So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

"Don't dawdle, you bastards!" the Guard Captain berated his soldiers.

The soldiers guarding Calea City are neither lazy nor weak. This is only natural, as the city borders the "mountain range," a magic realm. Having experience in regularly fending off magical beasts, all of Calea City's elite soldiers are tough. They could easily take on two or three inland guards by themselves.

"But... what can we do if we go there?"

However, the soldiers' faces now showed only fear and tension.

"It just looks like a volcano erupted..."

"I've never heard that Calea Mountain was a volcano."

"How can we even confirm that...?"

The Guard Captain struck the helmet of the grumbling soldier.

"I saw it, I tell you. It was a lizard. A fire lizard!"

"Ouch... Are you sure you haven't been drinking?"

"You think I'd get drunk on just two beers! And don't you see even the mayor has come out?"

There was a reason the Guard Captain was being so strict. The mayor of Calea City had personally come out.

The mayor said he clearly saw a fire lizard.

"The dwarves must have come out of the mine, so you followed them, right?"

"Yes, that's right. Now shut up and march in step."

The Calea soldiers marched up the mountain in neat rows and columns.

The mayor followed behind them on horseback.

They finally reached the spot where the fire had erupted.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, there was no sign of a fire lizard. If it had really existed, there should at least be a corpse left behind.

However, embers were still crackling and smoking in the surrounding area.

And there were many dwarves, who were usually very difficult to meet.

The dwarves looked terrible. Many were injured, and all of them were soaking wet.

The muscular, sturdy dwarves were sprawled out sitting anywhere they could.

They looked like victorious heroes, making even the Guard Captain gulp.

"Um... We came because there was a disturbance."

"Disturbance? It's all over now."

"Could you tell us what happened...?"

Dwarves are not known for being friendly.

They looked at each other but didn't give any particular answer.

As the silence continued, the Guard Captain asked again.

"Is there anyone in charge here?"

"In charge? Hmm, who's our leader?"

The dwarves started debating among themselves about who their leader was.

Since no one was giving a proper answer, the Guard Captain was at a loss.

The brave mayor of Calea approached and urged them.

"I am the mayor of Calea City. Is there no one in charge?"

Then, the leader of the dwarves really did come forward.

"It seems I'm the only one who can act as the leader here right now."

It was a dwarf with a luxurious beard.

The mayor of Calea acted like he knew him.

"Ah, are you the Mine Lord Blue Beard?"

The dwarf called Blue Beard, Rozena, frowned deeply.

She stomped up to the mayor's face.

And she thrust her beard at the frightened mayor.

"Hey, does my beard look blue to you?"

"Ah, no..."

"If it looks blue, there must be something wrong with your eyes. I'm just called Rozena."

"Y-yes, Lady Rozena. I am the mayor of Calea. Then, perhaps the Mine Lord is..."

"Blue Beard is dead. Burned to death."

"Pardon? How did that happen?"

Rozena pondered for a moment, then asked in return.

"If fire erupts from deep below the mountain, would that be a volcanic eruption?"

"Uh... I suppose so? Was Calea Mountain a volcano?"

"I don't know either. Didn't you just tell me it was a volcano?"

"I see."

"Then we could say Blue Beard died because of a volcanic eruption."

"My condolences."

"No need for that. He deserved it."

It sounded like a conversation between fools.

Rozena sighed deeply and unfolded her arms.

"Since I've become the temporary Mine Lord, I'll apologize as the representative."

"Pardon?"

"Due to the fire we couldn't control, your property was damaged and lives were lost. As the representative of the Red Anvil Mine, I apologize and will work towards compensating for the damages."

Rozena bowed deeply.

The dwarves who had been slouching around also stood up, glancing around, and followed suit by bowing.

"Uh... When you say property damage, you mean the loading dock that burned down..."

But the mayor was rather flustered by the dwarves' apology.

He called the Guard Captain and asked what they meant by loss of life.

"It seems that Batten died?"

"Batten? Who's that?"

"You know, that bald guy with the big belly. He was in charge of the loading dock."

"Ah, that guy!"

Then he laughed heartily and said,

"Don't worry about him. He was going to be put on trial anyway for secretly skimming fees."

"But still, a person died..."

"Is that really an issue in a disaster situation? Don't worry about it, don't worry."

The mayor of Calea didn't seem to have the slightest regret about the death of the big-bellied man.

It was enough to make even Rozena feel awkward.

"We'll repair the loading dock too, so you don't need to worry about that..." Read exclusive content at m v l em pyr

The mayor's voice was as soft as if he were about to offer his liver.

"How about reopening your doors on this occasion? We in Calea City have been hoping for trade with the Red Anvil Mine to resume."

"I was thinking of doing that anyway. Stagnant water tends to rot. We wanted to make and sell new items too..."

"Really?"

The mayor looked like he might faint from joy.

Rozena nodded.

"However, due to this volcanic eruption, a lot of equipment inside the mine was burned... It might take quite some time to recover."

"Time? How long?"

"We're short on budget, you see. It might take at least ten years..."

"We'll help. It's only right to share in our neighbor's suffering."

"Really? Uahahahaha!"

Rozena laughed joyfully and patted the mayor's back hard.

The mayor seemed to be in a lot of pain, but he forced a smile and tried not to show it.

"Oh, right!"

Rozena looked around as if she had remembered something.

Then she dragged Roil, who had been standing awkwardly in the distance.

"We received help from a very excellent human. A friend called Roin."

"It's Roil."

"Right, Roil!"

The mayor's eyes widened.

"This friend helped put out the volcano's fire. He came riding a horse, you see. Without him, who knows how many more would have died. When we resume trade, it would be good if this friend could help..."

"Oh my. Roil..."

The mayor already knew Roil.

He grabbed Roil's hand, his eyes glistening with tears.

"You were Calea's lucky charm all along!"

Roil smiled awkwardly.

That unaffected appearance likely won further favor with the mayor of Calea.

"Then talk more with this friend."

Rozena left the two of them and quietly stepped back.

She sighed deeply as she stretched her stiff body.

Though still a powerful warrior, Rozena was already quite old.

To be the Mine Lord at this age, even if temporary.

She was too old for such a thing.

She just wanted to go back to her workshop and create her 1,001st collection.