was suffocated by the feces piled up in the corner of the cave and the stench of carrion left over from eating.
It was a pity that in the world of witchers, dragon dung was just ordinary dung, which had no value at all. Even dragons, except for their dragon teeth, claws, blood, and internal organs, which could be used as magic materials, other parts were similar to ordinary lizards. There wasn't much difference.
Borch was not affected by the stench. Hearing the faint roar of the dragon coming from the cave, his footsteps quickened, and he seemed to be filled with anticipation as he moved alongside Wayne.
After advancing for more than 20 meters, Borch and Wayne beheld the true master. It was a female dragon with gray-green scales covering her body, measuring only about six or seven meters in length. Coiling her tail and wings protectively, she cradled a half-meter-tall white dragon egg in her arms. Her bloody mouth hung wide open, and her pale yellow vertical pupils watched vigilantly as the person and dragon entered from the cave entrance.
Such a defensive posture might have some deterrent effect on ignorant farmers or arrogant soldiers, but as a monster expert, Wayne could clearly feel that this green dragon was very weak and had no resistance at all. It could even be said that she was on her deathbed. It had been about six or seven days since she was poisoned, and the kind of poison administered by the farmer of was unknown, causing even a powerful dragon to nearly succumb.
The dragon egg she cradled was perhaps the main reason for her survival thus far.
Borch and the female dragon locked eyes for about 2 minutes, likely communicating telepathically. Wayne remained silent, observing the legendary dragon's nest with curious eyes. Dragons were incredibly rare creatures, seldom seen even by witchers. In many stories, a dragon's lair often symbolized wealth, and true to that, Wayne spotted the legendary Dragon's Treasure.
Behind the coiled green dragon lay a pile of gold coins and precious stones, forming a small mountain on the ground. Though not an exorbitant amount, there were about two or three thousand gold coins of various types, along with numerous rough gemstones.
Wayne did a quick calculation and couldn't help feeling a bit speechless. While this treasure might be considered an astronomical figure for ordinary people, for princes and nobles, it could only buy a luxurious manor.
He couldn't help but wonder about the purpose of collecting such treasures for dragons who lived in the wilderness, feasting on raw meat and carrion, and never interacting with civilized society.
Just as Wayne pondered this question, the golden dragon Borch next to him suddenly seemed to experience a surge of happiness. The elegant creature stood upright, flapping its beautiful golden wings a few times, and letting out a pleasant dragon cry.